woodstockindependent 1 14 15

1Jan. 14-20, 2015THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

“It’s not often an en-

tire community takes us

both into their homes and

hearts,” Ramis said in the

letter printed on Colum-

bia Pictures stationery. “I

hope that when you see the

movie, you will enjoy see-

ing Woodstock on film and

delight in the knowledge

that people all over the

world will get to enjoy your

hometown, as well.”

It’s been nearly one year

since Ramis, who co-wrote,

directed and co-starred in

the 1993 film, died from

complications stemming

from a rare autoimmune

inflammatory disease. �e

INDEPENDENTTheWoodstock Jan. 14-20, 2015

Serving Woodstock, Wonder Lake and Bull Valley, Ill. $1.00www.thewoodstockindependent.comPublished every Wednesday Est. 1987

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OBITUARIES 7OPINION 8EDUCATION 10A & E 11MARKETPLACE 13IN

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The Woodstock Independent671 E. Calhoun St.,

Woodstock, IL 60098Phone: 815-338-8040Fax: 815-338-8177

www.thewoodstockindependent.com

COMMUNITY 14CALENDAR 25CLASSIFIEDS 26PUBLIC NOTICES 28SPORTS 32

ECRWSSPOSTAL CUSTOMER

LESS SNOW, LESS SALTLow snow levels mean the city is going through less of the expensive stuff

A Woodstock Public Works employee uses a front loader to move salt at the city’s storage facility on Washington Street. INDE-PENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

By STEPHANIE PRICEThe Independent

After Harold Ramis complet-

ed filming “Groundhog Day” in

Woodstock in 1992, he mailed

a letter to city leaders thanking

them for welcoming his produc-

tion crews and cast with such

enthusiasm and generosity.

Please see Ramis, Page 3

Woodstock mangoes missing off coast of FloridaJames Bakazan is the second Woodstock resident to drown in Fla. this winter

By KATELYN STANEKThe Independent

For the second time in two months,

a Woodstock man has gone missing

off the coast of Florida.

James Bakazan, 53, disappeared in

the ocean near Key West Jan. 3. �e

Woodstock resident was on a scu-

ba diving trip when he presumably

drowned, according to the Monroe

County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff’s office spokeswoman Becky

Herrin said Bakazan was diving at the

Vandenberg Wreck, a large artificial

reef, when he disappeared.

Attempts to find Bakazan were

called off Jan. 6.

According to a statement from the

Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, oth-

er divers who were aboard the same

boat as Bakazan told investigators he

descended into the water to dive near

the stern of the shipwreck reef before

making a fast ascent back to the sur-

face of the water. People on the boat

saw Bakazan in trouble and tried to

help, but as a diver approached him

in the water, Bakazan slipped under-

water again and was lost.

Bakazan had not made any clear

distress signals before the incident,

and the captain of the Dream, the

commercial boat carrying the divers,

had reported good visibility and sail-

ing conditions at the time of the div-

er’s disappearance, Herrin said.

Bakazan was on a trip organized

by Key West-based Lost Reef Adven-

tures. Nick Kolessar, owner of the

commercial diving company, con-

firmed the sheriff’s office’s statements

but said he could not comment fur-

ther on the incident.

�e U.S. Coast Guard, which led a

search team that included rescuers

from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Of-

fice and the Florida Fish and Wildlife

Conservation Commission, called off

the search for Bakazan the night of

Jan. 6, according to Herrin. His body

Please see Drowning, Page 3

Salt use is down,

but it’s still costly

this seasonBy STEPHANIE PRICE

The Independent

�e current winter season has been far

less demanding on Woodstock’s road salt

supply, but a hike in salt prices has the

city spending considerably more money

to combat slick and icy roads this year.

As of Jan. 8, city road crews had spread

slightly more than 740 tons of salt on

Woodstock’s streets during 10 full and

two smaller weather-related deploys,

said public works director Paul Rusko.

By comparison, last year, crews had

already used 2,614 tons of salt to fight

14 full and 10 partial events involving

rain, freezing rain and snow by the same

date.

And while Woodstock is using less road

salt so far this year, the city is paying

more for it.

Rusko said he budgeted $240,000 on

salt for fiscal year May 1, 2014, to April

30, 2015, but the city likely will spend

about $560,000 for this season’s salt

supply. Last year’s salt expenditure was

about $203,000. Two years ago, that

cost was $132,000, he said.

“�e price of salt has gone from $57

per ton to $140 per ton based on the

way the state’s (purchasing) process

works,” Rusko said.

After so many communities ran out

of salt supplies during last year’s wick-

Please see Salt, Page 5

Cinema auditorium will be named after Ramis‘Groundhog Day’ director will be honored by committee, Woodstock Theatre

2 THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENTJan. 14-20, 2015 NEWS

3Jan. 14-20, 2015THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENTNEWS

The Woodstock Independent (USPS #001287) is published weekly at 671 E. Calhoun St., Woodstock, IL 60098-3213. Periodicals post-age paid at Woodstock, Illinois.POSTMASTERS: Forward address changes to The Woodstock Independent, 671 E. Cal-houn St., Woodstock, IL 60098-3213.

The Woodstock Independent

Phone: 815-338-8040

multitalented Chicago native, also known for his work in such block-buster comedies as “Caddy Shack” and “Ghostbusters,” passed away Feb. 24, 2014, in his Glencoe home at the age of 69.

�is year, the city’s Groundhog Day Committee plans to honor the legend-ary comic who transformed Wood-stock into Punxsutawney, Penn., on the big screen, and gave the community far more than its 15 minutes of fame.

�e committee, in cooperation with Classic Cinemas’ owners Willis and Shirley Johnson, plan to dedicate the large dome theater as the “Harold Ra-mis Auditorium,” according to com-mittee member Rick Bellairs.

An official dedication ceremony is planned at the movie theater, located at 209 Main St., prior to the free show-ing of “Groundhog Day” at 10 a.m. Sat-urday, Jan. 31.

�e free movie, with tickets of-fered on a first-come, first-served ba-sis, is part of the community’s annual Groundhog Day celebration and pro-vides the perfect opportunity to rec-ognize the man responsible for inspir-ing the annual festivities that coincide with the Feb. 2 Groundhog Day “holi-day.”

As part of the ceremony, a plaque bearing the Harold Ramis Auditorium


An early-season flu outbreak hit Wood-stock with a vengeance right before the holidays, spiking just as area students were released from school for winter break.

And while flu-related illnesses appear to be on the rise on the national level accord-ing to statistics posted by Centers for Dis-ease Control and Prevention, the number of laboratory-tested and confirmed influ-enza cases in McHenry County is declin-ing.

McHenry County Health Department spokeswoman Debra Quackenbush said 31 confirmed flu cases were reported by three McHenry County hospitals the week ending Jan. 3. �ose cases were identified

among tests conducted on 218 individuals who exhibited flu-like symptoms, she said.

�e statistics don’t reflect the many people who never see a doctor or seek treatment.

�e new numbers represent a signifi-cant drop in flu illnesses over the past four weeks throughout the county. By com-parison, 64 flu cases were tallied the week ending Dec. 6; 72 cases on Dec. 13; 97 cases on Dec. 20; and 51 on Dec. 27.

“It’s hard to say which way — increase or decrease — the flu season will go from here,” Quackenbush said in an email. “Al-though case numbers are decreasing, that is not to say the worst is behind us. It is en-tirely possible for flu cases to surge again during the January to March timeframe, which is why we stress prevention.”

While extreme cold temperatures forced Woodstock School District 200 to cancel classes for two days last week, student at-tendance numbers appeared back to nor-mal on the days school was in session.

“Our absentee numbers are not unusu-al now,” said District 200 spokeswoman Carol Smith.

Last month, District 200 reported a 20 percent absentee rate at Verda Dierzen Early Learning Center, 2045 N. Semi-nary Ave. On Dec. 8, a total of 170 of the school’s 771 students were missing from school due to primarily flu-like symp-toms. �e average absentee rate for that time of year is only 6 percent.

�e CDC’s weekly influenza summary for Dec. 27, 2014, showed the illness was widespread in Illinois and in all but six

states, primarily sparing California, Ha-waii and some Western states.

Some of the reported cases are the H3N2 strain of influenza, according to the MCDH website. �is year’s flu shot is not a perfect match for H3N2 but will of-fer some protection against the strain and may help reduce the severity of its symp-toms, information on the site states.

However, on a national level, the CDC reports the H3N2 virus, otherwise known as Influenza A, is the most common strain so far this year. Influenza seasons where Influenza A was the prominent cause of ill-nesses were associated with more severe illnesses and death, especially in older people and young children, as compared to seasons where influenza B viruses are predominant, according to the CDC.

Local flu cases buck national trend, are on the decline after spikeAbsentee levels in Woodstock’s public schools are back to normal after rising drastically last month

Ramis Continued from Page 1

name will be hung at the entrance of the dome theater. �e aforementioned letter Ramis sent to the city also will be framed and hung alongside the plaque, said Clas-sic Cinemas marketing director Mark Mazrimas, who plans to attend the dedi-cation.

Mazrimas said an invitation also has been extended to the Ramis family, but the committee has not received word whether the director’s wife or children will attend the special ceremony.

“Groundhog Day” starred Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell. Murray portrayed meteorologist Phil Connors, who be-comes stuck in a time loop and is forced to relive Feb. 2, Groundhog Day, many times over. �roughout the storyline, Murray at-tempts to woo his love interest, news pro-ducer Rita Hansen, played by MacDowell.

Most of the movie was filmed on the Woodstock Square and at locations throughout the city, which gave birth to the city’s annual Groundhog Day festivi-ties. �is year’s Groundhog Day events are scheduled from �ursday, Jan. 29, through Sunday, Feb. 8.

In addition to the free movie showing and plaque ceremony, activities include a walking tour of the filming sites, din-ner dance, chili cook-off, groundhog tales by Emmy-award winning storyteller and writer Jim May and the Lions Club pan-cake breakfast. �e official Groundhog Day Prognostication ceremony will be Feb. 2.

More information about this year’s Groundhog Day festivities can be found at the event website, www.Woodstock-Groundhog.org.

has not been recovered.In addition to the Coast Guard-led

search team, a group of local divers also made an effort to recover Bakazan’s body.

“�ere were some technical divers from the dive community who came out to help,” Herrin said. “�ey oftentimes lend their expertise in certain situations like this.”

Herrin said a swift current and bad visibility underwater made it difficult for rescuers to search the reef. Investigators are unsure what caused the incident.

�e Vandenberg Wreck, an intention-ally sunken ship used to create an arti-ficial reef in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, is a popular destina-tion for divers.

Bakazan is the second Woodstock man to drown in the waters off Florida in recent months. On Dec. 15, 19-year-old Chad Winter, a 2014 graduate of Wood-stock High School, died when he fell off a paddleboard and drowned near Sani-bel Island in the Gulf of Mexico.

Rescuers found Winter’s body one day after he was reported missing.

DrowningContinued from Page 1

COLD WEATHER BLASTS REGION

Woodstock mail carrier Dianne Petrucci braves the elements Jan. 7 to deliver mail along Clay Street. Temperatures last week dipped several degrees below zero, forcing the cancellation of two days of school and the temporary clo-sure of some area businesses. INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

Harold Ramis directs a scene from “Groundhog Day” on the Woodstock Square in 1992. The late director is due to have an auditorium at the Woodstock Theatre named after him. COURTESY PHOTO


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School snow days are synonymous

with a vacation or break.

But for 20 Woodstock District 200

teachers, last week’s school cancel-

ation days gave them more time to roll

up their sleeves and get to work. �e

teachers spent Wednesday, Jan. 7, set-

ting up beds, cooking and eventually

serving dinner

to guests at the

PADS shelter at

Redeemer Lu-

theran Church,

1320 Dean St.

All the volun-

teers are mem-

bers of Wood-

stock Council of

Teachers’ newly

formed Com-

munity Service

Committee, a

group formed to

support a variety

of charitable causes, said committee

chairperson Laura Gould-Colangelo, a

fourth-grade dual-language teacher at

Olson Elementary, 720 W. Judd St.

