Woodstock Independent 2/28/24

The Woodstock

NDEPENDENT

BUSINESS

Interior designer takes show on the road – in custom van

PAGE 12

SCHOOLS

Elementary book program urges community of readers

PAGE 9

Marian Central wins state wrestling team championship

PAGE 22

By Larry Lough LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

About 80 students in Woodstock School District 200 reported an instance of bullying or dangerous behavior during the first semester this year – 76 percent involving middle school students.

Administrators have that data for the first time because of an

anti-bullying program new to the district this school year.

The Board of Education was briefed on the program recently when four administrators explained how it works.

Central to the program is an online reporting form that allows students to let school officials know about an incident. Although it can be submitted anonymously, only 25 percent are,

according to first semester numbers.

A report can also be made in the school office or through other means, the board was told, but students prefer the online form.

“We get them all over the place,” said Ryan Doyle, principal at Creekside Middle School, “but a majority do come in this way.”

Of the reports, 15 percent came from

See BULLY, Page 2

By Kevin Lyons NEWS@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Woodstock North High School seniors Joseph and Robert Gerloff might share a birthday and many other things, but these Thunder twins each have their own remarkable intellects.

The Gerloffs learned this month that

both are finalists in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program. More than 1.3 million juniors entered the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2022 Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, an initial screen of program entrants.

The nationwide pool of 16,000 semifinalists, representing less than

1 percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

The Gerloffs earned semi-finalist status in September and demonstrated their high academic performance to make the cut to the finalist round.

Over the spring and summer, about half of the finalists will become

Continued from Page 1

high school students and 9 percent from elementary grades.

Part of curriculum

Keely Krueger, assistant superintendent of early childhood and elementary education, said the program was developed last summer as an improvement plan in the district’s strategic plan for the year. A committee of administrators, teachers, students, and parents was involved.

Teachers were informed during staff meetings at the beginning of the school year, parents were advised by email and newsletters, and students learned in announcements and posters put up in schools.

The posters include a QR code that allows a student with a smartphone to access the reporting form.

“At the elementary level,” Westwood Principal Ryan Hart said, “we have a QR code on posters throughout the school.”

Bethany Hall, principal at Northwood Middle School, explained how

MERIT

Continued from Page 1

National Merit Scholarship winners.

“Thunder nation is really proud of the efforts that Joseph and Robert have put in over these four years,” WNHS Principal Josh Segura said. “They’ve both been great models of academic excellence.”

Considering colleges

Both boys are still undecided on which college they will attend next year, but both are confident about what they’d like to study.

“I think I’m going to go into some mathematics-adjacent field and major in that,” said Robert, who plays baseball for the Thunder. “It would be pretty interesting to get into a field like sports analytics working with professional sports teams and analyzing the data.”

Robert said he plans to stay in the Midwest and is considering the University of Illinois, University of Michigan, Michigan State, and the University of Wisconsin.

Joseph, who has starred on the Thunder math and ACEs team, said Michigan State is his top choice at the moment, but he’s also waiting to hear from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Chicago.

“I’m planning on majoring in physics,” he said, “and I do plan on going for a Ph.D.”

The boys credited retired teacher

Slide from presentation Feb. 13 to District 200 Board of Education

bullying prevention was integrated and enhanced through the curriculum at different grade levels.

• Elementary students are taught to identify different types of cyberbullying and trained in “refusing bullying, and the ‘power of bystanders’” in preventing it.

• Middle school health classes teach the “ABCs of bullying prevention” and help students to identity the behavior and intervene to prevent it.

Gigi Carlson as one the educators who pushed them along the way, particularly through the Challenge Corps gifted program in elementary and middle school.

Joseph mentioned Woodstock North history teacher Mickey Olhava as an important influence.

“Here, definitely Mr. Olhava really stands out,” he said. “I think a lot of kids would agree that he was a fun teacher who made them interested in school.”

Robert said Mike Clarke, social studies department chairman, has been one of his key mentors at Woodstock North.

“Mr. Clarke has been my teacher for a couple of difficult classes,” Robert said, “and he’s coached me for three years in baseball. I’ve had a really good experience with him over the years.”

They’re brothers, after all

The Gerloffs, who share education as a family value, said they were somewhat academically competitive with each other in the lower grades.

“It’s less so as we’ve gotten older,” Robert said. “We have less of a desire to compete, because we’ve become a lot less similar over time. I think the drive to kind of outdo the other is kind of subsiding a bit.”

As high school seniors, the Gerloffs instead root for each other.

“Yeah, sure,” Robert said. “I mean, he’s my brother.”

Kevin Lyons is communications director for Woodstock School District 200.

where a “verbal exchange” between students on the playground led to accusations and rumors about the incident and escalated to postings on Snapchat, all of which he said “happened over multiple hours over two days.”

“Those Snapchat exchanges were threats,” Hart said, “indirect threats.”

The victim reported the bullying through the proper form.

“We would not have known about this situation on Friday without the reporting form,” Hart said. That allowed “us to get right to it [Monday] morning before school starts.”

• High school health classes help students to see and handle situations of bullying as well as understand mental health implications.

Reports of bullying are referred to administrators who talk with students involved and notify parents as they work together to resolve the situations.

How it can escalate

Hart told the board of an example

Quick action followed because the victim did not submit the form anonymously, but reported “names and details, which really helped speed that investigation,” Hart said.

That investigation allowed for what Hart said was a balance of “punitive consequences and restorative practices,” which included re-teaching parts of the bullying curriculum and creating a future plan for all students involved, including bystanders.

The process also includes repairing the relationships, which has helped to

Continued on Next page

DISTRICT 200 PHOTO

Brothers Joseph (left) and Robert Gerloff, students at Woodstock North High School, have been named finalists in the prestigious National Merit Scholarship Program.

Growth plan in public draft

By Larry Lough LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Eighteen months after beginning the process of updating Woodstock’s comprehensive plan for growth and development, city officials are ready to roll out a public draft of the document.

City Council members are expected to consider a final draft in mid-April, with adoption in May.

In the meantime, the public can see the document at woodstockil.gov. And public feedback may be offered at two meetings, a two-hour open house starting at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 7, at the Opera House and afterward at 7 p.m. in a meeting of the city Plan Commission at City Hall.

“The development of the comprehensive plan has been a collaborative effort from the outset,” City Planner Darrell Moore said in a news release.

“We value the input of our residents and stakeholders throughout this process, and we look forward to continued engagement as we work toward finalizing the plan.”

The release describes the plan as “a blueprint to guide development initiatives for the city during the next two decades.” The council approved a contract in April 2022 with Houseal Lavigne and Associates, a Chicago consulting firm, for $138,000 to guide the process.

Work on the plan, which hasn’t been updated since 2008, kicked off the following August with a meeting at the Opera House. Public meetings, a survey, and a “public visioning workshop” in May 2023 have been part of developing the plan.

Feedback received during the open house event will be compiled and reviewed by the Plan Commission and

IN BRIEF Work at Opera House underway this week

Work began this week on a window repair and restoration project of the Woodstock Opera House, which is part of renovations related to a $2.9 million state grant.

Four parking stalls on the east side of the Opera House (Dean Street), as well as the sidewalk, will be closed during daytime hours. The work should be completed within two weeks. The next stage will move construction to the north side of the building (Van Buren Street), which will limit access to the main entrance.

avoid repeats of the situation.

The incident did not involve a “school bully.”

“All the students involved in the situation were friends at the beginning of

the situation,” Hart said. Why middle schoolers?

So, why such an imbalance in incidents reported at the middle school level?

Krueger said the form was used

City Council, the release said.

Staff members of Houseal Lavigne and city government will continue to refine the plan before preparing the final draft .

For more information about the draft plan or planning process, email Moore at dmoore@woodstockil.gov or call 815-321-4486.

during the previous school year at Creekside Middle School before it was adopted districtwide this year. Students there were familiar with the reporting process, she said, and Principal Doyle also had been active in promoting the program.

The project involved full restoration of 49 windows and two doors by Heritage Restoration, which won the contract for $887,713. A substantial portion of the work will be complete by Sept. 2, with a final completion date of Oct. 4.

The city will supplement the grant with $1.6 million for the project, which includes additional renovation work on the Opera House and on the Square.

But Krueger acknowledged that some of the reporting was caused by the age group of middle school students.

“It’s just that at that age level,” she said, “students are going through a lot.”

OBITUARIES

Eugene

C. Birkner, 82

Eugene C. “Geno” Birkner, 82, of Woodstock, passed away peacefully on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024, at the Bickford Senior Living Facility in Crystal Lake.

Geno was born on March 22, 1941, in Belleville, Ill,, the son of Harold E. and Loretta D. (Waeltz) Birkner. He married Patricia A. Raske on August 11, 1990.

Eugene C. Birkner

Geno earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Southern Illinois University in 1963, and his master’s degree from Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. He taught 36 years of middle school, then high school mathematics in Woodstock School District 200. After retirement in Illinois, he taught another six years of high school mathematics at Westosha Central High School in Wisconsin. Those who knew him would call him a brilliant mathematician! Even while in assisted living this past year, he was a resource to his grandchildren and the aides at the nursing facility, helping with their math homework. He was an avid fisherman and St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan, enjoyed playing cards, and loved to travel to Florida with his wife. Anyone who was blessed to have known Geno met the kindest, gentlest soul.

