This summer will be filled with rehearsals and performances for Zachary Keller, who just graduated from Lake Zurich Middle School North. Zach stars in the world premiere of HERO, a new musical at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire.

Zach got his start as an actor in a fourth-grade play at Seth Paine School. He’s been hooked ever since and has appeared in several professional productions including The Sound of Music and Ragtime at Drury Lane Theatre, For the Boys at Marriott Theatre and To Kill a Mockingbird at Steppenwolf Theatre.

Zach said he enjoys the acting as well as the actors.

“I like actors; their personalities are all different. I like meeting new people. All actors know all the other actors and it’s like a small community,” he said.

HERO tells the story of a talented young artist living anything but a superhero life. After a life-changing event his senior year in high school, Hero still finds himself living at home with his dad, Al, who runs the family comic book shop in Milwaukee. Things start to change for him when he bumps into an old girlfriend, and with the encouragement of his dad, and his best friend and cousin, Kirk, Hero finally has a chance to realize his own dream. HERO is an endearing musical that explores those extraordinary moments in ordinary life … when there are no superheroes to the rescue. 

Zach is part of the ensemble and plays Nate in the matinee performances. Nate is Kirk’s younger brother. 

“I really like my character. He relates a lot to me. I’m very independent like Nate. Nate likes comic books and I collect old comic books from the ‘50s and ‘60s. He seems like an all-American kid and that’s how I think of myself,” Zach said. 

Mary Keller, Zach’s mom, said her entire family is looking forward to this show. 

“It’s a brand-new musical that has never been done, so there’s a lot of excitement for all of us,” she said. Zach is the youngest of four children.

HERO was written by Aaron Thielen, co-artistic director for the Marriott Theatre. Music is by Michael Mahler, a Chicago-based composer. 

HERO previews June 20, opens on at 8 p.m. June 27 and runs through Aug. 19, 2012. Eleven-time Jeff award-winner David H. Bell directs and choreographs. Erich Bergen (JERSEY BOYS, Nat’l Tour) stars as Hero Batowski.

Visit the Marriott Theatre of Hero Musical for more information.

Officers are looking for any information from the public into the apparent homicide of Harry Dahms, 68, of Russell. He was found at approximately 8:30am June 1 in the driveway of his residence. Dahms was the victim of an apparent homicide.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the 14000 block of Russell Road in Russell, for a report of a man down on Friday, according to a press release.

Dahms was last seen at his home Thursday, May 31, at approximately 10:10 p.m. He is approximately six feet tall and heavy set. He was wearing a dark shirt, khaki colored shorts and tan work boots, according to the LCSO.  

The Dahms residence is located on the north side of Russell Road just west of the railroad tracks in Russell. The home is a two-story white farm-house style with a detached garage to the west of the residence.

The LCSO said Dahms was known to frequent Truck Stops of America and Toors Trucks Stop, both businesses located just west of the Tollway on Russell Road. He also was known to frequently go to the BP gas station, 8611 Sheridan Road in Kenosha and Forty-Five North restaurant in Antioch.

“The Lake County Sheriff’s Office, as well as myself personally, have worked with Harry Dahms in his capacity as a member of the Lake County Fair Board and we are saddened by his death,” said Sheriff Mark Curran. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.” 

A reward of up to $1000.00 is being offered by Lake County Crime Stoppers. Visit their website at www.lakecountycrimestoppers.com/ or call their Tip Line at 1-847-662-2222.

A Dedicated Man

Lake County Farm Bureau Executive Director Gregory Koeppen said Dahms was dedicated to everything having to do with the Lake County Fair Association in Grayslake.

"Harry was a good friend to Farm Bureau and the Fair Association," said Koeppen. "He dedicated countless hours of time and talent to make the former Lake County Fairgrounds a place people would enjoy year-round." 

Koeppen said Dahms worked tirelessly on the old Fairgrounds at Routes 45 and 120.

"Harry knew every inch of the old fairgrounds," Koeppen said. "From 50-year-old water lines to fixing up buildings to ensure visitors had a great experience, Harry was a longtime fixture at the Fair as both a board member and grounds supervisor."

Koeppen said Dahms would be deeply missed.

"Even in the snow and rain, it wasn't uncommon to see Harry's Harley drive past my office window on his way back to the Fair office," Koeppen said. "Personally, I knew Harry as a simple guy who would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He will be missed by his Lake County Fair family and friends. His murder truly is a tragedy."

Anyone having information regarding this investigation is urged to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division at 847-377-4250.

A little after 5 p.m. Tuesday, residents of North America will have an opportunity to witness one of the rarest predictable celestial events: a transit of Venus.

Often referred to as the "Evening Star" or "Morning Star," Venus is the brightest natural object in our sky after the Sun and the Moon. As the second planet from the Sun, it's closer to the Sun than the Earth is. 

A "transit" of Venus occurs when Venus passes between us and the Sun in such a way that we can see Venus's silhouette backlit by the Sun's brilliant light. It last happened in 2004, but it won't happen again until 2117. Unless you plan to shatter some human longevity records, this is probably your last chance.

Were Venus either large enough or close enough to block out the Sun's light as it passed, we would call this event an eclipse, as we do when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun. Venus, however, is a little bit smaller than the Earth and about 27 million miles away. When its tiny silhouette is viewed against the Sun, which lies another 66 million miles beyond, it can offer viewers a dramatic sense of the solar's system's vast scale.

