kcgt_2016-09-15_

GENEVA THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2016 • $2.00 • KC Chronicle.co m

STANDING TOGETHER Speaker emphasizes healing during Sept. 11 ceremony at Geneva High School / 4

$

49.00 Clean & Check Furnace or Air Conditioner (after rebate)

Unbelievable? Ask How! Ends 2016

Family Owned Since 1929

(630) 239-2382 SM-CL0358219

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GETTING STARTED ON THE COVER

Geneva High School students and staff listen during a 9/11 remembrance ceremony Sept. 9.

“I love Geneva because of all the great friends and people we have in our community, where my children have grown up and love [Geneva] as well. The downtown shopping and restaurants are fabulous too.” – Geneva resident Jennifer Morgan Send us a sentence or two about something you love in Geneva to geneva@shawmedia.com and we’ll share it in print and online at KCChronicle.com.

Sandy Bressner - sbressner@shawmedia.com

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS Accuracy is important to the Geneva Kane County Chronicle, and we want to correct mistakes promptly. Please call errors to our attention by phone, 630-8455355; email, geneva@shawmedia.com.

Geneva man wins $100K in instant lottery ticket

By BRENDA SCHORY

bschory@shawmedia.com

NOTE TO READERS Kane County Chronicle Editor Kathy Balcazar is taking the day off. Look for her column soon and catch up on her columns at www. kcchronicle.com.

SUBMIT NEWS To submit news to the Geneva Kane County Chronicle, send a news release to geneva@shawmedia.com. Be sure to include the time, the date and the place, as well as contact information.

GENEVA – A Geneva resident instantly won $100,000 after buying a scratch-off ticket at 7-Eleven, 621 W. St., Geneva, Illinois Lottery officials announced in a news release.

“I plan to pay bills and invest,” Bob Gamboni said when he presented his winning ticket at the Lottery Prize Center in Des Plaines, the release stated.

“He is an awesome, awesome regular customer,” 7-Eleven owner Therese Davison said. “He buys lunch, coffee and lottery tickets. He is one of our regular great customers.”

Davison said she and her sister

were talking in the back when Gamboni called out to them.

“He said, ‘I know you girls like to sing. I’ll give you something to sing about,’” Davison said. “He showed us the ticket he won. It’s pretty awesome.”

Lottery spokesman Jason Schaumburg said Gamboni made the claim on the ticket Aug. 25.

He said the store will get a 1 percent bonus, or $1,000, for selling the winning ticket.

Davison said half goes to the store and half goes to the 7-Eleven corporation.

The lottery game Gamboni played – the $10 Million Cash Bonanza – is a $30 instant ticket with three top prizes of $10 million, according to the news release.

NEWS BRIEF Zonta to award women second-chance scholarships

The Zonta Club of St. Charles-Geneva-Batavia will offer a nontraditional scholarship for one or more applicants.

The Fran Johnson Second Chance Scholarship is for women age 25 and older who have been in the workforce and are starting or continuing their education.

Applicants must be a resident of one of the following communities: South Elgin, Elgin, West Dundee, East Dundee, Carpentersville, Hampshire or the Kane County portion of Huntley.

The scholarship will be awarded for the January semester.

Applications are due by Oct. 15, and are available at zontawest-sgb.org by clicking on scholarships.

– Kane County Chronicle

OAK CREST DeKalb Area Retirement Center www.oakcrestdekalb.org

KCG

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, September 15, 2016

| GETTING STARTED

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“MY PERSPECTIVE” Almost forty years ago, the leaders of the local Methodist church envisioned Oak Crest. When it opened in 1980, I began as a volunteer, a role I enjoy even today. In 1984, my father entered Oak Crest where he received excellent care. In 1995 I was elected to the Oak Crest Board of Trustees, and served as president when we built and dedicated a new independent addition that opened in 1999. Fast forward ahead to 2015 and I am now a resident living in that very same addition. I have arrived!

What am I experiencing here in my new home? I’ll tell you, life at Oak Crest goes beyond delicious meals, a lovely apartment, security of life care, state-of- the art wellness programming and many social and educational opportunities. Life at Oak Crest means I discovered a big loving extended family.

DiAnne S

chmitt

My circle of friends has expanded and so is Oak Crest. We are looking forward to the completion of the new addition and new neighbors that we will soon call friends. I invite you to come and experience all that Oak Crest offers.

DiAnne Schmitt Past Board President & Resident

For more information call (815) 756-8461 • 2944 Greenwood Acres Dr. SM-CL0375799

Get to know Tara Addelia Geneva resident Tara Addelia, 48, was in Geneva when she answered questions for Kane County Chronicle writer Brenda Schory.

OFFICE 333 N. Randall Road, Suite 1 St. Charles, IL 60174 630-232-9222 Fax: 630-444-1641 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday

Favorite charity? Make-AWish Favorite local restaurant?

Riganato’s in Geneva What is an interesting factoid about yourself?

I will rescue anything, anywhere. I have rescued a baby owl, a dog, a cat, a lizard, a snapping turtle, a squirrel, a rabbit, a three-legged frog we called Tripod, a hamster – someone dumped it in the park running in its plastic ball. I can’t kill a fly in my house, I catch it and let it go outside. I do the same with spiders.

NEWSROOM 630-845-5355 Fax: 630-444-1641 editorial@kcchronicle.com

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES 800-589-9363 subscriptions@shawmedia.com 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, 7 to 10 a.m. Saturday Missed your paper?

