Kendall County News Briefs

Chronicle Media

Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley newest board members Lulu Blacksmith, Ed. D. (left), and Joyce Hemphill, Ph. D (right).

Aurora

ATM skimmers found at Old Second Banks

Aurora police are investigating two cases of ATM skimmers being found by Old Second Bank employees in the 1300 block of N. Farnsworth Ave., and the 4000 block of Fox Valley Center Drive.

The skimmers are used by criminals to steal credit card, debit card and PIN numbers.

The first skimmer was located around 6:30 a.m. on Sept. 22 at the Farnsworth Branch after an alert employee reporting for work saw a woman walk up to the ATM and began acting suspiciously.

After the woman walked away from the machine and left the area, the employee checked the ATM and located the skimmer.

The bank then notified personnel at its other branches and a short time later, a skimmer was found at the Fox Valley Branch.

It is not known for certain if any accounts were compromised. Police said detectives are currently looking through security videos as part of the ongoing investigation and will release more information as it becomes available. There is a high probability that the incidents are related.

Police are reminding residents of the importance of inspecting ATM machines for these types of devices before using them.

Check for tampering on the ATM (or credit card reader) before you begin your transaction. Look at the top of the machine, near the speakers, the side of the screen, card reader, keypad etc. Any obvious signs including different colors or materials? Maybe the graphics don’t line up? Something does not look like it fits properly in the machine? Do the card reader, keyboard, or other parts of the machine move when you touch them? If something doesn’t seem right, don’t use that machine and call the police.

When you enter your PIN, assume someone is always looking — whether over your shoulder, or with a pinhole camera. Cover the keyboard with your hand when you input your PIN.

If your information does get stolen, remember to report it to your bank and debit/credit card company. Keep close watch over your accounts also, because time is of the essence if you are victimized. Remember that banks and credit card companies have very rigorous fraud detection policies and will immediately reach out to you at the first sign of something suspicious.

Further information on how to keep your transactions secure is available from your financial institution or debit/credit card company; the Federal Trade Commission and the various credit bureaus.

Kendall County

Community Foundation add new board Members

The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley welcomes new Board members Lulu Blacksmith, Ed. D. , and Joyce Hemphill, Ph. D. Blacksmith and Hemphill were officially recognized at last Thursday’s Board meeting, held at the Santori Aurora Public Library.

Blacksmith joins the Board with an impressive background in community relations. She took on her role as Waubonsee’s director of government and community engagement in 2008; this July, she was appointed dean for student and community engagement. Prior to her work at the college, Blacksmith served as the director of community relations for the former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and the manager of community outreach for Presence Mercy Medical Center. She is also the founder of Compañeros en Salud/Partners in Health, NFP, a coalition that helps connect Hispanic community members with needed social services and healthcare.

One of nine children, Blacksmith came to the United States from Mexico at the age of 16. Despite a strong desire to succeed, she struggled to engage in her community. Her husband, a Batavia native, was often recognized in public by friends and neighbors, but Blacksmith didn’t enjoy that same connection.

“For a while…I felt like I didn’t belong anywhere,” Blacksmith said.

Blacksmith’s search for community eventually led her to the Aurora Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which needed bilingual volunteers; it was there that she found her first calling. She names this experience as one that still influences her community-focused projects, including her new role as a Community Foundation Board member.

“I was lost many years ago, and my involvement in the community gave me what I yearned for some many years–a sense of belonging,” Blacksmith said.

Community Foundation Chairman of the Board John Diederich said he is “thrilled” to have Blacksmith on the Board.

“I have known Lulu for many years and have enjoyed watching her engage in the community,” Diederich said. “She has become someone who is sought after in our community for her dedication to empowering individuals to better themselves and the communities they serve.”

