The grandstands promise to be full again at the annual Kendall County Fair to be held Aug. 4 to 7 at the fairgrounds near the Harris County Forest Preserve, 10826 IL Route 71, Yorkville. (Photo courtesy Kendall County Fair Assoc.)

Aurora

Increase in Aurora car burglaries

Aurora police have reported that in just over two weeks time, nearly 50 vehicles throughout the city have been burglarized. Many of the vehicles were left unlocked and became quick targets, Aurora police said.

“These incidents underscore the importance of locking your vehicles and either stashing anything of value out of sight or taking it with you,” police said in a Facebook announcement.

Police said almost all of the burglaries are occurring in the overnight hours. Between July 11 and July 27, 49 vehicles were reported to have been burglarized in Aurora, 46 of which were unlocked. According to police, 26 of the vehicles were parked in driveways, 10 on the street, nine in parking lots and four in alleys.

Police said that they have little concrete suspect information, and that the crimes are one of opportunity.

When the thieves find a vehicle that is unlocked, they steal anything of value including items in center consoles and glove compartments, according to police. When they find a locked door handle, they simply move on to the next vehicle, police said.

Cash, loose change, electronics including cell phones and computers and tools have been among the items taken.

In several cases, social security and financial documents have been stolen which obviously puts the victims’ identities at risk. Prescription narcotics have also been swiped which fuels the local drug trade, police said.

“It’s worth repeating: the best way to defeat a vehicle burglar is to make sure you use your locks and stash anything of value out of sight,” police said. “Also remember that burglars hate light so make sure your home has good exterior lighting and park in well-lit areas.

Kendall County

Deputies seeking information in reference to a theft

The Kendall County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information in reference to a theft of two motorized mini bikes and two bicycles. The incident occurred between 5 p.m. on July 19 and 3 p.m. on July 21 in the first block of East Lions Street in Newark.

The Kendall County Sheriff’s Office report numbers are 2016-2285.

Anyone with information on this or other crimes is urged to call Kendall County Crime Stoppers at (630) 553-5999. Callers remain anonymous and are eligible for a reward of up to $1,000.00 for information leading to the arrest of the offenders.

Kendall County Fair to open this week

For hundreds of local youth, 4-H project displays and animal shows are an important and fun part of the annual Kendall County Fair, which is scheduled for Aug. 4 to 7 this year.

“We hope you will join us Fair Week to celebrate the hard work and achievements of these local youth,” said Kim Eisnaugle, 4-H Youth Development Program Coordinator. “Throughout the year, our 4-H members learn new skills and develop talents, which they then demonstrate through the annual 4-H exhibits and shows at the Kendall County Fair.”

Projects on display in Smith 4-H Hall on the fairgrounds include: visual arts, woodworking, electricity, clothing/fashion, food and nutrition, natural resources, computers, robotics, horticulture, photography, and more. These project areas are judged before the fair, but open for viewing throughout the week, Eisnaugle said.

During the fair, other 4-H project areas will host shows, including the livestock competitions, as well as other events.

The Kendall County Fair also features rides, petting zoo and live animals, exhibits, eating and cooking contests, music groups and performances, truck and tractor pull, bean bag and a mud volleyball tournament. For more information on location, tickets or full fair event schedules, visit www.kendallcountyfair.org. The Kendall County Fairgrounds is located at 10826 Illinois Route 71 in Yorkville.

For more information on the fair, and an event schedule, visit http://kendallcountyfair.org/.

Oswego

Grande Park Elementary School principal hired

Oswego Community Unit School District 308 Board of Education recently approved the hire of Amy Feulner as Grande Park Elementary School’s new assistant principal.

Feulner served as the kindergarten music teacher at East View Elementary School from August 2011 through June 2016. From March 2016 to July 2016, she was also the intern principal at East View Kindergarten Center.

“Amy brings a tremendous amount of positive energy and enthusiasm to Grande Park Elementary School. She has demonstrated that she is a strong leader through her experiences in District 308, and will be a great addition to the Grande Park staff,” said Grande Park Principal Sean Smith.

