Briefs: Dist. 220 boundary update

Armed with new enrollment data, the Barrington Area Unit District 220 committee charged with drawing new attendance boundaries is back at work trying to find the best way to divide up the more than 2,700 elementary school students. Joe Ruffolo, co-chairman of the community-based enrollment monitoring panel, stresses that the maps presented to the community this month remain preliminary and more than likely will change based on the new enrollment numbers. The new numbers, he said, include actual enrollment data from the current school year. Previous numbers included only projections for this year. The goal is for the committee to present its final recommendations in January to the school board. It has the final say over any boundary changes. The committee has scheduled future meetings for Nov. 27, Dec. 11 and Jan. 8. For more information on the committee's work, visit cusd220.lake.k12.il.us/.

Food giveaway aids needy

An Elgin church will distribute more than 8,000 pounds of food and household supplies to needy families on Saturday in Elgin. The Northern Illinois Food Bank truck will be in the Church in the Word parking lot, 430 Airport Road, from 5 to 7 p.m. If you need food, call the church at (847) 658-8888 to register. You can also visit www.churchintheword.com for more information.

ECC refinances loan

Elgin Community College trustees on Tuesday approved a recommendation to issue nearly $10 million in refunding bonds to refinance a 2002 bond sale at lower interest rates. The transaction will save taxpayers about $2.6 million, according to ECC.

Gentry probes district lease

Huntley Unit District 158 school board member Kevin Gentry has asked the administration to explore the possibility of a separate residential lease for the Borhart property. Under a standard caretaker agreement, the Borharts are supposed to farm the vacant property on the district's Harmony Road campus so the land is maintained until the district needs it. But Harold Borhart's daughter and son-in-law, Linda and David Moore, also live on the land, district officials said. Chief Operations Officer Glen Stewart said he would report back on what liability the village incurs by allowing the Moores to live on the property and how much the district is losing by permitting them to live there rent-free.

An Almost Winter Day

An Almost Winter Day will run 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday at County Park in South Elgin. The annual event will feature a petting zoo, pony rides, horse-drawn sleigh rides, a coffee bar, a cookie decorating station, a craft station and a bonfire to keep everyone warm. Santa Claus will arrive at 5 p.m. to light the Christmas tree.

Centro gets grant

The Comcast Foundation recently awarded Centro de Información a $45,000 grant to establish computer labs in the organization's offices in Elgin, Carpentersville and Hanover Park. Centro de Información is a not-for-profit Hispanic social service agency. The organization helps more than 20,000 predominantly low-income Hispanic residents by providing individual and family counseling, bilingual advocacy and assistance, immigration and naturalization services, parenting skills training, education and youth programs.