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OSW EGO LEDGER YOUR NEW LEDGER-SENTINEL • SERVING OSWEGO, MONTGOMERY AND BOULDER HILL FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY

COMMUNITY PARTY Village plays host to fun and thrilling Montgomery Fest

Academic medicine is closer than you think. rush.edu rushcopley.com

/ 16-17

KendallCountyNow.com

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, August 18, 2016

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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.

All rights reserved. Copyright 2016

• Relevant information • Marketing Solutions • Community Advocates

ON THE COVER Are we having fun yet? Kids enjoy the thrill of a ride at the Montgomery Fest carnival.

See more photos on pages 16-17.

Photo by Eric Miller - emiller@shawmedia.com

Towns OK public works pact Oswego, Yorkville will work together to save time, money

By TONY SCOTT tscott@kendallcountynow.com Yorkville and Oswego will be sharing some public works services in an agreement the Yorkville City Council unanimously approved Aug. 9.

The agreement had been reviewed by the Yorkville City Council’s Public Works Committee, and was approved by the Oswego Village Board at its Aug. 2 meeting.

According to City Administrator Bart Olson City Administrator Bart Olson, Oswego has already requested to use Yorkville’s Vactor truck “to assist cleaning catch basins for two days.”

“We would identify a project at a later date in exchange – potentially leaf pickup in the fall,” Olson wrote in a memo to aldermen.

The agreement states that officials “have reviewed the infrastructure and

assets under each of their respective jurisdictions and have determined that the citizens and taxpayers of [Yorkville] and [Oswego] would be better served if the maintenance of certain infrastructure and adjacent areas be performed by the Public Works Department that is best equipped to perform certain tasks, thereby saving time and resources and permitting immediate attention to the needed maintenance or repair.”

The agreement says the two municipalities will use “on an ‘as needed’ basis, the service required to the roadways such as mowing, snowplowing, jetting, leaf collection or such other maintenance as deemed necessary to improve the use and safety thereof and jointly determine whether [Yorkville’s] public works employees or [Oswego’s] public works employees are better able to provide the needed service.

“The [two public works departments] shall agree and advise each other of the date and time such services are to be provided. In the event either the city or the village is unable to assist at any given time, all services to the roadways shall be the responsibility of the unit of government (city or village)

having jurisdiction over the roadways.

In other words, this agreement does not reduce, eliminate or transfer the responsibility of the city or the village to repair and maintain the roadways within their respective jurisdictions.”

Trail lease OK’d

In other business on Aug. 9, Yorkville aldermen voted to approve a 20-year lease of ComEd-owned land that will complete the land acquisition process for the Kennedy Road bike and pedestrian trail. The cost of the lease is $1, according to the lease document.

Aldermen voted 5-2 in favor of the lease agreement. Aldermen Seaver Tarulis and Carlo Colosimo, who have consistently voted against the trail, voted against the lease agreement.

Aldermen Jackie Milschewski, Larry Kot, Joel Frieders, Diane Teeling, and Chris Funkhouser voted in favor of it.

Alderman Ken Koch was absent.

The City Administrator Bart Olson City Council also approved Planning and Zoning Commission appointments. Approved were Randy Harker as chairman, Deb Horaz, Rich Vinyard, Reagan Flavin Goins, Jeff Olson, Don Marcum, and Bill Gockman.

Food pantry gets new leadership

By TONY SCOTT tscott@kendallcountynow.com A new board and leadership took over at the Kendall County Food Pantry on Aug. 11.

The organization changed its name to the Kendall County Community Food Pantry Inc., as the ownership and responsibility for the operations were turned over to a new group, according to pantry officials.

Greg Witek, Little Rock-Fox fire chief, CEO of PagePath Technologies and KenCom dispatch executive board chair, was named board chairman.

“The Kendall County Community Food Pantry Inc. has been established to ensure the uninterrupted operation of the pantry and the continued care for and support of the existing clients who depend on the pantry for so many of their weekly needs,” Witek said.

“Speaking for the new corporation’s directors, we’re honored to be asked in

and now associated with such a dedicated and caring team of volunteers.”

The other members of the new Kendall County Community Food Pantry Board are Kendall County Sheriff Dwight Baird; Rick Bill, food pantry operations management; Stan Free, executive vice president of First National Bank; Oswego Village President Gail Johnson; Millbrook Village President Jackie Kowalski; Fred Kreinbrink, operations manager for city of Naperville electric; Becky Morphey, Fox Valley Family YMCA Board chairman; L ­ arry Nelson, CEO of Nelson Multimedia and KenCom finance chairman; Tandy Pinter, operations management for the food pantry; Steve Steinwart, president of Meadowvale Dairy; and Grant ­Wegner, retired chief judge and counsel to Mahoney, Silverman and Cross law firm.

The organization has seen some times of controversy in the past three months. The Yorkville Police Depart-

ment served search warrants on the food pantry building in Yorkville and on a Kendall County residence June 1.

Police said the warrants were part of an investigation, which is ongoing, regarding “suspicious transactions and possible theft of funds from the Kendall County Food Pantry accounts.”

Six days after the search warrants were executed, Maria Spaeth, then the food pantry’s executive director, and her husband, Ken, resigned from their duties at the pantry, according to food pantry officials.

Maria Spaeth, a Yorkville resident, was found dead in her Lake Holiday vacation home June 21. DeKalb County Coroner Dennis Miller said Spaeth died of a prescription drug overdose, but that it was undetermined whether it was intentional or accidental.

Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weis announced recently that a special prosecutor has been assigned to the theft case.

CIVIC MEETINGS WEEK OF AUG. 22-26 Monday, 7 p.m.: Montgomery Village Board, Montgomery Village Hall.

Tuesday, 7 p.m.: Oswego Community Conversation, Churchill Elementary School.

Wednesday, 5 p.m.: Oswego Public Wednesday, 7 p.m.: Kendall County Library District Board, Montgomery Campus Regional Plan Commission, County Office Library.

Building, Yorkville.

Wednesday, 7 p.m.: Oswego Historic PresThursday, 5:30 p.m.: KenCom Executive ervation Commission, Oswego Village Hall. Board, County Public Safety Center, Yorkville.

Some residents worried about impact on tax bills, increased growth if district OK’d

By ERIKA WURST news@kendallcountynow.com

sarily want to see.

He pointed toward Naperville, Plainfield, Batavia and Geneva as towns that have been “ruined” by TIF districts and building.

“That’s kind of what our town is becoming,” he said, concerned about the traffic, the overcrowding and the water supply. “We have to think about this stuff if we’re going to start building.”

He finished by expressing his discontent for the proposed TIF. “For me, the program is bad for Oswego – bad for citizens and bad for taxpayers,” he said. “In my opinion, and my research, I don’t think we should follow suit with Naperville and Plainfield and Geneva. I am totally against it. I just wish the people had somebody that was representing us like a big lawyer.”

Following the lengthy comments, Johnson assured the man that she was, indeed, “there for him.”

“We represent you,” she said. “And, my door is always open for conversation.”

A third speaker, John Brodemus – a 30-year resident – brought several geological maps of the TIF district to hand to board members as a visual aid to his comments, which focused on the more technical side of proposed infrastructure improvements expected to happen should TIF funds come rolling in.

He noted that it has been cost-prohibitive in the past for anyone to come

See OSWEGO TIF, page 11

District 308 redrawing school boundaries for 2017-18 OSWEGO LEDGER School District 308 has started the process of redrawing attendance boundary lines for the district.

The new boundaries, when eventually adopted by the district’s Board of Education, will be effective with the start of the 2017-18 school year.

At its Aug. 1 meeting, the board voted on its top criteria for determining

school boundaries moving forward.

They are: projected enrollment/building utilization; fiscal considerations related to operations; duration of boundaries; and transportation services.

