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Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, March 2, 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

by Shaw Media. Periodicals postage paid at Oswego, Illinois, 60543.

Subscription rates: One year, $28 in Kendall County; $36 elsewhere in Illinois and $47 outside Illinois The Oswego Ledger and KendallCountyNow.com are a division of Shaw Media.

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ON THE COVER While her 5-year-old sister Emily watches how it is done, 11-year-old Kaitlyn Nichols of Oswego spins a Hula Hoop around her neck at the Rush-Copley Medical Center booth during the Oswego Chamber of Commerce Hometown Expo at Oswego High School’s Fieldhouse on Saturday.

See more photos on page 11.

Photo by Steven Buyansky for Shaw Media

D-308 budget plan trims $3.6 million

By ALLISON SELK news@kendallcountynow.com School District 308 Superintendent Dr. John Sparlin presented a plan to cut a total of $3.6 million from the district’s 2017-18 academic year budget to the Board of Education Monday evening.

The district is facing a project $7.3 million deficit for the coming academic year.

The board discussed but took no action on the recommendations during the meeting.

Sparlin noted that the district previously im- John Sparlin plemented $3.2 million in budget cuts for the current academic year. Those cuts included a reduction in departmental budgets and an administrative salary freeze. He said the prior cuts were not one-year cuts, but reoccurring, so once they implement cuts for the 2017-18 year, the district will have reduced spending by nearly $8 million in two years without eliminating any programs.

Sparlin gave recommendations for cuts the 2017-18 year, which will result in a $3.6 million savings, with personnel cuts netting a savings of $1.5 million. The proposed cuts are as follows: • Field trips costs will be incurred by students – saving $190,000.

• Student advancement placement exams will be paid by students – saving $220,000.

• Re-evaluate substitute usage for meetings – saving $50,000.

• Limit high school courses to seven per day – saving $350,000.

• High school level elective courses will run only if class size are 28 or greater – saving $700,000. (This cut was discussed as developing programs still have low enrollment. The board decided to look into this item further.)

• Junior high and high school class-

es use 32 students as a guide for class sizes, up from 30 – saving $500,000.

• Elementary level-K-2 use 25 as guide for class size, now 28, and grades 3-5 uses 28 as a guide for class size, and will now use 30 – saving $1.2 million.

• Institute “no pay, no play.” Students must pay school fees to participate in extra curricular activities – saving $140,000.

• Renegotiate electrical contracts – saving $235,000.

The class size recommendations proved a topic for debate with the board, and Sparlin said that the numbers proposed are in line with other districts, and size will depend on individual classes and needs.

Board president Matthew Bauman asked Sparlin what other avenues of savings could be found, and Sparlin said the board has a choice to not approve a new curriculum which would cost approximately $880,000 and to cut junior high athletics for a savings of $600,000.

“It’s not pretty,” Bauman said.

Sparlin said he could get the district out of the $7.3 million deficit, but that would include further talks of cutting programs, which he feels isn’t necessary at this time.

In other business Monday evening, the board voted 6-0 to approve the East View Alternative Plan, which is projected to save the district approximately $2.7 million. Board member Greg O’Neil was absent from the meeting.

The plan highlights included the maintenance of the Early Learning Program at Brokaw Early Learning Center, the movement of kindergarten students back to home schools, move G.O.A.L. and Opportunity programs to East View Elementary School, and relocate remaining district departments to East View Elementary School, which will open up needed classroom space at Murphy Junior High School and Oswego East High School.

Early voting starts in county; begins March 20 at Oswego site SHAW MEDIA

Early voting for the April 4 election is now underway at the Kendall County Clerk’s Office at 111 W. Fox St. in downtown Yorkville.

Voting and voter registration is available in Room 103 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The office will also be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 25, and Saturday, April 1.

The last day to cast an early ballot at the clerk’s office will be Monday, April 3, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Early voting will also be available at Oswego Village Hall, 100 Parkers Mill in Oswego, beginning on Monday, March 20, through Thursday, March 30.

Early voting hours will be from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily with the exception of Saturday, March 25, when early voting will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Early voting will not be available at Oswego Village Hall on Sunday, March 26.

Voters may also cast early ballots at Plano City Hall in the building and zoning department conference room at 7 N. James St. in Plano, beginning Monday, March 20, through Thursday, March 30. Voting hours will be from 1 to 6 p.m. daily, with the exception of Saturday, March 25, when early voting will be offered from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Early voting will not be available on Sunday, March 26, at Plano City Hall.

City of Aurora residents living in the Kendall County portion of the city cast ballots through the Aurora Election Commission. For early voting information, visit the commission’s website at auroravotes.org or call the commission at 630-897-4030.

CIVIC MEETINGS WEEK OF MARCH 6-10 Tuesday, 6 p.m.: Kendall County Board, County Office Building, Yorkville.

Tuesday, 6 p.m.: Kendall County Board Forest Preserve Commission, County Office

Building, Yorkville.

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

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

Oswego Village Hall.

Wednesday, 6 p.m.: Montgomery Beautification Committee, Montgomery Village Hall.

Thursday: Oswego Planning and Zoning Commission, CANCELED.

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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Village said to be close to deals for Alexander Lumber site, former Village Hall lot

By STEVEN JACK news@kendallcountynow.com

Shaw Media file photo

The Oswego Village Board approved the purchase of the empty lot which used to house the Alexander Lumber yard in the village’s downtown in a unanimous vote in December. the Alexander Lumber lot project will take much longer “to get shovels in the ground,” she said.

During her address Johnson credited the surge in downtown development to the September 2016 creation of a downtown tax increment financing (TIF) district. She said the village began receiving inquiries from developers “almost immediately” after the TIF district was passed.

A TIF district encourages redevelopment in blighted or underdeveloped areas by using future property taxes resulting from new construction or capital improvements. Property taxes generated prior to the creation of the TIF district – the base level – continue to be distributed to local taxing bodies at the same amount.

The gradual growth in tax revenue above the base level – the increment

Funding secured for Vietnam Wall fireworks display Donations supply extra $5,000 for ceremony OSWEGO LEDGER In a statement issued Monday by the village of Oswego, the village board of trustees announced that an additional $5,000 had been received to fund a fireworks show planned for July 3 as part of the closing ceremony for the visit of the Vietnam Moving Wall to the village.

The village’s annual community Fourth of July fireworks display will be held on July 4.

Spearheaded by the efforts of Trustees Joe West and Judy Sollinger, the funds were obtained through donations from the Oswego Fire Protection District, Oswego Firefighters Local 4773 and M.K. Brummel Fine Remodeling and Building Inc., as well as donations from local residents.

“I continue to be humbled by the generosity of our Oswego community.

When it comes to honoring our veterans, Oswego is second to none,” said

works display commemorating our nation’s veterans.

The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club is still raising funds to bring the Vietnam Moving Wall to Oswego.

Those wishing to make additional donations should direct the funds to The Vietnam Moving Wall Oswego, 515 Danbury Drive, Oswego, IL 60543.

Any funds collected by the village for the July 3 show above the $5,000 will be donated to the Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club to assist in the fundraising for the Vietnam Moving Wall.

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Village President Gail Johnson.

The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club will bring a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial to the village’s Prairie Point Community Park, 4120 Plainfield Road, from June 29 to July 3.

The Moving Wall is a half-size replica of the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C., and 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 closing ceremony will take place on July 3 followed by the fire-

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Thursday, March 2, 2017

Oswego is less than two weeks away from learning of two new developments that will help change the face of the village’s downtown.

Village President Gail Johnson gave her State of the Village address Feb. 22 at the newly renovated Kendall 11 movie theaters, and during her presentation said she was “sworn to secrecy” over plans for downtown redevelopment.

However, in a follow-up interview later that evening, Johnson revealed the village is in the final stages of negotiations for a large-scale development on the former Alexander Lumber site on Adams Street and a separate development on the former Village Hall lot on Main Street.

“I don’t want to jeopardize these plans, so there isn’t too much more that I can say. We should be ready to make an announcement after our next Village Board meeting on March 7,” Johnson said.

The developments are proposed by two separate developers. Johnson said work on the former Village Hall lot adjacent to the Dairy Hut should begin quickly. Because of its complexity,

– is used for redevelopment as property values rise. TIF funds may repay borrowing done by the municipality to finance redevelopment within the district, or they may finance improvements only as new revenue is generated.

To quicken the pace of development on the Alexander lot, the village bought the land in December for $1.49 million.

“I think it’s important for people to know that when the village purchased that property that we were already in talks with developers,” she said.

“There was a plan in place.”

Entrepreneurship program announced Johnson also made more news during her State of the Village address.

She revealed the creation of an entrepreneurship and co-working partnership between the village and the Oswego Public Library District titled “OsWeGrow.”

The program will be intended to foster local entrepreneurship by providing resources through the village’s Economic Development Department and co-working space at the newly expanded downtown Oswego Public Library. Johnson said more details on OsWeGrow will be made available very soon.

LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

Oswego president: Projects in works

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Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, March 2, 2017

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OPINIONS OUR VIEW

Time for Hultgren to host a town hall U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren, R-Plano, has been making the rounds in his district in recent weeks.

The congressman recently toured the Aurora Specialty Textiles plant in Yorkville and Friday, Hultgren will join a forum on veterans issue at the American Legion Fox River in Geneva hosted by the Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission.

Hultgren, however, has yet to schedule a general town hall meeting or meetings with his constituents since the swearing-in of President Donald Trump on Jan. 20 in Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, his constituents appear very interested in meeting with their congressman.

In late January, dozens of people converged on Hultgren’s office at the Fox Mill Professional Centre in Campton Hills in Kane County. The group sought to talk to Hultgren’s staff members and to request a

public meeting with their congressman. But Hultgren was not present and the small office could not accommodate such a large group.

Eventually, two representatives of the group met with a Hultgren staffer. At that time, a Hultgren staffer said the congressman would schedule “some form” of a public meeting or meetings. But as of this writing the congressman has yet to announce the scheduling of a general public meeting or meetings.

