Congressman Bill Foster (D-Naperville)

AURORA

Foster announces guest for State of the Union

Congressman Bill Foster (D-Naperville) has announced his guest for the president’s State of the Union address on Feb. 4 will be Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman.

“I’m proud to be joined for this year’s State of the Union address by Chief Ziman of the Aurora Police Department,” Foster said. “Chief Ziman has spent her entire career in service to her fellow citizens and has dedicated her work to the safety and well-being of the people of Aurora. As police chief, she’s been a steadfast leader, especially in times of crisis – never more so than last February, when she led the law enforcement response to the horrific mass shooting at the Henry Pratt plant in Aurora that left five employees dead and six Aurora police officers injured.”

Ziman said, “I am honored to join Congressman Bill Foster and represent the men and women of the Aurora Police Department at the State of the Union address.

Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman

“We are committed to serving our community and making Aurora among the best places to live in the State of Illinois. Our department is indebted to its workforce and will always remember the five innocent victims killed during the mass shooting on Feb. 15, 2019. I am honored to take their memory and the stories of the men and women of the Aurora Police Department to the nation’s capital for the State of the Union address.”

Ziman began her career with the Aurora Police Department as a police cadet in 1991 and became a sworn officer in 1994.

She was promoted to sergeant in 2003, lieutenant in 2008, commander in 2010, and Aurora Chief of Police in 2016.

KENDALL COUNTY

 Two schools get state grants for habitats

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Conservation Foundation (ICF) announced 27 Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grants have been awarded from the fall 2019 application period. A total of $22,477.78 will be distributed.

The Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant program supports the development or enhancement of wildlife habitat on the school grounds or other public places. Funding for the program is provided through donations to the ICF.

The Jadel Youth Fund and the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation are the major sponsors for the program. More than $294,000 in Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant funding has been distributed since the program’s inception.

“We want school children to learn about nature through hands-on experiences,” said IDNR Director Colleen Callahan. “It is our goal to have Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant program projects developed in every county of the state, and eventually at every school. So far, we have supported projects in 85 of Illinois’ counties.”

Kendall County schools are:
Newark Community Consolidated School District 66 – Millbrook Junior High, Millbrook. Grades: five through eight for a project for an outdoor classroom. Grant Award: $1,000.
Plano Middle School, Plano. Grades seven and eight for a project on a wetland habitat. Grant Award: $1,000.

Applications will be accepted soon for the next round of the Illinois Schoolyard Habitat Action Grant Program, with an application deadline of Nov. 30. See https://www.dnr.illinois.gov/education/Pages/GrantsSHAG.aspx for the application form and related information, call 217-524-4126 or email dnr.teachkids@illinois.gov.

Minooka man sentenced for LSD crimes

Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weis announced Kai Devine, 20, of Minooka, was sentenced to eight years in the Illinois Department of Corrections for unlawful possession with the intent to deliver a controlled substance (LSD).

Charges resulted from an incident back in May 2017 when Devine was arrested by members of the Kendall County Cooperative Police Assistance Team (CPAT) for delivering multiple hits of LSD. At the time of his arrest, Devine was also in possession of several other hits of LSD, and intended to sell those to other individuals.

Devine will be required to serve two years of mandatory supervised release, formerly known as parole, upon his release from prison. He has consented to participate in the Impact Incarceration Program with the Illinois Department of Corrections.

“Kendall County has seen an increase in LSD in recent times,” Weis said. “We will continue go after those dealers who continue to attempt to sell this and

other dangerous drugs in our county.”

Assistant State’s Attorney Frank S. Gorup prosecuted this case. Attorney Carl Buck represented Devine.

Woman sentenced for drug induced homicide

Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weis announced that Stevi Myerscough, 32, 100 block of Harbor Drive, Oswego, was sentenced to nine years in the Illinois Department of Corrections last month after a contested sentencing hearing.

Myerscough was convicted by a Kendall County jury of drug induced homicide, a non-probationable Class X Felony, in October 2019 for the death of Chester Secor. Charges stem from an investigation in August 2014 when the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office was notified that Chester Secor was found dead in his home. In an investigation into the death of Secor, it was determined that Secor died of heroin intoxication.

