News briefs from the Tri-Cities, Alburn, Aurora and Kane County.
Geneva
Time capsule found
Geneva School District 304 administrators recently told the school board that what appears to be a time capsule was found during this summer’s demolition of the old Coultrap building on Peyton Street.
They plan to unveil the capsule’s contents at the rededication of the Fourth Street building, which houses the district’s administration. The building, which is undergoing about $100,000 worth of deferred maintenance, will be renamed the Coultrap Educational Services Center at a ceremony this fall.
District budget unveiled
District 304 officials recently presented a tentative budget, which showed an estimated $92.6 million in revenue and $91.5 million in expenditures for the 2013-14 school year.
The budget plan, which can be found on the district’s website, http://www.geneva304.org, will be the subject of a public hearing Aug. 26. The board will vote on it following the hearing.
Peek at parks programs
Residents interested in the new cultural arts programming offered by the Geneva Park District will have the chance for a behind-the-scenes look at some of the new offerings on Aug. 8 and 9 from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at 524 W. State St., Suite 1.
The space has been leased for “Playhouse 38,” which offers opportunities for residents to appear in local productions, along with classes on everything from improv to stage makeup.
St. Charles
Identity theft info available from police department
Police have noticed a spate of identity theft reports recently and are asking residents with questions or concerns about identity theft to stop by the department lobby to talk with an officer or request an identity-theft-victim information packet.
Police said one of the recent cases involved stolen personal information from an out-of-state employee credit union. The thieves used the information to create fake credit cards and make purchases in Kane County.
Public hearing set for comprehensive plan
The City Council is hosting a public hearing on the 2013 comprehensive plan at 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 5 in its chambers, 2 E. Main St.
The planning process began more than two years ago, and this will be the final opportunity for the public to comment. The plan document and revisions are available for review on the city’s website, http://www.stcharlesil.gov, and can also be viewed at City Hall or the St. Charles Public Library adult reference desk.
For more information, contact the Community Development Department at 630-377-4443.
Rotary inducts board
The St. Charles Rotary Club recently inducted its 2013-14 Board of Directors. The new board includes President Bob Brown; President-Elect Rich Kitick; Vice President Hieu Nguyen; Treasurer/Secretary Jim Martin; directors Ray Ochromowicz, Jim Lamkin, Jeff Meyer, Kathy Livernois, David Bird, Mike Frank and Steve Ledbetter; and immediate past-president Scott Piner.
At the recent Rotary Club dinner, a few members were recognized for outstanding leadership to the club and community. Bob Brown was awarded a Service Champion Award for his leadership and fundraising efforts/ which helped the Evening of Chicago Bluegrass concert gross more than $30,000. Jim Martin was awarded an Outstanding Service Award for his role as secretary, and Kathy Livernois was awarded Rotarian of the Year for her service, dedication and commitment to the club and community
Elburn
Road repairs for next 9 days
Kane County’s 2013 program for crack routing and sealing work is scheduled to run through Aug. 9. The repairs are planned for Keslinger Road from Stargrass to Brundige; LaFox from Keslinger to Dillonfield; and Bunker from Keslinger to Hughes.
Drivers should expect delays between 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.co.kane.il.us/dot/trafficalerts.
Aurora
Mosquitoes tested
A batch of mosquitoes collected in an Aurora trap recently tested positive for West Nile virus. The Kane County Health Department is continuing to monitor activity, and residents can visit the web site at http://kanehealth.com/wnv_surveillance.htm to view a map of the Health Department’s trap locations throughout the county.
West Nile virus is transmitted through the bite of a mosquito that has picked up the virus by feeding on an infected bird. As part of its West Nile program, the Health Department is collecting dead birds to be sent to the state lab for testing. Residents can call 630-444-3040 to report freshly dead birds (such as crows or blue jays) to determine if testing is recommended. The birds must not show any signs of decay or trauma. More detailed monitoring results from this and previous years are available at http://kanehealth.com/west_nile.htm.
Kane County
Male volunteers, role models sought by CASA
CASA Kane County, a nonprofit organization that trains volunteers as court-appointed special advocates for abused and neglected children, is holding recruitment meetings for men interested in volunteering, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Aug. 14 at Elgin Public House, 219 E. Chicago St., Elgin, and from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Aug. 28 at Pal Joey’s, 31 N. River St., Batavia.
Twenty percent of CASA volunteers are men, but half of the organization’s caseload involves boys and young men who are in need of role models. CASA volunteers must complete 40 hours of training before being sworn in by the juvenile court judge. All training is provided by CASA Kane County.
Batavia
Athletic complex approved
The Batavia School Board recently approved building a new outdoor athletic complex for an estimated $13 million. Administrators emphasized that the funding and timeline have not been determined, but the board’s approval signaled that the projects should be part of the overall capital projects plan.
At present, some sports have to practice off-site and temporary seating is often brought in for football games. The plan, developed by outside consultants, calls for construction of artificial turf fields, 2,500 bleacher seats, an eight-lane track, competition baseball and softball fields, an underground detention pond and several practice fields.