With the new president signing executive orders on immigration, the environment and a host of other issues, and Congress moving ahead with efforts to repeal and apparently replace the Affordable Care Act, it’s understandable that Hultgren’s constituents would be interested – if not extremely wary – as to what is happening in Washington, D.C. We give Hultgren high marks for his efforts

since his election to Congress in reaching out to his constituents. We’ve covered his prior town hall meetings, his numerous appearances at meetings with Kendall County and other local governmental officials, and visits to area businesses. In every appearance Hultgren has shown a keen interest and a willingness to listen to local concerns.

Yes, the political winds have shifted dramatically over the past few months and any Hultgren-hosted town hall meetings are more than likely to prove contentious affairs.

But given the significance of the issues that the new administration and Congress are dealing with and their direct impact on people’s lives and pocketbooks, it is imperative that their elected public servant – Hultgren – hear their concerns in a public forum.

Three women ahead of their time You must admit that the role of women in society has certainly evolved for the better during the past century and a half.

In the 19th century, women were still legally considered the property of, first, their fathers and later their husbands. Denied the right to vote, they were likewise often denied the right to manage their own affairs.

It took women of unusually strong drive and personality to fight their way out of the boxes in which society insisted they belonged. But there actually were some strong female personalities, women who proved they could do the same jobs men traditionally held if they could only get the chance to do so.

Three of those strong female personalities were born here in Kendall County. Sadly, two of them were forced to carry on some of their most important activities in secret while the other apparently denied herself the fulfillment most women today take for granted.

Emily Murdock was born into an influential Oswego family in 1853.

Mary Rippon was born near Lisbon Center in Lisbon Township in 1850.

And Sarah Raymond was born in 1842, also in Lisbon Township. Of the three, two became respected educators, while the other became a mystery novelist, all during a period that frowned upon their career choices.

Emily Murdock’s father, Charles, was a justice of the peace and prominent Republican official in Oswego.

Her brother, Alfred X. Murdock, was

REFLECTIONS Roger Matile a lively young man who marched off to fight in the Civil War with his comrades in the 127th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Unfortunately, Alfred was killed at the Battle of Ezra Church outside Atlanta. For her part, Emily followed tradition, reportedly marrying Lawrence L. Lynch, a traveling sales representative, when she came of age. Local news accounts report that Emily traveled with Lawrence until he apparently died a few years after their marriage.

Emily returned to Oswego and married Dr. Abraham Van Deventer, a prominent local physician, becoming one of the community’s leaders. But her friends in Oswego had little idea that Emily Murdock Van Deventer led a secret life – she was a successful mystery novelist, a field then almost solely the purview of men. Realizing her chances for success were slim under her own name, Emily instead chose a man’s pen name. She picked “Lawrence L. Lynch,” the name of her first husband. In order to be successful at her chosen field, then, Emily had to pretend – in print at least – to be a man.

Sarah Raymond was born in Lisbon Township in 1842 and educated in her local one-room school. She was unusual in that her parents

decided to send her on to the Lisbon Academy – one of the county’s private high schools.

After graduation, she taught in the county’s rural schools before enrolling at Illinois State Normal University – today’s Illinois State University at Normal. She graduated in 1866 and was hired to teach in the Bloomington schools. She was apparently a woman of considerable talent because she gradually worked up to the post of principal of Sheridan School, and then moved on to become first assistant principal and then principal at Bloomington High School.

On Aug. 4, 1874, Raymond was appointed superintendent of the Bloomington School District, the first woman in the nation to hold such a position. She continued in that capacity until she decided to retire from education in 1892.

In 1896, she married Capt. F.J. Fitzwilliam of Bloomington, although her joy was short-lived – the captain died in 1899.

During her time with Bloomington’s schools and later during a few years spent in Boston, she rubbed elbows with such luminaries as Oliver Wendell Holmes and Julia Ward Howe. A person can’t help but wonder, though, whether Sarah wouldn’t have been a happier woman had the conventions of the time allowed her to marry and have children while she continued to be an educational leader.

See REFLECTIONS, page 5

Letters policy The Forum provides our readers with a weekly opportunity to express their opinions on topics of community interest. Here are our guidelines: • Letters must be no longer than 400 words.

• Letters must be accompanied by the writer’s full name, address and home phone number. Only the author’s name and city of residence will be printed.

• All letters must be signed by the letter writer. Anonymous letters will not be accepted.

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• We reserve the right to edit all letters for brevity and fairness, and to withhold from publication letters that we determine to be either libelous, obscene, untrue, invade personal privacy, or are personal attacks.

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• The deadline for letters to the editor is 5 p.m. Friday for the next week’s edition.

Here’s how to send your letter: By email: letters@kendallcountynow. com By mail: Record Newspapers, 109 W. Veterans Parkway, Yorkville, IL 60560

Oswego’s residents really like living here. How do I know this? Two community surveys conducted last year by separate entities clearly stated this fact: by and large the vast majority of our residents really like Oswego.

That is special and unique, and quite frankly, not enough.

We want you to actively participate in our local events, shop at our businesses, engage to the point of volunteering, and actually feel a part of this community. People become engaged when they love where they live. When people love where they live, they not only support their community, they will promote it and stay connected.

According to Peter Kageyama (”For the Love of Cities”): “Cities need to inspire [a] spirit of creativity and generosity in order to draw in creative, entrepreneurial and innovative people of all kinds.”

In 2016 our theme was Oswego Connects; this year, I challenge you to intensify your connections and Love & Serve Oswego!

Did you know that last December many of our staff at the village (and their family and friends) participated in a Saturday of service at the Kendall County Community Food Pantry. On

• REFLECTIONS

Continued from page 4 Mary Rippon did marry and have a child, although no one but a few close friends ever knew it. Her life took a tragic turn early on when her father died on their farm near Lisbon Center when Mary was just 10 months old. But her extended family valued learning and she was well-educated, even being sent to Normal, Illinois, for her high school education. There, one of her instructors was Joseph Sewall; the two would continue a professional relationship for decades.

After graduating from high school in 1867, Mary studied in universities in Germany, Switzerland, and France. After teaching high school for a year and a half, in 1878 she joined the faculty of the brand new University of Colorado – her

VIEWS Gail Johnson a day off, they headed over to the food pantry to help assemble holiday meal kits for the pantry guests. It was an amazing turn out for our first event of its kind. Trustees Sollinger and McCarthy-Lange joined in, too. I am so proud of the dedication our village staff have not only to their jobs, but also to our community.

On Saturday, March 11 we will be hosting a new event at Oswego East High School: Oswego Connects: a Volunteer Rally. There will be a variety of organizations and hobby groups gathered together so that you can walk through and discover what these wonderful groups do and see if you might enjoy getting to know more about them. This will be a great, non-threatening way to find out what Rotary is all about, or what those Optimists really do, or how you can volunteer with Gentle Giants, or learn how to fish for muskies. The possibilities are endless. The event is scheduled from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. old teacher, Joseph Sewall, was the university’s first president – and became the school’s first female professor.

Teaching French and German, Rippon was offered a full professorship in 1881 and was appointed to the prestigious position of German Language and Literature Department chair 10 years later.

But Mary Rippon carried a shattering secret with her: In 1887 she met young Will Housel, a student in her German class. Unknown to virtually anyone, she and Housel were secretly married in 1888, and she bore him one child, a girl, Miriam.

Had anyone known she had married much less bore a child, her career as a college professor would have been destroyed. Instead, she traveled to Europe where she gave birth to Miriam and then returned to the U.S. where she continued her career – alone.

On Saturday, April 29, we are excited to announce Oswego’s first community-wide Day of Service. We will have a variety of service projects with different organizations for anyone who wishes to participate. Just imagine what we can accomplish with an entire community volunteering for one day.

There’s no time like the present to start your action plan to love Oswego and serve in it each and every day.

Here’s a few ideas: • Show up at Oswego Connects on March 11 (oswegoconnects.com).

• Plan to participate in Oswego’s Day of Service on April 29.

• Become an ambassador for Oswego. Simply talk to people about what you love: restaurants, shops, people, parks, etc. When we spread the news about what we love, people will want to visit and feel some of your passion.

• Get involved. Join a club, run for office, work on a committee, volunteer, or simply attend a meeting a two.

Find out the facts behind the stories you read in the paper and on social media.

• Take part in the Vietnam Moving Wall memorial that will be in Oswego from June 29 to July 3.

For the rest of her life, however, Mary supported Miriam financially.

Miriam first lived in a series of orphanages before going to live with her father, Will, who had divorced Mary and remarried. Mary lived with her secret the rest of her life, revealing it only to a few of her closest friends (for the whole fascinating tale see “Separate Lives: The Story of Mary Rippon” by Silvia Pettem, The Book Lodge, Longmont, Colorado, 1999).

Three very strong-willed women with deep Kendall County roots. And three stories of women working to make their way as best they could in what was very much a man’s world, stories that are well worth revisiting during this year’s Women’s History Month.

• Looking for more local history?

Visit http://historyonthefox.wordpress.com.

Rules for election letters Letters concerning the upcoming April 4 local election should be no more than 200 words and conform fully with the requirements contained in our letters policy published frequently on this page. To assure fairness, letters that contain specific charges against a candidate or candidates will be considered for publication through our Thursday, March 23, edition. Candidates will have an opportunity to respond to any charges in letters published through our Thursday, March 30, edition.

• Attend our festivals. There’s so many to choose from: Wine on the Fox (May 6 and 7), Beats and Eats (dates to be announced), Oswegoland Park District’s PrairieFest (June 15-18), Sunday Farmer’s Market on Main Street and Brew on the Bridge (October), Town Tree Lighting, Christmas Walk, and more.

• Go to a Community Conversation when they return to your neighborhood this summer. Talk directly to your Village Board and staff (dates will be announced).

• Vote in our local elections. Find out what the candidates stand for and vote for those who share your vision of what Oswego is and should be in the future.

And this list is just the beginning.

There are endless possibilities to fall in love with Oswego and serve it every day. For those of you already in love, thank you for your passion and service to our community. For those of you just beginning the journey – welcome! We look forward to seeing the difference you will make. Now, let’s bring on spring.

