Woodstock Independent 1/15/25

The Woodstock

Groundhog Day merchandise is in Woodstock stores now

‘Overwhemingly positive’

Election Center in Woodstock prepares for second campaign season

By Larry Lough NEWS@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

As they prepare for local elections in 2025, voters should know McHenry County’s Election Center in Woodstock was a huge success in November for its first election.

Woodstock woman writes bio of actor Lionel Barrymore

“Things went remarkably well,” County Clerk Joe Tirio said last week. “The feedback from voters was overwhelmingly positive.” Tirio said voters liked that the center at 401 S. Eastwood Drive, a former Aldi Foods store, was easy to

find and easy to access. The groundfloor entry is ADA compliant and easy for wheelchairs to use.

“There are no barriers to access,” Tirio said. “That, to me, was a huge selling point.”

After Aldi opened a new store on

‘A snapshot in time’

Volunteers needed to preserve a prairie gem

By Eileen Millard NEWS@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

It’s just a small, one-acre plot of land along Queen Anne Road near Pheasant Lane, north of

Woodstock. But the Queen Anne Prairie Eckert Cemetery preserves Illinois history in two important ways. It is a memorial to early settlers and also a patch of original Illinois prairie that is fast disappearing. The Land Conservancy of McHenry County is working to preserve both.

This photo of the Queen Anne Prairie Eckert Cemetery, taken in winter, shows remnants of vegetation that can completely hide the cemetery from view in the summer, if not properly managed. The sign was damaged in a previous controlled burn.

‘A snapshot in time’

“It is a cultural landmark because of the settlement factor and as a remnant prairie ecosystem, important from an ecological standpoint,” said Megan Oropeza, restoration ecologist for TLC.

Finding original Illinois prairie that has never been altered by being plowed and farmed is akin to finding

See CEMETERY, Page 4

PUBLIC SAFETY LOG

Woodstock Police Department

n Tavon A. Jones, 29, transient, was arrested Dec. 13 on South Eastwood Drive on charges of aggravated battery to a peace officer (three counts), aggravated battery in a public place (two counts), resisting a peace officer, and criminal trespass to land. Transported to McHenry County Jail. Court date Jan. 9.

n Cynthia Newman, 28, transient, was arrested Dec. 15 on Irving Ave. on a charge of battery. Released with notice to appear in court. Court date Jan. 16.

n Kayla G. Williams, 29, Woodstock, was arrested Dec. 15 on Irving Avenue on charges of domestic battery (two counts). Transported to McHenry County Jail. Court date Jan. 14.

n Tavon A. Jones, 29, transient, was arrested Dec. 19 on South Eastwood Drive on charges of criminal trespass to building, resisting a peace officer. Transported to McHenry County Jail. Court date Jan. 9.

Woodstock Fire/Rescue District

Fire Runs indicates units dispatched and what was found at the scene. Ambulance calls of Woodstock Fire/Rescue District are reported here in number only.

EMS calls for Jan 2-7: 97

Fire Runs

SStructure Fire: 1

Outside Rubbish Fire: 1

Combustible/Fire, spills & leaks: 2

Electrical wiring/equipment problem: 1

Person in distress: 2

Smoke, odor problem: 1

Public service assistance: 18

Cover assignment, standby fire station, move-up: 1

Dispatched and cancelled en route: 1

Wrong location no emergency found: 1

Unintentional system/detector operation (no fire): 3

Total: 129

IN BRIEF

Sheriff’s Office reports

holiday traffic

citations

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office reported more than 165 arrests and citations during its traffic safety campaign Dec. 13 to Jan. 2, when motorists were reminded to buckle up and drive sober.

During the campaign, the sheriff’s deputies made one DUI arrest and issued:

• 13 seat-belt citations

• 4 suspended/revoked license citations

• 1 no valid driver’s license citation

• 16 uninsured motorist citations

• 74 speeding citations

• 7 suspended registration citations

• 1 Scott’s Law citation

• 11 electronic communication citations

• 38 other various citations

. The “Click It or Ticket” and “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” mobilization was conducted by the Sheriff’s Office and other state and local law enforcement agencies across Illinois to reduce highway fatalities.

OBITUARIES

Susan M. Anderson, 78

The Christmas and New Year’s Eve enforcement effort is made possible by federal traffic safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation and is part of statewide enforcement campaigns.

Woodstock fire district seeks firefighter applicants

The application deadline is Jan. 27 for a full-time career firefighter with the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District.

Current starting salary ranges from $74,678.67, for a firefighter/EMT to $82,146.53 for a firefighter/paramedic $82,146.53, with increases due, May 1,.

To fill out an application and schedule a written test, go to nationaltestingnetwork. com, select Firefighter Jobs, and sign up for the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District test.

The website includes:

• All information related to the position and details about the testing process;

• An opportunity to take online practice tests;

• Scheduling for a convenient test time. Tests are offered multiple times a week.

Candidates who attain a passing score will be placed in the department’s pool of candidates eligible to continue the selection process.

Applicants must be between 21 and 35 as of Jan. 27, have a valid driver’s license and an EMT License or NREMT Certification, be a high school graduate or have a GED equivalent, have no felony convictions, and be of good moral character. There is no residency requirement.

The selection process includes an oral interview, background investigation, psychological exam, and medical exam.

CORRECTIONS/CLARIFICATIONS

n In last week’s issue of The Woodstock Independent, we misspelled the last name of Laura Cullotta, Rotary Club president and chair of the Christmas Clearing House. We regret the error.

Susan M. Anderson

Susan M. (Jacobs) Anderson went to her heavenly home on Jan. 8, 2025, surrounded by her loving family after a brave fight with leukemia. She was truly a gift from God to all who knew her. Sue was born on April 13, 1946, in Rockford, Ill., to Ben and Lois (Speed) Jacobs. Sue’s childhood was spent on dairy farms around northern Illinois. She was the oldest of Ben and Lois’s five children. She is survived by all her siblings, Lloyd (Barbara) Jacobs, Linda Rupp, Ben (Sue) Jacobs Jr., and Lora Jacobs. She graduated in 1964 from Woodstock High School, where she made many lifelong friends and met her future husband, Ronald (Ron) Anderson. On May 1, 1965, she and Ron were married at Grace Lutheran Church in Woodstock. They settled in Woodstock, where they raised their children, Michael (Jeannine) Anderson and Elizabeth “Beth” (Scott) Voigt, and later enjoyed time with her grandchildren, Josie and Katie Anderson, and Jacob and Avery Voigt. She is also survived by her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Suanne and Dale Habbley; many nieces

and nephews; and hundreds of friends around the world. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ron; her parents, Ben and Lois; her brother-in-law Ken Rupp; and her nephew, Keith Rupp.

After high school, Sue worked as a clerk at the McHenry County Courthouse. When her children were young, she worked part time selling Avon products and for the McHenry County Fair. The final step in her work life was in the finance department for the city of Woodstock, where she spent 25 years. During her working career she developed many close friendships that she maintained up until her passing.

During her working years she was also very active in the community. Some of her main causes were working as a leader for Awana Clubs, Child Evangelism, “Good News Clubs,” and on the mission’s board at Woodstock Bible Church. Those activities encompassed two of her main passions in life, helping children and sharing her love of her savior, Jesus.

After retiring at the age of 60, she spent her time doing what she loved most: traveling, serving others, and being with the people she loved the most, her family and friends.

From beginning to end, her life was filled with service to the Lord and to others. Some examples include spending nine summers serving in English Bible Camps in Poland with International Messengers, 27 years serving as an AWANA

Club leader, and helping to start and run the BREAD program at her church to feed people in the community. God gave her a gift to see what people needed most and the love in her heart to take action to meet those needs. Sue was there for many people in their moments of need. Being diagnosed with acute Myeloid leukemia in 2021 slowed her down a bit, but she was still active with her church, her friends, and helping those in need until the end. Sue will be greatly missed by all of those who were lucky enough to know her and be blessed by her.

A visitation will be held at Schneider, Leucht, Merwin & Cooney Funeral Home, 1211 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock, on Wednesday Jan. 15, 2025, from 3 to 7 p.m. The visitation will continue Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, at Grace Fellowship Church, 200 Cairns Court, Woodstock, from 10:30 a.m. until the 11:30 a.m. funeral service. The luncheon to follow the funeral service is at Grace Fellowship Church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Sue’s name to the charity of your choice. Some of Sue’s favorites were Moody Bible Institute, Grace Fellowship Church in Woodstock, and International Messengers missionaries serving in Poland.

For information contact the Schneider, Leucht, Merwin & Cooney Funeral Home, Woodstock, at 815-338-1710 or visit slmcfh.com.

CENTER

Lake Avenue, the 16,500 square feet on Eastwood Drive sat empty for two years as owner Sam Markos and the city looked for a tenant along the highway (Route 47) that will be torn up for much of the next two years for widening and improvements, with upgraded lighting and landscaping. Last year the City Council approved a special use permit to allow a government office in an area zoned for a shopping center, and the new Election Center opened in September after about $300,000 in renovations.

The county has a seven-year lease on the building with an optional three-year extension.

Primary voting underway

According to the clerk’s website, early voting will begin this week for the Feb. 25 Republican primary elections in Algonquin, Grafton, and Nunda townships. Because the Election Center is a universal voting site, any registered voter in the county may use it.

The Woodstock area has no primary elections this year but will have city government and Board of Education seats on the April 1 Consolidated Election ballot. Early voting will begin Feb. 10.

Changing voting habits

Tirio said voting habits changed toward early voting and vote-bymail ballots during the 2020 COVID19 pandemic, when people feared polls would be closed on Election Day for health reasons or they wouldn’t feel like voting by then.

“Now they favor that way to vote,” the clerk said, “and candidates are encouraging it.”

Tirio said the new office is only an election center and not open to the public year-round, but it’s in use for training poll workers and for testing equipment and technical programs.

People who want to register to vote can visit his office in the County Administration Building, 667 Ware Road; begin the process at his website, mchenrycountyil.org/ departments/county-clerk; or register when they renew their driver’s license.

FIVE INJURED

Two juveniles in this SUV suffered minor injuries late Saturday in a two-vehicle crash at Tryon and Calhoun streets. Three people in a white minivan (in background) involved in the collision also were reported to have minor injuries. All five were taken to local hospitals for treatment. See story on Page 4.

a needle in a haystack. Of the original, unaltered prairie that once covered 21 million acres of Illinois, it is estimated that only 2,100 acres –about 1/100th of 1 percent – still remain as they were when settlers first started to appear. That makes the cemetery a treasure trove for study, seed collection, and research. Older cemeteries often contain prairie land as they have been walled off to farming. Strips of land along railroad tracks are another source, since the land there also could not be farmed.

Ecological importance

Oropeza said the ecological value of the cemetery is “as a reference point for restoring degraded areas back to natural systems … like a snapshot in time for reference. It informs goals for restoration in other areas and seed banks … (with) genetic diversity not found in other areas.”

Oropeza said members of the Land Conservancy have not started collecting seeds from the site as it is in the early project stages.