Deputies of the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office, through the course of the investigation, were able to determine that Myerscough was Secor’s drug dealer and had delivered heroin to Secor resulting in Secor’s death.

According to Weis, Myerscough had delivered drugs to Secor on multiple occasions in the past and was a distributor for a drug dealer out of Aurora.

Under Illinois law, Myerscough is required to serve at least 75 percent of her nine-year prison sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections before she will be required to serve 3 years of mandatory supervised release. Weis commends the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office for the investigation in this matter.

Local Oswego groups are bringing the Mideast Conflicts Wall of Honor to Oswego for the week of Memorial Day this year. (Photo courtesy of Wall of Honor)

 Caregiver Support Group to meet this week

Senior Services Associates will be offering a caregiver support group on Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. This group will be meeting the first Thursday of every month. Keith Bielema from the Kendall County Health Department will be the leader of this group.

This will be an open support group for those giving care to a loved one regardless of diagnosis, providing services to those taking care of someone with physical or cognitive concerns.

The group will offer support, encouragement, education and identify resources for caregivers with an emphasis on taking care of one’s self so they can care for those they love.

If you have any questions regarding this group, contact Senior Services Associates, at 630-553-5777

 MONTGOMERY

Village accepting ads for Community Guide

The Village of Montgomery has partnered with Town Square Publications to produce its Village of Montgomery Community Guide. This publication will help you market your business directly to area business owners, neighborhood residents and visitors.

Village officials say the Community Map is an advertising tool, highly visible and is a publication that businesses and residents keep on hand for easy reference.

Contact village representative from Town Square Publications Barry Kenis at 630-479-1526 or email bkenis@tspubs.com to review the details.

OSWEGO

Middle East Conflict Wall of Honor comes to village

The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club, in conjunction with the Village of Oswego, is bringing the Mideast Conflicts Wall of Honor to Oswego Friday, May 22, through Friday, May 31.

The Oswego Honors Veterans will pay tribute to and remember the sacrifices of all those who served.

This will mark the debut of the Mideast Conflicts Traveling Wall of Honor in Illinois.

“Oswego is privileged and honored to host the Mideast Conflicts Wall of Honor. The 7,200 names on the Wall remind us of the high price that has been paid for the freedoms we enjoy. Oswego is a community that is very grateful for the service our Veterans have provided and honor the many brave service men and women that gave the ultimate sacrifice,” said Village President Troy Parlier.

The Wall of Honor represents our fallen heroes from 2001 through 2018. Faces of the Fallen is a visual tribute to each serviceman or servicewoman killed in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and as of February 2017, it now includes servicemen and servicewomen killed in action during Desert Storm and Desert Shield.

William Sutton, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, who served during Operation Enduring Freedom from 2007 to 2013, said “I am excited for this wall due to 25 of my Marines being on the Wall of Honor. It feels as if we are all back together.”

For further information on the Wall of Honor, visit Vets Helping Vets HQ’s website: http://vetshelpingvetshq.com.

The Wall of Honor will be on display for the public, free of charge, 24 hours a day, at Oswego Village Hall, 100 Parkers Mill  throughout the week.

Further details forthcoming as events, dates and times are confirmed.

Walk-in kindergarten registration dates announced

Oswego Community Unit School District 308 has announced dates for walk-in registration for incoming kindergarten students. Registration will be held at the Central Registration office in the District Administration Center at 4175 State Route 71 in Oswego.

Students must be 5-years- old by Sept. 1, 2020 in order to begin kindergarten in August.

Packets are available on the district website at www.sd308.org, and at every elementary school and the district office.

No appointment is necessary for registration; parents are encouraged to use the date listed below for their child’s school, however if necessary they may attend any other date listed.

Registration is held from 8 a.m.- 1p.m. and 3-7 p.m. (closed 1-3 p.m.)  for each date listed below:

Wednesday, Feb. 5- Churchill, Lakewood Creek and Southbury Elementary Schools

Tuesday, Feb. 11- Boulder HIll, Hunt Club, and Long Beach Elementary Schools

Thursday, Feb. 13- Grande Park, Old Post, Prairie Point, and Wolf’s Crossing Elementary Schools

Wednesday, Feb. 19- Fox Chase, Homestead, The Wheatlands Elementary Schools

Questions can be directed to the schools or the central registration office at 630-636-2404.