Teenager speaks up at Wheeling board meeting
Seventeen-year-old Iris Howard might be one of the youngest people I've seen speak so eloquently at a village board meeting.
The Wheeling resident spoke up Monday while the village held public hearings on a tax increment financing district.
She - like others in the Wolf Run Estates neighborhood that would be included in the TIF - was worried that the district meant Wheeling had a large development project in mind for the area and that homes would be condemned.
The village board reassured her and the others that wasn't the case.
Trustees, however, were impressed that Howard would step forward to speak up.
Acting village president Pat Horcher said he's seen adults who wouldn't do the same even in a situation where it's warranted.
Trustee Bob Heer encouraged Howard to continue to ask questions of village authorities.
Howard, for her part, said she loves the neighborhood and wants to make sure it remains there. It's been a home to her grandmother since 1959, and she's found it a great place to live, as well.
"The neighborhood means a lot to me," she said. "I really like it there."
Jam-packed: Labor Day weekend is going to be a full one for residents of Buffalo Grove and Long Grove.
The former will have its annual Buffalo Grove Days, and the latter will be celebrating Irish Days, which is sponsored by Paddy's on the Square and The Irish Boutique.
Those interested in signing up for the Dessert and BBQ Challenges at Buffalo Grove Days can still also participate. Registration is also still open through Aug. 27 for the Buffalo Grove Stampede, sponsored by the park district.
For information on the events, visit www.vbg.org and www.longgroveonline.com. For Stampede information, visit www.bgparkdistrict.org.
Anticipation: Work has begun on the Sunset Grove development in Long Grove, as residents and passers-by can tell if they drive on Route 83.
The Sunset Foods grocery store, which is the anchor of the project, has an opening date of Oct. 15, 2009, if all goes well.
Learning opportunity: The Indian Trails Public Library will host Asra Yousufuddin this Saturday to do a program on Muslims.
She will cover the basics of Islam and will address topics such as vocabulary, religion, people and places, art and music.
The program will be from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the library, located at 355 S. Schoenbeck Road, Wheeling.
For more information, call the library at (847) 459-4100.
• Do you have any interesting Buffalo Grove, Long Grove or Wheeling story ideas? Pass them along to Nadia Malik at (847) 427-4489 or nmalik@dailyherald.com.