Building blocks

The suburbs are all about close-knit neighborhoods, and Susanne Lello valued the camaraderie in the 200 block of south Pine Street in Mount Prospect, where she grew up. That was one reason she and new husband Miles Osei turned their wedding into a block party with everyone invited. We wish the couple a lifetime of good neighbors.

Train turnaround

Metra handed commuters a small carrot with its capital plan calling for annual fare hikes — the promise of new cars. The agency now says the fare increases remain, but the equipment purchases will be slowed down because cash is tight and Illinois owes it money. We get that, but it doesn’t do much for rebuilding confidence in the agency.

Hurry, hurry!

The American lotuses are in bloom on the Chain O’ Lakes , but move quickly if you want to see the local beauties, which bloom from late July to late August. Each bloom lasts three days. The biggest cluster is on Grass Lake, with smaller beds on Nippersink and Fox lakes.

Ready for some football?

High school football teams began official practices for the 2016 season earlier this week, and the season kicks off Aug. 26. Here’s hoping the competition will be spirited with players, coaches and fans exhibiting good sportsmanship.

Cheers, not jeers:

While football gets a lot of attention, there are many more high school sports for student-athletes and fans to enjoy each season. The sportsmanship we cherish at the Olympics should resonate at the high school level, but every year a few fans in the stands spoil it for others by yelling at referees, coaches and opponents. Don’t be that fan.

Hope for Peregine Lake

It will be months — maybe years — before residents living around Palatine’s Peregrine Lake know whether anything can stop the waterway’s gradual evolution into wetlands, or whether they can afford it. Give them credit for making it a team effort by bringing stakeholders from across local government on board. We wish them luck.

Glen Ellyn’s new chamber boss

Best wishes to Dawn Smith, who begins Monday as executive director of the Glen Ellyn Chamber of Commerce. An 8-year resident with a background in event planning and tourism, she succeeds the legendary Mike Formento, a former village president who headed the chamber for eight years.

Art in West Chicago

West Chicago’s cultural arts commission has embarked on a quest to create a public art inventory and a registry of every artist who lives in the city. It’s a great idea and one we hope artists and art-lovers will quickly respond to. Just visit www.westchicago.org and fill in the necessary info.

Last flings

Go for a swim. Watch the stars. Eat watermelon. Wear flip-flops. Go to a festival. Picnic in the forest preserve. The suburbs offer plenty of ways to embrace summer. But be quick; there’s already a hint of fall in the air.

School zones

Kids are heading back to school and it’s time to get reacquainted with those school zones along your driving route. Slow down for the kids, and if that’s not enough of a reason, slow down for the police who will be out in full force.