Briefs: How to help local food banks
There are numerous locations in Elgin and the Fox Valley where you can help replenish local food banks. They most need: spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, white rice in one-pound bags or boxes, pinto beans, macaroni and cheese, canned spaghetti or ravioli, chili, beef stew, tuna, ramen noodles, pork and beans, canned fruit, canned vegetables, crackers, peanut butter, jelly, cereal, oatmeal, powdered milk and hand can openers. For details or to make a cash donation, visit northernilfoodbank.org.
Some Elgin locations are: Elgin City Employees Credit Union, 1151 Lillian St.; Centro de Informacion, 28 N. Grove Ave.; Community Crisis Center, 37 S. Geneva St.; Salvation Army, 316 Douglas Ave.; Two Rivers Head Start, 620 Wing St.; All People's Interfaith Food Pantry at the First Congregational Church, 256 E. Chicago St.; Lighthouse Community Church pantry, 325 South St.; Elgin city hall lobby, 150 Dexter Court; The Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way; United Way of Elgin, 2022 Larkin Ave. You can also drop off items at Elgin fire stations at 550 Summit St., 650 Big Timber Road, 2455 Royal Ave., 599 S. McLean Blvd., 804 Villa St., 707 W. Chicago St., 3270 Long Common Pkwy. Also, beginning Dec. 1, items will be accepted at these sites: National City Bank locations at 791 S. Randall Road, South Elgin; 2429 Randall Road, Carpentersville; 543 E. Main St., East Dundee; 28 N. Grove Ave., Elgin; 1695 Larkin Ave., Elgin; 850 Meacham Road, Elk Grove Village; 1300 Route 47, Huntley; 606 S. Roselle Road, Schaumburg; 2425 W. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg; 835 S. Randall Road, Elgin; and 390 S. Eighth St., West Dundee; Custom Aluminum, 540 W. Division St., South Elgin; or the Courier News, 300 Lake St., Elgin.
Safety award for Algonquin:
The Algonquin Police Department has received the International Association of Chiefs of Police's first place traffic safety award. The honor is given to those departments that have demonstrated exceeded expectations in traffic safety and have shown considerable improvement. For example, the village's seat belt use rate is now 95 percent, up from 75 percent just a few years ago. This marks the third time the department has received the award.
Learning to protect seniors:
The Carpentersville Fire Department and the Dundee Township Park District Senior Center have been awarded scholarships to participate in a training program for seniors developed by the National Fire Protection Association. "Remembering When: A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults" offers strategies to help prevent fires and falls among seniors. The conference will be held Dec. 3 to 5 in Boston.
Bartlett semifinals on the air:
WEPS-FM 88.9 will broadcast today's Bartlett High School versus Maine South semifinal Class 8-A football game. The broadcast will begin with a pre-game show at 6:30 p.m. Joe Paladino "The Voice of the Hawks," along with Mike Wenc and Len Hardy will serve as announcers.