“Initially, we cleared the brush [of invasive species] in the hope of stimulating seeds that were still viable,” she said, adding that in 2025, TLC would “inventory and compare to a species list that was generated in the ’70s and ’80s at the site, [to see] what is still there and what is new.”

She said TLC also keeps a list of invasive species and where they came from, “as an important part of determining what should be there.”

Ownership vs. stewardship

The land was donated by Henry and Catherine Eckert on Nov. 4, 1852. At the time of the final burial in 1953,

INDEPENDENT

PHOTOS BY ANDREW ROUSEY

One of many gravestones that need to be cleaned and reset.

there were slightly more than 60 people buried there, as well as one dog.

“There is some ownership ambiguity because of difficulty tracking down all owners,” Oropeza said. “We posted our intent to take ownership in newspapers, to try to declare it an abandoned site and [acquire] quit claim deeds.”

TLC encourages any descendants of the original families buried in the cemetery to contact the organization.

In 2022, TLC began the muchneeded work of cutting back the overgrowth of invasive species at the request of two of the descendants of one of the original families.

The site has also been recognized as a Registered Illinois Natural Heritage Landmark. This program highlights the ecological value of the land to encourage owners to voluntarily preserve it and prevent development.

A walk among the tombstones

When the Eckert family donated the land, the deed listed the names of the main family groups who would eventually be buried there. The names can be found on prominent tombstones in the cemetery: Eckert; Frey; Herdklotz; Senger; Schneider; and Sondericker.

The earliest headstones in the cemetery go back to the 1850s. On a tall monument for Peter Schneider, who died in 1885, the symbols carved into

the stone tell a story. Draped material on all four sides represents the veil that separates the living from the dead. An angel carved on one side, under the drapery, can symbolize a guardian of the tomb or the flight of a soul to heaven.

The two clasped hands at the base of the monument can stand for a married couple and can also symbolize a hand bringing the deceased to heaven.

Clearing and controlled burns

“We’ve had … two overgrowth cleanups done in May and October of 2024 … to clear the sumac that had taken over it all,” Oropeza said. Controlled

burns are another tried and true practice for eliminating overgrowth, and they have been performed by volunteers for many years. Oropeza is certified as a controlled burn manager for future burns and hopes to do one soon.

”It depends on vegetation there,” she said. The process of the two overgrowth cleanups done in 2024 might not have left enough vegetation to use for the “fuel” needed for a controlled burn.

Strict safety procedures are used in controlled burns. “We clear the fuel from areas we don’t want to burn to make a safe zone perimeter,” Oropeza said. “We have the tools we need, plus backpack water sprayers and rakes to keep it to the area. We pay attention to wind direction, to predict what a fire will do.”

Work to be done in 2025

In addition to the work of maintaining the prairie land itself, there is cultural preservation work to be done.

“We are interested in partnering with historical societies [for] restoration of the headstones,” Oropeza said. “There were a lot that had vandalism, and headstones [have] fallen over.”

A clipping from the Oct. 12, 1962, issue of The Woodstock Daily Sentinel, Woodstock’s paper at the time, stated:

“A couple of nights ago, vandals entered the Queen Ann (sic) cemetery and knocked over and broke a half dozen tombstones. It is hard to believe that any person would stoop so low to do something like this. Many pioneer citizens of this area rest in this cemetery located on what was once known as Queen Ann Prairie.”

Anyone interested in either prairie or headstone restoration can contact Oropeza at moropeza@conservemc. org

Saturday collision sends five to hospitals

Five people were taken to local hospitals with minor injuries late Saturday after a two-vehicle collision at Tryon and Calhoun streets closed that intersection.

The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District was dispatched to a reported two-vehicle crash at that

intersection at 9:51 p.m., according to a WFRD news release, which reported crews arrived within five minutes to find a T-bone-style collision involving a white minivan and a silver SUV, both of which sustained moderate damage.

Four ambulances were called to the scene to provide patient care and transport, the release said. The white minivan was occupied by

two adult females and a baby, all of whom were taken to Northwestern Medicine Huntley Hospital with minor injuries.

The silver SUV was occupied by four juveniles; two were transported to Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital with minor injuries, and the two others were released at the scene. All roads leading into the intersection were closed during the

n Photo of accident on Page 3.

investigation to ensure the safety of responders and those involved.

The WFRD received assistance from the Marengo Fire & Rescue District and the Crystal Lake Fire/ Rescue Department.

The Woodstock Police Department was investigating the crash.

One of the most prominent grave markers is that of Peter Schneider, who died in 1885.

W I T H

N E W F LO O O R S !

Hours: Mon-Thurs 10-6, Fri 10-5, Sat 10-4

Sundays by appointment only

Contractors Welcome!

2020 S. Eastwood Drive (Rt. 47) Woodstock, IL

815-334-5985 N E W Y E A R

*based on credit approval

American Legion Post 412 invites veterans and their families to attend our monthly meetings located at Dorr Township Building, 1039 Lake Avenue in Woodstock. The meeting is the 4th Monday of every month at 6:00 pm. For 104 years, Post 412 has faithfully been committed to building community, comradery and connection for veterans and their families.

new email address: legionpostwoodstockillinois@gmail.com new phone number: 224-493-5648

GGROUNDHOG ROUNDHOG

DAYS DAYS

Jan 30 - Feb 2

Special Guest, Stephen Tobolowsky – Bing!

New events this year: 5K Run

Groundhog Day the Musical Storybook Players ….and of course Fan Favorites: the Movie Walking Tour Dinner/ Dance at Moose

The Main Event with live groundhog FREE 7am Sunday, February 2nd in the Square

Woodstock, IL •

’Tis the season for health, safety reminders for all

We were lucky last week. The winter storm that dumped several inches of ice and snow on much of Illinois stayed well south of us. All we got were the usual freezing winter temperatures of January.

But this is just mid-January, with two more months of official winter to endure. We might not be so lucky the next time a winter storm visits the Midwest or descends from the north.

So the usual cautions still need to be repeated. Have your furnace cleaned and inspected. Make sure your car is “winterized” with a full tank and clear windshield.

Those are just some of the basics of living with random winter weather. Other reminders were contained in two new reports in last week’s edition of The Independent.

One came from Alex Vucha, public information officer for the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District. He was commenting on the apartment complex

fire in Woodstock just this past Nov. 12 that killed one person and displaced more than 30. The cause of that fire has not been determined.

“As a general reminder, fire safety is essential for preventing tragedies like this,” Vucha said in an email.

“The Woodstock Fire/Rescue District encourages everyone to ensure that smoke detectors are installed and functioning properly, safely dispose of smoking materials, avoid overloading electrical outlets, maintain good housekeeping practices to reduce fire risks, and develop and practice a home escape plan to ensure everyone knows how to exit safely in an emergency.”

As a reminder that such things do happen here, you might recall that two men in their 70s died less than a year ago, in March 2024, in a house fire near Union, which a preliminary investigation indicated was caused by careless smoking. A smoke alarm was found on the floor next to its battery,

investigators reported.

Meanwhile, the McHenry County Department of Health officials reported a significant rise in respiratory illness activity across the county, with both influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) circulating at high levels.

Although COVID-19 was said to be

in moderate transmission, an increase in its transmission had been noted as well.

RSV continues to be of particular concern for young children and vulnerable populations, health officials said. And the first pediatric RSV death of the 2024 surveillance season in McHenry County highlighted RSV’s potential for severe respiratory complications in children and emphasized the importance of preventive measures, such as vaccination for adults 60 and over and nirsevimab antibody for infants, as well as good hygiene practices.

Among other recommendations, adult residents were advised to get vaccinated for influenza, COVID-19, and RSV if eligible.

For more information on respiratory illnesses in McHenry County, visit bit.ly/MCDH-respiratory-surveillance or call the health department at 815-334-4500.

The legacy of Jan. 6 and the Freedom of Speech

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

– U.S. Constitution, First Amendment

“I begin to feel like most Americans don’t understand the First Amendment, don’t understand the idea of freedom of speech, and don’t understand that it’s the responsibility of the citizen to speak out.”

– Roger Ebert

With the decision last week by Meta’s CEO to oust fact-checkers and instead have its members comment when they see something on Facebook or Instagram that’s not true, freedom of speech is enjoying a resurgence these days and accuracy is taking a

back seat. After all, the incoming president, who will be sworn in next week, is all for saying virtually anything without appearing to be concerned about the impact of those words or whether “laws” might be broken because of them.

Case in point: Jan. 6, 2021, which seems like a lifetime ago. That was a day when the equivalent of yelling “fire” in a crowded, non-burning theater was on display with the 45th president’s speech at a D.C. rally of his supporters. Perhaps you’ve forgotten the words that were uttered, words that roused many in attendance to storm

the Capitol and attempt to stop the certification of election results, “Hang Mike Pence” clearly the most frightening phrase shouted by rioters. After a long speech by Donald Trump that incorporated many falsehoods about the 2020 presidential election, his closing words included these “inciteful” sentences: “We fight like hell, and if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore. … we’re going to the Capitol and we’re going to try and give – the Democrats are hopeless. They’re never voting for anything, not even one vote. But we’re going to try and give our Republicans, the weak ones, because the strong ones don’t need any of our help, we’re going to try and give them the kind of pride and boldness that they need to take back our country.” And as the nation watched the attack unfold, so did Trump.

The Jan. 6 House Select Committee’s

final report included these words about that afternoon: “Here’s what President Trump did during the 187 minutes between the end of his speech and when he finally told rioters to go home: For hours, he watched the attack from his TV screen. His channel of choice was Fox News. He issued a few tweets, some on his own inclination and some only at the repeated behest of his daughter and other trusted advisers. He made several phone calls, some to his personal lawyer Rudolph Giuliani, some to members of Congress about continuing their objections to the electoral certification, even though the attack was well underway. Here’s what President Trump did not do: He did not call any relevant law enforcement agency to ensure they were working to quell the violence. He did not call the Secretary of Defense; he did not call the Attorney

Nation, community both divided

No one will be surprised by the suggestion that we live in a politically divided nation. So, it shouldn’t shock anyone that our community is politically divided as well.

As evidence, we received a letter to the editor from an election judge a few weeks before the Nov. 5 election. Just a couple of days later, we got a phone call from someone who wanted to warn us there would be no election Nov. 5.

The emailed letter from the poll worker wanted to assure voters that McHenry County would have a free and fair election. She explained the commitment of other election workers and their extensive training would assure voters they could trust the results.

But we didn’t publish the woman’s letter, though we knew who she was and where she lived (a community near Woodstock). Why not publish it? Because she would not consent to our using her name, and we don’t print unsigned letters. Readers don’t trust them. If you can’t verify the source of a letter, why should you trust anything it says, even if it’s only opinion?

Why would she not want her name on the letter? She feared being harassed by those who don’t trust elections based on unsupported allegations of fraud that question voting

Continued from Previous page

General; he did not call the Secretary of Homeland Security. And for hours on end, he refused the repeated requests – from nearly everyone who talked to him – to simply tell the mob to go home.”

