The public will get a rare, up-close look at how the Elmhurst Quarry Flood Control Facility works when DuPage County offers a tour Sept. 30, in partnership with the Elmhurst History Museum,

STATE

DuPage model to downsize government expanded to state

Illinois can now tackle consolidating government, with passage of two bills that will make it easier to abolish some units of local government. Gov. Bruce Rauner signed them into law Aug. 14. One of the changes was modeled after 2013 legislation that paved the way for such consolidation efforts in DuPage County. That model was expanded to McHenry and Lake counties, and now the law that goes into effect Jan. 1, 2018, will give the same powers to counties throughout Illinois.

It also gives boards of townships that are conterminous with municipalities the ability to seek voter approval to dissolve the townships.

The other measure gives townships in counties with less than 3 million residents the ability to seek permission from voters to absorb road districts in their townships.

Illinois has more units of government than any other state in the nation.

Trees linked to Johnny Appleseed to take root for bicentennial

An apple tree with historic roots is being offered to all counties of Illinois in honor of the state’s approaching bicentennial. The Illinois State Historical Society is commemorating the bicentennial of Illinois statehood – Dec. 3, 2018 – by selling trees linked to trees planted by John Chapman. Better known as Johnny Appleseed, Chapman traveled throughout Illinois, Indiana and Ohio planting apple nurseries, using seeds from the cider mill near his Pennsylvania home.

Fresh scionwood from the original tree has been used to propagate the new trees. The trees will be sold by the ISHS and may be purchased for $50 each (plus shipping). The society asks that those individuals or groups purchasing the Johnny Appleseed trees locate the trees on public land so that visitors to their county may enjoy the tree. Recommended sites include courthouse grounds, public parks or cemeteries, museum grounds, libraries and historic garden sites. Each tree will be accompanied by a letter of authentication from the society and the arboretum.

Call (217) 525-2781, Ext. 4, to reserve a tree. The trees will be available in October.

COUNTY

Elmhurst Quarry tours to be held Sept. 30

In partnership with the Elmhurst History Museum, DuPage County Stormwater Management will offer a rare opportunity to tour its Elmhurst Quarry Flood Control Facility to learn how the county uses it to manage floodwater and its history on Sept. 30. The Elmhurst Quarry holds 2.7 billion gallons of stormwater and is the largest flood control facility of the county’s 16 pump stations and reservoirs. DuPage County Stormwater Management staff allows floodwater to enter the quarry via a 400-foot tunnel, which runs under Illinois Route 83. The quarry holds the floodwater until water elevations recede enough to pump the water back into Salt Creek. Tours will depart from the Elmhurst History Museum, 120 E. Park Ave., Elmhurst, via bus every 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Each tour will last approximately two hours. Cost for the tour is $10 per person, payable to the Elmhurst History Museum. Following the quarry visit, participants can take a self-guided tour of the museum’s exhibit “By All Accounts: The Story of Elmhurst,” which includes more information about the quarry’s history. Tour ticket sales will begin at 9 a.m. Sept. 6. Tickets can be purchased online at elmhursthistory.org. Children 10 and older must be accompanied by an adult. For more information, call (630) 833-1457.

Public comment sought on budget issues

DuPage County residents are invited to take the annual DuPage County budget survey and give their opinions as county officials draft the Fiscal Year 2018 budget plan, which will be introduced at the Sept. 26 County Board meeting.

This is an opportunity to share thoughts about which programs and services are important. The survey can be taken at surveymonkey.com/r/DuPageBudgetSurveyFY2018. For additional information about the programs and services offered by DuPage County, visit dupageco.org.

WHEATON

Cantigny museum reopens Aug. 26

The completion of the transformational update of the 1st Division Museum at Cantigny Park will be celebrated when the Wheaton museum reopens to the public at 11 a.m. Aug. 26.

The update, which began last fall, includes the addition of Duty First, a new gallery focusing on the modern (post-Vietnam) history of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division. After a ribbon-cutting ceremony, visitors will enter the museum for the first time since Veterans Day 2016. The renovation features new and updated exhibits plus cutting-edge storytelling techniques.

The Duty First gallery occupies the 2,500-square-foot space formerly used for temporary exhibits and programs. There, visitors will learn about the missions performed by the 1st Infantry Division, in many cases, delivered by the voices of military veterans.

The First Division Museum’s other major gallery, First in War, has been updated with new media and more artifacts. The park’s 11 vintage U.S. Army tanks have been cleaned and painted with historically accurate markings.

The museum in the park, 1S151 Winfield Road, Wheaton, will stay open until 8 p.m. Aug. 26. Admission is free. Parking costs $10. More information is online at fdmuseum.org and cantigny.org.

WINFIELD

Northwestern Hospital receives national ranking

Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield moved up in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2017-18 Best Hospital rankings.

The hospital is ranked No. 5 in both the Chicago metro region and Illinois, up two spots from 2016. The Best Hospitals honor roll is a distinction awarded to 20 U.S. hospitals that deliver the highest quality of care across a range of specialties, procedures and conditions. U.S. News evaluated hospitals across 16 specialties and nine procedures and conditions.

Central DuPage Hospital is nationally ranked in gynecology (No. 43) and orthopaedics (No. 30) and recognized as high-performing in gastroenterology and GI surgery.

–DuPage County News Briefs–