If you have not received your paper, call 800-589-9363.

SUBSCRIPTIONS Thursday: $2/issue Basic weekly rate: $2 Basic annual price: $104 To subscribe, make a payment or discuss your delivery, contact Subscriber Services.

Brenda Schory - bschory@shawmedia.com

OUT&ABOUT 1

‘TYPE ONE TO TYPE NONE’ LIVE CONCERT

WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Oct. 4

WHERE: The Arcada Theatre, 105 E. Main St., St. Charles INFO: This free, all-ages concert supports Team Diabetes Destroyers and JDRF to help find a cure for Type 1 diabetes. Students from Bordoni Music, who will be backed by a professional band, will perform a variety of songs. Visit www.bordonimusic.com to make a donation and reserve a seat or table.

WHEN: 6 p.m. Sept. 21 WHERE: University of Illinois Extension Office, 535 Randall Road, St. Charles COST & INFO: This seminar is for homeowners wanting to better understand how wells and septic systems work and how to maintain them. Check-in and display viewing begins at 5:45 p.m. Attendance is free, but space can be limited, so advance registration is requested. Call 630-444-3040 by Sept. 19 to register.

Leave your name, address and phone number if you get voicemail. One water well test kit will be provided to each

household at no charge.

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LEARN ABOUT SCIENCE OF ‘THE MARTIAN’

WHEN: 7 p.m. Sept. 20 WHERE: St. Charles Public Library, 1 S. Sixth Ave., St. Charles INFO: The movie “The Martian” incorporated major input from NASA and Mars exploration scientists to bring realism to depictions of living, working and exploring Mars. Learn what the movie got right and what it got wrong with this event featuring Michelle Nichols from Adler Planetarium. Visit www.stcharleslibrary. org to register.

TODAY’S WEB POLL

How well do you remember the 9/11 terrorist attacks?

• Not as well as I used to • I remember it clearly • I’m too young to remember it • I don’t want to remember it

Geneva Kane County Chronicle staffers pick the best of what to do in your free time

4

MARKING 400 YEARS OF SHAKESPEAREAN FUN

WHEN: Sept. 16 to Oct. 9 WHERE: Steel Beam Theatre, 111 W. Main St., St. Charles COST & INFO: The theater is commemorating the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death with a 90-minute show containing humorous footnotes on the original texts of his 37 plays. Shows begin at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m.

Sundays. Call 630-587-8521 or visit www. steelbeamtheatre.com for information.

5

GENEALOGY CLASSES OFFERED IN ST. CHARLES

WHEN: 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays from Sept. 28 to Nov. 2 WHERE: The Salvation Army, 1710 S. Seventh Ave., St. Charles COST & INFO: Helen Snyder and retired Waubonsee professor Carla Goetz will lead this free genealogy class. Class size is limited. Call Cathy Winters at 630-377-2769, ext. 210, to register or for information.

CLASSIFIED SALES 800-589-8237 classified@shawsuburban.com Fax: 815-477-8898 LEGAL NOTICES publicnotice@kcchronicle.com 877-264-2527 Fax: 630-368-8809 RETAIL ADVERTISING 630-845-5284 OBITUARIES 815-526-4438 obits@kcchronicle.com General Manager Ryan Wells rwells@shawmedia.com Editor Kathy Balcazar 630-845-5368 kbalcazar@shawmedia.com News Editor Tarah Thorne 630-845-5385 tthorne@shawmedia.com

Geneva Kane County Chronicle, the successor publication to the Tri-Cities Republican, is published every Thursday in Geneva and delivered to homes by Shaw Media. Geneva Kane County Chronicle and KCChronicle.com are a division of Shaw Media.

Geneva Kane County Chronicle is published weekly by Shaw Media, 333 N Randall Rd, Suite 2. St Charles IL 60174.

Application to mail at Periodicals Postage Prices is Pending at St. Charles, IL. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Geneva Kane County Chronicle, PO Box 250, Crystal Lake, IL 60039-0250.

All rights reserved.

Copyright 2016

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LAST WEEK’S WEB POLL RESULTS What are you most excited for this fall?

• Football (75 percent) • Hayrides (0 percent) • Pumpkin/apple picking (14 percent) • Trick-or-treating (11 percent)

VOTE ONLINE: Voice your opinion at www.KCChronicle.com. Poll is at the bottom right of the homepage.

• Relevant information • Marketing Solutions • Community Advocates

KCG

2

HEALTH DEPARTMENT’S WELL, SEPTIC SEMINAR

KCChronicle.com

Thursday, September 15, 2016 • Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com

Where did you grow up?

Hanover Park Pets? A rat terrier named Rudy First job? Cashier at Dominick’s As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

A veterinarian. I became a cosmetology teacher instead.

A television series you’d recommend? “Game of Thrones”

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GETTING STARTED |

FaceTime

GENEVA

KCG

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, September 15, 2016

| NEWS

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Geneva marks 15 years since 9/11 attacks Local man speaks of losing nearly 300 co-workers

By BRENDA SCHORY

bschory@shawmedia.com GENEVA – On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, Mark Nadler was sitting on his porch reading the paper at the house in St. Charles Township that he and his wife had just bought.

New flooring was being installed and Nadler was planning to fly to New York that afternoon for some business meetings.

