A product that removes tough stains from different styles of flooring is demonstrated at the annual Old House New House Home Show at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles. (Photo by Jack McCarthy / Chronicle Media)

AURORA

Traffic stop yields half pound of meth, shotgun

Aurora police seized of one-half pound of meth and a 20-gauge shotgun as the result of a Feb. 1 traffic stop on the Near East Side of Aurora.

Just before 1 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 1, an Aurora Police patrol officer was traveling east on Galena Boulevard behind a car that had a license plate that was completely obstructed, according to an APD report.

The officer pulled the car over at Fourth Street and came in contact with the driver, Jesus E. Duran-Contreras, 23, of the 28W600 block of Barnes Ave., West Chicago. When the officer ran a warrant check on Duran-Contreras, he discovered Duran-Contreras had outstanding warrants out of DuPage and Kane counties for failing to appear in court on possession of meth charges.

One of the backseat passengers in the vehicle, Vladimir R. Fernandez, 30, of the 500 block of Irving St., Joliet, was also found to be wanted by the Illinois State Police for failing to appear on a traffic charge.

The pair were placed under arrest and during a subsequent inventory search of the vehicle, officers found methamphetamine in a bag on the back seat. Police said they were able to tie the drugs, which had a street value of just under $22,000, to Duran-Contreras.

A shot gun and ammunition found in the trunk were connected to Fernandez.

Duran-Contreras was charged with one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver. Fernandez was charged with a single count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. Both men are being held in the Kane County Jail.

Two Aurora women, ages 26 and 23, who were also in the vehicle at the time of the stop, were released after being interviewed.

KANE COUNTY

Overturned murder conviction bound for Supreme Court

A Geneva man whose murder conviction was overturned in August by an appellate court will appear before the Illinois Supreme Court for a final decision.

According to court documents and a Chicago Tribune story reposted on the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office Facebook page, the Supreme Court will hear an appeal by Kane County prosecutors in the case of Shadwick King, the man convicted in 2015 of killing his wife after he learned that she had become emotionally involved with another man.

King, of the 800 block of Oak Street, Geneva, was convicted in 2015 by a Kane County jury of first-degree murder in the death of his wife, 32-year-old Kathleen King.

At the time, prosecutors presented evidence that sometime after 5 a.m. July 6, 2014, King asphyxiated his wife after learning of her relationship with another man, then laid her body near railroad tracks in order to make it look as if the death were accidental.

Sometime after 6:30 a.m. that day, a Metra Rail conductor reported seeing a female body lying on the Union Pacific Railway tracks in the vicinity of the 200 block of Briar Lane and Esping Park on Geneva’s east side.

“When we charged Mr. King with murder, I promised that our office would vigorously pursue justice for Kathleen and her family and friends, and the Geneva community” Kane County State’s Attorney Joe McMahon said in 2015. “Although we have done that, we cannot erase the emptiness that her friends, family, and particularly her children will continue to feel going forward. It is not lost on us that Kathleen’s children will now grow up without their parents. That is at least as great a tragedy as Kathleen’s murder.”

In August, the 2nd Appellate Court ruled that the expert testimony of Mark Safarik, an FBI profiler, went beyond his expertise and deprived King of a fair trial.

“No matter how many crime scenes he had attended as a police officer, how much study he had done on violent crime scenes as an FBI profiler, or how many courses he had attended — (Safarik) was not qualified by knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education to opine on the cause and manner of Kathleen’s death,” Appellate Court Justice Kathryn Zenoff  said in a judgment of the court.

No date has yet been set for the Supreme Court appeal, according the the Tribune story. King is serving a 30-year sentence for the 2014 murder.

REGION

New director named for U of I Extension

University of Illinois Extension appointed Deanna Roby-Vorgias of Itasca as the new County Director serving DuPage, Kane and Kendall counties.

Roby-Vorgias succeeds Sandra I. Davis, who retired in January with 48 years of service in Extension.

As county director, Vorgias will lead the tri-county unit and its 20-plus staff members in three office locations – St. Charles, Naperville and Yorkville. She will be responsible for personnel, financial, program, and facilities management.

Roby-Vorgias has a master’s degree in Education – Human Resource Development from University of Illinois and a bachelor’s degree in Corporate and Organizational Communications – Business Administration from Northern Illinois University.

She comes to the role with 25 years of experience with University of Illinois Extension and 4-H Youth Development, most of which has been in DuPage, Kane and Kendall Counties. In 2018, she earned the state Mentoring Extension Excellence Award.

