The
Woodstock
I NDEPENDENT
April 15-21, 2020
Published every Wednesday | Est. 1987 | Serving Woodstock, Wonder Lake and Bull Valley, Ill. | www.thewoodstockindependent.com | $1.00
Street work waits on weather
175 ‘segments,’ 19.43 lane miles targeted in city’s 2020 program By Larry Lough
LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM
How much street can you resurface in Woodstock for $8,632,329.54? Plans are to pave 175 street segments (see list on Page 2) covering 19.43 center lane miles by the end of this year. Weather permitting.
COMMUNITY
Celebrate 50th anniversary of Earth Day by coloring planet PAGE 17
SCHOOLS
The City Council last week awarded a contract to Plote Construction of Hoffman Estates to do the work in what is hoped to be the first of a five-year program to upgrade streets throughout the city. That could involve more than $50 million in improvements. Jeff Van Landuyt, the city’s director
of Public Works, said the approach to street work this year was “totally different” from past years, when the worst streets were identified for expensive repairs. “We’ve been spending a lot of money on failed streets,” Van Landuyt said. This year, streets that an engineering
See STREETS, Page 2
NEW RULES AT MARKET
Students, teachers maintain social connections with tech PAGE 9
MARKETPLACE
Restaurant remodeling done just before shutdown order
PAGE 13
INDEX Obituaries
4
Opinion
6
Schools
9
A&E
10
Marketplace
12
Community
14
Calendar
18
Classified
20
Puzzles
22
Public Notices
23
Sports
25
The Woodstock Independent
671 E. Calhoun St., Woodstock, IL 60098 Phone: 815-338-8040 Fax: 815-338-8177 Thewoodstock independent.com
INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER
Teresa Johnson, owner of Purewater Aquaponics of Lake Zurich, talks with a customer during the Woodstock Farmers Market at the McHenry County Fairgrounds, where new rules are in place (social distancing, customers can’t touch products before buying) during the coronavirus crisis. See Page 14.
Loans aid businesses during crisis By Larry Lough
LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM
Twenty-six Woodstock businesses have received a maximum $5,000 check from the city’s small-business loan program, and 74 loans are still available to help local merchants deal with fallout from the coronavirus. Eight of the 26 that were sent a check
last week are bars, restaurants, or otherwise primarily in the food business. And another restaurant, the Public House, was granted a three-month delay in its rent payments for its space in the lower level of the city-owned Old Courthouse. Local impacts of COVID-19 were evident throughout the City Council meeting last week, which again was
held remotely while City Hall is closed during the pandemic. A handful of participants showed up on video via Zoom software, while most – including members of the public – accessed the meeeting through audio only. The council voted 7-0 to again extend the state of emergency in Woodstock that Mayor Brian Sager declared
See LOANS, Page 4
NEWS
April 15-21, 2020
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
2
STREETS
Continued from Page 1
study identified as “very poor” to “fair” will be resurfaced before they fail and need costly repairs or rebuilding – but only if those streets don’t also need the base rebuilt or sewer work done. Some of the failed streets will be
addressed this year because they were on the list of 12 segments scheduled for $2.5 million in work in 2019 that did not get completed because of wet, cold weather last fall. A Lamp Construction of Schaumburg was in town last week to complete sidewalk rebuilding after working last fall on sewer repairs. Although the 2020 work divided the city into four quadrants to allow
contractors to bid on one or more of the projects, Plote had the low bid for all four. At last week’s meeting, Councilman Jim Prindiville said he liked the approach to give more contractors a shot at the work. “I hope we can be creative in how we bid contracts,” he said. City Manager Roscoe Stelford said it
made the process more competitive. “We believe it helped us get the best possible price,” he said. This year’s work should bring the “pavement condition index” of those 175 segments close to 100 percent, according to contracted engineer Ryan Livingston. “.... 95, 96, 97 – that’s practically 100
See STREETS, Page 3
175 street segments targeted for work in 2020: Is yours one of them? Amber Court: Golden Avenue to Harvest Court Amber Court: Winslow Avenue to end Amsterdam Street: Oak to Pleasant streets Amsterdam Street: Pleasant to Washington streets Bach Court: Hayden Street to cul de sac Banford Road: Redwing to Tanger drives Banford Road: Tanger Drive to Queen Anne Road Barbary Lane: Ginny to Sandpiper lanes Birch Road: Roger to St. John’s roads Birch Road: Route 47 to Charles Street Blue Bonnet Lane: Wood Drive to Ginny Lane Brahms Court: Schubert to Verdi streets Brahms Court: Verdi Stree to cul de sac Briget Lane: Harding Lane to end Bunker Street: Schryver to Kimball avenues Burbank Avenue: Jefferson to Hibbard streets Butterfield Road: Manke Lane to Powers Road Calhoun Street: Jefferson to Madison streets Calhoun Street: Johnson to Dean streets Catalpa Lane: Lake to American Avenue Chopin Lane: Verdi to Hayden streets Clay Street: alley 1 to Hutchins Street Clay Street: East Beech to Meadow avenues Clay Street: Greenwood to East Beech Avenue Clay Street: Meadow Avenue to Walnut Drive Clay Street: Newell Street to alley 3 Clover Chase Circle: Prairie Ridge Drive to Verbena Lane Cord Grass Trail: Waterleaf to Savanna Grove lanes Country Ridge Square: Sandpiper Lane to Prairie Ridge Drive Dean Street: Bloomfield Drive to city limits Dean Street: Bloomfield Drive to Hercules Road Dean Street: Fremont to Tryon streets Dean Street: Route 14 to Davis Road Donovan Avenue: Rhodes to Olive streets Fairview Lane: Greenview Drive to Preswick Lane Forest Avenue: Gerry Street to end Fox Sedge Trail: Savanna Grove Lane to Cord Grass Trail Fremont Street: Madison Street to Lawndale Avenue Gerry Street: Ridgeland to Kimball avenues Ginny Lane: Barbary to Blue Bonnet lanes Golden Avenue: Amber Court to Winslow Avenue Greenview Drive: Preswick to Fairview lanes Greenwood Avenue: Seminary Avenue to Greenwood Circle Greenwood Avenue: Thomas Drive to Wicker Street Harding Lane: Bridge Lane to end Harding Lane: Lake Shore Drive to city limits Harrow Gate Drive: city limits to Heron Way Harrow Gate Drive: Heron Way to Mallard Lane Harrow Gate Drive: Mallard Lane to cul de sac Harrow Gate Drive: McConnell Road to Harrow Gate Drive Harvest Court: Amber Court to end. Havens Drive: Manke Lane to Butterfield Road Hayden Street: Bach Court to Chopin Lane Hercules Road: Braeburn Way to Courtland Street Hercules Road: Courtland Street to Macintosh Avenue Hercules Road: Jonathon Lane to Braeburn Way Heron Way: McConnell Road to Mallard Lane Herrington Place: Austin Avenue to end Highland Avenue: Blakely Street to end
Highland Avenue: Blakely to Muriel streets Hutchins Street: Clay to Madison streets Jackson Street: Borden Street to Kishwaukee Valley Road Jackson Street: Oakland to Hill streets Jackson Street: Douglas to Nebraska streets Jackson Street: Madison Street to Seminary Avenue Jackson Street: Seminary Avenue to Douglas Street Jefferson Street: Judd to Jackson streets Jefferson Street: Griffing to Hoy avenues Jefferson Street: Hoy to Chestnut avenues Jefferson Street: Kimball to Burbank avenues Jefferson Street: South Street to Dean Street alley Jewett Street: Summit to Meadow avenues Joseph Street: Diane to Island courts Joseph Street: Quail to Diane courts Judd Street: Hill to Pleasant streets Judd Street: Oakland to Hill streets Judd Street: Douglas to Nebraska streets Kilkenny Court: Lake Avenue to cul de sac Kimball Avenue: East Street to Lake Avenue Kishwaukee Valley Road: U.S. 14 to Borden Street Lake Avenue: American Avenue to Kilkenny Court Lake Avenue: Kimball Avenue to Route 47 Lake Avenue: U.S. 14 to Cobblestone Way Lake Shore Drive: U.S. 14 to end Lake Shore Drive: U.S. 14 to Harding Lane Lawndale Avenue: Fremont to Roosevelt streets Lilly Pond Road: City limits to city limits Longwood Drive (East): Longwood Drive (West) to Hillcrest Road Lorr Drive: Tara Drive to cul de sac Lucas Road: City limits to city limits Lucas Road: Route 47 east to city limits Manke Lane: Powers to Butterfield roads Manke Lane: Sebastian Drive to Roger Road Manke Lane: Woodside to Sebastian drives Manke Lane: Yasgur to Woodside drives Marge Lane: Woodstock Drive to Raffel Road McConnell Road: Applewood Lane to Greenview Drive McConnell Road: Greenview Drive to city limits McConnell Road: Harrow Gate Drive to city limits McConnell Road: Hillcrest Road to Sanctuary Drive McConnell Road: Zimmerman Road to Golden Oak Drive Meadow Drive: Wicker to Jewett streets Memorial Drive: Doty Road to end Merryman Field: Raffel Road to end Mitchell Street: Desmond Drive to Hickory Lane Mitchell Street: Kimball Avenue to Desmond Drive Oakmont Drive: Country Club Road to Oakmont Court Oakview Terrace: Oakview Court to Moraine Drive Oakview Terrace: Westwood Trail to Oakview Court Park Street: Northampton Street to Marvel Avenue Polar Lane: St. John’s Road to Roger Road Portage Lane. Prairie Ridge Drive to Ginny Lane Power Road: Manke Lane to Butterfield Road Paririe Ridge Drive: Country Ridge Square to Indigo Lane Paririe Ridge Drive: Cul de sac to cul de sac Paririe Ridge Drive: Ginny to Sandpiper lanes Paririe Ridge Drive: Indigo to Savanna lanes
Paririe Ridge Drive: Sandpiper Lane to Country Ridge Square Paririe Ridge Drive: Savanna Lane to cul de sac Preswick Lane: Greenview Drive to Fairview Lane Quail Court: Joseph Street to Terry Court Quill Lane: Woodside to Sweetwater drives Redwing Drive: Banford Road to Barn Swallow Drive Ridgeland Avenue: Gerry to Blakely streets Ridgewood Drive: Dean Street to Lee Ann Lane Ridgewood Drive: Lee Ann Lane to Mark Court Roger Road: Harvey Lane to Butterfield Road Roger Road: Poplar Lane to city limits Roger Road: Poplar Lane to Powers Road Sandpiper Lane: Indigo Lane to Barbary Lane Sandpiper Lane: Prairie Ridge Drive to Country Ridge Square Sandpiper Lane: Prairie Ridge Drive to Indigo Lane Savanna Grove Lane: Aster Trail to Cord Grass Trail Savanna Grove Lane: Fox Sedge to Aster trails Savanna Lane: Barbary Lane to Southview Drive Savanna Lane: Southview to Prairie Ridge drives Sebastian Drive: Manke Lane to Harvey Road Sebastian Drive: Sweetwater Drive to Sweetwater Drive Seminary Avenue: Jackson to Calhoun streets Seminary Avenue: Church to Judd streets Seminary Avenue: Judd to Jackson streets Serenity Lane: Greenview Drive to cul de sac Serenity Lane: Greenview to Roller drives Sharon Drive: McHenry Avenue to Schuette Drive Silver Creek Road: Hickory Road to cul de sac South Street: Dakota entrance to Dakota exit South Street: Dakota entrance to Moraine Drive South Street: Dakota exit to city limits South Street: Moraine Drive to U.S. 14 Sparrow Drive: Kildeer Drive to end Sparrow Drive: Martin to Kildeer drives Steig Road: Davis Road to South Street Stewart Avenue: Blakely to Muriel streets Stewart Avenue: Mitchell to Gould streets Strauss Court: Verdi Street to cul de sac Sweetwater Drive: Sebastian to Roger roads Sweetwater Drive: Woodside Drive to Quill Lane Sweetwater Drive: Yasgur to Sebastian drives Tara Drive: Winslow Avenue to Lorr Drive Verbena Lane: Prairie Ridge Drive to Clover Chase Circle Verdi Street. Chopin Lane to Vivaldi Street Vivaldi Street: Verdi to Schumann streets Waterleaf Lane: Aster to Cord Grass trails Waterleaf: Fox Sedge to Aster trails Wheeler Street: North to Newell streets Wicker Street: Fox Lane to Orchard Court Willow Avenue: Clay to Madison Streets Willow Avenue: Madison Street to Route 47 Wood Drive: Blue Bonnet to Barbary lanes Woodside Drive: Harvey Road to Yasgur Drive Woodside Drive: Manke Lane to Harvey Road Woodside Drive: Manke Lane to Yasgur Drive Woodside Drive: Marge to Quill Lanes Woodside Drive: Yasgur Drive to Marge Lane Yasgur Drive: Woodside Drive to Manke Lane
County prepares to start spring paving projects
Rebate program returns $6.7 million to Valley Hi
INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY LARRY LOUGH
Employees of A Lamp Construction of Schaumburg build a new sidewalk at Dane and Washington streets, part of the street-related work that didn’t get completed last fall because of cold, wet weather.