Tuesday evening's weather forecast in Lake Zurich calls for partly cloudy skies. Assuming the weather cooperates, the transit will be visible for us starting at about 5:04 p.m. on Tuesday and will remain so until the sun sets. Those in the central and western U.S. will be able to enjoy it longer, while viewers in Alaska, Japan, and large section of Australia, China, and Russia will be able to see it in its entirety. By the time the Sun rises on the East Coast on Wednesday, Venus will have completed the transit.

How to watch

Never look directly at the sun with your naked eyes. You can damage your eyes. Likewise, viewing the sun with either binoculars or a telescope can direct the sun's magnified rays directly into your eyeball and cause serious injury―think about what happens to ants under a magnifying glass.

Sunglasses do not provide sufficient protection. If you know someone who works in plumbing or construction, ask them if they have any #14 welder's glass. You can look directly at the sun through this material without risking injury.

If you have a tripod or a partner and a pair of steady hands, you can use binoculars to project an image of the Sun onto a white piece of paper. Remember, don't look through your binoculars at the sun!

Though it's not quite the same as viewing the phenomenon in person, there are several places to watch the transit of Venus online:

• The Slooh Space Camera will offer an 8-hour webcast of the transit that includes real-time video feeds from 10 telescopes around the world.
• Astronomers Without Borders will carry a video stream of the transit from the Mount Wilson Observatory in California.
• NASA will offer a live video feed from Mauna Kea observatory in Hawaii with expert commentary.
• The San Francisco Exploratorium will host an online video stream from the Mauna Loa telescope in Hawaii.

Lastly, there's Don Pettit, an astronaut currently aboard the International Space Station. Pettit's not doing a video feed, but he will become the first person to ever photograph a transit of Venus from outer space. 

Get your local news delivered daily, for free, by subscribing to the Lake Zurich Patch newsletter. 

Moments after his victory speech in the California presidential primary, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, a presidential candidate, was shot three times in a hail of gunfire in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, on June 5, 1968.

Hubert Humphrey took the Democratic nomination that year and was defeated by Richard Nixon. Do you ever wonder how history may have changed if Robert Kennedy missed that bullet?

And here’s some other information you might need today:

• Where do I find the lowest gas prices today in Lake Zurich?
• Show me the live traffic from Lake Zurich to Chicago.
• Tell me the most recent weather forecast for the area.

• Check out all the places that you can visit in Lake Zurich.
• Give me a list of today's events. 

 Is there information you'd like to get every day that we haven't included here? Let Lake Zurich Editor Claudia Lenart know, and we'll try our best to include it!

The Chicago Marathon race director, Carey Pinkowksi, will speak at the Alpine Runners meeting, Wednesday, June 6, at 7:30 p.m.

Find out more of the behind the scenes of this year’s Chicago Marathon. First time Chicago Marathoners, this is a must if you want to get even more inspired for your marathon experience! The meeting will be held at the Barn at Paulus Park, 200 S. Rand Rd., Lake Zurich.          

The Alpine Runners will have a second informational marathon training program on Thursday, June 7, from 6:30 to 9 p..m. at Dick Pond Athletics in Schaumburg. 

Runners can sign up for this year’s marathon training program at www.alpinerunners.com.  It is only $20 for Alpine members. For non-members the fee is $50 which will include the 2012 Alpine Membership. Let friends know and they can train with you and have the best marathon experience ever! See all the details and benefits at www.alpinerunners.com.

Saturday June 9, at 7 a.m. is the Alpine Runners first kick-off marathon training run that goes through October 20 at the Lake Zurich High School.

Grade 6, High Honor Roll

Aubrey Anderson, Eric Antonoff, Kaylin Antonoff, Hanna Auge, Savanna Avitia, Julianna Babin, Ben Baca, David Bae, Brandon Banach, Brooke Boncosky, Andrew Bouc, Holly Brill, Kristin Brousseau, Charlotte Buckland, Penelope Burke, Samantha Cameron, Meredith Carrigan, Kira Clouse, Alec Coleman, Emma Connick, Sara Cozzi, Emma Daleske, Colin Davern, Jordan Dickson, Emily Drozd, Kylie Dykgraaf, Claire Enk, Lauren Ethridge, Nolan Foreman, Meghan Furlong, Payton Gagliardi, Deanna Gambino, Emma Gannon, Jackson Gillen, Olivia Grenier, Brennan Groble, Katherine Guy, Marian Guzman, Alexis Halinski, Nicholas Hervatin, Luke Holicky, Jason Ims, Alexa Juarez, Jacob Kamins, Maxwell Katzman, Kelsey Kee, Sydney Kehrmann, Hannah Kirkpatrick, Austin Krause, Elisa Krause, Cassie Kunschke, Alexandria Leitl, Greta Lilly, Veronica Lloyd, Jessica Malek, Ioannis Manousaridis, Nicole Marguerite, Emma McCabe, Sophia McConchie, Emily McGuckin, Ryan Menas, Erick Mendez, Jacob (Jake) Meyer, Megan Monoson, Luke Moore, Dayna Morga, Abigail Mottier, Kelly Mui, Kathleen Murphy, Evan Natsis, Spiro Natsis, Tyler Naughtrip, Elizabeth Nettikadan, Kianna Novak, Sophia Paparone, Prithu Patel, Carley Peldiak, Sophia Pepsoski, Olivia Pratt, Andrew Pytlak, Gabriella Quintavalli, Ragini Rangan, Bryan Rasbid, Collin Rasbid, Kylie Repsold, Skylar Rigsby, Cade Ryan, Blake Salvon, Hannah Schmitt, Madeline
Schultze, Jack Shafer, Aiden Siegel, Eric Slaughter, Austin Sonnentag, Eli Steuer, Braedon Talley, Paul Tauras, Iveta Totoryte, McKenna Toussaint, Danielle Vezensky, Elizabeth Volpa, Jordan Weber, Cynthia Wei, Zuzanna Wierzbicka, Haley Wold, Dale Young, Laura Zborovsky, Aleksandra Zigic, Grant Zuchnik

