Woodstock Independent 12/30/2020 by Woodstock Independent

The

Woodstock

I NDEPENDENT

Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

Published every Wednesday | Est. 1987 | Serving Woodstock, Wonder Lake and Bull Valley, Ill. | www.thewoodstockindependent.com | $1.50

Few 2021 races, but reasons to vote By Larry Lough

LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Although the main attractions on the consolidated election playbill April 6 will hold no drama, you will find competing characters elsewhere on the 2021 ballot. Woodstock has just one candidate for mayor and three for the three seats

YEAR IN PHOTOS

Photographer Ken Farver picks favorites of past year

MARKETPLACE

open on the City Council. And the election for four seats on the Board of Education of Woodstock School District 200 has only four candidates – all of them current members of the seven-member board. But further down the ballot, you will see some races worth your attention. Maybe the most intriguing shows up in a rematch of candidates from the

2017 race for Dorr Township highway commissioner. Incumbent John Fuller won the office four years ago, winning by 38 votes over then-Commissioner Tom Thurman, 1,144 to 1,106. Fuller won even though Thurman had the endorsement of then-Supervisor Bob Pierce. Elsewhere on the township See ELECTION, Page 3

YEAR IN REVIEW

PAGE 14

New funeral home in town has a history in Woodstock

PAGE 11

COMMUNITY

Woodstock native Tammeus tells backstory of latest book

PAGE 18

INDEX

Obituaries

Opinion

Schools

Marketplace

Community

Calendar

Classified

Puzzles

Public Notices

Sports

INDEPENDENT FILE PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

This photo of a voter depositing her vote-by-mail ballot into the drop box at the McHenry County Government Center reflects two major stories from 2020: the presidential election and the coronavirus pandemic, which led thousands of voters to cast mail-in ballots rather that show up at the polls on Election Day.

2020 put normal on hold

Coronavirus affected virtually every aspect of our lives since March The Woodstock Independent

671 E. Calhoun St., Woodstock, IL 60098 Phone: 815-338-8040 Fax: 815-338-8177 Thewoodstock independent.com

By Larry Lough

LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Not much got accomplished in 2020. And for good reason. Woodstock was not spared the global disruption caused by the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. But every new year starts with unfinished business from the previous year. So here is a list of the top local

stories of 2020, and the questions they pose for 2021. n COVID-19: The confirmed cases and deaths are a matter of record since March. Less quantifiable is the damage it has done to the local economy as well as the social fabric of the community. Will the vaccine be widely accepted, and will it lead to a more normal life in terms of how we interact with others in our work and play?

n Economy: Restaurants and retailers, especially small businesses, have been hurt badly by coronavirusrelated restrictions on seating, crowd sizes, and hours. When the virus is largely behind us and Restore Illinois’ Phase 5 reopens the economy – maybe by summer – who will emerge on the other side, both business survivors and willing customers?

See 2020, Page 2

NEWS

Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

Restaurant news led 2020 Facebook postings

people share the story with people who share the story and … well, we learned all about viral spread in 2020, didn’t we? Here are the top 32 best-read local stories of 2020 (reaching at least 10,000 people) as measured by the numbers of people reached through The Independent’s Facebook page. 1. Niko buys Colemans, will rename – 157,192 (Oct) 2. Colemans closing (Facebook exclusive) – 109,832 (Jan) 3. Route 47 effects on 3 Brothers restaurant – 93,287 (Feb) 4. COVID-19 mitigation moves to

Phase 3 – 47,115 (June) 5. D-200 announces hybrid learning plan – 41,506 (July) 6. Chipotle plans Woodstock store – 35,236 (Jan) 7. Jeep ad shoot with Bill Murray at Richardson Farm – 31,910 (Jan) 8. By the Dozen bakery to open at Swiss Maid site – 31,681 (Nov) 9. New Town & Country restaurant opens – 30,826 (Jan) 10. Aldi Foods plans new Woodstock store – 29,940 (July) 11. Rachel Giustino to play pro volleyball – 29,266 (July) 12. The Junction business plans on

route 120 – 26,919 (July) 13. Colemans closing (print version online) – 20,649 (Jan) 14. Double-fatality crash at Route 47/ U.S. 14 – 20,459 (Dec) 15. Thoughtfulness Shop to reopen on Square – 22,401 (April) 16. Movie theater opens concessions – 22,401 (May) 17. FasTacos to move across Route 47 – 19,313 (June) 18 D-200 to start school with remote learning – 17,331 (Aug) 19. July 4 fireworks planned despite virus – 16,257 (June) 20. “Stay home” order affects restaurants – 16,099 (March) 21. Photo of deserted Square on 3/19 – 15,554 (March) 22. Mitigation enters Phase 4 - 14,877 (June) 23. How can a city save its pool? – 14,657 (Jan) 24. Bill Murray in town (Facebook only) – 14,296 (Jan) 25. Tommy’s restaurant in Woodstock remodeled – 13,667 (April) 26. Local schools make plans to open – 13,435 (July) 27. Murray, Tobolowsky in town for TV ad – 13,216 (Jan) 28. City makes Restaurant Relief Grants – 12,880 (Nov) 29. Administrative changes at Woodstock North – 12,488 (Feb) 30. Photo of Groundhog Day Prognostication – 11,682 (Feb) 31. Burglary at Farm & Fleet in Woodstock – 11,396 (June) 32. Woodstock High Hall of Fame inductions – 10,117 (Feb)

to personnel and programs in subsequent years? n Old Courthouse and Sheriff’s House: Design plans for the remodeling were developed and funding for the project was lined up this year as the City Council decided to be aggressive with the project despite the pandemic. But with the impact of the virus uncertain, will the city be able to find an investor to use historic tax credits, and will tenants be in a position to sign leases for use of new spaces in the 19th century buildings. n Die Cast site: With the property now under city ownership (again) and a developer coming along in August with a plan to build apartments, city officials are excited (again) about the prospect of high-rise, high-density, transit-oriented housing near the Metra depot as envisioned in the city’s downtown development plan. Is this the project (Central Station) and is this the time to resume the Woodstock Station concept, considered a key piece in

the future of commercial development on and around the Square? n Cannabis: During the first year of legal recreational cannabis in Illinois, three companies were approved for special use permits to grow the product in Woodstock. But delays by the state in granting new licenses stalled those proposals. The City Council has established a tax on legal sales in the city, but there are no immediate prospects for a local dispensary that could generate revenue for the city. Is 2021 the year for Woodstock to cash in? n Street improvements: After a $9.3 million bond sale financed more than 19 lane miles of resurfacing in Woodstock in 2020, the City Council suspended the program over concerns about the effect of COVID-19 on the economy. Drivers have been paying, since April 1, a new city fuel tax of 3 cents a gallon to help finance a multi-year, $50 million program to upgrade streets throughout the city. Will the economy allow the aggressive

program to resume by year’s end? n Environment: Since Jan. 1, Woodstock has had a fee of 10 cents for each plastic or paper bag customers get from major retail stores, the first in McHenry County. But that fee was suspended in late March. At that time, the city’s Environmental Commission was considering a proposal to ban plastic straws at restaurants. Will the economy return to the point that such local environmental legislation again makes us unique? n Politics: 2020’s election was a mixed bag politically. Republicans dominated in winning all countylevel races, but Democrats continued to show pockets of strength in electing three new members to the County Board. The 2021 election involves local non-partisan public offices, most of which have uncontested candidates, including for Woodstock City Council and D-200 Board of Education. How will reporters draw any political significance from that?

By Larry Lough

LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Readers tell The Independent what news is really important to them through social media. And the crowd is growing. During the past year, hundreds of government, business, sports, and feature stories were posted to The Independent’s Facebook page, which links reports off our website, thewoodstockindependent.com. In 2019, 13 stories reached more than 10,000 people. In 2020, 32 articles hit that level. And while the coronavirus pandemic affected just about everything in our lives this past year, it was the usual news that most attracted our digital readers – specifically, restaurants. News in January about Colemans Tavern reached nearly 110,000 people when a report about Barry Coleman’s plan to close went up first on Facebook. The next week, an additional 20,600 people checked out the print story after it was posted online. And that total was not topped until October, when we reported that Red Mill Tavern owner Niko Kanakaris had bought the Colemans property, just down the street on Lake Avenue, and had plans to reopen the restaurant under a new name. That story reached more than 157,000 on Facebook. Such is the viral nature of Facebook. While our page has more than 11,000 friends and about 11,700 followers,

2020 Continued from Page 1 n Schools: Remote learning from home has been used this school year by Woodstock School District 200 (exclusively) as well as Marian Central Catholic and St. Mary schools (occasionally) since classes resumed in mid-August. Will D-200 continue to make that decision based on the COVID-19 metrics of local health officials, or move to the “safe as possible” standard of the parochial schools? n School District 200: Year 1 of the plan to address the $160 million construction bond debt avoids an increase in property taxes (even a small reduction!) in 2021 with no significant reductions in expenses, in large part through use of a $27 million surplus and extending repayment by five years at a cost of $10.5 million. Will state and local revenues be sufficient to keep property taxes flat with no cuts

INDEPENDENT FILE PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

When Niko Kanakaris bought the former Colemans Tavern, just up Lake Avenue from Niko’s Red Mill Tavern, the story exploded on The Independent’s Facebook page in October. Although Kanakaris said at the time he hoped to open the as-yet-unnamed tavern by the end of the year, he reported recently the opening had been delayed by COVID-19.

Staff Report

NEWS@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Following school metrics provided by the McHenry County Department of Health, classes in Woodstock School

WEEKLY COVID-19 CASES FOR McHENRY COUNTY 52 133 (+81) 234 (+101) 348 (+114) 503 (+155) 703 (+200) 953 (+250) 1,175 (+223) 1,407 (+232) 1,584 (+177) 1,733 (+149) 1,849 (+116) 1,911 (+62) 2,002 (+91) 2,119 (+117) 2,268 (+149) 2,470 (+202) 2,703 (+233) 2,946 (+243) 3,210 (+264) 3,396 (+186) 3.598 (+202) 3,828 (+230) 4,002 (+174) 4,199 (+197) 4,343 (+144) 4,527 (+184) 4,705 (+178) 4,992 (+288) 5,298 (+306) *6,035 (+737) *6,906 (+871) *8,170 (+1,264) *10,301 (+2,131) *11,602 (+1,301) *12,432 (+830) *15,091 (+2,659) *16,176 (+1,085) *17,310 (+1,134) *17,971 (+661)

* Change to state metrics

Deaths

2 3 (+1) 7 (+4) 16 (+9) 28 (+12) 39 (+11) 50 (+11) 61 (+11) 69 (+8) 73 (+4) 83 (+10) 87 (+4) 90 (+3) 96 (+6) 97 (+1) 101 (+4) 106 (+5) 108 (+2) 112 (+4) 113 (+1) 113 (+0) 113 (+0) 115 (+2) 116 (+1) 116 (+0) 118 (+2) 118 (+0) 119 (+1) 119 (+0) 120 (+1) 120 (+0) 120 (+0) 120 (+0) 120 (+0) 136 (+16) 147 (+11) 163 (+16) 176 (+13) 181 (+5) 189 (+8)

IN BRIEF

Sunday house fire fatal to Wonder Lake woman An autopsy was scheduled Tuesday for the victim of a house fire early Sunday in Wonder Lake. McHenry County Coroner Michael Rein identified the victim as Vickie I. Arnolde, 64, who was found inside the home and pronounced dead at the scene in the 5799 block of Wonder Lake Drive. The 911 call came at 4:28 a.m.

