DC_Midweek_092822

Monkeypox case reported at Sycamore High School; third case in DeKalb County

By CAMDEN LAZENBY clazenby@shawmedia.com and KELSEY RETTKE krettke@shawmedia.com

DeKALB – An individual at Sycamore High School has tested positive for mon keypox, according to a correspondence from Sycamore School District 427 offi cials to district families sent out Wednes day, Sept. 21.

In the correspondence shared with the Daily Chronicle, district officials said they were notified of the case by the DeKalb County Health Department on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 21. The health department said staff and students should be monitoring themselves “for the presence of new, unexplained vesicular or pustular lesions,” according the dis trict’s email.

District 427 spokesperson Lauren Holtz said the person confirmed to have monkeypox was last in the school build ing Sept. 21. Holtz said the district won’t specify whether the case was identified in a student or district employee because of the district’s confidentiality policies.

Holtz said the district’s sanitization protocols – which started as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – still are in place.

“We are strongly recommending that all individuals experiencing symptoms undergo testing,” Holtz said. “Once an individual has tested positive for MPV [monkeypox], a health care provider let ter clearing the person for return is required.”

As of Sept. 21, of 1,263 confirmed cases of monkeypox in Illinois, DeKalb County

has three of them, according to the Illi nois Department of Public Health. The first confirmed case in the county was reported Aug. 25 in a student from North ern Illinois University.

Monkeypox is a viral disease that can be transmitted between humans through direct contact with lesions, infected body fluids or exposure to respiratory droplets from a close, face-to-face interaction.

As a result of the case, district officials told Sycamore families Sept. 21 the health department has issued further guidance to help limit further spread of the virus. That also includes monitoring those inside school buildings for symptoms, encouraging those who feel ill to remain at home, practice hand-washing, and limit sharing of personal items and clean ing surfaces at least once a day to reduce the risk of germs spreading by touching surfaces.

“Any persons with MPV [monkeypox] should remain out of school until MPV symptoms have resolved, the rash has healed, all scabs have fallen off, and a fresh layer of skin has formed per Cen ters for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations,” according to a Dis trict 427 news release.

Infected school staff or students may return at the recommendation of local health officials, according to District 427’s correspondence, but they should wear a well-fitted mask and cover all lesions with clothing, gloves or bandages.

“They should not participate in events that are crowded, involve close contact [e.g., wrestling] or where a bandage can’t be worn [e.g., swimming],” according to the release.

Testing and where to find a vaccine if applicable

DeKalb County Health Department and District 427 officials are “strongly recom mending that all individuals experiencing symptoms” of MPV get tested for the virus, according to the correspondence.

Lisa Gonzalez, county health depart ment administrator, said the department currently is not offering monkeypox test ing.

However, she confirmed tests can be obtained through DeKalb County area health care providers and urgent care clinics.

Those interested in obtaining a test should note that, depending on where they solicit a test, there could be a fee attached. According to the CDC, tests conducted by public health departments are usually free, while tests obtained through a pri vate health care provider could have a cost attached.

Gonzalez confirmed the health depart ment is not offering monkeypox vaccina tions to everyone at this time. Only those who have been identified as a close con tact to a confirmed positive case will be eligible for a vaccine. Anyone experienc ing a new or unexplained rash, sores or other symptoms associated with monkey pox is encouraged to contact their health care provider or a doctor, health officials said.

The monkeypox vaccine would be administered without a cost to the individ ual receiving it, Gonzalez said.

“Currently, it is recommended that the vaccine be given within 4 days of the

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ON THE COVER

Sherrill Morris (left) of DeKalb and Diane Handlen chat Friday on a bench on the grounds of the Elwood House in DeKalb during Handlen’s visit to the area from the state of Maine. Morris and Handlen have been pen pals since the 1970s and recently met each other in person for the first time.

See story, page 6.

Photo by Mark Busch – mbusch@shawmedia.com

CORRECTIONS

Accuracy is important to The Mid week and it wants to correct mistakes promptly. Please call errors to our attention by phone at 815-526-4411, or email readit@midweeknews.com.

Nomination packets available for spring 2023 elections

By MEGANN HORSTEAD mhorstead@shawmedia.com

DeKALB – Residents who are inter ested in running for elected office in DeKalb can now pick up their candi date nomination packets for the spring 2023 consolidated elections, the DeKalb city clerk said Tuesday.

Candidate packets will be available from city hall for the aldermanic seats in Wards 1, 3, 5 and 7, City Clerk Sasha Cohen said.

However, there are different elected positions in DeKalb County that may turn to other election authorities to retrieve and ultimately turn in their nomination packets for the 2023 elec tions.

“A school board candidate would turn in at the county level,” Cohen said.

Residents throughout the county have been granted the option beginning with the Nov. 8 election to submit an application to permanently vote by mail.

But if a resident decides to opt out, the first day to apply for a vote by mail ballot for the 2023 election is Jan. 4, and the last day is March 30.

Cohen said he is hopeful that perma nent vote-by-mail options can make a dent in voter turnout.

“It’s certainly my hope that the peo

ple of DeKalb will make their voices heard in the upcoming municipal elec tion and will turn out in higher num bers than they previously have,” Cohen said.

But Cohen said he understands that

historically voter turnout has lacked enthusiasm in non-presidential elec tions.

“It’s a common theme that in offyear municipal elections we see a very low voter turnout,” he said. “That has

the unfortunate effect of resulting in a municipal government that is not nec essarily representative of the people who actually live within a city.”

The spring 2023 for local governing boards is set for April 4.

Data Center Community Action Grants

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Apply now through October 21

Mark Busch file photo – mbusch@shawmedia.com

Election judges wait for the next voter to check in as voting booths remain idle Tuesday, June 28, during a slow period on election day at the polling place in Westminster Presbyterian Church in DeKalb.

Alcohol ink demo tops KVAL’s October events

Shaw Local News Network

SYCAMORE – Kishwaukee Valley Art League member Nikki Yeomans will demonstrate her alcohol ink art process at the league’s next general meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, at the Gallery on State, 322 W. State St., Sycamore.

The meeting is free and open to the public.

Yeoman, who is fairly new to the art world, has drawn praise for her vibrant alcohol ink work. Her work currently is being showcased at the OC Creative offices in DeKalb as part of a collaboration with the art league.

Yeomans will discuss alcohol ink substrates and demonstrate how they react to glass, ceramic tile and nara paper, as well as on canvas. She’ll also go over how to prepare a canvas for alcohol inks, how to mix the inks and what tools and supplies are needed to get started. Attendees can see the many different effects that can be cre ated with alcohol inks and various tools.

KVAL also is participating in the Sycamore Chamber of Commerce “Witches Night Out” shopping event on Thursday, Oct. 20.

Attendees will receive a stemless

wineglass, a lanyard and a spell card that lists participating businesses.

After participants visit each business, they can leave the card at their last stop. Chamber members will collect

the spell cards and draw the names of two winners. One winner will receive a raffle basket that includes a gift from each participating business, and one winner will receive a $100 shop

ping spree.

KVAL also will have a free gift giveaway for one good “witch”. Tick ets are available now through the chamber.

A “Second Saturday Art Work shop” is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 8. The workshop will feature a still life subject.

Artists interested in attending are asked to bring one or two objects that can be arranged to paint, draw or mold in clay. These art sessions are designed to get artists together to share their talents, ideas and conver sation.

Woodworker Jack Kuhn will be KVAL’s “Featured Artist of the Month” for October. Kuhn, a longtime Sycamore resident and plumber by trade, creates fine art wooden bowls, cutting boards and rolling pins as a hobby. His work will be featured in the front window of the Gallery on State for the month.