STREETS
Continued from Page 2
NEWS
[percent],” he told the council during the virtual meeting. Asked at a budget workshop Friday whether COVID-19 concerns might delay the work, Jeff Van Landuyt, the city’s director of Public Works, said he didn’t think so. “Just the opposite,” he said – contractors are eager to get to work. This year’s street work will be financed with a 20-year bond, which Stelford said could be sold “at the soonest in two to three weeks.” The city had
planned to sell the bond in June, but officials now hope to move sooner to take advantage of current low interest rates during the economic downturn. The debt will be paid by revenue from Woodstock’s new 3-cent-a-gallon fuel tax and the city’s share of the state gasoline tax, which the Legislature doubled to 38 cents a gallon last year to fund infrastructure projects, including the Route 47 project in Woodstock. The city expects the taxes to provide about $300,000 each for the bond payment. The council is scheduled to meet – again remotely – at 3 p.m. Monday, April 20, to discuss the street improvement program into 2025.
3
April 15-21, 2020
People can keep up to date on county road projects on Facebook, facebook.com/mchenrycountydot, and on Twitter, @DOTMcHenry. An interactive map of ongoing Resurfacing is scheduled to begin and upcoming projects is available next week to mill and resurface two at mchenrycountydot.org. stretches of McHenry County roads. Work on those roads, one of them Bull Valley Road from Crystal Lake Road to the Union PacificMore than $6.7 million in unclaimed Northwest railroad tracks, is money from the Valley Hi Nursing expected to begin Monday, with a completion date of June 5, depend- Home fund rebate is returning to the ing on weather. The other project is nursing home’s coffers. Chapel Hill Road from Bay Road to In a news release, County Board the Chapel Hill Road bridge. Chairman Jack Franks called the Pavement preservation projects rebate program “a resounding are part of the annual paving prosuccess.” gram by the McHenry County DiviMore than 47,700 checks totaling sion of Transportation to maintain its more than $8.2 million were mailed to more than 550 lane miles. The work qualifying households from the $15 involves milling existing surfaces, million allocated by the County Board. laying new asphalt, placing shoulder Qualifying homeowners received stone, and painting new pavement just under 30 percent of county government’s share of their 2017 property markings. tax bill they paid in 2018. More than Peter Baker & Son Co., of Lake Bluff, was awarded a $759,000 con- half of the county’s eligible homeowntract in October 2019 for the work. ers applied, many who discovered Motorists are warned to be prethey had not been receiving the homepared for lane closures and delays stead exemption. while work is in progress. Drivers The returned surplus leaves Valley Hi with a projected $28.6 million should be alert for workers in work zones, obey work-zone speed limits, reserve, which is enough to fund more than two years of operations. and never text and drive.
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
IN BRIEF
NEWS
April 15-21, 2020
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
4
OBITUARIES
Judith Marie Kettmann, 74
Judith Marie Kettmann, 74, of McHenry, Ill., passed away Saturday, April 4, 2020, at White Oaks Memory Care in McHenry following a long, courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease and Lewy Body dementia. Judy was born in Streator, Ill., on Aug. 18, 1945, to Edward A. Kettmann and Mariette A. Griesmar. She attended St. Mary’s elementary/middle school Judith Marie and Marian CenKettmann tral High School in Woodstock and graduated in 1963. Without a formal college education, but through her hard work ethic, determination and resourcefulness, Judy became an international human resource manager for Union Carbide (later Eveready Battery), where she traveled and worked in Egypt, Sudan, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast, Turkey and much of the Middle East. She especially loved the many years she spent living and working in Greece and Switzerland. She immersed herself in the culture of both countries and made many strong friendships that she maintained throughout her life. She developed strong working relationships with people from many diverse cultures and management styles which taught her to understand, appreciate and respect people from all backgrounds. After many years abroad, Judy returned to the U.S. in 1995 to be closer to her family and friends. She worked as an administrative assistant and training coordinator at Follett Software Co. in McHenry and later as an administrative assistant to the president of Full Potential Associates in Fontana, Wis., until her retirement in 2017. Her passion in life was to live humbly and serve others. She selflessly gave her time and talents by volunteering as a past board member of Family Services and as a member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of McHenry County. It was there that she was “matched” with Ebony, her “little sister,” whom she began mentoring at a very young age and grew to love as she watched her mature into a kind, compassionate, hard-working young woman with a family of her own. Judy was also a devoted, passionate member and supporter of the non-profit volunteer organization Prisoner of War/Missing in Action CT Forget-Me-Nots Inc. She spent countless
IN BRIEF
Online reporting system for police matters established
Woodstock Police have established an online system for people to file a report
hours and met many longtime friends while working to raise awareness of the tragedies of war, supporting the families of service men and women who gave their lives serving our country but are still “missing” and to identify and bring every POW/ MIA home. She was a trusted friend, a caring soul to all who knew her, and always found the good in people. In her spare time, she spent many hours with her niece, Hannah, from the day she was born. Judy loved attending her school events, softball games, academic and music events and traveling together. She eagerly helped her sister Marlene with her re-election campaigns to serve as coroner of McHenry County. She enjoyed the challenge of a good crossword or Sudoku puzzle, reading the newspaper to keep up on current international affairs, listening to Greek music and, like most women who grew up in the ’50s and ’60s, listening to Elvis. Judy had the unique opportunity in 2012 to re-connect with her son, whom she had given up for adoption at birth. They were thrilled to have found each other and a whole new world opened up to Judy upon meeting him, his wife and their family. From then on, she was able to participate in her son’s family weddings and share the joy of the births of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was extremely proud of the man her son became and was immediately welcomed into his extended family. She was “over the moon” to finally experience being a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Judy is survived by her son, Marc (Stefanie) Hults of Candeda, Calif.; siblings Karen (Peter Van Tuyl) Wilson of Captain Cook, Hawaii, Linda (Ray) White of Wonder Lake, and Alan (Fay) Wilson of Woodstock; grandchildren Trevor (Cate) Hults, Lindsey (Nick) Sickelton, and Chelsea Hults, all of California. She also leaves behind nephews Benjamin White and Matthew (Megan) White and niece Hannah Wilson and four great-grandsons (Owen, Wyatt, Sawyer and Murphy) and two great-nieces (Penelope and Lucille). She was preceded in death by her mother, Mariette A. Wilson; her father, Edward A. Kettmann; her stepfather, Vernon O. Wilson; and her sister, Marlene A. Lantz. Interment will be private. A memorial gathering celebrating Judy’s life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Big Brothers Big Sisters of McHenry County at bbbsmchenry.org or to Prisoner of War/ Missing in Action CT Forget-Me-Nots Inc, 22 Revere Road, New Milford, CT 06776-3908. for non-emergency and not-in-progress crimes or issues. According to an email from Police Chief John Lieb, the system is designed to protect citizens and police officers safe during the coronavirus crisis. According to the news release, people
LOANS
Continued from Page 1
during a special meeting March 25. By ordinance, that item will be on the agenda of every council meeting until the crisis passes.
Varied list of recipients
Deputy Mayor Mike Turner noted that restaurants and bars, especially, were having “an incredibly difficult time” since Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s “shelter in place” order limited those businesses to carry-out and delivery sales, which also eliminated their income from video gambling. “It’s far greater that we realize,” Turner said. Only Councilman Jim Prindiville balked at leaving the Public House’s repayment schedule to be negotiated by the city staff. The agreement as proposed on the agenda, which Prindiville noted was suggested by the restaurant’s owners, would have delayed rent for only March and April, with payments to be made up in monthly rents over the remaining eight months of the year. “If we’re going to be responsible to taxpayers,” he said, “I think we should be willing to hold them to that.” But he joined the six other members of the council to approve an amended agreement that also delayed the rent for May and left the repayment details open. The Public House is in the sixth year of a 10-year lease agreement with the city, and rent is now $5,842 a month, due the first of each month. The monthly payment during the first five years was less than $2,000. Restaurants that received $5,000 loans were BBQ King Smokehouse, Sugar Circle, La Placita Taqueria, Expressly Leslie, Quiznos, The Cabin, Benton Street Tap, and Porkies. Other recipients were Group D360, Eastwood Service Center, B Tan, The Yoga Lounge, Tropical Tan Spa, Woodstock Marathon, Studio Ten Salon, Clear Choice Services, The Computer Guy, Read Between the Lynes, ESC! Technologies Group, Anime and Things, A Rose Cleaning, Mixin Mingle, attorney Patricia C. Kraft, Apple Creek Flowers, Wolf Optometrics, and AMS Auto.
Eligibility broadened
The number of city loan applications could increase after the council who file a report can expect an officer to make contract “within a couple of hours,” depending on the circumstances of the reported incident. An official WPD Incident Report number will be provided at that time. Reports would include credit card
amended its program to remove the requirement that businesses have a brick-and-mortar building to qualify. That will allow home-based and micro-enterprise businesses to apply. Applicants still must provide proof of annual sales of at least $50,000, a provision designed to ensure a business can repay the loan. No payment is required in the first year, then 3 percent interest is charged for a maximum three-year repayment. The revised application is available on the city’s Economic Development website choosewoodstock.com or by emailing department Director Garrett Anderson at ganderson@woodstockil.gov. “We know the current stay-athome orders are working and keeping people safe,” Anderson said in a news release. “We also know that many businesses are struggling as a result, and we hope to help as many of those as possible. There are numerous state and federal assistance programs that are being overwhelmed with applications, and we hope Woodstock’s ability to provide some immediate relief makes a difference here.”
New police contracts
In other business at the April 7 meeting, the council: n Approved new four-year contracts, effective May 1, with the two Fraternal Order of Police units that represent police officers and civilian employees. The agreements, reached in bargaining that began last Nov. 1, include a 5 percent increase in starting pay, effective this year, and annual cost-of-living increases in pay of 2.7 percent for officers and 2.5 percent for civilian positions in each of the four fiscal years. Members of the two units had ratified the agreements before the council meeting. n Modified the E-3 liquor license to include liquor sales in addition to beer and wine. The request was made by Daniel Campbell, director of the Woodstock Opera House, which has one of three E-3 licenses in the city. Those are granted for non-restaurants that have no bar, though they now may operate portable bar carts on the premises. The two other E-3 license holders are Mixin Mingle and Facets at Studio 2015. fraud, criminal damage to property or vehicle, telephone or electronic harassment, and theft. To access the reporting system, visit woodstockil.gov/police or frontlinepss. com/woodstock (direct Link to file a police report).
Governor says COVID-19 cases beginning to level off statewide
Turning Point of Woodstock has been awarded a McHenry County Community COVID-19 Response Fund grant of $7,000 to support its emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence. That was among 20 grants totaling $250,000
Local families in need might qualify for food for new moms, their kids
As families begin to feel the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the McHenry County Department of Health is enrolling new families that qualify for the Women, Infants and Children program. WIC assists families with food scarcity in uncertain economic times by providing free, healthy foods. The program is an equal opportunity provider that is available to qualifying pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women and their children through age 5. Many families will qualify, including those earning less income because of unforeseen job loss, layoffs, or reduced hours. Appointments are conducted by phone before WIC coupons are dispersed at a drive-thru location at 2200 N. Seminary Ave., Building A. For more information, call 815-344-4505.platforms of multiple agencies.
REAL WOODSTOCK STANDS FOR COMMUNITY In these difficult times, the Woodstock community continues to come together. While non-essential businesses are closed, you can support your community in a number of ways. Learn more at RealWoodstock.com
Woodstock Fire/Rescue District EMS calls for April 2-8: 53 Fire Runs April 2
3:08 p.m. – 500 block of Lawndale Avenue, unintentional smoke detector activation, no fire; shift commander, engine 4:56 p.m. – Seminary Avenue and St. John’s Road, gas leak (natural or LP); truck 10:20 p.m. – 200 block of North Rose Farm Road, unintentional smoke detector activation, no fire; engine April 3
10:26 a.m. – 100 block of South Benton Street, malfunctioning alarm system sounded; truck April 5
2:36 p.m. – 2700 block of Chatham Lane, grass fire; engine, brush truck, shift commander April 6
5 a.m. – 1300 block of Claussen Drive, malfunctioning sprinkler activation; shift commander, truck, engine, ambulance 11:28 a.m. – Chatham Lane and Thompson Road, road freight or transport vehicle fire, shift commander; engine April 7
5:41 p.m. – 300 block of South Eastwood Drive, malfunctioning alarm system sounded; truck 5:49 p.m. – 500 block of North Madison Street, lockout; truck 8:38 p.m. – U.S. 14 and Sunset Ridge Road, power line down; engine April 8
2:12 p.m. – 200 block of South Tryon Street, cooking fire/ confined to container; truck, shift commander, chief, two ambulances, two engines
Order for Pickup or Delivery Your favorite restaurants and stores have gotten creative and are offering meals, products, specials and even cocktails to go. Call or order online for curbside pickup and delivery.