ELECTION

all members are elected from Dorr Township. With the re-election of the incumbents, that won’t be an issue in 2021. While Gilmore, Farris, and Parisi live in Dorr, Homuth is a resident of Greenwood Township. Hold-over board members are Michelle Bidwell, John Headley, and Jerry Miceli.

Continued from Page 2

ballot, Supervisor Susan Brokaw will win a second term uncontested. Clerk Brenda Stack also has no opponent for re-election. Deputy Assessor Tammy Benitez is uncontested to move up into the job of her boss, Assessor Veronica Myers, who is not seeking re-election. Trustee Bryson Calvin filed to seek re-election, and John Buckley is the only other candidate for the four seats open on the township board. The vacancies will be filled by the board. Board members Chris Cantwell, Rick Hoyt, and John Sheahan chose not to run for another term. All candidates in the township election run as non-partisans for four-year terms.

‘People are happy’

Although 10 candidates filed as candidates for four seats on the D-200 Board of Education in the in 2017 election, the 2021 ballot is considerably shorter. Board President Carl Gilmore, Vice President Jacob Homuth, and members Bruce Farris and John Parisi were the only people to file for the April 6 election. Gilmore said the lack of challengers indicated that the public was supportive of the difficult decisions the board has made. Those include dealing with the uncertainties of the coronavirus on school operations and managing a solution to the $160 million school construction bond debt. “The best I can tell, people are happy with the way the district is going,” he said. “They’re satisfied that, in a difficult year, we’re doing the best we can and doing a decent job of managing the district.” Gilmore said people also appreciated that the board was willing to hear from the public. “We’ve done a good job of listening, and we allowed people to talk and express their opinions in various ways,” he said. “We’ve had to make some hard decisions, and there are more to make in the coming months.” Although, board members are elected at-large as non-partisan candidates, there are some qualifications regarding residency to make sure not

Hot contest in fire district

Five candidates filed for two seats on the Board of Trustees of the Woodstock Fire/Rescue District. They are incumbent Robert Kristensen and challengers Patrick Burke, Joseph Galli, William Kulinski, and Timothy Randels. Incumbent Kenneth Marunde is not seeking re-election. Having contests for the six-year terms on the five-member board is not unusual. Although Noel Baldwin was elected unopposed in 2019 to fill the vacancy created when Richard Menzel did not seek another term, the 2017 election had four candidates for two seats. Board President Fred Spitzer and Steve Sankey won those seats, which also are elected as non-partisans.

MCC board has a race

Three candidates have filed for two six-year terms on the Board of Trustees of McHenry County College. Besides incumbent Elizabeth Speros of Crystal Lake, Dale Morton of Bull Valley and Sumish Parikh of Crystal Lake will be on the ballot. Board President Mike Smith of Lakewood is not seeking re-election. Hold-over members of the board are Tom Allen of Lakewood, Diane Evertsen of Harvard, Suzanne Hoban of Woodstock, Mary Beth Siddons of McHenry, and Molly Walsh of Crystal Lake. Those are also non-partisan positions.

New councilmen coming

As reported earlier, Deputy Mayor Mike Turner was the only candidate to file for mayor of Woodstock. Mayor Brian Sager chose not to seek a fifth term. Council candidates are first-term incumbent Gordie Tebo along with Tom Nierman and Robert Seegers Jr. Councilman Jim Prindiville chose not to run for a third term. Hold-over members, all of whom were elected in

Health officials anticipate a spike in COVID-19 cases from the holiday. “It also does not appear that our metrics will be met to start the new year,” Moan wrote. “For those reasons, remote learning will continue. ...”

2021 BALLOT Unofficial list of local candidates for April 6 consolidated election WOODSTOCK Mayor Mike Turner City Council (Elect three) Tom Nierman Robert Seegers Jr. Gordon Tebo SCHOOL DISTRICT 200 Board of Education (Elect four) Bruce Farris Carl Gilmore Jacob Homuth John Parisi DORR TOWNSHIP Supervisor Susan Brokaw Clerk Brenda Stack Assessor Tammy Benitez Highway Commissioner (Elect one) John Fuller Tom Thurman Board of Trustees (Elect four) Bryson Calvin John Buckley WOODSTOCK FIRE/RESCUE DISTRICT Board of Trustees (Elect two) Patrick Burke Joseph Galli Robert Kristensen William Kulinski Timothy Randels McHENRY COUNTY COLLEGE Board of Trustees (Elect two) Dale Morton Sumish Parikh Elizabeth Speros

2019, are Darren Flynn, Lisa Lohmeyer, and Wendy Piersall. All city elected positions have four-year terms and are elected as non-partisans.

NEWS

03/29 04/05 04/12 04/19 04/26 05/03 05/10 05/17 05/24 05/31 06/07 06/14 06/21 06/28 07/05 07/12 07/19 07/26 08/02 08/09 08/16 08/23 08/30 09/04 09/11 09/18 09/25 10/02 10/09 10/16 10/25 11/01 11/08 11/15 11/22 11/29 12/6 12/13 12/20 12/23

“While we remain hopeful about 2021,” Superintendent Mike Moan said in a statement, “it is in the best interest of our students, families, staff, and community to remain remote for the first two weeks of January.”

Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

Report Infections

District 200 will continue remote learning through at least Jan. 15. Classes resume Jan. 4 after the holiday break, but D-200 has exclusively used remote learning since school resumed in mid-August.

3 THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

Health metrics say D-200 not ready for return to classrooms

NEWS

Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

OBITUARIES

Donna J. Gattuso, 60

Donna J. Gattuso, 60, passed away peacefully on Dec. 19, 2020, with her loving family by her side. She was born in Highland Park, Ill., on June 28, 1960, and was the daughter of Donald J. and Marilyn Schneider. She married Joseph P. Gattuso on July Donna J. 15, 1978, in Wil- Gattuso mette, Ill., at St. Joseph Parish. Donna worked with special needs children at District 200 in Woodstock. She was also an avid sewer and quilter and was a regular at Sewing Concepts on the Woodstock Square, where she had many dear friends. Donna made many keepsake quilts for family and friends, each of which had a specially embroidered commemorative panel. She enjoyed nothing more than spending time with her family. She is survived by her loving husband; her children, Donald, Christopher, and Thomas (Jessica) Gattuso; her grandchildren, Casey Lee Clymer, Travis Joseph Gattuso, and Taylor Jean Gattuso; sister, Linda Weigand (Kenneth); and brothers, Michael Schaul (Karen) and Tom Schaul (Chloe). She was preceded in death by her beloved father, Don, and grandmother, Lillian Schneider. In keeping with her wishes, a Celebration of Life ceremony will be scheduled tentatively in the summer of 2021 or as soon as the danger of the pandemic has passed. For updates, please visit donnagattusomemorial.weebly. com. Memorial contributions may be made in Donna’s name to The Cradle in Evanston, Ill., cradle.org. For more information, contact the Schneider, Leucht, Merwin & Cooney Funeral Home at 815-338 -1710, or visit slmcfh.com. Send obituaries to pr@thewoodstockindependent.com.

2020 OBITUARIES Robert W. Birchfield Marion Elsie Reese Ralph E. Westman Mariette A. Wilson Ruby Cartwright Beverly Dawn Hall Arlene M. Hutson Rev. Dr. Marvin Paul Nelson John George Vrett Abundia ‘Abby’ Vidales Lillian Petersen Marilyn Schufft Gerald Robert Stieg Ann Holtman Thomas J. Nigbor Arthur Erich Koeller Justina Elizabeth ‘Betty’ Hale Ronald E. Steadman Margie Stumpf Stephen R. Garrelts Joan L. Wissell

Obituaries that appeared in The Woodstock Independent in 2020

Kathy Bronner Judith Marie Kettmann Dennis Wolf Steven Fish Gene W. Zimmerman Bobbi Lile Davis Edward Marion Nickels Irene T. (Kaminski) Range Gerald E. Rockers Dolores Conway Sporleder Edward M. Nickels James A. Zoia David A. Sova Stephen G. Spear Alice Erber Gregory Paul Alfus Dr. Ruth C. Haynes Robert (Wayne) Limbaugh William (Bill) Lagerhausen Robert F. Carr Mary Ann Stompanato David Arthur Niemann

PUBLIC SAFETY LOG Woodstock Police Department

■ Jose L. Arellano Casarez, 33, Woodstock, was arrested Dec. 4 at Eastwood Drive and Lake Avenue on charges of following too closely and driving while license suspended. Released after posting 10 percent of $2,000 bond. Court date Jan. 14. ■ Kevin M. Pereina, 29, Woodstock, was arrested Dec. 6 at U.S. 14 and Lake Avenue on charges of driving while license suspended, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and expired registration. Bond $2,500. Released on personal recognizance. Court date Jan. 21. ■ Colin P. Kelley, 19, Woodstock, was arrested Dec. 8 in the 1100 block of Seminary Avenue on charges of retail theft and reckless conduct. Taken to jail. Bond and court date to be set. ■ Lavonte P. Jordan, 32, Woodstock, was arrested Dec. 8 at U.S. 14 near Lily Pond Road on charges of speeding and driving while license suspended. Bond $2,500. Released on personal recognizance. Court date Jan. 14. ■ George L. Phelps III, 36, Woodstock,

Mary Ellen Simpson Mary Lee Klabunde Irving Jay Townsend Jr. Joe Edd Estes Dennis Paloumbis Richard C. Boehmke James R. Locke Pat Gilman-Frisch Richard Bruce (R.B.) McCallister Elaine R. Passfield Timothy Gumprecht Mary Kay McDonough Norma Jane Schlottman June Pauline (Busch) Peterson Bruce C. Randolph Robert ‘Bob’ Thurow Phyllis J. Habeck Marie E. Schuler Alan Duane Cornue Gladys Moreton Dockery

was arrested Dec. 9 on charges of failure to dim headlights and no valid driver’s license. Bond $2,500. Released on personal recognizance. Court date Jan. 14. ■ Charles D. Hillery, 42, Woodstock, was arrested Dec. 10 in the 300 block of Short Street on two counts of domestic battery. Take to jail. Bond and court date to be set. ■ Arthur E. Johnson, 65, transient, was arrested Dec. 10 in the first block of Church Street on two McHenry County warrants charging failure to appear. Released on personal recognizance with notice to appear. Court dates Dec. 11 and 17. ■ Jacqueline Tapia, 19, Woodstock, was arrested Dec. 10 at Mary Ann and Washington streets on a charge of possession of cannabis in vehicle by passenger. Released after posting 10 percent of $2,500 bond. Court date Jan. 22. ■ Anthony M. Andrea, 31, Wonder Lake, was arrested Dec. 11 in the 100 block of North Eastwood Drive on charges of leaving the scene of a property damage crash, possession of cannabis in vehicle by driver, failure

Steven M. Lilja Charles E. Leucht Margaret Ann Lewellyn Betty Jane Mishler Margaret M. Grell David Edward Lyon LaVerne J. Armiger Ann Kohl Dianne R. Reeves Jane Ann Kennedy Dahm Donna Faye Ward Larry Norman Eslick John ‘Jack’ Haldeman Albert J. ‘Al’ Reuter Darlene E. Lilja Brett Ralph Coleman Carol A. Jarnecke Ralph F. Kammermeier Stanley ‘Royal’ Smart, Jr. Robert Alan Piquette Donna J. Gattuso

to reduce speed, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, and improper lane usage. Released after posting 10 percent of $2,500 bond. Court date Jan. 21. ■ Rodrigo Cruz, 46, Woodstock, was arrested Dec. 11 in the 500 block of Dean Street on two charges of domestic battery. Taken to jail. Bond and court date to be set. ■ Tanis J. Kahabka, 56, transient, was arrested Dec. 15 in the 1200 block of Lake Avenue on a McHenry County warrant charging failure to appear. Released on personal recognizance with notice to appear. Court date Jan. 8. ■ Jose A. Salazar, 20, McHenry, was arrested Dec. 16 in the 1100 block of Clay Street on a charge of obstructing identification and a McHenry County warrant charging two counts of failure to appear. Released after posting $100 bond and 10 percent of $1,100 bond. Court dates Jan. 5, 6, and 21. Charges are only accusations of crimes, and defendants are presumed innocent until proved guilty.

