Plan for anniversary markers on street signs moves along
A few Hoffman Estates trustees say street signs can be a source of civic pride.
Gary Pilafas and Cary Collins talked about signs at a Monday village committee meeting. They pointed to Schaumburg, saying deliverymen and women know that they're in Schaumburg, opposed to neighboring towns, because of the color of their signs.
Village officials want to recognize Hoffman Estates' 50th anniversary by adding the village's incorporation year to street sign. They've opted for adding a bracketed extension the bolts on to the top of the sign that would read: "Village of Hoffman Estates Est. 1959."
The new signs would be installed over three years at a cost of $39,000. Trustee Karen Mills said the cost represents a "drop" in the village's budget. The signs still have to come before the village board for another vote.
The audience at village hall Monday was mostly filled with supporters from St. Hubert Catholic School regarding its fire sprinkler waiver request. Village officials solicited the audience for their opinions.
St. Hubert Principal Vito DeFrisco wondered if vandals would want to rip the street sign attachments off the sign. He wondered if the village should nix the two-piece idea.
The signs will still remain the traditional green and white.
Checkmate: The chess team from MacArthur Elementary School brought back some hardware on Sept. 20 at the St. Matthew Chess Tournament in Hawthorn Woods. The tourney was organized by Grandmaster Yury Shulman of Barrington, who happens to be the reigning U.S. chess champ and among the world's top players.
The MacArthur team, which I've been told was missing some key players, still managed to flourish. They took home first-place trophies in the primary (kindergarten to third grade) and unrated (all grades and adults) divisions.
Second-grader Zack Bloomfield starred, as did third-graders Pranav Raman and Will Mueller, for the primary team. Fifth-graders Elizabeth Wellin, Daniel Salem and Javier Salguero were standouts for the unrated team. Some adults even dared think they were smarter than these fifth-graders and tried to compete against them. They were wrong, and they were beaten.
Congrats!
Don't be afraid: What do you think about when you hear the word "scarecrow?"
Do you think of "The Wizard of Oz?" Do you think about "Batman" and the villain who uses fear gas on victims? Maybe you think of Kate Jackson from "The Scarecrow and Mrs. King?"
The Hoffman Estates Park District wants you to think fun. The district will hold the first-ever Scarecrow Fest at Vogelei Park near Higgins and Golf roads from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27. You can buy a pumpkin or compete in the scarecrow-crafting contest.
The event coincides with the Nickelodeon TV channel's "Worldwide Day of Play." Though there will be scarecrows, youngsters shouldn't be afraid of the sun and the outdoors. Get out and have a good time.
• Have a Hoffman Estates story idea? Contact Ashok Selvam at (847) 427-4475 or aselvam@dailyherald.com