The Huntley Area Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon cutting and fundraising event to mark the opening of Panda Express Chinese Kitchen, 12340 S. Route 47, beginning at 10 a.m. July 14.

McHenry County

Jacobson joins team at State’s Attorney’s Office

The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office announced that Scott Jacobson has joined the office as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Civil Division. Scott brings experience from the Illinois Appellate Court and the Office of the State’s Attorneys Appellate Prosecutor (ILSAAP). During his time at ILSAAP, Scott served as a special prosecutor, and handled civil and criminal litigation throughout the state. He also clerked for Justice Susan F. Hutchinson of the Second Appellate Court. In addition, Scott holds various leadership positions in the Appellate Lawyers Association and the McHenry County Bar Association Board of Governors, where he serves as the Legislative & Supreme Court Rules Committee Chair. Scott graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Union College and completed his Juris Doctor at The John Marshall Law School, in Chicago. For more information, call 815-334-4159 or visit www.mchenrycountyil.gov.

Garden Walk on tap at McHenry County College

The University of Illinois Extension McHenry County Gardeners will host Garden Walk 2018 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 14, starting at the Demonstration Garden at McHenry County College (Parking Lot C), 8700 U.S. Highway 14, Crystal Lake. Participants can can explore 12 gardens throughout the Wonder Lake and McHenry areas, including a gentleman’s farm, English borders and a verdant escape with rushing streams. A groomed grassland — featuring a pool, hostas, landscape boulders and an inherited barn — is also included, as well as another garden with paths leading to organic vegetable beds. The Demonstration Garden at McHenry County College includes a vine, shadowy corners full of shade-loving plants, various theme gardens, and extensive displays of perennials and annuals. All stops on the Garden Walk will have Master Gardeners on-site to answer questions and offer educational materials. The self-guided walk will be held rain or shine. Tickets are $17 and are only available the day of the event. For more information, call 815-479-7570, send an email to conference@mchenry.edu or visit www.mchenry.edu/gardenwalk.     

Lakemoor

Work on Woodman’s development now underway

The village recently provided a status update concerning the Woodman’s Food Market development, a 240,000-square-foot grocery store with a freestanding gas station and convenience mart on a 74-acre site (with additional outlot and junior box development) at the southwest corner of Route 12 and Route 120. Route 12 and 120 roadway and intersection improvements are underway, including additional turn lanes and a new traffic signal along Route 120 at the main entrance to the development (approximately 1/4-mile west of the Route 12/120 intersection). Concurrent with the public roadway improvements, Woodman’s has begun site work, which includes mass grading of the detention facilities and building pads, utilities and construction of the internal roadway network. The site work also includes the extension of the public water main and sanitary sewer, which will serve the development as well as the adjoining properties. Most of the site work is expected to be completed and the building foundation is expected to be poured by this fall. Woodman’s plans to open in the fall of 2019. For more information, call 815-385-1117 or visit www.lakemoor.net.

Fox Lake 

Sayton Road improvement project set to begin

The village announced that a construction project on Sayton Road — between Route 12 and Rollins Road — is scheduled to begin in mid-July. The scope of the work includes drainage improvements, water and sewer improvements, new concrete curb and gutter, new asphalt pavement, improved pedestrian access including a new shared-use pathway, and improved pavement markings. The project will be completed in several phases, and will periodically require one-way traffic configurations with reduced speed limits. Sayton Road will be closed to through-traffic (with posted detour routes) but will remain open to local traffic. The Sayton Road project, part of the village’s continued effort to improve infrastructure throughout the community, is funded by a combination of Surface Transportation Program funds provided by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and local funds provided by the village. For more information, call 847-587-3974 or visit www.foxlake.org. 

Crystal Lake

Police Dept. offers Citizen Police Academy

The city announced that the Crystal Lake Police Department is now accepting applications for its Citizen Police Academy (CPA). The eleven-week program will be held from 6-9 p.m. on Thursdays, beginning Sept. 6 and ending Nov. 15, at the Crystal Lake Police Department, 100 W. Woodstock St. The CPA consists of a series of classes, discussions and demonstrations designed to give participants a working knowledge of the police department. Goals of the program are to broaden citizens’ understanding of the functions of the department, improve communication between the department and community members, and form valuable partnerships. Participants must be at least 18 years old, complete an application and Waiver of Liability, and pass a criminal background check. Class size is limited. Applications are available online at www.crystallake.org and in person at the Crystal Lake Police Department during normal business hours. Completed applications must be returned by Aug. 10. For more information, contact Officer Ed Pluviose at 815-356-3731 or via email at epluviose.org.

Huntley

Ribbon cutting at new eatery includes fundraiser

The Huntley Area Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon cutting and fundraising event to mark the opening of Panda Express Chinese Kitchen, 12340 S. Route 47, beginning at 10 a.m. July 14. Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, 20 percent of all sales at Panda Express that day (until 9 p.m.) will be donated to Grafton Food Pantry. For more information, call the Chamber of Commerce at 847-669-0166 or visit www.huntleychamber.org. 

–McHenry County News Briefs–