Village approves plans for new Milwaukee Avenue gas station

The Village Board Monday night approved resolutions that clear the way for the development of a new gas station and mini-mart on Milwaukee Avenue.

Plans for the station, which will be a 12-pump Shell gas station, include a 3,500 square foot mini-mart at 185  N. Milwaukee Avenue.  True North Energy, which is developing the project, has also entered into an agreement to purchase the Wooil Restaurant, which is currently on the site.

True North plans to offer beer and wine sales at the mini-mart. Development of the 0.9-acre site is scheduled to begin in Spring 2019.

Aptakisic Road closed until Sept. 28

The CN/Wisconsin Central Railroad has confirmed that they will be closing Aptakisic Road at the railroad tracks between Weiland Road and Bond Street until Friday, Sept. 28, 2018. Repairs will be made to the railroad crossing and will also include a future sidewalk crossing on the south side of Aptakisic Road - to be completed with the Weiland Road Project.

Fire Department Open House Saturday

The 23rd annual Buffalo Grove Fire Department Open House will be held this coming Saturday, Sept. 22, 2018 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fire Department Headquarters, 1051 Highland Grove Drive in Buffalo Grove. This family-friendly event will include a vehicle extrication demonstration, side-by-side sprinkler burn unit, hands-on fire extinguisher training, equipment displays, a puppet show, and an appearance by the Flight for Life helicopter, along with a junior firefighter challenge including a fire pole! Free hot dogs and chips will be served. For more information, contact the Fire Department Public Education Division at (847) 777-6110 or at this link Fire Department open house.

Want to run for village office?

There are five open seats on the Buffalo Grove Village Board for the April 2, 2019 Consolidated Election, including Village President, Village Clerk and three Village Trustee seats. Trustees whose terms are ending including Jeff Berman, David Weidenfeld and Eric Smith.  Smith was appointed to replace Steve Trilling who was re-elected in 2015 but resigned when he moved out of the village.

Candidates can pick up petitions at the Buffalo Grove Village Hall, 50 Raupp Boulevard in Buffalo Grove, during regular business hours; Monday from 8 a.m. until 6:30 p.m., and Tuesday - Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Petition filing begins at 8 a.m. on Monday, December 10 in the Village Clerk's Office, 50 Raupp Boulevard in Buffalo Grove, and ends on December 17 at 6:30 p.m.  Details can be found here Village election information.

Questions regarding the Municipal Election should be directed to the State Board of Elections State Board of Elections. A Candidate's Guide may be obtained by calling the State Board of Elections at 312-814-6440 or can also be found online here, or specific to the County of residence. Lake County residents can click Lake County election information and Cook County residents can go to this site Cook County election information for additional information.

Or you can run for Buffalo Grove Park District Board

 Three current Buffalo Grove Park District Commissioner positions for 4-Year Terms, and one unexpired two-year term are open for election in the April 2, 2019 Consolidated Election.  Individuals interested in running for a position as a Buffalo Grove Park District Commissioner in this election can pick up petitions.  The circulation period for petitions is Sept. 18 to December 17.

 Petitions can be picked up at the Alcott Center, located at 530 Bernard Drive in Buffalo Grove.  The Alcott Center is open Monday from 8:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the first Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Residents interested in running for a Buffalo Grove Park District Commissioner seat must be a registered voter and have been a resident of the Buffalo Grove Park District for at least one year prior to the election.

For additional information, contact Ryan Risinger, executive director of the Buffalo Grove Park District at (847) 850-2122.

