Briefs: Seven earn tenure at ECC

Seven full-time instructors at Elgin Community College were given tenure at Tuesday's meeting of the college's board of trustees. They are: Janet Flynn, Michelle Brynelsen and Karen Taylor of the nursing department; Joseph Rosenfeld in human services; Steve Trail in chemistry; Armando Trejo in library services; and Joel Peck of the art department. Their tenure is effective in August. ECC faculty members are eligible for tenure after being employed for three consecutive school years. Their evaluation, reviewed by the dean and the tenure committees, is based on overall performance.

Youth symphony to start

The Elgin Youth Symphony Orchestra will perform its first concert of the year on Sunday. Two performances of "Inspire -- Sacred Music for Symphony" are slated, for 4 and 7 p.m. at the Blizzard Theatre in the Elgin Community Arts Center, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin. Mezzo-soprano Kitt Reuter-Foss will perform the Bernstein Symphony No. 1 "Jeremiah" during the 7 p.m. concert. Reuter-Foss has performed multiple times at the New York Metropolitan Opera. Tickets for the concerts are $19 for adults, $12 seniors and $10 students. Tickets can be purchased by phone (847) 622-0300, or online at www.elgin.edu/arts.

Preserve gets spruce up

A two-week woodland restoration project has begun at the Fitchie Creek Forest Preserve in Elgin. The project is expected to conclude March 21. Invasive buckthorn and honeysuckle will be cleared, along with some aggressive, native trees such as black cherry. The 373-acre preserve off Nelser Road in Plato Township has about 30 acres of woods. The forest preserve bought the land in 1996 and 2000 for $4.5 million.