This year’s winner, Beverly Holmes Hughes, fit that criterion.

“She’s an asset to the community; she knows everyone,” Graceffa said.

The annual Citizen of the Year award ceremony took place on Saturday during the Corn Boil and highlighted Hughes’ service to the community for the past 20 years.

“I’m quite honored by this,” Hughes said on Tuesday at the Sugar Grove Public Library, where she is the director.

“And truly, like the rest of my life, this wasn’t conventional,” Hughes said. “To do what I do, in a place that I love, has been just a wonderful adventure.”

Nearly 40 Sugar Grove residents nominated Hughes for the award.

Aside from being the library director, Hughes has given many hours of her time to the Sugar Grove Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Sugar Grove Library Friends, \Sugar Grove Corn Boil, Sugar Grove Historical Society and Sugar Grove Park District Garden Club, among other organizations.

“Being involved for the last 20 years and to be recognized is just amazing,” Hughes said. “To think all those times people said, ‘You should be that person (Citizen of the Year),’ and I’ve always discounted that and said ‘I’m just doing my job.’”

The Citizen of the Year Committee, which selected Hughes from among the nominees, issued a statement about their choice: “Beverly has enriched life in our village with her selfless and creative involvement in many areas that truly enhance Sugar Grove’s cultural opportunities.”

A prominent example of Hughes’ time and effort for the community was her role in the library’s move a year ago to a brand-new building on Municipal Drive in Sugar Grove.

“It’s about always moving forward and as a community and seeing what the next step is in order to help people in the community,” Hughes said. “It’s like the reference desk; people come to us with a question and we help them find the answer.”

Hughes, of North Aurora, follows previous winners Jim Wilhelm in 2009, Karen McCannon in 2008 and Joe Wolf in 2007.

Photo by Ben Draper

At approximately 8:30 a.m. on July 21, witnesses told investigators that the Volkswagen was southbound on Route 47 approaching Route 56/30 overpass.

It appeared as if the driver of the Volkswagen passed out, crossed the median and crashed into the side of the semi truck that was traveling northbound. The car sideswiped the trailer and then went under the rear of the trailer at which time the rear wheels of the trailer went over the front of the car. The trailer was fully loaded with mulch.

The driver of the Volkswagen, Romon Alcaraz, 29, of the 500 block of Charles St., Aurora, was transported by Sugar Grove Ambulance to Provena Mercy Hospital in Aurora, where he was listed in serious condition. The truck is owned by Mid–States Cartage, Inc. of Tonica, Ill. The driver of the truck, Robert B. Seifert, 57, of McNabb, Ill., was also transported to Provena Mercy Hospital, where he was treated and released.

Sugar Police are still investigating the cause. They were assisted by The Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team, Kane County Sheriff’s Department, Kane County OEM, and the Illinois State Police.

Elburn
• Maribel Lucio, 31, of the 400 block of North River Street in Aurora, was arrested at 11:49 p.m. July 26 for driving while her license was suspended. Police stopped her for speeding on Route 47 at North Street in Elburn. Lucio also was cited for failing to secure two child passengers in appropriate safety restraints.

• Angela I. Mason, 45, of the 100 block of Babcock Street in Elburn, was arrested at 8:35 a.m. July 22 for driving while her license was suspended. The arrest took place following a two-car accident Mason was involved in, in the 500 block of Main Street. No injuries were reported.

Sugar Grove
• A resident of the first block of Terry Lane in Sugar Grove, reported a burglary that occurred at her residence on July 16 between 7 and 10:30 p.m. Two cameras, valued at $520, and a phone valued at $300 were removed from the home. Sugar Grove police are investigating.

• Angel Sandoval-Melendez, 33, was arrested July 24 at 11:30 p.m. for driving under the influence when he was found unconscious outside his vehicle at a gas station at 201 N. Route 47, Sugar Grove. A court date of August 24 was set.

• Michael Seib, 32, of the 2000 block of Garden Road, Aurora, was arrested for criminal trespass to a residence when Sugar Grove police responded to a report of a suspicious person entering a vacant residence July 27 shortly after 10 p.m.

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Saturday, July 24
7:30 a.m.: 5K Run/Walk
8 a.m. to noon: Farmers Market
8 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Support Our Troops Car,
Truck, Classic Tractor, Motorcycle Show
10 a.m.: KidZone—Fascinating Faces
by Laurie; free face painting until noon
Arts and crafts, business booths
Cards for Troops
10 a.m. to 9 p.m.:
Sugar Grove Library Friends book sale
10:30 a.m.: KidZone—
Shutterbug Baby Photo Contest—
Winner announced at 4 p.m.
11 a.m.:
KidZone—Traveling World of Reptiles
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Bingo—Kaneland
(KMS & KHS) Music Boosters
Noon to 11 p.m.:
Carnival, food vendors, beer tent
12:15 p.m.: KidZone—SG Library storytime
12:30 p.m.: KidZone—
Balloon Toss Competition
1 p.m.: Kidzone—Mac and Cheese Contest
2 p.m.:
Kidzone—Magic by Amazing Tim Adams
3 p.m.: Kidzone—Amazing Balloon Twister;
free games and activities
4 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Bingo
4:30 p.m.:
Kidzone—Kane County SWAT Demo
8 p.m.: Burn the House on the Main Stage
9:30 p.m.: Infinity on the Main Stage
Nightfall: Fireworks
11 p.m.: Park closes

Sunday, July 25
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sugar Grove Library Friends book sale
Bingo—Kaneland Peer Leadership Group
11 a.m.: Kidzone—Fascinating Faces
by Laurie; free face painting until noon
Noon: Teen Rock on the Main Stage
Noon to 6 p.m.:
Carnival, food vendors, beer tent
12:30 p.m.: Kidzone—Radio Disney Road
Crew; music, dancing, games, prizes
1 p.m.: Fire Fighters Association water fights
2 p.m.: Kidzone—SG Library storytime
2:30 p.m.:
Kidzone—Corn Boil 500 Big Wheel Race
3 p.m.: Kidzone—Amazing Balloon Twister
4 p.m.: 28 Days on the Main Stage
Kidzone—Pie eating contest
5:30 p.m.: Kidzone—Santa’s Summer Visit
6 p.m.: Park closed, clean up, tear down

“Our biggest goal is to promote the village and be developer-friendly, because we’ve been fighting that a bit over the years,” Village President Sean Michels said. “And by doing that, we hope to attract new residential developments, as well as new business developments, too.”

The Sugar Grove Village Board on July 20 reviewed its short-term and long-term strategic goals that it put into place in early 2009.

The Village Board focused a great part of its discussion on attracting business developments to the Village; several trustees expressed their desire to see more businesses relocate to Sugar Grove. However, the Kane County Transportation Impact Fee currently is a deterrent for anyone interested in making their business a part of the community, village officials said.

“That fee can be quite substantial because it’s based on the square footage of the facility, so we’re trying to minimize that (fee) and work with the county to earn credits,” Michels said.

“And in some cases, if it’s a good-size business that means enough to the development of community, we’ll even pay for that County Transportation Impact tax,” Michels said.

Board trustee Kevin Geary supported the idea of business relocating to the Village because it could create more jobs for the community.

“It has to be related to creating jobs,” Geary said. “I would like to see a multi-governmental board put together to explore through the county, school district, township and village and see if there is some way we can find some dollars to encourage businesses to relocate out here.”

Among the village’s other strategic goals are improving relationships at the state and federal level; networking with neighboring communities; establishing a transportation bike plan; reviewing current zoning ordinances for adjustment; and achieving an AA bond rating.

Village officials have postponed pursuing several other goals because of budget concerns, such as updating the village’s comprehensive plan, evaluating the current Route 47 corridor development plan, finalizing a street maintenance and transportation plan and purchasing a future Public Works Department facility site.

Preform Traffic Control Systems, Ltd. of Elk Grove Village, Ill. will perform the work. The Kane County Division of Transportation hired the company for the project in April, , which will remark portions of Main Street, Cross Street, Norris Road and Denny Road, at a total cost of $9,000.

The village issued $590,000 of general obligation alternate revenue source road bonds in July 2008 with the intention of using motor-fuel tax funds to address indebtedness.

Village officials will propose a similar resolution each of the next three years.

Elburn
• Andrew S. Hoelscher, 27, of the 6300 block of North Francisco Avenue in Chicago, was arrested for driving while his license was suspended. Police stopped him on Keslinger Road at Route 47 in Elburn, for improper lane use.

• Armando Alfaro, 33, of the 4200 block of Maple Avenue in Stickney, Ill., was arrested at 3:21 a.m. July 18 for driving under the influence of alcohol. Police stopped him on Route 47 at Kansas Street in Elburn, for speeding.

Sugar Grove
• A dog belonging to a resident of the 100 block of Main Street, Sugar Grove, got past its owner and ran out a door around 6 p.m. on July 15, and attacked another dog. The other dog was being walked by a resident of the 200 block of Maple Street, Sugar Grove. The injuries to the attacked dog were reported to be minor. The owner of the dog that attacked said the dog, a pit bull, was current on its vaccinations. No charges were filed in the incident.

• A resident of the first block of Terry Lane, Sugar Grove, reported fraudulent charges had been made on her debit card July 16 between 8:55 and approximately 10 p.m. The resident believed they dropped their card at the Citgo Gas Station in Sugar Grove after paying for gas. A total of over $410 was charged to the card, including almost $140 at local gas stations and a $273.18 purchase at Village Liquors in Sugar Grove. On July 17, an employee at Village Liquors described the individual that made the purchase as a black make in his 20s, with short hair. He was driving an older model GMC SUV that was either dark gray or blue in color with no front license plate and an Indiana license plate with a small B or and E, and the numbers 4435. A video capture of the suspect was also taken at the store.

• An employee of the Sugar Grove Park District reported to police on July 16 that someone had damaged a sign, a bird house and a post with a small caliber weapon. A damage estimate was not given.

• At approximately 4:23 p.m. July 16, an employee of Genoa Pizza, 44 Cross St., Sugar Grove, reported two individuals paid with counterfeit $50 bills. The suspects entered the restaurant 10 minutes apart, paid for a small purchase, each with a $50 bill, and left. Suspicious, the employee brought the bills to Old Second Bank, where a teller there confirmed the bills were counterfeit. The suspects were filmed by in-store security cameras. The first suspect was described as a white male with a skinny build in his mid-teens, wearing a dark gray shirt and blue jeans. The second suspect was described as an Hispanic male with a skinny build and black, short-cut hair, wearing a white tank top, blue jeans, and a black and white checkered backpack. The bills will be sent to the U.S. Secret Service.

• A resident of the 200 block of Gillette Street, Sugar Grove, reported on July 19 someone had tried to break into his 2002 Lexus two weeks prior. According to the report, it was not clear if the incident occured in Sugar Grove. The damage to the car was estimated at $700.

• Cary Budach, 51, of Hawthorne Avenue, Bensenville, Ill., was arrested on a warrant out of Lake County and also for having no valid driver’s license and operating an uninsured vehicle, after police stopped him July 19 at 8:19 a.m.

“Considering the amount of negativity (in the community related to recent library expense cuts), I don’t see how that can be turned around by November to have a successful referendum campaign,” Library Board member Sheree Novotny said during the board’s July 8 meeting.

“I am also not in favor of holding a referendum in this economy,” Novotny added.

Other board members agreed.

The Library Board on June 23 cut employees’ salaries by 5 percent because of revenue constraints in the library’s operating budget, which funds staff wages and benefits.

Village resident Mari Johnson told the Library Board members July 8 that she opposed the pay cuts and wanted them to look at how to boost property tax revenue to address the budget crisis, instead.

“Focus your energy on how to get a referendum passed and why the public won’t approve one,” Johnson said.

Novotny told the board July 8 that the greatest challenge they must tackle to achieve a successful referendum is making sure the public understands it.

Sugar Grove opened the doors to its new library building in August 2009. An $8 million building bond that voters approved in a November 2004 referendum paid for the building. However, during the same election, voters did not approve a referendum for a tax increase for library operations.

Since then, the Library District has held operating tax increase referendums in nine elections, and voters defeated all of them: one in 2005, two in 2006, one in 2007, two in 2008, one in 2009, and another in February 2010.

The proposed operating budget for 2010, which is based on the current tax rate, is $505,936.

Library Director Beverly Holmes Hughes on July 8 made a presentation before the Library Board that outlined the impacts of a hypothetical operating-fund referendum.

If voters approved a referendum increasing the tax rate to 20 cents per $100 of equalized assessed valuation, operating budget revenue would increase to $1.1 million.

According to Hughes’s presentation, a tax-rate increase to 20 cents would raise the annual property tax bill for the owner of a home valued at $250,000 by $44.

Hughes said that if the district held a successful referendum this November, the 2011-12 library budget would include the additional tax revenue. However, if the district waits until next spring to hold a referendum and voters approve it, the additional tax dollars would not be available to apply to the budget until 2012-13.

Elburn
• Someone broke a padlock on a cooler behind a concession stand at the ballfields in the 500 block of Main Street in Elburn and stole 30 bags of ice valued at $52. The theft occurred sometime between 11 a.m. July 3 and 4 p.m. July 12.

• Jordan Christopher Bergman, 20, of the 1100 block of Griffith Avenue in Elburn, was arrested at 3:50 p.m. July 28 for driving while his license was suspended. Police stopped him on Keslinger Road south of Liberty Street in Elburn for driving while his license plate registration was expired. He also was cited for failing to wear a seatbelt.

• Thomas G. McCartney, 23, of the 400 block of South First Street in Elburn, was arrested at 12:51 a.m. July 11, on a DeKalb County warrant for failure to appear in court on a DUI charge. Police arrested him outside a tavern in the 500 block of North Main Street in Elburn.

• Sameer Khan Ismaili, 26, of Arbor Creek Road in St. Charles, was arrested at 11:11 p.m. July 12 for possessing marijuana and illegal-drug paraphernalia. Police stopped him for speeding, on Route 47 at Walker Drive in Elburn.

• Someone stole a designer diaper bag worth $300 and a Cannon Power Shot camera valued at $400 from a vehicle parked in the 500 block of Parkside Drive in Elburn. The theft occurred sometime between 6 p.m. July 11 and 1 a.m. July 12.

• Kyle P. Wenk, 19, of the 800 block of Drover Street in Elburn, was arrested at 1:48 a.m. July 12, for driving under the influence of alcohol and unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor. Police stopped him for driving a vehicle with a non-functioning tail light. A passenger in the vehicle, Georgia L. Porter, 18, of the 1000 block of Liberty Street, also was cited for unlawful consumption of alcohol by a minor.

Sugar Grove
• Residents of a home on the 800 block of Black Walnut Drive reported July 6 that charges in the amount of $735.63 were made to their debit cards linked to a joint account without their knowledge. An investigation is ongoing.

• Ricardo Cabrera, 28, of the 8,000 block of Marion Drive, Justice, Ill., was arrested for driving on a suspended license when police stopped his vehicle at 4:46 p.m. July 11.

Kane County officials plan to widen Bliss Road at both the KeDeKa and Hankes road intersections, to install turn lanes designed to ease the amount of regional traffic on Bliss.

“We want to make it safer for people who (are) turning at those intersections,” Village President Sean Michels said.

After the county awards the construction contracts, it will provide the village at least five days notice before starting the project work. The county will pay all costs for the project, except the estimated $19,202 for a necessary water main relocation, which will be a village expense under the intergovernmental agreement.

The road improvement project is slated to be finished sometime next year.

Elburn
• A mailbox was knocked down and another was damaged in the 500 block of South First Street in Elburn. The mailboxes’ owners reported the damage on July 5.