Buy a Gift Card Shop online and purchase gift cards from local retailers and restaurants, and you are helping Woodstock businesses keep the doors open and lights on.
Donate to an Area Non-Profit We are living through a public health, economic and mental health crisis. Your support now will help an organization, its clients—and your community.
NEWS
COVID-19 response fund awards $250,000 in grants to local agencies
awarded to organizations in McHenry County from the McHenry County Community COVID-19 Response Fund. Other recipients included Hearthstone Communities, Senior Care Volunteer Network, Pioneer Center for Human Services, and Transitional Living Services. Funding support was made possible through fundraising efforts by The Community Foundation for McHenry County, United Way of Greater McHenry County, and the state of Illinois. Turning Point’s programs are designed to keep victims safe when facing domestic violence situations.
5
April 15-21, 2020
As McHenry County and Illinois reported sharply higher numbers, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said novel coronavirus cases and related deaths appeared to be plateauing. Deaths in McHenry County rose to seven on Sunday, up from three a week earlier, and total confirmed cases increased by 101, to 234. The governor announced 1,672 new confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing Illinois’ total to 20,852 cases, up from 11,256 the previous week. Statewide, deaths more than doubled, to 720 as of Sunday compared to 274 a week earlier. While those numbers appear high, the governor said, the percentage of residents who tested positive for COVID-19 during the past week is “almost exactly the same” as it was for each of the previous two weeks, and the daily deaths from Saturday to Sunday (43) was the lowest in almost a week. Confirmed cases in Woodstock (60098 ZIP code) was reported at 41, while Crystal Lake had 41 (60012, 60014), and McHenry had 42 (60050, 60051).
PUBLIC SAFETY LOG
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
IN BRIEF
OPINION
April 15-21, 2020
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
6
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
Unwelcome tax at a good time
When is the best time to raise taxes? If you answered “Never,” you’re surely in the majority. Even the people in power who raise them – or create a new one, as the Woodstock City Council has done – would probably agree. But as timing of tax increases goes, Woodstock could not have picked a better time than April 1 for the city’s new fuel tax of 3 cents a gallon Of course, when council members approved the tax in December and picked its effective date as April Fools’ Day, they could not have known that global market conditions would drive local gasoline prices down by 20 percent and more before motorists had to pay the increase. Even without deflated oil prices, we’ve become accustomed to frequently fluctuating prices at the pump that, it seems, defy understanding by most of us. With prices climbing and falling on a regular basis, a 3-cent increase could easily escape notice. We noted this past weekend that the price for a gallon of regular unleaded was about $1.84/9 at most Woodstock stations, with a low of $1.74/9. In Crystal Lake, you could find it for $1.69/9 at the discount leader, but many stations along U.S. 14 priced it at $1.99/9 unless you bought a car wash.
EDITORIAL CARTOON BY LUKE GOINS
You know, I should start charging you a local gas tax And Crystal Lake has no local fuel tax. The point is, the 3 cents gets lost in the ups and downs of the market. Woodstock gas prices are sometimes higher, sometimes lower than other area towns’. And what do we get for that local tax? On Page 2 of The Independent today, you will find a list of 175 street projects for 2020 that will cost the city $8.6 million, which will be paid by that fuel tax and the city’s share
» YOUR VIEW
Discover ‘Power of Song’ on Folk Festival website The Woodstock Folk Festival premiered its first online concert on Sunday, April 5, at 2 p.m., the exact time that our in-person concert would have been held at Unity Spiritual Center. The concert is now available on our website, woodstockfolkfestival.org, then press the red box in the upper-right corner. It’s an hour and a half and features singer-songwriters (in order of performance) Tricia Alexander, Small Potatoes, Heather Styka, Les Urban, Kristin Lems, and Mark Dvorak, performing all original songs related to our “Power of Song” theme. This “Power of Song” concert commemorates the 100th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in the U.S., the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the 50th anniversary of the Student Strike of 1970, and the role music played in all of those movements. Five of the performers
scheduled for the in-person concert and special guests Small Potatoes (Rich Prezioso and Jacquie Manning) provided videos which were edited by Rich Prezioso, then uploaded to Leslie Cook, who put them on YouTube and our website. I posted background information and a bibliography on our website. We hope folks will watch the concert, donate to the festival if they wish, and, if possible, donate to the musicians and purchase their CDs. Performers have lost all of their gigs, and for most of them this is their livelihood. We persisted in presenting this concert, despite many roadblocks and a large tech learning curve for many of us, because we want to do what we can to help these talented performers, to give our fans a special concert, and to show the “Power of Song” in building community and getting us through this crisis. Carol Obertubbesing, president Woodstock Folk Festival
of the recent increase in the state gas tax. And, it must be noted, it will be paid by visitors as well as residents who buy fuel here, unlike a property tax increase, which Woodstock has managed to avoid for years. No, nobody is happy with a tax increase, especially in Illinois. But we suspect the complaints will be fewer than we’ve heard about street conditions, which have long suffered from lack of proper maintenance.
Dedicated to health care workers the world over “Masked Angels” A masked angel softly appeared to me, Her words of love in my medical mystery. Lonesome night hours spent until dawn, Waiting for my masked angel to gaze upon. Strength fading but memories took hold, Of better days, and stories untold. Yet, masked angels never left my side, Selfless heroes with eyes that cried. Too tired to think of loved ones at home, Theirs was a higher calling to God alone. Days passed and the virus was gone, Now called a survivor, time to move on.
But before I left I turned to see, My beautiful masked angels, saying good-bye to me. Kenneth Stoklosa Woodstock
Movie theaters seek help to ensure show goes on In this time of crisis, it’s important to remember how important movie theaters are to communities across the country. In 2019, 1.24 billion movie tickets were sold in the U.S. and Canada – that’s more than all major professional sports combined. Going to the movies remains the most affordable and convenient out-ofhome entertainment option. Classic Cinemas is headquartered in Downers Grove and has been in business for over 40 years, bringing the magic of the movies all over the Midwest. We have employees who have been working for our Continued on Next page
company since my dad started the company in 1978. Together, we have restored theaters like the Woodstock Theatre and helped revitalize downtown communities. The wellbeing of our guests, employees, and local communities has always been our top priority. In the United States, 150,000 people are employed by our industry. Our theaters employ 453 people from age 16 to 80 in two states, and from a wide range of backgrounds. While our doors are closed, it’s important to us that they do not experience financial hardship and all that it entails. Unfortunately, we can’t give them all the help we need on our own. We need support to get through this time. That’s why it is very important that movie theaters and our employees are
Earth-in-your window project. n The INDE on STAYCATION feature continues because it gives people a way of sharing what they are doing to have fun while sheltering in place. Please send a photo of your pursuits to jen@thewoodstockindependent. com. Include the names of everyone in the picture and a brief description. At the same time, share your picture on social media and tag #INDEONSTAYCATION and #Woodstock4all. n Several weeks ago, we took down the paywall on our website, so everyone could stay informed about the coronavirus and its impact on our community. We can tell by the massive number of articles being read that you and your neighbors are depending on us for accurate and in-depth information. In the spirit of helping each other and building community, the staff decided to offer two subscriptions for the price of one (see page 11). Team up with a neighbor, family member, friend, or co-worker and subscribe so The Independent will be delivered to each of you every week. There’s even more in the newspaper than goes on the website. So that’s what happened with #Woodstock4all last week. What happens this week, next week, and beyond is up to you. Call Jen, Larry or Rebecca at 338-8040 or email me at indepublisher@comcast.net with ideas and suggestions.
included in any form of relief for businesses focused on out-of-home entertainment. As policymakers debate the next stimulus package, we urge lawmakers to provide movie theaters with immediate help to ensure that movie theaters and our employees remain resilient and can weather this crisis, so that when we come back, we come back strong. Movie theaters serve as a gathering place where people meet friends, go on dates, enjoy time with their family, and share the same emotional experiences with strangers. In our auditoriums, people who would never encounter each other otherwise can laugh, gasp, and cry together. Watching a movie and discussing it afterward is one of the most common ways that we bond. As we work
through this crisis and life returns to normal, movie theaters will be more important than ever. They will serve as a source of enjoyment for millions after a very difficult time. The show must go on.
Cheryl Wormley is publisher of The Woodstock Independent. Her email address is c.wormley@thewoodstockindependent.com
Chris Johnson CEO, Classic Cinemas
Editorial cartoon’s spelling just won’t do Just a brief FYI: In the editorial cartoon of the March 25-31 edition, the expression “make due” is misspelled. The correct spelling is “make do.” Beverly Meuch Wonder Lake
Subscription rates/year $45 in Woodstock, Bull Valley and Wonder Lake. $47 in McHenry County. $52 for snowbirds and $60 outside McHenry County.
Corrections
We strive for accuracy. To suggest corrections or clarifications, email news@ thewoodstockindependent.com.
Staff
Cheryl Wormley
PUBLISHER
c.wormley@thewoodstockindependent.com
EDITOR
Larry Lough
larry@thewoodstockindependent.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Sandy Kucharski
sandy@thewoodstockindependent.com
Ken Farver
PHOTOGRAPHER
ken@thewoodstockindependent.com
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Dianne Mitchell
dianne@thewoodstockindependent.com
ADVERTISING MANAGER
Jen Wilson
jen@thewoodstockindependent.com
ADVERTISING
Katy O’Brien
katy@thewoodstockindependent.com
ADMINISTRATION/SUBSCRIPTIONS
McDaniel
Rebecca
subs@thewoodstockindependent.com
COLUMNISTS
Paul Lockwood, Lisa Haderlein, Dan Chamness, Patricia Kraft, Jeff Cook PHOTOGRAPHERS
Alex Vucha, Vicky Long, Margie Paffrath CORRESPONDENTS
Tricia Carzoli, Janet Dovidio, Susan W. Murray, Megan Ivers, Lydia LaGue, Brittany Keeperman EDITORIAL CARTOONISTS
Jim Mansfield, Luke Goins PROOFREADER
Don Humbertson
Deadlines & contacts NOON WEDNESDAY
Press releases and photos
pr@thewoodstockindependent.com
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
news@thewoodstockindependent.com
NOON THURSDAY
Display advertising
ads@thewoodstockindependent.com
NOON FRIDAY
Legal notices
subs@thewoodstockindependent.com
Classified Ads
classifieds@thewoodstockindependent.com
OPINION
Continued from Previous page
granddaughter Cameron Wormley, who is a senior at Woodstock High School, and the help of her friends, #Woodstockseniors4all flooded The Independent’s Instagram account Cheryl Wormley Friday. Upward Declarations of 200 seniors from all three high schools participated. Each senior posted a favorite photo, added a fond memory from high school, and shared where they’ll head after high school. March, April and probably May are not happening like the seniors or anyone expected and hoped. No school, no sports, and no choir and band concerts. Proms and honor banquets were postponed or canceled, so saluting them was one of our first efforts. I know virtually nothing about Instagram, but Cameron and Independent staffers Jen Wilson and Dianne Mitchell do. Many of the seniors’ posts can still be seen on The Woodstock Independent Instagram account. n The Environmental Defenders of McHenry County teamed up with The Independent last week, too. Next Wednesday, April 22, is Earth Day. With the shelter-in-place mandate keeping everyone at home, the Defenders’ plans for Earth Day were changed. Defenders Executive Director Cynthia Kanner and Independent Editor Larry Lough worked together and the result is on page 15. You’ll want to read Cynthia’s column on page 17, and then get in the spirit of Earth Day with the
671 E. Calhoun St. • Woodstock, IL 60098 Phone: 815-338-8040 www.thewoodstockindependent.com
7
April 15-21, 2020
Since this edition of The Independent is being mailed to everyone with a 60098 ZIP code and everyone who lives in the western half of 60097, a bit of explanation is needed before I launch into this week’s update. In last week’s Declarations, I shared that The Independent staff and I were working on a variety of ideas, some pretty basic and some rather off the wall, that would help bring our community together to help one another, build spirits, and instill a positive message for Woodstock during this time of combating COVID-19. Woodstock has a long history of projects that start with a handful of people and then catch fire because others become involved, adding their ideas and expertise. In the end, great things are accomplished: All-America City in the 1960s, renovation of the Opera House in the ’70s, Groundhog Days and the building of the Dream Field in the ’90s, and Gavers Barndance in the late ’90s. Knowing that, the staff and I have been moving forward with the community-building idea, believing other people – young and old, businesses, and organizations – will step forward and become involved, too. Here’s what happened this week: n Every good thing needs a name. Hashtags are the in-thing in 2020, so we made a list of about 20 possibilities. We chose #Woodstock4all. Hopefully, it will be seen all over town and on social media as our community comes up with helpful and delightful ways of connecting and helping one another during COVID-19. n With the leadership of my
Woodstock
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
#Woodstock4all, #Woodstockseniors4all
The
I NDEPENDENT
&
SCHOOLS
April 15-21, 2020
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
8
Visit the Historic Woodstock Square
OPERA HOUS E
27
Schools
9
April 15-21, 2020
Technology maintains lessons, but allows for personal relations, too By Tricia Carzoli
NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM
‘Kids doing amazing’
Oslovich said district teachers were using both Google Meet and Canvas Conference to meet with their students as well as some parents. “Seeing our students, talking with them, making sure they are doing OK,” Bigler said. “I don’t think we all realized the extent of just how much we all missed one another.”
