Briefs: Antioch drug arrest

Antioch police and the Metropolitan Enforcement Group arrested a 25-year-old Kenosha man after he received a shipment of 4.5 pounds of marijuana, authorities said. Jeremy Shorter was arrested Friday morning at a residence at 277 Oak Ridge Court. Agents spoke with police in Arizona who intercepted an overnight shipment of drugs from the Phoenix area. Shorter was charged with two counts of possession of cannabis with the intent to deliver, a Class II felony punishable by three to seven years in prison. He was taken to Lake County jail and will appear in bond court.

Safe Routes to School grant

The village of Wauconda is one of 61 communities to receive state funding for projects under the Safe Routes to School Grant. Gov. Rod Blagojevich last week awarded nearly $8.3 million in funding to 112 statewide projects that aim to make it safer for kids to walk and bike to school. Wauconda received $43,647. The funds will help provide safer travel for students through infrastructure improvements, speed reduction signage and educational programs focused on promoting safer walking and biking. The village spearheaded the grant application and the Safe Routes plan in collaboration with the Wauconda Park District, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital near Lake Barrington, Wauconda Unit District 118, the school district's director of transportation and parent-teacher organization representatives. "When we began this application process in 2007, our goal was to submit projects that would create a safer walking and biking environment for K-8 students," said Wauconda Mayor Salvatore Saccomanno.

New to the school board

Ken Miller is the newest member on the Antioch Elementary District 34 school board. Miller is filling a vacancy created by the retirement of Theresa Kovach. He was selected Feb. 25 from a pool of five applicants. Miller is a manager at Abbott Laboratories and has three children in the district. He recently co-chaired the district's Community Engagement Committee. Miller will serve out Kovach's term, which runs through April 2009.

Book sale at library

The Friends of the Fremont Public Library group will hold a spring book sale April 3 to 6 at the library, 1170 N. Midlothian Road, Mundelein. The event runs from 5 to 8:30 p.m. the first day, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the second day and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. the final day.

Ryg to hold budget hearing

State Rep. Kathy Ryg of Vernon Hills invites the public to a regional budget hearing at 3 p.m. March 24 at Northbrook village hall, 1225 Cedar Lane. Attendees can share their views about what the state's funding priorities should be as lawmakers and the governor work to close a budget shortfall that fiscal experts project to be at least $750 million. Testimony is invited from social service providers, local governments, health care facilities, school districts, colleges, labor unions, business groups and civic organizations which will help us in developing this year's state budget. For details or to provide testimony, call Ryg's office at (847) 680-5909.