“My wife called and asked, ‘Are you watching TV?’ I turned it on and there was the ‘Today Show’ and smoke was billowing out of the World Trade Center,” Nadler said.

“There was a big explosion from the second tower. … Everyone said, ‘This is a terrorist attack. This is not an accident.’ At that point, it was stunning. We were just dumbstruck. I couldn’t get my head around it.”

Nadler spoke to a crowd of about 250 people in the commons area of Geneva High School on Sept. 9 at a public remembrance ceremony of the al-Qaieda terrorist attacks 15 years ago.

Nadler had worked for Marsh & McLennan Companies, a global corporation with headquarters in midtown Manhattan, a block from Times Square with an unobstructed view of the World Trade Center, Nadler said.

He said he flew there several times a month.

“Pretty quickly, the telephone lines went down, there was no email, the internet was not working,” Nadler said.

The nation went back to the days of watching TV and listening to the radio to try to learn what had happened, he said. Although people had cellphones, the type of phone most common today with a camera, video and internet capability had not yet been created, he said.

“I said to my wife – and she’s never let me forget this – I said, ‘Man, I hope this doesn’t mess up my flight lat-

Photos by Sandy Bressner - sbressner@shawmedia.com

Mark Nadler, who formerly worked for Marsh & McLennan in New York City, talks about his experience on 9/11 after learning that nearly 300 of his co-workers were killed after a plane flew into the North Tower 15 years ago. Nadler was home in St. Charles at the time.

On the web Visit KCChronicle.com to view a video associated with this story.

News to your phone Sign up for breaking news text and email alerts at KCChronicle.com/subscribe.

Members of the Geneva High School choir perform Sept. 9 during a Sept. 11, 2001, remembrance ceremony.

“Today, we hope you can reflect on the lives lost and those who sacrificed to protect others. And we should also recognize our position as leader of the democratic world. This requires not only strength, but wisdom, compassion and hope.”

Jordan Zimberoff

Geneva High School social studies teacher er today, because I have to be in New York for meetings tomorrow,’” Nadler said. “She said, ‘You idiot. … There aren’t going to be any flights to New York and there aren’t going to be any meetings tomorrow.’ And she was right.”

When American Airlines Flight 11 struck the North Tower, it hit floors 93 to 99.

Marsh & McLennan Companies occupied floors 93 to 100.

Nadler said he didn’t know until later that 295 fellow employees died almost instantly

when the plane hit.

People in the company’s Manhattan headquarters now had an unobstructed view of their co-workers’ fiery deaths, he said.

“We were just in shock,” Nadler said. “New York was in shock.”

In addition to the lost lives, all the records of who worked where and who was visiting, along with the company’s computer systems, were all destroyed, Nadler said.

And as details emerged, Nadler and the rest of the nation would learn that hijackers took over American Airlines Flight 11 and flew it into the first tower and United Airlines Flight 175, which struck the South Tower.

Hijackers also took over American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Penta-

gon in Washington, D.C. Passengers on United Airlines Flight 93 rebelled against the hijackers, crashing the plane into a field near Shanksville, Pa., before it could reach Washington, D.C. “A lot of things that we now take for granted were the result of 9/11,” Nadler said.

“When you go to the airport, the kind of security we have today is because of 9/11. …

The biggest difference [is] was [we] had a sense that we were safe and things were under our control.”

He called upon the students to keep terrorism in perspective and not instantly think of those who look or speak differently as a threat.

“You are actually four times more likely to be struck by lightning and be killed by lightning than be killed in a terrorist attack. You are a thousand times more likely to be killed in a car crash than in a terrorist attack,” Nadler said. “The numbers are infinitesimal.”

Social studies teacher Jordan Zimberoff also spoke, saying the nation has had the benefit of time for healing and to have hindsight.

“Today, we hope you can reflect on the lives lost and those who sacrificed to protect others,” Zimberoff said.

“And we should also recognize our position as leader of the democratic world. This requires not only strength, but wisdom, compassion and hope.”

Seventeen-year-old senior Nick Czerwinski, who was a toddler when the attacks occurred, said the remembrance was eye-opening for him.

“I was saddened to hear what happened in that day and time,” Czerwinski said.

“When you hear about it, you have to pay respect to those who lost their lives in the tragedy.”

Matt Hahn, the social studies department chairman, organized the remembrance ceremony, which included the choir singing “My Country, ’Tis of Thee,” directed by Roxanne Curtis, and soloists senior Annie Brown, who sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” and freshman Jediah Nims who sang, “America the Beautiful.”

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TODAY’S WEATHER BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Geneva & North Aurora www.douglascarpetone.com

SEVEN-DAY FORECAST FOR KANE COUNTY THURSDAY NIGHT

Partly sunny and pleasant

A thunderstorm in spots late

75

FRIDAY

57

78 62

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Clearing

Clouds and sun

78 53

Some sun with a thunderstorm

ALMANAC

Lake Geneva

72/52

Statistics through Monday, September 12

Harvard

73/55

74/56

DeKalb

73/62

St. Charles

Chicago

75/61

Aurora

Sandwich

Hammond Orland Park 74/61

76/58

74/61

La Salle

76/61

77/61

Ottawa

UV INDEX

Kankakee

Thursday ............................................. 5 Friday .................................................. 4 Saturday .............................................. 5 Sunday ................................................ 5 Monday ............................................... 5 Tuesday ............................................... 5

76/60

Streator

77/61

Pontiac

Watseka

78/63

77/61

Eureka

The higher the AccuWeather.com UV Index number, the greater the need for eye and skin protection. 0-2 Low; 3-5 Moderate; 6-7 High; 8-10 Very High; 11+ Extreme.