• Gail Johnson is the Oswego village president.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Wonderful addition

To the Editor: My wife and I loved the feeling of community in our new Oswego neighborhood nine years ago, and that comfort grew as we got to know our new neighbors, the Cirone family. It’s been an easy friendship to build and maintain having similar values and concerns for our children and community.

Dominick and his family can be found at so many local events that we learned about from them such as Movies in the Park, PrairieFest, and the Oswego Light Festival. It truly is refreshing to see candidates actively participating in local events and getting to know members of the community. Better yet when good intentions and efforts for our community extend to our children such as the Cirone children being members of a community-based volunteer organization, Happy Helpers.

Imagine the surprise of having your driveway shoveled in the winter just because.

It’s not unusual to see Dominick and family shoveling the sidewalk for student walkers and our driveway, too. I cannot stress • Continued on page 6

5 Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, March 2, 2017

FORUM Plenty of opportunities to ‘love and serve’ Oswego

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, March 2, 2017

| FORUM

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR • Continued from page 5

enough that although we cannot pick our neighbors we are elated and lucky to have Dominick and family next door.

I strongly believe Dominick would be a wonderful addition to the School District 308 Board of Education.

Dimitri Karantonis Oswego

A note of thanks

To the Editor: On behalf of the Oswego High School Senior Celebration Committee, I would like to thank all of those who came out to support our fundraiser at the Fox Valley Winery. Thank you also to the Fox Valley Winery for being fabulous hosts for our event.

We would also like to express our gratitude to all of those who donated items for our raffles, including Kearby Kreations, Autosmart, Keith’s Car Care, Sharon’s Groom Room, Touchpoints to Tranquility, John Kilpatrick, and The Kearns Team-United Real Estate. The continued support of our local businesses is greatly appreciated. It is because of businesses like yours that we can provide a fun evening for the OHS senior class and scholarships for our senior students.

Thanks again to all.

Michelle Etheridge and Traci Kearns Event chairs Montgomery

Ask for your support

rescheduled for 49 hours later to comply with this complaint.

We ask for your support and want you to have the correct information to support our re-election.

Bill Small and Tom Yackley Township trustees Oswego

How to get involved

To the Editor: Isn’t it inspiring to see all the protests happening in cities across the country and around the world? I am a member of the Kendall Democrats and I was particularly motivated when I saw the great civil rights leader, Rep. John Lewis, tell a crowd that he had his “marching shoes on.” I have mine on too, and I’m ready to go.

We Democrats have momentum and we can’t let up. What has happened over the past two weeks deserves our utmost attention. We need to show our fellow Americans and the world we are strong, willing and determined to resist Trump’s dangerous agenda and harmful rhetoric.

Here is how people in Kendall County can get involved and be active: • Attend our monthly meetings and upcoming events.

• Call your state representatives. This is very effective. Your elected officials get nervous when they receive an influx of calls on issues their constituents are concerned about. If not a call, writing a letter is just as influential.

• Attend rallies and marches near you.

This really sends a signal to anyone when they see a mass gathering on TV. • Watch the guide to fighting the Trump agenda called “Indivisible” (indivisibleguide.com). This is available online for anyone to download and watch.

So, we as a group in the Kendall County Democratic Central Committee are ready to provide information like phone ­numbers, addresses, dates of upcoming events and marches, along with links to useful information available online. This can really help us in the April elections if we can harness some of the energy that is out there and sustain it through the midterms.

What has happened since the inauguration dwarfs anything that the Tea Party has done and look at the change, good and bad, that they accomplished. We can do the same on a much larger scale and for the benefit of the majority of Americans.

To the Editor: We are Oswego Township trustees. We believe that some details are not being reported and may help voters see a larger picture of the work product provided for township residents.

1. The last four levy years have included two years with no increase, one year reducing the levy 2 percent and one year reducing the levy 3 percent. The levy this year allows a 4.9 percent increase for the cemetery fund and no increase for the other four funds.

2. Total taxes collected for 2015 and paid in 2016 were $5,044.36 for a specific property. Of that total, $41.80 was for township non-road funds and $93.75 was for township roads.

3. An Open Meetings Act violation was headlined in a recent news article about the township. The violation was: the time of the meeting was not listed on the agenda posted on the door at the township office. However, two other Peter Cornwell documents on the same door listed Director of GOTV, Kendall Democrats the time as 6:30 p.m. The meeting was Plano

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Gets court supervision for incident where she struck colleague at bar

By TONY SCOTT tscott@kendallcountynow.com

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an alleged violation of her bond that occurred when she traveled to Wisconsin recently with her children and texted back and forth with her ex-husband about the incident.

State’s Attorney Eric Weis had filed a motion to either increase or revoke her bond.

Phelps also had asked that there be a restriction on no “hostile” or “offensive” contact by Ingemunson with the victim during the supervision period.

However, Accardi argued it was her ex-husband who initiated the conversation, and the parties have had contact and will continue to have contact regarding the shared custody of their children and other matters. She reminded the judge that Ingemunson and the alleged victim still work in the same office, and that the victim recently dropped the kids off at Ingemunson’s house.

Brady said the travel out of state was not an “aggravating factor” in deciding the sentence, and restricting communication that was considered hostile would be “difficult to enforce.”

Ingemunson is set to appear before Brady again at 9 a.m. Aug. 28 at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Sycamore.

A four-unit apartment building in the 100 block of Harbor Drive in Oswego Township was rendered uninhabitable by a fire Wednesday morning, according to the Oswego Fire Protection District.

Firefighters were summoned to the blaze at 5:40 a.m. on a report of a structure fire. Upon arrival, firefighters found a fire in the attic of the building, and they extinguished it in approximately 15 minutes after initiating what they described as “an aggressive interior attack.”

The cause of the fire does not appear to be suspicious in nature but it remains under investigation, firefighters said.

One firefighter suffered minor injuries while battling the blaze and was treated at the scene, firefighters said.

The American Red Cross was contacted to help the apartment residents find temporary shelter, according to the fire district.

The Yorkville-based Bristol-Kendall Fire Protection District provided firefighters with mutual aid support.

– Oswego Ledger

7

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Kendall County Circuit Court Clerk Robyn Ingemunson pleaded guilty to battery and was sentenced to court supervision Monday afternoon.

Ingemunson was alleged to have struck an employee of hers during a holiday celebration Dec. 21 at a Yorkville bar. The employee is the current wife of Ingemunson’s ex-husband.

DeKalb County Judge William Brady, who was hearing the case in lieu of a Kendall County judge at the request of Kendall County Presiding Judge Timothy McCann, sentenced Ingemunson to 18 months of court supervision along with a $300 fine and $192 in court costs.

The plea, known as a “blind plea,” was given after Brady, Kendall County Assistant State’s Attorney Ryan Phelps and Ingemunson’s attorney, Lisa Accardi of Oswego, held a confer-

ence without Ingemunson.

Ingemunson then joined Accardi and Phelps in a separate conference before agreeing before the judge on the plea.

Phelps had asked Brady to require Ingemunson undertake a drug and alcohol evaluation, due to the alleged use of alcohol during the battery incident, and perform 30 hours of community service work.

Phelps said Ingemunson told law enforcement that she had “consumed too much alcohol” and that if “she Robyn Ingemunson had been sober, the incident would not have taken place.”

However, Accardi objected to the alcohol evaluation, stating alcohol was not a factor in the incident and there is not a history of alcohol abuse.

She said it was an “isolated incident” and a “family matter.”

Brady agreed with Accardi and said there was no proof Ingemunson was intoxicated at the time and no witnesses to attest to that.

Phelps also wanted Ingemunson to be required to perform 30 hours of community service work, related to

Harbor Drive apartments left uninhabitable after fire

LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

Clerk pleads guilty to battery

BRIEF

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, March 2, 2017

| LOCAL NEWS

8

Montgomery aiming for hotel

Montgomery officers receive minor injuries in scuffle

Two Montgomery police officers received minor injuries while making an arrest in the 1300 block of Kingston Avenue at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 21. Police said the officers were treated at the scene.

Jordi Nieto, 18, of the 1700 block of Richard Avenue, Aurora, failed to comply with the officers’ orders, police Jordi Nieto said, and then struggled with the officers as they took him into custody. Police said they were called to the Kingston Avenue address on a report of a disturbance involving multiple people, but no other arrests were made. Nieto has been charged with resisting arrest and aggravated battery, police said.

Village president discusses businesses in annual address

By TONY SCOTT tscott@kendallcountynow.com Montgomery Village President Matt Brolley said village officials are aiming to bring a hotel to Montgomery, and touted a new business grants program and recent economic development during his State of the Village address Tuesday morning at Village Hall.

Brolley announced a new business assistance program that he said would be “kicking off in the very near future.”

He said the village has offered village-funded loans to private companies for economic development projects that create or retain jobs in Montgomery, funding a total of $5.2 million in new projects and generating $23.8 million in private investment. The loans were overseen by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, but the state’s involvement in the loans recently ended and the village has discretion in using the remaining funds, he said.

“The village intends to keep a large portion of the funds available for loans to businesses at or below market rates,” he said. “However, the remaining portion, and the interest from the loans, will be part of a new village program. The new program will consist of grants to local businesses. These grants could be used to help businesses with façade and building improvements. We are still developing parameters for this new program, but I wanted to give you a few broad details because I’m very excited about being able to help our businesses be successful. This process will have a more nimble application and approval process and less red tape than before. We are very excited about this new opportunity to provide additional assistance for both large and small business owners in Montgomery.”

Brolley also praised the efforts of the village board and staff and the Montgomery Economic Development Corporation to help bring new businesses to the village.

He said the village is excited about Aurora University’s new Spartan Athletic Park to be located on a 75-acre property on the south side of Jericho Road east of Orchard Road – formerly the Wolf Run Golf Course and New Heart Worship Center sites. The first phase of construction is set to begin this year and will include a softball field and stadium, an athletic dome,

BRIEFS

Yorkville man facing weapon, assault charges

Tony Scott - tscott@kendallcountynow.com

Montgomery Village President Matt Brolley addresses the crowd at his annual State of the Village address Tuesday morning at Village Hall. and a multi-use stadium for lacrosse and soccer.