IN BRIEF Women’s history class offered virtually by MCC One of the most popular history
SCHOOLS
“The first time we saw our classes and each other, it was amazing” Prairiewood fifth-grade bilingual teacher Jen Bigler said. “It was overwhelming.” Technology has brought Woodstock School District 200 staff, students, and parents together in ways they never expected when students returned to school in August 2019. But so much has changed since then. With the closure of school buildings, D-200 teachers scrambled to set up remote learning the week before spring break, but as part of a district known for its use of technology, teachers, staff, and administration were just getting started. Behind the scenes, the district was getting ready to launch its eLearning program with a new twist – video chat. “We spent the time during spring break gearing up for video,” said George Oslovich, D-200’s director of Information Services. “The foundation was in place – teachers were already incorporating technology in the classroom, but COVID-19 sort of accelerated the process. “Some teachers jumped into the deep end,” he said. “And those who were swimming in the deep end offered to help those in the shallow end. And the collaboration helped make the transition easier.”
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
Social connections key to learning
COURTESY PHOTO
Some kindergarten students meet with their teacher virtually through Google Meets. The online connections are important not just for students to learn but for maintaining social relations with classmates and teachers. She said that when she packed up to leave for the school closure, she really wasn’t prepared for just how long it would be until she saw her students again. “These kids are doing amazing,” she said. “They didn’t expect this, but they have adapted.” Keely Krueger, D-200s assistant superintendent for early childhood and elementary education, said the district had received “tremendous feedback” from families about the eLearning environment. “Through the face-to-face connections that are happening virtually and our eLearning lessons, we are able to continue to provide some normalcy and meaningful instruction during this remote learning time,” she said. “All of our early education teachers, including pre-K and kindergarten teachers, are using Google Meets to interact with students virtually on an ongoing basis. “During their time together, they might do a show-and-tell, a readaloud, or cover a short lesson. It’s also just a great tool for the students and their classmates to make that social
That social connection is important. Renee J. Walker, counselor at Dean Street Elementary School, explained that teachers had worked creatively to engage students and create a sense of normalcy for the students. “Part of that normalcy and keeping students connected to their peers is by conducting classroom meetings ... through video conferencing on their Chromebooks,” Walker said. “Students being able to see their peers has put smiles on faces, and the feeling of connection is important for their mental health. … “As the school social worker, not only am I conducting teletherapy with my students, I am also reaching out to students for a few minutes each day to say ‘hi’ as a face they would have normally seen each morning. The connection and facetime is just another crucial [element] to stay connected and to feel safe. Mental health is incredibly important for both parents and students, and the
simple video chats each day help make that happen.” A connection is formed with video chats that cannot occur only by text or email. “Ironically, most parents have gotten frustrated with their teens and preteens at some point for spending too much time on devices instead of communicating directly,” D-200 Director of Communications Kevin Lyons said. “But now, that’s all kids really have. Nothing can replace face-to-face interaction, but at least kids were already comfortable communicating this way.” Because of that, Bigler said she believed her students were the heroes. D-200 students recently shared their feelings toward their teachers through technology. In a video posted online, students shared their appreciation for the hard work their teachers had put in – and acknowledged the hours they worked before and after class, and how difficult working from home could be. “It is heartwarming,” Bigler said. “And we also are using videos to share and encourage our students in return.”
classes at McHenry County College is being offered free to the public via Zoom. Women’s History is taught by Sarah Sullivan, history instructor and department chairwoman. The class explores notable women throughout the ages, covering
important contributions and significant movements inspired by women. In the upcoming virtual presentations, MCC students will explore the roles and experiences of women in the colonial and antebellum periods of American history.
The presentation will be held at 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, April 15. The session is free to attend and can be accessed at mchenrycc.zoom.us/j/157353943. For more information, email Sullivan at ssullivan@mchenry.edu.
connection with one another and their teacher.”
More than just lessons
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
April 15-21, 2020
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
10
A&E
Twice-Told Tales
Local author brings historical stories to light for younger readers By Lydia LaGue
she learned. “I found that really fascinating, too, to know they actually did this in World War I,” Lauerman said. “The generals did say they thought the code talkers brought the war to an end faster.” “Lost Stories” won the Bronze IPPY medal in 2019 for outstanding multicultural nonfiction for juvenile and young adult readers in the Independent Publishing Book Awards. Lauerman said she enjoyed writing for children because she felt she could reach them. “I like children and young adults, and I feel like I’m talking to them,” she said. “I like trying to figure what goes on in their mind.”
NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM
“It is never too late to be what you might have been,” writer George Eliot said. Woodstock author Rosalie Lauerman exemplifies what it means to discover new talents and passions. “I did not even consider [writing]; I started as a computer programmer,” Lauerman said. “Math was my first interest, but then when I retired, I realized there was more to life than math. I eased into [writing], and I really enjoy it.” After she retired from the workforce in 2009, she took courses and had articles published in children’s magazines, such as Highlights and Cricket. Lauerman’s first book, Rosalie titled “Jockey Hollow,” Lauerman details the history of the encampment of the same name during the Revolutionary War. During one period of her life in New Jersey, Lauerman lived near Jockey Hollow, a division of Morristown National Historical Park. She heard visitors asking about the encampment, which prompted her to research and write her first book. “My first book was written out of love for the national park,” she explained. “When we lived there I just really started to value history.”
“I’m sure everyone could write a book. Believe in your power, be enthusiastic about your subject, and persevere.”
- Rosalie Lauerman
Appearance canceled
History kids related to
When no publisher would pick up an article she had written about the Hello Girls of World War I, she decided to self-publish and ended up writing a second book. Written for children and young adults, “Lost Stories of the Great War” recounts the true, lesser-known stories of Americans in Europe during World War I, including details about Native American code talkers, a bird rescuing infantrymen, and the Hello Girls. “One hundred years ago, these young women were going into war fields and running the switchboards near the frontlines,” Lauerman said. “I thought that was really inspiring to children.” She said she wanted her two 9-year-old granddaughters to have history they could relate to. “It isn’t just about men being heroes,” Lauerman said. “The women were heroes, too.”
Her research for “Lost Stories” found lots of material about engineers, so you can read about what linemen were doing in World War I. “They did a phenomenal job in France putting in new telephone lines,” Lauerman said. “They pretty much ran wires all over.” Native American code seekers used their native languages to talk with generals in the battlefields,
Lauerman was scheduled to appear April 4 at Cantigny Museum, a war museum in Wheaton, for an author event, but it was postponed during the statewide “shelter in place” order. A new date is expected to be announced soon. Her books are available through Read Between the Lynes, Cantigny Museum, Amazon, or her publisher, IngramSpark. For more information, check out her website, rosalielauerman@msn.com. She also encourages readers to visit Jockey Hollow or Cantigny Museum, and she believes any aspiring author can write a book. “I’m sure everyone could write a book” Lauerman said. “Believe in your power, be enthusiastic about your subject, and persevere.” Lauerman is already thinking about her next book. “As I sit here today,” she said, “the next project will be a compilation of great inventions from the early 20th century, during the time of Edison and Einstein.” In her free time, Lauerman loves crafting and coloring with her grandkids. Her favorite nonfiction history writers are David McCullough and Ron Chernow, while Russel Freedman is her favorite for children’s history books. Lauerman hopes parents and children alike will enjoy her books. “One of my favorite quotes from a reader was, ‘Read it with your kids, you’ll enjoy it, too.’”
Woodstock
time when this type of entertainment is one of the very things that can help people cope with difficult times, as it has in some of the darkest times our country has faced, it’s not available. “I lost a spring and summer gig that were canceled,” said Tim Vance, a former Woodstock actor now living in Chicago. “I’m fortunate to have a day job that I can work remotely, so my perspective financially is much different than many actors.” For others, there are the memories that are irretrievably lost. “My son’s spring high school musical was canceled,” said Sieglinde Savas, a Crystal Lake resident. “My heart goes out to the seniors who are missing their last chance to perform on stage.” But even though the situation is dire, art finds a way. Many artists have taken to social media to do athome concerts, staged readings, and perform in a number of creative and entertaining ways. “What people are doing now is extraordinary,” said Kevin Pollack, an actor and musician who performs in a popular Blues Brothers revue band. “All the livestreaming content and
concerts, things like Seth Rudetsky’s Stars in the House on You Tube, are helping us grow closer. We learn to appreciate the little gifts.” “[This] has shown me that artists are resilient,” Woodstock resident Holly Adkins added. “They’ve come up with new creative ways to showcase their talents, and they are hopeful. It’s so encouraging!” And when our current troubles have lessened, there is hope on the horizon. “I think the important thing to remember is that storytelling and art are some of the oldest forms [of communication] in history,” Vance said. “We will persist and come back stronger than ever. Think of all the plays and songs being written at this very moment.” I guess I had something to write about after all. * * * Remember, if you have an upcoming show or person you’d like us to spotlight, let us know at showversemail@gmail.com. The deadline to submit for the next column us May 1! Stay safe, and be kind to one another!
B1G1 SPECIAL OFFER!
I NDEPENDENT Woodstock I NDEPENDENT City, state agree: Stay home! I NDEPENDENT Council moves to help business March 25-31, 2020
The
Woodstock
April 1-7, 2020
The
Published every Wednesday | Est. 1987 | Serving Woodstock, Wonder Lake and Bull Valley, Ill. | www.thewoodstockindependent.com | $1.00
April 8-14, 2020
Published every Wednesday | Est. 1987 | Serving Woodstock, Wonder Lake and Bull Valley, Ill. | www.thewoodstockindependent.com | $1.00
Published every Wednesday | Est. 1987 | Serving Woodstock, Wonder Lake and Bull Valley, Ill. | www.thewoodstockindependent.com | $1.00
Woodstock announces further restrictions on facilities. Page 2 By Larry Lough two by phone – unanimously approved Meeting on the same day that the Loan program, fee waivers aim to cushion effects of virus an ordinance granting the mayor new first COVID-19 death in Illinois was
SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
Woodstock life adjusts to crisis
LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM
MARKETPLACE Local restaurants cleaning, cooking for carry-out orders PAGE 11
SCHOOLS
PAGE 9
High school athletic directors await word on spring sports
PAGE 22
INDEX OpiniOn SchOOlS Marketplace
6 9 11
cOMMunity
13
calendar
16
claSSified
18
puzzleS
20
public nOticeS
21
SpOrtS
22
The Woodstock Independent
ANSWERING THE CALL
masks for coronavirus needs
Virus shuts down colleges, sends student back home
SPORTS
powers under a state of emergency, reported, council By the Larry Loughmade quick work call last week, council members voted which had been declared earlier in the LARRY@THE of its WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM agenda during the 50-minute unanimously for a $500,000 smallday. meeting. business loan program and other “These are uncharted waters in many In addition to approving the emerfunds will provide short-term forms of assistance. respects,” Mayor Brian Sager told theCity gency powers for the mayor, the counoperating to offset losses council. “... We really don’t know what cil alsocash received the fiscal yearsuf2020-21Despite a few technical glitches durfered by Woodstock’s small businesses the ultimate outcome will be.” See EMERGENCY, Pageing 2 the 77-minute meeting, business because of the coronavirus. was conducted on a short agenda of COMMUNITY In a midweek emergency meeting emergency actions, and public comLocal seamstresses making conducted by a telephone conference ments were submitted by phone and
Effects of the coronavirus dominated last week’s meeting of the Woodstock City Council, limiting the seating for the public to a few spaces and taking over most of the discussion. Council members – five in person and
671 E. Calhoun St., Woodstock, IL 60098 Phone: 815-338-8040 Fax: 815-338-8177 Thewoodstock independent.com
without visit to doctor’s office
BUY A 1-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION
GET A FREE 1-YEAR GIFT SUBSCRIPTION FOR A new subscriber PAGE 12
4
OpiniOn
6
schOOls
9
a&e
10
Marketplace
12
cOMMunity
14
Campbell, the Opera House announced its schedule of events would resume in May and that several recently canceled events had been rescheduled, starting with Theatre 121’s “Murder on the Orient Express,” beginning June 12. The City Council was scheduled to meet Tuesday night – by conference call for the second time – to deal
with a busy agenda that included further extension of Mayor Brian Sager’s “state of emergency” declaration for Woodstock. But the Board of Education of Woodstock School District 200 called off this week’s meeting. School officials hope to meet – perhaps remotely – this month.
