Briefs: Latino culture celebration

Harper College's Latinos Unidos group invites the public to Sabor Latino 2008, a celebration of Latin culture with songs, dancing, poems and skits. The event runs from 6 to 10 p.m. tonight in the Building J Theatre of the Palatine campus, Algonquin and Roselle roads. Money raised by the annual show supports scholarships for Latino high school students who will attend Harper. The cost is $5. Kids 6 and under are free. Call the box office at (847) 925-6100, or go to harpercollege.edu/boxoffice.

Injured motorists doing well

Two men injured when the minivan they were in collided with a semi-truck on Route 68 at Guthrie Road in Inverness Thursday morning were responding well to treatment later in the day. The 32-year-old driver from Carpentersville was in good condition at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Thursday night, while his 23-year-old passenger from Carpentersville was treated and released. The 44-year-old truck driver was from Center Point, Iowa. The circumstances of the crash at 5:45 a.m. remained under investigation. Barrington-Inverness Deputy Police Chief Jerry Libit said weather conditions appeared to have played a role in that crash, as well as a later one at 7:15 a.m. in which a 61-year-old Elgin woman struck a utility pole with her car. She refused treatment at the scene, Libit said.

Toys collected at Pump It Up

Students from St. Theresa School in Palatine are getting an early lesson today in the gift of giving during the holiday season. More than 50 first- and second-graders are expected to attend a special holiday party between 3:15 and 4:30 p.m. at the Pump It Up in Schaumburg. Instead of an admission fee to play in Pump It Up's huge indoor inflatable playground, wrapped toys will be collected for the holidays. They will be donated to Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington for the World Vision Organization. The World Vision Organization's goal is to collect 50,000 Christmas gifts and toys for 10,000 needy families this holiday season. For more information, call Pump It Up at (847) 885-7867.

Blood drive in Buffalo Grove

A blood drive will be held in Buffalo Grove from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Alcott Center, 530 Bernard Drive. No appointments are necessary. Call the village, (847) 459-2500.

Fair trade fair, workshop

A fair trade fair, featuring international and local vendors, will be held noon-3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at Countryside Unitarian Universalist Church, 1025 N. Smith Road, Palatine. Laura Mache of Faith in Place will present a workshop on fair trade at 1:30 p.m. Admission to the fair and workshop is free. Those who attend are asked to bring their own shopping bags. More information is at ccuu.org.