News Briefs: Tour to Pomeroy returns Saturday; Bookstore Romance Day also Saturday; Community police, fire academies taking applications

It’s wheels up for the fourth annual Tour To Pomeroy charity bike ride the morning of Saturday, Aug. 9, starting at Buck Russell’s sandwich shop in Wilmette.

Two routes are available for the ride:

• Family-friendly ride (all ages): 8 a.m. meetup and 8:15 start for 3.2 miles from Buck Russell’s sandwich shop, 1137 Greenleaf Ave. in Wilmette, along the Green Bay Trail, to Pomeroy, 844 Spruce, Winnetka.

• Lake Forest route (age 16+): 7 a.m. meetup and 7:15 a.m. start for 28-mile ride from Pomeroy in Winnetka to Sophia Steak, 181 E Laurel Ave. in Lake Forest and back to Pomeroy.

Each ride ends at Pomeroy, 844 Spruce St., Winnetka, for a celebratory brunch buffet. Guests age 21 and up will receive a complimentary glass of Champagne and a commemorative photo.

The event raises funds for Working Bikes, a nonprofit that rehabs and redistributes donated bicycles.

Tickets and more details are available online and are $90 for ages 12 and up, $45 for ages 2-12 and free for riders 2 and younger.

Bookstore Romance Day at two local shops

Local bookstores will this week recognize Bookstore Romance Day, a nationwide initiative to celebrate the romance fiction genre.

Pink Couch Books, of course, is in. The Wilmette shop at 1161 Wilmette Ave. that focuses on romance will host events on two days.

From 4-6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 8, local young-adult authors Ronni Davis and Miranda Sun will be on hand for a happy hour signing.

And Pink Couch will celebrate most of the next day. From 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m., the shop will have giveaways and special merchandise on sale, along with author signings (four throughout the day). For a schedule, go to the shop’s website.

The Book Stall in Winnetka, 811 Elm St., will showcase romance novels and host giveaways all day, while welcoming author Adrienne Gunn from 2-3:30 p.m. for a meet and greet and signing of her new book “Fan Favorite.”

For more information the event, visit the Book Stall’s website.

Apply to learn emergency response in Highland Park

The City of Highland Park’s Community Police and Fire academies are back this fall.

The police academy provides hands-on training in police patrol, investigations, administration and more over nine weeks beginning Aug. 20. The class will meet each Wednesday at the Highland Park Police Department, 1677 Old Deerfield Road.

Applications are now being accepted for individuals who live or work in Highland Park and are 18 years old and older.

For more information and to apply, visit the program’s dedicated webpage. Applications can be dropped off at the department, faxed to (847) 433-9488, or emailed to Sgt. Brian Soldano at bsoldano@cityhpil.com.

The fire academy is an eight-week program every Thursday evening starting Sept. 4.

The program gives participants “an experiential learning experience to better understand the work performed by firefighters on a daily basis,” according to the city.

The application is available online, and can be emailed to firefighter/EMT Chris Gottschalk at cgottschalk@cityhpil.com or dropped off at the firehouse at 1130 Central Ave.

For more information, call Gottschalk at (847) 432-0801.

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