Latest news with #Elgin-area
Chicago Tribune
5 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin News Digest: Elgin police holding program on home security cameras; ‘Drive to Beat Hunger' golf outing to benefit food pantry
Detectives from the Elgin Police Department will present a program on 'Security Through Surveillance' from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 3, at the Gail Borden Public Library in downtown Elgin. Information on how to effectively use surveillance cameras to prevent and solve crimes, covering such topics as camera selection and placement, data storage options and how the police department can assist. The session also will review how businesses and homeowners can use already in-place camera systems to partner with police for solving crimes. To register for the free program, go to The library is located at 270 N. Grove Ave. D300 Food Pantry will hold its third annual 'Drive to Beat Hunger' golf outing fundraiser at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 4, at the Randall Oaks Golf Club, 4101 Binnie Road, West Dundee. Golfers will receive driving range access,18 holes of golf with a cart and a box lunch followed by an after party, according to the food pantry's website. Tickets are $125. Those who don't want to golf can attend the after party, which will feature appetizers, a cash bar and raffles. Tickets are $30. For tickets and more information, go to The opening reception for the 'Erasing Borders/Borrando Fronteras' art exhibition will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 6, at the Nancy Kimball Cobblestone House, 302 W. Chicago St., Elgin. Artwork on display was created in support of the Hispanic Heritage Project, an Elgin History Museum initiative to preserve and share the stories of Elgin-area Hispanic families. It includes a feature-length video documentary and traveling exhibit, according to the museum's website. Artists will be at the reception to talk about their work, and light refreshments will be served. Admission is free and donations accepted. For more information or to RSVP, go to The Open Door Health Center of Illinois's Elgin office is seeking volunteers to help at the city's LBGTQ+ Pride Parade and Festival from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 7, in downtown Elgin. Volunteers will walk in the parade and pass out candy along the route, according to a news release. Others can help set up and work at a festival booth to share information in Festival Park. No experience is necessary. Families, friend groups and individuals of all backgrounds can participate, and community service hours verified for students or anyone who needs them. The Open Door Health Clinic in Elgin is located at 1665 Larkin Ave. To volunteer for the parade and festival and to learn about other volunteer opportunities, call 630-503-5615 or go to
Chicago Tribune
22-04-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin faithful remember Pope Francis for his humility and support for the downtrodden
Elgin-area Catholics are remembering with fondness the life and legacy of Pope Francis, who died Monday of a cerebral stroke at the age of 88. 'He was the people's pope,' said Rafael Villagomez, a deacon at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Elgin. 'He stood up for immigrants, the poor and the environment.' Villagomez, a Mexican immigrant and Elgin real estate agent, said that for Hispanics and for Latin America, Pope Francis was a big deal. He not only was someone who came from a similar background and spoke their language but represented hope, he said. Born in Argentina, Jorge Mario Bergoglio was the Catholic Church's 266th pope and the first from Latin America. Villagomez said he and his family attended a group mass said by the pope in St. Peter's Square in spring 2018 and were able to see him as he drove in his specially designed vehicle. 'You could feel the energy, the spiritual energy in the crowd,' he said. Margarita Mendoza, of Elgin, also had a chance to see the pope in action. As the editor of El Observador, a Catholic Diocese of Rockford publication for its Spanish-speaking parishioners, she covered Francis' September 2017 trip to Colombia. 'The police there had been in several violent confrontations against guerrillas, drug dealers and terrorists. However, they cried when they saw Pope Francis,' Mendoza said. During the trip, she saw the pope as he interacted with business owners, from mom-and-pop operations to large stores. During one stop, he planted a tree in Villavicencio, symbolic of the peace he hoped would continue in the area, she said. It was interesting to see the fervor of the Catholic faith found in the Columbian people, Mendoza said. While attendance at churches in the U.S. was dwindling, in Colombia they were opening more parishes because of response Francis inspired, she said. 'It means a lot for people who speak Spanish to hear from a pope who speaks their language,' Mendoza said. Bergoglio was the first pope to choose the name Francis, after St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of animals and the environment who took a vow of poverty and was concerned about the downtrodden. That was clearly something the pope embraced, said Monsignor Arquimedes Vallejo, pastor of St. Joseph church and St. Edward Catholic Preparatory Academy in Elgin. 'Pope Francis spent his life looking out for the poor and those who are suffering,' he said. 'The Hispanic community, they felt close to him.' Pope Francis was also someone who went to those in need and invited them to come to the church, Vallejo said. He looked at people as individuals who could take the message of Jesus to heart, he said. The pope's death also saddened Rabbi Margaret Frisch Klein, who leads Congregation Kneseth Israel in Elgin. 'He was a mensch, a good person, who championed the cause of the widow, the orphan, the stranger, the most marginalized,' she said. 'He cared for the environment. He was passionate about making peace. He also decried antisemitism in all its forms. He was a humble man, full of grace, compassion and mercy. He was a role model for us all.' Barbara Ferguson, a Sleepy Hollow resident involved at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in West Dundee for more than 40 years, said she admired Pope Francis' simplicity. 'He was a more human type of pope,' Ferguson said. While Francis may have been a little bit more progressive than she, and some other Catholics, were ready for, she couldn't fault him for trying to push things forward, she said. 'He seemed to be one step ahead of where the church is ready to go, and that's not a bad thing,' Ferguson said. Mendoza, though, said Francis's stance on the LGBTQ+ community has been misinterpreted by some. 'He did not approve gay marriage. Still, he welcomed gay people to the church and blessed them because we are all human and we are all creatures of God,' Mendoza said. What was not lost on those interviewed was that Pope Francis was working until his death. He said his last mass on Easter Sunday for those who gathered in St. Peter's Square and delivered another plea for peace across the Earth. 'How much violence we see, often even within families, directed at women and children. How much contempt is stirred up at times towards the vulnerable, the marginalized and migrants,' he said. 'On this day, I would like all of us to hope anew and to revive our trust in others, including those who are different than ourselves, or who come from distant lands, bringing unfamiliar customs, ways of life and ideas. For all of us are children of God.' That's a message that many hope the College of Cardinals takes into account when choosing Francis' successor, Villagomez said. 'I hope that they choose someone who can be a beacon of peace. That's what's needed, especially in the Middle East,' he said.
