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Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, February 16, 2017

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OSW EGO LEDGER KendallCountyNow.com OFFICE 109 W. Veterans Parkway (U.S. Route 34), second floor Yorkville, IL 60560 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday 630-553-7034

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POSTMASTER: Please send change of address forms to The Oswego Ledger, c/o Shaw Media, P.O. Box 250, Crystal Lake, IL 60039-0250.

Effective Feb. 4, the Oswego Ledger is the successor newspaper to the Ledger-Sentinel, as contemplated by 715 ILCS 5/5 (e), which was a consolidation of the Oswego Ledger and the Fox Valley Sentinel, published every Thursday in Oswego, Illinois, in Kendall County

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• Relevant information • Marketing Solutions • Community Advocates

ON THE COVER District 308 Superintendent Dr. John Sparlin talks to state legislators at the Oswego’s legislative breakfast Feb. 2. Ali Mehanti, the district’s assistant superintendent for business and operations, gave a presentation on the district’s financial needs at the breakfast.

See story on page 3.

Photo by Tony Scott - tscott@kendallcountynow.com

Vietnam memorial on way to area

By TONY SCOTT tscott@kendallcountynow.com Kendall County Board members learned about the Vietnam Moving Wall coming to Oswego this summer at a recent meeting.

Dave Krahn of Oswego, who is co-chairing the event with Herschel Luckinbill of Montgomery, said the event will take place June 29 through July 3 at Prairie Point Community Park along Plainfield Road.

The event is a joint effort between the village of Oswego, the Oswegoland Park District, School District 308, Oswego Chamber of Commerce, and the Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club.

The Moving Wall is a three-fifths scale version of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. Like the full-size memorial, the Mov-

ing Wall bears the names of the more 58,000 U.S. Servicemen and women who lost their lives in Vietnam by the time U.S. involvement ended in 1975. The Moving Wall has traveled to 1,300 cities, and was in Aurora in 2013, according to Krahn. It was built in 1984 and is 253 feet long, he said.

Included on the site during the Moving Wall event will be displays of military equipment and a healing field, which will be a field of 2,017 American flags, Krahn said. The flags will be available to purchase, he said.

The organizers are seeking more than 2,000 volunteers to handle the reading of names on the wall, traffic control, assisting visitors and other help.

The cost to host the Moving Wall in Oswego, along with logistics and other costs, is approximately $50,000 for the four-day event, Krahn said. The orga-

nizers are seeking donations and sponsorships from individuals, clubs and organizations, and businesses. A fundraiser called Operation Salute & Boogie will be from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. March 31 at Fox Valley Kickers Club, 1015 Harvey Road in Oswego. Those interested need to RSVP by March 25 to Krahn at krahn. david@gmail.com, 630-373-3299, or 515 Danbury Drive, Oswego, IL 60543.

County Board Chairman Scott Gryder, who is on the host committee for the fundraiser, thanked Krahn for visiting the board and raising awareness about the event.

“This is a great thing for Kendall County to have this, as well as the village of Oswego,” Gryder said. “The Veterans Assistance Commission is going to be a sponsor and they also are going to have information for veterans here in the county.”

Plan for 2 fireworks shows gets support

By STEVEN JACK news@kendallcountynow.com The controversy over moving the village of Oswego’s July 4 fireworks in 2015 came up again at the Feb. 7 Village Board meeting.

The committee planning the appearance of the Vietnam Moving Wall in Oswego from June 29 to July 3 asked the village to consider moving the fireworks to July 3 this year to coincide with the closing ceremonies of the Moving Wall. However, given the negative reaction caused in 2015, that idea is not likely to be popular with residents.

“I’m here from the committee to say that I would love to see it on July 3,” said Moving Wall Co-Chair Dave

Krahn. “This will be a unique circumstance and will be a truly solemn event. … It will be a fitting finish to one of the best things that’s happened in our town in a long, long time.”

Because of the controversy surrounding the 2015 fireworks, Michele Brown, the village’s community relations manager, approached trustees with a proposal that will keep the village’s annual fireworks on July 4 and allow for a second smaller show on July 3.

Annually the village spends $10,000 for its fireworks show and a planned second show will cost an additional $5,000. Krahn said his group could put $1,000 of its funds toward the fireworks, but the village will have to fund the remaining portion.

“I realize it’s an extra expense, but it’s worth it,” said Trustee Ryan Kauffman. “... We owe everything to our vets.”

Trustees agreed that finding funding to pay for the smaller show could be as easy as finding a corporate sponsor, or hosting an additional fundraiser.

Trustees Joe West and Judy Sollinger agreed to lead the efforts to find outside funding.

“There are a lot of ways to get there,” West said.

Krahn told trustees the Wall will have a huge economic impact on the village with up to 200,000 people coming to town over the course of the fourday event in Prairie Point Park. He also said the committee hopes to bring Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner to town.

Tuesday, 6 p.m.: Oswego Village Board Committee of the Whole, Oswego Village Hall.

Tuesday, 7 p.m.: Oswego Village Board, Oswego Village Hall.

Tuesday, 7 p.m.: Montgomery Village Board Committee of the Whole, Montgomery Village Hall.

Wednesday, 9:30 a.m.: Fox Metro Water Reclamation District Board, Main Treatment Plant, Oswego Township.

Wednesday, 5 p.m.: Oswego Public

Library District Board, Oswego Campus Library.

Wednesday, 5:30 p.m.: Waubonsee Community College District Board, Waubonsee Community College, Sugar Grove.

Wednesday, 7 p.m.: Oswego Historic Preservation Commission, Oswego Village Hall.

Wednesday, 7 p.m.: Kendall County Regional Plan Commission, County Office Building, Yorkville.

Thursday, 5:30 p.m.: KenCom Executive Board, County Public Safety Center, Yorkville.

CIVIC MEETINGS WEEK OF FEB. 20-24 Monday, 7 p.m.: Montgomery and Countryside Fire Protection District Board, Station One, Montgomery.

Tuesday, 9 a.m.: Kendall County Board, County Office Building, Yorkville.

Tuesday, 9 a.m.: Kendall County Board Forest Preserve Commission, County Office Building, Yorkville.

Tuesday, 6 p.m.: Kendall County Board of Health, County Health and Human Services Building, Yorkville.

WHEN YOU NEED TO KNOW NOW: Get local news sent right to you. Sign up for KendallCountyNow.com text alerts at shawurl.com/kcntexts. Message and data rates may apply.

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COVER STORY

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Local governments, schools detail financial needs at legislative breakfast

By TONY SCOTT tscott@kendallcountynow.com

Representatives from a variety of Oswego-area government agencies pleaded their case for funding to local legislators at a recent breakfast event.

Oswego Village President Gail Johnson, School District 308 Superintendent Dr. John Sparlin, Oswego Fire Protection District Chief Michael Veseling, Oswegoland Park District Executive Director Richard Zielke, and Lulu Blacksmith, Waubonsee Community College’s director of governmental and multicultural affairs, were among the local officials who attended the Feb. 2 meeting.

Legislators who attended the meeting were state Sen. Linda Holmes, D-Aurora, state Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, state Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, D-Plainfield, state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, state Rep. Keith Wheeler, R-Oswego, and state Rep. David Welter, R-Morris. State Rep. Mark Batinick, R-Plainfield, was unable to attend due to a work commitment, Wheeler said.

School District 308

Ali Mehanti, District 308’s assistant superintendent for business and operations, gave the legislators an eye-opening overview of the district’s finances.

Mehanti said the district has a $191 million budget, and 49 percent of its revenue comes from local property taxes, while 39 percent of its revenue comes from state taxes.

“A major chunk of that is General State Aid,” he said.

Mehanti said the foundation level that is used in the formula for GSA was set nearly 20 years ago.

“The state is saying that the cost of educating a kid, the basic cost, is $6,119, which, we all know that’s not true because that was set about 20 years ago,” he said.

Mehanti said if the state were to increase that foundation level per-pupil number by $1,000, that would “solve all of our financial problems, because then we’re talking about $18 million more in our budget.”

Most of the district’s expenditures are for salaries (69 percent) and benefits (15 percent), Mehanti said. The remaining 16 percent, or $30 million, is spent on technology, buses, food service, utilities, building maintenance,

Tony Scott - tscott@kendallcountynow.com

Local legislators (from left) state Sen. Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant, D-Plainfield; state Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris; state Sen. Linda Holmes, D-Aurora; state Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego; state Rep. David Welter, R-Morris; and state Rep. Keith Wheeler, R-Oswego, listen to Oswego-area officials discuss their needs from their representatives in Springfield. curriculum and other expenses, he said.

Mehanti showed that the district’s fund balance – or their reserves – was between $31 million and $33 million between 2011 and 2015, and dropped to $25.8 million in 2016. He said the district should have a fund balance of approximately $60 million, according to the state, which recommends a balance equal to around 30 percent of the district’s budget.

Mehanti said if the expenses increase at around three percent annually, and the state maintains its current funding formula, the district could see a $30 million deficit in fiscal year 2022.

Mehanti showed a chart that depicted the district’s fund balance going from $25.9 million currently to a hole of $66.3 million by fiscal year 2022.

“This is a scary chart to see but we’re not going to see that because usually what happens is, if nothing changes from the state and if we don’t address our current expenditures, the state usually takes over,” he said. “The

state will require the district to pass a deficit reduction plan and if we don’t cut those programs, if we don’t cut salaries and benefits, the state usually takes over. In the past there has been about eight school districts that have been taken over by the state. It looks pretty scary out there.”

Mehanti said the district doesn’t have large commercial projects such as the Fox Valley Mall that provide tax revenue without the impact of kids entering the district.

“We don’t have a large tax base; we don’t get enough revenues from businesses,” he said.

Mehanti said the district will continue to receive less state aid every year because property values are increasing.

Unfunded mandates add up as well, Mehanti said. Those include transportation costs and other costs, he said.

“There are a lot of unfunded mandates we have to comply with,” he said.

The district is still owed $49 million in unpaid capital development grants,

$21.5 million in unpaid General State Aid, and $7 million in delayed state categorical payments, Mehanti said.

Kifowit said the district would still receive the money, but it would be late.

She asked why that would impact the district’s fund balance.

Mehanti said because the fund balance is low, if they don’t receive their quarterly payments from the state on time, they have to issue tax anticipation warrants to meet accounts payable and payroll expenditures.

“We have expenditures on a monthly basis, and if we don’t see those revenues in time, we can’t tell the teachers we’re going to wait until we receive all those funds,” he said. “We still have to meet our obligations.”

Rezin said she and Bertino-Tarrant sit on the 25-member bipartisan School Funding Reform Commission, formed

by Gov. Bruce Rauner, which recently released a report following months of investigation.

