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ON THE COVER
Piles of donated goods at the Sycamore City Center await transportation to Asheville, North Carolina, on Oct. 9 for those affected by the devastation of Hurricane Helene. See story, page 6.
Sandwich looking to upgrade water treatment facilities
By ERIC SCHELKOPF eschelkopf@shawmedia.com
Sandwich will apply for an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency loan to help pay for improvements to its aging water system.
At the Sept. 16 Sandwich City Council meeting, the majority of members voted to approve a contract with Engineering Enterprises Inc. to prepare a funding application for the loan in an amount not to exceed $19,778.
Last December, Engineering Enterprises Vice President Steve Dennison spoke to City Council members about the improvements that need to be made to the system. He told them the city’s water treatment plant on Railroad Street, constructed in 1939, is significantly past the date of its useful life.
“This is one of the older plants I’ve seen in northeast Illinois,” he said. “The ceiling is collapsing.”
In addition, he said the plant uses obsolete technology for the aeration of the water.
“It works, but only for a period of time,” Dennison said.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency has recommended replacing the facility, he said. Dennison said the city’s second water treatment plant on Clark Street – which has been operational since 1993 – can be modified and expanded to accommodate the decommissioning of the Railroad Street plant.
If approved, it wouldn’t be the first DeKalb County municipality to address aging water infrastructure with loans granted through the IEPA. The City of Sycamore was granted a cumulative $11.6 million from the agency between 2020 and 2024. More than half of that – $6.8 million –
PUZZLE ANSWERS
puzzlesonpage21
During the Oct. 16, 2023, Sycamore City Council meeting, First Ward Alderman Alan Bauer displays part of a lead service line he had replaced at his home years before the city of Sycamore offered the current lead service line replacement program. On the right is a copper water service line, commonly used to replace lead service lines.
has debt forgiveness, Sycamore City Manager Michael Hall has said. Sycamore used that funding to replace lead-lined water service lines on properties in the city at no cost to the property owners. DeKalb city also has received funding from the IEPA for lead line replacement. And in 2021, Shabbona was awarded a $1.8 million IEPA loan to replace its water treatment plant.
Low water pressure on the Sandwich’s northwest side also is a concern. In addition, water mains have to be replaced.
Since 2016, the city has experienced more than 65 water main breaks, Dennison said.
Lead service pipes also need to be replaced. The city recently received a $40,000 grant to start identifying properties that have lead pipes.
The city’s two active sandstone wells
also are in need of replacement because of their age. They were constructed between 1911 and 1939.
“So you have one that’s over 100 years old and one that’s approaching 100 years old,” Dennison told City Council members. “That is extremely old when it comes to wells. There’s no way around it. I don’t see wells that age very often that are still operable…As you pump wells for a long period of time, you create situations where they will fail. That will happen at some point, we just don’t know when it will happen.”
City officials also are trying to make sure the water system is keeping up with the city’s growth. Sandwich is expected to grow from its current population of about 7,200 to about 13,000 by the year 2050.
Earlier this year, the city also increased water rates to help pay for the estimated $72.6 million in improvements.
CORRECTIONS
Accuracy is important to The MidWeek. Please call errors to our attention by phone at 815-526-4411 or email at readit@midweeknews.com.
Photo by Mark Busch
Camden Lazenby file photo
Kish College Foundation creates Albert and Frances Besserman endowment fund
Fund will aid students studying STEM, and the Kishwaukee College library
SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com
MALTA – The Kishwaukee College Foundation announced the creation of the Albert and Frances Besserman endowment fund, which will aid the Kishwaukee College library and scholarships to students pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering or math.
Albert Besserman said they wanted to specifically help students looking to go into STEM and, in particular, math.
“Our interest is in providing financial support to students in need of scholarships, especially students pursuing a career in math or teaching math. Starting a career in mathematics is one of the best things that happened to me, and the opportunity to pass it along is meaningful,” Besser -
man said in a news release.
The fund was created to honor the Bessermans, who are former Kishwaukee College employees.
Frances began work as a part-time Kishwaukee College library staff member in 1973. She received a master’s in library science, worked as a reference librarian and was the college’s Learning Resources Center director. Frances also assisted with Kishwaukee College’s library renovations. She retired from the college in 1998.
“We would also like part of it to support Kish students through Library Services and any program enhancements or funding they need to enhance their services,” Frances Besserman said in the release.
College officials thanked the Bessermans for their contributions.
“The Bessermans have a long legacy of contributions to Kishwaukee College. The Foundation is honored to continue to work with them as they provide generous, continued financial support for our students and our com-
munity,” Kishwaukee College foundation director Courtney Walz said in the release.
The couple met at Illinois State Normal University. Albert Besserman was hired as a Kishwaukee College math teacher in 1968. He also served as the college’s mathematics department chair for six years and earned two Outstanding Educator of the Year awards. He retired from the
college in 1997.
“The college had a huge influence on their whole lives. I remember how important the college and the community were and thought it would be a great opportunity to give back and show their support,” Mark Besserman, Albert and Frances’ son, said in the release.
For information, visit kish.edu/ foundation.
Photo provided by Kishwaukee College
Frances and Albert Besserman
It’s almost time for ghosts, ghouls, goblins and everything in between to parade in costumed-clad droves around DeKalb County neighborhoods to collect sweet treats for Halloween.
DeKalb County area communities have announced Halloween events and trick-or-treat hours set for Oct. 31.
