Sandwich police personnel are wearing a special Halloween patch on their uniforms throughNov. 1. The public will be able to purchase patches Oct. 29, at the Pumpkin Festival for $10. Supplies are limited to 150 patches.

STATE

Decade sees teen driving deaths down by half

Fewer teens are dying behind the wheel in Illinois. And, Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White is crediting a graduated driver’s license law with the 51 percent drop in teenage-driver deaths in the past decade.

White cited Illinois Department of Transportation data that show there were 76 fatalities among motorists aged 16-19 in 2016. That’s down from 155 in 2007, the year before the Graduated Driver’s License program took effect.

The program gives teenagers more time to gain experience behind the wheel under a parent’s or guardian’s supervision. It limits in-car distractions and requires teens to earn their way from one stage of driving to the next.

White, a Democrat running for his sixth term as secretary of state in the 2018 elections, announced the numbers last week at the beginning of National Teen Driver Safety Week.

DeKALB

Police up patrols for impaired drivers

DeKalb police will conduct a special crackdown on drunk or high motorists for Halloween. A “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement effort, usually held during holidays such as New Year’s Eve, will be conducted this week.

The campaign will urge people to plan a safe way home before attending a party, to contact the police if they see an impaired driver on the road, and to help get an impaired person home if they are about to get behind the wheel.

The enhanced Halloween enforcement is made possible through federal traffic safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

SYCAMORE 

School selling holiday greens as its annual fundraiser

St. Mary’s Catholic School in Sycamore is accepting orders through Oct. 30 for its annual sale of fresh evergreen wreaths, swags, garland, centerpieces and festive décor for the Christmas season.

St. Mary’s has held this fundraiser for more than 30 years. The greens are from Sherwood Forest Farms in the Pacific Northwest.

For sales packets, questions or to place an order, contact volunteers Lauren at (630) 707-8110 or mrslb3@gmail.com or Michelle at (309) 645-7535 or shelly225@aol.com. Sales packets are available for businesses interested in buying greens.

Brochures and order forms also are available at St. Mary’s School, 222 Waterman St., Sycamore.

Pickup for local orders will take place the week of Nov. 27. Direct shipment is available for out-of-town relatives or friends.

Annual Pumpkin Festival opens Oct. 25

Everything pumpkin will be celebrated and money will be raised for area not-for-profit organizations at this year’s annual Sycamore Pumpkin Festival, Oct. 25-Oct. 29. The DeKalb County Courthouse lawn will be the center of activities with thousands of decorated pumpkins on display illustrating this year’s theme: Pumpkins Across the Decades.

The festival’s activities will include the Lions Decorated Pumpkin Display, two carnivals, two indoor craft shows, many non-profit vendors selling wares, a pie eating contest, a house walk, a Saturday night fireworks show, and a 90-minute Sunday parade.  

A complete list of all activities and events can be found at sycamorepumpkinfestival.com/events.html

Police to sport special uniform patch for Halloween

The Sycamore Police Department is into the spirit of Halloween this week. In time for the Sycamore Pumpkin Festival, Oct. 25-Oct. 29, police officers will sport a special patch on their uniforms. The patch is the result of an artistic collaboration between Officer Luke Kampmeier and Sgt. Jeff Wig. Kampmeier designed the patch digitally, and then Wig gave the design to a South Carolina company that makes police uniform patches.

The special patch looks similar to the regular Sycamore police patch, but with an orange border and a pumpkin in the center instead of the usual leaf. Police personnel received permission to wear the patches from Oct. 25 to Nov. 1.

The public will be able to buy patches Oct. 29, at the Pumpkin Festival for $10. Supplies are limited to 150 patches. Proceeds will go to the Sycamore Police Explorer Post. The Police Explorer program is for children interested in a law enforcement career.

SANDWICH

Chamber to host its annual Halloween Walk

The Sandwich Area Chamber of Commerce invites children of all ages and adults to attend its eighth annual Halloween Walk in downtown Sandwich from 12-2 p.m. Oct. 28.

Trick-or-treaters are encouraged to begin their outing at the Gazebo in Veterans Park, 151 E. Railroad St., where the chamber will distribute maps and treat bags to anyone in costume. The treat bags have been donated by First National Bank.

A limited number of spaces are available for businesses that do not have storefronts downtown. If you are interested in reserving a space or have any questions about the walk, contact the Sandwich Chamber at (815) 786-9075 or info@sandwich-il.org.

The Sandwich Area Chamber of Commerce wished to thank its Spotlight Members: First Midwest Bank, First National Bank, Just In Time and Northwestern Medicine. 

SOMONAUK

Appraisal sale to raise funds for Community Chest

Somonauk Community Chest will sponsor its fifth annual appraisal fair from 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 26, at the Somonauk Public Library, 700 E. LaSalle St. A $5 minimum donation per two items is recommended.

Proceeds from the appraisal fair will support work of the Community Chest. The Community Chest is a nonprofit organization supported by individual donations, which distributes funds to local agencies. Every year the Somonauk Community Chest asks the community and area businesses for contributions to help bring services to the area’s youth, seniors and less fortunate residents.

Contributions can be sent in the pre-addressed envelope residents received in the mail or to Somonauk Community Chest, P.O. Box 126, Somonauk 60552. Contributions are tax-deductible. For questions, call (815) 498-3959.

–DeKalb County News Briefs–