Brolley also touted the Fox Valley Park District’s newly expanded Stuart Sports Complex, which is in the same area just west of Orchard Road near Route 30.

“I know our residents are enjoying the new dog park there, and last summer the park hosted the Pepsico Showdown, which is the largest high school soccer tournament in the U.S., which was very exciting,” he said.

With the construction of those two sports complexes, Brolley said the “time is right to bring a hotel to Montgomery.”

“The village is currently working with a consultant to determine appropriate sites for hotels within the village, and certainly something on Orchard Road in the area of those two major sports complexes could be ideal,” he said.

Brolley said Old Dominion Freight Company, a shipping company that provides nationwide coverage in all regions of the United States and around the world, began construction last year on a new freight terminal on Aucutt Road west of the VVF/Dial plant. Their new 52,000-square-foot facility in Montgomery is projected to provide 120 jobs, he said.

He also pointed to the $44 million United Sugars storage and transfer facility that was constructed on Aucutt Road as one of the biggest economic development projects of last year. The sugar dome is 134 feet tall and can hold

66 metric tons of sugar.

On the retail side, he said the opening of Binny’s Beverage Depot and Food Market La Chiquita, along with 9er’s Grill, South Moon BBQ and Pig Dog Pub, were a few of many highlights.

Brolley also said a new building is under construction in the shopping center at Route 34 and Route 30.

“A new multi-tenant building is under construction in the Ogden Hill Shopping Center with space for four tenants,” he said. “Dunkin Donuts is already confirmed as one tenant, and there is a nail salon and a dentist also lined up for this building. We are very encouraged to be starting the new year out on such a positive note with these new construction projects.”

VFW

Montgomery police arrested a Yorkville resident, Raymond G. Gunderman, 48, of the 6000 block of Polo Club Drive on charges of unlawful use of a weapon, disorderly conduct and aggravated assault following an incident on Hill Avenue at Route 34 at 5:06 p.m. Feb. 22.

Raymond G. Police said the victims Gunderman told them that a man stopped on the passenger side of their vehicle and used a racial slur toward them before pointing a gun at them and driving away. The victims gave police a description of the person and a license plate number. Oswego police officers later located Gunderman in Oswego.

Police said the victims identified Gunderman as the suspect and a gun was retrieved from the inside of his vehicle.

– Oswego Ledger

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Montgomery Village President Matt Brolley will host a “Mayor on the Move” event from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 4, at Speedway, located at 2110 Orchard Road in Montgomery.

Coffee and donuts for this event will be provided by Speedway.

Residents are invited to drop by to meet the village president on an informal basis and discuss items of concern with him. Everyone is encouraged to bring their comments, questions and ideas to the session.

“As village president, I enjoy visiting with residents and hearing what issues are important to them,” Brolley explained. “I also hope to tap into some of the great ideas people have on how to improve life in Montgomery.”

– Oswego Ledger

Photo provided

Oswegoland Park District lifeguard Sara Lemerman during the summer 2016 season.

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Thursday, March 2, 2017

The Oswegoland Park District has been awarded the prestigious “Gold International Aquatic Safety Award” for 2016.

In a statement, the district noted that “earning this award demonstrates that the district’s aquatic facilities consistently exceed industry standards in risk management and epitomize aquatic safety excellence. International Aquatic Safety Awards are conferred annually to deserving aquatic facilities by Jeff Ellis & Associates, Inc. - International Aquatic Safety and Risk Management Consultants. Jeff Ellis & Associates is an industry leader in aquatic safety and risk management, and their Comprehensive Risk Management Program is used to train and certify staff at the District’s Civic Center Aquatic Park and Winrock Pool. Throughout the summer season, Jeff Ellis & Associates make three unannounced visits to audit lifeguards and overall pool safety measures. Only those clients scoring in the top 30 percent of the audit criteria received this award.”

“It is apparent that the entire [Oswegoland Park District] staff embodies the idea of setting the standard in

aquatic safety and swimmers who frequent this aquatic facility are afforded the highest degree of swimmer protection currently available for the aquatic industry,” said Richard A. Carroll, Jeff Ellis & Associates senior vice president and COO. The park district is currently hiring staff for the 2017 summer aquatic season. Anyone interested in a position as a lifeguard or swim lesson instructor is encouraged to complete an online application at oswegolandparkdistrict. org.

The park district also announced that the season pool pass sale will be held from April 1-15, with passes on sale for $59 per person. Residents and nonresidents are invited to take advantage of this opportunity to purchase passes. Passes will be available for purchase at any park district facility or online at oswegolandparkdistrict.org.

Pass holders enjoy unlimited admission to both Winrock Pool and the Civic Center Aquatic Park, are granted early entry to the pools before the general public, and receive reduced rates for special events.

The Civic Center Aquatic Park is located at 5 Ashlawn Ave. in Oswego, and Winrock Pool is located at 21 Winrock Road in Boulder Hill.

Montgomery ‘Mayor on the Move’ Saturday at Speedway

LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

District earns gold for pool safety

BRIEF

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, March 2, 2017

10

BUSINESS Ribbon-cuttings held for local businesses

Photos provided Stella’s Place recently opened in Oswego and joined the Oswego Chamber of Commerce.

The Oswego Chamber attended the State of the Village address at the Kendall 11 theater. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to welcome them to the village and the chamber.

After the address, the chamber held a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the new GDX theater.

Recently the Oswego Chamber of Commerce celebrated Tide Dry Cleaning opening in OsThe Oswego and Plainfield Chambers recently joined together for a ribbon-cutting cere- wego with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Pictured are the owners, manager and corporate members of Tide. mony celebrating Business Knowledge Systems’ new space in Plainfield.

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Large crowd attends Oswego Hometown Expo

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Thursday, March 2, 2017

A large crowd of area residents turned out Saturday to attend the Oswego Chamber of Commerce’s annual Hometown Expo held in the field house at Oswego High School. “Connect With Your Community” was the theme for this year’s expo and attendees had an opportunity to meet with local business representatives, learn about the businesses and, in some cases, sample their wares. ABOVE: Preston Beth, 15, was a popular person as he passed out balloons promoting an Oswego auto glass tinting business, Premier Tint Pros, during the Hometown Expo on Saturday. RIGHT: Seven-year-old Marylu Dellez of Aurora watches a puck fall through a Plinko game board to see which prize she will win at the Resurrection Church of Fox Valley booth on Saturday.

11

LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

The Chickfil-A cow gets lots of stares as Expo-goers hope to score some free chicken sandwiches at the Chick-fil-A booth during the Oswego Chamber of Commerce Hometown Expo at Oswego High School’s Fieldhouse on Saturday.

MONTGOMERY POLICE REPORTS Theft arrest Montgomery police arrested Devante C. Cox, 22, of the 3100 block of Whirlaway Lane, Montgomery, Feb. 22 at 11:12 a.m. on a charge of theft. Police said that a witness observed Cox take a package off the front porch of a residence in the 2200 block of Rebecca Circle.

Police said they notified the owner of the package and he confirmed that he had not authorized Cox to take the package. Police said a female subject who was with Cox at the time of the incident was cited for littering after she threw items onto the ground and refused to pick them up.

Warrant arrest Montgomery police arrested Justin Clark of Aurora, Feb. 18 at 10:02 p.m. in the 1300 block of Raymond Drive. Police said they were summoned to Raymond Drive to investigate a report of a fight in progress. They then arrested Clark on an Aurora police warrant for domestic battery.

Declines to press charges A resident of the 2000 block of Matthew Drive told Montgomery police Feb. 20 that

someone spray-painted and tossed eggs at his garage. Police said they identified a suspect, but the resident declined to press charges.

chard Road. Police said store officials reported that Roop took merchandise without paying for it.

Motorist faces charge Montgomery police arrested Nyshia L. Horton, 18, of Oswego after stopping her vehicle on Brentwood Avenue at Bradley Drive Feb. 19 at 6:21 p.m. Police said they stopped Horton’s vehicle for having an expired registration sticker, but she was charged with driving on a suspended license.

No license Montgomery police ticketed Manisa Rogers, no address given, after stopping her vehicle on Jericho Road and Edgelawn Avenue Feb. 18 at 9:11 a.m. Police said Rogers was cited for driving without a license.

Warrant arrest Montgomery police arrested Jonathan Chatman of Montgomery Feb. 18 at 1:28 p.m. in the 1800 block of Mulberry Drive on a Kane County warrant for criminal damage to property. Police said they were summoned to the Mulberry Drive address on a report of a domestic dispute.

Warrant arrest Montgomery police arrested Desmond J. Simms, 24, of the 100 block of Webster Street, Montgomery Feb. 23 at 12:13 a.m. after police stopped the vehicle he was a passenger in on Montgomery Road at Hinman Street. Police said Simms was wanted on a Kendall County warrant for a traffic offense.

Suspended license Montgomery police arrested Randy L. McTheft, possession charges Coy, 35, of the 1700 bock of Montvale Avenue, Montgomery police arrested Sara Roop of Chicago, after stopping his vehicle in the 1700 Aurora, Feb. 18 at 4:46 p.m. on charges of retail block of Orchard Road Feb. 23 at 12:40 a.m. theft and unlawful possession of a controlled Police said McCoy has been charged with substance at a store in the 2000 block of Ordriving on a suspended license.

Motorcyclist injured A motorcyclist was injured when he fell off his motorcycle on Keck Avenue at South Broadway Avenue Feb. 20 at 3:39 p.m., Montgomery police reported. Police said the motorcyclist was transported to an area hospital with a leg injury.

Neighborhood dispute Montgomery police were summoned to a neighborhood dispute in the 3200 block of Kennedy Drive Feb. 20 at 3:15 p.m. Police said one neighbor involved in the incident had placed his hand on the other neighbor’s fence.

Motorist arrested Montgomery police arrested Ashley Durham-Donelson of Aurora, after stopping her vehicle for failing to signal on Orchard Road at Aucutt Road Feb. 19 at 10:51 a.m. Police said Durham-Donelson has been charged with driving on a suspended license.