• Someone made unauthorized charges on the Fifth Third Bank debit/charge account of a resident of the 100 block of Veteran Avenue in Elburn. The bank reversed the charges, closed the account and established a new account for the victim. The victim did not know who committed the fraud, which she reported at 3:11 p.m. July 2.

• Felix D. Solis-Mazaregos, 42, of the 100 block of North Summer Avenue, was arrested at 1:36 p.m. July 2 for driving without having a valid license. Police stopped him for speeding on Blackberry Creek Drive at Patee Avenue in Elburn.

• A resident of the 800 block of Gee Court in Elburn reported that someone he could not identify made unauthorized charges of $32.95 to his Old Second Bank debit/charge account. The victim said he believed the charges were for access to a pornography website.

• Someone scratched profanity on the driver’s door of a vehicle parked in the 400 block of East Willow Street in Elburn sometime between 6 p.m. June 2 and the following morning. The damage estimate was $750.

• A resident of Country Lane in Maple Park reported that someone severely dented the door of his vehicle while it was parked in a lot at Lions Park in Elburn between 8:30 and 9:45 p.m. June 30.

• Someone removed a volleyball net stake at Lions Park in Elburn and possibly used it to break a 2-by-4-foot window at the park maintenance shed on June 29.

• Someone smashed the passenger side window of a Jeep parked outside a business in the 800 block of Hicks Drive in Elburn sometime between 1 and 2:30 p.m. June 28. The damage estimate was $200.

Sugar Grove
• A resident of the 1900 block of Whispering Oaks Lane reported on June 29 that fraudulent charges had been made to their debit card. Two charges equaling $60.83 were made to the Apple Online store, and a $9.99 charge to Rhapsody.com was made.

• Alarcon Magdaleno, 26, of the 1200 block of South Kings Cross, West Chicago was cited for driving without a license and operating an uninsured vehicle after police stopped him after observing Magdaleno make an improper turn onto Denny Road at 3:48 p.m. June 30.

• John A. Pilarczyk, 22, of the 200 block of Bastian Drive, was arrested July 4 on two counts of domestic battery, interference with emergency communication and possession of drug paraphernalia, after police responded to a call made at 3 a.m. to the Montgomery dispatch where only yelling and screaming were heard in the background.

The default will call in two bonds of credit to ensure that the developer or its insurance company will finish the work that began three years ago. The Landings, a retail and office development, is located at Route 47 and Park Avenue in Sugar Grove.

Three class times will be offered during the day on Friday, starting at 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Each course runs for two hours and 45 minutes. Friday evening classes run from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Friday classes will be scheduled at all three of the college’s campuses—Sugar Grove, downtown Aurora and Copley. Fall semester registration is now open, with most fall semester courses beginning the week of Aug. 23.

For more information, call Waubonsee’s Admissions Office at (630) 466-7900, ext. 5756.

Forty-seven Waubonsee nursing students and seven faculty members helped vaccinate community residents at St. Charles North and Aurora East High Schools this past fall.

Waubonsee Assistant Professor and Nursing Program Coordinator Cindy Hassing saw the volunteer effort as a valuable learning opportunity.

“This really was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students and something they’ll be able to carry into their professional careers,” Hassing said.

Each year Waubonsee employees are eligible to undergo a health evaluation by IHS. The healthiest companies are then determined using employees’ aggregate score on IHS’ “Interactive Health Index (IHI).” Waubonsee was one of 34 companies who earned the healthiest designation for 2009.

The IHI screens for indicators of heart disease, diabetes and other diseases by measuring factors like blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and triglycerides. An added component of the test is a personalized set of steps individuals should take for health maintenance or improvement.

IHS provides population health management programs, which seek to encourage preventative health care.

Located on the west side of the new library, the garden showcases the types of flowers and other plants that graced Illinois’ open land hundreds of years ago. Library officials chose a native prairie design for the grounds to enhance the new building’s architecture.

“When we were making the building design plan, we wanted to incorporate landscape around the building that was complementary to the designs that we had that were sort of a barn and farmyard atmosphere,” Library Director Beverly Holmes Hughes said. “We wanted to use native plantings as much as possible and incorporate some trees that are not as common in someone’s backyard.”

The garden is a combination of native Illinois grasses, shrubs, trees and wild flowers. Bachelor buttons, shrub roses, corn poppies, larkspur and showy goldeneye are just a few of the wild flowers patrons can see as they walk or drive past the garden.

Holmes Hughes describes the garden as an evolving ecosystem.

“It just really changes its aspect day to day, as different flowers come into different growth stages,” she said. “It’s gone through almost a color wave.”

Patrons and other visitors to the library can enjoy the garden in every season.

“With the native growth area, the intent being that the taller grasses are visible as a winter landscape as they catch or hold the snow,” Holmes Hughes said. “It is really a year-round event.”

Karen Benesch, a library volunteer with a horticultural degree, helped identify and photograph the wild flowers in the garden.

“It was starting to grow, and we weren’t really certain what were weeds, what would grow into plants,” Holmes Hughes said. “We were looking for some expert opinion on that. Karen volunteered to come out and take photographs and identify them for us.”

The result was a book available for patrons to view anytime at the Adult Ask Me Desk. The book has increased patrons’ awareness of the garden.

“It has been popular,” Holmes Hughes said. “People who enjoy gardening and maybe don’t have the space to garden anymore really enjoy coming to see the flowers.”

Elburn
• Elizabeth S. Diaz-Ramirez, 21, of the 300 block of John Street in Aurora, was arrested at 11:35 p.m. June 24 on two DuPage County warrants. Police arrested her outside McDonald’s in Elburn when she called them for assistance after locking herself out of her vehicle.

• Someone smashed the passenger-side window of a Jeep parked at a business in the 800 block of Hicks Drive sometime in the afternoon on June 28.

Sugar Grove
• An air conditioning unit was taken from a property on the 100 block of Neil Road sometime between the hours of 4 and 6 p.m. on June 21. A neighbor reported seeing a small gray truck in front of the property during that time. The value of the unit was estimated at $800.

Under the arrangement, residents can save money by purchasing carnival tickets in advance. Sold between now and Wednesday, July 21, the $20 value unlimited ride tickets will be sold for $15. Saturday unlimited ride tickets will be sold only at the park and only for $20.

Discounted unlimited ride tickets will be available at Castle Bank, American Heartland Bank & Trust, Chase and Old Second National Bank until 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 21.

Volunteers needed
The Corn Boil is still looking for volunteers to set up, work during the event, and clean up.

If you would like to volunteer, call (466) 5166 or (630) 466-3785 . The Sugar Grove Corn Boil is held in Volunteer Park, west of Route 47, just off Main Street in downtown Sugar Grove behind the Kaneland John Shields Elementary School.

For more information about the Corn Boil call the Sugar Grove Events Hotline at (630) 466-5166 or (630) 466-3785, or visit www.sugargrovecornboil.org.

A $120,000 grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation will help get the college’s two new photovoltaic career certificates off the ground. Photovoltaic systems generate electricity from sunlight and are becoming more popular in commercial and residential buildings.

The money will be used to purchase a ground-mounted photovoltaic array, which is a series of panels used to capture solar power. The array should be installed on the Sugar Grove Campus sometime this summer. Along with the array, the college will also outfit a student lab with 12 technician stations and a mock-up of a roof-mounted array system.

In addition to preparing area residents for jobs in this emerging field, the photovoltaic system has the added benefit of supplying supplemental electricity to a few of the college’s buildings.

Also making both the college’s curricula and facilities greener is the recently installed geothermal system. Geothermal systems take advantage of the constant, moderate temperatures found underground to heat and cool buildings using a system of buried water pipes called a loop. Waubonsee’s system consists of 800 feet of pipe that is buried near Akerlow Hall on the north side of the Sugar Grove Campus, along with a heat pump and water furnace located in the college’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) lab.

Funded by the Perkins Grant for Career and Technical Education, the system will be incorporated into the college’s existing Residential Comfort Systems course and serve as the focus of a Geothermal Systems course in the new Renewable Energy Technologies discipline. The system is also capable of providing supplemental heating and cooling to the HVAC lab.

Visitors who have already eaten breakfast may choose other edibles to purchase such as egg rolls, popcorn, cookies, pies and specialty breads including banana nut.

Aside from those products and a variety of fruits and vegetables, the market offers homemade sauerkraut, fresh eggs and popcorn, and non-food items such as house plants, t-shirts, jewelry, crocheted items including afghans, homemade soap and children’s clothing.

“We encourage variety to try to attract more people and make it more fun and interesting,” market volunteer Pat Graceffa said.

Hosta plants, a shade groundcover, is for sale to raise money for a new handicapped facility in Sugar Grove.

If you need a massage after carrying all of your purchases to the car, a chiropractor is at the market to provide massages.

Graceffa and another volunteer Mari Johnson said the market will have continuing and changing events every Saturday through Sept. 25.

On July 23, the market will hold a 50/50 raffle to raise money for the Sugar Grove fireworks. The winner need not be present.

For information or to add your name to the Sugar Grove Farmers Market newsletter mailing list, e-mail Pat Graceffa at patdangraceffa@msn.com.

SG Farmers Market
Saturdays, 8 a.m.-noon
Sugar Grove Municipal Center.
Rt. 30 west from Rt. 47 to 10 Municipal Drive

Special events
July 10—Live demo day. Vendors such as Pampered Chef, Tastefully Simple and Tupperware will do cooking demos.

Aug 14—Dog Days of Summer. Bring along your faithful friend. Sponsored by
Millie Pet City.

Sept 4—Pie baking contest. Come have
a taste. Village trustee Bob Miller has been
the winner for the past two years.

Sept. 18—Plant exchange.
Bring one, take one.

Sept. 25—The Harvest Market’s final day this year. The market will be open one hour later for this final day. Pumpkins and kids’ crafts.

ELBURN
• Chester M. Kopacz, 38, of Aurora, was arrested at 9:55 a.m. June 20 for unlawful affixation of a temporary registration plate. Police stopped Kopacz after he made a U-turn in the 100 block of Main Street in Elburn.

SUGAR GROVE
• A resident of the 0-100 block of Neil Road, Sugar Grove, reported unauthorized charges had been made on their debit card June 22. A charge of $845.55 made at a Best Buy store in Homewood, Ill. on June 4, and a charge for $5.49 made at a Payless shoe store in Topeka, Kan., on June 5, were made before the victim learned of the fraud June 6.

• A resident of the 700 block of Black Walnut Drive, Sugar Grove, reported to Sugar Grove police that someone destroyed a statue that was located in their front lawn sometime between 7 p.m. on June 16 and 7 a.m. June 17. Police found the statue in a neighbor’s front lawn. The statue was valued at $250.

• At 11 p.m. June 15, Kane County Sheriff Department deputies responded to a report of shots being fired at signs in the area of 44W Wheeler Road in Sugar Grove. While en route, a deputy observed a vehicle matching the description of one seen leaving the scene. The officer stopped the vehicle at Bliss and Hankes roads and after observing an empty semi-auto magazine and spent shell casing inside the vehicle, the officer arrested the driver, Gabriel M. Carpenter of Sugar Grove. He posted 10 percent of his $40,000 bond on June 22 and has a court date of July 13, 2010.

Meantime, postal union representatives remain concerned that the consolidation might negatively affect mail delivery and cause job loss.

The proposed consolidation announced earlier this month would cancel out the U.S. Postal Service’s Aurora-Fox Valley distribution center as a collection-mail processing operation. All mail that typically would go through the Aurora-Fox Valley distribution center, including Sugar Grove’s, would then travel through the Bedford Park, Ill., facility.

“Bedford Park is a larger facility, and it just makes sense for them to handle the additional collection mail at this time,” said Jim Mruk, Great Lakes spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service. “The proposal still has a ways to go, and there’s no fixed timeline for when the reviews at each level will be complete.”

According to Mruk, the consolidation is necessary since the Aurora-Fox Valley distribution center is no longer processing a high level of collection mail because of increased electronic communication usage and a mail-volume decline inflicted by the recession.

The American Postal Workers Union members have expressed concerned that approximately 40 Aurora-Fox Valley distribution center employees possibly might lose their jobs and local mail service will decline with the consolidation.

But Mruk claims the Postal Service simply would place those 40 employees in other jobs within the company. He also said he does not expect any decrease in the quality of mail delivery as a result of the consolidation.

“We’re confident our customers will receive the same quality of service if the changes do take place,” he said. “We feel this (consolidation) is in the best interest of our customers, and also in the best interest of (our company’s) job security.”

The American Postal Workers Union leader is not entirely convinced of the Postal Service’s assurances.

“They’re saying employees won’t be impacted and there’ll be no degradation in mail service. I don’t drive a postal truck, so I don’t know,” said Jackie Engelhart, President of the American Postal Workers Union’s Northwest Illinois Area Local Chapter. “(U.S. Postmaster General) John E. Potter and company don’t seem to care about anything other than efficiency and penny costs.”

Mruk said the consolidation will save the U.S.P.S. $1.5 million a year.

Bedford Park handled all mail for southern Kane County until the early 1990s, when the Postal Service built the Aurora-Fox Valley center.

“He’d make things from what he rummaged from our recycling bin,” she said. “He created string set ups in his room to slide things on and open doors.”

One such creation—a castle made from egg cartons—is among Adam’s art that is on display at Sugar Grove Public Library through Friday, June 25, along with works by other students of The Art Room.

Because of her son’s talent and interest in art, Adam’s mom enrolled him in classes at The Art Room, in the instructor Jeaneatte Rehmel’s Elburm home.

An acrylic painting of a lion is one of Adam’s creations in The Art Room display at the library this month. He said his teacher helped him with the details.

“I was supposed to draw it inside a cage, but I wanted him outside,” he said. “So Miss Jeannette had me look at pictures to see what it was like where lions live.”

Adam’s parents display more of his art in the family’s house. Moving his hands over a colorful painting of a pirate ship shooting at a boat, Adam told how Rehmel helped him create this piece.

“Miss Jeannette explained that I needed to make the boat being fired on smaller, so that it would seem far away,” Adam said. “My hardest part was drawing the cannon so it would look like it had turned sideways so it could aim at the boat.”

Adam is particularly proud of the ladder he had drawn up to the crow’s nest. He said it was “one of the harder things to get the way I wanted it.”

His ship painting will be on display at another art show at the Sugar Grove Public Library in late fall.

Another painting he did at The Art Room, of a lighthouse, features beams of light glowing at the top, on a dark sky-blue background, showing Adam’s love for color.

In a follow-up to his lion painting, Adam is currently working on a painting of a gazelle.

“I’m going to keep drawing animals that live in the same place,” he said.

Art show
thru Friday, June 25
Sugar Grove Public Library,
125 S. Municipal Drive
Featuring works by students
of The Art Room
The public may view the display
during regular library hours:
Tue.–Thu., 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Fri. and Sat., 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Photo: An acrylic painting of a lion is among Elburn 6-year-old Adam Wold’s creations on display at the Sugar Grove Public Library this month. A student of The Art Room in Elburn, Adam plans to produce a series of wild-animal paintings. Courtesy Photo

“I wouldn’t have believed a year ago that I would own a jewelry business,” said Crisci, who owns Steeple Stones Jewelry in Sugar Grove.

For a long time, Crisci had wanted to “wear her faith” through stylish and contemporary religious jewelry to complement her business attire. However, she found pieces like that were nearly non-existent. So, she began sketching hundreds of images of jewelry that she had pictured in her mind over the years.

Her jewelry designs became reality when she took her sketches to the owner of a jewelry store and casting business in Chicago and Steeple Stones Jewelry came into being.

