Briefs: Fire memorial in Palatine
The public is invited to attend a memorial ceremony Saturday morning in downtown Palatine to honor firefighters who died in the line of duty. The wreath-laying ceremony will be at 9 a.m. at the firefighters memorial at the corner of Brockway and Slade streets and will also feature the department's honor guard for the first time in several years. Though the ceremony is meant to honor all fallen firefighters, Saturday is the anniversary of a 1973 fire that ripped through a downtown Ben Franklin store and killed three firefighters.
Black leaders honored
Today is the last day to make a reservation to attend the Black Business Owners and Community Networking Organization's third annual awards dinner and dance. The event, which also features entertainment from illusionist David Shareef, takes place at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at The Seville Banquet Hall, 700 Barrington Road, Streamwood. Several black leaders and youths will be honored for various community contributions. Tickets are $50 and can be reserved by calling group President Shirley Bassett at (847) 627-9533.
Raise for village manager
The Wheeling village board agreed this week to raise the pay of village manager Mark Rooney. Rooney, who was promoted to manager on Feb. 26, 2007, started with a base salary of $125,000. The board voted Tuesday to raise his base salary 12 percent to $140,000. The increase will be retroactive to Nov. 1, 2007.
Library trustee resigns
James J. Bertucci is resigning from the Arlington Heights library board, effective March 1. A nine-year trustee and past president, Bertucci said he is stepping down to focus on his family and business responsibilities. The library board will appoint a new trustee to complete Bertucci's term, which expires in April 2009. Residents interested in the appointment should write to board President G. Victor Johnson, at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, 500 N. Dunton Ave. The deadline is March 24. Call (847) 506-2649 with questions.
Inn celebrates renovation
Several hundred businesspeople from the Northwest suburbs celebrated the grand re-opening Thursday of the Holiday Inn and the opening of the Holiday Inn Express just east of Route 53 at 3405 Algonquin Road in Rolling Meadows. The 420-room property originally built in 1966 has been completely renovated in a multimillion-dollar project aimed at boosting overall occupancy and convention business. The party with steel band and food was in the Polynesian-themed atrium, which is the new version of the hotel's "Holidome" swimming pool area.