A new art rotation will take place at Gallery on State on Monday, Oct. 10. New artwork is rotated every six to eight weeks at the gallery. All work on display is for sale.

For more information about Kish waukee Valley Art League, visit www. kval-nfp.org.

TALK. YOUR KIDS WILL LISTEN.

When you’re ready to talk to your kids or students about drugs and substance use, we’ll be here to help. The DeKalb County Partnership for a Substance Abuse Free Environment (DCP SAFE) is a community coalition that has been serving DeKalb County since 1989. The coalition promotes community-based substance misuse prevention, wellness and healthy lifestyles for youth, adults and the entire community. Changing the direction of someone’s life can start with a single conversation.

Visit our website for more information and conversation starter tips, www.nm.org/dcpsafe.

IT’S TIME TO START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT DRUGS AND SUBSTANCE USE.

Funded in whole or in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery through a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Northwestern Medicine Ben Gordon Center

Image provided by Kishwaukee Valley Art League

Artist Nikki Yeomans will demonstrate her alcohol ink art process Oct. 6 at the Kishwaukee Valley Art League meeting in Sycamore.

Welcome Our Huskies Home

October 3-9

Join the celebration when our community gathers to welcome all Huskies back home to DeKalb. Now in its 115th year, NIU’s Homecoming festivities will feature something fun for everyone.

Thursday, Oct. 6

Downtown DeKalb at N. Second Street and Locust Street

5-8 p.m. Homecoming Block Party, Blast from Huskie Past Car Show.

6 p.m. March of the Huskies with the NIU Marching Band.

7–8 p.m. Street Dance Party, photos and autographs with NIU athletes.

Friday, Oct. 7

Behind NIU Convocation Center near NIU Outdoor Recreation Sports Complex

6:30 p.m. Bonfire and kick back with food, performances, a DJ and more.

Saturday, Oct. 8

Huskie Stadium

2:30 p.m. NIU Football vs. Toledo.

See the complete list of events. go.niu.edu/homecoming

STORY

DeKalb woman welcomes friend from Maine, a visit 43 years in the making PEN PALS IN PERSON, FINALLY

By CAMDEN LAZENBY clazenby@shawmedia.com

DeKALB – Sherrill Morris and Diane Handlen have known each other since the fifth grade, but despite their almost 43 years of friendship and a distance spanning about 1,120 miles, they’d never met in person until this year.

This summer, Morris, 55, traveled to Maine to meet Handlen, 56, of Biddeford, Maine. This past weekend, Handlen returned the favor, traveling to DeKalb to meet her friend in her hometown.

“It was just so exciting, just like I feel right now going there to visit her and her family, and you know, her life over there,” Handlen said of Morris as they met Friday for a tour of the historic Ell

wood House in DeKalb. “It’s just so exciting, I’m thrilled. I was thrilled to pieces when she came down to visit me.”

When Handlen was in fifth grade in 1979 and 1980, her class participated in a project instructing the students to write letters to a pen pal through a ser vice provided by the children’s TV show, “Big Blue Marble.” Handlen had other pen pals back then but she and Morris shared a strong connection, one which, it turns out, stood the test of time.

The pair sent birthday cards and let ters yearly around holidays, and even sent gifts to each other.

“We just really connected, we shared a lot of things right from the get-go, and it was very easy,” Handlen said.

Growing up, the cost of long distance phone calls prohibited Handlen and Morris from speaking to each other often, the pair said. As they entered adulthood, the pen pals maintained let ter-writing as their primary form of communication.

“And then, we each got married, we each had kids, we each got careers and then Facebook came around,” Morris said.

As Facebook and the age of social media evolved the long-distance com munication game, Morris and Han dlen’s friendship transitioned to instant messenger. They never used the vid eo-call feature, but began to talk on the phone over the years.

“I remember having one phone con

versation when one of her [Handlen’s] youngest was about two or three, so that would have been, gosh, twenty years ago,” Morris said.

They supported each other through a lot of different life events, Morris said, parenthood and otherwise, and were vulnerable with each other in a way that many might find themselves only com fortable to do with pen and paper.

“It was kind of like a diary that some body else read in a non-judgmental way and supported you back,” Morris said. “Which was amazing through all of growing up, adolescence, young moth erhood and marriage issues and finan cial problems, and all of those things

Mark Busch – mbusch@shawmedia.com

Sherrill Morris (left) of DeKalb and Diane Handlen get a tour the grounds of the Elwood House in DeKalb from volunteer docent Nancy Leonard (right) on Friday during Handlen’s visit to the area from the state of Maine. Morris and Handlen have been pen pals since the 1970s and recently met each other in person for the first time.

that are common in everybody’s every day life.”

As the duo entered 2022, they’d still never met.

The pair of unlikely friends had still never met at the beginning of 2022. While visiting a friend in Vermont over the summer, however, Morris decided to drive to Maine and meet Handlen for the first time.

They spent three “exciting” days together, Morris said.

“There’s the trepidation that maybe we wouldn’t like each other because when you are only corresponding through writing you kind of can create a vision of the other person that’s not true because you maybe input yourself too much,” Morris said. “However, Diane and I had a wonderful, wonderful time.”

Morris said she thinks the pair have a lot in common despite many differ ences in upbringing.

No matter the differences between them, Handlen said the link between them made the meeting feel normal.

“It’s almost like a sister bond, we

were just there for each other. It didn’t feel abnormal or anything, it just felt natural,” Handlen said. “We graduated grade school and congratulated each other. We went through high school, she went into college, I went into the work force. We were always constantly shar ing so it was almost like a sister thing but from long distance.”

The distance between them was as short as ever this past weekend when Handlen visited Morris in DeKalb. Days before the trip, Handlen said she was “so stoked” and couldn’t wait to be out in northern Illinois with her lifelong friend.

The pair went to the Ellwood House Museum and toured the DeKalb area Friday before going into Chicago on Sat urday. Handlen said she’s flown out of O’Hare International Airport but had never been into the city, so she was look ing forward to spending time in Chicago.

Above all, however, Handlen said she was happy to spend time, in person, with her friend.

“Getting to see her in person and being able to talk face to face was awe some, was phenomenal,” Handlen said. “I mean, I just feel like the luckiest per son.”

PUBLIC NOTICE

The following are the times and locations of Early & Grace Period Voting Sites in DeKalb County for the General Election being held on November 8, 2022.

*All Early & Grace Period Voting Sites are available to all DeKalb County Voters*

Sycamore Campus Legislative Center’s Gathertorium 200 N. Main St., Sycamore, IL 60178

Early & Grace Period Voting

Serving ALL County Precincts

September 29th – October 28th Monday – Friday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Grace Period Registration Begins – October 12th

October 12th Wednesday

*County Board CoW 8:30am - Noon October 19th Wednesday

*County Board Meeting 8:30am - Noon October 29th – October 30th Saturday & Sunday 8:30am - 4:30pm

October 31st – November 4th Monday – Friday 8:30am - 7:00pm

November 5th – November 6th Saturday & Sunday 8:30am - 4:30pm

November 7th Monday 8:30am - 7:00pm

DeKalb Township Building 2323 S. 4th St., DeKalb, IL 60115

Early & Grace Period Voting

Serving ALL County Precincts

October 24th – November 4th Everyday 8:30am - 4:30pm

NIU-Holmes Student Center Gallery Lounge 340 Carroll Ave., DeKalb, IL 60115

Early & Grace Period Voting

Serving ALL County Precincts

October 24th – November 4th Everyday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Kingston Friendship Center 120 Main St., Kingston, IL 60145

Early & Grace Period Voting

Serving ALL County Precincts

October 24th – November 4th Everyday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Sandwich Library 925 S. Main St., Sandwich, IL 60548

Early & Grace Period Voting

Serving ALL County Precincts

October 24th – November 4th Everyday 8:30am - 4:30pm

Dated at Sycamore, Illinois, September 19, 2022

DOUGLAS J. JOHNSON DEKALB COUNTY CLERK & RECORDER

Sep 28,

Mark Busch – mbusch@shawmedia.com

Sherrill Morris (left) of DeKalb and Diane Handlen get a tour the grounds of the Elwood House in DeKalb from volunteer docent Nancy Leonard (right) on Friday during Handlen’s visit to the area from the state of Maine. Morris and Handlen have been pen pals since the 1970s and recently met each other in person for the first time.

