Woodstock Independent 4/10/24

I NDEPENDENT The Woodstock

COMMUNITY

Rock out in Woodstock Public Library’s Listening Room PAGE 13

SCHOOLS

WHS computer science team to show off work at Google PAGE 8

BUSINESS

Hyperlocal Foodshed Co-op set to open May 15 PAGE 11

INDEX

Time to voice park preferences

By Eileen Millard NEWS@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Woodstock residents will have a chance to share their preferences on April 25 about how the city will prioritize park and recreation improvements for the next 10 years. The workshop will be held from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Woodstock Opera House.

The need for a 10-year plan

The Parks Master Plan is described as “community vision and strategies for action to direct the next 10 years of investments, programs, and care of the city’s recreation offerings.”

According to Woodstock Administrative Analyst Nicole Lewakowski, the workshop will include interactive exercises and an opportunity for

City to hold Parks Master Plan public input meeting April 25, survey online now The Woodstock Independent 671 E. Calhoun St., Woodstock, IL 60098

Phone: 815-338-8040

Fax: 815-338-8177

Thewoodstock independent.com

updates and feedback. Lewakowski added that children are welcome at the meeting and that the evening may include exercises to gather their input as well.

Specific areas covered in the 10-year plan include a vision for individual parks, open space areas, recreation facilities, programs, and natural resources.

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Council votes 7-0 to approve Lennar development

Members cite need for growth along vital Lucas Road corridor

By Eileen Millard

After a five-and-a half hour meeting held April 2 in the Woodstock Opera House, the Woodstock City Council unanimously approved the controversial Lennar Homes Riverwoods housing development on Woodstock’s east side.

It was the end of a long road.

Housing and commercial development for the site had been proposed as far back as 1988, with a final plat for another Riverwoods subdivision winning the approval of the City Council in 2007, just before the housing recession halted most residential growth.

The 135-acre development, about half of which has been used for growing crops, lies south of

Northwestern Hospital and will have 320 units: 244 detached single-family homes and 38 duplexes (76 units). The proposal had been voted down 4-1 by the city’s Plan Commission in December at a standing-room-only public hearing that lasted four hours. The four unanimous council actions on April 2 were to annex 17 acres of the site into city limits, See

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

It was

full house at the Opera House for the April 2 meeting. Opponents of the Lennar Riverwoods development project dressed in green for solidarity.

LENNAR

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rezone the property, approve a special use zoning permit and approve a preliminary plat for the project.

Why we need it

Council discussion centered on several premises. The most common was that if Woodstock didn’t approve the development, other municipalities would outpace the city with their own projects along the Lucas Road development corridor.

Council members also referred to the current housing shortage; a need for a larger tax base; having a school district with enough underused buildings to handle the new student influx without new construction; and the need for more residents to attract retailers, restaurants and larger hospitals.

Council members also put their trust in city staff to oversee the development and enforce regulations to address issues brought forth by objectors.

Councilwoman Natalie Ziemba summed up her view before the vote was taken, asking city staff what she called “a very simple question.” ”With the exception of the additional acreage requested to be annexed …

had the economy not taken a turn in 2008, would there be a subdivision in some form on the site? Yes or no.”

A city staff member answered “Yes.”

Objections voiced

People against the development have been visible and vocal over the

long process, attending meetings in numbers and posting anti-development signs around Woodstock. Objectors who spoke at the meeting included homeowners near the development site as well as other Woodstock residents; educators;

Continued on Next page

Woodstock resident Robert McCormack tells the council that the Lennar development does not adhere to Smart Growth urban planning principles.

INDEPENDENT PHOTOS BY KEN FARVER

Ellen O’Rourke, former Plan Commission and City Council member, spoke against the Lennar development at the April 2 meeting.

conservation group members; land use professionals and several Woodstock high school students.

Concerns included home density; groundwater contamination; stormwater issues; increased traffic; accidents at busy intersections; removal of old growth trees; basement flooding; septic issues; police protection shortages; school bus safety at busy intersections and a lack of “Smart Growth” urban planning.

Kishwaukee River concerns included silt contamination; inadequate buffer zones; aquifer recharge and pesticide and fertilizer runoff.

Before the vote, Turner asked city staff to address the objector concerns as to how requirements would be met and regulations enforced for stormwater control, building foundation inspections, tree replacement and wetland mitigation.

Weighing in:

• Councilman Bob Seegers, Jr. spoke at length, expressing aggravation over non-Woodstock residents being involved in the process.

Addressing old growth tree concerns, he said, “Hypothetically … as a landowner, I could go in there before I present to any municipality … (and) I could cut every single tree down on

the whole property, and there’s not a thing that anyone could do about it. Not one thing. And then I could go to Lennar or D.R. Horton, or somebody else and say, ‘Hey guys, look, I got a farm here ready for development with no trees. You’ll not have to deal with the environmentalists saying, hey, you can’t cut trees down.’ Lennar has made substantial concessions … and I for one am comfortable with the plan.”

• Councilwoman Melissa McMahon said she had been undecided before the council meeting, but after hearing final arguments from both sides, she decided to vote for the plan.

• Councilman Gordie Tebo said he respected all input from both sides, but that, “My responsibility as an elected member of the city council is to promote what I feel is best for the entire city.”

• Councilman Tom Nierman said he was going to “push for us to follow that stormwater management to a T … (that) all the stormwater retention, all the buffering wetland areas (are) taken care of before a whole lot of dirt is moved.”

• Councilman Darrin Flynn thanked attendees for their passion, adding that, “People are important. We have to make sure the buildings are right, the development is right.”

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A balancing act

Mayor Turner’s final comments were about balance.“It is our job up here to consider the interest of the citizens in this room and elsewhere. We are not anti-water; we are not anti-tree; we are not pro-accident. This corridor, Lucas Road, will get developed by somebody. So we

can decide whether we stay in our borders, and we don’t grow; (but) what happens is that growth works around us. That tug of war continues. It does not mean we don’t care about water; it does not mean that we’re looking at profits or money over the environment. That’s just not true. We look at that balance.”

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

Richard Murphy, Lennar Homes land planning and entitlement manager, gives a presentation to the council.

WE’VE MOVED!

Edward Jones Financial Advisor Eric N. Thornburg, AAMS®, CRPC® and his branch support team have moved to:

The Starline Building, 200 W. Front St. Suite D, Harvard, IL 60033

OBITUARIES

Lucille P. Mackey, 103

member of the class of 1939.

“We are happy to be part of the Harvard community and would like to express our appreciation for the confidence and support we receive yearround.”

– Eric N. Thornburg

20 years experience providing personalized service in Harvard and surrounding areas

Ribbon cutting: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday, April 19

Clients and public are welcome. Refreshments served.

Lucille P. Mackey, 103, of Woodstock, passed away March 29, 2024, peacefully in her sleep, at Valley Hi Nursing and Rehab in Woodstock. She was born in Oak Park on Dec. 12, 1920, to James and Magdalen (Garramone) Minola. On Dec. 2, 1944, she married Clifford T. Mackey of Woodstock, at St. Thomas Catholic Church in Crystal Lake. They were married 61 years until his passing in April 2006.

Throughout her youth, she was fortunate enough to be able to spend summers at the family cottage in Lake Geneva and the farm in Woodstock.

Lucille P. Mackey

Lucille attended three different elementary schools in Chicago. While living in Chicago she participated and excelled in many sports in many different parts of the city. She enjoyed roller skating at Soldier Field, volleyball, basketball, and track at La Follett Park, and she played right field with the Kilmer Trees women’s baseball team.

In 1935 she moved to Crystal Lake and attended Crystal Lake Central High School. While living in Crystal Lake she played baseball with the Crystal Lake girls city baseball team.

In 1936 her family moved to the family’s new home outside Woodstock on Lily Pond Road to be near the family business, Lily Pond Park Inn. While attending Woodstock High School she was elected social chairman of the Girls Athletic Club, won first place in the 50 yard dash, high jump, and broad jump competition. She was May Queen in 1939, prior to her graduation. Lucille was the last surviving

BRIEFS

County Sheriff conducts Scotts Law crackdown

in mid-March, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Traffic Unit conducted a Scott’s Law traffic detail. Efforts were focused on various roads throughout the county, ensuring motorists were following Scott’s Law.

