Two women work on projects. similar to those which have been donated through Ela Charity Knit & Crochet. The group celebrated 10 years of
making more than 10,000 items to donate to area churches, shelters, schools, hospitals and other nonprofit organizations and causes.

COUNTY

Vets’ assistance office gets new leadership

A veteran of the War in Afghanistan is taking a leadership role with the Veterans Assistance Commission of Lake County (VAC). The commission provides various forms of assistance to veterans.

Andrew Tangen of Mundelein has been elected superintendent of the VAC.

Tangen was a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy and served multiple deployments to Afghanistan as officer in charge of naval support for special forces. He is a graduate of The Citadel Military College of South Carolina and the John Marshall Law School, and is licensed as an attorney in Illinois. He replaces Michael Peck, who is retiring after serving as superintendent for 10 years.

New county map is for bicyclists

The Lake County Division of Transportation has a new website – Bike Lake County – which offers an interactive map to guide bicyclists on more than 60 miles of bike paths and bike lanes in the county. The map was created by staff in the county’s Department of Transportation’s GIS department. It can be found on the website.

ELA TOWNSHIP

10 years of knitting, crocheting celebrated

It is most likely impossible to gauge the comfort the work of the Ela Charity Knit & Crochet has brought during its 10 years of existence.

The group’s members have made more than 10,000 items to donate to area churches, homeless and domestic violence shelters, veterans, schools, hospitals and other nonprofit organizations and causes. Their handiwork, which members gather weekly at the Ela Community Center to create while enjoying each other’s company, range from blankets and hats to scarves and baby clothes.

The group celebrated its 10th anniversary May 17 with dinner and live music.

The first recipient of the group’s handiwork was Kids’ Korner, a waiting room at the Lake County Courthouse for children who are there to testify or whose parents or guardians are conducting court business. Children get blankets to comfort them while they are in court, and then take them home.

In addition to Kids’ Korner, Ela Charity Knit & Crochet has made donations to Lake County Haven, Joanie’s Closet, Bookfriends International, Emmaus House of Hospitality, Women’s Residential Services (WRS), A Safe Place, PADS Lake County, Preservation of Human Dignity (PHD) and the Salvation Army, among others.

6TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Howland to vie again For Roskam’s seat

Amanda Howland has officially launched another campaign to try to unseat Republican U.S. Rep. Peter Roskam in the 6th Congressional District. The Lake Zurich resident, who lost to Roskam in the 2016 general election, joins a number of Democrats vying to be the party’s nominee in 2018, including: former Naperville School District 203 board member Suzyn Price, congressional aide Carole Cheney of Aurora, and Kelly Mazeski, a Barrington Hills plan commissioner.

ROUND LAKE

Once embattled, school high on national list

Round Lake High School, which faced dark times when it was taken over by the state because of severe financial problems, not only turned itself around but has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best schools in Illinois and the nation.

The school ranks 76th out of 658 Illinois high schools on the U.S. News & World Report list, placing it in the top 12 percent of the state and earning a silver medal. The school ranks 2,267th in the country, which puts it in the top 10 percentile.

MUNDELEIN

Restaurant dedicated to grilled cheese

Some food evokes warm, cozy feelings by just mentioning them, and the grilled cheese sandwich is one of them. A Grayslake couple is feeding those feelings with a new restaurant in Mundelein.

Their business, named GRIL, is a carryout restaurant specializing in grilled cheese sandwiches, is open at 403 Washington Blvd., Suite 11.

Paul and Susan Patricelli launched GRIL more than a year ago as a home-based catering company. The name is an acronym for Gratitude, Respect, Integrity and Local. “Local” is an emphasis on purchasing ingredients from suburban businesses or from family-run operations. For example, GRIL uses a jam from Holcomb Hollow in Mundelein, and potato chips from the Great Lakes Potato Chip Co., a father-and-son-owned operation in Michigan.

In addition to the traditional sandwich, the menu features gourmet twists. Sandwiches include: the Nana, which features brie, butterkase cheese and apricot preserves on French bread; the Grayslaker, with colby and muenster cheeses on pieces of pretzel bread; and the Antny, which features mozzarella and fontina cheeses, tomato chutney and fresh basil on Italian bread.

In addition to carryout, GRIL offers delivery service and catering. The full menu is online at grilcheese.com, along with catering information and a link for online ordering. GRIL is open from 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Fridays and from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays. It’s closed Sundays and Mondays.

HIGHLAND PARK

Farmers Market’s opening features organic plants

A one-time-only organic plant sale will be part of opening day for this year’s Ravinia Farmers Market. The market opens June 7, and will take place every 7 a.m.-1 p.m. every Wednesday through Oct. 25.

This will be the market’s 39th season, and will feature more than 15 vendors. The organic plant sale will benefit the Organic Teaching Garden program at Highland Park High School. The program instructs more than 200 advanced placement environmental science students on the principles of organic gardening.

The market’s vendors will feature conventional and organic vegetables and fruit, cheeses, baked goods and other goods along Dean Avenue at Roger Williams and St. Johns Avenue at Jens Jensen Park, across from the Ravinia Metra station.