To help navigate the process, the district has contracted with RSP & Associates, a professional educational planning firm with more than 20 years of experience. The board will form a

boundary advisory committee of 3540 members made up of stakeholders from throughout the district.

The committee will have five meetings and two public forums. The committee meetings will be held on Sept.

6, Sept. 15, Oct. 13, Oct. 20 and Nov. 10 starting at 6 p.m. in the community room at Oswego East High School (OEHS). The public forums will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 1 at Traughber Junior High

School and at 7 p.m. Nov. 2 at OEHS. The Boundary Advisory Committee member application and more information are available on the School District 308 website at SD308.org. Applications will be accepted through Aug. 21, and the boundary advisory committee members will be announced on Sept. 4.

The district website will be updated with boundary committee news and information throughout the process.

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Thursday, August 18, 2016

Oswego residents whose homes and properties are located within the village’s proposed downtown tax increment financing district packed Village Hall on Tuesday evening during a public hearing regarding the TIF. Some stakeholders were all for creating the TIF, hoping it will help bring much-needed improvements to a stagnant downtown area, while others had questions about how it will change their yearly expenses.

“This [TIF] is extremely important to the village,” Village President Gail Johnson said during the hearing’s opening. “It’s a unique opportunity to assist development and implement much-needed infrastructure improvements.”

More than 20 years ago, state lawmakers gave local governments the power to create TIFs. A TIF’s goal is to help restore growth in areas going though economic change, or to revitalize currently stagnant parts of town.

It allows cities and villages to make improvements they need, like new roads or sewers, to attract businesses, or help existing businesses expand, without tapping into general funds or raising taxes.

Property taxes collected on properties included in the TIF district at the time of its designation continue to be distributed to the school districts, county, community college and all other taxing districts as normal. Only property taxes generated by the incremental increase in the value of these properties after that time are available for use by the TIF. In Oswego’s downtown corridor, Johnson said this function will come in handy. She noted that a “guiding principle” of the board is to focus on fixing infraGail Johnson structure that is hindering the area’s growth.

“Sewer and water lines are in bad shape,” she said. TIF money will help offset these improvement costs.

But, despite her promises that taxes will not be raised on properties within the TIF district unless their property values increase, there were many who expressed concerns.

“We see the advantages. Everybody talks about the advantages,” said a resident who lives on Washington Street.

“What are some of the disadvantages?

What are some of the bad things about it?”

Johnson looked perplexed. From

the village’s standpoint, there is no downside of moving forward, she said.

“With a well-written TIF, you will not see any [downside],” Johnson stressed. She talked about how the TIF improvements will only help to increase property values of homes and businesses in the area, which have seen a decrease in property value of 22 percent over the last nine years.

With the new TIF-fueled improvements, it is the village’s hope that property values will begin to rise.

“If your property value goes up, your taxes will go up,” she said. “There are no additional taxes or fees, or nothing against anyone that lives in the TIF district.”

While Johnson’s answer appeared to relieve one man’s concern, there were others who seemed adamant about seeing the proposed TIF fall to the wayside once again. In particular was one man, who voiced nearly 30 minutes of concern at the podium.

The Oswego resident of more than 20 years asked Johnson who was representing the residents when it comes to the TIF decision.

“You hired big city Chicago lawyers for yourself. I feel like we don’t have anybody representing the people of Oswego. We need a lawyer to defend what we believe,” he said.

The man expressed his discontent with the way other towns, cities and villages have handled TIF districts, and became worried that the additional funds will fuel Oswego’s continued growth – something he doesn’t neces-

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LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

Oswego officials questioned on TIF plan

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, August 18, 2016

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OPINIONS OUR VIEW

Oswego, Yorkville make ‘shared services’ a reality Last summer the city of Yorkville and villages of Oswego and Montgomery adopted resolutions recognizing “the value of coordination” of public services among the three municipalities.

The resolutions were the byproduct of a study examining how the three neighboring municipalities might be able to share their services, bidding processes, personnel and equipment to save taxpayers some money.

Representatives of the three municipalities worked for a year under the direction of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning to prepare what was called the Lower Fox River Partnering Shared Services Study.

All too often over the years we’ve

seen well-intentioned municipal officials pay consultants to draft detailed studies on all manner of issues, only to see those same studies languish on shelves or online due to either disinterest on the part of elected officials or turnover of municipal staffs and elected officials or both.

Fortunately, that doesn’t appear to be happening with the shared services study.

As we have reported, the Yorkville City Council unanimously approved an agreement with the village of Oswego which will allow Oswego to use Yorkville’s Vactor (vacuum) truck “to assist cleaning catch basins in the village for two days.” In exchange, Bart Olson, Yorkville’s administrator,

said in a memo to the council that Yorkville will “identify a project at a later date... potentially leaf pickup in the fall” that Oswego can assist the city with. The Oswego Village Board approved the agreement Aug. 2.

We’ve long believed that area municipalities could share equipment and other resources – as long as it does not compromise the delivery of services to their respective residents.

In many instances, one municipality may have some equipment – like a vacuum truck – sitting unused in its garage that a neighboring town might be able to use.

Until recently, however, municipalities have been slow to embrace the concept of sharing resources. But

given the financial pressures being faced by all units of local government and the taxpayers they serve, it makes total sense for government officials to look for ways they can work together to save money.

We’re pleased to see Yorkville and Oswego adopt the agreement for the vacuum truck and look forward to seeing more similar agreements between the two municipalities and Montgomery.

Taxpayers should be pleased because it’s a sign that officials in Yorkville and Oswego were indeed serious about looking for ways to save them money when they embarked on completing the shared services study nearly two years ago.

’Tis the season for a peridot or sardonyx ring uncula. Which is why I usually prefer L.A. Looking forward to November, and back, the 1960 election where John F. Kennedy beat Richard Roger M. Nixon was the closest in history, with Kennedy Matile winning 303 electoral votes to Nixon’s 219.

There’s a first time for everything: The first U.S. So we’ve made it past July, and August is more passport found in government records was issued to than halfway through. College kids are headed back Francis Maria Barreré in July 1796. His wasn’t the to campus and public school students are thronging first passport issued, however, but only the first for the office supply, shoe and clothing stores as they which records exist. In fact his passport application (and their parents) gird their loins for the start of was for renewal, so obviously he had one previousanother academic year. ly.

Here at the Matile Manse, we’ve just wrapped up Cats and dogs share a common ancestor, a another summer. The family reunion and its amaztree-climbing carnivore called Miacis, which lived ing potluck dinner were enjoyed by all last Sunday, Photo provided 40 million years ago. and that usually marks the beginning of the end of In a standard deck of cards, the cardmaker’s Astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the surface of the moon summer for us, which is appropriate since August is in July 1969. The surface of the moon has about the same trademark will be on the Ace of Spades.

National Picnic Month.

Pipe smokers please note: The briar plant, an area as the continent of Africa.

August also marks the season when corn and upright shrub or small tree, is also known as the soybeans are beginning to show their autumn coats They’re still playing baseball, but if you’re gettree heath or white heath found in the Mediterraas the growing season draws to a close. Tomatoes ting anxious for some cage action, please note that nean Basin and west to Portugal and the Canary and are ripening all over the Fox Valley and folks are the first official basketball game was played in 1891. Madeira Islands. Its roots and wood are extremely canning to beat the band, as well as chowing down Pick a sweet orange by examining its navel. The hard, dense, and heat resistant. The wood is used to on bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches as many ones with the biggest openings are the sweetest. make knife handles and jewelry. The bulbous roots meals as they can before the late summer’s bounty The first lie detector was developed by John are used to make those distinctive pipes. finishes up for another year.

Larsen in 1921. No lie!

