Fox Valley Older Adult Services (FVOAS) has named its 2019 Board of Directors.  From left to right are: Tyler Stevenson, 1st National Bank, Mike Nadeau, retired principal and teacher, Ryan Skinner, Country Financial Leland, Cindy Worsley, executive director, Valerie Plomin, Ph..D., retired NFP Consultant, Amy Vidlak-Girmscheid, Sandwich Library director, Craig Elliott, Kettley Realtors & Elliott Options, Bill Newkirk, CPA, Newkirk & Assoc. Inc., Sarah K. Greenhagen, DPT, GCS, Catalyst Physical Therapy, (not pictured) Lanette Yingling, Mid-Day Play.  (Photo courtesy of FVOAS)

REGIONAL

Volunteers needed for senior services

Senior Services Associates, Inc.in Aurora in in need of volunteers 55 and older to serve in Kendall and southern Kane counties. The program offers opportunities that tap into your experience, skills and talents to meet community challenges.

Volunteers can deliver a meal to a senior in frail health, teach a class at a senior center, or be a friendly visitor to an isolated senior looking for friendship.  is a network of neighbors helping neighbors, neighbors who need your talents, time, wisdom, and experience.

To volunteer in Kendall and Southern Kane Counties, contact Deborah Lee Sheppard by e-mail (best method) at dsheppard@seniorservicesassoc.org by phone at 630-553-5777.

Aurora

 Mid-American Canoe and Kayak Race Updates

The running of the 58th Annual Mid-American Canoe and Kayak Race is scheduled to launch on Sunday, June 2. The Fox Valley Park District is monitoring the Fox River’s behavior, water levels and flow rate daily, as the race inches closer.

The Park District the United States Geological Society (USGS) water measurements to keep an eye on current river conditions, along with the National Weather Service River Forecast, which predicts the river’s flow rate up to one week in advance.

A flow rate is measured in cubic feet per second (cfps). The acceptable flow rate to safely traverse the river is no faster than 2,100 cfps. That will be the threshold to determine the fate of this year’s Mid-Am, for paddler safety is paramount to any decision made.

It’s important to note that the river’s flow rate can drop significantly after just a few days of sunshine and dry conditions. Conversely, the flow rate can rise during and after any significant spells of rainfall.

Weather forecasts are pointing to additional precipitation chances for most of the next 10-day period. The intensity and frequency of these rain events will determine our decision regarding the race.

Visit www.foxvalleyparkdistrict.org for updated information.

Kendall County

 County Board honors retiring deputy commander

On May 21, members of the County Board honored retiring Deputy Commander Joseph Gillespie. County Board Vice Chair Amy Cesich presented Gillespie with a plaque in recognizing his 21-year law enforcement career.

Kendall County Board Vice Chair Amy Cesich presents retiring Deputy Commander Joseph Gillespie with a plaque honoring his years of service with the county.

Gillespie retired from the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office effective May 24.

Deputy Commander Gillespie has been a member of the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office since 1998. He has direct oversight of the Corrections Division.

Gillespie graduated from Benedictine University with a degree in business administration. He also graduated from Northwestern University with a certificate from the school of Police Staff and Command. He is an Illinois Professional Emergency Manager (IPEM), a member of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s certified Professional Development Program, and is a certified Homeland Security Professional.

Before becoming the Deputy Commander of Corrections of the Kendall County Sheriff Office, Deputy Commander Gillespie served as a Field Training Officer (FTO), Sergeant, and Staff Sergeant. Deputy Commander Gillespie was also a member of the Kendall County Special Response Team where he served for 10 ears.

EMA gives weather warning siren reminders

With last week’s tornado warning which triggered the activation of Kendall County’s outdoor warning sirens, it is a perfect time to revisit how and why the sirens get sounded in our area:

According to the Kendall County Emergency Management Agency, controlled sirens in unincorporated areas; along with the sirens in Oswego, Yorkville, and Plano; are all centrally activated from the KenCom 9-1-1 center and are operated under guidelines issued from KCEMA. The guidelines allow for immediate activation in the following situations:

• A tornado WARNING is issued by the National Weather Service for an area including Kendall County. These warnings can be based upon tornado/funnel cloud reports to NWS or can be based on radar-indicated rotation (doppler radar sees “spinning” in a storm cell which could indicate a funnel cloud is imminent)
• A reported spotting of a funnel cloud by a trained weather spotter or first responder (police, fire, or EMS).
• A reported spotting of a tornado on the ground by a trained weather spotter or first responder.
• On the instruction of the KCEMA duty-officer. (This may be because of information received in our Emergency Operations Center or from multiple un-trained spotter reports).

