Briefs: Water park plans for Hoffman Estates

Officials behind a proposed water park at Hoffman Estates' Prairie Stone Business Park presented altered plans Monday to the village board. The proposal for the project formerly known as Sun Island was changed due to noise concerns from the future Prairie Creek Amphitheater. The plans for the SplasH2O Waterpark Hotel and Resort will go before the village's plan commission Wednesday, and water park officials want to start construction on the 450,000 square-foot project by the end of the year. Joe Buralli of SplasH2O, said officials decided to lower the building's height, stretch the length and relocate hotel rooms away from the path of sound that would come from the east and Prairie Creek, a 8,900-seat outdoor amphitheater that could open by Memorial Day 2009.

Food fest at Sears Centre

The Sears Centre arena hopes to host an outdoor food and music festival in September. This summer marks the first American Food and Music Festival national tour. The event, which would feature live musical acts, is tentatively planned for Sept. 13 at the parking lot at the Sears Centre. If all comes together, the event could be hosted by Duff Goldman, host of TV's "Ace of Cakes" on the Food Network. The Hoffman Estates Village Board green-lighted the event Monday, with Trustees Gary Pilafas and Raymond Kincaid casting opposing votes, citing noise concerns.concerns.

Drill volunteers still needed

Officials are still looking for volunteers to play victims in today's emergency preparedness drill at the Sears Centre arena in Hoffman Estates. Volunteers will be given scripts to follow. They don't have to register and should just show up. The event starts at 10 a.m. and goes until 2 p.m. at the arena, near the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway and Route 59. Organizers hope to draw between 1,000 to 3,000 volunteers, who will take part in a fictitious bioterrorism scenario and stand in line waiting for emergency officials to distribute medicines. The event will draw more than 200 emergency workers from more than 20 departments across the suburbs and is being put on by the Cook County Department of Public Health. The more volunteers who show up to play victims, the better prepared firefighters, police and other first-responders will be in the event of a real disaster. Volunteers will be given a voucher for a free ticket to a Chicago Shamrox lacrosse game.

Choral concert tonight

The Barrington High School choirs will perform their spring concert, "Broadway and Barbershop," at 7:30 p.m. tonight in the school's Richard C. Johnson Auditorium, 616 W. Main Street. The show will feature songs and medleys from opera and musical theater, including selections from "Les Miserables." Admission is $3 for adults and $2 for children and students. Senior citizens are admitted for free. For more information, call the school's fine arts office at (847) 842-3214.