Semi hits light pole Montgomery police said no one was hurt

• Continued on page 13

OSWEGO POLICE REPORTS Hit-and-run reported Oswego police took a report of a hit-andrun crash that occurred on Main Street near Jefferson Street Feb. 25. Police said the victim was not in the vehicle at the time of the crash.

Wallet theft reported Oswego police took a theft report at a store in the 2300 block of Route 34 Feb. 25. Police said a customer’s wallet disappeared after it was left in a grocery cart.

Domestic arrested Oswego police arrested a juvenile on two count charges of domestic battery Feb. 22 at 9 p.m. at a residence in the 400 block of Monroe Street in the village.

Trespass reported Oswego Fire Protection District officials told Oswego police that someone unlawfully entered Station No. 1 in the 3500 block of Woolley Road Feb. 24 at 1 p.m.

Two cited in crash Oswego police ticketed two motorists following a three-vehicle crash on Fernwood Road at Douglas Road Feb. 27 at 12:37 p.m.

Police said Virginia Mitchell, 50, of the 2000 block of Fox Pointe Drive, Aurora, was cited for driving without insurance, while Frank C. Greschuk, 26, of the 700 block of Wilmore Drive, Oswego, was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident.

Warrant arrest Oswego police arrested Alan Gonzalez, 24, of Oswego, on an in-state warrant on Douglas Road near Old Post Road Feb. 22 at 1:45 p.m.

Police said Gonzalez was transported to the Kendall County Jail in Yorkville pending court proceedings.

Bank reports theft A representative of a bank on Douglas Road in Oswego told village police Feb. 21 that someone unlawfully withdrew $6,500 from a savings account at the bank. Police said the incident remains under investigation.

34 mph over limit Oswego police ticketed Xavier R. Espino, 18, of Aurora, after stopping his vehicle on Douglas Road near Barnaby Drive Feb. 26 at 9:40 a.m. Police said Espino was issued a citation for driving 34 mph over the posted speed limit.

ID theft reported An Oswego resident told Oswego police that someone filed taxes using her personal information Feb. 1.

Hit-and-run investigation Oswego police are investigating a hit-andrun crash that occurred in the parking lot of a fitness center in the 200 block of Ogden Falls Boulevard Feb. 22 at 8:15 a.m. Police said an unknown vehicle collided with a parked car and then left the scene.

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Juvenile arrested Oswego police arrested a 17-year-old on charges of retail theft and possession of alcohol by a minor at a store in the 2300 block of Route 34 Feb. 24 at 9 p.m.

Police said the suspect attempted to leave the store without paying for merchandise valued at $21.43.

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KENDALL COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORTS and pedestrian under the influence of alcohol.

Arrested after crash County sheriff’s deputies arrested Gerald Thomas Skowronski, 64, of the 5700 block of Waters Edge Court Yorkville after the vehicle he was driving was involved in a single-vehicle crash on Grove Road at Reservation Road in Oswego Township Feb. 25. Police said Skowronski fled the accident scene but was later identified. He has been charged with failure to give information and damage to property. In addition, police said he was cited for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, improper lane usage and driving without insurance.

Take battery report Sheriff’s deputies took a report of a battery between two male subjects in the 20th block of Meyer Road in Little Rock Township Feb. 26 at 5:14 p.m. Police said the pair involved in the incident declined to sign complaints.

Investigate burglary Sheriff’s deputies took a report of a burglary and criminal damage to property in the 600 block of Route 34 in Oswego Township Feb. 25. Police said an unknown person forced their way into the building and caused damage estimated at $500.

when a semi-trailer truck struck a light pole on Goodwin Drive at Reading Drive Feb. 22 at 5:11 a.m.

Fraud report Montgomery police took a fraud report Feb. 21 in the 2000 block of Orchard Road. Police said the victim told them that she transferred $100 dollars to a subject in Jamaica in ex-

Boulder Hill domestic Sheriff’s deputies are investigating a report of a domestic battery that occurred at a home in the 0-100 block of Afton Road in Boulder Hill Feb. 22 at 12:36 a.m. Police said a female involved in the incident had left the scene prior to the arrival of deputies while the individual who reported the incident was not injured.

Mark Erickson

change for $1,000. Police said the victim never received the promised cash and the business she used to transfer the funds would not give her a refund.

Tax fraud reported A resident of Countryside Avenue told Montgomery police Feb. 21 that an unknown person used his Social Security number in obtaining a job and now he is receiving tax forms for income he did not earn.

Protection order violation Sheriff’s deputies responded to a home in the 30th block of Whitney Way in Boulder Hill Feb. 22 at 6:25 p.m. Police said they learned that a violation of an order of protection had occurred and they are investigating.

Investigate domestic County sheriff’s deputies are investigating a reported domestic battery incident in the 40th block of Coy Park Drive, Newark. Police said the incident was reported to have occurred Feb. 23 at 2:13 a.m.

ID theft reported A NaAuSay Township resident told county sheriff’s deputies Feb. 23 that someone used his personal information to open a credit card account at a home improvement store.

Helmer Rd. burglary Approximately $400 worth of property was stolen from a garage and some outbuildings at a residence in the 11000 block of Helmer Road in Lisbon Township, county sheriff’s deputies were notified Feb. 23. Police said an estimated $350 in damage was done to the buildings.

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MONTGOMERY POLICE REPORTS • Continued from page 12

Arrest two in crash County sheriff’s deputies arrested Jacob D. Miller, 18, of the 13000 block of Jones Court, Plainfield and Anabelle Z. Rayzian, 19, of the 24000 block of Norfolk Lane, Plainfield, after their vehicle was involved in a crash in the area of Schlapp Road and Caton Farm Road in NaAuSay Township Feb. 24 at 12:12 a.m. Police said Miller faces charges of driving under the influence, illegal transportation of alcohol, improper lane usage, expired registration, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, driving on a suspended license and driving without a valid driver’s license. Miller also faces additional charges of illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor and illegal possession of alcohol by a minor. Police said Rayzian faces charges of illegal transportation of alcohol, illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor and illegal possession of alcohol by a minor.

Bullet strikes swimming pool Sheriff’s deputies are investigating an incident in which a bullet struck an above ground swimming pool at a home in the 15000 block of Ridge Road in Seward Township. Police said the incident was reported to them Feb. 20.

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Thursday, March 2, 2017

Warrant arrest Sheriff’s deputies arrested Bradley T. Cowans, 27, of the 500-600 block of Carlson Court, Batavia, on an in-state warrant in the 1700 block of Light Road in Oswego Township Feb. 24 at 7:46 p.m. Police said Cowans had failed to appear in court after being arrested previously by Batavia police. Cowans was transWarrant arrest ported to the Kendall County Jail in Yorkville County sheriff’s deputies arrested Dwight David Smith, 60, of the 0-100 block of Durango pending court proceedings, police said.

Road, Boulder Hill, after stopping his vehicle for a registration violation Feb. 26 at 4:25 p.m. Arrest three in Boulder Hill burglary The Kendall County State’s Attorney’s in the 10th block of Durango Road. Police said Office has charged three people in connection Smith was found to be driving on a revoked with a residential burglary that occurred at a license and was wanted on an Aurora police residence in the 0-10 block of Hillcrest Road in warrant for driving under the influence. He was taken into custody and transported to the Boulder Hill Sept. 14, 2015. The sheriff’s office has identified the suspects as two juveniles Kendall County Jail in Yorkville, police said. from Aurora, and Kirara Pineira, 23, of the 300 Warrant arrest block of Woodruff Street, Aurora. Police said all County sheriff’s deputies arrested Julie Ann have been charged with one count of residenZielinski, 44, of the 0-100 block of Saugatuck tial burglary, a Class 1 felony. Police said the Road, Boulder Hill, after the vehicle she was minors have been referred to juvenile court, a passenger in was involved in a crash in the while Pineira was taken into custody Feb. 22 0-100 block of Old Post Road in Boulder Hill without incident. She subsequently posted Feb. 25 at 6:40 p.m. Police said Zielinski was bond and was released pending her next court wanted on a Livingston County warrant for appearance. failure to appear in court on a larceny charge.

She was taken into custody and transported to Dolores St. damage the Kendall County Jail in Yorkville.

Sheriff’s deputies took a report of a criminal damage to property at a residence in the 100 Reckless, disorderly arrest block of Dolores Street in Oswego Township County sheriff’s deputies arrested Ryan J. Feb. 21 at 6:09 a.m. Police said someone broke Perkins, 26, of the 400-500 block of Colton out the front driver side window of a vehicle Street, Yorkville, on charges of reckless that was parked at the residence. Nothing was conduct and disorderly conduct in the 10000 taken from the vehicle, police said. block of River Road in Bristol Township Feb. 25 at 8:38 p.m. Police said Perkins faces addition- Damaged on Rocky Way al charges of improper walking on the highway Someone scratched the paint on a vehicle

that was parked in the 0-10 block of Rocky Way in Boulder Hill Feb. 21, according to the county sheriff’s office.

LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

DUI among charges County sheriff’s deputies arrested Heather Anne Hunter, 27, of the 1400 block of Levato Lane, Minooka, while responding to a report of a vehicle in a ditch in the area of Ridge Road and Route 52 in Seward Township Feb. 27 at 12:20 a.m. Police said Hunter has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and improper lane usage.

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, March 2, 2017

| LOCAL NEWS

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‘We want a town hall,’ Hultgren is told Protesters gather at congressman’s office

By BRENDA SCHORY bschory@shawmedia.com CAMPTON HILLS – Cloudy skies, blustery wind and a cold drizzle were no deterrent as approximately 100 people protested outside the Campton Hills district office of U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren, R-Plano, on Feb. 23, brandishing signs demanding a town hall and occasionally chanting, “We want a town hall.”

This group and others held similar demonstrations outside their GOP congressmen’s offices as part of an Illinois Day of Action sponsored by Indivisible, a national movement countering President Trump’s initiatives and policies, particularly the Affordable Care Act. Their signs carried various messages, such as that Hultgren is missing in action or MIA, calling for a town hall, and asking how he can represent them if he won’t meet with them.

