The Kane County Forest Preserve District has scheduled a series of birdwatching walks beginning next month.
Led by a Forest Preserve District naturalist, the walks will cover essential bird-identification skills and include stories about birds, according to a press release about the series.
The walks, which are free, will all go from 10 to 11 a.m. They are set for Sunday, Dec. 8, at Fox River Shores Forest Preserve at 701 N. Williams Road in Carpentersville; Friday, Jan. 17, at Hannaford Woods/Nickels Farm Forest Preserve at 5S002 Merrill Road in Sugar Grove; and Friday, Feb. 14, at Fox River Bluff West Forest Preserve at 5N753 Route 31 in St. Charles.
Advance registration is required for the walks. To register, go to www.kaneforest.com/register, call 630-444-3190 or email programs@kaneforest.com.
For more information, go to www.kaneforest.com or find the district on social media by searching @forestpreserve.
Concert scheduled at St. Charles Library
The St. Charles Public Library will continue its Sunday Concert Series with a performance by the Elgin Symphony Orchestra Woodwind Trio at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 17, in the Carnegie Community Room at the library, 1 S. Sixth Ave. in St. Charles.
The free concert will feature the trio of Scott Metlicka, Joshua Fleming and Patrick Rehker.
Yard waste program set in Montgomery
Montgomery’s contracted waste hauler, LRS, will offer residents two sticker-free weeks of yard waste collection this fall, scheduled for Nov. 11 through Nov. 22, village officials said.
During that time, residents can place an unlimited number of yard waste bags (brown paper bags, no plastic) or two-handled containers 35-gallon in size or smaller on their curbs on their regularly scheduled waste collection days without the need for yard waste stickers, according to officials.
Accepted items for sticker-free yard waste collection include grass clippings, leaves, weeds, small brush, yard trimmings and other organic materials suitable for composting.
For more information, call the Montgomery Public Works Department at 630- 896-9241 or go to the village of Montgomery’s website at montgomeryil.org/168/Leaf-Collection.
Toys for Tots donation site open
State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, has announced that her district office is once again serving as a Toys for Tots donation site this holiday season.
Residents are invited to bring new toys, books and unwrapped gifts (no stuffed animals) to Kifowit’s district office at 1677 Montgomery Road, Suite 116, in Aurora, according to a press release about the drive. Donations will be accepted through Dec. 3.
“The holiday season is a time of giving, and I am proud to continue my partnership with Toys for Tots to serve children and families in our community,” said Kifowit in the release. “Every toy donated represents a moment of happiness and hope, and together, we can make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.”
Donations will be accepted at Kifowit’s district office from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and from 9 a.m. to noon on Fridays.
For more information, contact Kifowit’s office at 630-585-1308 or email stephanie.kifowit@att.net.
Health department offering insurance enrollment help
The DuPage County Health Department is providing help for county residents enrolling in health care coverage either through renewing a plan or joining Marketplace.
If insurance is not available through an employer, Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program or another source, they can enroll in a Marketplace health insurance plan, a county news release said.
Open enrollment has begun for 2025 health coverage. Enrollments or renewals must be completed by Dec. 15 for coverage to start on Jan. 1.
New this enrollment year, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA) recipients may be eligible for Marketplace coverage as soon as Dec. 1, the release said. Financial assistance remains available to help lower the cost of insurance for individuals meeting the income eligibility criteria, the release said.