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Woodstock • 815-420-3030 • www.saundersfhc.com Obituaries sponsored by: Saunders Funeral Home & Crematory

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Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

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OPINION

Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

Opinion

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

Cheryl Wormley Publisher, Co-Owner

Paul Wormley Co-Owner

Woodstock, IL • 1987

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Cheryl Wormley Larry Lough Sandy Kucharski Ken Farver

We have what it takes to take on 2021

No one could have seen this coming, this unique experience we call 2020 that is about to pass into history but never from the memories of those of us who have lived through it. For life in Woodstock, it started as a normal year, despite signs of approaching trouble that we – and our government – didn’t take seriously because the novel coronavirus was way over there and we were here, comfortably living our sheltered, mostly comfortable American lives. And so, barely nine months since reality set in for the realistic among us, with virtually no facet of our lives and our community having been uninterrupted, here we are, eager to move on despite the uncertain promise of a new year … because we are certain we don’t want to go back. The numbers are numbing: more than 330,000 Americans dead from the disease, almost 16,000 in Illinois, nearly 200 in McHenry County, and a few dozen in Woodstock, all from an invisible killer that also has sickened tens of millions of others, survivors whose bodies might have suffered hidden damage that won’t surface for years. Even though some of our neighbors irresponsibly ignored the warnings of health officials to wear masks and keep their distance, the vast majority of our citizens did the right thing to protect themselves and others. That was the simplest act of heroism among the many heroes who always seem to emerge from such challenging times. Front-line medical workers certainly deserve that title – doctors and nurses and support personnel – as their work treating the sick put them at risk of exposure to the virus. But heroes were at work throughout the community, essential workers who made sure we

» YOUR VIEW

Republicans must return to their honorable traits The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Defense (DOD), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Housing and Urban Development Administration (HUD), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) are all essential government agencies that work to make the lives of all Americans better. None of these agencies exists to make a profit, only to serve us. Why are Trump and the Republicans

EDITORIAL CARTOON BY LUKE GOINS

could visit the grocery store and drug store for necessary food and pharmaceuticals; public safety employees with the police and fire departments; other local government employees who maintained public utilities and other services; and countless others who did their jobs to make our lives as normal as possible during these abnormal times. That’s how we know 2021 will be better. With vaccines now being deployed to stem the

pushing to make the United States Post Office (USPS), a governmental agency that serves EVERY American, to make a profit? Oh, by the way, the city that has the most millionaires is Moscow, Russia, a model of democracy and the rule of law? The American people spoke with their votes on Nov. 3. Please, dear Republicans, wake up to the fact that Trump is not a McHenry County Republican. He is a Putin wannabe, a dictator wannabe, and has used his office to demean our fellow Americans, degrade our climate, and disrespect foreign allies. The McHenry County Republican farmer is just, works hard, respects his neighbors, depends on himself, and lives an honest life. The congressional

spread of the virus, we know we live among heroes of different kinds at many different levels to help restore a semblance of the life we knew just a year ago. Let’s all continue to do our part, which starts with being patient as vaccinations spread throughout the population, and then trusting the science to get the population vaccinated. You included. We all can be heroes.

Republicans said goodbye to these honorable traits many years ago. It is time to return to the honor of the McHenry County farmers. Oh, by the way, most people do not support handouts; they do support hands up – education, dignity, civil discourse, and dialogue. Donna Davis Woodstock

She likes what she found shopping at thrift store I recently made a visit to Clothing Closet for McHenry County. It is a not-forprofit retail thrift store. The store is well organized and fun to shop. The volunteers

are friendly and helpful. I found several vintage finds and Christmas decorations. I spoke with a woman who works at the store. She said they are open Wednesday, Friday and Saturday because they cannot find volunteers. In addition they have had to cut [funding to]organizations that benefit from their donations due to low sales. Please run a story on this thrift store in hopes of bringing much-needed foot traffic and volunteers. I would hate to see them go out of business. The address of the shop is 221 E. Calhoun St. Phone: 815-338-5316. Jeanne Storm Woodstock Continued on Next page

children’s submissions, Inde on Staycation photos, and options for supporting local restaurants and nonprofits. In Declarations I told of our attempts to unite the community with Instagram promotions of Seniors 2020, Snowfun, and Mother’s Day. I can’t say our efforts yielded terrific results, but it was our way of caring about our community and its people. From about mid-July on, I seemed bent on focusing on good and finding ways to enjoy life in the midst of the pandemic’s chaos, regardless of the limitations it imposed. I wrote a column to the 638 Class of 2020 graduates of our three high schools. I wrote other columns that highlighted what was going on in the sky – like NEOWISE, the great convergence of Jupiter and Saturn, and the Geminids. I gave ink to swans, chipmunks, and our granddog Stanley, and introduced concepts new to me like smizing – smiling with your eyes – and friluftsliv – openair life. Not unlike columns in previous years, I championed students and our most important role as a community – educating them. So, here we are at the end of another year. I join others who say they will stay up New Year’s Eve to say goodbye and good riddance to 2020. Let’s also stay up to welcome 2021 in hopes of seizing the opportunities it presents and applying what we learned from our COVID-19 year. Happy New Year! Cheryl Wormley is publisher of The Woodstock Independent. Her email address is c.wormley@thewoodstockindependent.com.

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Cheryl Wormley

PUBLISHER

c.wormley@thewoodstockindependent.com

EDITOR

Larry Lough

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Ken Farver

PHOTOGRAPHER

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Respect rules, each other and help us pull together

When rules don’t apply, or more accurately, when people choose when to follow them: Not going 5 mph over the posted limit, I was thinking more of the past four years and how the current administration, the Congress and Senate, and the effect it has had on us all. About half of the USA is disappointed by the lack of responsibility and disregard for accountability. The other half seems to think this is somehow good for America, as ignoring the constitution, law and democracy (voting) will make us great. It doesn’t; it makes us weak and vulnerable. I have respected the transition of power in the elections that didn’t go as I had hoped; I expect our political leaders and

our neighbors to do the same. Democracy won, it was a free and fair election, and it should be celebrated, not attacked. And then we have the ongoing pandemic and how representatives, attorneys general, parents of student-athletes, and anyone else who says their civil liberties are being threatened and they are suffering because of stay in place/wear a mask/ wash your hands/social distance. Let me say as someone that has been diagnosed and living with depression and generalized anxiety for decades, it’s no freaking picnic for me, either. Even with a vaccine in sight, our path [narrows] to not only slowing the spread but avoiding what will likely be catastrophic results to our health and economic systems come early January if we continue this charade of it can’t happen to me, or worse, someone you love. Think for a minute about you or

someone you know who may be vulnerable to a heart attack or stroke, or maybe someone expecting a child, or a playful child and wannabe super hero who requires an ER visit because of an injury and it required an ICU bed. There may not be room at the hospital, or it may be a case of triage. I ask, even plead, to respect the rules, laws, the sciences, and each other. The vaccines for most of us won’t be available for several months, and if we don’t pull together – and now – the vaccines won’t matter for many more Americans. And as for the election, it is over; I understand the feeling of despair when your candidate comes up short, but let’s not make a bad situation worse. David DeGreef Woodstock

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OPINION

Day observance, Fourth of July fireworks, Christmas Clearing House, the Challenger Learning Center – and about the folks who volunteer and make things hapCheryl pen. There were Wormley several columns about the weather, Declarations including Woodstock’s Willie’s prognostication of an early spring, which didn’t prove true. I shared tales about my grandkids, our family as a whole, and Jim and my travels. From time to time, I wrote about whatever was on my mind: recipe cards, anchor days, and writing your own obituary. This year, beginning March 18, nearly every Declarations had some mention of the pandemic or its impact on us. Almost always the optimist, I titled that week’s column, “This too shall pass.” The next week, still optimistic, I wrote and you read, “We can do this … together.” The following week, I took a page from Jeep’s Super Bowl commercial, which featured Bill Murray, Stephen Tobolowsky, a groundhog, and the Woodstock Square, and wrote “It’s a different Groundhog Day.” Then, with Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s announcement of five more weeks of stay at home, I joined the more realistic folks who, weeks before, had recognized COVID-19 wasn’t going away soon. That’s when The Independent staff created and I wrote about #Woodstock4all and our publishing of

671 E. Calhoun St. • Woodstock, IL 60098 Phone: 815-338-8040 www.thewoodstockindependent.com

Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

One of the traditions at The Independent – about 30 years now – is compiling a year-in-review paper the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. That’s what you’re reading right now. Staff members, especially Larry Lough and Sandy Kucharski, identified what they believe are the top news stories and sports accomplishments of the year. You’ll see what we think are the best photographs of the year – a difficult task, because we’re blessed with super-talented photographers. As you read this paper from cover to cover, you’ll see other review features. The staff dug even deeper into looking back on the year by publishing a Yearbook on Dec. 16 and sending it to everyone in Woodstock. The Yearbook was an in-depth chronology of all the news from 2020, told in words and pictures. If you missed seeing it, stop by The Independent office, there may be a few left. It was excellent. All of this looking back prompted me to look at the columns I wrote in 2020. It was interesting to say the least. Declarations, as you know, is published weekly. There were 53 Wednesdays in 2020. Staff filled in for me seven times early in the year – preCOVID-19 – when Jim and I were visiting Antarctica and then enjoying Caribbean warmth. I had two other breaks, so a total of nine weeks off. However, I wrote columns for two special sections, so my grand total for the year was 46 – same as 2019. But that’s about the only similarity between my columns last year and this year. In ’19, I wrote often about what makes Woodstock, Woodstock – Groundhog Days, our Memorial

Woodstock

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

Looking back, and ahead

The

I NDEPENDENT

Pet Week

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

KATHLEEN STUMPF

SAVING JUST ONE PET WON’T CHANGE THE WORLD BUT, SURELY, THE WORLD WILL CHANGE FOR THAT ONE PET.