76/59

Chatsworth

78/63

™

Paxton

Bloomington

78/61

77/64

Hoopeston

REGIONAL CITIES Aurora Bloomington Champaign Chicago Deerfield DeKalb Elmhurst Gary Hammond Kenosha La Salle Munster Naperville Ottawa Peoria Pontiac Rock Island Springfield Terre Haute Waukegan

Thursday Hi Lo W

76 77 77 75 72 73 74 75 74 72 76 73 75 76 78 78 77 83 81 72

58 64 64 61 61 57 60 62 61 59 61 59 58 59 66 61 64 69 63 60

pc pc pc s s pc s s s s pc s s pc pc pc pc pc s s

Friday Hi Lo W

78 81 83 79 77 76 78 81 80 77 78 79 78 78 81 80 79 84 86 77

62 66 67 66 66 62 65 67 67 61 63 66 63 63 65 65 62 68 68 63

t t t t t t t pc t t t t t t t t t t pc t

Saturday Hi Lo W

78 78 79 78 78 76 78 79 78 77 78 78 78 78 79 80 76 82 81 77

Full

Last

New

First

Sep 16

Sep 23

Sep 30

Oct 8

On Sept. 15, 1991, a cold northerly wind brought 5 inches of snow to Rand, Colo., while Cleveland, Ohio, passed 90 degrees.

When the jet stream has great undulations north and south, weather extremes are expected.

Forecasts and graphics provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2016

53 58 60 59 58 53 56 61 59 55 55 57 54 54 58 56 55 60 61 57

pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc c pc

Sunday Hi Lo W

74 75 77 75 72 72 73 75 72 73 74 73 74 74 76 76 74 79 79 72

49 56 56 56 52 49 52 58 52 54 51 51 49 51 57 52 51 58 58 55

Monday Hi Lo W

pc pc pc pc pc pc pc c pc c pc c pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc

76 76 78 76 74 75 76 77 76 76 76 75 76 76 77 75 78 79 79 76

51 58 58 57 54 56 52 61 58 57 55 54 53 55 59 56 57 61 59 58

pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc

Tuesday Hi Lo W

75 76 78 76 76 75 75 78 75 76 75 75 76 76 77 76 77 78 79 74

56 58 58 60 57 55 57 61 60 57 54 57 55 54 58 56 58 60 59 58

pc pc t pc pc pc pc t pc pc pc t pc pc pc pc pc pc pc pc

WEATHER TRIVIA™ Q: What is the primary reason leaves change color?

Reduced sunlight.

City

Anchorage Atlanta Boston Charlotte Dallas Denver Honolulu Las Vegas Los Angeles Miami Minneapolis New Orleans New York City Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Salt Lake City Seattle Wash., DC

Thursday Hi Lo W

60 85 68 87 93 76 86 91 76 90 72 93 75 78 98 75 73 75 81

50 71 55 66 75 43 76 69 59 78 65 78 60 60 68 57 50 53 67

r pc s pc t pc sh s pc pc t t s s s s pc s s

Friday Hi Lo W

60 82 72 83 92 72 88 92 78 90 75 92 76 80 98 84 76 78 82

47 71 57 67 73 45 77 70 59 78 59 78 62 63 71 67 52 56 67

sh t s c t pc c s pc t c t s s s pc s s pc

Saturday Hi Lo W

58 81 75 82 86 76 88 94 78 89 70 88 80 82 98 81 80 72 84

46 70 65 68 72 50 76 71 59 77 52 77 68 70 72 67 53 57 73

r t pc sh t s c s s t pc t pc pc s t s c c

Sunday Hi Lo W

56 86 75 85 86 78 87 97 84 89 75 89 80 81 99 77 83 69 84

47 70 65 68 71 48 75 72 60 77 58 78 70 70 74 61 56 55 72

sh t r t t t pc s pc t pc t t t s c s r t

Monday Hi Lo W

56 87 73 86 88 81 87 97 85 89 77 89 80 84 99 76 79 71 86

44 68 63 65 71 49 75 73 65 77 59 78 67 66 73 58 53 53 70

s t sh c c pc s s c sh s t c pc s c s c s

Tuesday Hi Lo W

58 87 68 85 85 77 87 98 85 89 73 89 75 83 100 77 81 69 82

44 68 61 64 69 45 75 73 67 76 56 78 66 64 75 59 54 52 69

pc pc c c c s sh s s c s t s pc s pc s c pc

WORLD CITIES City

Beijing Buenos Aires Jerusalem London Madrid Mexico City Paris Rome Sydney Tokyo

Thursday Hi Lo W

91 65 83 85 72 77 72 78 72 82

66 54 65 61 51 53 57 66 52 74

s s s s pc t t t pc c

Friday Hi Lo W

87 70 80 69 79 74 70 77 70 81

64 57 64 52 53 55 56 61 53 74

pc pc s sh s t t t s c

Saturday Hi Lo W

80 72 81 69 81 74 68 77 71 82

64 54 65 54 53 54 51 61 53 73

c sh s pc s t c s pc c

Sunday Hi Lo W

68 61 84 70 84 74 71 78 67 79

58 46 68 58 56 55 53 59 53 72

c pc s pc pc pc pc t r r

Monday Hi Lo W

70 64 86 70 86 73 72 78 68 80

57 53 69 54 58 55 54 59 56 70

s s s c s r c s r r

Tuesday Hi Lo W

76 69 85 65 87 75 68 77 72 78

56 59 63 54 59 56 52 60 58 70

pc pc s c s pc r s r r

Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.