Ellwood House to host lecture about ‘American Oil Paintings’

Shaw Local News Network

DeKALB – Ellwood House Museum, 420 Linden Place, will host an hour long “American Oil Paintings” lecture at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, in the Museum’s Visitor Center.

Antiques dealer and art collector Stephen Reid will discuss the identifi cation, construction and care required for preservation of oil paintings, as well as discuss folk and academic painters from the 19th and 20th centu ries. Reid is the past President of the Chicago Suburban Antiques Dealers

Association, according to a news release.

Reid has been an antique dealer for 40 years and have exhibited at antique shows around the Midwest and have sold antiques to collectors and muse ums around the country. He has an interest and knowledge of Federal fur niture, flint glass, early lighting and American art, according to the release.

Registration is required to attend. To register, visit oilpaintings. eventbrite.com.

For information, email king@ell woodhouse.org or call 815-756-4609.

Ellwood House Museum in DeKalb will host a lecture on “American Oil Paintings” lecture at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26.

LOOKING BACK

1922 – 100 YEARS AGO

While returning from Madison, Wis., Clemens Kirchner had the opportunity to investigate a swimming pool and public park such as he and several others have in mind on the property at the intersection of Seventh Street and Sycamore Road. Kirchner says he received a number of good ideas concerning the construction of such a place, and while it is now estimated the place will cost $12,000, it will be among the best in this part of the state. There is plenty of ground space even after the swimming pool is made, and this would take care of pavilions and other necessary buildings for an amusement park.

Fire station employees are beginning to wonder what is going to be done about paving the alley that leads from Locust Street to the rear of the station. The boys paved their own backyard some time ago and there is a large quantity of brick piled up in the alley, but it appears that the city does not propose to fix up the alley this year. The fire-fighting squad of Chief McE voy might tackle the job, but some of the work would take the members too far away from the bells.

Steady progress is being made in the work of pre paring to move to the new home, across from the post office by the B. P. O. Elks. There are hundreds of mat ters to be given attention, and the several committees are working diligently. The entertainment committee has announced a dance for next Thursday evening, the proceeds of which will go toward the furnishings. It is expecting this affair will be liberally patronized and the desired amount of $1,000 raised.

At the meeting of the board and trustees of the DeKalb Methodist church the other evening it was decided to make an addition to the church on the lot just north of the church. The new addition will comprise a large auditorium on the first floor and a gymnasium in the basement. The auditorium will be used as a meet ing place for the various organizations, for Sunday school and for all other purposes which need a larger place in which to meet.

State Street in Sycamore is like a boulevard now, due to the laying of the Tarvia and crushed granite. In many places where holes were prevalent before, it is smooth and even now. It will undoubtedly take time for the Tarvia to seep through the granite, but when it does, the street will be compact.

1947 – 75 YEARS AGO

Farmers in the Malta community are busy at the present time filling their silos. Most report that the corn in this area is entirely safe from frost, however, the adverse weather conditions in the early spring have left their tell-tale mark on the crops that will be harvested.

At 2 o’clock Sunday morning, Sept. 28, clocks in this city will be moved back one hour as Central Standard Time once again becomes the official time for DeKalb. Residents of this city who lost an hour’s sleep April 27 as the city went on Daylight Savings Time will gain it back Sunday morning. There has been a controversy of

long standing between farmers and urban residents concerning the adoption of daylight time. Farmers, on the whole, prefer standard time, while city residents seem to prefer the long evenings of daylight during the spring and summer.

Twelve new parking meters have been installed in Sycamore. These are what is known as the five-hour meters. Instead of the penny and nickel slots as are on the rest of the parking devices, the new ones have quarter and nickel slots. Bright orange paint on the new meters tell the motorist instantly that it is a five-hour device. The new ones operate the same as the twohour meters. The only difference is that the slots are different. It allows a motorist to place a nickel in the machine for one hour of parking up to five hours or a quarter for the full five hours.

1972 – 50 YEARS AGO

Tonight’s meeting of the DeKalb County Historical Society will be held at the DeKalb Public Library. At the meeting, which starts at 7:30 p.m., Clark Cryor will pres ent a film on the building of Ellwood House and a business meeting will be conducted. Also at the meeting, the mem bers will be shown a historical plaque that will be placed at a later date on the first stage coach stop in northern DeKalb County. The plaque will note the stagecoach stop at Genoa. The stage coach stop started in 1834 and the company used the route to haul zinc from the mines from Galena to Chicago along Old Army Trail road.

Sycamore’s 13-year-old Daniel J. Binder will be fea tured on the Garfield Goose show on Friday, Sept. 29, at 8 a.m. on Channel 2. The eighth grade student attend

ing Sycamore Junior High School wrote a letter to the show’s master of ceremonies Frazier Thomas eight months ago, asking to be on the morning hobby show portion of the program. Thomas personally telephoned him arranged for his appearance this Friday. The show is being taped this afternoon in Chicago.

Believed to be the first woman to serve on the Shab bona Board, Kay Oftedal was named to fill the vacancy created by the recent resignation of Norman Hurmence at the Board meeting held Monday night in the Village Council Rooms. Mrs. Oftedal, who operates Kay’s Gift Shop in Shabbona, was chosen via secret ballot from one of two applicants to complete the term of office until April.

1997 – 25 YEARS AGO

The land behind Ray Baker’s backyard was set to become the site of the new county nursing home and healthcare facility. When negotiations between the City of Sycamore and DeKalb County broke down, Baker started to wonder if the $18 million health care facility would be constructed near his home. Baker is sure to keep his fingers crossed Thursday night when the County Board decides between the Sycamore and DeKalb sites at a special meeting.

Six DeKalb elected officials got a special gift during National Payroll Week. They were told they have been accidently overpaid, and some of them owed the City of DeKalb up to $1,300. Five of the six officials are still in office and have agreed to pay the money back, but former First Ward Alderman Don Roth said he is keeping the cash.

–CompiledbySueBreese

Photo provided by DeKalb County History Center

The Professor Popsicle popsicle truck is seen July 18, 1960, on north Seventh Street in DeKalb.

DeKalb Elks Veteran’s Memorial to be dedicated during ceremony Oct. 1

Shaw Local News Network

DeKalb – The new DeKalb Elks Vet eran’s Memorial along South Annie Glidden Road in DeKalb will be dedi cated during a public ceremony Oct. 1, and the community is invited.

The ceremony will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, at the memorial, 209 S. Annie Glidden Road in DeKalb, where those involved will dedicate the completion of phase one of the construc tion. After the formal dedication, there will be a welcome reception at the Elks lodge with coffee and donuts donated by the DeKalb America Legion Auxiliary. Following the theme of the day, the reception is a military USO-type event.