Scott’s Law, also known as 625 ILCS 5/11-907(c), mandates that upon approaching any stationary vehicle with

After high school, Lucille attended Ellis Business College in Elgin. Upon graduation she worked at Oak Mfg. in Crystal Lake before going to work in the family restaurant. She was a stay-at-home mom for many years while raising her family. Once that was accomplished, she decided to join the workforce again. She worked at Precision Twist Drill in Sales and Expediting in Crystal Lake until her retirement in 1983.

During retirement she enjoyed senior activities at Dorr Township in Woodstock and the Crystal Lake Senior Club. She loved being social and making new friends.

Lucille is survived by her daughter, Maureen (Larry) Walton, of Woodstock, and many cherished nieces, nephews, cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, sisters Marie Durkee and Rita Minola and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A graveside service was held on Friday, April 5, 2024 at 2:30 p.m. at McHenry County Memorial Park Cemetery, 11301 Lake Ave., Woodstock.

The family would like to thank her care team at Valley Hi and JourneyCare Hospice for the wonderful and loving care she received.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in her name to Valley Hi Nursing and Rehab, 2406 Hartland Road, Woodstock, IL 60098 or JourneyCare Hospice, 405 Lake Zurich Road, Barrington, IL 60010.

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.

flashing emergency lights, including commercial trucks and cars, all approaching vehicles shall reduce speed, change lanes if possible, and proceed with caution.

In total, the Traffic Unit made 55 traffic stops and issued 59 traffic citations, including 26 Scott’s Law violations.

Scott’s Law is aimed to protect emergency workers on the side of the road, and traffic details are conducted throughout the year to help raise awareness for the safety of roadside first responders.

Edward Jones is a leading financial services firm in the U.S. and through its affiliate in Canada. The firm’s more than 19,000 financial advisors serve more than 8 million clients with a total of $1.9 trillion in client assets under care at the end of December 2023. Edward Jones’ purpose is to partner for positive impact to improve the lives of its clients and colleagues, and together, better our communities and society. Through the dedication of the firm’s approximately 54,000 associates and our branch presence in 68% of U.S. counties and most Canadian provinces and territories, the firm is committed to helping more people achieve financially what is most important to them. The Edward Jones website is at edwardjones.com, and its recruiting website is careers.edwardjones.com. Member SIPC.

PUBLIC SAFETY LOG

Woodstock Police Department

■ Timothy A. Tobin, 37, transient, was arrested March 19 at Prairie View Lane on charges of criminal trespassing.Cited and released on notice to appear. Court date April 19.

■ Erica L. Bell, 34, Woodstock, was arrested March 19 at Walden Oaks on charges of endangering life/health of a child (five counts). Released on notice to appear. Court date April 4.

■ Erika A. Delgado Ariza, 34, Carpentersville, was arrested March 20 at Route 14 and Doty Road on charges of no driver’s license (never issued) and improper display of license plate. Released on notice to appear. Court date April 4.

■ Joshua D. Markowitz, 19, Woodstock, was arrested March 21 at Lake Avenue on charges of possession of a controlled substance. Taken to jail. No bond. Court date April 19.

■ Jonathan M. Franzen, 26, transient, was arrested March 21 at South Eastwood Drive on charges of disorderly conduct. Cited and released on notice to appear. Court date April 19.

■ Rodney D. Gehrke, 59, transient, was arrested March 22 in the 11000 block of Industrial Heights on charges of possession of drug paraphernalia. Released on notice to appear. Court date April 18.

PARKS

Continued from Page 1

Survey open until May 3

The city also has an online survey, open through May 3 for residents to answer questions and list their preferences for parks and recreational priorities. The survey can be accessed with the QR code shown in this article or by visiting www.woodstockil.gov and clicking on the “Parks Master Plan” icon on the homepage, to get to the page with the survey link.

The survey’s stated purpose is to gather resident responses “to ensure this plan reflects community values, needs and opportunities” and starts by asking respondents what parks and facilities they use and what kinds of projects they want prioritized.

Respondents are also asked to comment on anything that currently hinders them from enjoying parks and facilities, such as: lack of programming information; parking issues; accessibility; lack of shade; safety concerns; park overcrowding; lack of washroom facilities and the condition of the park or facility. Questions are included to rank

Snap this QR code to take you directly to the Woodstock Park System Master Plan survey.

favorite activities and indicate if needs are being met in areas such as: sports; wellness; wildlife; special events; arts and festivals; playgrounds; pools; skate parks; sports fields and gathering places.

There is also a place to prioritize an action list for the next five years for activities like accessibility, basic maintenance, new structures and facilities, and building new parks.

Park in the Square planning

In December of 2023, a virtual focus group meeting was held

about the Park in the Square, with topics including needed maintenance for two of the park’s main structures, the Bandstand and the Spring House. The meeting also raised the possibility of relocating those two structures as well as the Civil War memorial statue if it suited new planning ideas or goals. While the Parks Master Plan survey has no specific place to comment on possible changes for the Park in the Square, there is an open-ended question at the end of the survey to add comments about anything not brought up in the survey.

Other chances for input

There will be other public meeting opportunities to weigh in during the parks planning process, estimated to finish up in late summer 2024. These include:

• Parks and Recreation Commissions meetings

• City Council meetings

Even if the subject is not on a particular meeting’s agenda, a Public Comment section is always available at the beginning of the meeting for attendees to talk about subjects not on the night’s agenda.

PICTURE THIS

The McHenry County Historical Society’s Museum, located at 6422 Main St. in Union, is now open for the season. New exhibits include, “It Would be a Wonder: The Story of Wonder Lake.” Discover how Wonder Lake was created, view photographs of the lake as it was formed, and learn how residents celebrated the official opening day in 1930. Museum hours are Tuesday - Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please visit mchenrycountyhistory.org for more information.

Two Woodstock Little League players, John Ganschow, left, and Dan Hill, are pictured in the summer of 1981.

Don Peasley Photo Collection, McHenry County Historical Society

Have your say in Parks Master Plan

This week’s editorial cartoon is a classic, drawn by past Independent cartoonist Jim Pearson for the May 16, 2017 issue. It concerned balancing economic development against preserving the historic look of the downtown Square. It’s relevant again this week.

We have been covering proposed changes to the Park in the Square since last December. A focus group was asked back then to think outside the box and take a survey, which included this question:

“Are you in support of moving and restoring the Bandstand in a different location of the Square to enable a new performance structure and new views?“

A follow up call at the time with Woodstock Executive Director-Operations Christina Betz confirmed that since both the Bandstand and the Springhouse would probably need to be taken down soon for significant repairs, the location where they would be rebuilt had options.

When asked if a comment from a focus group participant, about moving the Civil War memorial in favor of a new park layout was being taken seriously, Betz’ reply was: “We are open to all solutions and suggestions. It would require additional community input, if we decided to move it in order to better use the space, making sure it was (properly) moved and re-dedicated.”

So it was surprising to hear Mayor Mike Turner’s reply at the April 2 City Council meeting, when an attendee asked if the city was “considering changing the entire outlook of the Square.” The attendee also said he had heard about the city “tearing down the bandstand and putting a shell up in one of the corners.”

“There is no plan on the part of this

council or as part of the Parks Master Plan to gut or change the Square,” Turner said. ”We don’t have any proposal, plan – nothing under consideration – to make any radical changes to that. And there would be plenty of public input on a Park Master Plan, any change to that park, if we were to even consider it.”

It’s not clear why there was such contradiction from the city on what may or may not happen in the Park in the Square. But what is clear is that it’s even more important to weigh in on what you want for the Square.

If you have a spare 10 minutes, click

» YOUR VIEW approved. I am instead disappointed in how the debate played out over the last few months.

Council decision in favor of Lennar, no suprise

As a long-time resident of Lucas Road, I am disappointed in the outcome of Tuesday night’s City Council meeting. Let me be clear, though. The result did not surprise me. Woodstock hasn’t seen a significant new housing development in over a decade. I expected Riverwoods to be

On Tuesday, I heard two significant facts for the first time. We Lucas Road neighbors are deeply concerned about the trees and the soil. It turns out that the old oak trees we’re fighting to preserve are badly overgrown with invasive shrubs.

The oak savannah ecosystem is not currently healthy. It also turns out that the

on the QR code in the Parks Master Plan story in this week’s issue (page 5) and take the Parks Master Plan survey, which will be open through May 3. The survey goal is getting feedback on what residents want for all city parks and recreational facilities (including the Park in the Square) “to ensure this plan reflects community values, needs and opportunities.” There is a blank box on the last page of the survey to add your thoughts about anything not covered on the survey itself. It’s a great place to share your views on the future of the Park in the Square.

