Officer's 25 years of traffic safety lauded
Congratulations to Schaumburg Police Commander Paul Rizzo, who received the J. Stannard Baker Award last week at the annual International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference in New Orleans.
The prestigious award recognizes law enforcement officers and others who've made significant and outstanding lifetime contributions to highway safety.
Only one municipal officer from across the nation is recognized each year.
Rizzo was chosen unanimously from a large group of nominees. He was lauded for more than 25 years of work in traffic safety.
His contributions include his work as an instructor in numerous traffic safety topics, countless enforcement and public education campaigns that he initiated for the Schaumburg Police Department and his work with the Illinois Child Passenger Safety Board, the National Child Passenger Safety Board, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police Traffic Committee and the Illinois Traffic Safety Challenge.
Rizzo's been with the department for 25 years and is currently a patrol division commander.
The J. Stannard Baker Award is sponsored by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety.
Hog House to Smokehouse:ŒSpring Valley Nature Center will show the connection between raising livestock and producing food from noon to 4 p.m. Nov. 4.
"Hog House to Smokehouse" will demonstrate how 1880s farm families put meat on the table and preserved food, including sausage, smoked meats and other pork-related products.
Food, beverages and children's craft activities will be featured throughout the day. Dave Brooks, the Schaumburg Park District's manager of conservation services, said the program will provide visitors with a unique perspective.
"From a historical standpoint, this shows people the self-sufficiency of 19th-century families and how they got their food," Brooks said. "It also shows a part of the human food chain that 99.9 percent of people in our society aren't exposed to."
Admission costs $1.50. It's free for children 3 and younger.
Spring Valley Nature Center is at 1111 E. Schaumburg Road.
For more information, call (847) 985-2100 or visit www.parkfun.com.
Straight to No. 1: Teens 13 to 19 who are in a band can enter the Single Song Contest at the Schaumburg Township District Library through Nov. 30.
Entries must be original and consist of music and lyrics or just lyrics.
To enter, send an MP3 file link to aalessio@stdl.org or drop off a CD at the Reader Services Desk of the central library, 130 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg or the branch libraries in Hoffman Estates and Hanover Park.
Winners will receive gift certificates to area music stores and will have the song linked to the STDL Teen MySpace site as well as the STDL Teen Web site.
For more information, call Amy Alessio at (847) 923-3120 or e-mail to aalessio@sdtl.org.