EVERGREEN PARK
Senior scholarship offers up over last year’s numbers
Despite the economic downturn and cutbacks at universities, scholarship offers poured in this spring for graduating seniors at Evergreen Park Community High School.
District 231 seniors received more than $5 million in scholarship offers recently, up from $4 million last year, according to Supt. Beth Hart. Hart attributed the success in garnering scholarships not only to the quality of graduates but to the school’s emphasis on college and educating students on the financial process of paying for secondary education.
“We really try to help them. It’s quite a complex process of figuring out this whole college process and how to get money,” Hart said recently.
That help has included a junior seminar where students come in before and after school every Wednesday to learn about scholarships, financial aid, the importance of test scores, college visits and career information. The district also created a booklet with step-by-step instructions on preparing for college and careers and has held college and career fairs for the past three years.
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“Sometimes kids never realize there is this kind of money out there,” Hart said.
— Janice Neumann
FRANKFORT
Study under way on silencing some train whistles near town
An engineering firm is busy conducting a quiet zone feasibility study of the Canadian National Railway’s crossings on the southern end of Frankfort, a village official said this week.
Village Administrator Jerry Ducay said engineers from Robert E. Hamilton Consulting Engineers will recommend safety features at the street-level railroad crossings between Harlem Avenue and 116th Avenue to make them qualify as quiet zones. Such zones allow train whistles to be silenced.
Residents will contribute to the process, Ducay said, noting that a meeting to discuss the study will likely be held in September.
The village is also working with residents who live near the tracks on landscaping measures to shield those homes from the effects of increased train traffic since CN bought the Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway line.
Village officials have already met with about 75 percent of the affected residents, said Ducay, who urged the remaining 25 percent to call the Village Hall and set up a meeting.
— Pat Harper
ORLAND PARK
Suburbs join forces in contract talks for water from Chicago
Orland Park trustees this week approved an agreement with four other south suburbs to jointly negotiate an upcoming water contract renewal with Oak Lawn for Chicago water.
The village’s current contract with Oak Lawn expires in October 2011, and the village wants to increase its negotiating power with Oak Lawn over a new water contract, said Village Manager Paul Grimes.
Under the agreement, Orland Park, Tinley Park, Oak Forest, Mokena and New Lenox would hire a consultant to represent their interests in the upcoming contract negotiations.
The five towns account for 80 percent of the water usage among local communities who get water from Oak Lawn. Grimes said the consultant, Arlington Heights-based WRB, LLC, will help the village establish better maintenance programs and give it a greater say in future system improvements.
All five communities also are exploring possible formation of a permanent water commission separate from Oak Lawn that would be governed by representatives from each town.
— Carmen Greco Jr.
TINLEY PARK
Officials see glimmer of hope in housing market numbers
The housing market may be improving — at least in Tinley Park — where the village reports that the local foreclosure rate dropped dramatically in May and June.
Based on statistics compiled by national rate-tracking systems, Tinley Park experienced a 47 percent decrease in foreclosures in May, compared with a 20 percent decline overall in Illinois, local officials said.
Village Clerk Patrick Rea, in a written statement, said June 2009 appeared to be holding steady with May figures. Mayor Ed Zabrocki said the village has been monitoring local foreclosure activity for 18 months.
“If one can say it is good news in this market, this is good news. We will continue to work with our residents and the banks on this critical issue,” Zabrocki said.
— Dennis Sullivan
WILL COUNTY
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District officials want to add 475 acres of forest preserve
The Will County Forest Preserve District is poised to spend nearly $8.9 million to add about 475 acres to its holdings.
The largest of those proposed land purchase — 312 acres for $1.5 million — would bring the site of the proposed Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve under the Will County agency’s control.
The forest preserve district also is negotiating to buy 104 acres near Homer Glen between the Hadley Valley and Messenger Marsh preserves. Acquisition costs are expected to top $5 million, according to Executive Director Marcy DeMauro.
The district also is suing the owners of 60 acres to take their properties to expand two eastern Will County forest preserves. If successful, the condemnation proceedings would add land to the Black Walnut Creek and Thorn Grove preserves. The owners contend their properties have a total value of $2 million.
— Dennis Sullivan