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ON
THE COVER
Lifelong Genoa resident Linda Bugna pulls out produce from a refrigerator at the Genoa Area Community Food Hub on March 25.
See story, page 6.
Photo by Camden Lazenby
Contract OK’d for roundabout near NIU
Roundabout expected to be completed by fall
By MEGANN HORSTEAD mhorstead@shawmedia.com
DeKALB – The City of DeKalb has tapped a Freeport-based construction firm to build a roundabout at Lucinda Avenue and Normal Road near Northern Illinois University.
The DeKalb City Council last week approved a contract with Fehr Graham in the amount of $198,000, which also will include $39,600 of local funds, according to city documents.
The roundabout, expected to cost in total about $1.8 million, has been about three to four years in the making, officials said.
City Engineer Zac Gill said the roundabout plans have evolved over time, with aid from the Illinois Department of Transportation and with coordination from NIU.
“Knowing that a project like that – the design and then typically the permitting, too, as well, through IDOT and others –take several years to complete and line up,“ Gill said. “A lot of it started. We closed Normal [Road] prior to students returning. I think it was before the fall of the ’23 semester, I believe, is when we closed Normal [Road] permanently. So, it was even leading up to that we had understood the funding was confirmed.”
The majority of the roundabout is funded through federal dollars, including an 80% to 20% funding match through the federal Surface Transportation Urban grant program.
Gill said he anticipates the project’s construction lasting the duration of the summer until classes resume at NIU in the fall.
“The full closure will go into place I believe it’s May 13,” Gill said. “It’s the Monday after graduation. We’ve coordinated this with NIU. ... It will be open by the time students are back.”
A detour route will need to be posted by the city.
“The majority of Lucinda will be open except for the intersection,” Gill said. “We’ll just be diverting traffic a block prior on the east and west side of that. That also will be completed by ... August. It’s the week before move-in weekend, so that’s why we closed it. With a roundabout, if you do a full closure, you can get them knocked out like that in about three months.”
If the intersection was left open to traffic, Gill said, construction would take significantly longer.
“[It] can extend it up to about five months or so if you do it under open traffic as well as drive up the cost and that’s why we made the decision with the campus being at a lull just to get in there, close it down, knock it out and get it back open,” Gill said.
Gill stressed that city and NIU officials have worked together to ensure a smooth working relationship.
“We’ve worked with the university through this process,” Gill said. “They are aware of what’s coming. We have temporary easements and things like that, so people can restore the grass, pour the sidewalk, ramps and tie it altogether in the end. But all the permanent improvements are in the city right of way and it will remain city right of way.”
Accuracy is important to The MidWeek. Please call errors to our attention by phone at 815-526-4411 or email at readit@midweeknews.com.
Megann Horstead
The intersection where Lucinda Avenue meets Normal Road on the campus of Northern Illinois University is seen March 25 in DeKalb.
Stage Coach’s ‘Almost, Maine’ opens April 3
SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com
DeKALB – Stage Coach Players’ next production, the romantic comedy “Almost, Maine,” will open April 3 and run for two weeks.
“Almost, Maine” tells the story of the residents of Almost, Maine, as the northern lights fill the night sky. The residents find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways. The play features nine vignettes taking place at the same time.
“At first glance, the play’s vignettes may seem whimsical, even a little cheesy. But beneath the surface lies something deeply sincere: a heartfelt exploration of human connection,” assistant director Patrick Murphy said in a news release.
“Love is universal, yet deeply personal. Each of us has our own experiences of first love, lost love, or love that took us by surprise. This show embraces all of it – the beauty, the pain and the moments in between.”
Mandi Sester as Marvalyn, Kasey Pennington as Lendall, Rachael Johnson as Gayle, Kelly Hart as Deena, Kaitlin Jacobson as Shelly, AJ Smith as Phil, Riley Powers as Marci, Emily Glover as Hope, Joshua Whitfield as Dave, and Anaya Evans as Rhonda.
Miller said one of the reasons he was excited about being part of “Almost, Maine” was that the show is “incredibly sweet and charming” and he thinks that is needed right now.
“Almost, Maine” is based on the 2004 play of the same name written by John Cariani.
The Stage Coach production will be directed by Jackson Nielsen, who is making his Stage Coach directorial debut.
Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. April 3-5 and April 11-12 and 2 p.m. April 6 and 13 at the Stage Coach Theatre, 126 S. Fifth St. in DeKalb.
Tickets cost $15 for seniors and children ages 13 and younger and $17 for everyone else. Tickets are available online at stagecoachplayers.com or through the box office at 815-758-1940.
The cast includes Luke Harmon as Pete and Man, Alison Anderson as Ginette and Waitress, Korey Miller as
East, Laura Venneri as Glory, Joel Ledbetter as Jimmy, Katherine Johnson as Sandrine, Jason Reed as Steve,
Shaw Local News Network file photo
The Stage Coach Players production of “Almost, Maine” will open April 3 and run for two weeks at Stage Coach Theatre, 126 S. Fifth St. in DeKalb.
LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS
Retired NIU professor donates paintings to Oregon art gallery
DeKALB – The Eagle’s Nest Art Gallery recently received a donation of three paintings by artist Henry Howard Bagg from retired Northern Illinois University professor of geology Jonathan Berg.
The paintings depict Black Hawk Bluff in 1887, Castle Rock Bluff in 1888, and the Spirit of St. Louis transatlantic flight. The landscape pieces were owned by Oregon resident Benjamin Franklin Sheets.
Bagg was a resident of the Chicago area. He painted landscapes and interacted with the Chicago Art Institute faculty and students. Bagg also visited Oregon and offered painting lessons.
The paintings are displayed in the Oregon Public Library District’s Eagle’s Nest Art Gallery, 200 N. Alpine Parkway.
DeKalb Women’s Club meeting set for April 4 in Sycamore
SYCAMORE – The DeKalb Women’s Club’s next meeting will feature a tour of the DeKalb County Courthouse.
The group will meet at 12:45 p.m. Friday, April 4, in the courthouse lobby, 133 W. State St., Sycamore.
Attendees also can meet for lunch at 11:15 a.m. at P.J.’s Courthouse Tavern, 202 W. State St. in Sycamore.
The DeKalb Women’s Club has provided scholarships and supported international projects and the community since 1896. For information, email dekalbwomensclub1896@gmail.com.
DeKalb church to host chamber music concert April 13
DeKALB – Westminster Presbyterian Church will host a chamber music concert featuring the Cardinal Quartet and organist Victoria Young.
The free performance will be at 10 a.m. April 13 at the church, 830 N. Annie Glidden Road, DeKalb.
The quartet and Young will perform two movements from “Symphony No. 49 in F Minor” by Joseph Haydn. The Ensemble Renaissance also will perform the movements simultaneously at Advent-St. Nicholas Church in Quito, Ecuador.
The concert is being livestreamed at westminsterpresbyterianchurchil.snappages.site/.
Sewing
machine maintenance workshop set for April 6 in DeKalb
DeKALB – The DeKalb Public Library will host a workshop on sewing machine maintenance.
The program will be from 2 to 4 p.m. April 6 in the library’s Nancy D. Castle Collaboration Studio, 309 Oak St.
Participants can learn how to clean and service their tabletop sewing machine, and some basic functions. Attendees must bring the sewing machine, manual, parts and cords. Those missing their manuals can fill out contact cards to find a PDF.
For information, email emilyk@dkpl.org or call 815-756-9568, ext. 2150.
– Shaw Local News Network
Earleen HInton
Henry Howard Bagg’s “Castle Rock Bluff” (1888) is one of three paintings donated to the Oregon library that are representative of Bagg’s early work.
Ticket bought in Cortland wins $349M Mega Millions jackpot
SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com
A Mega Millions ticket purchased at the Casey’s General Store in Cortland is a Mega Millions jackpot winner.
According to the Mega Millions website, the winning ticket in the March 25 drawing was sold at the Casey’s in Cortland, and the winner will take home a prize of $349 million. The cash option, as opposed to the
LOCAL NEWS BRIEFS
DeKalb
Community Cleat Closet distribution event set for April 5
SYCAMORE – The DeKalb Community Cleat Closet will host a second distribution event April 5.
New and gently used soccer cleats will be distributed from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the DeKalb County United office, 114 W. State St., Sycamore.