Hemphill is a self-described “play advocate” who took action when her sons’ school district eliminated recess in 2001. Her passion for play and its role in child development shows in her extensive volunteering experience, as well as contribution to various blogs and magazines. In 2014, she co-authored a book, “The Power of Playful Learning: The Green Edition”, that includes games and activities along with their developmental benefits. She recently retired as a faculty associate in The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s educational psychology department, and now serves as the co-founder and “play consultant” of Shinyhill.

Diederich believes Hemphill’s extensive knowledge and passion will only continue to strengthen the Community Foundation.

“It’s been great to have Joyce serve on our Distribution Committee, and now take the next step of joining our Board,” Diederich said. Her enthusiasm and sheer love of philanthropy will be a great addition to our Board.”

During her time as a professor, Hemphill emphasized service learning and hands-on learning, no matter the schedules or resources of her students.

“I always told my students, ‘Even if you don’t think you have much, you are so incredibly blessed,'” Hemphill said. “Maybe you have kids at home, and that doesn’t give you much time to give back. I suggest inviting the child’s friends over and creating a ‘Reading Buddies’ group, which builds friendships and social skills. You can always serve in some capacity.”

It’s this “giving back” mindset that Joyce learned from her parents as a child and hopes to carry into her role as a board member.

“I grew up in a family that encouraged volunteering,” Hemphill said. “I’m so blessed, so fortunate. Why wouldn’t I give back?”

Montgomery

Senior luncheon and Cemetery Walk

At 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 9, the Historic Preservation Commission will present an indoor version of the Cemetery Walk for those who are unable to attend the evening event in the cemetery on Oct.  3. 

The reenactment presentation on Oct. 9 will take place in the Board Room at the Village Hall, 200 N. River St. and will feature most of the original actors as well as a PowerPoint slideshow.

The annual Cemetery Walk takes place in Riverside Cemetery. 

Guests are led through the cemetery in small groups to meet the fascinating “ghosts” of early pioneers and other residents of the cemetery as portrayed by costumed actors.  This is not a scary event, but an opportunity to learn more about the lives of those men and women who contributed in various ways to Montgomery’s history.

The free indoor presentation is being offered by the Village of Montgomery .  There is no charge and the event is handicapped accessible. The monthly Senior Lunch and activity will begin at 11 a.m. after the presentation. There is a $4 cost for the lunch.

For additional information on this event, please call the Montgomery Village Hall at (630) 896-8080, ext. 9023.

Oswego

District 308 in Top 10 percent of School Districts

Oswego Community Unit School District 308 was named 30th out of 408 districts in Illinois by Niche, the largest website for researching K-12 schools.

The district received an overall grade of A-, with the highest marks in College Prep and Clubs and Activities. The district was ranked #20 out of 408 in the state and #425 of 10,811 nationally in the area of athletics.

For the most diverse school districts, SD 308 was rated #102 out of 644 in Illinois.

For Niche’s 2019 report, Oswego East High School earned an A rating and Oswego High School earned an A-.

Scoring is based on a variety of factors including SAT/ACT scores, student-teacher ratio, the quality of colleges students consider, and reviews from students and parents.

For junior high schools, two received an A rating, and three were B+. The district’s elementary schools saw 12 A or A- ratings and one B+ rating, all ranked in the top quartile of the state.

The statistical data used in the ranking was obtained from the U.S. Department of Education and then analyzed by Niche’s team of data scientists to create the 2018 rankings. For the full list of 2019 rankings, methodologies, and data sources, visit: https://k12.niche.com/rankings.

Fall Fox Fest returns to Main Street

Follow the crowds to Main Street in Downtown Oswego for Fall Fox Fest, a family friendly festival filled with fun and fantastic activities.

The event takes place on Sunday, Oct. 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Younger fans of the event are particularly fond of the Giant Slide, petting zoo, and Touch-A-Truck featuring tractors and emergency vehicles. Other crowd favorites include arts and crafts, photo booth, food trucks and live music.

Don’t miss a special Hand-Made on Main craft marketplace and face painting (for a small donation) throughout the day.

 

 

–Kendall County News Briefs–