The briefs: Other uses for old shoes

Other uses for old shoes

Turn your old sneakers into places to play. Wauconda's United Partnership for a Better Community is collaborating with local governmental agencies to promote the recycling of old athletic shoes. Spearheaded by the partnership's Green Committee, the organization is collaborating with the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County to promote a program sponsored by Nike athletic wear. Once collected, the shoes are disassembled at a Nike recycling center and turned into Nike Grind sport surfaces. The old shoes are then utilized by communities to create new surfaces for playgrounds, tennis courts and running tracks. Drop off your old athletic shoes by May 1 at the following locations: Wauconda village hall, 101 N. Main St.; Wauconda Township office, 505 E. Bonner Road; Wauconda Park District, 600 N. Main St.; Wauconda public works, 302 Slocum Lake Road; Wauconda Community Center, 101 N. Main St.; Wauconda Area Library, 801 N. Main St.; and Wauconda Unit District 118 schools. For more information, visit www.nikereuseashoe.com.

Town hall meeting

State reps. JoAnn Osmond and Sandy Cole will sponsor a town hall meeting for the community to discuss issues relating to the state budget, including education funding, local transportation, public safety and quality of life issues. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Lakes Community High School auditorium, 1600 Eagle Way, Lake Villa. Residents of all local communities are invited to attend. For more information, call (847) 838-6200 or (847) 543-0062.

Village ends waste talks

Mundelein officials had been negotiating with Mundelein Disposal to be the town's sole residential garbage hauler, but the company's recent sale has ended those talks. The village board on Monday agreed to suspend negotiations because of the company's purchase by Groot Industries. The talks could resume after village officials have time to evaluate Groot's service, according to village documents.

Spring cleanup set

Mundelein's annual spring cleanup effort is set to be held from April 29 to May 9. Residents can put household items at the curb for removal on their usual day for recycling pickup. Certain items -- pesticides, oil, gas, chemicals, tires and others -- can't be collected. Others must be altered first. For more information, call Mundelein Disposal at (847) 566-5159.