Briefs: Committees plan meetings

The McHenry Community High School District 156 curriculum and technology committee will meet at the Robert O. Swartzloff Center for Educational Services, 4716 W. Crystal Lake Road in McHenry, at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. The agenda includes academic tutoring, approval of textbooks and table topics. Immediately following that meeting, the executive planning committee will meet in the same room at 6:30 p.m. to discuss board policies and a truancy ordinance.

Village to solicit bids

The village of Hainesville will begin to seek bids to pursue a five-year project to restore woodlands and wetlands surrounding Cranberry Lake. The goal will be to remove invasive non-native plants and renovate and maintain the walking path surrounding the lake. The project was in response to a mandate from the Army Core of Engineers. While the decision to address wetlands in Cranberry Lake attracted criticism from residents at its Sept. 11 meeting, the board also discussed starting to address maintaining the wetlands across the village.

Spirit Walk Saturday

Stevenson High School's National Honor Society will host its 10th annual Homecoming Spirit Walk at 1 p.m. Sunday starting at the school stadium. The school is at 1 Stevenson Drive, Lincolnshire. Registration will begin at 12:15 p.m. The cost is $5. All proceeds will go to the Muscular Dystrophy Association summer camps, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing summer camps to children who have limited mobility or are wheelchair-bound. For information, call the school at (847) 634-4000.

Gurnee mayor impressed

Gurnee Mayor Kristina Kovarik this week gave kudos to village employees in all departments and community volunteers. Speaking at a village board meeting, Kovarik said she was impressed by the teamwork shown before and during the Des Plaines River flood Aug. 25. "Fire department," Kovarik said, "you guys were everywhere. I thought there were a hundred of you." The river crested at 9.82 feet Aug. 25, but didn't reach a high enough level to cause serious widespread damage or spill over enough to close busy Route 132.

Interchange to open soon

The interchange at Fairfield and Gilmer roads near Wauconda will open to traffic on Saturday at 6 a.m. The Lake County Division of Transportation closed the intersection in May to reconstruct it as an interchange with Gilmer moving over Fairfield. The $9.2 million project started in 2006. Fairfield Road, the west leg of Gilmer Road and the connecting ramp opened on Aug. 15. More info about the project is at the Lake County Division of Transportation's Web site, www.co.lake.il.us/dot.