Grade 6, Honor Roll

Breanna Abboud, Paige Bandel, Oliver Bedgood-Wagner, Jackson Bohn, Rachel Brauer, Jacob Brodner, Melanie Brown, Taylor Buergey, Matthew Burke, William Burns, Daniel Bush, Jesus Castillo, Jakob Cocanig, Benjamin Connick, Benjamin Cornelius, Donovan Dawson, Nicholas DiMaggio, Alec Drehobl, Taylor Dunteman, Veronika Dzienis, Madison Englehardt, Samantha Everhart, Anthony Falato, Julia Funk, Anna Galuppo, Jack Garite, Adrienne Gilbert, Aidan Gorny, Nathan Gralinski, Kyle Grenier, Steven Grenier, Michael Griffith, Matthew Grom, Justin Grzonka, Kenneth Haynes, Daisy Hernandez, Abigail Holmes, Kevin Hunt, Liam Hurley, Michael Hutchings, Mariah Jaimes, Gabriella Jianette, Ronan Kennedy, Lacey Ketcham, Ethan Koif, Michael Kopke, Austin Krueger, Alexander Kubin, Michael Kuecker, Paige Kuklinski, Angelica Kwak, Maia Latta, Eric Lindgren, Jack Matasek, Austin Matuszewski, Addison McGrath, Duncan McMillan, Odaliz Mendez, Eric Metzger, Edward Mihok, Justin Miller, Michelle Mishalov, Rebecca Mnichowicz, Timothy Murguia, Simone Nambiar, Cole Nemec, Kathleen O'Connor, Vincent O'Brill, David Odom, Elijah Ogletree, Tyler Orton, Noah Parker, Nicole Pawlik, Tara Peterson, Matthew Prince, Bennett Pugliese, Kristina Ralph, Nicholas Rantis, Samuel Razin, Bailey Recktenwald, Amanda Russo, Crystal Sanchez, Thomas Schutter, Adam Sieb, Simer Singh, Evan Skelton, Heidi Smith, Jessica Stevens, Danylo Stupinskyy, Katherine Such, Allison Szywala, Claudia Tribuzio, Chloe Wallace, Djoule Warren, Connor Wells, Johari Williams

Grade 7, High Honor Roll

Ryan Andrasco, Maxwell Andrews, Maxwell Armbruster, Jordyn Becich, Derek Beck, Michael Bens, Caitlyn Bertrand, Sarah Blase, Jack Breiter, Charles Byrd, Marilou Cameron, Francesca Castro, Sally Chen, Gianna
Cosmo, Brian Croke, Alyssa Davis, Samantha Dehio, Rahul Desai, Emily Fabbrini, Shane Fella, Danielle Fewkes, Kyle Fleming, Nelly Fonarev, Mikayla Forster, Tara Frank, Samantha Fye, Angela Gaggiano, Sarah Gaughan, Jack
Gelinas, Tyler Gillen, Aaron Glave, Leisha Goel, Jacob Goldstein, Alexis Gora, Madison Hart, Cameron Hoglund, Juliana Hood, Nicole Jermak, Anna Johnson, Kaelie Johnson, Kayla Keck, Mia Keeler, Christine Keller, Ryan Kim, Matthew Krokos, Ethan Lane, Ryan Lilly, Ariana Marciniak, Maureen McCullough, Kyle McCurley, Kiersten McDevitt, Brian McNair, Katelyn Menas, Eber Mendez, Maxwell Metzger, Alexander Miller, Jeffrey Murphy, Vada Murray, Abigail Nagel, Alena Naqvi, Dana Nelson, Anmol Nigam, Jennifer Olen, Eric Pappas, Tyler Paul, Dylan Petrou, Alvin Pham, Rylie Quast, Morgan Rossi, Brianne Saab, Kyle Schroeder, Lauren Schulte, Michael Setlock, Shivani Shah, Lauren Shon, Harrison Smith, Noah Sung, Matthew Svanson, Danna Tabachnik, Samhita Tammana, Lauren Tassi, Bridget Tuckey, Justin Turek, Natalie Ullman, Kaitlin Vages, Nivisa Vakeesan, Page Wallace, Nicholas Weber, Mackenzie Weider, James Weimer, Brandon Wohler, Joshua Wu