“It was a very successful night,”

Gould-Colangelo said. “�e people

who came were very appreciative and

thankful.”

About 50 PADS patrons were in at-

tendance. Several teachers arrived

earlier in the afternoon to dress the

mattresses with clean sheets and pil-

low cases. Others dropped off food

supplies, and still more volunteers

arrived to help cook and serve soup,

chili, bread, sandwiches and desserts,

she said.

�e goal of the committee is to sup-

port causes the teachers already are

active with in the community.

“We’re all very committed to our

community,” Gould-Colangelo said.

In October, the committee formed

a team and participated in the Fam-

ily Health Partnership Clinic’s Care4

Breast Cancer 5K, held at Woodstock

North High School, 3000 Raffel Rd.

McHenry County PADS is a division

of Pioneer Center for Human Services

and provides emergency, transitional

and preventative measures for area

homeless people and families.

NEWS

ed winter, many municipalities joined

the state’s cooperative salt purchasing

program this year with hopes of getting

a lower per-ton rate. However, last year’s

depletion of salt resources combined

with a higher demand by communities

purchasing additional salt to avoid run-

ning out this year has been blamed for

skyrocketing salt prices, according to

multiple media reports throughout the

state.

�e unexpected warm and mild De-

cember helped minimize the need to

plow and treat Woodstock’s streets. But

now that winter has finally made its ar-

rival, only Mother Nature can predict

what the rest of the season will bring.

Woodstock has a fleet of 11 plow/ salt-

spreader trucks and six pickup trucks

fitted with plows. If needed, crews can

modify some of the city’s dump trucks

to help with the snow and ice clearing.

Ed Markison, maintenance superin-

tendent for the McHenry County Divi-

sion of Transportation, said his depart-

ment, as of the morning of Jan. 9, was

on its 19th road-clearing callout for this

winter season. In comparison, last year,

the department had already been work-

ing on its 46th weather deploy.

In terms of salt use, county trucks

have used 3,900 tons this year, com-

pared to 8,400 tons used by this time

last year, Markison said. Not all storm

events involve snow removal, but salt

must be spread in storms with freezing

rain and ice.

MCDOT has a fleet of 24 plow and salt-

spreader trucks, and, typically, crews

work 16-hour shifts.

“We work each storm as it hits,” Marki-

son said.

Snow day is no day off for these District 200 teachers

About 20 Woodstock District 200 teachers spent their snow day pre-paring and serving dinner for PADS patrons on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015, at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 1320 Dean St. COURTESY PHOTO

Salt Continued from Page 1

“We’reall very committed to our commu-nity.”

— Laura Gould-Colangelo, teacher

0 3 6 9 12 15

SNOW SEASON HAS BIG IMPACT ON MUNICIPAL SALT USEFewer snowstorms this season than last mean the city of Woodstock has gone through far less salt this winter. Below, a look at salt use and weather patterns in 2014 and 2015:

0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500 3,000

TONS OF SALT USED City of Woodstock, winter through mid-January

NO. OF WINTER WEATHER EVENTS City of Woodstock, winter through mid-January

Needed major street staff deployment Needed partial street staff deployment


Winter project will revamp Opera House seats

By KATELYN STANEKThe Independent

Audience seats at the Woodstock Op-era House will receive a $70,000 face-lift as part of a project to reupholster and repair 450 chairs in the theater’s house.

�e project marks the first time in about 40 years that seating in the Op-era House has undergone major reno-vations, according to building manager Mark Greenleaf.

“By and large, the majority of the seats are exactly where they were when

they were installed after the major res-toration of the 1970s, so they were due,” Greenleaf said.

Addison-based Monarch Restora-tion will remove the upholstered back panels and seat cushions from each of the chairs, using the existing cov-ers as a pattern to reproduce the look of the current upholstery. �ose ele-ments, but not the whole chair, will be replaced.

Still, regular attendees might notice a difference between the old upholstery and the new product, Greenleaf said. �at’s because Monarch Restoration will

use fabric that matches the upholstery’s appearance in the 1970s instead of the faded color that has developed after de-cades under hot theatrical lighting.

“If you do preservation or resto-ration, or even just maintenance of something older, you have these deci-sions to make: Do I match what’s here right now because everyone is used to it, or do I go back to what it was, or, in our case, what the city fathers wanted it to be?” said Greenleaf. “Because oth-erwise, you’re chasing the fading or the degradation and you’re getting further and further behind.”

�e dates for the renovation are set for late February. Greenleaf said the project is not expected to interfere with the Opera House’s production schedule.

�e City Council approved the $69,384 contract with Monarch Res-toration at its Dec. 16 meeting by a 7-0 vote. �e contract was approved after waiving competitive bids.

�e city of Woodstock’s original re-quest for bids asked for proposals to replace the bushings in each of the Op-era House’s chairs. �at request was removed from the final approved con-tract and will be considered separately.

Monarch Restoration will reupholster chairs for the first time since the 1970s at a cost of about $70,000

7Jan. 14-20, 2015THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENTNEWS

OBITUARIES

Margaret MankeMargaret Manke, 92, Woodstock, died

Monday, Jan. 5, 2015, at Hearthstone Man-or, Woodstock.

She was born July 6, 1922, to Herman and Mary (Buttino) Gluth in Woodstock.

On Aug. 9, 1941, she married Harvey Manke in Woodstock.

She was a lifetime member of St. John’s Lutheran Church, Woodstock. She was very active in church activities, including Meals on Wheels and the Ladies Aid. She raised her family on the farm and instilled in them values and morals. She was active in 4-H. She enjoyed Tuesday nights at the Bake House, singing and dancing to polka music. Most of all, she enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include two sons, Roger (Char) Manke and Bill (Teresa Hay) Manke; 10 grandchildren, Tyne (Jeremy) Peterson, Terra (Pat Peterson) Manke, Andrea (Max Christel) Manke, Andrew Manke, Myranda Manke, Brian (Jenn) Manke, Todd (Missi) Manke, Mandi (Jason) Rozycki, Scott (Beth) Manke, and Shari Manke; six great-grandchildren, Maddie Manke, Lainey Manke, Tyler Ro-zycki, Colin Rozycki, Sage Peterson and Peytyn Peterson; a brother, Frank Gluth; a sister, Darlene Parlow; and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her par-ents; her husband on Feb. 5, 1999; a daughter-in-law, Sandy Manke; two broth-ers, Jim Gluth and Mike Gluth; and a sister, Christine Gluth.

Visitation was held Jan. 8 at Schneider-Leucht-Merwin & Cooney Funeral Home, Woodstock. The funeral service was Jan. 9 at St. John’s Lutheran Church. Burial was at McHenry County Memorial Park.

Memorials can be made to St. John’s Lu-theran Church.

Christopher L. AustinChristopher L. Austin, 48, Harvard, died

Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015, at his home.He was born Oct. 3, 1966, to Dwight and

Lucille (Wakeley) Austin in Woodstock.On Sept. 5, 1998, he married Tamara

Lawell in Fort Atkinson, Wis. He was a faith-ful member of Grace Church, Walworth, Wis. He graduated from Woodstock Com-munity High School in 1984. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Illinois State Univer-sity and a master’s degree from South Da-kota State University.

He worked for more than 10 years as a

chemist in quality con-trol for the dairy divi-sion of Deans Food. He enjoyed long-dis-tance running and was known to have a great sense of humor. He was passionate about dairy farming.

Survivors include his wife; his mother; a son, Levi Austin; a daughter, Kayla Austin; two broth-ers, Ronald (Kimberly) Austin and Jeffrey (Linda) Austin; a sister, Jill Austin; his father- and mother-in-law, Brian and Mary Lawell; a brother-in-law, David (Jessy) Lawell; a sister-in-law, Lorie (Robert) Daye; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father and a nephew, Andrew. Visitation was Jan. 12 at Schneider-Leucht-Merwin & Cooney Funeral Home, Woodstock. The funeral was at Grace Church, Walworth. Burial was in Oakland Cemetery, Woodstock.

Memorials can be made to Grace Church, 500 S. Main St., Walworth, WI 53184.

Ella E. NienhuisElla E. Nienhuis, 99, Woodstock, died

Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015. She was born Nov. 23, 1915, to Max

and Elizabeth (Schwaab) Prufer in Chicago.She and her husband, Oney, moved west

of Woodstock to a small farm in 1949. In 1962, they started planting Christmas trees on the farm. The first 10 trees were sold in 1967, and the business soon turned into a successful choose-and-cut tree farm, one of the first in the area. She enjoyed painting, figurine sculpting, pinochle and bridge. At the tree farm, she made hundreds of wreaths each year and hand painted ceramic orna-ments. She was a wonderful storyteller, and her humor was enjoyed by her many friends.

Survivors include two sons, John (Gloria), Marengo, and James (Anna), Madison, Wis.; four grandsons, John Jason (Sheryl), Marengo, James Manuel, Robert Oney and Micheal Jan, Madison, Wis.; and a great-grandson, Bjorn, Madison.

She was preceded in death by her hus-band; and a son, Robert.

A memorial of life will be held at a later date.

Charlotte V. GluffCharlotte V. Gluff, 97, died Friday, Jan.

9, 2015, at Lexington Health Care Center, Schaumburg, surrounded by her family.

She was born Sept. 13, 1917, to Elmer and Anastasia (Markle) Rusboldt in Chica-go.

On Feb.19, 1938, she married Harold

Gluff .She was a member of St. Mary Catholic

Church, Woodstock, and an active member of the Mariola Club. She also was a member of the Moose Lodge. She grew up in Chi-cago and was always fond of her alma ma-ter, Our Lady of the Angels Catholic School. She enjoyed traveling, especially her trips to Hawaii. Her favorite color was yellow. She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, and she will be missed by all who knew her.

Survivors include a son, Ron Gluff, Scha-umburg; a daughter, Gloria Krich, Mesa, Ariz.; a brother, Frank Rusboldt, Charles-ton, S.C.; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her par-ents; her husband; a son, Richard Gluff; two daughters, Sandra Gluff and Judy Shea; three brothers and two sisters.

Visitation will be Wednesday, Jan. 14, from 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral Mass at St. Mary Catholic Church, Woodstock. Burial will be at St. Joseph Catholic Cem-etery, Harvard.

Arrangements were made by Schneider-Leucht-Merwin & Cooney Funeral Home, Woodstock.

Pamela Grace GaffgaPamela Grace Gaffga, 63, Wonder Lake,

died Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015, at her home.She was born Feb. 27, 1951, to Frances

and Ruth (Sauer) McDonald in Chicago.On Sept. 28, 1977, she married Gary A.

Gaffga in Chicago.She was a resident of Wonder Lake for

the past two years and formerly lived in Chi-cago and Roselle. For 28 years, she was an employee of Jewel, working at the Blooming-dale and Buffalo Grove stores, first as a ca-shier and then in customer service and man-agement. She was an avid Cubs fan, and she enjoyed camping.

She was very proud of her Irish heritage, a kind and giving person, a doting grand-mother and a loving aunt to her nieces and nephews.

She adored her feline friend, Sam, and her canine friends, Sam, Roxy, Dakota and Sampson.

Survivors include her husband; three chil-dren, Dawn (Wayne) Ludtke, Poplar Grove, Sandy (Wally) Pickens, Oswego, and Chris-topher Gaffga, Colorado; eight grandchil-dren, Wayne III, Lisa, Tyler, Joshua, Brittany, Austin, Taylor and Maxwell; two great-grand-children, Elizabeth and Brooklyn; a brother, John McDonald; a sister, Penny McNiff; four nieces, Lynne Fiumetto, Kitty Bandur, Ma-rybeth Hoffman and Rosemary Aulds; and four nephews, Gary Cunningham, Edwin Cunningham, Jerry Cunningham and John McDonald.

A memorial visitation and celebration of

life service originally planned for Jan. 10, has been postponed as a result of a serious car accident involving her daughters, Dawn and Sandy, son-in-law Wayne and grandson Tyler. A date and time will be announced in the future.

Arrangements were made by Justen’s Wonder Lake Funeral Home.