Survivors include his wife, Patricia; two stepdaughters, Deanna (Colin) Hunter of Garden Grove, Calif., and Angela (Cory) Fink of Wonder Lake; his sister, Barbara Juergens of Bolingbrook; and twin brothers Ronald (Karen) Birkner and Donald (Carolyn) Birkner of New Athens, Ill. Geno and Pat enjoyed spending time with their five grandchildren: Trenton Hunter of California, Hannah Fink of Alabama, Travis Hunter of California, Tyler Fink of Illinois, and Troy Hunter of California. He is also survived by a multitude of nieces and nephews, and their children.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Loretta Birkner, and his brother-in-law, Ronald Juergens.

A celebration of life will be scheduled at a later time.

Memorials can be made in Geno’s honor to the American Parkinson Disease Association, P.O. Box 61420, Staten Island, NY 10306; online at APDAparkinson.org; or by email at apda@apda.parkinson.org. Please include in the memo: In Memory of Gene Birkner.

Memorials can also be sent to the McHenry County Retired Teachers Association by mail: MCRTA, P.O. Box 1776, Crystal Lake, IL 60039. Please include in the memo: In Memory of Gene Birkner.

Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at saundersfhc.com

Call Saunders Funeral Home & Crematory for more info at 815-420-3030.

Paul Weller, 72

Paul Weller, 72, of Rougemont, N.C., died Monday, Feb. 19, 2024.

Born March 28, 1951, in Fairbury, Ill., he was the son of Joseph Anton “Tony” Weller and Mary Helen Kratz Weller.

In addition to his parents, Paul was preceded in death by his sons, Eric Weller and Gregg Weller, and brothers, John Weller and Steve Weller.

Paul Weller

He is survived by his wife, Phyliss Boatwright of the home; and his son, Gary Weller (Amanda), granddaughter, Maren Weller, grandson, Jack Weller, and first wife, Alice Schmid Johnson, all of Woodstock, Ill. He is also survived by his sister, Cathy Williams (Bruce) of Newcastle, Wash.; brother, Dick Weller (Armella) of Fort Myers, Fla.; brother, Phillip Weller (Debbie) of Dwight, Ill,; several nieces and nephews; and best friend, Terry Herbin.

Paul grew up in Chatsworth, Ill.

He served in the U.S. Army in 1971-72. He was co-owner of Hudson Well Co. in Rougemont.

A visitation will be held Thursday, Feb. 22, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Brooks & White Funeral Home, Roxboro, N.C. In lieu of food or flowers, please consider a donation to the Duke Cancer Center or Duke Home Health and Hospice, both of Durham, N.C.; the Caldwell (N.C.) Volunteer Fire Department; or a charity of choice.

Condolences may be sent to brooksandwhite.com.

Where to send obituaries

You may email obituary information to pr@thewoodstockindependent.com, or mail to or drop it off at our office, 671 E. Calhoun St., Woodstock IL 60098. Obituaries are published online immediately and in the next print edition.

For more information, call The Independent at 815-338-8040.

PUBLIC SAFETY LOG

Woodstock Police Department

■ Joshua L. Studier, 41, Rockton, was arrested Feb. 5 in the 1700 block of South Eastwood Drive on a charge of battery/physical contact. Released with notice to appear in court. Court date Feb. 13.

■ Gilberto Gonzalez Garcia, 22, Woodstock, was arrested Feb. 5 in Woodstock on charges of aggravated fleeing/eluding a police officer, no valid driver’s license, improper use of registration, reckless driving, and multiple counts of disregarding a traffic control device. Released with notice to appear in court. Court date Feb. 22.

■ Thomas J. Sandburg, 74, Woodstock, was arrested Feb. 8 in the 2300 block of Linden Drive on 15 counts of possession of child pornography. Taken to jail. No bond. Court date March 7.

■ Gilberto Gonzalez Garcia, 22, Woodstock, was arrested Feb. 9 in the 300 block of North Madison Street on charges of possession without authority of temporary license plate, no valid driver’s license, and operating an uninsured motor vehicle. Released with notice to appear in court. Court date March 28.

■ Brandon S. Oertel, 27, McHenry, was arrested Feb. 10on charges of

disobeying a stop sign, no valid driver’s license, and no valid driver’s license. Released with notice to appear in court. Court date March 7.

■ Edwin M. Nunez Monegro, 31, Carpentersville, was arrested Feb. 11 at Lake and Kimball avenues on charges of driving under the influence, driving under the influence with blood-alcohol content over 0.08 percent, and expired vehicle registration. Released with notice to appear in court. Court date Feb. 29.

■ Ruben Hernandez Somaza, 25, Elgin, was arrested Feb. 13 on Lake Avenue on charges of no valid driver’s license, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and expired vehicle registration. Released with notice to appear in court. Court date March 21.

Woodstock Fire/Rescue District

Ambulance runs Feb. 15-22: 65

Fire runs

Combustible spills/leaks: 2

Electrical wiring/equipment problem: 1

Person in distress: 1

Public service assistance: 9

Cover assignment/standby: 3

Dispatched/canceled en route: 4

Hazmat release investigation with no hazmat: 1

System/detector malfunction: 2

Unintentional system/detector: 5

Total: 93

IN BRIEF

County reports increase in suspected OD deaths

Again last week, the McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH) alerted residents of an increase in suspected overdose deaths, most likely involving fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid.

Fentanyl is highly lethal and continues to be found in various illicit drugs in the county, including counterfeit pills, health officials warned.

Fentanyl test strips, used to detect fentanyl in all type of drugs, can help prevent an overdose, while Narcan can help reverse an overdose. Fentanyl test strips and Narcan are available for free at various locations in Woodstock, including the Department of Health, 2200 N. Seminary Ave., Building A, during weekday business hours, 815-3344500; and for walk-ins seven days a week at Warp Corps, 114 N. Benton St., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., 815-985-6256.

Wonder Lake OD death brings 14-year sentence

A 2020 fentanyl overdose death in Wonder Lake has brought a Bellwood man 14 years in prison.

Dion Luster, 48, was sentenced

after pleading guilty to the Class X felony charge of drug induced homicide involving the death of Jason Martinez. Judge Tiffany Davis handed down the sentence.

According to a news release from the office of State’s Attorney Patrick Kenneally, Luster is a convicted felon who has a history of narcotics and weapon offenses.

Under state law, Luster must serve at least 75 percent of his sentence.

Applications due March 10 for police social workers

Police social workers are being sought to join the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office program, which includes the Woodstock Police Department.

Online applications are due by March10 at bit.ly/3PFDXO6

The sheriff’s Social Worker Division serves 19 police departments throughout the county to bridge the gap between law enforcement and social services by connecting citizens with mental health resources and long-term solutions to assist police and first responders with calls most officers are not trained to handle.

The starting salary ranges from $56,562 to $71,328.

PICTURE THIS

The McHenry County Historical Society has established an annual $1,000 college scholarship to honor its former administrator, Nancy Fike. The Nancy Fike Scholarship is open to graduating seniors and first-year college students who have graduated from a McHenry County high school and are – or plan on – studying history, education, or the social sciences. Applications are due April 5. Email info@mchenrycountyhistory.org for more information.

The Holmes Nash used car lot was located at 235 N. Throop St., just off the Woodstock Square. A sign advertising Carl M. Larsen’s Realty Company is shown on the left of this 1953 photo.

Don Peasley Photo Collection, McHenry County Historical Society

Opinion

Woodstock, IL • 1987

Sandy

City branding tools have citizens talking

Comments on social media have not been especially kind to the new “branding” tools rolled out recently by the city of Woodstock.

As Deputy Mayor Darrin Flynn said at last week’s City Council meeting, “It’s been met with many different opinions.”

That’s not surprising. Social media make it easy to broadcast an opinion, and everybody is entitled to one. They’re largely personal and subjective.

By paying an out-of-state consulting firm $93,000 to help in developing a motto (call it a “strapline”), logos, and a consistent look across multiple departments, the city pretty much guaranteed a lot of people would question the results as well as the expense.

Although most of the critical comments were posted on Facebook pages of private groups, some citizens were brave enough to give their opinions on the city’s public Facebook page, as well as The Independent’s, after the branding announcement was officially made Feb. 12.

The new “Square” look of city symbols is certainly an overdue update that effectively establishes a badly needed uniform style and color scheme for different logos of individual departments.

That doesn’t make it modern. Some readers of this newspaper’s Facebook page said the logos had a look from the ’90s, in the early days of social media, which they seemed to appreciate as being consistent with Woodstock’s desire to honor its past. Or maybe that observation was sarcasm.

The “strapline” is a bit clunky – “Classically Different, From Every Angle” – at five words, 11 syllables, and a comma to make the reader pause to

» YOUR VIEW

More residential growth?

Look northwest near WNHS

I’ve been reading about this proposed development off Lucas Road, with all the opposition from local residents, as well as the sensitive environmental issues in this vicinity.

I was of the impression that the “up and coming” area for development back in the early 2000s, prior to the big housing downturn, was the area on the northeast side of town south of Woodstock North High School and the Merryman Fields Park. There appears to be sufficient acreage in this area that would be perhaps a better location for this residential development.

As stated in your Opinion column of the Feb. 14 paper, if the “City officials have a bias for growth, and Mayor Turner has often mentioned the need for ‘more

contemplate its dual messages about Woodstock’s historical downtown appearance and our city’s primary identity, the Square. (Angle, get it?)

But it’s not a phrase that trips easily off the tongue or delivers an unmistakable message –without an explanation – of who or what we are as a community.

Consultant North Star Branding + Marketing of Nashville, Tenn., did extensive research, sending multiple people to Woodstock to conduct public and private meetings with residents and city officials and staff, as well as doing a public survey. All of that had to be a big part of the expense.

