The McHenry County Conservation District will host the OAKtober Planting Party from 1-4 p.m. Oct. 20 at Marengo Ridge, 241 N. Route 23, Marengo.

McHenry County

Conservation Dist. to host OAKtober Planting Party

The McHenry County Conservation District will host the OAKtober Planting Party from 1-4 p.m. Oct. 20 at Marengo Ridge, 241 N. Route 23, Marengo. The special event is part of a program to restore and recreate the “Big Woods” of McHenry County. In 1837, more than a third of the county’s land mass (approximately 143,000 acres) was covered by some type of oak ecosystem. Today, less than 18,000 acres remain, representing a loss of over 87 percent. Participants in the OAKtober Planting Party will help plant more than 200 oak trees in the heart of Marengo Ridge. Attendees will travel along the half-mile trail to the restoration zone to help plant the oak trees, learn about the keystone species, play an oak-themed game, listen to music and enjoy a snack. Admission is free. In addition, there will be a limited quantity of oak trees available for purchase from The Land Conservancy of McHenry County (cash or check only) suitable for planting in residential yards. For more information, call 815-338-6223 or visit www.mccdistrict.org.

Ficarelli named Asst. State’s Attorney, Civil Division

The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office announced that Anthony Ficarelli has joined the office as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Civil Division. Ficarelli brings a wealth of experience from 30 years in the public sector and labor management areas as a partner and an attorney. He served as chief negotiator for multiple bargaining agreements, and also acted as counsel for issues related to workers’ compensation, termination of employment, sexual harassment, workplace safety, wage and overtime standards, privacy rights, discrimination and employee benefits. Ficarelli earned his Juris Doctor at Georgetown University, in Washington, D.C. For more information, call 815-334-4159 or visit www.mchenryil.gov.

Island Lake

Monthly Seniors Club offers host of activities

The village announced that the Island Lake Seniors Club is open to residents and non-residents ages 55 and up. The club meets on the second Tuesday of each month in the Senior Center, located at Island Lake Village Hall, 3720 Greenleaf Ave. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. and meetings begin at 12:30 p.m. Each meeting features a special activity, including card playing, line dancing, an exercise class and the “Let’s Eat Out” program, held every third Wednesday. Coffee, tea and refreshments are served, and a small door prize or cash is awarded to one person at each meeting via a drawing. Raffles are held periodically as well. Individuals are welcome to join one meeting free of charge. Membership dues include a reduced cost for certain events, including the annual St. Patrick’s Day Luncheon and Christmas Luncheon. For more information, call club president Catherine Christensen at 262-237-2961 or visit www.villageofislandlake.com.

Fox River Grove

Fall Fun & Haunted Forest event upcoming

The village announced that the Special Events Committee and Fox River Grove Firefighters Association will host Fall Fun & Haunted Forest from 4-10 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Algonquin Road School soccer fields, located at 975 Algonquin Road. Fall Fun includes games for kids, pumpkin decorating, hayrides and other activities. In addition, Fox River Grove Boy Scout Troop 166 will be selling popcorn, hot chocolate and bottled water. Admission is free. The Haunted Forest event begins at 6 p.m. with the Not-So-Scary Walk (until 7 p.m.), followed by the Scary Walk (until 10 p.m.). Tickets for Haunted Forest will be available for purchase at the entrance. For more information, call 847-639-3170 or visit www.foxrivergrove.org.

Huntley

National schools group tabs Dist. 158 as member

Huntley Community School District 158 announced that it has once again been selected for membership in the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, a group of 102 schools in the United States leading innovation to provide “equitable and excellent” education for all students. District 158, one of three districts in Illinois accepted for membership, previously was among fewer than 100 members of the League and was selected to the 2018-19 cohort after reapplying for membership under the leadership of new superintendent Dr. Scott Rowe. As a member of the League, District 158 will benefit from working on common challenges with other leading school districts throughout the country. District 158 also will share its experiences implementing nationally recognized innovations such as Blended Learning, Vanguard Vision competency-based education, specialized academies and the Youth Residency Program at Huntley High School, as well as its work to date in adopting personalized learning practices at all grade levels. For more information, call 847-659-6158 or visit www.district158.org.

Spring Grove

Village offers one-day document destruction event

The village announced that it will host Document Destruction Day from 9-11 a.m. Oct. 20 in the parking lot at Spring Grove Municipal Centre, 7401 Meyer Road. Community members can bring up to 10 file-size boxes or paper shopping bags (per vehicle) of sensitive and private documents and papers for secure document destruction, provided by Groot Industries. Workers will remove documents from vehicles and place them in a toter, and all collected documents will be shredded on-site. Documents with staples and paper clips are acceptable, but all binders must be removed. Shredded documents will be transported to Groot’s recycling facility in Elk Grove Village and baled before being recycled into new paper. For more information, call 815-675-2121 or visit www.springgrovevillage.com. 

–McHenry County News Briefs–