KCG

City

WEATHER HISTORY

MOON PHASES

NATIONAL CITIES

77/58

Temperatures are Thursday’s highs and Thursday night’s lows.

Sunrise Thursday ..................... 6:34 a.m.

Sunset Thursday ...................... 7:02 p.m.

Moonrise Thursday .................. 6:32 p.m.

Moonset Thursday ................... 5:03 a.m.

Sunrise Friday ......................... 6:35 a.m.

Sunset Friday .......................... 7:00 p.m.

Moonrise Friday ....................... 7:09 p.m.

Moonset Friday ........................ 6:13 a.m.

Sunrise Saturday ..................... 6:36 a.m.

Sunset Saturday ...................... 6:59 p.m.

Moonrise Saturday .................. 7:45 p.m.

Moonset Saturday ................... 7:25 a.m.

Sunrise Sunday ....................... 6:37 a.m.

Sunset Sunday ........................ 6:57 p.m.

Moonrise Sunday ..................... 8:23 p.m.

Moonset Sunday ...................... 8:38 a.m.

Sunrise Monday ....................... 6:38 a.m.

Sunset Monday ........................ 6:55 p.m.

Moonrise Monday .................... 9:03 p.m.

Moonset Monday ..................... 9:51 a.m.

Sunrise Tuesday ...................... 6:39 a.m.

Sunset Tuesday ....................... 6:53 p.m.

Moonrise Tuesday .................... 9:46 p.m.

Moonset Tuesday ................... 11:03 a.m.

Precipitation

Gary

75/62

Joliet

76/59

SUN AND MOON

Evanston

75/57

76/59

Temperature

72/63

Oak Park

73/57

Plenty of sunshine

Arlington Heights

73/60

74/56

73/57

Periods of clouds and Intervals of clouds sunshine and sun

76 56

Waukegan

Elgin

Hampshire

WEDNESDAY

76 55

72/60

Crystal Lake

77/60

TUESDAY

76 52

72/59

McHenry

Belvidere 73/54

74/58

Rockford

MONDAY

THE WEEK AHEAD

Kenosha

A:

TEMPERATURES High for the week ............................... 92 Low for the week ................................ 49 Normal high ........................................ 78 Normal low ......................................... 58 Average temperature ....................... 72.1 Normal average temp. ..................... 67.8 Temperature departure .................... +4.3 PRECIPITATION Total for the week ........................... 0.83” Total for the month ......................... 0.83” Normal for the month ...................... 1.52” Total for the year ........................... 27.75” Normal for the year month ............ 27.19” % of normal this year ..................... 102%

74 50

Thursday, September 15, 2016 • Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com

THURSDAY

WEATHER |

WEATHER

KCG

Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, September 15, 2016

| NEWS & OPINIONS

6

Aldermen delay vote on duplex Builder wants time to meet with neighbors

By BRENDA SCHORY

bschory@shawmedia.com GENEVA – Geneva aldermen approved a request to delay a final vote to Oct. 17 on a zoning change request to allow a builder time to meet with neighbors who were objecting to a subdivision of 16 duplexes.

Aldermen voted 8-1 with one absent on Sept. 6 to postpone City Council action on a petition from K. Hovnanian Homes for both zoning and master plan amendments for its Geneva Meadows subdivision with 32 living units to be built on 7.06 acres of the former Geneva Greenhouse on Western Avenue.

The duplexes would range in price from $390,000 to the mid-$400,000s, company representatives said. And because it would have a homeowners association, its residents could retire in ranch housing on a single floor with no outdoor maintenance, representatives said.

Third Ward Alderman Dean Kilburg voted no and 2nd Ward Alderman Donald Cummings was absent.

Scott Barenbrugge, director of land

acquisition at K. Hovnanian Homes, said the company requested the delay “based on the feedback we solicited from the City Council and others over the last two weeks.”

“We’ve heard some unique concerns and requests that we would like to address more completely,” Barenbrugge said. “We would also like the opportunity to expand our public outreach to residents immediately surrounding the property, as well as the community at large.”

Mayor Kevin Burns said the developer had the right to request a time extension.

Neighbors had objected to traffic and possible flooding, but mostly to the zoning change to allow a higher housing density. Second Ward Alderman Richard Marks said he hoped the area residents would take the developer up on his offer to meet.

“This gives the neighbors a chance to work with this developer,” Marks said. “And I hope they do work with the developer to resolve some of these issues or put their minds at rest.”

Marks offered himself – or the mayor or any other council member – to facilitate if residents or the builder needed it.

At a special Aug. 15 Committee of the Whole meeting, a standing-room-only crowd objected to the zoning change

Geneva D-304 approves $105M spending plan

By BRENDA SCHORY

bschory@shawmedia.com GENEVA – Geneva District 304 school board members unanimously approved a 2016-17 budget Sept. 12 that calls for $105 million in spending.

It represents a 3.8 percent increase in expenditures over last year’s $101 million, about a $4 million difference, said Donna Oberg, assistant superintendent for business.

The board took action after a brief public hearing, as required by law.