If you have a few more minutes,

glacial soil in the area, while not ideal for building, is common in McHenry County. Communities have experience in addressing its limits. I can’t say that knowing either of those facts earlier would have changed my opinion. However, it would have made it clear that the issue we were debating had nuances.

Where was this information in the months before the debate? Why didn’t Lennar, the City, and Mayor Turner

share your views by attending the April 25 Community Workshop for parks planning, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Woodstock Opera House Community Room.

Potential changes for the Park in the Square will also be discussed at some of the future Parks and Recreation Commission meetings and City Council meetings between now and late summer. Even if the subject is not on a particular meeting’s agenda, a Public Comment section is always available at the beginning of the meeting for attendees to talk about subjects not on the night’s agenda.

present a fuller picture before we got to the Opera House on Tuesday? Why didn’t the press investigate and report on the underlying geological and environmental issues? A fuller picture should have come to light long before debate ended at 10:30 pm on Tuesday.

I do have one request for the city. Woodstock is operating at the edge of its corporate jurisdiction. It is adding significant traffic onto two roads over which

‘So, what’s it like being retired?’

“So, what’s it like being retired?”

I haven’t kept an account of how many times I’ve been asked that question in the past three months. I’ll just say it’s probably the most frequent conversation starter when I cross paths with Independent subscribers and with friends and family.

My answer, “I’m still adjusting.”

I’m assuming there are rhythms in retirement just as there are when one is working. And, I’m still experimenting with whether a waltz, cha cha, march, or whatever is my new tempo.

Jim and I haven’t been sitting around the house twiddling our thumbs. We’ve traveled. A week in Steamboat, Colo, and two in Florida in January and 10 days in Brazil and seven in Costa Rica in March may very well have delayed finding my retirement cadence. We’ve skied, walked beaches – Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic and Pacific oceans – and relished quality time with family.

While home, I’ve found great joy in cooking – my go-to, fill-my-soul activity. And I’ve had more time to read – most recently a departure from my usual fiction and historical fiction selections. Jim suggested I read “Mansfield and Dirksen: Bipartisan Giants of the Senate,” because I had worked for Senator Everett Dirksen in the Old Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., the last eight months of his life. It’s a well-documented and well-written account of the fascinating relationship between the two party leaders across the aisle from each other as they led the passage of landmark civil rights and voting rights legislation, created Medicare, and helped bring about a

Continued from Previous page

it has no control: Route 47 (Illinois) and Lucas Road (Dorr Township). Please, Woodstock, show yourself to be a good neighbor to the residents of unincorporated Woodstock, and lobby IDOT and Dorr Township on our behalf. Thank you.

Rev.

Dr.

Barbara A. Bundick Woodstock, IL

Wise words, true today

Nature can and will survive without us. We, however, cannot survive without

nuclear arms limitation treaty. I recommend reading it.

c.wormley@thewoodstockindependent.com.

I truly enjoy compiling Flashbacks for your weekly reading. Being retired and having a bit more time to think outside the box may have opened my eyes to the possibility of including a Jim Pearson editorial cartoon once a month.

Cheryl Wormley Declarations

Jim’s brother, Jack, donated all of Jim’s original cartoons to The Independent after Jim died in 2017 at the age of 77. Jim had filed his more than 22 years of weekly cartoons by date, so they’re easy to access and put back away for sometime in the future. They are a reminder that some issues require years to come to fruition and some die on the vine and key community leaders serve and go. If you remember a cartoon you’d like to see again, let me know.

Two projects are beckoning my attention, and I’m hopeful one or more of you can help me with the first one. About two decades of The Independent are stored on floppy discs and CDs. In their current state, they can’t be accessed byThe Independen staff or anyone else. I’m assuming there are people or companies that can take those now-ancient forms of storage and convert them to be archived on a server or in the cloud. If you know of anyone providing such a service, please call me at 815-519-7402 or email me at

nature. The native Cree tribe put it best: “After the last tree has been cut, and the last river has been poisoned, will you find that money cannot be eaten.”

And from Joseph Hickey as told to William Least Heat-Moon: “But one thing has been consistent through all the years of white settlement: Just about everybody has treated the land as a commodity to make a buck off of.”

Marian Weiss Woodstock, IL

The second project involves organizing some of my nearly 1,800 columns by subject or importance or whatever. Jim has encouraged me to put the ones about family into a selfpublished book. It seems a daunting task, but a worthy one that will require setting goals with dates for accomplishment. I’m not there yet.

Since I write only one Declarations a month – a much appreciated retirement perk from writing a column every week, I want to remind you that The Independent 37th anniversary is April 23. Locally owned weekly newspapers were common when Denise Graff Ponstein and I started the Independent in 1987. Unfortunately, that’s no longer true. More than 2,500 non-daily newspapers closed or were merged into chains in the past 20 years. Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University has reported the rate of newspaper closures accelerated to 2.5 a week in 2023, leaving one-half of U.S. counties with no access or very limited access to local news.

I encourage you to call Independent owner and publisher Rebecca McDaniel at 815-338-8040 on April 23 to thank her and The Independen staff for providing you and all of Woodstock with local news in print, on line, and via Facebook. Happy 37th Anniversary to The Woodstock Independent!

Cheryl Wormley is publisher emerita of The Woodstock Independent. Her email is c.wormley@thewoodstockindependent.com.

» OUR POLICY

n The Woodstock Independent welcomes letters of general interest to the community.

n We reserve the right to edit for clarity, content, and length.

n Include a phone number for verification of authorship only.

n Please limit letters to 400 words.

n Email letters to pr@thewoodstock independent.com, or mail or drop them off at our office, 671 E. Calhoun St., Woodstock, IL 60098.

n For more information, call 815-338-8040. 671

OUR POLICY: Email letters to pr@thewoodstockindependent.com, or send them to or drop them off at The Independent’s office, 671 E. Calhoun St., Woodstock, IL 60098. • Please limit letters to 400 words. • All submissions are subject to editing for length and content. • If questions, call 815-338-8040.

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, Julian Senn-Raemont

EDITORIAL CARTOONIST

Jim Mansfield

PROOFREADER

Don Humbertson

CIRCULATION

Beverly Meuch,

‘This is going to be my

By Kevin Lyons DISTRICT 200

Woodstock High School senior Sophia Neubauer (left) and sophomore Carie Zhang work on their Guess It game in preparation for an upcoming student tech showcase at Google. (Background standing L to R) Seniors Liam Hanson and Ishan Patel also have an app that’s been waitlisted for the showcase.

last school trip’

WHS computer science team selected for student tech showcase

Students in Jai Sharma’s AP Computer Science Principles class have been working with software experts from around the country and at least one student project has been selected to show their work at a student showcase at Chicago’s Google office.

“This semester students have been working on projects in teams with mentors in the software development industry from large corporations such as Microsoft and educational institutions like UC Berkeley, University of Illinois Urbana - Champaign, and UIC,” he said.

Sharma said the projects are the result of the Mentor Matching Engine sponsored by the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition. More than 200 student/mentor project applications were submitted across the state and only 22

teams were selected for a student showcase.

One of those selected teams includes Woodstock High School senior Sophia Neubauer and sophomore Carie Zhang, who developed a word game called Guess It with help from mentor Deanna Emery from University of California, Berkeley.

Similar to hangman, players select letters for English or Spanish words and must complete the word by choosing letters with a limited number of selections.

Users can also select a difficulty level.

With the help of their mentor, the students wrote the code for the game and are still finalizing it with improvements. “There were some new coding concepts that we’d never talked about in class yet that we had to ask our mentor about, so that was one of the things she taught us,” Neubauer said. Zhang said they are able to meet

with their mentor over internet video chats once each week. “We kind of just talk through what’s been done and what our next steps are.”

Neubauer, who plans to attend Harper College after graduation, said their mentor has also been helpful discussing her college plans. She said she’s excited about the student showcase.

“This is going to be my last school trip and my last big project that I have, so I’m looking forward to that,” she said.

Ishan Patel and Liam Hanson’s team was also selected for the showcase waitlist and might be able to participate if another team can’t attend. The seniors designed an app called Walkwise that allows users to rate how pedestrian friendly portions of town are.

“Users can go on the site and mark where they think the walkability is poor so it can be sent to city officials to let them know

what they can do to improve it,” Patel said.

Hanson said they used a program called Leaflet that allows them to incorporate maps that users can place markers on and create routes.

Sharma, who was chosen as the Mentor Matching Engine Teacher of the month, said all of the WHS student/mentor projects were excellent and that students should be proud of the work they’ve done this semester.