Freedom of speech is a crucial right we have in this country. As Roger Ebert said in the quote above, it isn’t just a right that we have, but rather a responsibility that we speak out. Many did speak that afternoon four years ago, but the Commander-in-Chief didn’t do so until over three hours had passed. And even then, the recorded video message repeated the “Big Lie” about the 2020 election and downplayed the rioting: “This was a fraudulent election, but we can’t play into the hands of these people. We have to have peace. So go home. We love you. You’re very special. You’ve seen

results unless their candidate wins. It happened around the nation after the 2020 election, when poll workers were harassed, threatened and defamed.

(Ask Rudy Giuliani how that worked out for him,)

Hers wasn’t the only pre-election letter we didn’t publish. An unsigned one-page letter, with no name, address, or phone number, came via the postal service. The first line of the letter left no doubt what it was about: “Vote NO on the McHenry County Conservation Tax Levy question on the ballot!” Although the levy was defeated on ballots counted by Election Day, late-arriving vote-bymail ballots and provisional ballots counted after Election Day helped the tax levy prevail. Maybe not enough opponents were willing to publicly stand behind their concerns about the tax. We’ll never know.

The phone call that followed from a Woodstock man suggested there would be no election Nov. 5 based on a conspiracy theory circulating on farright websites.

what happens. You see the way others are treated that are so bad and so evil. I know how you feel, but go home, and go home in peace.” A week later, Donald Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for incitement of insurrection. Now in 2025, he’s preparing for the excitement of an inauguration.

I share this history for two reasons: 1) After four years, some may need a reminder that Jan. 6, 2021, was not a “day of love,” as Trump claimed at a town hall last fall. 2) I think it’s more important than ever that we all exercise our freedom of speech – whether in public protests, letters to the editor, communication to elected officials, blogs, or social media posts that express our opinions. We must do what we can to call out hurtful actions, bring attention to blatant lies, and support elected representatives who put our country’s needs above those of the

The theory was that President Biden would involve the U.S. in a war – maybe World War III – days before the voting, then use the president’s war powers to suspend the election, assuring that Democrats remained in control of the White House.

“Do you know how kooky you sound?” I asked the caller.

His response was to email me “proof” – a couple of links to internet videos that supported the theory he’d been fooled into believing.

“Still think I’m kooky?” he asked in the email.

Of course, I didn’t waste my time watching the videos. The only thing internet videos prove is that videos are available on the internet, providing as much disinformation as real information – maybe more.

To the surprise of no one with common sense, no war was declared and the election occurred Nov. 5 as scheduled.

So, our community has people involved in the election process and will testify (anonymously) as to its integrity, and we have neighbors who believe kooky internet videos.

They live among us.

Larry Lough is editor of The Woodstock Independent. His email is larry@ thewoodstockindependent.com.

new Oval Office occupant. Otherwise, high tariffs may be imposed that raise prices for all of us, insurrectionists may be pardoned no matter the level of their involvement at the Capitol, Ukraine may lose the support it desperately needs in its war with Russia, tax cuts may benefit the wealthy while budget cuts hurt the rest, and nations’ sovereignty (e.g., Canada, Greenland) may be challenged. Without free speech, all those plans may cost us –and the U.S. – dearly.

Paul Lockwood is a communications consultant at Health Care Service Corp. (HCSC) in Chicago, an enthusiastic storyteller, singer, constant punster, occasional local theater actor, active Grace Lutheran Church and Toastmasters member, theater reviewer, and more. Paul has lived in Woodstock for 24 years with his wife, Diane.

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Corrections

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Staff

PUBLISHER EMERITA Cheryl Wormley c wormley@thewoodstockindependent com

PUBLISHER Rebecca McDaniel rebecca@thewoodstockindependent.com

EDITOR Larry Lough larry@thewoodstockindependent com

ADVERTISING Jill Flores jill@thewoodstockindependent com

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Sandy Kucharski sandy@thewoodstockindependent com

COLUMNISTS

Paul Lockwood, Lisa Haderlein, Dan Chamness, Patricia Kraft, Nancy Shevel, Julie Peters

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Andrew Rousey, Vicky Long

CORRESPONDENTS

Tricia Carzoli, Janet Dovidio, Susan W. Murray, Megan Ivers, Lydia LaGue, Eileen Millard, Ruth Raubertas, Caryl Dierksen, Juel Mecklenburg, Seth Rowe, Lisa Kunzie, Jen Nichols

EDITORIAL CARTOONISTS Jim Mansfield, Chip Humbertson

PROOFREADER Don Humbertson CIRCULATION

Beverly Meuch, Dennis Micheletti, Bill Schwerdtfeger, John Wickham

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Woodstock District 200 Education Foundation Presents

2025 Groundhog Silent Auction/ Reverse Raffle

The Woodstock District 200 Education Foundation proudly presents the 2025 Annual Groundhog Day Silent Auction / Reverse Raffle online fundraiser.

MIDDLE

A variety of local business and restaurant certificates, novelty baskets, sports and cultural event tickets, and many unique items will be available for online viewing and bidding. Participants are encouraged to preregister for the event. Instructions below.

There are NO registration fees required to participate.

SILENT AUCTION

Silent Auction Website Access URL: http://groundhogday25.givesmart.com

Keyword Access: groundhog2025

Campaign Text Number: 76278

Silent Auction Bidding Access Begins: Saturday, January 25, 2025 @ 6 p.m.

Silent Auction Bidding Closes: Sunday, February 2, 2025 @ 3 p.m.

To register for Silent Auction Bidding and Donations by desktop, tablet, or smartphone:

1. Visit our D200 Education FoundationSilent Auction Website at: http://groundhogday25.givesmart.com

2. Click Register to participate.

3. Enter the required information to become a Silent Auction participant.

4. Click on Create My GiveSmart Account to finalize the process.

To register for Silent Auction Bidding and Donations by text:

1. Text our campaign “key word” groundhog2025 to 76278

2. Follow the prompts from the texts received.

Successful bidders will be notified by email regarding the procedures for accessing items won after the bidding closes on Feb. 2.

Zone

Northwood Middle School 8th grade

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info@kingstonlanes.com

REVERSE RAFFLE

Reverse Raffle tickets will be available for purchase from any Foundation Board member or at the District 200 Administrative office, 2990 Raffel Road, Woodstock. Reverse Raffle Tickets are $100 with only 100 tickets being sold.

Grand Prize: $2,500 2nd Prize: $250 3rd Prize: $200 4 Prize winners: $150

Student of the Week David Gruett

Woodstock North High School senior David Gruett is the son of Bob and Liane Gruett.

The Reverse Raffle drawing will be held at the conclusion of the Silent Auction on Feb. 2. Prize winners will receive payment within 7-10 business days of the drawing.

Please join us from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. at Ortmann’s Red Iron Tavern for refreshments immediately following the Groundhog Day Prognostication on the Woodstock Square.

His teacher said, “David has come a long way since starting at Woodstock North. He is a hard worker, he learns and applied new skills quickly, and he always puts forth his best effort. He is always kind and considerate of others.”

David has made the high honor roll, Student of the Month, and is the Best Buddies program president. He is involved with NISRA, Special Olympics, and is an active member of his church.

We greatly appreciate your support to raise funds to support unique projects and activities to enhance the education of Woodstock Community Unit School District 200 students.

He said he is motivated by his teacher, Ms. Dalman. “She is a great teacher,” he said. “We have a lot in common and I can relate to her. I’ve always wanted to grow and my future to be bright. I like learning what I am supposed to.”

Tracie Muehler Team 815-482-4909 tmuehler.starckre.com

Schools D200 Impact grant helps Creekside students to learn employment skills

By Janet Dovidio NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Funding from a District 200 Education Foundation Impact Grant will benefit a special group of Creekside Middle School students. They are in the school’s Target Program for students who either have autism or display characteristics of autism. They may have multiple disabilities or health impairments as well.

Teacher Natia Hong has fifthand-sixth graders who are all new to Creekside this year. Hong has served District 200 for 19 years, with 18 years in the Life Skills program. This is her first year to teach in the Target Program.

“Creekside has become one of the most inclusive and accepting schools in our district,” Hong said. “I believe this is because of opportunities, such as this grant, that have allowed my students to

have interactions outside of their classroom. The grant provides the opportunity for teachers, secretaries, administrators, custodial staff, and cafeteria staff to get to know our special students.”

Hong used the grant funds to provide specific vocational experiences, including teaching the students soft skills needed for future employment. Soft skills in the workplace are personal attributes and behaviors that show an employer how well a potential employee works with others.

This past fall, the Target students assembled treat bags with an attached note to deliver to Creekside staff members. In the note, the students told the staff to have a great year. In the spring, the class will offer a free lunch (which is limited to funds available) and will package a simplified lunch using PB&J “Uncrustable” sandwiches that are already prepared, along

Easton Freund delivers a treat bag to Michael Starnes, seventh grade social studies teacher at Creekside Middle School.

COLLEGE CURRENTS

Meadow Santiago on violin 1 for UWWhitewater symphony

Meadow Santiago from Woodstock, who is studying music at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, will perform in the university’s Whitewater Symphony Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra during the 2024-25 academic year.

Santiago plays violin 1 for the group, which includes 42 student musicians.

The group performed at UWWhitewater’s Gala Concert on Dec. 7 in The Young Auditorium. The gala is an annual tradition that features nearly every student ensemble in the university’s Department of Music. All profits from the event support scholarships.

Two locals on dean’s list at Olivet Nazarene U.

with small bags of chips, candy, and bottled water.

This opportunity can take place more than twice a year with additional funding. Hong indicated that the Target students need many opportunities for these vocational skills. They also learn more about self-care and problem-solving. The students become more prepared for the higher level of vocational skills and tasks offered to them in high school and in the transition programs for those aged 18 to 22.

“These experiences build the students’ confidence and make them feel happy about doing something good and having positive interactions with others,” Hong said. “If there is one thing I believe, it is that the students with special abilities are employable and also have so much to offer in the workplace. It is my duty to make sure that I provide and teach all the skills necessary to prepare them for their future.”

Two local students were named to the fall 2024 dean’s list at Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill.

They are Lynette Alsot of Wonder Lake and Meghan Straub of Woodstock.

To qualify for inclusion on the dean’s list, a student must have been enrolled as a full-time undergraduate and must have attained a semester GPA of 3.50 or higher on a 4.0 grading scale.

Maggie Adams on dean’s list at U. of Connecticut

Maggie Adams of Woodstock has been named to the dean’s list at the University of Connecticut for the fall 2024 semester.

Cory Freed on dean’s list at Elmhurst University

Cory Freed of Woodstock was among more than 1,000 students named to Elmhurst University’s fall 2024 dean’s list.

A & E

‘Expertly researched, pleasantly written’

Kathleen

Spaltro’s Lionel Barrymore

bio wins Christmas Eve kudos of Wall Street Journal

By Susan W. Murray NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Carefully timed to run on Christmas Eve when millions of Americans would be watching Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” as part of their holiday tradition, the Wall Street Journal published a glowing review of Woodstock resident Kathleen Spaltro’s “Lionel Barrymore: Character and Endurance in Hollywood’s Golden Age.”

Barrymore’s most memorable role, of course, was as the film’s Mr. Potter, the unscrupulous, greedy banker determined to take over George Bailey’s (Jimmy Stewart) savings and loan and destroy Bailey and his family in the process.