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Kathleen Stumpf is a senior at Marian Central Catholic High School. She is the daughter of Tom Stumpf, Woodstock. “If there ever was a deserving student to earn this award, it is Kathleen Stumpf. Kathleen is a devoted daughter and sister within her family and is a young woman of faith in her religion. Kathleen is completely selfless and reaches out to others in whatever capacity she can to help someone else in any given situation,” said her guidance counselor. Kathleen has been on high honor roll since freshman year and was awarded two honors of academic achievement. She has been inducted into the National Honor Society. Kathleen is a member of Key Club and Pro-Life Club. She has played on the volleyball, soccer, cheerleading, and golf teams. She is a council leader for the mentor program. Outside of school, she has cleaned her church, helped at Christmas Clearing House, attended a mission trip in Ohio, and volunteered at Gigi’s Playhouse. When asked who inspires her, Kathleen said, “The best NBA player, Michael Jordan, inspires me. Although he is known for his ability to score and dunk, he is often not recognized for his defensive skills and achievements, where his work ethic and commitment to the game is relevant. He has motivated me to work hard in every aspect of my life even when no one is paying attention.” When asked what makes her feel successful, Kathleen said, “I feel that I am successful because I am dedicated to my studies. Through hard work and good time management, I was able to balance my rigorous course load and all of my extracurricular activities.” SPONSORED BY

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Meet Cindy! This gorgeous girl is a domestic short-haired calico cat. She was transported from a kill shelter to Helping Paws Animal Shelter where she is now available for adoption. Cindy has a very sweet disposition; she is a big cuddle bug who loves following her favorite humans around like a shadow! This affectionate and gentle girl is guaranteed to fill your life with love. If you can offer Cindy a warm and welcoming home, contact Helping Paws to come in and visit her!

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Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

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Schools

Three from Woodstock on dean’s list at St. Norbert

Local students assigned as RAs at UW-Whitewater

Building a better snowman

Carl Anderson looks on as his daughter Emma Anderson, a firstgrader, and son Andreas Anderson, fourth-grader, participate in the virtual Cocoa & Color Night facilitated by Dean Street Elementary School art teacher Amy Kuhn on Dec. 9.

D-200 students paint canvases with virtual help By Kevin Lyons DISTRICT 200

Art projects have a way of drawing people together, and kids and families are still entitled to some seasonal fun with their classmates even if they can’t be in the same physical space. That was the idea behind Cocoa & Color, offered Dec. 9 and 10 at Olson and Dean Street Elementary schools, with virtual instruction provided by elementary art teacher Amy Kuhn. About 100 families participated in the live sessions conducted via Google Meet. Other District 200 schools are hosting similar events. “We were looking for opportunities outside the school day where we could get families involved, and this is how this came about,” Kuhn said. “We had grandparents, parents, siblings – lots of people were participating.” Families registered in advance. School buses delivered acrylic paints, canvases, and a packet of hot cocoa mix for students who signed up in the days before the evening events. After families logged on, Kuhn coached them through painting their snowmen on canvas.

“I went step-by-step through the process of sketching out the design and then the painting portion,” she said. “It took about an hour and 15 minutes from start to finish.” Kuhn said she was able to watch students work from sketch through completion. “They all had their own personalities,” she observed. “Each snowman was very unique.” She said she was humbled by the positive reaction from parents and students. “I had a few families say they had some hardship come upon them and that this was a great way to forget about that and do something as a

family,” Kuhn said, While teaching art remotely was a challenge in the beginning, Kuhn said the virtual approach hadn’t dampened students’ enthusiasm for creative expression. Schools were also able to deliver construction paper and quality drawing paper to elementary students earlier in the school year. “The kids adapted very quickly, and I did as well,” Kuhn said. “In these unprecedented times, I feel they’ve handled it very well. Kids are still excited about art. They all want to show you what they’ve made.” Kevin Lyons is communications director for Woodstock School District 200.

Two local students named to dean’s list at Wartburg Madison Busch of Wonder Lake and Ryan Zinnen of Woodstock were among 517 students named to the 2020 fall term dean’s list.at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. The list honors students who earned a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above in at least four course credits during the term.

Timothy Larson graduates in chemical engineering Timothy Larson of Woodstock was one of more than 5,600 graduates from the University of Kansas in Lawrence this past spring and summer. Larson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering.

Eschenbacher honored at engineering schools Alexander Eschenbacher of Wonder Lake received academic honors from Milwaukee School of Engineering for the 2020 fall quarter. He was named to the honors list as he pursues a Bachelor of Science degree in architectural engineering.

SCHOOLS

COURTESY PHOTOS

Chloe Dix, a fourth-grader at Olson Elementary School, puts the finishing touches on her snowman during a Cocoa & Color virtual painting night on Dec. 10.

Olivia Luschei of Woodstock and Gina Wagner to Bull Valley have been trained and certified to be resident assistants for the 2020-21 academic year at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. Luschei is majoring in elementary education, and Wagner is an art education major.

Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

Lucca Kenyon, Kelli Kunath, and Abigail Primus of Woodstock have been named to the 2020 fall semester dean’s list at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wis. A minimum 3.5 GPA is required for academic eligibility.

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

COLLEGE CURRENTS

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

June 10-16, 2020

Woodstock Woodstock Woodstock

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Woodstock prepares for more activity under Phase 4

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Tickets are now available for The McHenry County Historical Society’s Heritage Quilters Raffle Quilt, “Fit to be Tied.” The new quilt is a bow-tie pattern made from reproduction 1930s pastel prints. Drawing will be held on Feb. 1, 2021. Tickets are $1 each or six for $5 and can be purchased at www.mchenrycountyhistory.org.

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Mike Saunders, the owner and director of Saunders and McFarlin Funeral Home in Harvard, is opening a second location in Woodstock. Known as Saunders Funeral Home, the business will occupy the former Fifth Third Bank building at 1745 S. Eastwood Drive when renovations are complete in mid-March. A former bank building might seem an unusual location for a funeral home, but Saunders can point to several advantages of the brick structure across from the Kunes Country Auto Group dealership. First is the proximity to the U.S. 14 and Route 47 intersection “for visibility and accessibility,” Saunders said. He also noted that the property comes with “beautiful landscaping,” and the bank’s overhang atop the drive-through lanes in the rear will provide cover for loading and unloading hearses and for families getting into their vehicles. The work of ripping out the old ceiling, walls, and floors created an opportunity for a modernized space that will include screens where families can show photos and videos. Since storage space for casket samples will be limited, Saunders will also use screens to show customization options. Saunders will divide his time between the two locations and has hired a part-time funeral director to help. Eventually, he expects to hire three additional staff members for the Woodstock funeral home.

Renovated space

Presented by: Kim Keefe REALTOR® 110 1/2 N Benton St, Woodstock, IL 60098 815-333-0014 • 815.790.4852 (call or text) Kim@TeamOpenDoors.com

In transforming the building, the bank’s counters and individual offices have been cleared away to establish three distinct areas. The central and largest will be the chapel. On one side, Saunders will have his office to meet with families, as well as storage space. Two new bathrooms and a kitchen/lounge where families can

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Saunders Funeral Home to open in Woodstock in former bank building

Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

■ Residence at 2408 Fairview Circle, Woodstock, was sold by D.R. Horton, Inc. - Midwest, Vernon Hills, to Allen Eric Thompson, for $312,264. ■ Residence at 161 Redwing Drive, Woodstock, was sold by Iqbal A. Taqi, Rolling Meadows, to April R. Ramoni, Woodstock, for $260,000. ■ Residence at 1518 Scarlett Way, Woodstock, was sold by Sarah Rummel, Richmond, to Jennifer Matthies, Woodstock, for $142,500. ■ Residence at 426 N. Hill St., Woodstock, was sold by Peter J. Bowes, Knoxville, Tenn., to Christopher Seegers, Woodstock, for $244,000. ■ Residence at 8810 Crystal Springs Road, Woodstock, was sold by Penny S. Horsman, Woodstock, to Katherine Jane Bradley, Woodstock, for $285,000. ■ Residence at 8605 Coral Road, Wonder Lake, was sold by Jeri J. Pulver, Neenah, Wis., to Jillian Endebrock, Wonder Lake, for $168,500. ■ Residence at 1360 Redtail Lane, Woodstock, was sold by D.R. Horton, Inc. - Midwest, Vernon Hills, to Donald J. Moon, for $279,990. ■ Residence at 772 Verdi St., Woodstock, was sold by Mariellyn Brice, Woodstock, to Mary K. Byrne, Woodstock, for $225,000. ■ Residence at 1904 Lamb Road, Woodstock, was sold by Mark E. Moritz, Woodstock, to Matthew E. Klekovic, Woodstock, for $274,000. ■ Residence at 1128 Amber Court, Woodstock, was sold by Ryan T. Drury, San Tan Valley, Calif., to Gail Lynn Van Kanegan, Woodstock, for $257,000

Business roots in the 1890s

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

Mike Saunders stands in front of the sign for the new Saunders Funeral Home at 1745 S. Eastwood Drive, which is scheduled to open in mid-March. relax during a visitation occupy the other side. Saunders Funeral Home will offer pre-planning, funeral and memorial services, burial, and cremation. Additionally, Saunders said, the business sells monuments and headstones, and his staff can assist with planning funeral lunches when people can gather again.

Woodstock connection

Growing up in nearby Harvard, Saunders said he spent plenty of time in Woodstock – eating out with his grandparents in the Old Courthouse’s basement jail cells (now Public House); taking karate classes; and riding the train from Harvard to Woodstock to go to the movie theater.

Saunders plays sand volleyball in a Woodstock league, his daughter attends public school in Woodstock, and his wife and mother both work in Woodstock. Additionally, Saunders and his father, Lynn, co-own SMC Crematory on Broadway Court in Woodstock. With all those connections to Woodstock, Saunders said, he has formed friendships with many residents. “I want to provide our friends [in Woodstock] the same service as in Harvard if they need us,” Saunders said.

A long history

Saunders Funeral Home can trace See SAUNDERS Page 12

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Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

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SAUNDERS

Local history

Continued from Page 11

its roots back to the 1890s, to the firm of W.A. Hochchild, which operated a furniture store and undertaking business on Ayer Street in Harvard. That combination of furniture store and funeral home was common at the time, as making wood coffins grew naturally out of crafting wood furniture. L.E. “Butch” McFarlin and L. Ben Saunders, Mike’s grandfather, bought a share of the business in 1949. In the 80 years since, Ben’s son Lynn and the Saunders family have continued in the business – under the name Saunders and McFarlin since 1985. Mike Saunders entered the family business in 1999, after first studying engineering, and bought it in 2012. With his family’s long history of serving the people in Harvard, Saunders says he knows “almost everyone who comes through the doors.”