See FUNDING, page 7

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, February 16, 2017

MAKING A CASE FOR FUNDS

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, February 16, 2017

4

OPINIONS OUR VIEW

Get rid of townships here? Not so fast It’s a popular idea frequently touted by taxpayer advocacy groups and state politicians: let’s save the taxpayers some serious money by either doing away with or consolidating township government.

Not surprisingly, one of the candidates for Oswego Township highway commissioner was questioned about the possibility of consolidating the township highway department’s services with those of either Oswego or Kendall County during a candidate forum in Oswego last week.

Unfortunately, here in northeast

Kendall County, the elimination or consolidation of township government would require a significant transfer of costs from the township to either the local municipalities, the county or a combination of both due largely to the presence of the unincorporated Boulder Hill subdivision.

With a population of 8,200 in the 2010 census, “The Hill” is one of the largest unincorporated residential communities in the nation. The township highway department is responsible for maintaining and snowplowing more than 70 miles of roads, including

approximately 40 miles of streets in Boulder Hill. The highway department also provides regular brush pickup and fall leaf vacuuming service in the subdivision.

If township government was abandoned or consolidated, the responsibility and the cost for maintaining Boulder Hill streets and providing snowplowing and those other services would not go away. Instead, those costs would be transferred to another agency or agencies if current service levels are to be maintained. We suspect that Oswego or Montgomery

taxpayers would strongly oppose any effort by their respective villages to take on the added cost associated with maintaining Boulder Hill’s miles of streets and other township roads.

We do believe that consolidating township government across the state would make sense, especially in rural and highly developed urban areas. But while a one-size-fits-all approach to downsizing government as advocated by some in Springfield and elsewhere makes for good sound bites, it would not produce a significant tax savings in Oswego Township.

Settler women’s lot hard, lonely on Illinois prairie Deep winter in Illinois can be a stressful time – even in this modern age – especially when the weather closes down and we’re forced to deal with frigid temperatures, short days, long nights, and frequent storms and wind.

So just imagine what life must have been like for the families who came west and settled the lonely prairies in the 1830s.

Prairie life, especially for pioneer women, consisted of lonely weeks of dull, isolated routine and drudgery, occasionally – very occasionally – punctuated by moments of sheer terror.

Writing in her old age, Juliette M. Kinzie, wife of John H. Kinzie Jr., left one of the first accounts by a woman of what life was like during the settlement period in the few, tiny settlements sprinkled across northern Illinois.

Juliette’s husband, John Kinzie, son of the founder of modern Chicago, was an Indian agent and trader stationed at today’s Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. In 1831, he and Juliette traveled overland to Chicago roughly following what would become, three years later, the southern road from Chicago to Galena. On the way, they stopped at Dixon’s Ferry (now Dixon, Illinois) and eventually crossed the Fox River near Oswego on their way east.

The women Mrs. Kinzie met on her trip ranged from Mrs. Oliver Kellogg, settled with her husband in Kellogg’s Grove (now Timm’s Grove in Stephenson County) to Mrs. Bernard Lawton, who was living near the present site of Riverside on the Des Plaines River.

Mrs. Kinzie described Mrs. Kel-

REFLECTIONS Roger Matile logg as “a very respectable-looking matron” who set a surprisingly good table, despite her isolation at Kellogg’s Grove.

After a hard, cold eastward march across the prairie, the Kinzies’ party reached the Fox River. They were fortunate to cross just before a winter storm hit. The party stayed overnight at Peter Specie’s cabin in Specie Grove, just south of modern Oswego. After another day’s travel, they arrived at Lawton’s inn on the Des Plaines.

The sharp-eyed Mrs. Kinzie described Lawton’s inn as “very comfortable... carpeted, and with a warm stove.”

However, young Mrs. Lawton was not at all happy with her life on the Illinois frontier. Her husband was not only an innkeeper, but was also an Indian trader. His brother, David, was the husband of Waish-kee-shaw, a Potawatomi woman who was given a land grant in 1829, part of which is today’s Waa Kee Sha Park southeast of Oswego.

According to Mrs. Kinzie: “Mrs. Lawton was a young woman, and not ill-looking. She complained bitterly of the loneliness of her condition, and having been ‘brought out there into the woods; which was a thing she had not expected when she came from the East.’ We did not ask her with what expectations she had come to a wild, unsettled country; but we tried to com-

and Mrs. Chester House, settled on the wide-open prairie of Kendall County’s Seward Township. Mrs. House, who enjoyed what little company she could find, kept a candle burning in her window each night. It was later said the candle could be seen at a distance of several miles across the prairie, serving as a welcome beacon for travelers.

Added to the sometimes crushing loneliness was the terror of the occasional Indian war and spring and fall prairie fires. The last Indian uprising, the Black Hawk War, erupted in the spring of 1832, forcing most of the Fox Valley’s families to flee either to Chicago or Ottawa.

In the bloodiest attack on whites by Indians in the war, three women were killed in what has become known as Photo provided by Little White School Museum the Indian Creek Massacre in LaSalJuliette M. Kinzie left one of the first ac- le County, just across the Kendall counts by a woman of what life was like in County line, about an eighth of a mile the few, tiny settlements sprinkled across upstream from the Fox River. Martha northern Illinois.

Davis and her belligerent husband, William (whose extreme antipathy fort her with the assurance that things towards local Native Americans led would grow better in a few years.” to the attack), Eleanor Pettigrew and Things hadn’t gotten much better her husband, Charles, and Mary Jane a few years later when an English Hall and her husband, William, were all killed in the attack, along with nine wheelwright, William P. Young, other men and children. and his 17-year-old bride arrived in Prairie fires were most dangerChicago. There, Isaac Townsend persuaded them to work for him in what ous in the early spring and in the would one day be Kendall County at late fall when lightning set the dried Townsend’s sawmill on Waish-keeprairie plants ablaze. The Fox Valley’s pioneer farmers kept fires away shaw’s old reserve. When the couple from their farmsteads in those early arrived at the home of Townsend’s years by plowing a number of furrows neighbor, William Davis, Mrs. Young was greeted by Davis’ Irish housekeep- around their farmsteads, while wives er, who exclaimed to the girl’s conster- and children patrolled the fire break nation, “I haven’t seen a woman in to make sure the blaze didn’t jump the three months!”

See REFLECTIONS, page 5 In 1833, another pioneer couple, Mr.

FORUM

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Having spent the majority of my rewarding professional career at Waubonsee Community College, the support and encouragement the college gives to employees to get involved with our communities has had the most impact on my life.

The college’s encouragement to serve beyond our four campuses has supported my involvement on nonprofit boards for the last 22 years.

Currently I am on the board of the Association for Individual Development (AID), and also serve as an advisory member for the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry (AAIF), Ray Graham Parent’s Association and SPARK (Strong, Prepared, and Ready for Kindergarten) through the Fox Valley United Way, where I also serve on the Allocations Committee. Past board work has included the Aurora Study Circles, Quad County Urban League, Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board and

WAUBONSEE VOICES Dr. Melinda Tejada a few terms as chair of the Fox Valley United Way. This service has allowed me to witness the social impact of those causes that benefit Waubonsee’s students and the community where I live and work. I’ve been able to build relationships with accomplished leaders in the community who give their time, talents and passions. By building relationships in our community, the college has been able to form partnerships that provide direct support to our students.

Two of our more recent examples of such partnerships inspired through board involvement include work with AID and Mutual Ground. AID provides

our Waubonsee Talk Line, which supports students during the hours when the college is closed and our counseling faculty are not available. Mutual Ground’s Emergency Response Coordinator has a regular presence on campus to provide resources and to help with college programming for sexual violence prevention and awareness.

These are examples of how using community partnerships to support our students is a win for both the college and our community nonprofits.

My work with community nonprofits has helped me to gain expertise on complex issues within our community, which helps me as a professional at Waubonsee and as a citizen. Board membership allows me to lead by my social values or mission and to work to make a significant impact in my community. Additionally, the leadership skills I have refined at Waubonsee have been a benefit to the community

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Hoops for Hope thanks

From my conversations with the locals that have been affected by these crimes To the Editor: Rules for election letters they are angry, frustrated and worried On behalf of the Communities vs. CanLetters concerning the upcoming that it may get even worse. They have cer Hoops for Hope committee, I would April 4 local election should be no more good reason to feel concerned as our like to thank everyone who participated than 200 words and conform fully with local officials can’t even call it for what in the event on Saturday, Jan. 28, at the requirements contained in our letit truly is. It’s gang graffiti by individuals Oswego High School. It was a great eveters policy published frequently on this who are (you guessed it) into gang activining filled with competitive basketball, page. To assure fairness, letters that ties like the marking of one’s territory. wonderful raffle baskets, and emotional contain specific charges against a canStrong-arm robberies, stabbings and remembrances of lost loved ones and didate or candidates will be considered drive-by shootings now seem to be the celebrations of strong survivors. for publication through our Thursday, weekly norm for the ole Oswego area.

We are so appreciative of all of the March 23, edition. Candidates will December had a gang-related shooting generous donations, and to the following have an opportunity to respond to any at Tyler and Adams, which oddly enough charges in letters published through event sponsors: Tap House Grill, Holiday our Thursday, March 30, edition. seems to be the epicenter for you Inn Express, My Sister’s Lil Donut Shoppe, guessed it: gang graffiti.

Wildside Jeep Customs, Katz & Stefani, I guess if you’re zoning that downtown Synergy Financial Services, Northwestern It’s gang graffiti area as a TIF district the last thing you Medicine, Living Well Cancer Resource To the Editor: want to proclaim is that you have a gang Center, Magix Carpet & Upholstery Care, Oswego has a beautiful and historic problem. I’ve seen this all before in the Sages Meat Market, Waterford Place downtown with many fine stores and town from where I grew up. (It seems Cancer Resource Center, Fish Window services. It also has a major issue of late like déjà vu all over again.) The gang Cleaning, Donald & Barbara Stoneburner, that our local officials like to call “deface- crime continues unabated. The police Show Your Logo, GP Cyclesports, Edward ment” or “vandalism.” You can see these seem to be clueless. Local officials are Cancer Center, Farmers Insurance, Hundisplays of defacement throughout the politically in denial. Good citizens betington Learning Center, Discount Tire, downtown area. come exhausted and move away (smart).

