Cook County News Briefs

Chronicle Media

Schaumburg

Village offers copper recycling program

The village, in conjunction with Elgin Recycling, is providing residents with an opportunity to recycle various forms of copper wiring with a drop-off program that will run through January 2016. Residents can drop off Christmas light strands, extension cords, copper wire, insulated wire, copper tubing, house wire, phone wire and copper from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Engineering & Public Works Building (in the lobby next to the CFL bulb and household battery recycling receptacle), 714 S. Plum Grove Road — and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Robert O. Atcher Municipal Center, 101 Schaumburg Court. For more information, call (847) 895-4500 or visit www.ci.schaumburg.il.us.

Elk Grove Village

Village facility named in honor of trustee Petri

The village recently honored Village Trustee James Petri with a ceremony to unveil a new name — the James P. Petri Public Works Facility — for its public works building,  600 Landmeier Road. Petri, who took his oath of office in 1979, is the longest-serving trustee in village history. Prior to being elected as a trustee, he served on the Plan Commission from 1977-79. Through the years, Petri has served as co-chair of the Industrial/Commercial Revitalization Commission, and as co-chair of the Capital Improvement Committee. Petri has been credited with bringing arterial street lights, LED street name signage and gateway treatments to the community.

Arlington Heights

Park District earns statewide recognition

The Arlington Heights Park District has been recognized as an Illinois Distinguished Accredited Agency by the Illinois Association of Park Districts (IAPD) and the Illinois Park and Recreation Association (IPRA). The two statewide associations administer the Illinois Distinguished Accreditation program, and the Joint Distinguished Park and Recreation Committee (comprised of IAPD and IPRA members) coordinated the evaluation process. The committee approved the Arlington Heights Park District for Distinguished Accredited status in November, citing specific areas of special commendation, including fiscal administration, master plan, recreation statistics, employee relations and conservation of natural resources. The park district will officially be recognized for achieving Distinguished Accredited status with a plaque during the IAPD/IPRA Annual Conference Awards Luncheon in January 2016.

Woodridge

Village nets certificate for financial reporting

For the 10th consecutive year, the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has awarded the village with a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CFAR). The report consists of information related to the village’s financial position, and is generated in response to local ordinances and state statutes. An impartial review panel judged Woodridge’s CFAR for demonstrating “a constructive spirit of full disclosure to clearly communicate its financial story.” The Certificate of Achievement is considered the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting.

Niles

Park District to host New Year’s Eve event

The Niles Park District invites families to attend its New Year’s Eve Skate from noon to 2 p.m. Dec. 31 at IceLand, 8435 Ballard Road. The event will include music, games for children, New Year’s hats and noisemakers, and a countdown and toast to the new year. The fee is $5, and $3 for skate rental. For more information, call (847) 967-6633 or visit www.niles-parks.org.

Des Plaines

Library offers free screening of popular film

The Des Plaines Public Library, 1501 Ellinwood St., will present a free screening of the comedy feature film, “Spy,” starring Melissa McCarthy and Jude Law, from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Jan. 3 in the library’s Friends Room B. Seating will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. The event (for adults) is sponsored by the Des Plaines Friends of the Library. For more information, call (847) 827-5551 or visit www.dppl.org.

The design concept for the new swimming pool at the Northbrook Sports Center. (Northbrook Park District graphic)

The design concept for the new swimming pool at the Northbrook Sports Center. (Northbrook Park District graphic)

Northbrook

Park District to construct new pool at Sports Center

The Northbrook Park District announced plans to construct a new pool at the Northbrook Sports Center, 1730 Pfingsten Road. This fall, the Park District Board of Commissioners unanimously agreed on a $4.2 million dollar project, citing aging infrastructure at the existing pool and the growing popularity of recreational swimming in the community. The project includes a 25-yard pool with six lanes, a leisure pool, a vortex pool, two diving boards, a deep-water diving pool with a drop slide and a climbing pool. Construction is projected to begin at the end of the swimming season in August 2016, with the facility slated to open in June 2017.

Oak Lawn

‘Downton Abbey’ event on tap at library

In celebration of the season premiere of the popular television series, “Downton Abbey,” the Oak Lawn Public Library, 9427 S. Raymond Ave., will host Downton Tea from 2-4 p.m. Jan. 3 in the library’s Meeting Room Combo (A, B & C). The event (for adults) will feature an afternoon of tea drinking, video clips of the show’s episodes, a discussion of favorite characters and costumes, photo opportunities and more. In addition, participants who dress as favorite “Downton Abbey” characters will have a chance to win a pair of tickets to the Driehaus Museum’s Dressing Down: Changing Fashion for Changing Times exhibit. To register, and for more information, call (708) 422-4990 or visit www.olpl.org.

Palatine

Forest Preserves to add parcel near Deer Grove East

The Forest Preserves of Cook County’s Board of Commissioners approved a request to purchase a 2.38-acre parcel of land in unincorporated Cook County, near Palatine. The parcel is located at 700 W. Dundee Road, adjacent to Deer Grove East Forest Preserve and the newly renovated Camp Reinberg. The property will increase the Forest Preserves of Cook County’s land to 69,317 total acres, and was acquired as part of the FPCC’s Natural and Cultural Resources Master Plan. The cost of purchasing the parcel is $360,000, with funding provided by the FPCC’s Real Estate Acquisition Fund. For more information, visit www.fpdcc.com.

–Cook County News Briefs–