Sharma said this was the first year that WHS participated in the mentor match. It was complicated to coordinate mentor schedules with professionals in different time zones across the country while students had set class time periods, but well worth the effort.

“They got a lot out of it,” Sharma said. “It’s real-life experience.”

Kevin Lyons is communications director of School District

200.

D200 PHOTO

Having a little gardening fun are Green Club volunteers from Woodstock North High School, (from left) Max Parrish, Johnny Kohl, and Hannah Myers.

Emma Vanderstappen, a Woodstock North High School senior, is the daughter of Cynthia and Andrew Vanderstappen, Woodstock.

The teacher who nominated her said Emma is a driven student who appears to have endless energy. ”Her kindness and talents are beyond reproach,” her teacher said.

A high honor roll student every semester, Emma is also active in Madrigals, jazz choir, class council, Thespian Troupe 7470, ACES program, concert orchestra, and Bella Voce choir.

Green Club gets grant to revive school garden at Woodstock North

By Janet Dovidio NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

The garden area at Woodstock North High School is experiencing a rebirth under the supervision of the school’s Garden Club and its adviser, Roxanne Monti.

Thanks to a District 200 Education Foundation Impact Grant, the club was able to buy mulch, compost, topsoil, weed-control products, and garden tools to help in this task.

The original garden, located at the student entrance by the tennis courts, was planted in 2010 as an “Edible Schoolyard” project using organic methods for the sustainable outdoor classroom. The garden thrived for several years before it was abandoned and left to grow wild and overgrown with weeds. The area already had a greenhouse structure built as an Eagle Scout project by Joseph Miceli in 2015.

When Monti took over as Green Club adviser last year, she and the members devoted themselves to creating a productive area with a native pollinator garden alongside a food garden.

“Master Gardener Ann Minn has guided our students in choices for vegetables and native plants,” Monti said. “Last year she helped with winter sowing when we planted perennial flowers, pumpkins, and

gourds from donated seeds from the Master Gardeners. We dried the gourds and made bird houses to attract birds to this area. We were able to share our abundant tomato harvest with the Woodstock Public Library food pantry over the summer.“

With students out of school last summer, the garden still required watering. Two dedicated club members stepped up to take on that task. Since the nearby water spigot was broken, Maxwell Parrish and Joe Gerloff had to drag buckets of water to nourish the seedlings and crops.

One major task the Green Club faced was clearing weeds and pesky thistle. The members accomplished that with Minn’s guidance by putting down cardboard first, then compost, and finally straw.

As an occupational therapist, Monti has guided the club members to have inclusive areas for her students to enjoy. The garden area has raised garden beds for wheelchair users and grassy paths for walking so special needs students can enjoy the outside, plant or pick tomatoes, or benefit from a sensory experience.

“The club members are so motivated when they see the growth and results of their hard work,” Monti said. “We like to promote the benefits of native plantings and conservation.”

D200 PHOTO

A & E

‘If I do the job right, I am invisible’

Record producer Bruce Iglauer to share his story at the Woodstock

By Eileen Millard NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Bruce Iglauer, founder of blues recording label Alligator Records, remembers the first time he heard renowned blues artist Hound Dog Taylor. “It is still the happiest music I have ever heard,” he said. “I think this is healing music that reaches inside, makes you feel better. It’s magical.”

Iglauer’s mission for the past 53 years has been to share that love of the blues with the world. He will be speaking about his music-making journey on April 18 at the Woodstock Opera House as part of the Creative Living Series.

One record at a time

A blues fan in his hometown of Cincinnati, Iglauer made his way to the blues mecca of Chicago in 1970, working at a record store and learning the music business from the store’s owner.

“I’d go out every night to see live blues,” Iglauer said. “Hound Dog Taylor, when I had seen him perform 100 times in a year and a half, it never stopped being infectious. And fun… he was not a dour, serious, blues man. He loved it when people got up to dance. I’m not much of a dancer, but I could dance to Hound Dog Taylor’s joyful music.”

So at 23, Iglauer decided to get into the music business by producing a Hound Dog Taylor album. “For me, it was a matter of just wanting to record my favorite bands,” he said. “When I started the label, I only had $2,500. If I wanted to make a second record, I had to sell enough of the first.”

His initial marketing approach was a bit unorthodox. “I pressed 1,000 Hound Dog Taylor LPs, put them in back of my car, and drove around the country to stations, to meet the DJs,” he said. “(Back then) they could decide what they wanted to play.” Sometimes the DJ would put the record on the air right then and there, Iglauer noted.

Opera House on April 18

Why an alligator?

The name for Alligator Records came from a nickname Iglauer had. “I had a habit of listening to music and laying in the drum part (by) clicking my teeth together,” he said. His girlfriend at the time used to call him “a little alligator.”

“And since my last name is hard to pronounce and to spell … I thought it would be fun to have (an alligator) in a logo,” he said.

A universal music

“I have toured all overEurope, Brazil, Australia, Japan, and I am trying to go to China next,” Iglauer said. “Even when people don’t understand the words, they feel the music. It speaks to every culture I’ve been in. The intensity, the audience response – little miracles. The fans there are so dedicated, so

hardcore, they come out to hear any American blues artist, even if they don’t know them. When we go overseas, the artist and I are surrounded by fans, all wanting to talk about old records. We make friends all over the world. I am the guy carrying the artist or the record, but it is the artists who are the magicians.”

On to the next

“The new generation of blues artists is rising up,” said Iglauer. “Someone has to record them. They are the future. I want to leave a legacy going forward, not just (about) the 70s, 80s, 90s, but now. I consider my job to be a bridge between artists and potential audiences.

“If I do the job right, I am invisible and the artist is visible … (I am) most excited when I am in the audience and my artist connects with the audience.”

The unique alligator logo for Bruce Iglauer’s record company came from a nickname he had. Iglauer will share his story at the Woodstock Opera House on April 18.

Get your tickets

Tickets cost $22 for Bruce Iglauer’s Creative Living appearance at 10 a.m. April 18. Visit woodstockoperahouse. com or call 815-338-5300.

Attendees are invited for coffee and conversation at Stage Left Café beginning at 9 a.m.

Iglauer will be available after the presentation in the Community Room to sign copies of the book he co-authored, “Bitten by the Blues.”

COURTESY PHOTO

Bruce Iglauer

Business

‘Anyone can shop here’

Locally owned, sourced grocery story to open

By Julian Senn-Raemont NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Peter Waldmann has a dream for a better Woodstock.

“A locally owned, controlled, and sourced grocery store with an inhouse food prep kitchen.”

And one thing needs to be made painfully clear.

“You do not need to be an owner to shop here.”

It’s simple: if you’re hungry, shop at the Food Shed Co-op.

Peter Waldmann, the Co-op’s general manager, has enjoyed success in the natural foods industry for the past 30 years in positions ranging from bagger to chief executive officer.

Community owned, run

“This store is open to the public. Anyone can shop here.”

The Co-op is a grocery store owned by the people in this community (that includes you, if you choose to do so). Unlike corporate chain stores, food co-ops are one hundred percent run by the people who shop there.

But that’s not the only thing that makes the Food Shed different.

As of April 2024, over 2,000 community members have bought shares in the Food Shed. Share purchases are $100 per share, with a two share purchase minimum. That is, a $200 lifelong investment with no additional costs. As an owner, one has a say in control of the organization and an opportunity to be on the board, which means they can help set the path of the company.

“However, there is one pricing structure for everyone,” Peter says. “No matter if you choose partownership or not.”

But food shoppers do not need to be an owner to purchase delicious, organic, and locally sourced food from the Food Shed.

Hyperlocal products

Farms and suppliers within a 30-mile radius are considered “hyperlocal” and will be given

preferred shelf placement and accelerated payment terms. The goal is to “make it easy” by getting the product from “source to shelf” within seventy-two hours.

Products will include organic produce, bulk foods, and locally brewed wine and beer for retail purchase. But any items the owners (ie. you, if you choose it) want and support will be sold at the store.

The Co-op’s goals include building a strong and involved community in order to achieve a clean, sustainable future, educating young people about eating healthy foods, and keeping food dollars in McHenry County.

Farms and suppliers within a 150 mile radius (dubbed “regional”) are also considered local.

Local is key

However, food and beverages are not the only local resources at the Co-op. Construction began a little less than a year ago in mid-July. “And no one was shipped in,” Peter says.

A local architect and builder were hired, keeping the money flowing

Transactions filed in the McHenry County Recorder’s Office March 18 to 19.

