Last stop coming up for Pace's Route 690

RIP, Pace Route 690.

Since June 28, 1976, a Pace bus has shuttled people along Arlington Heights Road from the downtown train station to Route 83 and Checker Road.

However because of budget cutbacks, Pace has decided to end the low rider ship route. The route's last voyage will be Oct. 6, said Pace spokeswoman Judi Kulm.

"That route has been around for a long time," she said. "It's too bad."

The bus takes nine trips from Buffalo Grove into downtown Arlington Heights in the morning and the same number of trips the other way during the night rush hour, Kulm said.

At a committee meeting this week, Village President Arlene Mulder said she's received lots of phone calls from residents upset about the death of Pace route 690.

Buy a vowel: Watch Arlington Heights resident Brian Szejka on the "Wheel of Fortune" at 6:30 p.m. on Friday on Channel 7. Szejka graduated from Buffalo Grove High School in 2002 and the University of Illinois in 2006. He auditioned for the "Wheel" in June, made the cut and flew to Los Angles to tape the show on July 12.

Cost of cleaning up: The Aug. 23 and 24 storm cost the Arlington Heights public works department $250,000 in additional labor, fuel and overtime, according to Village Manager Bill Dixon.

Check those Lotto tickets: Someone out there is rich and doesn't know it. On Sept. 21, 2006, a winning Illinois Lotto ticket was purchased at Trackside Restaurant near Arlington Park. You can claim winning Lotto tickets for one year, which means whoever won the $87,500 jackpot will be out of luck come Sept. 21 of this year.

Local author at library: Fremd High School teacher and author Tony Romano will talk about his debut novel, "When the World was Young," at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, 500 N Dunton Ave. The novel is about an Italian immigrant family in Chicago during the summer of 1957. Romano will share his personal writing journey and the uneven road to getting published. Register at www.ahml.info under programs, or call (847) 392-0100.

Happy anniversary: This week a few downtown businesses are celebrating anniversaries:

• Flaherty Jewelers, 2 N. Dunton Ave. -- 60 years.

• Urban Harvest, 15 S. Dunton -- seven years.

• Holiday Essentials & Home Decor, 10 W. Campbell St. -- three years.