See COVID-19, Page 2
HOOFING FOR HOPE
Classroom work done from home by students, teachers
‘Essential businesses’ keep working during health crisis
INDEX
had been canceled until May 8, not mid-April as was hoped. In a posting by Director Daniel
PAGE 10
SCHOOLS
PAGE 10
Obituaries
See Page that 3 programming lastBUSINESS, week to reflect
MARKETPLACE
With orders to stay home, you have lots of time to read
MARKETPLACE
City Council continues to expand aid program for businesses
DOING THE ‘Telehealth’ RIGHT THINGS gets patients seen
PAGE 14
A&E
email. Mayor Brian Sager noted during the meeting that the public health situation was “very fluid and changing rap-Lough By Larry idly” as the city triedLARRY@THE to take actions to WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM blunt the impact of COVID-19 on local businesses. Information on the website of the City officials expect businesses to Woodstock Public Library was revised
INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY TRICIA CARZOLI
Personal protective equipment for Woodstock Fire/Rescue District first responders now includes gown, 16 calendar gloves, a mask, and eye protection, as modeled here by firefighter/EMT John Leu. Story on Page 13.
#WOODSTOCK4ALL
PAGE 8
A&E
After event cancellations, Opera House rescheduling
PAGE 9
INDEX
Obituaries
4
OpiniOn
6
schOOls
8
a&e
9
INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER Marketplace 10
Call or email for details LaufOfferhopes to add voice to issues good for addresses in 60097 & 60098 Local fuel tax on pumps April 1 $8.6 million in 2020 streets plan By Larry Lough
LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM
Maybe it was not surprising that Catalina Lauf of Woodstock won McHenry County last week in a sevencandidate race for the Republican nomination for the 14th District congressional seat – in her first campaign for elective office.
SUBSCRIBE:
classified
18
puzzles
20
public nOtices
21
spOrts
22
“Shelter in place” doesn’t mean you can’t get out for a walk – and still practice “social distancing” during cOMMunity 12 the coronavirus crisis. These folks headed to Emricson Park last week during the mild spring weather. calendar
16
classified
18
puzzles
20
INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY TRICIA CARZOLI
Paul Schieler displays his flag while riders from Operation Wild Horse, Marine veterans Jim Welch (left) and Ryan Bentele, march their steeds along West Jackson Street last week in their Mission of Hope parade around Woodstock. Story on Page 12.
But she also finished third in the leaders who believed in my message 21 public nOtices seven-county district in a field of can- and saw an opportunity for change.” didates with established political bases StateBySen. Jim Oberweis of Sugar 22 spOrts Larry Lough The was a factor in that decision. That would be the start in a five-year and well-funded campaigns. Grove won the contest to challenge LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM Woodstock “With fuel being so cheap now, and program that could spend up to $60 “Having lived in this county most of Democratic incumbent Lauren UnderIndependent with most people working from home, million to upgrade streets throughout my life and having a family that have wood in November. 671 E. Calhoun St., to of ease the was we didn’t think that would have suchThe a Woodstock. By Larry Lough long been active members of our com-Woodstock’s State Sen.package Sue Rezin Morris Woodstock, IL 60098 financial of the coronavirus big impact,” Stelford said. The City Council is expected to LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM Woodstock munity served as a good foundation,” third,effects and former Kendall County Phone: 815-338-8040 will not include achairman delay in the approve contracts next week for resurIndependent Lauf said in an email interview. “Early Republican Jimcity’s MarterThe city is counting on that tax to Fax: 815-338-8177 new motor fuel tax of 3 cents a gallon, generate about $300,000 a year to facing more than 200 street “segments” 671 E. Calhoun St., on, I garnered the support of local See ELECTION, Page 4 Plans for a slightly reduced program Thewoodstock which goes into effect April 1. help pay off a $10 million, 20-year this year. Five contractors submitted in Woodstock Woodstock, IL 60098 of street resurfacing independent.com City Manager Roscoe Stelford said bond that would finance an extensive bids on the work, which was divided Phone: 815-338-8040 were expected to be considered Tuesthe recent plunge in gasoline prices street resurfacing program in 2020. See TAX, Page 4 Council, which Fax: 815-338-8177 day night by the City
815.338.8040 • thewoodstockindependent.com rebecca@thewoodstockindependent.com Thewoodstock independent.com
KNow what’s happening The meeting agenda showed the council was scheduled to consider a proposed $8.6 million contract with Plote Construction of Hoffman Estates to resurface 19.43 lane miles of city streets this year. Officials had hoped to improve 21.8 miles of streets that were rated “poor” or “fair” to bring them up to “good” condition, but an engineering study found some of the originally
targeted street segments needed additional work – on road base or sewers below – before they could be paved. Local streets were divided into quadrants to allow contractors to bid for work on some or all four areas, but Plote had the low bid for each of four contracts among five bidders, two of whom bid in only one quadrant.
IN WOODSTOCK EVERY WEEK!
was to meet again by conference call because of precautions involving the coronavirus.
See STREETS, Page 2
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
The
These productions, along with the many hours of rehearsal and preparation that went into them, aren’t even close to being the biggest casualties of our current situation, and I would never presume to compare them to the loss of life and the heroic efforts of our first responders and other service providers to keep the country running during this difficult time. Losing three weekends of performances seems almost insignificant compared to the struggle many people face with unemployment and the struggle of many small businesses to stay afloat in the face of forced closures and a general societal tightening of the belts at a time when the future seems uncertain. But at the same time, it is a loss. True, most community theater performers and production teams are minimally compensated for their efforts, but that’s not true for other productions. As in every other industry, lives are impacted, financially and emotionally, by the shuttering of these venues and their productions. And there’s also a loss of the communal experience of sharing a live production with an audience. At a
April 15-21, 2020
I have nothing to write about. Beginning in early March, shows on Broadway, faced with social-distancing guidelines enacted because of the emerging COVID-19 crisis, began postponing productions. As it became obvious that the country was in for a prolonged effort to help flatten the curve of the virus, other theaters across the nation followed suit, either postponing shows or canceling them outright. The crisis hit Jeff at the height of theater season; in Cook Showverse our community, Theatre 121’s production of “Matilda The Musical,” which had opened only a week before at the Woodstock Opera House, ended its run early. The follow-up production, “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express,” was postponed until early summer, and the summer production of Disney’s “Newsies” was canceled outright.
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
Nothing’s happening now ’round town
11
12 THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
BUY OR SELL YOUR HOME WITH THE BEST.
April 15-21, 2020
75 years of Real Estate expertise in Southeastern WI and Northern IL
For Rent | Harvard, IL | $750/mo
Commercial | 12,000 sqft | MLS#10610914
1 Beds, 1 Bath | 30 Acres | MLS#10585550
3 Beds, 2 Bath | 1,850 sqft | MLS#10685404
Listing Agent: RIchard Ahrens | 815.482.1143
Listing Agent: Jose Rey | 815.861.2757
Listing Agent: RIchard Ahrens | 815.482.1143
MARKETPLACE
1501 Lamb Rd | Woodstock, IL | $649,900
8704 Memory Tr | Wonder Lake, IL | $148,500
5915 Hamilton Rd | Woodstock, IL | $1,299,000 3 Homes | 3,204 sqft | 80 Acres | MLS#10475236 Rare opportunity for three homes on 80 acres (2 PIN’s total 80 acres - 40 acres each), large wick pole barn and outbuildings. This is a must see property, too many items to mention. First home is spacious, sunfilled 3 BR 2 bath, attached garage, charming farmhouse. Second house is a 4 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath with generous room sizes, extra large garage for multiple cars and storage. Gorgeous wood floors, fireplaces and finished lower level. Inground pool and deck in need of repairs or remove for your backyard landscaping ideas. Enjoy fruit trees! Third is a 2 bedroom ranch, needs TLC. Unique and amazing properties that consists of farmfields, pond, mature trees in a quiet country setting but only minutes from all conveniences. The property is zoned A-1
Listing Agent: Tammy Haase | 262.206.4366
WOODSTOCK WELCOMES
TA M M Y H A A S E We are thrilled to announce Tammy Haase is now available to help with your buying and selling needs in Illinois from our Woodstock office. Tammy, an experienced agent at Keefe Real Estate, delivers the very best for all of her clients, so contact her or one of our other expert agents today! Keefe Real Estate has been servicing residential and commercial customers throughout Northern Illinois and Southeastern Wisconsin for 75 years.
Keefe Woodstock Office 11705 Catalpa Lane Woodstock, IL 60098 (815) 900-2474
815.900.2474 | KEEFEREALESTATE.COM
Customers must wait to enjoy remodeled Tommy’s By Susan W. Murray
NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM
Tommy’s Red Hots owner Tom Grieco likely has little in common with the 18th century Scottish poet Robert Burns, except the resounding “Amen!” he might add to Burns’ line: “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Grieco temporarily shuttered Tommy’s at 500 S. Eastwood Drive on Jan. 6 to begin an extensive remodeling and refurbishment of the restaurant. “We stripped the inside and rebuilt it,” Grieco said. Grieco replaced the 26-year-old restaurant’s ceiling, lights, and flooring, as well as all the furniture. Tommy’s employees served customers from the drive-thru for the first week while cosmetic work began in the dining room. After seven days, the entire operation closed, reopening on March 1. And then, just three weeks later – on March 21– Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s statewide “stay-at-home” order took effect. The newly refurbished restaurant’s operation was limited to pick-up, drive-thru, and delivery.
A Tommy’s Red Hots employee serves a customer at the drive-thru window. “Business is down at least 60 percent,” Grieco said.
Staff reduced
Woodstock is one of six Tommy’s Red Hots locations, with the others in Crystal Lake (two), Lake in the Hills, McHenry, and the original that opened in 1981 in Glendale Heights. Normally, 10 to 12 employees work at the Woodstock Tommy’s; that number has been cut to eight. Grieco let go his part-time employees who had other jobs, but he vowed to keep the remaining eight working “for the duration.” “They have been with me 30 years, some of them,” Grieco said.” I have the most wonderful people in the world working for me.” Grieco started in the restaurant business as a young boy, working for his
father at Lu-Lu’s in Chicago. “It’s in our blood,” said Grieco, whose wife, a chef, has cooked all over the country. “It’s the craziest business in the world,” Grieco said. “I’m a nervous wreck when we’re busy, and I’m a nervous wreck when we’re slow.” When business is booming, Grieco worries about keeping up. When it’s slow, he worries that he is doing something wrong.
‘In this together’
This time, the business slowdown is far beyond Grieco’s control, but he hasn’t lost his perspective. Grieco worries most about his friends who own or manage upper-echelon restaurants. Unlike Grieco, they have no drive-thru to sustain their businesses. The bartenders and waitstaffs have all lost their jobs. “They’re getting killed,” Grieco said. Even though his business has been cut by more than half, Grieco looks at the bright side. “It’s a blessing from God that we’re doing what we’re doing,” Grieco said. “I’m fortunate that we’ve been here for decades. We’re established.” As he counts his blessings, Grieco keeps in mind those who are not as fortunate. “We’re all in this together,” he said. “We pray for everybody every day.”
