Fox Valley briefs

ECC hosts business forum:Elgin Community College's University Business Center, 1700 Spartan Drive, will host a forum on workforce development from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. today. The forum is geared toward employers and will focus on tools to screen job candidates, address staff training needs, reduce hiring costs and minimize employee turnover. Panel members include representatives from several local employers as well as ECC, Elgin Area School District U-46 and the Illinois Department of Employment Security. Call (847) 741-5660.Expect delays in Algonquin:Due to utility work on the Algonquin Road Bridge, its portion at the Fox River will have reduced lanes from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today. There will also be reduced lanes on Algonquin between Harrison Street and River Road the same day at the same times while workers do more utility work. At least one lane will be open to traffic.Theater chain donates to schools:Marcus Theatres of Milwaukee has donated 6,175 movie passes to Elgin Area School District U-46. The passes entitle the holder to two-for-one student admission and two free drinks. Educators in U-46 schools use the passes to reward students for high performance, continuing a 12-year partnership with Marcus Theatres. The passes are valid at several suburban locations, including the Elgin theater on Randall Road. The passes will allow the district to provide incentives for almost 15 percent of its students.Nutrition counter available:Aramark, the vendor that serves lunches to 20,000 students in Community Unit District 300, now offers an online nutritional calculator. Using the tool, students, parents and staff can find nutritional information for items served at District 300 elementary schools. The calculator can be viewed at aramark.d300.org/aramark/nutritional-calculator. The food service vendor also plans to create calculators for the district's middle and high schools. Call (847) 844-3501.Open houses for high school academies:Elgin Area School District U-46 is holding open houses for eighth-graders and their families to learn more about the district's five high school academies. Students must complete an application process during the eighth grade to be admitted to one of the academies at Elgin, Larkin, South Elgin, Bartlett or Streamwood high schools. Representatives from the schools will visit U-46 middle schools this week. Each academy will host interested students and parents for informational sessions at 7 and 8:15 p.m. on Sept. 28 and 30. Call (847) 888-5000 ext. 5308.