Other Halloween events
DeKalb Spooktacular: 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 29 in downtown DeKalb. Hosted by the DeKalb Chamber of Commerce, Spooktacular invites families to dress in costumes and trick-or-treat at more than 20 downtown businesses. A free screening of the 2002 film “Scooby-Doo: The Movie” will be held at the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St., DeKalb. For information, visit members.dekalb. org.
Sycamore Downtown Trick-or-Treat: 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 24 hosted by the city of Sycamore downtown along State Street. Attendees are invited to trick-or-treat at participating organizations and businesses. Participants are encouraged to to wear costumes.
Howl-o-ween Costume Contest: 11 a.m. Oct. 19 at Katz Dog Park, 393 W. Dresser Road, DeKalb. Hosted by the DeKalb Park
LOCAL NEWS BRIEF
DeKalb library to offer reverse mortgages workshop Oct. 21
DeKALB – The DeKalb Public Library will host a workshop for patrons to learn about government backed home equity conversion mortgages.
The free workshop will be held at 6 p.m. Oct. 21 in the library’s lower-level
Trick-or-treat
DeKalb:
Sycamore:
Cortland:
Genoa:
Waterman:
District. Attendees can bring a costumed dog to the park for the district’s annual costume contest. Prizes will be awarded for Best Owner/Pet Costume Combo, Most Spook-tacular and Howling with Laughter. Register dogs onsite between 10:30 and 11 a.m.
For information, visit dekalbparkdistrict.com.
– Shaw Local News Network
Bilder Family Meeting Room, 309 Oak St. Licensed mortgage loan originator
Richard Glover will discuss how reverse mortgages are part of financial planning. No registration is required. For information, email chelsear@dkpl. org or call 815-756-9568, ext. 1700. – Shaw Local News Network
Mark Busch file photo
Mabel Leonard, 2, walks with her mom Tabitha Leonard (left) and grandma Jill Newbold are bundled up in DeKalb as they trick or treat on Halloween in 2023.
A CLOSER LOOK
‘I want to help other people’
Donated supplies headed to North Carolina after Hurricane Helene
By CAMDEN LAZENBY clazenby@shawmedia.com
SYCAMORE – A trailer load of potentially lifesaving supplies is expected to arrive in Asheville, North Carolina, this month thanks to the donations and charitable efforts of DeKalb County residents.
Social media posts last week from the Sycamore Police Department, Sycamore School District 427 and the Genoa Park District called on the community to donate water, diapers, formula, pet food, shelf-stable food and other items meant to support people affected by the devastation that Hurricane Helene left in its wake in the southern Appalachian Mountains.
Valesia Best of Cortland dropped off a couple of boxes of supplies Oct. 7 at the Sycamore City Center, 308 W. State St., one of several drop-off sites organizers chose.
Best said she wanted to do what she could.
“I just want to help people out,” Best said. “I feel like I’ve been blessed, [and] I want to help other people. I can’t imagine what they’re going through, losing their homes, losing their families, people everywhere, body bags everywhere.”
The storm made landfall in the Big Bend area of Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, but the storm’s largest effects were felt in the southern Appalachian Mountains, according to the National Weather Service.
The hurricane’s death toll rose to 227 on Oct. 5, according to The Associated Press. ABC News reported that the number rose above 230 by Oct. 9.
Across North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, at least 527 landslides occurred as a result of Hurricane Helene, according to a landslide observations dashboard created by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Best said that aside from seasonal tornadoes, she thinks DeKalb County has been blessed with less extreme weather than what often makes national headlines.
“We don’t have hardly any issues here,” Best said. “We’ve been so blessed, so I’m like, ‘Pass it along, and help people who are in need.’ That’s what we’re here for – to help others.”
Sycamore Police Sgt. Stacy Binkowski, who works as the department’s community resource officer, said Sycamore police aren’t behind the
charitable efforts but were happy to help when asked. She said a friend of hers reached out to see whether the police department would be willing to help ask the community for donations.
“Honestly, our role is small,” Binkowski said. “We’re really just trying to get the word out there and the information out there, and help out where we can. But this gal, I know her from the community. We partnered with a local business, and they wanted to fill a 53-foot semitrailer with goods that will be directly going to people impacted by the hurricane in the Asheville, North Carolina, area.”
Binkowski said her friend, Jamie O’Brien, wanted to help the people of North Carolina and felt confident that DeKalb County would rise to the occasion.
O’Brien could not be reached for comment for this story.
Alongside the calls for supplies from local officials on social media has been an Amazon wishlist filled with
I’m a Christian, and I feel like I like to pass it forward and be God’s hands and feet. We’re called to help others.”
Valesia Best, Cortland resident
items that could help storm victims.
Binkowski said supporters were welcome to send items from that wishlist to Upstaging, 821 Park Ave., Sycamore.
O’Brien is the transportation director for Upstaging, a Sycamore-based production services company that has presented shows across the country.
Binkowski said O’Brien has direct contacts in North Carolina and facilitated getting supplies to Asheville.
Binkowski said it’s wonderful and exciting to see the community’s support for the initiative.
“There’s a lot of people that have gone on the Amazon list and have pur-
chased and donated, which has been just phenomenal because I know that a lot of deliveries have already been delivered,” Binkowski said. “We’re just really excited to see how the week unfolds, and we hope we have this trailer full by the end of the week and heading on its way out East.”
Best said she’s prayed every day for those affected by the hurricane.
“I’m a Christian, and I feel like I like to pass it forward and be God’s hands and feet,” Best said. “We’re called to help others.”
