Lake County in 60 seconds

Vanderpoel Citizen of Year

The Barrington Area Development Council has named local volunteer and environmentalist Tom Vanderpoel of Fox River Grove as its 2009 Citizen of the Year. A member of Citizens for Conservation, Vanderpoel was recognized for his pivotal role in the restoration of 10 preserves encompassing a total 355 acres in the Barrington area. Vanderpoel cited the influence of his late parents, Ruth and Waid Vanderpoel, who themselves played leading roles in the formation and development of Citizens for Conservation. "I know that they both would be proud of this moment," Vanderpoel said. His father, Waid, received the same Citizen of the Year Award in 1993.

Route 83 project update

A spokesman for the Illinois Department of Transportation will discuss how the Route 83 construction project affects Antioch during the Antioch Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Wednesday, May 20. The event starts at 11:30 a.m. and will be held at the Lake House Restaurant, at Deep Lake and Grass Lake roads. RSVP to the Antioch Chamber at (847) 395-2233. The cost is $12.

Students skip television

Woodland Elementary District 50 officials released figures Monday showing a high level of participation in a television turnoff week last month. Nearly 400 pupils at Woodland Elementary West and about 300 at Elementary East switched off their TVs and video games for a week and participated in other activities with their families. Those other pursuits included listening to a book on tape with the family, baking cookies, playing board games and bowling. TV turnoff week was a Reading Incentive Committee activity for April. "The goals of the exercise were to encourage resourcefulness, increase family time, raise self-awareness and spend extra time reading," said Elementary West librarian Terry Derdiger.