Vishvetha Rengaraju (from left), Rajveer Sokhey, Emily Roesler, Akhshith Rengaraju and Ethan Dawes, seen here with Jim Holzapfel, director of water and wastewater utilities for the city of Naperville, were honored Oct. 9 for winning The Conservation Foundation’s Lower DuPage River Watershed Coalition’s poster and video contest. Winners not present were Vishnu Dachapalli and Sanath Dachepalli.

NAPERVILLE

Students’ winning ways show how to keep river clean

The winning submissions of the Lower DuPage River Watershed Coalition’s recent Video and Poster PSA Contest showed residents what they can do to keep the DuPage River clean.

The seven winners were recognized for their research, artistic talent and message content at The Conservation Foundation’s Fall Festival. First-place winners each received a Kindle Fire and second- and third-place winners received free passes to Naper Settlement and Naperville Park District amenities.

The contest encouraged students to get interested and involved in keeping waterways healthy. The students’ messages included using less salt in winter, reducing the amount of storm water that leaves homeowner’s property and scooping up after pets.

First-place winners are:

• Ethan Dawes, fifth grade, Patterson Elementary School, Naperville, video
• Vishvetha Rengaraju, seventh grade, Thayer J. Hill Middle School, Naperville, poster
• Rajveer Sokhey, sophomore, Naperville North High School, video

Second-place winners are:

• Akhshith Rengaraju, third grade, May Watts Elementary, Naperville, poster
• Vishnu Dachepalli, sixth grade, Gregory Middle School, Naperville, poster

Third-place winners are:

• Emily Roesler, fourth grade, Ellsworth Elementary School, Naperville, poster
• Sanath Dachepalli, sixth grade, Gregory Middle School, Naperville, poster

Naperville Nature center honored as environmentally friendly 

The restored natural areas around Knoch Knolls Nature Center have been named an environmentally friendly landscape through the Conservation Foundation’s Conservation@Work program.

The Naperville Park District opened Knoch Knolls Nature Center, 320 Knoch Knolls Road, in October 2014. As part of the project, the turf grass formerly on the property between Knoch Knolls Road and the Nature Center was replaced with native prairie seed and the shorelines around the pond and along McDonald Creek were cleared of invasive plants and planted with native wetland plants. In 2016, the creek shoreline project was extended all the way to the West Branch of the DuPage River. The prairie and shorelines planted in 2014 have flourished over the past two years, providing habitat for wildlife and filtering stormwater on site, which keeps the DuPage River cleaner and healthier.

The Conservation Foundation, located at McDonald Farm, across the street from Knoch Knolls Nature Center, has expanded its Conservation@Home program to include businesses and public agencies like the Naperville Park District to help preserve larger areas of wildlife habitat in the region.

Naperville Concert remembers Dia de los Muertos

A Dia de los Muertos concert at North Central College Oct. 29 will explore the darkest moments of loss and bereavement through evocative music and stunning, rarely seen silent films and then end with the infectious rhythm of mariachi. Chicago Sinfonietta will perform, using the power of music to remember Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a 3,000-year-old Mexican ritual celebration of the dead. Accompanying the music will be quirky silent films presented in partnership with Chicago Film Archives.

The concert will be performed 8 p.m. at the Wentz Concert Hall on the campus of North Central College in Naperville.  Ticket prices are $60, $48 and $10, and are available at the North Central College Box Office by calling (630) 637-7469 and online at http://tickets.noctrl.edu/.

ELMHURST

New rental units open in downtown Elmhurst

The first rental development in more than 20 years in Elmhurst has opened. Named The Elmhurst 255, the development is at Hahn and York streets and offers a new residential option in downtown Elmhurst.

The 192-unit residential building and 12,000 square feet of onsite retail is developed, built and managed by Chicago-based firm Morningside Group.

The new development has studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three- bedroom apartments. Thirty-two open floor plans contain amenities such as walk-in closets, chef’s kitchens, luxury baths and 9- to 11-foot loft-like ceilings.

Outside of the individual apartment homes, residents can utilize an array of community amenities such as heated indoor parking, a theater, fitness center, community room and an expansive courtyard with a pool, bocce court, grilling stations and fire pits.

Elmhurst Police department accepting applications

The Elmhurst Police Department is accepting applications for police officer candidates. The process will include a written exam and physical agility test.

Applications must be submitted by 4 p.m. Oct. 21. The written exam and candidate orientation will take place Nov. 19 at York High School in Elmhurst. For information, call the department’s non-emergency telephone number, (630) 530-3000

GLEN ELLYN

Glen Ellyn Program aims to plant trees

The Glen Ellyn’s Public Works Department is working on its parkway reforestation program efforts, with a goal of planting 171 trees. Species including hybrid elm, Kentucky coffeetree, linden, Ohio and yellow buckeye, tree lilac, serviceberry, ginko, hackberry, hawthorn and crabapple are being planted in an effort to create a diversified urban forest.

Glen Ellyn’s First Pumpkin Flotilla to be held Oct. 23

The Glen Ellyn Park District is planning its inaugural Pumpkin Flotilla Fest 4-7 p.m. Oct. 23 at Lake Ellyn Park, 645 Lenox Road, Glen Ellyn. Enjoy free music, entertainment, pumpkin carving demonstrations, a pumpkin recipe competition and arts and crafts are part of the festivities. Inflatables and trackless train rides will be available with the purchase of a $2 wristband. The Rotary Club of Glen Ellyn will sell food and beverages in the newly renovated Lake Ellyn Boathouse. The evening will end with a lit pumpkin flotilla on the lake at dusk.

The public may submit carved pumpkins for the flotilla, or submit a pumpkin recipe (with a sample to be judged). Pumpkin Flotilla limit is 50 pumpkins. Register at https://goo.gl/H1KxtK. Pumpkin Recipe Competition Limit is: 15 recipes. Register at https://goo.gl/H1KxtK.

DARIEN

City of Darien is picking up fall  leaves for free

The city of Darien’s free fall leaf pickup program is underway through Nov. 29.

City officials ask that residents place their leaves in brown kraft yard waste bags or in plastic garbage cans with a “yard waste only” label. These labels, which only have to be applied to garbage cans, are available at City Hall for free.

Free leaf pickup is available on residents’ regular garbage days.

Raking leaves into the streets is not permitted because leaves can clog sewers and cause flooding.