American Cancer Society, Old Second Locations like the Oswego Cycle Shop, Property values start dropping fast. Tell Bank, and Affordable Roofing. Special which has had their back doors, side wall your elected officials to wake up and thanks to Crystal Robinson for leading and garbage containers spray painted. smell the coffee (spray paint). this special event. And thank you to all Or other paintings like on the downtown Don’t let Oswego be the next commuwho supported our combined Oswego sidewalks, street signs, railroad pillars, nity that progressively falls prey to the and Yorkville community fight against rail electrical boxes, under the Route 34 acceptance of lowered standards and cancer. bridge/walk-path, “Beats and Eats” sign, violent crime.

Silo, private properties, historic property Donna Dorilio and a war memorial to name just a few Communities vs. Cancer Committee Member Ryan Koppes Montgomery Oswego more defacements.

boards on which I serve. I want our community to see the college as a viable partner and the best way to do that is to be actively involved and understand the needs of our community.

As part of our 50th anniversary celebration this year, Waubonsee has challenged our students, staff and faculty to give 50 hours of service to the community. As someone who adamantly believes in the “community” in community college, I have found it very rewarding to witness the service hours grow each month. I’m proud to be part of an organization that loves its community. I encourage everyone to seek out a community organization that speaks to your passions. You and your community have much to gain from the experience.

• Dr. Melinda Tejada is the vice president for student development at Waubonsee Community College.

• REFLECTIONS

Continued from page 4 plowed ground and set their farmsteads afire.

Wrote Kendall County historian Oliver Johnson in 1941: “Clouds of smoke over the prairies were warnings. Neighbors would hastily gather from miles away to help fight prairie fires.”

Added to the day-to-day danger and loneliness was the danger of childbirth and just plain overwork.

Mrs. Peter Minkler arrived in Illinois from Albany County, New York, in May 1833 with her husband, Smith, and their son and his family.

Just a few months after arriving, however, Mrs. Minkler, weakened and ill due to the long, hard journey, died.

It might seem amazing in this day and age when risks are seen as things to be avoided at all costs that women would have followed their husbands, sons and fathers to the wild frontier that was Illinois in the 1830s, but they did. The grave risks the pioneers faced from natural disaster, war, disease and other hazards were all seen as normal and were accepted as such. Will our descendants going on two centuries from today look at life in the early 21st century with as much consternation as we view that of our ancestors?

• Looking for more local history?

Visit http://historyonthefox.wordpress.com.

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, February 16, 2017

College’s leaders make impact through work with nonprofits

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, February 16, 2017

| LOCAL NEWS

6

Blog: Farnsworth House movie in works

By TONY SCOTT tscott@kendallcountynow.com A film on the architect and first owner of the Farnsworth House in Plano is apparently in the works, according to a news report.

Roger Friedman of the film blog Hollywood411 has reported that Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhaal have found a script they like for a drama about famed architect Mies van der Rohe and his client, Dr. Edith Farnsworth, who hired him to design the Farnsworth House as a country retreat in the 1940s.

The news has not been confirmed by other sources.

Maurice Parrish, executive director of the Farnsworth House, said he has not been contacted about the film.

“We are aware of the story that’s circulating concerning plans to make a film about the Farnsworth House, Mies van der Rohe, its architect and his client, Dr. Edith Farnsworth,” he said.

“However, we have not been contacted by anyone representing the project. We have no knowledge of any specific plans for this film to be made, or of what the involvement of the Farnsworth House will be, if any.”

However, Parrish said he was glad to see the story and the Farnsworth House generating interest.

Shaw Media file photo

BRIEF Montgomery’s ‘State of the Village’ address set for Feb. 28

Montgomery Village President Matt Brolley has scheduled his annual State of the Village address at 8:30 a.m.

Tuesday, Feb. 28, at the Montgomery Village Hall, 200 N. River St. The event will begin with a light breakfast followed by the address.

Brolley will review highlights and accomplishments of the past year as well as outline initiatives and goals for 2017 and beyond. This event is open to the public and is handicapped accessible.

Members of the business community and the press are particularly encouraged to attend.

For additional information, call the Montgomery Village Hall at 630-8968080, ext. 9003.

A film is supposedly in the works about famous architect Mies van der Rohe and Dr. Edith Farnsworth, his client who had Mies build the Farnsworth House as a country retreat in Plano.

“We are encouraged by how much interest this story is generating,” he said. “Hopefully, this will lead more people to explore why the Farnsworth House is such an architectural icon, and learn more about the relationship between Mies and Dr. Farnsworth.”

The Farnsworth House, which sits

– Oswego Ledger

on 58 acres at 14520 River Road in Plano, was purchased at auction by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Landmarks Illinois and several individual donors in December of 2003 for $7.5 million. The National Trust currently operates Farnsworth House as a museum, and public tours are available.

Finding a Great Family Physician is Easier than Ever!

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Connect at a free meet-and-greet appointment. View Dr. Mathias Rajendran’s schedule and make a convenient appointment at rushcopley.com/mathiasrajendran.

• Wellness of Adults, Children and Newborns • Women's Health • Diabetes • Hypertension and Cholesterol • Mental Health • Acne

Amanda Mathias Rajendran, D.O. 4789 Rt. 71, Oswego 630-898-5969

• FUNDING

Continued from page 3

Oswego Fire Protection District

Zielke told the legislative panel that the Oswegoland Park District conducted a community survey in 2014, and the district had a 95 percent level of confidence.

Zielke said he ran into a resident after the survey was conducted who told him she didn’t use their services.

But she told him she enjoys taking her grandkids down to Violet Patch Park.

“I said, so you do use our services, and the lightbulb kind of went off for her,” he said. “It’s one of those ah-ha moments that we like to hear. Even though they may not sign up for a dance program or an exercise program, using our trails and paths and open space parks is a huge benefit.”

Johnson, the Oswego village president, told the panel that it’s important that the village continues to receive its share of Local Government Distributive Funds, or LGDF, from the state. She disagreed with a description of it as “financial aid for municipalities.”

“It’s part of a grand Gail Johnson bargain made years ago, we agreed not to do local income tax, and the state agreed to give us a portion of the state income tax,” she said.

Oswego Village Administrator Daniel Di Santo said the village’s amount of LGDF has gone down over the years. He said that while the unemployment rate has gone down, the income tax revenue has not increased.

“We’re seeing a dramatic reduction right now in the Local Government Distributive Fund,” he said. “There’s a big gap in the two of hundreds of thousands of dollars that we’re missing out on this fiscal year; we’re scrambling to make cuts in the budget to make a balance. It’s almost like we’re getting a preview of not getting that money because we’re already losing some.

We haven’t gotten an explanation of why.”

Johnson said legislators should oppose a property tax freeze, stating that the village has an “extremely low

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“The village of Oswego tax rate is at around 1.5 percent,” she said. “You compare that to Montgomery, which is over 5, Yorkville is over 7, and Plainfield is over 6. So we are doing an extremely good job with the resources that we have.”

Johnson also urged the legislators to pass a state budget and capital bill, include municipalities in pension legislation negotiations, support Metra service to Kendall County, and protect municipal authority. She said local government should have a seat at the table for workers’ compensation reform and that representatives should be part of a governing body that guides water supply planning and policy.

Di Santo told the panel that the top three future capital projects for the village are Metra, Wolf’s Crossing Road, and the water treatment facility that would be shared with Yorkville and Montgomery.

“In terms of big dollars, those are the three big projects,” he said.

Johnson dismissed the idea of a property tax freeze as a way to fix the state’s budget.

“We get that the property tax freeze is really good optics, but it doesn’t do anything for your budget crisis,” she said. “We look to that and say, we’ve done a pretty good job of keeping our house in order. Let us continue to do that.”

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Veseling said the fire protection district has ongoing partnerships with the school district, the village, Waubonsee Committee College, the park district and other local agencies.

“The cooperation, the interaction, the different program development has been fantastic,” he said. “We really appreciate that support.”

Veseling asked the legislators to support initiatives that benefit firefighter emotional health and welfare.

“There has been a lot of discussion with the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association, with the unions, there’s a lot of push nationally about firefighters’ psychological support,” he said.

Oswegoland Park District

Village of Oswego

COVER STORY | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

The report states, “At the time of writing this report, the amount of additional state money needed for all districts in Illinois to be at or above their adequacy target is estimated to be a minimum of $3.5 billion over the next decade.”

The state currently spends $11 billion annually on K-12 education, according to the report.

“Currently the state funds school districts at 26 percent,” Rezin said.

“The goal is to input more money from the state to relieve property taxes as well.”

“We’ve done a lot on the medical side of it, but failed over the last several years to do a lot about the psychological support. So any intervention, any assistance you can bring with respect to supporting some of those initiatives to protect and support the firefighters and first responders in general would be greatly appreciated.”

Veseling said he would also like statewide legislation on residential sprinkler system requirements. Some communities have considered such actions but homebuilder groups have lobbied against it, he said.

“I think if it came from the state it would be a lot more powerful,” he said.

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, February 16, 2017

| LOCAL NEWS

8

Residents discuss extending Collins Road

By ERIKA WURST news@kendallcountynow.com With a court reporter on hand to record comments, and the ears of the project manager open, dozens of people turned up Feb. 7 to speak their minds about the proposed extension of Collins Road.

The open house, held in the Oswego High School cafeteria, was an opportunity for those invested in the future project to have their voices heard.

The meeting was part of the phase one engineering study for the Collins Road project, which would extend the road from Grove Road to Minkler Road and on to Route 71.

“Our main goal is connectivity through Oswego and the county,” project manager Matt Baldwin of WBK Engineering explained of the extension.

The purpose of the project is to “provide a safe and efficient north-south corridor servicing Kendall County and the village of Oswego to accommodate an increase in future traffic volumes while utilizing the Orchard Road/ Grove Road corridor and providing access to impending residential and commercial developments.”

There are currently three alignments under consideration. Each has

Mike Solley - msolley@shawmedia.com

This map shows the three potential alignments for the proposed extension of Collins Road from Grove Road west to Route 71 in Oswego. merits and challenges to be discussed, and those discussions were ones Baldwin was interested in being a part of Feb. 7. Did residents want roundabout intersections or lighted intersections?

Did they prefer one extension pattern over the other?

“If the majority of people don’t want roundabouts, we’re not going to put them there,” Baldwin explained, reit-

erating the importance of public comment concerning the project.

Written comments on the project can be completed and mailed to the highway department no later than Tuesday, Feb. 21. The comments can be mailed to Fran Klaas, P.E., Kendall County Engineer, Kendall County Highway Department, 6780 Ill. Route 47, Yorkville, IL 60560.

Deer Path Creek resident Brook Henschen showed up on behalf of herself and her neighbors to learn more.

The construction would directly impact Henschen, whose backyard lines up with Collins Road.

“There’s already a lot of traffic, and I’m OK with residential traffic, I just don’t want the semis coming by,” Henschen said.