There were no public comments offered during the hearing.

Revenue for the new budget is nearly $98 million, 1.9 percent or $2.5 million more over last year’s $95.5 million revenue, budget documents show.

“The biggest part of that is the debt service increase,” Oberg said.

The deficit is in the transportation and operation and maintenance funds, records show. In the transportation fund, revenue is $4.5 million and expenditures are $5.5 million, a difference of nearly $983 million, records show.

The operations and maintenance fund shows $10.2 million in revenue and $12.7 million in expenditures, a difference of $2.5 million, records show.

It is an unbalanced budget, however a deficit reduction plan is not required, “because we have fund balances to cover them,” Oberg said. “If we do not have the funds to carry forward to cover them, then we would need a debt reduction plan.”

The operations and maintenance fund has an estimated ending fund balance of $1.6 million while the transportation fund has an estimated ending fund balance of $4.7 million, records show.

The district’s overall estimated ending fund balance is $52 million, budget documents show.

In the education fund, which pays most of the district’s expenses, revenue in the new budget is $63.3 million and expenditures were $62.3 million, with an estimated ending fund balance of $18.5 million.

Oberg said the fund balances are estimates because the final numbers are not available yet.

that would allow a higher density than single-family homes on the former greenhouse property.

Aldermen voted 8-2 against the zoning amendment and 10-0 against the proposal, then voted to table the comprehensive plan amendment until the Sept. 6 meeting.

But at a regular City Council meeting held before that special meeting, aldermen voted 6-4 to table an amendment to the city’s comprehensive plan, which would have allowed duplexes.

Michael Forni, who lives on the 900 block of Western Avenue, said he felt blindsided by the developer’s request to postpone final action on its requests.

Instead, Forni had expected the aldermen to vote as they did during the committee meeting – against the proposed changes.

“Speaking for myself, people not for the zoning change are being thrown under the bus,” Forni said. “It should have been taken care of [that] night. We really don’t want the zoning changed.”

Forni said he did not see the point of meeting with the developer when neighbors do not want the zoning changed.

“The bottom line is, we don’t want the zoning changed,” Forni said. “We moved here for a reason and we don’t want change.”

NEWS BRIEFS Upcoming St. Peter Barn Sale to offer bargains galore

GENEVA – The 10th annual St. Peter Barn Sale will be from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sept. 17 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept.

18 at the Kane County Fairgrounds, 525 S. Randall Road, St. Charles, the church said in a news release.

Gently used items for sale at bargain basement prices include antiques, appliances, baby items, bikes, books, household goods, clothing, electronics, furniture and sporting goods, the release stated. A food court will be open to buy lunch and snacks.

Free parking is available and all proceeds help reduce the debt at St. Peter Church in Geneva, the release stated.

After this year, another church will host the barn sale, the release stated.

Aquascape event features self-guided tour of gardens

ST. CHARLES – The Aquascape Water & Garden Showcase offers a free self-guided tour of dozens of residential gardens with water from 2 to 7 p.m. features Sept. 17 in St. Charles.

For details, including maps, visit aquascapechicagoland.com.

– Kane County Chronicle

Club service makes discussion easy Part of the fun of reading is joining a book club so you can talk about books and share your impressions of the characters, plot and writing. But with busy schedules, it can be hard to organize them.

Now there’s a terrific solution: Let the Geneva Public Library do it for you with its Book Club Service.

The new Book Club Service will include books and audiobooks, as well as supplemental information such as questions, author biographies and reviews for each group to use.

“We wanted to make book clubs convenient and easy so you can focus on enjoying your group,” said Gail Conrath, Adult Services assistant manager, who runs the Book Club Service with reference librarian Lauren Maxwell.

The service can also help you choose engaging titles that will keep your group talking. The service will make every effort to obtain books in any available format, whether it is regular print books, large print books or audiobooks. The service is also available for children and teen book groups.

Call 630-232-0780 ext. 251 or email bookclub@gpld.org for information.

A note from customer service:

BEYOND THE BOOKSHELVES Paula Krapf It’s National Library Card Sign-up Month. Let us photograph you with your library card to display in the library, and receive a scratch and win card for a chance to win a fun prize!

Stop by a service desk for details.

The librarian recommends: “‘The Paradise Trap’” by Catherine Jinks is a story that combines humor and dark fantasy. Eleven-year-old Marcus would have much rather spent his summer at home playing video games than in a dilapidated trailer at the beach. But then he discovers a cellar door leading to a world that creates an unending dream vacation for whoever enters. Marcus and his new friends find themselves in a fast-paced adventure to escape the clutches of what they most desire,” Youth Services librarian Bari Ericson said.

Paula Krapf is the public relations and marketing manager for Geneva Public Library. Her column runs the third Thursday of each month. Contact her at editorial@kcchronicle.com.

By MARK FOSTER

editorial@kcchronicle.com

Photos by Mary Beth Nolan - For Shaw Media

Wounded veteran Kyle Moser gets settled in a bicycle given to him by Project Mobility on Sept. 11 at Everybody Rides in James O. Breen Community Park in Campton Hills. Moser was wounded in Afghanistan and has been unable to ride because of his injuries. ence on a conventional bicycle.

During the event, Brashears pedaled her new wheels seven miles, and said she believes the benefits will be more than just physical.

“It’s more of a mental prescription to get out and be with other people,” Brashears said.