Chicago Tribune
11-04-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin News Digest: Second Chance reentry resource fair at Elgin library; Elgin-area state reps holding transit listening session
Second Chance reentry resource fair being held at Elgin library A Second Chance Month reentry resource fair will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at the Gail Borden Public Library in downtown Elgin. The event is being held by the Kane County Sheriff's Office in partnership with the library, Elgin Police Department and PADS of Elgin as part of Second Chance Month, a national initiative for people who have been through the court system and need access to resources that will help them to successfully reintegrate into society, according to a news release. Local organizations, employers, social service providers and Kane County Sheriff's Office Small Business Development Center will be on hand to discuss employment opportunities, offer legal assistance and provide other support services, a news release said. 'The goal of this event is to help individuals overcome barriers and find the support they need to rebuild their lives,' Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain said in the release. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call the Kane County Sheriff's Office, 630-208-2009. To reserve a spot, go to South Elgin deputy police chief takes job with Kane SAO South Elgin Deputy Police Chief Brian Polkinghorn has been hired by the Kane County's State's Attorney's Office as a human trafficking and major crime investigator, officials said. 'Brian served and represented the village with honor,' Police Chief Jerry Krawczyk said of Polkingham's decision to change jobs. 'He will definitely be missed.' Polkinghorn started with the police department as patrol officer in 2000. Over his tenure, he also served a detective and sargeant before being appointed deputy chief. As an Air Force veteran, he provided guidance for the village's Veterans Task Force and also volunteered with Illinois Special Olympics. He played a key role in the development of South Elgin's Public Safety Center, which opened last fall, officials said. Elgin-area state reps holding transit listening session on April 17 State representatives Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, and Suzanne Ness, D-Crystal Lake, are hosting a north suburban transit listening session from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 17, at Algonquin Village Hall, 2200 Harnish Drive. At the session, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning will outline its plans for regional transportation, according to a news release. Moeller and Ness are encouraging the public to bring their thoughts, concerns and questions on that issue to the listening session. Moeller also will speak out a trip she and other Illinois lawmakers made to Germany in December to study that country's public mass transit system. 'Germany's successful transit systems can serve as an effective model when considering improvements in Illinois to create a more unified and effective public transportation system,' Moeller said in a news release. For more information, call Moeller's office at 847-841-7130 or Ness's office at 224-484-8620. Easter egg hunt planned for April 19 at East Dundee library An Easter egg hunt will be held from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, April 19, at the Dundee Library, 555 Barrington Ave., East Dundee. The free, family-friendly hunt is open to all ages, according to the library's website. The library will provide bags, and each child will be allowed to collect up to 10 eggs. For more information, call 847-428-3661. 'Made in Elgin' spring pop-up market to be held April 19 The Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin and the Downtown Elgin Market will be hosting a 'Made in Elgin' spring pop-up market from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 19, at Courtyard 40. Handmade, original creations made by artisans from Elgin and surrounding communities will be for sale, according to a social media post for the event. Vendors have been selected to ensure a high-quality, artisan-focused experience, the post said.