The DeKalb Veteran’s Memorial was developed and conceived in 2018 by U.S. Air Force veteran and Elks member Michael Embrey, of DeKalb, and was approved by the Elks Board of Directors in 2021 to be built and created as a land mark destination for DeKalb, according to a news release.

“The new Elks Veteran’s Memorial will be one of the first regional memori als that will include the 6th and newest military branch, the U.S. Space Force,” Embrey said in a news release. “More important that this memorial will be a destination for all to visit, and a spectac ular visual welcome to those that come to visit Northern Illinois University and DeKalb.”

The memorial was created to honor all six branches of the U.S. military, with a total of nine flags, one each for the U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, Air Force, Space Force, an American flag, an Elks flag and a flag to honor prisoners of war and those who were pronounced missing in action or lost their lives in the line of duty.

The large brick patio in front of the flags will have inscribed bricks honor ing current and past veterans, active duty military, and Elk veterans. In front of the flags is the new memorial brick plaza, 54-feet-long and 24-feet-wide.

Organizers said the memorial’s loca tion is meant to ensure visitors to the area and NIU are welcomed and know the community is veteran friendly.

“We are extremely excited to show case the new Elks Veteran’s Memorial Plaza,” Robin Franklin project co-chair man, said in a news release. “The inscribed bricks in the plaza in front of the flags will provide a permanent mem ory for our veterans and military ser vice members.”

The dedication service will feature a variety of speakers including the Elks Lodge No. 765 Exalted Ruler Lynne Kunde, DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes, Cortney Strohacker, executive director of the DeKalb County Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, state Rep. Jeff Keicher, and Embrey. The ceremony also will dedicate the memorial’s fire pit, build by for a local Eagle Scout project, and two memorial benches, one each dedicated to the U.S. Air Force and Vietnam-era veterans.

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, or Elks Club, is a 120-year-old civic group in DeKalb, which meets reg ularly for meetings and events at the DeKalb Elks Lodge, where its been since 1994. The Elks fraternal order has almost one million members and is cele brating its 154-year history.

The Elks also organize community initiative to help children grow up healthy and drug-free, assist the elderly, support scouting programs, and assist in other charitable organiza tions, most recently a Toys for Tots motorcycle run.

“This new memorial is more than just a dedication to veterans, it rep resents our commitment to supporting veterans and veteran’s families in our community,” DeKalb Elks’ Exalted Ruler Lynne Kunde said in a news release. “We want our new Veteran’s Memorial Plaza to be a place where peo ple meet and share the common goal of paying homage and honoring our men and women in uniform and those that served.”

To learn more about the Elks organi zation or how to buy a future brick, email DeKalb Elks secretary and board member Robin Franklin at ddrtfrank@ gmail.com.

For information about the event, call the Elks lodge at 815-756-6912.

Voss Water 500ml

Mrs. Olson's Potato Lefse 16

$629

Freia Milk Chocolate Bars or Hazelnuts 2.12 oz. $229

Kungsörnen Pancake Mix & Waffle Mix 14.1

Fort Knox Chocolate Coin Bag .63

Haribo Candy Bags(S'Ghetti, Gummi Bears, Fizzy Cola etc.) 5 oz.

Nordic Sweets (Peppermint, Forest Berries, Raspberries, Gummi Fish etc.) 8 oz.

Leksands Crispbread Rounds 14 oz.

$429

$100

$239

$599

$499

Vestlands Lefse 12.5 oz. $899

Lars' Own Lingon Berries 14.1 oz. $649

Düsseldorf Mustard In Beer Mug 84 oz.

Smoked Cod Liver 4 oz. can

Leksands Crispbread Triangles - Multigrain Or Original 6.7 oz.

Halva European Style Licorice 7 oz.

$299

$399

$369

$429

Licorice Pipes each 79¢

Brandy Filled Chocolates - French Dears - Jim Beam - Cointreau each $129 Mors Flatbread 9.1 oz.

Finnska Soft Licorice 1 lb.

Lingonberry Tub - Bulk 3.3 lb.

Ragna's Kumla Mix 16 oz.

$899

$799

$2099

$449

Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite 12 pk $649

Prinskorv Sausage 1 lb.

$1349

$599 Swedish Cured Bone-In Ham - Preorder for X-mas 1lb. $899

Swedish Potato Sausage(Homemade) 1lb.

Salmon Spread 5.1 oz. $429 6/8 Prawns 2 lb.

$4899

Norwegian Salmon Fillets 1 lb.

$1299

$1499 Salt Cod 1 lb.

Bondost Cheese, with or without Caraway Half Wheel $1199

Tine goat cheese - Supreme or Regular 8.8 oz. $929 Scandic Farmers Cheese Wheel 2 lb. Wheel

$549

$1799 Creamed Or Pickled Herring 1 lb.

$999 Happy Dad (Pineapple, Wild Cherry etc.) 12 pk.

Budweiser & Bud Light 15 pk.

$1899 Carlo Rossi Chianti 1.5

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Discovery House helping women navigate path of sobriety

By CAMDEN LAZENBY clazenby@shawmedia.com

DeKALB – The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration marks September as National Recovery Month, and an Illinois woman is cele brating the month sober after spending almost two years at a DeKalb sober liv ing house for women.

“It’s really nice, I’ll be honest,” said Alison, a 32-year-old who left the North western Medicine Ben Gordon Center Discovery House in August. The Daily Chronicle has granted Alison partial anonymity as she continues her sobri ety journey.

Alison suffered from addictions to heroin, crack cocaine and meth for half a decade before she began living at Northwestern Medicine’s sober living house for adult women in DeKalb.

“This was my second chance,” she said. “I’d already went to rehab once before, was clean for a little bit, trying to do it on my own, but this time going to Discovery House was actually a fresh new start for me.”

Alison said the structure offered at the house through the help of North western Medicine gave her the chance to refine herself and work on her

Mark Busch – mbusch@shawmedia.com

Marissa Kirch (right), manager of addiction treatment services and Northwestern Medicine Ben Gordon Center Discovery House, and Juliette Rigdon, recovery home coordinator, talk Tuesday, Sept. 20, at the facility in DeKalb. Discovery House is a addiction treatment service program for adult women.

Down Home in Downtown DeKalb

Join the community Huskie Pride fun and enter to win the NIU Homecoming Coloring Contest

One winner will be selected from each grade, K-5. Winners will be invited to walk in the March of the Huskies parade with their famliles and Mission on Thursday, Oct. 6 at 6 p.m. in downtown DeKalb during the NIU Homecoming block party. All submissions will be on display as part of the Victor E. in Color exhibit inside the Egyptian Theatre.

Deadline to drop off at the DeKalb Public Library is Sept. 30, 2022.

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Continued from page 12

traumas. She said the Discovery House gave her the tools to enable her to prac tice her recovery on her own.

During her recovery, Alison said she had multiple options as she sought addiction treatment, but chose the DeKalb women’s home because it was closer to her family. Both of her parents are graduates of Northern Illinois Uni versity, so they also were familiar with the area.

Discovery House provides a range of resources to residents through its affili ation with Northwestern Medicine. The facility offers on-site support services, peer-led meetings, access to addictions treatment services that incorporate individual therapy and group counsel ing, alcohol and drug education, accord ing to the center’s website.

The sober living facility is a volun tary addiction recovery program for adult women. The home can house up to 12 women at a time and also can offer housing for up to two children – between ages 2 and 12 – of someone recovering from addiction, if enough bed space is available. The residents can expect to share their living space with a room mate as well.