Ready for a nice omelet? Cal-Maine Foods is the Here at Junk Mail Central, we’ve been collecting Until 1973, the Central American country of largest egg producer in the world with a flock of 32 quite a pile of the stuff, so I thought I’d sort through Belize was known as British Honduras. Its official million laying hens. some of it as I file most of it in the circular file for language is English.

Cooks, please note: One-eighth of a teaspoon of recycling. As a result of that careful and painstakGoing on a desert trip? Leave your camel behind garlic powder equals one small clove. But, really, ing study, here are a few things I never would have – a giraffe can go without water longer than a camel fresh garlic’s always best. found out if I hadn’t opened all the junk mail that can.

The first representative assembly in America showed up in the mailbox out front six days a week: The Romans believed Cupid’s arrows were tipped convened at Jamestown, Virginia, on July 30, 1619.

This week’s size comparison: The surface of the with diamonds, giving them unequaled magic We’ve been at it for quite a while; maybe if we keep moon has about the same area as the continent of powers. trying we’ll get it right one of these days.

Africa.

The times, they change. In the 2000 Olympics, Hey, all you glee clubbers, here’s something I bet Says here the birthstones for August are the women competed for the very first time in water you didn’t know: What does the “glee” in glee club peridot and the sardonyx. I have no idea what either polo, the ­modern pentathlon, the pole vault, and the mean? Glees are unaccompanied songs for three or of them are. hammer throw. more solo voices.

If you were born in August, you’re either a Leo or The actual full name of Los Angeles is El Pueblo See REFLECTIONS, page 5 a Virgo, so you’ve got that going for you. de Nuestra Senora la Reina de los Angeles de Porci-

REFLECTIONS

FORUM To the Editor: The article regarding the cancellation of the Oswego police IT service in last week’s Ledger was disturbing from several standpoints.

Why was the village doing business with a state representative? Seems to me that offers at least the opportunity for a conflict of interest.

I’m appalled that a village/supplier relationship – especially one this critical – would be operating under a “handshake,” not a contract. In addition to spelling out the terms of service, a contract would have included termination of service protocol. And was the service approved by the board? How do you approve the expenditures contained in a handshake?

Did our village board really plan and contract for consolidation of IT services without even notifying, or soliciting input from, the current provider of an integral part of it? If so, why? Though it would not justify his abrupt cancellation, I can see why he would be miffed.

Lastly, miffed or not, the unprofessional immediate cancellation demonstrates a serious lack of concern for the community – not becoming of any supplier and certainly not of an elected representative.

Elections found this network to be in violation of the Campaign Disclosure Act for not including the required “paid for” attributions and colluding with candidates, in violation of Illinois law. Despite multiple Board rulings, the publications continue to print and candidates, such as my opponent, continue to conduct interviews.

This is not about the First Amendment – I undoubtedly respect one’s right to free speech. This is about a super PAC going to extreme lengths to mislead readers in order to push a political agenda. It’s unacceptable if these papers and their participants, such as my opponent, continue to break the law.

Campaign finance and ethics laws were put in place to increase transparency and decrease undue influence by wealthy special interest groups. Residents deserve better.

In the spirit of running an ethical and legally compliant campaign, I ask all candidates to sever any communications with the Will County Gazette and DuPage Policy Journal because voters deserve integrity with their news, not political propaganda masquerading as news.

only market the community, it also gives the MEDC the opportunity to showcase MEDC members. This creates added value and exposure to our professional community and all MEDC members and Montgomery businesses.

Weblinx is a local web design and digital marketing firm in Oswego. The company was founded and surrounded by a specialized team of visionary designers with an extraordinary passion and creativity.

I could not have asked for a better team of professionals.

If we happen to have missed anything or you would like additional data, please do not hesitate to call the office, send an email or write a review. Please be sure to visit our website at montgomery-illinois.org and give us your review.

Charlene Coulombe-Fiore

Executive director, Montgomery Economic Development Corporation Montgomery

From a gold card holder

To the Editor: Just received the exclusive, limited edition gold Trump membership card for a meager Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant campaign donation. It will allow entrance State Senate, 49th District to venues put on by Mr. Trump who will mesmerize other gold card members with the New MEDC website online best words ever. This card will weed out the To the Editor: Mike Sheahan losers who don’t understand the message.

The Montgomery Economic Development Oswego While reading from a TelePrompTer that is Corporation (MEDC), recently had its entire screaming at him to stay on topic, Mr. Trump website redesigned by Weblinx. The original Papers aren’t real papers will tell it like he sees it. You won’t hear that site was created by Weblinx back when the To the Editor: recycled politically correct mumbo jumbo Many residents have noticed two new publi- corporation was first formed in 2003. The coming out of his mouth. Those sitting in cations – the Will County Gazette and DuPage new site is more mobile and user friendly. the audience will be wearing finely crafted Policy Journal – arriving at their doorstep re- It’s quicker and easier to navigate, and the Chinese imported “make America great cently. Unbeknownst to readers these papers redesign adds a fresh look. I couldn’t be any again” hats, and will be angered hearing that happier and sincerely appreciate the continare actually political mailings – intentionally a potential candidate for president will overued support and work that Weblinx has done designed to look like weekly newspapers – turn the Second Amendment moments after and part of a new network of Illinois publica- for the community over the last decade. reciting the oath of Office.

The site highlights Executive Partners on tions funded by the Liberty Principles PAC, a While dreaming of a Trump steak cooking the home page, board members and all MEDC conservative political group allowed unlimon the grill, card holders will be encouraged members and services throughout the site. It ited contributions and expenditures under that America will be great again because also provides links to a series of village and campaign finance law. candidate Trump will have billions of bricks community activities, maps, resources and The Illinois Press Association, which delivered to the Mexican border to begin represents more than 450 papers throughout links. It provides a community calendar and erecting a wall moments after he recites the has great resources for available land and the state, recently warned readers about oath. This exclusive card will allow you to the “legitimacy, integrity, and intent” of these development opportunities.

• Continued on page 6 The new site also allows the MEDC to not publications and the Illinois State Board of

• REFLECTIONS

Continued from page 4 The word “university” was first applied to collegiate studies in the 1200s.

Speaking of origins, the question mark comes from the first and last letters of the Latin word for question: quaestio.

During several of the Ice Ages, the Sahara Desert was a rich grassland.

You can verify this with your radar gun if you want: The fastest speed at which a giant tortoise can crawl is about five yards a minute.

Back in 400 B.C., Archytas of Tarebtum was reputed to have designed and built the first artificial, self-propelled flying device, a bird-shaped model propelled by a jet of what was probably steam, said to have actually flown some 200 meters.

The most popular form of the card

game of bridge was thought up by the yachtsman and railroad financier Harold Stirling Vanderbilt – probably on the bridge of his yacht – during a cruise from Los Angeles to Havana in the mid-1920s.

An ancient version of the game of jacks (do kids still play jacks?) originated in Asia and was played with knucklebones of sheep or small animals.

All of the other planets in the Solar

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.

• 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.

• Letters withheld from publication will not be accepted as copy for paid advertisements.

• Elected and appointed public officials who write letters will be identified with their titles listed under their names.

Officials who wish to write letters that are not necessarily representative of their agency’s view should preface their letters accordingly.

Send letters to letters@kendallcountynow.com or Record Newspapers, 109 W. Veterans Parkway, Yorkville, IL 60560.

System could fit inside Jupiter.

Finally, the word “Ye” in such expressions as “Ye Olde Shoppe,” is pronounced like the word “the.” The letter “Y” in Anglo-Saxon indicated the same “th” sound as in the current, modern spelling of the word. Thought you needed to know.

• Looking for more local history?

Visit http://historyonthefox.wordpress.com.

