Briefs: School expansion eyed
Hawthorn Elementary District 73 is planning a small addition to its Elementary North building in Vernon Hills. The district plans to add about 1,850 square feet of new building with a one-story addition and renovate 1,950 square feet to add administrative offices and enhance the work space. The proposed addition will be on the northeast part of the building and will expand the main entrance. The village's planning and zoning commission has recommended approval. Village trustees also informally approved the proposal. The work will be done this summer.
Spring Grove fire
Fox Lake firefighters battled a home fire at Third Avenue and Lake Shore Drive in Spring Grove Monday evening. Fox Lake Assistant Fire Chief Ed Lescher said the blaze broke out at 5:15 p.m. and took about an hour to extinguish. He said no one was injured in the blaze, but the homeowner was examined at the scene after becoming upset. The house did not burn to the ground, he said, but the damage was "substantial." No monetary damage estimate was available. The blaze remains under investigation. Departments from Round Lake, Antioch, Lake Villa, Newport, McHenry, Spring Grove and Richmond were called in with water trucks to help extinguish the fire.
Grants for teachers
The Lake Zurich Unit District 95 Educational Foundation has awarded four grants for teacher innovation. Recipients were: Middle School North science teacher Jerry Clemens for the materials to enable students to simulate earthquake waves and resonance frequency displacement; Lake Zurich High School math teacher J.B. Hanson for a Tablet PC to create an online database of student-solved geometric proofs as a tool for students studying for ACT math exams; Middle School North family and consumer arts teacher Pam Grimm for the purchase of computerized embroidery software to be used by home economics, art, drama and health students for projects including creating fundraising apparel for school-sponsored events and philanthropies; and Lake Zurich High School biology teachers Laura Cohen and Chris McOmber for equipment that would allow students to extract and amplify samples of their own DNA for sequencing. The nonprofit foundation awards educational grants annually in the spring and fall to fund programs or equipment that would not be considered for funding by the school district.
Vehicle sticker study:
The village of Antioch is re-evaluating its requirement that all residents purchase a $10 parking sticker for their vehicles. The village makes about $19,0000 per year from the stickers and the $2 tickets issued by the police department to people who don't have them. Board members want to identify what the money is used for and if it is still necessary to enforce the sticker ordinance. The issue will be discussed at the next meeting in January.
New chamber president
Lake County Farm Bureau Manager Gregory Koeppen has been elected president of the Grayslake Chamber of Commerce. Koeppen, owner of the Medleys in Motion disc jockey service, has been a chamber board member since 2002 and has chaired the Grayslake Summer Days festival. Koeppen said he's committed to boosting chamber membership while looking for new programs that will benefit the organization. "I am humbled to serve as president of this outstanding organization and even more fortunate to have a talented and diverse board of directors and staff working with me," said Koeppen, who enjoys traveling, gardening and spending time with his family and friends.