🌱 Patch AM: How a student-run diner is feeding U-46 and building careers

Hey there, Elgin! Let's get started with what's happening in and around town. Read on and stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

• How a student-run diner is feeding U-46 and building careers
• How will Printpack’s Elgin plant shutdown impact 111 local workers?
• Will your child’s school change under U-46’s new Elgin boundaries?

Also on today's calendar: Free Holiday Gift Wrapping at Algonquin Commons and 4 more events.

Today's riddle: My brother swallowed a box of firecrackers. - Is he all right now? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

• Thursday: Morning rain; cloudy, windy, with a high of 48 and low of 12 degrees. ⛄️ Brr!
• Friday: Some sun; breezy, much colder, temps: high: 27, low: 24.
• Saturday: Breezy with clouds and sun, with a high of 45 and low of 16 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. District U-46 ‘diner' teaches important skills while providing food for employees (chicagotribune.com) — A student-run diner inside School District U-46’s Educational Services Center in Elgin is giving special needs young adults real-world job experience while feeding hundreds of district employees. Students ages 18 to 22 rotate through cooking, ordering, delivering, and budgeting tasks, earning stipends and practicing life skills. Staff can order breakfast and lunch by phone or in person, with catering and a morning pastry cart also available.
   

2. WARN reports show layoffs ahead for over 1,100 Illinois workers (pjstar.com) — Elgin residents should know that packaging company Printpack will close its Elgin plant on January 5, 2026, cutting 111 local jobs as part of broader Illinois layoffs. The company cites shifting market demand, and says affected workers will be offered transfer options, severance, and career transition support, while other firms across the state also report significant upcoming job cuts.
   

3. U-46 just finalized its new Elgin boundaries. Here's what's changing for K-8 students. (chicagoparent.com) — New U-46 school boundaries taking effect in 2026-27 will close Lowrie and Washington elementaries in west Elgin, reassign many middle schoolers, and prepare for the future Legacy Middle School. Families are already receiving assignment letters, can request residency exceptions, and should watch for construction-related changes at Kimball, Kenyon Woods, and Century Oaks.
   

4. These 23 IL Hospitals Are Ranked Among Best For Maternity Care (patch.com) — Expecting parents in Elgin can take note that Advocate Sherman Hospital has been named one of Illinois’ top hospitals for maternity care in U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 rankings. The list, based on outcomes like C-section and complication rates, highlights hospitals that provide strong, evidence-based care for uncomplicated births across the state.
   

5. Elgin woman to serve 20 years in child starvation, torture case (shawlocal.com) — An Elgin woman has been sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated battery in a severe child starvation and torture case. Prosecutors say the child, treated at Saint Joseph Hospital in Elgin, survived but faces lasting medical and psychological effects, while a co-defendant from Elgin still awaits trial.
   

📸 Around Elgin

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Elgin

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Friday December 19

• Free Holiday Gift Wrapping at Algonquin Commons
  Algonquin Commons, 1900 S Randall Rd, Algonquin
  9:00 am

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

Saturday December 20

• Private Event ~ Main Stage Theatre
  Elgin Calendar Elgin, IL 60120-5570
  10:00 am
• Fiesta Cultural - Parranda Puertorriqueña - en español
  Main Library - Meadows Community Rooms ABC
  2:00 pm

Monday December 22

• Brothers Rise Up
  Horizon Elementary Elgin, IL 60120
  8:30 am
• Cardboard Creations: Free Build!
  Main Library - Meadows Community Rooms ABC
  2:00 pm

Wednesday December 24

• Happy Christmas Eve! ~ Building Closed
  Elgin Calendar Elgin, IL 60120-5570

Thursday December 25

• Merry Christmas! ~ Building Closed
  Elgin Calendar Elgin, IL 60120-5570

📣 Elgin Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Thursday December 18

• Yoga - Advocate Outpatient Center South Elgin
  Advocate Outpatient Center , 486B S Randall Rd , South Elgin
  12:00 pm
• PES Holiday Concert
  DREAM Academy , 251 Amarillo Drive , Carpentersville
  6:00 pm

Friday December 19

• 12 Days of Winter Countdown to Winter Break
  Lakewood School Carpentersville, IL 60110
  8:00 am

Saturday December 20

• Pullman Setup
  Valley Model Railroad , 11141 S Cottage Grove Ave , Chicago
  11:00 am
• Teenage Bottlerocket
  Rookies RocHaus , 96 W Main St , West Dundee
  6:00 pm

Wednesday December 31

• Noon Year’s Eve Party for all ages at Adrenaline Monkey West Dundee
  Adrenaline Monkey Adventure Park , 999 W Main St , West Dundee
  11:00 am

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

• Elgin Community College’s Fire Science Program to Implement Electric Vehicle Teaching —Elgin Community College Read on Patch
• Elgin Community College Environmental Biology Students Visit Local Water & Wastewater Treatment Plants —Elgin Community College Read on Patch

• Is this your dog?
  This doggie jumped into the backyard of my neighbor at 2093 aronomink circle, elgin and we can't get too close as the dog keeps barking. We called… (Nextdoor College Green)

• ESPO Corporation posted a job opening for Assembly Supervisor in Elgin. Apply here.
• Illinois School District U-46 posted a job opening for Cheerleading Coach 7th and 8th grade in Elgin. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Elgin here.

Ok Elgin! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don’t know. I haven’t heard the last report.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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