McHenry County College announced that its MCC Cafe recently became a 3 Star Certified Green Restaurant, making MCC the only community college in the United States to reach this level.

McHenry County

MCC Cafe earns top environmental ranking

McHenry County College announced that its MCC Cafe recently became a 3 Star Certified Green Restaurant, making MCC the only community college in the United States to reach this level. To qualify, restaurants must meet environmental standards in a number of categories, including water efficiency, waste reduction and recycling, and sustainable food. According to MCC Food Service Director Sandra Johnston, a new initiative to compost food scraps helped the college earn its third rating in two years to be green certified. Cafeteria staff separates food scraps in the kitchen and then fills five garbage totes with organic food scraps every week. In addition, the cafeteria switched to new water-saving faucet spray heads in the dishwashing area, green wick sternos for chafing dish fuel and more energy-efficient light bulbs in the exhaust hood systems. In 2016, the MCC Cafe became the first community college cafeteria in the country to become certified as a Green Restaurant through the Green Restaurant Association. GRA standards provide a transparent way to measure each restaurant’s environmental accomplishments while providing a pathway for the next steps each restaurant can take toward increased environmental sustainability. MCC Cafe’s efforts are part of a campus-wide culture of sustainability, initiated by the MCC Sustainability Center. For more information, call 815-455-3700 or visit www.mchenry.edu. 

Lakemoor

Village to offer Fall Brush Clean-Up program 

The village announced that its Fall Brush Clean-Up program will be offered Oct. 29. Lakemoor Public Works staff will collect small tree limbs and brush from every village street. Trucks will visit each street only once during the program, so residents are encouraged to place their brush for pick-up no later than 7 a.m. Oct. 29. Crews will not return once they have completed their route. All brush must be under 6 feet in length and 6 inches in diameter, and must be placed on the parkway for collection. Brush should be stacked into one large pile in the front/side parkway with cut ends facing the curb, and placed away from trees, mailboxes, utility poles/boxes, fire hydrants and parked vehicles. Grass clippings and other landscape waste will not be accepted. The accumulated brush will be ground into wood chips and placed in a pile at the Public Works Department, 333 Wegner Road, and will be available to residents free of charge. For more information, call 815-385-1117 or visit www.lakemoor.net.

Fox Lake

Police Dept. to host Halloween Howl family event

The village announced that the Fox Lake Police Department, 301 S. Route 59, will host Halloween Howl from 4-7 p.m. Oct. 29. The event provides an opportunity for residents and families to meet members of the Fox Lake Police Department, and also includes children’s activities, bouncy houses, hay rides, treats, candy apples, hot dogs and hot chocolate. Admission is free. Attendees are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes. For more information, call 224-225-1404 or visit www.foxlake.org. 

Huntley

Industrial mainstay TEQ expanding facilities

The village reported that TEQ (Thermoform Engineered Quality), 11320 Main St., recently began construction of a 46,800-square-foot addition to its existing 84,000-square-foot office/manufacturing/warehouse facility on the 6-acre site at the northwest corner of Main Street and Bakley Street. TEQ, owned by ESCO Technologies, is globally recognized for the design, engineering and manufacturing of thermoformed plastic packaging, as well as products for the medical, electronic and commercial markets TEQ has a long history of growth in Huntley, dating to the 1970s when the company was known as A.E. Robinson Industries, and later as Tek-Packaging. In 2011, the company was re-branded as TEQ, and currently employs a staff of 130 in three shifts. The expansion is targeted to be completed in 2019 and is expected to add 18 full-time employees. For more information, call 847-515-5200 or visit www.huntley.il.us.

Crystal Lake

Park Dist. to host public meeting on pier ordinance

The Crystal Lake Park District announced that it will host a community input meeting, designed to gain feedback from residents concerning the proposed pier ordinance, at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 at Park Place Banquets, 406 W. Woodstock St. The proposed pier ordinance was not approved during the Sept. 20 or Oct. 11 Park Board meetings. A letter briefly explaining the process to date, along with a copy of the draft ordinance, was mailed to lakefront property owners in late September. For more information, contact Jason Herbster at 815-459-0680 or via email at jherbster@crystallakeparks.org — or visit www.crystallakeparks.org.   

Lake in the Hills

Police Dept. offers Safety Town Trick or Treat Night

The village announced that the Lake in the Hills Police Department will host the 12th Annual Safety Town Trick or Treat Night from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Oct. 31. Children will be able to trick or treat throughout Safety Town, the miniature village of small buildings located in a fenced area behind the Safety Education Center, 1109 Crystal Lake Road. Lake in the Hills Police officers, as well as Police Explorer and CERT volunteers, will be on hand while kids safely collect candy and treats from friendly monsters, ghosts and ghouls. Admission is free. For more information, call 847-960-7400 or visit www.lith.org.

–McHenry County News Briefs–