The free cleats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
For more information, email dkcu.ccc@ gmail.com or visit DeKalb Community Cleat Closet’s social media pages.
DeKalb church to host Lenten services through April 9
DeKALB – Immanuel Lutheran Church and Student Center will host a series of services during the Lenten season.
The services will be at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesdays through April 9 at the church, 511 Russell Road, DeKalb.
The theme of the services is “Thus It Is Written.” The 7 p.m. worship service will be broadcast live on the church’s Facebook and YouTube pages.
Northern Rehab collecting items for Safe Passage
DeKALB – Northern Rehab Physical Therapy Specialists will host a Community Collection event for Safe Passage through April 18.
The items will be donated to domestic violence-affected people and families.
Accepted items include shampoo, conditioner, paper towels, phone chargers, toilet paper, bath and hand towels,
annuity, is $161.4 million.
The winning numbers for the drawing were 1-5-17-39-62, plus the gold Mega Ball of 8.
The jackpot had been rolling since it was last won Jan. 17 in Arizona. Before Tuesday night’s win, the last jackpot won in Illinois was June 4, 2024.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The game is coordinated by state lotteries.
Walmart and Walgreens gift cards, children’s body wash, children’s and adults’ twin-sized blankets, flip flops, gas cards, earbuds or headphones, women and children’s underwear and sports bras.
Items may be dropped off at any of Northern Rehab’s three locations, 3266 Sycamore Road in DeKalb, 540 E. Main St. in Genoa or 1211 Currency Court in Rochelle.
For information, visit northernrehabpt. com.
DeKalb library to host plant adopt or swap April 3
DeKALB – Looking to add a new plant or two to your home?
Stop by the DeKalb Public Library’s Plant Adopt or Swap Program at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 3, sponsored by Willrett Flower Co.
Participants can bring in a plant or cutting and swap it for a new plant. If you don’t have any plants to swap, you can still stop by and adopt a new plant.
There will be a designated plant swap area for those who want to trade plants with other plant enthusiasts and an area for plants available for anyone to take.
Houseplants of all kinds are welcome, but only bring pots you are willing to part with. This is a perfect opportunity to divide those overgrown houseplants and share tips with other plant lovers.
The event will be held in the lower-level Yusunas Meeting Room.
For information, contact Britta at brittak@dkpl.org or 815-756-9568 ext. 2100.
A CLOSER LOOK
Rooted for Good loses vital funds
DeKalb County agency that feeds those in need faces financial challenges
By CAMDEN LAZENBY clazenby@shawmedia.com
GENOA – An estimated $750,000 in federal funding that nonprofit Rooted for Good would have used to purchase food from Illinois farmers to stock DeKalb County food pantries has been lost, the result of a policy change from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
On March 4, the Illinois Department of Agriculture announced that the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program and the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program can no longer operate in Illinois. The programs run on reimbursements from the federal government, which were cut after an order from President Donald Trump. The reimbursement initiative had been in place since the COVID-19 pandemic.
That policy shift came almost eight weeks after the Illinois Department of Agriculture announced that the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program, due to expire June 30, would continue thanks to $14.7 million in federal grant funding.
Rooted for Good Executive Director Heather Edwards said the policy changes have caused chaos for the local organization that has distributed more than 2 million pounds of food since 2012.
“It’s been a roller coaster,” Edwards said. “One moment we know we have [federal funding], and the next moment it’s taken away, and then there have been cases where it has come back.”
As of Tuesday, Edwards said Rooted for Good, formerly known as DeKalb County Community Gardens, will be able to continue participating in the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program until the end of June.
Edwards said the state’s loss of $14.7 million in federal grant funding for the food assistance program means Rooted for Good will lose an estimated $750,000.
“That just kind of means that we aren’t going to be able to work with our local farmers anymore to get that fresh produce, and protein and dairy, like we had been getting at a very large scale compared to what is normal for us,” Edwards said.
The organization had used the funds
the month, and from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday.
On March 25, Swierad was on hand for the first open food pantry since starting her new job. She said she let the tenured volunteers take the lead as she sought to better understand their operation.
One of those volunteers was lifelong Genoa resident Linda Bugna. She’s volunteered with Rooted for Good for the past five years because she thinks the organization’s mission to empower people to access healthy, sustainably grown food and address the root causes of hunger “is a really good cause.”