Several signs declared they were not bussed in and are not being paid to protest – a response to an assertion from the White House that billionaire liberal George Soros is bussing in protestors and paying them to undermine the Trump presidency.

And as they held up their signs, nearly every car or truck that passed beeped its support.

“I want to tell him I expect him to hear our voices,” said Gerry Becker of Aurora. “I’m just saying how important these issues are to us, particularly the ACA, Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security. There’s many, many, many issues we would like to talk to him about.”

Becker said she has Medicare, but supports others to have access to affordable health care.

“I have Medicare, so I’m lucky – for a while,” Becker said. “But we don’t know what he’s going to do to Medicare, either. I think our representatives need to be our voice in Washington. … Not just follow the party line; they need to be our voice.”

Rex Zimmerman, 69, of Batavia, said his main concern was health care.

“So many people don’t have health care,” Zimmerman said. “I don’t see how you could be a good Christian without making sure there is health care for all. And, for me, that is the major issue.

The Democrats have put something together – good or bad. The Republicans have done nothing. And this is a major issue in a civilized country that we don’t have it.”

Zimmerman said he worked in health care for a long time and knows the financial devastation a major ill-

Sandy Bressner - sbressner@shawmedia.com

Hollis Apida of St. Charles holds a sign requesting a town hall meeting with U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren, R-Plano, outside Hultgren’s Campton Hills office. A group of about 100 people protested there, criticizing the congressman for not meeting with them. ness like cancer can cause to an individual and a family.

“I would see people survive their first bout of cancer – then mortgage their house and lose everything,” Zimmerman said. “A study in Congress showed that not having health care was one of the major reasons for bankruptcies. So affordable health care is extremely important. And I’m not fighting for my age group. I’m fighting for everyone younger, that we have that legacy.”

Charles Cappell, a retired sociology professor from Northern Illinois University and a former Campton Hills village trustee, said he dropped off a public memo to Hultgren concerning Medicaid expansion and the ACA enrollment in his 14th Congressional District.

The memo seeks to have Hultgren sign a promise “to my constituents that I will not vote for any changes to or repeal of the Patient Protection and [Affordable] Care Act that will diminish in any way the quality, scope, benefits coverage or that will increase the personal health care costs to patients currently covered by the ACA.” Cappell’s memo also states that if Hultgren does not sign the promise, that he should provide “a justification and rationale for the harm your actions will do to the least well-off among us.”

“The policies of the Republican party, that they are promulgating now that

Trump has been elected, are going to hurt the most vulnerable people in our society,” Cappell said. “I am here to let them know they do not have the majority of people behind them. There is ample evidence and data of how many people have benefited from the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for the Republicans to just unilaterally make vacuous promises and plan to cap benefits.”

In Illinois alone, Cappell said, eliminating the Medicaid expansion benefit to people below or slightly above the poverty level would jeopardize the health and wellbeing of some 671,100 residents who now get that support.

In an email response, Hultgren stated he appreciated getting input from constituents. Hultgren’s email noted that he has hosted Coffees with the Congressman, one-on-one meetings with constituents, and conference calls and meetings with businesses, churches, hospitals, schools, nonprofit organizations and municipalities.

“While some constituents have communicated a frustration about their demands for a particular format of meeting, I have met individually with many of these same constituents one-on-one who have provided valuable input on various aspects of how best to repair the ACA,” Hultgren stated in a email response.

“Unfortunately, there is an ele-

ment of this group who are following a well-publicized ‘playbook’ on how best to disrupt and prevent a civil dialogue on important issues, such as health care and veterans issues,” Hultgren’s email stated. “That’s not fair to all 14th District residents who deserve a respectful discussion.”

In the coming weeks, Hultgren stated he will continue to look for new ways to engage constituents “in civil dialogue that is necessary to cover these critical issues.”

“We are still fortunate in the 14th District in that we haven’t forgotten that in the end we are all neighbors,” Hultgren’s email stated.

Geneva resident Jeanne Scown, who helped organize the event, said she told Hultgren’s district staff that they would not yell and shout at him as has been reported at town halls with other congressmen.

“I saw that stuff on television,” Scown said, referring to coverage of boisterous town halls. “I would not have a town hall if it was going to look like that. … We will self-police.”

Scown said Hultgren has not had a town hall for a long time and if he had, maybe constituents would not be so up in arms.

“He’s our rep. That is what they’re supposed to do – have town halls,” Scown said. “He is our servant, and he needs to understand that.”

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

OSWEGO LEDGER School District 308 announced the December 2016 and January 2017 winners of its PRIDE Recognition Program (Proudly Recognizing Individuals Demonstrating Excellence) at a recent Board of Education meeting.

Each month the PRIDE program allows the Board of Education to formally recognize the efforts of teachers, employees, and volunteers who are engaged in exceptional work across District 308.

Teacher of the Month awards recognize two individual teachers’ contributions of excellence. The December 2016 and January 2017 teachers of the month are: December: Sean O’Neill, a teacher in Oswego East High School’s Emotional Disability program; Annie Simmons, a teacher at Southbury Elementary School, Mastery Connect coach, and member of Southbury’s Rising Star team.

January: Christopher Kowalski, a music teacher at Fox Chase Elementary; Mary Nameche, a special education teacher at Boulder Hill Elementary School.

Employee of the Month awards are given in appreciation of the ability of two employees to go above and beyond. The December 2016 and January 2017 employees of the month are: December: Sue Liskunas, an office secretary at Murphy Junior High School; Sheila Paisley, a teacher’s assistant at Boulder Hill Elementary School.

January: Maria Latuszek, a building engineer for Boulder Hill Elementary School; Debbie Smith, a district administrative accountant.

To encourage and celebrate those who generously give of their time to support School District 308 and its students, the Board of Education also recognizes two volunteers of the month. The December 2016 and January 2017 volunteers of the month are: December: Belinda Brooks, a volunteer with Oswego East High School’s athletic boosters, Parents

for Education and Global Success, and other organizations; Jim Buchanan, a 12-year volunteer at Boulder Hill Elementary School who has also led the Father’s Forum.

January: Rick Stopinski, a seven-year parent volunteer at Prairie Point Elementary School; Michael Kalecki, a Wolf’s Crossing Elementary School volunteer who has organized and successfully executed the school’s Science Fair, is active in the scouts program, and was integral in getting a robotics club.

A committee made up of various district groups and organizations selects each month’s winners.

If you know someone deserving of the award, you can nominate him or her using the link on School District 308’s website, the SD308phone app or via mail. Details for the nomination process are also listed on the website. Any School District 308 colleague, administrator, student, parent, community member or alumnus can make the nomination. Self-nominations are not accepted.

ON CAMPUS

St. Luke’s preschoolers create ‘love’ glasses

Brittany Breedlove of Montgomery along with Oswego residents Olivia Bennett, Loren Liskunas and Kathryn Maher achieved a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale and have been named to the St. Ambrose University dean’s list for the fall 2016 term.

••• Kayla Larsen of Oswego has received recognition on the Indiana Wesleyan University dean’s list for the fall semester of the 2016-17 academic year. Indiana Wesleyan is located in Marion, Indiana.

••• Lauren Larsen of Oswego has received recognition on the Northern Illinois University College of Health and Human Service dean’s list for the fall 2016 semester.

••• Oswego resident Mikaela Mockenhaupt was named to the honor list for the fall 2016 semester at Missouri University of Science and Technology.

••• Taylor Paisley of Oswego was named to the 2016 fall semester dean’s list at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.

As a class project, students in St. Luke’s Preschool recently made “Love” glasses. Several of the students had fun modeling their new eye-wear. The preschool is located at 63 Fernwood Road in Boulder Hill.

Photo provided

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BULLETIN BOARD Board names December, January PRIDE winners

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, March 2, 2017

| LOCAL NEWS

16

Local residents go on new sub’s VIP cruise

By LYLE R. ROLFE news@kendallcountynow.com Len Wass of Oswego, chairman of a committee working for about two years to commission the Navy’s new USS Illinois nuclear-powered submarine, finally got a ride in the sub. Wass is a retired Navy captain and submarine officer.

“The Navy was so happy with the work our commissioning committee did for the crew and families over the past two years, that it decided to approve a VIP cruise for our committee.

Not too many of these are held, but occasionally the Navy takes VIPs aboard to show them what their tax money is buying in the submarine force – and it’s a lot,” he said.

Their VIP Cruise was out of Port Canaveral, Florida. The Illinois is conducting various tests from the port and in the Caribbean prior to being deployed permanently to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Wass said, “On Feb. 17, 26 of us including several from the Fox Valley area boarded the nuclear submarine for a day of submerged fun. Between 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. we were at sea doing surface transit ops, submerged ‘Angles and Dangles’ (i.e., 20 degree up and down angles at high speed, down to 650 feet), high speed turns resulting in snap rolls of this 377-foot, 7,700 ton submarine, torpedo firings, and tours of the sub.”

One usually thinks of snap rolls as maneuvers aerobatic pilots perform.

Because Wass was a former pilot with instrument and commercial ratings, he was quite familiar with snap rolls and compared the two. When asked if the thrill of doing these maneuvers was the similar in the sub as in an aircraft, he said it was the same.

“It’s just a different fluid, saltwater

ABOVE: The USS Illinois fast attack submarine prepares to depart Port Canaveral, Florida, for its VIP Cruise. LEFT: Len and Kathy Wass of Oswego prepare to board the new USS Illinois nuclear-powered submarine for VIP cruise. Len Wass served as chairman of the submarine’s commissioning committee.

Photos provided

vs. air,” he added.

Wass said the VIP members were on the ride to just observe, but he admitted that it was difficult for him to stay away from the controls, because of his

years at the helm of other subs.

“It was very nostalgic. It brought back wonderful memories of the times I was submerged, especially on highly classified special operations,” he said.

Because he is a retired Navy captain submarine officer, and chairman of the committee, Wass was allowed to get closer to the controls than the other guests.

