DeKalb County News Briefs

Chronicle Media

STATE

Department of Aging calling attention to elder abuse

June is World Elder Abuse Awareness Month in Illinois, and the state’s Department on Aging (IDoA) is encouraging “Building Strong Support for Elders.” That’s the theme of this year’s recognition, which emphasizes the importance of strengthening communities and preventing elder abuse.

Jean Bohnhoff, director of IDoA, calls elder abuse “a silent epidemic,” and one that has to end.

In 2017, Adult Protective Services at IDoA responded to more than 16,000 reports of suspected abuse, neglect and financial exploitation of adults with disabilities and adults 60 years of age and older. Financial exploitation represents 54 percent of elder abuse cases, and victims generally experience more than one type of abuse, i.e., financial abuse is highly associated with emotional abuse at 43 percent.

To report suspected abuse, call the 24-hour elder abuse hotline at 866-800-1409.

Justin Blandford named Governor’s Mansion curator

The newly renovated Illinois Governor’s Mansion has a new curator. He is Justin A. Blandford, who will be responsible for creating and implementing the mansion’s new strategic vision, which includes a greater focus on history, education, creative arts and visitor experiences. As curator, he will be the Mansion’s liaison with the Springfield historical community and ensure the mansion’s place among the city’s historic sites. 

Blandford will lead the development of events and marketing programs to attract visitors to the mansion, which is the third oldest governor’s mansion in use today. In addition, he will manage day-to-day operations, oversee maintenance of the grounds and the facility, and manage the mansion’s workforce and volunteers. 

The mansion is now being promoted as The People’s House, encouraging the public to enjoy the building and learn state history from it.

Blandford has been a historic site superintendent in the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (DNR) since 2004. Most recently he directed operations at six nationally significant state-owned historic sites: Lincoln Tomb, Veterans Memorials, Old State Capitol, Lincoln Law Office, Vachel Lindsay Home and Frank Lloyd Wright’s Dana House. The sites attract 325,000 visitors each year. 

The new curator began his career in public service as a Dunn Fellow/Policy Assistant in 1999 following his graduation from Webster University in St. Louis. He worked at the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency before joining DNR. He obtained his master’s degree in history this year from the University of Illinois in Springfield.

DeKALB AREA

Bank grants support job initiatives

Programs focusing to initiatives to build an educated workforce have until July 6 to apply for grants being given by First National Bank.

The bank supports educated workforce programs, which are dedicated to strengthening individual core competencies that will improve personal economic self-sufficiency, including adult basic education and vocational and employability training. Programs must be implemented for the benefit of low- or moderate-income individuals, families and/or communities within the First National Bank footprint. The bank operates in Illinois and six other states. In the area, First National has branches in DeKalb, Sycamore and Sandwich.

For more information and to apply, visit fnbil.com/community and click on Request Support.

DeKALB

Family Service Agency getting a new home

A local non-profit organization is going for a younger and larger location that will enable it to do more work.

FSA, which serves the county with its Children Advocacy Center, Youth Mentoring (formerly known as Big Brothers, Big Sisters), Center for Counseling and Senior Services, hopes to close in a couple of weeks on a deal that will allow it to buy the former Associated Bank building at 1325 Sycamore Road.

The agency’s current location, at 14 Health Services Drive near the corner of Sycamore and Bethany roads, was built in the 1970s, and is having structural problems. The new site, built less than 30 years ago, is 14,000 square feet – space the agency can use for new initiatives such as a senior connections program and a one-on-one program similar to Youth Mentoring that the agency has piloted. The new space also will allow the agency to expand its counseling offerings beyond the current limitation of six to seven clients an hour.

FSA hopes to move to its new home by winter. A capital funding committee will be established to develop and organize fundraisers to help pay for the renovations. 

SYCAMORE

Police can now train other officers to handle domestic violence calls

Two Sycamore police officers are now equipped to teach their colleagues in the Sycamore Police department how to handle domestic violence situations. They became trainers through the Lethality Assessment Program, originally created by the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence. The training program was held in conjunction with Safe Passage of DeKalb County, which provides services for victims of domestic abuse.

The goal is to get all Sycamore police officers trained this summer, so the program can be fully implemented by the fall. As of earlier this month, Sycamore police officers have responded to 168 domestic disturbance calls in 2018, most of which regarded verbal altercations. Last year at the same time, police had responded to 162 calls.

County and western star Joe Diffie is the headlining act at Kirkland’s 4th of July celebration.

KIRKLAND

70th year for holiday celebration

Kirkland will hold its 70th celebration of the 4th of July holiday. Starting July 1, live entertainment, carnival, bingo, flea market, food, parade, car and tractor show, bags tournament, beer garden, water fights and raffle are planned, ending on the 4th with what organizers are calling the largest fireworks display in northern Illinois.

For a full schedule of events visit kirkland4thofjuly.com or kirklandlions.org.

Here is a summary, by day.

July 1:

  • 5k Race (email kirkland4thofjuly5k@gmail.com to register)
  • Tractor show
  • Water fights
  • Bags tournament
  • Performance by Audio Drive at 7 p.m.

July 2:

  • Car show and cruise night
  • Performance by Southern Ride at 7 p.m.

July 3:

  • Performance by Back Country Road at 8 p.m.

July 4:

  • Parade
  • Bags tournament
  • Performance by Joe Diffie at 8 p.m.
  • Fireworks display

 

–DeKalb County News Briefs–