Briefs: Travel agent theft charged
A Des Plaines travel agent is charged with taking money for airline tickets yet never issuing them to two customers, police said. Jacqueline Soriano, of the 900 block of North Wheeling Road in Mount Prospect, is facing two counts of theft. Soriano, the owner of Jethro Manilla Inc., which police say isn't licensed to do business in Des Plaines, is charged with taking $27,284 for 18 airline tickets to the Philippines and $5,475 for three other international tickets, but never buying the tickets, police said. Investigators said Soriano was in debt and used the money to pay for trips for other customers. Soriano is scheduled to appear Tuesday at the Skokie courthouse.
Speed sign aimed at safety
Responding to concerns from residents, the village of Roselle and Schaumburg Township purchased a speed monitoring sign to try to reduce the speed of traffic approaching Turner Park on Roselle Road at Devon Avenue, just south of the Elgin-O'Hare Expressway. The public is invited to an unveiling of the sign at 4 p.m. today. The sign, which is expected to stay at the intersection permanently, should "ensure the safety of children and families crossing Roselle Road," said Schaumburg Township Supervisor Mary Wroblewski.
Metra station graffiti gone
A racial slur spray-painted onto a utility pole at the Schaumburg Metra station weeks ago has been removed. A Roselle commuter contacted officials about having the graffiti removed, but the delay in doing so apparently stemmed from the fact that Metra and the villages of Schaumburg and Roselle all share responsibility for the station. The graffiti was in a parking area on the Roselle side, whose maintenance is handled by Metra. A Roselle official said Metra sent a crew to clean up the graffiti.
Des Plaines to discuss TIFs:
Three of Des Plaines' five tax-increment districts are currently operating at a deficit, a new report shows. The properties are increasing in value, according to the audit that will presented to the city council tonight. However, the expenditures have outpaced the revenues. The biggest money-loser is the Wille Road industrial district, which this year is $2.6 million in the red. The most successful project is the downtown district, which the city reports is $5.8 million in the black. The Five Corners taxing district was included in the consultant's report although there has been no new development
since it was created last year.
Benefit being held today
The Ram Restaurant and Brewery in Wheeling and Schaumburg will hold a fundraiser today for the family of Israel Hernandez, the 5-year-old who died Aug. 29 after he was burned by a fryer at his Wheeling home. The two restaurants will give 10 percent of their proceeds toward the family. Ram is at 700 N. Milwaukee Ave. in Wheeling and at 1901 McConnor Parkway in Schaumburg. The restaurant also worked with Wheeling Township Elementary District 21 to raise funds for the family, selling 150 coupon books for $20 each.
Project wins one approval
The Mount Prospect plan commission is recommending that the village board approve a new mixed-use development at the northeast corner of Euclid Avenue and Wolf Road. The development, which is just west of the Prospect Heights train station, will include a new Starbucks and medical offices. The developer is Skokie-based Terraco Inc., which owns some of the land and will lease a portion from ComEd, which maintains right-of-way there. Terraco is working with the city of Prospect Heights to extend the sidewalk at the train station to the project. Dan Wander, Terraco's vice president of development, said that part of the village is underutilized and this will give the area a needed economic development boost. The site was formerly occupied by a restaurant and an oil change business.