Christina Marie AberleChristina Marie Aberle, 37, Wonder Lake,

died Saturday, Jan. 3, 2015, at her home.She was born Feb. 12, 1977, in Mil-

waukee to Richard and Karen (O’Donnell) Rhoades.

A resident of Wonder Lake since 1998, she was a homemaker, devoted to rais-ing and caring for her children. She was employed as a cashier at Shop and Save, Woodstock, and was an active member of Nativity Lutheran Church, Wonder Lake.

Survivors include her husband, Michael; two children, John and Kayla; her father- and mother-in-law, Michael and Suzanne Aberle; and a brother-in-law, James (Erin) Aberle.

She was preceded in death by her mother in 2007.

The visitation and funeral were held Jan. 8 at Nativity Lutheran Church with the Rev. Susie M. Hill officiating.

Memorials can be sent to the Aberle Chil-dren Educational Fund, c/o Justen’s Wonder Lake Funeral Home, P. O. Box 343, Wonder Lake, IL 60097.

Arrangements were made by Justen’s Wonder Lake Funeral Home.

Thomas D. CashinThomas D. Cashin, 74, Wonder Lake,

died Friday, Jan. 2, 2015, at Centegra-McHenry.

He was born Mar. 8, 1940, to Thomas Q. and Ruth (Tripp) Cashin in Woodstock.

On Mar. 11, 1960, he married Joyce Gladden at Nativity Lutheran Church, Won-der Lake.

He owned and operated Cashin Construc-tion until he retired in 2000. He enjoyed fishing trips to Minnesota, spending time with his friends at the Busy Bee and also his cocker spaniel, Little Girl.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, Rich-ard Cashin and Greg (Jennifer) Cashin; four grandchildren, Madelyn, Ricky, Allyson and Kelsey; two brothers, Charles (Trish) Cashin and James (Mary) Cashin; two sisters, Car-ole (Cliff) Olsen and Betty Schlieben; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Karen; and a son, Thomas Jr. Cashin.

The visitation was Jan. 8 and the funeral was Jan. 9 at Colonial Funeral Home & Cre-matory, McHenry. Burial was in Greenwood Cemetery.

POLICE BLOTTER

Average gas price

$1.99 /GAL.

Reflects average price of regular unleaded gasoline at Woodstock gas stations the morning of Jan. 12.

.06

STREET SMARTS

The winter season occasionally can spell demise for residential mailboxes when snow begins falling and snowplows hit the streets. The city of Woodstock has a policy in place if a homeowner’s mail-box or post is struck or damaged by one of its snowplows.

The city will repair or replace mailbox-es and posts with a standard replacement if a city snowplow accidentally damages one. Custom boxes or posts can’t be re-placed; however, homeowners can elect to request a one-time maximum $75 reim-bursement.

Woodstock residents should contact the city’s Public Works Department imme-diately upon noticing any mailbox dam-age. Also, any plow damage in the public right-of-way area, such as grass, should be reported.

Homeowners should note city plow trucks can’t always remove all the snow near mailboxes without causing damage. The city requests residents help by shovel-ing any remaining snow by their boxes so mail delivery can proceed.

Moises Ortiz-Martinez, 23, 349 McHenry Ave., Crystal Lake, was charged Dec. 14 with driving under the influence, driving under the influence over, no driver’s license, improper lane usage and uninsured motor vehicle at 1013 N. Seminary Ave. Ortiz-Martinez posted $300 bond. Court date was set for Jan. 8.

Juan Carlos Lopez, 49, 1015 Jewett St., Woodstock, was charged Dec. 15 with driving with license suspended and opera-tion of a vehicle with expired registration at Clay and Newell streets. Lopez posted $150 bond. Court date was set for Jan. 8.

A Woodstock-area juvenile, 17, was charged Dec. 15 with two counts of residen-tial burglary, burglary, two counts of theft, criminal damage to property and retail theft at 1652 Woodside Drive. The juvenile was turned over to juvenile detention. Bond and court date are to be set.

A Woodstock-area juvenile, 16, was charged Dec. 15 with two counts of residen-tial burglary, three counts of retail theft, two counts of theft, burglary and criminal dam-age to property at 1652 Woodside Drive.

The juvenile was turned over to juvenile de-tention. Bond and court date are to be set.

Charles Christiansen, 36, 731 Clay St., Woodstock, was charged Dec. 17 with domestic battery and interfering with report-ing domestic violence at his home. Chris-tiansen was turned over to the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office. Bond and court date are to be set.

Violeta Mazon-Chavez, 33, 2033 Willow Brooke Drive, Woodstock, was charged Dec. 19 with no driver’s license at 500 S. Eastwood Drive. Mazon-Chavez posted $150 bond. Court date was set for Jan. 22.

Sonia Banuelos, 32, 2117 Willow Brook Drive, Woodstock, was charged Dec. 19 with driving under the influence of drugs, improper lane usage and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident at 500 S. Eastwood Drive. Banuelos posted $100 and his driver’s license as bond. Court date was set for Jan. 22.

Any charges are merely accusations, and defendants or suspects are presumed inno-cent unless proven guilty.

MargaretManke

ChristopherAustin

8 THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENTJan. 14-20, 2015

CHERYL WORMLEYPublisher, Co-OwnerPAUL WORMLEY

Co-OwnerKATELYN STANEKManaging Editor

THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENT

Woodstock, IL 1987

THE EDITORIAL BOARDCheryl Wormley Katelyn Stanek Jay SchulzSandy KucharskiStephanie Price

A well- deservedhonor

For years, Woodstock High School teacher Bill Donato has quietly tended to a nature area not far from the high school campus.

Even more impressively, he’s inspired his students to do the same.

We can think of no one more deserv-ing of having that park named in his honor than Donato, and so it was grati-fying to see the Woodstock City Council do so at its Dec. 16 meeting, officially christening the 25-acre spot between Tara Drive and Gerry Street the William C. Donato Conservation Area.

�e effort to have the former Albert/Gerry Street Nature Area renamed in Donato’s honor was spearheaded by a political science class at WHS taught by John Headley. �at class, too, deserves our thanks.

Donato and other volunteers from WHS have worked to transform the park, which includes wetlands, from some undistinguished acreage abutting a subdivision into a bona fide conser-vation area. �ey’ve installed signs, re-moved invasive species and even added an observation deck. As a result, native plants and animals are returning to the area, and joggers and walkers are able to enjoy the park, too.

In its presentation to the City Coun-cil, Headley’s class reminded the city of its master plan for parks, first drafted in 2005. Much of the maintenance prescribed for that conservation area already is underway, primarily because of the commitment and enthusiasm of Donato and his students.

But there are more improvements that still are in the planning stage — namely, linking the property, which is fairly isolated, to Emricson Park via a path system. �e city, with the help of its partners, should continue to recognize the importance of its conservation areas by moving forward with its plans to improve Donato Conservation Area. As a veteran teacher, one of Donato’s greatest gifts is sharing his love of nature with his students. What better way to recog-nize this than by following through with those plans, making the park easier for the public to access and enjoy?

weigh inEmail letters to the editor to [email protected] or mail them to 671 E. Calhoun St., Woodstock, IL 60098.

Opinion

» OUR VIEW

Second Amendment’s authors could not imagine today’s arms

“A Well Regulated Militia, Being Necessary to the Security of a Free State, �e Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms, Shall Not be In-fringed.”

What we have to realize in this Second Amendment to the Constitu-tion, when written, was what kind of “arms” were available back in 1791.

Back then, all they had was a one-shot, flintlock rifle and pistol to pro-tect themselves or use.

All the men who drafted this Sec-ond Amendment back in 1791 could not have ever imagined the kind of “arms” available now to purchase, steal or acquire.

If you want to be politically correct, we need to go back to what “arms” were available in 1791, not 2015. “Arms” available back then involved quite a lengthy process to reload and shoot again. Can you imagine now,

how this would reduce the carnage suffered by numerous people in re-cent and past outrages on our soci-ety?

�e only ones who could “bear arms” in what is available in 2015 would be the security, police and mili-tary.

So let’s petition our congressmen to repeal how the Second Amendment should be used, but by 1791 standards, not 2015.

Donald Faes,Woodstock

» YOUR VIEW

This year marks the 20th anniversa-ry of Woodstock’s annual Groundhog Day celebration. The yearly festivi-ties coincide with the Feb. 2 holiday devoted to groundhog prognostication folklore and was born after film direc-tor Harold Ramis chose our hometown as the backdrop for the 1993 film “Groundhog Day,” which he co-wrote, directed and acted in alongside Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell.

Since Ramis is responsible for cata-pulting Woodstock’s historic square and scenic landmarks onto the big

screen for all the world to see, it seems appropriately fitting the volunteers on the Woodstock Groundhog Day Committee and the owners of the Woodstock Theatre, Classic Cinemas, elected to honor him. The famed direc-tor died almost one year ago on Feb. 24, 2014, and he will be memorial-ized when the theater’s historic dome auditorium is renamed the Harold Ra-mis Auditorium. The official dedication ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, prior to this year’s free showing of “Groundhog Day.”

INDE THOUGHT

Early birds will catch the groundhogAdvance tickets sales and preregistration is now available for various upcom-

ing Groundhog Days events. Popular events often sell out or fill up, so people are encouraged to buy tickets or sign up early.

The deadline for entering as a contestant in the annual Chili Cook-Off is Friday, Jan. 23.

Tickets for the Official Groundhog Day Breakfast on Monday, Feb. 2, are available for $15 at the Woodstock Public Library, 414 W. Judd St., Home State Bank, 124 S. Johnson St., and the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce & Industry, 136 Cass St.

A reduced entry fee is available for early sign-up for the Rotary Club Bags Tournament, Saturday, Jan. 31. The registration fee for a 2-man team is $30 if the team is preregistered on or before Jan. 30.

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

QUOTABLE

“Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home.”

— Edith Sitwell


If you started reading on page 1 of this edition of The Woodstock Inde-pendent, you’ve already seen Stepha-nie Price’s byline three times. As you continue reading this week’s paper, continue looking for it. You’ll see it two more times. Stephanie is The Independent’s new associate editor. She’s been on staff for two days more than a week.

You are bound to meet up with her, and I encourage you to introduce yourself. Stephanie’s beat will include education, Bull Valley and Wonder Lake, plus feature stories and special interest articles.

Stephanie’s sense of community, education and work experiences made her the top candidate. She has lived in McHenry County since she was 3, mostly in Crystal Lake and briefly in Woodstock. She gradu-ated from Crystal Lake Central High School and continued her educa-tion at Northern Illinois University, earning a degree in journalism and French.

Stephanie was a Pioneer Press reporter for several years in Bar-rington, Cary and Fox River Grove. For about 15 years, while her three

sons, Trevor, Colin and Benny, were little, she was a freelance writer, publishing in the Chicago Tribune, Daily Herald and Pioneer Press pub-lications.

I’m excited about her work the past few years with online news. Stephanie recently completed several years with Patch.com, covering Crys-tal Lake, Cary, Algonquin and Lake in the Hills.

One of our leadership team’s goals is better serving you, our custom-ers, by expanding and strengthening thewoodstockindependent.com and our use of social media – Facebook, Twitter and the like. I believe Stepha-nie’s online news expertise will help take us there more quickly.

Stephanie said she applied for The Independent’s associate editor position because she “really enjoys community news – meeting people and taking photos – and covering

the fun things, too.” As a reader, you know that’s what we do, so Stephanie should feel right at home.

Stephanie believes in the future of community journalism. She sees locally owned news companies as “more independent – a hub people can rely on.” I agree.

She is a gardener, vegetable and flowers. She said gardening prompts her interest in writing about conser-vation and environmental issues and fun pieces like gardening and deco-rations.

When the weather is warmer, Stephanie rides her bike about 10 miles a day. Last year, she logged almost 600 miles.

Stephanie is married to Geoff Price. �eir sons are older now. Trevor is a sophomore at the University of Illinois-Urbana/Champaign. Colin and Benny are students at Crystal Lake South High School.

Stop by and meet Stephanie or send her an email at [email protected] and watch for her byline.

