Briefs: New principal at Fremd

The Palatine-Schaumburg High School District 211 board Thursday night named Lisa Small as new principal at Fremd High School. Small has been the district's director of instructional improvement since 2004. She'll replace Marina Scott who is leaving at the end of this school year for an associate superintendent job at Libertyville-Vernon Hills Area High School District 128. Scott's been principal of the Palatine school since 2003. Small started in District 211 as a mathematics and biology teacher at Hoffman Estates High School in 1992. Then she became an assistant principal at Hoffman Estates High School in 2000 and then moved over to the same position at Fremd in 2002.

River to crest at 1 p.m.

The Des Plaines River is expected to crest in Des Plaines around 1 p.m. today, according to the National Weather Service, which expects the crest to be at 7.4 feet. At that stage, water spills over onto the pavement of the 1700 block of Busse Highway, at River Road and Gregory, Central Road and onto Big Bend Drive.

Man arrested at hotel

A South Carolina man was arrested for aggravated assault at a Rolling Meadows hotel after authorities said he started a fight with a police officer on Monday. Alan Dale Craigen, 39, was intoxicated and refused to leave the bar at the Holiday Inn, 3405 Algonquin Road, according to a police report. Officers were called to escort Craigen to his hotel room when he turned around and charged at one of the officers with a raised fist, police said. Craigen was also charged with resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and criminal trespass to property. His next court appearance will be May 5.

No injuries in shooting

A masked intruder broke into a home at Scott Street and Laura Avenue in Des Plaines Tuesday night and got into a fight with the resident, said Deputy Police Chief Bill Schneider. The intruder had a gun, which went off during the fight, but no one was injured, Schneider said. The man fled the scene without anything being stolen, police said. He is described as 5 feet, 11 inches, weighing about 160 pounds. Anyone with information is asked to call police at (847) 391-5400.

Des Plaines parade returns

Des Plaines' Pooch, Pet and Pedal Parade will make a return after a two-year absence. The city's special events commission is inviting youths, adults and pets to participate in the sixth year of the event on May 17 at Prairie Lakes Park, 515 E. Thacker St. Registration begins at 9 a.m., followed by the parade at 10 a.m. The event is free. Pets will be judged by a panel and ribbons will be awarded for the following: best dressed, best wheels, best theme, fanciest, biggest, smallest, best pet/owner lookalike, best tail wagger and other categories. Parade registration forms have been distributed in the spring edition of the Des Plaines Park District publication. Anyone with questions can call Carol Shannon at (847) 827-4793.

Miss Junior Miss named

Heather Siemienas of Arlington Heights was named Illinois Miss Junior Miss 2008 at a contest Saturday in Bolingbrook. She will receive a $5,000 scholarship and compete in America's Junior Miss in Alabama in June. Categories in the contest included interview, talent, fitness, self-expression and scholastics. Siemienas won in the self-expression and fitness categories. Isabella Martinez of Streamwood also competed.