Calling Spaltro’s work an “expertly researched, pleasantly written biography,” reviewer Peter Tonguette adds that Spalto is working on a biography of Lionel’s sister, Ethel Barrymore.

The review was “a nice surprise,” Spaltro said, and “kind friends” sent her copies of the article.

Spaltro – who had been familiar with Barrymore from “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Key Largo,” and “You Can’t Take It with You” – learned more about Lionel as she researched her biography of the actress Mary Astor, with whom Lionel’s brother, John Barrymore, was romantically involved.

While multiple books are devoted to the three Barrymore siblings as the nation’s First Family of acting, “I thought that it was unfair that there was not a biography of Lionel alone,” Spaltro said.

‘A gentleman’

The Barrymore siblings were inheritors of an acting tradition through their parents, Maurice Barrymore and Georgiana Drew Barrymore. The family business endures through Lionel’s great-niece, the actress Drew Barrymore.

“The children were all expected to perform,” Spaltro said, and yet none desired a career on the stage. Lionel and John wanted to be visual artists, and Ethel aspired to be a concert pianist.

Still, all three would go on to acting acclaim, perhaps none more reluctantly than Lionel, who studied painting in New York and Paris. He resorted to acting largely to cover the bills, particularly tax penalties, racked up by his atrocious management of his finances.

Spalto notes in her biography that Lionel suffered from stage fright, finding some relief in acting in silent films where scene composition and lighting interested him, and the practice of retakes provided an antidote for his fear of appearing in front of an audience.

“The most noted of acting clans has found its most able chronicler,” Tonguette concludes.

‘A nice surprise’

Spaltro’s publisher, University Press of Kentucky, had previously alerted the author that the Journal had requested a copy of her book. That was all she knew until the review was published, giving her an early Christmas present.

Lionel “abhorred” the idea of being a romantic lead, Spaltro said, and specialized in character roles.

Lionel’s personal life offered no respite. Two daughters died as babies, and his nearly two-decade marriage to actress Doris Rankin ended in divorce – for which Lionel squarely took the blame in his autobiography, “We Barrymores.” Noting that his desire to escape the theater made him “a difficult person to live with,” Lionel said that it was he who made the marriage “impossible,” calling “the legal

Writing in the Wall Street Journal, reviewer Peter Tonguette says that Kathleen Spaltro “largely succeeds in making a case for Barrymore’s greatness” and hails her as an “empathetic chronicler of his not-insignificant torment” – financial mismanagement, debilitating injuries, and a distaste for his profession.

dissolution of a marriage ... a serious and tragic thing.”

“He was a gentleman,” Spaltro said. “I liked and respected him.”

Working despite a disability

In 1936, when Lionel was 58, he broke his hip and his second wife, Irene, died on

See SPALTRO Page 12

COURTESY PHOTO

Woodstock resident Kathleen Spaltro spent two years watching films and writing on a laptop as she worked on her biography of Lionel Barrymore. Published by University Press of Kentucky, the biography is part of the publisher’s “Screen Classics” series.

Claire came to Helping Paws from a Tennessee hoarding situation with very limited human handling. With the help of other dogs, her true self is coming out. While Claire has gained a little confidence with humans, she is still a work in progress. She really enjoys going out for walks now and even gets excited when outside with humans. She is waiting for a family that understands her and has lots of patience, and hopefully another dog to become her best friend. If you think that’s you, call Helping Paws to meet her!

The McHenry County Historical Society’s Museum is located at 6422 Main St. in Union.

Stop by and stir up your passion for history during the “Hot Chocolate and History” event at the museum Jan. 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free, and attendees can warm up to history with a hot chocolate bar, mini tours, a scavenger hunt, and activities for kids. Visit mchenrycountyhistory.org for more information.

D-200 Musicians of the Month

Adam Holland

Prairiewood Elementary School, 5th

What music activities are you involved in at school and what instrument do you play?

I play the trombone in the PWE band.

What got you interested in music?

I’m interested in music because it’s fun to play, it sounds good, and it brings me joy.

What is your favorite part of participating in band?

I like band because I get to play with friends.

What is your favorite song or musical artist ?

My favorite musical artist is John Williams. Some of my favorite movies play his music and it’s fun to listen to.

Makayla Fashoda

Prairiewood Elementary School, 5th

What music activities are you involved in at school and what instrument(s) do you play?

Chorus and viola

What got you interested in music?

I have always enjoyed singing and listening to music.

What is your favorite part of participating in band/chorus/ orchestra?

I really like the songs and playing my viola is so fun.

What is your favorite song or musical artist ?

I enjoy pop and country music. Really, any music artist that focuses on those.

Noah Hedges

Prairiewood Elementary School, 5th

What music activities are you involved in at school and what instrument(s) do you play?

I’m involved with orchestra and the instrument I play is a cello.

What got you interested in music?

I like the sound of music.

What is your favorite part of participating in band/chorus/ orchestra?

My favorite part of orchestra is to help other people be happy when I play my instrument. Playing an instrument helps me be smart.

What is your favorite song or musical artist ?

My favorite musical artist is Eminem. My favorite song is Godzilla by Eminem and Juice WRLD.

SPALTRO

Continued from Page 10

Christmas Eve at age 49. On top of his devastation at Irene’s death, Lionel later reinjured the hip, jeopardizing his acting career. Perhaps surprisingly, it was MGM head L.B. Mayer who came to Lionel’s rescue, directing that the script of “You Can’t Take It with You” be altered to give a backstory for the character of Grandpa to be on crutches. In “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “Key Largo,” and the hugely popular Dr. Kildare series that ran in movie theaters, Lionel is in a wheelchair, the reasons not detailed in the scripts.

“[Mayer] was loyal to me, so I was loyal to him,” Lionel later explained.

Ironically, one role he lost was as President Franklin Roosevelt, who relied on a wheelchair, in 1947’s “The Beginning or the End.” FDR’s widow, Eleanor, objected to Lionel’s casting because he had chaired the Hollywood for Dewey committee in 1944.

“The public didn’t have any problem with him being in a wheelchair,” Spaltro said. In her book, she speculates that people regard someone who has an acquired disability – from an accident or medical condition –as “one of us,” whereas those who have a disability from birth are regarded as “different.”

A biographer’s tenacity

After a career as a teacher and editor, Spaltro said, she was looking for a retirement project.

“I like the research process,” she said, and found a particular challenge not just with Lionel but all the Barrymores.

“So much of what was written about them was made up or just plain wrong,” she said. “You have to be really tenacious to be a biographer.”

While some records have been digitized, “others are just sitting in a box somewhere.”

Spaltro befriended librarians and archivists all over the country as part of her research. Without them, she said, “the work is

impossible.”

Among those she thanks in several pages of acknowledgements are Woodstock Public Library staffers Angie Baugher, Martha Hansen, Matt Wier, and Kirk Dawdy.

Spaltro took two years to write the book and had an outline mapped out in her mind early on. As she made a connection, such as with Doris Rankin’s grandson from her second marriage, she would add new material or correct what had previously been misreported.

“You have to be constantly on the prowl for the unexplained assumption,” Spaltro said. “You raise an eyebrow every two minutes.”

Failure to renew a copyright

In 1974, when copyright owner Republic Pictures failed to renew the copyright for “It’s a Wonderful Life,” television stations could air the movie repeatedly without paying royalties. And while the film about a man’s descent into despair over the value of his life – and subsequent redemption through the assistance of an angel – became part of the American Christmas tradition, Spaltro rightly notes that it is a “dark” film.

In 2003, participants in an American Film Institute poll voted Lionel’s Mr. Potter among the top 10 most popular movie villains. Before he died, Lionel would play a similar character –Ebeneezer Scrooge – on the radio 17 times, an irony given his own financial difficulties.

And though Lionel only grudgingly became an actor, he is credited with persuading Jimmy Stewart to play George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life” when Stewart was concerned that his years as a flier in World War II had made his acting skills rusty.

“Jimmy, don’t ever forget that acting is the greatest profession ever invented,” Spaltro quotes Lionel. “When you act, you move millions of people, shape their lives, give them a sense of exaltation. No other profession has that power.”

Craig Wilcox shows product and the press that will move into a new production

coming weeks.

New year, changing spaces

My Little Bow Peeps, Gracie Lou’s Boutique, and RWGraphix change spaces

By Tricia Carzoli NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

As the new year begins, the four businesses at 100, 102, and 104 Cass St. are embracing fresh plans to grow and adapt to the businesses’ needs.

“We opened The Thoughtfulness Shop and My Little Bow Peeps Shop in 2020,” owner Craig Wilcox said. “Gracie Lou’s Boutique opened this year in April and RWGraphix production in early 2023.”

Keeping a Presence

RWGraphix is moving its production facility to McHenry to accommodate growth and

increase efficiency.

“We closed on a commercial building in December,” Wilcox said, “which will allow us to enhance production while staying financially sound.”

RWGraphix will move to 4915 W. Elm St./Route 120 in a building zoned C-5 for highway commercial.

“The production will happen there with a new charming retail space,” Wilcox said. “RWGraphix will maintain a presence in Woodstock. Customers can continue to work with us for orders and purchasing. The process will just look a little different.”

Wilcox’s wife, Janice Ricci Wilcox, said that part of the

excitement of the move is that her online merchandise shops will be able to grow with the additional space, and local customers will still be able to buy items easily through RWGraphix.

Customers will not be able to walk over to the space at 100 Cass Street to look at product firsthand, but that space – as well as the space in the back of The Thoughtfulness Shop at 104 Cass St. – will leave room for changes ahead in retail appearance.

As RWGraphix moves out of 100 Cass St., Wilcox said, the vacancy will allow for new opportunities. Wilcox plans to move his large Department 56 collections

See CHANGES Page 15

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

Transactions filed in the McHenry County Recorder’s Office Dec. 13 to 17.

■ Residence At 533 E. Judd St., Woodstock, was sold by The Lyle Roy Hughes Trust, Tucson, Ariz., to Genaro Flores Chagoyan, Woodstock, for $80,000.

■ Residence at 8407 Dorr Road, Wonder Lake, was sold by Eugene Kulichenko, Chicago, to Nicholas Pittser, Wonder Lake, for $154,500.

■ Residence at 9802 Creekside Drive, Wonder Lake, was sold by Grandview Homes 1 LLC, Saint Charles, to Guillermo De La Torre, Wonder Lake, for $335,000.

■ Residence at 3072 Courtland St., Woodstock, was sold by Elston Townhomes LLC, Chicago, to Silvia Verastegui, Huntley, for $215,000.

■ Residence at 347 Washington St., Woodstock, was sold by Damaso Espino, Woodstock, to Juan Leon Vazquez, Woodstock, for $307,000.

■ Residence at 18134 Garden Valley Road, Woodstock, was sold by Justin E. Jerominski, Marengo, to Martin Cendejas, Woodstock, for $315,000.

■ Residence at 1336 N. Madison St., Woodstock, was sold by Amari Iwanski, McHenry, to Maria D. Ayala Lopez, Woodstock, for $225,000.

