Fox Valley briefs
MLK art, essay contests
Elgin city officials are accepting entries for the city's Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. contest in which winners can receive a $100 savings bond. A panel will judge how entries from kindergarten through grade 12 reflect King's ideas and vision and how they communicate the theme, "Remember! Celebrate! Act!" There are four categories for the art contest and two for the essay contest. Winners will receive savings bonds of $100, $75 or $50. All entries must be submitted to Cherie Murphy at city hall, 150 Dexter Court, Elgin, by 4:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18. Winning students and their principals will be notified on Jan. 8 and winners will be recognized on Jan. 17. For more details, call (847) 931-6100 or 931-5601.
AIDS activist to speak at ECC
AIDS activist Jeanne White-Ginder, mother of the late Ryan White, will be the keynote speaker at the 8 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1 World AIDS Day Breakfast at Elgin Community College. White-Ginder's son, Ryan, died of AIDS-related complications in 1990 after receiving a blood transfusion to treat his hemophilia. The Indiana teenager became the nation's first public face of AIDS during a period when the disease was widely misunderstood. The breakfast will be held in the Student Resource Center Community and Heritage Rooms on the main campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. Tickets are $10. To reserve a seat, call (847) 214-7370.
Park planning meeting set
Elgin residents are invited to provide final input into the design and amenities for the new neighborhood park at Illinois and Hammond avenues during the Elgin Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 24, in the west conference room at the Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way. The park will mostly serve residents who live south of Route 20 and east of the Fox River. Construction will begin in late spring 2010 and the park tentatively will contain a picnic shelter, playground, half-court basketball area, a soccer area and environmental kiosk. For more information, visit cityofelgin.org/futureparks or call (847) 931-6788.
Huntley launches tip line
The Huntley Police Department has launched a new 24-hour tip line at (847) 515-5333. Callers can choose to remain anonymous or leave their name and contact information. Residents should still dial 911 to report emergencies and crimes in progress. Visit huntley.il.us/depts/police.asp for more details.