Although O’Brien and Upstaging could not be reached for comment on their hurricane relief efforts, Binkowski said the story is “not about them.”
“They want to do good stuff, and they want to get things to people – the same thing that we would hope if we had a travesty here,” Binkowski said. “There’s so many good people here. We know that in our country that’s one of the best parts about being here, is that people will help each other out.”
Mark Busch
Piles of donated goods at the Sycamore City Center on Oct. 9 await transportation to Asheville, North Carolina, for those affected by the devastation of Hurricane Helene. DeKalb County residents have been generous in their donations at several drop-off spots in the county.
How NIU brought 5 women together
NIU Golden Huskies Class of 1974 reunion begins Oct. 17 in DeKalb
SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com
Editor’s note: This feature on Northern Illinois University’s Class of 1974 written by Lia Kizilbash Gilbert was published originally by the NIU Alumni Association and is being reprinted with permission.
DeKALB – In 1970, Rachel Bergman (née Scanland), Marianne Epstein (née Riedel), Christine Joniak (née Rohnmann), Ruth Kyme (née Semma) and Rhonda Wassell (née Rothballer), five college freshmen, became fast friends after being alphabetically assigned to live on a wing in Neptune Hall at Northern Illinois Uni-
versity. Half a century later, their graduating class (class of 1974) will be celebrated at the Golden Huskies 50+ Reunion during Homecoming Oct. 17-19.
As loyal friends as they ever were, these Huskies meet virtually on Zoom on a weekly basis. They fill 80 minutes with laughter and support.
“We decided to connect virtually during the pandemic and never stopped,” Epstein said. “We have so much to talk about that we have to schedule two back-to-back calls to take advantage of the free 40 minutes allowed.”
“We talk about all sorts of things when we Zoom,” Joniak said. “We share similar values, are well-informed, interesting, caring and respectful, and give each other good advice! I learn something new every time we Zoom, I really do. It’s always fun and lively, and we keep talking for
See FRIENDS, page 8
Photo provided by Michael Korcek
Northern Illinois University Class of 1974 alumni Marianne Epstein, Ruth Kyme, Christine Joniak, Rhonda Wassell and Rachel Bergman enjoy a vacation together in Nashville in 2019. They will mark their 50th Huskie reunion in October 2024.
Continued from page 7
80 minutes straight.”
Wassell added, “We appreciate each other and know the details of each other’s lives. There is a lot to follow up on; you have more to talk about the more often you talk.”
Despite not connecting as frequently before the pandemic, they rarely missed a year without seeing each other. They attended each other’s weddings, organized gatherings with their husbands and children after their children were born, and often met in Chicago when their children grew up. They remained close as their children got married, attending their weddings and receptions together.
“Rhonda would always initiate us getting together; she is the social one,” Kyme said.
“There were some wild times when the kids were little – 14 between us,” Epstein said. “We are lucky that our husbands get along well. We lived life together; we got married and had children at about the same time. In 2001, when we lost our daughter in a car accident, these women were by my side quickly and for a long time afterward. It was comforting to know they were there for me.”
With the NIU Golden Huskies 50+ Reunion happening this fall and Epstein serving on the reunion committee with her husband, Shelley, ’74,
the five women began reminiscing about their NIU days.
Class of 1974 memories
Bergman came to NIU to study journalism, Wassell came to study English, and later earned a second bachelor’s degree in journalism. Epstein and Joniak came for education, and Kyme, Theatre Arts and English.
“We met on the first or second day when we arrived at Neptune North dorm in 1970 when we were just 17 years old,” Joniak said. “Our friendship was originally by chance [or good luck] since we were assigned rooms alphabetically based on our last names, but we were all kind, friendly and fun.”
“We were thrown together and didn’t know anyone, so we had to adjust to this new college life together,” Wassell said. “We were young, and it was a challenging adjustment at first. I didn’t get along with my roommate, so I was especially dependent on my neighbors.”
“Our rooms were pretty spartan compared to college dorm rooms today,” Kyme said. “There were no TVs, and microwaves hadn’t been invented yet. We had little hot pots for boiling water or heating up soup. We made a lot of popcorn in old-fashioned popcorn poppers. Rhonda and I made bagels from scratch once and actually boiled them in a popcorn popper.”
See FRIENDS, page 13
THE ARTS AT NIU
4-6 and 10-12
Schiller
“that
Photo provided by Michael Korcek
Various photos of Marianne Epstein, Ruth Kyme, Christine Joniak, Rhonda Wassell and Rachel Bergman, during their time at Northern Illinois University in the 1970s. They graduated in 1974, and will mark their 50th Huskie reunion in October 2024.
LOOKING BACK
1924 – 100 YEARS AGO
Good news for the canny shoppers among DeKalb’s fair sex. The famous Reliable bargain basement, which has been closed while the improvements on the Reliable store were being completed, will open Friday. The work has about been finished and Mr. Iskowich will re-open his basement for the bargain seekers tomorrow with a liberal lot of price-slashing offerings. It is expected that the grand opening of the beautifully remodeled store will take place sometime next week.
Although official information has not been given out, it is understood that within another week it will be known if the Bovee Transmission Company will locate in DeKalb. A committee of DeKalb Chamber of Commerce members have been busy investigating the concern and the report should be ready the early part of next week. According to a representative of the company, now in this city, the concern has enough orders on hand to give employment to 7,000 men. Over $600,000 has been invested, and of the remaining $400,000 in shares, many have been sold in this city.