■ Apartment building at 1018 Rhodes St., Woodstock, was sold by Patricia Wood, Woodstock, to Michael Wood, Wonder Lake, for $50,000.

■ Residence at 1121 Jewett St., Woodstock, was sold by Courtney Klemm, Gurnee, to The Michael Bernstein Trust, Woodstock, for $211,100.

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY TRICIA CARSOLI

location in McHenry in the

Earn a bachelor’s or advanced degree close to home (in downtown Woodstock) from one of our educational partners: Scan the QR code to receive more information about the University Center at MCC. Contact us at any time at: ucenter@mchenry.edu or (815) 479-7600

Visit our website: www.mchenry.edu/ucenter Visit us: 222 East Church Street Woodstock, IL 60098

CHANGES

from the basement space and into the street-level space in February while he considers the long-term use of the leased space that ends in May.

Staying the Same

My Little Bow Peeps Shop, owned by Ricci Wilcox, will remain at 102 Cass St., focusing on children’s clothing and toys.

“We specialize in boutique clothing, gifts, and accessories for infants and young children.” Janice said. “We focus on items perfect for baby showers, cominghome-from-the-hospital outfits, plush toys, and thoughtful gifts. Our boys and girls curated clothing line ranges in sizes from preemie to toddlers.”

My Little Bow Peeps Shop and The Thoughtfulness Shop have an online presence and offer custom orders through Etsy and Amazon Hand-Made, in addition to their brick-and-mortar locations.

Trading spaces

The Thoughtfulness Shop, known for its gift and specialty items, will reorganize its layout to move its cards, housewares, Vera Bradley, soaps, and gift items to the back of the store where the design space

“I’m really excited to grow the boutique,” Ferarrini said. “I’m excited to move to the front of the store, where we can be more visible.”

Ferarrini wants to expand her product and reach for her female customers.

“We love helping women look good, feel good, and have more confidence in themselves,” Ferarrini said. “We carry apparel, as well as shoes, handbags, accessories, and gifts for women of all ages.”

“We are looking to expand our lines and have some exciting events coming this year,” she continued, expressing a desire to work on collaborations and give back to the community.

Ferarrini, Ricci, and Wilcox said they would like to do more collaboration with mother/child attire as the businesses grow into their new spaces.

for custom products once was.

“This allows Jill [Ferarrini, owner of Gracie Lou’s Boutique at The Thoughtfulness Shop] to expand her boutique and gives us the space we need to serve our customers,” Wilcox said.

The Thoughtfulness Shop, My Little Bow Peeps Shop, and Gracie Lou’s Boutique are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and select Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY TRICIA CARZOLI

Jill Ferarrini, owner of Gracie Lou’s Boutique, shares her new, expanded space at The Thoughtfulness Shop.

Community Groundhog Merch is out!

One local business is capitalizing on online sales opportunities

By Tricia Carzoli NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Groundhog Day is just around the corner, and the local shops are getting ready. With excitement already growing, downtown merchants already have some products in stores. The Thoughtfulness Shop, 104 Cass St., is one of the few local merchants offering an online specialty shop specific to Groundhog Day. Its online merch store allows visitors and locals alike to get their GHD gear ahead of everyone else.

The Backdrop 106 Cass. St., has a unique piece of movie-making history for sale this year.

“We have strips of the original negatives of ‘Groundhog Day,’” owner Gregg Hanson said. “That is a great piece of history for someone who likes the movie. They don’t make movies on film like that anymore.”

He also will carry Groundhog Day apparel, pennants, buttons, and other unique finds.

Artisans on Main, 220 Main St., will offer one-of-a-kind ceramic products from local artists.

“We will have local artisans creating unique items, including mugs, coasters, magnets, and more,” Anne Marie Whitmore Lenzini, president of the Clayworkers’ Guild, said. “They are all handcrafted and handpainted and will make a wonderful way to celebrate the festivities.”

Ortmann’s Red Iron Tavern has already closed pre-orders of its Groundhog Day-themed sweatshirt online that featured a studious groundhog reading a book titled, “Cast No Shade.”

The Woodstock Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry, 101 N. Johnson St., has its own collection of

Groundhog-themed tees, sweatshirts, enamel pins, whisky glasses, postcards, and a large display of Woodstock-themed items as well.

“If you are looking for Woodstockthemed gifts, we have a lot of items here that are great for tourists and locals,” said Jocelyn Eisenmenger, manager of the Chamber’s marketing and its visitors center.

Down 2 Earth, 107 E. Van Buren St., will feature handcrafted genuine leather key fobs, cuff bracelets, belts, and belt buckles made by local leathercrafter William Huffman.

Read Between the Lynes, 111 E. Van Buren St., will carry a limited number of out-of-print Groundhog Day puzzles, Groundhog Day baseball caps, knit caps, short- and longsleeved tees, hoodies, Woodstock Willie Hot Sauce, and GHD Rise and Shine coffee mugs.

The store also will host a book signing and meet-and-greet with Stephen Tobolowsky on Saturday, Feb. 1, from noon to 1 p.m.

“We will have books to sell here,” manager Liz Bartnicki said, “but we recommend that you pre-order your books online or by calling the store

to make sure yours is reserved.”

Blue Thistle, 113 S. Benton St., will offer a collection of barware, including stemware, whisky and pint glasses, coasters, pillows, and dishtowels. There may be a few surprises in the store as Groundhog Day inches closer. Blue Thistle’s collection features the classic Jim Pearson Woodstock Willie and offers a sophisticated kitchenware and barware look.

Aside from its online merch,

The Thoughtfulness Shop will have unique items designed by RWGraphix, including shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, and hats. Houseware items include mugs and tumblers and other products. Plush groundhogs also will be available, as well as accessories for the furry creature. And new this year are pillowcases and coloring bags with fabric-safe markers for kids.

“We are expecting Groundhog Day to be very busy this year on a Sunday,” owner Craig Wilcox said. “Last year it was our busiest time of the year, and we are prepared for an even busier weekend this year.”

The Thoughtfulness Shop collection includes some retro-style and distressed apparel, including baseball tees, Punxatawney riffs, movie quotes, and classic designs. There is also a Ned Ryerson shirt in the works in anticipation of Tobolowsky’s arrival.

“We are really excited to offer some of these new items,” Janice Ricci Wilcox, owner of RWGraphix and product designer, said. “It is fun to come up with new ideas. We are excited this year to be able to offer these items online, so customers can grab them early and have them in time for all the Groundhog festivities, and people can ship them all over the world.”

Because The Thoughtfulness Shop has access to RWGraphix’s direct transfer and sublimation capabilities, the store can easily meet an increase in demand as the weekend goes on and can add designs based on what is trending.

Embracing the era of digital ease, The Thoughtfulness Shop Groundhog Day online storefront will add new products daily. The Thoughtfulness Shop products and apparel can be purchased at rwgraphix.com/ thethoughtfulnessshop

Groundhog Days run from Jan. 30 – Feb. 2, 2025.

INDEPENDENT PHOTOS BY TRICIA CARZOLI

Groundhog Day merchandise is available at The Thoughtfulness Shop as well as on its online shop so that customers can grab their favorite things ahead of the big day.

Actual 35 mm motion picture film from Groundhog Day is available at The Backdrop.

150 S. Eastwood Drive Woodstock, Illinois

PHOTO DETECTIVE IN BRIEF

D-200 announces preschool tuition programs and registration process for 2025-2026 school year

Woodstock Community Unit School District 200 will begin accepting applications for its 2025-2026 tuition preschool program on Jan. 17.

In addition to the long-standing, grant-funded preschool program open to children ages 3-5 who qualify through a pre-screening process, two other program options are available to interested parents. Details about all programs can be found on the Verda Dierzen Early Learning Center website at https:// vdelc.woodstockschools.org/programs/ pre-kindergarten.

A dual-language program for 4-yearolds is offered, as well as the tuitionbased preschool program for children ages 3-5. All preschool programs are taught by the certified staff of Verda Dierzen Early Learning Center, primarily located at 2045 N. Seminary Avenue, Woodstock.

Eighteen English language learners and 18 Spanish language learners will be accepted into dual-language preschool, which will run five days a week with morning and afternoon sessions. Instruction will be presented in both languages with the goal of helping students become proficient in a second language. To be considered for the program, a child must be 4 years old by Sept. 1, 2025, and live within District 200 attendance boundaries.

Parents/guardians of all applicants for the dual language preschool must attend a virtual mandatory meeting on Thursday, Feb. 13. at 6 p.m. Information about the program, registration requirements, fees and bus transportation will be discussed and questions answered.

The tuition-paid preschool program for children who don’t qualify for the

grant-funded program will be open to children ages 3-5 whose families reside either inside or outside of District 200 boundaries. Morning and afternoon sessions will be offered, and parents may choose a five-, three- or two-day-aweek program.

Families who wish to enroll their 3, 4 or 5-year-olds in the tuition-free grantfunded preschool must first schedule a preschool screening appointment to determine whether their child is eligible. The free screening assesses a child’s developmental skills and identifies whether he or she would benefit from some early assistance prior to kindergarten. Eligible children may then be registered for preschool depending upon classroom availability.

Preschool screenings are conducted at the Verda Dierzen Early Learning Center. Parents must call the school at 815-338-8883 to schedule an appointment.

Applications for the dual-language preschool will be accepted at Verda Dierzen Early Learning Center from Friday, Jan. 17, through Friday, Feb. 21. If there are more applications than spaces available in the dual-language preschool program, a lottery will be held to choose student participants. If applications are received after Friday, Feb. 21, those students will be placed on a waitlist. Letters will be sent out by the end of March indicating placement and will include information about registration.

Optional bus transportation will be available to families at an additional cost. More information is available by contacting the Transportation Department at 815-338-4777.

For more information about preschool options and the registration process, contact the Verda Dierzen Early Learning Center at 815-338-8883 or visit the school’s website at https:// vdelc.woodstockschools.org/programs/ pre-kindergarten.

Photo Detectives, in this episode of “Lost Woodstock,” we are featuring another church, or rather, the site of the church building constructed in 1898. When the congregation moved to a new location on the edge of town, the building was rented for storage. Unfortunately, it burned down in 1989. The lot remained vacant for some years until a new commercial building was erected in 1997.

Inde readers, what church is it and what is the address? Who used the church for storage, and what was stored here from the early 1960s to 1989? Once the church burned down, what was the vacant lot used for?

If you can provide answers or any other information, please email our Intrepid Photo Detective, Maggie Crane, at MaggieC@woodstockil.info.

– Susan W. Murray

Happenings

19 SUNDAY

‘TREASURE ISLAND’

15 WEDNESDAY

MEMORY MAKERS STORYTELLING GROUP

Woodstock Public Library

414 W. Judd St. (in person)

9:30 a.m. to noon

815-338-0542, ext. 14125

16 THURSDAY

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St.

1 and 4 p.m.

$9 alll seats

woodstockoperahouse.com

21 TUESDAY

WOODSTOCK CITY COUNCIL

Council Chambers, City Hall

121 W. Calhoun St.

7 p.m. woodstockil.gov

QUILTER’S DISCUSSION FORUM

Woodstock Public Library

414 W. Judd St.

17

JAZZ NIGHT

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St.

