The McHenry Township Senior Center will host its annual Senior Citizen Oktoberfest at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 6 at McHenry Township Hall, 3703 N. Richmond Road, Johnsburg.

 McHenry County

 McHenry County College nets grant for dual-credit programs

McHenry County College (MCC), 8900 U.S. Highway 14, Crystal Lake, recently received a $10,000 grant from the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) to enhance dual-credit offerings. MCC’s dual-credit program allows students at various area high schools to enroll in college courses and earn college credit before graduating from high school. The grant will fund enrichment activities for courses in the culinary, horticulture and computer departments. Starting this fall, two dual-credit culinary classes — Intro to Professional Hospitality and Food Sanitation and Safety — will be available to students at Crystal Lake South High School. Students who successfully complete the Food Safety and Sanitation course will be prepared to sit for the Illinois Food Services Safety Test, qualifying them for employment in a restaurant. MCC also will partner with Huntley High School to offer its lab science course, Introduction to Plant Science, in an online, blended format. Students will complete online course work and use the high school’s science lab to conduct experiments on their own time. In addition, the grant will provide funding to train high school teachers in order to continue offering Computer Literacy for Windows classes at Alden-Hebron, Cary-Grove, Crystal Lake Central, Crystal Lake South, Prairie Ridge, Johnsburg, McHenry West and Woodstock high schools. For more information, call (815) 455-8569 or visit www.mchenry.edu.

McHenry Township

 Senior Citizen Oktoberfest to be held at Township Hall

The McHenry Township Senior Center will host its annual Senior Citizen Oktoberfest at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 6 at McHenry Township Hall, 3703 N. Richmond Road, Johnsburg. The event includes a catered, Bavarian-style luncheon and a live performance by Die Musikmeisters, a traditional German band dressed in authentic lederhosen. Tickets are $15, and include lunch, drinks and entertainment. The reservation deadline is Sept. 29. To RSVP, and for more information, call Senior Center Activities Director Jane Gregory at (815) 344-3555 or visit www.mchenrytownship.com.

Crystal Lake

Annual Johnny Appleseed Festival to hit downtown

The village announced that the 25th Annual Johnny Appleseed Festival will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 30 at various locations in downtown Crystal Lake. The event includes the 2017 Craft Fair, featuring dozens of vendors displaying a variety of unique, handmade items in the parking lot at Ormsby Motors, 50 N. Main Street; the Apple Scavenger Hunt, with game cards available at Out of the Box, 71 N. Williams Street, and Marvin’s Toy Store, 64 A N. Williams Street; the Apple Pie Baking Contest, featuring 10 contestants competing for first, second and third place; the Scarecrow Decorating Contest, featuring dozens of scarecrows adorning light poles throughout downtown; live entertainment, featuring The Corner Boys and Northwest Highway; demonstrations of an antique cider press and apple peelers, provided by the Crystal Lake Historical Society; children’s activities, including pony rides, a petting zoo, pumpkin bowling, wagon rides and more (tickets are $1 each); the Great Ball Race, offering a chance to win $1,000; a souvenir booth, offering sales of apple cider donuts, apple juice, apple-shaped sunglasses and more; an appearance by Johnny Appleseed, and more. In addition, a Community Pancake Breakfast will be held from 7-10 a.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church, 76 E. Crystal Lake Ave. Tickets are $15 (family), $5 (adults), $3 (ages 3-10) and free (under age 3), and include one free activities ticket for each attendee. Admission to the fest is free. For more information, call (815) 479-0835 or visit www.downtowncl.org.

Johnsburg

 Village to purchase Chapel Hill Golf Course property

The village announced that it is under contract to purchase the Chapel Hill Golf Course, located at 2500 N. Chapel Hill Road. Situated at a key entrance into the village, Chapel Hill has long been considered an asset to the community, and preserving its recreational and open space attributes has been a strategic initiative of the village for more than 20 years. The village began contemplating the acquisition of the property when first hearing about its return to the real estate market. The possibility of a dense housing project on the property prompted the Village Board’s decision to move forward with the purchase or risk losing the recreational space forever. The property consists of nearly 100 acres, and the village intends to pursue a lease to continue its use as a golf course. Revenues derived from the lease will be used to pay back the note secured to acquire the property. For more information, call (815) 385-6023 or visit www.johnsburg.org.

 Huntley

 Village to host open house on Gateway Plan draft

The village will host a public open house concerning a draft for the I-90/IL47 Gateway Plan from 4-6 p.m. Sept. 21 at the Village of Huntley Municipal Complex, 10987 Main Street. The village’s planning consultant, Houseal Lavigne Associates, and village staff will be on hand to answer questions and accept comments regarding the draft plan. The planning area study includes the commercial, office and light industrial property surrounding the tollway interchange. The plan will serve as a guide for future land use and development of the area, which is key to the village’s continued economic development. Once completed, the detailed plan will be adopted as an amendment to the village’s Comprehensive Plan. For more information, contact Director of Development Services Charles Nordman at (847) 515-5252 or via email at cnordman@huntley.il.us — or visit www.huntley.il.us.

 Woodstock

Library offers workshop on mental health concerns

The Woodstock Public Library, 414 W. Judd Street, will host a special workshop, Mental Health First Aid Training, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 30. Instructors from Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital, certified by the National Council for Community Behavioral Health (NCCBH), will be on hand to discuss depression, anxiety, impulse control, and misuse of alcohol and other drugs. Attendees will learn risk factors and warning signs for mental health and addiction concerns, strategies on how to help someone in both crisis and non-crisis situations, and where to turn for help. Lunch will be provided. Admission is free. Registration is required. To sign up, and for more information, call (815) 338-0542 or visit www.woodstockpubliclibrary.org.

–McHenry County News Briefs–