Workmen this morning were installing a new gasoline pump in front of the Butzow Brothers garage in Sycamore. The pump that was formerly doing the work at the garage was damaged beyond repair by a runaway team several weeks ago. The new pump is of the latest design and is well fitted for the work to which it will be put.
With the falling of leaves in every section of the city, residents have been busy the past few days burning the nuisance, and in many cases, fires have been built in the street. According to a notice received at the city hall, residents of the College addition have been burning the leaves on the asphalt pavement, in some cases doing harm to the pavement. It was stated today that the workers for this city will carry away the leaves as quickly as possible, if they are raked in a pile on the curbing. When the streets are paved with asphalt or cement, harm might be done by the fires. Information as to when the city rubbish wagons will be ready to make a tour of the city to pick up the leaves may be secured at the city hall.
Lumber is being hauled to the DeKalb County Tuberculosis Sanitarium and it is
expected that work on the new roof for the building will be started within the next few days. The new roof will be built over the present one and built on a slant instead of flat.
1949– 75 YEARS AGO
The NIU Huskies will play on a completely rebuilt football field next fall. This means that the present football field at the college, which was in such poor condition that the Huskies played their Homecoming game on the local high school field, will be completely retiled and sodded. At the present time, the field will be moved about 50 feet east and will be corrected in alignment in regard to the general plan of the campus.
On Friday evening, Nov. 4, the Harlem Globe Trotters, the nationally known professional basketball team, will play the Belvidere Professional team at the Genoa High School gym at 8:30 o’clock.
The blueprints which the state highway department has prepared for the planting of the trees along the proposed memorial highway between DeKalb and Sycamore have been prepared and have been received here. In order that the public can get acquainted with what is planned under the ambitious programs which the Sycamore and DeKalb Rotary Clubs and the Sycamore and DeKalb Home Garden Clubs are promoting, four sets of the blueprints have been placed on display at various places in the city where they can be seen and studied.
With Christmas around the corner and inflation taking a bigger and bigger bite out of our pocketbooks, people will turn more and more to making things. Kishwaukee College is offering two eight-week handicraft classes starting this month. The two classes which will end by mid-December will teach basic skills in creative handicraft.
The Upper Room Coffee House will not reopen. This marks the end of the Coffeehouse Ministries in DeKalb.
A cattle truck overturned late yesterday afternoon on Brickville Road, temporarily freeing its cargo of 20 calves.
It is hoped that members and friends of the Sycamore Mother’s Club will remember to have their bottles out on the curb by 9 o’clock Saturday morning for the annual bottle drive. The proceeds of the collection are for the dental clinic to be held this fall for all grade school children. Get your bottles out early, co-operation will be greatly appreciated.
Electricians dismantling the old lighting circuits in Sycamore today inadvertently touched off the fire siren. The siren screamed for several minutes with the firemen frantically signaling that there was no alarm. Finally, Leroy Swanson of the Central Illinois Light Company turned the switch which cut off the siren. A short circuit in the old wires was blamed.
Thieves raided the Brooks Dairy Bar on Sycamore Road near Hopkins Park last night and got away with a sizeable haul.
1974 – 50 YEARS AGO
Work began this week on the demolition of the old Hopkins Park swimming pool in preparation for the construction of a new 75-meter-by-25-foot pool expected to be completed by next summer.
A meeting early today produced no changes in the status of Barber-Greene Co.’s efforts to get both deliveries and shipments through a machinists’ union picket line. A strike at the Barber-Greene Road plant is in its fifth week.
“Loose leaf” pickup is a service provided by the city of DeKalb for residents. Two services are provided this year, which leaf-rakers can choose. One is depositing the leave near the curb, and the other is calling the city for pickup or bagging the leaves, and waiting for regular garbage collection.
1999 – 25 YEARS AGO
While no damage was done to the YMCA building by a 1,500-person party held early Sunday morning, police are still seeking charges against its organizers. The party, which was supposed to be limited to only 100 people, drew 1,500 college-age students and their friends.
The bus doors folded open and dozens of children came streaming out. They raced across the sun-browned pumpkin patch of the Jonamac Orchard near Malta, eager to find one of the orange gourds to claim as their own. The children came from Chicago, and many have never seen the natural expanse of a farm before.
Just over a decade ago, the northeast corner of Lincoln Highway and First Street held a gas station, a place for drivers to fuel up their vehicles. Now the corner is a filling station for local history, a place for people to learn and remember DeKalb’s past. Sunday afternoon, the Community Mural was dedicated in Memorial Park. An estimated 300 people gathered for the celebration. The mural takes up the entire wall of the city’s oldest three-story building, once again being referred to as the old Chronicle Building.
– Compiled by Sue Breese
Photo provided by DeKalb County History Center
The Margaret Baack home, formerly the James E. Ellwood house, is moved across Somonauk Street in Sycamore in August 1989. The house will be one of the featured homes on the DeKalb County History Center’s Historic Homes Tour on Oct. 26.
2024 DeKalb County
4-H Blue Ribbon Auction
Thanks to all the buyers and contributors
Please patronize these generous businesses and individuals.
Adkins Milk Hauling, LLC
Al & Jill Browne
Arndt Seed -DeKalb Asgrow
- Ed, Darla & Katie Farms
Beau & Lynn Byington
Bill & Lisa Kuhn
BKJ Livestock
Bob Pritchard
Brad & Laura Schramer
Brad Busch
Bridger Farms
Campton Construction
CHS
Compeer Financial -
Ty Martin
Condon Construction Co.