Park District accepting applications for board post

The Buffalo Grove Park District Board of Commissioners is

accepting applications from residents of the Park District to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Commissioner Jack Schmerer. The individual selected will serve as Park District Commissioner until the middle of the term at the annual meeting in May 2019. The remaining two years of the term will be open during the April 2019 consolidated election. Residents interested in applying, should contact Buffalo Grove Park District Executive Director Ryan Risinger at (847) 850-2122. Applications are being accepted until 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 14. Applications can be found on the Board of Commissioners page of the Park District website, www.bgpark.org

Partial Old McHenry Road closure begins Monday

The Lake County Division of Transportation will partially close Old McHenry Road in Long Grove for roadwork starting Monday, Sept. 10, . Old McHenry Road is scheduled to reopen to all traffic in November . Commuters are encouraged to use the following detour route: Route 22 to Route 83 to Route 53. Additional route information can be found on the detour map at this site: Detour map

Special Olympics plane pull  Sept. 22 at O'Hare Airport

Buffalo Grove Police Chief Steven Casstevens was recently interviewed on Fox 32 Chicago about the annual Plane Pull fundraiser which benefits the Special Olympics of Illinois. The Police Department will take part in the Plane Pull event. For those who would like to participate in the Plane Pull, there are 20 people per team, and it will be held on Saturday, Sept. 22, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. at O'Hare Airport.  For more information and to register, click here. 

Garden Club to feature Mike Nowak

The Buffalo Grove Garden Club meets the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Alcott Center, 530 Bernard Drive in Buffalo Grove. On Tuesday, Sept. 11, guest speaker Mike Nowak will present, "That Ain't No Way to Treat a Tree." Nowak is a master gardener and Openlands TreeKeeper, and has shared his expertise about gardening, the environment and green living on radio, TV and in Chicagoland Gardening Magazine. The horticulture talk will be about Daffodils 1, 2 and 3. The Flower Guild will collect gently used books (birth - grade 6) for Bernie's Book Bank in Lake Bluff. Click this link for more information about the Buffalo Grove Garden Club and upcoming events, go to this link: Buffalo Grove Garden Club.

Stampede set for Sept. 2

News and notes from around the village.... 

            The Buffalo Grove Park District's Friends of the Parks Foundation will be hosting its annual 5K and 10K race, the Buffalo Grove Stampede, on the morning of Sunday, Sept. 2.  The race begins and ends at the Buffalo Grove Park District Fitness Center, located at 601 W. Deerfield Parkway in Buffalo Grove.

            The starts at 7:30 and concludes around 9:30 am.  Several streets will be closed to traffic during this race, including eastbound Deerfield Parkway from McHenry Road (Illinois Rt. 83) to Buffalo Grove Road (from 5 -10 a.m.), McHenry Road (Route 83) between Deerfield Parkway and Buffalo Grove Road,

            Checker Drive, Old Checker Road, Farrington Drive, Shady Grove Lane, Silver Rock Lane and Springside Lane.  Maps of the routes, as well as registration information can be found at bgstampede.org

Cops set to flip burgers

            The Buffalo Grove Police Department will participate in ‘Butterburgers & Badges’, a yearly event to fundraise for Special Olympics. It will be held Thursday, Aug. 30 from 4 until 8 p.m. at Culver’s, 450 McHenry Road.

            Police Department members will be on hand to serve meals to patrons who are both dining in, as well as those who are ordering their meals at the drive thru. During this fundraiser, $1 from every Concrete Mixer sold will be donated to Special Olympics. PArticipants will have the opportunity to purchase Special Olympics gear, make donations, and meet a Special Olympics athlete.

            “This is one of the most highly-attended Special Olympics fundraiser events each year by our officers,” Police Chief Steven Casstevens said. “They really enjoy serving meals and connecting with members of our local community.”

Donations to Special Olympics can be made at any time at the Buffalo Grove Police Department, 48 Raupp Boulevard in Buffalo Grove.

In 2017, the Police Department donated more than $45,000 to Special Olympics and is aiming to hit the $50,000 mark in 2018.

