Salt shortage has towns scrambling for sand

While I was at the Arboretum Club in Buffalo Grove Monday morning, it was obvious that the town, like many others around it, was suffering from a salt shortage.

The parking lot was clear of ice, but there were granules of sand that managed to track their way inside the building.

The intense snowfall over the past months have made many public works departments in the suburbs scramble to find as much salt as they can, and they've had to mix their reserves with sand to make it last.

In Wheeling, the town has used more than 3,200 tons of salt since last week.

Tony Stavros, Wheeling's director of public works, said normally the town uses about 1,800 tons.

The town's usual budget for salt is $96,300, but Stavros said so far it has spent $144,480. Plus, they've had problems with deliveries.

Greg Boysen, the public works director in Buffalo Grove, tells a similar story.

"We're having difficulty with the salt deliveries," he said. "They're supposed to make deliveries within 10 days of ordering and they're behind."

Flowering hope: A seventh-grader at Aptakisic Junior High School in Buffalo Grove is honoring her grandfather and helping to find a cure for cancer as part of her mitzvah project.

Erica Koenig will participate in the seventh annual Daffodil Days campaign for the American Cancer Society. The flowers will be distributed the week of March 17, but they can be purchased through this Friday.

Koenig is honoring her grandfather, Martin Listick, who died last May from lung cancer. She hopes to raise more than $3,500 for the American Cancer Society.

To purchases daffodils or to sponsor Gifts of Hope, bunches of daffodils delivered to cancer patients, contact Sarah Theriault at (847) 317-0025.

For Koenig's project, visit main.acsevents.org/goto/ericaswebpage. The flowers are $10 for 10 daffodils or $400 for a case of 50 bunches.

Take flight: The Young Eagles program at Chicago Executive Airport in Wheeling has been postponed a few times because of the erratic weather. However, the group has once again tentatively scheduled a flying date for this Saturday.

The program gives young flyers a chance to get up in the air for the first time. About 30 children have already signed up.

If you've signed up but can't make it, call (847) 883-8388. For details on the program, call (847) 579-1225.