Kendall County news briefs

(left to right) Fox Valley Community Services’ Home Services Director, Regina Zwart and Adult Day Service Director, Betty Erickson, RN. The organization recently received special accreditations from Boston University. (Photo courtesy of Fox Valley Community Services)

KENDALL COUNTY

Witches and Warlocks Ball for charity

The Witches and Warlocks Ball on Saturday, Oct 12 is a party for women and men over the age of 21 that want to dress up, drink cocktails, dance, and support local charity Bike Bald Group’s mission, supporting children with cancer and rare illnesses.

The large enclosed tented event will make its way to Oswego for the first time. The event will be held at 27 Stonehill Road with over 400 off street parking spaces provided.

Visit www.bikebald.com for tickets and more information.

Health Department urges child vaccinations

The Health Department is committed to increasing access to vaccinations for our school-aged children. Recently, we partnered to provide for offsite vaccination clinics at local high schools.

Oswego, Oswego East, and Plano High Schools participated in these special offerings so parents could have their children vaccinated, receive a sports physical, and complete school registration — all together at a single location and time.
The Health Department continues to provide preventative Back to School vaccines at our department. Oct. 15 is the state cutoff date for completion of all required vaccines. If students are not vaccinated by this date, the school may not allow students to attend.
If you have questions regarding vaccinations for school, travel and prevention of diseases, call 630-553-9100.

 

FVCS directors receive special accreditations

Fox Valley Community Services recently received special accreditations from Boston University Center for Aging and Disability Education and Research.

This advanced training assists both Directors in their successful management of two very important programs at Fox Valley Community Services, Home Services and Adult Day Service.

Through its Home Services (HS) Program FVCS offers non-medical in home assistance to all seniors in DeKalb, Kane, Kendall and LaSalle counties.

Home Services is a community-based program for adults with various kinds of health and age related problems whose care is directed by an individualized plan that addresses health, emotional and social needs. Approximately 100 aides, who are background checked, finger printed and preservice trained are closely matched with clients whose needs are met and monitored.

All clients remain in their own homes with this assistance. Some of the tasks performed include personal care assistance, light housekeeping, errands, doctor’s visits and companionship.

Adult Day Service (ADS) is staffed full time by registered nurse, Erickson, certified nurses’ aides and activity aides.

These programs are administered at the Fox Valley Community Center in Sandwich along with active adult activities and trips.

Call the Home Services Department for more information 815-570-2531 or 815-786-9404 for Adult Day Service and Active Adult Activities.

Funds available for energy assistance 

Kendall-Grundy Community Action Services, a division of Kendall County Health Department, has funds available for the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Percentage Income Payment Plan (PIPP).

The mission for these energy assistance programs are to assist low income households in meeting their immediate home energy needs by paying a portion of winter energy bills to prevent service interruptions, while providing education on home energy conservation and other opportunities to achieve and maintain energy security and financial self- stability.

On Nov. 1, households with children aged five or under or have been disconnected from gas or electric may apply.

On Dec. 1,  applications will be open to all other low income households.

To qualify for this assistance on your gas and your electric bills, households must have an income equal to or less than 150 percent of the poverty level as defined in the 2020 poverty guidelines and provide required documentation during the scheduled appointment.

The Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) is available to LIHEAP eligible households who are customers of Nicor, Ameren, and ComEd.

For more information, call the Kendall County Health Department, Yorkville, at 630-553-9100 .

Tri-County 4-H members excel at Illinois State Fair

More than 100 4-H members — representing 4-H clubs from DuPage, Kane and Kendall counties — were among the more than 3,000 4-H general project exhibits from across Illinois judged and displayed during the 2019 Illinois State Fair.

The local youth earned the right to exhibit at Illinois State Fair by being selected at the top of their class or division at local county fairs in July and August. 4-H youth can explore scores of projects in seven areas of study – animal science, career and leadership development, creative arts, environmental sciences, global civic engagement, healthy living and nutrition, and STEM.

All 4-H general project participants received a state fair exhibitor ribbon, and those exceeding requirements for more than 80 percent of the scoresheet criteria received an Outstanding designation.

New this year, youth also could earn other special honors – medals for Champion and Reserve Champion in each class on each judging day, and backpacks for Inspire Award honorees who named by judges who felt moved by a 4-H member’s passion.

In addition to the individual awards, three local 4-H clubs received Superior ratings for group Intercultural projects: Trinity Trailblazers 4-H Club of DuPage County (Reserve Champion), The Challengers 4-H Club of Kane County, and Barn and Beyond 4-H Club of Kendall County (Outstanding).

 

MONTGOMERY

Man charged with burglary from summer
On June 30, Kendall County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the Silver Springs State Park, 14400 Fox Road, Yorkville, for a report of a burglary to the Wiggly Worm Bait Shop that had occurred earlier that morning. A large amount of damage was done to the shop, and numerous items stolen.
Sheriff’s Office Detectives began an investigation, and on Sept. 23, the Kendall County State’s Attorney’s Office charged David Kur, 30, 200 block of Jefferson Street, Montgomery with burglary, a class 2 felony, and criminal damage to property, a class 4 felony.

