Cops probe retail thefts / Rivian coming / Drug drop off

 

Retail Theft – Officers were summoned to the Walgreens at 15 N Buffalo Grove Road where an employee said a female shopper took a basket full of items including shampoo and candy from the store. Employees said the woman entered a gray automobile which was located in the parking lot at the Dollar Tree, 1212 W. Dundee Rd. Responding officers spotted the couple who admitted taking the basket of items from Walgreens. The stolen merchandise was located and both the man and woman were issued trespass warnings for both the Walgreens and Dollar Tree locations as well as adjudication citations for retail theft. The stolen merchandise, valued at $312.63, was returned to Walgreens.

Retail theft – An employee at the Jewel at 79 N. McHenry Rd. told police he was at the customer service desk and observed a man and women walk by with items in their cart. They reportedly went towards the "in" doors on the north side of the store where the male ultimately left the store with the cart, passing all points of final sale and not making any purchases. An employee reportedly confronted the male subject in the parking lot. grabbed the cart of unpaid items after which the man fled the scene in a black Chevy Equinox. The woman was reportedly driving the vehicle. The nine items, which were recovered in the parking lot, had a value of $72.80.

Bike swiped – A resident reported to police that he left his blue 26-inch mountain bicycle unsecured in the bicycle rack just outside of the McDonald’s at 1200 North Arlington Heights Rd. and when he came back approximately 20 minutes later the bicycle was gone. The value of the bicycle was not reported.

Criminal Damage to Property – A resident in the 600 block of Hapsfield Lane told police that her vehicle was "keyed." This occurred while the vehicle was parked inside the secure parking garage at her apartment building. Both the rear and front passenger side quarter panels sustained scratches measuring more than 12 inches in length.

 

In Other Community News

 

Board clears way for Rivian dealership

            The Village Board Monday night approved a special use permit that clears the way for the village’s second electric vehicle dealership.

            Rivian Automotive LLC, is an American electric vehicle manufacturer that produces electric SUVs, pickup trucks, and delivery vans, will have a facility at 909 Asbury Drive.

            Rivian’s plan was approved 7-0 by the Planning and Zoning Commission at its Oct. 1 meeting.

            According to the ordinance passed by the Board, a special use permit was required for the location “to allow the sale and/or leasing of new and/or used automobiles within an enclosed structure (and) to operate an electric vehicle service and sales center.

            It is estimated that when the facility is up and running and full strength, it will have 46 employees by the end of 2027. Coverage can be found here while the village staff report is available at this link.

Library names new board member

            Buffalo Grove resident Ben Isabel was appointed to the Vernon Area Public Library Board of Trustees at its regular meeting on Oct. 21. He is filling a vacancy created in September when library trustee Laura Caplin resigned. Isabel is chief of staff for State Senator Laura Fine (IL-9).

            According to a library press release, Isabel intends to be among the candidates on the ballot in the April 1,2025 consolidated election. Incumbents George I. Goldstein and Jonathan Passman have also indicated their intent to run. Prospective candidates must file nominating paperwork at the library between Nov. 12, and Nov. 18.

Smoke detector installation set

            The Buffalo Grove Fire Department will install more than  500 smoke detectors in senior housing units thanks to a donation from the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance (IFSA) and Camp I Am Me.

            The Buffalo Grove Fire Department is among 48 participating fire departments in Illinois to have received a donation of 10-year,sealed battery smoke detectors. The BGFD’s installation campaign is the largest effort of any participating fire department In the state.

            Buffalo Grove firefighter/paramedics and volunteers from the village’s Community Emergency Response Team will install the detectors this week.

            In addition to fire and emergency medical services, BGFD provides non-emergency services like smoke detector installation on an ongoing basis throughout the year. For more information, or to request non-emergency services, visit this link.

School playground dedication on tap

            The newly transformed playground at Joyce Kilmer Elementary School 655 Golfview Terrace Buffalo Grove will be dedicated in a program from 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29.

            For additional information, call 847-520-2728.

Drop off unneeded meds at BGPD

            Residents can bring expired, unused or unneeded medications to the Police Department, 46 Raupp Blvd., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26 to safely dispose of them at the Drug Take Back Day event.

            Residents who can’t make it that day can bring unwanted prescription drugs at any time to the police department where there is a permanent receptacle in the lobby.

            Needles or syringes are accepted at this event. If you need to dispose of these items, use Waste Management's At Your Door program that’s part of your regular waste service.

Trick-or-treat hours set

            Trick-or-treating hours in Buffalo Grove are 3 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31.

            In addition to little ghosts and goblins going door-to-door, the Buffalo Grove Fire Department will have a drive-thru trick-or-treat event, from 2-4 p.m. on Oct. 31 at Fire Station 26, 1051 Highland Grove Drive.