Prior to joining School District 308, Feulner worked as a long-term substitute in School District 54, where she gained experience teaching students in general education, special education, English learning, and bilingual programs. 

“I am very excited to join the Grande Park team,” said Feulner. “I already know about 90 percent of the incoming first and second graders at Grande Park because they attended full-time kindergarten at East View, where I taught. I’m looking forward to helping them and all students at Grande Park progress in their academic careers.”

OEHS Assistant Principal Hired

The Community Unit School District 308 Board of Education recently approved the hiring of Chris Grays for the new assistant principal position at Oswego East High School (OEHS). Grays’ appointment brings the number of assistant principals at OEHS to three.

The board also approved a third assistant principal position for Oswego High School (OHS).

“The addition of Chris Grays and the new assistant principal position will help streamline duties at the high school so we can serve all students efficiently,” said OEHS Principal Scott Savage. “He is an excellent choice to help lead Oswego East High School forward. Chris brings with him a demonstrated ability to establish meaningful partnerships with all stakeholders.”

As a previous administrative dean of students outside the district, Grays observed, supervised, and evaluated teachers and staff, supervised daily operations at the school, monitored school discipline policies and made adjustments when necessary, and facilitated professional development for faculty.

“I’m excited to join the team at Oswego East High School and to serve School District 308,” Grays said. “I plan to use my wide array of skills and experience gained in various learning environments to support positive experiences for families, teachers and students alike.”

1986 Oswego High School reunion

Were you a member of the Oswego High School class of 1986? Then join your other classmates for your 30-year reunion. The reunion will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. Aug. 6 at The Homestead 1854 in Plano. Email ohsclassof86@gmail.com for the link to the invite.

A pre-reunion meet up will be held at Firehouse Pizza and Pub in Oswego at 7 p.m. Aug. 5.

Oswego traffic announcement

The Illinois Department of Transportation has announced that the Route 34/West Washington Street railroad crossing in Oswego will be closed beginning Monday, Aug. 8, for about seven days to allow the rebuilding of the crossing.

Westbound Route 34 traffic will detour west to Route 71 to Orchard Road, then north on Orchard Road back to Route 34.

Eastbound Route 34 traffic will detour south on Orchard Road to Route 71, then east on Route 71 back to Route 34.

In addition, South Adams Street will be closed from Washington Street to Jackson Street.

Motorists are urged to use caution and expect some delays while traveling the detour route.

Volunteers needed for Senior Center

The Oswego Senior Center has multiple opportunities for volunteerism for all ages, individuals and groups throughout the year. If you are interested in volunteering, please call Ruth Mattson for a volunteer application and interview, (630) 554-5602 or email volunteer@oswegoseniorcenter.org.

Current positions available: Volunteer Gift Shop Manager (5 to 10 hours per week); Gift Shop Volunteer (2 to 4 hours per week); Book Club Leader (1 to 3 hours per month plus reading books and preparation); Garden; and for special events including fashion show Aug. 23 and hoedown Sept. 16.

Yorkville

Man Sentenced For Child Porn Conviction

Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weis has announced that a Yorkville man was recently sentenced to 12 years in prison, stemming from his fourth child pornography conviction.

Randall Anderson, 0-99 block of Riverside Drive, was also convicted of violating the state sex offender registration act, Weis said.

According to Weis, an investigation that began in Dec. 2015 following a compliance check led to the charges against Anderson.

Kendall County investigators were processing Anderson’s address to confirm that he was in compliance with the sex offender act’s requirement when they learned through the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force that 100 images of known child pornography had been downloaded to a computer address previously verified  as Anderson’s personal computer, according to the state’s attorney’s office.

A search warrant for Anderson’s home and computers turned up numerous images depicting children younger than 13 involved in various sex acts, Weis said. Images were discovered on multiple media devices in Anderson’s home.

Anderson was charged with five counts of possession of child pornography involving a child younger than 13, all Class 1 felonies because of his prior convictions for the same offense. He was also charged with several counts of violating the sex offender registration act.

–Kendall County News Briefs–