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, August 18, 2016

IT cancellation disturbing

5

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, August 18, 2016

| FORUM

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR • Continued from page 5

A brief list of our country’s problems we can all recognize while the fiddler plays. watch a candidate use the best words to A. Our infrastructure is falling apart tell the world how taxes will be the small- literally. Why? est ever. The card will allow you to sit at B. Jobs on the increase. Yeah. An estiMr. Trump’s exclusive Florida golf course mated 29 million jobs are part-time with and be served Trump wine by imported little or no benefits, like health care or workers from all over the world and be pension. Why? encouraged to vote in what he calls the C. Our military is being forgotten, dismost rigged election of all time. armed of resources it desperately needs.

Yes, America will be great again Why? because it will be run by people with D. Race relations at an all-time low with bonafide degrees from Trump University our police being attacked from all sides. who were taught by the man who makes Why? the best deals ever. Can’t wait.

E. Government keeps getting bigger every year with inept programs and inept Ed Washak people. Why? Yorkville F. Over 40 million people are on food stamps. Why? While the fiddler plays G. Trade deals so bad that we have To the Editor: sold out our companies unable complete.

Our impotent, self-serving Congress is Why? on a seven-week hiatus, while the country H. Taxation with little representation. is going to hell.

Killing our incentive to make a difference.

These part-timers who collect big salWhy? aries and pensions could care less about So folks, when you go to the voting the state of this country. booth, have a good cry because it just Their goal in life is to get re-elected. doesn’t matter much anymore.

These empty suits are so self-absorbed in their own well being, they have forgotten Michael T. Svanovick who, what and why they are representing. Plano

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Resurfacing work started Monday on several streets in Oswego’s Ogden Falls subdivision located just south of the Route 34-Route 30 intersection.

The following streets are being resurfaced: Waterbury Circle, Wingate Court, Wingate Drive, Mandy Lane, Bridgeview Drive, Primrose Lane, Alex Court, Christian Court and Dylan Drive.

Alleys in the subdivision are privately owned and are not included in this project.

The concrete roads east of Ogden Falls Boulevard will be removed and replaced with bituminous (asphalt) pavement. The concrete roads west of Ogden Falls Boulevard will be patched with concrete and not replaced with bituminous pavement since the pave-

ment is in better condition than the roads to the east.

Crews will replace curb and sidewalk ramps in poor condition at selected locations.

During construction, there will be large equipment and trucks in the neighborhood. Motorists are asked to be extra cautious during construction as the workers may not always see or hear vehicles.

Please remind children that they should keep their distance from construction equipment and not play on the equipment.

The contractor is permitted to work between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Monday through Friday. The contractor may work on Saturdays in special situations.

The contractor is scheduled to complete all work by Oct. 14, weather permitting.

If you have questions about this project, contact the village’s representative on this project from HR Green Engineers, David Medo, at 630-768-2490.

Before

LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

Street work underway in Ogden Falls subdivision

7

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, August 18, 2016

| LOCAL NEWS

8 KENDALL COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE DISTRICT

Tax hike referendum idea rejected Board says no to seeking more money on Nov. ballot

By TONY SCOTT tscott@kendallcountynow.com The Kendall County Forest Preserve District Board has voted down placing a referendum on November’s ballot for a tax increase that would help maintain its preserves.

The board voted 7-2 on Tuesday morning against putting the referendum on the November ballot, with Board President Jeff Wehrli and County Board Chairman John Shaw voting in favor of placing it on the ballot, and board members Robert “H.D.” Davidson, Judy Gilmour, Dan Koukol, John Purcell, Scott Gryder, Matthew Prochaska and Lynn Cullick voting against it. Board member Elizabeth Flowers was absent from Tuesday’s meeting.

The referendum would have asked voters for a property tax increase equivalent to 95 cents a year on a $100,000 home, according to Forest Preserve Director David Guritz. The most recent amount of property taxes collected by the district was $545,148, and the increase would have given the district $670,301, according to the referendum documents.

Prior to the vote, Anthony Miceli of Speer Financial, the district’s bond counsel, discussed an upcoming refunding, or refinancing, of bonds originally sold by the district in 2007 as part of the open space referendum approved by voters that year.

The refunding would take place in January or February of next year, and would likely save the county taxpayers $1.8 million in interest over the next 10 years, or around $2.60 per year on a $100,000 home, according to Guritz.

The next elected board would vote on the bond refinancing, according to Guritz. New board members will take their seats in December.

Guritz argued that the cost of the tax increase would be outweighed by the savings realized via the bond refinancing.

At the meeting, Davidson said he was hesitant to vote on a binding referendum, which would require the board to approve the tax increase if voters approved the referendum. He said the forest preserve needs to look at other revenue possibilities before go- Robert ing to the voters for a “H.D.” tax increase.

Davidson “I ain’t saying that the forest preserve don’t need it,” he said. “I’m not saying down the road we don’t need it. I just think we need to be looking. ... We rolled up our sleeves, and I think we’re doing a good job with the budget. We’re getting things more under control. I like the direction we’re headed. I just can’t jump up here and support a binding referendum.”

Wehrli said the referendum question was “to let the voters decide whether they want to fund the forest preserve.”

“It’s not an automatic,” he said.

“This is simply to let the voters tell us what they want, and if you say that you don’t even want to listen to them, then I understand that vote. But that’s what this is about. This isn’t about how you look in front of a voter.”

Wehrli said the district has a balanced budget and that officials have “done a lot of work” to get the finances

in order.

“This is to allow the voters to tell us,” he said. “We’re letting the voters tell us.”

Gryder, however, said he agreed with Davidson. He said it is the first year that the district has had a balanced budget without using interest from their bond.

“I really think it’s premature to go back and ask taxpayers for more money,” Gryder said. “It’s going to add 95 cents to the tax bill, which ends up being $100,000 or so a year which is 10 percent Scott Gryder of our overall budget.

We’re not at a point, I don’t think, where we can go back and ask the taxpayers. We haven’t earned that right yet, to say we need another $100,000 or 10 percent of our budget.

We still have more work to do, and if we get to that point it will be down the road, but we’re just not there yet.”

Gilmour said she was “surprised” that the referendum issue “came up so quickly,” noting that she first saw the binding referendum resolution at a district board meeting last Thursday.

“I don’t feel like we’ve even discussed it as a board,” she said.

Wehrli said the vote wasn’t on a tax increase but to “ask the voters.” He said he hoped there would be “80-some percent or so” registered voters voting in the November election.

“This is a true indication of how they feel... what kind of job we’re doing as a group,” he said. “This is not to say we will take it, this is to ask the voters. That to me is kind of a no-brainer.”

Guritz said the “pressures we are

“We’re not at a point, I don’t think, where we can go back and ask the taxpayers. We haven’t earned that right yet, to say we need another $100,000 or 10 percent of our budget.

We still have more work to do, and if we get to that point it will be down the road, but we’re just not there yet.”

Scott Gryder Kendall County Forest Preserve District Board member

seeing on the forest preserve district are increasing.”

The open space referendum that was approved in 2007 helped the district preserve approximately 2,500 acres of open space, instead of the projected 1,500 acres, partly because of district officials leveraging funds using federal and state grants, Guritz explained.

“Now we’ve got a big job to do out there,” he said. “We’re doing a whole lot now with a little bit. But we have a whole lot more to do. We’ll continue to look for hope in the impossible with that, but we also know that as acres come under restoration we’re going to see declining revenues from cropland leases. And we have more infrastructure out there – trails, buildings, etc. We’re going to be very, very hard-pressed to make it all work in the coming years.”

Following the vote to not place the referendum on the ballot, Wehrli called it a “message to the voters.”

County buys horse for Ellis House in split vote Forest Foundation of Kendall County will reimburse $500 cost

and board members John Purcell, Lynn Cullick and Matthew Prochaska voted in favor of the purchase, while board members Robert “H.D.” Davidson, Scott Gryder, Dan Koukol and Judy Gilmour voted against the purchase.