“It seems like just yesterday that I started drawing jewelry designs in my notebook,” Crisci said. “I knew that I wanted to create pieces with a scriptural, symbolic or inspirational meaning.”

One of her customers, Donna Weiss, said Crisci’s jewelry struck her immediately as being unique.

“When I first saw Melissa’s pieces, I knew they were special,” Weiss said. “I’ve been able to give my family and friends gifts that are eye-catching and truly represent their faith. There is nothing similar to Crisci’s designs.”

Steeple Stones Jewelry has a showroom at 6 S. Main St., Sugar Grove, plus offers in-home parties and art shows. To see Crisci’s jewelry designs, visit www.steeplestonesjewelry.com.

Fashion show
Melissa Crisci, owner of Steeple Stones Jewelry,
is hosting a fashion show Thursday, June 24, 6:30-9:30 p.m.
at the Fireside Grill in Sugar Grove. The event will feature
appetizers, beverages, special offers and prizes.
Fifteen percent of the proceeds will be donated to the
Sugar Grove Food Pantry. Call (630) 688-8524 for reservations.

Photo: Melissa Crisci owns Steeple Stones Jewelry in Sugar Grove, where she displays many of the unique pieces she designed. Courtesy Photo

The board voted 4-3 for the the SSA, which will allow the village to levy a special tax to subdivision property owners to finance drainage improvements.

The SSA vote was deadlocked at 3-3 before Village President Sean Michels broke the tie with a vote in favor creating an SSA similar to those the village established for other developments.

“All our subdivisions in Sugar Grove have a special service area to take care of maintenance and common areas, in case the homeowners association can’t take care of them,” he said. “In this case, Mallard Point doesn’t have a homeowner’s association, so this is a good way to distribute the cost amongst all the homeowners in that subdivision.”

Michels said the village has not yet determined costs or fees that will be associated with the SSA, which the owners of the 350 homes that fall within the area will pay.

To evaluate the drainage issue and assess initial costs for cleaning up the pond and wetlands, the Village employed a management company. The company also will perform annual maintenance to prevent further drainage issues.

Several residents adamantly expressed their displeasure Tuesday about having to bear the cost of drainage improvements.

Trustee Kevin Geary, who opposed the SSA, said he sympathized with them and asked the Village Board to reconsider its stance on the Mallard Point drainage issue.

“This issue is no different than a street that crumbles and we have to search through the budget to find an extra $200,000 to emergency patch (the) road.”

The development consists of four buildings slated to include offices and retail space for businesses that will include a sports bar, a gas station with a possible drive-through restaurant.

The Sugar Grove Village Board on Tuesday unanimously approved the temporary use.

• Richard S. Radke, 47, of Catlin Square in Geneva, was arrested at 12:23 a.m. June 13 for driving under the influence of alcohol. Police stopped him for speeding on Route 47 at Capes Drive in Elburn.

• Andrew James Howard Miller, 22, of the 200 block of Carlton Mew Court in Geneva, was arrested at 3:49 a.m. June 13 for driving while under the influence of alcohol. Police stopped him for speeding on Route 47 near Rowe Street in Elburn.

SUGAR GROVE
• Christopher A. Murre, 20, of the 200 block of Chatsworth Ave., Sugar Grove, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia at 7:57 a.m. June 9. Police approached Murre after finding he was driving on a registration violation. A June 18 court date was scheduled.

• A resident of the 300 block of Smoke Tree Plaza, North Aurora, reported an array of items were stolen from a vehicle parked at Bliss Creek Golf Course sometime between 11:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. June 9. Among the items missing were a laptop valued at $3,026, two DVD movies, a shoulder bag and various computer programs.

• Sugar Grove police responded to a business on the 1900 block of Route 30 in Sugar Grove on June 10 when an employee reported that someone had slashed the tires of a company vehicle. The incident happened sometime between 3:15 p.m. on June 9 and 7:30 a.m. June 10.

• A resident of the 200 block of East Park Avenue in Sugar Grove reported that their vehicle was damaged during an all-day garage sale June 10. The vehicle was scratched from the drivers-side door to the rear of the vehicle while it was parked on the street during the sale. There was no damage estimate given.

Not by taking a step back.

Watson, who was inducted into the Waubonsee Community College Athletics Hall of Fame at a banquet last month, also got back from Arizona this week where he was competing in Senior Nationals and the USA Adult Open Volleyball Championship.

A former sportswriter with the Elburn Herald, Watson also remains coach of local club volleyball and the Hinckley-Big Rock girls volleyball squad.

His hall of fame honor is a long way away from the humble beginnings of his WCC tenure, when he helped establish the Lady Chiefs volleyball program in 1977 as head coach, and remained for 14 years.

“It was an honor, in a sense that when I look at the others that went in (to the Hall of Fame) in years past, I knew all of them,” Watson said. “I was grateful and thrilled, it was a nice honor.”

Watson was also the first softball coach and led the team to its first Skyway Conference title in 1980.

“I’ve seen the Waubonsee athletic program grow a lot to where people are getting into the Hall of Fame,” Watson said. “We had some pretty good teams over the years.”

Watson began teaching a volleyball class in the 1980s and ran summer camps for high school players.

“I played with the Elgin YMCA team way back when and it was a very competitive league and that’s where I really learned the game,” Watson said.

With the new high school volleyball season set to begin shortly, Watson took the time to participate in mens volleyball for the sixth time in the USA Volleyball National Championships in Phoenix earlier this month, where the Chicagoland Masters took a bronze in the Mens’ 75 division.

“Then people ask how many teams were in the bracket,” Watson said. “But in the Men’s 75 group, it’s hard to get many people to compete. But the first and second-place teams were bigger and were better than we were.”

The group that Watson participated in also had teams from Florida, Maryland and Delaware.

The hall of famer has no plans to stop doing what he loves.

“With coaching high school, I feel I have to stay active,” Watson said. “I have to do what I try to teach and demonstrate sometimes what I’m talking about. It’s not just playing, you keep learning.”

“I always wished I had someone to help me,” she said.

Wilson-Bennett currently is reading approximately 1,000 surveys to help her set a direction for teenage reading and writing clubs that will meet at the Teen Zone at the Sugar Grove Public Library. Local high-school and middle-school teachers distributed the surveys to their students for Wilson-Bennett. The survey also is available at the Sugar Grove Library’s website, www.sugargrove.lib.il.us.

Wilson-Bennett wants the reading groups to focus on fun, new and trendy books. The groups will only visit the classics if that is what their members want, because they will select the titles.

She is planning a possible kick-off party during the summer, perhaps with a movie marathon showing “Harry Potter” movies or the “Twilight” series, holding the first meeting afterward.

Library Board member Julie Wilson likes Wilson-Bennett’s idea.

“It is really important to keep the younger minds involved with reading. And discussions with your peers opens doors and ideas,” Wilson said. “I think joining reading with the creative writing will only help. It is the hope of the Sugar Grove Library Board that this program will catch on and keep growing.”

In addition to starting the teen groups, Wilson-Bennett hopes to put her literary magazine experience to use, providing a showcase for local writers’ work.

“My long-term goal is for the Sugar Grove Public Library to put out a literary magazine with submissions from students and the community,” Wilson-Bennett said. “The members in the club will help me with the process, learning how to lay out pages and edit.

The soil boring is needed to help determine competitive fits to trench in a 30-inch pipe, which will help relieve the subdivision’s drainage issues.

“We’re working toward the ultimate goal of correcting the drainage problems in Mallard Point,” Village President Sean Michels said.

Elburn
• Genaro Quinones-Hernandez, 32, of the 800 block of Kate Street in Elgin, was arrested at 6:30 a.m. June 7 for driving while his license was suspended. Police stopped him for speeding in the 200 block of South Main Street in Elburn.

• Margaret A. Turner, 33, 2400 block of Courtyard Circle in Aurora, was arrested at 5:05 a.m. June 5 for driving while her license was suspended and for lacking proof of insurance. Police arrested her after she flagged down a patrol to ask for directions in the 1000 block of South Main Street in Elburn.

• A van in a parking lot in the 800 block of East North Street in Elburn was burglarized sometime between 5 p.m. June 1 and 8 a.m. June 2. Items stolen from the vehicle included tools valued at $300 and a Comsonic Sleuth II leak detector worth $1,725.

• Marisol Maldonado, 39, of the 100 block of Main Street in Elburn, was arrested at 12:50 a.m. May 28 for driving while her license was suspended and for lacking insurance. Police stopped her on Route 47 at Valley Drive in Elburn for not having a functioning rear plate light.

• Christopher L. Grandrud, 25, of the 500 block of Gregory Avenue in Glendale Heights, was arrested at 7:30 p.m. May 29 on a DuPage County warrant based on a charge of aggravated battery. Police arrested him at a residence in the 400 block of Prairie Valley Drive in Elburn.

Sugar Grove
• A resident of the 100 block of Calkins Drive in Sugar Grove reported a jogging stroller had been stolen sometime between the evening of June 1 and the early morning hours of June 2. The stroller was valued at $250.

• A postal employee reported the theft of service disconnect for an outdoor air conditioning condenser unit June 4. The unit was housed in an unlocked casing. The specific value was unknown, but estimated to be under $300.

“Anybody that comes in and wants to put up a small wind-energy system has to meet these regulations,” Community Development Director Richard Young said. “We’re calling this a renewable-energy system ordinance because we fully intend to come back in short order with solar panel designs that we incorporated into this ordinance, and then hopefully geothermal (energy).”

The regulations cover residential and commercial districts, and require all small wind-energy structures to be no more than 50 feet high. The ordinance also requires such structures to have a noise maximum of 55 decibels and a blade-to-ground clearance of 30 feet.

The Sugar Grove Planning Commission on May 19 reviewed the renewable-energy ordinance and passed it on to the Village Board with a recommendation of approval.

Devices are ‘green’

Sugar Grove Community Development Director Richard Young said
small wind-energy systems are hardly a cost-effective option,
and simply represent a green approach to cutting down on pollution.

“Most people want to (build an electricity-generating wind device)
regardless of whether or not it’s cost-effective to them,” Young said.
“For a lot of people, it’s just about going green.”

Elburn
• Miguel A. Perez, 23, of the 1000 block of Pattee Avenue, Elburn, was arrested at 6:28 a.m. May 25 on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear in court on charges of driving while his license was suspended.

• A resident of the 60 block of Banbury Road in Elburn reported that someone made three scratches on her Toyota Camry sometime between 2 p.m. May 22 and 7 p.m. May 23. The vehicle was parked in front of her residence.

• Kelly M. Sivak, 19, of the 1300 block of Lance Avenue in Elburn, was arrested at 11:28 p.m. May 24 for driving while her license was suspended. Police arrested her on Blackberry Creek Drive at Keslinger Road in Elburn, after seeing that her rear license plate light was not functioning.

• Jacob B. Pierce, 24, of the 200 block of Kansas Street in Elburn, was arrested at 7:29 a.m. May 22 for driving while his license was suspended. Police stopped him on Route 47 north of Hughes Road in Elburn, for driving without having a front license plate.

Sugar Grove
• On May 28, an employee of the Aurora Municipal Airport informed a patrolling Sugar Grove officer that an F18 fighter jet had escorted a small aircraft to the airport, due to violating the Presidential “no-fly” zone. The employee told the officer that the Secret Service was on the way to hold the pilot and his aircraft. The pilot, Jeffrey D. Hagg of Indianapolis, stated he was flying from Indianapolis to Minnesota, was unaware of the no-fly zone, and that his radio must have been turned down too low to hear the control tower’s warnings. The case was turned over to the Aurora Police Department before the Secret Service arrived.

• A 19-year-old Elburn resident was arrested for a zero-tolerance offense after the vehicle he was driving was stopped for speeding in the early morning hours of May 29. Jordan C. Bergmann of the 1100 block of Griffith Avenue, Elburn, was stopped when a Sugar Grove police officer found him traveling at 71 mph in a 55 mph zone. After noticing the scent of alcohol on Bergmann’s breath, the officer asked him to take a breath test, which Bergmann denied. As a result, Bergmann was taken into custody.

The soil boring is needed to help determine competitive fits to trench in a 30-inch pipe, which will help relieve the subdivision’s drainage issues.

“We’re working towards the ultimate goal of correcting the drainage problems in Mallard Point,” Village President Sean Michels said.

The Village Board may vote on the ordinance sometime next month.

“We are aiming to have it definitely voted on by the June 15 (regular board/Committee-of-the-Whole meeting), as the (wind device) moratorium ends on June 30,” Village Planner Mike Ferencak said.

Ferencak said the Planning Commission and Committee of the Whole members voiced concerns over the amount of noise generated by a wind turbine, as well as the device’s potential impact on area wildlife. Those concerns, as well as questions regarding annual or hours-of-service-based inspections, fencing requirements and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations regarding the height of the wind turbine, were addressed in a village staff report presented during the Planning Commission’s May 19 meeting.

Ferencak said the turbine’s impact on wildlife would be minimal, and that the structure would meet FAA requirements as long as it does not exceed 50 feet in height.

The village placed a moratorium on electricity-generating wind devices last July, and then renewed the moratorium in December.

The residents have been keeping several thousand bees at their home in the Mallard Point subdivision, drawing the ire of at least one neighbor who believes the bees have made it inconvenient to do anything outdoors in the subdivision.

“They started out with 8,000 bees. Now, my deck is 120 feet away from these bees. It’s not a good thing,” Sugar Grove resident John Novak said. “I can’t go out on my deck, eat dinner, put a pop down (or) put a beer down without bees. I’ve got flowers around my deck, (so) the bees come. And I am allergic.”

Novak also presented three pictures of an individual handling the bees while wearing a full rubber suit.

Bee-keeping is considered an agricultural practice, which means it cannot be done in a residentially zoned area.

The Village Board listened to statements from both Novak and a bee expert who is a close friend of the couple requesting the amendment. The board took both sides of the argument into consideration before ultimately deciding to enforce the current zoning ordinance.

“I (understand) how important bees are, but I would tend to go that 8,000 bees is more designated for an Ag property and not a residential property,” Village President Sean Michels said.

Trustee Melisa Taylor agreed with Michels, adding her concern about children in the subdivision being exposed to a nearby bee colony.

“It’s not justified necessarily in the bee world, but put a bunch of bees and put a bunch of little kids around, and that right there is chaos,” she said.

Elburn
• A side rear window of a pickup truck parked in front of a residence in the 1100 block of Berry Street in Elburn was shattered sometime between 7 p.m. May 16 and 5:40 a.m. May 17. Damage was estimated at $400.

• A chrome and purple Huffy bicycle was left for about a week in the bike rack at Town & Country Public Library in Elburn. The library turned the bicycle in on May 17 to the Elburn Police Department, 301 E. North St., where it was secured in bike storage.

Sugar Grove
• Justin A. Elfano, 19, of the first block of Augusta Court, Glendale Heights, Ill., was stopped by Sugar Grove police for traveling 73 mph in a 45 mph construction zone. Elfano was also charged with driving while his license was suspended and not having proof of insurance. Elfano was also found to have a failure-to-appear warrant out of Lombard.

• The owner of a home on the 100 block of Brompton Lane, Sugar Grove, reported on May 21 that numerous items had been stolen from the vacant home sometime in the past three weeks. Two ceiling light fixtures valued at $100 each, a ceiling fan valued at $150, a ladder valued at $25 and 10 sets of blinds valued at a total of $700 were reported missing.

• Sugar Grove police found a stone column and street sign damaged by a vehicle that left the road near Whitfield Avenue on Merrill Road May 11 near the Hannaford Farms subdivision. The vehicle had left the scene.