Former Village President dies

            Verna Clayton, the first woman to be Buffalo Grove Village Board President died Oct. 8. Prior to serving as president, Clayton was Village Clerk. After her tenure with the Village Board, she served as a state representative from 1993 to 1993. Full coverage from the Daily Herald can be found here.

BG Road project moves to design phase

            The project to widen Buffalo Grove Road from Half Day Road to U.S. Rt. 45, has moved into the design phase. Lake County Division of Transportation officials say they are in the process of finalizing right of way requirements and coordinating with the Canadian National Railroad for the new signal at Main Street and upgraded railroad crossing.

            The design phase is expected to continue through 2025 with construction tentatively scheduled for 2029.

             A new and updated list of frequently asked questions was posted to LCDOT’s website in May It can be found at this link.

 

Need a Reason to Celebrate?

 

Oct. 23

National Boston Cream Pie Day

National Croc Day

National Slap Your Coworker Day

Oct. 24

National Bologna Day

National Jamaican Jerk Day

National Kangaroo Awareness Day

Oct. 25

Frankenstein Friday

Global Champagne Day

National Breadstick Day

Oct. 26

Hug a Sheep Day

National Chicken Fried Steak Day

National Pumpkin Day

Oct. 27

Cranky Co-Workers Day

National Black Cat Day

National Mother-in-Law Day

Oct. 28

National Chocolate Day

National First Responders Day

Plush Animal Lover's Day

Oct. 29

National Oatmeal Day

National Hermit Day

National Martina Day

Oct. 30

Create a Great Funeral Day

Haunted Refrigerator Night

National Candy Corn Day

Oct. 31

National Caramel Apple Day

National Doorbell Day

National Knock-Knock Joke Day

 

 

Got News?

If you have news about your club, school, church, synagogue or other community organization, please submit news, information and story ideas to BuffaloGroveNews@Gmail.com.

Articles should include a contact name, email and phone number. Commentary articles are also welcome. They should be limited to 350 words and should include contact information as noted above. All submissions may be edited for style, spelling, and libelous content.

Buffalo Grove News and Info, is locally and independently produced by Buffalo Grove resident Stan Zoller. A longtime journalist and journalism educator, Zoller covers Buffalo Grove and monitors news and information about the village, its schools, park district and community events. Buffalo Grove News and Information is not affiliated with any municipal body. Zoller is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Chicago Headline Club.

 

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Cops probe car burglaries / Trick-or-Treat hours / Road projects progressing

 

Burglaries to motor vehicles – Police responded to two incidents in the 2300 block of Birchwood Court North regarding complaints of burglaries to motor vehicles. In the first incident, a resident told officers that somebody had entered two vehicles. Reports say officers later observed a black SUV enter Birchwood Ct. Cul-de-sac. Neighborhood video showed three or four individuals entering multiple cars in the area. Police did not report if anything was stolen, but said both vehicles had been ”ransacked” and doors left open. In the second incident, a resident said someone had entered her vehicle. As in the other situation, nothing was taken from the car. Police did tell the resident that there had been multiple vehicle break-ins that day.

Possession of controlled substance – A traffic stop led to the arrest of an 18-year-old Arlington Heights man for possession of a controlled substance. Reports say that the man was initially stopped for a traffic stop. While discussing the matter with the man, reports say officers observed an open empty bottle of whiskey on the front passenger-side floorboard. Based on the open alcohol in the vehicle, officers performed a search of the vehicle during which they located “a small plastic container with several white pieces of a hard rocklike substance, suspected (to be) crack cocaine, on the front passenger seat.” Reports say the man was placed under arrest for possession of a controlled substance. He was also charged with illegal transportation or possession of alcoholic liquor by driver in a motor vehicle and possession of a fraudulent driver's license or permit.

Retail theft, warrant arrest – A suspected retail theft landed a 35-year-old Palatine man in jail, not because of the theft, but because he also had a Cook County no-bond arrest warrant for identification. The initial action by Buffalo Grove police was in response to a retail theft from Mariano’s, 450 Half Day Rd. Responding officers were told the man had taken one to two cases of beer, and fled the area in a blue Ford Focus with black wheels. Reports say officers were told that the man pushed a cart full of groceries, which had not been paid for, past all points of sale and into the vestibule of the store. Police say the man removed two boxes of what appeared to be beer and fled into the parking lot where he got a blue vehicle driven by a woman. The two were stopped at the intersection of Butternut and Whispering Oaks drives. The man was arrested and received an adjudication ticket for retail theft. The female driver was charged with driving with a suspended license.

Criminal damage – A resident in the 200 block of Blossom Court contacted police after she noticed a bag of garbage in front of her vehicle. While there was no damage to the vehicle, the resident told police she found garbage in the handles of the vehicle and on the windshield.

