The briefs
Daily Herald, ABC7 report
From far-flung suburbs to the heart of Chicago, a months-long investigation by the Daily Herald and ABC7 I-Team reveals how the watchdogs may not be catching some shoddy home construction. Many municipal inspectors are being stretched thin, increasing the chance that unsafe conditions in new homes will slip through the cracks, the research shows. How can you protect yourself? Read the special two-day series starting Thursday in the Daily Herald and watch it on ABC7 Chicago at 10 p.m. on Wednesday.
Last chance for photos
If you're a student at Mundelein High School, the last day to have your photograph taken for the yearbook is Tuesday. Photos will be shot during lunch periods in the auditorium. Students don't need to purchase photos to be in the yearbook.
Special village meeting
The village of Hawthorn Woods announced Friday it will hold a special village board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the village barn, 2 Lagoon Drive in Hawthorn Woods. On the agenda are opportunities for public comment, a discussion item of the Glennshire water rate and an executive session for employee matters and pending litigation.
Be alert, village urges
The village of Wauconda said there have been more reports of property being stolen from locked vehicles lately and urges residents to take steps to secure property. In a village update, Wauconda officials said thieves have been stealing GPS units, laptops, mp3 players and similar devices by breaking windows on vehicles parked in driveways at night. The village asks that residents remove valuables from their vehicles.
School earns state award
Quentin Elementary School in Lake Zurich earned the Illinois State Board of Education's Academic Excellence Award as part of the 2006 Illinois Honor Roll program. The school is among 129 schools statewide to receive the highest program designation. To earn the award, 90 percent of students in prekindergarten through eighth-grade schools and 80 percent of high school students must meet or exceed state standards in both reading and mathematics for at least three consecutive years. Schools also must have made adequate yearly progress in 2005 and 2006.
Want to stop smoking?
The Lake County Health Department's Tobacco Free Lake County program will offer two training sessions for doctors and nurses at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital near Lake Barrington on Tuesday as part of the Great American Smokeout. The educational presentations encourage health-care providers to talk to their smoking patients about the benefits of quitting, pharmacotherapy options and resources to help patients quit. For details, call (847) 377-8090 or visit www.co.lake.il.us/health/chs/tobaccofree. The American Cancer Society will celebrate the 31st anniversary of the Great American Smokeout Thursday. Smokers can call the American Cancer Society at (800) 227-2345, or visit www.cancer.org/docroot/subsite/greatamericans/index.asp. The site features new desktop helpers, including a Quit Clock and a Craving Stopper. These tools can be downloaded to a computer desktop to help smokers pick a quit day, prepare for quitting and offer support during and after quitting.