Wass said that the principles of submarine operations are the same as when he was on active duty, but the Illinois’ control systems are all different. The Illinois, a Virginia Class Fast Attack submarine, is completely computer controlled with lots of it being touchscreen.

“When I was on active duty I served on diesel electric, and then nuclear submarines. One had to learn all over how the new electrical and hydraulic systems and controls functioned and how to operate them and it was the same for this new submarine,” he said.

“I was fortunate enough to take the controls over on the shore-based simulator about a year ago, but it would take lots more time and practice before I was competent enough to either take the controls or give the commands.

Times change,” he said.

All of Wass’ VIP guests were members and officers of the Illinois Commissioning Committee. With Wass was his wife, Kathy; Bill Gutierrez and his wife, Katie Krozel Gutierrez, of Oswego; Rick Todas of Sugar Grove, a retired Army colonel and president of the Aurora Navy League, and his wife, Beth; Herschel Luckinbill of Montgomery, a four-year Navy veteran, and his wife, Eva; Chris Gaines, a former submarine reactor operator, and his wife, Dorothy, of Aurora; Mark and Dale McClain of Geneva; and George and Anita Lewis-Schmoll of Lockport.

Wass added that the highest ranking enlisted man on the sub (called “COB” or Chief of the Boat) is Senior Chief Jack White, a Naperville resident and graduate of Waubonsie Valley High School in Aurora.

CLUB FILE Hilltop Gardeners meet again March 9

ess. Sims also presented the program, sharing her expertise on vintage and collectible Easter and The next meeting of Hilltop Gardeners Garden Club is set for Thursday, March 9, from 9 to 11 a.m. holiday pieces.

The study group has met continuously since Joe Heidgen, owner of Shady Hill Gardens its founding in 1964, with education programs in Elburn, will teach a workshop on container provided at each meeting by members or guest gardens and spring plants. He specializes in speakers.

The group has donated to needy chariusing familiar plants in unique ways to make any ties for many years, and possible recipients will be container stunning. Meetings are held at the Little discussed.

Group officers for the coming year will White School Museum, 72 Polk Street in Oswego. be nominated.

Anyone interested may attend. More information A group auction will be the highlight of the April is available by calling Diane at 630-551-1970.

5 meeting, held at the Little White School Museum. Officer elections will also be held.

Easter collectibles was If you admire antiques, love history and are intopic for Antique Study Group terested in learning more about this organization, The Boulder Hill and Oswego Antique Study email Kay at reputation@ameritech.net.

Group met March 1 in the home of Laurel Sims.

– Oswego Ledger Club President Judy Siedlecki served as cohost-

Photo provided

Vintage and collectible Easter items was the topic for the March 1 program for the Boulder Hill and Oswego Antique Study Group. Active since 1964, the group meets monthly and welcomes those who have an interest in learning and sharing historic memorabilia.

PREP FOOTBALL

Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri among schools lined up for DT

By JOSHUA WELGE jwelge@kendallcountynow.com

Shaw Media file photo

Oswego defensive linemen Spencer Rowe (52) and Noah Shannon (58) sack Joliet West quarterback Jaxon Aubry during a game at Joliet West High School on Sept. 10. and Iowa State from the Big 12. Missouri from the SEC and ACC schools Duke and Virginia all offered Shannon last week.

It’s easy to see why.

Possessing a tremendous motor for his size, Shannon is the 19th-rated recruit in his class in Illinois and 57th-rated defensive tackle nationally according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

AREA ROUNDUP

IBCA Hall of Fame looking for memories of ‘The Fox’ trophy that time? Can you lend some insights as to the im- went back-and-forth in the first half, with Gerrard pact The Fox had on games?

Brown-Ship’s 3-pointer tying the game at 22-22. DeDo you remember “The Fox?” If you wish to share those thoughts, call Terry Co- spite the loss, the Wolves still finished in first in the The traveling basketball trophy was part of the ley at 815-671-5900 by June 1 or mail your reflections Southwest Prairie Conference with a 20-3 overall rich history of the Fox Valley Conference from to 22824 W. Charlotte Road, Plainfield IL 60586. record. the late 1940s until it disbanded in the late 1960s.

The Wolves previously beat Minooka 45-32 on Feb. Yorkville, Oswego, Plainfield, Minooka and Newark DIVING 17. Carson Harmon and Kamron Battle paced the were among the schools who competed for the troOswego East: Sophomore Max Padlo scored 181.40 first-half scoring and Brown-Ship, Austin Paige and phy. To honor that tradition, The Fox has found a points for 31st place in Friday’s preliminaries of the Sam Schultz led in the second half. Oswego East also permanent home in the Illinois Basketball Coaches state diving meet. The top 16 advanced to the finals. beat Plainfield Central 47-33 on Feb. 14. The Wolves Association Hall of Fame Museum in Pontiac. got off to an early lead behind the strong inside play As part of that special display, the hope is to gath- BOYS BASKETBALL of Battle and Jordan Williams. Nate Lewandowski er reflections from the era of The Fox from players Oswego East sophomores: The Wolves lost to Plain- and Jordan Boatright scored key baskets in the secand fans. Do you have recollections of any game from field East 51-45 in the season finale Feb. 21. The game ond half.

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Thursday, March 2, 2017

Noah Shannon’s first college call was a missed call.

When Iowa came to visit the Oswego junior last fall, he was home sick with the strep throat.

“My mom wanted me to stay home. They were thinking about offering me, but the coach said they didn’t want to take my mind off our playoff game,” Shannon said. “They came back a few weeks later.”

No worries. Shannon’s college prospects are indeed quite healthy now. The parade of coaches to his doorstep don’t seem to be stopping anytime soon, either.

Shannon, a standout defensive tackle, is up to 14 Division I offers, and seems in no hurry to make a decision.

“It’s not stressful, but a lot to think about,” Shannon said. “The decision is not just about football and the next three to four years, but technically the next 40 years and how you’re going to make your living.

Football has to go away some time.”

Shannon, up near 300 pounds after playing around 280 last fall, had 56 tackles as a junior for Oswego, 11 for loss and 3.5 sacks to anchor a Panthers’ defense that allowed just 10.1 points per game.

Iowa was the first school to offer Shannon, in November, and fellow Big Ten schools Indiana and Minnesota have since joined the list. So have Kansas State

“There hasn’t been a lot of selling to do – the tape speaks for itself,” Oswego coach Brian Cooney said.

“They are impressed with how disruptive he is between the tackles and one of the main things is his willingness to tackle the ball at any spot on the field.

A lot of kids have the ability; he has that extra gear, that want to.”

Shannon, who plans to major in business, has a busy spring ahead.

He just visited Indiana and Michigan State last weekend, and is going to Iowa Sunday. He plans to visit Illinois next week, and wants to get up to Minnesota soon. Shannon’s also planning on attending Iowa State’s spring game April 8 and Texas’ April 15.

Shannon expects to trim down his list by the summer, but doesn’t have a further timetable.

“I’ve told all the coaches, I want to go to a place that has that home feeling where everybody is there for you,” Shannon said. “Second is the academics. Third is the coaching staff.”

Shannon, who has a 3.6 GPA this semester, seems to have his mind in the right place.

“I try to stay leveled and humbled,” Shannon said.

“I talk to my grandpa a lot about things, I feel he listens to me and I’m comfortable talking to him. I keep a lot of things to myself.”

Meanwhile Shannon is intent on working on his speed. He trains three days a week at Acceleration Sports Performance in Naperville.

“Me personally, I want to get faster,” Shannon said. “I watch film every day and there are a couple plays where I’ll be chasing the running back down and I see him go past me. I know I can make that play, I just need to get a little faster.”

SPORTS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

Shannon’s college offers ringing off the hook

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Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, March 2, 2017

| SPORTS

18

JACKIE MEIER SHELTER INSURANCE / LEDGER ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: TAHJ OLIVER

‘HE’S JUST A COMPETITOR’ East’s Oliver scores career-high 32 points in final home game

By JOSHUA WELGE jwelge@kendallcountynow.com Tahj Oliver kept to the usual routine for his last home game at Oswego East.

“Just listened to music,” said the Wolves’ senior guard. “I guess you could say that got me going.”

Whatever the tunes, Oliver’s shooting was sweet music to the Wolves.

He scored a career-high 32 points, carrying Oswego East to a win over Plainfield East on Feb. 21. It was the Wolves’ third straight win to finish the regular season, and the third consecutive game that Oliver scored in double figures.

Oliver scored 18 against Plainfield Central and 14 in a big win at Minooka for Oswego East (15-11).

For his outstanding performances, Tahj Oliver is the Oswego Ledger Athlete of the Week.

“It was Senior Night, and I think he was excited – but he let the game come to him,” Oswego East coach Steve Szymanski said. “He didn’t try to force anything.”

Oliver hit three straight 3-pointers in the second quarter, five for the game.

He didn’t stop at the 3-point line.

On one play Oliver spun in the lane, got hit, threw it over his shoulder and the shot went in.

“That play, it made your jaw drop,” Szymanski said. “Everybody that plays sports has one of those games that they feel like everything they throw up is going in. It was one of those games for him.”

Oliver has been Oswego East’s most consistent scorer during the second half of the season, and leads the Wolves at 12.6 points per game.

Like his team, though, Oliver has been streaky at times. With good reason.

He tore a ligament in his right wrist during football season. It hurt his aggressiveness, and naturally his shooting suffered.

“It was bad in practice. The team would make fun of me how I shoot free throws,” said Oliver, who is committed to St. Xavier to play football. “I literally was just throwing the ball up. I’d be open in practice and people would play off of me. Now they have to get up on me.”

Oliver gets support from his teammate and close buddy Stephon Harris, both on and off the court.

Oliver transferred to Oswego East from Mount Carmel after his freshman year. The move hasn’t been without its challenges. Oliver now lives with Harris and his family.

“I have a great support system,” Oliver said. “There are a lot of people in my life I’m blessed to have. Stephon and I, we’ve got pretty close. It’s been nice.”

It’s a nice tandem on the court, too.