“Everyone is welcome, and you certainly do not have to feel bad about asking for help,” Bugna said. “We’re always here.”
Although organization staff said the funding loss could be detrimental to Rooted for Good’s ability to supply fresh, locally sourced food to those in need, it’s not the only thing constricting the nonprofit’s ability to serve the community.
Edwards said she was informed March 21 that Rooted for Good also will be affected by cuts to commodities provided by the Emergency Food Assistance Program.
to purchase produce from 15 Illinois farmers, including some in DeKalb County, Edwards said.
That food is distributed to anyone who wants it. There are no requirements to receive food through Rooted for Good. The nonprofit also operates a mobile food pantry pop-up in Cortland, DeKalb, Hinckley, Malta, Sandwich and Waterman.
Rooted for Good also runs the Genoa Area Community Food Hub, 415 W. Main St., and a seasonal location in Kirkland, 33600 Pearl St.
Food insecurity in Genoa
Of the 19 people who stood outside the Genoa Area Community Food Hub on Tuesday afternoon waiting to be offered a chance to shop for free grocer-
ies, about half were children.
All parts of the community were there seeking assistance, including people who appeared to be of retirement age. Many of those waiting spoke Spanish, while others spoke English. Some waited in their car, while others walked or rode a bicycle to the downtown Genoa location.
Vicki Swierad, recently hired as Rooted for Good’s director of the Genoa Area Community Food Hub, said she took the job because she wants to spend her energy helping others.
“I finally wanted to get out of the corporate world because that’s where I was for too many years and give back to the community,” Swierad said.
The Genoa food hub is open from 9 to 11 a.m. on the first and third Monday of
The federal program helps supplement the diets of people with low income by providing them with emergency food assistance at no cost, according to the USDA.
“It is going to be cut – if you look at the weight, it would be about 40%, is what we’re being told,” Edwards said. “If you look at actual items that we would be receiving, it’ll be anywhere from 30% to 50%. So, if we were getting 20 items before, it could go down to as low as 10.”
Although only a volunteer, Bugna said she understands the loss of $750,000 in food assistance funds means the number of products Rooted for Good can hand out in DeKalb and Kane counties likely will diminish, too.
“I think it’s very sad,” Bugna said. “I hope we get more donations from people. That way, we can get more food to hand out to people. It is going to hurt us.”
Camden Lazenby
Linda Bugna, who’s been volunteering for Rooted for Good for at least five years, stocks shelves at the Genoa Area Community Food Hub on March 25.
City of DeKalb accepting mural design submissions
SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com
DeKALB – The city of DeKalb and the Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission are accepting artists’ design ideas for a new mural at downtown DeKalb’s eastern entrance.
The mural will be painted on the eastern facade of the building at the northwest corner of East Lincoln Highway and Seventh Street.
The building facade had a mural celebrating DeKalb’s Lincoln Highway location installed in 2006. The mural faded, and its mounting recently fell off the building. The commission intends to incorporate Lincoln Highway and Abraham Lincoln as the new mural’s themes.
“We’ve made great strides with our public arts program, and this project makes sure each side of our downtown continues to feature a vibrant mural celebrating the community,” Mayor Cohen Barnes said in a news release. “The talent of our local artists has been highlighted in so many of our projects, and I can’t wait to see their creative ideas for our next mural.”
The mural’s creation coincides with the city of DeKalb and Illinois’ Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary celebrations. The Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission will
include the mural in the city’s anniversary activities.
“DeKalb has long embraced its presence and history as a community along the Lincoln Highway,” Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission
chair Brad Hoey said in the release.
“Along with the mural, several markers and a gazebo located in Kishwaukee Kiwanis Park at the corner of East Lincoln Highway and South 11th Street highlight the history of the ‘Father Road’ and its impact on travel and culture in Illinois,” Hoey said in the release. “The CCEC is excited about the opportunity to create an original work of public art that acknowledges DeKalb’s place in the story of the Lincoln Highway as part of our community’s celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday.”
The mural is the latest project in DeKalb’s reinvigorated public arts program. The program included the creation of 11 utility box murals, the DeKalb Veterans Memorial Mural, the Huskie Pride mural and the City Hall Belonging mural.