COVID complications

While the “need for community support when someone dies” continues, Saunders said, COVID-19 has complicated gathering together. The most difficult part, Saunders said, is limiting the number of people who can be inside the funeral home at any one time, spreading people out, and staying on time. Early in the pandemic, Saunders got

REAL ESTATE Continued from Page 11

■ Residence at 8703 W. Sunset Drive, Wonder Lake, was sold by Jeffrey Borta, Wonder Lake, to Andres Ortiz, Wonder Lake, for $195,000. ■ Residence at 8708 Riley Road, Wonder Lake, was sold by Timothy N. Batdorff, Moses Lake, Wash., to Kurt Schweizer, for $286,000. ■ Vacant land, approximately 42 acres, on Route 47, Woodstock, was sold by Chicago Title Land Trust Co., Woodstock, to 531 Bonnie Lane Building LLC, Elk Grove Village, for $250,000. ■ Residence at 2900 Boerderij Way, Woodstock, was sold by Bert H. Sippy, Woodstock, to Laurel M. Gabrielson, Woodstock, for $268,000. ■ Residence at 408 Summit Ave., Woodstock, was sold by Nicholas M. Emricson, Harvard, to Scott G. Davis, Woodstock, for $132,900. ■ Residence at 511 Leah Lane, Unit 1B, Woodstock, was sold by Scott Strudeman, McHenry, to Eric Guzman, Woodstock, for $75,000. ■ Residence at 2031 Aspen Drive, Woodstock, was sold by Barry and Nicole Treliving, Woodstock, to Dwight

While dates are hard to pinpoint, Woodstock rarely has had two funeral homes in operation at the same time. But it will in 2021, with the opening of Saunders Funeral Home. Schneider, Leucht, Merwin, & Cooney currently does business at 1211 N. Seminary Ave. Waverly House on Main Street was home to Slavin, Eastman, & Pierce in the 1920s. In the 1940s, Thomas B. Merwin operated a funeral home, ambulance, and furniture store in that location. The Pierce-Bier Funeral Home was located at 226 Washington St., where Conway Dental is now, until the early 1970s. COURTESY PHOTO

Interior renovations are underway in the Saunders Funeral home. Owner Mike Saunders likes the location near Route 47 and U.S. 14. a call from a pastor who was not feeling well and asked whether the service could be conducted as a video conference. While most people are now familiar with Zoom and Microsoft meetings, Saunders said, at that time he “had no idea how I was going to do everything she was asking, but I told her I would make it happen.” He got up early the next day, opened

A. Larson and Lori B. Young, Woodstock, for $209,900. ■ Residence at 991 Castleshire Drive, Woodstock, was sold by Laurel Gabrielson, Woodstock, to George Garza, Woodstock, for $132,500. ■ Residence at 2106 Fairview Lane, Woodstock, was sold by Edward S. Pala, Woodstock, to Massimiliano Eberle, Woodstock, for $279,900. ■ Vacant land, approximately, 5 acres, on Davis Road, Woodstock, was sold by Home State Bank, Crystal Lake, to The Rolf L. Tillman Trust, Woodstock, for $100,000. ■ Residence at 613 Schubert St., Woodstock, was sold by The Jerome G. and Janice Kokosinski Living Trust, Hoffman Estates, to Quinn Samuel Robbins, Woodstock, for $187,000. ■ Residence at 930 Lake Ave., Woodstock, was sold by Salvatore Biundo, Lindenhurst, to Nelson Chavez, Woodstock, for $135,000. ■ Residence at 1256 Lee Ann Lane, Woodstock, was sold by James G. Pesa, Chicago, to Julanne and Anthony Saenz, Woodstock, for $130,000. ■ Residence at 2480 Fairview Circle, Woodstock, was sold by D.R. Horton, Inc. - Midwest, Vernon Hills, to Jennifer

an account to do the video conference, grabbed an overhead projector from home, retrieved an old 8mm projector screen from the funeral home basement so everyone could see the pastor, and set up his laptop with a camera so the pastor could see everyone in the funeral home. “Somehow, it all worked” Saunders said. “It kind of made me

L. O’Connor, Woodstock, for $284,000. ■ Residence at 1010 Harrow Gate Drive, Woodstock, was sold by Steven E. Becker, Bellwood, to Edward Bowie, Woodstock, for $365,000. ■ Residence at 1542 N. Madison St., Woodstock, was sold by The LSF11 Master Participation Trust, Atlanta, Ga., to Gregg C. Fields, Village of Lakewood, for $166,000. ■ Residence at 14816 Lilac Lane, Woodstock, was sold by Keith Wetzstein, Woodstock, to Curtis Kenney, Woodstock, for $270,000. ■ Residence at 1033 S. Jefferson St., Woodstock, was sold by Barbara A. Romano, Woodstock, to Tania Rodriguez, Woodstock, for $189,000. ■ Residence at 1011 Golden Ave., Woodstock, was sold by Kenneth D. Gibson, Woodstock, to Christian J. Castaneda, Woodstock, for $279,900. ■ Residence at 10010 Country Club Road, Woodstock, was sold by Chicago Title Land Trust Company, Crystal Lake, to Ian Barford, Woodstock, for $860,000. ■ Residence at 3510 Lily Pond Road, Woodstock, was sold by Erich R. Utech, Woodstock, to Donald J. Behrens, Woodstock, for $350,000.

laugh because I felt like it was done MacGyver-style.” Saunders said that streaming services on the funeral home’s website has become the norm and something he expects will endure beyond the pandemic. “Families can get a copy,” he said, “and streaming allows everyone to see the service.”

IN BRIEF

Lechner joins Keefe as VP of broker operations

Jacqueline Lechner of Woodstock has joined Keefe Real Estate as the new vice president of broker operations. As a licensed agent with more than 22 years of experience, Lechner will focus on supporting Keefe’s team of sales Jacqueline associates Lechner in Wisconsin and Illinois, working with the leadership team to continue to improve Keefe’s services, and play an active role in the greater real estate community to promote professionalism in the industry. Lechner has held multiple leadership positions within the residential real estate industry. She is also a past recipient of the Illinois Realtor of the Year honor and is a certified Ninja Selling system instructor.

HELP YOUR COMMUNITY BY SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES!

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Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

301 E. Calhoun Street • Woodstock, IL 60098 815.338.7161 • www.copyexpressyes.com

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Banners • Blueprints • Booklets • Brochures Business Cards • Calendars • Car Magnets Envelopes • Flyers • Folders • Forms • Labels Letterhead • Menus • Mugs • Notepads Postcards • Yard Signs and more!

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PHOTOGRAPHER KEN FARVER SHARES SOME OF HIS FAVORITES FROM THE PAST YEAR

Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

Photos of 2020

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

Laraya Dotson uses a nasal swab to administer a COVID19 test at a drive-thru site in the parking lot of Woodstock North High School in September. A shopper stops to get a photo of the nearly empty shelves of toilet paper that had been targeted during panic buying in March during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.

Physical therapist Christine Pedersen-Garcia works with a patient at Northwestern Medicine Hospital in Woodstock, which specializes in rehab services.

Woodstock Police Chief John Lieb and Mayor Brian Sager listen to a participant during the first of three Race & Diversty forums the mayor organized in July at Stage Left Café.

Sub-freezing cold in late January did not deter about 200 people from participating in the National Women’s March and rally on the Square.

In April, Madden Smock posted a hopeful message on the porch of her home on Dean Street in Woodstock.

Greta Taylor of River Valley Farms sells mushrooms during a chilly Saturday morning in October during the final days of the summer Farmers Market on the Square.

When City Band concerts finally resumed in July, concertgoers sat in socially distanced designated areas in the park in the Square, where Sally Rendell shared secrets of her handiwork.

Jean Hervert Nieman was among a group of Tuesday morning fiber enthusiasts who worked on the Square.

During office hours in April, Dr. Vic Khanna was among physicians who used telemedicine to do remote examination of patients during the state’s shelter-in-place order in the early days of the pandemic.

COMMUNITY

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YEAR IN REVIEW

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Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

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www.frisbielohmeyer.com 815-338-3265 101 N. Throop St. Woodstock IL 60098

As we come to the end of 2020, we’d like to thank the community for supporting our small businesses, restaurants and charitable organizations and helping your neighbors during this challenging year. Everywhere we looked this year, we saw care and concern for others, from wearing masks, social distancing, donating to those in need, exercising patience and adapting to drastic changes in day-to-day living. Healthcare workers and ﬁrst responders became super heroes, parents and teachers took on e-learning, workers adapted to working from home and businesses reinvented themselves to survive and keep the community safe. The generous and kind spirit of our residents shines bright during the holidays as we celebrate all there is to be grateful for, despite the challenges of 2020. We are proud to call Woodstock home and we saw, more than ever this year, why Woodstock is truly the most festive Christmas town in Illinois. Let’s keep our spirits high and our community united and strong as we look with optimism into 2021!

REAL GRATITUDE. REAL COMMUNITY.

Community

By Jan Dovidio

NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

Members of St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Mary Catholic Church have faced many challenges in serving friends in need during this pandemic year. The charity is named after a saint in the 17th century who was known as the “apostle of charity” and “father of the poor.” The group’s main focus is to provide temporary outreach – both physical and spiritual – during an emergency. In addition to bringing food items, it has bought gasoline cards, paid rent or utility bills, paid for vehicle repair, and provided information about community organizations that can be of help to resolve immediate needs. “We are never judgmental,,” said Kathleen Lewellyn, president of the St. Mary Conference. “We are there to support our friends in need, and we also pray for them. We all come away with more than we have given. Our ability to share with those who need help has not faltered during the pandemic.” The process for people seeking help begins with a phone call to the SVDP hotline, for which volunteer David Byers is the phone dispatcher. He interviews the potential client before passing the information to the home visitors if SVDP can be of help. Teams of two volunteers follow up

IN BRIEF

Woodstock woman added as director of foundation

A Woodstock woman is one of two new members to the Community Foundation for McHenry County Board of Directors. Stacy Brown, an account executive for New York Life Insurance Co., will join the board along with and Rocio del Castillo of Crystal Lake, assistant superintendent for special services for Huntley School

‘Share the bounty’

INDEPENDENT PHOTO

St. Vincent De Paul District Director Bob Hahn and St. Mary Conference President Kathleen Lewellyn look at schedules for upcoming visits to friends in need. with a home visit, which was in person pre-pandemic and now via phone. At that time the volunteers determine the level of help required. This assistance is meant to be temporary and provide contact information for future help.

Collaborative effort

SVDP works with many community partners. “The goal is for our friends in need to be able to help themselves,” said Bob Hahn, SVDP member and district president of 14 conferences (parish

District 158. “Both of our newest board members embody the spirit of community and bring talent, expertise and energy to the foundation,” said Tamara Marshall, board chairwoman.

SVDP groups) in the Rockford Diocese. “We collaborate with all agencies in the county that provide assistance to needy persons,” he explained. “Working together has enabled us to be far more effective than we ever could be by working independently.” During this pandemic, regulations for helping the needy keep evolving. Volunteer Al Cichon serves as a watchdog in finding updated guidelines for eviction issues, financial assistance, free sites for care, and other everchanging support information. Prairie

Christmas tree recycling pickups to begin Jan. 4

Stacy Brown

Woodstock’s Department of Public Works will collect Christmas trees for mulching from Monday, Jan. 4, through Friday, Jan. 29. Residents must have their trees in the parkway (between the sidewalk and street) by 7 a.m. on their regularly scheduled trash day to ensure collection.