• Sugar Grove police arrested Matthew Longmire of the 500 block of East Altgeld St., Glendale Heights, Ill., for driving while his license was suspended on May 13. Longmire was stopped after he was observed driving around cones set up on the eastbound lane of Route 56 due to a bridge that was out on Route 56 at Golfview Drive. Longmire posted bond, and a court date for June 18 was scheduled.

• Victor M. Barrera-Algantar of the 500 block of Colorado St., Aurora, was taken into custody May 14 for driving without a driver’s license after Sugar Grove police stopped the truck he was driving due to debris blowing into the roadway. Barrera-Algantar was taken into custody, and was also found to have an outstanding warrant for deceptive practice through the Wheaton Police Department. He posted bond and has a June 16 court date.

• The parent of a Harter Middle School student reported to Sugar Grove police May 17 that their child’s iPod Nano with nearly 200 purchased songs, valued at $350, and a black sweatshirt valued at $20, was stolen from a locker that was left unlocked at the school three weeks prior.

• Someone stole an ELEMENT skateboard grindrail valued at $120 from a residence on the 300 block of Meadows Drive two- to three-weeks prior to the report on May 18.

Kane county
• A Wayne man was sentenced to probation and 180 days in jail on May 13 for a June 2009 drunken driving crash that killed a West Chicago man and seriously injured two others.

Onofrio J. Lorusso, 19, of the 4N block of Honey Hill Circle, Wayne, was given a sentence of three years probation and 180 days in the Kane County jail.

On March 31, Lorusso pleaded guilty to one count of reckless homicide, a Class 2 felony, and three counts of aggravated DUI, one a Class 2 felony and two counts Class 4 felonies. Circuit Judge Timothy Q. Sheldon accepted the plea.

Lorusso must serve 120 days in the Kane County jail this year, 30 days in 2011 and 30 days in 2012. However, the judge said that for every speech Lorusso gives on the dangers of drunken driving, his sentence will reduced by one day after 2010.

In addition, Lorusso must pay $30,061.42 in restitution to the family of the deceased.

Lorusso was given credit for time served in the Kane County jail, where he has been held since April 30, 2010.

• An Aurora man has been convicted of drunken driving in the death of a Batavia man who was killed while walking his dog on the sidewalk just after dawn.

Edward O. Cook, 25, of the 600 block of Galena Boulevard, Aurora, was convicted Friday by Associate Judge T. Jordan Gallagher of reckless homicide, a Class 3 felony, 15 counts of aggravated driving under the influence (five are Class 2 felonies and 10 are Class 4 felonies), one count of unlawful possession of a converted motor vehicle, a Class 2 felony, in the July 2009 death of 57-year-old David Long of Batavia.

Cook had waived his right to a jury trial.

At about 6:45 a.m. July 29, 2009, Long was walking his dog on the sidewalk in the 1000 block of Woodland Hills Road on Batavia’s southeast side when a 2003 white Acura driven by Cook left the roadway and struck and killed Long and the dog. Cook had been drinking and smoking marijuana the previous night and early into the morning at a residence in Aurora and later in DeKalb. After being given a ride to the residence of an acquaintance, Cook took the car without permission. A blood sample taken at least three hours after the crash revealed that Cook’s blood-alcohol concentration was .106, and he had marijuana and cocaine in his system.

Cook previously had had his driving privileges revoked for a 2008 aggravated DUI conviction, and he has never had a valid license to drive a motor vehicle.

Cook’s next court appearance was set for 1:30 p.m. July 23, for motions and sentencing. Cook faces a sentence of probation or between three and 14 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Cook remains in custody in the Kane County jail. He had been held on $750,000 bail since the crash. Bond was revoked upon conviction.

• An Aurora woman has been indicted for her role in a May 2009 crash on Route 47 in which two people were killed and several others were injured.

Alia N. Bernard, 20, of the 1500 block of West Galena Boulevard, Aurora, was indicted May 18 by a Kane County grand jury, on two counts of reckless homicide, each a Class 3 felony, and one count of driving under the influence, a Class A misdemeanor.

Bernard surrendered May 19 at the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, posted $5,000 bond and was released. Bernard was ordered to appear at 9 a.m. June 2 in Courtroom 217 in front of Associate Judge James C. Hallock.

According to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, the crash occurred at about 8:20 a.m. May 23, 2009, at the intersection of Route 47 and Smith Road in Blackberry Township south of Elburn. A vehicle in the southbound lane on Route 47 had stopped to turn left onto Smith Road, waiting for several northbound motorcycles to pass. Two additional southbound vehicles had stopped behind it. A fourth southbound vehicle, a 1999 Toyota Solara driven by Bernard, approached and struck the third vehicle in the rear.

The collision created a chain reaction that ultimately pushed the first vehicle into the path of the oncoming motorcycles. A 2000 Harley-Davidson Softtail struck the first vehicle, and motorcycle’s driver, Wade Thomas, 44, of St. Charles, and the passenger, his wife, Denise Thomas, 45, also of St. Charles, were killed.

According to the indictment, Bernard was acting recklessly, performing acts likely to cause the death or great bodily harm to some individual in that she operated a motor vehicle while failing to keep a proper look out and thereby caused the deaths of Wade Thomas and Denise Thomas. The indictment further states that Bernard had cannabis in her system at the time of the crash.

Bernard was given a traffic citation at the time for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. However, that charge was dropped while authorities awaited the results of toxicology tests, which took several months to be returned, and while the Kane County Sheriff’s Office continued to investigate the case.

If convicted of the most serious charges, Bernard faces a sentence of probation or two to five years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

The charges against Bernard are not proof of guilt. Bernard is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial in which it is the state’s burden to prove her guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Since its first graduating class in 1968, Waubonsee has conferred 15,858 degrees to local students.

Photo: Waubonsee Community College graduate Maybelle Harshey of Sugar Grove has her diploma in hand as she exits the college’s commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 20. At 76, Harshey is the oldest member of Waubonsee’s 2010 graduating class. She earned an Associate in Applied Science Degree in Criminal Justice.
Courtesy Photo

It’s now known as vacant. Owned by Jerry Rich of Rich Harvest Farms and the Rich Harvest Links golf course, the property hasn’t housed an operating restaurant establishment since 2005.

The former tavern and restaurant building was torn down last fall. The empty site now serves as an overflow parking lot for St. Katherine Drexel Church during the week.

Rich’s son, James, owned the property before and opened J.R.’s Retreat in 1998. Jerry Rich took over the property from his son in 2005 after James’ plan to reintroduce the bar as Chicago West fell through.

Jerry Rich said Wednesday he currently has no plans for the property.

“Personally, I think the way (the property is)—open space with a small amount of parking for the church—is lovely,” Village Clerk Cynthia Galbreath said. “I drive by it each morning, and it has such a nice park-like setting.”

“Of course, it is always nice for the village to have a sales tax-producing business in town,” she added.

An investigation revealed that the boys had made a call of a bomb threat from one of their cell phones shortly after lunch on Wednesday, May 19. The call made to the Hair Cuttery at 495 Route 47 in Sugar Grove resulted in the evacuation of the shopping plaza for two hours while police K-9 units from Kane County and Yorkville searched the plaza.

The Kane County State’s Attorney authorized one felony count for each juvenile, for disorderly conduct. Both juveniles were referred to Juvenile Court Services, where they will have to appear at a future date. After booking, each youth was released into the custody of their parents.

The changes include termination of the library’s committee system in favor of library representative positions; an addition of a second Committee-of-the-Whole meeting each month; designation of the Library Board president as a primary spokesperson for the Library Board; and a decreased limit on how much money the library director can spend without seeking board approval. Any donations to the library exceeding $100 will now require board approval, as well.

The Library Board chose to hold off on a proposed change to the bylaw affecting the library director’s personnel decisions until further review.

“We are optimistic about the library’s future, and we believe these bylaw changes will have a positive impact on our library, and allow us to more effectively accomplish what we need to in the year ahead, within the confines of our new budget,” Sugar Grove Library Trustee Sabrina Malano said.

Malano’s optimism is not a universal feeling throughout Sugar Grove, however. Friends of the Library President Pat Graceffa gave a statement during the Library Board meeting, questioning the board’s decision to replace a committee with eight library representative positions.

“How is the board more qualified than the staff we have in place?” Graceffa asked. “I would also suggest that these library representative positions eliminate the diversity of input a committee would bring to the table.”

According to Graceffa, a committee meeting to review bylaws and conduct a survey discussion was held on April 22 at a library trustee’s home instead of the Sugar Grove Public Library, where the meetings are usually held.

“This board has an agenda, and they seem to think the way they are conducting business is unapproachable,” she said. “The board president knew I wanted to attend the bylaw and survey discussion meeting held in a trustees’ home, (and) he knew I was not welcomed in that home. Nonetheless, the meeting still took place in that home instead of in our library.”

Graceffa insisted throughout her statement that she does not challenge the Library Board’s right to make changes to any existing bylaws, but asked for the board to clearly demonstrate how the approved changes could benefit the Sugar Grove community.

Sugar Grove Library Board President Art Morrical said the library representative system was chosen because of the numerous scheduling constraints the board experienced while using a committee.

“Moving to a system of library representatives allows us to hold all our meetings as regular board meetings on the second and fourth Thursdays of each month,” he said. “That way, we can proceed with full board participation and continue moving ahead with critical budget discussions.”

Malano said the bylaw changes were implemented so that the Sugar Grove Public Library can stay current with updates made to Illinois state law, and also serve both the library and the voters who elected current library board members.

“Our goal as trustees has been, and always will be, giving our patrons the best possible library experience,” she said.

They were among 28 moms who were nominated for the award, through essays their Kaneland middle- and high-school students wrote. The contest was sponsored by Audrey Ritchey of Tastefully Simple home parties, the Sugar Grove Public Library and the Elburn Herald.

Winner Veronica Price was nominated by her daughter Kailah. Kailah wrote that her mother is very involved with home-schooling and church activities, as well as Kailah’s soccer games and violin lessons.

“My mom gives a hug even when the person has done something bad. She gives up so many things for me,” she said.

Veronica said she felt humbled when she heard she had won.

“You never really feel you’re the best mother,” she said. “You always feel you could do better.”

The second winning mom, Pattie Pattermann, a Kaneland teacher for eighth-grade language arts, was nominated by her daughter Kylen. Kylen wrote that her mom always finds time to listen to her problems and said, “My mother’s wisdom always shines through. When I don’t want to ‘hear about it’ because I think I’m smarter than her, I get hugs. I know my mom loves me. What more can I ask for?”

Pattie said she was pleased and surprised when she won, especially since she didn’t know her daughter had submitted an essay. Besides Kylen, she has two sons, one a junior in college and one graduating this month. She said she appreciates the sponsors and their gifts and the middle school for announcing the contest every morning.

“I’m hoping that more students will participate in next year’s contest,” Pattie said.

The third winning mom, Sherri Gura of Montgomery, was nominated by her daughter Starla. Starla expressed admiration for her mother’s strength during a divorce, and the loss of her own mother, brother and her five-year-old son from cancer. Starla said that when so many other people would have fallen apart, her mother was a source of strength that kept everyone else going.

In addition to Starla, she has two college-age sons.

“I knew that they were feeling what I was feeling,” Sherri said.

The day Sherri found out she’d won a Best Mom award, she was feeling down and then got the phone call.

“I don’t feel strong, but I’m glad my daughter sees me that way,” she said.

Each winner received a beach bag worth $350 with prizes that included oil change coupons, massages, olive oil, movie tickets, chocolate, coffee, automatic toothbrushes and other gifts from local businesses, the Elburn Herald, Tastefully Simple, Longaburger Baskets and Mary Kay cosmetics. The Friends of the Sugar Grove Library chose the winners.

“It was so difficult for them to choose,” Ritchey said. “Each one of the essays brought tears to our eyes for how thoughtful and heart-warming they were. They showed that these students really appreciated their mothers.”

Beverly Holmes Hughes, library director, said, “All three of the students (of the winning moms) said they wanted to be like their mothers—that they knew being a mom was a sacrifice.”

Other nominees

In addition to winners Veronica Price, Pattie Patermann and Sherri Gura, the other mothers whose children nominated them for the Best Mom in Town were Lisa Albrechs-Legorreoa, Julie Crabb, Margarette Darst, Laura Long, Annmarie Martons, Laura McPhee, Mrs. Packard, Marybridget Prince, Laura Remes, Jenny Reuland, Juanita Singh, Becky Staley, Kim Emmanouil, Tina Goodacre, Michelle Jurcenko, Cindy Prost, Judy Van Bogaert, Kim Wendling, Sally Alef, Kelly Rosenwinke, Cindi Strobel, Terry Lamb, Lynn McHenry and Angela Orr.

Photo: Veronica Price, Pattie Patermann and Sheri Gura. Courtesy photos

In a coordinated response from the Sugar Grove police and fire departments, the entire shopping plaza was evacuated without incident.

Bomb and arson detection K9 units from the Kane County Sheriff’s Department and Yorkville Police Department searched all businesses located in the complex. The search did not turn up anything suspicious.

Employees and customers were allowed to return to the stores at 2:45 p.m. Police will follow up on the phone call and attempt to identify and locate the caller.

The event, now in its 11th year, brings together Sugar Grove residents and local civic and business leaders for a full day of golf, fellowship and fun with the goal of raising funds for the Chamber Scholarship program and various chamber projects.

The outing gets under way Friday, June 25, at 11 a.m. with lunch, then a shotgun start for golfers at noon. The outing is followed by a steak dinner and prizes for all.

Throughout the day, various products and services—generously donated by Chamber of Commerce businesses—will be raffled off.

Co-chairs of this year’s event are local attorney and Chamber President James White, and Sugar Grove Village President Sean Michels.

Proceeds from the outing support the Sugar Grove Chamber of Commerce’s three academic scholarships, as well as the ongoing operations of the chamber.

For more information about the 2010 Sugar Grove Community Golf Outing or the Chamber of Commerce scholarships, contact Chamber Executive Director Shari Baum at (630) 466-7895 or visit www.sugargrovechamber.org.

The Sugar Grove Chamber of Commerce and Industry was established in 1991 to help advance the Sugar Grove business community and to encourage local residents to utilize the products and services of local businesses.

Nominations must be received by Thursday, July 1, and should be submitted to Teri Leatherbury, WCC executive assistant to the president, by calling (630) 466-7900, ext. 5703, or by e-mailing tleatherbury@waubonsee.edu. Official nominating forms are available at www.waubonsee.edu.

The Distinguished Contributor Award annually honors an individual who has made outstanding contributions or given exemplary support to Waubonsee Community College. The person has supported the general operation of the college in either a personal or professional capacity, which has contributed to the overall growth and expansion of the college’s mission.

The nominee’s commitment has enhanced a program, the operation and/or future development of the college that went beyond the ordinary, and such results would not have occurred without that special effort. The college staff, community residents and officials or community college leaders must also recognize the person as having made an extraordinary commitment to promote the college and its mission.

The nominee must have documented evidence of contributions to the community and/or the educational community. Employees and retirees of Waubonsee Community College are not eligible to receive this award.

The Distinguished Alumnus Award is an award for outstanding graduates of Waubonsee Community College. It honors a graduate who shows evidence of personal/professional support for the college, its growth, development and mission. The individual must have documented evidence of a distinguished record in their chosen profession and/or occupation; documented evidence of contributions and service to their community; and have demonstrated a continued interest in lifelong education.

The 100-foot tower, which Sugar Grove Township wants to build at the road and bridge building on Main Street, exceeds the height limit outlined in the village’s draft zoning ordinance regulating wind devices. The village originally placed a moratorium on electricity-generating wind devices last July, and then renewed the moratorium in December. The current moratorium expires June 1.

