As we begin this commentary, it’s April 1. No joke. The way the 2024 March to April calendar flipped with a choice for our Monday press date, we opted for April Fool’s Day rather than a week earlier.
Plus, March Madness practically had attracted our undivided attention from March 19 to March 31.
First, we were happy to watch two players from Naperville advance with their teams to Round 2. John Poulakidas, a Neuqua Valley High School graduate played for Yale. Chris Conway, a Naperville Central High School grad played for Oakland University in Michigan, the team that famously became known as the “bracket breaker” for its upset defeat of the Kentucky Wildcats in Round 1. Neither Yale nor Oakland advanced after Round 2. Yet, what a thrill for any team to be selected for the tournament.
Next our most favored teams went forward to the Sweet 16 March 28-29. Perhaps you heard our cheering for Illinois, then Purdue, as both teams advanced to the Elite Eight. Our bracket for the 2024 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship had featured Midwestern Big Ten teams as our favorite picks all the way to the Final Four. We even imagined the possibility of Illinois and Purdue matching up in Phoenix.
By the end of play among the Elite Eight, Purdue had advanced to the Final Four. We are hopeful! Boiler Up!
Editor’s Update, 10:45PM, April 8, 2024 / March Madness is over. And the champion shines on April 8. Who’d have thought all those “one shining moments” would end on the day of the 2024 Solar Eclipse? UConn 75 to Purdue 60. Congratulations to all!
Last total eclipse visible here until 2044
With all this commotion about the one-hour solar eclipse beginning locally at 1:30PM on Mon., April 8, changing weather patterns and the talk of April snow, it’s definitely a time to be mindful of our stars, climate change and conservation of the Earth. Notably, ever since we’ve been taking photos digitally, saving them and comparing images from year to year, we can attest to shifts in the seasons. We even built a snowman on opening day for the Cubs in 2020.
Yet, when we recently suggested www.CO2coalition.org (an initiative recommended to my husband by his buddy at Argonne National Lab), to a member of the Naperville Environment and Sustainability Task Force (NEST), he implied that we’re a denier. What concerns us are the scare tactics and folks who appear not to have an open mind regarding the aggressive timelines. Could we be thrusting the world, especially poor countries, into deeper poverty? Could we be overturning our economic systems by drastic measures to fail? Is it science or politics? Do you cook by gas?
Get to know candidates before General Election Day Nov. 5
Regular readers likely are aware that PN encourages educated citizens to vote in every election. Whether print or online, we never endorse candidates running to serve; yet, all during campaign seasons we regularly promote public forums as well as candidate meet-and-greets.
That said, we were surprised by a remark from a reader who didn’t have much use for our reminder “VOTE!” on Primary Election Day. “The time to learn about the candidates is before vote-by-mail ballots go out,” she wrote, “not the day of the Primary…”
And we agree!
Another reader wondered why we’d posted an online story featuring the opening of the School District 203 student art show on March 18 in the Naperville Municipal Center that also mentioned the polls would be open that evening and on Primary Election Day, March 19.
We just had to reply that more and more, our posts oftentimes include more than one message.
PN previews rather than reviews
A notice from the Red Cross reminds us that on April 8, “some 31 million people living in a 100-plus mile path stretching from Texas to Maine will be able to witness a rare total solar eclipse.” Here in Naperville, we’ll likely see a partial eclipse. The path of totality will pass through southern Illinois where folks there will be able to experience a total eclipse. “Remember that looking directly at the sun is unsafe. NASA recommends eclipse eyewear with an IOS compliance label, or standard, of 12312-2,” the Red Cross warns.
Looking forward, celebrate the big star safely! Wish for a sunny Earth Day on April 22.
– Stephanie Penick
PN Publisher