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
MARKETPLACE
‘Craziest business in the world’
Transactions filed in the McHenry County Recorder’s Office from March 24 to 26 . ■ Residence at 122 Terry Court, Woodstock, was sold by The Sherrie A. Moritz TR # 1, Woodstock, to Leo D. Sye, Woodstock, for $147,000. ■ Residence at 2587 Verdi St., Woodstock, was sold by Maples At The Sonatas LLC, New Lenox, to Thomas F. and Mary Ann Regelin, Woodstock, for $266,990. ■ Residence at 1405 Fox Sedge Trail, Woodstock, was sold by The Parveen A. Manjee Trust, Elgin, to James White, Woodstock, for $248,500. ■ Residence at 654 Silver Creek Road, Woodstock, was sold by The Francis E. Buckley Living Trust Agreement, Woodstock, to Thomas J. VanBroeck and Melissa Lynn Obenauf, Woodstock, for $117,000. ■ Residence at 443 W. South St., Woodstock, was sold by Ward Jones, Maple Valley, Wash., to The Cervantes Family Trust, Woodstock, for $207,000. ■ Residence at 3855 Crabapple Lane, Wonder Lake, was sold by Dina M. Zinn, Woodstock, to Mark A. Menzel, Wonder Lake, for $294,000. ■ Residence at 4320 Doty Road, Woodstock, was sold by Matthew C. Poleski, McHenry, to Kyle W. Miner, for $370,000. ■ Residence at 2586 Verdi St., Woodstock, was sold by Maples At The Sonatas LLC, New Lenox, to The Donald L. Nelson and Judith H. Mahoney-Nelson Trusts, Woodstock, for $251,622. ■ Vacant land, approximately 10.5 acres, on Mason Hill Road, Woodstock, was sold by Bruce Everly, Bull Valley, to Lucre Ventures LLC, Bull Valley, for $520,000.
April 15-21, 2020
INDEPENDENT PHOTOS BY KEN FARVER
All cleaned up with no one to serve, the remodeled interior of Tommy’s in Woodstock shines with a new ceiling, floor, lighting, and furniture. “We redecorated the whole thing,” Tommy’s owner Tom Grieco said. “It needed it.”
REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
Marketplace
13
COMMUNITY
April 15-21, 2020
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
14
Community
Market site now ‘month to month’
Local Farmers Market plans to stay at county fairgrounds for a while
“We’ve completely separated the customers from the product,” Johnson said. Although vendors are not required to wear masks and gloves, many do. “We ask people to do that, ... but we don’t have to,” he said. “We wanted to go stricter than anybody else.”
By Larry Lough
LARRY@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM
Woodstock’s popular Farmers Market changed the rules for its winter market – and will change its regular venue for the summer market. Although dozens of vendors usually hit the downtown Square on Tuesday and Saturday mornings starting in May, concerns about the spread of the coronavirus will keep the market at the McHenry County Fairgrounds for the time being. “We’ll take it month by month and see what happens,” market manager Keith Johnson said last week. The final winter market will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 18, and it will move outside Building D, which has hosted the vendors since October. The summer market will be outdoors as well starting May 2, but with Saturday hours only. When the market can return to the Square will be up to the city, Johnson
Cutting into business
INDEPENDENT PHOTOS BY KEN FARVER
Tables are set up at least six feet apart and attendance is limited to comply with state guidelines to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Market officials say spacing will be easier to control once vendors move outside starting with the April 18 market. said. “All of this also depends on state guidelines,” he said, “which we’re following as close as we can.”
New rules for all
The market recently changed its guidelines to comply with “social distancing,” with the crowd size limited and vendors’ tables at least six feet apart. Johnson said the Square would pose a challenge to control crowd
A customer leaves Building D at the McHenry County Fairgrounds during the winter market April 4. Starting April 18 and continuing with the summer market on May 2, vendors will move outside, but there are no plans yet to return to the Square.
interaction. “At the fairgrounds, we’re able to control the space out there,” Johnson explained. The new rules – which will be carried over to the summer market – allow only food items for sale. Popcorn and coffee are no longer served, and there is no music so that people don’t linger. Samples are not allowed, and buyers cannot touch items before purchase, as they might in a regular grocery store.
But the restrictions have cut into the crowds, which once averaged about 500 people for the winter market. “Since the coronavirus, we’d be lucky to get 150, and we let them in in small batches,” Johnson said, “Nobody’s making any money.” According to new market rules, all tables are cleaned before the market opens and again after tear-down, and no vendor who shows any obvious signs of illness will be allowed to set up. Some vendors are getting orders by phone ahead of time with customer pickup on market day. Johnson said many local residents had come to count on the producers’ market for fresh foods. “It’s not just popular,” he said. “For some people, it’s a primary source of food.”
Riemer Family Farm of Brodhead, Wis., offers pasture-raised meat and eggs at the Woodstock Farmers Market. Jen Riemer (left) and Anastasia Wolf-Flasch don masks and gloves while doing business at the April 4 market at the McHenry County Fairgrounds.
By Lydia LaGue
NEWS@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM
COURTESY PHOTOS
After friends and neighbors decorated the front of her house for her 100th birthday, Marge Birk came outside to acknowledge the gesture.
raised a stepson and stepdaughter who were “like family to me.” Though Birk’s immediate family is gone, she is grateful for her nieces, nephews, and cousins and her next-door neighbors, who have become her family.
Century of advice
One of her biggest accomplishments was being the leader of the sewing circle at her church for 40 years. In total, Birk has been with the group since 1972. “I’ve had a good life and a bad life. But who doesn’t?” Birk reflected. Birk said she had learned a lot in her 100 years, but the lessons that stick
STUDENT OF THE WEEK ZOE VILLONT
Zoe Villont is a senior at Marian Central Catholic High School. She is the daughter of Kevin and Barb Villont, Woodstock. “Zoe is a well-rounded and charismatic young woman who is deeply into her faith and spirituality. She looks out for the betterment of others and is a natural leader in the classrooms at Marian and on the playing fields,” said one of her teachers. Zoe has been on high honor roll all four years and earned the Academic Excellence award her junior year. She is a member of the Spanish Honor Society and the National Honor Society. Zoe was the captain of the basketball team her freshman and sophomore years. She is a member of the varsity soccer team and was the captain her junior and senior years. She holds a council position for Marian’s mentor program and she is a retreat team member. Outside of school, she has volunteered with Feed My Starving Children and St. Baldrick’s Foundation. When asked who inspires her, Zoe said, “Trinity International University’s women’s head soccer coach Patrick Gilliam inspires me. He has pushed me to become better in both the soccer and faith aspects of my life. His dedication to his faith and the soccer program is so evident.” When asked what makes her feel successful, Zoe said, “I feel successful because of the people I am surrounded by, such as teammates, friends, family, teachers and coaches. Their influence has had a positive impact on my life, which I hope to model by impacting the lives of others.”
Discover what matters. And build your life around it. 222 Church St., Woodstock, IL 815-337-6051 aurora.edu/woodstock
IT’S NOT TOO LATE... YOUR COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU TO BE COUNTED! GO TO WWW.2020CENSUS.GOV AND SIGN IN TODAY! QUICK • EASY • CONFIDENTIAL
COMMUNITY
had been through. “My cousin has been writing things for when we were going to have our party,” she said. “I told her, ‘You could write a book about my life!’” Birk started as a waitress in Harvard before she worked at the Woodstock hospital when it was on South Street. She was the first housekeeper there and led the department for 13 years. Later she worked at Allied Printing and also worked with her husband at the Woodstock Sentinel. Birk and her husband, Vernon, were married six weeks short of 60 years when he died in 1998. Although she couldn’t have children of her own, she
April 15-21, 2020
When Marge Birk turned 100 years old on March 28, she didn’t expect her house to be decorated and filled with signs of love. Many of her neighbors and friends collaborated to give Marge the best surprise. Birk joked, “My dinette is full of cards!” Asked how it feels to be 100, Marge Birk was humble. Birk “I didn’t ever think that I would make it,” she said. “That night, I woke up and I looked at the clock and saw it was 12 o’clock, and I thought, ‘Oh I made it.’ That was the first thing that came to my mind.” The sixth child of 10 Brunner children, Birk was born in Big Foot, Wis., and grew up in the area around Sharon, Wis., and Harvard. She explained that she had lived the longest in her family, and she reflected on what she
out are as follows: “Be nice to people. Take days off.” She also had a few pieces of advice for the rest of us. “Stay active,” she said. “Keep your brain working. Sit in a chair and just look around, and if you think, ‘I should do this,’ get up and do it.” Birk regularly stays active by getting outside and tending her rose bushes. Having just renewed her driver’s license in December, she also enjoys driving around and looks forward to doing it again soon. While a party for Birk was planned for mid-April, it has since been canceled. She would still love to celebrate, “eventually, when this blows over.” Birk still has something she’d like to accomplish. “I would like to live another year,” she said. “I was born on Palm Sunday. Next year my birthday comes on Palm Sunday.” She thanked her neighbors and expressed delight at their generosity and thoughtfulness. “I’ve got to thank everyone that has been so wonderful to me.,” she said. “They make sure that I have everything I need. I’d be lost without them.”
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
At 100, Marge Birk looks forward to another year
15
COMMUNITY
April 15-21, 2020
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
16
‘Earth Day is every day’
Events honoring the planet different this year during 50th anniversary of celebration By Cynthia Kanner We are in unprecedented times for many generations on our planet. The current health crisis due to COVID-19 is keeping us at home, with good reason, where we can protect ourselves and others in so doing. That means it prevents us from gathering together to Environmental honor the 50th Defenders anniversary of Earth Day. And, The Green Scene for the first time ever, Earth Day itself will be celebrated virtually. I’ll outline some virtual opportunities below and share information from other groups so that, among all of us, you will be getting lots of news about events and activities. But first, I will state the obvious – that the Green Scene column in March, which outlined three Earth
Day events in April, is no longer relevant. The Environmental Defenders’ documentary, “50 Years of Defending,” that was to be shown on Earth Day itself, which is Wednesday, April 22, will be postponed for later this year. In addition, the restoration workday schedule for April 25 will take place at a later date. Sadly, the annual Earth Day celebration that we co-sponsor each year with the McHenry County Conservation District has been canceled, as has the Defenders’ recycling drive that was to be part of it. There are things, as always, that we can do to help the planet and our own local environment, and often it’s those collective, seemingly “little” things that together make the biggest difference. So, here are some suggestions: Pull garlic mustard, an invasive plant, before they blossom. If they do blossom, pull them before they go to seed. You can even make a pesto (see an April 1 Facebook post for link to recipe!). Compost kitchen food scraps, like
veggie scraps. Walk instead – now easier than ever since we are prohibited from going many places except for essential items. Walking helps us physically and emotionally, connects us to nature, and allows us to hear the hope in the birds’ songs. Lastly, because it is Earth Month and the 50th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, here are some virtual ways to celebrate our planet. n Go online to celebrate Earth Day at: earthday.org – “Over the 24 hours of Earth Day, EARTHRISE will fill the digital landscape with global conversations, calls to action, performances, video teach-ins, and more.” To keep updated, just sign up and you’ll receive information directly about Earth Day digital events on April 22. n Join an Eco-Challenge Team here: earthday.ecochallenge.org. “Earth Day Eco challenge connects you to a global community of advocates and change makers, each doing what we can, in ways that are most relevant to us, to make this great spinning dot we call home a healthier, more equitable, more sustainable place. Welcome to Earth Day Eco challenge!” n Join the Environmental Defenders, McHenry County College, and The Green Team for a virtual Zoom panel discussion on climate change/ clean energy jobs on Earth Day eve, April 21. The program can be accessed through Eventbrite (eventbrite.com/e/ online-panel-clean-energys-futurein-illinois-tickets-101060408402) or Facebook (facebook.com/ events/614188809310163/). n Keep updated at mcdef.org for
events and news, and visit the Environmental Defenders’ Facebook page, where we’ll have a Green Tip every day during Earth Month. Visit your local McHenry County Conservation District natural areas in person (they’re open!) and learn about nature virtually through MCCD at mccdistrict.org/learn_experience/selfguided_opportunities/wonders_of_ the_wild_series.php Another local conservation group, The Land Conservancy of McHenry County, also has public natural areas you can visit, including Wolf Oak Woods, Yonder Prairie, and Boloria Meadows. You can also visit conservemc.org for events, some of which may be virtual, and “like” their Facebook page as they’ll be posting opportunities there as well. There’s a saying, “Earth Day is every day.” And, with that mindset all of the time, each of us can truly and without doubt make a difference, whether we’re together or apart. During this tough time, please know that while our office and bookstores, sadly, are closed, our staff is working remotely from home, listening to voicemail, checking email, sending eNews, and keeping up partnerships and opportunities, however virtually. And color the Earth image (on opposite page) and place it in your window to show oneness. We wish everyone well and a speedy move back to where we used to be – together.
IN BRIEF
number, and email address. The completed interview form and necessary documents should be placed in a drop box designated for important paperwork in the upper parking lot outside Building A. VITA staff will scan and distribute the documents to a VITA tax preparer, who will complete the return and call the taxpayer for an interview and explanation. MCC will print the completed return and mail to the taxpayer for signatures. The copy of the signed return can be texted back or placed in an envelope and returned to the drop box at MCC. For more information, email Ann Esarco at vita@mchenry.edu
MCC updates process for free tax preparation clinic Free tax assistance for qualified individuals through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance clinic has resumed through May 15 at McHenry County College. To follow the governor’s stay-at-home order, procedures have been revised so taxpayers start by emailing vita@ mchenry.edu or calling 815-455-8744 to ask for an interview form. Taxpayers will need to provide name, address, phone
Cynthia Kanner is executive director of the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County.