Residents moving into the home must go 30 days sober if they’re coming in with no prior addiction treatment. However, if they’re coming from an

in-patient facility, only two weeks of sobriety is required for entry. This is done so there isn’t constant relapses and turnover inside the home, staffers said.

Rent for the residents of the Discov ery House is $8.25 a day, or about $250 a month – depending on the month. That total includes everything. No utilities are tacked onto the monthly bill.

While there is a recovery home coor dinator who works 40 hours a week, Marissa Kirch, the recovery home man ager, also is responsible for issues that might occur outside of those 40 hours at the home. She provides additional sup port to the residents of the house by cre ating structure and enforcing rules, and

also regulates any issues inside the home. She said her job is different every day.

Kirch, who has a master’s degree in social work and is a licensed clinical social worker and alcohol and drug counselor, said her work at the Discov ery House for the past six years is “both the smallest and largest part of” her job.

“It’s a very small subset of what I do,” Kirch said. “However, it does take a lot of time commitment and a lot of atten tion to essentially provide this hands-on support to up to 12 women at any given time, who are struggling with their own addiction and mental health and trying

to figure out what their recovery jour ney is going to look like.”

Alison said the structure and support provided to her through workers such as Kirch gave her new ways to deal with her addiction.

“So it has given me outlets and it has given me tools in ways that I’m able to kind of delve deeper into myself and kind of work on some of the deep core issues and reasoning behind my addic tion,” Alison said.

The scheduled counseling, group therapy sessions, and sober activities help to create an environment where women in the home can work on them selves, Alison said. She thinks those

See DISCOVERY HOUSE, page 16

Melancholy Play Sept. 23-25 and Sept. 29-Oct. 1

The Arts at NIU

MUSIC

niu.edu/music

Oct. 6 Big Band Jazz Concert, 7 p.m.

Oct. 7 Wind Ensemble, 7 p.m.

Oct. 13 Fall Choirs Concert, 7 p.m.

Oct. 17 Jazz Faculty Showcase, 7 p.m.

Oct. 19 NIU Philharmonic Orchestra, 7 p.m.

Oct. 21 Wind Symphony, 7 p.m.

Nov. 2 NIU New Music Festival, 7 p.m.

Nov. 3 NIU New Music Festival, 7 p.m.

Nov. 4 NIU New Music Festival, 7 p.m.

Nov. 6 Percussion Ensemble, 3 p.m.

Nov. 9 University Jazz Concert, 7 p.m.

Nov. 13 Cor Cantiamo, 3 p.m.

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niu.edu/theatre

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Directed by Bethany Mangum-Oles

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Directed by Kay Martinovich

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ART

niu.edu/art

Golden Legacy: Original Art from 80 Years of Golden Books

NIU Art Museum, Altgeld Hall

Aug. 23 - Oct. 15 niu.edu/artmuseum

“Meeting of Makers: Merging of Space” Invitational exhibition of artist printmakers with interest in installation

Jack Olson Gallery, Jack Arends Hall

Aug. 29 - Oct. 27

Mark Busch – mbusch@shawmedia.com

Northwestern Medicine Ben Gordon Center Discovery House is seen Tuesday, Sept. 20, in DeKalb. Discovery House is an addiction treatment service program for adult women.

“This was my second chance. I’d already went to rehab once before, was clean for a little bit, trying to do it on my own, but this time going to Discovery House was actually a fresh new start for me.”

Alison 32-year-old who left the Northwestern Medicine Ben Gordon Center Discovery House in August

community programs made the differ ence for her.

“Because before, when I tried getting sober, I was just doing it on my own, I wasn’t working on myself or working through this deep-rooted issue,” Alison said. “So I wasn’t able to address what tools and things I really needed to get the most out of it.”

When fighting to overcome addic tion, Kirch said for many, the biggest thing to understand is that recovery is not a linear process.

“There are setbacks, there are strug gles. And I think a lot of times we think, if you’re in recovery, you’re making this choice, and it’s just as easy as ‘Don’t use, don’t do this behavior, just change,’ and it’s not,” Kirch said. “There are going to be moments when people revert to their old behaviors, their own thinking pat terns. It takes a lot of support, a lot of understanding, a lot of wrap-around services to really help guide people on that road to recovery.”

For those looking to support others in recovery or going through it them selves, Kirch said it’s important to accept that setbacks will occur, but that doesn’t have to be the end, or deter suc cess.

To that end, the Discovery House uses a variety of methods to help the residents on their path to recovery.

The group setting in particular, Alison said, is a paramount feature of the recovery journey. Alison said she was able to learn from the other women living in the home while also feeling safe to express all of her feelings and concerns. Alison said she never felt judged while in the home. She was taught that recovery is specific to each person, and that she can tailor the

journey to her needs.

“Discovery House prepared me to move out on my own,” Alison said. “I lived on my own a long time ago, but that’s when I was also in active addic tion so I wasn’t necessarily prepared for it then.”

Alison said Kirch helped her move out of Discovery House when she was ready and helped settle her into her own

place throughout the final months of her stay.

It’s an experience that’s inspired her to encourage other women to reach out to Discovery House if they’re struggling with addiction and substance abuse issues, too.

“Coming through Discovery House it definitely helped, definitely helped me,” Alison said. “It’s not embarrassing to ask for help.”

Recovery for Alison was more than just dropping the drugs.

“If you’re not working on everything, the only thing you’re not doing is just not using drugs,” she said. “By going through the program and actually going to classes, going to meetings, reaching out to other people, you’re working on things. You’re just not abstaining from drugs. You’re working on yourself to get better. So going through a program defi nitely gives you the tools to where you’re able to work on everything.”

Kirch said one of the biggest things she always says is “it’s never too late to change your life,” and she encourages people to look at what options are avail able in their community they might not know about. And Alison’s testimony comes as she prepares to mark a mile stone in her recovery.

“I just think the Discovery House gave me the fighting chance to work on my sobriety,” she said. “And I’m now one month shy of two years clean from heroin, crack cocaine and meth, so the program worked.”

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Marissa Kirch (right), manager of addiction treatment services and Northwestern Medicine Ben Gordon Center Discovery House, and Juliette Rigdon, recovery home coordinator, talk Tuesday, Sept. 20, at the facility in DeKalb.

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District 428 hopes to incentivize retired educators to teach again

By MEGANN HORSTEAD mhorstead@shawmedia.com

DeKALB – DeKalb School District 428 leadership said they hope that boosting the long-term substitute pay for retired teachers will help shore up the teacher shortage.

At the school board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 20, officials voted, 7-0, to authorize a measure to help grapple with the challenges that have been imposed on the district.

However, absences compounded with vacancies in the teaching profes sion are nothing new, officials said.

“There’s a teacher shortage every where, and we are definitely feeling the affects of that,” said Deetra Sallis, district director of human resources. “We’re very fortunate to hire retired teachers for reasons that they’re qual ified. They have classroom manage ment skills. They know the content. They know how to meet the needs of our students.”

The district finds it is important to incentivize retired educators so they may give consideration to teaching again, officials said.

Sallis said she and Cindy Carpen

ter, the district’s director of business and finance, studied what other school districts are paying their long-term substitute teachers and determined that DeKalb’s pay rate needed to increase from $130 per day to $250 per day.

“We determined that that would be a good starting point for retired teach ers,” Sallis said. “It comes out to $250 per day for long-term substitutes. A long-term assignment is anything that’s 15 days or longer. Any day-today assignments will continue to be the same rates as not a retired teacher.”

The new pay rate approved by the school board is retroactive to the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, according to school board documents.

Sallis expressed optimism about the school board’s decision to authorize the pay boost.