Conserv FS -
Justin Wassmann
Craig Johnson (FNIC)
Curran Contracting
Dave & Sue Peterson
Davidson Pargman & Company, LLC
DeKalb Sycamore
Don Frost - Wyffels
Farmers Helping Farmers -
Roger & Bev Larson
Fellows Bros Mechanical
First State Bank
Heartland BankLandon Faivre
Husshold Farms
J2J Services, LLC
Jay & Carissa Brendle
Jeff & Jan PoynterPoynter Sheep Farm
Jeff Keicher
Jenny O'Donnell Memorial Jim Stoddard
Martin, Goodrich & Waddell Inc.
Nathan GudmunsonColdwell Banker
Northern IL Seed & Service - Ryan Shelby Trucking
O’Donnell Farms
Old Second Bank - Dave Ott
Penny Meyer
Pete & Ellie Peterson -
Family Memorial
Pleasant Hill Construction
Pleasant Hill Show Goats
Producers Hedge, LLC
- Andy Wold
R & R Transport
Ratcliff Quality Sealcoating
Resource Bank
Ron & Julie Ness
Shady Lawn Farms - John &
Kurt Hohenberger Rhoads
Friends of 4-H
Bronze Level $250 -$499
Pipestone
Silver Level $500 -$999
Boehne Farms of Shabbona, LLC
Helena Agri-Enterprises, LLC
Paul & Linda Kuhn Farms
Paulsen Crop Solutions
Riley Onchen
Wesemann Feeds
Sponsor Level $100-$249
2024 Republican
Presidential Campaign Com.
Ag Tech Services, Inc.
Anonymous
Barry & Diane Smith
Bob Kyler Excavating, LLC
Dan & Johnna Jennings
DeKalb Implement
Engel Home Realty, LLC
H.I. Stone & Sons, Inc.
Hartmann Farms , LLC
James Jones
Contributor Level $30-$99
Brown Law Group, LLC
AHW LLC
Art & Tina Kuhn
Heidi Farms
Jim & Amy Kuhn
Malta Veterinary Hospital
Kingston Mutual Insurance
Larson Farms Partnership
Linda Anderson Schielke
Mary Lou Miller
Otto Heisner
Pizza Villa
Ruud Farms
Tom Fenstermaker
Vernon Drendel
Volkening Farms
Wassmann Enterprises
Wm. C. Reiser Trucking
John Gudmunson Noll
Wagner Excavating
Special Thanks/Auctioneers
Andrew & Steve Almburg
Josh Hickey
Mike Espe
Chris Wegener
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)
Resource Bank
Andy Wold
Bill Kuhn
Dale Sanderson
2024 Grand Champion Market Animals
Dan Cribben
Hayden, Art & Tina Kuhn
Jaylene & Dan Jennings
Jeff Marco
Kailyn & Dalton Carr
Katie Arndt
Mary Hanson
Matt Rhoads
Sam Schneider
Scott Botterman
University of Illinois Extension
LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS
Folk singer Sarah McQuaid to perform Oct. 18 in DeKalb DeKALB – The DeKalb Public Library will host an after-hours concert featuring folk singer and songwriter Sarah McQuaid.
The free concert will be held at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 18 in the library’s main lobby, 309 Oak St.
The doors to the library open at 6 p.m. No registration is required.
For information, email samanthah@ dkpl.org or call 815-756-9568, ext. 1701.
Artificial intelligence workshop set for Oct. 21 in DeKalb
DeKALB – The DeKalb Public Library will host a workshop discussing artificial intelligence and ChatGPT.
The workshop will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 in the library’s lower-level Bilder Family Meeting Room, 309 Oak St.
The workshop is free and intended for adults.
Attendees can learn about how artificial intelligence works and how ChatGPT helps people talk to computers.
No registration is required.
For information, email brittak@dkpl.org or call 815-756-9568, ext. 2100.
Northern Rehab coat drive begins Oct. 21
DEKALB – Northern Rehab Physical Therapy Specialists will host a coat drive to collect items for the Sycamore United Methodist Church Coat Ministry.
The drive will be held from Oct. 21 through Nov. 1.
Accepted items include new and gently used coats, scarves, boots, mittens and winter accessories.
Donated items may be dropped off at any of Northern Rehab’s locations:
• 3266 Sycamore Road, DeKalb
• 540 E. Main St., Suite 5, Genoa
• 1211 Currency Court, Rochelle
Northern Rehab is a physical therapist owned and operated practice providing clients with customized care for more than 46 years.
For information, call 815-756-8524 or visit northernrehabpt.com.
– Shaw Local News Network
ILLINOIS CARRY
classes can be arranged but a minimum of 5 students are required. We are offering “Countering The Mass Shooter Threat” classes which are designed for every House of Worship, School, Business and Family. Please contact us for further information and/or scheduling dates. These classes can be taught at any location.
Please call or e-mail for further information. See website for detailed description of all classes
Welcome Our Huskies Home
Oct. 13-20
Join the celebration when our community gathers to welcome all Huskies back home to DeKalb. Now in its 117th year, NIU’s Homecoming festivities will feature something fun for everyone.
Thursday, Oct. 17
4-7:30 p.m. NIU Homecoming Block Party sponsored by Midwest Tents and Events. Downtown DeKalb on Lincoln Highway.
6 p.m. March of the Huskies, Pep Rally
Friday, Oct. 18
2:30–4:30 p.m. Huskie Hour with DeKalb County Bold Spirits sponsored by The Law O ce of Doyle and James LLC. Jonamac Orchard.