The mural will be funded by a National Endowment for the Arts grant and Illinois Arts Council support.
Applications are available at cityofdekalb.com/1578/Call-for-Artists. The submission deadline is May 12.
For information, visit cityofdekalb. com/1578/Call-for-Artists.
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Something for your Kids, Your Spouse or Even You! Everything from 4 Chicago Cub Tickets to Many Disney Baskets, John Deere, Monster Trucks, Barbecue, DeKalb Ag, Candles, Easter and More! Easter Egg Hunt April 19th 10 am Come
Baskets for Auction Bid on 30 Baskets
Photo provided by the city of DeKalb
The DeKalb Citizens’ Community Enhancement Commission seeks a mural artist to paint the building façade at East Lincoln Highway and North Seventh Street.
Plans to repave Annie Glidden Road by August
By MEGANN HORSTEAD mhorstead@shawmedia.com
DeKALB – Motorists whose southbound commute includes Annie Glidden Road at the underpass soon could see smoother roadways after DeKalb city action this week.
During its meeting March 24, the DeKalb City Council awarded a $206,050 construction services contract to Landmark Contractors Inc. to make it happen.
“They’re required to have it completed prior to that second week of August, so prior to any student movement, activities,” City Engineer Zac Gill said. “I imagine they’ll want to go out and start right away in early May. I think it’s about a two-week project, maybe three weeks at most.”
City Manager Bill Nicklas described the project as a success.
“Last year, we had some savings in our overall street program and we had just enough to do the northbound section,” Nicklas said. “Also, we were bound by timing when the street maintenance program was largely done. We only had about 30 days to try to get something bid, actually constructed and completed before the students came back and we tore up that vital access to the NIU campus to the Annie Glidden interchange.”
The bids have been let for the southbound portion of the project, according to the city.
Landmark Contractors was the lowest bid, city documents show.
No detour route will be necessary, Gill said.
The city last year reconstructed the pavement on the underpass at Annie Glidden Road for northbound motorists. Work was completed by late August just in time for the start of classes at Northern Illinois University.
At that time, the city had awarded a $313,000 contract to Alliance Contractors for reconstruction of the northbound pavement underneath the Union Pacific railroad trestle at Annie Glidden Road.
“We’re closing the west side, but it just shifts the lanes over,” Gill said. “There’s still two-way traffic. It’s just they share one side of the viaduct, one lane each direction. So it’s not a detour as much as it’s just kind of a lane closure, and we shift traffic over.”
Mark Busch file photo
A Huskie Line bus drives by part of the new Huskie mural Aug. 14, 2023, on the Annie Glidden Road railroad underpass, just south of Lincoln Highway in DeKalb.
LOOKING BACK
1925 – 100 YEARS AGO
DeKalb’s oldest building, the European Hotel at Fourth and Lincoln Highway, will be torn down and a new building erected. That is the information given out by the owner of the property, A. G. Kennedy. That the building is to be removed and a new structure built is not complete news as rumors have been in circulation for some time stating that a change soon would be made.
Grass fires occurring in every section of the city are becoming a real menace to the community. During the last 24 hours, the department had to answer four calls in order to stem the path of grass fires. In one case a chicken house was partially burned before the department’s chemical truck could extinguish the grass blaze.
Plans for the improvement of the Chicago & Northwestern railway on the Galena division are being made by railroad officials and during the year, 35 miles of new track will be laid. Every 12 or 15 years, the rails have to be replaced. It costs about $500 a mile for labor alone while it takes 157 tons of steel to replace a mile of track.
Another improvement in Sycamore is to be made along the business street within the near future, according to an announcement. The front of the old Safford store, occupied by Tyrell & Wells, is to be removed and a modern storefront installed. This will greatly improve the store and will be in keeping with the splendid new bank building that is being erected on the same side of the street adjacent to the Tyrell & Wells store at this time.
The small railroad that will be installed along Genoa Road for the use of the cement gang when construction of the road starts has arrived in Sycamore and was unloaded. The railroad comes in sections and is easily and quickly installed. It is expected that within the next few days, the rails will be laid all the way from Sycamore to Genoa.