Donations come mainly from St. Mary parishioners. Events and projects bring additional financial support. One of those projects is called “Share the Bounty.” Vicki and Tom Reinhardt have dedicated a 30-by100-foot garden to raise vegetables for the needy. They offer the produce on Sunday mornings from July to November for parishioners to buy and leave a donation for SVDP clients. From July through November, they raised $1,700. Current officers of the group are Kathleen Lewellyn, president; Cynthia Russell, vice president; Judy Fitzpatrick, secretary; Steve Reis, treasurer; and Deacons Bill Kearley and Joe Kayser, spiritual advisers. “Christ calls each one of us to serve the least of his people,” Lewellyn said. “As a member of the St. Vincent de Paul Society, I have been given the opportunity to answer his call. I am also privileged to work alongside other dedicated members in this message of charity.” The St. Vincent de Paul Society local hotline is 815-334-7711.

Trees must be secured so they do not blow into the street. All ornaments, tinsel, lights, decorations, nails, bags. and stands must be removed. Branches, wreaths, roping and other greens will not be collected For more information, call the Department of Public Works at 815-338-6118 or email pwdept@woodstockil.gov.

COMMUNITY

State Legal Services in McHenry provides free representation when needed. After providing temporary help, the home visitors check by phone to make sure clients have followed up with referrals and are taking initiative to improve their situation. “We averaged 600 cases per year in pre-pandemic times,” Hahn said. “We handled 53 cases in October of 2019 and 51 cases in November of 2020, so the need remains steady.”

Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

St. Vincent de Paul Society supports ‘friends in need’

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

‘The need remains steady’

COMMUNITY

Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

Another painful story of victims of diseased religion As a child growing up in Woodstock (first on Dean Street, then on West South Street), the closest I came to being directly affected by international events was when, in a drill, our Dean Street School teachers made us hide under our desks to keep us from dying in a nuclear attack. (Those teachers meant well.) It turned out, however, that my insular Woodstock life would not last even through childBill hood. My parTammeus ents took me and Guest column my three sisters to live in India for two years (195658) so Dad could be part of a University of Illinois agriculture team there. Then, when I was an adult, on Sept. 11, 2001, al-Qaida terrorists murdered my nephew, Karleton Douglas Beye Fyfe, son of Woodstock natives Barbara Tammeus Fyfe and Jim Fyfe. Karleton, a 31-year-old bond analyst for John Hancock in Boston, was a passenger on the first plane to crash into the World Trade Center that malevolent day. At the time, I was an editorial page columnist for The Kansas City Star and wrote the lead commentary for an extra edition of the newspaper published that afternoon. Partway through that task, I learned of the death of Karleton, with whom I was

very close. Now, almost 20 years later, I have written a new book that recounts the multiple traumas my extended family experienced because of 9/11. It’s called “Love, Loss and Endurance: A 9/11 Story of Resilience and Hope in an Age of Anxiety” (amzn. to/3ltRBn5). (It’s on Amazon and elsewhere, but I hope you’ll patronize your locally owned Woodstock bookstore, Read Between the Lynes, to get one.) Beyond telling our family’s personal story, the book also explores the difficult question of why some people get drawn toward extremist ideas that can – and often do – lead to violence. And I devote the last chapter to offering ideas about combatting such extremism, which as we know now affects not just religion but politics and other fields, too. Just a couple of days before Karleton boarded American Flight 11, his wife, Haven, told him she was pregnant with their second child. Their first son, Jackson, was 19 months old when his daddy died. But their second son, Parker, born in May 2002, never met his father. Karleton, who grew up in North Carolina, was funny, brilliant, accomplished, and tall. I’m a bit over 6-3, but Karleton wound up 6-5, so I looked up to him in several ways. He was one of my parents’ (Bertha and Bill Tammeus) 10 grandchildren, including their first one, who died at birth. Karleton’s death rocked our

family in countless ways. It was like removing a bearing wall in a house. The collapse inevitably wounded everyone. In some ways it has taken us almost 20 years to find our sea legs again, and in some ways we never will find them. What killed Karleton? Diseased religion put into action. The hijackers had adopted a perverted version of Islam, one that slandered an ancient and honorable religion that I first had come to know as a child in India. They slandered Islam in much the same way that Ku Klux Klan members vilify Christianity. As I say in the book, “That kind of religion (and religion is far too good a name for it) – rooted not

NEARLY A CENTURY

COURTESY PHOTO

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, Doris “Gigi” McNeese couldn’t have a traditional party to celebrate her 99th birthday. But her daughter, Karen, and granddaughter, Thea, along with other family members, attended a special window party coordinated by the staff at Hearthstone, a senior living community in Woodstock where Gigi lives. The staff says she likes to stay active at Hearthstone with daily walks. She also has a passion for gardening. “I love watching my plants sprout up!” Her advice for a long, happy life: “Enjoy whatever you do in life.”

in awe and wonder but in a hunger for conviction, for a simplistic, no-doubts orthodoxy – is quite literally killing us. So this book, in a sense, picks up where my last book left off. In “The Value of Doubt: Why Unanswered Questions, Not Unquestioned Answers, Build Faith” (amzn.to/29F2bmP), I argued that unless you’re part of a faith community that allows you to ask the hard questions of and about religion and all of life, to wrestle openly with your doubts and skepticism, you’ll never develop the kind of faith that can sustain you in both bad and good times.” The hijackers didn’t have that kind of faith. The result is that the world – including Karleton’s parents, his two sisters, and their families, his widow, children and others – now is bereft of his shining presence, to say nothing of the presence of the nearly 3,000 other people murdered on 9/11. Which means that my family’s inconsolably painful story is just one of many. In some ways this story began with Barb and Jim’s 1964 wedding in Woodstock. Maybe some of you in my hometown can join me in working toward a more peaceful world to help to redeem this terrible loss. Bill Tammeus was a columnist for The Kansas City Star for nearly four decades. Today he writes for several other publications, though his “Faith Matters” blog (billtammeus.typepad.com) continues to appear on The Star’s website. This is his seventh book

PANTRY IS OPEN

COURTESY PHOTO

Items like books, toiletries, non-perishable goods, and canned foods are available to the public on a self-serve basis from a pantry in front of Northwest Healthcare Center, 800 E. South St. Community members are also welcome to drop off items in the box.

SEND YOUR PHOTO TO THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK STELLA ROSS DANCE/POMS

Marian Central Catholic junior Stella Ross is a natural leader on the dance/poms team. She has kept spirits up throughout the season by sending positive messages to the dancers, staying focused on team building, and working on fun choreography that displays each dancer’s strength. From leading Zoom practices in the summer to never missing an in-person practice she is 100% committed to her team. Her 10+ years of dance experience shines through all she gives to her team. Whether it is organization or skill, she is a valuable member of the Marian dance team.

sponsored by

Lisa Haderlein is executive director of The Nature Conservancy of McHenry County and a columnist for The Independent.

Natalie Murphy, Steven Simpson, and Patrick Murphy of Murphy’s Flooring are “masked up” to help in preventing the spread of the coronavirus. The Independent wants you to join your neighbors by sending in a photo of members of your family, club, office, or other group wearing your masks. Please email it to woodstock4all@thewoodstockindependent.com. We’re all in this together, Woodstock.

CONGRATULATIONS! 815-355-0661

More Info at SportsCityAcademy.com

COMMUNITY

the Bortle Dark Sky Scale, this area is rated from Class 9 to 7, inner city to urban/suburban transition – a place that never gets dark. Woodstock is in an area considered Class 5, suburban sky. The Milky Way may be visible if directly overhead, but it will appear washed-out. Clouds will appear lighter than the sky because ground light pollution is illuminating them. Heading northwest from Woodstock, the sky is rated a Class 4, rural/ suburban sky. In this area, the Milky Way is visible when overhead and may have some definition. In a truly dark, Class 1 or 2 sky, clouds will look like “black holes” that appear deeper than the starlit sky around them. This is because there is not ground light pollution to illuminate the clouds from below. People illuminate the night for many reasons, with safety being the primary concern. However, there is a tendency to over-illuminate, or to illuminate in inappropriate ways. There is sound research showing that excessive lighting can actually facilitate crime by making it easier for criminals to see what they are doing. When lighting is installed in a sensible way, it not only saves money and provides security, but also reduces light pollution and improves viewing of the night sky. Proper lighting is directed at the objects it is intended to illuminate, rather than scattered across a large area that does not need to be lit – like into the sky. The International Dark-Sky Association’s vision is “The night sky, filled with stars, is celebrated and protected around the world as a shared heritage benefiting all living things.” The IDA website, darksky.org, has a wealth of information about sensible lighting, and a program to designate Dark-Sky Communities that adopt good outdoor lighting ordinances and undertake efforts to educate residents about the importance of dark skies. The village of Hawthorne Woods in Lake County is a Dark Sky Community. What would it take for Woodstock, Bull Valley, or Wonder Lake to become one, too?

Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

The Winter Solstice was Dec. 21 this year. Believe it or not, there are about 2 minutes more daylight each day between now and the Summer Solstice on June 20, 2021, but the nights still seem awfully long (and the days far too short). While drivLisa ing late one night Haderlein between WoodThe Nature of stock and HarThings vard, it struck me how dark it seemed. Most house lights were out, so the landscape visible along Route 14 was dark. It was a new moon, so there was no moonlight from the sky to illuminate the ground – my headlights were the only light. I thought to myself, The world must have looked like this for the Potawatomi who lived here 200 years ago. Not even close. After doing a little research, I learned that when European-American colonists arrived in this area, they would have found actual darkness. True darkness is something few Americans will ever experience unless they travel to very remote areas. There are still a few places in the United States where true darkness can be found, but these dark spots are increasingly rare. According to information found at lightpollution. info, there are no places in the entire state of Illinois that have zero light pollution. The nearest place to find true darkness is in Lake Michigan, northeast of Door County,Wisconsin. Light pollution is defined as lighting that spills upward and outward beyond the objects it is intended to illuminate. Think of a street lamp that shines some of its light into the sky, or a home’s security light that shines into the neighbor’s bedroom. These are examples of light pollution. Woodstock sits outside a light bubble that surrounds Chicago and most of its suburbs. The bright area stretches from Joliet to Park Forest in the south, north to Elgin and Waukegan, and from Lake Michigan in the east to the Fox River in the west. In this area, the sky is perpetually gray or brighter, and only the brightest stars are visible to the naked eye. On

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

True darkness difficult MASKS ON, WOODSTOCK! to find around here

COMMUNITY

Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

Happenings

•••PLEASE CHECK WITH SPONSORS OR VENUES ABOUT CANCELLATIONS OR POSTPONEMENTS OF EVENTS•••

calendar 31 THURSDAY NEW YEAR’S EVE

7 THURSDAY

VIRTUAL CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP

independence Health & Therapy 4-5 p.m. Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/99771 621377?pwd=aVk0UmpjUXBvSlB 0d1BqRGZXWkJPUT09 Zoom Meeting Meeting ID 997 7162 1377 Password 002896

JANUARY

1 FRIDAY 2 SATURDAY

WINTER MARKET AT THE FAIRGROUNDS McHenry County Fairgrounds Building D 11900 Country Club Road 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. woodstockfarmersmarket.org

CAREER PATHWAYS WORKSHOP

McHenry County Workforce Network

RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONY

New Directions Retreat 14411 Kishwaukee Valley Road Noon

11 MONDAY PRIDE MEETING

Woodstock Chamber of Commerce 127 E. Calhoun St. 6 p.m.