According to Jazzercise instructor Deb Cargola, Back in the Swing will use the donations to provide awareness, access and financial support for supportive breast cancer survivorship programs and academic medical research in the field of breast cancer survivorship.

Held at Jazzercise Sugar Grove, the event drew 72 participants. Jazzercise students and friends from Elburn, La Fox, Oswego, Sandwich, Sugar Grove, St. Charles, Sycamore, DeKalb and Yorkville participated in a 90-minute class as part of the benefit. Local instructors Matt Giblin and Alan Kirkland volunteered their time to lead the high energy 90-minute class.

“The Back in the Swing organization’s goal is to empower breast cancer survivors to get back in the swing of life physically, emotionally and spiritually,” Cargola said. “Together, we will help breast cancer survivors get ‘back in the swing’ and ‘stay in the swing’ of joyful, healthy living after breast cancer.”

Jeff VerCautren, course superintendent, led the effort to obtain sanctuary status on this course and is being recognized for Environmental Stewardship by Audubon International. Rich Harvest Farms is the 47th course in Illinois and the 753rd in the world to receive the honor.

“Rich Harvest Farms has shown a strong commitment to its environmental program. They are to be commended for their efforts to provide a sanctuary for wildlife on the golf course property,” said Jim Sluiter, Staff Ecologist for the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary programs.

To reach certification, a course must demonstrate that they are maintaining a high degree of environmental quality in a number of areas, Sluiter said.

These categories include: Environmental Planning, Wildlife and Habitat Management, Outreach and Education, Chemical Use Reduction and Safety, Water Conservation, and Water Quality Management.

VerCautren and his staff dedicated a significant amount of time and resources to these areas.

“The knowledge gained by obtaining certification was a great experience,” VerCautren said. “It opened my eyes on how to properly manage a golf course and to meet high expectations to be environmentally sound. I would advocate every course go through this process to educate themselves on how to manage their golf course while being environmentally sound.”

Part of the certification process includes outreach and education. Fortunately for Rich Harvest Farms, housed on their property is one of the largest junior golf organizations in the state. The Kids Golf Foundation of Illinois, established in 1998 by course owner and architect Jerry Rich, makes its administrative home at the course.

“Our foundation is fortunate to have benefitted from some of the outreach and education efforts that are part of this certification process,” said Holly Alcala, Foundation Director. “Jeff and his staff have helped to facilitate a number of events and provided resources that have been beneficial to our junior golfers and program sites.”

That outreach effort included a group of local Girl Scouts who received a tour and educational session from VerCautren, which focused on the importance that nature plays and the environmental stewardship involved in golf. VerCautren also served as a guest speaker at a caddie training session held by the foundation, where he addressed the importance of recycling, taking care of the course and more.

Awards and accolades continue to pile up for Rich Harvest Farms and Jerry Rich. In 2009, the course was thrust into the limelight while hosting the LPGA’s 2009 Solheim Cup. After hosting a major event, one might think to take a step back or slow down. Not for Rich Harvest Farms, the facility and staff are continually moving forward.

“Our commitment to the environment and community are a priority at Rich Harvest Farms,” said Jerry Rich. “Through the golf course and the Kids Golf Foundation, we are playing our part to ensure the future.”

After a busy 2009 in which there were 47 cases involving identity theft in Sugar Grove, 15 incidents have already been reported in the village since the beginning of this year. And in a society where steady employment and solid wages are hard to come by, the identity theft statistic is likely to keep increasing as it becomes easier to attain an individual’s personal information.

“As the economy has gone bad, we’re seeing a lot more identity theft-type cases (in the area),” Sugar Grove Police Department investigator John Sizer said. “We had a case where a mother stole the identity of her twin boys who were in college. She’d lost her job and was desperate to keep them in school, so she set up credit card accounts in their names and essentially ruined their credit.”

Identity theft, which occurs when someone assumes another person’s identity through the exploitation of the victim’s Social Security number or credit-related information, has become more and more of a nationwide problem over the last few years—mainly because so many people in this country do the bulk of their financial transactions through credit and debit cards.

Sizer said credit card fraud is the most common identity-theft-related occurrence in the Sugar Grove area. In fact, many of the incidents happen to people whose credit card information has been compromised without them actually losing possession of the card.

“Typically, someone has cloned the information on the credit card and is selling the information to others,” Sizer said. “About 43 percent of identity theft crimes are done through finding personal information in the garbage. Just 11 percent are done through the computer.”

Some cases of identity theft in the area were the result of credit card skimming. One particular instance of skimming involved an Aurora restaurant employee who was stealing card information while on the job.

Despite the number of ways someone can steal personal information, local residents can reduce the risk of falling victim to identity theft by shredding old financial documents and minimizing credit card activity on the Internet.

Anyone who suspects their personal information has been compromised should call local police immediately.

Identity theft is a state felony offense, but the charge can be brought up to the federal level if the offense is severe enough.

These $500 program scholarships are available to both new and returning Waubonsee students. A list of qualifying degree and certificate programs and an application form can be found at www.waubonsee.edu/scholarships, or call (630) 466-7900, ext. 5756.

Elburn
• Local police at 1:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 8, pursued a driver through residential streets off Route 47 in Elburn for several minutes before arresting him for driving under the influence of alcohol, attempting to elude police, and several other offenses.

The chase started after Elburn police checked on a 2000 GMC van that was stopped on Route 47 north of Hughes Road. At that time, police approached the driver, Daniel E. Minor, 44, of the 1200 block of Twelfth Street in Bloomington, Ill. When Minor opened the driver’s door, a beer bottle fell out of the vehicle. Minor then drove away from the officer, fleeing north on Route 47 toward downtown Elburn. Elburn officers were assisted by Kane County Sheriff’s Department deputies.

Police pursued Minor through streets both east and west of Route 47, south of the railroad tracks. The pursuit then continued south on Route 47 and ended when Minor stopped south of Main Street Road and surrendered to police.

Minor was transported to Elburn Police Department, where he refused to submit to an alcohol breath test. Minor was charged with DUI, driving while his license was revoked, illegal transportation of alcohol, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, improper lane usage, disobeying a stop sign, aggravated fleeing to elude police (a felony), aggravated DUI (a felony), unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of marijuana.

• Jon M. Pierce, 33, of the 200 block of East North Street in Elburn, was arrested at 8:30 p.m. May 11 for driving while his license was suspended. Police stopped him for disobeying a traffic signal at the intersection of Route 47 and Route 38 in Elburn.

• Mireya Acevedo-Trujillo, 32, of 0N040 Rt. 47, was arrested for 4:24 p.m. May 9 for driving without having a valid license. Police stopped her on Route 47 south of Keslinger Road in Elburn for speeding.

• Emmanuel J. Cook, 20, of the 5900 block of South State Street in Chicago, was arrested at 1:31 a.m. May 7, on an outstanding warrant for retail theft in Naperville. Cook, who was on foot, flagged down a patrol car on Route 47 at Stetzer Avenue. He told the officer that his girlfriend was supposed to pick him up from the Metra station but did not. The officer checked his name and birthdate and learned of the warrant.

Sugar Grove
• A resident of the 200 block of Whitfield Drive, Sugar Grove, reported on May 5 that six American Eagle Silver dollars were taken from a car that was repossessed on April 29. At that time, the resident had the silver dollars in a plastic tube in their glove box. When they picked up the vehicle later from Reliable Recovery Specialist in Joliet, the tube with the silver dollars was gone.

• A 2006 red and black Suzuki GSX-R600 motorcycle was reported stolen by a resident of the 100 block of Monna Street, Sugar Grove, between May 4 and May 6.

• A resident of the 700 block of Stone Hill Court reported a wallet containing credit cards, and an iPod were stolen from a vehicle parked in the garage of the residence overnight between May 5 and May 6. The garage door was reported as being open overnight.

• Michael Jones, Jr., 24, was taken into custody by Sugar Grove police after officers ran Jones’ plates and found a warrant for his arrest out of DuPage County. Jones posted bond and a court date has been scheduled for June 16, 2010.

• A resident of the 500 block of Brookhaven Circle, Sugar Grove, reported a UPS package containing a computer was taken from the front porch on May 7. The computer was valued at $439.67.

The essay contest, for students in middle and high school, fielded 28 nominations. The winning entries were Veronica Price, daughter Kailah Price, seventh grade; Sherri Gura, daughter Starla Gura, sixth grade; and Pattie Pattermann, daughter Kylen Pattermann, 12th grade.

The firms were recognized for award-winning engineering projects in the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois’ 39th Annual Engineering Excellence Awards Competition. The competition recognizes outstanding projects designed by private practice engineering firms from the state of Illinois.

Engineering Enterprises, Inc., in Sugar Grove, won Merit Awards for two projects: “Municipal Drive & Galena Boulevard Extensions,” which was designed for the village of Sugar Grove, and “Emergency Water Supply Needs Assessment,” for the village of Libertyville. Merit Awards are given for projects worthy of recognition of the engineer and the owner/client for achieving engineering excellence.

Engineering Enterprises, Inc., founded in 1974, is a consulting engineering firm that provides planning, design and construction services for water, wastewater, transportation, stormwater and GIS to municipalities, counties and state agencies throughout northern Illinois. For more information, visit www.eeiweb.com.

Useful items include :
• Zip Lock Bags—must have zip closure
• Jelly—plastic jars only
• Peanut butter
• Beef jerky sticks
• Mints
• Snack cups
• Fabric softener sheets
• Febreze spray
• AT&T international calling cards
• Batteries—AA & AAA
• Disposable cameras
• Books and magazines
• Puzzle books
• Foot powder
• Hand lotion
• Eye drops
• Pain relievers
• Mouthwash strips
• Toothbrushes
• Bug spray
• Sun block
• Band-Aids
• Disposable razors
• Shaving cream

The Auxiliary has received notes from some of the recipients of the packages and express deep thanks, not only of the material things but of the thoughts and prayers from home. Please contact the Legion (630) 466-4747 if you have questions about the collection.

Prior to the board’s vote, Village Engineer Peter Wallers presented a slide-show outlining the necessity for the Water 2050 plan. Wallers serves as a consultant to Metro West Council of Government, the organization responsible for initially spearheading the water plan.

“It’s really important, and it could be a crisis in the future,” Village President Sean Michels said. “If we don’t address it now, we’re being very short-sighted. The fact that we’re getting a large number of municipalities and governmental bodies to come together and not have (the plan) mandated, I think it’s a real step in the right direction.”

The plan outlines a scenario in which demand for public water in Northeastern Illinois steadily escalates as the region’s population continues to increase over the next 40 years. According to the plan, Northeastern Illinois currently withdraws a little over 1,500 million gallons per day, a figure that will likely increase to more than 2,000 million gallons per day by the year 2050.

So far, the Water 2050 plan has received support from several different municipalities, and is currently being discussed by DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, Lake and McHenry counties. Boone County is still undecided about whether or not it wants to participate.

In addition to supporting the water plan, the Village Board members had kind words for Wallers.

“Pete’s not doing this because he has to. He’s doing this because it’s his passion,” trustee Melisa Taylor said. “The time that I’ve watched this man put in trying to help (the situation) move along is very impressive.”

Elburn
• Jason A. Humm, 35, of the 400 block of Willow Street in Elburn, was arrested at 5:15 p.m. May 4 for driving while his license was suspended. Police stopped him for disobeying a stop sign at Prairie Valley Drive and First Street in Elburn.

• Victor L. Liner, 29, of the 3300 block of Bailey Street in Plano, was arrested at 2:44 a.m. on May 2 for driving while his license was suspended. Police stopped him on Route 47 at North Street in Elburn for speeding.

• Evion L. McCoy, 21, of the 8100 block of Bishop Avenue in Chicago, was arrested at 3:10 a.m. May 1 for driving under the influence of alcohol. Police stopped him on Route 47 at Capes Drive for speeding.

• Orlando Rickey Hampton, 26, of the 300 block of South Seeley Avenue in Chicago, was arrested at 4:38 a.m. for driving while his license was suspended. Police stopped him on Route 47 at Shannon Street in Elburn for speeding.

• Cindy A. Costello, 45, of the 1000 block of Kendall Street in Elburn, was arrested at 3:31 p.m. April 28 for passing school buses that were loading children in front of Blackberry Creek Elementary School in Elburn. The buses’ stop signs were deployed and their red warning lights were flashing when the offense occurred.

Sugar grove
• A resident of the first block of Sugar Lane, Sugar Grove, reported on May 3 that someone stole items from their apartment between April 28 and April 29. A Sony camcorder valued at $500, five lingerie outfits valued at $100, five to six pairs of underwear valued at $10 and one box of Trojan condoms valued at $15, were reported missing. Police found no signs of forced entry, and an investigation is continuing.

• A resident of the 100 block of Cobbler Lane, Sugar Grove, reported on April 30 that a DeWalt worksite radio, valued at $169, was taken from their garage sometime between the evening of April 28 and the evening of April 29.

• On April 29, a resident of the 400 block of Brookhaven Circle, Sugar Grove, reported a burglary after someone entered the garage of the residence and took a DeWalt miter saw valued at $750, an Irwin laser direction mount valued at $65 and two outrigger clamps valued at $40. A neighbor reported seeing a gold, four-door Chevrolet Cavalier driving up and down the street six to seven times before stopping in front of the residence. A white, heavy-set male in his 20s or 30s exited the vehicle and was seen approaching the garage.

• Someone stole a hydraulic cylinder from a core aerator implement being stored in the 900 block of Wheeler Road. The cylinder was valued at $250.

• An Aurora resident was taken into custody at the Sugar Grove Police Department on a warrant out of Aurora. Cheryl L. Bartle came to the Sugar Grove Police Department on an unrelated issue before being taken into custody. Bartle posted bond and has a May 11 court date.

“Haiti gets under your skin,” the pastor of the Sugar Grove Methodist Church said. “Your heart is connected to it in more than a temporary way.”

Since the earthquake in Haiti earlier this year, Good said his heart has stirred once again with compassion, and he feels a strong pull to use what he has already learned of the Haitian people and their Creole language to be of service.

As a minister, Good has led other mission groups to serve in Haiti, the last of which was seven years ago. He has helped take care of babies and children in a hospital ward and an orphanage, and interacted with boys at St. Joseph’s Boy’s Home, where the young men learned skills, experienced self-worth and love, and were encouraged to contribute to society in a positive way.

He had to cancel a more recent trip several years ago, due to the level of street violence at the time.

This time, he will join an existing group, called The Haiti Partnership, a United Methodist organization out of New York and Pennsylvania. The Haiti Partnership is connected to the greater organization within the United Methodist Church, UMCOR, or United Methodist Committee on Relief.

He leaves for Haiti on May 19 and will travel to Melliee, a rural village 80 miles west of Port-au-Prince. While there, he will help with deconstruction, as well as with the group’s children’s ministry programs.

“I always tell my congregation that God has blessed you with different gifts and abilities, and that they should use them for God’s purposes,” he said. “I feel compelled to put myself in the midst of some recovery efforts.”

He said that it has been wonderful to see local support for the people of Haiti, and although the flow of aid has not been as strong as it was in the month following the earthquake, he is still receiving calls from churches and other organizations that continue to want to be involved.

Members of his church have donated health kits, as well as birthing and layette kits, and help continues to reach places such as Grace Children’s Hospital in Port-au-Prince.

Although most of the hospital buildings have been destroyed, the hospital uses military-supplied tents to continue to provide medical care for children and adults with tuberculosis, malnutrition and AIDS.

