A team of Mundelein High School students (from left) Charles Fladhammer, Nayeli Torres, Clarissa Wienckowski and MacKenzie Stewart recently earned the top three prizes — along with Best in Presentation honors — in the American Legion Americanism Essay Contest. The local judge (middle) was American Legion Auxiliary Unit 867 President Arlene Lolley.

Ela Township

Proceeds from weekly fish fry to aid local charities

Ela Township announced that the Knights of Columbus All-You-Can-Eat Lenten Fish Fry and Bake will be held March 15, March 22, March 29, April 5 and April 12 at The Columbus Centre, 365 Surryse Road (second floor), Lake Zurich. Entrance is on the east side of the building (between Kits Soccer Center and Ahlgrim Funeral Home). Doors open at 4:30 p.m.; dinner service is 5-8 p.m. In addition to the fish fry/bake, the menu includes cheese pizza, fish tacos, slaw, fries, hush puppies, veggies, coffee and dessert. The cost is $13 (adults), $9 (ages 65 and up), $6 (ages 6-10) and free (ages 5 and under). Proceeds will be donated to local charities that help individuals with intellectual disabilities. For more information, call 847-438-7823 or visit www.elatownship.org.

Barrington

School dist. places referendum question on April 2 ballot

The Barrington 220 Community Unit School District Board of Education recently adopted a resolution to place a $185 million referendum question on the ballot for the April 2 general election. In general, the funds would be used to improve safety and security at all Barrington 220 schools; eliminate mobile classrooms at BMS-Prairie Campus, BMS-Station Campus and Grove Elementary School; repair and renovate aging building conditions (including heating, air conditioning, electrical, plumbing and roofs); update and improve classrooms in schools by creating STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) spaces, adding flexible furniture; expand parking lots to improve traffic flow at pick-up/drop-off zones at Barrington High School (BHS) and Countryside, Grove Avenue, Lines and North Barrington elementary schools; create classroom space at all elementary schools to support students with special needs and students who require movement/sensory breaks throughout the school day; build a new, 800-seat fine arts center/auditorium at BHS; improve physical education/athletic facilities at BHS; renovate kitchen/cafeteria space at all schools; and renovate Student Services spaces (counseling, health services, dean’s office) at BHS. The Board of Education’s decision to put the referendum question on the ballot was made after a two-year community effort, “Blueprint 220,” which ultimately led to the development of a $500 million facility plan that addresses a variety of needs over the next 20 years. For more information, call 847-381-6300 or visit www.barrington220.org.

Deer Park

Village nets county-wide award for stormwater efforts 

The village announced that Deer Park has been named 2018 Community of the Year by the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission. The annual awards program recognizes communities, groups and others whose efforts reflect the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission’s core mission of flood damage reduction, water quality improvement, and natural resource protection and enhancement. After the Deer Park Board of Trustees determined in 2017 that improving stormwater conveyance throughout the village was a priority, the village commissioned the firm of Christopher B. Burke Engineering to create the first Village of Deer Park-wide Stormwater Master Plan. The village currently is in the second year of implementation of the five-year plan, which was made possible, in part, as a result of a voter-approved referendum, with proceeds from the restricted municipal sales tax increase of 0.25 percent. The plan can be accessed on the village website at www.villageofdeerpark.com/304/stormwater-master-plan. For more information, call 847-726-1648 or visit www.villageofdeerpark.com.

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.

Mundelein

Mundelein High team nabs top honors in essay contest

Mundelein High School District 120 announced that a team of MHS students recently earned the top three prizes — along with Best in Presentation honors — in the American Legion Americanism Essay Contest. The annual contest, initiated in 1992, is co-sponsored by the American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of the American Legion Detachment of Illinois. The local judge is American Legion Auxiliary Unit 867 President Arlene Lolley. MHS winners included junior MacKenzie Stewart (first place); senior Nayeli Torres (second place); senior Charles Fladhammer (third place); and senior Clarissa Weinckowski (Best in Presentation). The winners will receive cash awards and certificates. For more information, call 847-949-2200, ext. 1282 or visit www.d120.org.

Lincolnshire

Village welcomes return of Nexus Pharmaceuticals

The village reported that Mayor Elizabeth Brandt and village staff members recently attended a ribbon cutting for the grand opening of Nexus Pharmaceuticals, a provider of innovative brand-name and generic drugs. The company recently relocated its headquarters from Vernon Hills to a 38,000-square-foot facility at 400 Knightsbridge Parkway, investing more than $5 million in interior renovations. Nexus returns to Lincolnshire, where it was founded more than 15 years ago in a small office space in the Oak Tree Corners Shopping Center. For more information, call 847-883-860 or visit www.lincolnshireil.gov.

–Lake County News Briefs–