“I am very excited about this,” Sal lis said. “This is a good opportunity for the district to hopefully be able to attract more folks into our substitute pool but also being able to put more qualified and certified folks back in front of our students when we have a need for those long-term absences.”

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Deetra Sallis delivers a report at the Sept. 20 meeting of the DeKalb School District 428 board. Sallis is the district’s director of human resources.

DCCG announces October Grow Mobile food pantry dates

Shaw Local News Network

DeKALB – The DeKalb County Com munity Gardens released a list of Octo ber locations for the Grown Mobile, a mobile food pantry that offers free food and household items to all who come, no requirements necessary.

The DCCG is working hard to ensure the well-being of residents, staff and volunteers and ask that people practice good hand hygiene and stay home if you are sick.

To receive Grow Mobile alerts, text @a34cg4 to 81010.

Grow Mobile dates in October:

• 4 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, at St. Paul’s United Church of Chris, 324 W. McKinley Ave., Hinckley

• 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, at the Malta Historical Society, 27 N. Third St., Malta

• 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, in the community center of University Village Apartments, 722 N. Annie Glidden Road, DeKalb

BRIEFS

Genoa Public Library announces open board positions

GENOA – The Genoa Public Library, 240 W. Main St., announced that three six-year terms and one two-year unexpired term position are open on the Genoa Public Library District Board of Trustees for the consolidated election Tuesday, April 4.

Candidate packets are available at the library.

A minimum of 14 signatures by eligible registered voters is required on the peti tion to get on the election ballot. Candi dates must file completed the forms and petitions during the filing period begin ning at 10 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12, through 5 p.m. Monday, Dec. 19. Paperwork will not be accepted before or after the filing period.

Candidates must be registered voters who have lived within the boundaries of the Genoa Public Library District for at least one year; be in arrears in the pay ment of a tax or other indebtedness due to the library district; and not have been convicted of an infamous crime, bribery, perjury or other felony.

• 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, at the Cortland Lions Club Shelter, 70 S. Llanos St., Cortland

• 3:30 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, at Family Service Agency, 1325 Syca more Road, DeKalb

• 11 a.m. to noon Thursday, Oct. 13, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 830 N. Annie Glidden Road, DeKalb

• 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 15, at Kingston Friendship Center, 120 Main St., Kingston

• 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, in the community center of University Vil lage Apartments, 722 N. Annie Glid den Road, DeKalb

• 3:30 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, at Malta Township Public Library, 203 Adams St., Malta

• 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, at St. Paul the Apostle Parish church, 340 W. Arnold Road, Sandwich

• 11 a.m. to noon Thursday, Oct. 27, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 830 N. Annie Glidden Road, DeKalb

For information, visit genoalibrary.org, call 815-784-2627, or email genoali brary1@hotmail.com.

Coding workshop taking place at DeKalb Library Sept. 28

DeKALB – The DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St., will host a coding workshop at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 28, in the library’s lower-level Zimmerman Meeting Room.

The workshop is open for adults and mature teens.

Patrons will learn about the coding language CSS, which is used for the dis play of a web page’s content. CSS is used to modify any HTML tag and add color, background images and change the lay out of any webpage. The workshop is designed for patrons with no coding expe rience who want to learn something new and those who have taken the Coding Bootcamp: HTML workshop. No registra tion is required to attend.

For information, email isabelm@dkpl. org or call 815-756-9568, ext. 1700.

–ShawLocalNewsNetwork

Keicher named Champion of Free Enterprise by Illinois Chamber of Commerce

B y CAMDEN LAZENBY clazenby@shawmedia.com

DeKALB – State Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, recently was named a 2021-2022 Champion of Free Enterprise by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.

Keicher said. “As a small business owner myself, I understand the chal lenges job creators face on a daily basis, particularly as we re-emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Illinois Chamber of Commerce rated all members of Illinois’ 102nd General Assembly by analyzing how the legislators voted on key business legislation. The elected officials who, based on Illinois Chamber of Com merce’s criteria, had ratings at 85% or higher over the two previous General Assemblies were given the biennial award.

State Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore

The award –which was pre sented to Keicher on Wednesday, Sept. 21, by Keith Staats, the execu tive director of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce Tax Institute – is given to legislators who make special con tributions to the defense of free enter prise and advance economic opportu nities for Illinoisans.

In a news release, Keicher said he is “proud to stand with the men and women” of the local and statewide business community.

“They are the catalysts of growth and innovation here in northern Illi nois and the far western suburbs,”

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DeKalb Township hosting shred and recycle event Oct. 1

SYCAMORE – The DeKalb and Syca more Townships will co-host a drivethru shred and recycle event from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, in the parking lot of the Kishwaukee Family YMCA, 2500 Bethany Road, Sycamore.

Participants must bring a valid ID to show their DeKalb or Sycamore Town ship residency.

Residents will be limited to two boxes or paper bags of documents. Only paper materials are being accepted and staples do not need to be removed. Volunteers working the event will remove items from residents’ vehi cles.

The Lions of Illinois Foundation will accept used eyeglasses, hearing aids, keys or key fobs, Inkjet cartridges, and tabs from aluminum cans.

Cellphones, tablets, iPads, chargers, and domestic and international prepaid calling cards also will be accepted for the Cellphones for Soldiers Program. No other electronics are being accepted.

Keicher received the Champion of Free Enterprise award after receiving a rating of 89% for the 102 General Assembly by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.

“Illinois faces challenges to once again become a beacon of job growth and opportunity that we once were,” Keicher said. “But working with the outstanding members of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, there are no limits to the success our state can achieve for job creators and working families alike.”

For information, call 815-758-8282.

FVCS hosting new Alzheimers support groups on Wednesdays

SANDWICH – Fox Valley Community Services will host another Alzheimer’s support group during the second Wednesday of every month at the Fox Valley Community Center, 1406 Suydam Road, Sandwich.

This group is being held in addition to the support group that meets at 1 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month.

Director of Adult Day Service Betty Erick son and other participants will share, lis ten, help, laugh and learn while support ing one another through Alzheimer’s.

FVCS serves DeKalb, Kane, Kendall and La Salle counties seniors in active adult activities at the Senior Center, Adult Day Service at their Sandwich and DeKalb sites, and home services provid ing assistance in order to avoid unneces sary or premature nursing home place ment.

For information, call 815-570-2531.

–ShawLocalNewsNetwork

BRIEFS

Kishwaukee student awarded 2022 Renaissance Scholarship

SYCAMORE – Erika Nunez, a Kishwau kee College student pursuing her associ ate’s degree, recently was awarded the 2022 Renaissance Scholarship through the DeKalb County Community Founda tion.

Nunez is a hairstylist and salon owner in Sycamore. She plans to continue working and growing her business while complet ing her associate degree, with plans to pur sue a bachelor’s degree in music at North ern Illinois University.

The scholarship is made possible through the Renaissance Education Schol arship Fund, established by the DeKalb County Community Foundation in 2007. The fund was created by educator Yvonne Johnson to provide educational support to those currently in the workforce pursuing their educational dreams.

To donate to any existing scholarship fund, visit dekalbccf.org/donate or write to the DeKalb County Community Foundation, 475 DeKalb Ave., Sycamore.

For information, visit dekalbccf.org/ scholarships.

Safe Passage hosting domestic violence vigil Oct. 3

DeKALB – Safe Passage will host their 22nd annual Domestic Violence Vigil begin ning at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 3, at the Egyp tian Theater, 135 N. Second St., DeKalb.

The vigil is free and open to the public.

