The Elmwood Park Fall Fest will be held from 5-11 p.m. Oct. 19, noon to 11 p.m. Oct. 20 and noon to 10 p.m. Oct. 21 at Mills Park, located at Diversey and 76th avenues.

Deerfield

Village to begin annual fall leaf collection

The village announced that its annual leaf collection program will begin the week of Oct. 22 and continue through Nov. 16 (weather permitting). Residents who do not mulch or bag their leaves may simply rake the leaves to the curb or carriage walk line the night before their scheduled pick-up date. Leaves should be raked neatly, and should be placed in piles no greater than 5 feet in width and as close to the curb as possible. Residents should not put out leaves more than one day prior to the pick-up date. Public Works crews will make one pass by each house in the village during the program. Crews will not remove leaves on a parkway that is blocked by a vehicle parked on the street. In addition, grass clippings, sticks, rocks, branches or mud cannot be raked to the curb with leaves. If these items are found, the leaves will not be removed. To view a map highlighting the quadrants of the village and their associated pick-up dates, visit www.deerfield.il.us. For more information, call the Public Works Department at 847-317-7245.

Barrington

BACOG names pair to administrative posts

The Barrington Area Council of Governments recently elected Cuba Township Supervisor Michael J. Kainz as Chairman of the Executive Board for 2018-19 and Barrington Township Supervisor Amy Nykaza as Vice-Chairman. BACOG is a voluntary association of elected officials representing the villages of Barrington, Barrington Hills, Deer Park, Lake Barrington, North Barrington, South Barrington and Tower Lakes, as well as Barrington and Cuba townships. The organization facilitates cooperative regional strategies on emergency management, groundwater research and environmental conservation, legislative advocacy, and member communications and training for communities in the greater Barrington area. In the past year, BACOG brought local government officials to Springfield to communicate directly with legislators, facilitated multiple private well-water testing events, expanded its aquifer water levels monitoring and sustainability program, and brought together local government officials and community organizations to plan for better protection of residents in the event of a natural disaster. For more information, call 847-381-7871 or visit www.bacog.org.

Des Plaines

Upcoming play at Oakton studies violence against women

Oakton Community College announced that “Voices of Men,” a one-man play combining humor and celebrity male voice impressions to educate attendees about men’s violence against women, will be held at 1 p.m. Oct. 19 at Oakton’s Footlik Theater, 1600 E. Golf Road. Sponsored by Oakton’s Center for Campus Inclusion and Diversity, “Voices of Men” stars actor Ben Atherton-Zeman, who has given performances in 45 states as well as Canada, England, Turkey, China, South Africa, India, Nepal, Scotland, Spain and the Czech Republic. Atherton-Zeman also is the U.S. ambassador for the Stop Acid Attacks campaign. In addition, he has worked as a prevention educator for rape crisis centers, domestic violence programs and state coalitions for more than 15 years. The performance is free and open to the public. Note: “Voices of Men” includes graphic representations of violence. For more information, call 847-635-1806 or visit www.oakton.edu.

Elk Grove Village

Mikel nets statewide Fire Chief of the Year award

The village announced the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association (IFCA) recently named Elk Grove Village Fire Chief Richard Mikel as a 2018 Fire Chief of the Year. An IFCA committee selected Mikel as the recipient in the category of Career Fire Chief with a population of over 25,000. This award is acknowledged throughout the fire service in Illinois, and nationwide, as a prestigious recognition of the efforts a fire chief officer takes to protect the community. Mikel joined the Elk Grove Village Fire Department as Fire Chief in 2012, and is currently overseeing the construction of two new fire stations: a $9.5 million, 4-bay station serving the west side of the village, and a $15 million, 4-bay station and training tower serving the village’s 6-square-mile industrial park. These new stations will replace counterparts that are respectively 42 and 47 years old. Mikel will receive his award at the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association Annual Conference, in Peoria, Oct. 16. For more information, call 847-357-4000 or visit www.elkgrove.com.

Elmwood Park

Village to host Elmwood Park Fall Fest

The Elmwood Park Fall Fest will be held from 5-11 p.m. Oct. 19, noon to 11 p.m. Oct. 20 and noon to 10 p.m. Oct. 21 at Mills Park, located at Diversey and 76th avenues. The event includes local food/beverage vendors and a variety of kids entertainment, including inflatable bounce houses, pony rides, a petting zoo, pumpkin decorating and scarecrow building (requires pants and shirt for the scarecrow). Live entertainment includes Hillbilly Rockstarz and The Gingers (Oct. 19); Heartache Tonight, The Neverly Brothers, Jimmy Nick & Don’t Tell Mama and The StingRays (Oct. 20); and Chicago Tribute Anthology, Ginger Road, R-Gang and Caliente (Oct. 21). Admission is free. For more information, call 708-452-7300 or visit www.elmwoodpark.org.

Tinley Park   

Village Hall to serve as early voting site

Tinley Park Village Hall, 16250 S. Oak Park Ave., will serve as an early voting site for the Nov. 6 gubernatorial general election. Early voting will run from Oct. 22 through Nov. 5 in rooms C and D of the Kallsen Center. Early voting hours are: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 22-27; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 28; 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 29 to Nov. 2; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 3; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 4; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 5. For more information, call Village Hall at 708-444-5000 or visit www.tinleypark.org.   

–Cook County News Briefs–