8 p.m.

woodstockoperahouse.com

18

SATURDAY

WOODSTOCK INDOOR FARMERS MARKET

All Seasons Orchard 14510 Rt. 176

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

woodstockfarmersmarket.org

‘TREASURE ISLAND’

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St.

1 and 4 p.m.

$9 alll seats woodstockoperahouse.com

7 p.m.

woodstockpubliclibrary.org

22 WEDNESDAY

THE A, B, C & D’S OF MEDICARE

Woodstock Public Library

414 W. Judd St.

6:30 p.m. woodstockpubliclibrary.org

23 THURSDAY

SLC TRIVIA NIGHT - PUB TRIVIA USA

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St. 7 p.m.

WOODSTOCK FIRE/RESCUE BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2900 Raffel Road

7 p.m.

24 FRIDAY

EXTREME STORM CHASING

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St.

7:30 p.m.

$35 woodstockoperahouse.com

ALL-ORIGINAL OPEN MIC

NIGHT

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St.

7 p.m. offsquaremusic.org

25 SATURDAY

PRESCHOOL FAIR

Woodstock Public Library

414 W. Judd St. 10 a.m. to noon woodstockpubliclibrary.org

WOODSTOCK ON THE SCREEN

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St. 2 to 4 p.m. katieb@woodstockil.info (815) 338-0542

28 TUESDAY

D-200 BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING

Woodstock High School

501 W. South 7 p.m.

30 THURSDAY

CHILDREN’S GROUNDHOG STORYTIME

Old Courthouse Center on the Square

101 N. Johnson St. 5 p.m.

SLC TRIVIA NIGHT - PUB TRIVIA USA

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St. 7 p.m. woodstockoperahouse.com

WELCOMING OF THE GROUNDHOG

Old Courthouse Center on the Square

101 N. Johnson St. 6 p.m. Free

GROUNDHOG TRIVIA

Old Courthouse Center on the Square

101 N. Johnson St. 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free

GROUNDHOG PAINT ALONG

Old Courthouse Center on the Square

101 N. Johnson St. 6:30 p.m.

$45

Woodstockgroundhog.org/event/ groundhog-paint-n-sip/

31 FRIDAY

‘GROUNDHOG DAY’ MOVIE ARCHIVE OPEN HOUSE

Woodstock Public Library 414 W. Judd St. 2 to 4 p.m. woodstockpubliclibrary.org

GROUNDHOG DAY DINNER DANCE

Church

Woodstock Moose Lodge

406 Clay St.

5 p.m.

$25

‘GROUNDHOG DAY’ THE MOVIE

Classic Cinemas

209 Main St.

7 p.m.

$9

THEATRE 121’S ‘GROUNDHOG DAY’

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St.

7:30 p.m.

$28 A seats; $20 B seats; $26 seniors A seats, $18 B seats; $18 student A seats, $10 B seats woodstockoperahouse.com

WILLIE’S COCKTAIL PARTY

Stage Left

125 Van Buren St.

7:30 p.m.

$40 woodstockoperahouse.com

FEBRUARY

1 SATURDAY

GROUNDHOG DAY 5K

Metra station lot 90 Church St.

8 a.m.

WOODSTOCK INDOOR FARMERS MARKET

All Seasons Orchard

14510 Rt. 176

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. woodstockfarmersmarket.org

FLASHBACKS

35 years ago – 1990

■ The Woodstock School District 200 Board of Education voted to support a proposed city of Woodstock ordinance prohibiting the sale of tobacco to minors and the use of tobacco by anyone younger than 18.

■ The City Council held a special meeting to discuss whether to continue displaying a Nativity scene in the Park in the Square.

30 years ago – 1995

■ Vicki Boriack, who had grown up in Woodstock, and six other women were preparing to scale the summit of Aconcagua in the Andes Mountains to raise $2.3 million through private and corporate donations for breast cancer research. Her parents, Gil and Venus Nienow, were still living in Woodstock at the time.

■ City and D-200 officials were exploring the possibility of converting the rear portion of Woodstock High School, 501 W. South St., into a community center, pending passage of a new high school building referendum.

25 years ago – 2000

■ Dean Street Elementary School students collected 17,800 pennies. They donated all of the $178 to the millennium fundraiser for Memorial Hospital’s maternity department.

■ Plans were in place to move the contents of the Woodstock Public Library to the building at 222 Church St. to make way for the 22,000-square-foot rebuilding of the library at 414 W. Judd St.

20 years ago – 2005

■ Jenna Maire, a seventh-grader at Northwood Middle School, won the Groundhog Days Button Contest for her Elvis-themed design.

■ WHS Principal Dean Schultz announced he would leave at the end of the school year to take the principal position at MacArthur High School in Decatur. Schultz had been principal since 1999.

JAN. 18, 1995 – Joey Langreck (from left) Rocio Salina, and Jose Arellano, first-graders in Michelle Fortin’s class, play with puppets. Children in the class read 1,000 books from the beginning of the school year to December. Each link on the chains hanging from the ceiling represents one book read. As part of the project, students participated in special activities, like playing with puppets.

15 years ago – 2010

■ The Woodstock Bunco for Breast Cancer Committee of eight McHenry County women hosted 700 bunco players at its fifth annual bunco event and raised $62,000 for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The event sold out in one day.

■ The Land Conservancy of McHenry County purchased a 60-acre natural area near Woodstock. The property, located at the northeast corner of Kishwaukee Valley and Deerpass roads, was being named the Land of Oz in homage to its former longtime owner Nat Ozmon.

10 years ago – 2015

■ The village of Lakewood was nearing an official vote creating a 609acre tax increment financing district near the intersection of Route 47 and

176, propelling developers to move forward with their own proposal to build a $46-million multisports facility at the site of Crystal Woods Golf Course.

■ D-200 administrators and board members were concerned about the possibility of residential development in the area funneling students into D-200 schools without the benefit of real estate tax dollars to fund their education.

■ Dr. Jason Randall and Dr. Joann Randall were celebrating the 25th anniversary of Animal Hospital of Woodstock. The husband-wife team was specializing in small animals. Through the years, the practice had expanded to a staff of 25, including five veterinarians, representing five specialties – reproductive breeding, diagnostics, oncology, joint work, and surgeries.

■ The WHS freshman wrestling team finished second with 119.5 points, just 0.5 points behind the winner, Palatine Fremd, at the 14-team, 12th annual Fred Tessler Invitational. Sean Doyle, 182 pounds, took first and Anthony Serpe, 132 pounds, finished second.

5 years ago – 2020

■ Environmental Defenders of McHenry County, founded in 1970 to preserve and protect the environment, prepared to celebrate its 50th anniversary with events throughout the year.

■ The Marian Central Catholic High School varsity wrestling team improved its undefeated season to 16-0 with home victories over Belvidere, Immaculate Conception Catholic, and Evanston. The team’s goal was to unseat four-time state champion Washington High School in the IHSA state tournament.

■ Benjamin Thuma received his Eagle Scout award, earning 33 merit badges on his path to Eagle. A member of Boy Scout Troop 159, Ben designed and built a fire pit at First Presbyterian Church of Woodstock for his Eagle project.

1 year ago – 2024

■ The City Council had a special meeting to discuss the recent weekend dropping off of about three dozen Venezuelan migrants sent to the local train station by bus from state officials in Texas. Council members voted 6-0 to establish a registration system that could fine bus companies and impound buses if similar migrant dumping occurred again. Local volunteers provided the migrants with food, extra clothing, and shelter at the train station before they boarded a train to Chicago, which was better prepared to provide needed services.

INDEPENDENT FILE PHOTO BY DENNIS MATHES

PUBLIC NOTICE

ASSUMED NAME

Public Notice is hereby given that on DECEMBER 23, 2024 An Assumed Name Business Certificate was filed in the Office of the County Clerk in McHenry County, IL under the following business name and address, and setting forth the names and addresses of all persons owning, conducting and transacting business known as LEO’S LANDSCAPING & TREE SERVICE located at 614 RIDGELAND AVE. WOODSTOCK, IL 60098. Owner Name & Address: LEON COBOS RIVERA 614 RIDGELAND AVE. WOODSTOCK, IL 60098.

Dated: DECEMBER 23, 2024 /s/ JOSEPH J. TIRIO (McHenry County Clerk)

(Published in The Woodstock Independent January 1, 2025, January 8, 2025, January 15, 2025)L11888

PUBLIC NOTICE

STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE TWENTY-SECOND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT MCHENRY COUNTY, ILLINOIS-IN PROBATE Case No. 2024PR000289

In the Matter of the Estate of JAMES A. FORBES

Deceased CLAIM NOTICE

Notice is given of the death of JAMES A. FORBES Of: CRYSTAL LAKE, IL

Letters of office were issued on: 11/12/2024

To Representative: LINDA FORBES

1317 BEHAN ROAD CRYSTAL LAKE, IL 60014

whose attorney is: WAGGONER LAW FIRM

4 N. WALKUP AVE.

CRYSTAL LAKE, IL 60014

Claims against the estate may be filed within six months from the date of the first publication. Any claim not filed within six months from the date of first publication or claims not filed within three months from the date of mailing or delivery of Notice to Creditor, whichever is later, shall be barred.

Claims may be filed in the office of the Clerk of Circuit Court at the McHenry County Government Center, 2200 North Seminary Avenue, Woodstock, Illinois, 60098, or with the representative, or both. Copies of claims filed with the Clerk must be mailed or delivered to the representative and to his attorney within ten days after it has been filed.

/s/KATHERINE M KEEFE (Clerk of the Circuit Court)

(Published in The Woodstock Independent January 1, 2025, January 8, 2025, January 15, 2025) L11891

PUBLIC NOTICE

ASSUMED NAME

Public Notice is hereby given that on DECEMBER 20, 2024 An Assumed Name Business Certificate was filed in the Office of the County Clerk in McHenry County, IL under the following business name and address, and setting forth the names and addresses of all persons owning, conducting and transacting business known as TIMOTHY’S CREATIVE CONCEPTS located at 4083 AMES RD. CRYSTAL

LAKE, IL 60012. Owner Name & Address: TIMOTHY WILLIAMS 4083 AMES RD. CRYSTAL LAKE, IL 60012. Dated: DECEMBER 20, 2024

/s/ JOSEPH J. TIRIO (McHenry County Clerk)

(Published in The Woodstock Independent January 1, 2025, January 8, 2025, January 15, 2025)L11892

PUBLIC NOTICE

ASSUMED NAME

Public Notice is hereby given that on DECEMBER 19, 2024 An Assumed Name Business Certificate was filed in the Office of the County Clerk in McHenry County, IL under the following business name and address, and setting forth the names and addresses of all persons owning, conducting and transacting business known as BIG HAT RODEO COMPANY located at 16209 GREEN ROAD HARVARD, IL 60033. Owner Name & Address: LENORA CALZAVARA 16209 GREEN ROAD HARVARD, IL 60033.

