Elgin has designated eight new parks and green spaces as "Pesticide Free Zones," opting instead for natural lawn care management. The new sites include Corley Drive Park, Marie Grolich Park, Kirk and Kramer Park, Randall Ridge Park, Summerhill Park, Trillium Park, Willow Creek Park and the Congdon and Blackhawk water tower site.
When former Marine Gilbert Rivera began patrolling a beat in Round Lake Beach 23 years ago, he was among a minority of Latino police officers in the suburbs and the percentage of the town s Hispanic population barely had broken into double digits. "As the town has become more diverse, so has our police department," said Rivera, 50, who retired Friday after nearly six years as the village s police chief.
Roughly 100 Elgin residents gathered at the Heritage Ballroom in the Edward Schock Centre of Elgin Wednesday to give input to the city s parks and recreation department as it develops a master plan for the next five to 10 years.