Buffalo Grove community, schools honored

Buffalo Grove was recently recognized by a national publication as one of the top places to raise a child in the country, and its two high schools were also recently recognized in a similar honor.

Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire was ranked 77 out of 100 by U.S. News & World Report, which published the list in collaboration with School Evaluation Services.

Both analyzed academic and enrollment data from more than 18,000 public high schools.

Buffalo Grove High School was also given a "silver" ranking on that list.

"We've always known the schools are great in our community," Village President Elliott Harstein said.

Residents take on a fight: When Matt King heard about the village of Wheeling trying to set up an agreement with the Cook County Forest Preserve to develop a portion of its land, his hackles were raised.

"I would like to cause as much disturbance about this as I can," he said in a phone call. "They're making it sound like it's a wasteland, but it's natural."

Wheeling wants to build a lagoon on forest preserve property at Milwaukee Avenue, near the Westin development. The village wants to make it a public amenity, with trails and parking.

This would also help out the Westin folks, who can move some of their detention ponds to this new pond. That would free up land to build more parking.

However, King said putting bike trails and a pond in this natural resource will bring in more traffic and garbage.

"I think that would ruin it as a bird and animal sanctuary," he said. "We're doing what we can to save it."

King and others have sent letters to forest preserve commissioners in the hopes that the plan won't be approved.

Wheeling has said the 11 acres is underutilized and would help create a pedestrian link to a horse and hiking trail near the property.

Let the celebrations begin: The Buffalo Grove 50th anniversary calendar should be heading out to households in the next week.

The 50th anniversary booklet will also be sent to the printers next month. That will contain a listing of all the special events the committee has organized for next year.

School news: Aptakisic Junior High School will have two performances for the "Wizard of Oz."

The play will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday and Dec. 14 for $4 per ticket.

The play includes elements from both the movie and the book.

For information on the play, or to purchase tickets, call the school at (847) 353-5500.

The junior high will also have several free concerts, including a choral concert 7:30 p.m. today at Stevenson High School, a band and orchestra concert 7 p.m. Tuesday at Meridian Middle School, a band concert 7 p.m. Dec. 13 back at Stevenson and an orchestra concert 7 p.m. Dec. 20 at Stevenson.