Candyman’s purchase price of $500 will be reimBy TONY SCOTT bursed by the Forest Foundation of Kendall Countscott@kendallcountynow.com ty, Forest Preserve Director David Guritz told the The Kendall County Forest Preserve Board voted board. narrowly Tuesday to buy a new horse for Ellis House Gilmour asked about past health issues with and Equestrian Center near Minooka.

Candyman. Guritz confirmed that Candyman is The board voted 5-4 to purchase Candyman as a about 16 years old, has arthritis and will need injecnew horse for lessons at the facility. Board President tions twice a year for an annual cost of $500.

Jeff Wehrli, County Board Chairman John Shaw, However, Guritz explained that Ellis uses slower

horses for those taking beginner level lessons.

“We don’t work our horses very hard, because these are beginners,” he said. “Actually we prefer horses that have a little less pep in them in order to teach riders.”

In other horse news, Guritz reported that Shadow, another horse at Ellis, was recovering from a bacterial infection and will be out of service between four and six weeks.

Cullick asked if, by the time Shadow is fully recovered, it would be the slow season for lessons.

Guritz said he was “hoping not,” adding that the Family Fun Day in the fall will help promote the Forest Preserve District’s services.

Complaints about rural banquet halls often go to sheriff’s office, but zoning dept. has jurisdiction

By TONY SCOTT

The Kendall County Board approved a special use permit last month for this farm at 9111 Ashley Road in unincorporated Kendall Township, just south of Yorkville, to become a wedding venue.

The venue will be run by the owners of Whitetail Ridge Golf Club.

tscott@kendallcountynow.com

Tony Scott - tscott@ kendallcountynow.com

the noise ordinance and the regulations on noise for banquet hall facilities, is the noise ordinance is enforced by the sheriff’s office, whereas the regulations on noise for special uses, that’s a zoning matter, so that’s something that our office actually enforces,” Sterrett said.

Sterrett said the sheriff’s office has offered to collaborate with the zoning officials when it comes to such noise complaints.

“It’s difficult for our office when these events are going on, the banquet halls don’t necessarily know they’re in violation of the noise regulations in the special use, so the sheriff’s office has offered to help us with the investigation and documentation if there are any complaints, and take readings of the noise at that specific location,” he said. “And then they would send us that information too, so we can review that and determine if there is a violation of the special use, if it’s something that becomes ongoing, or if it’s something that we need to address and possibly even contact that property owner and let them know that they’re in violation of the special use. I think this is gonna help us out a lot moving forward using the sheriff’s office.”

Sterrett said of the sheriff’s office, “While they can’t enforce the noise ordinance – they can’t issue a ticket or they can’t do any kind of enforcement on their part for that noise that’s exceeding the limit – they can still document it and send it to our office and we’d take that up as a zoning matter.”

Undersheriff Harold Martin said at the meeting that they want to be on the same page with zoning officials.

“We’re here to help the residents when we get a complaint from the resident about the loud music which, they would call us to start with,” he

said. “We would go out to the location where the issue is, and we would take decibel readings from that location. At that point, we would explain to the resident that we would then turn that information over to building and zoning, at which point building and zoning will get involved and I would assume

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Thursday, August 18, 2016

Kendall County zoning officials are talking about coordinating more with the sheriff’s office when it comes to noise complaints about banquet facilities in rural areas.

Banquet facilities in rural areas are becoming more common in the county, used for weddings, baby showers and other events.

Last month, the County Board approved a special use zoning for a new banquet facility planned for 9111 Ashley Road, in a split 5-3 vote, over the objections of neighbors who said such a facility would bring noise and additional traffic to the area. The venue will be owned operated by Ron and Dave Walker, who own the Whitetail Ridge Golf Club on Route 126.

Some residents at the hearing said there had been noise complaints about other rural banquet facilities that had not been addressed.

During a recent County Board Committee-of-the-Whole meeting, board member Scott Gryder, chairman of the board’s Planning, Building and Zoning Committee, acknowledged that the board was unaware of the complaints.

“One of the things that came out of a previous special use hearing is there may have been some folks who had concerns about the noise levels at some of the different banquet halls, and we had no idea that there were those concerns,” Gryder said. “So this was an opportunity for us to talk about it again and talk about how we as a county can get some of that information back.”

Enforcement of noise rules for such rural facilities can be complicated.

John Sterrett, the county’s senior planner, explained that the county’s noise ordinance does not apply to agricultural districts, including areas that have a special use zoning. In other words, it does not apply to those rural banquet facilities.

The facilities do have to abide by noise rules specifically for such facilities that are laid out in the county’s zoning ordinance, Sterrett explained.

However, neighbors who call in a noise complaint about a banquet facility will call the sheriff’s office to make that complaint. The sheriff’s office enforces the county’s noise ordinance, but since the noise ordinance does not apply to agricultural areas, there is little they can do. The noise complaint instead needs to be sent to the county’s Planning, Building and Zoning Department.

“The big difference, too, between

LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

County aims to do better job on noise

9

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| OSWEGO LEDGER

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Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, August 18, 2016

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Have been reunited with their owners in Newark after theft SHAW MEDIA

Photo provided by the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office

Two of the puppies stolen from a Newark barn last Thursday were found in a Chicago park Monday. Another had been found in Warrenville previously. tion regarding this incident should call the agency at 630553-5856 or email detectives@co.kendall.il.us. Those who wish to remain anonymous can contact Kendall County Crime Stoppers at 630-553-5999.

in and develop the currently underdeveloped areas in the downtown corridor.

By creating the TIF, “are you basically funding putting infrastructure in areas that are geologically disfavored?� he asked. “Are there other cost-effective options to conserve and enhance the village? Should some areas that are geologically disfavored be turned into park space?�

At least one resident did get up to speak in favor of the proposed TIF. “I’m in favor of the TIF. It’s an alternate way of doing the financing,� he said. “The bucket’s empty. We have to look toward alternate solutions. I think the world of this village. I like everything about it. We can’t go back [to the way it used to be]. I guess we can make the choice to go somewhere else if we don’t like it. But if this new financing method can bring sewer and water to properties and fix the streets, it should be done. “There are things we need to do in our downtown. It’s not just about infrastructure, but about the old that isn’t working. If we don’t [do something], it won’t just be the infrastructure deteriorating, it will be the community.�

The village board will vote on the TIF’s creation in September or October.

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Thursday, August 18, 2016

Six Black Mouth Cur puppies were stolen from a Newark barn last Thursday, but while three of the puppies were found dead outside a store in Warrenville, the remaining three had been reunited with their owners by Monday evening.

According to the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office, the puppies were reported stolen from a barn in the 16000 block of Route 52 in Newark on Thursday. The following day, three of the puppies were found deceased, but another was found alive and returned to its owner.

Monday evening, the sheriff’s office reported that the two remaining missing puppies were found alive in Chicago. “A good Samaritan located them in a park downtown, and ultimately contacted his veterinarian office to get them checked out,� the sheriff’s office noted in a press release. “One of the veterinarian technicians had noticed that they looked very similar to the puppies that were stolen, and contacted detectives. They were also checked out by the vet, and were found to be in good health.�

The sheriff’s office stated, “The victim was able to positively identify the puppies, and they have been returned home. We would like to express our sincerest gratitude to the public, who thankfully flooded our inbox with tips that proved invaluable in this case. Another special thank you to Duke Animal Hospital in Chicago for remembering these guys, and getting in touch with us!�

The sheriff’s office says those with any other informa-

Continued from page 3

LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

3 of 6 puppies back at home

• OSWEGO TIF

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, August 18, 2016

| LOCAL NEWS

12

Police make traffic stops on Speed Awareness Day SHAW MEDIA Local law enforcement agencies recently participated in an Illinois Speed Awareness Day campaign, stepping up traffic stops for speeding and other violations.

