Briefs: Sign language Santa Claus

Chris Doch, a North Aurora police officer, will don a Santa costume today and use American Sign Language to hear holiday wishes from about 100 deaf and hearing-impaired students from Aurora, Geneva, Burlington Central and Sandwich school districts. The Aurora Noon Lions Club will sponsor the visit at 6 p.m. at Luigi's Pizza and Fun Center, 732 Prairie St. in Aurora. After a pizza dinner, Santa will distribute gifts. Partnering in the party is the Sycamore-based Northwestern Illinois Association, a regional special education cooperative serving children with autism, hearing impairment and vision impairment. Call Al Benson at (630) 844-5150 or Kathy Reuter at (815) 761-4576.

Home store opening

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and holiday open house will take place at 4:15 p.m. today will mark the opening of Sage Creek LLC's Gift and Home Accessories Store at 1920 W. Main St., St. Charles. The event is being hosted by the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce. The store will carry home decor, art and furniture. For more information, call (630) 377-2455 or go online to www.sagecreekltd.com.

Vote on North Aurora lights

North Aurora residents can vote on who has the most beautiful home decorations in the village. This annual event is sponsored by the North Aurora Lions Club. Prizes will be awarded to the winners. You can drive past the following contest entries and then vote for your favorite: 1318 Fairfield Way; 1435 Oakland Circle; 203 Hill Ave.; 217 Wildwood Drive; 220 Larchwood Lane; 221 Wildwood Drive; 2712 McDuffee Circle; 342 Wildwood Drive; 409 Spruce St.; 502 Chesterfield Lane; 511 Wingfoot Drive; 839 Columbia Circle; Hartfield Estates III neighborhood; and Mooselake Estates neighborhood. Residents must submit their vote no later than noon Dec. 22. Voting forms are available at village hall, Messenger Public Library, Old Second National Bank, Valley Community Bank, National City Bank and Woodman's or visit www.geocities.com/northauroralions.

New park in progress

Fox Valley Park District is planning to develop a 17-acre park with recreation areas and open space on Aurora's near-west side. New Haven Park will be at Morton and New Haven avenues. Kane County Forest Preserve officials have agreed to pay $500,000 to the park district to buy a portion of the site and will take title to about one-third of the park. Its portion will remain open space, while the rest of the park will have baseball and soccer fields, a youth play area, a picnic area with shelter and a parking lot. The park district will develop and maintain the park.