At times, you may hear the sirens go off when there is no storm or tornado directly overhead. When this occurs, it is strongly recommended that you still heed the warning and get to a place of safety until the threat passes. Many times, tornado warnings will be issued in advance of the storm’s path to give citizens as much time to take safety as possible.

It has been repeatedly proven that minutes save lives, and getting 15 minutes warning versus 5 minutes warning could be the difference between life and death for those in the path of the storm. (Please remember, since our county is very small, a storm can easily travel from Plano to Oswego in less than 10 minutes)

Another concern has been the policy of sounding all the sirens in our area versus picking-and-choosing which sirens to set off. While there are many differing opinions on this, the fact remains that the paths of tornados are difficult (if not impossible) to track and their course can change with zero warning.

This means that if sirens are set off for only Plano and Yorkville, and the storm unexpectedly veers south to Newark, those citizens would be given no warning of the danger.

As always, our mission at KCEMA is to protect all the citizens. While it may seem like an inconvenience to have to go to a basement for a storm that is 10 miles away, it may be what saves your life.

 Montgomery

 Committee will sponsor village Floral Display Contest

The Montgomery Beautification Committee will be sponsoring a Summer Floral Display Recognition again this year. This is an opportunity for homes and businesses to be recognized for exceptional landscape displays that feature annual and perennial flowers.

Beautification Committee members will give recognition awards to those homes that best meet the contest criteria: displays must be predominantly floral; live plants only (no artificial, silk, etc.); flower displays may be in ground or containers; perennial and annual flowering plants are acceptable; and the display must add “curb appeal” to the property.

Residents can nominate their own property or someone else’s simply by submitting the property address.

Committee members and volunteer judges will visit all nominated addresses to select the winners. A sign will be placed that evening in front of the properties selected for recognition.

Owners are asked to leave these signs up for two weeks, at which time a member or volunteer from the Beautification Committee will go around and collect the signs. A list of winning addresses will be published. Names will be withheld.

Nominations will be accepted up through Sunday, June 23 and judging will take place on Wednesday evening June 26. You can nominate a property via the link below or by calling the Village of Montgomery Public Works Department at 630-896-9241.

https://www.ci.montgomery.il.us/FormCenter/Other-4/Summer-Floral-Display-Contest-66

hed: Oswego

subhed: Fox Bend Golf Course hosting summer evening events

This summer, spend your nights at Fox Bend Golf Course. From date-nights to outings with friends, there is something for every occasion.

On Saturday, June 1 at 10 p.m., celebrate the beginning of a new month by gazing at the stars during Starry Nights at the Bend. Help will be there to spot the constellations.

This event is welcome to those ages 10 and up. Pre-register by May 31 to receive a special rate of $5 per guest or pay $7 at the course on June 1.

Rock out with the band Shout Out on Thursday, July 11 at 7 p.m., as they deliver a high-energy show featuring covers of rock n’ roll hits. Between songs, grab dinner and drinks at Pearce’s restaurant. This concert is free.

Switch gears on Saturday, July 20 at 9 p.m. and relax during free event Driving Movie Date Night – “Caddyshack” on the course. Bring a blanket and stock up on goodies at our concession stand.

Soak up the last bit of summer during the Nine and Wine Duffer Scramble, hosted on September 8 at 3 p.m. This game is perfect for those who are new to golf.  Get a taste for the game, literally, as each hole features a different wine and cheese pairing.

This event is welcome to those ages 21 and up. Registration is $30 per person and includes tastings, course fees, and the cart.

hed: Plano

subhed: Students, police working together for school safety

In a cooperative effort between an independent computer class taught by Mrs. Kathy Tyler at Plano High School, students and the Plano Police Department School Resource Officer, recently completed a comprehensive project that benefits many entities.

The intent of this project was to construct a virtual tour in multiple Plano school buildings to provide police officers in-depth visual access so that strategic planning can take place in the event of a crisis.

The students in this class, with the guidance of Mrs. Tyler, put in countless hours to ensure this project was thorough and well put together. The Plano Police Department praised the outcome of the program.