The campaign took place July 27 and was designed to “take a proactive approach to promote safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists through both education and enforcement,” according to Cathy Nevara of the Oswego Police Department.

Oswego police made a total of 116 traffic stops, resulting in 89 warnings and 28 citations on that day,

including three arrests, according to Nevara.

Citations included: 24 for speeding; one for operating an uninsured motor vehicle; one for no driver’s license (arrest); two for suspended or revoked driver’s license (arrest). Warnings included 88 for speeding and one for disobeying a stop sign, Nevara said.

Kendall County Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Mrozek said deputies made a total of 44 traffic stops that day, resulting in 27 warnings and 17 citations.

The citations included 16 for speeding and one for an equipment violation, and warnings included 19 for speeding and eight for equipment violations.

Montgomery police made more than 60 traffic

stops, resulting in 20 warnings and 32 citations, including one arrest. The citations included 30 for speeding, one for operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and one arrest for no driver’s license. There were also 20 warnings for speeding, according to Montgomery Police Chief Daniel Meyers.

In Illinois during 2014, speed was the reason for 32.4 percent of all traffic fatalities, Nevara said.

These lives can be easily saved by being aware of vehicle speed and understanding how speeding impacts a crash, according to police.

Visit illinoisspeedawarenessday.org for more information about Illinois Speed Awareness Day.

OSWEGO POLICE REPORTS Arrest two on Joseph Court Oswego police arrested Tywan Jones, 18, of the 300 block of Barnaby Drive, Oswego, and a juvenile on Joseph Court on Aug. 15 at 11:15 p.m. Police said the suspects have been charged with criminal trespass to vehicle.

Trespass arrest Oswego police arrested Kenneth I. Gaston 30, of the 20th block of Surrey Road, Boulder Hill, in the 300 block of Kingston Road on a charge of criminal trespass to residence on Aug. 15 at 12:41 p.m.

worth a combined $7,500 were stolen from a garage in the 30th block of Stonehill Road in Oswego sometime on Aug. 12 or Aug. 13, village police were notified. Police said they are investigating.

Trespass, warrant arrest Oswego police arrested Donald A. Cox, 58, of the 60 block of South River Street, Aurora, on Route 30 at Douglas Road on Aug. 13 at 9:20 a.m. on an outstanding warrant and a charge of criminal trespass to land.

ID stolen TVs stolen from theater A 44-year-old Oswego resident filed an Someone stole two LED televisions from a identity theft report with village police on movie theater in the 90th block of Fifth Street Aug. 13. Police said the incident occurred last in Oswego, village police were notified on September.

Aug. 15. Police said the televisions are valued at $4,400.

Theft reported Oswego police took a report of a theft from Warrant arrest a store in the 2900 block of Route 34 in the Oswego police arrested a 14-year-old on village on Aug. 13.

Manhattan Circle and Century Drive on Aug. 15 at 7:41 p.m. on an in-state warrant.

Trespass arrest Oswego police arrested Rudolph PlumDamage on Dorchester ley, 22, of the 3700 block of Minkler Road, A vehicle parked at a residence in the 200 Yorkville, on a charge of criminal trespass block of Dorchester Court in Oswego was to residence at a residence in the 100 block reported damaged on Aug. 12, according to of Franklin Street in the village on Aug. 10 at village police.

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34

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28, of the 700 block of Elizabeth Street, was injured in a two-vehicle crash on Route 71 at Orchard Road in Oswego on Aug. 10 at 4:53 a.m., village police reported. Police said Bautista was treated for minor injuries at Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora.

Battery investigation Oswego police are investigating an incident in which a 17-year-old female was battered by two individuals at a business in the 2500 block of Route 34 on Aug. 10 at 9 p.m. iPad stolen An iPad valued at $399 was stolen from a classroom at Old Post Elementary School in

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Hit, run crash at OEHS Oswego police took a report of a hit-andrun crash that occurred in the parking lot at Oswego East High School on Harvey Road in the village on Aug. 10 between 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Police said anyone with information on the crash is asked to contact them at 630-551-7300.

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MONTGOMERY POLICE REPORTS gomery, on Aug. 12 at 11:59 p.m. in a parking lot in the 200 block of Sherman Avenue on a charge of driving under the influence.

Police investigate armed robbery

ment warrant for trespassing.

Yorkville police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred in the 200 block of East Hydraulic Avenue in the city’s downtown Aug. 14 at 9:38 p.m.

Police said a male suspect described as African-American, about 6 feet fall and 190 pounds, displayed a weapon and took items from two male victims. Police said the man was wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and had a red bandana over his face.

No one was hurt, according to police.

Police ask anyone with information on the incident to contact them at 630-553-4340.

Traffic violations Miqueul Cervantes, 21, of the 300 block of Warrant arrest Jackson Street, Aurora, driving on a suspendMontgomery police arrested Arasely ed license.

Corona, 27, of the 900 block of Afton Street, Anthony Mendoza, 20, of the 300 block of Aurora, on Aug. 14 at 1:01 a.m. in the 1500 Ogden Falls Boulevard, Oswego, driving on a block of Douglas Road. Police said Corona suspended license. was wanted on a Kane County Sheriff’s Office Juan Aceves, 25, of the 1000 block of South State Street, Aurora, no valid driver’s license. warrant for driving on a suspended license.

Francisco Perez, 18, of the 600 block of Jungles Avenue, Aurora, no valid driver’s Warrant arrest Montgomery police arrested Derrick McK- license.

DUI arrest on Sherman Catalina Campos, 50, of the 1800 block inney, 32, of the 700 block of Oakton Road, Montgomery police arrested Laurisa Rivera, Montgomery, on Aug. 12 at 8:23 a.m. at the of Simpson Court, Montgomery, no valid 43, of the 100 block of Webster Street, Mont- police station on an Aurora police departdriver’s license.

– Oswego Ledger

KENDALL COUNTY SHERIFF’S REPORTS

Bristol garage burglary Someone forced their way into a garage at a home in the 0-50 block of Larkspur Lane in Bristol on Aug. 15 at 2 p.m. and stole a pressure washer and two air compressors, according to the county sheriff’s office.

Phone threats reported A Boulder Hill resident told county sheriff’s deputies that she received threats over the telephone on Aug. 15. The victim, however, declined to sign complaints. Police said they the investigation is continuing.

Domestic arrest County sheriff’s deputies arrested Jason Michael Doyle, 38, of the 9300 block of Route 34, Yorkville, on two counts of domestic battery and resisting a peace officer at his residence on Aug. 14. Police said Doyle battered another individual and resisted arrest which resulted in a struggle.

Harassment by text A Boulder Hill resident told county sheriff’s deputies on Aug. 15 that she has been receiving harassing text messages. Police said they are investigating.

Route 47 at Corneils Road in Bristol Township on Aug. 15 at 7:03 a.m. Police said Proffitt was issued citations for driving on a suspended license, speeding and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

DUI charge in wreck County sheriff’s deputies arrested Mauro Alberto Vasquez-Ojeda, 39, of the 2100 block of Light Road, Oswego, after the vehicle he was driving was involved in an accident in the 5000 block of Route 34 in Oswego Township on Aug. 14 at 2:53 a.m. Police said Vasquez-Ojeda was charged with driving under the influence.

Respond to domestic County sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic battery incident in the 12000 block of MItchell Drive in Little Rock Township on Aug. 14 at 1:49 a.m. Police said the three subjects involved claimed to have been pushed by one another but declined to sign complaints.

Missing juvenile located Sheriff’s deputies assisted Aurora police in locating a missing female juvenile in the 30th block of Cannonball Trail in Bristol on Aug. 11 at 2:29 a.m. Police said the missing girl was found with two other girls, who were all released to their parents without incident.

