Town lining up musicians for 50th bash

Preparations for Hanover Park's golden anniversary are in full swing.

The four-day 50th Anniversary Family Festival will begin on Aug. 14 next year, and an impressive musical lineup is in the works.

Though no bands have been booked yet, an entertainment management company working for the village proposes signing Survivor, the Grammy award-winning group behind "Eye of the Tiger."

It's also going after the Classic Rock All Stars, made up of members from Sugarloaf, Iron Butterfly, Rare Earth, Blues Image and Cannibal and the Headhunters.

Surf music pioneers Jan and Dean featuring Dean Torrence are set to perform, as are Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chuck Negron. And for those who need their Beatles fix, American English will likely play one night.

Hanover Park's entertainment budget totals $132,500, which will be spread out over two years.

Kiddie Academy to open: The Chicago area's second Kiddie Academy will open in Streamwood Dec. 17, providing additional childcare opportunities for working parents.

The Maryland-based operation already has more than 90 Kiddie Academy locations in 20 states. Three more are in development in the Western suburbs and are expected to open in 2008.

The Streamwood location will be at 1040 S. Sutton Road, selected specifically for its accessibility to parents dropping off their kids on their way to work.

Kiddie Academy provides education-based child care for children 6 weeks to 12 years old, including before- and after-school care and summer camp programs.

For more information about the new location, call (630) 497-0200 or visit www.kiddieacademy.com.

The first Kiddie Academy opened in Baltimore in October 1981 and franchising began in 1992. President and CEO Mike Miller is the son of the company's founders and helped expand Kiddie Academy from a small, family-run business to a national chain.

There is a long-range goal to have 200 learning centers across the country by the end of 2012.

Tops in the bunch: Kudos to the park district's Bartlett Aquatic Center, which has been ranked first out of 82 area pools by the DuPage County Health Department.

Inspections take place throughout the season and judging is based on criteria including pool water quality, proper operation of mechanical equipment, and cleanliness and operations in the pool deck, locker and shower areas.

The Bartlett Aquatic Center got a perfect score.