But it might be hard to see how the sometimes contradictory feedback from a culturally diverse population – Is Woodstock Walmart or Target? If Woodstock were a car, what kind would it be?

rooftops’ in Woodstock,” why not propose that Lennar look at this area on the northeast side? I believe this parcel is within the city limits and likely that much of the infrastructure (sewer and water) is close by to support this additional residential development.

Steve Wickman Woodstock

Vote ‘no’ on county’s plan to create yet another tax

The McHenry County Board seems more concerned about getting taxpayers to accept a new 0.25 percent sales tax for mental health funding, rather than any serious concern for how the mental health funds address issues that impact local governments and us taxpayers. Beware.

The county promises only to remove Mental Health Board portion of taxes from the

– influenced the final product.

However, asking for a literal explanation of the creative process might be wanting too much.

As for the new website, it’s certainly an improvement in both content and appearance. When it comes to ease of access to information on the site, we’re like the dog whose water dish was abruptly moved. We will eventually find what we’re looking for and learn the new routine.

More than a week after the strategic branding tools were introduced, public fervor over something new has subsided.

We expect the various elements of the branding campaign will grow on many of us, though we hope the city is open to occasional tweaks as effectiveness of the tools is observed and measured.

That’s how the creative process should work.

county property tax bill, not lower property taxes.

Given that mental health issues heavily impact all public services, why is the County Board trying to suggest that a 55-year-old system cannot support future funding?

They want us to believe the retail sales tax base, which fluctuates with the economy, is a consistent funding source for an important health and safety issue.

Vote no on the Mental Health Board tax referendum on the primary ballot. Keep a stable, secure funding source to support the valuable services the MHB funds.

Keep in mind, your property taxes will likely not go down, but you will be paying more sales tax. The change simply provides a $10 million opportunity for the county to spend money on needs for which they should have been planning.

You’ve already had one new sales tax this year. Beginning January 2024 the

county added 3.3 cents sales tax per gallon to gasoline. We don’t need another tax.

Mary T. McCann Woodstock

Story about a stray cat that has a tragic ending

As I drove eastbound on Calhoun Avenue in Woodstock Thursday morning, I saw a beautiful cat lying along the curb on the north side of the street. I have been accustomed to seeing cats on this stretch of Calhoun.

I turned around at The Woodstock Independent driveway and drove to her. I noticed she was alive but in terrible shape, struggling to stand up and gasping for air.

A woman across the street came out and asked what it was. I told her it was a

Mingling with ‘the competition’

Groundhog Days is one of those events where The Woodstock Independent’s reporters and photographers share our hometown news with beat reporters from all over the area –and beyond.

We spend those several days rubbing shoulders with journalists, photographers, news anchors, and camera people from local competitors to regional news affiliates.

As a veteran reporter for The Independent, I’ve covered Groundhog Days for some time – yes, over and over and over again. People often ask me why I can’t just pull articles from several years ago and rerun them. We laugh, but reporting means going out and finding what is new – even when the event is on repeat.

Because I’ve been covering Groundhog Days for so long, I get updates from people in the know because, well, they know me. But, they also know that Inde coverage is synonymous with quality, boots-onthe-ground, in-depth coverage – and not just on Groundhog Day.

The Independent regularly shares our news coverage area with competitors for major local events including parades, fests, the McHenry County Fair, holidays, and the occasional “big news” story.

As strange it might sound, I get excited when I see the photographers from our competition because we work well together. Sometimes we take selfies together; sometimes we take photos of each other taking photos! But mostly, we try to stay out of each other’s shots or agree to stand in certain places so we aren’t in each other’s way.

I feel the same about other reporters. During Groundhog Days this year, I frequently ran into a reporter from a different news outlet and, because I knew where things would

Continued from Previous page

cat, and that it was not doing well. I saw no visible injuries, so I was thinking she had eaten something not suited for her. The woman came out with her son and recognized the cat. She called her Mama Cat, but it could have been one of her kittens. She made several phone calls and finally was told to take her to Companion Animal Hospital in Crystal Lake.

I took the cat to the clinic. The drive felt like eternity while she whimpered. As I took her out of my car, I could see she had not made it. I took her inside, filled out paperwork, and left after speaking to the receptionist. I called back an hour

671 E.

www.thewoodstockindependent.com

happen, I shared some “inside information.” As we walked to yet another destination, we shared stories about who we had encountered, what interesting events we had stumbled upon, and what we might be heading to. There was very little animosity or desire to hide information.

Journalism is a unique profession. We battle against free social media platforms laden with opinions that float around unchecked. We are beholden to deadlines, which often means late-night fact-checking and last-minute additions. We fight for our own unique stories, but we stand together in our support of journalistic ethics.

Good journalists will seek out identifiable sources. They use expert testimony, first-hand interviews, and public documents, collecting information at both the national and local level to ensure that stories are rooted in truth. In the event of an error, good newspapers acknowledge the error and print corrections.

We aren’t in the business of content creation. We are in the business of education – and, sometimes, inspiration.

So, when I tip another reporter to an upcoming event or interesting interview, or get excited when I see photographers from competing news outlets, I know their presence means that people value the cost of news – that people want to know that their news is vetted. It means there is a hunger for boots-on-the-ground reporting. And it means that the competition drives us to be better.

later and was told she did pass away. She had, indeed, been hit by a vehicle.

Calhoun Avenue is a death trap for these poor cats. There is a hill around Nebraska where I usually find a slew of dead animals, and I have seen at least four cats. This particular cat struck a nerve because it did not look like it had been hit. It was heartbreaking to see. I want to thank the woman for feeding her while she was alive. We were both crying on the side of the street where I found her. She thanked me for being so kind and caring, and I want to say the same to her.

Although I did not know the cat, she left a mark. I gave her a name: Callie. I have

Every news outlet has a specific audience. The Independent – a fixture in the community for 37 years – is a highly localized newspaper. Our focus is Woodstock. We are a weekly – not a daily – newspaper (although important breaking news is reported on our website and available to subscribers).

These two factors set our newspaper apart. We print in-depth features and news stories because our publication timeline invites it. We highlight local people because they are plentiful. We address the hot-button issues because they matter to our community.

Most of our staff members, myself included, have been engrained in the community for years. People know where to send story tips. And, if they don’t, they are skilled at idea-dropping in our midst. We’ve established relationships and set down roots here. We are a part of Woodstock, and we care about what happens here.

So, when I spoke with another reporter to discuss what we had attended and what we planned to attend next, I already knew that no matter what we shared, our stories would be inherently different – and that is a good thing!

My audience is Woodstock. My weekly features and news stories form organically as I walk among people in our community, as people come up to me or as I approach them, as I read my emails or talk with friends. The stories I write are curated for our community, chosen because The Independent chooses to deliver accurate news to a community that cares. And I couldn’t be happier to be a part of that mission.

Tricia Carzoli is a writer and photographer for The Woodstock Independent.

a cat of my own, and she means everything to my wife and me. Strays tend to cut through our yard, so we put up a shelter for them with food, water, and straw. Thanks to everyone who looks out for these vulnerable cats and kittens in our town. I wish there was something we could do to make Calhoun Avenue safer, especially at night.

I will never forget this experience. It had a sad ending, but I’m glad I was with her when she took her last breath. She was not alone.

Francisco Mojica Woodstock

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Corrections

We strive for accuracy. To suggest corrections or clarifications, email news@ thewoodstockindependent.com.

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

PHOTOGRAPHER Ken Farver ken@thewoodstockindependent com

COLUMNISTS

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

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Vicky Long

CORRESPONDENTS

Tricia Carzoli, Janet Dovidio, Susan W. Murray, Megan Ivers, Lydia LaGue, Eileen Millard, Ruth Raubertas, Juel Mecklenberg, Seth Rowe

EDITORIAL CARTOONIST

Jim Mansfield

PROOFREADER

Don Humbertson

CIRCULATION

Beverly Meuch, Dennis Micheletti, Bill Schwerdtfeger, John Wickham

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Tricia Carzoli

Declarations

Erin McCann, a Woodstock North High School junior, is the daughter of Tricia and Sebastian McCann, Woodstock.

The teacher who nominated Erin said she has a work ethic rarely seen.”Over the course of her four years here, she has gotten all A’s in a variety of classes taken in World Language, which is a difficult task to accomplish,” her teacher said.

An honor roll student, Erin has received College Board recognition and is an Illinois State Scholar. She participates in orchestra and Best Buddies, and is a member of

COLLEGE CURRENTS

Dean’s list at Millikin U. includes local students

Two local students have been named to the dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester at Millikin University in Decatur. A student must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher to earn that honor.

The local students are Shaina Mae Yumol of Woodstock and Julia Druml of Wonder Lake.

Riley McAllister makes W. Illinois U. dean’s list

Riley Michele McAllister, a junior from Woodstock, was among 1,183 undergraduate students who were named to the fall 2023 dean’s list at Western Illinois University. The dean’s list requires a GPA of at least a 3.6 on a scale of 4.0 in a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded courses.

Local Carthage students travel for January Term

Two local residents were among Carthage College students who traveled during January Term, a month-long period to allow students to experience new cultures and ideas without committing to a full semester abroad.

They are Teah Doctor of Bull Valley, who studied global perspectives in healthcare during service learning in Honduras, and Kaylee Smith of Wonder Lake, who studied sports journalism in Europe.

Carthage College is in Kenosha, Wis.