COFFEE WITH THE CHIEF

NEW YEAR’S DAY

5 TUESDAY

1 to 2:30 p..m. Find link to register at mchenrycountyil.gov/county-government/departments-j-z/ workforce-network

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

12 TUESDAY

DISTRICT 200 SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION 7 p.m. Live-stream woodstockschools.org

15 FRIDAY

MICROSOFT POWERPOINT COMPUTER CLASS McHenry County Workforce

To submit calendar items, email pr@thewoodstockindependent.com

Network 10 to 11 a.m. Find the link to register at https:// www.mchenrycountyil.gov/countygovernment/departments-j-z/ workforce-network

28 THURSDAY

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

WOODSTOCK FIRE/ RESCUE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING

GROUNDHOG DAY BAGS TOURNAMENT

16 SATURDAY

7 p.m. wfrd.org

Ortmann’s Red Iron Tavern 101 E. Church St. Noon woodstockgroundhog.org

29 FRIDAY

GROUNDHOG DAY BINGO

WINTER MARKET AT THE FAIRGROUNDS McHenry County Fairgrounds Building D 11900 Country Club Road 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. woodstockfarmersmarket.org

19 TUESDAY

WOODSTOCK CITY COUNCIL 7 p.m. Onlline woodstockil.gov

21 THURSDAY

MURDER & MAYHEM BOOK CLUB Woodstock Public Library 414 W. Judd St. 7 to 8 p.m. woodstockpubliclibrary.org

MICROSOFT WORD COMPUTER CLASS

McHenry County Workforce Network 10 to 11 a.m. Find the link to register at https:// www.mchenrycountyil.gov/countygovernment/departments-j-z/ workforce-network

WELCOMING OF THE GROUNDHOG

Woodstock Opera House 121 W. Van Buren 6 p.m. woodstockgroundhog.org

GROUNDHOG TRIVIA

Woodstock Opera House 121 W. Van Buren 6:30 p.m. woodstockgroundhog.org

26 TUESDAY

30 SATURDAY

7 p.m. Live-stream woodstockschools.org

McHenry County Fairgrounds Building D 11900 Country Club Road

DISTRICT 200 SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION

WINTER MARKET AT THE FAIRGROUNDS

Woodstock Moose Lodge #1329 406 Clay St. 5:30 p.m. woodstockgroundhog.org

FEBRUARY

1 SATURDAY

WALKING TOUR OF FILMING SITES Meet at Moose Lodge 406 Clay St. 1:30 p.m. Tour will end at the Cherry Tree Inn woodstockgroundhog.org

2 SUNDAY

GROUNDHOG PROGNOSTICATION

Woodstock Square 7 a.m. woodstockgroundhog.org

GROUNDHOG MOVIE DISPLAY

Woodstock Public Library 414 W. Judd St. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. woodstockgroundhog.org

We Are Woodstock!

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IN WOODSTOCK EVERY WEEK! serving Woodstock for 32 years

Resurrection Catholic Church

2918 South Country Club Road Woodstock, IL 60098

We welcome all to join us at our Mass times: Saturday at 5:00 pm & Sunday at 8:00 am and 10:30 am.

We, the members of the Resurrection Catholic Church, are a prayerful, loving community formed by the Holy Spirit, striving to be a sign of the Gospel values of Jesus Christ: justice, truth and love.

■ BAHA’I COMMUNITY OF WOODSTOCK Gatherings are open to the public the second Saturday of each month. For information: 815-337-0126 woodstock.bahais@gmail.com ■ BLUE LOTUS TEMPLE & MEDITATION CENTER 221 Dean St. • 815-337-7378 Meditation: 10 a.m. Tuesday, Saturday; 7 p.m. Monday, Wednesday ■ CASA DE BENDICION 8015 Ridgefield Road, Crystal Lake (Crystal Lake Christian Church) Worship: 1 p.m. Sunday, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday ■ CHRIST LIFE 13614 W. Jackson St. • 815-338-4934 Worship: 10:30 a.m. Sunday ■ COVENANT REFORMED BAPTIST CHURCH 4609 Greenwood Road P.O. Box 463 • 815-575-9612 Worship: 10 a.m. Sunday ■ EDEN BAPTIST 1903 N. Seminary Ave. • 815-814-7847 Worship: 3 p.m. Sunday (Spanish) ■ FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST 111 W. South St. • 815-338-2731 Worship: 10 a.m. Sunday ■ FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 2018 N. Route 47 • 815-338-2627 Virtual worship: 9:30 a.m. Sunday ■ FIRST UNITED METHODIST 201 W. South St. • 815-338-3310 fumcwoodstock.org Worship: 9:30 a.m. Sunday Sunday school for children 9:45 a.m. ■ FREE METHODIST 934 N. Seminary Ave. • 815-338-3180 Worship: 10:30 a.m. ■ GOOD NEWS CHURCH Meeting at Dorr Township Community Room, 1039 Lake Ave. 815-575-9224 goodnewswoodstock.org Worship: 10:15 a.m. Sunday ■ GRACE FELLOWSHIP 200 Cairns Court • gfchurch.org Worship: 9 and 10:45 a.m. Sunday ■ GRACE LUTHERAN 1300 Kishwaukee Valley Road 815-338-0554 Worship: Videos on website each weekend; parking lot services at 9 a.m., listen on 89.3 FM ■ HOUSE OF BLESSING 2018 N. Route 47 (First Presbyterian Church building) cbhbfil413.com Worship: 1 p.m. Sunday ■ JEWISH REFORMED

CONGREGATION TIKKUN OLAM 503 W. Jackson St. (St. Ann’s Episcopal Church building) Call 815-455-9236 or email tikkunolam@ hotmail.com for service information. n McHENRY COUNTY JEWISH CONGREGATION 8617 Ridgefield Road, Crystal Lake 815-455-1810 Worship: 7 p.m. Friday, 9:30 a.m. Saturday n NEW LIFE CHRISTIAN CENTER 5115 Dean St. • 815-337-4673 Worship: 10 a.m. Sunday ■ RESURRECTION CATHOLIC 2918 S. Country Club Road 815-338-7330 Worship: 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Sunday; 5 p.m. Saturday; 8:30 a.m. weekdays ■ ST. ANN’S EPISCOPAL 503 W. Jackson St. • 815-338-0950 Worship: 10 a.m. online ■ ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN 401 St. John’s Road • 815-338-5159 Worship: 9 a.m. Sunday ■ ST. MARY CATHOLIC 313 N. Tryon St. • 815-338-3377 Worship: Daily Mass, 12:30 p.m., no registration required. Weekend Mass schedule (registration required): Saturday, 4:30 p.m. (English), 6:30 p.m. (Spanish); Sunday, 8:30 a.m. (English), 10:30 a.m. (English), 12 :30 p.m. (Spanish); Candlelight Mass, 8:30 p.m., last Saturday of the month. Confession, Monday and Wednesday, 4 p.m. ■ THE BRIDGE CHRISTIAN 2620 Bridge Lane • 815-496-0548 Worship: 10 a.m. Sunday ■ THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS 2016 Hartland Road • 815-334-1703 Worship: 10 a.m. Sunday ■ THE VINE CHRISTIAN CHURCH 1132 N. Madison St. • 815-338-3380 Worship: 10 a.m. Sunday ■ UNITY SPIRITUAL CENTER 225 W. Calhoun St. • 815-337-3534 unitywoodstock.org Worship: 10 a.m. Sunday ■ UPPER FOX VALLEY QUAKER MEETING 4614 Pioneer Road, McHenry 815-385-8512 Discussion and singing, 9 a.m. Sunday Worship, 10 a.m., fellowship, 11 a.m. Sunday ■ WOODSTOCK ASSEMBLY OF GOD 1201 Dean St.• 815-338-1316 Worship: 10 a.m. Sunday ■ WOODSTOCK BIBLE CHURCH 118 Benton St. Worship: 10:30 a..m. Sunday

■ The Woodstock City Council voted to eliminate the part of a city ordinance that allowed churches and private schools to apply for once-a-year permits for the retail sale of liquor.

30 years ago – 1990

25 years ago – 1995

■ The City Council approved Lavern Emricson’s plan to build Trakk Industrial Park on 57 acres on north Route 120 west of Woodstock. ■ Eric Hoffman and Jeffrey Spencer, both of Wonder Lake, died in a snowmobile accident on Wonder Lake.

20 years ago – 2000

■ The City Council ended the city’s 24-year lease of land to the Woodstock Chapter of the Illinois Sportsmen’s Club. The land west of Route 47 near the Southside Waste Water Treatment Plant had been leased for $1 a year since 1975. Concerns about lead contamination led to the decision. ■ Katy Crain, 8, asked friends to bring gifts to her birthday party for children in Centegra Memorial Medical Center’s pediatric unit. She delivered 38 Christmas-wrapped gifts to the unit.

15 years ago – 2005

■ State Rep. Jack Franks, D-Woodstock, introduced legislation to eliminate the practice by retailers of imposing an expiration date on gift cards. ■ The Bundling Board Inn’s Death by Chocolate Slumber Party appeared as one of a new seven-part television series, “Wild Chicago’s Illinois Road Trip,” hosted and co-created by Ben Hollis.

10 years ago – 2010

■ Woodstock School District 200 began planning for dual-language instruction at the high school level. ■ Woodstock Musical Theatre Company saw a significant increase in attendance at its holiday production of “A Christmas Story.”

5 years ago – 2015

■ The Woodstock Veterans of Foreign Wars Post on Throop Street had been sold. The new owners, local realtors Teresa and Arturo Flores planned to continue leasing the lower level of the building to VFW Post 5040. After making cosmetic changes to the upper level, the Floreses planned to lease the

21 room for meetings, parties, and other events. ■ The Independent featured Maria Bellairs, 96, in its Living History series. She had moved to Woodstock in 1952 with her first husband, Ned Henslee. Their home was a popular gathering place for friends of their four children. Ned died unexpectedly in 1971. Four years later, Maria married Mal Bellairs. Their blended family of 11 children got along surprisingly well, said her daughter Ann Henslee. Maria Bellairs was known and respected as a volunteer, for her generosity, and for her love of bridge. ■ The city of Woodstock’s Public Works Department was picking up natural Christmas trees placed in parkways – between sidewalks and streets. The service was free. Residents were reminded Public Works employees’ first responsibility should there be snow was clearing streets and sidewalks.