Dated: DECEMBER 19, 2024

/s/ JOSEPH J. TIRIO (McHenry County Clerk)

(Published in The Woodstock Independent January 1, 2025, January 8, 2025, January 15, 2025)L11894

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF SELF-STORAGE SALE

The Storage Space LLC, 945 Dieckman St., P.O. Box 1873, Woodstock, IL 60098 must receive the delinquent amount of $700.00 for rental of unit #41 at 945 Dieckman St., Woodstock, IL

60098, name Jim Rodrian. Or contents will be sold (no auction) or disposed of on 1/24/25 at 10:00 a.m. at 945 Dieckman St., Woodstock, IL 60098. Various contents: Wood dining chairs, Electronics, Laptops, Lounger, Nite stands, Fishing rods, Mattress, Golf clubs, Extension cords, Shovels, pick axe, Miscellaneous household items, and Bags & boxes contents unknown and other general household. (Published in The Woodstock Independent January 8, 2025, January 15, 2025)L11896

PUBLIC NOTICE

ASSUMED NAME

Public Notice is hereby given that on JANUARY 3, 2025 An Assumed Name Business Certificate was filed in the Office of the County Clerk in McHenry County, IL under the following business name and address, and setting forth the names and addresses of all persons owning, conducting and transacting business known as RODS JUNK REMOVAL located at 4615 BARHARBOR DR LAKE IN THE HILLS, IL 60156. Owner Name & Address: FRANCISCO RODRIGUEZ 4615 BAARHARBOR DR LAKE IN THE HILLS, IL 60156.

Dated: JANUARY 3, 2025

/s/ JOSEPH J. TIRIO (McHenry County Clerk)

(Published in The Woodstock Independent January 15, 2025)L11897

PUBLIC NOTICE

STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE TWENTY-SECOND

JUDICIAL CIRCUIT MCHENRY COUNTY, ILLINOIS-IN PROBATE

Case No. 2024PR000325

In the Matter of the Estate of MARILYN L. REITER

Deceased

CLAIM NOTICE

Notice is given of the death of MARILYN L. REITER

Of: MCHENRY, IL

Letters of office were issued on: 12/23/2024

To Representative: RICHARD W. MOODY 1230 NEWCASTLE LN. HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL 60169 whose attorney is: WAGGONER LAW FIRM 4 N. WALKUP AVE. CRYSTAL LAKE, IL 60014

Claims against the estate may be filed within six months from the date of the first publication. Any claim not filed within six months from the date of first publication or claims not filed within three months from the date of mailing or delivery of Notice to Creditor, whichever is later, shall be barred. Claims may be filed in the office of the Clerk of Circuit Court at the McHenry County Government Center, 2200 North Seminary Avenue, Woodstock, Illinois, 60098, or with the representative, or both. Copies of claims filed with the Clerk must be mailed or delivered to the representative and to his attorney within ten days after it has been filed. /s/KATHERINE M KEEFE (Clerk of the Circuit Court)

(Published in The Woodstock Independent January 15, 2025) L11898

By Leigh Rubin

Gallagher

Sports

Haley Halsall makes a splash at Indiana State University COLLEGE REPORT

By Dan Chamness

Haley Halsall, an Indiana State University junior and a Woodstock graduate, spent the first two meets helping the ISU Lady Sycamores swimming team, the distance crew to be exact, flex their swimming muscle.

She helped the Sycamores down fellow Missouri Valley Conference-member Illinois State University (213.5-86.5) and then Eastern Illinois University (205-52). While the Sycamores were showing their dominance overall, Halsall was showing her dominance as well as her versatility.

In the win over the EIU Lady Panthers, Halsall scored points in the 1,000-yard freestyle, finishing third with an effort of 10 minutes, 31.87 seconds. The top three swimmers in that event were Lady Sycamores as Gemma Dilks (10:22.78) and Erin Cummings (10:23.04) took the top two spots.

“It was a great way to start the season in that event,” said Halsall of the Sycamores’ success in the 1,000-yard freestyle. “The distance crew has been extremely fun this year. We have been working hard in practice, and because of that, we are seeing success in meets. I started the year by swimming my season-best time in the 1,000. I was faster than at the end of the year last year.”

She also competed in the 100-yard butterfly (:58.97) and was a member of the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:43.41). Halsall was fourth in the butterfly and

See COLLEGE REPORT, Page 31

Among the memorabilia on the wall in the Stangers’ basement are the framed state championship medals from 1983, 1986, 1987, and 1989, along with a state finalist medal from 1985.

INDEPENDENT

‘I just loved coaching the kids’ Marian’s Terry Stanger selected for Illinois football coaches’ Hall of Fame ,

By Susan W. Murray NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

On the Monday before Christmas, Terry Stanger was outside tending meat on the grill (in shorts, natch) when his cell phone rang and he found out that he had been selected for induction into the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

“I started crying,” Stanger said. “It’s been a very emotional ride.”

The official recognition will take place at a banquet in Champaign at the end of March.

‘I will find you a place’

Stanger began playing football in the sixth grade when he was a student at what was then Olson Junior High. He played tight end for four years at Woodstock High School, but low grades meant that his dream college, Wake Forest, was out of reach.

One day, the graduating senior was watching a spring practice at Marian. Marian coach Tom Parsley asked Stanger where he was going to college. Stanger told him he wasn’t going;

maybe he’d work for a year and then figure it out.

“No, you’re not,” the Hurricane coach told the Blue Streak player. “I will find you a place to go.”

Parsley arranged for Stanger to practice with the Braves at Bradley University in Peoria where his play during summer practices earned him a place on the team and a scholarship. He switched sides of the ball to play defensive end, graduating in 1969, and was inducted into Bradley’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988.

One of Stanger’s former players, Mike Lalor, has been the head football coach at Stillman Valley High School for 27 years and was instrumental in putting Stanger’s name forward for consideration for the state hall of fame. When Stanger left Marian after the 2014 season, Lalor wrote to his coach. The letter, which spent years folded in Stanger’s wallet, is a little faded now and has been taped back together at least once.

“Thank you,” Lalor wrote. “You made me into a better person and a person that wasn’t going to be satisfied with just being okay in life.”

Work and football

After graduation from Bradley, Stanger started his own company that specialized in “trenchless rehabilitation,” the rehabbing of sewer lines and culverts. He scratched his football itch by playing for the Lake County Rifles of the Central States Football League, a semi-pro organization with teams in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. After 12 years, the team folded. Stanger elected not to continue playing and was feeling a little lost without football when Ralph Wenzel, the coach of St. Mary School’s Fighting Irish, asked Stanger to help out.

“We had great little teams,” Stanger said.

In 1982, Marian head football coach Don Penza told Stanger, “Terry, you are going to help me out here.”

He began coaching in both places.

“It was a way for me to satisfy my football addiction,” Stanger said. “I just loved coaching the kids.”

From the beginning, Stanger’s role at Marian was as an assistant, first with the defense and later with the offense, knowing that his business was his top

Continued on NEXT page

Haley Halsall

PHOTO BY ANDREW ROUSEY

Kyle Thompson played Marian football for four years, graduating in 2012.

“Every day he showed up at the practice field in his work truck,” Thompson said. What struck him, Thompson explained, was “the sacrifice he was making to come out and coach us, right from work into a twoand-a-half hour practice. That’s a good thing for kids that age to see.”

‘Full-go, all the time’

“Terry brought energy and passion to whatever he did on the field,” remembered Andy Hartlieb who graduated from Marian in 1985. “It was fullgo, all the time.”

Hartlieb can’t recall exact words that Stanger used in coaching, but he does remember the volume.

“They were loud,” he said. “You never misheard him.”

“I was tough on the kids in practice,” Stanger said. “I wanted them to get better every day.”

But while he pushed his players in practice, it was a different story when the whistle blew to send everyone home.

“If he was hard on us,” said Liam

Kirwan, Marian’s current head football coach and a 2013 graduate of the school, “he put his arm around us and told us he loved us.”

‘Coach, what are we going to do?’

Stanger spent two stints at Marian, from 1982 to 1992 and from 2004 through 2014, for a total of 22 seasons. The team won state championships in 1983, 1986, 1987, and, after Penza died unexpectedly of a heart attack, in 1989 when the players dedicated the season to his memory.

In 1990, the team got off to an unheard-of 0-and-3 start.

“Coach, what are we going to do?”

then-head coach Steve Patton asked Stanger after a loss at Grayslake Community High School.

“We have to work hard and get better,” Stanger said.

The team did, going 6 and 0 the remainder of the season. Hopes were high that the team had done enough to earn a playoff berth. The boys gathered at the Stangers’ house to listen to the selection on the radio, but Marian’s name was never called.

“The boys were in tears,” Stanger said. “I didn’t know what to say to them. Finally, I said that you can work

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Eva Hermansson - Girls Wrestling

Eva Hermansson, a junior at Woodstock North High School, is the backbone of the girls wrestling team. Her dedication to improving her skillset, attention to detail, and positive attitude toward taking on difficult tasks are her most notable attributes in the wrestling room. A standout soccer player, Eva took up wrestling last year as a way to prepare for soccer and maintain her fitness over the long winter months. She quickly became a dominant force on the mat and became the first girl in school history to qualify for wrestling sectionals last year. This year, she has already risen to a No. 9 ranking in the state of Illinois at 110 lbs., with a current record of 17-4. She is on pace to move up and attempt to be the first girl to qualify for state in Woodstock North history. Congratulations Athlete of the Week!

very hard, but you don’t always get the benefits. I will always remember you and how hard you worked,” he told them.

“It just broke my heart,” Stanger said.

The four state championship teams are “very important” to Stanger. He remembers the hard-fought contests with Montini High School, the stepup in class when Marian joined the Suburban Catholic League, and the heartbreaking loss when Marian had a game won against Morris, dropped a punt that Morris recovered, and lost by four points.

But it is the team that worked so hard and did not make the playoffs that really sticks with him.

Andy Lobo graduated from Marian in 1993 and remembers Stanger’s larger-than-life presence on the field and something more.

“He taught us lessons through football,” Lobo said, “that stick with me 30 plus years later, like defining roles and responsibilities on a team, and how to pick up a teammate when he’s down.”

A two-minute drill with coach

Marian’s record with Stanger as assistant coach:

* 203 wins, 54 losses. Elected to the Marian Hall of Fame in 2007.

The best players he saw:

* The Hartlieb brothers: Chuck, Andy, Jim, and John; Coach Tom Parsley’s sons, Tommy and Jimmy; The Budmayr brothers: Brody and Jon; Bryan Bulaga; Sean Cwynar; Cody O’Neill; Chris Streveler; and Billy Bahl.

On coaching son Dirk and coaching with him at St. Mary and Marian:

* “It was a joy coaching him.”

* As coaches, the two would have father-son disagreements over what play to call, but “I developed a very close relationship with him,” Stanger said.

On becoming “Coach Grandpa”:

* When Dirk and Terry coached together, they would both respond when a player said, “Coach Stanger.” Terry solved the problem by telling his players, “Just call me Coach Grandpa.”

On wearing shorts, no matter the weather:

* “It was always a good luck type of thing. I don’t think I’ve had a pair of long pants on for 15 years.”

On Kathy, his wife of 52 years:

* “She’s a very intelligent watcher of football. I developed her, you know.”