Locals make dean’s list at UW-Milwaukee

Six local undergraduate students were named to the dean’s list for the fall 2023 semester at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

They are:

Wonder Lake – Kendra Bacon, who is studying education; Shea Jones, business; and Michael McLaughlin, English and computer science

Woodstock – John Clark, School of the Arts; Timothy Maidment, Letters & Science; and Andrew Tillman, architecture

Students of second-grade teacher Elle Creighton’s second grade dual-language class at Dean Street Elementary School hold their One Book, One School reading assignment along with the program’s baby skunk mascot. The students are MH Dantino and Elvia Bravo.

Community of readers One Book, One School program ‘bridges home-school connection’

By Janet Dovidio NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Elementary students in Woodstock School District 200 are busy reading as part of the annual One Book, One School program.

All schools receive some funding from the District 200 Education Foundation to offset the cost of the books. The program builds a community of readers among students, parents, teachers, and staff, who all read their school’s designated book.

Dean Street, Mary Endres, and Prairiewood chose “The Boy Called Bat” by Elena K. Arnold. Westwood picked “The Wild Robot” by Peter Brown. Olson participants are reading “The World According to Humphrey” by Getty G. Birney. Families at Greenwood will learn their book’s title at the school’s Family Literacy Night on Feb. 29.

“At Dean Street we looked for a

book that could engage students from kindergarten up to fifth grade,” Principal Marivi Galera explained. “This is a story about a little boy and his challenges at school with friends and at home with his sister and parents. The story addresses diversity, friendship, and caring.”

Dean’s library media specialist, Colleen Weinberger, proposes a title every year and helps with the related activities. A staff committee prepares a week of clues to share with students during morning announcements the week of the title reveal. This year the committee included Scott Becker, Julia Beck, Allison Doyle, Brianna Walneck, Colleen Weinberger, and Wendy Wicker.

“Thanks to the Impact Grant and extra support from the Parent Teacher Organization, we used the funds to purchase books for all the school households,” Galera said. “Every family has received a

book, either in English or Spanish, which they will keep. Dean Street wants to achieve two goals: a strong home-school connection and the joy of reading.”

Daily chapters are assigned for students to read at home with their parents or guardians. One of the characters is a baby skunk, so a baby skunk toy became the school pet during these weeks. Teachers included related activities in their daily lessons and recorded videos of themselves reading a chapter. According to Galera, the students love hearing their teachers read to them.

Classroom associate Cas Creighton sent home a toy skunk with students so they could take care of him and read to him at home.

“The One Book, One School initiative bridges the home-school connection,” Galera said, “by building a community of readers focused on the joy of reading.”

A & E

‘Listen to the Wolves’

The author of “Listen to the Wolves,” Woodstock resident Steve Aavang, is pictured in an old family photograph getting a piggyback ride from his uncle Johnny Naylor, the subject of Aavang’s book. Naylor, an avid outdoorsman, was a bush pilot in Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Canada.

Local writer draws on family, personal experiences in Canadian bushland

By Tricia Carzoli NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

It is a truth universally acknowledged that when a passion for the wilderness, a lifetime devoted to the study of anthropological history, and an interesting family lineage intersect, a novel must arise.

Woodstock resident Steve Aavang was the conduit.

Having family in Canada made it easier for Aavang to experience the wilderness.

“My Uncle Johnny was a legend,” Aavang said. “When he walked into a bar, the people there sang a song they had written just for him.”

In Sioux Lookout, Ontario, Johnny Naylor was a bush pilot whose daily activities meant flying fishermen and hunters around the bushland as well as flying with the Ministries and Mounties to Eskimo and far-reaching First Nations settlements. Exploration, rescue missions, medical missions, and transport were part of a job that kept him busy from sun-up to sundown.

During that time, Naylor cultivated a positive and personal relationship with the First Nations members who, at that time, were unwelcome in most establishments. That gave him a hero status

that stuck with him wherever he went, according to Aavang.

That spirit resonated with the Woodstock resident.

Stranded

When he was young, Avaang spent summers with his family learning how to fish and to survive in the Canadian bushland with guidance from Naylor.

“Uncle Johnny would drop us off,” Aavang recalled. “And then he would pick us up again. He would teach us things he had learned on his adventures.”

One adventure remains fresh in Aavang’s mind.

“A trapper owed Johnny a favor and agreed to take me, my friend Steve, and my father, Irv, to his trapping cabin.” Aavang said. “We ended up being stranded in the wilderness with the trapper, We were snowed in, and it ended up being about five or six days, but we were stranded with no way to get out. It was the adventure of a lifetime for us.”

When an arctic clipper came in, the group took shelter in the trapping cabin, inherently knowing that Naylor would not be able to fly in because of the storm. The group survived on a bannock bread – river water, flour, and salt – Aavang said. Despite the lack of

sustenance, his father insisted that they continue to hunt during the day.

“It kept our mind off of being stranded,” he explained. “And it kept us focused. … until Uncle Johnny returned.”

Translated to a novel

That survival spirit, dedication to helping others, and the desire to know the bushland was what Aavang wanted to capture in his new novel, “Listen to the Wolves.”

“It is fiction,” the local author said, “but it is based on personal experience of me being up there as well as stories about Uncle Johnny.”

The novel follows the adventures of a fictional young man named John who was raised by his grandfather – based on Naylor. He heads to college, but, at the end of his doctoral research, he becomes entrenched in a research mission to learn about First Nations people and to observe how global warming is impacting the Canadian bushland.

While there, he is also a part of a mission to deliver medical equipment to remote areas of Canada, where he becomes reacquainted with a childhood friend and rival who now is a physician who again competes with and complicates

life for John.

A crash landing in the water over a hundred miles off his flight plan forces him into a journey he never should have undertaken. Knowing that no one would be able to locate him, he spends 100 days walking through extreme Northern Manitoba, not seeing another human, where each night he builds new shelters and hunts for food. He relies on knowledge gained from his grandfather John, indigenous survival skills, and the wolves.

“Wolves are the apex survivor in the wilderness – not humans,” Aavang said. “John learns to survive by mimicking the wolves. He learns how to fish without equipment by watching how the wolves fish.”

Aavang weaves history, culture, science, and remote wilderness together with a story crafted on adventure, passion, and survival.

When John finds himself in a desolate space with no humans for miles, he leans into the First Nations culture and begins to listen to the wolves, relying heavily on them as he contemplates survival, life, and, ultimately, love.

“Listen to the Wolves” can be found online at all major booksellers. The novel is available in hardbound, softbound, audiobook, and e-book.

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY TRICIA CARZOLI

MCC Black Box Theatre to stage ‘Present Laughter’

Noel Coward’s “Present Laughter,” directed by Angie Kells of Woodstock, will be the spring production of The Black Box Theatre at McHenry County College.

The lighthearted farce will open Friday, March 8, and runs March 9 and 10, 15 and 17, and 22 to 24. Friday and Saturday performances will begin at 7 p.m., and Sunday performances start at 2 p.m.

Tickets cost $10 for students, MCC employees, seniors, veterans, and MCC alumni, and $15 for the general public.

For reservations, call 815-455-8746 or email jgeller@mchenry.edu. The theatre is located at MCC, 8900 U.S. 14, Crystal Lake.

Other Woodstock residents are involved in the production, including dialect coach Marisa Snook, technical director Chris Adkins, scenic painter Holly Adkins, stage manager Mailin Contreras (Woodstock), and Paul Lockwood, a cast member.

For more about The Black Box Theatre, visit mchenry.edu/blackbox.

Conservation District sites open amid warm weather

Good weather has led to the earliest opening ever at all sites of the McHenry County Conservation District.

Sites, restrooms, and parking lots were opened for the season on Feb. 23 because of the warmer-than-normal

temperatures.

Sites are open sunrise to sunset. Horse trails remain closed.

While many conservation areas remain open all winter for cold-weather activities, a few are open to walk-in visitors only in the colder months. The parking lots of those sites usually remain closed until April 1 or significant periods of mild weather. These sites have previously been opened in March, but never as early as February.

For more information, visit MCCDistrict.org.

Nonprofit art school opens new location in Woodstock

Creative Arts, a nonprofit art school that was created to encourage the arts for the community, is offering classes for ages 13 to adult at a new satellite location in Woodstock.

The new session, which started Feb 26, has classes in oil and acrylic painting plus stained glass. Additional classes will be offered in the future.

According to a social media posting, an anonymous donation will cover a full year’s expenses at the new location,127 E. Calhoun St., across the street from The Sparrow’s Nest thrift store.

“Our Crystal Lake location was bursting with over 40 art classes,” the posting said, “and we needed room to grow.”

The nonprofit’s primary site is on the grounds of The Dole in Crystal Lake.

For more information, visit creativeartsinc.org.

Isabel’s Restaurant 1110 N. Seminary Ave.

Woodstock Food Mart 1013 N. Seminary Ave.

Kristensen’s Service 230 Washington St.

Woodstock Food & Liquor 501 Washington St.

Woodstock Shell 110 N. Eastwood Dr.

Expressly Leslie 100 S. Johnson St.

Country Cupboard 123 E. South St.

Casting Whimsy 203 N. Madison St.

Read Between the Lynes 111 E. Van Buren St.

Walgreen’s 305 S. Eastwood Dr.

Madison Shell 315 N. Madison St

Jewel-Osco 145 S. Eastwood Dr.

Village Market 3410 Thompson Rd.

MCC PHOTO BY CHRISTY STURM

The Black Box Theatre at McHenry County College will perform “Present Laughter” by Noel Coward, beginning Friday, March 8.

Business

Transactions filed in the McHenry County Recorder’s Office Feb. 12 to 16 .