AURORA

Officer honored for saving toddler’s life

Congratulations are going out to Aurora Police Officer Diego Avila on his selection as December Employee of the Month at the Aurora Police Department.

Officer Avila was selected for his response to a call in September 2018 to assist the Kane County Sheriff’s Office for a report of a child who was not conscious and not breathing. He was the first on the scene and quickly learned the child had apparently drown.

Officer Avila took control of the 2-year old and immediately began CPR. He continued his life-saving efforts until paramedics arrived and transported the child to the hospital.

Despite being involved in a highly stressful situation involving the drowning of a young child, Avila immediately began assisting the Sheriff’s Deputies with their preliminary investigation by interacting with family members, friends and neighbors of the child’s family.

The child was eventually stabilized and transported to a pediatric critical care facility where he was reported to be breathing on his own with the assistance of medical equipment.

MONTGOMERY

Police investigate shooting, one in custody

The Montgomery Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred on Feb. 4 at approximately 5:13 pm.

Montgomery Police responded to several calls for shots fired in the 1700 block of Marilyn Lane. Upon arrival, evidence was located that indicated a weapon was discharged; however, there was no indication of any injuries to any persons. There have been no arrests made in connection to this incident; however, while conducting the investigation a subject was taken into custody for unrelated outstanding warrants out of Kane County.

The investigation into this shooting is ongoing. The Montgomery Police Department strongly encourages anyone with further information to contact Kendall County Crime Stoppers at 630-553- 5999. Callers remain anonymous and are eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of the offenders.

NAPERVILLE

Winter Ale Fest to serve cold beers, hot ciders

Seasonal and rare craft beers and lots of hot hard cider will flow at the annual Naperville Winter Ale Fest, hosted by the city from 12-4 p.m. Feb. 23 in Frontier Park, 3380 Cedar Glade Drive.

The festival also will feature a cask tent and an infusion tent where guests can sample experimental beer recipes. Approximately a dozen food trucks will serve up local eats from Carnivale, Crust Culture, Toasty Taco and other local eateries.

General admission is $49, and includes entrance, beer samplings, a commemorative glass and access to specialty beer tents. Proceeds will benefit the Naperville Parks Foundation.

The lineup of participating local and national breweries will include: 3 Floyd’s, Anchor Brewing, Cigar City Brewing, Farmhaus Cider Co., Illuminated Brew Works,Noon Whistle Brewing,North Coast Brewing Company, One Trick Pony, Pipeworks Brewing Company,Right Bee Cider, Scorched Earth, Two Brothers Artisan Brewing andVirtue Cider. 

GLEN ELLYN

COD is celebrating Black History Month

The College of DuPage is mounting a myriad of programs and activities in February as part of its celebration of Black History Month.

One element of the celebration is a photo exhibit, “The Movement That Influenced American Culture,” that is on display in the Student Resource Center on the Glen Ellyn campus through March 15. The exhibit explores images and captions from past to present-day stories of African Americans during the great migration period and the impact this had on America’s history.

The COD Entrepreneurship Club will host “From Black Migration to Black Businesses and Beyond” from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 12 and Feb. 26, in the Student Services Center, Room 3245. Associate Professor of Business and Entrepreneurship Club Advisor Peter James will explore aspects of how the black migration inspired businesses in the black communities and utilize that dialogue as inspiration for anyone seeking to start a business. 

Historian, educator and community activist Dr. Frederick Douglas Dixon will add to the current mainstream conversation regarding the dominant narratives surrounding the phenomenon of American and Black migrations when he speaks at 1 p.m. Feb.14, in the Health and Science Center, Room 1234.

View the full schedule of Black History Month events at cod.edu. For questions, contact David Swope, COD manager of Student Diversity and Inclusion, at 630-942-2136 or swoped28@cod.edu.

DUPAGE COUNTY

Valentine balloon fundraiser to benefit Care Center residents

The DuPage Care Center is offering the community an opportunity to send Valentine wishes to center residents. For a $3 donation, the public can spread cheer by sending a Valentine balloon to a Care Center resident. Last year, the public sent more than 800 heart-shaped, helium balloons to line the center’s corridors and rooms on Valentine’s Day. Volunteers and staff delivered the balloons to more than 350 residents there.

Balloon donations will be accepted until Feb. 13, and can also be sent by visiting dpccfoundation.org/events-and-fundraisers/valentines-day-balloons/. Balloons will be delivered to residents on Feb. 14.

Money from the sale of balloons benefits the Resident Recreation Fund, which provides programs and activities to improve the quality of life of residents living at the center. For more information, call Linda Gray at 630-784-4303 or send an email to linda.gray@dupageco.org

–Kane County News Briefs–