Sean Jones is one of the jazz professionals that will kick off Elmhurst College’s annual Jazz Festival Feb. 22. The festival will run through Feb. 25.

COUNTY

Early voting has been delayed

DuPage County has delayed early voting for the March 20 primary until as late as Feb. 21, in order to wait out the final decision on a candidate challenge. Ballots were to be ready by Feb. 12.

County officials say that until the 1st District Appellate Court of Illinois rules on an objection to the nominating petitions filed by Scott Drury to run for Illinois attorney general in the Democratic primary, ballots cannot be finalized. Drury, a state representative for District 85, is appealing a lower court ruling that his name should be struck from the ballot.

Should ballots be available prior to Feb. 21, the county will update its website.  In the interim, any voters who arrive at the Election Commission office will be provided with an application to Vote By Mail.

When early voting and grace period registration does begin, it will be offered only at the office of the DuPage County Election Commission in the County Complex, 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, from 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday through March 3.

Starting March 5, the early voting location at the County Complex will move from Room 1-600 to the 2nd Floor Cafeteria, along with expanding to 10 additional sites throughout the county.

Visit dupageco.org/Election/Voting/earlyvoting/ for a complete list of early voting sites and schedules.

The last day to register to vote or to transfer a registration for the upcoming March 20, 2018, General Primary Election at any location other than the Election Commission office in Wheaton is Feb. 20.

ELMHURST

College jazz festival opens Feb. 22

Some of the jazz world’s top performers will headline Elmhurst College’s 51^st annual Jazz Festival, Feb. 22-25. This year’s lineup of headliners includes the “evocative, majestic, magical” Maria Schneider Orchestra, trumpeter Sean Jones, trombonist Jiggs Whigham, drummer Matt Wilson, and pianist/composer Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra.

College bands take turns performing for today’s jazz greats, who will offer critiques and award honors. Each night the festival will conclude with a performance by one of the headliners.

The festival will begin at 12:30 p.m. Feb 22, with the High School Invitational, followed by a feature performance at approximately 4:30 p.m. by Sean Jones, Jiggs Whigham and Matt Wilson with the Elmhurst College Jazz Band.

Friday’s evening session begins at 7:30 p.m. with performances by college ensembles and a performance by Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra.

Saturday’s performance will begin at 7:30 p.m. when the Northern Illinois University and Elmhurst College bands perform, followed by the Maria Schneider Orchestra.

At 11:30 a.m. Sunday, several Chicago-area college ensembles will perform, and the festival will conclude with the Elmhurst College Jazz Band in concert with festival artists and adjudicators Sean Jones, Jiggs Whigham and Matt Wilson. 

The festival will be held in Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel on the campus of Elmhurst College, 190 Prospect Ave. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit elmhurst.edu/jazzfestival.

NAPERVILLE

Free tax help offered to seniors

Naperville Park District is providing free tax filing assistance to senior citizens by appointment only through April 11. Volunteers trained through the AARP Tax-Aide program are available to meet with individuals from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays at the Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center, 305 W. Jackson Ave.

Those interested in scheduling a 45-minute appointment for tax assistance may call the Naperville Park District at (630) 848-3613. Membership in AARP is not required.

Fair will introduce park district jobs to potential employees

Individuals seeking summer, seasonal or part-time employment are invited to learn about job opportunities at the Naperville Park District by attending the district’s Job Fair Feb. 24. The fair will be held from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center, second floor, 305 W. Jackson Ave.

The district relies on seasonal employees to support its summer camp program, special events and park maintenance. Although many positions at the Job Fair will be seasonal, some year-round, part-time positions will be available. 

Many job descriptions will be posted online before the Job Fair opens at

napervilleparks.org/about/employmentopportunities. Applicants may apply for positions ahead of time, or they may use the computers available at the fair to do so.

WHEATON

City blocks building of drug treatment center

A drug treatment facility will not be built in Wheaton, following a unanimous vote by the Wheaton City Council.

The council’s action against Haymarket Center’s proposal to build a residential treatment center in one of the city’s commercial districts comes two weeks after the Wheaton Zoning and Planning Committee voted to recommend denial on the grounds that the proposed use was not compatible with the city’s zoning code and would require a text amendment.

The requested amendment to accommodate Haymarket’s 16-bed treatment facility would have added “residential in-patient facilities” to Wheaton’s C5 commercial district, a change that would carry over to Wheaton’s other commercial districts.

Hundreds of residents wrote to the city in protest and many spoke at a lengthy zoning and planning meeting in early January. 

–DuPage County News Briefs–