1 year ago – 2019

■ Deaths from drug overdoses in McHenry County dropped again in 2019. The McHenry County Mental Health Board reported only 27 deaths and five pending a final determination. OD deaths had spiked at 51 in 2017. The increased use of Narcan, which reverses the effects of opioid overdoses, and coordinated efforts by police and local agencies were credited for the decrease. ■ Doug Smith, a former Woodstock High School athletic director, was inducted into the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association Hall of Fame. Smith’s career included 33 years of high school teaching, coaching, and athletic department administration. Highlights of his 14 years at WHS, 1989 to 2003, included a state football championship, multiple team titles, and many outstanding athletes, including state champion crosscountry runner Katie Hartman. ■ During its last meeting of 2019, the City Council voted 7-0 to issue a $10-million bond for street improvements and to enact a 3-centsa-gallon city fuel tax to help pay it off. During a workshop at the end of the meeting, council members agreed the city should buy the former Die Cast factory site so the city could control development of the property.

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STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 22nd JUDICIAL CIRCUIT MCHENRY COUNTY PUBLICATION NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE (ADULT) Request of Christine Marie Wollert Case No. 20MR001230 There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Christine Marie Wollert to the new name of: Christmas Marie Wollert The court date will be held on March 4, 2021 at TBD at 2200 N. Seminary Ave. Woodstock, McHenry County in Courtroom # TBD. Dated at Woodstock, IL, December 4, 2020 /s/Christine Marie Wollert (Published in The Woodstock Independent December 23, 2020, December 30, 2020)L11123

PUBLIC NOTICE

ASSUMED NAME Public Notice is hereby given that on DECEMBER 15, 2020 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 THE ECLECTIC CHAIR located at 14613 MANSION HEIGHTS DR., HARVARD, IL 60033. Owner Name & Address: DAYLE STOFFERAHN 14613 MANSION HEIGHTS DR., HARVARD, IL 60033. Dated: DECEMBER 15, 2020 /s/ JOSEPH J. TIRIO (McHenry County Clerk) (Published in The Woodstock Independent December 23, 2020, December 30, 2020)L11124

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF CHANGE TO DBA ADDITION OF NAME Public Notice is hereby given that on DECEMBER 14, A.D. 2020, a Certificate was filed in the Office of the County Clerk of McHenry County, IL concerning the business known as WOODSTOCK DANCE ACADEMY located at 227 E. CALHOUN ST., WOODSTOCK, IL 60098 which certificate sets forth the following ADDITION OF NAME change in the DBA thereof: ENGLISH SWANSON, 22887 BURR OAK RD., HARVARD, IL 60033. Dated this 14TH day of DECEMBER, A.D., 2020 /s/ JOSEPH J. TIRIO (McHenry County Clerk) (Published in The Woodstock Independent December 23, 2020, December 30, 2020)L11125

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COUNTY-IN PROBATE Case No. 20PR000209 In the Matter of the Estate of FRANK GLUTH Deceased CLAIM NOTICE Notice is given of the death of FRANK GLUTH Of: CARPENTERSVILLE, IL Letters of office were issued on: 8/5/2020 Representative: DEBORAH LABAZ 6004 SANDERS COURT CARPENTERSVILLE, IL 60110 whose attorney is: CLARK & MCARDLE 75 E. CRYSTAL LAKE AVE. CRYSTAL LAKE, IL 60014 Claims against the estate may be filed within six months from the date of 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 December 30, 2020)L11126

PUBLIC NOTICES

ASSUMED NAME Public Notice is hereby given that on DECEMBER 10, 2020 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 JAG Real Estate located at 1710 S. Eastwood Dr., Woodstock, IL 60098. Owner Name & Address: Joshua Brown 1710 S. Eastwood Dr., Woodstock, IL 60098. Dated: DECEMBER 10, 2020

/s/ JOSEPH J. TIRIO (McHenry County Clerk) (Published in The Woodstock Independent December 23, 2020, December 30, 2020)L11121

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STATE OF ILLINOIS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE TWENTY-SECOND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT MCHENRY COUNTY-IN PROBATE Case No. 20PR000347 In the Matter of the Estate of LYDIA K. CROSS Deceased CLAIM NOTICE Notice is given of the death of LYDIA K. CROSS Of: HARVARD, IL Letters of office were issued on: 12/9/20 Representative: NANCY SMITH 605 W. MCKINLEY ST. HARVARD, IL 60033 whose attorney is:

WOLF, DAVID J., LAW OFFICE OF 244 N. THROOP ST. STE 100 WOODSTOCK, IL 60098 Claims against the estate may be filed within six months from the date of 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 December 23, 2020, December 30, 2020)L11120

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ASSUMED NAME Public Notice is hereby given that on DECEMBER 7, 2020 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 BRUNDOLPH RODS located at 9112 CAROL LANE, SPRING GROVE, IL 60081. Owner Name & Address: TODD RADEK 9112 CAROL LANE, SPRING GROVE, IL 60081. Dated: DECEMBER 7, 2020 /s/ JOSEPH J. TIRIO (McHenry County Clerk) (Published in The Woodstock Independent December 16, 2020, December 23, 2020, December 30, 2020) L11119

SPORTS

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Sports

- 2020 YEAR IN REVIEW-

Even good things can happen in a rough year By Sandy Kucharski with staff and courtesy photos

SANDY@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM

The past year of covering sports in Woodstock was like no other, changing in a heartbeat in March with the sudden stoppage of nearly every sport and school activity. But in the midst of lost seasons and missed opportunities, we saw determination and creativity emerge. Some athletes found ways to adjust and continue to practice and participate in their chosen pursuits. But with the postponement of close-contact sports deemed high risk, such as football and soccer, many were left benched. When the Illinois High School Association changed to a fourseason model in August, some athletes took the opportunity to play in lowrisk sports. We did our best to cover the sports that still took place. On the positive side, fewer sports during the season gave us the opportunity to shine a spotlight on some often overlooked sports. We also took the opportunity to share stories of every senior athlete from each of the three high schools – Marian Central Catholic High School, Woodstock High School, and Woodstock North High School – that missed their final spring season. While the headlines and stories were very different, we were never at a loss for interesting, active local people to feature in the sports pages of The Independent.

Business as usual

In January, winter sports were progressing along as usual, blissfully unaware of what changes were

Kaitlyn Ford

Masks became a standard addition to all uniforms. WHS cross-country coach Jay Fuller encourages Evan Neuhart, and tennis player Mei Cornell (right) gives a thumbs up. to come. The Woodstock co-op boys and girls bowling teams were moving into postseason competition, the Marian wrestling team was on its way to an undefeated regular season, and the Woodstock co-op swim team was riding a strong wave. Scoreboard was packed with results from wrestling, boys swimming, boys and girls bowling, boys and girls basketball, and even the Marian fencing team. WHS Hall of Fame inductions took place in early February, the Hurricane wrestlers won the 2A Woodstock North Regional, and WHS girls Bobby basketball standMicky out Emma Brand scored her 1,000th point. The WNHS girls basketball team celebrated winning the Kishwaukee River Conference. The co-op swim team took third in the Fox Valley Conference meet with Nick Phillips and

Nick Phillips

Austin Arndt

Quinn Cynor sharing MVP honors. Woodstock North’s athletic director, Brady Stromquist, announced his resignation, effective June 30. He would be replaced by Bobby Mickey. Marian’s Dylan Connell returned from the IHSA Class 2A Individual State Wrestling Tournament with his third state title, with several teammates earning medals. WHS swimmer Quinn Cynor earned two sectional titles and medalled at the state meet in two events.

Pandemic pause

The March 18 issue of The Independent shared the news of massive shutdowns across the country and stay-at-home orders due to COVID-19. This included canceling the spring sports season, and sports coverage in the newspaper changed dramatically. Everything came to a screeching halt. There were no scores to report, no games to attend, no photos to take. Hopes of salvaging spring sports faded, and a feeling of loss, especially for the seniors, set in. We devoted more than a month to senior tributes

Addison Walker

for spring 2020 athletes. In the absence of prep coverage, we adjusted our focus and began to run a series of individual sport features. Discovering that Woodstock was ripe with a diverse collection of devotees, we profiled a skier who guided the blind, a champion angler, a family of fly-fishermen, a family of hunters, an ultra-marathoner, and an inspirational story of a retiree’s fitness journey. We found athletes who adjusted to the shutdown, such as a basement ballerina, a video jiu jitsu teacher, parking lot ice skaters, and a virtual marathoner. We even found a few sports that were relatively unaffected, including horse training and equine sports. We also shared the story of a Woodstock woman who used to waterski with the Tommy Bartlett Show. Sadly, the long-running show at the Wisconsin Dells permanently closed because of the loss of income from the closures of 2020.

Faux fall

The stadiums sat empty in the fall, but boys and girls cross-country, boys and girls golf, girls swimming, and girls tennis were able to compete with strict limitations that included wearing masks, only competing against conference opponents, and having no spectators. Highlights included a conference win by the WHS boys cross-country team and regional and sectional crosscountry titles for Marian’s Peter Walsdorf. That was the official end of the line, however, as IHSA did not host a state meet. Renewed shutdowns put the start of the winter season on hold.

Ben Moscinski

Brooklyn Hallihan

27 THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT Dec. 30-Jan. 5, 2021

Quinn Cynor

Dylan Connell

TOP INDIVIDUALS:

TOP HONORS:

■ Northwood teacher, coach, and WHS graduate Jenn Koeser inducted into McHenry County College Athletics Hall of Fame ■ WHS Hall of Fame inductees: 2007 girls cross-country team; longtime supporter, coach, and announcer Jack Darby; 2009 standout Blue Streak quarterback Logan Kunzie

Jack Darby

NN SCOREBOARD NN LOOKING AHEAD WITH HOPE FOR THE 2021 SEASON!

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SPORTS

■ Dylan Connell – won an IHSA Class 2A Individual State Wrestling title for the third time. Also medaling: Elon Rodriguez, second; Bryce Shelton, Dan Valeria, Scottie Burke and Nick Lopez, fourth. ■ Quinn Cynor – two sectional titles; two-time state swim finals medalist, third, 200-yard freestyle, fifth, 100 backstroke ■ Peter Walsdorf, IHSA 2A Lake Villa Sectional champion; top 10 ShaZam Racing High School XC Championship

Peter Walsdorf

■ Blue Streak girls basketball player Emma Brand scores 1,000th point ■ Luke Trewyn, KRC golfer of the year

Emma Brand

■ Marian wrestling team, undefeated regular season, made it to state quarterfinal match ■ WNHS girls basketball, KRC champions ■ WNHS girls tennis team, KRC champions ■ WHS boys cross-country, KRC champions, sectional qualifier ■ Woodstock co-op golf team, KRC champions

Luke Trewyn

TOP FEATURES:

■ Beth Zange, ski guide to the blind ■ Bob Clark, fishing champion ■ Madeline Manke, basement ballerina ■ Dan Hart, virtual jui jitsu instructor ■ Jeremy Rosheisen, horse trainer ■ Megan Hansen, virtual marathoner ■ Jason Randall, fly fisherman ■ Joel Brown, ultra-marathoner ■ Rainn and Reese Connor, skaters ■ Midwest Renegades, equestrians ■ Laura Bixby Blocksom, waterskier ■ Paul Rausch, fitness journey ■ Marty Baker family, hunters

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