Fox Valley briefs

County hosts public hearingsThe McHenry County Board Planning and Development Committee is hosting a series of public meetings this week on the 2030 Comprehensive Plan. The meetings will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday at McHenry County College, 8900 U.S. Highway 14, Crystal Lake; from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at Marengo High School, 110 Franks Road, Marengo; and from 9 a.m. to noon Friday at the County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road, Woodstock. The meetings will be in an open house format. Comments regarding the plan can be sent to 2030plan@co.mchenry.il.us. Comments must be received by 4:30 p.m. on Monday.ECC immigrant seriesAuthor Irina Reyn will speak Thursday at Elgin Community College as part of the college's lecture series, "Immigrant Women: Voices of Identity and Assimilation." Reyn's talk begins at 11 a.m. in the Advanced Technology Center Auditorium, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. The Russian immigrant will speak about trials and challenges faced by immigrant women. She won the Goldberg Prize for Jewish Fiction by Emerging Writers for her novel, "What Happened to Anna K.?" in 2008. The event is free. For details, call (847) 214-7864.NWNA meeting nearsThe Near West Neighbors Association will hold its next meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Cellar Pub at Oak Crest, 204 S. State St. City officials are going to provide reports on the new Elgin Police ROPE house on West Chicago Street as well as the city's Neighborhood Stabilization Program. The NWNA borders are West Highland Avenue, Walnut Street, South State Street, Gertrude Street, Crescent Street, and Woodland Avenue. For details, call (847) 622-1835 or email chuck.keysor@sbcglobal.net.