An announcement was made in Malta that the plans of the building committee are to start work on razing the Methodist
literally may be sick about their crime. University officials said the culprits at the Montgomery Hall greenhouse were exposed to a dangerous gas known as Tedion Dithil. A container of the gas was being burned during the weekend to control plant disease and kill flies, spiders and other insects.
DeKalb’s spring cleanup will begin April 14 south of the Chicago & Northwestern railroad tracks. Crews will work on the south side from April 14-22. Workers then will shift to the northeast side (east of First Street and the Kishwaukee River and north of the tracks) from April 23-May 2.
church within the next two weeks. It is expected that construction on the new church will be well underway by the first of June.
1950 – 75 YEARS AGO
Thirty-one enumerators started the task of counting the population in DeKalb County and by the time their work is completed everyone in the county will have been contacted.
Elmer B. Tolsted, who was a graduate of Sycamore High School in 1900 and is well-remembered by members of that class, is busily engaged in assembling an amazing and elaborate miniature railway system with all details at his home in Creston on Lincoln Highway. A railway coach handsomely equipped and used for many years by past generations of North Western Railroad presidents serves temporarily as Mr. Tolsted’s home and workshop. It is his plan to erect a permanent building to house the railroad system and the many models of locomotives, bridges, roundhouses and trains that may be on exhibition.
Mrs. Lillian Boynton of DeKalb was an interesting speaker at the March meeting of the Sycamore Professional and Business Woman’s Club. Mrs. Boynton’s talk was pointed with diagrams, charts and
pictures. She brought to her interested audience many new ideas and stressed some of the old ones of good grooming. Her talk was timely, refreshing and well-received by the entire group of business and professional women.
Since women spend by far the largest proportion of money in the United States, a survey of buying habits, buying trends and product popularity is underway among DeKalb housewives. It is the fifth year this survey has taken place.
A Kirkland resident bagged a hen pheasant while en route to DeKalb. The Kirkland resident was driving to DeKalb shortly before 9 o’clock when her car struck the hen pheasant while she was traveling south on Annie Glidden Road near the Guy Lanan farm. She was in a bit of a hurry to attend the training session for census enumerators being held at DeKalb City Hall and parked her car in front of City Hall and went to the training session without checking the car. She did not notice that the dead bird had wedged between the bumper and grill but it certainly attracted the attention of a number of passersby who stopped to look at the hen pheasant.
1975 – 50 YEARS AGO
Burglars who broke into the greenhouse at Northern Illinois University
On your mark, get set, hunt! Cold weather and snow couldn’t keep away the throngs of egg-happy kids who mobbed Hopkins Park on Sunday for the annual Easter egg hunt. DeKalb VFW Post 2287 sponsored the race with 576 eggs and 240 prize eggs.
2000 – 25 YEARS AGO
Cheryl Johnson, who portrayed her great-great-aunt Annie Glidden, made an appearance at Saturday’s Census 2000 Rally at DeKalb High School. Johnson spoke to those in attendance about the importance of the census for DeKalb.
Shabbona Health Care Center is recognizing staff members who have been employed there for 20 to 30 years. Statistics show employee turnover in a nursing home is usually high and the average length of stay is about one year. This often is a concern for family members looking for a nursing home for their loved ones.
Monsanto Co. has announced it will provide 500 tons of conventional hybrid maize seed to the flood-ravaged nation of Mozambique in southern Africa. The estimated commercial value of the seed is more than $1 million and is intended to provide enough food, after harvest, to feed about 1 million people for a year. The gift is one of the largest donations to the African nation by an American company.
– Compiled by Sue Breese
Photo provided by DeKalb County History Center Archives Construction of Williston Hall at Northern Illinois State Normal School (now Northern Illinois University) is seen in this 1914 photo looking east toward Altgeld Hall in DeKalb.
Kish College announces ‘all-in’ tuition program
SHAW LOCAL NEWS NETWORK contact@shawmedia.com
MALTA – Kishwaukee College will include all fees and textbooks in the cost of tuition starting in the summer semester.
The college began eliminating fees in 2024 and now will focus on removing textbook fees. The new textbook initiative provides students with all required physical or digital textbooks as part of the cost of tuition.
Students will see one charge on their financial statements, which includes tuition, fees and required textbooks.
