After the turkey is eaten and the dishes done, are you the kind of person who puts Christmas lights up right away? If so, snap a photo and send it to us. Suburban Life Publications is having a contest to see the best home holiday decorations.

E-mail your photos to bhudson@mysuburbanlife.com by Dec. 9 with “Holiday Lights” in the subject line. We'll publish the best photos during Christmas week.

The polling firm Gallup reported this year that 39 percent of Americans accept the truth of evolution, that 36 percent have no opinion on it, and that 25 said they don’t believe it. With such apathy toward the natural world, it’s no wonder children from other nations have surpassed American students in science and technology.

YOUR VIEW
In addition to more-frequent local editorials, our expanded opinions coverage features a forum seeking your take on a key issue being talked about around town. Here's the current topic:

Some of Santa's helpers are concerned that children are spreading germs to the Man in Red when they visit him. This has prompted some to advocate offering the vaccine for swine flu to those who portray Santa. Should shopping mall Santas be given a priority in receiving the H1N1 vaccine?

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Baby squirrels may have been a reason for last year’s split between the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County and a charitable group that raises money to fund the rehabilitation of wild animals.

The Forest Preserve has filed suit against the DuPage Wildlife Foundation, claiming the organization is holding on to charity money that should belong to the district’s Willowbrook Wildlife Center.

An Amber Alert issued out of Lemont Township has been canceled, according to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office.

Tip-off for the 2009-10 boys basketball season is next week. Meet your team's veteran stars and promising new talent as they begin their march toward postseason glory. Find team previews here.

YOUR VIEW
In addition to more-frequent local editorials, our expanded opinions coverage features a forum seeking your take on a key issue being talked about around town. Here's the current topic:

Home sales have been on the rise in western suburbs. Is this a sign the economy is recovering?

Click here to leave a comment. You can also e-mail your comment here. Or leave a message at (630) 368-8882.

In debating whether we should abolish capital punishment, it’s important to decide which aspect of this story dominates — the psychopath who deserves the ultimate punishment or the wrongful conviction of two men. Is it better for us to enhance public safety by eliminating society’s most serious threats or to protect civil liberties by making sure innocent people are never put to death?

A lapse in financial bookkeeping has left the DuPage Water Commission millions of dollars short, and leaders are considering increasing water utility rates, among other fundraising options, to cover the hole.

The DuPage Health Dept. is hoping to get its H1N1 flu vaccines to more of those who need it most with a pair of appointment-only clinics next month in Glen Ellyn and Downers Grove. The first session will be Saturday, Dec. 12 at Building K of the College of DuPage, and the second will be Sunday, Dec. 13 at Downers Grove South High School.

Three Elmhurst men arrested and charged Nov. 13 with taking part in a spree of 40 burglaries to vehicles in DuPage County communities will be arraigned in December.

Big-time college recruits and state title contenders take the court next week when the high school girls basketball season tips off. Check out your team's prospects here.

If there were a more effective way of weeding out ne’er-do-wells on the Internet, I’d strongly recommend using it. Such a mechanism would be helpful in identifying those who have good intentions and those who want to rip you off.

After six weeks and more than 10 hours of deliberation, a DuPage County jury has sentenced Brian Dugan of Aurora to death for the 1983 kidnapping, rape, and murder of 10-year-old Jeanine Nicarico of Naperville.

This summer, Illinois lawmakers legalized video gambling in bars and restaurants to raise funds for capital projects. Since then, more than a dozen communities in the western suburbs have banned the machines, and several more are poised to outlaw them before the end of this year. As many more towns weigh a gambling ban, however, the overall amount of revenue video gambling is projected to raise for the state — estimated at more than 25 percent of the $31 billion capital projects bill — has been put into doubt.