When Harris struggles, Oliver seems to take it on his shoulders to carry a bigger load.

“He’s very strong for a high school kid – he gets a lot of points just being

Shaw Media file photo

Oswego East’s Tahj Oliver (5) goes up for a shot between two Hinsdale Central defenders during the Hoops for Healing Boys Basketball Tournament at Naperville North High School on Nov. 22. stronger than the guy guarding him,” Szymanski said. “He’s focused working on his outside shot, and he’s done a better job finishing at the rim. He’s just a competitive kid. He wants to win.”

That was apparent after Oswego East’s loss to Oswego Feb. 10. Oliver and the Wolves called a players-only meeting in its aftermath.

They haven’t lost since, going into this week’s regional opener with Romeoville.

“We all said what needed to be said,” Oliver said. “We were in a big slump.

We all had one goal, that we were finishing the season strong and go into the playoffs playing well. That’s what we’ve done.”

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BOYS BASKETBALL

Panthers fall to Joliet Central after big win vs. E. Aurora in quarterfinal

By JOSHUA WELGE jwelge@kendallcountynow.com

Photos by Steven Buyansky for Shaw Media

ABOVE: Oswego’s Dylan Engler (2) shoots and makes a 3-point shot against an East Aurora defender during Monday’s Class 4A Joliet Central Regional quarterfinal. TOP LEFT: Oswego’s Jaylen Jones (10) glides past East Aurora’s Alberto Santamaria (23) on Monday. BOTTOM LEFT: Oswego’s Elijah Winston forces his way between Santamaria (left) and Jules Williamson (right). a big role,” added Jones, who was at the assisting end of a number of Engler’s shots. “He’s got that confidence right now.”

Jones himself missed his first seven shots Monday, but he didn’t force things.

He got it going after halftime, hitting four of his first five shots.

And did so with flair.

Jones dribbled behind his back in transition on one play before drilling a pull-up jumper, and next time down hopped behind a screen for a 3-pointer.

“Definitely let things come to us after the last two games [both losses],” Jones said. “We were focused.”

Davonta Faulkner scored 18 points and sophomores Jules Williamson and Traevon Brown added 12 and nine, respectively, for East Aurora. The two sophomores, though, were held without a field goal in the second half.

Elliott Pipin added 11 points and six rebounds for Oswego, which forced 19 turnovers.

“Eli was tremendous defensively,” Borrowman said. “He did everything we asked him to do. He rebounded well and really manned up defensively. Our goal is to overplay, and I had kind of got away from that gameplan. We got back to what we do.”

Thursday, March 2, 2017

Dylan Engler is a young shooter who loves Joliet’s old gym.

The venerable fieldhouse with a spacious background doesn’t seem ideal for shooters, but don’t tell Engler and Oswego.

“It messes with your depth perception, but obviously not tonight,” said Engler, a sophomore guard. “The only thing I do here is maybe shoot an extra 30 seconds instead of stretching.”

It sure worked Monday.

Engler hit five of Oswego’s 10 3-pointers, and the 14th-seeded Panthers used a big third quarter to pull away from 18th-seeded East Aurora 77-54 in a Class 4A Joliet Central quarterfinal.

Jaylen Jones scored 17 of his 23 points in the second half and Engler added 15 points for Oswego (10-18).

Jones went on to score 25 in a 69-53 regional semifinal loss to Joliet Central on Tuesday, finishing with 1,000 points for his career.

“I left him in to get that,” Oswego coach Matt Borrowman said. “He’s been a heck of a four-year player. I think he’s missed 23 games due to injury. I don’t know where he’d be if it wasn’t for that. He’s what we want all of our players in this program to be.”

Oswego spotted East Aurora (8-19) a 10-4 early lead in Monday’s quarterfinal, pulled ahead 39-34 by halftime and then snapped off a 14-0 run out of the break.

“It’s probably the best quarter we’ve had all year,” Borrowman said of the 21-3 third quarter. “We played great team defense, held them to one shot and done and we didn’t turn it over.”

Engler has expanded his all-around game as the season’s progressed for Oswego. He’s one reason why the Panthers’ future is very bright.

It’s clear, though, that his niche is his shooting stroke.

Engler was 5-for-8 on 3-pointers Monday, four of the makes in the first half. Jones hit two 3-pointers, as did freshman Jack Kahoun – who scored 10 points in a spot start.

“Dylan has the ability to attack the basket, but he just has that quick trigger,” Borrowman said. “You got Jaylen who is quicker than you know what, you get caught helping on Jaylen and Dylan will burn you.”

“He’s a knockdown shooter playing

SPORTS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

Jones scores 1,000th career point

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Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, March 2, 2017

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SPORTS GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR

TY’S THE LIMIT Behind Battle, Wolves soared to new heights

By JOSHUA WELGE jwelge@kendallcountynow.com Ty Battle found a good outlet to get over Oswego East’s crushing playoff loss.

Track.

The Wolves’ star basketball player is doing high jump this spring for the first time in high school.

“It [the playoff loss] didn’t really hit me until a couple days ago,” Battle said. “I just want to stay in shape. I think track will be a good fit.”

She’s used to soaring to new heights by now.

In two seasons after transferring from Joliet Catholic, Battle led Oswego East to a 51-8 record – 28-0 in the Southwest Prairie Conference.

This year the 6-foot-1 Battle, an Indiana State recruit, led the 24-5 Wolves in every statistical category except for blocks. She averaged 16.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 3.2 assists, finishing her high school career with 1,497 points, 304 steals and well over 800 rebounds.

Her conference’s two-time Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American game nominee, Ty Battle is the Ledger/Record Newspapers All-Area Player of the Year.

Battle best exemplified the kind of teammate she is in arguably Oswego East’s biggest game.

In a thriller at No. 1-ranked Montini, Battle threaded the needle for a pass to freshman Christine Corpuz for a backdoor layup to force double overtime.

“It goes to show that she trusted all of her teammates and wanted them to get involved,” Oswego East coach Abe Carretto said. “She probably could have averaged more points, but she looks for the open person. She’s such an unselfish player.”

The daughter of former West Aurora and Illinois star Kenny Battle, Battle started as a freshman for a Joliet Catholic team that took second in Class 3A in 2014. District 308 was home, though.

Battle went to Wheatlands Elementary and Bednarcik Junior High, and played AAU with Oswego East teammate Sydney Schultz before that.

Battle relished the reunion the last two years.

“It was a good experience play-

GIRLS BASKETBALL: THE RECORD/LEDGER ALL-AREA TEAM FIRST TEAM

Ty Battle, Oswego East, senior, forward: Indiana State recruit led 24-5 Wolves in every category but blocked shots, including scoring (16.5 ppg), rebounds (6.8), assists (3.8) and steals (3.2). Battle is the two-time MVP of the Southwest Prairie Conference.

Lauren Daffenberg, Yorkville, junior, guard: Committed to Hillsdale College, Daffenberg scored 18 points in regional final win as 26-3 Foxes won first title since 2002 and set program win record. Daffenberg averaged 13.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and hit 44 3-pointers.

Katie Nolan, Yorkville, senior, forward: Four-year starter and Seton Hill recruit led 26-3 Foxes to first-ever Class 4A regional championship, and second straight conference title. Her program’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder, Nolan averaged 14.0 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.

Sydney Schultz, Oswego East, senior, forward: Missouri State recruit was second on Wolves in scoring (12.8 ppg), rebounds (6.6) and assists (2.5) and led in blocks (1.5).

Schultz is Oswego East’s all-time leading scorer (1,179 points) and rebounder (811).

MaKayli Vann, Plano, junior, guard: Transfer from Indian Creek led 19-9 Reapers to first-ever Interstate Eight Conference championship. Vann averaged area-best 19.6 points and 10.7 rebounds per game, teamhigh 4.3 steals, and 2.6 assists and hit 53 3-pointers.

SECOND TEAM

Shaw Media file photo

Oswego East’s Ty Battle (left) eyes the basket as she drives against Geneva’s Madison Mallory during the 27th annual Subway Classic on Jan. 14. Battle, who led the Wolves in every category but blocks, is the Ledger/Record girls basketball All-Area Player of the Year. ing with different girls that I haven’t played with for a couple years,” Battle said. “We were really close.”

Long-limbed and lean, Battle isn’t a player easily defined by one spot on the floor. Like the way her dad played, she always seems to be moving.

She keyed Oswego East’s pressure defense, and her kinetic skill set formed quite a connection with Schultz. Battle’s bounce makes her a relentless rebounder.

She’ll be a guard at the next level, though. Battle works on those skills with her dad, and her Illinois Evolu-

tion AAU coach Brett Love.

“It’s just a lot of repetition,” Battle said. “I’ve really improved more on my guard skills such as dribbling and shooting.”

She’s left quite a mark at Oswego East in two short years.

“That’s the one thing, besides the recognition we’ve received,” Carretto said. “Now girls in our feeder programs and camps want to be the next Ty or Sydney. The girls in the future are going to want to have the success they had and maybe set some goals they didn’t accomplish.”

Amaya Johns, Oswego East, junior, guard: Transfer from Plainfield North averaged 10.0 points and shot 78 percent from the free-throw line, helping Wolves score a school record 68 points per game.

Jasmine Mitchell, Newark, senior, forward: Four-year starter and Indiana Wesleyan recruit led Norsemen to conference and regional championships. Mitchell averaged team-best 16.4 points and 6.6 rebounds. She passed 1,000 career points in November.

Sarah Ness, Sandwich, sophomore, guard: All-conference player was second on Indians in scoring with 8.4 points per game.

Ness also led Sandwich in rebounds (5.7), steals (4.0) and assists (2.5).

MaKenzie Vann, Plano, sophomore, guard: Her older sister MaKayli’s running mate on conference co-champion Reapers, Vann was second on Plano in scoring (10.2 points per game) and rebounds (7.0), led in assists (3.1) and was third in steals (2.8).

Gillian O’Neil, Oswego, senior, center: All-conference player was second on Panthers in scoring (7 points per game). O’Neill also led Oswego in rebounds (6.5) and blocks (3.2).

– Joshua Welge