Cook County briefs
Not keeping his mouth shut:
A Bartlett teen spit in the faces of two officers after police arrived Thursday to break up a domestic dispute, police said. Thomas Alagna, 17, of the 500 block of Irvington Court, was arrested at 4:30 p.m. Thursday and charged with two felony counts of aggravated battery and with consumption of alcohol by a minor, police said. The arrest comes two days after Alagna was charged with biting a man after entering the victim's car near his home. Police said he was intoxicated with narcotics during that incident. Paramedics on Thursday took Alagna to St. Alexius Medical Center in Hoffman Estates. He's due in DuPage County jail after his release and faces a future court date.
Special Olympics fundraiser:
Palatine Township Elementary District 15 is hosting a fundraiser, "A Night for the Blue Jays," to benefit its Special Olympics program at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 4. The district fields seven teams in five sports for up to 46 weeks each year. The event, which includes entertainment, a raffle and silent auction, will take place at the Cotillion Banquets, 360 S. Creekside Drive, Palatine. Tickets are $60 per person and include dinner and open bar. For information, call Terri Storino at (847) 963-5564.
Gang awareness seminar:
Mainstay Youth & Family Services will present a free gang awareness and prevention seminar from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 1, at Maine Township Town Hall, 1700 Ballard Rd., Park Ridge. Township Trustee Laura Morask, a prosecutor with the Cook County State's Attorney's Office and an expert on local gangs, will provide an in-depth look into gang identifiers specific to a Maine Township neighborhood such as signs, colors and names. For information, call Michelle Biondo at (847) 297-2510, ext. 271, or visit mainetownship.com.
Des Plaines names finance director:
Dorothy Wisniewski has been named Des Plaines' new finance director. Wisniewski served as the acting finance director since February 2008. Since August 2007, Wisniewski served as an assistant to Des Plaines Finance Director Jim Egeberg, who resigned his post in January 2008. Wisniewski previously worked as senior auditor for KPMG, Chicago. She also worked as senior accountant for Parkway Bank & Trust Co. in Harwood Heights.
Polling place changes:
The Cook County clerk's office is reminding voters and election judges that precinct polling places can change. This election, 24 of 2,290 precincts are changing, office spokeswoman Courtney Greve said. In Schaumburg, for instance, the Prairie Center for the Arts was not available April 7, so precinct 37 will move to the Schaumburg Township District Library at Schaumburg and Roselle roads and precinct 59 will move to Michael Collins School at 407 S. Summit Drive.