Grade 7, Honor Roll

Andrew Amft - Reyes, Nathaniel Bass, Anthony Benigni, Zachary Bonus, Morgan Bosse, Ryan Brandt, Justin Brend, Natalia Budzik, Nathan Bushati, Kevin Busscher, Ty Carey, Regan Carter, Angela Chairez, Kyle Chamberlain, Alexis Charnogorsky, Kendall Cox, Jessica Crenshaw, Noah DeJong, Joshua Dsouza, Nicholas Fontana, Jillian Gallagher, Jane Giese, Jeffrey Glatz, Noah Higginson, Cassandra Hoffman, Camryn Horning, Nathan Hughes, Tucker Hughes, Emily Hunt, Daisy Jimenez, Jack Johnson, Derrick Juarez, Jack Karris, Julia Ketcham, Francis Kim, Lara Kolb, Zemri Kolberg-Sepulveda, Maryjane Koza, Tyler Krasavage, Rebecca Kubin, Luke Kuhn, Joseph Lesus, Marinne Lilly, Kevin Lin, Cameron Lopez, Terran Loughman, Megan Lutman, Thomas Messina, Wyatt
Michel, Colleen Miller, Jennifer Miller, Emily Murguia, Dylan Niedzwiecki, Trevor Niedzwiecki, Cori Pace, Allison Pahios, Kevin Pelczynski, Kearra Perry, Krista Peterson, Amanda Pflaumer, Michelle Ramirez, Mikayla Reilly, Sophia Rodriguez, Nikola Saric, Austin Schaub, Andrew Schelonka, Colleen Schinler, Quinn Sharo, Kevin Sharp, Blake Skupien, Natalie Supergan, Matthew Szarkowicz, Thomas Szarkowicz, Alyssa Townsend, Sarah Vander Weit, Arturo Varela, Courtney Veitch, Hannah Wach, Jason Washburn, Sydney Wilkerson, Mark Wu, Max Zbierowski, Noah Zoibi

Grade 8, High Honor Roll

Amelia Ablan, Alana Blanchard, Camden Boyle, William Buchta, Graham Butler, Logan Cardona, Colin Carroll, Kendal Charnota, Danielle Collins, Madeline Currie, Vanessa DiVincenzo, Tony Fu, Nicole Gaggiano, Catherine Gilbert, Elizabeth Gilbert, Andrew Gilbertson, Taylor Gold, Vanessa Gore, Caleb Harada, Calsy Hartman, Ryan Hunt, Victoria Ivanov, Josselin Juras, Devon Kennedy, Alex Krueger, Taylor Kuhn, Nicole Lima, Grace Maqsood, Katherine McGuckin, Aaron Michael, Matthew Milner, Madiha Molani, Amanda Morgan, Rhea Nambiar, Natalie Paparone, Matthew Pappas, Sangamithra Pugazenthi, Jacob Reilly, Madeline Roach, Amanda Sarsha, Caitlin Shepard, Nina Skowyra, Rachel Sobol, Timothy Spears, Ziyi Sun, Alexandra Walker, Caitlin Wessel, Caroline Winiarski, Megan Yerger, Michael Young, Christopher Yun

Grade 8, Honor Roll

Matthew Allen-Gonzalez, Michaella Andersen, Adam Babin, Zainab Beg, Miller Beyer, Rebecca Beyer, Emily Bodett, Shane Brady, Sean Brown, Charlotte Canonne, Kyle Conlon, Riley Cook, Jesse Dever, Emma Ecklund, Lucas Ehrhardt, Emily Fuller, Raleigh Funk, Nicole Furio, Sarah Galateanu, Kevin Gallagher, Abigail Gallier, Maria Galuppo, Arthur Garcia, Karl Gerlach, Sydney Goldman, Olivia Hamby, Addison Howell, Ethan Jones, Riley Jorn, Zachary Keller, Angela Ketcham, Kayla Kosatka, Jacob Kubin, Jake Laystrom, Bo Kun Lee, Hannah
Lehar, Emilee Lim, Arden Lipsky, Ashley Mangano, Caitlyn Maskalunas, Shannon McCabe, Daniel Mnichowicz, Abigail Mulderink, Jake Murray, Christopher Nemec, Cara O'Donovan, Alexa Ocampo, Zoe Paget, Mark Pauli, Nicholas Penny, Logan Pfeifer, Mackenzie Poole, Bret Pugliese, Lauren Rands, Rachel
Sacca, Kennedy Schaefges, Rahil Shah, Erick Smith, Hannah Smith, Juliana Stoner, Zachary Sullivan, Victoria Szady, Katherine Thorne, Matthew Turner, Shea Walter, Sydney Weber, Natalie Weith, Austin Wells, Grace Williams, Kyle Wilson, Katherine Wojtala, Natalie Young 

The traffic signals at Honey Lake Road and Rand Road are scheduled to start working today. 

Village Trustee Jonathon Sprawka noted that commuters may want to leave a little earlier this morning as the new traffic lights may cause confusion.

The traffic signal was identified by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) as necessary due to a history of accidents at the intersection. 

Girl Scout Lauren Auster, who will be a Lake Zurich High School senior, received the Girl Scout Gold Award, which is comparable to Eagle Scout honors for Boy Scouts.

Auster painted a set of three murals at the Lake Zurich Park and Recreation Department's Buffalo Creek Building this year. She was recognized by Lake Zurich Village President Suzanne Branding and the village board, Monday night. 

"Lauren is a great Girl Scout. She's enthusiastic and a go getter," said Suzy Marshalla, her scout leader.

In a letter, Lauren wrote of how important it was for her to do something for children and to be a good influence for younger Girl Scouts. 