To our subscribers who usually receive their Independent on Wednes-days or �ursdays, please accept our

apology for your paper arriving a day later than usual. �is week, we are mailing The Independent to everyone who lives within the boundaries of Woodstock School District 200 – all of 60098 and the western portion of 60097 zip codes.

Mailing �e Independent to everyone – known in the industry as total mar-ket coverage – is a way of marketing the newspaper, our news coverage and the breadth of information we publish each week. It also gives our advertisers the opportunity to com-municate information about their goods and service with the people liv-ing in nearly 16,000 homes. Our next TMC is March 18 – so, subscribers, your Independent’s should arrive as usual between now and then. I invite those of you who are not subscribers yet to join us. For information about subscribing, see our ad on page 23.

I also invite you to visit our web-site and check out our Facebook page. We are focused on being what Stephanie called the “hub people can rely on.”

OPINION

Meet the new byline» COLUMN

Subscription rates/year: $35 in Woodstock and Wonder Lake, $37 in McHenry County, $42 for snowbirds and $50 outside McHenry County.

Letters to the editor: We welcome letters of general interest to the community and reserve the right to edit for clarity or length. Letters should be fewer than 400 words, and writers are limited to one letter per month. Letters are due at noon Wednesday and must be signed and include the writer’s address and a telephone number for verifica-tion purposes only.

Corrections: The Woodstock Independent strives for accuracy. To suggest corrections or clarifications, email [email protected].

INDEPENDENTTheWoodstock

Noon WednesdayPRESS RELEASES AND [email protected]

LETTERS TO THE [email protected]

Noon ThursdayDISPLAY ADVERTISING [email protected]

Noon Friday LEGAL [email protected]

CLASSIFIED [email protected]

Cheryl Wormley [email protected]

Katelyn Stanek MANAGING [email protected]

Jay Schulz SPORTS [email protected]

Stephanie Price ASSOCIATE [email protected]

Sandy Kucharski ASSOCIATE [email protected]

Jason Reinhardt GRAPHIC [email protected]

Advertising Melissa Knight, [email protected]; Jen Wilson,

[email protected]; Barb Gessert, [email protected]

Columnists John Daab, Lisa Haderlein, Dan Chamness, Debbie Skozek, Tony Casalino, Laura Witlox Middaugh, Paul Lockwood

Editorial Cartoonist Jim Pearson

Photographers Michelle Krenger, Ken Farver, Alisa Ellegood

Proofreaders Tricia Carzoli, Don Humbertson

Reporters Tricia Carzoli, Elizabeth Harmon, Megan Ivers

Administration Rebecca McDaniel

s ta f f dead l ines

contact

Cheryl Wormley is publisher of The Wood-stock Independent.

Declarations

CherylWormley

» COLUMN

It’s about freedom

“It’s not about guns. It’s about free-dom!” — NRA commentator

Freedom – a word heard often to describe the heart of our American way of life. At every clash between government and the people, freedom is the idea we fight to protect. �is month we once again remember the often-debated issue of abortion or the freedom of women to choose what is right for their lives. It’s not about abortion – it’s about freedom.

Inside the abortion debate we find these arguments. People opposed to abortion will call on protecting the unborn life; they will post bloody pictures of sliced apart tiny arms and legs sitting on paper towels. People who support legalized abortion will

cart out scientific language to con-vince unborn life is not a person while telling stories of bloodied bod-ies found in dark alleyways with rusty coat hangers as the instrument of death. Finally, words like murder, colonization, and other verbal slings will bring the argu-ment home to each group.

Let me be very clear about some-thing: I stand for life, emphatically. I believe that the living tissue in-side the womb is alive with life; I believe in life. I also stand for legal safe accessible abortion, because the woman is a separate living be-ing with her own sets of rights and freedoms. I arrived at this conclu-sion while watching a film clip on the NRA and the fight for the freedom to own guns in private homes, the right to conceal and carry weapons and the ability of private citizens to arm themselves against the dangers

of the world. “It’s not about guns. It’s about freedom,” shouted the narra-tor from the TV screen. Suddenly, I thought, he’s right.

Now I wonder how the argu-ment falls apart when we talk about women and abortion. Is a woman’s body her first home? Does she not have the freedom to treat her bodily home as she chooses, no matter what I believe? �is basic freedom is guar-anteed by the constitution. �ere-fore, how does her right to defend her home and be safe differ from the right to own guns and defend your home? Some would say no one dies when a person chooses to own guns. However, if an invading person entered your home and you reached for your legal weapon, shot them and killed them, you would be justified in protecting yourself from the invader. How is it different when a woman finds herself with an unwanted pregnancy and feels her way of life, her emotional health, her well-being threatened by this life forming in her womb? Is she not the best person to decide whether she feels threatened or invaded? Yet, she has nothing with which to arm herself; she is defense-

less.Freedom for some and not for oth-

ers is contrary to our constitution. Are we then saying that one group is more deserving in determining when they feel threatened and demand the ability to arm themselves against a threat and others are not? Women can feel threatened, yes, even invad-ed, by pregnancy.

Freedom for all women means the ability to choose to be pregnant or not and for women to arm them-selves with safe legal accessible means to end a pregnancy. I am not a gun activist. I would never shoot anyone. Yet I will concede that some people want to own guns. I would not have an abortion, nor would I have ended any of my pregnancies. Yet I will vigorously support legal abor-tion for all women with no excep-tions. You see, it’s not about abortion. It’s about freedom, not for some but for all. Isn’t that what you said, Mr. NRA man? It’s about freedom.

What Lou Thinks

LouNess

Lou Ness is a Woodstock resident and execu-tive director at Shelter Care Ministries, Rock-ford. Follow her blog at www.shelter-care.org.


Education

COLLEGE CURRENTS

Marian club to host 2nd annual outreach dayBy STEPHANIE PRICE

The Independent

Everyone experiences ups and downs in

life.

�at’s the message Marian Central Cath-

olic High School English teacher Amy Kelly

hopes to instill in her students.

As the adviser for the school’s Key Club,

Kelly is organizing the second annual Mar-

ian Cares Outreach Day, where students

volunteer their time and energy distribut-

ing food and clothing to people in need

from Woodstock and the surrounding

communities.

Outreach Day is scheduled from noon to

2:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16, at Marian Central

Catholic High School, 1001 W. McHenry

Ave.

�e special event will feature a mobile

food pantry and warm clothing distribu-

tion courtesy of the Blessing Barn in Ridge-

field and health screenings by the Centegra

Medical Unit. Volunteers will begin hand-

ing out tickets for the food pantry truck at

noon, and the food distribution will start at

1 p.m.

Kelly said purchasing food for 200 peo-

ple costs $1,000. Last year, the group used

money donated by a Marian teacher to

fund the effort.

�is year, Key Club members organized

a Baggo tournament to raise money for the

outreach project. �ose funds, combined

with money from a private donor and the

St. Vincent de Paul Society of McHenry,

gave students enough money to purchase

the food, which is delivered via the North-

ern Illinois Food Bank, Kelly said.

“�e students have a lot of ownership

over this event,” Kelly said. “Students

lead other students with the various

duties. �ey help carry food to people’s

cars. �ey help unload the food.”

Last year’s first Outreach Day proved

an eye opener for many of the approxi-

mately 40 student volunteers, she said,

when some of the people needing help

were from the students’ own communi-

ties.

“�is event makes kids aware that

poverty affects everyone,” Kelly said.

To publicize the special event, the stu-

dent coordinators sent fliers to area food

pantries and service organizations with

hopes of attracting people needing food

and warm clothing, specifically targeting

Woodstock, Hebron, Harvard, Hartland,

Marengo and Wonder Lake.

Jacqueline Piggott, who runs the

Blessing Barn, plans to bring an assort-

ment of warm clothing items, Kelly said.

And the Centegra Mobile Medical Unit

will be on site offering free screenings

for diabetes, blood pressure and referral

services.

Anyone interested in attending should

go to the school’s gymnasium. For more

information, call Marian Central at 815-

338-4220.

Marian Central Catholic High School student Rachel Noonen, Crystal Lake, helps unload food donations from the Northern Illinois Mobile Food Bank during last year’s Marian Cares Out-reach Day. The school’s Key Club is hosting a second free food and warm clothing distribution day from noon to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16. COURTESY PHOTO

MARIAN CARES OUTREACH DAY

When: 2:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 16Where: Marian Central Catholic High School, 1001 W. McHenry Ave.Phone: 815-338-4220

Cardenas graduates from Lewis University

Samantha Cardenas, Woodstock, grad-uated from Lewis University, Romeoville. Cardenas earned a Master of Science in nursing.

Hess named to SE Missouri State dean’s list

Brian Hess, Woodstock, was named to the Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, Mo., fall dean’s list.

Judson University announces graduates

Judson University, Elgin, announced De-cember 2014 graduates. Thomas Engle,

Woodstock, earned a Master of Arts in organizational leadership. Jonathan Sara, Woodstock, earned a Bachelor of Arts in management and leadership.

Albamonte graduates from UW-Stout

Michael Albamonte, Woodstock, gradu-ated from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, Menomonie, Wis. Albamonte earned a Bachelor of Science in career, technical education and training.

Augustana announces fall 2014 dean’s list

Rebecca Andersen, Troy Barger and Kristen Ksepka, all of Woodstock, were named to the fall 2014 dean’s list at Au-gustana College, Rock Island.


A & EBy SANDY KUCHARSKI

The Independent

Following a successful Opera House

debut in 2014, the popular Ameri-

cana- and Celtic-inspired duo Switch-

back will return for a Groundhog Days

concert. With a commitment to com-

munity involvement, Switchback has

invited dancers from the Woodstock

Ballet Studio and the Woodstock High

School dance team on stage for several

numbers.

“We’ve worked with various dance

companies on a local level during the

last five years or so,” said Martin Mc-

Cormack of Switchback. “�e main

reason is that when we come to a town,

like Woodstock, we want to get the

community involved and help them

take some ownership in the evening.

It’s also an opportunity for young peo-

ple to work with established musicians

and be in a professional program.”

Partnering with local talent creates

good will in the community and Mc-

Cormack described it as a win-win

situation.

A 1981 graduate of Marian Central

Catholic High School, McCormack

grew up in Woodstock, one of Joseph

and Mary McCormack’s 10 children.

He and his musical partner, Brian

Fitzgerald, have performed together as

Switchback for more than 20 years.

Switchback will be joined on stage

Jan. 31 at the Opera House by the danc-

Local band, dancers team up for show

Woodstock Dance Studio instructor Kim McLaughlin, left, works with Olivia Bepley in preparation for the dancer’s performance with Switchback Saturday, Jan. 31. INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY SANDY KUCHARSKI

ers, under the direction of Kim Auven-

shine McLaughlin.

A dancer most of her life, McLaugh-

lin, has taught contemporary dance

and ballet for 22 years in Woodstock.

She is also a fifth-grade teacher at Ol-

son Elementary School, the director of

the liturgical dance ensemble at Grace

Lutheran Church and coach of the

Woodstock High School dance team.

She’s chosen to choreograph dances

for five Switchback tunes: “�e Death

of William Henry,” “End Over End,”

“Swingin’ Rockin’ Rollin’,” “�e Mayfly

Dance” and “Twister in a Trailer Park.”

Dances will include a ballet, a swing

dance and modern or contemporary

dances – one being a solo by Sammy

McLaughlin.

“I’ve performed with live music be-

fore,” said Kim McLaughlin, “but most

of these kids have not.”

Woodstock Ballet Studio dancer Ol-

ivia Bepley said, “We’re really excited.

It’s a good experience for us to dance

with a live band because we really have

to pay attention to the musicality of it

instead of just going off the count all

the time.”

McCormack said, “[Working with lo-

cal dancers] is a great opportunity for

us to show that the Americana music

will work with a lot of different styles

of dance.”

“I’m really excited to come back,” said

McCormack. “I consider the Wood-

stock Opera House my home base for

performing, and I love connecting with

the community, which I’m still part of.”