The Woodstock Blue Streaks hosted the Woodstock North Thunder in a crosstown girls basketball matchup Jan. 11.

Woodstock came out on top 51-44, led by senior Keira Bogott with 17 points, along with senior Lily Novelle (11 points) and junior guard Patti Cygan (9 points, 6 rebounds).

North was led by senior Jadyn Grismer with 15 points and 8 rebounds, aided by junior Alyssa Martin’s 10 points, six rebounds off the bench.

INDEPENDENT PHOTOS BY ANDREW ROUSEY

TOPPING THE KRC

The Woodstock co-op boys varsity bowling team holds the Kishwaukee River Conference trophy won Jan. 10 at the conference tournament held at Kingston Lanes. The Woodstock co-op team placed second to Huntley in the KRC-FVC Alliance tournament, but they were the top KRC team.

Pictured (from left) are Noah Rodriguez, Devin Haggerty, Ryan Nolan, Sonny Marsalla (holding the trophy), Levi Perrotta, and Max Haggerty, who placed second overall, rolled a 300 game, and was named Bowler of the Year.

Area skater Brooke Gewalt vies for a national title

By Tricia Carzoli NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

The only indoor ice rink in McHenry County is home to two-time U.S. Figure Skating National competitor Brooke Gewalt.

Gewalt learned last week that she had earned a spot among the top 18 women vying for the national title in the 2025 Prevagen U.S. Figure Skating Championships at INTRUST Bank Arena in Wichita, Kan.

She returns this year, bringing with her a second-place finish in her first international competition for Team USA, where she finished second in Scotland’s Tayside Trophy, and she is ready.

“Honestly, I was a little shocked to get called up as second alternate,” Gewalt said. “But we continued to prepare [as though I might make it].”

A start at the Crystal Ice House

Gewalt, a five-time sectional qualifier, began her skating career in group lessons at the Crystal Ice House in Crystal Lake at age 3 through the Learn To Skate program. More than a decade ago, she paired up with her current head coach, Lars Jensen, a national and international men’s competitor for Denmark.

Jensen was a judge when he first saw Gewalt skate at age 9.

“I thought, ‘This girl can really hear the music,’ ” he said, “and, even though her skills were very limited, she intuitively knew how to move her body to the different notes of the music.”

He credits that ability as one of her greatest strengths, along with the quality of her jumps.

“I couldn’t imagine my skating career without the immeasurable support of my parents and coach Lars Jensen,” Gewalt said. “I’ve been skating at the Crystal Ice House since I was 3. It truly feels like home.”

Additional coaches include spin coach Amber Gil and choreographer Rohene Ward. Gewalt enjoys a close relationship with U.S. Figure Skating national champion and Olympian Bradie Tennell. The two frequently skate at the Ice House together when Tennell is in town.

Crystal Ice House’s team of Olympic figure skating instructors have included U.S. ice dancer Susie Wynn, France’s pairs and singles skater Nico Osseland, and singles competitor Tennell.

Becoming a coach

Gewalt now counts herself among

one of 18 skaters nationally vying for the U.S. Figure Skating National Championship title at the end of January.

national competitor coaches at Crystal Ice House.

She teaches Learn to Skate lessons, specialty classes, and private lessons, which is an asset to the rink.

“For me, Brooke’s artistry on the ice is so striking and timeless,” said Gina Montano, Crystal Ice House director of development and parent of two competitive figure skaters. “It’s been a treat to see her impart those elements

to others through her coaching and her presence among the skaters who call Crystal Ice House home. She’s an amazing role model – ever resilient and positive.”

Available for local viewing

Last year, commentators spoke of Gewalt’s grace and confidence in the face of getting the call just days away from the competition. This year, she had a few extra days to let the call sink in, and she is ready to take the skills she’s gleaned from her years at Crystal Ice House to the national stage – again.

Jensen said that Gewalt is a hard worker and extremely dedicated.“She rarely misses a training session or a lesson with either me or [Ward or Gil],” he said. “We are very excited and looking forward to returning to the U.S. Nationals next week to show the improvements Brooke has made since last year.”

Gewalt is poised to compete in the Championship Women’s Short Program that runs 7:20-9:52 p.m. CT on Thursday, Jan. 23, and in the Championship Women’s Free Skate that runs 6:47-9:52 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 24. The events will be broadcast in their entirety on Peacock.

INDEPENDENT PHOTOS BY TRICIA CARZOLI Brooke Gewalt is

Former WHS swimmer Haley Halsall swims for Indiana State University.

COLLEGE

Continued from Page 21

helped the freestyle relay finish fourth as well.

In the win over the ISU Lady Redbirds, Halsall took third in the 200yard butterfly, touching the wall in 2:07.07. Once again, she was one of three Sycamores to finish in the top three. Her teammates, Sophia Diaz (2:05.66) and Dilks (2:06.70) took first and second, respectively.

The former Woodstock North swimmer moved on to swim in exhibition/ unscored events. In the 500-yard freestyle, she swam the fourth fastest time at 5:12.55. The Sycamore 400-yard freestyle relay, of which Halsall was a part, also swam the fourth-fastest time with a 3:34.83.

“I am really proud and excited to be part a team that is progressing like we are,” Halsal said. “We are a relatively new program, and to be part of team that is continually breaking records and improving, it is exciting.”.

Isabelle Halsall (Woodstock) won the 1,000-yard freestyle in a dual meet between her college team, St. Norbert College, and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Halsall touched the wall at 11:23.95. She competed in three other events. Individually, she swam in the 200-yard backstroke (2:33.33) and 100-yard backstroke (1:06.82), taking fourth and fifth in those events. She was also a member of the SNC 400yard freestyle relay, which took fifth in 4:01.62.

She also helped St. Norbert College top Lawrence University (179-50). Halsall’s top finish was a second place effort in the 200-yard backstroke, as she touched the wall at 2:21.79. She also competed in the 200-yard freestyle (2:09.48) and 200-yard butterfly (2:36.73). She was third and fifth, respectively.

BASKETBALL

Lacey Schaffter (Woodstock North) started for Dominican University as they dumped Mount Mary University 71-38. In her 30 minutes of play, she finished with two points, three rebounds, and three assists. In Dominican’s 76-56 loss to Judson University, Schaffter had five points in 14 minutes of play. Dominican is 4-7 overall and 0-2 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.

FOOTBALL

Christian Bentancur (Marian Central Catholic) recently finished his freshman year of football at Clemson University. The Marengo resident, a 6-foot-4, 245-pound freshman tight end, caught one pass for seven yards this year. Clemson ended its season with a 38-24 loss to the University of Texas Longhorns in the opening round of the NCAA Division I-Football Playoff Series. The two teams did gridiron battle at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium as 101,150 people attended. Clemson finished with a record of 10-4 overall and 7-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

WRESTLING

Charlie Fitzgerald (Marian Central Catholic), who is listed as a 149-pound grappler for Central Methodist University, dropped down to 141 pounds, the open division, at the Doctor Tom Smith Invitational, which was held in St. Louis, Mo. Fitzgerald won his opening match 22-3, beating Quincy University’s Victor Salazar by tech fall.

Ethan Struck (Marian Central Catholic) is 1-1 at 157 pounds. The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire sophomore, a Marengo resident, pinned his opponent for his victory.

Dan Chamness writes The College Report for The Independent.

NN SCOREBOARD NN

BOYS BASKETBALL

■ Jan. 7 - Woodstock North (1-9) fell to Richmond-Burton (10-3) 60-45.

■ Jan. 7 - Woodstock (9-7) lost to Sycamore (12-4) 64-49.

■ Jan 9 - Woodstock (9-8) defeated Harvard (2-9) 57-23.

■ Jan 9 - Marian (5-11) fell to Sycamore (13-4) 66-52.

■ Jan. 9 - Woodstock North (1-10) lost to Byron (10-3) 72-37.

■ Jan. 10 - Marian (5-12) fell to Johnsburg (6-8) 77-49.

■ Jan. 11 - Woodstock (10-8) defeated Crystal Lake South (6-12) in a close game 44-41.

■ Jan. 11 - Woodstock North (1-11) fell to Crystal Lake South (14-3) 71-53.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

■ Jan. 6 - Woodstock (6-8) defeated Lincoln Academy 54-5.

■ Jan. 7 - Woodstock North (3-10) fell to Genoa-Kingston (10-7) 57-23.

■ Jan. 8 - Woodstock North (3-11) lost to Crystal Lake Central (8-6) 57-38.

■ Jan. 8 - Marian (8-9) fell to Byron (15-1) 46-26.

■ Jan. 8 - Woodstock (7-8) defeated Grayslake North (3-13) 48-38.

■ Jan. 10 - Woodstock (8-8) beat Woodstock North (3-12) 51-44.

BOYS WRESTLING

■ Jan. 4 - Woodstock fell to Wauconda 46-21.

■ Jan. 4 - Woodstock lost to Lake Zurich 51-18.

■ Jan. 4 - Woodstock defeated Crystal Lake South 52-24.

■ Jan. 7 - Woodstock beat Prairie Ridge in a close match 38-36.

■ Jan. 10 - Woodstock defeated Round Lake 36-24.

GIRLS WRESTLING

■ Jan. 4 - Woodstock co-op finished third at the Oswego East Invitational.

■ Jan. 10 - Woodstock co-op defeated Round Lake 53-24.

BOYS CO-OP

BOWLING

■ Jan. 6 - Woodstock Co-op (13-2) defeated Huntley 3,732-3,682. Woodstock senior Noah Rodriguez rolled a 756 series with a 256 in game 2 and 268 in game 3. Woodstock junior Max Haggerty shot a 684 series with a 258 in game 2.

■ Jan. 8 - Woodstock co-op (14-2) defeated Burlington Central 3,2472,896. Woodstock junior Sonny Marsalla shot a 639 series with a 248 in game 1. Woodstock junior Max Haggerty rolled a 588 series with a 215 in game 3.

■ Jan. 10 - Woodstock co-op finished second at the KRC Tournament (5,582 pins), securing the KRC Championship with a 12-2 conference record. Woodstock junior Max Haggerty rolled his first career 300 game in game 6 with a 1,351 six-game series. Woodstock junior Sonny Marsalla shot a 1,227 six-game series, finishing in sixth as an individual.

GIRLS CO-OP BOWLING

■ Jan. 6 - Woodstock co-op (6-2) fell to Belvidere in a close match 2,4162,370. Woodstock North junior Cierra McNamara rolled a 169 in game 1 for a 411 series. Woodstock North senior Torin Deacon shot a 180 in game 3 for a 494 series.

■ Jan. 7 - Woodstock co-op (6-3) defeated St. Edward 2,204-1,582. Woodstock North senior Torin Deacon rolled a 516 series with a 188 in game 2. Woodstock North junior Cierra McNamara shot a 446 with a 160 in game 1.

■ Jan. 9 - Woodstock Co-op (7-3) defeated Plano 2,597-1882. Woodstock North senior Torin Deacon rolled a 503 series with a pair of 178s in games 1 and 2. Woodstock North junior Ava Caldwell rolled a 474 series with a 173 in game 1.

COURTESY PHOTO