Here is her story:

The murals stood out to me as a project I would like to address because of my own personal interests and the needs of the community. Initially, when I introduced a project to the Lake Zurich Park and Recreation Department, I had a different idea that involved art as well (painting a mural at a local park). I enjoy art and other recreational activities and my goal was to inspire others to beautify and become active in their community.

Instead, the Lake Zurich Park and Recreation Department proposed that I paint murals in the Buffalo Creek Building. This was a project they had discussed and I was happy to accept because I was looking forward to working on project that involved art, which is one of the things I am very passionate about. Furthermore, I became very excited about this project because of the influence it would have on children in my community. I have three little brothers, I give piano lessons to children, I work with several younger Girl Scouts at camp, and I truly enjoy helping younger children learn, grow, and have fun.

In my opinion, painting murals in a building that is used for pre-school and dance classes is one of the best ways to positively influence a community. As they always say, the children of today are the future of tomorrow. This project allowed me to influence children in a positive way that will promote learning and creativity. 

Also, my project had an alternative purpose that I did not fully realize until I began painting. One day while I was working on the murals, several dance and pre-school classes were in session and a young girl I knew from Girl Scout Camp walked up to me. First, she admired the mural I was painting, but then she told me something that I will never forget. She told me that she wanted to be like me and paint murals for her own Gold Award. This statement struck me because, as a Girl Scout, I know that participation is very low once girls reach middle and high school. I was touched that I had inspired another girl to continue in scouting. Girl Scouts is very important to me and I believe that this project helped me show how scouts can impact their communities and the people around them. 

Furthermore, I would like to thank the following people for their support and generous donations. The Lake Zurich Park and Recreation Department and Mr. Perkins were enthusiastic about my project and I enjoyed working with them. Also, I could not have finished the murals without the generous donations I received from Sherwin Williams, Home Depot, and several friends. My Girl Scout leader, Mrs. Suzy Marshalla, has guided me through Girl Scouts for many years and I appreciate all the hard work she has put towards helping with my project. Also, Mrs. Mangano, my Girl Scout advisor, was a big help guiding me through the Gold Award process. Finally, I would like to thank my mother and my boyfriend for painting with me almost every Sunday this school year. I appreciate all their hard work and especially their patience. Painting at the Buffalo Creek Building was an unforgettable experience and I hope that the children who attend classes there enjoy the murals as much as I enjoyed painting them. 

Lauren Auster, Girl Scout 

In the early morning hours of June 6, 1944, Americans received word that three years of concerted war efforts had finally culminated in D-day--military jargon for the undisclosed time of a planned British, American, and Canadian action. During the night, over 5,300 ships and 11,000 planes had crossed the English Channel and landed on the beaches of Normandy. See more in the Library of Congress, American Memories.

And here’s some other information you might need today:

• Where do I find the lowest gas prices today in Lake Zurich?
• Show me the live traffic from Lake Zurich to Chicago.
• Tell me the most recent weather forecast for the area.

• Check out all the places that you can visit in Lake Zurich.
• Give me a list of today's events. 

 Is there information you'd like to get every day that we haven't included here? Let Lake Zurich Editor Claudia Lenart know, and we'll try our best to include it!

Lake Zurich Fire Chief David Wheelock said residents need to call ComEd in the event of a power outage. Residents should not call 911 in the event of an outage. 

Wheelock explained, at the Monday village board meeting, that the only way ComEd knows power is out is by customers reporting the outage. He said if only one person reports an outage, from ComEd’s perspective only one house is out of power. The system doesn’t recognize a large scale outage until it gets more reports. 

Wheelock said ComEd has doubled its capacity for phone lines and is offering a new program in which people can report an outage via text message. 

Subscribers to ComEd’s Outage Alerts program can simply text the word “OUT” to 26633 (COMED) to report an outage at the location ComEd has associated with their cell phone number and they receive regular updates on the status of their outage until service is restored. Non-subscribers who text “OUT” to 26633 will be invited to subscribe to the Outage Alerts program, according to a ComEd news release. New subscribers will receive a confirmation text-message that they successfully subscribed, and will immediately be enrolled to receive notifications on their cell phones or pagers when an outage has been reported at their address. For more information go to the ComEd website.

About 24 million children grow up without a father present in their home. In many communities nationwide, one out of three newborns don’t have a dad’s name listed on their birth certificate. Responsible fathering is something Barrington Hills resident David Hirsch takes very seriously, and has started a new social business venture to encourage dads everywhere to be more present.

Teamdad.com is David and Peggy Hirsch’s new creation. The website was created to compliment Hirsch’s first fatherhood organization, Illinois Fatherhood Initiative, or IFI.

“I’d give IFI a B+ or A- in regards to awareness,” Hirsch said. “We do a great job, we do things in a very big way. We engaged 18,000 kids to write essays about their dads this year. That’s really an effort to raise awareness. When we go to helping dads become better father figures, I’d give us a C,” he said.

That’s where TEAMDAD comes into play. The website offers more resources for fathers and father figures to improve on their parenting skills and help them become more actively involved in their children’s lives.

The website offers a self-assessment tool where dads can get immediate feedback on areas they need to improve in. The site also lists all of the responsible fathering organizations around the country, which is something no other national organization has done before.

“Most organizations just promote what they do. What we’ve done is turned that model upside down. We want to help promote all of these organizations that are doing good work in the name of children and fathers, so we’ve data-based about 400 organizations that we’ve made available by state and state resources,” Hirsch said.

