“Divvy has proved to be a very popular transportation option and we want Divvy riders to rest assured that they can plan on Divvy-biking to special events and not have to worry about finding an empty docking station,” said Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld.

Chicago

As the summer special event season is ramping up, the Divvy bike-sharing service announced it is expanding the complimentary Valet Service it offered last year at a select number of events. For the July 4th Festivities, as well as the Grateful Dead Fare Thee Well shows at Soldier Field, and a number of other large scale events Divvy will have attendants on hand at designated “hotspot” stations to ensure riders have a guaranteed dock available when they arrive. Divvy is also providing Valet Service at designated high volume locations on weekday mornings, weekday evenings and weekends.

“Divvy has proved to be a very popular transportation option and we want Divvy riders to rest assured that they can plan on Divvy-biking to special events and not have to worry about finding an empty docking station,” said Chicago Department of Transportation Commissioner Rebekah Scheinfeld. “This expanded policy reflects our commitment to providing the best possible customer service to everyone who uses Divvy.”

Des Plaines

Oakton College elects not to rehire 77 employees

Oakton College announced that it will not rehire 77 employees effective July 1. The General Assembly in 2013 passed a law that instituted financial penalties for colleges and universities that pay pension recipients over a certain amount of money. That resulted in Oakton College’s action.

New Oakton president on the job

Current Vice President for Student Affairs Joianne Smith, Ph.D., took the helm as Oakton’s new president on July 1. Smith succeeds current Oakton President Margaret B. Lee, Ph.D., who retired on June 30, after 20 years of leading the college.

“I feel honored to have been selected as Oakton’s next president and am deeply committed to continuing the College’s tradition of student-centered and mission-driven leadership,” said Smith, a resident of Glenview. “I look forward to working closely with the Board of Trustees and the College community to continue to provide transformational educational opportunities to empower students and the larger community.”

The 14-member search committee for Oakton’s new president included a wide representation of students, faculty, administrators, staff, and alumni, as well as representatives from the Oakton Board of Trustees and Educational Foundation. After reviewing nearly 40 resumes from professionals around the country who applied to be Oakton’s next leader, the search committee interviewed nine candidates. Smith, along with one other finalist for the position, participated in rigorous daylong interview sessions that were open to all Oakton employees.

Hillside

Two killed when motorcycle hits median

Two people were killed June 28 in an accident involving a motorcycle and three vehicles on I-290. According to reports, the motorcycle was speeding with a group of other motorcyclists heading eastbound when the motorcycle struck the median and driver and passenger were thrown into the westbound lanes. Killed were Miranda A. Valles, 21, of Downers Grove and Matt Summers, 41, of Crystal Lake. Both were on the motorcycle.

North Shore

Extensive spraying begins to combat West Nile virus

The North Shore Mosquito Abatement District began extensive spraying for mosquitoes after mosquitoes in several North Shore communities tested positive for West Nile virus.

A pool of mosquitoes collected by the Evanston Health and Human Services Department on July 1 tested positive for the West Nile virus. These are the first West Nile virus positive mosquitoes to be found in Evanston this year.

Because residents will be spending more time outdoors over the long holiday weekend, the City is encouraging people to protect themselves and others in their care.

The North Shore Mosquito Abatement District also found the first West Nile virus positive mosquitoes to occur in Glencoe this year.

A batch of mosquitoes, collected on June 29, from a NSMAD trap in Glencoe, tested positive for West Nile virus on July 1. Four other batches of mosquitoes from the same collection tested negative.

The best way to prevent West Nile disease or any other mosquito-borne illness is to reduce the number of mosquitoes around your home and to take personal precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Precautions include:

• Avoid being outdoors when mosquitoes are most active, especially between dusk and dawn.
• When outdoors, wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and apply insect repellent that includes DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR 3535 according to label instructions. Consult a physician before using repellents on infants.
• Make sure doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or other openings. Try to keep doors and windows shut, especially at night.
• Eliminate all sources of standing water that can support mosquito breeding, including water in bird baths, ponds, flower pots, wading pools, old tires and any other receptacles.

River Grove

Triton bans smoking on campus

Triton College is a smoke- and tobacco-free campus as of July 1 in compliance with the Illinois Smoke Free Campus Act. All smoking and tobacco products will be prohibited on Triton College premises. The college’s policy also prohibits any sale, consumption, free sampling, distribution or advertising of any and all tobacco products college property. No individual on College property shall litter or otherwise dispose of tobacco waste products on Triton College property.

State

Illinois completes wettest, cloudiest June on record

It was a gray and wet beginning to summer in Illinois and, in fact, it was the wettest June on record in the state. The statewide average rainfall had reached nearly 9 inches, 8.91, according to the National Weather Service. That is nearly double the normal rainfall for June of 4.50 inches.

This year’s rain total surpasses the previous record set in 1902 by nearly a full inch when the statewide average rainfall was 8.27 inches, according to the NWS. The state began collecting records beginning in 1895.

— Cook County news briefs —