“The advertised cost of tuition is what students will pay to attend Kish. Cost transparency is important as students and families plan for the true cost of attending college. It also contributes to student success as they will have the required books they need for their classes on day one without having to pay separately for books,” Kishwaukee College President Laurie Borowicz said in a news release.
At the March Kishwaukee College
survey by the Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois showed 69% of Illinois college students said textbook costs caused them not to buy required materials for class.
The “all-in” tuition program is made possible in part by the Kishwaukee College Foundation. On average, the Kish nursing program’s textbook costs are much higher than materials for other classes and programs. Because of the generosity of donors interested in the nursing program, the Foundation board has approved funding the additional textbook costs next year.
Board of Trustees meeting, the board approved an $8 per credit hour increase to the base-rate tuition to cover the costs of all required textbooks, digital books and access codes. Students can opt out of receiving their textbooks through Kishwaukee College. When opting out, students receive a refund for the $8 per credit hour cost.
Students who pay for textbooks
through tuition rather than independently buying them can save hundreds of dollars per semester. For example, an Associate in Arts student taking 15 credit hours in a semester can expect to save about $165.
Studies have shown that student success improves when textbooks are more affordable and students can access course materials immediately. A 2023
Another initiative making the “all-in” model possible is the use of Open Educational Resources – free teaching and learning materials for instructors and students – to reduce the cost of textbooks. Since 2018, the college has tripled the number of courses using OERs, saving students almost $1 million in textbook costs. This initial work has significantly impacted the college’s ability to offer the “all-in” tuition model.
Learn more about the textbook changes at kish.edu/textbooks.
Photo provided by Kishwaukee College
Starting in the summer, Kishwaukee College will include all fees and textbook costs in the price of tuition to improve cost transparency.
Sycamore District 427 board wants more public input
By CAMDEN LAZENBY clazenby@shawmedia.com
SYCAMORE – Within a few weeks of the April 1 consolidated election, the Sycamore Community School District 427 board of education has added two new committees that officials said they hope will encourage the public to get more involved.
On March 18, the Sycamore school board unanimously approved the creation of a Business Services Committee and a Learning and Teaching Committee.
Board member Alan Zantout, who’s seeking reelection, said he thinks the committees would be an appropriate place for community members to share their thoughts on district business.
“I also think it provides a nice avenue for the community to get a little bit more involved in some of those things,” Zantout. “I think it’s a really nice move.”
The policy change means the Sycamore school board officially no longer functions as a committee of the whole model, according to the policy revisions.
The Sycamore school administration team, lead by Superintendent Steve Wilder, will report to both committees. The committees will be tasked with reporting to and making recommendations to the school board, which will
maintain its voting power.
The Learning and Teaching Committee will review and consider the renewal of district curriculum, adoption of textbooks and other aspects related to student learning.
The Business Services Committee will review practices associated with all aspects of the district’s business services, finance, building and grounds, transportation and food services.
The committees may be filled by school board of education members, and potentially members of the public, according to the district’s policy. Board President Michael DeVito, who’s also seeking reelection, has the power to appoint committee members.
Although Sycamore school board committees can only make recommendations to the board of education and not vote on policy, they are still expected
Sycamore Kiwanis Club donates sensory bags to Sycamore Fire Department
to comply with Open Meetings Act rules. Alex Grados, the youngest member of the school board, has championed the board structure changes alongside DeVito since 2024.
Grados said he believes their policy changes reflect practices done by a St. Charles school district.
“I think they’d [the policy changes] work well over here,” Grados said. “I’m excited to start doing this work.”
sensory stimulation items such as a dry erase board, pictogram, markers, squeeze balls, rubber worms, marble
department personnel training on autism and using the bags in emergencies. The fire department will include the bags in the
Photo provided by the Sycamore Fire Department
The Kiwanis Club of Sycamore recently donated nine sensory bags to the Sycamore Fire Department to help firefighters handle emergencies involving people with Autism Spectrum Disorder. The bags were donated as part of the “Ben’s Blue Bags” program. The donations feature
mesh, Rubik’s cube, bendy bracelet and ear muffs. The bags also include
EMS vehicles’ equipment and tools. The Kiwanis Club of Sycamore is part of a global volunteer organization dedicated to serving children in the community and the world.