Chicago Tribune
14-03-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin News Digest: East Dundee VB approves new gateway, wayfinding signs; Kane Animal Control holding vaccine, microchip clinics
East Dundee VB approves new gateway, wayfinding signs The East Dundee Village Board has approved new gateway and downtown wayfinding signs designed by Gary R. Webber Associates, and next will seek proposals to have them built and installed, according to the village newsletter. Money for the multiyear project is coming from the Dundee Crossing Business Development District, with work expected to begin in the 2025 fiscal year. The board has earmarked $100,000 from its capital projects budget to start the work. The best locations for the signs, which are meant to help visitors get around town and highlight East Dundee's unique and historic identity, are still under consideration, the newsletter said. For more information, go to Kane Animal Control holding vaccine, microchip clinics Kane County Animal Control has spring and summer dates open for its low-cost drive-thru rabies vaccine and microchip clinics. Clinics will be held at the Kane County Animal Control Facility, 4060 Keslinger Road, Geneva, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 26; 4:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 14; and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 14. A one-year rabies vaccine with tag costs $30 for neutered animals and $55 for non-neutered pets, a news release said. For county residents 65 or older, vaccines are $15 for neutered animals and $25 for non-neutered. Microchipping is $15. Owners must verify their pets have not bitten anyone in the past 10 days. An adult over age 18 must be present to handle their pet. If a pet requires a muzzle, it must be placed on the animal before entering the clinic, the release said. For more information, go to call 630-232-3555 or email animalcontrol@ Elgin-area products competing in Makers Madness contest Products from four Elgin area businesses are among the 250 nominated for 'coolest thing made in Illinois' in the Illinois Manufacturers' Association's sixth annual 'Makers Madness' contest. Weekly voting take places at to determine which companies move on in the March Madness-style elimination process, a news release said. The field will eventually narrow to determine the winner, which will be honored in a ceremony April 9 at the governor's mansion in Springfield. The Elgin-area nominees are: Weiler Engineering in Elgin for its blow/fill/seal machines and molds used to produce filled containers, like vials to bottles. USACH Technologies Inc. in Elgin for the BoulePro 200AX, a machine that plays a role in the computer chip making process. OTTO Engineer in Carpentersville for Enhanced Spatial Positioning Push-to-Talk technology that allows walkie talkie operators to clearly hear various audio sources. Hoffer Plastics in South Elgin for its P-15 cap, which is used by Big Easy Blends on its pouches for slushie and smoothies. Kane sheriff's, health departments offering free CPR classes The Kane County Sheriff's Office and Health Department will offer free CPR training for the public at the Kane County Sheriff's Office, 37W755 Route 38, St. Charles. Sessions are scheduled for 9 a.m. to noon, 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. on Friday, March 21, and Monday, March 24, according to a webpage for the program. The classes follow the American Heart Association's HeartSaver CPR course and are designed for educational purposes, a news release said. They do not include certification. To register, go to Early bird registration for Skeleton Trot 5K 2025 now open Registration is underway for the second 5K El Trote De Las Calacas (Skeleton Trot) Race and Walk, scheduled for 9 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin. The event raises money for the School District U-46 and the Gail Borden Public Library District foundations. The inaugural run in 2024 drew about 1,000 participants, according to a news release. Early registration is $35 per person, with team pricing and youth discounts available.
Chicago Tribune
14-02-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Elgin News Digest: Township mental health board awards $1.15M in grants; Tibetan monks to be in residency at ECC in April
Township mental health board awards $1.15M in grants The Hanover Township Mental Health Board has approved $1.15 million in grant funding for 33 agencies. Among the Elgin-area agencies to receive grants are: Ecker Center for Mental Health, $180,500 for therapy, substance abuse and crisis services; Easter Seals of DuPage and Fox Valley Region, $90,000 to provide outpatient medical rehabilitation to Hanover Township residents and $30,000 for mental health treatment for youth and to assist clients with developmental disabilities; Family Service Association of Greater Elgin, $48,000 for therapy services; Centro de Información, $40,000 for family-centered mental health services; About Behavioral Change, $17,500 to provide substance abuse counseling and education; Hopeful Beginnings, $20,000 for its maternal mental health program. To view the complete list of grant allocations, go to Tibetan monks to be in residency at ECC in April The Mystical Arts of Tibet world tour featuring the monks of Drepung Loseling Monastery will be in residency April 8-12 at Elgin Community College. The monks will participate in a variety of activities open to the public, including rituals, ceremonies and lectures on Tibetan meditation, philosophy, art and culture, according to a news release. A highlight of the residency will be the creation of a sand mandala, a traditional Tibetan Buddhist art form featuring intricate designs made with colored sand. The residency culminates at 7 p.m Saturday, April 12, with 'Sacred Music, Sacred Chants for Peace and Healing,' which combines traditional multiphonic chanting and sacred music, the release said. ECC received a $10,000 Challenge America award from the National Endowment for the Arts to pay the residency. For more information or to purchase tickets for 'Sacred Music, Sacred Chants for Peace and Healing,' go to or call the box office, 847-622-0300. Bishop memorial concert being held at River Street Tavern A concert in memory of music educator Matt Bishop will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at River Street Tavern, 102 N. River St. in East Dundee. The all-ages event is sponsored by The Wooden Elephant Foundation, a nonprofit set up in Bishop's honor to provide scholarships to District 300 high school seniors to continue their education, according to a social media post for the event. There will be no cover charge to attend the memorial but donations for the scholarship program will be accepted. Bishop, a 34-year-old Elgin resident, died Feb. 24, 2024. He was a music teacher at Dundee Middle School and at one time served as conductor and artistic director of the Elgin Youth Choir. He also worked with the Boys and Girls Club of Elgin to establish an annual concert series and served as music director for Children's Theater of Elgin, Fox Valley Theater Company, Marquee Main Stage Theater, Schaumburg on Stage and Point 2 Productions. For more information on the concert, call 224-293-2033. For information on the foundation, go to