■ Residence at 8501 White Oaks Court, Wonder Lake, was sold by CalAtlantic Group LLC, Schaumburg, to Emily L. Skoniecke, Wonder Lake, for $325,000.

■ Residence at 8413 White Oaks Court, Wonder Lake, was sold by CalAtlantic Group LLC, Schaumburg, to Nathan Michael Celia, Wonder Lake, for $319,900.

■ Residence at 4017 W. Lake Shore Drive, Wonder Lake, was sold by Laura Gehrke, Wonder Lake, to GMAG Properties Inc., Arlington Heights, for $108,000.

■ Residence at 820 Northampton St., Woodstock, was sold by The April Damaska Trust, Woodstock, to Alex C. Wimmer, Woodstock, for $172,600.

■ Residence at 1251 Thomas Drive, Woodstock, was sold by Rockland LLC, Woodstock, to Carissa M. Tronolone, Woodstock, for $219,500.

■ Residence at 170 Ash Avenue, Woodstock, was sold by Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., Salt Lake City, Utah, to Jacob Spandiary, Glendale Heights, for $169,900.

■ Residence at 1611 Powers Road, Woodstock, was sold by The Alice L. Van Landuyt Trust, McHenry, to Robert C. Jensen, Woodstock, for $287,000.

■ Residence at 805 Clay St., Woodstock, was sold by Lance A. Harm, Maryville, Tenn., to Rachel Rosch, Woodstock, for $285,000.

■ Residence at 1617 Ash Avenue, Woodstock, was sold by Leland A. Nejdl, Woodstock, to David Lennard Jr., Woodstock, for $320,000.

■ Residence at 1909 Tappan St., Woodstock, was sold by Pablo Castaneda, Hebron, to Norberto Acalco Choca, Woodstock, for $200,000.

When Erin Van Nevel explains to new clients that her Gathered Design Co. is a

they say, “Wait ... what?” she said. Van Nevel has been running her company from this van for the

years. “I was so excited to dive in and do it,” she said.

‘One-woman show in a van’

Gathered Design Co. brings interior design right to the front door

By Susan W. Murray

Like many girls growing up in McHenry County, Erin Van Nevel had a dollhouse.

Unlike many girls, however, she never played with the dolls.

She spent her time redecorating the rooms – moving furniture, wallpapering, and even building a ceiling fan out of popsicle sticks.

Her hobby was an early indication of her career in interior design, which she does with a unique twist.

Van Nevel’s Gathered Design Co. is a “mobile interior design van” – a Dodge Ram van retrofitted with cabinets, lights, hooks for samples, and a table with benches.

“I’m a one-woman show in a van,”

Van Nevel said.

Gathering knowledge

Although Van Nevel showed an early interest in interior design, it wasn’t until she finished her two years of general education requirements at McHenry County College that she settled on what she wanted to study.

After redecorating a small room for a friend, she thought, “This is something I’d like to do.”

Van Nevel earned her degree in interior design from Harrington College of Design in Chicago, which closed in 2018.

She has spent the past 25 years in the industry and said her 10 years working for Ethan Allen were formative.

“I learned sales skills and to have confidence in what I was selling,” she said.

Eight years ago, Van Nevel, her husband, John, and their children moved to a home just outside Woodstock. While the move got them the “room to breathe” they had desired, it lengthened Van Nevel’s commute.

Her parents were business owners when she was growing up, giving Van Nevel the confidence that she could be her own boss.

“You gather all your knowledge and expertise, and you take that with you,” she said.

‘If it doesn’t work out .

. .’

Offering interior design services out of a van was a practical decision.

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

“mobile interior design studio,”

past five

“In

shop,” Van Nevel said, “I’d have to sit there from 9-to-5.”

Van Nevel’s work necessitates being in people’s homes. When she wants to show clients fabric samples, she steps outside, picks up what she’s looking for in the van, and walks back into the house to show the client.

“It’s a lot more efficient in a mobile setting,” Van Nevel said, “and I always create a lot of buzz when I pull up in my van.”

Her husband’s career as an electrician “was a key part,” Van Nevel said. He helped design the van and installed the electricity.

He also provided some perspective.

“If it doesn’t work out,” he told Erin, “we can camp out in the van with the kids.”

‘Anything for a home interior’

Gathered Design’s clients live as far north as Broadhead, Wis., and as far east as Palatine. After designing and decorating the model homes for the Harbor Club development in Delavan, Wis., Van Nevel has done more work in the Lake Geneva area.

While people know more about

ironworker who crafts benches and small tables for some of his daughter’s clients.

Working with a local wholesaler, she helps clients choose custom window treatments “that make a big impact in a room.”

She finishes off the space with rugs and pillows.

Making a design game plan

When Van Nevel first meets a client, she asks questions to figure out the client’s priorities, budget, and timeframe. She takes measurements to create the design game plan.

Some clients want to concentrate on one room, while others want to see a plan for the whole house, even if the work will be done in phases.

To get an idea of her clients’ tastes, Van Nevel pulls fabric samples from the van.

“You can get a flavor of what people like by flipping through a fabric book,” she said.

design than ever from sources that include HGTV, Pinterest, and Instagram, the possibilities can overwhelm them, Van Nevel said. Others lack the confidence to oversee a project.

“You still need someone with experience,” she said. “I can do anything for the interior of a home.”

That can begin with a consultation on paint color and move on to furnishings.

Van Nevel believes in investing in quality furniture and is “a big one for repurposing.”

“Let’s recover that cute chair from Grandma,” she tells clients.

Her dad, Mark Standley, is a retired

Before the next meeting, Van Nevel creates a floor plan and adds fabric options.

She oversees the project, ordering the furniture, accessories, and materials, and arranging for any work –such as reupholstering – to be done.

“You get me,” Van Nevel said, “from beginning to end.”

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

People no longer shop in huge showrooms, Erin Van Nevel said. “Having someone experienced to show you what needs to be done and what’s available is more fun than pointing and clicking online.” Van Nevel and her husband, John, retrofitted the van so that she could have samples on hand to show clients.

BRIEFS

Girl Scout cookie craving? Sales run through March 10

The Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois cookie program is selling through March 10 for in-person delivery, shipping, or donation to the military, veterans, and first responders through each Girl Scout’s digital cookie website.

Cookie booths also are being set up outside various local businesses and stores. Interested customers can visit the Cookie Finder at girlscoutsni. org/findcookies to find nearby cookie booths or a local troop that will ship cookies to homes. Credit for cookies sold will be distributed equally between all participating troop members.

This year’s cookie lineup includes Thin Mints, Tagalongs, Samoas, Do-sidos, Trefoils, S’mores, Lemon-Ups, Toffee-tastic, and Adventurefuls. All cookies are on sale for $5 a package.

Apply by March 29 for city hotel/motel tax funds

Applications are available for hotel/ motel tax tourism grants, along with instructions, on the city’s website, woodstockil.gov.

Applications and required documents are due by Friday, March 29, for consideration in the city’s 2024-25 fiscal year. Awards will be announced in early May. All grant-supported project funds must be spent no later than April 30, 2025.

The city’s 5 percent hotel/motel use tax, charged at all local lodging facilities, raises funds for economic stimulation generated by tourism-related activities.

“Tier I” organizations, such as the Opera House, receive automatic funding each year.

All nonprofit organizations that plan tourism-related events and activities may apply for “Tier II” awards of $4,000 or less. Grants are approved by the Woodstock City Council based on staff recommendations.

Applicants should collaborate with local lodging establishments and promote their use during events. Available funds increase each year based on overnight stays generated through such planning.

For more information, email Barb Szul at bszul@woodstockil.gov.

Staff Report

NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Get familiar with the latest gardening trends, techniques, and tools at the annual McHenry County Gardenfest, a daylong series of seminars and workshops for gardeners of every skill level.

The registration deadline is March 29 for the event that will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at McHenry County College, 8900 U.S. 14 in Crystal Lake.

Attendees can choose from more than 20 breakout sessions presented by industry experts covering topics such as natural lawn care practices, garden insects and diseases, tool care, composting, vertical and container gardening, shrub

selection, and more.

The morning keynote, “Gardening for Nature,” will be presented by Daniel Gerdes, a landscape designer who created a Monarch Watch-certified monarch butterfly waystation at his home in Brookfield. He will teach the meaningful steps anyone can take to support pollinator populations, birdlife, soil ecosystems, and wildlife – all while reducing their carbon footprint, providing healthy habitats, and enhancing genetic diversity. Gardenfest is sponsored by MCC

and the University of Illinois Extension McHenry County Master Gardeners.

Registration, which costs $49, is open at mchenry.edu/gardenfest. The fee includes lunch.

Tickets can also be bought on a first-come, first-served basis on the day of the event for an extra $5 (as long as seats are available). MCC horticulture students may attend for $29.

For more information, visit mchenry.edu/gardenfest, email conferencecenter@mchenry.edu, or call 815-479-7570.

People who will need an accommodation or a sign language interpreter should contact MCC’s Office of Access and Disability Services at 815-455-8766 or disabilityservices@mchenry.edu.

Petal pushing Daisy Scouts do service projects

By Jan Dovidio NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

The young Girl Scouts in Daisy Troop 1203 are already learning how to help the community while helping themselves learn new skills.

Daisy Girl Scouts, who are students in kindergarten and first grade, are challenged to earn colorful cloth petals that complete a daisy, which they display on their uniforms. Each of the 10 petals focuses on a different line of the Girl Scout law. The girls also earn several badges that have certain requirements.