A warrant was issued with a bond of $25,000, with ten percent to apply.
Kur was taken into custody on Sept. 25 and was released after posting bond, pending his next court date.

Village announces pumpkin decoration contest

The village is asking residents to show off their creative side and win a prize. Post your decorated pumpkin on the village of Montgomery Facebook page and staff will be giving away a stylish village surprise pack to its favorite pumpkins in the following categories: scariest, silliest and cutest. Don’t forget to post post your images between Oct. 1-31. Winner will be chosen by Tuesday, Nov. 5.

The Oswego Police Department reminds the public of parking locations, alternative transportation and travel routes for the annual crosstown football game Friday, Oct. 11. (Courtesy of School District 308)

 OSWEGO

 Village accepts land for entertainment venue

A new outdoor entertainment venue and community gathering space near Orchard Road may be coming to Oswego, after village trustees agreed to accepted three acres of donated land.
The land comes from Oswego business owner Kevin Fialko who owns Oswego Junction Mall, and its anchoring restaurant Prohibition Junction, and recently produced VET FEST 141 there.
The donated parcel is the approximately three acres of open green space immediately to the west of the Park N’ Ride parking lot. According to the agreement, the village will not pay for the property, but in exchange for taking ownership of the land, the village would agree to put the land to use as a public entertainment venue that could be enjoyed by the community within three years.
The new park and venue would anchor the developments already in the area, which, in addition to Prohibition Junction, includes the popular Steve Buresh’s Cheesecake and Sandwich Shop, Adventures in Learning daycare, and the Park N Ride lot, which has been used largely for special events since Metra discontinued shuttle service in 2015. The Park N Ride lot is still slated as the future site of an Oswego Metra Station, and this new community space could effectively use the lot both in the short term and on non-peak station hours in the future.
“Activating Orchard Road has been a priority of mine for the Oswego community, and being able to offer an amenity like this is a great first step,” said Village President Troy Parlier. “I want to thank Kevin and his team for this act of generosity and for sharing in this vision of robust, community-minded growth along Orchard Road.”
There are no specific plans proposed yet for the entertainment venue.

“The idea currently would include an outdoor stage that could be used by local bands, student bands, or theatre groups, as well as by other interested government agencies,” said Village Administrator Dan Di Santo. “We do envision in addition to an active stage having a park area accessible to the community as a gathering space with multi-seasonal use.”

Crosstown football game traffic/parking alert
The Oswego Police Department reminds the public of parking locations, alternative transportation and travel routes for the Crosstown football game Friday, Oct. 11 at Ken Pickerill Stadium on the grounds of Oswego High School, 4250 Route 71.

Parking will be available in the North and South lots of Oswego High School and also at the East View Academy grass lot (weather permitting). VIP parking will be in the main parking lot of East View Academy. Signage on Route 71 will inform the public when the North lot is full and limited to drop off only.

Handicapped parking will be available in the North lot of Oswego High School.
Oswego School District 308 will provide bus transportation from the remote parking lots at Plank Junior High, Churchill Elementary and Oswego East High School. The service will begin at 4 p.m. with drop off at the North gate of Pickerill stadium. Bus service back to the remote lots will be available until 30
minutes after the conclusion of the game.
At the conclusion of the game, travel routes will be limited out of the parking lots in the following manner:
• Fans exiting the North lot of OHS and the East View lot will only be allowed to travel North on
Route 71.
• Fans exiting the South lot of OHS will only be allowed to travel South on Route 71.
• Fans exiting Stonehill Road onto Wolf Road will only be allowed to travel East on Wolf Road.
Oswego Police Officers and Community Service Officers will be located at intersections most affected by
the increase in traffic and will assist with traffic control in these areas. In an effort to reduce traffic
congestion, those driving to the event are asked to carpool or utilize the provided shuttle buses. Fans are asked to remain patient as the lots are expected to take longer than normal to clear.

YORKVILLE

 Resident arrested for possession of child pornography
On Sept. 30, Kendall County detectives secured the following additional charges against Jason Leifheit, 39, of the 100 block of Bertram Drive in Yorkville.

Leifheit was charged with nine counts of child pornography (Class 2 felonies for possession) and three counts of indecent solicitation of a child (1-class 1 felony, 1-class 3 felony, and 1-class 4 felony)
The charges of indecent solicitation of a child resulted from alleged electronic communications Leifheit had with two subjects whom he believed to be children under the age of 18.

One subject has been positively identified as an out-of-state juvenile who never had in-person contact with Leifheit. Investigation into the second subject is ongoing.
Leifheit remains out on bond pending his next court date.
Leifheit was originally charged on July 24 after the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into an online user who was alleged to be in possession of child pornography.

After determining the identity of the user, on Sept. 12, detectives from the Sheriff’s Office, assisted by detectives from the Yorkville Police Department and members of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office High Tech Crime Bureau, executed two search warrants pursuant to this investigation.
As a result of these warrants Leifheit, was arrested and charged with 10 counts of child pornography (4 class X felonies for dissemination or reproduction, 6 class 2 felonies for possession).