7–9 p.m. Huskies S’mores N’more, NIU’s MLK Commons, between the Holmes Student Center and Founders Memorial Library.
Saturday, Oct. 19
9-11 a.m. Brunch with Mission and Victor E. NIU’s Altgeld Hall, hosted by the NIU Alumni Association and the NIU Foundation.
The five went to meals together, hung out in each other’s rooms, played cards, attended basketball and football games, and went to weekend parties, movies, plays and dances. They hung out at the Lagoon (in nice weather), and Joniak fondly recalls The Junction Eating Place.
“We stayed on campus on the weekends and rarely traveled home. Weekends were the time to enjoy new friendships and life on campus,” Joniak said. “I remember the bells on top of the union building ringing loudly and early every Saturday and Sunday morning, waking us up every weekend.”
“I have fond memories of hanging out in various dorm rooms, just talking, avoiding school work or sleep,” Wassell said. “It was an introduction to real life.”
Epstein and Joniak were paired together during their freshmen year in Neptune. Wassell and Kyme chose to be roommates their sophomore year, and all but Joniak (who had joined a sorority) rented a townhouse together their junior and senior years. Wassell and Bergman recall painting the townhouse together.
“I had never done any painting,” Wassell said. “We painted the kitchen bright orange. We had a radio and paint supplies, and it turned out OK;
nobody complained!”
During their senior year, Bergman, Kyme and Epstein decided on a whim that they should meet NIU President Richard Nelson before they graduated. While driving around campus, Epstein and Kyme jokingly dared Bergman (who was driving) to stop by the president’s house – and she did!
Epstein recalled Mrs. Nelson inviting them in and serving lemonade while they had a pleasant visit together. Wassell, Joniak, Kyme and Epstein share a favorite memory “tray sledding” when Epstein first met her husband.
“I met Shelley when we were sophomores,” said Epstein. “Some guys were chasing us and throwing snowballs. We ran into Shelley and his friends, who proceeded to defend us. They had been sledding on cafeteria trays by Grant North, and we happily joined them. We didn’t see each other again until I worked at the Northern Star a year later.”
All of them, in fact, eventually worked at the Northern Star, proving to create an even stronger bond.
The Northern Star family
Bergman was the first to begin working at the Northern Star copy desk during her sophomore year.
“It was a home away from home,” she said. “Rhonda joined me at the copy desk, later Ruth joined to work in production, and Marianne and
Chris job shared as the receptionist. That’s when Marianne saw Shelley again; he was in the sports department. We made a lot of friends crammed in there!”
“Most of my free time and social interactions revolved around the paper and the students who worked there,” Wassell said. “We worked hard. We spent time together in class, at the newspaper office, or hosted or attended parties that included everyone in the Northern Star family. We formed our little niche group. I am lucky that I found my connection at the Northern Star and shared it with my roommates.”
Lessons learned
“Although there were some stressful times completing assignments and taking exams, my years at NIU were very positive,” Joniak said. “I experienced personal growth, new opportunities, and so much freedom.”
Joniak and Epstein quickly learned to avoid scheduling 8 a.m. classes after making the mistake their first semester freshman year. Epstein said “trudging from Neptune to Anderson bright and early.”
Wassell learned not to procrastinate, which delayed her second degree, although she said she admittedly still does. Joniak and Epstein learned an equally hard lesson in one class they shared.
“Marianne and I were getting an A
in this class we took together,” Joniak said. “The graduate assistant teacher told us, ‘You both have solid A’s. We have one more class, but you don’t have to come.’ So, we thought that sounded good and didn’t go since we knew we had our A’s locked in. We went to shoot pool instead, and we ended up with B’s in the class because he docked us a whole grade for that. We talked to him, and he said, ‘An A student would have shown up,’” Joniak said. “We were just kids, still learning about life.”
Bergman recalls only going to a class once the entire semester because she could still get a decent grade with her writing skills and turning in the paper assignments.
“We all have stories where we follow up and say, ‘Don’t do what I did’ when talking to our children or grandchildren,” Kyme said.
Gathering again
During their most recent Zoom call, with personalized “NIU Neptune North Girls” coffee cups in hand that Joniak made everyone, they agree that 50 years passed quickly and they can’t believe the Golden Huskies 50+ Reunion is approaching.
“We are all retired now, but gosh, our 50th reunion makes us sound so old,” Bergman said.
Homecoming will reunite the five on NIU’s campus again for their next in-person gathering.
Senior Services
How seniors can overcome a lack of motivation to exercise
Exercise has its fair share of devotees and millions of others who recognize its value but still struggle to include workouts in their daily routines. Motivation can be a significant hurdle when it comes to exercise, and recent studies are a testament to that difficulty.
In a 2021 survey from the global fitness brand Orangetheory¨ Fitness and Kelton Global, 43 percent of respondents indicated they suffered from a lack of motivation to exercise. Lack of motivation can affect people of all ages, including seniors. However, seniors may be uniquely positioned to overcome their lack of motivation to exercise, particularly if theyÕre retired and have time on their hands. Seniors who aspire to exercise more frequently can consider these strategies if motivation becomes an issue.