Domestic battery charge County sheriff’s deputies arrested David Kendal Toma, 49, of the 8000 block of Van Emmon Road, Yorkville, on Aug. 11 at 10:30 a.m. at a campground in the 8000 block of Van Emmon Road in Bristol Township on a charge of domestic battery.

Plano man arrested Sheriff’s deputies arrested Billy Lee Thiele, DUI arrest 32, of the 600 block of West School Street, County sheriff’s deputies arrested David Plano, after stopping his vehicle Aug. 13 at 9:16 Kendal Toma, 49, of the 8000 block of Van Emp.m. on a charge of driving under the influence. mon Road, Yorkville, after stopping his vehicle on Aug. 11 at 11:55 a.m. on Landmark Road at Three citations issued Route 47. Police said Toma was charged with County sheriff’s deputies ticketed Kevin driving under the influence.

James Flynn Proffitt, 23, of the 2400 block of Durness Court, Crest Hill, after stopping his ve- Battery arrest hicle for traveling 78 mph in a 55 mph zone on County sheriff’s deputies arrest Alan Fernan-

do Hernandez, 22, of the 300 block of North Center Street, Plano, in the area of Millington Road and Finnie Road on Aug. 11 at 8:30 p.m. on a charge of battery. Police said Hernandez allegedly struck another individual multiple times while traveling in a vehicle.

Damage on Wyndam Someone knocked out the right rear window of a vehicle parked in the 10-20 block of Wyndam Drive in Boulder Hill, county sheriff’s deputies were told on Aug. 11. Police said they are investigating.

Vehicle burglary A vehicle parked at a home in the 0-10 block of Ashlawn Avenue in Boulder Hill was reported burglarized on Aug. 11, the sheriff’s office said. Police said they are investigating.

Traffic violations Gabriel Ramirez, 47, of the 700 block of Superior Street, Ottawa, driving without a valid license.

Treveon D. Miles, 19, of the 1600 block of North East Drive, Aurora, no valid driver’s license, speeding and no valid registration.

Kibbey-Bitner

Wedding Mr. and Mrs. Marc Kibbey of Wheaton, IL announce the engagement of their daughter, Sara Elizabeth Kibbey, to James William Bitner, son of Jonathon & Pamela Bitner, Sr. of Oswego, IL. The future bride will graduate from Cleveland State University in May 2017 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing.

The future groom is a 2016 graduate of Cleveland State University and received his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting.

He is currently

employed with Sherwin-Williams as an Internal Auditor.

A June 2017 wedding is planned.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

98 mph on Rt. 31 County sheriff’s deputies attempted to stop a motorist driving 98 mph on southbound Route 31 in the area of Anchor Drive in Oswego Township on Aug. 10 at 11:59 a.m. Police said deputies pursued the vehicle for about three miles but eventually terminated the chase.

The incident remains under investigation, according to police.

13

LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

DUI in police station parking lot Montgomery police arrested Brandon Duarte-Arreola, 20, of the 400 block of Harrison Avenue, Aurora, on a charge of driving under the influence and driving without a valid license Aug. 11 at 10:43 p.m. in the parking lot of the police station at 10 Civic Center Avenue. Police said a witness told them that he began to follow Duarte-Arreola’s vehicle after observing it driving erratically. Duarte-Arreola told police he thought he was following a friend when he drove into the police station parking lot where he was arrested.

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Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, August 18, 2016

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Aquatic park rescue just a drill

Photo provided

Lifeguards assist paramedics during the emergency drill at the Civic Center Aquatic Park in Oswego. with working hand-in-hand with each other. Trainings like this help to highlight the signs and symptoms of a heart attack while educating all on how to perform lifesaving acts, according to the fire district.

Photo provided

A Buddy Bench, provided by the Rotary Club of Oswego, at Churchill Elementary.

‘Buddy Benches’ arrive at schools OSWEGO LEDGER Buddy Benches were offered to every elementary schools in District 308 this past summer in partnership with the Rotary Club of Oswego. A total of five schools jumped at the opportunity to have these benches placed on their playgrounds.

Buddy Benches are used during recess for students who are looking for a friend to play with. Children can be a good buddy and invite those sitting on the bench to join in their games.

Five local schools agreed to enter into partnership with the Rotary Club of Oswego. Churchill, East View, Fox Chase, Grand Park and the Wheat-

lands have all had their benches delivered and are in various stages of installation.

“Will it build goodwill and better friendship?” is the third question of the Rotary Four-Way Test. The FourWay Test is the guiding principle under which all Rotary clubs operate.

The Buddy Benches project was a way for the Rotary Club of Oswego to share with younger members of the community the importance of building goodwill and friendship with one another.

“The Rotary Club of Oswego is grateful to all the schools who partnered with us to make this project happen,” said a news release from the group.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

The Oswego Fire Protection District partnered with the Oswegoland Park District Lifeguards and Rush-Copley Medical Center in a joint emergency response drill that simulated a swimmer experiencing a heart attack at the Civic Center Aquatic Park in Oswego on Aug. 3.

This drill was performed with zero knowledge from the rescuers involved prior to the event. The event unfolded during business hours while patrons were enjoying the pool.

According to the fire district, the park district lifeguards recognized the situation, responded in an exemplary fashion and made a smooth transition of treatment to fire district personnel once they arrived on the scene. Transfer of care to emergency staff at Rush-Copley Medical Center was accomplished efficiently and effectively. All aspects of patient care exceeded expectations, delivering optimal care while increasing the survivability of the patient, according to the fire district.

Hosting trainings and partnering with different agencies in drills like this allows each agency to get familiar

LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

OSWEGO LEDGER

15

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, August 18, 2016

| LOCAL NEWS

16

Montgomery Fest provides fun and thrills OSWEGO LEDGER

Montgomery hosted its annual community party and, as in past years, large numbers of area residents of all ages turned out to enjoy it.

Held Friday through Sunday in the village’s historic downtown, Montgomery Fest featured many popular attractions including live music, fire department water fights, a carnival, parade, vintage auto show, business booths and carp fishing derby.

Activities were capped off Sunday evening with a large fireworks display along the banks of the Fox River.

The fest is organized every year by the village with the support of the business community and local civic organizations.

RIGHT: Addison Kamp, 2, of Oswego hitches a ride on the slide with big brother Jackson on Saturday afternoon at Montgomery Fest. BOTTOM LEFT: Whiskeyfist entertains the crowd Saturday afternoon at Montgomery Fest. BOTTOM RIGHT: Montgomery fireman Bill Gatske works the nozzle with Jeremy Doonan on the hose during water fights Saturday at Montgomery Fest.

Photos by ERIC MILLER • emiller@shawmedia.com

17

LOCAL NEWS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

TOP LEFT: Noah Ramos, 3, of Cortland came to Montgomery Fest dressed to assist firefighters during the water fights. TOP RIGHT: T.J. Martin, 3, of Montgomery, tries on fire gear while his mom takes a picture. BELOW: A 1964 Studebaker Lark Cruiser drew looks at Montgomery Fest classic car show Saturday. Oswego residents Doris and Tim Kehoe exhibited the vintage auto at a car show hosted by St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Boulder Hill. Those with special interest vehicles – cars, trucks, motorcycles, even tractors – were invited to display them at the church’s first Midwest AutoFest and Cruise for Christ.

Photo provided by Al Benson

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Thursday, August 18, 2016

Photos by Eric Miller - emiller@shawmedia.com

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, August 18, 2016

| SPORTS

18

GOLF ROUNDUP

Oswego boys take 4th at invite OSWEGO LEDGER The Oswego boys golf team opened the season on Monday at the Plainfield North Invite at Whitetail Ridge in Yorkville and took fourth place in the 16-team tournament with a 321.

Craig Schlegel finished fourth overall with a 75 while Tommy Falcone was ninth with a round of 78. Kobe Taylor (83), Mason Lee (85) and Matt Ogilvie (85) also competed.