Kevin Hanrahan of Wisconsin, a Marine Corps veteran wounded in Afghanistan, also received a cycle, but was unable to attend the event.

Rebekah Milz, 8, of Elburn received a shiny upright tricycle with a special safety brake and steering that her parents, Amy and Patrick Milz, can control from the rear of the vehicle while their daughter rides.

Milz is coping with some serious developmental disabilities, but was suc-

CrossFit Kokua in Geneva embraces Hawaiian concept

By BRENDA SCHORY

bschory@shawmedia.com GENEVA – Joe Donar’s CrossFit Kokua studio in Geneva is more than a place to exercise and get in shape.

The biggest clue is the name: Kokua is a Hawaiian word meaning “doing something for the greater good,” Donar said.

“I lived in Hawaii for five years in the Army on Oahu,” said Donar, 33. “It means doing something more for the people around you.”

He left the Army in 2010 and opened CrossFit Iron Flag in Westmont in 2013, selling it in June just as he opened a second gym, CrossFit Kokua, 419 Stevens St., Geneva.

“I love the community here,” Donar said. “It’s a completely different feel from the industrial space I had in Westmont. Here, we’re surrounded by trees and nature – a different environment about it.”

Donar said he tries to encourage gym members to learn the basics as they work to get in shape.

“You can’t take a lifetime of developing bad habits and lose them in a couple of weeks,” Donar said. “We put the pieces together slowly, gradually developing a better mindset and a healthier approach to living life. … It’s a process [of] developing goals that are bigger than just stepping on the scale.”

Donar said he embraced CrossFit

as a combination of gymnastics and weightlifting.

“I was in the Army and I thought I was in condition,” Donar said of his first attempt at a CrossFit workout.“ I failed miserably. It really humbled me in 2006 because of how challenging it was. It changed my view.”

While there are many CrossFit gym franchises, Donar said what separates his gym is that he has both bachelor’s and master’s degrees in exercise physiology.

“I don’t care how much you can lift – I want you to do it right,” Donar said. “Most members never touched a barbell, never worked out or they have three kids and are now working out.

CrossFit is for anyone willing to work.”

The other aspect of his gym, Donar said, is he has created a different culture for the nearly 60 people who are members.

“I want everyone to know everyone else – to shake hands,” Donar said.

“Even if they drop in for one class, I want them to feel like they’re walking into a family. When they’re finishing a workout, I want them to get a high-five when they’re done.”

Currently a resident of Woodridge, Donar said he is looking to move to Geneva next year.

More information about CrossFit Kokua is available by calling 630-8881904 or visiting www.crossfitkokua.com.

KCG

food and music, with business sponsors, speeches and a giant American flag fluttering in the breeze, reminding everyone of the 9/11 anniversary.

The centerpiece of the celebration was the presentation of the specially equipped bicycles – actually, tricycles.

Linda Brashears, 62, of Romeoville is an Army veteran who was serving on a forward operating base in Iraq in 2006, when she suffered a moderate traumatic brain injury during an enemy motor attack.

Her new pedal-powered tricycle with two front wheels provides her with the stability she needs.

“I have no balance,” Brashears said.

The reclining seat eliminates the abdominal pressure she would experi-

Thursday, September 15, 2016 • Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com

ST. CHARLES – The crowd cheered as Kyle Moser took his new hand-powered, low-to-the-ground cycle for a spin.

The 24-year-old Marine Corps veteran lost both his legs at the age of 19 when he stepped on an improvised explosive device while serving in Afghanistan in 2011.

His new vehicle was a gift from Project Mobility, an organization that puts wounded veterans and other disabled people in the seat of a specially equipped cycle.

“It is a super smooth Hal ride,” Moser said of his Honeyman new wheels.

Moser, who soon will be moving to Batavia from Oswego, is moving on with his life, and is planning to open a coffee shop in downtown Naperville.

That’s just what Hal Honeyman, founder of Project Mobility and owner of The Bike Rack store in St. Charles, wants to hear.

“What can be fatal, especially for vets, is lack of engagement,” Honeyman said. “With the mobility of a bike they are engaged with their peers and with their friends and other injured veterans. It’s a first step in their recovery.”

Moser, two other veterans and two children with disabilities received cycles during Project Mobility’s fourth annual bike ride on Sept. 11.

The event attracted more than 200 bicyclists who rode anywhere from 10 to 60 miles to raise money for the cause, starting and ending at James O. Breen Community Park in St. Charles.

At the park, there was a festival of

cessfully pedaling ahead on her ride.

“The seating is more supportive for her needs,” said Amy Milz, who was working as a volunteer at the event.

“This is my opportunity to pay it forward.”

Also receiving a new set of wheels was Keenan McLaughlin, 7, of Elmhurst. Keenan’s father Pat McLaughlin said his son is living with cerebral palsy.

“There’s no disability where we can’t find some kind of solution,” Honeyman said. “It’s just the right equipment with the right modification. It’s trial and error and persistence.”

Honeyman said his son Jacob, now 23, was the inspiration for Project Mobility. Jacob also lives with cerebral palsy, which affects his limbs and speech.

“He has a great attitude,” Honeyman said of his son.

Honeyman said that tandem bikes can be the solution for veterans who have lost their sight. He told the story of a big, powerful man who was blinded by an IED. His diminutive wife takes the lead seat.

“She provides the vision, and he provides the horsepower,” Honeyman said.