Criminal Damage to Property -- A resident in the 800 block of Marseilles Circle told police that she was awakened by someone banging on her rear sliding door at 1:45 a.m. The resident described the person as a male with white hair and approximately 60 to 70 years of age. She told police that four exterior window screens were damaged

Retail theft – Police were summoned to Woodman’s Market by store officials who said they observed a man place a bottle of Crown Royal in his pants. Reports say the man then walked out of the main entrance without paying and approached a gray SUV. Store personnel followed the man to the parking lot and requested he return to pay for the stolen item. The man, reports say, refused and entered his vehicle, and left the parking lot headed westbound on Deerfield Parkway. Reports say the man called to apologize and agreed to return to Woodman’s to pay for the stolen item, valued at $21.99. Despite his gesture, he was provided with a retail theft adjudication citation and a trespass warning.

Motor Vehicle Theft -- A resident in the 740 block of Grove Drive told police that her car was missing. It was parked in the parking lot of her residence overnight, but it was gone the next morning. Police did not provide a description of the vehicle or if it was recovered.

Motor Vehicle Theft – Wheeling police notified Buffalo Grove police that a resident’s car was found with its rear window smashed in while parked in a condominium complex in Wheeling. The owner told police he last left the vehicle, an Infiniti Q50, in the parking lot of his residence in the 1100 block of Windbrooke Drive, and had not given permission or the keys to anyone.

Criminal Damage to Property – A resident in the 3000 block of Roslyn Lane told police that during a power failure in her neighborhood, “an unknown subject or subjects” began banging on her front door for several minutes. She told police that while checking the front door, she said she heard a noise by her rear sliding glass doors. Upon checking her rear sliding glass doors, she told police she noticed that one of the doors was slightly ajar, but not completely opened. Reports say responding officers checked the rear sliding glass door from the outside and noticed two pry marks on the door, near the locking mechanism

Battery – A Buffalo Grove man was charged with Battery - making contact of a physical and provoking nature and Battery - causing bodily harm following an incident in the 200 block of Hiawatha Dr. Reports say the man and a woman were verbally arguing in the front yard before the man reportedly threw a can of beer at her which struck her.

Burglary to Motor Vehicle – Police were summoned to the parking lot at the Arboretum Golf Club where a woman said someone broke into her car. She told officers that when she returned to her car, which had no signs of forced entry, she noticed items, which were not cited in the report, were missing from the vehicle’s center counsel.

Driving without a license – Officers investigating a hit-and-run accident charged a woman with leaving the scene of an accident, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident and driving/never issued a license after the incident. Reports indicate that the driver, 31 of Palatine, was located after a witness told police that they witnessed the accident and the car had damage to the bumper which caused it to be dragged on the pavement. Police spotted the car a short time later and the driver was charged.

 

In Other Community News

Trick-or-Treat hours set

            Trick-or-treat hours in Buffalo Grove are 3 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31.

            In addition to little ghosts and goblins going door-to-door, The Buffalo Grove Fire Department will have a drive-thru trick-or-treat event, from 2-4 p.m. on Oct. 31 at Fire Station 26, 1051 Highland Grove Drive.

Farmers Market season ends Sunday

            The last day of 2024 Buffalo Grove Farmers market is Sunday. As always, the market will be open from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Mike Rylko Park, 951 McHenry Road. As always, the market will feature a variety of items including locally grown fruits, vegetables, condiments, gourmet coffee and pastries.

Raysa remembered

            Village officials, both past and present, paid tribute to William Raysa who was Village Attorney from 1977 until 2018. Raysa died Sept. 23 at age 79. According to the Daily Herald, Raysa was “An expert in the field of municipal annexation, he had a hand in 154 village annexations and also helped draft legislation that amended the annexation sections of the Illinois Municipal Code.” Read more tributes to Mr. Raysa, including those by longtime Village Clerk Jan Sirabian at this link.

Immunization records due in D21

Student immunization records for Dist. 21 students are due Oct. 15. According to the district, all families must submit their child's immunization records to their school by that date. Failure to provide these records by this date will result in students being excluded from attending school until the documentation is received.

District 21 warns of water pellet guns

            Michael Connolly, superintendent of School District 21, has a message for parents about water pellet guns – they don’t belong in school.

            In a message to parents, Connolly said that “the use of Orbeez water pellet guns and other look-alike toy guns. While these toys may seem harmless, they pose several risks, not only to children’s safety but also in how they are perceived in the community, especially by law enforcement.” His message, which can be found here, details a myriad of concerns and issues related to the pellet guns.

First phase of Arlington Heights Road work nearly finished

            Over the past few weeks, the installation of storm sewer infrastructure and improvements up to Fremont Way have continued as part of the Arlington Heights Road reconstruction project. The contractor also placed temporary pavement in the centerline of Arlington Heights Road from Buffalo Creek to Brittany Lane.