TEAMDAD is also offering a Great Dads Coin; a keepsake meant to honor your own father, and help those without one. Everything printed on the coin has meaning to it. The outer ring of the coin features the core values great dads possess: Love, honesty, patience and commitment. The numbers 247365 represent the everlasting commitment a father gives his children. The bald eagle in the center of the coin represents protection and guardianship.

The handmade coins cost $15 and are meant to be given as gifts to the father figures in our lives.

“The proceeds from this endeavor are going to go towards promoting responsible fathering,” Hirsch said. “In Joliet, we hope to make a check presentation for the Children of Fallen Solider’s Relief Fund. That is just one of the many organizations that will benefit directly from the orders of the Great Dads Coin.”

Hirsch hopes TEAMDAD and the Great Dads Coin will help men all over the country learn to be better dads.

“It’s something that we hope will inspire and equip men to be great dads. It’s our vision that we’ll have dads, perhaps thousands of them, carrying these coins as a daily reminder of the relationship that they share with their kids,” Hirsch said.

To learn more about TEAMDAD, and to purchase a Great Dads Coin for Father's Day or another occasion, visit teamdad.com. Coins must be purchased by June 10 for guaranteed delivery by Father's Day. 

Get your local news delivered daily, for free, by subscribing to the Lake Zurich Patch newsletter.  

Former Lake Zurich village administrator Bob Vitas will be moving to the southernmost spot in the country – Key West, FL. Vitas was selected as Key West City Manager on Monday night, according to KeysNet.com. 

The Key West City Commission voted 4-3 to hire Vitas.  The salary was advertised as $180,000 annually, according to KeysNet.com. 

Vitas served as Lake Zurich village administrator from 2007 until December 2011, when he resigned from the position.  Vitas was paid $145,000 a year in Lake Zurich. He was awarded a $90,000 severance when he left in December. 

Vitas said he is eager to lead the island city, according to the Key West Citizen.  

McHenry County Sheriff’s deputies and the U.S. Marshal Fugitive Task Force arrested a Woodstock man Monday who is listed on the county’s Top 10 Most Wanted list.

Jeremiah B. Pedersen, 29, is being held on $1 million bond, according to a release from the sheriff’s office. He was wanted on a failure to appear warrant related to charges of unlawful possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, unlawful possession controlled substance and aggravated battery, according to reports.

Pedersen was captured around 11:30 a.m. at the intersection of Route 72 and Route 59 in South Barrington without incident, authorities said. Sheriff’s deputies and U.S. Marshals tracked Pedersen down through an anonymous tip on Crimestoppers. The tipster provided information that Pedersen was possibly living in Schaumburg, reports stated.

Who else is on the list? The McHenry County Sheriff office has the list available on its website along with information on how to provide a tip to Crimestoppers.

Get your local news delivered daily, for free, by subscribing to the Lake Zurich Patch newsletter.  

Barrington photography company Atort Photography captured this incredible image of Venus traveling between Earth and the sun. Yesterday's event marked the last time Venus will cross the sun (as seen from Earth) for 105 years.

Grayslake’s Village Manager’s salary is the biggest of any city manager’s salary in the state of Illinois. According to a new study by the conservative leaning public interest group For the Good of Illinois the salary of Grayslake Village Manager Mike Ellis comes out to $259,252 yearly. According to the study, Ellis is one of seven city managers who makes more money in salary annually than does City of Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. Emanuel’s salary was $216,200 last year. City managers from Schaumburg, Highland Park, Skokie, Gurnee, Northbrook, and Glenview also made more money than Emanuel last year.

You probably knew her better as Mrs. McCluskey from the hit TV series, "Desperate Housewives". But Kathryn Joosten was once a suburban housewife living in Lake Forest raising two kids in the 1980s. The 72-year-old had been battling lung cancer for 11 years and finally succumbed Saturday, dying at her Los Angeles home. In addition to her role as Karen McCluskey on "Desperate Housewives", Joosten also played the president's secretary on "The West Wing".

At its village meeting Monday, Oak Park, took up what some called a drastic measure to help rid the streets of its downtown shopping district of pesky pigeons. But the village ultimately chose not to implement its plan to euthanize the persistent pigeons. The village was previously aiming to enlist the help of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to euthanize the birds using carbon dioxide.  But some animal rights activists and field experts said the tactic is known to be ineffective, igniting an emotional debate in the western Chicago suburb.

A Vernon Hills man has been indicted on federal fraud charges. President and CEO Eric A. Bloom is accused in an alleged $500 million fraud scheme before the collapse of Sentinel Management in 2007; Chief Trader Charles K. Mosley of Vernon Hills was also charged.

Sun Spa is now the second massage business in Buffalo Grove to lose its license amid prostitution charges against employees.Sun Spa's business license was officially revoked during a public hearing Thursday atvillage hall presided over by Village President Jeff Braiman.Two female employees over the last year have been charged with prostitution while working there.

Chicago's largest-ever public art installation, Color Jam, was unveiled Tuesday in the heart of the city's Loop -- covering various surfaces of the intersection of State and Adams with multihued, geometric shapes. Created by multimedia artist Jessica Stockholder, Color Jam "wraps" the intersection with color in a three-dimensional homage to fabric artist Christo commissioned by the Chicago Loop Alliance's Art Loop.

