Fox Valley briefs

U-46 earns music honors:

Nine Elgin Area School District U-46 students were selected as All-State Musicians by the Illinois Music Educators Association. They are: Gina Carlson, Vince Pribble, Eric Cooper and Elizabeth Roe from Bartlett High School; Kashev Dalmia from Elgin High; and Kirsten Benson, Colin Clark, Amy Budzicz and Violet Deal from Larkin High. In fall 2008, students auditioned to win their places. They will perform on Jan. 31 at the IMEA All-State Convention in Peoria.

District 300 hopeful gets cash:

Robert Lee, a candidate for the Community Unit District 300 school board, has received a $500 campaign contribution from Jack Roeser, head of Otto Engineering and Family Taxpayers Network, a conservative political action group. Roeser supported current board members John Ryan and Monica Clerk in 2007. Campaign records show Lee has few other donors so far, but the East Dundee resident asserted his independence. "I don't plan on making this campaign fully funded by Jack," Lee said. "This is my campaign, and I'm running it."

ECC emergency preparedness:

Beginning this month, strict emergency preparedness laws for Illinois colleges and universities take effect. Along with reconfiguring its police force last year, an all-hazards response team will be hired in early 2009, Elgin Community College officials say. The college has also formalized mutual aid agreements with the Elgin Police, Kane County Emergency Management System and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and added a new campus notification system.