It will be up to the village whether or not the road and its extensions would be a dedicated semitrailer route, Henschen learned.

“We’re early in the project,” Baldwin said. “We’re here today to receive public comment in terms of some of the alignment alternatives. We’re going through a two-year planning and design process and potentially construction after that.”

Klaas said funds have been programmed for both the first and second phase of the project, but not for construction.

“It’s a long-term project,” he said.

“We are in the middle of phase one engineering right now and we do have phase two engineering monies programmed in our five-year plan, and we have zero construction dollars programmed in our five-year plan. So I think we’re a few years out.”

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“This was inappropriate. A professional negotiation between two government agencies should not happen with back-stabbing and the bum’s rush.”

Steve Andersson Attorney for the village of Montgomery

the attorney that he was hopeful that he would receive the fire district’s response prior to fire district officials showing up at a village board meeting.

Andersson said he has not heard anything further from the attorney. “Not even the courtesy of saying ‘I’ve been directed by my client not to respond – nothing,” Andersson said, adding, “We had a good dialog going on, (but) instead of the good deed that we did of preparing this [the village’s proposal], the response was to get it [the fire district’s proposal] handed to us tonight instead of what would have been proper and that was to engage in that dialog.”

Holding the fire district’s proposal, Andersson bristled, “This was inappropriate. A professional negotiation be-

tween two government agencies should not happen with back-stabbing and the bum’s rush.”

Andersson told the board that he believes the “appropriate thing” for them to now do is to take the fire district’s proposal under advisement so he and other village staff members can review it “and get this thing back on track where it was, and not to accept this sort of bum’s rush negotiation.”

Brolley said he also believed the Jan. 16 meeting with Meyers and other fire district representatives had been productive.

Brolley added that in approving the rebates three years ago the village was attempting to address the financial concerns of the fire district and other local taxing districts affected by the TIF. “The goal of the TIF is not to harm any taxing district, but to promote economic development that will ultimately help all the district,” he said, Brolley said he would like the board to now amend the 2014 resolution “in the near future so we can come to an easier understanding of the [rebate] process.”

Board member Pete Heinz said he believes the two sides need to sit down and negotiate an agreement.

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The Montgomery Village Board agreed during a contentious meeting Monday evening to have village staff and their attorney continue negotiations with the Montgomery and Countryside Fire Protection District concerning the amount the fire district receives in rebates under a tax increment financing district established three years ago on the village’s west side.

Seeking to spur economic development along the village’s Aucutt Road and Orchard Road corridor, the village board voted to create the Orchard Road TIF district in January 2014.

The TIF designation served to freeze the amount of annual property taxes the fire district and other taxing districts that serve the area receive for up to 23 years. However, the additional amount in property taxes the TIF property owners pay as the value of their properties increase is placed in a separate TIF district fund managed by the village. The village, in turn, is using the TIF district funds to pay for public improvements in the TIF district.

In voting to establish the Orchard Road TIF district, the board also adopted a resolution calling for the village to rebate property tax revenues on the incremental growth on existing buildings in the TIF district to the fire districts and the 13 other affected taxing districts, including the Oswego Public Library District.

Village President Matt Brolley noted that in approving the 2014 resolution, the village may have been the first municipality in the state to offer rebates to other local government agencies as part of a TIF district.

But Fire Chief Tom Meyers told the board during a 50-minute presentation Monday evening the fire district has not been getting the full amount of rebates it is owed under terms of the 2014 resolution.

“Someone is trying to keep TIF properties out of the rebate [payments],” he said.

Meyers said he has attempted without success to resolve the issue with village staff over the past year.

He noted that the fire district has retained an attorney to assist the agency with the rebate issue, but is reluctant to Tom Meyers spend the agency’s limited revenues on legal fees.

Meyers then presented the board with copies of the agency’s proposal to remedy the rebate issue.

But in response, Steven Andersson, an atSteven torney for the village, Andersson voiced strong objection to Meyers presenting the fire district’s proposal to the board when he said negotiations for an agreement between the two sides are not yet complete.

Andersson said he, village staff, an attorney for the fire district and fire district officials had what he thought was a productive initial meeting Jan. 16 during which the two sides expressed their views and concerns about the rebates and then agreed to exchange written proposals.

Reading from an email from the fire district’s attorney, Andersson said, he was later notified that fire district officials and their attorney were “finalizing a written counter-proposal with two options that are parallel to our discussions. Chief Meyers is drafting a letter as well. I’m waiting on my clients to give the final blessing before I release it to you.”

Andersson said he continued his correspondence with the fire district’s attorney until Feb. 10 when the attorney said he had not heard back from his clients (the fire district).

Andersson said he responded to

LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

Local officials in tiff over TIF rebates

9

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, February 16, 2017

| LOCAL NEWS

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County Board meeting times stay unchanged

By TONY SCOTT tscott@kendallcountynow.com The Kendall County Board will continue to meet on the first Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. and the third Tuesday of every month at 9 a.m., despite a proposal by some board members to change the schedule to two evening meetings.

The board voted 5-5 Feb. 7 on a proposal by board member Tony Giles to change the regular meeting schedule to two night meetings a month. Giles, Chairman Tony Giles Scott Gryder and board members Audra Hendrix, Matthew Prochaska and Elizabeth Flowers voted in favor of the change, while Matthew Kellogg, Bob Davidson, Lynn Cullick, John Purcell and Judy Gilmour voted against it.

The board needed seven positive votes to make a change in its rules of

order, so the motion failed.

Giles, a teacher, had argued that changing the schedule to two evening meetings would allow more people who work during the day to attend the meetings.

However, Kellogg said the current schedule is preferable, as it allows people with different schedules to attend meetings either at night or in the morning.

Davidson also said it’s easier to access county staff during the morning meetings if the board has questions about an issue, and elected county officials are more likely to show up during the morning meetings.

Giles said that “a common theme” when he was walking door to door during the election was that the County Board has an “elitist mentality.” He said the “majority of the people can make an evening meeting.” Purcell pointed to the mostly empty room and said people don’t attend the evening meetings.

BRIEFS Boulder Hill streets part of road maintenance program

from 7 to 8 p.m. next Tuesday, Feb. 21.

The library is located at 32 W. Jefferson Several roads in the Boulder Hill subdi- St. in the village’s downtown. vision will receive fresh pavement as part Registration is required. Call 630-554of the Oswego Township Road District’s 3150 or visit the library’s website, www. oswego.lib.il.us. annual road maintenance program.

According to information released by the agency Tuesday, the following roads Oswego Lions Club spaghetti dinner scheduled for Feb. 26 will be resurfaced: Douglas Road (from The Oswego Lions Club will host its Wolf’s Crossing to Plainfield Road); Circle annual spaghetti dinner from 4 to 7 p.m.

Drive West (from Boulder Hill Pass to Guilford Road); Cebold Road (to Oswego Sunday, Feb. 26, at the American Legion village limit); Barclay Court; Circle Court; Post home at 19 W. Washington St. in Oswego.

Fieldcrest Road (to Oswego village Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for limit); Greenbriar Road; Briarcliff Road; children. Tickets may be purchased from and Boulder Hill Pass (from Route 25 to any Lions member or may be purchased Codorus Road.)

All of the roads will have their existing at the door the day of the event.

The menu will consist of spaghetti with surfaces ground off and then will be the club’s special sauce, salad, bread, repaved. dessert, and coffee and milk.

The bid letting will be on March 31 at For ticket information or to find out the Kendall County Highway Department more about the Lions Club, call Irv Collins office on Route 25 in Oswego. at 630-554-3158.

Anyone with questions or concerns is – Oswego Ledger asked to call operations manager Aaron Grosskopf at 630-264-4587.

Great Chicago Fire is topic for library presentation

William Pack, author of “The Essential Great Chicago Fire,” will present a multimedia storytelling event on the Great Chicago Fire at the Oswego Public Library

To submit a news item to the Oswego Ledger, email news@kendallcountynow.com

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KENDALL COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORTS

Boulder Hill fight County sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a fight in progress involving approximately eight people at a home in the 0-100 block of Springdale Road in Boulder Hill Feb. 12 at 12:08 a.m. Police said everyone had left the scene prior to their arrival. The incident remains under investigation, police said.

Incident under investigation Sheriff’s deputies responded along with personnel from the Minooka police and fire departments to an incident in the 2500 block of Wildy Road in Seward Township Feb. 11 at 11:32 p.m. Police said they learned that an unknown subject damaged the rear taillights of a vehicle, while another person told them someone sprayed pepper spray in her face.

Another subject told police he was struck in the head with a beer bottle by another unknown subject. Police said a female juvenile was found to be intoxicated and transported by firefighters to an area hospital. The juvenile was charged with unlawful consumption of alcohol, police said. Police are continuing their investigation into the other reported crimes.

Warrant arrest County sheriff’s deputies arrested Leomon Jaimel Redmon, 35, of the 0-100 block of Springdale Road, Boulder Hill, at his residence Feb. 11 at 9:38 p.m. Police said Redmon was wanted on a Kendall County warrant for failure to appear in court on a traffic violation.

Deceptive practice reported A Boulder Hill resident filed a deceptive practice report with sheriff’s deputies Feb. 7. Police said the victim told them she was contacted concerning a virus on her computer and directed to pay $500 in iTunes gift cards to fix the virus. Police said they are investigating.

Domestic arrest Sheriff’s deputies arrested Eliot Garcia-Hernandez, 31, of the 2500 block of Finley Road, NaAuSay Township, at his residence Feb. 8 at 10:28 p.m. on a charge of domestic battery.

Hit-and-run reported An Oswego resident filed a hit-and-run report with sheriff’s deputies Feb. 7. Police said Identity theft reported A Boulder Hill resident filed an identity theft the victim’s vehicle was struck by a small, light blue sedan in the 600 block of Route 31 report with county sheriff’s deputies Feb. in Oswego Township at 5:51 p.m. and then 12 at 10:38 a.m. Police said someone used left the scene. Police said the offending vehithe victim’s Florida telephone number to purchase a cellphone. In addition, police said cle was last seen in the northbound lane on Route 31 near the Light Road area. Damage someone opened Macy’s and Target credit to the victim’s car was described by police card accounts in her name and charged as minor. approximately $1,000 to the two accounts.

Bogus charges found A Boulder Hill resident told sheriff’s deputies that someone made $950 in fraudulent charges to the victim’s checking account using a debit card. Police said they are investigating.

Criminal trespass Sheriff’s deputies took a report of criminal trespass and criminal damage to property at a residence in the 20th block of West Lyncliff Drive in Oswego Township Feb. 9. Police said someone entered and caused damage inside the residence.