Since so many waterborne diseases lead to death in children, hospital employees work with other organizations to provide clean water, using methods and technology that will be sustainable for the local community.

“I’m very grateful that people want to contribute,” he said.

To assist with his fundraising, the Sugar Grove United Methodist Church held an all-you-can-eat chili supper at the Sugar Grove Community Center on April 24, where good-will donations were accepted. These funds will help to pay for his trip expenses, as well as for the supplies he will take with him.

Good said that he knows when people make a contribution, they feel more comfortable when there is a personal and local connection. He is happy to provide people with that connection, to allow them to say to themselves, “Here’s a way I can help.”

Donations are still being accepted for Good’s mission to Melliee, Haiti. For more information or to contribute, individuals may call the Sugar Grove United Methodist Church at (630) 466-4501. For more information about UMCOR, visit the website at www.umcor.org.

Want to help?
For more information, call the
Sugar Grove
United Methodist Church
(630) 466-4501
speak to Rev. Steven Good.
For more information about
UMCOR
and its work in Haiti and other
places, visit the website at
www.umcor.org

courtesy photos

The village last July placed a moratorium on windmills, wind turbines and other electricity-generating wind devices, to give staff time to research the issue. The moratorium, which was to last six months, was extended in December, to allow further study on how to properly regulate such devices.

The Sugar Grove Plan Commission is currently reviewing a draft zoning ordinance created by Sugar Grove Community Development Director Rich Young and other village staff that would regulate wind energy devices.

Although it has not submitted an official request, the township would like to install a 100-foot wind turbine unit on its south Main Street property, and has been exploring sources for a potential grant that would pay half of the $100,000 to install it.

The township not only uses electricity for its own buildings’ uses, but also powers the intersection lights throughout the township. According to Township Supervisor Dan Nagel, the township would receive credits on its electric bill for each kilowatt of electricity that the wind turbine would generate.

Nagel said the 100-foot tower would allow the township to gain the most efficiency from the wind turbine, generating a payback for its cost within seven to 12 years.

The draft ordinance would effectively prohibit such a tall tower, both within village limits, as well as anywhere within the village’s future planning area outlined in the comprehensive plan.

Village Board members, citing safety and aesthetics, said that they would not be in favor of the 100-foot towers, especially in the more residential areas. Safety concerns would dictate set-backs large enough so that if the wind turbine were to fall over, it would be completely contained on the lot on which it stands.

However, the 100-foot tower is the size that would most efficiently generate electricity.

“The lower the towers, the longer it takes to get the payback,” Nagel said.

Young said the intent of the ordinance is to encourage small-scale applications of renewable energy, allowing both businesses and residents the ability to generate their own electricity. He said he would eventually like to expand the ordinance to include guidelines for solar, geo-thermal and other sources of energy generation.

He likened resistance to the technology to the concerns that people raised when satellite dishes were initially introduced. The first dishes were large and unwieldy, but as technology improved, the size decreased and people’s comfort level with the technology went up.

“I’d like to see us come up with a reasonable solution for small applications,” he said.

According to Young, the extension on the moratorium will end on June 1, and he would like to have an ordinance in place by then. He said the Plan Commission will likely consider the specifics of the proposed ordinance at a special meeting set for May 6.

Local businessman Jim Ratos, whose family owns The Fireside Grille, purchased land at the northwest corner of Route 47 and Waubonsee Drive, and has been working with the owner of an established sports bar in Yorkville, who wants to expand into Sugar Grove.

“I really like the location,” Ratos said. “It’s close to the college.”

He added that the location could even potentially draw customers from Elburn.

Ratos said that, based on the set-up the owner has in Yorkville, he envisions a family menu and a beer garden outside, with a young crowd frequenting the establishment in the evening.

“We need it,” he said. “We’ve been the only game in town for a long time. We’re excited.”

In addition to the 4,900-square-foot sports bar with outdoor seating, the 4-acre site Ratos wants to develop would include a 4,700-square-foot gas station and a fast food drive-through restaurant. North of the gas station, a 9,600-square-foot retail building would include eight tenant spaces.

According to Sugar Grove planner Mike Ferencak, a restaurant or two could potentially locate in this building and take advantage of the outdoor seating at the north end of the building. In addition, north of the sports bar, along Heartland Drive, an 8,800-square-foot office and retail building would house another eight tenant spaces.

According to Ferencak, the gas station, fast-food restaurant and sports bar would like to start construction as soon as possible this summer, for possible fall openings. The other buildings would be built out in later phases.

Ratos is slated to begin meeting with the Plan Commission this month.

The village will try to post all roadway closures that may occur throughout the village. To view updates on the village home page, visit www.sugar-grove.il.us.

There will be a lane closure at Route 47 at Cross Street, from April 26 through June 30. This lane closure will be in place to facilitate Fox Metro Water Reclamation District’s sewer and manhole rehabilitation work. It is anticipated that only one lane will be closed between the hours of 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Elburn
• Dashaun Williams, 21, of the 200 block of Timberlane Road in Matteson, Ill., was arrested at 12:13 a.m. April 19 for driving while her license was suspended and for obstructing identification. Williams gave police a false name after she was stopped on Anderson Road south of Railroad Street in Elburn for speeding.

• Lauren M, Waterman, 25, of the 9200 block of South Francisco Street in Evergreen Park, Ill., was arrested at 11:47 p.m. April 17, for driving while under the influence of alcohol. Police stopped her for crossing the railroad tracks on Route 47 in downtown Elburn while the gates were rising and the crossing’s red lights were still flashing.

• Yuliano I. Rico, 21, of the 1000 block of Spiros Court in DeKalb, was arrested at 9:18 p.m. April 14 for driving without insurance and while his license was suspended. Police stopped him on Route 47 near Keslinger Road in Elburn, for speeding.

Sugar Grove
• Mitchell J. Wagner, 25, of the 1900 block of Annette Circle, Sugar Grove, was arrested for driving with a suspended license at 6:42 p.m. on April 19. He was southbound on Route 46 from Galena Boulevard.

• Marcelino Garcia, 31, of the 800 block of Kramer Ave., Elgin, was arrested for driving without a driver’s license at 4:27 p.m. on April 19. He was northbound on Route 47 at KaDeKa Road.

• Alfredo Hernandez, 31, of the 29W500 block of County Ridge Road, Warrenville, Ill., was arrested for driving on a revoked license, obstructed windshield, and obstructed information at 3:47 p.m. on April 18. He was eastbound on Route 56 at Hankes Road.

• Someone used the credit card of a Sugar Grove resident on Shopko Online in Wisconsin to purchase a digital camera at a value of $198.94 at 9:29 a.m. on March 12.

• Someone used the credit card of a Sugar Grove resident to purchase two items from Newegg.com at a value of $251 at 1:10 p.m. on April 2.

• Miguel A. Martinez-Mata, 33, of the 600 block of Iowa Avenue, Aurora, was arrested for driving without a valid driver’s license and an obstructed windshield at 11:01 a.m. on April 16.

“I pay cash,” Tom Cesario said. “How much better can you do than cash?”

With fewer staff to process payments for water and sewer services, the village came up with a plan it thought would solve the problem—charge people $1 extra if they do not choose to sign on to an automatic withdrawal from their checking account to pay their bill.

The plan was supposed to help to pay for the additional staff time it takes to process a payment by check or cash, as well as to encourage people to use the streamlined electronic approach. And it has worked.

Although the system has been in place for years, less than 25 percent of the 4,100 residents who pay for village water currently use the automatic debit. With the threat of an additional $1 added to their bill, another 150 signed up within the last month.

But some older residents and those who don’t trust technology do not feel the additional charge is fair. Bill Durrenberger told the board on Tuesday that he felt he was being strong-armed.

Even some of the trustees are not in favor of the extra charge.

“Bill, I agree with you,” trustee Bob Bohler said. “I don’t trust the electronic payments. I personally pay by check everywhere.”

“Why should somebody be punished because they’re not computer savvy?” trustee Kevin Geary asked.

Board members on Tuesday decided that instead of charging those who don’t sign up for the automatic withdrawal the additional $1, everyone will be charged an additional 50 cents on their water bills and 50 cents on their sewer bills. Those who use the automatic service will have $1 deducted from their bill.

Currently, all customers receive a water bill in the mail from the village. Two weeks later, the amount listed on the bill is automatically deducted from their checking account. The process saves staff time to post the payments, as well as eliminating the return envelope for people who pay by check.

“It is working,” trustee Melisa Taylor said. “We need to reward the people who are not writing checks.”

The measure was passed, with Geary voting no.

Village Administrator Brent Eichelberger said that the water and sewer funds are self-sufficient funds, and the costs associated with these services, such as chemicals to treat the water, need to be paid for through fees.

The village also voted to raise the rates by 7 percent starting next year.

Village rate, fee increases (Effective June 1)
Water rates
Base rates of $7.40 a month will go up to $7.92, $8.42 with an
additional 50 cent processing fee
Water usage rates
Rates of $2.75 per 1,000 gallons will increase to $2.94
Rates of $2.76 per 1,000 gallons will increase to $2.95
Sewer rates
Base rates of $8.10 will go up to $8.67, $9.17 with an additional
50 cent processing fee
Refuse rates
Monthly refuse rates will increase by 80 cents, from $18.75 to $19.55
Permit and inspection fees
A 5 percent average increase across-the-board
Compliance ticket fees
The same amount will be charged for first offenses as is currently
charged for second and third offenses, for violations such as
overnight parking ($25), underage consumption or possession of
alcohol by a minor ($300), and possession of drug paraphernalia ($300).

“I see the establishment of the EPA as a direct result of the concern the American public displayed for how the environment was being damaged,” Ward said. “People wanted clean air, clean water and clean land. They did not want their health or their children’s health to be affected because the environment was being used/abused in ways that disregarded its importance to all. There was an outcry that something had to be done, that some form of regulation needed to occur.”

President Richard Nixon and Congress responded to that outcry and created the EPA, said Ward, who was 9 years old on the first Earth Day and living in the Midwest, in rural Missouri. He remembers the sorry state of the environment at that time.

“My grandfather was an outdoorsman, (and) I remember the damage being done to the local rivers and lakes, as well as the woodlands near my home,” Ward said. “Wildlife was disappearing because of habitat destruction and improper dumping of toxic chemicals by industry.”

He remembers seeing fish kills on local rivers and streams into which businesses had dumped toxic water.

“You have to remember there were no laws that governed dumping of wastes or introduction of chemicals into the air,” Ward said. “Businesses and people could do what they wanted without regard to their impact.”

Gaylord Nelson, a U.S. senator from Wisconsin, proposed the nationwide protest to force the issue of pollution control on the national agenda, according to earthday.net. In 1995, Nelson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his role as Earth Day founder.

Nelson organized the first Earth Day as an “environmental teach-in” in response to the many college protests against pollution that were taking place at that time, and it grew from there as more people from diverse groups became involved, Ward said.

Elburn
• Thomas J. Billingsley, 28, of the 1100 block of Emerald Drive in Aurora, was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol, at 12:41 a.m. April 11. Police arrested him after he stopped his vehicle in the middle of Nebraska Street just west of Main Street in Elburn and shut off the headlights.

• Brittney K. Roscoe, 20, of the first block of North River Road in North Aurora, was arrested at 8:26 p.m. April 3 on a warrant for failure to appear in court on charges in St. Charles of littering. Elburn police arrested her at the corner of Route 38 and Route 47 and turned her over to police in St. Charles.

• Someone pried open the door of a shed in the 800 block of Gee Court in Elburn sometime between 1 p.m. April 1 and 10:20 a.m. April 3. Damage was estimated at $100.

• Richard D. Meaderdes, 27, of the 200 block of North Lincolnway in North Aurora, was arrested at 2:04 a.m. April 3 for driving without having vehicle insurance. Police stopped him on Route 47 south of Capes Drive in Elburn, for speeding.

• Modesto M. Ferral, 19, of the 100 block of North Main Street, was arrested at 1:30 p.m. March 31 for driving without having a valid license. Police stopped him for driving in the wrong lane as he was southbound on Route 47 near Pierce Street in Elburn.

• A resident of the 1000 block of Wise Street in Elburn reported that someone smashed a passenger window and side mirror on his 2002 Hyundai Elantra sometime between 9 p.m. March 26 and 6 a.m. March 27. Damage was estimated at $30.

Sugar Grove
• Joanna R. Villamil, 25, of the 700 block of New York Street, Aurora, was charged with operating an uninsured vehicle, driving without a valid driver’s license, and operating a vehicle with expired registration at 3:33 p.m. on April 8. She was westbound on Galena Boulevard at St. James Parkway.

• Someone threw a rock through a window in a home in the 100 block of Arbor Avenue on April 10. The report was filed at 8:39 p.m. The window will cost $150 to 200 to replace.

• Jenaro H. Samaniego, 23, of the 100 block of Loucks Street, Aurora, was charged with driving with a suspended license and with unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, at 4:18 p.m. on April 11. He was southbound on Route 47 from Galena Boulevard.

• Enrique Gomez, 47, of the 100 block of N. Fourth Street, Aurora, was charged with driving without a driver’s license and with an unlawful number of passengers, at 10:41 p.m. on April 1. He was eastbound on Settler’s Boulevard at Cornell Drive.

Kane County
• A Wayne man pleaded guilty last week to reckless homicide and aggravated drunken driving in a June 2009 DUI crash that killed a West Chicago man and seriously injured two others.

Onofrio J. Lorusso, 19, of the 4N block of Honey Hill Circle, Wayne, Ill., pleaded guilty to one count of reckless homicide, a Class 2 felony, and three counts of aggravated DUI, one a Class 2 felony and two counts Class 4 felonies.

Circuit Judge Timothy Q. Sheldon accepted the plea and set 1:15 p.m. May 13, for sentencing. Lorusso faces a sentence of between 3 and 14 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, or probation if Judge Sheldon rules that extenuating circumstances exist.

At about 3:20 a.m. June 14, 2009, Lorusso was driving a red 2005 Ford Explorer west on in the 3100 block of Royal Fox Drive when the vehicle left the roadway, struck a mailbox, an unoccupied parked car and two trees on the south side of the street. The vehicle came to a rest when it wrapped around the second tree, which it struck on the front passenger side. Eighteen-year-old Cameron J. Godee of West Chicago, who was riding in the front passenger seat, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two others, who were passengers in the Explorer’s back seat, sustained serious injuries. The investigation revealed that Lorusso was traveling at approximately 77 mph in a posted 25 mph zone when he lost control of the vehicle shortly before impact, and that Lorusso had marijuana in his system and a blood-alcohol concentration of .227. Illinois’ legal limit for persons under 21 is 0.00.

Lorusso remains free on $50,000 bond. Judge Sheldon ordered Lorusso remanded to custody at 9 a.m. April 30, at the Kane County jail when Lorusso completes studies for the semester.

• Kane County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the intersection of Dauberman and Lasher roads in unincorporated Big Rock Township for a report of a traffic crash with injuries at approximately 5 p.m. on Saturday.

According to the Sheriff’s Department, the initial investigation shows that a 1999 Acura, driven by Louise Wentworth, 55, of Downers Grove, was traveling eastbound on Lasher and failed to stop for the stop sign for eastbound traffic. A 2005 Ford pickup, driven by Thomas Tecza, 43, of Elgin, was traveling northbound on Dauberman. The truck did not have a stop sign and entered the intersection and struck the Acura on the passenger side. The female driver of the Acura was pronounced deceased at the scene. The male driver of the truck was transported by Big Rock Fire Department ambulance to Delnor Community Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. There were no passengers in either vehicle.