“We have been trying as a troop to earn all of our daisy petals and our main daisy badges,” troop leader Valerie Balentyne said, “because at the end of this school year, all of our girls will be bridging to Brownies.”

Several badges were earned at a visit to the Discovery Center last fall.

Before the holidays, the Daisy Scouts visited Valley Hi Nursing Home and played bingo with the residents while eating the snacks they brought.

The major activity during this month is the annual cookie sales. During cookie season, the Daisy Scouts learn about collecting and counting money and budgeting as a troop.

“The girls also learn how to safely talk to people in the community,” Balentyne said. “At an upcoming meeting, they will discuss how to use the money they earned from the sales.”

Troop 1203 carried out a community service project at Young at Heart dog shelter. State Sen. Craig Wilcox sent them a letter of recognition for their efforts.

For one badge requirement, the girls had a game board STEM activity in which they needed to

CELEBRATING 100

BRIEFS

Scouts collected items for local food pantry

Woodstock Scout units, Cub Scouts, and male and female Scouts BSA units are coming together to gather food donations for the Woodstock Food Pantry.

They hung bags and door hangers last weekend and will pick bags of food residents leave on their doorstep after 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 2.

The drive seeks canned and packaged goods, baby formula and cereal, peanut butter, soup, paper products, soap, and shampoo.

Residents who didn’t get a hanger but would like donate food can email coordinator Andy Myshkowec at amyshkowec@ gmail.com or call 847-317-9875

determine what it took to create a game board.

“This helped them to learn about how to follow instructions from someone else and how to play their games,” Balentyne explained.

An upcoming event will be roller skating at Xtreme Wheels in Crystal Lake, which will fulfill the red Daisy petal’s requirement to try something that shows courage and strength in a new activity. The girls will also take food to the event to donate to the Woodstock Food Pantry.

Balentyne appreciates her many helpers. Co-Leader Raechel

Szydlowski organizes many of their projects; cookie moms Stacy Spring and Grace Schacht put in lots of effort to oversee sales; and service unit manager Janey Scheiffele Welch is a helpful supervisor. All of the parents are willing to step up wherever help is needed.

“We are currently planning more events and community projects,” Balentyne said. “It is so much fun to get together as a troop. We are grateful to have meeting space at First United Methodist Church.”

Members of the Woodstock Garden Club kick off their yearlong 100th anniversary celebration with a lunch at Green Garden Restaurant. Club members, who will enjoy monthly meals at many Woodstock restaurants throughout the year, are busy planning various activities throughout the community, including sponsoring a hole at the Library’s Mini Links in April and hosting a fall luncheon and gardening demonstration for district garden clubs. Pictured (from left) are members Colleen Thornton, Brenda Dahlfors, Susan Gullotto, Heidi Johnson, and Helen Jonker. COURTESY

Fox Valley Rocketeers to host convention March 9

The Fox Valley Rocketeers, a local club of model rocketry enthusiasts, will host the Northern Illinois Rocketry Convention from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 9, in room D-187 of Woodstock North High School.

Sport model rocketry launches are scheduled from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 17, at the Hughes farm field off Dimmel Road, west of Woodstock, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, March 23 and 30, at the Davis Road soccer complex in Woodstock.

The club’s March virtual meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 4, via GoogleMeet.

Visit foxvalleyrocketeers.org for a map to flying fields, the launch safety protocol, and latest launch information.

Free tax preparation help now available at MCC

Free tax assistance and e-filing of federal and state returns for eligible individuals is available at McHenry County College through April 17 with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Clinic.

Walk-in hours are from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and 3:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesdays in Room A102 at the college, 8900 U.S. 14 in Crystal Lake. The clinic is closed March 27 and 30.

Free tax return self-preparation stations will be set up in the Library (A212) and Co/Lab E (E108) to file for free if income is less than $79,000. The stations are available anytime MCC is open.

The MyFreeTaxes website can also be accessed at home by visiting mchenry. edu/myfreetaxes. The VITA Clinic prepares tax returns for individuals or households with incomes less than $64,000.

All tax forms will be provided.

For more information, visit mchenry. edu/vita or email Ann Esarco at vita@ mchenry.edu.

COURTESY PHOTOS

Daisy Girl Scouts Lily Balentyne and Teagan Freund play with their game board.

Daisy Scout Harper Hess (right) shows off her game board.

Happenings calendar

29 THURSDAY

SLC TRIVIA NIGHT - PUB TRIVIA USA

Stage Left Café

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

MARCH

1 FRIDAY

VINTAGE SHOP HOP

Various shops in Woodstock

Visit https://vintageshophop. blogspot.com/ for list of shop and maps 9 a.m. to 5 p..m.

ARTISANS ON MAIN 2ND ANNIVERSARY, CLAYWORKERS’ GUILD 45TH ANNIVERSARY

220 Main St.

5 to 8 p.m.

2 SATURDAY

INDOOR WOODSTOCK FARMERS MARKET

McHenry County Fairgrounds

11900 Country Club Road

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

VINTAGE SHOP HOP

Various shops in Woodstock

Visit https://vintageshophop. blogspot.com/ for list of shop and maps

9 a.m. to 5 p..m.

GENEALOGY RESEARCH ASSISTANCE

Woodstock Public Library

414 W. Judd St. 10 a.m.

Kishwaukee Trail Chapter DAR 815-245-6944

OPERA HOUSE TOURS

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St.

11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free woodstockoperahouse.com

CHICAGO COMEDY TAKEOVER

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St. 8:30 p.m.

$15 online, $20 at the door

TARTAN TERRORS

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St. 7:30 p.m.

$75 VIP; $40 A seats; $35 B seats woodstockoperahouse.com

4 MONDAY

GAO HONG PIPA CONCERT

Woodstock High School 501 W. South St. 7 p.m.

$5

5 TUESDAY

WOODSTOCK CITY COUNCIL

Council Chambers, City Hall 121 W. Calhoun St. 7 p.m. woodstockil.gov

7 THURSDAY

SLC TRIVIA NIGHT - PUB TRIVIA USA

Stage Left Café 125 W. Van Buren St. 7 p.m.

woodstockoperahouse.com

8 FRIDAY

OPEN MIC NIGHT

Stage Left Café

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

To sign up, email keith@ offsquaremusic.org offsquaremusic.org

9 SATURDAY

FROM BROADWAY TO OBSCURITY

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St.

7:30 p.m.

$50 VIP; $35 A seats; $25 B seats woodstockoperahouse.com

10 SUNDAY

ROMANTIC PIANO QUARTETS

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St.

3 p.m.

$25 A seats; $20 B seats woodstockoperahouse.com

11 MONDAY

COFFEE WITH THE CHIEF

Woodstock Police Department 656 Lake Ave. 7 p.m. 815-338-6787

14 THURSDAY

SLC TRIVIA NIGHT - PUB TRIVIA USA

Stage Left Café

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

woodstockoperahouse.com

16 SATURDAY

INDOOR WOODSTOCK FARMERS MARKET

McHenry County Fairgrounds

To submit calendar items, email pr@thewoodstockindependent.com

11900 Country Club Road

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

woodstockfarmersmarket.org

SHAMROCKED STREET FESTIVAL

219 N. Benton St.

Terry Byrne:, Noon to 1:30 p.m. Interstate 90: 2 to 4 p.m.

Wild Fire: 5 to 7 p.m.

Bella Cain: 7 to 10 p.m.

DJ Marc Esses and Danny Vintage: 10 to 11 p.m. $15

BOY BAND REVIEW

WoodstockOpera House

121 W. Van Buren St. 7:30 p.m.

$50 VIP; $35 A seats; $25 B seats woodstockoperahouse.com

JAZZ NIGHT

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St. 8 p.m.

woodstockoperahouse.com

17 SUNDAY

OPEN MIC STORYTELLING

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St. 2 to 4 p.m.

Hosted by Jim May

19 TUESDAY

DISTRICT 200 BOARD OF EDUCATION

Woodstock High School

501 W. South St. 7 p.m.

woodstockschools.org

20 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

21 THURSDAY

SLC TRIVIA NIGHT - PUB TRIVIA USA

Stage Left Café

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

woodstockoperahouse.com

22 FRIDAY

ORIGINAL OPEN MIC NIGHT

Stage Left Café

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

‘BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY’ - A MOVIE SING-ALONG

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St. 7:30 p.m.

$10 all seats

woodstockoperahouse.com

23 SATURDAY

A TRIBUTE TO THE RAT PACK

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St. 7:30 p.m.

$43 all seats

woodstockoperahouse.com

STAGE LEFT PRESENTS FEATURING AMY YORE

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St. 8

26 TUESDAY

WOODSTOCK FIRE/RESCUE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

2900

FLASHBACKS

35 years ago – 1988

■ Woodstock High School students were in rehearsals for a production of the musical “Grease.” Stars were Anne Johnsos as Sandy and Tadd Hooker as Danny. Among others in the cast of 28 were Tonya Hennen, Renee Setser, Karin Swanson, Jenni Lucky, John Frederick, Mike LoSasso, Jeff Martine, George Miarecki, and Corb Felgenhour.

■ Featured in Birth Announcements in The Woodstock Independent were Nicholas David Foat, Tiffany Lynn Mondek, Kyle Robert Shiel, Collin James Slattery, and Heidi Marie Rechsteiner. Each of the babies weighed eight pounds or more.

30 years ago – 1994

■ At the Woodstock City Council’s semiannual public forum, residents raised concerns about the city’s handling of snow removal.

