Briefs: How to appeal tax bills
Rolling Meadows and Cook County Board of Review officials will co-sponsor a seminar for homeowners on how to appeal property tax bills at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16, at Rolling Meadows City Hall, 3600 Kirchoff Road. Board of Review Commissioner Brendan Houlihan will lead a discussion of the property assessment process and how homeowners can file an appeal. The seminar will be broadcast live cable TV Channel 6. Nearly 250,000 homeowners in Cook County filed appeals with the Board of Review in 2006. In 2005, the average savings for homeowners was almost $400, and nearly 67 percent of taxpayers who filed an appeal that year received a property tax reduction. For more information, call Houlihan at (312) 603-5542, or log onto cookcountyboardofreview.com.
Olympic gymnast to appear
Gymnast Jonathan Horton, who earned silver and bronze medals at the Beijing Olympics, will appear at Park Place in Streamwood Sunday, Dec. 14, during the Santa's Invite gymnastics meet hosted by Gymkhana of Hanover Park. Horton will greet fans from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Sunday and will also promote the 2009 Tyson American Cup, which features the world's top gymnasts and next year will be held at Hoffman Estates' Sears Centre on Feb. 21. This weekend's meet in Streamwood runs today and Sunday, with doors opening both days at 7:30 a.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children 12 and under, but admission will be waived for those who bring an unwrapped toy to donate to needy children through the Streamwood Kiwanis Club and the Schaumburg Knights of Columbus. Park Place is located at 550 S. Park Blvd. Ina separate event, Beijing Olympic gymnast Chellsie Memmel is to appear at Elk Grove Gymnastics at 775 Bonnie Lane in Elk Grove Village, from 4 to 4:45 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15. For details on that, call (847) 437-3447.
Police to enforce traffic safety
Palatine police will conduct an aggressive traffic safety campaign from Friday, Dec. 19, to Sunday, Jan. 4, in an effort to raise traffic safety awareness. Police units will saturate the streets in search of impaired or reckless drivers and anyone not wearing a seat belt. In addition, two roadside safety checkpoints will be set up the evening of Saturday, Dec. 20, at both Algonquin and Roselle roads and Rand and Dundee roads.
Dance school holds show
The Mazurdance group from Buffalo Grove will be performing a "Winter Christmas Tale" at 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, at Wheeling High School, 900 S. Elmhurst Road. The show combines Christmas characters well-known to American and Russian cultures. Tickets are $25 and are available at bomond.com or at the school, 1341 Dundee Road. For more information, call (847) 506-9390.