THE INDEPENDENT’S BOOK LIST FOR THIS WEEK IS FOR YOUNGER READERS! CLICK ON TO THE COMMUNITY PAGE AT THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
color and place in your front window to share your support for Earth Month and Earth Day’s 50th Anniversary!
17
April 15-21, 2020
COMMUNITY
Sponsored by:
Environmental Defenders of McHenry County 110 S Johnson St, Ste 106 • Woodstock IL 60098 815-338-0393
www.mcdef.org
earth day Wednesday, April 22, 2020 The
Woodstock
I NDEPENDENT
COMMUNITY
April 15-21, 2020
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
18
•••PLEASE CHECK WITH SPONSORS OR VENUES ABOUT CANCELLATIONS OR POSTPONEMENTS OF EVENTS•••
Happenings
calendar 18 SATURDAY
WOODSTOCK FARMERS MARKET McHenry County Fairgrounds outside 11900 Country Club Road 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. woodstockfarmersmarket.org
21 TUESDAY
D-200 BOARD MEETING
Woodstock High School Learning Meeting details to be announced 815-338-8200
22 WEDNESDAY EARTH DAY
conserveMC.org
SENIOR LUNCH PICKUP Dorr Township offices 1039 Lake Ave. 11:30 - 12:15 Available to seniors, 60 and older
$5 Call to reserve, 815-338-0125
29 WEDNESDAY SENIOR LUNCH PICKUP
Dorr Township offices 1039 Lake Ave. 11:30 - 12:15 Available to seniors, 60 and older $5 Call to reserve, 815-338-0125
MAY
2 SATURDAY
WOODSTOCK FARMERS MARKET McHenry County Fairgrounds outside 11900 Country Club Road 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. woodstockfarmersmarket.org
5 TUESDAY WOODSTOCK CITY COUNCIL MEETING
By conference call 312-626-6799 Meeting ID: 420860115 7 p.m.
6 WEDNESDAY SENIOR LUNCH PICKUP
Dorr Township offices 1039 Lake Ave. 11:30 - 12:15 Available to seniors, 60 and older $5 Call to reserve, 815-338-0125
9 SATURDAY
WOODSTOCK FARMERS MARKET McHenry County Fairgrounds outside 11900 Country Club Road 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. woodstockfarmersmarket.org
13 WEDNESDAY SENIOR LUNCH PICKUP Dorr Township offices 1039 Lake Ave.
To submit calendar items, email pr@thewoodstockindependent.com 11:30 - 12:15 Available to seniors, 60 and older $5 Call to reserve, 815-338-0125
20 WEDNESDAY SENIOR LUNCH PICKUP
14 TUESDAY
D-200 BOARD MEETING
Woodstock High School Learning Resource Center Meeting details to be announced 815-338-8200
16 SATURDAY
WOODSTOCK FARMERS MARKET McHenry County Fairgrounds outside 11900 Country Club Road 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. woodstockfarmersmarket.org
19 TUESDAY WOODSTOCK CITY COUNCIL MEETING By conference call 312-626-6799 Meeting ID: 420860115 7 p.m.
Resurrection Catholic Church
Dorr Township offices 1039 Lake Ave. 11:30 - 12:15 Available to seniors, 60 and older $5 Call to reserve, 815-338-0125
23 SATURDAY
WOODSTOCK FARMERS MARKET McHenry County Fairgrounds outside 11900 Country Club Road 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. woodstockfarmersmarket.org
30 SATURDAY
WOODSTOCK FARMERS MARKET McHenry County Fairgrounds outide 11900 Country Club Road 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. woodstockfarmersmarket.org
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.
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 NEW LIFE CHRISTIAN CENTER 5115 Dean St. • 815-337-4673 Worship: 10 a.m. Sunday
30 years ago – 1990
■ The Wonder Lake Board of Trustees voted 4-1 to approve the annexation of land along Highland Drive and Thompson Road for the development of Sunrise Ridge Estates. ■ Three hotels were set to come to Woodstock – Super 8, Best Western, and Days Inn. ■ Renowned film critic Gene Siskel addressed attendees of the Creative Living Series at the Woodstock Opera House.
25 years ago – 1995
■ The city of Woodstock received $800,000 in surface transportation development funds from the Illinois Department of Transportation. ■ The Woodstock School District 200 Board of Education announced plans to appoint district residents to a referendum proposal committee.
20 years ago – 2000
■ Sheila Readel, parking enforcement officer at the Woodstock Police Department for 25 years, was set to retire. She was fair, handing out tickets to all who stayed parked longer than the two-hour limit. She was also the town crier, gathering information and passing it on. ■ Mary Roberts was named the Woodstock Professional & Business Women’s Woman of the Year. ■ The Woodstock High School varsity boys tennis team defeated Johnsburg during a snowy matchup.
15 years ago – 2005
■ La Petite Creperie opened in the Old Sheriff’s House on the Square. ■ Marian Central Catholic High School’s sophomore softball team was on a roll behind pitcher Heather Grandishar. She allowed only one hit and struck out 15 to defeat St. Edward 3-1 and pitched a 19-0 no-hitter against Montini. The soph ’Canes were 11-1 overall and 2-0 in the Suburban Catholic Conference
10 years ago – 2010
■ The Woodstock Garden Club chose Gay Remich’s yard on South Street as the April Garden of the Month. Each spring, the yard is filled with hundreds of daffodils that were planted yearly in the 1940s and ’50s by Remich’s mother, Helen Wright. ■ The Environmental Defenders of
19 McHenry County celebrated its 40th anniversary. ■ R.C. Gerstad was crowned the first ever Woodstock North High School Thunderman. Eric Pilgard was first runner-up, and Joe Gomez was Mr. Congeniality at the comical beauty pageant among the school’s male students.
5 years ago – 2015
■ Workers removed the Union sentinel from its perch atop the Civil War Memorial in the Park in the Square. The 1,000-pound statue, erected in 1909 by Zoia Monument Co., was in need of cleaning. A new stainless steel dowel was installed to secure the sentinel to the top of the monument. ■ The tornado that ripped through Rochelle and Fairdale carried debris as far as Woodstock. Rural Woodstock residents Joyce Maynard and Amanda Nicholai found receipts from a Rochelle restaurant and papers belonging to the Ogle County sheriff in their yards. ■ The Challenger Learning Center for Science & Technology transferred ownership of its building at 222 Church St. to Aurora University to ensure the longevity of the Challenger programs and expand the university’s course offerings.
1 year ago – 2019
■ A mid-April snowstorm dumped an estimated 8.5 inches of snow on Woodstock and kept Woodstock Fire/ Rescue crews busy at accident sites. ■ The city of Woodstock gave 5,000 reusable canvas shopping bags to local retail stores to hand out to celebrate Earth Day and to encourage shoppers to break their reliance on single-use plastic bags. The “sustainable Woodstock” bags were left over from a $40,000 purchase the city made so it could distribute a bag to every residence in Woodstock in 2017 and 2018. ■ The Woodstock Opera House debuted its Live Theatre Broadcast series with Danny Boyle’s “Frankenstein,” starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller. The Live Theatre Broadcasts would utilize the 22-by12-foot screen that had been installed recently. The equipment to screen the series was purchased in part with a donation in memory of Darlene Fiske, a longtime board member of the Woodstock Fine Arts Association.
Your ad could sponsor this Flashbacks section! The
Woodstock
I NDEPENDENT
Call 815-338-8040 today. thewoodstockindependent.com
COMMUNITY
■ REDEEMER LUTHERAN 1320 Dean St. • 815-338-9370 Worship: 8:45 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 a.m. weekdays ■ ST. ANN’S EPISCOPAL 503 W. Jackson St. • 815-338-0950 Worship: 8 and 10 a.m. Sunday ■ ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN 401 St. John’s Road • 815-338-5159 Worship: 5 p.m. Saturday; 9 a.m. Sunday ■ ST. MARY CATHOLIC 313 N. Tryon St. • 815-338-3377 Worship: 7:30 a.m. Monday - Saturday; 12:15 p.m. Monday-Friday; 5 and 6:30 p.m. (Spanish) Saturday; 7:30, 9 and 10:30 a.m., noon (Spanish), 5 p.m. Sunday ■ 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
FLASHBACKS
April 15-21, 2020
■ 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 Worship: 9:30 a.m. )on Facebook) ■ 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: 5 p.m. Saturday (informal traditional); Sunday 8:30 a.m. (traditional), 10:45 a.m. (contemporary) ■ HOUSE OF BLESSING 2018 N. Route 47 (First Presbyterian Church building) cbhbfil413.com Worship: 1 p.m. Sunday
CALL ABOUT CANCELLATIONS AND ALTERNATIVE SERVICES SCHEDULED
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
RELIGION
CLASSIFIEDS
April 15-21, 2020
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
20
Woodstock
Deadline: NOON Thursday for next week’s issue
I NDEPENDENT CLASSIFIED ADS The
ILLINOIS CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING NETWORK
To place an ad: CALL 815-338-8040 • VISIT thewoodstockindependent.com
WANTED TO BUY FREON WANTED: We pay CA$H for cylinders and cans. R12 R500 R11 R113 R114. Convenient. Certified Professionals. Call 312-598-1758 or visit RefrigerantFinders.com
YOUR AD COULD BE HERE!
Northern ICANS - Run Date Week of 4/12/2020
CALL TODAY TO PLACE YOUR
YOUR AD HERE
@thewoodstockindependent
CLASSIFIED AD
YOUR AD COULD BE HERE! CALL 815-338-8040
Large Blocks are $80 per month Small Blocks are $20 per week CALL
815-338-8040
SERVICE DIRECTORY Small Blocks are $40 and Large Blocks are $80 for 4 weeks Call 815.338.8040 for details.
AC/HEATING
INSURANCE
CONSTRUCTION
LANDSCAPING
April 15-21, 2020
CARPENTRY
21 THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
Deadline: NOON Thursday for next week’s issue
ssnyder;Woodstock Heating & Cooling;A19522;3.75x1.75-BW (20Sp)
CLASSIFIEDS
ANCHOR CONSTRUCTION SINCE 1977
Proud Recipients of the Woodstock Chamber 2020 Professional Service Provider of The Year Award
(815) 338-0282
woodstockheating.com
© 2020 Lennox Industries Inc. Lennox Dealers are independently owned and operated businesses.
FOUNDATIONS GARAGE SLABS/ DRIVEWAYS PATIOS/ WALKS/ STOOPS REPLACEMENTS fully insured
815-482-9542 (McHenry) free estiMates ELECTRIC CONTRACTOR
A19522-20Sp-3.75x1.75-BW.indd 1
YOUR AD HERE
3/5/20
HEALTH INSURANCE
MENTION THIS AD FOR 10% OFF SERVICE CALL - Service upgrades Since - Repairs 1986 4:35 PM - Maintenance Residential - Commercial
Delaware Electric Co. Fully Licensed
815-338-3139
CALL 815-338-8040 TO PLACE YOUR AD $40 for 4 weeks
GET YOUR
BUSINESS INFORMATION IN FRONT OF
LOCAL RESIDENTS!
Expert Landscaping • Spring Clean-up • Lawn Service • Tree Service • Trimming, Edging, Mulch • Free Estimates
815-905-5852
YOUR AD HERE
PHYSICAL THERAPY
Dr. Molly Oakford, Physical Therapist No physician referral needed Medicare Provider
(815) 334-8850 www.oakfordphysicaltherapy.com
665 West Jackson St. Woodstock IL 60098
TECHNOLOGY
YOUR AD HERE
RUBES
By Leigh Rubin
HEATHCLIFF By Peter Gallagher
PUZZLE PAGE
Dec. 27-Jan. 2, 2017
April 15-21, 2020
WORD SEARCH
1 THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
22
SUDOKU
CRYPTO FUN
AD-LIB BOMB BOOKER CALLBACK CAPPER ENTENDRE GAG HEADLINER
HUMOR IMPROVISATION JEST JOKE LAUGH LINEUP MICROPHONE PARODY
WORD SCRAMBLE
The
1110 N. Seminary Ave. Woodstock, IL
9 AM - 7 PM Call 815-337-8230 to place your order
THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY FOR SUPPORTING US! Open for take out and delivery
PERFORM ROUTINE SATIRE SHOWCASE SITCOM SKETCH SLAPSTICK STORYLINE
GUESS WHO?
Woodstock
I NDEPENDENT solution
PUZZLE PAGE
SOLUTION
PUZZLES & COMICS
Rules: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as 9x9 grids, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box.