By bringing in new community-

based performers and drawing a fresh

line-up from their expansive collec-

tion of music, McCormack promises

the show will be completely different

from last year. �e full band will per-

form, including drummer Nick Hirka,

and they will be joined by fiddle player

Paul Russell.

“I’m very proud of Woodstock,” Mc-

Cormack said. “We have a very special

opportunity to come back and cele-

brate on Groundhog weekend. I really

hope it can become a yearly event.”

SWITCHBACK

When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 31Where: Woodstock Opera House, 121 Van Buren St.Tickets: $22Phone: 815-338-5300


WOODSTOCK’S ENTERTAINMENT HIGHLIGHTSThe Entertainer

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

» MUSICLIVE MUSIC AT EXPRESSLYLESLIE’SJan. 16, 5:30 p.m.Woodstock Square Mall110 Johnson St.Free815-338-2833Cheryl Niemo and the Down Home Boys will perform.

SONGWRITER SHOWCASEJan. 16, 7:30 p.m.Mixin Mingle124 Cass St.$7, includes light beverages847-507-1352Local and regional songwriters will share their music and the inspiration behind it.

JAZZ JAMJan. 16, Feb. 6, 20, 8 p.m.Stage Left Café121 Van Buren St.815-337-1395$5 donation

Jazz Jam is sponsored by Jazz on the Square. Artists will perform jazz music.

POSITIVELY 4TH STREETJan. 17, 7 p.m.Stage Left Café121 Van Buren St.Donation815-338-5300Positively 4th Street will perform a tribute to Bob Dylan.

SIX SPEED TRANNYJan. 17, 10 p.m.D.C. Cobb’s226 Main St.No cover charge815-206-5580Six Speed Tranny is a high energy power trio from Lake County that covers hits from the last 50 years including The Beatles, The Doors, Led Zeppelin and Foo Fighters.

OPEN MIC NIGHTJan. 23, 7 p.m.Stage Left Café125 Van Buren St. $3 donation

offsquaremusic.orgOpen Mic is sponsored by Off Square Music. Various artists will perform in 15-minute slots.

SWITCHBACKJan. 31, 8 p.m.Woodstock Opera House121 Van Buren St.$22815-338-5300The musical duo of Brian FitzGerald and Martin McCormack will perform their original music, described as a blend of American roots with Celtic soul.

A TRIBUTE TO CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVALFeb. 6, 7 p.m.Woodstock Opera House121 Van Buren St.$38 standard, $45 premium815-338-5300Richard Perez and his band will perform their renditions of Creedence hits including “Fortunate Son,” “Bad Moon Rising” and “Proud Mary.”

WOODSTOCK FARMER’S MARKETFeb. 7, 9 a.m. to noonMcHenry County Farm Bureau1102 McConnell RoadFree9 a.m. – Courtney Amanda will perform.10:30 a.m. – Andrew Sedlak will perform.

A TRIBUTE TO JAMES TAYLORFeb. 7, 7 p.m.Feb. 8, 2 p.m.Woodstock Opera House121 Van Buren St.$38 standard, $45 premium815-338-5300Neil Donnell will perform more than two dozen of James Taylor’s classic songs.

» THEATER‘DANCING AT LUGHNASA’Jan. 23, 24, 31, 7 p.m.Jan. 24, 2 p.m.Woodstock High School Auditorium501 W. South St.$10 adult, $5 student815-338-4370The play, written by Brian Friel, is the study of

five unmarried sisters who lived in a modest cottage in Donegal.

‘FROG’S MAGIC TWANGER’Jan. 30, Feb. 6, 7, 7 p.m.Jan. 31, Feb. 7, 2 p.m.Woodstock High School Casalino Black Box Theatre501 W. South St.$10 adult, $5 student815-338-4370“Frog’s Magic Twanger” is a children’s show.

» LECTURECREATIVE LIVING SERIESJan. 15, 10 a.m.Woodstock Opera House121 Van Buren St.$24815-338-5300Photojournalist Mark Hirsch will tell his story of healing from a serious accident and share the photos of the bur oak tree that helped him.

» MOVIESPreviews by Jay Schulz of films currently playing at the Woodstock Theatre unless otherwise noted.

‘UNBROKEN’The true story of Olympian Louis Zamperini, who was a prisoner of war during World War II. “Unbroken” is directed by Angelina Jolie (“In the Land of Blood and Honey”) and stars Jack O’Connell (“Starred Up”).RATED PG-13, 137 MINUTES

‘AMERICAN SNIPER’The real-life story of Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, who was considered the greatest sniper of all time. “American Sniper” is directed by Clint Eastwood (“Million Dollar Baby”) and stars Bradley Cooper (“Silver Linings Playbook”).RATED R, 132 MINUTES

‘BLACKHAT’A man convicted of cybercrimes is enlisted to help stop a cyber attack. “Blackhat” is directed by Michael Mann (“Heat”) and stars Chris Hemsworth (“Thor”).RATED R, 135 MINUTES

‘INTO THE WOODS’A baker and his wife are tasked with procuring magical items from classic fairy tales to reverse the curse on their family tree. “Into the Woods” is directed by Rob Marshall (“Chicago”) and stars Meryl Streep (“Silkwood”).RATED PG, 124 MINUTES

‘PADDINGTON’The story of a Peruvian bear who travels to London in search of a home. “Paddington” is directed by Paul King (“Bunny and the Bull”) and stars the voice of Ben Whishaw (“Skyfall”) as Paddington. RATED PG, 95 minutes

‘THE WEDDING RINGER’A shy groom with no friends turns to a professional to help him find groomsmen for his wedding party. “The Wedding Ringer” is directed by Jeremy Garelick (“The Break Up”) and stars Kevin Hart (“Grudge Match”).RATED R, 101 MINUTES

‘NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB’Larry crosses the world to try and save the magic of the tablet before it disappears and his museum friends are gone. “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb” is directed by Shawn Levy (“Real Steel”) and stars Ben Stiller (“Zoolander”). RATED PG, 97 MINUTES

‘TAKEN 3’Bryan Mills, played by Liam Neeson (“Rob Roy”), returns with his certain set of skills to take on the bad guys one more time. “Taken 3” is directed by Olivier Megaton (“Colombiana”).RATED PG-13, 109 MINUTES


MarketplaceREAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS

Filed in the McHenry County Recorder’s Office Dec. 19 to 29:

Residence at 4515 E. Lake Shore Drive, Wonder Lake, was sold by Thomas and Lynda Lavin, Wonder Lake, to Rober-ta Kriese, Wonder Lake, for $131,000.

Residence at 14255 Castlebar Trail, Woodstock, was sold by Amy Sci-arro Trust, Woodstock, to Daniel Mecum, Woodstock, for $420,000.

Residence at 4605 Hilltop Drive, Wonder Lake, was sold by ACAAM LLP, Chicago, to Robert Ritzwoller, Ingleside, for $67,500.

Residence at 529 Fremont St., Woodstock, was sold by the Julia B. Gar-rison Revocable Trust, Woodstock, to Ca-leb Riechman, Woodstock, for $94,500.

Residence at 6908 Hiawatha Drive, Wonder Lake, was sold by Bayview Loan Servicing LLC, Coral Gables, Fla., to Michael Wozniak, Wonder Lake, for $89,900.

Residence at 1210 Vermont Road, Woodstock, was sold by Ronald and Lisa Hofmann, Harvard, to Jose Moreno and Juana Sifuentes, Woodstock, for $180,000.

Residence at 2711 Haydn St., Woodstock, was sold by Michael and Teresa Dettling, State Sz Switzerland, FN, to Melanie Stumpf, Woodstock, for $216,000.

Residence at 313 Stewart Ave., Woodstock, was sold by the Federal Na-tional Mortgage Association, Dallas, to George and Gail Brewer, Woodstock, for $109,000.

Residence at 3725 Greenwood Road, Wonder Lake, was sold by Steven and Susan Crowley, Vine Grove, Ky., to Terry and Angela Farruggia, Wonder Lake, for $185,000.

Office at 701 S. Eastwood Drive, Woodstock, was sold by 701 Building LLC, Woodstock, to Mark Mitchell, Wood-stock, for $164,200.

Restaurant at 108 Cass St., Wood-stock, was sold by Golden Eagle Commu-nity Bank, Crystal Lake, to 108 Cass LLC, Wonder Lake, for $275,000.

Residence at 8916 Memory Trail, Wonder Lake, was sold by the Secretary of Housing & Urban Development, At-lanta, to Andrea Rubi, Wonder Lake, for $56,000.

Residence at 2388 Linden Drive, Woodstock, was sold by Intercounty Ju-dicial Sales Corporation, Chicago, to the Secretary of Housing & Urban Develop-ment, Chicago, for $29,600.

Residence at 7710 Oakwood Drive, Wonder Lake, was sold by HSBC Bank USA National Association, West Palm Beach, Fla., to Initial Realty Services Inc., Wonder Lake, for $52,000.

Office at 2620 Bridge Lane, Woodstock, was sold by Golden Eagle Community Bank, Crystal Lake, to LROC Properties Southwest LP, Austin, Texas, for $440,000.

Office/residential building at 562 Washington St., Woodstock, was sold by Dearborn St. Holding LLC-Series 16 M&I, Chicago, to PDS Partners LLC, Island Lake, for $57,500.

Residence at 8408 Coral Road, Won-der Lake, was sold by The Judicial Sales Corporation, Chicago, to North Shore Holdings Ltd., Chicago, for $66,000.

Residence at 7409 Chippewa Drive, Wonder Lake, was sold by Inter-county Judicial Sales Corp., Chicago, to Rick Miller, Ringwood, for $22,124.

Residence at 7409 Chippewa Drive, Wonder Lake, was sold by Rick Miller, Ringwood, to Wonder Lake Series of Lotus Real Estate Investments LLC, Won-der Lake, for $30,000.

Longtime Stewart’s Cleaners owners Keum Jeon Chai, far left, and Chung Nam Chai, far right, have sold their business to employees Roberto and Maria Diaz, pictured at center. INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

Owners pass biz to employeesThe Chais, who owned Stewart’s Cleaners for 28 years, have sold their business

By EMMA KRUPPThe Independent

After nearly 28 years of owning and operating local drying cleaning busi-ness Stewart’s Cleaners, 225 E. Calhoun St., Keum Jeon and Chung Nam Chai have passed the helm of ownership to two longtime employees.

�oughts of retirement had been percolating for about a year-and-a-half before any concrete decision to leave was made, Keum Jeon Chai said. �eir two sons had recently moved from the local area to San Francisco and Hawaii and finding time to visit them became increasingly difficult.

“When they lived around here, we could visit whenever we wanted,” she said. “But they are so far from here, and so are our grandchildren. So I miss them, and I thought that maybe if we had more time, we could visit them more often.”

With this in mind, the Chais ap-proached employees Roberto and Maria Diaz, a married couple, with an offer of ownership. Both had been working at Stewart’s for nearly six years, and had four years of addi-tional experience in dry cleaning.

�e offer was almost immediately accepted, and the Diazes officially took over the business in late No-vember.

“I’m excited and ready to do my best for the customers so that they are satisfied,” Maria Diaz said. She added that she believes the hard work she and her husband had al-ready put into Stewart’s made the decision to assume ownership a fairly easy one.

Despite the change in ownership, Keum Jeon Chai maintains that there will be no major changes to the way Stewart’s is run. She and her husband taught the Diazes about ev-

ery single facet of the business, she said — from machine work, to sewing, to cus-tomer service — and frequent patrons can expect to see little difference in their typi-cal experience.

“Perhaps a few small changes, different bagging, different touches,” she conceded. “But nothing big.”

�e Chais plan to spend the majority of their retirement visiting family, both in the United States and abroad. �ey have relatives in Canada and South Korea, and look forward to their newfound ability to travel at will.

Still, leaving Stewart’s remains an emo-tional transition, and Keum Jeon Chai was visibly moved when imparting a goodbye

to the community she and her husband have served for nearly three decades.

“We were here 7 to 6:30 every day, and I met all my customers like a friend. Like a family. ... �ey support us,” she said. “�ank you to our customers, and to the community.”

“We were here 7 to 6:30 every day, and I met all my customers like a friend. Like a family.”