Mailbox damaged A mailbox in the 0-100 block of Harbor Drive in Oswego Township was found damaged Feb. 7 at 6:44 p.m., according to the sheriff’s office. Police said the contents of the mailbox were also stolen. Police said they are investigating.

Prescription theft County sheriff’s deputies took a theft report at a residence in the 17000 block of Ridge Road in Minooka in Seward Township Feb. 9 at 6:36 a.m. Police said they were summoned to the residence on a report of a domestic battery, but learned that a prescription medication had been taken without permission.

Vehicle burglaries County sheriff’s deputies are investigating the burglary of several vehicles parked at a residence in the 10-20 block of Ridgefield Road in Boulder Hill Feb. 9 at 2:30 a.m.

Shed damaged Someone entered and damaged a shed at a residence in the 0-100 block of Fernwood Road in Boulder Hill Feb. 6, according to the sheriff’s office. Police said they are investigating.

Traffic violations Bobbie Joe Coselman, 36, of the 200 block of North Sycamore Street, Somonauk, driving on a suspended license.

Identity theft reported County sheriff’s deputies took an identity theft report from a resident of Bristol Township Feb. 10 at 6:44 p.m. Police said the victim told them that someone used his credit card information to make online purchases.

Facing forgery charge An Oswego resident, Mariah Salmon, 23, of the 400 block of Monroe Street, was arrested by sheriff’s deputies on a charge of forgery stemming from an Aug. 25 incident at the county courthouse in Yorkville. Police said Salmon presented a forged document to staff members in the probation services department.

Woman hurt in cutting incident Following an investigation, police said the County sheriff’s deputies are investigatKendall County State’s Attorney’s Office ing an incident in which a female subject authorized Class 3 felony forgery charges was cut in the 100 block of Harbor Drive in Oswego Township Feb. 7 at 12:54 p.m. Police against Salmon and a warrant was issued for said the victim told them that she was cut by her arrest. Police said she was subsequently an unknown subject with an unknown object. taken in to custody without incident and posted bond pending a court appearance.

Oswego Fire Protection District paramedics transported the victim to an area hospital Cited in Wheeler Road crash with non-life-threatening injuries.

Deputies ticketed Miguel A. Rodriguez, 50, Police said the incident appears to be isolated with no apparent threat to the com- of the 100 block of Barney Drive, Joliet, after the vehicle he was driving struck a utility munity. They ask anyone with information pole on Schlapp Road north of Wheeler Road to email detectives@co.kendall.il.us or call in NaAuSay Township Feb. 7 at 12:35 p.m.

630-553-5856. Callers who wish to remain anonymous should contact the Kendall Coun- Police said Rodriguez left the accident scene, but was tracked down and located within an ty Crimestoppers at 630-553-5999. hour of the crash. He was cited for improper lane usage and failure to report an accident Warrant arrest Sheriff’s deputies arrested Stewart Gustave to police.

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Investigate jail damage County sheriff’s deputies are investigating an incident in which an inmate damaged various items inside the county jail in Yorkville during the early morning hours of Feb. 14.

DeWard, 23, of the 2900 block of Gloria Court, Montgomery, in the 300 block of Route 71 in Big Grove Township Feb. 11 at 7:54 p.m. Police said DeWard was wanted on a Kendall County warrant for failure to appear in court on a prior charge of driving on a suspended license.

LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

DUI charge in Rt. 31 crash County sheriff’s deputies arrested Cristian Cid, 36, of the 2000 block of Route 31, Oswego, after the vehicle he was driving was involved in a crash on Route 31 at East Anchor Drive Feb. 13 at 4:45 p.m. Police said Cid left the accident scene but was located near the intersection of Marlin Drive and West Anchor Drive. Police said Cid was injured in the crash and transported to Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora. Police said Cid faces charges of driving under the influence, improper lane usage, having no valid driver’s license and leaving the scene of a crash. He was released pending a court date, according to police.

Man arrested in Oswego store after fleeing police

By STEVEN JACK news@kendallcountynow.com A Montgomery man faces several charges after running from Oswego police Saturday night at a store in the 2300 block of Route 34.

According to police spokeswoman Cathy Nevara, at about 7:30 p.m. an Oswego police officer encountered a car parked in a handicapped spot with a man and woman sitting inside.

The car had no visible handicapped placard, so

the man in the driver’s seat was asked for identification, Nevara said.

After the man, later identified as Demetrius Bradley, 26, of Montgomery, allegedly provided what turned out to be false identification, he was asked to step outside the vehicle, Nevara said.

While the officer attempted to arrest Bradley, the female passenger also exited the vehicle. The officer, who was alone, then called for backup, and Bradley was able to flee from the scene, running inside the store.

OSWEGO POLICE REPORTS Three cited in crash Oswego police ticketed three motorists following a crash at the Prairie Market shopping center on Route 34 Feb. 5 at 3:30 p.m. Police said the accident was reported to them on Feb. 7 at 6 p.m.

Police said William Forbes, 50, of the 1400 block of Main Street, Naperville; Ryan Niwa, 22, of the 2000 block of Havenhill, Plainfield; and Ronald Myles, 30, of the 500 block of Seventh Avenue, Aurora, were all cited for failure to report an accident to police.

investigating.

Unlawful use of credit card Oswego police took a report concerning the unlawful use of a credit card at a store in the 2300 block of Route 34 in the village. Police said $300 was stolen in the incident.

Lost $4,500 online An Oswego resident filed a fraud report with village police Feb. 10. Police said the victim lost $4,500 while using Facebook.

Dine and dash Officials at a restaurant in the 1500 block of Douglas Road told Oswego police Feb. 13 that two male subjects dined at the restaurant at 6 p.m. and then left without paying a $30 bill.

Canterbury Court theft An iPad and Illinois Link card valued at $649 were stolen from a residence in the 400 block of Canterbury Court on Jan. 28, Oswego police reported.

Police said the theft was reported to them on Feb. 9 and they are

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Vacuum cleaner stolen Someone stole a vacuum cleaner valued at $299 from a store in the 2700 block of Route 34 in Oswego Feb. 9 at 8 p.m., village police reported.

Domestic battery charge Oswego police arrested Lennie Ray Williams, 45, of Montgomery on Tewksbury Court Feb. 12 at 9:50 a.m. on a charge of domestic battery.

Warrant arrest Oswego police arrested Steven S. Savage, 25, of Ingleshire Road, Boulder Hill, at the village police station Feb. 9 at 8:40 a.m. on a warrant for failure to appear in court on a prior charge. Police said Savage posted bond and was released pending a court appearance later this month.

Traffic citations Octavio Reyes Ortiz, 42, of the 700 block of Fulton Street, Aurora, no valid driver’s license, no insurance and illegal use of a cellphone.

Discarded cigarette cited as cause of fire that left Oswego house damaged OSWEGO LEDGER Oswego Fire Protection District firefighters extinguished a fire on the front porch of a residence in the 200 block of Chicago Road (Route 34) in Oswego on Feb. 9.

A resident suffered a minor injury in the fire, according to a fire district report.

The report states that the fire was contained to a wall of the residence and damage was estimated at $3,000.

The report noted that firefighters were summoned to the residence at 12:44 p.m. and were able to quickly put out the blaze.

The fire district attributed the cause of the fire to an improperly discarded cigarette.

MONTGOMERY POLICE REPORTS Warrant arrest Montgomery police arrested Tanica D. Cotton, 23, of the 2500 block of 21st Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Feb. 7 at 4:26 p.m. as they responded to a report of a domestic disturbance in the 1900 block of Grandview Place. Police said they determined Cotton was wanted on a Lake County sheriff’s warrant for retail theft.

Arrested on two warrants Montgomery police arrested Marcello VallesVelazquez, 37, of the 200 block of Parker Court, Montgomery, at his residence Feb. 7 at 8:03 p.m. on two separate warrants for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Cognac stolen An unknown suspect stole a case of cognac from a store in the 1100 block of Ogden Avenue Feb. 7 at 7:08 p.m., Montgomery police reported.

Police said the theft remains under investigation.

Hartway vehicle burglary A bag containing personal documents was stolen from a motor vehicle which had been left parked and unlocked in the 200 block of Hartway Drive Feb. 8, Montgomery police reported.

Theft case reported A resident of Sherman Avenue told MontgomMinor injuries ery police Feb. 7 that she provided her personal Montgomery police reported that the driver banking information to a suspect who later conof a semi-truck received minor injuries when tacted her and advised her that he had money he lost control of his truck on Aucutt Road at that needed to be deposited in her account. The Commerce Drive Feb. 7 at 7:06 p.m. and it struck resident later determined that the suspect had a tree. made several withdrawals from her account.

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Additional officers from Oswego, the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office and Montgomery police all arrived on the scene shortly after, and Bradley was found in the clearance section inside the store less than 10 minutes later, Nevara said.

Bradley faces charges of obstructing identification, resisting arrest and obstructing justice, Nevara said. He was also wanted on an outstanding warrant out of Aurora and was ticketed for several handicapped parking violations, Nevara said. The female passenger was not arrested.

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By TONY SCOTT tscott@kendallcountynow.com

Tony Scott - tscott@kendallcountynow.com

1836 Drink Lab & Provisions will be locating in the former Cobblestone restaurant site at the northwest corner of Van Emmon and Route 47/Bridge Street in downtown Yorkville sometime in April. dining area will be changed to make it “more of our style.”

“It will be more like 1920s, ’30s Gothic-type atmosphere, a little darker but not too sinister,” he said. “And we’re going to redo the bar and it will have a ton of display space for all the wines and whiskeys we’re going to be housing.”

Lewis said new high-back leather booths will be added to the dining room area.

The former Mongolian 211 and Bridge Street Cafe space will be broken up into two spaces, and part of it will be used as a workspace for meat processing. He said the meat processing for the restaurants has been in high demand.

“Now that we’re adding a third restaurant, and two more in Plainfield, we’re going to need more room to process and dry-age more of our beef, make our sausage, pork loins, stuff like

BRIEF Oswegoland Woman’s Civic Club will meet next Wednesday The Oswegoland Woman’s Civic Club will meet at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 22, at Celebrate Differences, located at 5375 Route 34, Oswego, in the strip mall near Seattle Sutton. Co-hostesses will be Ann Lannert and Cynthia Mayer. At each club meeting, a raffle is held which benefits the Kendall County Community Food Pantry.

The club will be attending the Oswego Connects Community Rally from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 11 at Oswego East High School in the Atrium, along with many other volunteer groups. Club members

look forward to sharing with the community the contributions they continue to make and the activities they are involved in that benefit our community. The club was founded in 1928, so members have a lot to tell the community.

