The Raue Center for the Arts will hold the 5th Annual Rautoberfest from 5-11 p.m. Sept. 14 and 5-9 p.m. Sept. 15 at Beyond Stable Farm, 11129 Route 176.

McHenry County

Conservation Dist. to host Sunset Soiree, BBQ & Song

The McHenry County Conservation District will host Sunset Soiree, BBQ & Song from 6-9 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Prairieview Education Center (Room 210), 2112 Behan Road, Crystal Lake. The event (for ages 14 and up) begins with dinner, served by the Crystal Lake Rib House, and continues with a naturalist-led sunset stroll through the fall prairie and savanna habitats that includes information on the flora and fauna, as well as site history. The evening’s festivities will conclude with acoustic music from Jeff Trudell around a campfire. Bring lawn chairs (if possible) to enjoy the campfire. Non-alcoholic beverages will be provided, but BYOB alcohol (no glass containers) is permitted for adult participants (ages 21 and up). Admission is $25 for residents and $30 for non-residents. To register, and for more information, call 815-338-6223 or visit www.mccdistrict.org.

Woodstock

New ID screening system in place for school visitors

Woodstock Community Unit School District 200 announced that all visitors who wish to enter any of the district’s 12 school buildings are now required to provide a state driver’s license or identification card to be screened by the Raptor Visitor Management System. The screening system is designed to check state and national databases for known sex offenders and custody alerts. If no alerts arise from the scan, the visitor will be issued a photo ID sticker to wear inside the building. The ID sticker can be printed by school front office personnel immediately following the scan. The Raptor system is used at more than 20,000 schools nationwide. District 200 purchased the equipment, which includes the scanners and printers, for a cost of $20,700. There is also an annual cost of $6,480 to maintain the system. For more information, call 815-338-8200 or visit www.woodstockschools.org. 

Annual Rautoberfest on tap at Beyond Stable Farm

The Raue Center for the Arts will hold the 5th Annual Rautoberfest from 5-11 p.m. Sept. 14 and 5-9 p.m. Sept. 15 at Beyond Stable Farm, 11129 Route 176. The family-friendly, Oktoberfest-style event includes traditional German food, a wide variety of beer, root beer and wine, and more. Live music includes headliner Modern Day Romeos and German folk/pop band Alpine Thunder on Sept. 14, and the Bratwurst Brothers on Sept. 15. Admission is $5 at the gate, and free for ages 10 and under. For more information, call 815-356-9212 or visit www.rauecenter.org.

Johnsburg

Public Works Dept. offers annual brush pick-up service

The village announced that the Johnsburg Public Works Department will conduct its annual fall brush pick-up, beginning Sept. 17. All brush must be placed by the road no later than 7 a.m. Sept. 17. Crews will make only pass through each subdivision. Branches placed by the road after crews arrive will not be picked up at a later date. Branches should be a minimum of 4 feet in length and no greater than 6 inches in diameter to be safely placed in the chipper, and must be placed with cut ends pointed toward the road in a neat and orderly pile. Branches that cannot be put safely through the chipper will not be taken. In addition, evergreen cuttings must be kept separate from other tree branches and will be picked up separately. For more information, call 815-385-6023 or visit www.johnsburg.org.

Algonquin

Library Dist. event to celebrate renovation project

The Algonquin Public Library District will host Renovation Celebration from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Main Library, 2600 Harnish Drive, and the Branch Library, 115 Eastgate Drive. The event, a celebration of the library’s recently completed construction/renovation project, includes ribbon cutting ceremonies at both locations, community helper storytime sessions, youth technology/craft projects and demonstrations, building tours, balloon artists and magicians, book bag decorating stations, light refreshments and more. In addition, colorful book bags (one per household) will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. All ages are welcome. For more information, call 847-458-6060 or visit www.aapld.org.   

Cary

Chamber to host 2018 Cary Main Street Fest

The village announced that the Cary-Grove Chamber of Commerce will host the 2018 Cary Main Street Fest from noon to 10 p.m. Sept. 15 and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 16 in downtown Cary at 100 W. Main St. (adjacent to the Cary Metra Station). The event includes food and beverages from a variety of local restaurants, a marketplace, the Cary-Grove Voice Competition, the 5K Cary Shuffle, the Cruisin’ Cary Main Street Car Show and the Rotary Club of Cary-Grove Steak Fry. Live music includes Hi Infidelity, Dick Diamond & The Dusters, the Wayouts, the Allstars and Blues Demolition on Sept. 15, and Beggars Banquet and Dixie Crush on Sept. 16. In addition, the Family Stage will host a range of activities, performers and demonstrations from 12:45-6:45 p.m. Sept. 15 and noon to 5:45 p.m. Sept. 16. Admission to the fest is $5. Proceeds will benefit local schools, non-profit organizations through the Volunteer Grant Program, and other Chamber programs and events. For more information, call 847-639-2800 or visit www.carygrovechamber.com. 

Barrington Hills

Evidence technician officer earns forensic training award

The village reported that Community Service Officer Bill Walsh, one of the Barrington Hills Police Department’s evidence technicians, recently received the Award of Criminal and Investigative Techniques from the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety. Walsh completed 200 hours of forensic and crime scene training. Topics included advanced techniques in evidence development (identification and collection); field and documentation photography; use of the forensic laboratory; bloodstain evidence in criminal investigations; bloodstain evidence encountered at the scene; and documentation and reconstruction techniques to correlate bloodstains with body trauma patterns. For more information, call 847-551-3006 or visit www.barringtonhills-il.gov.

–McHenry County News Briefs–