— Keum Jeon Chai, Stewart’s Cleaners

Maria Diaz makes alterations to a gar-ment at Stewart’s Cleaners. She and her husband are the new owners of the dry cleaning business. INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER


CommunityMonths later, barn fire victims are moving forward

By SANDY KUCHARSKIThe Independent

Every time the Bauman family looks

out in their backyard, they are faced with

a sobering reminder of tragedy. A chain

link fence surrounds the charred remains

of the stables and indoor riding arena at

Valley View Acres where a fire Nov. 22 de-

stroyed the buildings and killed 32 horses.

On Jan. 8, Amber Bauman, owner and

manager of the farm at 5116 Mt. �abor

Road, said the property was still on an in-

surance hold – more than a month after the

fire – so the cleanup process can’t begin.

“�at’s been pretty miserable,” she said.

“Every day, we come home to that. Every

day, every day … .”

In an effort to return to some sem-

blance of normalcy, as well as her primary

source of income, Bauman has begun giv-

ing horseback-riding lessons again. But

instead of walking out her back door and

into the barn across the driveway, Bauman

works out of East Hillside Equine, Crystal

Lake, a facility she’s leasing until she can

move her business back home.

She is giving

lessons on two

horses and a

pony donated

to her follow-

ing the fire; the

horses came

from a donor

in Crystal Lake

and the pony

was sent up

from West Palm

Beach, Fla. She

also uses some of her customers’ new

horses. �e animals belong to previous

boarders who lost horses in the fire and

have received new mounts, donated from

all over the country.

“�e love from horse people from all

over has been amazing,” Bauman said.

“�is is every horse owner’s worst night-

mare. Everyone wants to know what they

can do to help.”

�e generosity of the equine public also

extended to Bauman’s 11-year-old daugh-

ter, Alexis, who lost her prize-winning

Welsh pony, Ella Enchanted, in the fire. Two

ponies were donated to her so she could

continue riding and showing in the Illinois

Hunter Jumper circuit. On the weekend

of Jan. 10, mother and daughter attended

their first horse show since the fire.

Bauman explained, “If I haven’t seen

someone since the banquet we were at

when our barn burned down, I say, ‘Before

we start the conversation, there are no

words.’ It clears the air a little bit.”

In addition to the outpouring of concern

and support from the equine community

from all over the country, the local com-

munity has embraced the Bauman family

as well. Prairiewood Elementary School,

where Alexis is a student, held a fundraiser

called Pennies for Ponies, and Marian Cen-

tral Catholic High School, where her son

Adam is a freshman, showed their concern

with cards signed by students and staff and

moral support.Once the insurance issues are settled,

Bauman plans to rebuild and re-establish

her lesson program. “I’m being optimis-

tic,” she said, “that, by this summer, we’ll

be back home if the indoor is built, with

temporary stalls. �e biggest thing is to

get my students back where they were and

back horse-showing.” Bauman is currently

supplementing her income by returning to

substitute teaching.

“Life can’t stop,” she said. “I have my

kids plus many other young people that

take riding lessons from me that are just as

saddened. I need to show them that even

though this horrible thing happened to us,

we need to move forward. �at’s the one

push that’s kept me super-strong.”

IN BRIEF

Volunteer management training available in February

Volunteer Center McHenry County is hosting a Volunteer Management Certifi-cate program for inexperienced to sea-soned volunteer managers as well as indi-viduals interested in the field.

Topics include: designing positions, interviewing; orientating and training volunteers; motivating, delegating and supervising volunteers and performance reviews; dealing with problem situations; and risk management.

Anyone who utilizes volunteers is en-couraged to attend the training.

The course will take place Thursday and Friday, Feb. 26 and 27, at United Way McHenry County, 4508 Prime Park-way, McHenry.

To register for the day-and-a-half cer-tificate program, visit www.volunteercent-ermchenrycounty.org or call 815-344-4483.

TLC to host Annual Celebration Brunch

The Land Conservancy of McHenry County will hold its Annual Celebration Brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 25, at D’Andrea Banquets, 4419 Northwest Highway, Crystal Lake.

The program will celebrate another exceptional year of conservation in McHenry County, recognizing: oak trees and native shrubs planted; acorns gathered; land preserved; and Art of the Land programs, all made possible by the support of members and hard work of many dedicated and enthusias-tic volunteers.

The featured speaker will be Doug El-liott, a naturalist, herbalist, humorist and storyteller from Union Mills, N.C.

In addition to the featured speaker, the celebration includes brunch, silent auc-tion, raffle, recognition of easement and land donors and presentation of awards.

Due to limited seating, tickets must be purchased in advance, $35 for members, $50 for nonmembers.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.conserveMC.org or by phone at 815-337-9502.

“This is every horse owner’s worst nightmare.”

— Amber Bauman,Valley View Acres

15Jan. 14

-20, 2015TH

E WO

OD

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EPEND

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Entries must be received by noon, Jan. 22. Just pick a numbered square from 1 to 100. Call 815-338-8040 with your name, age, address, telephone number and email address. Each entrant must submit his or her own picks.Only one entry per household. The paper

entries. The scores after each quarter of the game will be used to select the winners of the prize packages. Numbers 0-9 will be randomly chosen Jan. 23 for the score rows and columns, with one set of numbers for each team. At the end of each quarter, scores are matched with the corre-sponding square. The entrant whose name appears in that square will be the winner. For example, suppose square number 23 has number 7 for the American team and num-ber 0 for the National team. If the score is 7-0 in favor of the American team at the end of

is a winner. If the score is 20-17 in favor of the National team at the end of another quarter, the square would also

dropped if the score is more than one digit. The numbers corresponding to each square and the names of the entrants in each square will be pub-lished in the Jan. 28 Wood-stock Independent. No pur-chase necessary to play the

Employees of The Woodstock Independent and their imme-diate families are ineligible. Must be 21 to play.

PRO FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP P OL

INDEPENDENTTheWoodstock Watch for your name and number in the Jan. 28th

issue of The Woodstock Independent

One Winner

Each Quarter!

91 92 93 94 95 96 87 98 99 100

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70

71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90

Woodstock

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Celebrating Over 50 Years of Great Taste!

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16 THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENTJan. 14-20, 2015 17Jan. 14-20, 2015THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENTCOMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

18TH

E WO

OD

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Jan. 14-20, 2015

CO

MM

UN

ITY

Entries must be received by noon, Jan. 22. Just pick a numbered square from 1 to 100. Call 815-338-8040 with your name, age, address, telephone number and email address. Each entrant must submit his or her own picks.Only one entry per household. The paper

entries. The scores after each quarter of the game will be used to select the winners of the prize packages. Numbers 0-9 will be randomly chosen Jan. 23 for the score rows and columns, with one set of numbers for each team. At the end of each quarter, scores are matched with the corre-sponding square. The entrant whose name appears in that square will be the winner. For example, suppose square number 23 has number 7 for the American team and num-ber 0 for the National team. If the score is 7-0 in favor of the American team at the end of

is a winner. If the score is 20-17 in favor of the National team at the end of another quarter, the square would also

dropped if the score is more than one digit. The numbers corresponding to each square and the names of the entrants in each square will be pub-lished in the Jan. 28 Wood-stock Independent. No pur-chase necessary to play the

Employees of The Woodstock Independent and their imme-diate families are ineligible. Must be 21 to play.

PRO FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP P OL

INDEPENDENTTheWoodstock Watch for your name and number in the Jan. 28th

issue of The Woodstock Independent

One Winner

Each Quarter!

Woodstock

815.338.3600 1652 S. Eastwood Dr.

Celebrating Over 50 Years of Great Taste!

Let Us Cater Your Next

Party!Full Restaurant

& Bar 12 Beers on Tap,

30 Bottle Selections, Great Wine & Cocktails!

Order Online @ MyRosatis.Com

HOT SOUPS AVAILABLE DAILY!

S B H PT I S !

S 815-338-2270

E O E S! E E U ITE S! S S


Presented by the Woodstock MusicalTheatre Company

at the Woodstock Opera House


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31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40

41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70

71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90


Buechler family continues 20-year tree tradition

By JANET DOVIDIOThe Independent

Every year, on the Sunday of �anks-giving weekend, Rick and Peggy Buechler’s neighbors gather in their yard in rural Woodstock to enjoy a spec-tacular tree lighting while also helping those in need.

�e tradition began 20 years ago, when they decided to imitate Peggy’s child-hood tradition of her father’s lighting of a large spruce tree in their front yard.

When the Buechlers moved into their home in 1979, cars kicked up a lot of dust and gravel from the road along the side of their house. So they planted 13 blue spruce trees as a windbreak. �e trees were each about 12 to 14 inches tall.

�e trees thrived, so 10 years later the Buechlers had to dig out every other one and transplant them elsewhere on

the property. �is included the one they light for Christmas. �en it was 12 feet tall; 20 years later, it is now 42 feet tall.

Stringing the lights has become more of a challenge over the years. Rick could initially stand on the ground, but even-tually had to use a pole for the higher branches. As the tree grew, he needed to use a ladder with the pole, and followed that with more extensions on the pole. �e current tree height necessitates Rick renting a lift to hang lighting on the up-per branches.

“I know exactly how many strands and bulbs are on the tree because if too many are strung in-line and a fuse blows on a strand 40 feet up the tree, there is no way to replace it,” Rick said.

“�is year there were 63 strands of 25 lights, with each strand at 25 feet long. �at’s over 1,500 bulbs on one-third mile length of cords ... ,” he said. “Not surpris-ingly, we receive a very nice thank you card from ComEd every Christmas!”

Neighbors invited to the annual tree lighting are also asked to bring dona-tions for the Woodstock Food Pantry. �is year the event produced 95 pounds of food.

“We’ve always felt it’s important to establish traditions and to build family

and community relationships,” said Rick. “Lighting the tree is something our kids, our neighbors and their kids enjoy look-ing forward to each year, and now our grandkids are joining in the tradition.”

St. Mary Foundation makes donation

�e St. Mary of Woodstock Founda-

tion presented a check for $15,000 to

St. Mary pastor, the Rev. Burt Absalon,

and to St. Mary School Principal Frank

Shields after a school Mass Dec. 15.

Parishioner Ty Keller made the pre-

sentation. Keller, along with Ray Benoy

and Dick Merryman, began the founda-

tion in 1986 in order to provide tuition

support for the school’s students.

�ey noticed as tuition rose due to

increasing education costs, many more

families could not afford the cost. �e

men worked with the Diocese of Rock-

ford to set up the nonprofit group.

During their first year, when very

few people knew of the foundation and

funds were low, they were only able to

purchase a camera for the school. As

contributions increased, the foundation

has repaired the roof, purchased uni-

forms for students and subsidized tu-

ition payments.

�e foundation receives small dona-

tions from wills and through designat-

ed memorials. Money earned from the

foundation’s investments was the source

of this recent check.

�e foundation’s board is comprised

of laypersons as voting members, as well

as the pastor and principal as nonvot-

ing members. Current members include

Virginia Peschke, Darren Fortin, Anne

McCoy, Maryann Piggot, Jeff Gillaspie,

Larry Rafferty and Keller.

“In addition to offsetting tuition in-

creases, we dream of raising enough

money to hire the best teachers and to

minimize the financial burden on fami-

lies,” Keller said. “We know that it takes

many little bits to grow to be a large

amount, and we’ll keep working at it.”

COMMUNITY

News of recognitions and milestones can be sent to Janet Dovidio at [email protected].

HIGHLIGHTS

20 THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENTJan. 14-20, 2015 COMMUNITY

Benjamin F. Edwards & Co. 11621 Catalpa Lane, Woodstock, IL 60098Phone: 815-337-4485 Toll Free: 855-337-4485

2014-1221 Exp. 7/31/2016 Member SIPC benjaminfedwards.com

Proudly serving all investors in the McHenry County area. Stop by or give us a call .

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR LIFE’S MILESTONESCollege. A first car, or home. A new baby. Retirement. These are the milestones that help us measure life’s progress.