■ Residence at 3703 Jacobson Drive, Wonder Lake, was sold by Fabio M. Velasco, Johnsburg, to Alan Blume, Wonder Lake, for $330,000.

■ Residence at 1540 Hickory Road, Woodstock, was sold by Corey A. Bonk, to Cynthia Rodriguez, Woodstock, for $150,000.

■ Residence at 1561 Ginny Lane, Woodstock, was sold by The Estate of Dee Ann Stambazze, Crystal Lake, to Eric Rapp, Woodstock, for $310,000.

■ Vacant land, approximately 1.7 acres, at Lot 17 Oakmont Drive, was sold by Knickerbocker Properties LLC, Bull Valley, to Michael P. Fischer, Wheeling, for $73,000.

■ Industrial building at 1301 Cobblestone Way, Woodstock, was sold by Chicago Title Land Trust Company, Wonder Lake, to PLP Investments LLC, Bartlett, for $365,000.

green within the community. Additionally, a local web designer developed their online site, and when they open on May 15, shoppers can feast their eyes on produce bins crafted out of reclaimed wood by a local woodworker.

Employees, of course, will also be hired locally. The Food Shed Co-op will be hiring for all general positions sometime before the end of April. A job fair, too, will be held sometime before then. Full-time employees will be given a 20 percent shopping discount, paid time off, and paid jury duty. Part time employees will also get paid time off.

Anticipating employee needs is one of the Co-op’s passions. Within the staff lounge is a private nursing room for new mothers, and health and safety, which includes customers and employees, is a “number one priority”.

There really is no end to the grocery store innovations the Food Shed Co-op will bring to our community. For more information and access to their online employment application, visit https://foodshed. coop/

■ Residence at 8532 Stillwater Road, Wonder Lake, was sold by CalAtlantic Group LLC, Schaumburg, to Monika Ilecka Studenna, Wonder Lake, for $258,900.

■ Residence at 290 Macintosh Avenue, Woodstock, was sold by Lindsey A.Vitha, Union, to Trevor Parlberg, Woodstock, for $235,000.

■ Residence at 1027 Wheeler St., Woodstock, was sold by The Zachary J. Martin and Maggie A. Martin Joint Revocable Trust, Frankenmuth, Mich., to Alejandro D. Ortiz, Woodstock, for $186,000.

■ Residence at 9703 Creekside Drive, Wonder Lake, was sold by Maria T. Deleon, Franklin Park, to Fonda Lewis, Wonder Lake, for $345,000.

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

A sign hanging on the wall near the entrance of Food Shed Co-op offers eight principles the business model is based on.

Factors contribute to Public House closure

By Susan W. Murray

After more than 20 years in business, the Woodstock Public House closed its doors for good on March 30, due to a “culmination” of factors, said Kathryn Loprino, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Brian.

As the old courthouse was being renovated into the Old Courthouse Center, the hope was that the Public House would remain a strong anchor on the ground floor. But timing proved to be the force that could not be overcome.

Like all restaurants, the Public House struggled to regain lost ground after the COVID shutdowns. Anticipating that closing again due to construction was imminent, the Loprinos did not go back to their pre-pandemic days and hours of operation.

While construction on other parts of the courthouse commenced in the late winter of 2022, fencing went up and a plywood walkway led to the restaurant that remained open until October 1.

Originally, it was expected that the restaurant would remain shut for six months, but the closure

stretched into the late summer of 2023.

The money from the city of Woodstock had allowed the Loprinos to give full-time employees an exit bonus when the restaurant closed in the fall of 2022, to keep some staff on the payroll, to cover the restaurant’s monthly expenses, including insurance, and to receive a salary for themselves. A significant portion went to money for the reopening, Kathryn said.

Five weeks before the August 18 opening, the kitchen staff was on salary, but because the county

Health Department had not completed its final inspection, the employees worked on setting up the restaurant.

Due to the long closure, 95% of the restaurant staff was new, Kathryn said, necessitating a slow opening to train everyone.

At the end of October, the restaurant was on better footing for the Public House’s 20th anniversary celebration, with November and December at full capacity.

But then January came, traditionally a slow time for restaurants, while snow and frigid temperatures kept business down some days that month and in February.

In a normal year, a strong patio season provides a cushion for the slower months, but the extended construction time cut into summer sales.

The Loprinos’ conversations took on an ominous tone: “If we can get through this week, maybe it will turn around.”

Her biggest fear was not being able to make payroll, Kathryn said.

“We’re devastated,” she said. “We’ve had a very successful run, but we were hemorrhaging.”

New bakery to open in former Swiss Maid location

The Woodstock Independent previously reported on Paulie’s Italian Bakery and Deli’s initial announcement that it would be moving into the former Swiss Maid Bakery location at 122 N. Benton St. Prior to the planned March 10 opening, however, Paulie’s relocated to 132 Cass St. in the storefront that Avant Cycle had vacated at the end of January. Paulie’s adjusted its opening date to late April/early May.

The former Swiss Maid will not remain empty, however. By the Dozen Bakery will open its third location in the spot and is advertising on Indeed.com for a store manager. By the Dozen, based in Machesney Park, took over and reopened the former Swiss Maid in Harvard in December 2020. Although reopening the Woodstock outlet was slated for 2021, that did not come to pass.

The manager of the Macheseney Park By the Dozen, Kasia Edwards, said that employees are readying the Woodstock space, but the bakery had to get through its busy Easter season first. No opening date has been announced. For Woodstock residents who have passed the shuttered Benton Street shop with wistful glances, head shaking, and maybe the odd tear, news of By the Dozen’s opening can only be a cause for rejoicing.

– Susan W. Murray

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

A handwritten “closed” sign is taped to the Public House door.

A new turntable donated by the Friends of the Woodstock Public Library allows patrons to enjoy spinning some vinyl and listening with headphones in a comfortable setting.

By Tricia Carzoli NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Are you looking to put a new spin on an old pastime? Check out the Woodstock Public Library’s new Listening Station.

The Friends of the Woodstock Public Library generously donated a new record player to the library for patrons to enjoy.

“In 2022, vinyl records overtook CD sales,” WPL Assistant Director Martha Hansen said. “And the trend continues.

It seems that everything that is old becomes new again.

Prior to the mid-1980s, the library had a listening station with records and a record player for patrons to use. When CDs became the norm, the records and the record player went by the wayside, but Hansen said the library was ready to bring

one back.

“A lot of people have stumbled upon records because they’ve been inherited over time or by any number of ways,” she said. “We now have a way for those folks to see what the record sounds like or how a record player sounds before they decide if they want to make the investment in a record player of their own.”

The Friends generously donated an Audio-Technica AT-LP3XBT turntable with headphones and amplifier for patrons to use.

The headphones can be checked out at the reference desk, or patrons are invited to bring their own headphones – either wired or Bluetooth.

The new Listening Station encourages patrons to sit down and enjoy the music in a pleasant nook complete with comfortable seating and the walls newly painted with a cozy blue hue.

“It is a perfect place to just sit and relax,” Hansen said. There are two chairs – and the headphone jack has a splitter so two people can listen to the record at the same time.

“We have a nice variety of music in our in-house collection,” Hansen

INDEPENDENT PHOTOS BY TRICA CARZOLI

The comfortable listening room can accommodate two record fans.

Experience ‘Encanto’ at Creekside Middle School

By Janet Dovidio

Special education students at Creekside Middle School are currently rehearsing for their presentation of “Encanto,” the story of the children and the magic in their little town in Colombia.

“Having our Life Skills and Target students perform an adapted play provides an opportunity for them to recognize their talents and show them off to the public,” Life Skills teacher Natia Hong said. “This is our eighth adapted play. We decided on ‘Encanto’ because of how we could incorporate some Spanish with English to include the diverse group we have in our program. We love how ‘Encanto’ is so colorful and vibrant.”

Hong adapted the script based on her students’ abilities and levels. The production is a team effort among teachers, associates, and therapists who all collaborated on ideas. Associate Tina Morris will serve as narrator, while Special Education Life Skills teacher Jennifer Moskowitz coordinated the music and sound effects.

All students in the Life Skills and Target programs participate in the production. While some students are actors, others have created set designs in art class. Each role is vital to the play’s success. Families help with costumes.

CHIP CHECK

“Our Impact Grant award from the District 200 Education Foundation helped us to purchase set decorations, props and costumes,” Hong continued. “Creekside art teacher Chuck Jones helped create some of our set decorations.”

