Lake in the Hills recently was awarded a $277,700 grant for expansion of Turtle Island Park, located on Woods Creek Lake.

McHenry County

County updating Water Resources Action Plan

McHenry County announced that it is updating the county’s Water Resources Action Plan (WRAP) over the next year. The updated WRAP will be a comprehensive guide designed to educate governments, businesses and individuals about the potential threats to water resources, as well as best management practices that can protect or restore them. McHenry County has numerous streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands that provide rich habitats, recreational opportunities and natural beauty. The county also contains multiple types of groundwater aquifers that supply all of its drinking water. The county stated that these valuable water resources need to be protected, or restored, so they may continue providing benefits to residents, businesses and visitors. The McHenry County Department of Planning and the Department of Health will lead the update, along with WRAP task force. The task force will include representatives from the county, municipalities, townships, other government agencies, businesses, non-profits, other organizations and residents. WRAP task force meetings are scheduled for the second Wednesday of each month (beginning March 13) from 2-4 p.m. at the McHenry County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock. For more information, contact Water Resources Specialist Scott Kuykendall via email at shkuykendall@mchenrycountyil.gov or Planning Division Manager Kim Kolner at kskolner@mchenrycountyil.gov — or visit www.mchenrycountyil.gov.

Fox River Grove

Library event to unveil handful of new STEM kits   

The Fox River Grove Memorial Library, 407 Lincoln Ave., that STEM Kit Preview Night will held from 6-7 p.m. March 15. The open house-style, hands-on event — part of Youth Programs — is designed to introduce the addition of five new STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) kits to the library’s collection. The new kits include Magnetic Building Blocks (ages 3+); Take-a-Part Dinosaurs (ages 3+); Crystal Magnetic Building Blocks with Letters (ages 3+); Mental Blox Go! Game & Puzzle Book (ages 5+); and Mental Blox 3-D Puzzle Game (ages 5+). For more information, call 847-639-2274 or visit www.frgml.org.

Lake in the Hills

Village nets grant for Turtle Island Park project

Lake in the Hills recently was awarded a $277,700 grant for expansion of Turtle Island Park, located on Woods Creek Lake. Lake in the Hills was one of 89 agencies statewide to receive part of the $29 million Open Space and Land Acquisition grant funding, designed to provide financial assistance to local government agencies for acquisition and/or development of land for public parks and open space. The expansion has three goals: Improve a quality fishing area; demonstrate examples of “green” infrastructure; and create a worthwhile family gathering spot. Planned improvements include adding a fully accessible fishing pier, a picnic shelter with “green” roof construction, a butterfly garden and other native plantings, and more. The grant funding will reimburse 50 percent of the cost of the project. The remainder of the funds are programmed for future years from the village’s Capital Improvement Fund. For more information, call 847-960-7400 or visit www.lith.org.

McHenry

Public meeting to address increase in teen vaping

McHenry High School District 156 announced that it will host a community meeting to help educate high school and middle school families about the growing use of e-cigarettes (or “vaping”) among teens at 6 p.m. March 14 in the auditorium at McHenry High School-West Campus, 4724 W. Crystal Lake Road. Representatives from the McHenry Police Department, Northwestern Medicine and Rosencrance have been invited to talk about the health effects, addictive risk and legal implications for minors. District 156 reported that there have been 36 incidents of administrators confiscating vaping materials McHenry High School-West Campus in the first semester of the current school year, compared to 18 during the entire 2017-18 school year. The community meeting is hosted in cooperation with local middle schools, and is free and open to the public. For more information, call 815-385-7900 or visit www.dist156.org.

Crystal Lake

Social work focus of upcoming Coffee with the Chief

In support of National Social Worker Month (March), a designation officially recognized nationwide since 1984, the village announced that the next session of the ongoing Coffee with the Chief series will feature guest speakers from local social work services who have played a supportive role in police operations. The event will be held from 6-7 p.m. March 19 at the Crystal Lake Police Department, 100 W. Woodstock St. The program will provide information about social work services available to the community and the link between those services and the Crystal Lake Police Department. To RSVP (seating is limited), contact Officer Ed Pluviose at 815-356-3731 or via email at epluviose@crystallake.org. For more information, visit www.crystallake.org.

Cary

Friends of the Cary Area Library offers scholarships

The Cary Area Public Library announced the Friends of the Cary Area Library (FOCAL) is offering two $500 scholarships to graduating high school seniors (who reside within the Cary Area Public Library District) accepted and planning to attend a two- or four-year college or university. Financial need will be considered, but it will not serve as the primary criteria for selecting scholarship recipients. Applications are available online at www.caryarealibrary.org or in the lobby and Teen Area at the library, 1606 Three Oaks Road. Completed applications must be submitted in person to the Cary Area Public Service Center no later than April 22. Late applications will not be accepted. Scholarship winners will be notified/announced at the students’ high school honors night, in May. For more information, call 847-639-4210 or visit www.caryarealibrary.org.         

–McHenry County News Briefs–