Briefs: Route 59 crackdown set

Illinois State Police and numerous law enforcement agencies will participate in a traffic crackdown Friday along the Route 59 corridor from Joliet to Hoffman Estates. Police said they will aggressively enforce traffic laws to educate the public to the importance of wearing seat belts and driving safely. Participating agencies include police departments from Naperville, Shorewood, Joliet, Plainfield, Aurora, West Chicago, Warrenville, Bartlett, Streamwood, Hoffman Estates, the DuPage and Will county sheriff's departments and state police.

New post for Lisle mayor

Lisle Mayor Joseph Broda has been named president of the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference for 2008-09. Broda has served with the conference since his election as mayor in 2001, most notably as a member and chairman of its legislative committee. During the past year he served as vice president of the conference. He succeeds Wood Dale Mayor Kenneth Johnson. The conference is a coalition of 34 towns throughout DuPage that works to foster intergovernmental cooperation and to provide research and assistance to members.

Chamber seeks nominees

The Aurora Chamber of Commerce is seeking nominations for its 2008 Business Awards. The deadline for submitting a nomination is 5 p.m. June 18. Finalists and winners will be recognized during the Business of the Year Awards segment at the chamber's annual dinner on Sept. 18. Judges include some current chamber members, past chairmen and previous winners. Nominations are being accepted in the following categories: restaurant/hospitality, professional/services, industrial/manufacturing, retail/wholesale, woman/minority owned and community service. For details, visit www.AuroraChamber.com or call (630) 906-3182.

Library celebrates catalog

Naperville Public Library will celebrate its newly upgraded library catalog with a week-long series of events beginning today that include demonstrations and giveaways. Demonstrations of the new catalog are scheduled today at each building: from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Naper Boulevard Library, 2035 S. Naper Blvd.; from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at 95th Street Library, 3015 Cedar Glade Drive; and 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Nichols Library, 200 W. Jefferson Ave. For details, call Susan Greenwood at (630) 961-4100, ext. 2223.

Mayor biking to work:

Aurora city staff members will join Mayor Tom Weisner when he bikes to work May 14 as part of National Bike to Work Week. The public is invited to the ride, which will leave at 7 a.m. from the St. Paul Lutheran Church parking lot, 85 S. Constitution Drive, and end at Water Street Mall just east of city hall on Downer Place. The ride will be led by members of the Aurora Police Department's bicycle patrol. A bagel breakfast for bikers will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the mall.

Aurora gaming canceled

The May 16 Teen Open Gaming program at the Eola Road Branch of the Aurora Public Library has been canceled. There will be gaming programs in the summer.

IMPULSE performs

Waubonsie Valley High School's improv comedy group, "IMPULSE," will have its first performance at 7 p.m. May 16 in the Waubonsie auditorium, 2590 Ogden Ave., Aurora. Tickets are $5 and are available at the box office 30 minutes prior to the show.

Oak Brook school honored

Parents and teachers who oversee the annual Exploremore Day at Brook Forest Elementary School in Oak Brook will be honored for their work with an Award of Excellence in the 2008 Distinguished Service Awards. The recognition is the highest given by the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association. Teacher Lisa Owen and parent and PTO volunteers Jean Mondschean and Rina Daw will be honored May 16 at a ceremony at the Bolingbrook Golf Club. Exploremore Day is a 20-year tradition at Brook Forest, in which students are offered mini classes in fine arts, games, medicine, crafts, adventure and more. Some favorites have been learning to canoe in the school's backyard stream, learning the strategy of football from college players and learning how to set broken bones in a makeshift Emergency Room.

Seatbelt safety

The West Chicago Police Department announced it will begin a two-week enforcement campaign May 19 targeting motorists not wearing seat belts or having children improperly secured in safety seats. The department issued 179 tickets during a similar enforcement campaign over two weeks from December 2007 to January 2008. The campaigns were paid for by a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Wheaton man injured

A two-car collision at Route 47 and I-90 sent three people to Provena St. Joseph Hospital in Elgin and another to Rockford Memorial Hospital. A 2005 Ford Expedition driven by Robert J. Bollow, 47, of Wheaton, was southbound on Route 47 making a left turn onto eastbound I-90 at 7:20 p.m. Sunday when it collided with a 2004 Chevrolet Impala driven by Carol M. Stravel, 47, of McHenry. The conditions of the four who were injured were unavailable Monday afternoon, but emergency personnel on the scene said it appeared the most serious injury was to Ronald H. Verstege, 77, of McHenry, a passenger in the Chevrolet, who was flown to Rockford. Police said Bollow was cited for failure to yield.