The Best Buddies peer mentors at Creekside are assisting students in the play, under advisor Special Education teacher Alyssa Niemic. Orchestra student Brookelynn Males and her Best Buddy will pretend to play their violins during a scene. Many Best Buddies will help out backstage.

Several students will be using communication devices which help them to say their lines. Others will use assisted mobility devices such as gait trainers and standers so they can stand and move around without being in their wheelchairs.

“Students with different abilities deserve the same opportunities and experiences like their general education peers,” Hong concluded. “I am proud that our team can provide that for our students. Through a little creative thinking and adapting, anything is possible for our special students.”

Family and friends are invited to watch the performances, which take place on the stage in the cafeteria at Creekside Middle School, 3201 Hercules Road in Woodstock. The public is also welcome. The performance is free. The times and dates are 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 30, and 9:35 a.m. on Wednesday, May 1. Attendees must bring a photo ID such as a driver’s license to check in at the school office.

Plan to see the magical Madrigal family in this adapted production of Disney’s “Encanto.”

Tim Shabani, owner of Sophie’s Whiskey & Wine, checks the number on a chip he pulled from the Rotary Jeep Raffle hopper April 5. The drawing was the third early bird drawing for $500.

Rotary member Tom Rogers (left) was the announcer for the event, and member Tom McGrath spun the wheel.

Previous early bird winners include Hanna Parry, Richardson, Texas, and Jason Daujotis, McHenry.

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

Creekside Middle School’s Life Skills and Target students take the stage to perform an adapted version of “Encanto” April 8 at the school.

IN BRIEF

Golf your way through library at Mini Links

April 13

The Woodstock Public Library will celebrate the culmination of National Library Week (April 7–13) with Mini Links from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 13.

With the help of local-business sponsors, the Friends of the Library group will install an 18-hole mini golf course in the library. Families can putt their way through the stacks to support the library.

The cost is $5 per person at the door, $3 for kids 12 and younger. All proceeds support the library’s work in the community. The friends group will also hold a raffle during National Library Week, with dozens of prizes donated by library supporters and local businesses. The drawing will be at Mini Links on April 13. Tickets for $1 or 6 for $5 will be available at the library all week.

National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries of all types across the country each April.

Woodstock Public Library encourages everyone in the community to visit the

LISTENING

Continued from Page 13

explained. “It is small right now, but we are expanding – and patrons are welcome to bring in their own records to listen to them on our turntable – we even have a record cleaning kit at the front desk so patrons can clean up their old records to get them in shape for listening.”

The in-house collection includes albums by Joan Armatrading, Joan Baez, Crosby, Still & Nash, Jimi Hendrix, Billy Joel, Pete Seeger, Simon & Garfunkel, Statler Brothers, James Taylor, Tina Turner, Neil Young, and Warren Zevon.

“We noticed that our collection covers music from A to Z with Armatrading to Zevon,” Hansen said. “It seemed fitting – but we are looking to slowly incorporate more.”

Part of the draw of bringing the turntable into the library was the excitement around the new Records Department store on the Square.

“People were getting excited about it,” she explained. “And we wanted to bring some of that enthusiasm to the library.”

Hansen said that the CD collection was not circulating as much as it had been, so that collection has been thinned, conveniently making room for the soon-to-come circulating collection of records.

“While the circulating collection won’t be available until later this

INDEPENDENT FILE PHOTO

Players putt past publications at a previous Mini Links event.

library to take part in the festivities and explore all the library has to offer.

Libraries give a green light to experience something truly special: a place to connect with others, learn new skills, and pursue passions through book clubs, storytimes, trivia nights, crafting classes, lectures, and more. Woodstock Public Library offers a wide array of programs, classes and resources, including a public piano, museum passes, a brandnew vinyl listening station, technology assistance appointments, the Library of Things, wi-fi hotspots for loan, and more.

year,” Hansen said. “We are preparing it and are excited to add to it as we can.”

The Listening Room is located at the end of the fiction section on the main floor, while the circulating records will soon be located by the new releases directly in front of the circulation desk.

Find more fun at the library...

Upcoming events at the WPL

April 13 – Mini Links – mini golf for all ages – fundraiser for the Friends of the Woodstock Public Library

April 16 – May 6 – D200 Art Show Open House

April 27 – Rescue Readers –sign up online to read to animals at Hooved Animal Humane Society.

April 30 – Paint and Sip for Teens – students from 6th-12th grades can register online to paint a masterpiece while the library provides soft drinks and water.

Kassie was rescued from a hoarding situation in Kentucky named “Frozen Sorrows.” She is very gentle to humans and plays well with her dog friends in the yard at Helping Paws. She likes to follow her nose while on walks, but listens very well and follows human instructions, including “sit.” She enjoys food time and will never turn down hug or cuddle time. If you are interested in this sweet soul and are looking for a best friend, Kassie’s your girl! Call HP to meet her.

Happenings

calendar

11 THURSDAY

SLC TRIVIA NIGHT - PUB

TRIVIA USA

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St.

7 p.m.

woodstockoperahouse.com

12 FRIDAY

OPEN MIC NIGHT

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St.

7 p.m.

To sign up, email keith@offsquaremusic.org

‘MEAN GIRLS’

WHS & WNHS Theater production

Woodstock High School

501 W. South St.

7 p.m.

$10 whst.booktix.net

THEATRE 121 - ‘STEEL

MAGNOLIAS’

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St.

7:30 p.m.

Adults: $26 A seats, $20 B seats

Seniors: $24 A seats, $18 B seats

Students: $16 A seats, $10 B seats woodstockoperahouse.com

13 SATURDAY

INDOOR WOODSTOCK FARMERS MARKET

McHenry County Fairgrounds

11900 Country Club Road

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

woodstockfarmersmarket.org

MINI LINKS AT THE LIBRARY

Woodstock Public Library

414 W. Judd St.

10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

$5, $3 children 12 and younger

STAGE LEFT BEATS

FEATURING EDM

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St.

7 p.m.

$15 adults, $5 students

‘MEAN GIRLS’

WHS & WNHS Theater production

Woodstock High School

501 W. South St.

7 p.m.

$10

whst.booktix.net

THEATRE 121 – ‘STEEL

MAGNOLIAS’

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St.

7:30 p.m.

Adults: $26 A seats, $20 B seats

Seniors: $24 A seats, $18 B seats

Students: $16 A seats, $10 B seats

woodstockoperahouse.com

14 SUNDAY

THEATRE 121 – ‘STEEL

MAGNOLIAS’

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St.

2 p.m.

Adults: $26 A seats, $20 B seats

Seniors: $24 A seats, $18 B seats

Students: $16 A seats, $10 B seats woodstockoperahouse.com

‘MEAN GIRLS’

WHS & WNHS Theater production

Woodstock High School

501 W. South St.

2 p.m.

$10

whst.booktix.net

15 MONDAY

COMMUNITY FREE DAY AT

RECREATION CENTER

820 Lake Avenue

5 a.m. to 9 p.m.

16 TUESDAY

WOODSTOCK CITY COUNCIL

Council Chambers, City Hall

121 W. Calhoun St.

7 p.m.

woodstockil.gov

17 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

18 THURSDAY

CREATIVE LIVING SERIESBRUCE IGLAUER

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St.

10 a.m.

$27

woodstockoperahouse.com

SLC TRIVIA NIGHT - PUB TRIVIA USA

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St.

7 p.m.

woodstockoperahouse.com

19 FRIDAY

‘MEAN GIRLS’

WHS & WNHS Theater production

Woodstock High School

501 W. South St.

7 p.m.

$10

whst.booktix.net

THEATRE 121 - ‘STEEL

MAGNOLIAS’

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St.

7:30 p.m.

Adults: $26 A seats, $20 B seats

Seniors: $24 A seats, $18 B seats

Students: $16 A seats, $10 B seats

woodstockoperahouse.com

JAZZ NIGHT

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St.

8 p.m.

woodstockoperahouse.com

20 SATURDAY

RECORD STORE DAY

The Records Department

North Johnson St.

7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

‘MEAN GIRLS’

WHS & WNHS Theater production

Woodstock High School

501 W. South St.

2 p.m.

$10

whst.booktix.net

THEATRE 121 - ‘STEEL

MAGNOLIAS’

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St.

7:30 p.m.

Adults: $26 A seats, $20 B seats

Seniors: $24 A seats, $18 B seats

Students: $16 A seats, $10 B seats woodstockoperahouse.com

STAGE LEFT SESSIONS

FEATURING CRAZY HEARTS

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St.

