Elgin News Digest: HVAC unit being airlifted to roof of new South Elgin Public Safety Center; District U-46 School Board makes Melissa Owens its new president; Boys & Girls Club of Elgin rebranded with new North Central Illinois name

Mike Danahey, Courier-News (Elgin, Ill.)
·3 min read

HVAC unit being airlifted to roof of new South Elgin Public Safety Center

A helicopter lifting heavy HVAC equipment to the roof of South Elgin’s Public Safety Center will require several temporary street closings between sometime between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. Thursday, May 16.

Midwest Helicopter officials anticipate the work will take 15 to 20 minutes, according to a post on the South Elgin Facebook page. The public is advised to stay away from the area during the process as it involves dangling heavy equipment and potential construction debris being blown around.

The temporary closures and traffic pattern changes include:

  • Eastbound State Street traffic from North LaFox Street to and across the State Street Bridge will be allowed as normal.

  • Westbound State Street traffic will be diverted to North Water Street immediately after crossing the State Street Bridge. Westbound West State Street will be closed during this time between North Water Street and North LaFox Street.

  • South LaFox Street between West State Street and West Middle Street will be closed in both directions.

  • West Middle Street between South LaFox Street and South Water Street will be closed in both directions.

  • School districts U-46 and 303 transportation divisions are aware of the operation.

District U-46 School Board makes Melissa Owens its new president

Melissa Owens is now president of the U-46 School Board.

At the May 6 meeting, Owens was unanimously elected to the post by her fellow board members. The board chooses from among its members in May each year to serve one year terms in certain roles.

Owens had served as the board’s vice president and was nominated to be president this time by Sue Kerr, who had served as president since 2019. Both women are from Bartlett.

Kate Thommes, of Elgin, who had served as the board’s secretary, was elected vice president and board member Chanda Schwartz, of Bartlett, was chosen secretary pro tempore.

Owens thanked Kerr for her poise in leading the district through the COVID-19 pandemic and during the search that led to appointing the current superintendent, Suzanne Johnson.

“You’ve been a great board, and you are great people to work with,” Kerr said.

Boys & Girls Club of Elgin rebranded with new North Central Illinois name

The Boys & Girls Club of Elgin has been renamed and is now called the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central Illinois.

The new name was announced at the club’s annual youth awards celebration, the Blue Star Celebration, held May 9 at its South Elgin clubhouse.

According to a club news release, the decision to rebrand comes as the organization expands its reach to cover Aurora, Elgin, Hanover Park, Streamwood, Schaumburg and South Elgin. Expansion plans include opening a site in DeKalb, oening a new clubhouse in Aurora and running preschool programming at the South Elgin clubhouse.

The organization currently serves neary 2,000 youths daily at 34 sites. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/boysgirlsclubofelgin.