            Construction officials say that in the coming weeks, storm sewer infrastructure installation up to IL-83 should be completed. Meanwhile, crews are preparing to relocate in utilities anticipation of the Stage 2 phase of the project. 

            Traffic remains in the two outside lanes with daily shifts as needed for sewer work or utility relocation. Motorists should expect occasional stoppages of traffic flow when trucks are dumping materials or equipment is moving.

            Full details about the project can be found here.

New configuration on Aptakisic Road

            The Lake County Department of Transportation has a new traffic pattern in effect on Aptakisic Road.

            Eastbound traffic has shifted to the south along the curb and gutter starting at IL Rt. 83 to Buffalo Grove Road. This traffic switch is necessary to build the concrete medians, pavement grinding and asphalt paving. Westbound traffic will remain in its current configuration.

            Information about this project is available at this site.

Cops collecting coats for vets

            The Police Department is collecting “new or gently used” winter coats as part of its annual winter coat drive. The drive, which runs through April 1, are donated to the Midwest Veterans Closet and made available to local veterans and their families.

            Men’s, women’s and children’s coats can be dropped off in the Police Department lobby, 46 Raupp Blvd.

            In addition to coats, Midwest Veterans Closet, based in North Chicago, provides clothing, housewares, durable goods, food and bed and bath projects to veterans and their families. Additional information about the organization can be found at this link.

Symphonic band concert set

            The Buffalo Grove Symphonic Band will present its 24th Annual Fall Concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16 at Vernon Hills High School, located at 145 Lakeview Parkway in Vernon Hills.

            The concert, "A ‘Heard’ of Goats,” will feature music from the 19th and 20th centuries, some originally for wind bands and others transcribed from music written originally for orchestra. Featured composers include Persichetti, Verdi, Weber, Johann Strauss, Bizet, Stravinsky and Aaron Copland. Tickets are available at this website.

DPW facility dedicated

            The village's new Public Works facility, located at 1650 Leider Lane was officially dedicated with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Sept. 27. The $34 million project marks the village's largest facility upgrade to date.

            The village purchased the Leider Lane building, which had been vacant for over two years, in 2022. Village officials say the adaptive reuse of the warehouse space provided significant cost savings compared to new construction.

Speaking of DPW…

            The Public Works Department has received full accreditation by the American Public Works Association (APWA) for the 6th time. APWA’s Region V Director Larry Hummel formally presented the reaccreditation plaque at the October 7 Village Board meeting. Village officials say the accreditation “formally verifies and recognizes that the agency is in full compliance with the recommended management practices set forth in APWA’s Public Works Management Practices Manual.”

Delayed at the tracks?

 

 

            Work on the tracks that are utilized by Metra’s North Central line posed delays for motorists last week. The work is being done by the Canadian Northern Railroad which owns and maintains the tracks.

 Need a Reason to Celebrate?

Oct. 10

Local Government Day

National Cake Decorating Day

World Porridge Day

Oct. 11

National Sausage Pizza Day

Southern Food Heritage Day

National Spread Joy Day

Oct. 12

Day of Respect For Cultural Diversity

Farmers Day

Harry Potter Book Day

Oct. 13

Breast Cancer Awareness Day

International Skeptics Day

National M&M Day

National Train Your Brain Day

Oct. 14

Be Bald and Be Free Day

National Dessert Day

National I Love You Day

National Kick Butt Day

Oct. 15

Global Handwashing Day

I Love Lucy Day

National Cheese Curd Day

Oct. 16

National Liqueur Day

National Take Your Parents To Lunch Day

Support Your Local Chamber of Commerce Day

Oct. 17

Conflict Resolution Day

National Pasta Day

Wear Something Gaudy Day

Oct. 18

National Chocolate Cupcake Day

National Necktie Day

National Mashed Potato Day

 

Got News?

If you have news about your club, school, church, synagogue or other community organization, please submit news, information and story ideas to BuffaloGroveNews@Gmail.com.

Articles should include a contact name, email and phone number. Commentary articles are also welcome. They should be limited to 350 words and should include contact information as noted above. All submissions may be edited for style, spelling, and libelous content.

Questions about B.G. News & Info. should be sent to BuffaloGroveNews@Gmail.com.

Buffalo Grove News and Info, is locally and independently produced by Buffalo Grove resident Stan Zoller. A longtime journalist and journalism educator, Zoller covers Buffalo Grove and monitors news and information about the village, its schools, park district and community events. Buffalo Grove News and Information is not affiliated with any municipal body. Zoller is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Chicago Headline Club.

 

Subscribe by email

If you want to receive Buffalo Grove News & Information by email, send your email address to BuffaloGroveNews@Gmail.com.