The annual cake cutting ceremony kicks off every Sycamore Pumpkin Festival, as it will for the 55th annual festival Oct. 26. The Sycamore Pumpkin Festival Committee has named local grocer Hy-Vee its Friend of the Festival because of the grocery store’s continued support of the cake-cutting ceremony.

DeKALB COUNTY

Voters can meet county candidates 

Area residents are invited to join the Genoa Area Chamber of Commerce and the League of Women Voters of DeKalb County for a candidates’ forum to meet candidates in the Nov. 8 election. The forum will start at 6 p.m. Oct. 27 at the Genoa branch of
Resource Bank, 310 IL-23, Genoa. Candidates attending will be DeKalb County Board candidates John J. Wett and Jonathan Schmarje and state’s attorney candidates Richard H. Schmack and Rick Amato.

SYCAMORE

Sycamore Pumpkin festival is highlight of autumn

It’s all about pumpkins during the 55th annual Sycamore Pumpkin Festival, Oct.26-Oct. 30.

The highlights of the celebration include an extensive display of decorated pumpkins on the DeKalb County Courthouse lawn, teen and kiddie carnivals, the Rotary Club’s pancake breakfast, the Pumpkin 4-person Golf Scramble, an historic homes walk and a craft fair and food sold by a number of local service and nonprofit organizations.

A fireworks show will be held 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29 at the Sycamore Park on Airport Road.

The Sycamore Chamber of Commerce’s 10,000 Meter Road Run will begin at 9:05 a.m. Oct. 30 at the Armory.

Later in the day the Pumpkin Festival Parade will kick off at 1 p.m. and will travel on Somonauk, Elm, California, State and Main streets.

Legendary radio broadcaster Orion Samuelson will be the parade’s grand marshal. Samuelson can be heard six days a week on WGN-AM Radio in Chicago, where he has served as agribusiness director since 1960. Samuelson’s commitment to and knowledge of agriculture has been recognized on national and local levels.

Outside broadcasting, he is a member of the Farm Foundation Bennett Round Table. In past years, has served as chairman of the board of the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Foundation, and on the boards of the Agriculture Future of America, Farm Safety 4 Just Kids, the Foods Resource Bank, the National 4-H Council and the Cornerstone Foundation of Lutheran Social Services in Illinois.

The Sycamore Pumpkin Festival Committee named local grocer Hy-Vee its Friend of the Festival because of the grocery store’s continued support of the cake-cutting ceremony that opens the festival.

A complete list of the festival’s events and activities is at sycamorepumpkinfestival.com.

School is taking orders for holiday greenery

Yes, it is Halloween time, but it also is time to order Christmas greenery. St. Mary’s Catholic School in Sycamore is taking orders through Nov. 4 for fresh evergreen wreaths, swags, garland, centerpieces and other decorations.

Brochures and order forms are available at St. Mary’s School, 222 Waterman St., Sycamore. Materials can be picked up at the school between the hours of 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. weekdays. Sales packets also can be delivered to homes and businesses.

Call (630) 707-8110 or (309) 645-7535 or send an email to mrslb3@gmail.com or shelly225@aol.com to place an order.

Sycamore  is picking up leaves through November

Sycamore’s leaf pickup program is cleaning up fallen foliage, with the help of residents who are asked to get leaves ready for pick up.

Leaf piles from the southeast side of Sycamore will be taken the weeks of Oct. 31 and Nov. 14. Piles from the north and west sides of the city will be taken the weeks of Oct. 24 and Nov. 7 and from Nov. 21 to 23.

Residents should rake leaves into loose piles toward the back edge of the curb so city crews can vacuum them up. The city advises residents not to rake leaves into the street or near catch basins, culvert pipes or into ditches. Crews will not pick up leaf piles containing branches, brush, grass clippings, animal waste or other debris, or if the piles are blocked by parked vehicles.

MALTA

Information to guide transfer students

College students considering transferring to a state university can get help when Kishwaukee College hosts a free State Universities’ Transfer Day from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 2 in the Student Center on its Malta campus.

Admissions representatives from the public state universities in Illinois will be available with information on transferring to their institutions. Participating institutions are: Chicago State University, Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Illinois at Springfield, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Western Illinois University.

For information, call (815) 825-9421.