The club welcomes anyone interested in joining or just learning more about us to attend the Feb. 22 meeting. For more information, call President Kathy Guseman at 630-554-5848 or Vice President Judy Siedlecki at 630-551-1852. Information is also available on the club website and Facebook at OswegolandWomansCivicClub.org.

– Oswego Ledger

that,” Lewis said.

The meat production space will open before fall, he said.

The main dining space in the former Mongolian restaurant will become a processing area, he said. The former

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The owners of Crusade Burger Bar are planning to open their next project on that same block of Bridge Street in downtown Yorkville sometime this spring.

1836 Drink Lab & Provisions is set to locate in the former Cobblestone Bakery & Bistro space at 101 W. Van Emmon St., with an opening planned for sometime in April.

Dale Lewis, owner/partner of the restaurant, said it would be a farmto-table concept restaurant similar to Sovereign restaurant in Plainfield, of which he is also owner/partner.

“1836 will have a similar style of menu,” he said. “It’s going to be locally-sourced products, no freezer, no microwave, a chef-driven menu, prepped daily. It will be just good old American comfort food, slightly elevated.

And we’re going to focus on wine and cocktails.”

The restaurant will offer smallbatch spirits and wines made in the United States, he said.

Lewis said there will be changes to the building’s interior from when it was Cobblestone. He said there were five different entrances to the building, which confused customers. The main entrance will be off Van Emmon, with double doors, and the former bakery area will “become part of the foyer.”

“So that people will clearly know where to go in to get to the restaurant,” he said.

The at-grade east entrance along Bridge Street will remain for those who need access, he said. The former western entrance will be blocked off, he said.

The former wine tasting area will become a beer bottle shop, he said.

“That will be a retail-type establishment, once we get that done,” he said.

Lewis said the interior of the main

hibachi area will be turned into a meat counter sometime next spring probably, he said.

“We’re going to turn that into a meat counter so that people can come in off the street and buy dry-aged loins that we age in house,” he said.

The beef comes from R. Cooper Farms in Yorkville, he said. “We’re going to showcase all their beef,” he said.

The pork will be supplied by local farmer Jeff Brummel, he said.

Also, the room that was a lounge as part of the Mongolian space will be turned into “a little dive bar, kind of like a hangout,” he said.

“We’re just gonna focus on old man beers that our grandfathers used to drink, and it will just have bar snacks, nothing crazy,” he said. “Just a place to be casual and hangout and not have to worry about ordering food or dressing up or being pretentious.”

That bar probably will be the last project they open in that block, he said.

Lewis said Crusade Burger Bar, down the block at 209 S. Bridge St., is “killing it.”

“Yorkville’s been good to us with that store,” he said. “It’s done an amazing job. Revenues are solid, staff is solid, you couldn’t ask for a better environment.”

13

LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

Farm-to-table restaurant coming to Yorkville

Limelight Theater will present ‘Spoon River’ at area museum

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, February 16, 2017

| LOCAL NEWS

14

OSWEGO LEDGER

Tony Scott - tscott@kendallcountynow.com

Jordan D. Dorsey of Dover Development speaks to the Yorkville City Council Tuesday evening about his company’s proposed Cedarhurst of Yorkville assisted living and memory care facility.

Assisted living center floated for Rt. 34, Cannonball Trail

By TONY SCOTT tscott@kendallcountynow.com A 73-unit assisted living and memory care center is proposed for the northeast corner of Route 34 and Cannonball Trail in Yorkville.

The Cedarhurst of Yorkville development proposed by St. Louis-based Dover Development is a two-story memory care and assisted living facility. Future development of the 6.7acre site could include a medical office building, according to Krysti Barksdale-Noble, the city’s community development director. The building is proposed to be 65,000 square feet, with a main entrance facing westward and vehicle access off Cannonball Trail, she said.

Barksdale-Noble said the developers “found the site was accessible not only to retail but to health care in the area.”

At a public hearing on the project Tuesday evening before the City Council, Jordan D. Dorsey of Dover Development and David Schultz of HR Green presented plans for the facility to aldermen. No members of the public spoke during the hearing.

Dorsey said the facility would employ 30 to 40 full-time employees who would work in shifts.

Dorsey said provided the development is approved by the city, they hope to break ground April 1. He said it’s a 10- to 12-month process to build the facility, so they expect to open in the spring of 2018.

A memory care facility means that

all of the residents either have Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia, he said.

“That means our building is specially secured, so every exit has a 15-second delay egress and we provide pendants for all the residents,” Dorsey said. “As you know, if you have Alzheimer’s or related dementias one of the tendencies is to wander. In addition, all of our staff is trained by the Alzheimer’s Association.”

The project was recently reviewed by the City Council’s Economic Development Committee, and will again be reviewed for a vote by the full City Council at its Feb. 28 meeting.

“There was language in the comprehensive plan that specifically stated that the city should seek out more senior and active adult housing because the need of such services is highly anticipated as we age,” Barksdale-Noble said.

At the committee meeting, Alderman Chris Funkhouser expressed concerns about the size and number of the proposed signs on the property. The proposed main sign is going to be 10 feet tall and 15 feet wide.

“It’s an awful lot of signage for six acres,” he said.

According to Barksdale-Noble, the original annexation agreement on the property was approved in August of 2000 and was updated in July of 2008.

In 2008, the prior owner was granted approval for a multi-lot commercial/ retail development called Cannonball Trails and the property was rezoned, she said.

The Oswegoland Park District’s Limelight Theater Company will present “Spoon River” at 7 p.m. Feb. 24 and 25 at the Little White School Museum, 72 Polk Street.

Edgar Lee Masters’ collection of epitaph poems forms the basis of this ghostly group of monologues and short scenes, as the residents of Spoon River speak from beyond the grave about life, death, love, hate and their shared humanity.

Adapters Brian Brems and Renee Niederkorn selected 80 characters (from a collection of more than 200) to present full monologues.

Voices have been grouped together by thematic connection, linked by the

ideas or emotions that they share.

Brems says, “We were reluctant to impose any kind of narrative onto the show, because that’s not really the point of the original text, either.

In some ways, we wanted to build a little puzzle, giving the audience all the pieces. Then, it’ll be up to them to put it together based on what the characters say.”

Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students/seniors.

All seats are general admission and tickets can be purchased online or at the door.

For more information about this show or to purchase tickets, visit limelighttheatrecompany.org. Contact Cori at cveverka@oswegolandpd. org with any questions.

BRIEF Oswego American Legion Auxiliary will gather Monday

cer and Lori Pierce.

For further information on the meeting, call Cheryl Magana at 630Oswego American Legion Auxiliary 740-8813. For information on joining Unit 675 will meet at 7 p.m. Feb. 20 at the auxiliary, call membership chairman the Legion Post home.

All members are encouraged to attend Deanna Steinke at 630-553-5186.

– Oswego Ledger the meeting. Hostesses are Kathy Spen-

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16

BULLETIN BOARD

Highlighting students and activities in Oswego and Montgomery-area schools. Email details to news@kendallcountynow.com.

Bus driver job fair takes place today OSWEGO LEDGER School District 308 Transportation Center is looking to hire bus drivers.

“Our district takes the responsibility of safely transporting students to and from their schools very seriously,” Director of Transportation Derrick Berlin said. “A safe and efficient transportation system is critical for a district of our size. Bus drivers play a very important role in the daily lives and academic success of our students.”

A school bus driver job fair will take place from 4 to 8 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 16, at the District 308 Transportation Center located at 55 Stonehill Road in Oswego. Candidates must be at least 21 years of age and have held a valid driver’s license for three consecutive years.

More information on require-

ments will be provided at the job fair and online at sd308.org.

The district is offering candidates a sign-on bonus. Those who are selected for a bus driver vacancy but do not have a CDL/permit yet will be eligible for a $500 sign-on bonus. Those who are already fully licensed will be eligible for a $1,000 sign-on bonus.

Prospective drivers are encouraged to apply online in advance at sd308.org.

Those who do not have computer access or need assistance with the online application are asked to contact the School District 308 Human Resources Department or stop by the department office at 4175 Route 71 in Oswego to use computers and get help if needed.

Walk-in applicants will have computer access to complete an online application during the job fair.

State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit (back row, third from left), D-Oswego, recently met with several classes of social work students from Aurora University and discussed the importance of protecting programs that at-risk women, children and seniors rely on.

Photo provided

Kifowit visits with AU students OSWEGO LEDGER State Rep. Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, recently visited Aurora University and met with several classes of students who are studying in the School of Social Work and discussed the importance of making their voices heard in government.

“I enjoyed meeting with so many bright young men and women who are devoting their lives to serving our community,” Kifowit said. “The discussions I had with these dedicated individuals will stay with me as I advocate in Springfield on behalf of social workers in our community and the residents who rely on their care.”

Kifowit discussed with the students about the need to pass a fair and responsible budget that protects services for at-risk women, children and seniors. She also discussed her efforts to improve mental health services for Illinois veterans. Kifowit encouraged the students to stay involved and to make their voices heard in all levels of government.

“I am grateful that State Rep. Kifowit is always willing to inspire and engage my university students,” said Dr. Don Phelps, professor of social work, adding, “Her honesty, humility and passion encourage my students, especially the young women, to envision themselves in leadership positions.”

ON CAMPUS Johnathon Hilliard of Montgomery was one of over 200 Cornell College students named to the dean’s list for the fall 2016 semester. Hilliard earned Honors. Honors signifies a semester grade point average of 3.6 to 3.79.

••• Oswego resident Jessica Johnson was named to the president’s list for the fall 2016 semester at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia.

••• The University of Wisconsin-Madison has named Cassidy Hartzog of Oswego to the dean’s list for the fall semester of the 2016-17 academic year.

••• Kent State recognized more than 8,700 undergraduate students named to the dean’s list for fall 2016. Local students earning this honor include Miranda Lambert of Oswego along with Montgomery residents Morgan Buerke and Nathan Colwell.

••• Local students were named to the University of Iowa fall 2016 dean’s list. Students earning this honor include Emily Bong and Kristen Oldin of Montgomery along with Oswego residents Courtney Licul, Emily Prystash, Anne Ringelestein, Luke Torrez and Kailyn

Wasielewski.

••• Timothy Wodzisz of Oswego received a BA in journalism and mass communication along with a BA in sport studies degree from the University of Iowa at the close of the fall 2016 semester.

••• The University of Alabama recently announced students named to the dean’s list with an academic record of 3.5 (or above) or the president’s list with an academic record of 4.0 (all A’s). Oswego residents named to the president’s list include Quinn Parlier and John Watson. Oswego residents named

to the dean’s list include Christopher Manella, Hailey McMillan and Sydney Pellegrini.