Back in 2001, I had the opportunity to interview Ray Bradbury for The News Sun, as a preview to Waukegan’s annual Dandelion Wine Festival. The festival was named after Bradbury’s book, Dandelion Wine, which was set in Waukegan.

As a science fiction fan, I was already familiar with his work and was thrilled about the prospect of speaking to him over the phone.

In preparation for the interview, I read both Dandelion Wine and Something Wicked This Way Comes. Both were set in Green Town, aka Waukegan, 1920s.

It was especially intriguing to read the novels with the picture of Bradbury’s boyhood home as the setting in my head. I can tell you that, to this day, every time I drive by the deep, dark ravines in Waukegan, I can’t help but think of Something Wicked This Way Comes.

Here is the article I wrote which ran in The News Sun on May 31, 2001.

Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine Waukegan Fine Arts Festival

Thousands have called Waukegan their hometown, but one man whose childhood never died, brought that hometown into the hearts of millions across the world. Waukegan native and famous author Ray Bradbury is known for writing hundreds of short stories as well as the classic science fiction novels, Fahrenheit 451 and the The Martian Chronicles.

But it was Dandelion Wine, published in 1957, which stirred universal emotions with tales of childhood in a small town.

Dandelion Wine, set in Green Town, 1928, is based on Bradbury's memories of growing up in Waukegan and infused with magic and fantasy.

Though he left Waukegan for California 67 years ago, at the age of 14, Bradbury has often visited and has always kept a connection with his childhood home.

He will return again on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. at the Waukegan Public Library. His visit will culminate the first annual Ray Bradbury Dandelion Wine Festival.

"I grew up in Waukegan and that's why it's so special to me," said Bradbury from his home in Los Angeles. "I think I was fortunate to spend a good part of my life in a small town. When I was on the verge of puberty and had thoughts of Claudette Colbert it was time to leave. I've spent the rest of my life in Hollywood."

Bradbury recalled his childhood at a frame home on 11 S. St. James St. There were three Bradbury families living on one block.

"My grandfather was a printer/publisher and he had a huge library, plus his living room was full of books. He had all the Oz books and Grimm fairy tales. My Uncle Bion had all the Edgar Rice Burrroughs books. So I would ricochet back and forth between the two houses... When I was ready to go to the library I already had a solid foundation," said Bradbury.

The Bradbury family came to Waukegan, via Massachusetts, in the early part of the 19th century. Bradbury's mother, Esther Moberg Bradbury came to the area from Sweden, in 1890, when she was two-years-old.

"The Bradburys had been around forever. My great-grandfather, Samuel, was mayor of the town (in 1882)," said Bradbury.

His most vivid memories of childhood include the opening of the Genesee Theater in 1927 with Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer. Bradbury's mother was a film buff who took him to movies often and early on Bradbury had ambitions to become a screenwriter in Hollywood.

His other favorite memory is meeting Blackstone the magician.

"He had a big influence on me. I decided I wanted to grow up and be a magician and that is what happened," said Bradbury.

Bradbury expressed passionate disappointment regarding the state of downtown Waukegan. The last time he visited was 1996.

"The downtown is a disaster. The malls came along and they pulled the people from downtown...I can remember every Friday and Saturday night the whole town collected downtown," said Bradbury.

"It's like Hiroshima at high noon. The same tragedy has occurred in hundreds of towns in the United States."

Bradbury believes town leaders should never have allowed American downtowns to decay.

One area landmark that hasn't changed much is the ravine, the dark and mysterious place of Bradbury's stories. Bradbury took his youngest daughters to the ravine on a past visit so they could see it firsthand.

"They thought it was wonderful," said Bradbury.

Bradbury and his wife, Marguerite, have four daughters, four granddaughters and four grandsons.

Although he suffered a stroke a year ago, he is as active and as prolific as ever. He still writes every day. He has written more than 600 short stories.

"I've been writing every day for 65 years. I have four books coming out and four motion pictures this year," said Bradbury.

Bradbury still travels and lectures as well, although his legs are weak from the stroke.

"I do a sitting lecture and a standing ovation," said Bradbury.

Bradbury died in Los Angeles Tuesday night after a long illness. For more on his life and career, see the Los Angeles Times.

Pop musician Prince turns 54 today. Today is also the birthday of singer Tom Jones and the late Dean Martin, as well as artist Paul Gauguin, poet Gwendolyn Brooks, and the infamous Muammar Gadhafi, according to Famous Birthdays.com.

And here’s some other information you might need today:

• Where do I find the lowest gas prices today in Lake Zurich?
• Show me the live traffic from Lake Zurich to Chicago.
• Tell me the most recent weather forecast for the area.

• Check out all the places that you can visit in Lake Zurich.
• Give me a list of today's events. 

 Is there information you'd like to get every day that we haven't included here? Let Lake Zurich Editor Claudia Lenart know, and we'll try our best to include it!

Summer has just started, but I'm already worried about it being over. The time goes by way too fast.

I know I think I have all the time in the world to hit some of our family fun ideas or invite friends over but suddenly you look at the calendar and it's booked up. I don't know if this has happened to you but I've been bummed in the past when I didn’t get the kids to the Zoo, or get tickets to a popular kids concert, or get the bikes out enough to justify the space they take up in the garage. Summer was over and we missed out on some opportunities to enjoy it. 