¥ Exercise away from home. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, a phenomenon that has been characterized as Òbasement burnoutÓ developed. That referred to the lack of enthusiasm to exercise at home when gyms and other fitness facilities were forced to close as a public safety measure. Home workouts can become monotonous since most people do not have enough room at home to house the same array of equipment thatÕs available at their local gym. Seniors can overcome monotonous workouts by purchasing a gym membership at a local facility. Many clubs offer discounted rates to seniors and some even offer seniorspecific fitness classes like yoga and Pilates.
¥ Employ the buddy system. Seniors also can enlist friends and family members to join them when they exercise. Encourage neighbors or friends to come along to the gym for a favored fitness class, or invite friends and family on hiking excursions or daily walks. The National Institute on Aging notes that turning exercise into a social activity is a great way for seniors to maintain their motivation to exercise.
¥ Track your progress and celebrate your successes. The NIA touts the benefits of tracking progress when trying to stay motivated to exercise. As exercise efforts pay increasing dividends, seniors may find itÕs no longer hard to stay motivated. Success can be measured in various ways. Some might aspire to produce healthier blood test results at the doctorÕs office, while others may hope to lose a few pounds. However you define success, celebrate when you achieve your fitness goals. Rewards such as a spa day, a night out at the theater or a weekend getaway can provide all the motivation you need to stay the course.
¥ Be flexible with your routine. Mobility issues and other physical limitations may affect seniors. But such issues need not prevent aging men and women from exercising, even if it does mean they wonÕt be able to hit the gym four or five days per week. Mix up your routine so you can still exercise even if physical limitations make traditional workout routines more challenging. Go for nature walks on days when your body needs a break from strength-training, and check the forecast at the start of each week so you can rearrange your routine if Mother Nature makes outdoor exercise impossible on certain days.
Many people find it hard to stay motivated to exercise. Seniors can try a few strategies to ensure they stay the course with their fitness routines.
The DeKalb County Quilters’ Guild will host its annual Harvest of Quilts Show Oct. 25 and 26 at the Federated Church of Sycamore, 612 W. State St. A quilt embroidered by the late Shirley Cronin (shown) will be raffled off. Cronin, a guild member, died before she could finish it. The quilt was finished by Rob Stoll.
SYCAMORE
Harvest of Quilts Show returns Oct. 25,
Quilt embroidered by late guild member Shirley Cronin to be raffled off
SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com
SYCAMORE – The DeKalb County Quilters’ Guild will host its annual Harvest of Quilts Show on Oct. 25 and 26 at the Federated Church of Sycamore, 612 W. State St.
During the show, guild members will share their love of quilting and fabric art. Quilted pieces submitted by guild members in sizes from bed quilts to wall hangings to miniature quilts will be displayed.
The 2024 Harvest of Quilts Show runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 25 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 26. Admission is $5 per adults per day and can be paid at the door. Children age 12 and younger are admitted for free.
26
Several quilters made the same “skill-builder quilt” pattern created by the show’s featured artist, “The Quilt Whisperer” Rob Stoll, according to a news release. These quilts demonstrate how using different fabrics, choice of colors and individual creativity can change the outcome.
Stoll will hold three presentations each day of the show: “Trunk Show and Bed Turning” at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., and a session called “The Creative Process” at 1 p.m. He will be available throughout each day for questions and answers.
A raffle quilt spanning 84 inches by 84 inches, called “Twinkling Stars,” was made by the late Shirley Cronin, a guild member who died before she could complete the work made up of machine embroidery in 324 4-inch squares. Stoll finished the quilt. It will be raffled off at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 26. The winner does not need to be present to win.
to be picked up from Lincoln Inn at Faranda’s, 302 Grove Street DeKalb Illinois on Monday November 11th from 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm. Veteran’s Should Sign up for complimentary meals by visiting www.thelincolninn.com or by calling The Lincoln Inn.
Meals need to be reserved by Wednesday November 6th. (815) 756-2345
Photo provided by Kathi Davis
Genoa Elementary’s new principal starts next year
By CAMDEN LAZENBY clazenby@shawmedia.com
GENOA – Genoa Elementary School will have a new principal at the start of the next school year, with a familiar face.
Alapati Uili, who has spent the past seven years as assistant principal at Genoa-Kingston Middle School, will move into the top administrative role at at the elementary school in 2025, according to a G-K School District 424 news release.
Uili, a 14-year veteran middle school math teacher, said he’s eager to
LOCAL NEWS BRIEF
KSO to open 48th season Oct. 19
DeKALB – The Kishwaukee Symphony Orchestra will open its 48th concert season with “Symphonic Dreamscapes” featuring oboist William Welter. The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 19 at the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall in the Northern Illinois University Music Building, 550 Lucinda Ave., DeKalb. The concert, conducted by music director Linc Smelser, features George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” and “Symphony No. 1” arranged by Pyotr
• QUILT SHOW
Continued from page 16
The quilt will be on display during the show. Raffle tickets can be bought from any guild member or at the quilt show for $1 per ticket or $5 for six tickets. Tickets also can be bought by sending contact information via email to quiltshow@dcqg.org.
The show also will feature more than a dozen dog, baby, gadget, coffee and tea, and chocolate lovers-themed raffle baskets. Attendees also can browse handmade gifts crafted by guild members, tools, fabrics and books. Guild members will hold demonstrations.
Of note this year is the guild’s continuous donation of baby quilts to the MercyHealth neonatal intensive care unit in Rockford, according to the release. The guild has donated hundreds of baby quilts to the NICU over the years. The show will feature a
begin the next step in his career.
He’ll replace Stefanie Hill, who plans to retire at the end of the school year, according to the release. Hill spent 27 years working in various roles at the elementary school. She started her career with the school as a technology teacher before she later became principal.