Screenshot by Camden Lazenby
The Sycamore District 427 board and district administration team discuss an agenda item March 18 during a Sycamore district board meeting.
Bill returns Shabbona Lake State Park to tribe
By PETER HANCOCK phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD – More than 175 years after their reservation in Illinois was illegally sold at auction, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation is now in line to get their land back.
Gov. JB Pritzker signed legislation March 21 authorizing the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to hand over to the tribe the ownership title to Shabbona Lake State Park, a 1,500-acre tract in southern DeKalb County that largely overlaps the tribe’s original reservation.
“This moment reflects the power of collaboration and the shared desire to build a future rooted in justice and respect,” Prairie Band Potawatomi Chairman Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick said in a statement. “Illinois has shown true courage and vision by leading the way in the Land Back movement, demonstrating that healing and reconciliation are possible.”
Although ownership of the land will revert back to the tribe, visitors to the park should not notice any difference, at least not for now.
Senate Bill 867, sponsored by state Sen. Mark Walker, D-Arlington Heights, also requires the tribe and DNR to enter into a land management agreement that will keep the land open for public recreation.
Prairie Band Potawatomi officials have said publicly they have no plans to develop the property for a casino or any other commercial use. They also point to a 2005 Illinois statute that requires the governor to seek legislative approval before entering into a compact authorizing a tribe to conduct gambling in Illinois.
“This legislation puts Illinois on the
visit the rest of the tribe at their new reservation in Kansas, a trip that would take several weeks on horseback. Upon his return, Rupnick said, Shab-eh-nay learned that his land had been declared “abandoned” by the Illinois General Land Office and sold at public auction.
“That’s when he discovered that people were living in his house,” Rupnick said. “They actually picked up his house and moved it to another location and people were living in it. He tried to fight that through the court systems. They told him that he had abandoned his land, that the General Land Office had sold all of his land because he abandoned it, and they allowed the settlers and whoever else to live there.”
right side of history – fostering a partnership with indigenous communities and returning what was wrongfully acquired,” Walker said in a statement. “I have worked with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation on this bill since 2018, and today we celebrate this achievement together.”
In a 2024 podcast interview with Capitol News Illinois, Rupnick described the tribe’s history in the area. He noted that before European settlement, the Potawatomi people occupied much of the Great Lakes region. But as settlement occurred, they were gradually pushed into smaller enclaves.
In the 1829 Treaty of Prairie Du Chien, Prairie Band Chief Shab-eh-nay was granted two square miles of land, or 1,280 acres, in what is now DeKalb County that was intended to stay in his
family’s possession in perpetuity. But the following year, President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, which authorized the president to grant land west of the Mississippi River to tribes that agreed to give up their lands in the east.
That led to the 1833 Treaty of Chicago, in which the Potawatomi, Chippewa and Ottawa tribes ceded 5 million acres in present-day Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin in exchange for land west of the Mississippi. Many of the Potawatomi eventually resettled in what is now northeast Kansas.
That treaty, however, did not include the 1,280 acres that had been granted to Chief Shab-eh-nay, Rupnick said, and Shab-eh-nay continued to live on that land for several years.
Around 1849, Shab-eh-nay went to
The Prairie Band Potawatomi have argued since that time that the land is still legally theirs because Congress never authorized the sale, and as recently as 2001, attorneys for the U.S. Department of the Interior acknowledged the tribe had a legitimate claim to the land.
“The federal government has acknowledged wrongdoing in the sale of the land,” Walker said in his statement. “With the support of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and members of the Prairie Band, this transfer is not only a common-sense solution, it’s the right thing to do.”
Until last year, Illinois was one of only a handful of states with no federally recognized tribal reservations. That changed in April 2024 when the Interior Department placed into trust 130 acres from the original reservation that the tribe had repurchased, making that property an official reservation.
After the Shabbona Lake State Park transfer is executed, that land is expected to be added to the reservation.
Peter Hancock
Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick, chairman of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, testifies before an Illinois House committee March 12. Gov. JB Pritzker has signed legislation ceding to the tribe ownership of the 1,500-acre Shabbona Lake State Park in DeKalb County.