Safe Passage’s theme for this year’s vigil is “Breaking the Silence.” The vigil will feature a survivor speak out, an art show provided by the agency’s adult and child clients, and a candlelight vigil.

Kishwaukee College student Erika Nunez recently was awarded the 2022 Renaissance Scholarship through the DeKalb County Community Foundation. Photo provided by the DeKalb County Community Foundation

The vigil is being held in honor of Domestic Violence Month, which honors the pain and loss of abuse in the past year and honors the resiliency and strength of survivors.

Safe Passage is DeKalb County’s only domestic violence and rape crisis center. The organization is dedicated to providing various resources to victims of abuse, regardless of gender identity, sexual orien tation, race, immigration status, faith or ability. All services at Safe Passage are free and confidential.

For information, visit safepassagedv. org/events or call 815-756-7930.

DeKalb’s ‘This is My Brave’ tickets now available to buy

DeKALB – Tickets are on sale now for DeKalb’s upcoming “This is My Brave: The Show in DeKalb” performance at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St., DeKalb.

Proceeds from the show will go towards benefiting mental health services in DeKalb County.

The cast of “This is My Brave: The Show in DeKalb” consists of performers from DeKalb, Kane and Winnebago counties. The performers will take the stage one by one to tell stories both heart-wrenching and uplifting.

Performances include original music, spoken word and pantomime. Performers will share their personal experiences with challenges like depression, anxiety and addiction.

Tickets cost $20 and are available to buy at the Egyptian Theatre box office and online at egyptiantheatre.org.

–ShawLocalNewsNetwork

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After almost 50 years, Sycamore tax professional retires

Local News Network

Carme Gregory, a master tax adviser at H&R Block, has retired after almost 50 years of service to the community.

Gregory’s retirement was announced in a news release and was marked by a community celebration in DeKalb recently.

During Gregory’s 50 tax years and 49½ calendar years at H&R Block, her clients “often accused [her] of becom ing her friends and her friends becom ing her clients,” according to the release.

Gregory’s retirement will close one chapter in her book and start another.

During her decades-long career at H&R Block in Sycamore, Gregory worked with on than 14,800 tax related days, more than 183,500 tax office hours, more than 47,000 tax returns, more than 5,700 tax law changes, more than 5,900 continuing education tax hours, and has taught or led more than 300 different tax classes for more than 3,800 students, according to the release.

She attended more than 380 confer ences and seminars (often also present ing). Gregory served 48 years as a DeKalb Chamber of Commerce ambas sador, placed on the Chamber’s Wall of See GREGORY, page 24

Shaw Local News Network file photo

Carme Gregory (left) of H&R Block gets a hug from Dianne Leifheit who introduced her as an ATHENA Award nominee Tuesday during the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce ATHENA Reception. Gregory became the 26th recipient of the award which recognizes an individual for business and professional accomplishments and for serving as a role model to encourage women to reach their full leadership potential.

R

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DeKalb police awarded grant to target non-compliant gun ownership

By KELSEY RETTKE krettke@shawmedia.com

DeKALB – An almost $7,600 grant awarded to the DeKalb Police Depart ment by the Illinois State Police will help officers target non-compliant gun ownership in the city, Police Chief David Byrd said.

The DeKalb department is one of 32 law enforcement agencies across Illi nois awarded a portion of $1 million in grants meant to aid departments in identifying firearm users who aren’t up to date on their Firearm Owners Identification cards, according to a recent news release from the Illinois State Police.

Byrd said compliance checks for legal firearm ownership aren’t new to DeKalb, but the agency appreciates the extra resources, meant to aid addi tional compliance checks through June 30, 2023.

GREGORY

from page 22

Fame, mentored more than 120 new Chamber members, and was a 2015 Athena Award recipient.

She sat on 13 advisory boards for

“The whole idea is not to remove firearms from people who can legally own them, but there are situations that might come up where your fire arm’s card for whatever reason might be revoked or loses its active status, and we need to as a law enforcement agency try to get you back into compli ance,” Byrd said. “So compliance is key.”

Byrd said he understands that recent gun violence that has made headlines has some concerned. He said compliance checks are just another step to making the community safer.

“We have had a lot of gun violence, but when I say ‘a lot,’ I mean it’s respec tive to the size of our city,” Byrd said. “If you compare it to Chicago, it wouldn’t seem like a lot, but when you look at it through the lens of the residents of DeKalb, it might seem like a lot.”

A three-day string of gun violence on the city’s north side saw the city’s

various local groups (including Kish waukee College), various public inter views including PBS and Wall Street Journal, received more than 35 H&R Block company awards, three times on H&R Block satellite (franchise) coun cils and was a National Tax Practice Institute Fellow.

first homicide of 2022, after an 18-yearold was fatally shot in the head outside West Ridge Apartments on Aug. 24. On Aug. 23, a DeKalb woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries after she was shot outside another apartment complex along Ridge Drive. And a 13-year-old faces attempted murder charges after police said on Aug. 22 he shot another teenager in the back on South Eighth Street blocks from an elementary and middle school, prompting proactive lockdowns of the school buildings.

Michael H. Howard, 25, of DeKalb was charged with first-degree murder in the Aug. 24 shooting death.

“Anything that we can do to make sure that guns are properly possessed and owned, then I think that’s really the spirit of this,” Byrd said.

Among area agencies awarded money were the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, Kane County Sheriff’s Office, Naperville Police Department, Peru Police Department, Putnam County

Continued from page 24

Sheriff’s Office and St. Charles Police Department.

Byrd said the Illinois State Police will provide the DeKalb Police Depart ment with a list of firearm owners in the city whose FOID cards have been revoked. Police officers will then make their rounds checking compliance.

The enforcement details are intended to focus on people who pose a significant threat to themselves or oth ers, according to the ISP. That includes anyone who’s the subject of a firearm restraining order or received a crimi nal conviction, among other criteria, according to the release. Under Illinois law, those convicted of a felony cannot possess a firearm or ammunition.

Byrd said compliance checks aren’t about making arrests, but ensuring those in possession of a gun are doing so legally.

“You can make traffic stops and you can find out that someone has a revoked FOID card and they shouldn’t be in pos session of that revoked FOID card,” Byrd said. “So a lot of times those com pliance checks happen every day unex pectedly just through the police work that’s being done on a daily basis.”

According to the ISP, from 2020 through the end of August 2022, compli

ance checks and firearm eligibility pro cedures by state police halted more than 97,000 unlawful attempts to obtain a firearm.

A recent statewide firearms enforce ment stint from July 16 through July 31 included 1,742 compliance checks, according to the ISP. During those checks 1,027 people surrendered their FOID cards, transferred all firearms from their possession and completed a Firearm Disposition Record, which under the Illinois FOID Card Act

Half Page 4.725 x 9.5

Half Page 4.725 x 9.5

requires firearm owners to list each firearm they previously owned and to whom it was surrendered.

Funding for the compliance enforce

ment grants was distributed from the State Police Revocation Fund, accord ing to the ISP, and made possible through Public Act 102-0237.

An Evening of Prayer, Meditation

An Evening of Prayer, Meditation and Music.

Friday, October 7th, 2022, 7:00 P.M.

Friday, October 7th, 2022, 7:00

An Evening of Prayer, Meditation and Music. Friday, October 7th, 2022, 7:00 P.M.

