Briefs: Teen charged as adult

A former Waubonsie Valley High School student who was 14 when Marilyn Bethell disappeared in October 2005 formally was charged as an adult with her murder. Garang Deng, 16, was charged by Kane County prosecutors Wednesday for the slaying of the substance abuse counselor who worked in Hoffman Estates. In a procedural move, the juvenile case against Deng was dropped. The body of Bethell, an Aurora resident, was found off the Illinois Prairie Path on Dec. 26, 2005. She was shot in the head. If convicted of murder with a handgun, Deng faces 45 years to life in prison. He is being held at the Kane County juvenile center. He is due in court on Oct. 29 for a bond hearing.

Work begins in Naperville

Construction has begun on a 270,000-square-foot shopping complex that's scheduled to open next summer at the northwest corner of 75th Street and Fort Hill Drive in Naperville, developers said Wednesday. The Springbrook Prairie Pavilion complex will feature the first Whole Foods Market in Naperville. The company already has 15 stores in the Chicago area. The complex is being built by Bond Companies, which has offices in Chicago, Los Angeles and Richmond, Va. A press release indicates Whole Foods will occupy about 50,000 square feet at the center. Other retailers that have made commitments are Loehmann's, Cost Plus World Market, HomeGoods, Nordstrom Rack, Buffalo Wild Wings, Road Runner Sports, Bank of America and Chase Bank, according to the release.

New park leader named

Lisle native Debra Morse officially will become a member of the Lisle Park District board tonight. Morse, who was chosen by the rest of the board Oct. 4, will be sworn in to replace Commissioner Barb Will, who resigned in July to pursue a teaching career in Vienna, Ill. Morse grew up in Lisle, attended Lisle public schools and graduated from Lisle High School. She moved to Chicago, but returned to Lisle two years ago and lives in Oak Hill Estates. Her term will expire in April of 2009.

Central holds comedy show

Naperville Central High School's Theatre Central will hold its third annual Comic Relief show at 7 p.m. Friday in the auditorium, 440 W. Aurora Ave. Donations are requested for admission. Proceeds from the stand-up comedy show will go to the University of Chicago Cancer Research Center.

West Chicago alert

The West Chicago Police Department has declared a community alert after a man approached two children riding bikes Oct. 8 and asked them to get in his car. The incident took place at 3:50 p.m. near Center and Fulton streets. The children, ages 6 and 7, ran home. The man, described as a tall, balding older man with gray hair and glasses, was last seen driving south on Center Street toward Main Street. His car is a blue pickup truck or SUV with wooden siding. Anyone with information should call police at (630) 293-2222.

District 4 schools honored

Indian Trail Junior High School in Addison has made the Illinois Honor Roll, receiving an Academic Improvement Award for sustaining an upward trend in test scores for at least three years. The school shows a 7.5-point increase this year and 15-point increase in test scores over the past three years. Army Trail and Lincoln Schools in Addison also have received the Spotlight Schools award. The honor is given to schools that have at least 50 percent of their students classified as low-income, have at least 60 percent of their students meeting or exceeding state standards, and have made "adequate yearly progress" while sustaining their performance over the past three years. For details, visit www.ilhonorroll.niu.edu.

Grainger in Bensenville

Grainger, a local distributor of facilities maintenance supplies, moved its branch this week from Wood Dale to a new facility in Bensenville. The 27,000-square-foot facility at 880 Devon Ave. will offer access to more than 22,000 locally tailored products including heating, ventilation and air-conditioning equipment and electrical and safety supplies. It also features an expanded 2,700-square-foot showroom with hundreds of products on display. Grainger is increasing its local square footage across Chicago by nearly 20 percent as well as increasing its staff and inventory.

Driscoll holds open houses

Driscoll Catholic High School, 555 N. Lombard Road in Addison, will hold open houses from 7 to 9 p.m. Oct. 18 and Dec. 6 for prospective students. Seventh- and eighth-grade students, transfer students, younger siblings and their families can visit the open houses to learn about curriculum, meet with faculty, staff and coaches, and discuss financial aid and transportation. The entrance exam will be at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 12. Families who cannot attend the open house should contact Matt Butler at (630) 543-6310. For details, visit www.driscollcatholic.com.