Proper handgun grip is one of the skills to be taught at a handgun workshop for women Feb. 18 in Sycamore. 

NIU 

Former Huskies star Kube dead at age 29 

Alex Kube, a four-year starter who earned freshman All-American honors as an NIU linebacker at Northern Illinois University, died at age 29 last week.

Kube recently had his own sports training company — Top Performance/Elite 7 — and served as a Rockford East High School assistant coach.

No cause of death was announced and an autopsy was pending last last week by the Winnebago County coroner.

DEKALB 

Ellwood House Museum offers volunteer training 

The Ellwood House Museum is seeking volunteers to deliver guided tours of the historic Ellwood Mansion and Ellwood-Nehring House, which highlight the central role of Isaac Ellwood in the development of the barbed wire industry in America. The magnificent estate testifies to his aptitude for business and the breadth of his vision. It also reflects the tastes of multiple generations of the Ellwood family who guided the evolution of the grounds and structures.

This unique opportunity gives volunteers a chance to interact with the public, share DeKalb’s rich history and become an integral part of the museum. Volunteers conduct one-hour long tours for visitors of all ages and backgrounds.

Ellwood House staff will offer volunteer training Feb. 22, Feb. 24, March 1, March 3 and March 8. Volunteers are required to attend a minimum of three of these training sessions, but are encouraged to attend all five. All sessions begin at 4 p.m. and take place at the Ellwood House Museum Visitor Center. Training is free of charge. No previous experience in museums or public speaking is necessary. Guides must be able to climb stairs and stand for one hour.

Ellwood House volunteers receive invitations to special events and programs as well as a 10 percent discount at the museum’s gift shop. In addition, volunteers who give 40 hours or more per year receive a free individual museum membership. To register, visit www.ellwoodhouse.org/getinvolved or call (815) 756-4609.

The museum’s tour season begins March 1 and runs through early December.

MALTA 

College is recognized as welding test site 

Kishwaukee College has been accredited as a test site for certifications by the American Welding Society. Such accreditation gives area businesses a local test site to send their employees for AWS certification. AWS is the internationally accepted standard for welding professionals and it took the college’s Welding Tech department and Career Technologies division nearly a year to complete the accreditation process, which included an on-site audit of facilities. Kishwaukee is one of six AWS accredited testing facilities in Illinois.

Master gardeners hold workshop 

The University of Illinois Extension DeKalb County Master Gardeners will host the 2017 Gardener’s Pathway from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Kishwaukee College Conference Center.

The day will begin with a keynote address by Mark Dwyer, director of Horticulture at the Rotary Botanical Gardens in Janesville, Wis., who will share thematic approaches, plant combinations, landscape design, tools and other cutting-edge garden inspirations. He also will present Amazing Annuals, where he will discuss some of the best and newest annuals.

Following the keynote presentation, choose from a selection of 18 workshops ranging from Patterns in Nature that inspire Japanese Garden Design to The Fun of Bee-keeping.

The second main speaker will be B.J. Miller, production supervisor at BrightFarms. She will share some of life’s tough lessons and humorous moments through the eyes of a gardener.

The workshop fee is $60. Advanced registration is required by Feb. 20. To register, visit web.extension.illinois.edu/bdo/. For more information, call (815) 758-8194.

SYCAMORE 

Workshop to introduce women to handgun use 

Instruction in the use and safe handling of handguns will be given by Northern Illinois Carry in a workshop, designed specifically for women. The class will be held from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Feb. 18, for $85. Firearms and ammo will be provided at no additional cost.

The classroom portion will be held at the Country Inn & Suites, 1450 S. Peace Road, Sycamore. Shooting practice will be held at a private range, located just west of Genoa on Cherry Valley Road in rural DeKalb County.

The morning session will focus on handgun safety and cover the basics of safe gun handling, proper grip, sight alignment, sight picture and how to load and unload handguns. Students will be introduced to a variety of handguns to help them decide which handgun works best for them. Instruction will then move to live fire training at the private range.

The instructors are men, but they promise no men will be there showing off their “man skills.” This workshop is for women only. To register, go to www.northernillinoiscarry.com.