Streamed via Zoom/YouTube [see church website for links]

S

Streamed via Zoom/YouTube [see church website for links]

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 900 Normal Road, DeKalb

St Paul’s Episcopal Church, 900 Normal Road, DeKalb

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 900 Normal Road, DeKalb

Office: (815) 756 4888 Email: parishoffice@stpaulsdekalb.org

Office: (815) 756-4888 Email: parishoffice@stpaulsdekalb.org

Office: (815) 756-4888 Email: parishoffice@stpaulsdekalb.org

Website: www.stpaulsdekalb.org

Website: www.stpaulsdekalb.org

Website: www.stpaulsdekalb.org

The Reverend Barbara A. T. Wilson, Rector

The Reverend A. T. Rector

The Reverend Barbara A. T. Wilson, Rector

Mark Busch file photo – mbusch@shawmedia.com DeKalb Police Chief David Byrd (right) hands a shield back to an officer at the scene of a shooting Aug. 24 at West Ridge Apartments in DeKalb.

“The whole idea is not to remove firearms from people who can legally own them, but there are situations that might come up where your firearm’s card for whatever reason might be revoked or loses its active status, and we need to as a law enforcement agency try to get you back into compliance. So compliance is key.”

David Byrd DeKalb police chief

BRIEF

Sycamore church offering animal blessing Oct. 1

SYCAMORE – Mayfield Congrega tional United Church of Christ, 28405 N. Church Road, will host a Blessing of the Animals from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 1.

Animal owners can visit the church’s

drive-thru to have their pets blessed. Any pet can be brought in to be blessed by the church. Mayfield Pastor Lauri Allen will be blessing the animals.

For information, email PastorLauri@ mayfieldchurchucc.org or call 815-7575917.

from page 2

known exposure, but can be admin istered up to 14 days after exposure,” said Gonzalez.

District 427 said it “will continue to work closely with the Dekalb County Health Department and pro vide updates to families if there are new developments or recommenda tions,” and is encouraging staff and students to stay home if ill.

Symptoms to watch for

Monkeypox is a virus commonly transmitted through intimate physi cal contact, close skin-to-skin con tact, the sharing of objects, fabrics and materials, or being bitten or scratched by an infected animal.

People should watch for a rash that may be located on or near the genitals or anus, or could be on other areas such as the hands, feet, fast, chest or mouth, according to the CDC.

The rash will go through several stages, including scabs, before heal ing, and can initially look like pim ples or blisters, and be painful or itchy. Other symptoms can include fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes, exhaustion, muscle aches or back ache, headache, respiratory symp toms such as a sore throat, cough or nasal congestion.

Some people may experience all or only a few symptoms, and vary in order of symptoms and rash, or develop a rash first. According to the CDC, symptoms usually start within three weeks of exposure, with a rash appearing within four days of flu-like symptoms. The ill ness typically lasts two to four weeks.

Gonzalez previously said wash ing one’s hands, avoiding contact with items that an infected person has used and isolating are some ways to keep oneself safe.

The health department plans to conduct case investigation and con tact tracing for monkeypox in-house rather than leaving it up to the schools to handle, officials said.

If anyone comes down with symp toms, health officials advise that one get tested and isolate until the results are received and all rashes and scabs have healed. Tests are only conducted through a health care provider, according to the CDC, and usually consist of a swab of the lesion or rashes. The swab is then sent to a lab for testing, with results expected in a few days.

The CDC asks those awaiting tests results to take precautions until confirmation is known.

But if one tests negative, they are instructed to isolate for about two to four weeks and then be cleared by their physician.

Dr. Z has been in the area for 29 years 15 Minutes West of Somo nauk

–ShawLocalNewsNetwork

Shaw Local News Network file photo Winnie, a four-to-five-week-old kitten, waits Oct. 4, 2013, to be personally blessed by Deacon Lee Deatherage at a blessing of pets in recognition of Feast Day by Saint Francis of Assisi at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Sycamore.

2013

pipes, control

and consigner.

*North bin

diameter

storage aerated floor, power sweep 8in unload, comes with stairs, fan, and control panel on bin *Middle bin 36 ft diameter, 23k bu storage, aerated floor, power sweep 8in unload, Comes with stairs, auger on top that runs to 48 ft bin, fan and control panel. *South Drying bin 30ft, Comes with Gen 2 Compu Dry computer, Neco Circu Flow computer, panel that all electronics is on, 2 Drying fa ns each with newer Leeson 15 HP motors, and roof auger that goes to 36ft bin. *West bin 28ft bin aerated floor, unload auger, comes with stairs , fan

Terms on buying and removing leg and bins Only professional licensed, bonded and insured Mill Wrights will be allowed to disassemble and remove the Grain bins and leg. If hiring a crane, Crane company will also need to be license bonded and insured. We have local Millwrights in our area Ag builders construction Jeremy (815) 970-51 15 for quotes Millwrights and Crane company must be approved by Auction Company before removal. Removal must be completed by October 1, 2023.

Tractors, Trucks, Construction Equipment

2020 CASE IH Farmall 75C w/L620 Lo ader, 208 hours, MFWD powershift, 540 PTO, 3pt, 2 remotes Close to new as you can

Ser. # LAP0 0915

Farmall 560 Gas w/

Publisher's Notice: All real estate advertising in this newspaper is

stat

origin,

Familial stat us includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18 This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violat io n of the law. Ou r readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis To complain of discrimination call HUD 1- 800-669-9777

Hearing impaired number is 1-800-927-9275

PUBLIC NOT ICE PURSUANT TO 10 ILCS 5/12-1, THIS NOTICE IS IN TENDED TO COMPLY WITH THE FEDERAL VOTING AC CESIBILITY ACT.

ON NOVEMBER 8, 2022 A GENERAL ELECTION WILL BE HELD AT ALL NORMAL POLLING PLACES IN AND FOR DEKALB COUNTY SHOULD VOTERS REQUIRE SPECIAL ACCOMODATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE DEKALB COUNTY CLERK'S OFFICE AT 815.895.7147 TO REGI STER TO BE A DISABLED VOTER AND/OR RECEIVE INFORMATION RE GARDING ACCESSIBILITY OPTIONS AT EACH POLLING LOCATION.

/s/ DOUGLAS J. JO HNSON DEKALB COUNTY CLERK

(Published in the Daily Chronicle Sept 23, 2022 & the Midweek Sept 28 2022) 2018342

Buying? Selling? Renting? Hiring?

To place an ad, call 833-584-NEWS

MidWeek Classified

/ ShawLocal.com

• Wednesday, Sep 28, 2022

The Commitment of Resource Bank

Chapter Three

The Future of Community Banking

read an article about the future of community banking in America. The author concluded that the future of community banking does not lie in the past with old-time institutions like the Bailey Building & Loan from It’s aWonderful Life. Rather, community banks must adapt to the impersonal policies of large regional and national banks in order to survive. I happen to be a huge fan of that classic holiday film, and admittedly, I may be a little biased.

Irecently

While I recognize that community banks certainly need to adapt to new technology, I believe that the spirit of the Bailey Building & Loan is exactly what community banks should strive to achieve.

I have worked at Resource Bank since 2010, and in that period of time, I have had the privilege of witnessing, time and again, the kind of generosity and compassion exemplified by the fictional Bailey family. I have seen firsthand that Resource Bank makes decisions for the right reasons, with the well-being of our clients in mind, as opposed to solely maximizing the bottom line. Success is a natural result. I believe that this philosophy can be the future of community banking. It exists in the present at Resource Bank, and it is one of the reasons that we are still standing strong as a locally owned institution.

George Bailey’s belief that a bank can thrive by establishing and nurturing personal relationships may be a work of fiction, but Resource Bank proves that it works in the real world. If you value a relationship with a bank that sees you as a person, not as an account number, please stop in to Resource Bank. We would love the opportunity to earn your trust.

Brian Hawes, VP & Chief Credit Officer