They also require careful planning so that you are prepared to meet them head on. Whether you are just starting out or are well on your way, we will work with you to tailor a goals-based investment plan that meets your needs.

Dennis Anderson, CFP® Branch Manager

Senior Vice President – Investments

James Wormley, CFP® Senior Vice President – Investments

Ryan Wormley, AAMS® Senior Vice President – Investments

Sandy PetersonSenior Registered Financial Associate

d CFP®

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Jenny Murray, AAMS® Assistant Branch Manager

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Brian ReillySenior Vice President – Investments

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David ReillyFinancial Consultant

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Matt Wormley Financial Consultant

M W l

GROUNDHOG DAYS 2015 POSTER CONTEST

Open to 3rd-grade students residingwithin WoodstockSchool District 200RULES:

1. Poster to include: Groundhog Days 2015, Woodstock IL.

2. Design poster in color on white paper, no larger than 11" x 17".

3. Hand drawn artwork only; no computer generated art.

4. Write name, grade and school on the back of each entry.

5. Deadline to enter: 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan 22

Contest Sponsored by

Submit entries to: The Woodstock Independent Office at 671 E. Calhoun St. 815-338-8040

Create the Official 2015Groundhog Days Poster!

21Jan. 14-20, 2015THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENTCOMMUNITY

IN BRIEF

MCC seeks literacy volunteersMcHenry County College’s Adult Educa-

tion Department is in need of volunteers to tutor adult students in reading, math or Eng-lish as a second language. Anyone 18 or older with a desire to make a difference in someone’s life is encouraged to attend.

Free information sessions on becoming a literacy tutor for reading, math and Eng-lish are being offered from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4, or from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at the MCC campus, 8900 U.S. Highway 14, Crystal Lake.

A literacy volunteer tutor does not have to speak a second language or have any teaching experience to tutor in the adult education literacy program. Volunteer tutors will receive free basic training that provides the information and skills needed to work with literacy students. All teaching materials are supplied to volunteers. Tutoring schedul-ing is flexible to meet people’s schedules.

For information or to register, call Marie Day 815-455-8542.

FHPC gala features Beatles theme

Family Health Partnership Clinic’s 18th Annual Gala will be a Beatles-themed eve-ning, called, “With a Little Help from Our Friends.” The event will be held at 6 p.m. Friday, April 24, at the Crystal Lake Holi-day Inn, 800 S. Route 31, and will feature dinner and live and silent auctions. Ameri-can English, Chicagoland’s premier Beatles tribute band, will perform.

The gala will raise funds for FHPC, which provides primary medical care to the underinsured and uninsured residents of McHenry County. Tickets are $90 per person or $800 for a table of 10. To order, call 779-220-9304 or email [email protected].


“Make tea, not war.” —Monty Python

I have found that after a loved one passes away, it can be the “little things” that cause large fights among the survi-vors. One of the issues that can result in hurt feelings on the death of a parent is the parent’s neglecting to effectively gift the family’s personal property. Personal property can be valuable – like an art collection – or it can be sentimental and of little value – like the cracked teapot Mom used every day. It’s a shame that one sister’s receipt of the cracked teapot may cause hard feelings for years, but how can this situation be avoided?

If you take the time to decide who gets what during your life, and you com-municate this to your children or other loved ones, it goes a long way toward preventing hard feelings – even if Susie doesn’t get the beloved teapot. For some reason, when Susie knows it was Mom who gave the teapot to her sister, and not the sister taking it before Susie ar-rived at the house, that makes a differ-ence Susie can live with.

Most families’ houses have masses of

personal items. Do you need to inventory and assign takers for all of it? Of course not! But it is wise to make sure that all of your close family members receive a meaningful gift. If the items are valuable, you might want to try to equalize the value among your children. Many parents just ask their kids to tell them if there is anything in the house they would wish to receive. �is also prevents the treasured items being disposed of in a tag sale!

Once you have determined who gets what, write it down. It is advisable to date and sign the list so it is clear which is the most recent list, and that one should control. But this list is not a will and it is not a trust. Is it legally enforce-able? Probably not. No one will be able to bring that list to court and prove the ownership of any item. Still, the exis-

tence of the list usually quells the angst among squabbling siblings. �ey know it was Mom or Dad who made the list and they accept it.

If the items have significant value, or if it is otherwise very important for you to know that your wishes will be fol-lowed and a court would enforce them, there are two possibilities. First, if you have a will, you can list items of per-sonal property and name the individu-als who will receive the items after your death. �is document is legally enforce-able. However, in the future, to change the terms of your will, you must draft and sign a codicil to the will with the same signing and witnessing require-ments as used for the original will. �is is cumbersome and so probably not a good solution for the many tchotchkes in your family room. Note: If you simply take a pen and write changes on your will, those changes are not legally en-forceable.

If you have a living trust, the trust can refer to an outside document. �is is one of the benefits of using a trust in your estate plan. �e trust will also say

that if your list cannot be found, or if any item was not included on the list, then dispose of those items as follows: (Here you might say, “In substantially equal shares to my children as they agree, or if they cannot agree within 60 days, then as my trustee determines.”) Because your list is now legally enforce-able, you can use it for large and small items and make revisions as often as needed without needing to amend your trust.

Note: �is column provides general information related to the law designed to help readers understand their own le-gal needs. �is column does not provide legal advice. Please consult a lawyer if you want legal advice. No attorney-cli-ent or confidential relationship exists or will be formed between the reader and the author of this column.

Patricia C. Kraft, Attorney at Law, has more than 20 years of experience in general prac-tice, including estate and succession plan-ning. Contact her at 14212 Washington St., Suite 200, Woodstock, 815-206-2200 or [email protected].

Estate Planning Demystified

Patricia C.Kraft

» COLUMN

Take care of the ‘little things’ to avoid hard feelings

MOTHER NATURE STRIKES AGAIN

Woodstock Public Works employees Bryant Williams, left, and Jason Walters stand by to help as Zac Maxwell climbs down a ladder on Blakely Street Jan. 8 to repair a broken water main. Bitterly cold temperatures caused water main breaks and other related problems last week. INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

IN BRIEF

Girl Scout cookies on sale nowLocal Girl Scouts are currently taking or-

ders for the 2015 Girl Scout Cookie Pro-gram through Friday, Jan. 30. New this year is Rah-Rah Raisins, a cookie featuring whole grain oats, raisins and Greek yogurt-flavored chunks.

This year’s cookie lineup also includes Do-si-dos, Samoas, Tagalongs, Thin Mints, Trefoils and Savannah Smiles. Each cookie variety sells for $4 a box. For information, call Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois at 815-962-5591.

Voices in Harmony to invitesingers for spring season

Singers are invited to join Voices in Har-mony for the spring season. The choir will present “A Community of Song: Our Story in Song” with well-known storyteller Jim May April 12.

Rehearsals will be 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Mondays beginning Jan. 19 at Bethany Lutheran Church, 76 W. Crystal Lake Ave., Crystal Lake.

For information, visit voices-in-harmony.org or call 815-455-4879.


FLASHBACKS

25 years ago The Woodstock School District Board

of Education voted to support the proposed Woodstock city ordinance regulating the sale of cigarettes to minors and their subsequent use by those younger than 18 years of age.

The Woodstock Musical Theatre Com-pany prepared to present “Side by Side with Sondheim” at the Woodstock Opera House with Michele Berlin Nicholas, Woodstock, in a major role.

20 years ago The first Woodstock police liaison of-

ficer for Woodstock High School reported for duty.

WHS junior boys basketball player Eric Kristensen was selected to audition to sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” before the championship game of the IHSA boys bas-ketball tournament.

Fred Tessler earned his 200th victory as the head coach of the WHS freshman wrestling team.

15 years ago Woodstock resident Mae Wiedrich cel-

ebrated her 100th birthday. Woodstock resident Steve Aavang was

supervising the construction of 200 manufac-tured homes on 82 acres in Harvard.

WHS presented “The Curse of the Ach-ing Heart” with James Casalino and Amy Farver in lead roles.

The Marian Central Catholic High School girls basketball team defeated Lake Forest Woodlands 65-40 behind 22 points from Katie Westfall.

10 years ago The Woodstock Musical Theatre Com-

pany announced auditions for “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” that would be directed by Jeanna Hills.

The Marian Central boys basketball team defeated Mundelein 52-43 behind 27 points from Devin Harms.

The third-annual Woodstock Interna-tional Film Festival was held at Woodstock Theatre. The festival presented five foreign films including “The Barbarian Invasions,” which won the Academy Award for best for-eign film.

5 years ago The Woodstock Chamber of Com-

merce & Industry named Shari Gray interim executive director, replacing former director

Quinn Keefe. Creekside Middle School student Gra-

ham Ellinghausen spent two months work-ing with Woodstock Mayor Brian Sager researching the roles that different forms of government play in society.

Woodstock District 200’s dual-lan-guage program was featured in Chicago Parent Magazine.

The Woodstock North High School girls basketball team earned its first Fox Val-ley Conference victory, defeating crosstown rival WHS 38-35.

1 year ago The Woodstock co-op speech team

prepared to host the Fox Valley Conference speech tournament.

A study by Illinois State Water Survey showed McHenry County’s groundwater lev-els were declining and the county could be in short supply by 2050.

Country-music performer Lee Green-wood opened his “American Patriot” tour at the Woodstock Opera House.

The Woodstock co-op boys bowling team defeated St. Edward’s 2,474-2,012 behind Zach Myers, who bowled a 537 high series.

RELIGION NOTES

BLUE LOTUS TEMPLE & MEDITATION CENTER

Meditation: 10 a.m. Saturday, TuesdayMeditation: 7 p.m. Monday, Wednesday

CHRIST LIFE

Worship: 10:30 a.m. Sunday

EDEN BAPTIST

Worship: 3 p.m. Sunday (Spanish)

FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST

Worship: 10 a.m. Sunday

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN

FIRST UNITED METHODIST

FREE METHODIST


GRACE FELLOWSHIP


GRACE LUTHERAN1300 Kishwaukee Valley Road 815-338-0554 Worship: 5 p.m. Saturday (casual); 8:30 a.m. (traditional), 10:45 a.m. (contemporary)

HERITAGE BAPTIST


MCHENRY COUNTY JEWISH CONGREGATION8617 Ridgefield Road, Crystal Lake815-455-1810

Saturday

REDEEMER LUTHERAN

Worship: 8 and 10 a.m. Sunday

RESURRECTION CATHOLIC

815-338-7330Worship: 8 and 10:30 a.m. Sunday; 5 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m. weekdays

ST. ANN’S EPISCOPAL

Worship: 8:30 and 10 a.m. Sunday

ST. JOHN’S LUTHERAN

ST. MARY CATHOLIC

Worship: 7:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday; 5 and 6:30 p.m. (Spanish)

(Spanish), 5 p.m. Sunday

THE BRIDGE CHRISTIAN


THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS


THE VINE


UNITY SPIRITUAL CENTER


WOODSTOCK ASSEMBLY OF GOD

a.m. worship service

WOODSTOCK BIBLE

fifth grade)

p.m. Sunday


Jan. 14to 25

CALENDARUpcoming events in the Woodstock area Events are free unless otherwise noted

14 | WEDNESDAY

TLC WORKDAYYonder Addition1150 S. Rose Farm Road10 a.m. to 1 p.m.Volunteers will help clear invasive spe-cies from oak restoration area.

DAYTIME BOOK CLUBRead Between the Lynes129 Van Buren St.12:30 p.m.815-206-5967The group will discuss “The Invention of Wings” by Sue Monk Kidd.

15 | THURSDAY

CREATIVE LIVING SERIESWoodstock Opera House121 Van Buren St.10 a.m.$24815-338-5300See The Entertainer, page 12.

WOODSTOCK SENIOR CLUBSHearthstone Communities840 N. Seminary Ave.10 a.m. to 2 p.m.A fee will be charged for lunch, $2 donation for bingo.815-344-3555The activities will include a coffee klatch and bingo. Registration is re-quired.

MURDER & MAYHEMWoodstock Public Library414 W. Judd St.7 p.m.815-338-0542woodstockpubliclibrary.orgThe book club reads 2 to 3 mysteries on a certain theme per month. Books are available at the circulation desk.