Buffalo Grove Days is next week

            The 57th annual BG Days festival will be held from Wednesday, Aug. 29 - Monday, Sept. 3, 2018. This year's fest includes the BG Days Parade, the BBQ Challenge, the Carnival, the Arts & Crafts Fair, Business Fair, Special Needs Events, Main Stage Entertainment, an array of food and beverages, and more. For an overview of the events happening during BG Days and how to purchase discounted carnival wristbands, click here. The BG Days Blood Drive is from 8  a.m. until 1  p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1 at the Alcott Center, 530 Bernard Drive in Buffalo Grove. Appointments can be made by calling 877-543-3768 or by visiting lifesource.org and using sponsor code: BG98.

No farmers’ market

            The Buffalo Grove Farmers’ Market will not be running on Sunday, Sept. 2 during BG Days.

Commission for Residents with Disabilities sets food & fun

Join the Buffalo Grove Commission for Residents with Disabilities at Food and Fun, a free event hosted for individuals with disabilities at the BG Days Carnival. Register by clicking here. The event includes free admission to the carnival rides for all individuals with disabilities, and complimentary lunch for the individual and up to four family members or friends accompanying that individual (tickets for additional family and friends are $10 each).  For questions, please email Foodandfun@vbg.org.

BG Singers 26th annual show highlights the Best of 21st Century Broadway

The Buffalo Grove Park District’s BG Singers will perform their 26th annual choral concert, “Back to the Theater - 21st Century Broadway: Premieres and Revivals,” on Friday, Sept. 28 at 7:30 pm, Saturday, Sept. 29 at 3 pm, and Sunday, Sept. 30 at 3 pm at the Buffalo Grove Park District Community Arts Center, located at 225 McHenry Road in Buffalo Grove.  This show will also be celebrating the group’s first performance in the newly renovated, state-of-the-art theater at the Center.

             Directed by Linda Rosen, choreographed by Charla Silver, and featuring accompaniment by Dan Ermel, this show will include selections from new Tony Award-winning shows, such as Dear Evan Hanson, Beautiful, Hamilton and Waitress, as well as favorites from revivals like Hello Dolly, The King and I, and Guys and Dolls.

             “We opened the Community Arts Center in 2015 with a show titled, ‘Welcome to the Theater,’ which gave us the idea to use, ‘Back to the Theater’ when we were planning this year’s show,” Rosen said.  “We are thrilled to return to our home stage replete with great sight lines, thanks to new tiered seating, added lighting, and new sound equipment, as well as an entirely new lobby, art gallery and concession area.”

            Beginning Aug. 29, tickets for all performances will be available online at bgsingers.org, or at the Community Arts Center box office Mondays through Thursdays from 8:30 am - 7 pm, Fridays from 8:30 am - noon, or Saturdays from 9 am to noon.  Advance ticket prices are $17 for adults, and $15 for children 12 and under and seniors 62 and older.  All tickets purchased at the door will be $20.  For more information, visit bgsingers.org, or contact Lindsay Grandt at 847.850.2132 or lindsay@bgparks.org.

Buffalo Grove police officers recognized for life-saving effort

            Buffalo Grove Police Officers Anthony Turano (left) and Derek Hawkins (right),shown with Police Chief Steve Casstevens (center), were honored at the Aug. 20 Village Board meeting with Life Saving Awards for their efforts that revived a man after a drug overdose.

The officers responded to a Buffalo Grove residence on July 12 where an adult male was found unconscious and not breathing. Due to their training, the officers made the decision to administer three doses of nalaxone to the man, while also starting basic life saving measures. The man regained consciousness and was transported to a nearby hospital and survived. Buffalo Grove officers have been carrying nalaxone, also referred to by its brand name Narcan, since 2014.

Board meeting, Night Out, BG Days highlight village news...

Village Board Meeting:  The Village Board has a regular Board meeting Monday night starting at 7:30.  The agenda can be found at: Village Board Agenda for Aug. 20

Buffalo Grove Days and Carnival Ticket Sales Info.:The 57th annual BG Days festival is from  Wednesday, Aug. 29 - Monday, Sept. 3. For a full schedule of events and entertainment, use this link: BG Days Info.

