Briefs: Ex-Oak Brook president dies

The flags at Oak Brook municipal building will be lowered to half-staff for the next month in honor of George B. Howell, a former village president who died Friday after a long illness. Howell served for nine years as a village trustee beginning in 1965. He served as the village's president from 1973 to 1979. As finance chairman, Howell led the development of the village's first long-range financial plan, which was instrumental in helping pay for the construction of several municipal buildings.

Waubonsie boosts security

Additional security personnel will be on hand Wednesday at Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora in the wake of a bomb threat referencing that day scrawled on a girls' bathroom stall, according to an e-mail Principal Jim Schmid sent to parents Monday. Aurora police are investigating the threat and Schmid said students who have made similar threats in other schools have been identified and charged. He said he believes Waubonsie will be safe Wednesday, but if parents keep their children home, it will count as an excused absence. Schmid asked that anyone with information related to the incident contact the school.

Newman Architecture wins:

Newman Architecture is the winner of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce overall Small Business of the Year honors as well as Outstanding Business in the six- to 30-employee category. The chamber recognized top businesses at its 11th annual awards ceremony. Buddingh & Associates Inc. won Outstanding Business in the one- to five-employee category. Packer Engineering won Outstanding Business in the 31-plus employee category. Outstanding members whose businesses are still waiting to turn five were recognized for their entrepreneurial savvy and contributions to the community in the 5 Under 5 category. The winners were: Bob Jung Painting & Decorating, Great Scapes Inc., Jalapeno Paint Werx, Naperville Magazine and Romano & Associates. The winner of the not-for-profit was Naperville Community Television Channel 17. The chamber also presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Frank Slocumb, former president and CEO of Harris N.A.

Roselle Rose Queen chosen

Lake Park High School senior Stephanie Reninger, 18, of Roselle, is the 2008 Rose Queen in Roselle. Judges selected her from a field of 13 candidates Friday night, awarding her a $2,000 scholarship. First runner-up is Julia Israel, 17, of Roselle, who received a $1,000 scholarship, and second runner-up is Molly Collins, 18, of Roselle, who got a $500 scholarship.

Homeowners group meets

Parental responsibility will be one of the primary topics when the Naperville Area Homeowners Confederation will hold its annual meeting at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St. Presenters will include attorney Kevin Lynch and officer Cory Cullinan of the police department's community education/crime prevention unit. The confederation is an umbrella organization representing more than 140 associations in the Naperville area. For details, visit www.napervillehomeowners.org.

Graduation speaker named:

Judith A. Whinfrey, a member of the Hewitt Associates board of directors and a trustee of Benedictine University, will address the Lisle school's 115th commencement ceremonies at 9:50 a.m. Sunday at the village of Lisle-Benedictine University Sports Complex. Whinfrey began her career at Hewitt Associates, then a small actuarial consulting firm that has grown over the years to become a $3 billion global firm, specializing in human resources consulting and outsourcing. When Hewitt went public in 2002, Whinfrey was elected to the company's board of directors. She lives in Geneva. Commencement activities will start with a Mass at 8 a.m. at St. Procopius Abbey. Ceremonies for associate's, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree candidates will begin with a procession from Scholl Hall at 9:45 a.m. A reception will follow commencement in the Krasa Student Center. For details, visit ben.edu/commencement.

Police urge seat-belt use

Naperville police are joining hundreds of other law enforcement agencies by intensifying efforts to enforce seat-belt laws among all motorists around the clock. The 2008 Click It or Ticket mobilization runs from Monday through June 1. Increased law enforcement activities will be conducted nationwide during that time.

Habitat starts project:

Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity will launch its 39th volunteer-built home at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at 1338 Grand Blvd. in Aurora. The service that will start the project is open to the public. It will be led by the Rev. Jeff Marrett, executive director of the Aurora-based agency. The project is expected to take about four months with volunteers working on Thursdays and Saturdays.