••• Bailey Finin of Oswego was named to the honor roll at University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. To qualify for the honor roll, a student must take at least 12 credits and earn a grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.3 (out of a possible 4.0, or “all As”).

••• Oswego residents Megan Crawford and Jacob Heiser were named to the fall 2016 dean’s honor roll at University of Oklahoma Norman.

•••

Brandi Brewer and Elizabeth Figgins, both of Oswego, were named to the dean’s list at Carroll University for the fall 2016 semester. To be named to the dean’s list, students must have a grade point average for the semester of at least 3.5 on a 4-point scale.

••• Madelyn Cullick of Oswego was named to the University of Illinois Springfield’s dean’s list for Fall Semester 2016. In order to qualify for the dean’s list, a student must be an undergraduate who took at least eight graded semester hours and maintained a grade-point average of at least 3.75 for the semester.

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GIRLS BOWLING

PREP ROUNDUP

OSWEGO LEDGER

BOYS BASKETBALL

Oswego East sophomores: Julian Holland scored 20 points and Kamron Battle added 18 for the Wolves (18-2) in a 69-41 win over Oswego on Feb. 9.

Battle scored 18 points, Holland and Sam Schultz 12 each, Gerrard Brownship 11 and Jordan Williams for Oswego East to pace a 75-50 win over Downers Grove South on Feb. 7.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Oswego sophomores: Ashea Lake had eight points and six rebounds, Janessa Martinez seven points and four rebounds and Dyiamon Williams six points and four rebounds to pace a 38-38 win over Joliet Central. Julie Henrikson had 12 points, Samara Bosman eight points and Williams six to lead Oswego past Romeoville 38-20. The Panthers completed their season with a 19-9 record, 10-4 in conference.

BULLETIN BOARD BRIEFS Fundraiser for OHS Senior Celebration set for Feb. 22 at Fox Valley Winery

School District 308 Board candidate forum will be March 14 at OEHS

The Oswego Education Association will host an open forum for the candidates running for the School District 308 Board of Education in the April 4 election on Tuesday, March 14, in the Oswego East High School auditorium. The forum will begin at 7 p.m.

The candidates will answer prepared questions and will then answer questions from the community. To submit a question in advance of the forum, email oea.legislative@gmail.com.

Eight candidates are seeking election to the board.

Voters will be asked to cast ballots for four of the candidates. The candidates are: Toni Morgan, 33 Hickory Lane, Oswego; Dominick Cirone, 202 Woodford Road, Oswego; Heather Moyer, 12 Pomeroy Road, Montgomery; Brent Lightfoot, 1934 Clementi Court, Aurora; Robert Graves, 2436 Albany Court, Aurora; Matthew Bauman, 2929 Manchester Drive, Montgomery; Michael G. McDowell, 36 Afton Drive, Montgomery; Danielle Paul, 2443 Avalon Court, Aurora.

– Oswego Ledger

By JOSHUA WELGE jwelge@kendallcountynow.com Samantha Perez can laugh about it now.

The Oswego East senior remembers well her first game at the state bowling tournament. It was two years ago. She bowled a 119.

“My hands were really shaky,” Perez said. “I was nervous that I wasn’t going to be perfect for each shot. I doubted my abilities. I decided after that to strengthen up and just throw my game.”

Perez recovered nicely, and the Wolves took fifth in 2015. They followed that up with a seventh-place finish last year.

Perez can relax now. She’s Oswego East’s steady old hand going into this weekend’s meet at The Cherry Bowl in Rockford.

She can’t wait.

“Honestly it’s the most fun tournament I’ve ever been in,” said Perez, who will bowl collegiately at Valparaiso while she pursues a nursing degree. “All the teams there, all the interactions you make. I think it brings out the best in me.”

Perez and Oswego East, sec-

ond at the Andrew Sectional to Lockport, will be joined at state by crosstown rival Oswego. The Panthers took fourth at sectionals.

As much as anything, Wolves coach Jeremy Hillman has seen Perez’s mental game grow over the years. She had a 213 average going into the conference meet, and took first place individually there.

Perez bowled a 1,281 at the sectional meet.

“I don’t want to say Sam is robotic, but she’s very constant. To see her struggle is a rare thing,” Hillman said. “She’ll play inside, she’ll play outside – she’s so adaptable to the lanes. She’s very thorough in what she does and she goes into these events trying to keep the team loose.”

Perez started bowling in the fifth grade. When she was 10 her dad and grandpa put her in a league. By eighth grade she was starting to take bowling seriously, and she quit cheerleading and dance.

“It was a junior league on Saturdays with a bunch of strangers, but I loved it,” said Perez. “It teaches you to be really strong.”

The Wolves had a breakthrough performance at sectionals from another senior, Ashley Smith rolling a 1,355. Kiana Krahulik bowled a 1,290, Samantha Mattern a 1,228, Kyleigh Rogers a three-game total of 562 and Kassy Krahulik a 548.

“Ashley is not somebody that’s going to rip the cover off – she’s going to slow roll and get it pretty accurate to the area,” Hillman said. “As you can see it scores. She did awesome. We’re excited to see what she does at Cherry because it fits her game.”

Oswego’s top series at sectionals was bowled by Alyssa Lang (1,252), followed by Taylor Kies (1,223), Rachel Clifton (1,159), Megan Douglas (1,135) and Shannon Torrez (1,008).

The state tournament starts on Friday, with 24 teams trying to reach the final 12 on Saturday. Perez already has a scouting report for the Rockford lanes ready for her younger teammates.

“If you keep the ball speed low, go straight up the boards, that’s the way you’re most successful,” Perez said. “That’s what I’m going to try to do and adjust off of that.”

GYMNASTICS

Oswego co-op comes up short in state bid

By CHRIS WALKER sports@kendallcountynow.com The future is quite bright for the young Oswego co-op girls gymnastics team.

It didn’t compete in the team competition of Thursday’s Oswego sectional, but four of its gymnasts were in action as individuals after advancing out of the previous week’s Downers Grove South regional. They fared well, although none earned berths into the state finals.

“We had four of our six get here, which is pretty good,” Oswego co-op coach Sarah Dugan said.

“I think getting that first experience at a sectional is huge. Now they know what to expect. Hopefully they’ll want to work in the offseason and get at it even harder for next season.”

Such a young group has proven to be one that Dugan truly adores.

“It’s the closest group that I’ve ever coached and that’s really one of the benefits of having a small

group,” she said. “It’s really been special to be a part of this with them.”

Freshman Ellina Butolph came the closest to advancing to next week’s IHSA state finals at Palatine. She placed 11th on bars with an 8.725. The final at-large cutoff score was 9.075. She was 25th in the all-around with a 32.925.

Butolph, who overcame a late-season knee injury, was vying to become the first gymnast for the co-op to get to state since Alayna Dieter did so on beam in 2015.

“I guess my meet could’ve gone better, but overall I think I did well for my last meet of the year so I have to be happy with that,” Butolph said. “Being here at home was less stressful and I enjoyed the experience.”

Alexis Salinas was another freshman that had a strong debut while competing in her first sectional. She tied for 17th in the all-around with a 33.675. Her top score was an 8.675 on beam.

“I actually think getting to sectionals like we did was kind of a surprise because I didn’t know much about how the state series goes,” Salinas said. “It was a cool experience, especially with our whole team around us and being at home.”

Salinas was particularly proud of how she performed on beam.

“Lately I hadn’t been hitting it, but I hit it,”she said. “Sticking that entire routine really stood out for me.”

Kaylee Gatenby matched Salinas with an 8.675 on beam.

Fellow sophomore Claire Barenie was the team’s fourth and final competitor. She finished her season with an 8.6 on floor.

“We had so much energy and a lot of fun,” Barenie said. “I think we had a lot of confidence going into this and nothing to lose.

We’ve had an awesome team this year and we got through so much difficulty with the injuries and being a small team. It’s been an awesome year.”

Thursday, February 16, 2017

An adults-only fundraiser for the Oswego High School Senior Celebration is set for 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 22, at Fox Valley Winery, 5600 Route 34 in Oswego.

The $25 donation includes five wine tasting tickets, light refreshments, and one raffle ticket.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call Michelle Etheridge at 630-940-8485. Tickets will also be available at the door.

Perez leads way for Wolves

SPORTS & BULLETIN BOARD | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

East sophomore boys top Oswego

17

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, February 16, 2017

| SPORTS

18 PREP WRESTLING

Out to prove himself in Champaign Returners Torres, Hughes among 4 headed to state

By JOSHUA WELGE jwelge@kendallcountynow.com

Josh Torres considered his first trip to Champaign a “dream come true.”

It didn’t go quite according to plan, though.

“My first match last year at state, I kind of choked,” said Torres, an Oswego senior. “I was super nervous. I’m a different wrestler now. I’m ready to end the year on top.”

In a season that saw Oswego win its first conference title in 25 years, this is a fitting finish.

Torres is one of four Panthers who will wrestle this weekend at the Class 3A individual state finals in Champaign.

Torres, a sectional champion at 170 pounds, and Gannon Hughes (132) are both making a return trip. They’ll be joined by Allen Swanson (145) and Dan Majewski (160).

Hughes, like Torres, lost his first match at state last year as a junior.

“They’re more mature wrestlers now,” Oswego coach Andrew Cook said. “Going to the state finals is kind of an intimidating thing. The guys that compete the best are the ones that can control their emotions.”

Torres (39-5) arrives at state fresh off a big 3-2 win over Lockport’s Nicholas Dado in the sectional final at Normal.

He’s ranked third in the state at 170 by IllinoisMatmen.com. Hughes is ranked sixth at 132.

“I was feeling pretty confident about it,” Torres said. “I just came out of the hardest regional in the state and we had some really big teams. I knew if I came out on top there I had a good chance at coming out on top at sectionals. I ended up facing the same kid, so I was pretty

Larry Kane for Shaw Media

Oswego’s Josh Torres has control of Lockport’s Nicholas Dado in the 170-pound final at the Class 3A Normal Community Sectional on Saturday. Torres is one of four Panthers who will wrestle this weekend at the Class 3A individual state finals in Champaign. where I am now,” Torres said. “They’ve always seen greatness in me. Those coaches are like second parents.”

Torres gained valuable experience two years ago traveling with Oswego’s other wrestlers to a national duals Josh Torres tournament at the ESPN Wide World Oswego senior wrestler of Sports Complex at Disney World in Florida, where he took second. This past summer he competed at Izzy Style confident.”