            Residents can now purchase a sheet of 30 carnival tickets for $30 at Buffalo Grove Village Hall. This promotion is available until Wednesday, Aug. 29. Wristbands are now available online at this link  Wristband Sales  at a cost of $60 for the all weekend wristband; individual daily passes are $20 each. Online wristband sales end Aug. 30 at midnight. Wristbands purchased during BG Days are $65 each for the entire weekend, and $25 for the daily passes. For more information, click here:  BG Days

National Night Out Rescheduled for Tuesday: The Buffalo Grove Park District has rescheduled National Night Out for Tuesday, Aug. 21,  from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Willow Stream Park, 651 Old Checker Road, Buffalo Grove.

The event was originally scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 7 but was rained out. National Night Out will include free hot dogs and Culver's custard (while supplies last), as well as kids activities, a business expo, interactive displays with the Buffalo Grove Police and Fire Departments, and live music. For more information, click here Night Out Info.

New Election Voting Sites For Some Buffalo Grove Area Voters: The Lake County Clerk's office has assigned new Election Day voting sites for voters in the Buffalo Grove area who live in Vernon Township precincts 276, 279, 280, 281, and 285. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6.

Starting with the upcoming November election, Aptakisic Junior High School will no longer serve as an Election Day voting site. Instead, voters in precincts 279 and 280 will vote at the Willow Grove School, 777 Checker Drive in Buffalo Grove, and voters in precincts 276, 281 and 285 will vote at the Chevy Chase Country Club, 1000 N. Milwaukee Avenue in Wheeling. For more information regarding these changes, how to locate a precinct number, along with a map of the precincts, please click here Voting Site Info.

Buffalo Grove Police Win 2nd Place in Traffic Safety Challenge: On Wednesday, Aug. 15, members of the Buffalo Grove Police Department's Administration, Traffic and P-Core Units attended the 25th annual Illinois Traffic Safety Challenge. The Department was awarded second place in the Championship Class for their efforts on traffic enforcement and passenger safety throughout 2017.

Want to Adopt a Highway?:The Lake County Division of Transportation (LCDOT) is looking for volunteers to adopt Lake County highways and help pick up litter and debris along both the highways and bike paths. Volunteers can adopt a section of a county highway, and are provided with the necessary equipment to clean the area twice a year. LCDOT will collect all garbage bags and recycling bags from the side of the road. The deadline for Adopt-A-Highway applications is Aug. 31. For more information go to this site: Adopt a Highway

News you can use....

Buffalo Grove Park District Hosts Flag Day Ceremony June 14

                      The Buffalo Grove Park District will celebrate Flag Day on Thursday, at Veterans Park, located at 1300 N. Weiland Road in Buffalo Grove.

                        The Buffalo Grove Fire Department's Honor Guard will present the Colors; and the speaker will be Officer Matthew Mills from the Buffalo Grove Police Department.

                        Music performed by the 85th Army Band's Woodwind Quintet and changing the flags will also be part of this program.

                        There will be free hot dogs beginning at 4:45 p.m, with the program beginning at 5:30 p.m. There is no rain date for this event.

                        Please visit the Buffalo Grove Park District website here for additional information.

Cops have a holiday suggestion: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 

            Buffalo Grove police are taking part in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign during the upcoming holiday period, between June 25-July 8, as part of an enhanced enforcement of Illinois drunken driving laws

   "It’s essential that our community members understand the safety and financial risks they take when they drink and drive,” said Buffalo Grove Police Department Sergeant Michelle Kondrat. “Under no circumstances is it ever acceptable to get behind the wheel of a vehicle after you’ve been drinking. This endangers you, and everyone on the road with you.”

                        With holiday festivities wrapping up in the evening or late at night, more cars will be on the roads. Nighttime is especially dangerous; the rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes is more than three times higher at night than it is during the day. 

                        “This July 4th holiday period commit to only driving 100-percent sober. Don’t lose your independence on Independence Day, and don’t be a deadly risk to yourself and other innocent people on our roadways,” Kondrat said.