Minor Mobley, owner of Excel Automotive Repair in St. Charles, was the lead sponsor for the event.

“I want to give back to veterans who wouldn’t have the means to do so,” said Mobley, a Marine Corps veteran.

Former St. Charles Mayor Fred Norris was on hand to call attention to the 9/11 anniversary, and praised Honeyman for his efforts to help veterans.

“What Hal has done is phenomenal,” Norris said. “He’s put St. Charles on the map with a very important, very caring project.”

NEWS |

Project Mobility puts disabled in driver’s seat

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Kane County Chronicle / KCChronicle.com • Thursday, September 15, 2016

| NEWS

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For the

BIRDS

Batavia wildlife rehabber aids dove injured by oil

By BRENDA SCHORY

bschory@shawmedia.com

To help injured birds

BATAVIA – Baldy the pigeon looked out from his blue cage, his red-rimmed eyes sharp and bright, his new feathers just starting to cover his baldness from his head to his wings.

Volunteers for the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors found Baldy in a dumpster in Chicago, his feathers utterly ravaged by oil – hence his mad half-plucked chicken look.

He was brought to the Fox Valley Wildlife Center in Elburn in March, director Laura Kirk said.

“We’re not sure [the bird] was burned, but more likely it had gotten into some sort of oil – it could be cooking oil or motor oil,” Kirk said. “The feathers are damaged from the oil.

We have seen it before. It’s one of the more severe cases we’ve seen. It needs quite a bit of care and we have a lot of animals.”

Suzanne Campbell, a sixyear volunteer at the wildlife center, took Baldy to her Batavia home in July to foster him during his rehabilitation.

“She’s definitely one of our most dedicated volunteers,” Kirk said. “She comes every week without fail all year round. And she’s really good with the birds.”

That’s kind of an understatement.

Campbell lives with two cats, a dog and six birds – four ringneck turtle doves native to the Mediterranean and a Senegal parrot named Stella – all rescues. The doves cannot be released because, like the parrot, they are a non-native species, Campbell said.

“Someone got tired of them and let them go,” Campbell said of the turtle doves and the parrot. “They’re kind of here forever.”

Baldy is technically a rock dove – which is a nicer way of saying pigeon, Campbell explained.

“We’re not supposed to name them,” Campbell, 73, whispered conspiratorially as she took Baldy out of his cage for his bath. “He is a street pigeon – not a racing pigeon.

n Contact the Fox Valley

Photos by Sandy Bressner - sbressner@shawmedia.com

Suzanne Campbell gives Baldy the pigeon a bath using Dawn dish soap. Baldy was found in a Chicago dumpster injured by oil. Campbell, a volunteer at the Fox Valley Wildlife Center, has been rehabbing the bird at her Batavia home.

Suzanne Campbell, a six-year volunteer at the Fox Valley Wildlife Center, took Baldy to her Batavia home in July to foster him during his rehabilitation.

He’s just somebody’s idea of a flying rat.”

Campbell held him so they could look into each other’s eyes for a brief moment.

“But he has a right to live,” she said, and started running the water in her kitchen sink to warm it up.

Campbell said she has been rehabbing him at her house since July because of the work-

load at the wildlife center.

“A thorough bath every day for him is hard when we’re dealing with all those babies,” Campbell said, referring to orphaned baby animals the wildlife center takes in. “We’ve had like 3,000 animals there this year.”

Plus, Baldy spends most days in an outside cage where he grooms himself in the sun,

something he would not be able to do at the center, Campbell said.

Baldy gets bathed with Dawn detergent, following the protocols rescuers use for wild birds caught in oil spills, Campbell said.

Despite his daily bath regimen, Baldy’s remaining feathers are still thick with grease and he is unable to fly because of it, Campbell said.

Baldy just tolerates the handling in order to bathe him, and that’s fine with Campbell, as she wants him to retain his wildness when he is released.

“I expect by late this autumn, he will have fully moulted and, hopefully, he will be able to be released,” Campbell said.

Moulting is a natural process birds go through in which they shed old feathers and grow in new ones, she said.

“I am so proud of him – he can get this high off the ground now,” Campbell said, raising her hand about four feet from the ground. “He’s built up in strength and independence. I

Wildlife Center, 45W061 Route 38, Elburn, by calling 630-365-3800 or via email at contact@fvwc.org. Email should not be used for urgent requests. For more information or to make a donation, visit fvwc.org. n Teams of volunteers for the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors go out every morning in downtown Chicago seven days a week during migration from mid-March to early June, and from late August to mid-November.

They check for injured or dead birds among the tall buildings and respond to hotline calls throughout the year to rescue injured birds in Chicago and suburbs. The organization has taken more than 3,000 injured birds to wildlife rehabilitation centers each year. To report the location of a dead or injured bird, call the hotline at 773-988-1867. For more information or to donate, visit birdmonitors.net.

On the web Visit KCChronicle.com to view a video associated with this story. let the cats go in the cellar so I can let the birds out in the house on rainy days and he’s just come [along] amazingly.”

Campbell calls Baldy a “him” although he could be a “her” – no one knows whether the bird is male or female, she said.

After Baldy’s bath, she carried him to his outside cage where he could dry off in the warm, summer sun.

“He loves the sun,” Campbell said.

A moment later, the parrot let out a bloodcurdling screech.

“Oh, shut up Stella,” Campbell said and sighed. “I never meant to live in a zoo, believe me. ”