Antioch: 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Bannockbum: 3:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Beach Park: 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday

Buffalo Grove: 2 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Deer Park: 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Deerfield: 3:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Evanston: 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Fox Lake: 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Glencoe: 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Glenview: 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Grays Lake: 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Green oaks: 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Gurnee: 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday

Hainseville: 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday

Hawthorn Woods: 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Highland Park: 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Highwood: 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Island Lake: 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Kenilworth: 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Kildeer: 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Lake Bluff: 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Lake Forest: 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Lake Zurich: 3 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Libertyville: 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Lincolnshire: 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Lindenhurst: 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Mundelein: 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

North Chicago: 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday

Northbrook: 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Northfield: 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Riverwoods: 3:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Roundlake: 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday

Skokie: 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Third Lake: 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Vernon Hills: 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Wadsworth: 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday

Wauconda: 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday

Waukegan: 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday

Wilmette: 4 to 8 p.m Tuesday

Winnetka: 3 to 7 p.m .Tuesday

Winthrop Harbor: 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday

Zion: 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday

Recently, a few rare turtles began making babies in a Mundelein middle school courtyard.  Students provided the turtles with enticing earthworm meals, created a bubbling waterfall for them and made sure no predators were in sight, providing the perfect environment for the turtles to create a family.

Teachers, students and scientists were all surprised when 11 baby Blanding’s turtles arrived at the school.  All of them expected to wait at least a year for the adult turtles to mate. West Oak Middle School has been certified by the National Wildlife Federation as an official wildlife habitat.  The lucky students will be caretakers for the next year or two until the turtles are able to take care of themselves and fend off predators, in which they will release them into wetland areas.  The Blandling’s turtles are a threatened species in Illinois, very near endangerment.  The turtles are rare, have a distinctive yellow throat and are 7 to 10 inches long as adults.  The species is very particular about its habitat, therefore increasing the chance of extinction.  They prefer plenty of vegetation, avoid large ponds, where as other turtles like the snapping turtles, don’t really care.  This reminds me of the time when I was in elementary school, and our fourth grade class adopted a barred-tiger salamander.  We took care of it for the entire year, and a famous local sculptor, Gino Silarno, made us a life-size sculpture of a barred-tiger salamander to go in our library.  The next thing we knew, we were going to Topeka, Kansas’ state capital, and had the barred-tiger salamander named the state amphibion.  It was exciting and we all felt very good about it.  I’m sure these students are proud of their work and will love every day spent with those turtles.

Technorati Tags: Mundelein, West Oak Middle School, Blandling’s turtles, National Wildlife Federation

A 9-year-old of Northbrook will not be circumcised against his will, a judge ruled Tuesday.  The medical benefits of the procedure  were not clear enough to allow the circumcision to happen when the boy did not wish to have it done.  In a battle between mother and father, the mother and her new husband wished to have the procedure done while the boys father called it “an unneccesary amputation”.  The mother thought the operation would prevent recurrent episodes of redness and discomfort.  The boy indicated in a written statement that he did not want to be circumcised.  The judge also stated that the order was to remain in effect until the boy turns 18.  Previous to this decision, there were no other precedents and other cases similar to this may look to it in the future.  Many were happy, and felt the ruling was a significant victory for those who believe that circumcision is harmful and violates the rights of children who can’t give conformed consent.  The case was a milestone for the people behind the movement.

Technorati Tags: Northbrook, circumcision, circuit court