Members of the Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team responded and are assisting Sheriff’s Detectives with the investigation. The Kane County Office of Emergency Management also assisted at the scene. The roadway was closed for approximately three hours.

It does not appear that drugs or alcohol were a factor in this crash, and no tickets have been issued.

The truck struck the passenger side of the car carrying two individuals, who were declared deceased at the scene. The driver of the truck was transported to Provena-Mercy Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Northbound Route 47 was still closed at 3:30 p.m., and was likely to remain so for several more hours, as the accident reconstruction team was still on-the-scene, Gengler said.

The identities of all individuals involved in the accident were not available as of press time.

Trustee Mari Johnson said that she and her husband could foresee a time when they would be happy to leave behind their half-acre lot with its many trees and leaves to rake.

“I think people do want options,” she said. “This definitely deserves more attention.”

Additional sewer capacity remains an unresolved issue, as well.

Property owner Gary Tadian joined Robert Arthur Land Company developer Arthur Zwemke on Tuesday, in bringing back a modified version of plans for the development the board originally reviewed about 18 months ago. The development would be located south of the Burlington Northern railroad tracks and north of Prairie Street, a quarter-mile west of Route 47 on its western border.

“There are 78 million people over 55; they control two-thirds of the money and represent 25 percent of the population,” Zwemke said at the time. “They don’t like to mow lawns or shovel snow, and they like to travel.”

There are also few appropriate housing options for them, especially on the Interstate 88 corridor, according to a representative of Epcon Communities, a builder working locally with Tadian. Other projects in the Chicagoland metropolitan area associated with Epcon are located in Plainfield and Woodstock.

The plan includes the option of either a large clubhouse and three pocket parks, or three smaller clubhouse facilities and one central park. Home prices have not yet been calculated for this plan; however, price points for the Plainfield and Woodstock developments range from $160,000 to $300,000.

Based on feedback from the board in 2008, the developer set aside 30 acres for the possibility of a future Metra site on the northern edge of the development. Board members on Tuesday said this would no longer be necessary, due to a lukewarm response on the part of Metra to build a station in an area surrounded by an active adult community.

Tadian said that he was anxious to move forward with the plan, with 2011 as a target for groundbreaking. Board members agreed that if the remaining issues could be resolved, this would be possible.

Tadian property proposal
190-acre 512-unit active
adult residential development
(south of the Burlington Northern
railroad tracks and north of
Prairie Street, a quarter-mile
west of Route 47 on its
western border)
Developer would like to
break ground by 2011

Fagel pointed out that the Drainage District, which encompasses 4,000 acres of farmland, was created more than 100 years ago to deal with agricultural property.

“It was never intended to serve rooftops,” he said.

Fagel suggested that the district could be separated into farmland and a subdistrict of residential property, for the purposes of taxing the property owners to pay for the drainage solution.

Fagel, who is one of the three people on the Drainage District Board, said the board has not levied for taxes since 1980, and that funding has been depleted to pay for the drainage issue thus far.

“We don’t feel comfortable taking on the entire project,” Fagel said. “We don’t have the staff or the money. We need the support of the village and the county. We can only move forward if we work together.”

Fagel said that although the owners of the farmland want to help their residential neighbors, they also want to see their farmland return to the equilibrium that existed prior to development. During the last growing season, hundreds of acres were rendered unfarmable due to the flooding from the development to the north.

The ordinance is the first step in establishing a method to charge Mallard Point and Rolling Oak residents for the maintenance of the retention pond and other stormwater infrastructure that affects the residents of the two subdivisions.

The next step is to establish the SSA, which may happen in June, and the last and final step would be to approve an annual rate.

The measure passed 5-1, with trustee Kevin Geary voting no. Both Geary and trustee Rick Montalto live in Mallard Point. Geary has experienced flooding at his residence; Montalto has not.

Geary said he voted against the measure because he was uncomfortable with the language in the ordinance, which authorizes the use of the SSA money for improvement, expansion, repair and replacement of wetlands, storm water detention basins and other infrastructure, in addition to maintenance.

“It was just a little too loosey-goosey for me,” he said. “The board had the chance to craft an ordinance that would have given the residents confidence that it was strictly a maintenance thing, but they chose not to. Some of the residents have said, ‘We don’t want to open our check books until we’re aware of the costs.’”

The village’s expenditures for the study and the work done so far to begin to address the issues are approaching $100,000. The SSA would pay for this amount, as well as the ongoing maintenance work.

The annexation agreement the village negotiated with the developer at the time Mallard Point was built allows the village to create an SSA, and waives the right of the homeowners to oppose it.

Although the SSA is being set up to pay for the maintenance of the pond, cost-sharing for the more expensive solutions to the flooding may be divided among the residents of the Rob Roy Drainage District (RRDD), which includes Mallard Point and Rolling Oaks residents, and the village. Kane County will assist with the funding in the form of low-interest loans. According to Montalto, there is $17 million available through a 2 percent interest loan, to be paid back over 20 years.

The next step in attempting to determine a solution for the drainage issue is to conduct test pumping of the area. The Rob Roy Drainage District is currently working on a draft of an intergovernmental agreement with the village to clarify the parameters of the test.

The Village Board will vote on the agreement after it is drafted.

Drainage problems
background
The village began an investigation into the subdivision’s flooding problems in fall 2008, when approximately 20 of the 250 residents reported recurring flooding. The village hired engineering firm Trotter & Associates to conduct a study of the development’s problems, and in June 2009, village officials began working with the Kane County representatives and Rob Roy Drainage Ditch officials to determine what fixes were needed and who should pay for them.

With that in mind, the Village Board on Tuesday approved a resolution opposing the reduction in the LGDF. The governor’s budget proposal, announced on March 10, included a $300 million cut to funding guaranteed to municipal governments under the LGDF, resulting in a 30 percent reduction in local tax revenue and a loss of $204,388 to the village.

A public hearing for the 2010-11 fiscal year budget was held on Tuesday. The budget does not take into consideration the reduction in state funding, becuase the state’s budget will not be passed until the end of June at the earliest, Village Finance Director Justin VanVooren said.

According to Village Administrator Brent Eichelberger, unless the village is willing to live with a deficit of that size, additional personnel cuts are likely to occur.

The current 2010-11 budget includes an increase of 2.2 percent in total revenue, with expenditures expected to increase by 1.6 percent.

The village expects an $87,000 increase in revenues over the current fiscal year, including increases in property taxes and state sales tax.

Decreases in personnel costs include the loss of a Public Works Department position through retirement, as well as the elimination of the cost-of-living and merit increases for non-represented village employees.

Although the budget will include a 3.25 percent cost-of-living increase and step increases contained in the police contract, a decrease in the amount of police overtime will equate to a savings of $24,800.

The village anticipates an increase of $35,000 in towing fees, due to a recent increase in the fee to $500 for certain offenses and an increase in utility taxes of $27,000 that includes a 7 percent increase in residents’ water and sewer fees.

In addition to the rate increase, Sugar Grove residents will pay an extra $1 a month for water and sewer if they don’t sign up for direct-debit payments. The direct-debit customers do not receive a return envelope on their bill, which saves money as well as taking less staff time to post.

Liquor licenses have increased, as have building-related fees and certain police fines, including more significant increases in fines for underage consumption and possession of alcohol by a minor and overnight parking.

The board decided to maintain the village’s $2,500 contribution to the Corn Boil fireworks fund but to eliminate the Kaneland Foundation and Hook A Kid on Golf donations.

The board will vote on the budget on Tuesday, April 20, for the fiscal year beginning May 1.

Blatner, of Sugar Grove, is retiring this spring after a career with the Park District that began in 1974 when he joined the grounds maintenance crew. He later ascended to supervisor status and oversaw numerous park and facility projects involving many of the district’s signature structures, including the Vaughan Athletic Center, Eola Community Center and renovations and expansion of the Prisco Community Center.

“Pat has devoted his professional career to parks and recreation, and our communities are better for it,” said Laurie Hoffman, director of parks, recreation and communications. “His dedication to making our parks and facilities the best they can be is a true reflection on his commitment to our residents. We will miss his great passion.”

As park facilities manager, Blatner oversaw all building operations throughout the district, assuring mechanical operations ran smoothly at all times.

Blatner also provided operational guidance at Splash Country Water Park and Phillips Park Family Aquatic Center and was integral in the development of the Lippold Nature Center and the Waubonsie Creek greenway—an interconnected network of parks and trails spanning 232 acres in the Fox Valley Villages area that previously had no parks.

The Thills were just a few of approximately 100 visitors who came to view more than 40 works of art by 20 artists, and to meet the artists during a reception at the library.

“This is exactly what the library is for,” Sugar Grove Library Beverly Holmes Hughes said.

Hughes said she hopes to offer the library’s ample space for more events such as this into the future.

The juried art show is a kick-off to the Fine Arts Festival that will take place at the Kaneland High School on Sunday, April 18, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Artists were invited to enter two- and three-dimensional media artwork, including painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, mixed media, fiber art, clay, glass, jewelry and sculpture into the show.

Artists included Kaneville resident and watercolor painter Bob J. Krajecki, Elburn multi-media painter Jeanette Rehmel, Big Rock resident and fiber artist Natasha Lehrer, Marengo black-and-white photographer Teresa Baber, and more.

“The judge is going to have a hard time (choosing the winners),” said Bonnie Whildin, the event founder and coordinator, as well as a Kaneland John Stewart art teacher.

The Fine Arts Festival will be held at the Kaneland High School and will include Kaneland faculty and students’ artwork, as well as hands-on learning opportunities in visual arts, poetry, literary arts, music, dance and theater.

Kaneland Community Fine Arts Festival Juried Art Show
Work is displayed at the Sugar Grove Public Library during regular business hours until April 30
For more information,
visit the
www.kaneland.org
website or the
www.sugargrove.lib.il.us
website for
hours of operation

Visitors match up a three-dimensional piece of art with its creator at the Kaneland Community Fine Arts Juried Art Show at the Sugar Grove Public Library last Friday.
Photo by Susan O’Neill

The Sugar Grove resident said the desire to bring his knowledge of how those accidents could have been avoided to area teenagers is what motivated him to open his own driving school, Drive Home Safe.

Harper and his partner Robert Kopczynski recently opened for business in the Pepper Valley Shopping Center on Kaneville Road east of Randall Road in Geneva. Kopczynski, a police officer in Elmhurst, John Lambert, also on the Batavia police force, and Steve Furlan, a police officer in Elburn, are instructors with the school.

Harper said the value that he and his fellow officers bring to their instruction is a good understanding of defensive driving. He and Kopczynski have spent years teaching defensive driving to police officers around Illinois. They are also licensed through the Illinois Secretary of State to teach teenagers.

Students initially go through the state-mandated 30 hours of classroom training before they get into the driver’s seat. Harper said part of the classroom experience includes talks from a Kane County judge and a prosecutor from the State’s Attorney’s office about the judicial system and current laws regulating teenage drivers.

The students then receive six hours of behind-the-wheel instruction. This instruction begins in a parking lot with traffic cones set up in a type of obstacle course. Here, the students learn in a safe environment the relationship between an object and their vehicles, Harper said.

The probability of a 16 year-old having an accident in their first year of driving is 70 percent, Harper said. He said that he and his instructors want to lessen that percentage, as well as to reduce the likelihood of severe injuries should an accident occur, by having students practice the defensive maneuvers learned in their classes.

“When someone comes into your lane, rather than put on your breaks and try to stop, we teach students how to maneuver around that vehicle rather than hitting it head-on,” he said. “We teach them how to maneuver from one lane to another without over-steering, and we set up the cones to demonstrate.”

The remainder of the driving instruction is on the road with another student along to fulfill the observation requirements.

The car used in the behind-the-wheel training is the new 2010 Kia Soul, which Harper said has many active safety features to help drivers avoid accidents, as well as passive systems to help minimize injuries when they are unavoidable.

He said that in addition to choosing the Soul for its safety features, he and his partner thought the mid-sized sporty-looking vehicle would be fun for teenagers to drive.

“It turns out the dads like it, too,” he said with a laugh.

Harper said he hopes to expand the business, with branches in Batavia, Oswego, Sugar Grove and St. Charles.

Photo: Batavia police officer Dennis
Harper of Sugar Grove stands next to his
company’s two Kia Souls.
Drive Home Safe Driving School in Geneva is run by
Harper and is staffed by officers from Batavia, Elburn and Elmhurst police
departments.
Photo by Susan O’Neill

Officials for the Coast Oak Group, which has been hired to manage the property, met with Settler’s Ridge homeowners on Tuesday to address their concerns.

Following the completion of approximately 100 of the projected 2,678 homes in the development started in 2005, developer Kimball Hills Homes filed for bankruptcy in 2008, and work on the subdivision ceased.

The subdivision remains unfinished.

Residents have since complained of standing water and weeds growing in the empty lots, as well as other maintenance issues. They also asked the village when and if other public improvements would be completed, such as finishing paving some of the roads within the development.

When it developed the subdivision, Kimball Hill Homes, had to post performance bonds that were to pay for maintenance. However, these funds have not yet been released.

“To the credit of Sugar Grove, they’ve taken action,” Coast Oak Vice President of Asset Management Lane Wright said. “They created a punch list.”

He and another Coast Oak Group representative, Josh Nichols, will talk to Sugar Grove village officials this week to ensure that performance bonds that were put up by Kimball Hill will pay for the work, Wright said.

“We desire to keep it looking good for your benefit and ours,” Wright said. “We will do the best we can to be a good partner with Sugar Grove. We want to do right by the village and by you as homeowners.”

However, some of the homeowners remain skeptical of the future.

“The empty lots are like swamps,” Karan Pigatti said. “My sod is going to be washed away.”

Pigatti said that since the streets have not had their final paving, there is a danger of the roads and alleyways collapsing due to the water that has collected under them.

Other residents expressed concerns that with the finger-pointing between the bonding company and the village, improvements have been held up indefinitely with no end in sight.

Kimball Hill Homes Director of Community Development Bill Purcell acknowledged the problems with the roads.

“The sub-base wasn’t designed to remain exposed for three years,” he said.

Wright told the residents that they plan to keep the lines of communication open between them and the homeowners. He said that another meeting will be scheduled sometime in June.

The new center is located in the former Robert Allen Beauty Salon space, across the street from Kaneland John Shields Elementary School.

Johnson, whose background is in real estate, said she has been a caregiver in her family for years, helping care for her grandmother and great-uncle, and more recently, her mother after she had a stroke.

Uy has a nursing degree and a license in California and Indiana.

According to Johnson, the purpose of the center will be to help older clients maintain their social, mental, physical and emotional wellbeing in a community-based setting.

“We want to keep them out of a nursing home as long as possible,” she said.

If an older person is at home for any length of time due to a medical issue, they can begin to regress, Johnson said. Even if a family member thinks they can provide the care at home, they can often use some help.

Daily activities at the center will include crafts, games, music, outings and birthday celebrations. Snacks and lunch are provided. Clients may make appointments with a licensed beautician for hair-styling, perms and hair-cuts.

A local minister, the Rev. Dr. James Harper of the Grace Fellowship Church in Maple Park, will hold a Bible study session one day a week. Limited medical care, such as blood pressure monitoring and assistance with medication, will be provided.

Johnson said that the center will be able to accept clients in the early stages of Alzheimers. Private payment is accepted for the daily rate of $75 per day, or $85 per day with transportation within a 10-mile radius. She said that potential clients should check with their insurance companies to determine if adult day care services are covered.

Clients may participate in the program from one to five days a week, depending on their needs and the needs of their families.

“It’s a very nice facility,” Sugar Grove Village President Sean Michels said.

