Briefs: Cenacle sold to county
The DuPage County Forest Preserve bought a Warrenville landmark for $5 million Tuesday. The 42-acre Cenacle Retreat House property near the intersection of Batavia and Butterfield roads likely will become part of the nearby Blackwell Forest Preserve when the forest preserve officially takes possession of the land next year. The property has been operated as a spiritual retreat center by an order of Roman Catholic nuns for more than 70 years. The scenic wooded property also features a large residence that can accommodate 75 overnight guests and has space for small meetings. The property went up for sale late last year after years of declining visitor figures.
COD gets bomb threat
Police searched College of DuPage's M Building after a custodian reported finding a bomb threat about 6 a.m. Tuesday in a men's restroom on the Glen Ellyn campus. The incident was reported to campus police who then contacted area police and the FBI. College spokesman Bill Troller said the building was empty and no one was allowed in while police searched it and the rest of the campus before determining the threat was a hoax. Students and staff were notified at 10:45 a.m. of the threat and the all-clear status through e-mail blasts and a new phone mass text messaging system. Troller said students and staff would have been notified earlier if police believed the threat was real. He emphasized making such threats carries serious legal consequences. "It's a good way to get in trouble with the FBI," Troller said. No classes were changed, canceled or interrupted.
GlenOaks gets $190,000
Congressman Peter Roskam has secured $190,000 for Adventist GlenOaks Hospital's no-wait emergency room. The new emergency department, which opened in June, features a no-wait emergency room where patients move directly to a treatment suite. The emergency department uses an electronic medical record system that's compatible with primary physicians' offices. The facility includes 19 private treatment suites.
Student essay contest
The Democratic Party of DuPage County is sponsoring an essay and poster contest on the topic, "Why is it important to exercise the right to vote in the upcoming 2008 general election?" The contest is open to all elementary, middle and high school students in the county. First-place winners at each school level will receive $300 and second-place finishers $100. Essays must be between 500 and 800 words and posters no larger than 8-by-10 inches. Entries must be mailed or dropped off by June 30 at the Democratic Party of DuPage County headquarters, 1000-7 Rohlwing Road, Lombard, IL 60148. Prizes will be awarded at the DuPage Blue Fest on July 19 at Arabian Knights Farm in Willowbrook. For details, contact www.dupagedemocrats.com.
Golf outing to help kids
Ray Graham Association will be among the organizations benefiting from a Kick Off for Kids golf outing May 30 at Abbey Springs Golf Course in Fontana, Wis. KOK, a nonprofit organization that raises money for local children's charities, was founded by Elmhurst residents Mike LaSpisa and Bill Paschen in 2002. Since then, it has raised more than $350,000 for local children's charities. For details, call (630) 359-4724.
Glenbard helps former grad
The Glenbard East High School community is raising money to help a former student awaiting a life-saving organ transplant. Alex Pane, a former star volleyball player for East, is awaiting a small bowel transplant that can cost up to $500,000. The school raised $2,000 to help with medical costs even before a benefit volleyball game and silent auction Tuesday night at the school. Anyone who wishes to contribute can send a check made payable to Glenbard East Athletics to Jennifer Ennis or Ann Banfield at Glenbard East High School, 1014 S. Main St., Lombard, 60148. The Pane family is working with the Children's Organ Transplant Association to raise the funds needed for his transplant. For details, contact Ennis at (630) 424-6479.
Kids help Autism Speaks
The Roselle Middle School Student Council raised more than $1,900 for Autism Speaks through a dance-a-thon at the school. The group is dedicated to funding biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatment, and cure for autism, raise public awareness, and bring hope to all who deal with the hardships of this disorder. The council also collected 227 pairs of athletic shoes for the Reuse-A-Shoe Program for SCARCE, or School and Community Assistance for Recycling & Composting Education. To help offset the costs and rescue cell phones from landfills, they also collected 22 cell phones.
Police urge seat-belt use
Naperville police are joining hundreds of other law enforcement agencies by intensifying efforts to enforce seat belt laws among all motorists around the clock. The 2008 Click It or Ticket mobilization runs from Monday through June 1. Increased law enforcement activities will be conducted nationwide during that time.
Habitat starts project
Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity will launch its 39th volunteer-built home at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at 1338 Grand Blvd. in Aurora. The service that will start the project is open to the public. It will be led by the Rev. Jeff Marrett, executive director of the Aurora-based agency. The project is expected to take about four months with volunteers working on Thursdays and Saturdays.
Pancake breakfast
The Itasca Lions Club will sponsor its annual Pancake Breakfast at 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Luke's Church on Rush and Washington streets. Breakfast will be served from 6:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Adult admission is $5 and children younger than 5 are free.