                        Drinking and driving is dangerous, even if you’re “just buzzed.” When you drive impaired, you risk your life and safety, and the lives and safety of those riding with you and around you. Does mortality not get your attention? Maybe the financial costs will: A DUI arrest could cost you up to $10,000, not to mention the loss of your vehicle and driver’s license. You could face jail time, higher insurance rates, and hefty expenses from attorney fees, fines, car towing, repairs, and lost time at work. Imagine trying to explain that to your family, friends, or employer.

            During the 2016 holiday period 188 people were killed in crashes involving at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. This is a 28-percent increase from 2015, when 146 people were killed during the same period.

What's in a name? A lot when it comes to this park

Parks generally have innocuous names.  They may be named after a tree, a river or neighborhood near their location.

                Buffalo Grove parks are no different – Willow Stream Park, Children’s Park, Green Lake Park.

                 
The one park that seems to be the epicenter of activity is Mike Rylko Park.  In addition to baseball fields, Rylko Park, with an official address of 1000 N. Buffalo Grove Road, is home to the Farmers’ Market is there, BG Days, which is starting its run there this weekend, the Spray and Play,  a running/cycling trail, not to mention the Buffalo Grove Fitness Center.

The Spray and Play is one feature at the Mike Rylko Community Park

                At 76.5 acres, it is the largest park in the village, which makes naming it Mike Rylko Community Park more than just a little appropriate because it reflects the large accomplishments of its namesake.

                If you know who he is.

                I’m not sure what prompted it, but one day I wondered “who is Mike Rylko”?   Early on I thought the name of the park was Mike Royko Park, but that didn’t make sense to me.

                So who is Mike Rylko and where is he these days?

                Easy question with an interesting answer.

                Rylko was executive director of the Buffalo Grove Park District for more than two decades.  During that time the Park District exploded in growth in terms of staff and green space acreage.  During his tenure, the Park District went, according to a report on Rylko’s retirement in the Daily Herald from “…10 parks to 50, from 127 acres to 414, from 10 full-time employees to 52.”

                So they named a park after him, honored him, put a sign up there and folks seemed happy with it. 

                But where is Rylko?  When I caught up with him, he was filling his Honda Goldwing motorcycle with gas – just outside Yellowstone National Park. Even though he’s retired, Rylko is far from inactive.

                Rylko is in the midst of an extended motorcycle trip out west with a friend.  Riding his bike is just one of the things he’s been doing since retiring.  He’s become an avid golfer, spends a fair amount of time in Arizona where he and his wife, Ann, are self-proclaimed snowbirds.

                When he’s not in Arizona, he lives in a retirement community in Mundelein, but that doesn’t mean he has cut ties with Buffalo Grove. He says when he’s not in Arizona, or taking a bike trip, he is “still in Buffalo Grove several times a week.”  Rylko also remains active with the Buffalo Grove Rotary Club, which gives him the chance to keep in touch with longtime friends.

                As for having his name associated with what may very well be the village’s showcase park, Rylko says it was “a big shock, surprise and great honor.” 

                Rylko says he’s thrilled to see Buffalo Grove Days at the park bearing his name, but does have some mixed feelings about this year’s event.

                “It will be only the second time in 30 years won’t be there,” he said.  He will be continuing his western trip during BG Days.  Rylko said he will especially miss the Bingo tent, something he was in charge of “for years.”

                As for his time as head of the Park District, Rylko says it was “fun time to be there; I was never bored”.

                That has not changed. In between golf, bike trips (some of which he takes with his wife, Ann, who has her own Goldwing) and even officiating hockey, Rylko is far from bored.

                And while his leadership put the development of Buffalo Grove’s ‘green belt’ on the highway of growth, he’s traveling a different road now.

                At least as he rides his motorcycle through the west.

                “We’re taking all back roads,” he said from Wyoming. “no Interstate,” he said.