8 p.m.

$10 in advance, $15 at the door woodstockoperahouse.com

21 SUNDAY

THEATRE 121 - ‘STEEL

MAGNOLIAS’

Woodstock Opera House

121 W. Van Buren St.

2 p.m.

Adults: $26 A seats, $20 B seats

Seniors: $24 A seats, $18 B seats

Students: $16 A seats, $10 B seats woodstockoperahouse.com

OPEN MIC STORYTELLING

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St.

2 to 4 p.m.

Hosted by Jim May

‘MEAN GIRLS’

WHS & WNHS Theater production

Woodstock High School

501 W. South St.

7 p.m.

$10

whst.booktix.net

23 TUESDAY

DISTRICT 200 BOARD OF EDUCATION

Woodstock High School

501 W. South St.

7 p.m.

woodstockschools.org

25 THURSDAY

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH RUMMAGE SALE

2018 N. Route 47

8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

WOODSTOCK FIRE/RESCUE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

2900 Raffel Road

7 p.m.

SLC TRIVIA NIGHT - PUB TRIVIA USA

Stage Left Café

125 W. Van Buren St.

7 p.m.

woodstockoperahouse.com

FLASHBACKS

35 years ago – 1989

■ Mayor Jim Shoemaker defeated challenger George Corson in the Woodstock mayoral election, and Brian Sager and Frank Gosser were elected to the City Council.

■ David Bengston, Addison “Beau” Kimball, and George Gallager were elected to the Bull Valley Board of Trustees.

30 years ago – 1994

■ The Woodstock Plan Commission finalized changes to the city’s landuse map, which included zoning the land south of Highway 14 between Dean Street and Route 47 as mixeduse nonresidential.

■ The Woodstock High School varsity baseball team opened its season with victories over Hononegah and Niles Notre Dame. Greg Boal and Ryan Widmayer were the winning pitchers, respectively.

25 years ago – 1999

■ The Woodstock School District 200 Board of Education held an executive session to discuss the siting of a transportation center.

■ Gloria Urch, a Hebron resident and author, spoke to St. Mary School students about the Underground Railroad.

20 years ago – 2004

■ For the sixth consecutive year, the WHS choral department received more sweepstakes points than any other school at the IHSA Solo and Ensemble Contests.

■ Alan Belcher received the Woodstock Masonic Lodge’s Community Builders Award.

15 years ago – 2009

■ Six WHS and Woodstock North High School students, Katy Crain, Iris Krandel, Rafael Castaneda, Mary Kelley, Nikki Greenhill, and Jake Leinweber, went to Washington, D.C., to meet with Sen. Dick Durbin. They carried messages about teen substance-abuse issues in the Woodstock area and the importance of supporting drug and alcohol prevention.

■ Deborah Skozek reviewed Woodstock Musical Theatre Company’s production of “Barefoot in the Park.” Skozek praised the production as providing “two energy-packed hours of laughter, romance, and for those of a

certain age, nostalgic longing for the music and fashions of the 1960s.”

■ Main Stay Therapeutic Riding Program, in its 25th year, launched Horses of a Different Color, a fundraising project that included 26 beautifully painted carousel horses. All 26 were to be displayed in Woodstock over the summer and then auctioned off after Labor Day.

10 years ago – 2014

■ Woodstock resident and ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church Lou Ness had begun her 800-mile walk from Rockford to Washington, D.C. Once in the nation’s capital, she planned to present the handwritten stories of the homeless and hungry. In addition to meeting with groups gathered at each of her stops, she was using Facebook, Twitter, and the Shelter Care website to engage people with the message of people in poverty.

■ The Woodstock North High School Key Club raised $3,410 at the St. Baldrick’s Day Fundraiser it sponsored and organized. Twenty-eight members of the student body and staff secured pledges and had their heads shaved to help fund research for childhood cancer cures.

■ Interiors Anew owners Addie Burns and Judie Kunzie were celebrating the 20th anniversary of their upscale vintage and recycled home furnishings and furniture store.

5 years ago – 2019

■ Nearly 65 percent of voters supported the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District tax increase referendum, which would increase WFRD’s share of local property taxes by 20 percent. Because tax collections lag by a year, it would be mid-2020 before the district would begin to see benefits. Chief Mike Hill estimated the first year would see an increase of $1.25 million.

■ “This is time for change,” said newly elected City Councilman Darrin Flynn, one of three newly elected council members. Flynn, Lisa Lohmeyer, and Wendy Piersall would be seated in early May. They replaced Dan Hart, Maureen Larson, and Mark Saladin, who did not seek re-election.

■ Habitat for Humanity turned over

April 26, 1989 –Gasoline prices across the United States have topped $1 during the past month, and McHenry County is no exception. Causes for the increase range from a reaction to the Exxon Valdez oil spill to OPEC nations adherence to supply limitations.

1 year ago – 2023

■ Voters made Melissa McMahon and Natalie Ziemba the top two votegetters to fill City Council seats that were vacated by the only two women members for the previous four years. Incumbent Darrin Flynn was reelected in the April 4 Consolidated Election, which attracted nine candidates for the three council seats on the ballot.

■ Bull Valley voters rejected a ballot question that would have granted the Village Board home rule authority to set taxes and fees without referendum.

■ As the city of Woodstock continued its enhanced streets improvement program, bids for rebuilding and resurfacing 17 street segments were so favorable that additional projects were added as part of the $11 million budgeted for 2023.

■ Woodstock and Woodstock North high schools were performing “Mamma Mia.” Show leads were Kamila Kay (Donna), Adeline Arana

INDEPENDENT FILE PHOTO

BY BILL DEAN

SOLUTION

APRIL FOOLS BELLY BRAY

BRIGHT

CACKLE

CHEEKS

CHUCKLE COMEDIAN

WORD SEARCH

COMEDY

CONTAGIOUS CRYING FUNNY

GIGGLES HAHA HICCUP JOKING

LAUGH

LOL

MOOD

POSITIVE

RELIEF

SMILE

SNICKER

WORD SCRAMBLE GUESS WHO?

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.

75 E. CRYSTAL LAKE 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

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice of Self-Storage Sale

Please notice Red Dot Storage 6 - Woodstock located at 2105 S. Eastwood Dr, Woodstock, IL 60098 intends to hold an auction of the goods stored in the following units in default for non-payment of rent. The sale will be an online auction via www. storageTreasures.com on 4/23/2024 at 9:30 am. Unless stated otherwise the description of the contents is household goods and furnishings.

Justin Horton Unit #349; Timothy Whaples Unit #336; Jessica Anderson Unit #410; Santiago Umana Unit #828. All property is being stored at the above self-storage facility. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Certain terms and conditions apply. See manager for details.

(Published in The Woodstock Independent April 3, 2024, April 10, 2024)L11769

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice of Self-Storage Sale

Please notice Red Dot Storage 78Woodstock located at 740 Washington Rd., Woodstock, IL 60098 intends to hold an auction of the goods stored in the following unit in default for non-payment of rent. The sale will be an online auction via www. storageTreasures.com on 4/23/2024 at 9:30 AM. Unless stated otherwise the description of the contents is household goods and furnishings.

Shawn Rank Unit. All property is being stored at the above self-storage facility. This sale may be withdrawn at any time without notice.

Certain terms and conditions apply. See manager for details.

(Published in The Woodstock Independent April 3, 2024, April 10, 2024)L11770

PUBLIC NOTICE

ASSUMED NAME

Public Notice is hereby given that on MARCH 25, 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 CRYSTAL CLEAN located at 4304 W. SHAMROCK LN. APT 3B MCHENRY, IL 60050. Owner Name & Address: LISA BOTTCHER 4304 W. SHAMROCK LN. APT 3B MCHENRY, IL 60050.

Dated: MARCH 25, 2024

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

(Published in The Woodstock Independent April 3, 2024, April 10, 2024)L11771

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF CHANGE TO SBA

CHANGE OF BUSINESS/OWNER(S)

ADDRESS

Public Notice is hereby given that on MARCH 27, A.D. 2024, a Certificate was filed in the Office of the County Clerk of McHenry County IL concerning the business known as TOUCH OF BEAUTY LANDSCAPE SERVICES located

2024 /s/ JOSEPH J. TIRIO (McHenry County Clerk)

(Published in The Woodstock Independent April 3, 2024, April 10, 2024)L11772

PUBLIC NOTICE

ASSUMED NAME

Public Notice is hereby given that on MARCH 1, 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 BEST OF MEG located at 1610 ARQUILLA DR. ALGONQUIN, IL 60102. Owner Name & Address: MEGAN HERRERA 1610 ARQUILLA DR. ALGONQUIN, IL 60102.

