THUMBS UP TO… a fashion-forward favor. The excitement has been palpable of late at local Goodwill stores after Bridal Elegance, of Ottawa, donated thousands of dresses as part of an inventory cleanout. January tends to be a slower month for Goodwill, but that’s not the case this year as customers are turning out in droves to try on bridal gowns and formal dresses. Many are priced much more than usual Goodwill fare, but they still represent a steep discount over retail and, as such, afford an opportunity for some folks to own dresses they might otherwise never have a chance to wear. When those dresses sell, that gives Goodwill money to provide veteran, youth and job training services.
It should be noted Bridal Elegance didn’t actually seek publicity for this gesture. In fact, the store donates dresses to different organizations each year with little or no fanfare, often to groups that specialize in suicide prevention and breast cancer research. But this time around some folks started to think Bridal Elegance was closing, so they agreed to discuss their contribution to dispel that rumor. So not only are we able to report the business is on solid ground, but we also can share news of it being an exemplary corporate citizen.
THUMBS DOWN TO… the rotten apple. One can proverbially spoil a bunch, and that might be what happens in Streator, where public library officials are reporting a warning from internet provider Mediacom about illegal downloading on the library’s WiFi network. Library Director Cindy Maxwell said it appears someone is parking outside the library, connecting to the wireless network and downloading pirated content. If the behavior isn’t stopped, Mediacom is within its rights to cancel the service, if only to protect itself from liability in the event of litigation by owners of the original content.
It’s bad enough to disregard copyright law by downloading illegally on your own home network, but to do it at the library is worse. There are many people who need library internet access as a legitimate resource, and illegal downloading is an abuse of that community service that jeopardizes its ability. It’s also a private abuse of public money, which should anger any upstanding citizen. To report anyone who is illegally using the library's service, contact the library at 815-672-2729 or streatorplstaff@gmail.com.
THUMBS UP TO… local voices. As part of the process of the new General Assembly session in Springfield, it was good to see two of our area’s state Senators named to important leadership positions. Sue Rezin, a Morris Republican, and her colleague Jason Barickman, the South Streator native who lives in Bloomington and represents a district that includes Livingston County, each will serve as assistant leaders under Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno.
If you live in Rezin’s 38th District or Barickman’s 53rd, it matters not which candidate you voted for — or if you voted for none at all. They represent each citizen in their constituency and the fact they are close to the leader of their chamber makes their voice important. By extension, that makes our voices important as we reach out to them, either at their home office or in Springfield, to communicate concerns. If you’ve never before reached out to a Senator or Representative, consider starting now. You matter. All of you. Don’t lose your voice, and don’t let these elected officials overlook what you have to say.
THUMBS DOWN TO… messages of division. There are many folks frustrated to know the local tea party has invited former U.S. Rep. Joe Walsh to speak at is meeting in Ottawa Tuesday night. He was a firebrand during his one term in Congress and has doubled down on that reputation ever since, via both his Chicago talk radio career and social media activity, including posts that seemed to advocate use of weaponry and violence against those who disagree with his politics.
Of course we support Walsh’s right to speak freely and acknowledge there are many who find him entertaining. In a notice of his talk, organizers said he plans to speak about what he sees happening in the new Donald Trump administration and how important it is for citizens to become involved in local politics. Those are important topics indeed, ones Walsh is qualified to address. We just hope he uses his platform to sow seeds of unity and progress instead of relying on his demonstrated past of divisiveness and placing style over substance.
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