Michels said that as one’s parents get older, people tend to worry about them as much or more than they do about their own children.

“Keeping them involved provides a nice peace of mind for kids of older parents,” he said. “It’s a great feature to have in town.”

Photo: Genesis Adult Day Care Center owner Charlene Johnson plays a game of pool, one of the activities available to seniors when they spend the day at the facility, located in Sugar Grove. Photo by Susan O’Neill

Genesis Adult
Day Care Center LLC
80 S. Main St., Suite B
Sugar Grove
Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Open House
Saturday, April 6
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
RSVP (630) 466-1108 to reserve
your time

Senior Expos and Seminars on Thursdays in April, beginning at 4:30 p.m.

For more information, call the above number or visit www.genesisadccllc.com

Sugar grove
• A white male in a black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans attempted to steal a Welsch Terrier dog from the yard of a residence in the 100 block of Oxford Avenue at 7:05 p.m. on March 28.

• A 5-foot, 200-pound white male with thinning hair, pretending to be an Illinois state police officer, stopped a Sugar Grove female resident who had flipped her finger at him when he cut her off in traffic at Route 56 and Golfview Drive on March 25 at 7:55 p.m. He was driving a black Pontiac Grand Am with flashing lights and blue lights inside (rear deck) of his vehicle. He spoke to the woman driver about “road rage” and said he was giving her a verbal warning. When she called the state police, they had no record of any such traffic stop.

• Jacqueline A. Adler, 21, of the 200 block of Snow Street, Sugar Grove, was charged with a Failure to Appear warrant through Kane County. She turned herself into the Sugar Grove Police Department at 10 S. Municipal Drive at 12:18 p.m. on March 23.

Maple park
• Steven Michael Dasko, of the 200 block of West DeKalb Drive, Maple Park, turned himself into the Maple Park Police Department on the charge of two counts of unlawful use of debit card and two counts of theft. Bond was set at $5,000. Desko posted the required 10 percent cash and was given a court date of April 6, at 9 a.m. The carges are class 3 and class 4 felonies, and if found guilty, could result in up to five years in prison and/or up to a $25,000 fine.

Nearly 300 students from 18 Illinois colleges and universities participated in the legislative simulation, filling the roles of legislators, lobbyists, journalists, attorneys, budget analysts and more.

Waubonsee student Ben Mullenbach, of Oswego, was honored with the Donna Lennon Award for Outstanding Senate Committee Person, while Zachary Little, of Aurora, received the Kurtis L. Hermes Award for Outstanding Journalist.

James Colford, of Somonauk served as the head delegate of Waubonsee’s group, which also included Eric Hollis, Steff Perez, and Corina Quinonez, of Plano; Amanda Gaddy, of North Aurora; Jeremy Meciej and Shawn Simpson, of Geneva; Lindsay Facer, of Sugar Grove; Issac Palma and Scott Hall, of Aurora; and Edward Chaney, of Elburn.

Julia loves her brother. She said there is a special bond between them, and they are like friends who can’t be separated. She also feels that she would not be the person she is today without a brother like Matt, who requires a lot of attention, and because of him, she has learned how to handle a number of different situations.

However, there can be stressful times, when for weeks, it seems that there is a doctor’s appointment every other day. During those times, she said it feels like a lot of work and her needs take a back seat when most of the attention is focused on Matt.

Julia has often said she wanted to go with her mom to her meetings or retreats with Parents as Advocates, a mothers group for moms with children with disabilities. The moms get together and share ideas, as well as take some time for themselves to recharge and gain a fresh perspective on life. But because the get-togethers are strictly for moms, Julia came up with the idea to plan one of her own for siblings.

Sibling’s Fun Day will take place on Saturday, April 17, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Keeler Pool in Aurora. Siblings of children with disabilities are invited to come and take a break with Julia and others, taking part in activities such as swimming, volleyball and other sports, cooking, games and more.

Julia has tied the planning and organizing of the event to her Girl Scout activities, and she will receive a Girl Scout Silver Award for the project.

“It’s a unique project,” said Sandy McKinney, Julia’s Girl Scout leader. “Julia chose a subject that is near and dear to her heart, because of her handicapped brother.”

McKinney likes to encourage the girls in her troop to do something that will cause them to step out of their comfort zone. She feels that this project will do that for Julia, as it will require leadership skills to delegate tasks to others before and during the day.

Although McKinney will be on hand to assist her during the day, it will be up to Julia to ensure that the event goes smoothly.

Julia said she hopes it will be a fun day for everyone who attends. She knows first-hand that siblings of children with disabilities are the ones who are always there to help out.

“Some days my brother can get annoying,” she admitted.

She knows that there are other young people out there like her who could use some time for themselves and who need a break.

She has planned some high energy games, and they will have the use of the open gym as well as the swimming pool. Lunch will be pizza, and the participants will cook some type of dessert for themselves.

“It will be a very busy day,” she said.

Siblings’ Fun Day
An exciting day for the siblings of
children with disabilities to take a
break. Lunch will be provided

Ages: 9-15 years old
April 17 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Keeler Pool,
309 W. New Indian Trail Court,
Aurora

Cost: $10
RSVP by April 3: Contact Julia Hoyda, Cadette in Girl Scout Troop 4468
(630) 466-0025 or cdmjh@msn.com

Douglas said he can prepare federal and state (Form 1040 long form Schedule A) tax forms with itemized deductions for an average family for $99. Because he uses E-filing, he said the taxpayer can typically expect a direct deposit refund within two weeks.

“Between 98 to 99 percent of the time, it happens on that timetable,” he said.

Douglas holds an EA, which stands for Enrolled Agent with the Internal Service. According to Douglas, the EA is actually a higher credential than the CPA, or Certified Public Accountant, when it comes to preparing taxes.

While only 20 to 30 percent of the CPA exam relates to taxes, the EA requires one to pass a two-day test administered by the IRS.

Tax laws change every year, with the government offering different incentives meant to stimulate the economy in different ways, he said. Examples of these incentives include deductions for purchasing a home, making one’s home more energy-efficient, obtaining a college education or buying a new car.

It also means he has to keep up with all the new laws in order to obtain the best possible outcome for his clients.

Although Douglas has been preparing taxes for 33 years, he does a number of other accounting and bookkeeping-related services, such as corporate partnerships, estates, corporate sales tax and others. He said he is currently working with 32 businesses.

He is also pursuing additional education, completing classes toward a B.A. in Accounting, while also taking classes toward his M.B.A. at Aurora University.

“Any kind of education greatly enhances your knowledge,” he said.

The MBA includes not only classes in accounting, but also legal, marketing, business and leadership classes, which he said will make him a more well-rounded individual. He said he hopes to open two more offices within the next year.

In the meantime, with the tax season upon us, Douglas said now would be a good time to avail oneself of his services.

Elburn
• A Kane County Grand Jury on Feb. 19 indicted Doris Adamson, 56, of the 500 block of Main Street in Elburn, for forgery. Adamson was arrested by Sugar Grove police.

• A Kane County Grand Jury on Feb. 23 indicted Michael Galan, 43, of the 400 block of Conley Drive in Elburn, for unlawful use of credit card (10 counts), identity theft (42 counts) and unlawful use of debit card (12 counts). Galan was arrested by St. Charles Police.

• Allysa Rose Lucarelli, 20, of Heritage hill Drive in Naperville, was arrested at 11:10 p.m. March 19 for driving while her license was suspended. Police stopped her on Pierce Street near Route 47 for lacking a front license plate.

Sugar Grove
• Someone charged 12 purchases on the credit card of a Sugar Grove resident between March 14 and March 15.

• Someone made unauthorized charges totaling $92.84 on a Sugar Grove resident’s AT&T phone bill. The offender obtained a resident’s name, phone number and address from the Internet, made up a fraudulent charge for service, and charged it to an AT&T bill through a third company. The resident filed a report on March 18.

• Someone fraudulently used the credit of a Sugar Grove resident to purchase a video game on www.newegg.com for $80.62. A second attempt was made to purchase a laptop using the same credit card. The resident filed a report on March 22.

The SBDC at Waubonsee Community College has become a Remote Lending office for ACCION Chicago, furthering ACCION Chicago’s mission of ensuring that all deserving borrowers throughout Chicagoland are able to access the credit they need.

“Many small businesses in the … area lack access to bank financing,” said Harriet Parker, director of the SBDC at Waubonsee Community College. “This partnership will bring that much needed capital to this community.”

Business owners seeking ACCION Chicago small business loans can now apply directly through the SBDC at Waubonsee Community College’s Remote Lending office, located at the college’s downtown Aurora campus, 5 E. Galena Boulevard. This local presence will allow ACCION Chicago to more easily reach area small business owners in need of business capital.

ACCION Chicago is a local nonprofit organization focused on providing technical assistance and small business loans to Chicago-area minority and low-to-moderate income small business owners. The organization’s unique lending methodology is not based on revenue, collateral or credit alone, but also on clients’ commitment to their businesses, as well as references from customers and suppliers. In the past 15 years, ACCION Chicago has disbursed more than 2,000 business loans totaling more than $16 million.

For more information visit the ACCION Chicago website at www.accionchicago.org.

For more information, visit www.waubonsee.edu/sbdc or call (630) 906-4143.

In Elburn, trailers, motor homes, boats and other RVs may only be parked on residential driveways with hard surfaces such as concrete, asphalt or pavers, or on longstanding gravel driveways in older neighborhoods, said Jim Stran of the village’s building department. The village occasionally has granted variances to allow some homeowners to park RVs in their side yards on extended driveways.

According to Sugar Grove’s municipal code, RVs may be parked in the front driveway of a Sugar Grove residence only if the vehicle is used daily as the resident’s principal means of transportation, if the vehicle is no longer than 25 feet, and if the owner obtains a special parking permit from the village, according to the village code.

The village of Sugar Grove also allows residential property owners to park RVs in their side or rear yards, on an improved surface of concrete, blacktop or pavers. Parking of those vehicles is allowed in the rear or side yard on gravel surfaces that were installed before 1999.

Both the Elburn and Sugar Grove village codes prohibit extended parking of RVs on the street or parkway.

Elburn
• David A. Klaput, 41, of 414 S. Sixth Avenue in St. Charles, was arrested at 6:32 a.m. March 15 for driving while his license was suspended. Police stopped him after checking his plate registration as he was driving east on East North Street east of Third Street.

• Julie B. Welch, 46, of 112 N. Read Street in Elburn, was arrested at 4:05 p.m. March 15 for driving while her license was suspended. Police stopped her on Route 38 at Pouley Road after checking her license plate number and finding it was suspended.

Sugar Grove
• Jackie Napier of Warren, Ohio, perpetrated a scam against a Sugar Grove resident who was selling stereo equipment in the amount of $200. Napier obtained $1,600 from him through deceptive practices using Western Union. The resident filed a report on March 4.

• Someone transferred $981 out of a Chase Bank account belonging to a Sugar Grove resident and into a U.S. Bank account belonging to someone named Jim. The resident filed a report on March 3.

• Someone purchased a T-Mobile handset with an account belonging to a Sugar Grove resident, who filed a report on March 9.

• Someone caused $2,000 worth of damage to a Ford F-150 parked in the 200 block of Bastian Drive between March 6 and March 7.

• Oliverio Bonilla, 20, of the first block of Sugar Lane, Sugar Grove, was arrested for driving without a valid driver’s license at 9:02 a.m. on March 10. He was eastbound on Galena Boulevard and Hankes Road.

• Someone stole a metal basketball post and rim worth $250 from a driveway in the 1000 block of Forest Trail, Sugar Grove, on March 10.

• Someone used the social security number of a Sugar Grove resident to open an AT&T account for an I-Phone. The resident filed a report on March 11.

• Richard T. Jarvis, 30, of the 800 block of Victoria Circle, Montgomery, was arrested for criminal trespass to land at 102 Meadows Drive at 1:47 p.m. on March 11.

• Sugar Grove police apprehended two teenagers after they attempted to steal four cases of beer from the Jewel Food Store on Route 47 in Sugar Grove. The arrest took place at 1:10 p.m. on March 12. Arrested were Joseph A. Zarete, 18, of the 600 block of Wacker Drive, Yorkvile, and a 17-year-old male juvenile from Oswego. Zarete was charged with one count of retail theft. Additionally, he and the juvenile were cited for unlawful possession of alcohol by a minor, illegal transportation of alcohol and possession of fireworks.

by Susan O’Neill
Sugar Grove—Members of the Sugar Grove United Methodist Church and others experienced a first-hand lesson in caring for God’s creation when they participated in a prairie burn on Saturday.

The Rev. Steven Good said that burning the prairie on land that will house the church’s future building not only has an ecological benefit, it encourages people of faith to act as good stewards of God’s earth.

The controlled prairie burn gets rid of old plant material, allowing the sunlight to reach the native plants and warm the soil, helping them to compete with the weeds, Good said. The denser native plants provide a habitat for local wildlife, where they can rest, hide and eat.

The longer root system of the native plants also helps to filter out chemicals, cleaning the water on its way to the Blackberry Creek, also located on the property, he added.

Nearly 30 people, including a number of Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, joined Good and his parishioners to help with the sixth annual burn at the church’s new future site on Harter Road.

“We got the job done and everybody was safe,” Good said.

Elburn
• Rogelio Gaytan, 34, of the 1100 block of Grove Street in Aurora, was arrested at 9:37 a.m. March 5 for driving while his license was suspended. Police stopped him on Keslinger Road near Blackberry Creek Drive for speeding.

Sugar Grove
• Tami S. Jendrzejczyk, 41, of the 700 block of Marine Drive, Dixon, was charged with a felony, driving with a revoked license at 4:49 p.m. on Feb. 21. She had been arrested for driving while her license was revoked on six previous occasions. She was northbound on Route 47 at Park Street.

• Dana K. Bushnell, 24, of the 200 block of Maple Street, Sugar Grove, was charged at 4:57 p.m. on Feb. 21 on an in-state warrant for failure to appear in Kane County court. She was in the first block of Sugar Lane, Sugar Grove.

• Eleazar Perez, 33, of the 1300 block of Monomoy Street, Aurora, was charged with driving without a valid driver’s license and an obstructed windshield at 8:29 p.m. on Feb. 22. She was eastbound on Galena at Gordon Road.

• Calvin H. Ferguson, 41, of the 8300 block of S. Phillips Avenue, Chicago, was arrested for driving with a suspended license at 5:13 p.m. on Feb. 27. He was at Route 47 and Cross Street.

• Tracy R. Porterfield, 37, of the 7800 block of S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, was arrested on three failure-to-appear warrants from the Aurora Police Department at 5:13 p.m. on Feb. 27. She was at Route 47 and Cross Street.

• Ryan M. Rieger, 20, of the 200 block of W. South Street, Elburn, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia at 8:36 p.m. on Feb. 28. He was on the 400 block of Route 47.

• Alysa A. Barry, 30, of the 100 block of Meadows Drive, Sugar Grove, was arrested for driving with an obstructed windshield and a suspended driver’s license, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of cannabis (less than 2.5 grams) at 3:36 p.m. on March 1. She was northbound on Route 47 at Cross Street.

• Christina S. Colon, 30, of the 2700 block of Prairie View Lane, Aurora, was arrested 5:52 p.m. on March 1 for disobeying a stop sign and arrested on a warrant for failure to appear in court on a battery charge in DuPage County. She was westbound on the Route 56 ramp at Galena Boulevard.

• Christopher A. Cantu, 30, of the 300 block of Maple Street, Sugar Grove, was arrested at 1:51 p.m. on March 2 on a failure to appear warrant from Kendall County. He was in the 300 block of Snow Street.