Briefs: Palatine High locked down
Palatine High School was locked down for two hours Friday morning as the Cook County sheriff's police and canine units from the Illinois State Police searched the campus following rumors of a bomb threat. Police said they implemented the lockdown after unsubstantiated rumors began circulating among students Thursday and continued into Friday. No dangerous materials were found and interviews revealed no source of the rumor. Updates were posted on the school's Web site. An afternoon assembly was canceled, but school let out at the normal time.
Dog hijacked from car
A dog was stolen Thursday out of a car parked on the 900 block of West Dundee Road in Arlington Heights. The thief broke into a locked Chevy Caprice and took the dog, a miniature pincher worth about $1,000. The dog is a 4-year-old female, black with brown front paws and gray-white vertical stripes on her hind legs a white spot on her chest and purple nails. She's wearing a spiked black leather collar and doesn't have tags. The caprice was undamaged and no other property was taken. Anyone with information is asked to call Investigator Andrew Blevins at (847) 368-5360.
MS fundraisers Sunday
Dazzles Hair Salon and Spa in Roselle will hold a Cut-A-Thon fundraiser Sunday for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society on behalf of two longtime customers who have the debilitating condition. Meghan Melone is a three-sport athlete at Conant High School in Hoffman Estates who was diagnosed with MS three years ago. Debbie Fumagalli, the sister of Dazzles' owners Diane Ironside and Sharon DiMaria, was diagnosed 20 years ago. She lives with her husband and kids in Hoffman Estates, and is unable to walk. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dazzles, at 827 N. Roselle Road, will offer haircuts for a minimum donation of $15, with all proceeds go to the MS society. Walk-ins are welcome. The salon will also be selling raffle tickets for $1 each or 12 for $10, aims to raise $5,000. For more information, call (630) 924-0308. The event takes places the same day as the MS Walk, which takes place at Palatine's Harper College Sunday, with registration beginning at 7:30 a.m. the walk at 9 a.m. Walkers can register online at msillinois.org or by calling (888) 343-1179.
Barrington's Rid Litter Day
Today is Rid Litter Day in Barrington. The village encourages residents to walk the streets, picking up any debris that may have accumulated in rights-of-way over the winter months. Besides picking up trash, residents can also use the day to help beautify the community by planting flowers in the area. Garbage bags and other tools to assist in the effort will be available at village hall, 200 S. Hough St. between 8 a.m. and noon. For more information, call (847) 304-3444.
Polish parade queen named
Monica Ignas of Prospect Heights has been named queen of the 117th Polish Constitution Day Parade May 3 in Chicago. Ignas, a Hersey High School senior, bested 11 other candidates judged on essays, accomplishments and poise. Dominika Franciszkowicz, a senior at Rolling Meadows High School, was first runner-up. Ignas gets a $2,000 scholarship funded by AT&T to be used at Dominican University in River Forest, where she plans to study to become a children's therapist. Ignas also won the "Public Choice" Award, in which the audience voted for their favorite candidate. "I found out about the contest through a photographer who'd taken my picture for a book illustration," said Ignas, whose parents immigrated from Poland 20 years ago. "I never expected to win."