Visitors to Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium gaze onto a reef and its inhabitants. The aquarium and other museums in Chicago offer free admission to Illinois residents.

Lake in the Hills

Business registration open for February teen job fair

Registration is open for area businesses and organizations interested in participating in the Lake in the Hills Teen Job and Opportunities Fair.

The fair will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Feb. 18 at Village Hall, 600 Harvest Gate, Lake in the Hills, and it is open to anyone ages 16 to 24. Applicants are asked to come prepared to ask or answer questions and dress appropriately. Admission is free.

Teens interested in attending the job fair are encouraged to read job-seeking tips the village has posted on its website, lith.org. Tips to giving a good job interview include turning off cellphones, asking recruiters for business cards, providing recruiters a résumé, smiling and shaking hands with each employer and maintaining good eye contact.

Employer setup will be from 3-4 p.m. the day of the job fair. Businesses are encouraged to send one or two representatives who enjoy talking with teens. Employers may bring a tabletop display and a sufficient number of printed copies of employment applications. Admission and business participation are free, and free Wi-Fi will be available.

Employers already signed on to participate are Boulder Ridge Country Club, Butcher on the Block, Clarendale of Algonquin, ComforCare Home Care, DecisionOne Dental Partners, Kona Ice of McHenry County, LSI, UPS and the village of Lake in the Hills.

Registration forms are available on the village’s website, lith.org. Registration is required for businesses. Completed forms must be returned to Lake in the Hills recreation supervisor Kristi Brewer at kbrewer@lith.org or mailed to Village Hall, 600 Harvest Gate, by Feb. 15.

CRYSTAL LAKE

Expert will talk about more life, less stuff

How can living with less add more to your life?

Gina Intoppa from Minimalist Chicago will explain what it means to be a minimalist. Discussion will include the psychology behind why we are so attached to physical possessions and what practical steps to take to simplify your life at any age. She will talk about what you will gain by living with less.

The program for adults, “Minimalism: Live More with Less,” will be held at 2 p.m. Jan. 13 at Crystal Lake Public Library, 126 Paddock St., Crystal Lake. For more information, call 815-459-1687. Registration is required. Go to crystallakelibrary.org.

STATE

New year, new laws are on the books

In 2018, more than 250 new laws were passed in Illinois. Here is a small sampling of some of the laws that went into effect Jan. 1.

Rear-facing seats for youngsters: Children who are under the age of 2 years old have to be in rear-facing seats when in a vehicle. Also, children under the age of 8-years-old must be secured in an appropriate child restraint system. There are exemptions in the law. The rules would not apply if a child weighs more than 40 pounds, is taller than 40 inches, or is traveling in a vehicle weighing more than 9,000 pounds.

Preparing for the worst: At least once a year, schools will need to have active shooter drills that are led by law enforcement. Students have to be present for the drills. The drills need to take place within 90 days of the first day of the school year.

New gun laws: Family members or police may ask a judge to order a person’s firearms be taken away temporarily if they believe the person is a threat. Also, when buying a firearm in the state, a person will have to wait 72-hours before completing the purchase. Previously when people were buying long guns such as shot guns or rifles, they only had to wait 24 hours. Handguns already had 72-hour waiting period.

Fashion for hunters: In addition to wearing orange, people who are hunting may now wear pink in order to keep safe. State law requires hunters to wear blaze outerwear and caps for certain types of hunting, including firearm deer hunting. Proponents of the bill said pink can be easier to see in the woods, which makes it a safer option for hunters. Pink camoflauge has been popular for years with female hunters.

Nursing moms and jury duty: Moms who are nursing their child may now be excused from jury duty at their request.

Preventing sexual harassment: Companies that want to do business with state government, or companies in the EDGE tax credit program, need to have policies on how they address sexual harassment complaints. The new protections come during a time when the #MeToo movement highlighting how common sexual harassment is in workplaces.

That message on Facebook: Unwanted messages sent via social media can now be considered stalking behavior, under a new law. That same new law also allows businesses, schools and places of worship to seek no-contact orders against stalkers.

Black history in post-secondary education: Community colleges and other public institutions of higher education in Illinois will be required to offer courses studying black history.

Museums offer free admission to Illinois residents

Chicago has riches upon riches in its museum, and shares them with Illinois residents by offering free admission on certain days. Here is a roundup of museums that encourage visitors to come for free. But read the list closely, some of the offers expire in February.

• Art Institute of Chicago, 111 S. Michigan Ave.: Illinois residents of any age can enjoy free admission year-round from 5-8 p.m. on Thursdays.
• Brookfield Zoo, 8400 W. 31^st St., Brookfield: Free admission offered on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays through Feb. 28.
• Chicago Children’s Museum, 700 E. Grand Ave.: Admission is free for youngsters 15 and under all day on the first Sunday of every month.
• DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th Place: Free admission every Tuesday, all year long. Children under 5 always get in free.
• The Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive: Free days in 2019 are Jan. 21, April 5-7, May 2 and June 26-28. Admission is also free for the entire month of February. 
• Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave.: Illinois residents can skip the admission fees every Tuesday, year round.
• Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive: Free days for Illinois residents are Jan. 9-10, Jan. 14-17, Jan. 21-24 and Jan. 28-31; Feb. 4–7, Feb. 11–14, Feb. 19–21 and Feb. 25–28.
• Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2400 N. Cannon Drive: Thursdays are free for Illinois residents but they are encouraged to make a donation upon entry.
• Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive: Free admission for Illinois residents offered on Jan. 17-21 and Feb. 1, Feb. 4-8, Feb. 11-15, Feb. 18-22 and Feb. 25-28.
• Swedish American Museum, 5211 N. Clark St.: Free admission offered on the second Tuesday of every month.

–McHenry County News Briefs–