A child enjoys trick-or-treating at Safety Town last year. Youngsters are invited to dress in Halloween costumes and safely trick-or-treat through Elmhurst’s decorated Safety Town, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 8.

DuPAGE COUNTY 

Polling places open for early voting 

The DuPage County Election Commission, 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, is open Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. through Oct. 22 for voters who wish to cast early ballots in the Nov. 8 general election.

Beginning Oct. 24, the early voting hours will expand at the Election Commission office in addition to 10 voting locations throughout DuPage County.

Call the DuPage County Election Commission at (630) 407-5600 or go to dupageco.org for a list of early voting locations and hours.

DOWNERS GROVE  

 Stormwater, mosquito abatement issues on ballot 

When Downers Grove voters go to the polls to vote for their choice of president, local government officials will be seeking public opinions on two local issues.

The village of Downers Grove and the Downers Grove Township will both ask its residents nonbinding referendum questions. As non-binding, the outcomes of the votes will have no direct effect, but could start a public discourse on the subjects.

The village is asking its residents to weigh in on its current and future stormwater mitigation and how to tackle paying for it. Currently, the village funds its projected $3.9 million in stormwater costs included in the 2017 budget through a stormwater utility fee.  Village staff previously identified $42 million in possible stormwater-related capital projects and recommended increasing the amount spent on maintenance each year to $4 million.

The items will appear on the ballot as such:

“This question is the first in a series of three questions relating to stormwater funding. In 2017, the Village plans to budget $3.9 million for stormwater costs. Currently, annual costs are funded with a stormwater utility fee. The Village of Downers Grove is seeking resident input to determine whether it should fund stormwater costs with a stormwater utility fee, through property taxes or with a combination of both the stormwater utility fee and property taxes.

1. Shall the village of Downers Grove continue to fund all stormwater costs using a stormwater utility fee instead of property taxes?
2. Shall the Village of Downers Grove fund all stormwater costs using property taxes instead of a stormwater utility fee?
3. Shall the Village of Downers Grove fund all stormwater costs using a combination of stormwater utility fees and property taxes?”

Those who live in Downers Grove Township, which includes Downers Grove and portions of Bolingbrook, Burr Ridge, Clarendon Hills, Darien, Hinsdale, Lemont, Oak Brook, Westmont, Willow Springs, Willowbrook and Woodridge, will have a question on another public service: mosquito abatement.

Downers Grove Township and eight other townships in DuPage County to ask whether they should consolidate its abatement services. Such consolidation will make a small dent in the number of Illinois’ local government bodies, which is approximately more than 7,000 individual agencies.

DuPage townships are asking their residents if they believe consolidation is best for the area:

“Should mosquito abatement services currently provided by more than forty (40) governmental entities located throughout DuPage County be consolidated and distributed geographically among the nine (9) Townships in DuPage County in order to increase efficiency and save taxpayer dollars?”

To learn more about who and what is appearing on the November ballot, visit dupageco.org/election and downers.us/stormwater-utility.

Glen Ellyn 

District 87 honored for expanding  diversity of its AP classes 

The White House and the federal government has honored Glenbard Township High School District 87 for its commitment to closing the enrollment gap in Advanced Placement courses that exists among students based on income and racial and ethnic makeup.

The district was recognized Sept. 21 by the White House and U.S. Department of Education for the work it has done to close gaps between middle-income and upper-income white and Asian students and their low-income black and Hispanic peers.

Faculty and administrators in Glenbard’s four high schools identified students who have the assets to be successful in AP classes and enrolled hundreds of these students in AP classes through a variety of outreach methods, the release stated. This year, 874 traditionally under-represented Glenbard juniors and seniors enrolled in AP classes.

Because of efforts such as these, the district has  doubled enrollment in AP courses since 2007.

At the national event Sept. 21, Glenbard South High School was recognized for fully closing its enrollment gap, joining less than 1 percent of high schools nationally that have closed their gap, according to the release. Glenbard South is one of only three high schools in Illinois to fully close its AP enrollment gap.

The school’s AP classes reflect the diversity of its overall student population. The proportion of low-income and minority students in AP classes at Glenbard South mirrors that of the school’s student body.

Regarding AP enrollment among black and Hispanic juniors and seniors this year, Glenbard has realized the following one-year increases district-wide:

Medium/high-income Hispanic/Latino: 16.5 percent increase

• Low-income Hispanic/Latino: 81.7 percent increase
• Medium/high-income black/African-American: 69 percent increase
• Low-income black/African-American: 155.6 percent increase.

ELMHURST 

Safely trick-or-treat in Safety Town 

 Dress in your Halloween costume and safely trick or treat through Elmhurst’s decorated Safety Town. The fun will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 8. Youngsters are encouraged to bring goody bags to collect treats.

The trick-or-treating is part of the Family Fall Fest at The Depot hosted by the York and Vallette Business Association and the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce at York and the Prairie Path. Activities such as story-telling, pony rides and bean-bag toss are planned. Children are encouraged to wear costumes, and must be with an adult. Presenting sponsors are Edward-Elmhurst Health, Suburban Bank & Trust and The Schiller Team.