Visiting Angels of Plainfield is looking for experienced caregivers.

If you love working with seniors call 815-254-0152 or fax resume to 815-254-0175

Oswego continues play on Thursday at Blackberry Oaks for the Panther Stableford.

Oswego JV: The Panthers finished fourth in the first tournament of the year at Blackberry Oaks.

In a modified stableford, Waubonsie Valley took first with a score of 191, Naperville North and Lincoln-Way Central finished tied for second with 188.

Parker Mullen of Naperville North was medalist with 65 points.

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Local youth compete in JP Sports All-Star event

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Photo provided

Yorkville residents (from left) Christian Mulder, Nathan Craft, AJ Baron, Quinn Ward, Frankie Pavlik, Kamden Muell and Alex Rios participated in the JP Sports All-Star Weekend in Wheeling on Aug. 12-14. The five Kendall County Rebels players and two Yorkville Fury players were selected after earning MVP honors at a JP Sports tournament in Aurora earlier this spring. Baron, Pavlik, Craft and Ward also finished second in the Around the Horn competition at the JP Sports All Star Weekend.

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Harnish delivers ceremonial first pitch at Cougars’ NIU Night

By JESSE SEVERSON

“I was incredibly nervous.

I hadn’t thrown a baseball in years, so I was incredibly nervous walking out there, but it seemed like it went OK. ... I was literally sweating, and I’m not a sweater by nature. I’m out there and I couldn’t even breathe, barely.”

Chandler Harnish

GENEVA – Chandler Harnish put Northern Illinois football on the map with his arm and legs.

Despite having his playing days in the past, the former dual-threat quarterback used both on Aug. 11 at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark.

Scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for the Kane County Cougars, Harnish was stuck in the passenger seat during pregame traffic and simply got out and ran to the field in time to deliver a strike to a cheering crowd at NIU Night.

“I was incredibly nervous,” Harnish said. “I hadn’t thrown a baseball in years, so I was incredibly nervous walking out there, but it seemed like it went OK. ... I was literally sweating, and I’m not a sweater by nature. I’m out there and I couldn’t even breathe, barely.”

Harnish said he was planning on going with a group of friends to NIU Night and laughed that a couple of friends suggested his name a few weeks ago to the Cougars staff to throw out the first pitch.

There were plenty of fans and well-wishers for Harnish on hand, some congratulating him on a perfect throw as he walked back up to the stands. NIU alum Pam Kluber sat in the front row on the first-base side and smiled as she talked about seeing Harnish play quarterback for the Huskies from 2008 through 2011.

“I just remember him being awesome,” said Kluber, who graduated in 1981. “He’s very approachable. When there’s an approachable athlete, it’s nice. Some of them get on their high horse and forget where they came from, but not him.”

It’s the second or third time Harnish has thrown out a first pitch, he said – however, his hometown Fort Wayne TinCaps had him throw a football instead.

“It’s more my element, so I’m not as nervous,” he said with a laugh. “I think tonight might have been the first baseball throw.”

The former football, basketball and track star out of Norwell High School

Former NIU quarterback “I don’t think coaching for a profession is in the cards for me. I think coaching at the younger levels – whether it’s youth football or at high school – I think is my platform, I think the Lord gave me the chance to affect younger people through sports and athletics and just making the world a better place. ... That’s kind of the plan right now.”

However, he put his fingerprints on DeKalb with his play as the star quarterback for the Huskies when they began their stretch of six consecutive Mid-American Conference West championships. He still is the all-time leader in passing yards (8,944 yards) and passing touchdowns (68) – to go along with 2,983 rushing yards and 24 rushing touchdowns.

He led the Huskies to a combined record of 22-6 in his final two seasons, earning the Vern Smith Leadership Award for the best player in the MAC his senior season.

After being selected with the last pick of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, he spent three years with the team before being released.

“Then you started to realize the business side,” he said. “I had the dream come true for a few years, then you realize it’s a business.”

He still bounced around for a few teams – he joined the Minnesota ViMary Beth Nolan for Shaw Media kings midseason in 2014, even living Former Northern Illinois quarterback Chandler Harnish jokes with his receiver, Kane with former teammate Trevor Olson, County Cougars outfielder Ferard Hernandez, during the Kane County Cougars’ NIU Night who was coaching at the University on Aug. 11 at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva. Harnish said he was nervous throwing of Minnesota, but Harnish got hurt, out the ceremonial first pitch. signed with the Cardinals and eventually was released. although his playing days are done, (Indiana) said he gave up baseball By then, he said he knew it was he still keeps his foot in the water by after his freshman year, deciding intime to fall back on Plan B – using stead on track – where he placed sixth coaching. his business degree and returning to “I train quarterbacks on the side, in the state in discus his junior year.

DeKalb. it’s sort of a hobby for me. It allows Harnish, 28, now is adjusting to “By that point, moving around me to stay close to the game and anlife after football. He’s living with and living out of a suitcase got real former NIU teammate and ex-Atlanta other excuse for a workout,” Harnish old,” he said. “That’s when I had the Falcons linebacker Pat Schiller and said. realization and it came to an end is working in business and sales with However, asked if he would be when they released me in the preseaPinkston-Tadd, Inc., an industrial interested in coaching in college – son, and that’s all she wrote. I have no roofing company in DeKalb. However, perhaps NIU – he laughed. regrets.”

Thursday, August 18, 2016

jseverson@shawmedia.com

SPORTS | Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com •

BLAST FROM THE PAST

19

Oswego Ledger / KendallCountyNow.com • Thursday, August 18, 2016

20

SPORTS BOYS GOLF

FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT

Juniors Behnke, Hwang lead Oswego East in opening round action

By KRISTIN SHARP ksharp@kendallcountynow.com The junior class is showing the future of Oswego East boys’ golf is bright – now the young Wolves just need a little time to acquire varsity playing experience.

Oswego East junior Sam Behnke is the lone returning player from last year’s top four. Junior Alex Hwang is back in the lineup after gaining some varsity experience in the final few matches of the 2015 season. Junior newcomers Brian Dorn and Collmann Aaron are also showing early consistency to fill out the Wolves’ scorecard.

“We’re young this year and we’re going to take our lumps sometimes. We’re just trying to improve every match, dual or tournament and get more consistent scoring,” said Oswego East coach Jim Vera.

Oswego East comes off one of its better seasons in program history, finishing with a 7-2 dual record and third place in the Southwest Prairie Conference.

“We talked right after tryouts that this year we want to do better in the conference tournament. Last year we finished second after losing to Minooka by one stroke, but we ended up fourth in the tournament. There’s so much importance on that tournament,” Vera said.

“This year I’d like to finish in the top three in the conference tournament.”

The Wolves opened the season with Monday’s Plainfield North Invite and shot a 344 to place 12th in the 16-team tournament. Kaneland won the event behind Will Marshall’s medalist round of 73 at Whitetail Ridge in Yorkville.

Behnke led the Wolves with an 81 and Hwang finished with an 81.

On Tuesday, Oswego East faced West Aurora in the first dual match of the season and lost 175-163. Behnke and Hwang finished with 41s to lead the Wolves.

“They’re both really good players and they’re really intelligent golfers and I think they’re going to be fine by the end of the year,” Vera said of Behnke and Hwang.

Oswego East continues the season on Thursday at the Panther Stableford at Blackberry Oaks, and will open the SPC season with a home match at Fox Bend on Aug. 24 against Romeoville.

“We’ve got our work cut out for us, but we’re just hoping to have more good days than bad days,” Vera said.

David Toney for Shaw Media

Oswego East’s Sam Behnke putts on the 12th green Tuesday against West Aurora in the first dual match of the season at Fox Bend in Oswego. The Wolves lost 175-163. Behnke led the Wolves with an 81. For more photos from the match, visit KendallCountyNow.com.