Fox Valley briefs

The half-pipe awaitsLake in the Hills skate parks are now open for the season. Park hours are 9 a.m. until dusk daily. Helmet, elbow and knee pads are strongly recommended. Skate parks are at Richard Taylor Skate Park, Sunset Skate Park, 1107 Crystal Lake Road, 5200 Miller Road and 9200 Haligus Road.Nominations due for Elgin awardsThe YWCA Elgin will host its 27th annual Leader Luncheon on Thursday, May 13, at The Seville in Streamwood. Keynote speaker is the first lady of Wisconsin, Jessica Doyle. Do you know a woman in Elgin or any of the surrounding communities who has demonstrated qualities of leadership and commitment to excellence? If so, consider nominating her for a YWCA Elgin Leader award. Deadline for submissions is 4 p.m. Thursday, March 25. Nomination forms are available at ywcaelgin.org or call the YWCA at (847) 742-7930.County seeks nominationsThe McHenry County Department of Health is seeking nominations for its fifth annual Spirit of Public Health Awards. The awards go to students, volunteers and public health professionals who have made a notable contribution to the health of their communities. Nominations are due Friday, April 9. For details, visit mcdh.info or call (815) 334-4456.Purchase Metra tickets onlineMetra is now accepting credit card payment for ticket purchases made online. Using a new Web feature, My Metra, commuters will be able to create an account to more easily manage and order tickets online. The feature also will allow them to view ticket order history, create a customized view of their train schedule and set up personalized e-mail alerts. For details, visit metrarail.com.