PUBLIC NOTICE
Clerk) (Published in The Woodstock Independent April 8, 2020, April 15, 2020) L11025
PUBLIC NOTICE
ASSUMED NAME Public Notice is hereby given that on MARCH 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: Gardner Environmental Services located at 312
Tall Grass Drive Harvard IL 60033. Owner Name & Address: David Gardner 312 Tall Grass Dr., Harvard Illinois 60033. Dated: MARCH 10, 2020 /s/ JOSEPH J. TIRIO (McHenry County Clerk) (Published in The Woodstock Independent April 15, 2020)L11014
PUBLIC NOTICE
ASSUMED NAME Public Notice is hereby given that on MARCH 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: Brennan Lawn & Landscaping Services located at 310 N. Cunat Blvd. Richmond IL 60071. Owner Name & Address: Daniel Brennan 310 N. Cunat Blvd. Richmond IL 60071. Dated: MARCH 10, 2020 /s/ JOSEPH J. TIRIO (McHenry County Clerk) (Published in The Woodstock Independent April 15, 2020)L11015
PUBLIC NOTICE
ASSUMED NAME Public Notice is hereby given that on APRIL 6, 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: DIANE BISHOP HUSSEY COACHING located at 7902 PINOAK DR. WONDER LAKE, IL 60097. Owner Name & Address: DIANE HUSSEY 7902 PINOAK DR., WONDER LAKE, IL 60097/P.O. BOX 584. Dated: APRIL 6, 2020 /s/ JOSEPH J. TIRIO (McHenry County Clerk) (Published in The Woodstock Independent April 15, 2020)L11026
23 THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
ASSUMED NAME Public Notice is hereby given that on APRIL 2, 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: PEET EQUESTRIAN located at 8116 WHITE OAKS ROAD WONDER LAKE, IL 60097. Owner Name & Address: HOWARD PEET AND ERICA PEET 8116 WHITE OAKS ROAD, WONDER LAKE, IL 60097. Dated: APRIL 2, 2020 /s/ JOSEPH J. TIRIO (McHenry County
April 15-21, 2020
BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING
PICTURE THIS
During McHenry County Farm Bureau’s annual meeting at Woodstock High School in 1953, Ralph Ostrander (far right), National Farm Loan Association manager, hosts a radio program on WKRS, Waukegan. Pictured from left: George Richardson, Spring Grove; John Olbrich, Harvard; Walter Winn, Richmond, president of the Pure Milk Association; unidentified; Earle B. Johnson, president, McHenry County Farm Bureau; State Senator Robert McClory, Lake Bluff; and A.B. McConnell, Woodstock farmer who was a member of the Illinois General Assembly. All of the McHenry County Historical Society programs have been canceled until further notice.
Don Peasley Photo Collection, McHenry County Historical Society
Kitchens • Baths • Windows • Millwork • Lumber • Doors 815-338-0075 • 1101 Lake Ave., Woodstock • www.woodstocklumber.com
PUBLIC NOTICES
I SHOULD PROBABLY GET A RIDE HOME.
SPRING REFRESH
for your home
April 15-21, 2020
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
24
Complete the Census at my2020census.gov or call 844-330-2020
SPORTS
Funding provided by the State of Illinois, Department of Human Services
Hours: Mon-Thurs 10-6, Fri 10-5, Sat 10-4 Sundays by appointment only Contractors Welcome! 2104 S. Eastwood Drive (Rt. 47) Woodstock, IL 815-334-5985
BRIGHTER DAYS AHEAD! STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS!
REACH THE ENTIRE WOODSTOCK COMMUNITY WITH
AN AD IN THE
MAY 20THTH TOTAL MARKET EDITION!
Our Total Market Edition Is Like Direct Mail Advertising – Only Better! People keep it • People read it • People use it
We are Woodstock - Your news, your business, your community. ADVERTISING DEADLINE: Woodstock, Bull Valley & Wonder Lake Weekly print & digital editions Daily website ads Monthly print total market publications
MAY 14, 2020 @ NOON
ADVERTISE WITH US!
Jen Wilson: 815.701.9258 • jen@thewoodstockindependent.com Katy O’Brien: 815.701.9268 • katy@thewoodstockindependent.com
Sports
By Sandy Kucharski
SANDY@THEWOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM
When the shelter in place order was put into effect, it forced the suspension of group classes of all kinds, including the Brazilian jiu jitsu instruction offered by Alpha BJJ on the Woodstock Square. After the statewide order was issued, instructors placed all classes and student memberships on hold and got creative. “We wanted to make sure our students were still able to get in some training at home with friends, family, or couch cushions and pillows, so we started recording our technique videos for our students,” owner and instructor Dan Hart said. “Thankfully we live in a time where this technology exists and allows us to produce these videos for our students.” Instructors have been going live on the Alpha BJJ Facebook page, which displays different techniques for students to practice at home. Students watch the videos and comment with any questions they might have about the techniques presented. While it’s still much easier to watch and correct student technique in person, Hart said, live videos have been a fun and different way to interact with students during these challenging times. “The response from our students has been positive,” he said. “Our students love training jiu jitsu, and we love coaching them. While these videos won’t get the same hands-on instruction like our normal classes,
IN BRIEF Thunder Youth Football & Cheer extends registration Looking ahead to an active fall sports season, registration is currently open for Woodstock Thunder Youth Football & Cheer. Health concerns over COVID19 forced the cancellation of an open
SPORTS
See COLLEGE, Page 27
Alpha BJJ instructors maintain contact with their jui jitsu students
April 15-21, 2020
Lewis University Flyer head basketball coach Scott Trost has probably looked for, or already has, a replacement at guard for Adam Pischke. If he gets one who contributes like the Cary native and Marian Central Catholic graduate did during his career, he will have a pretty good player. Dan During the Chamness past three years, Pischke averaged The College in double figures Report for the Flyers as they posted winning records in three of four seasons and have been 72-48 overall and 44-30 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. “I needed my freshman year to get acclimated to the college game,” Pischke said. “The game is much faster, and it requires experience to get used to it. Once you are used to it, the game seems to slow down a bit. “My best year at Lewis was my junior season. We tied the record for the Adam most wins Pischke in Lewis history. I am very proud to have been all-conference on that team.” But Pischke did not slow down. After averaging 5.6 points a game through a span of 31 games as a freshman, he scored 11.1 points a game as a sophomore. He would average 11.4 points as a junior and 10.5 points as a senior.
Fighting through social distancing
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
Marian graduate consistently in double figures
25
COURTESY PHOTOS
Dan Hart and Mark Millare film a mount escape for the Alpha Kids class of Alpha BJJ Brazilian jiu jitsu training. Videos are posted to a Facebook page for students to practice at home. this has been a great and fun alternative for both our students and coaches.” When the shelter is lifted, Hart said, they plan to continue to record
technique videos for students, but instead of posting a video every other day, they will likely do one video a week to recap the classes from that week.
house in mid-March, but the organization recently announced that the early registration discount period has been extended to the end of April. WTYFC offers Bantam Big 10, Featherweight Big 10, Featherweight Pac 10, Middleweight Big 10, Varsity Big 10, flag football, and cheerleading
opportunities for Woodstock-area youth. The program stresses learning lessons of self-discipline, teamwork, concentratin, friendship, leadership, and good sportsmanship. For more information or to register, visit woodstockyouthfootball.com or email woodstockyouthfootball@gmail.com.
SPORTS
April 15-21, 2020
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
26
Real Charming. Real Community. Real Woodstock. In Woodstock, the independent streak runs deep. And being a good neighbor goes a long way. Young at Heart Senior Pet Adoptions, a non-profit funded by the community, is focused on providing care and adoption services for pets 13-years-old and
up. Visit its new facility and find a pet that will love you no matter how old you are. If you are looking for your perfect home and a community that prides itself on supporting each other, Woodstock has it all.
Continued from Page 25
COIURTESY PHOTO
Adam Pischke shows intensity as he drives for the Lewis Flyers.
Pet Week
Dan Chamness writes The College Report for The Independent.
Former Woodstock North High School athlete Haley Ahr earned College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin Winter All-Academic honors, a distinction given to individuals that achieved an overall grade-point average of 3.30 or above and lettered in their respective sport, and have served at least one year in residency at their respective school. Ahr plays basketball at Carthage College.
NN SCOREBOARD NN NO SCORES TO REPORT ALL SCHOOL SPORTS CANCELED THROUGH APRIL 30
SCOREBOARD PRESENTED BY
815.338.7830
205 E. South St. • Woodstock
of the
SAVING JUST ONE PET WON’T CHANGE THE WORLD BUT, SURELY, THE WORLD WILL CHANGE FOR THAT ONE PET.
Thank you to our Pet of the Week sponsor! Singleton Family McDonald’s
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
THANK YOU TO OUR ATHLETE OF THE WEEK SPONSOR! Woodstock • Marengo • Algonquin/Randall Rd. Huntley North & South • Hampshire • Genoa Carpentersville/Randall Rd. Helping Paws Animal Shelter is temporarily closed.
27
SPORTS
surprised at the amount of work that actually goes into everything. Whether it is preseason or the amount of film we watch, it is a full-time commitment for sure.” As a senior, he started all 28 games and averaged 33.7 minutes a game. He had 295 points and 78 rebounds. In addition to 10.5 points and 2.8 rebounds a game, he also had 104 assists and 42 steals, both of which
IN BRIEF Haley Ahr earns CCIW AllAcademic honors
April 15-21, 2020
For his career totals, the 5-foot-10, 165-pound guard finished with 1,042 points, which is an average of 9.5 points a game. He played in 110 games and made 92 starts. In addition, he also had 291 assists, 242 rebounds, 97 steals, and three blocked shots. He scored his points by draining 378-of-847 from the field, a percentage of 44.6, and 139-of176 from the charity stripe, a percentage of 79.0. From beyond the arc, he hit 147-of-380, which is 38.7 percent. The guard finished in many top 15 lists for the Flyers. He was ninth in total minutes played (3,232). He was 10th in assists and games started (96). He was also in the top 15 for a career in 3-pointers made (11th), 3-pointers attempted (11th), and 3-point percentage (38.7). His 2.6 assists a game ranks 12th on the career leaderboard. During his junior year, he bucketed 45.5 percent of his 3-pointers, hitting 51-of-112 from beyond the arc. The 45.5 percent ranks eighth as a 3-point percentage for a single season. “I have always been a scorer, but I feel as if I improved quite a bit as a playmaker,” Pischke said. “I definitely improved as an all-around player in terms of facilitating to my teammates. When I first entered Lewis, I was
were team highs. He scored his points by hitting 41 percent of his shots from the field, 105-of-256. Of his field goals, 35 were from beyond the arc. He also drained 50-of-59 from the free-throw line, a percentage of 84.7. He was one of four Flyers to average in double figures during the 2019-2020 season. As a junior, he was named to the GLVC All-Conference team. He was a second-team selection. The son of Jeff and Jennifer Pischke of Cary, he earned a degree in business marketing, while maintaining a 3.6 GPA. He is currently working for Ferguson Enterprises in the sales department. For his work in the classroom, he was named to the Lewis dean’s list a total of seven semesters. He was also a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference All-Academic Team four times. “I learned a ton about how to handle myself and things you need to accomplish to be successful at the NCAA Division II level,” Pischke said. “I was thankful to have some of the best upperclassmen that a freshman could ask for. Basketball showed me the dedication and hard work it takes to manage between basketball and school as well as working within a team.”
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
COLLEGE
We look forward to sponsoring future athletes! 815-355-0661 • SportsCityAcademy.com SportsCity Academy is temporarily closed
ESSENTIAL BUSINESS
April 15-21, 2020
THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT
28
SERVICE OPEN 7AM TO 7PM • MON-FRI SALES BY 9AM TO 7PM • MON-FRI APPOINTMENT 9AM TO 6PM • SAT PLEASE CALL 815-338-6680 TO FREE CREDIT CHECK! SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT
0APR X 84 0APR X 72 0APR X 60MOS. % % %
ON ALL NEW MOS. 2019 FORDS ON ALL NEW MOS. 2020 FORDS *
+
^
ON NEW FORD SUPER DUTY MODELS (GAS OR DIESEL)
300 NEW & 120 USED VEHICLES IN STOCK! Ro u t e 47 • Wo o d s t o c k
815-338-6680
WWW.BULLVALLEYFORD.COM
All offers plus tax, title. lic. & $300 doc fee. On select new models. To qualified buyers. *Based on $11.90 per $1,000 financed. +Based on $13.88 per $1,000 financed. ^Based on $16.67 per $1,000 finance. Must be executed at the time of sale. No prior sales. Offer ends 4/30/2020.
F