As the building for a new Mariano’s grocery store in Des Plaines takes shape, the developer in charge of the $24 million project said Thursday the store should be open by next March.

Construction has progressed significantly at the northeast corner of Golf and Mount Prospect roads since a groundbreaking event last April attended by the store’s namesake, Bob Mariano, and local officials.

Dean Kelley, president of site developer Bartlett-based Abbott Land & Investment Corp., said the building walls and roof have been installed, and most of the on-site paving work is done. Off-site road improvements should be complete before winter.

“Things are going very smoothly,” he said.

In exchange for a driveway easement, the developer is making some $670,000 in upgrades to neighboring Blackhawk Park. A new playground and picnic shelter should be installed by the end of the year, said Don Miletic, executive director of the Des Plaines Park District.

The park as a whole, which will include an 8-foot-wide walking path and 120-by-240-foot soccer field, should be open to the public by the time the store opens, he said.

— Christopher Placek,

cplacek@dailyherald.com

Angell lived up to lofty motto

Mount Prospect’s motto states that it is a place “where friendliness is a way of life.”

Whatever one thinks of the merits of that claim, one Mount Prospect official exemplified it. For more than a quarter of a century, Village Clerk Lisa Angell, who died at 62 on Monday, lived up to the village motto.

As village clerk, she was nothing less than friendly and helpful, answering questions about votes and other village board minutiae and punctually responding to FOIA requests, often well in advance of the time required for a response.

Despite suffering from pancreatic cancer, she soldiered on in her job, putting on a bright and brave face at meetings, even when it was clear that the battle was not tilting in her favor.

Visitation for Angell will take place from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28, at Friedrichs Funeral Home, 320 W. Central Road, Mount Prospect. Visitation will be held again at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, until an 11 a.m. funeral Mass at St. Raymond de Penafort Church, Elmhurst Road and Lincoln Street, Mount Prospect.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Angell Family Fund, Glenview State Bank, 299 W. Central Road, Mount Prospect, IL 60056. Attn: Sally.

— Steve Zalusky,

szalusky@dailyherald.com

Schaumburg scares up fun

Again this Halloween, the Schaumburg Park District intends not to leave its residents at a loss for ideas on how to celebrate the spookiest of holidays.

The popular “A Haunting in the Valley” at Spring Valley Nature Center, 1111 E. Schaumburg Road in Schaumburg, returns from 6:15 to 9:30 p.m. on both Friday, Oct. 28, and Saturday, Oct. 29.

Covered wagons will take attendees to nature center’s trail entrance every 15 minutes for a half-hour walk through the woods and around the log cabin.

“The theme of this year’s walk features an old story that may not be familiar to everyone but will appeal to all ages,” Spring Valley Education Coordinator Mary Rice said. “Come prepared to participate in the story as you walk through nature in and around Spring Valley. It is definitely going to be a fun event that is not meant to frighten anyone.”

Guides in costume will take participants along the trail to interact with different characters. Other activities will include games, a live owl presentation and a bonfire.

Tickets may be purchased at the nature center for one of three time slots each evening.

The cost is $6 per person before 5 p.m. Oct. 28 and $8 at the time of the event, if still available. For more information, call (847) 985-2100 or visit parkfun.com.

Park district events on Halloween itself include trick-or-treating at Spring Valley from 3 to 6 p.m. and the Halloween Boonanza for kids ages 2 to 14 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Community Recreation Center, 505 N. Springinsguth Road.

For more information, call (847) 490-7015 or visit parkfun.com.

— Eric Peterson,

epeterson@dailyherald.com