Hill’s replacement will start his role as principal on July 1, 2025.
Uili earned an undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University and his master’s from Aurora University, according to the release.
“I feel fortunate to work with the same great students, staff and families of Genoa-Kingston in this new capacity,” Uili said in the release. “Together, we will continue to make a positive impact in our community.”
COMFORTABLE AUTO BUYING EXPERIENCE
Tchaikovsky. Welter will perform “Concerto in D Major for Oboe and Small Orchestra” by Richard Strauss.
Smelser also will hold a pre-concert talk at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets cost $20 for adults, $15 for ages 62 and older, and $8 for ages 12 and younger or students with a valid school ID. Tickets are available at the concert or kishorchestra.org.
For information, visit kishorchestra.org or the orchestra’s social media pages.
– Shaw Local News Network
basic quilting workshop to learn how to sew quilts for the NICU.
The DeKalb County Quilters Guild is a nonprofit organization founded in October 1979 by six women to promote fellowship among those interested in quilts and quilt-making. Within the year, there were 11 active members. In years since, membership has grown to more than 100 members. Meetings consist of sharing quilts, small workshops put on by more knowledgeable members and getting to know each other as individuals who shared the common thread of quilting as a passion.
Guild meetings begin with a 6 p.m. social hour, “Sew and Tell” at 6:45 p.m. and the meeting at 7 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of every month at the Federated Church. The group doesn’t meet in November and December. Guest speakers also will be featured at meetings. Dues are $30 per year, which runs from June 1 to May 31. For more information, visit dcqg.org.
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Officials: Meta property boosts tax base for now
By CAMDEN LAZENBY clazenby@shawmedia.com
SYCAMORE – A partial assessment of Meta’s newly constructed property in DeKalb, which will be abated in future tax cycles, has significantly increased DeKalb County’s property tax base and given officials new tax options to consider.
DeKalb County administration official Liam Sullivan said county staff continually evaluate assumptions made when proposing the county’s budget and tax levy, and recently found that newly constructed property has deepened the county’s property tax base since the budget was first drafted.
“The [fiscal 2025] budget was put together using a variety of assumptions based on information we had available at the time,” Sullivan said. “The assumption that was used for new construction was $118 million. There was a partial assessment that came online for Meta, which brought up new construction to $221 million.”
The partial assessment of Meta’s property in DeKalb has increased the value of property that can be taxed in the county by $103 million. That property will contribute less to the property tax base next year, however.
The Meta data center, owned by Facebook’s parent company, is privy to a 20-year, 55% property tax abatement plan through the DeKalb County Enterprise Zone, a program administered by the DeKalb County Economic Development Corp. The abatement plan comes with a stipulation of 50 tech jobs with a starting wage of $38.50 an hour to qualify for tax abatements within the first few years, documents show.
Bridget Nodurft, the chief assessment officer for DeKalb County, said because Meta’s buildings weren’t completed on Jan. 1, 2024, the properties were given a prorated assessment based on the date of occupancy.
“Say if you built a brand new house, same thing,” Nodurft said. “If you were able to move in and live in it, then we’re going to do a prorated assessment on it. So that’s that normal process of assessing new property. Now, this is a very special circumstance in that they have property abatements on there. There aren’t a whole lot of them.”
The 30-year veteran of the assessment office said two Meta-owned buildings have already been fully assessed and are being abated, while the three Meta buildings that were partially assessed in 2024 will be fully abated in subsequent tax years.
“With the Meta buildings, the abatement doesn’t start until they are fully assessed, so once that full assessment for each one of those buildings comes on, then the abatement starts,” Nodurft said.
DeKalb County’s most recent property value assessments, which impact how much individual taxpayers pay in property taxes have not yet been published, but Nodurft said that will change on Oct. 17. Township multipliers, which also impact a taxpayer’s bill, will also be applied at that time, she said.
Sullivan said officials will have to decide what to do, if anything, with the limited-time additional tax base the partially assessed Meta buildings give DeKalb County. During a DeKalb County Committee of the Whole meeting Oct. 9, he presented County Board members with three options to consider when they go to vote on the 2025 property tax levy.
The property tax levy option Sullivan said staff recommends the County Board approve would result in more money for the county but a small reduction in what the average DeKalb County property taxpayer would owe for the 2024 property tax levy.
That option would reduce the property tax rate from 89 cents per $100 of assessed value to 80 cents, according to DeKalb County estimates.
County officials estimate under that tax rate, the owner of a $200,000 property in 2023 would pay, on average, $7.31 less on their 2024 property tax bill (payable in 2025) than they did the previous year, according to county documents.
Despite the property tax rate reduction, the county would still levy $1.4 million more than it did in the 2023 property tax levy, and $500,000 more than the levy total of $27.7 million proposed in the the fiscal 2025 preliminary budget.
Sullivan said county staff propose allocating any additional funds realized through the increased levy toward its Debt and Tax Stabilization Plan. That money would be used for a one-time transfer to the 2017 jail bond debt service fund, helping to expedite the debt service repayment, according to county documents.
Another option would be to reduce the property tax rate from 89 cents per $100 of assessed value to 81 cents. That was the proposed tax rate in the preliminary budget; but with the larger-than-expected new construction figures boosting the property tax base, the proposed tax rate would increase the total amount levied by the county by $847,946 from the previous year.
Genoa Chamber welcomes Opportunity House
Photo provided by the Genoa Area Chamber of Commerce