Dated: MARCH 1, 2024

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

(Published in The Woodstock Independent April 3, 2024, April 10, 2024L11757

Dated this 27TH day of MARCH, A.D.,

Sports

COLLEGE REPORT

Marian’s Ryan Jones starts spring season strong in Steeplechase

Ryan Jones, a Marian Central Catholic graduate and Marengo native, does not have the top time in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Yet.

But, the University of IllinoisSpringfield track athlete has the second-best time early in the season. While competing at the Washington University Distance Carnival in St. Louis, Missouri. Jones finished the race in 9 minutes, 33.66 seconds.

Dan Chamness

He trails only Southwest Baptist University’s Gavin Duchscheier, who has the top time at 9:26.84.

The College Report

Dominique Thomas (Marian Central Catholic) won the 200-meter dash at the Oakland University-hosted Golden Grizzlies Invitational. The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee sprinter finished the race in :24.52. The secondplace finisher was Oakland’s Ke’Vina Finch, who crossed the finish line at :25.08.

The Woodstock resident was also a part of the Lady Panthers’ 400-meter relay, which won in :47.52. The former Hurricane athlete ran the opening leg of the relay. Wisconsin-Milwaukee won the relay by over a second as Wayne State University took second in :49.30.

Tim Maidment (Woodstock), a Wisconsin-Milwaukee jumper, took seventh in the long jump. He finished with a leap of 20 feet, 7.75 inches. Team scores were not kept on either men’s or women’s levels.

Sophia Raymond (Woodstock), a Hope College sophomore student/ athlete, finished 16th in the hammer throw at the Grand Valley State University Early Meet, which was held in Allendale, Michigan. She recorded a toss of 36.38 meters. Team scores were not kept.

After a week of rainouts, spring sports resume

BOYS TENNIS

■ April 5 – Woodstock defeated Round Lake 6-1. Winning players / teams were: No. 2 singles Brett Neuhart 6-0, 6-0; No. 3 singles, Danny Peralta 6-0, 6-3; No. 1 doubles: Liam Hanson / Devon Oliveria 6-1, 6-0; No. 2 doubles: Cooper Pajich / Stewart Reuter 6-1, 6-0; No. 3 doubles: Daniel Bychowski / Jacob Roeder 6-0, 6-0; No. 4 doubles: Keaton Parrish / Brett Walsh 6-0, 6-0.

GIRLS SOCCER

■ April 1 - Woodstock North (1-4) fell to Grant (2-3) 3-0.

■ April 1 - Marian (1-1-1) fell to Richmond-Burton (3-1-1) 2-0.

■ April 5 - Woodstock (2-4-1) fell to Richmond-Burton (4-1-1) 3-1.

■ April 5 - Woodstock North (2-4) defeated Johnsburg (3-3) 1-0.

■ April 6 - Woodstock North (2-5) fell to Jacobs (5-1) 8-3.

BASS FISHING

■ April 5 – Woodstock co-op bass fishing team brothers Austin and Mason Nicolai (WNHS) placed 12th out of 60 boats, with four bass weighing a total of 9 pounds, 4 ounces.

■ April 6 – The Nicolai brothers (WNHS) placed 8th on Clinton Lake despite rough water and rain, with five

Woodstock North bass fishing brothers Austin and Mason Nicolai hold their catch April 6.

fish weighing a total of 11 pounds.

SOFTBALL

■ March 15 - Woodstock North (1-1) fell to Libertyville (2-1) 2-1.

■ March 16 - Woodstock North (2-1) defeated Grayslake Central (0-1) 11-9.

■ March 30 - Marian (2-4) fell to Lasalle-Peru (4-3) 5-0.

■ March 30 - Marian (2-5) fell to Lasalle-Peru (5-3) 13-2.

■ April 6 - Woodstock (0-4-1) fell to Genoa-Kingston (5-2) 12-0.

■ April 6 - Woodstock North (2-2) fell to Sycamore (8-0) 3-0.

■ April 6 - Woodstock North (2-3) fell to Sycamore (9-0) 8-5.

■ April 6 - Marian (3-5) defeated Johnsburg (0-2) 6-3.

BASEBALL

■ March 25 - Woodstock (2-3) fell to Prairie Ridge (3-1) 17-0.

■ March 25 - Woodstock (2-4) fell to Warren Township (2-2) 7-3.

■ March 26 - Woodstock (2-5) fell to Grant (5-0) 10-1.

■ March 27 - Woodstock (2-6) fell to Notre Dame (5-3) 14-0.

■ March 28 - Marian (2-3) fell to Antioch (2-1) 9-1.

■ March 28 - Marian (2-4) fell to Boylan Catholic (3-3) 9-5.

Continued on NEXT Page

COURTESY PHOTO

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER Woodstock No. 2 singles player Brett Neuhart competes in the Streaks first match of the season. Neuhart won 6-0, 6-0.

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER Thunder sophomore Emily Maxwell is poised to throw April 6.

COLLEGE

Continued from Page 22

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER Woodstock North senior Trevor Mark in action for the Thunder against Plano April 6.

Continued from PREVIOUS Page

■ April1 - Woodstock North (0-4-1) fell to Marengo (6-5) 12-1.

■ April 6 - Woodstock North (0-5-1) fell to Plano (6-5) 10-3.

■ April 6 - Woodstock North (0-6-1) fell to Plano (7-5) 13-3.

■ April 6 - Marian (3-4) defeated Lake View (2-7) 7-0.

■ April 6 - Marian (4-4) defeated Lake View (2-8) 7-1.

GIRLS TRACK & FIELD

■ April 5 – Woodstock North varsity placed 4th in the Gary Everett Invite, Elgin. Top scorers included: Dani Hansen triple jump (1st); Bella Borta - 300m

hurdles (1st), 100m hurdles (2nd); Jaydyn Grismer - 100m hurdles (3rd); Ashley Janeczko - discus (2nd), shot put (3rd).

■ April 6 – Woodstock finished 3rd at the Riverside Brookfield Bulldog Relays, scoring 55 points. Junior Amina Idris won the 100m Hurdles (17.11). Senior Anna Crenshaw won the shot put (9.9).

BOYS TRACK & FIELD

■ April 5 – Woodstock placed 4th in the Rams Invite at Grayslake Central, the team’s outdoor season opener, scoring 89 points.. Top scorers included: First place -sophomore Ty Steponaitis, triple jump (12.10m) and senior Ishan

Patel, winning the 800m (2:01.42). Second: Aryan Patel, 3200m; Tyler Moon, shot put; Nolan Van Hoorn, 100m, (11.32 - PR), 200m, (23.46 - PR); 4x4 relay Cohen Shut, Aryan Patel, Braedon Schwanke, and Ishan Patel.

LACROSSE

Diego Ortiz (Marian Central Catholic) scored Benedictine University’s 22nd goal of their 26-1 triumph over Concordia University-Chicago. The Woodstock resident hit the back of the net at the 8:34 mark of the third period.

Ortiz also had one shot in the 19-7 win over Edgewood College.

Matthew Brunken (Marian Central Catholic), also a Benedictine lacrosse player, had one ground ball in the BU Eagles’ 11-10 loss to Illinois Institute of Technology. Benedictine is 3-2 overall and 2-1 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference.

SOFTBALL

Ellie Thurow (Woodstock North), a Coe College pitcher, continues to be ranked in the American Rivers Conference in several categories. Her earned run average of 2.43 is the 10th-best in the league. She has allowed 19 earned runs on 42 hits in 54 2/3 innings of work. She is third in wins (eight), fifth in complete games (six) and fanned batters (46). She has only lost two games and also has one save. She has issued 21 walks this year.

Dan Chamness writes The College Report for The Independent.

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Justin Hedke - Bass Fishing

Justin Hedke, a senior at Woodstock North High School, has been a member of the bass fishing team since his freshman year, when he earned a position in the IHSA state bass fishing tournament. Justin has always been open-minded and eager to learn more about the sport. He is a true leader, always being himself and not worrying about what others may think. Keep up the great work!

Congratulations Athlete of the Week!

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY LISA KUNZIE Woodstock boys track newcomer, sophomore Ty Steponaitis, wins the triple jump.

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

Blue Streak sophomore Tipper Axelson winds up on the mound April 6.