■ Woodstock School District 200 Board Member Julia Hansen suggested converting Westwood Early Learning Center into an elementary school to ease overcrowding throughout the district.

25 years ago – 1999

■ Virginia Peschke was awarded the 1999 Illinois Lincoln Excellence in Public Service Fellowship.

■ The City Council discussed remedies for a conflict of interest dilemma regarding council members owning or renting property in the TIF district. In question were three properties owned by Mayor Alan Cornue and office space rented by Councilman Jim Young. Attorney Jim Flood said the city’s bond rating could be adversely affected by such conflicts of interest.

20 years ago – 2004

■ The Northwood Middle School Warhawks won their third consecutive conference championship in wrestling.

■ Woodstock native and author Laura Caldwell spoke to a group of aspiring writers at the Woodstock Public Library about her most recent book, “A Clean Slate,” and gave tips on writing and publishing novels.

15 years ago – 2009

■ Rich’s Foxwillow Pines Nursery,

MARCH 3, 1988 – Mal Bellairs, popular radio personality and resident of Woodstock, challenges members of the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce and Industry to work as a team for the good of Woodstock. Bellairs spoke at the chamber’s annual dinner Feb. 22 at Deeter’s restaurant.

Woodstock, had been chosen to display dozens of its rare and unusual conifers at the Chicago Flower and Garden Show at Navy Pier.

■ Bowler Mike Fell accomplished what few have done – bowled two consecutive 300 games, which means 24 consecutive strikes. The feat was accomplished at Edgetown Bowl (now Kingston Lanes) in Woodstock.

■ TownSquare Players Inc. was preparing to stage “The Musical of Musicals (The Musical)” at the Opera House. The production featured a small talented cast: Paul Lockwood, Megan Marshall, April Martinez, and

Matt Scharlau.

10 years ago – 2014

■ Dr. Lloyd Shaw retired from Woodstock Veterinary Clinic after 45 years of service. Shaw had grown up on a dairy farm. He said being a 4-H member generated his interest in veterinary science.

■ Kelco Industries Inc., parent of Woodstock-based Guardian Engineering and Manufac

of Guardian Engineering, was also awarded one of the 101 Best and Brightest Companies to work for in the Chicago area.

■ Kim Larson, executive director of Family Alliance, was named the 2014 recipient of the Harold Buschkopf Award by the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the chamber’s 69th annual dinner.

5 years ago – 2019

■ The City Council put off making a decision about buying a new electronic sign along Route 47 after a citizen objected to the plan as being “out of character” with Woodstock. For $87,000, the low bid, Digital Displays of Sheridan would remove the existing sign and replace it with an 11-foot-high sign with two sign-face electronic message boards.

■ Rob Mutert opened Warp Corps in the former Lloyd’s Paint ’N Paper building, 114 N. Benton St., as the frontline headquarters for McHenry County’s battle against opioid addiction, substance abuse, and suicide. Mutert planned to use the “big three – art, music and adventure sports” to combat deaths of despair.

1 year ago – 2023

■ “Change order fatigue” was setting in among some City Council members as they were asked to approve an additional $262,000 in contractor’s change orders, which were adding an average of $100,000 a month in unanticipated expenses to the renovation of the Old Courthouse and Sheriff’s House. Total cost of the project was approaching $20 million.

■ Four Marian Central Catholic High School wrestlers medaled by finishing in the top five in the Class 1A state championships: Vance Williams (second, 132 pounds), Ethan Struck (fourth, 152), Andrew Alvardo (fifith, 113), and Max Astacio (fifth, 160).

■ Bull Valley Farm Country Store offered beef, pork, chicken, eggs, cheese, candies, and more when the Aavang family opened it on Route 120 and Thompson Road northeast of Woodstock

down throughout Woodstock the last

SUDOKU

Rules: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as 9x9 grids, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box.

SOLUTION

Catering • Homemade Soups • Homemade Desserts 1110 N. Seminary Ave., Woodstock • 815-337-8230 Sunday-Thursday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Friday & Saturday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. ENJOY J&J GAMING OUR FARM TO TABLE PUZZLE PAGE

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solution

OVERHEAD PALMING PASS

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SIDELINES TRAVELING

WALKING

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE

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

JUDICIAL CIRCUIT MCHENRY

COUNTY, ILLINOIS-IN PROBATE

Case No. 2024PR000025

In the Matter of the Estate of DARLENE MAE OLSON

Deceased

CLAIM NOTICE

Notice is given of the death of DARLENE MAE OLSON

Of: CRYSTAL LAKE, IL

Letters of office were issued on:

2/1/2024

To Representative: DAWN LEVITAN

8916 WHEATLAND RD. BURLINGTON, WI 53105

RORY OLSON

16102 DURKEE RD. HARVARD, IL 60033

whose attorney is:

WILBRANDT LEGAL

65 S. VIRGINIA ST. 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 February 14, 2024, February 21, 2024, February 28, 2024)

L11740

PUBLIC NOTICE

ASSUMED NAME

Public Notice is hereby given that on

FEBRUARY 9, 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 GNJ CONSULTING located at 470 ESSEX LANE CRYSTAL LAKE, IL 60014. Owner Name & Address:

GARY STOFCHECK 470 ESSEX LANE CRYSTAL LAKE, IL 60014.

Dated: FEBRUARY 9, 2024

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

(Published in The Woodstock Independent February 14, 2024, February 21, 2024, February 28, 2024) L11741

PUBLIC NOTICE

ASSUMED NAME

Public Notice is hereby given that on FEBRUARY 9, 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 BORROWED AND BLUE located at 7305 STIRLINGSHIRE CT. BULL VALLEY, IL 60050. Owner Name & Address: LORI WEMBER 7305 STIRLINGSHIRE CT. BULL VALLEY, IL 60050.

Dated: FEBRUARY 9, 2024

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

(Published in The Woodstock

Independent February 14, 2024, February 21, 2024, February 28, 2024) L11742

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF CHANGE TO DBA CLOSING THE BUSINESS FILE #21617

Public Notice is hereby given that on FEBRUARY 12, A.D. 2024, a Certificate was filed in the Office of the County Clerk of McHenry County IL concerning the business known as THE PET SITTER OF CRITTERS located at 6813 CHILLEMS DR. SPRING GROVE IL 60081 which certificate sets forth the following change: CLOSING THE BUSINESS in the DBA thereof: WENDY G. GREEN CLOSING BUSINESS OF THE PET SITTER OF CRITTERS LOCATED AT 6813 CHILLEMS DR. SPRING GROVE, IL 60081.

DATED this 12TH day of FEBRUARY, A.D., 2024

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

(Published in The Woodstock Independent February 21, 2024, February 28, 2024)L11743

PUBLIC NOTICE

Invitation to Bid

Project bids for Independence Health and Therapy Woodstock Illinois

Additional information will be available on site at both locations. Please contact the Environmental Coordinator at 815-338-8662

Bids are to be received in a sealed envelope at 2028 N. Seminary Woodstock Illinois 60098

Attention: Environmental Coordinator. Bids received unsealed or after the due date/time will not be accepted.

Bids are due on 3-29-2024, prior to 3:00pm.

Bids will be opened on 4-4-2024 @ 10:00am.

Awarding of bids will be soon after the opening. Proof of Workman’s Compensation and Liability insurance must be submitted with sealed bid.

Contractors and subcontractors must be fully insured cannot be debarred, suspended or otherwise excluded from receiving federal funding or working on state or federally funded projects.

Davis-Bacon Federal Prevailing Wage rates must be paid. Independence Health is an equal opportunity employer. Small, minority and women-owned businesses are encouraged to submit proposals. No faxed or emailed bids will be accepted

Rewiring for data/Phones:

Independence Health and Therapy is currently accepting bids to professionally upgrade existing data wiring at 2028 N. Seminary Woodstock Illinois 60098, and 708 Washington Street Woodstock Illinois 60098, to cat 6. 36 runs are to be included in the bid. Additionally bid is to include upgrade jacks at each location and all terminations.

Rain Gutter repair and replace.

Independence Health and Therapy is currently accepting bids to replace and repair the rain gutter system at 2028 N Seminary Woodstock Illinois 60098

Bid is to include:

Removal of heat wire and reinstall of heat wire.

Re-pitch 186 feet of gutter to drain

properly towards the downspouts.

Install water diverters at valley locations. Replace downspouts with oversize 3”x4” downspouts.

Repair gutter seam on the east left side of the entry door with appropriate sealant.

Install 245 feet of gutter guard along the entire Courtyard area, into the left and right elevations.

Dispose of all debris.

Washington Street Front door and opener replacement.

Independence Health and Therapy is currently accepting bids to remove and replace the front client door at 708 Washington Street Woodstock Illinois 60098,

Bid is to include:

Removal of existing door, frame, and auto opener.

Replace with Medium stile door and frame with extension, Dark bronze finish. Door to be prepped for install of an auto door opener.

4 foot threshold 4 inch (1/2”Ru-rd)

Threshold in mill finish.

Install Horton 4000LE SL series auto door opener, surface mounted, single, Dark Bronze Finish.

Install 2 Switches, Press Wall (#4 stainless steel with engraved Handicap symbol).

Install Remote transmitter for wall / jamb switch 900 MHz’s

Install control, Radio receiver control 900 MHz’s

Removal of all debris.

Seminary Front Door Auto Opener

Independence Health and Therapy is currently accepting bids to install auto door opening system at 2028 N. Seminary Woodstock Illinois 60098, Bid is to include:

Provide and install 1 Horton 4000LE SL Series Surface mounted, Dark Bronze Finish.

