The new synthetic turf football field at North High School is now in place, complete with Trojan-purple end zones. The field was rolled out July 9, with South High set to receive its synthetic turf next week, said Jill Browning, District 99 communications director. "Our goal is to complete the North High improvements by mid-August and the South High improvements by mid-September," Browning said. "After the stadium turf and stormwater detention systems are complete, the running track and field events—long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault and shot put facilities—will be improved." broke…

There was something gentle in the gesture. One of the American flags lining Curtiss Street was in the way of crews working near the library, so the workers took special care with it. Nestled against a tree and wrapped with yellow caution tape, the flag looked like it was held in a safe embrace. Waiting to fly again.

Patch columnist Kristin McCann spotted this stump at the corner of Douglas and Franklin during her morning walk. It's on the property of Leanne and Patrick Lally. Maybe it will inspire residents who sustained tree damage in last week's storm to think of those broken limbs and freshly sawn trunks as a canvas awaiting an artful touch?

Canada geese are considered a bit of a nuisance on local athletic fields, parks and school grounds, but in their place—a pond—they can be charming. Especially when they've got a full house of goslings in tow. The kids are growing up fast, under the watchful eyes of their parents.  By the end of the summer they'll be out of the nest, but for now they're fun to watch.

Brownie and Daisy Scouts at Henry Puffer School turned out May 10 to maintain a garden they planted at the school last fall. The first-, second- and third-graders earned scout patches for their hard work—plus the satisfaction a garden of green growing things always brings.

Someone took a hard right turn at the corner of Saratoga and Franklin this week, leaving the street sign the worst for it. The tire tracks told the story, if the fallen signpost didn't: A not-so-subtle reminder that snow and ice can be hazardous, even on side streets. And maybe especially if you can't see where the street ends and the parkway begins.

Com Ed crews were hard at work Wednesday replacing a transformer pole near the parking garage on Washington Street. The 80-foot replacement started life as a pine tree, although most taller poles are fashioned from cedar trunks. Strength is key. The new pole will support transformers equal to the weight of three cars, a crew member told Patch. Never knew the art and science of electrical poles could be so interesting.