The
Woodstock
I NDEPENDENT
June 24-30, 2020
Published every Wednesday | Est. 1987 | Serving Woodstock, Wonder Lake and Bull Valley, Ill. | www.thewoodstockindependent.com | $1.00
Are we ready to open?
Woodstock prepares for more activity under Phase 4 By Larry Lough
LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM
COMMUNITY
Crafts for kids a big part of library’s summer reading plan PAGE 16
SCHOOLS
Woodstock seems ready for Phase 4. Summer concerts by the City Band – in its 136th season – will begin July 1 on the Square. We will have fireworks on the fourth in Emricson Park. And city of Woodstock offices and
facilities plan to reopen next week, as Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Monday released guidelines for the state to move to the next level of his Restore Illinois plan. Phase 4 will allow gatherings of up to 50 people and permit restaurants, bars, and theaters to invite customers inside for the first time in three months since the state issued a shelter-in-place order to prevent spread of the coronavirus
pandemic. Specific crowd and capacity limits are included in guidelines. Although “normalcy” will return, guidelines continue to encourage face masks, social distancing, and hand washing as the norm. If you want to visit City Hall, masks are mandatory – and available there. See PHASE 4, Page 2
SUMMER’S START
20 students in District 200 receive 2020 PRIDE awards PAGE 8
MARKETPLACE
Local food trucks find hungry customers during shutdown
PAGE 13
INDEX Obituaries
4
Opinion
6
Schools
8
A&E
11
Marketplace
13
Community
16
Calendar
20
Classified
22
Puzzles
24
Public Notices
25
Sports
26
The Woodstock Independent
671 E. Calhoun St., Woodstock, IL 60098 Phone: 815-338-8040 Fax: 815-338-8177 Thewoodstock independent.com
INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY TRICIA CARZOLI
On the first day of summer 2020, umbrellas protected diners at The Double Yolk Café from sun early in the morning and from raindrops later as the Woodstock Farmers Market finished its third week on the Square.
Virus sparks restaurant competition By Larry Lough
LARRY@THE WOODSTOCKINDEPENDENT.COM
Deputy Mayor Mike Turner urged the Woodstock City Council to “be creative” in considering changes to the city’s food truck regulations to address complaints from brick-andmortar restaurants about their mobile competitors.
“It’s kind of a blank canvas as to whether to do anything different,” he said. After discussing the issue for more than an hour, council members agreed to do nothing – for now. The issue was a discussion-only item on the agenda for last week’s council meeting. Changes to the city’s 2012 ordinance could be made at the
council’s meeting July 21, depending on what members hear from the public – including restaurants – between now and then. Turner said the issue was raised by Benton Street bars about the Que Pasta truck being parked on the street outside Ortmann’s Red Iron Tavern at Church and Clay streets. See FOOD TRUCKS, Page 2