Smoke rises during Disco Demolition Night July 12, 1979, between games of a Chicago White Sox doubleheader. The infamous event is the subject of a new Elmhurst History Museum exhibit, which is holding a special event June 25.

COUNTY

Mooring family honored with bridge over Prairie Path

DuPage County has honored a couple devoted to the creation and preservation of the Illinois Prairie Path.

DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin presented a proclamation at the June 13 County Board meeting, naming a bridge on the path for them and citing the contributions of Paul and Jean Mooring, whose leading volunteer efforts resulted in the Prairie Path.

DuPage County employees and members of the Elmhurst Bicycle Club, Spin Doctor Cyclewerks, the Illinois Prairie Path not-for-profit corporation and the Elmhurst Police Department celebrated Bike to Work Week by riding from Elmhurst to the County complex in Wheaton. Along the way, riders stopped at the bridge over the East Branch DuPage River between Interstate 355 and Hill Avenue to celebrate Paul and Jean Mooring.

The Moorings helped to build and maintain the trail since its inception in the late 1960s. Paul Mooring spent 21 years as president of the Prairie Path Corporation. He died in 2016. His wife, Jean, died in 2013.

Election Commission has new executive director

The Board of Election Commissioners of DuPage County announced Joseph H. Sobecki has been named executive director of the Election Commission, effective June 14. Sobecki had been serving as the interim executive director since Jan. 1.

Sobecki has more than 18 years of experience at the commission, including five years as assistant executive director. Focused on promoting efficiency and transparency by balancing procedure with the proper application of technology, he developed the county’s first Early Voting voter verification software and Election Day Help Desk system. As assistant executive director, Sobecki oversaw 11 elections while implementing additional transparency and efficiencies through personnel, procurement and process standardization.

College scholarships offered to incoming freshmen

Applications are open for the Daniel Stricevic and Lurena Stokes Memorial Scholarships, available to recent DuPage County high school graduates who are enrolled in college. See guidelines and application forms at drncnfp.org/scholarship or send a request for an application to scholarship@drncnfp.org. Deadline is July 31.

The program, which grants $1,000 scholarships, is sponsored by DRNC, a non-profit organization working to serve the needs of low-income and homeless adults, children and families through promoting voluntarism, philanthropy, providing free educational workshops and awarding scholarships to local graduating high school students enrolled in college.

ELMHURST

Exhibit focuses on night when disco blew up

An unusual sales promotion turned into a chaotic and unruly event, earned an infamous place in Chicago music and baseball history, and 38 years later, is the subject of an Elmhurst History Museum exhibit.

The museum, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst, kicks off its Disco Demolition summer exhibit with a family event 3-6 p.m. June 25. The exhibit chronicles the story of the promotion, designed to sell tickets at Comiskey Park and gain listeners for 98.9 FM WLUP, a then-fledgling FM radio station.

Disco Demolition Night exploded on July 12, 1979, in the middle of a White Sox doubleheader. Attendance exceeded 50,000, far beyond anyone’s estimations. Rock fans could attend the game for just 98 cents if they brought a disco LP record to be destroyed in an on-field explosion between games. Records were blown to bits, fans stormed the field and the second game was cancelled because the field could not be cleared of debris and people.

Inspired by the book by Steve Dahl with journalist Dave Hoekstra and photographer Paul Natkin, the museum’s exhibit uses video footage, artifacts, interviews, memorabilia and photographs to examine the culture, the music and the conflict in which disco met its demise. At the June 25 event:

· Grammy-winning rock star and songwriter Jim Peterik (co-writer of “Eye of the Tiger,” “Vehicle” and 18 Top 10 hits) will perform;

· Longtime Chicago White Sox organist Nancy Faust will play ball park favorites; and

· “Disco Demolition: The Night Disco Died” co-author Dave Hoekstra and photographer Paul Natkin will sign books (available for purchase in the museum gift shop).

Disco Demolition: The Night Disco Died runs through Oct. 8.

NAPERVILLE

Smoke testing of sewer lines underway

Smoke is rising from Naperville sewer lines because tests are being conducted to detect any defects in the city’s sewer system. The smoke tests started June 12, and are expected to take about four weeks, pending weather and other unforeseen circumstances.

Air combined with non-toxic smoke is forced into the sewer lines to find leaks and connections to storm water systems. Smoke will be visible coming out of the ground where there are defects in the lines.

City officials say that the smoke is non-toxic, creates no fire hazard, leaves no residue, dissipates quickly and is harmless; however, those with respiratory issues may wish to take extra precautions.

GLEN ELLYN

Three jazz concerts slated

Glen Ellyn’s annual Jazz in the Park will bring big band favorites to three parks throughout the village for this summer’s free event.

Music will be played by the 16-member Glen Ellyn Jazz Ensemble.

Visitors are welcome to pack a picnic and a blanket or lawn chairs to relax on the grass as they listen to the local jazz band play popular tunes. Jazz in the Park will take place 7-9 p.m. on select Wednesdays. If there’s a chance of rain or severe weather on performance night, the concert will be canceled. The full schedule is as follows:

June 21 at Maryknoll Park, 845 Pershing Ave.;

July 26 at Newton Park, 707 Fairview Ave.; and

Aug. 16 at Lake Ellyn Park, 645 Lenox Road.

–DuPage County News Briefs–