Well, never again! Last summer our family started a Family Summer Fun Plan or a Summer Bucket List and it has made planning and scheduling our family fun a whole lot easier. We turned the planning into a family project and here’s how you can do it too:

Pick a night and when you sit down for dinner, go around the table and ask everyone in the family what they would like to do for fun that summer. Have someone write down all of the ideas. Then vote on the Top 10 ideas for your family to do together.

(If this gets too heated or causes hurt feelings amongst younger siblings, put all of the ideas into a hat and pull the first 10. While someone might still be miffed that their idea didn’t make it, at least it’s fair!)

Now, grab the family calendar and plan which days you’ll schedule each activity. Here's a blank planning calendar to print out and hang in the kitchen, if you need one. If any work needs to be done ahead of time like buying tickets, making reservations, or inviting friends over, assign the responsibilities to family members so everyone is working together.

You’ll get more buy-in from the kids, Mom won’t be the only one planning everything, and you won’t miss any important activities. If your kids are still too young, Mom and Dad will just have to divide and conquer.

Now you're ready to have some fun together. To get your Summer Bucket List going, check out my post on 51 Summer Family Fun Ideas.

These ideas are designed for families with kids of all ages. However, the list is not exhaustive. I'd love to hear from you.

What's on your Summer Bucket List? What are some of your favorite things to do with the family in the summer?

You Might Also Like:

10 Ways to Have Fun Outside This Summer

Get the Kids Off the Couch and Host a Backyard Summer Olympics

Tips for a Perfect Backyard Campout

************

Sue Kirchner is a family fun coach, kids party planner, and weekly contributor to Patch.com. Sue and her family fun ideas have been featured on TV, newspapers, magazines, blogs, as well as her own family fun site ChocolateCakeMoments.com.

Cannabis Possession

Two Lake Zurich juveniles, 16-year-old males, were arrested for possession of cannabis during a traffic stop on Route 12 at Ela Road, at 3:44 a.m., June 3  The driver was charged with disobeying a traffic control signal, a child-restraint violation, unlawful possession of alcohol by a minor, unlawful possession of cannabis (disorderly conduct) and driving without a valid driver’s license.  The juvenile was released on a $1,500 personal recognizance bond, court action pending.  The passenger was released to his parents, court action pending.

DUI                                

Michael L. LaPlume, 20, of 792 Old Mill Grove Road in Lake Zurich, was arrested for driving under the influence on Route 12 at Miller Road, June 2 at 1:44 a.m.  LaPlume was stopped for improper lane usage.  LaPlume failed field sobriety testing.  LaPlume was charged with Improper Lane Usage, Expired Registration, Driving Under the Influence - Drugs, Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Unlawful Possession of Cannabis.  LaPlume was issued a Waukegan court date of June 25 and released on a $3,000 personal recognizance bond. 

Jose M. Garcia, 40, of 1549 Amarillo Drive in Carpentersville, was arrested for driving under the influence on Route 12 at Miller Road, at 10:19 p.m., June 2.  Garcia was stopped for improper lane usage.  Garcia failed field sobriety testing.  Garcia was charged with Improper Lane Usage, Driving Under the Influence and Driving Under the Influence with a B.A.C. of .08 or More.  Garcia was issued a Waukegan court date of June 25 and released on a $3,000.00 personal recognizance bond.

Criminal Damage                                       

Police received a report that someone broke the windshield of a vehicle with a rock while the vehicle was parked in the 100 block of Rugby Road during the overnight hours, June 4.  Damage is estimated at $350.  Further action pending.

Police took a report, June 4, that someone struck an electric meter near the beach house at Paulus Park, 400 Whitney Road, damaging the unit.  Damage is estimated at $300.  Further action pending. 

A person reported that someone keyed her vehicle while it was parked in the 900 block of S. Rand Road, June 1.  The estimated damage is valued at $1,500. This matter is pending further investigation.    

Theft (Retail)                                               

Amy D. Huber, 33, 804 West Panorama Drive #203 Palatine, was arrested for retail theft at WalMart, 820 South Rand Rd., at 2:01 p.m., June 4.  Complainant reported that Huber stole $42.46 worth of clothing from store.  Huber was charged with retail theft.  She was also arrested on a warrant was for failure-to-appear by Lake County.

Traffic Arrest (Suspended)                     

Peter Serafin, 20, 2418 North Kennicott Drive #2B Arlington Heights, was arrested for DWLS pursuant to a traffic stop on Miller Road at Route 12, at 5:38 p.m., June 4.  Serafin was charged with operating a vehicle with expired registration and driving with a suspended driver’s license.  Serafin was released on a $1,500 personal recognizance bond with a Mundelein court date of July 6.

He was also issued a warrant for violating a condition of his release issued by Cook County.  Serafin posted $1,000 and was given a Rolling Meadows court date of June 25. 

Theft

Police took a report that someone stole an Apple I-Touch while she was in the 600 block of S. Rand Road on June 2. The estimated loss is valued at $250.  This matter is pending further investigation.    

Warrant Service                                      

Alexis Rodriguez, 22, of 926 Buffalo Creek Drive in Lake Zurich, Iwas arrested on a warrant for battery at 105 E. Route 83 in Mundelein, at 9:40 a.m., June 10  The warrant was out of the Lake County Sheriff’s Department. The bond amount was set at $25,000 which 10 percent applies.  Rodriguez was able to post the necessary cash bond and was issued a court date in Waukegan.