Provide and install 1 Horton 7000 Series, Surface Mounted, Single, and Dark Bronze Finish.

1 each switch, Press wall (#4 Stainless Steel with engraved Handicap symbol)

(Published in The Woodstock Independent February 28, 2024)L11747

PUBLIC NOTICE

ASSUMED NAME

Public Notice is hereby given that on

FEBRUARY 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 IDLE MIKE located at 1008 HARROW GATE DR. WOODSTOCK, IL 60098. Owner Name & Address: MICHAEL GUSTAFSON 1008

HARROW GATE DR. WOODSTOCK, IL 60098.

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

(Published in The Woodstock Independent February 28, 2024)L11748

PUBLIC NOTICE

STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE TWENTY-SECOND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT MCHENRY COUNTY, ILLINOIS-IN PROBATE

Case No. 2024PR000036

In the Matter of the Estate of MARY T. MCFARLAND Deceased

CLAIM NOTICE Notice is given of the death of MARY T. MCFARLAND Of: CRYSTAL LAKE, IL

Letters of office were issued on: 2/21/2024

To Representative:

ANTHONY C. SIGO 2301 HAYDN ST. WOODSTOCK, IL 60098

whose attorney is:

MICHLING LAW FIRM

101 N. THROOP ST. WOODSTOCK, IL 60098

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 February 28, 2024)L11749

The Marian Central Catholic High School wrestling team poses with their 1A Dual Team State Championship trophy at the Grossinger Motors Arena, Bloomington. The Hurricanes clenched the title Feb. 25.

Marian wins state wrestling team title

Dual team title is first state championship in Marian history

By Dan Chamness NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

The Marian Central Catholic Hurricanes have won state championships before.

But never in the sport of wrestling. Until Saturday. They now have an Illinois High School Association Class 1A State Championship to go with their third-place finish of 2019, which was earned in Class 2A. They have won seven state titles. They have one each in girl’s cross-country, wrestling, volleyball, and four in football.

To earn the dual team state title, the Jordan Blanton-coached Hurricanes downed Coal City at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington. by a score of 34-27. Six of Coal City’s points were gained in the 285-pound match, which was forfeited at the end of the team dual as the Hurricanes didn’t need to win to take the team state championship. The ‘Canes won eight of the 14 weight classes and of the wins, one was earned by pinfall and one was by forfeit. That was 12 of the Hurricane points. They also had one tech fall win and two were major decision victories. The other three were decision wins.

“We knew it would take a complete team effort to top Coal City,” said Blanton, the Hurricanes’ head coach. “We started strong and never looked back.”

Andrew Alvarado and Jimmy Mastny, Marian Central Catholic’s grapplers at 132 pounds and 157 pounds respectively, each put six points on the board. Alvarado had to get on the mat and pin his opponent’s shoulders to the mat at 4:38. Mastny simply accepted a forfeit win.

“When Andrew earned the pinfall win at 132 pounds, that deflated them,” said Blanton. “After that, our upper weights did their job and closed the door. It is an incredible feeling to bring home the state title to MCC. The entire coaching staff is appreciative of the school, the administration, the athletic director (Cody O’Neil) and all of the Hurricane fans. We want to enjoy this moment, but not enjoy it too long. Our plans and work for the 20242025 season have already started.”

Brayden Teunissen, who earned an individual state title one week ago as well, earned a technical fall victory to earn five points. The match at 126 pounds was called when he was ahead of his opponent

22-7.

Daniel French and Vance Williams both earned major decision victories, resulting in four points each for the Woodstock-based squad. French won an 11-0 decision at 215 pounds, while Williams earned a 14-6 triumph at 138 pounds.

“We want to enjoy this moment, but not enjoy it too long. Our plans and work for the 2024-2025 season have already started.”

- Jordan Blanton Marian head wrestling coach

Austin Hagevold (106 pounds), Anthony Alanis (113) and Max Astacio (175) each earned three points with decisions over their opponents in the state championship victory over Coal City.

To earn the right to face Coal City in the title match, they first had to win their semifinal match over Roxana. They would triumph over the Shells 41-26. The Shells would finish third after losing to the Hurricanes.

Hagevold (106), Alanis (113), Mastny (157) and French (190) each earned pinfall wins, while Williams earned a forfeit victory. Teuissen earned a technical fall victory, while Max Astacio (165) and Nicholas Astacio (175) each earned decision victories.

The Hurricanes started the tournament by thumping LeRoy 54-12 in the quarterfinal round on Friday. With the win over LeRoy, they eliminated the Panthers from further contention in the team battle and moved to the semifinals. Five Hurricane wrestlers, namely Chandler Gardner (106), Alvarado (132), Mastny (157), Nicholas Astacio (165) and French (190) each put six points on the board for MCC. Gardner and Mastny earned forfeit wins, while the other three pinned their opponents.

Alanis (113) and Teunissen (126) earned technical fall victories to earn five points. Williams and Max Astacio (175) earned major decision wins, beating their opponents by at least eight points, resulting in four points each. Kaleb Echman (285) and Connor Cassels (150) scored the other six total points, three points each, by decisioning their opponents.

COURTESY PHOTO

Dominique Thomas sets new 200m dash record at UW-Milwaukee

Dominique Thomas, a Marian Central Catholic graduate, keeps running fast and adding, or lowering, records.

Thomas, a sprinter for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, established a new school record in the 200-meter dash while she was competing at the Grand Valley State University Big Meet, which was held in Allendale, Michigan.

She took third overall, running to the finish line in 24.27 seconds. While she did not set a new standard in the 60-meter dash, she did win that event, running the second fastest time in UW-Milwaukee Lady Panther history, breaking the tape at 7.41 seconds.

Dan Chamness

The College Report

Thomas won both the 60-meter dash and the 200-meter dash at the meet. She ran respective times of :07.47 and :25.30.

Tim Maidment (Woodstock), also a Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther track athlete, took third in the men’s long jump. He recorded a leap of 22 feet, 5.75 inches. Team scores were not kept for the Mark Guthrie Legacy on either the men’s or women’s level. Team scores were not kept at the Grand Valley State University Big Meet.

Ryan Jones (Marian Central Catholic) also competed in the GVSU Big Meet on both Friday and Saturday. On Saturday, the University of Illinois-Springfield middle distance/distance runner finished fifth in the 800-meter run, running the four indoor laps in 1:53.91. Showing his range, one day earlier, he ran the 5,000-meter run in 15:01.77. He took 11th in the fourth heat of the 5,000-meter.

athlete finished the race in :57.58. Team scores were not kept.

WRESTLING

Dylan Connell (Marian Central Catholic) is currently ranked 31st in the country among NCAA Division I wrestlers grappling at 184 pounds. But, the University of Illinois grappler is running into other Big 10 athletes with an even better ranking. So is his college team for that matter.

If you believe the rankings, only two points separate Connell from the 16th ranked wrestler at 184 pounds. Connell lost a 2-0 match to the University of Wisconsin’s Shane Liegal, currently ranked 16th at 184 pounds. Wisconsin, which is ranked 23rd as a NCAA Division I team, only topped Illinois by two points as well, 20-18.

the Big 10 Conference.

SWIMMING

Isabelle Halsall (Woodstock North), a St. Norbert College swimmer, scored points in two events in SNC’s 167-38 triumph over Carroll University. Individually, she finished second in the 1,000-yard freestyle, touching the wall at 11:43.15. She was also a member of the SNC Green Knight 200-yard freestyle relay, which took third in 1:51.82. Additionally, she took seventh in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:07.47.

MESSAGE FROM CHAMNESS

Recently, the Lady Panthers also competed in the Mark Guthrie Legacy Invitational, which was hosted by the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and held at their fieldhouse.

Reagan Kelly (Marian Central Catholic) took fifth in the 400meter dash at the Alex Wilson Invitational, which was hosted by the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. The Butler University

TOURNAMENT WINNERS

The Woodstock Hoops fourth-grade team won the Hampshire Hoopfest Tournament Feb. 17.

NN SCOREBOARD NN

■

In the 28-12 loss to the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, Connell was topped 6-0 by Isaiah Salazar 6-0. At the time of the match, Salazar was ranked fifth in the country among 184 pound grapplers. The Golden Gophers are ranked 11th in Division I. Illinois is 5-9 overall and 2-6 in

Send me those spring names. While the high school seasons for baseball, softball, and outdoor track are a month away, most likely, because of the weather, the college seasons start earlier, as most teams will head south to play. If you want to make sure your son/daughter is on my list, put “Woodstock Independent” in the subject line and e-mail me (Dan62801@aol.com).

Dan Chamness writes The College Report for The Independent.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Kaden Combs - Wrestling

Kaden recently finished fifth in the 175-pound IHSA 2A state wrestling meet. He finishes his senior year with a record of 41 - 5. Throughout the season, Kaden won four individual tournaments and took second at regionals and third at sectionals, en route to his fifth-place medal. Twenty-seven of his victories ended as falls (pins) or technical fall wins (up by 15+ points), so he had a very dominant season. He is the second medalist in school history and first medal winner since 2015.

Pictured are: Michael Clarke (on floor). Front row: Andrew Willard, Casey Azarela, Miguel Ortiz, Kainen HahnClifton and Jace Hanlin.Back row: Coach John Hanlin, Maximiliano Martinez, Leonard Wilson, Hudson Nichols-Hogle, Gage Medley and Coach Jen

Nichols. (Not pictured, Mason Lenzi, Coach Mike Lenzi)

Brickhouse Shootout at the historic Wharton Field House.