Wrestling at Glenbard North.

Cook has known Torres since he was “It’s crazy the amount of opportunieight years old. His older brother also ties I’ve had,” Torres said. “It’s truly a wrestled at Oswego. blessing.”

“You knew there was something speTorres has taken full advantage, cial,” Cook said. with over 100 career wins.

Torres eventually joined Oswego “He’s competed on a lot of big stagwrestling’s Team No Ego. es,” Cook said. “His work ethic is what “They are the club that got me to sets him apart. He’s going to outwork

“I know it’s going to be tough, but I’m feeling really good about it.”

just about everybody that he wrestles.

He does what he does and he does it very well. It’s all about sticking to what he knows.”

The Oswego program has won 26 individual medals at state wrestling, most recently Andrew McFall in 2015, but it’s been 61 years since the school’s last state champion.

Torres’ first match at state will be against DeKalb sophomore Blah Danweih. A win there, and he could face Mt. Carmel’s second-ranked David Riojas.

“I know it’s going to be tough, but I’m feeling really good about it,” Torres said. “I’m humble to have the opportunity. I want to bounce back from last year and prove that I can compete at that level.”

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GIRLS BASKETBALL: OSWEGO EAST 77, ROMEOVILLE 28

Second-seeded East advances to regional final with easy win

By JOSHUA WELGE jwelge@kendallcountynow.com

Steven Buyansky for Shaw Media

Oswego East’s Amaya Johns (30) gets a hard foul from Romeoville’s Ayanna Shelby (13) during Tuesday’s Class 4A Plainfield East Regional semifinal. For more photos from the game, visit KendallCountyNow.com.

Abbie Ford and Jada Boatright each had six points.

“We wanted to come out strong, and I think we did,” Oswego East coach Abe Carretto said. “I think everybody played really well.”

Johns hit her second shot attempt, a 3-pointer, but that isn’t when the 5-foot-

9 junior is at her best. Carretto encouraged all of his guards early on to forgo the long-range shots for the drive, and Johns obliged.

She turned a steal into a score for a 20-11 lead after a quarter, and later slashed in for a driving layup. Near halftime she eschewed an open 3-point

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Oswego drops regional opener to Metea Valley Third quarter again proves costly for Panthers

By CHRIS WALKER sports@kendallcountynow.com The third quarter has miffed Oswego all season long.

It got the best of the Panthers once again during Monday’s Class 4A Oswego Regional quarterfinal game against Metea Valley.

The Mustangs blanked the Panthers, 14-0, in the third quarter to break open the game and ultimately earn a 58-44 victory.

“The third quarter has been an issue all year for us,” Oswego coach Dave Beebe said. “It’s been like that every single game. We recently played Oswego East, who is one of the best teams in the state, but still they shouldn’t have outscored us 44-11 in the second half. It’s been the story of

us all year. It’s all or nothing.”

Oswego (8-20) only trailed 31-23 at halftime, but couldn’t get anything going offensively in the third quarter.

“We were hustling and doing whatever we could but our shots weren’t falling,” Oswego senior Gillian O’Neil said. “We missed a lot of layups and I was one that missed a lot of them. We just had too many shots that didn’t go in. It would’ve been a different game if we make some of those baskets.”

The inability to score was one problem. The failure to limit second chances by the Mustangs was another.

An offensive rebound and lay-in from Janiece Thomas (10 points) gave the Mustangs a 43-23 lead with 1:42 left in the third quarter.

“We knew they had some kids that

could score and plenty of size, but we thought we could match up with their size. But we weren’t defending well,” Beebe said. “We got out of our zone and went to man-to-man but we had too many breakdowns and that’s happened a lot this season.”

Freshman Angelina Schlinger’s 3-pointer with 6:04 left in the game gave the Panthers their first points of the second half, but only cut their deficit to 46-26.

The Panthers came out of the locker room much different in the second half than they did at the start of the game.

At the beginning, the Oswego offense was fully functioning, but the Mustangs countered and actually outscored the Panthers, 22-13.

Brianna Hall stretched the Oswego defense, as she made three of her four 3-pointers in the first quarter, opening things up inside for Ashley

Konkle (8 points) and others.

“We just couldn’t take away what they were doing,” Beebe said. “And they were destroying us on the boards and it wasn’t just their bigger kids.

Even their smaller kids were crashing and attacking the basket.”

Freshman Julia Henrikson led the Panthers with 8 points. Schlinger, O’Neil and Kira Sneed each had 6 points. Altogether, 11 different Panthers entered the scoring column and 24 of their points came off the bench.

It was the final game for Oswego’s seven seniors.

“It’s sad, especially for the girls that aren’t going to play in college,” O’Neil said. “We had a lot of fun this year even though we didn’t win as much as we wanted.”

“It’s always tough to see it end for your seniors,” Beebe said. “We had a great group of kids and we’ll miss them.”

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Amaya Johns calls it her “signature move.”

It sure got the seal of approval from Oswego East’s fan base Tuesday.

Johns, the Wolves’ junior guard, made a gorgeous spin move, dropped in the basket and completed a threepoint play during the third quarter.

The oohs and ahhs of reaction elicited a wide smile from Johns.

“That spin, that’s like my signature move, but I haven’t done it in a while,” Johns said. “It’s something me and my dad always worked on in practice.”

It was all working for Johns and the second-seeded Wolves Tuesday.

They breezed past Romeoville 77-28 in a Class 4A Plainfield East Regional semifinal.

Indiana State recruit Ty Battle scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, Johns added 15 points and five steals and Missouri State-bound Sydney Schultz had eight points and seven rebounds for Oswego East (24-4), which advanced to Thursday’s regional final against Plainfield East. Taylor Peck,

look, and instead drove to the basket and got to the free-throw line.

“Coach told us not to shoot as much,” Johns said. “He wanted us to attack more. That’s what the defense was giving us.”

Even Carretto seemed to get a kick out of Johns’ third-quarter spin and score.

“When Amaya gets inside and she knows she has that lane, she’s tough to stop,” Carretto said. “That’s something she’s been doing for a long time.”

Romeoville (13-17), which was playing without second-leading scorer and leading rebounder Brittany Osborne (knee), was led by Alexis Marin’s 19 points – 14 coming in the first half.

Oswego East smothered the Spartans with fullcourt pressure and its halfcourt trap, forcing 26 turnovers.

The Wolves did so with two separate three-guard rotations, Johns joining Peck and Christine Corpuz while Jesinde Thomas came off the bench with Kaili Chval and Ford.

“We’ve been doing that the last three or four games,” Carretto said. “It was nice to see them play well together.”

Oswego East swept its next opponent, Plainfield East, during the regular season, with a 69-47 win in Plainfield in January. Don’t tell the Wolves that, though.

“We don’t take anybody for granted, no matter who the team is,” Johns said.

SPORTS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

Johns, Wolves leave Spartans spinning

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Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, February 16, 2017

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SPORTS BOYS BASKETBALL: OSWEGO 70, OSWEGO EAST 62

THE HOT HAND Jaylen Jones’ career-high 36 points carries Panthers past Wolves

By JOSHUA WELGE jwelge@kendallcountynow.com Jaylen Jones strolled out of Oswego’s locker room, a bag of ice in hand.

Hey, something had to cool him off.

It certainly wasn’t the heat of the crosstown rivalry.

Jones, a senior guard, scored a career-high 36 points – 26 in the second half – to carry the visiting Panthers to a 70-62 win in front of a near-capacity crowd Friday at Oswego East.

Jones, who hit seven 3-pointers, made two free throws with 2:32 left to give Oswego (9-14, 6-5 Southwest Prairie) the lead for good, 6160. The Panthers finished the game on an 11-2 run.

“Jaylen just makes plays.

When he’s on, there’s not much you can do,” Oswego coach Matt Borrowman said.

“It’s not like tonight was an aberration. He’s been doing it for four years.”

He was never better than during a scintillating third quarter on both sides.

Jones hit his first five shots of the quarter, three of them from 3-point range. The fifth make, Jones broke down his defender brilliantly, and stepped back to drill an 18-foot jumper.

Hardly outdone, Oswego East point guard Andre Hughes went off for nine of his 12 points. The two teams each scored 22 points in a furiously-paced quarter.

Hughes and Jones’ backand-forth duel accounted for six lead changes in just the last four minutes.

“I just took whatever was there at the moment,” said Jones, who was 11-for-24 from the field. “I missed a couple cheap ones early but once we settled down I let the game come to me and I started to get some open looks.”

Hughes hit a 3-pointer to put Oswego East ahead 49-48,

David Toney for Shaw Media

Oswego senior Jaylen Jones (11) goes up for a shot in the first quarter Friday against crosstown rival Owego East. Jones scored a career-high 36 points in Oswego’s 70-62 win. For more photos from the game, visit KendallCountyNow.com. but Jones answered with a deep 3-pointer from the top of the key as time expired in the third quarter.

It capped a spectacular 16-point eight minutes. Not

done, Jones turned two steals to scores in the guts of the fourth quarter.

“He carried us in time of need tonight,” Borrowman said. “He hit some incredible

shots in that third quarter when the score was flipping back and forth. He’s a warrior.

There’s no let up.”

Kijana Caldwell scored 13 points, Hughes and Stephon

Harris 12 and Trent Taylor 11 for Oswego East (12-11, 6-5).

Harris’ two free throws gave the Wolves their last lead, 60-59, with 2:47 left.

They didn’t score again until the game’s final seconds, turning the ball over three times late and missing four free throws.

“We didn’t execute very well there,” Oswego East coach Steve Szymanski said.

“You can’t turn the ball over like that and expect to win a game in February and March.”

Due to a scheduling quirk, the two crosstown rivals will only play once this year and next. It was an electric environment Friday. The stands were filling up by the tip-off of the varsity girls game. By the boys game the bleachers were near-full, with more fans standing up lining the track looking over the court.

Jones, as much as anybody, appreciated one last game against Oswego East.

He missed one of the crosstown games as a sophomore with a broken hand, and one last year with a broken thumb. He’s finally remained healthy in this, his fourth varsity season.

“It only took four years,” Jones said with a wide smile.

“The guys are looking for me to lead, and I’m happy to be that guy. The atmosphere was crazy here. It was intense.”

Sophomores Dylan Engler and Jamal Fomby scored 13 and nine points, respectively, for Oswego. Oswego East used an early 13-0 run to surge ahead, and led 27-20. But Oswego finished the half on a 9-0 run, Jones finding Connor Stark for a layup to make it 2927.

Oswego has won five of its last six games.

“These guys have done a great job of learning quick,” Jones said. “Our young guys are not that young anymore.

It just keeps getting better and better.”