UNITY SINGLES GROUPUnity Spiritual Center225 W. Calhoun St.7 to 8:30 p.m.$5 requested donation815-337-3534unitywoodstock.orgThe Rev. Tom Wendt will facilitate the get-togethers.

16 | FRIDAY

MARIAN CARESMarian Central Catholic High School1001 W. McHenry Ave.Noon to 2:30 p.m.A mobile food pantry will be pres-ent, providing food, warm clothes, and medical assistance for families in need.

CAREGIVERS SUPPORT GROUPFamily Alliance2028 N. Seminary Ave.1 to 2:30 p.m.815-338-3590An open support group meeting will be offered for anyone giving care to an older person.

LIVE MUSIC AT EXPRESSLYLESLIE’SWoodstock Square Mall110 Johnson St.5:30 p.m.815-338-2833

See The Entertainer, page 12.

SONGWRITER SHOWCASEMixin Mingle124 Cass St.7:30 p.m.$7, includes light beverages847-507-1352aplacetoshinemusic.comSee The Entertainer, page 12.

JAZZ JAMStage Left Café125 Van Buren St.8 p.m.815-337-1395$5 donationSee The Entertainer, page 12.

17 | SATURDAY

GROUP FITNESS DEMOSWoodstock Recreation Center820 Lake Ave. Demos begin at 8 a.m.815-338-4363woodstockrecreationdepartment.comThe recreation department will offer free group fitness demonstrations for the gym and aerobics room from 8 to 10:30 a.m.

WOODSTOCK MODEL RR GROUPWoodstock Public Library414 W. Judd St.9 a.m.815-338-0542Local train photographer Terry Nor-ton will show a slide presentation of pictures he has taken around Chicago from the early 1960s to the present.

BARK FOR BOOKSWoodstock Public Library414 W. Judd St.10 to 11:30 a.m.815-338-0542woodstockpubliclibrary.orgChildren in grades 1 to 5 can read to a dog. Participants can sign up at the reading desk after 9 a.m.

WINTER TREE IDENTIFICATION WALKHennen Conservation Area4622 Dean St.10 a.m. to 2 p.m.$5, bring your own lunch815-337-9502Learn how to identify trees based on the twigs and bark in a classroom set-ting, then out on the trails.

POSITIVELY 4TH STREETStage Left Café121 Van Buren St.7 p.m.Donation815-338-5300See The Entertainer, page 12.

SIX SPEED TRANNYD.C. Cobb’s226 Main St.10 p.m.No cover charge815-206-5580See The Entertainer, page 12.

18 | SUNDAY

WOODSTOCK WEDDING WALK BRIDAL EXPO

Woodstock Square Mall110 S. Johnson St.11 a.m. to 3 p.m.Freewoodstockweddingnetwork.comThe bridal expo will offer an opportu-nity to visit wedding professionals, a fashion show, food tasting and raffle prizes. Brides must pre-register on the website.

19 | MONDAY

DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.’S BIRTHDAYDistrict 200 No School

TLC WORKDAY - OAK RESCUEYonder Prairie1285 Westwood Trail10 a.m. to 1 p.m.Volunteers will help clear invasive spe-cies from an oak restoration area as part of the National Day of Service.

VILLAGE OF BULL VALLEY PLANNING COMMISSIONThe Stickney House1904 Cherry Valley Road7 p.m.

EVENING BOOK CLUBRead Between the Lynes129 Van Buren St.7 p.m.815-206-5967The group will discuss “Mrs. Poe” by Lynn Cullen.

20 | TUESDAY

CITY COUNCIL MEETINGWoodstock City Hall121 W. Calhoun St.7 p.m.

LEGO NIGHTWoodstock Public Library414 W. Judd St.6:30 p.m.815-338-0542woodstockpubliclibrary.orgChildren age 2 and older can free-build with Duplos and LEGOS. Regis-tration is required.

21 | WEDNESDAY

COLLEGE/SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION WORKSHOPWoodstock Public Library414 W. Judd St.6:30 p.m. p.m.815-338-0542woodstockpubliclibrary.orgRetired teachers will look over essays and applications and offer editing and revision suggestions. Registration required.

23 | FRIDAY

‘DANCING AT LUGHNASA’Woodstock High School Auditorium501 W. South St.7 p.m.$10 adult, $5 student815-338-4370See The Entertainer, page 12.

OPEN MIC NIGHTStage Left Café125 Van Buren St. 7 p.m.

$3 donationoffsquaremusic.orgSee The Entertainer, page 12.

24 | SATURDAY

GROUP FITNESS DEMOSWoodstock Recreation Center820 Lake Ave. Demos begin at 8 a.m.815-338-4363woodstockrecreationdepartment.comThe recreation department will offer free group aquatic fitness demonstra-tions from 8 to 10 a.m.

FAMILY SCIENCE DAYWoodstock Public Library414 W. Judd St.11 a.m. to noon815-338-0542woodstockpubliclibrary.orgA physicist from Fermilab will lead par-ticipants in experiments with magnets and electricity. Registration required.

‘DANCING AT LUGHNASA’Woodstock High School Auditorium501 W. South St.2 and 7 p.m.$10 adult, $5 student815-338-4370See The Entertainer, page 12.

25 | SUNDAY

HOT COCOA & STORY HOUREthereal Confections113 S. Benton St.10:30 a.m.815-575-9315Children’s stories will be read aloud around the fireplace, and every child will receive a free children’s hot cocoa.

ONGOING

DISTRICT 200 ART SHOWDaily during library hoursWoodstock Public Library414 W. Judd St.Student works of art from all grade lev-els will be on display through Jan. 12.

OPEN AA MEETINGSundaysWoodstock Alano Club545 W. South St.11 a.m.815-455-3311Meetings are open to anyone who is interested or who might have a prob-lem with alcohol.

OVEREATERS ANONYMOUSMondaysFirst United Methodist Church201 W. South St.815-575-4283The weekly meeting is open to people with eating problems, including over-eating, undereating and binging.

OPEN VOLLEYBALLMondaysWoodstock Recreation Center820 Lake Ave.6:45 to 9 p.m.Free for members, $4 nonmembers815-338-4363woodstockrecreationdepartment.com

Teams will be formed at random each week to play volleyball.

COFFEE AT THE CAFÉ FOR SENIORSTuesdaysStage Left Café125 Van Buren St.1 to 3 p.m.Senior citizens are invited to drop in for coffee.

MINDSHIFTERS GROUPTuesdaysUnity Spiritual Center of Woodstock225 W. Calhoun6:30 p.m.$5 suggested love offering815-337-3534unitywoodstock.orgThe support group will focus on the practical use of self-help tools for per-sonal and spiritual growth.

BINGOWednesdaysWoodstock Moose Lodge406 Clay St.7 to 9:30 p.m.815-338-0126Games will include crossfire. Food will be available. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m.

VFW FISH FRYFridaysVFW Post 5040240 N. Throop St.5 to 8 p.m.$8.50815-338-5040

FRIDAY FAMILY FUN NIGHTFridaysWoodstock Recreation Center820 Lake Ave.5 to 9 p.m.Free to members, $10 non-members815-338-4363woodstockrecreationdepartment.comEach evening will include open swim, basketball, walleyball, soccer and racquetball.

MCHENRY BINGOFridaysWoodstock VFW250 N. Throop St.Doors open at 6 p.m., games start at 7 p.m.815-338-5040Proceeds will benefit pediatric cancer. For weekly jackpots, visit McHenry-Bingo.com.

AFFIRMATIVE PRAYER CLASSSaturdaysUnity Spiritual Center of Woodstock225 W. Calhoun St.9:15 a.m.Cost: donation815-337-3534unitywoodstock.orgMarypatriece Raupp will host this class on the art of affirmative prayer. Class runs weekly through Feb. 7.

BEST BETSELECTION

To submit calendar items, e-mail [email protected] or visit

thewoodstockindependent.com

REMOTE SENSING PHOTOGRAPHY


PUBLIC NOTICEIN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 22ND

JUDICIAL CIRCUITMC HENRY COUNTY, WOODSTOCK,

ILLINOISUS BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION; Plaintiff, vs. CHRISTOPHER J. SCHAEFER; SNOOPY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP; THE SONATAS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION; JENNIFER SCHAEFER AKA JENNIFER LSCHAEFER; Defendants,12 CH 2727PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause on October 24, 2014, Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Thursday, January 29, 2015, at the hour of

Lancaster, 970 McHenry Avenue, Crystal Lake, Illinois 60014, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described property:LOT 64 IN THE SONATAS PLANNED

OF THE WEST HALF OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 28 AND THE EAST HALF OF THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 29, TOWNSHIP 45 NORTH,

THEREOF RECORDED JULY 9, 2004 AS DOCUMENT NUMBER 2004R0062760 AND CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION RECORDED JANUARY 4, 2005 AS DOCUMENT NUMBER 2005R0000713, IN MCHENRY COUNTY, ILLINOIS. P.I.N. 08-29-479-001.Commonly known as 2611 HAYDN STREET, WOODSTOCK, IL 60098.The improvement on the property consists of a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act.

refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Upon payment in full of the amount

Sale which will entitle the purchaser to a Deed

For Information: Visit our website at http://service.atty-pierce.com. Between 3 p.m. and

Attorneys, 1 North Dearborn Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602. Tel.No. (312) 476-5500. Refer to File Number 1219843.INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION

I638881(Published in The Woodstock Independent Dec 31, 2014, Jan 7, 2015, Jan 14, 2015) L9382

PUBLIC NOTICEIN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 22ND

JUDICIAL CIRCUITMC HENRY COUNTY, WOODSTOCK,

ILLINOIS

Plaintiff, vs. JOSE R. ORTIZ AKA JOSE R. ORTIZ RIVERO AKA JOSE ORTIZ; EDITH M. ORTIZ AKA EDITH

ORTIZ; COBBLESTONE TOWNHOMES ASSOCIATION; UNKNOWNOWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants,13 CH 747NOTICE OF SALEPUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Thursday, January 29,

conference room,Crystal Lake, Illinois 60014, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate:LOT 3 IN COBBLESTONE TOWNHOMES

SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 16,

OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN,

RECORDED JUNE 9, 1986 AS DOCUMENT NUMBER 941441, IN MCHENRY COUNTY, ILLINOIS.Commonly known as 1121 Pond Point Road, Woodstock, Illinois 60098.P.I.N. 13-16-303-013.The improvement on the property consists of a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act.

refunds.The property will NOT be open for inspection.For information call The Sales Department

Lindberg LLC, 1771 West Diehl Road, Naperville, Illinois 60563-1890. (630) 453-6960. For Bidding instructions visit www.fal-illinois.com 24 hours prior to sale. F13040122I638887(Published in The Woodstock Independent Dec 31, 2014, Jan 7, 2015, Jan 14, 2015) L9383

PUBLIC NOTICEASSUMED NAME

Public Notice is hereby given that on December

of the County Clerk of McHenry County, Illinois, setting forth the names and post-

conducting and transacting the business known as JBK HOME INSPECTION located

60050.Dated DECEMBER 22, 2014/s/ MARY E MCCLELLAN (County Clerk)(Published in The Woodstock Independent Dec 31, 2014, Jan 7, 2015, Jan 14, 2015) L9385




conducting and transacting the business known as MCKEE FARMS located at 22609

60152.Dated DECEMBER 26, 2014/s/ MARY E MCCLELLAN (County Clerk)(Published in The Woodstock Independent Dec 31, 2014, Jan 7, 2015, Jan 14, 2015) L9386




conducting and transacting the business

located at 311 CARL SANDS DRIVE, CARY, ILLINOIS 60013.Dated DECEMBER 29, 2014/s/ MARY E MCCLELLAN (County Clerk)(Published in The Woodstock Independent Jan 7, 2015, Jan 14, 2015) L9387

PUBLIC NOTICEPublic Notice is hereby given that on December

the County Clerk of McHenry County, Illinois, concerning the business known as PRO NAILS located at 663 A.S. EASTWOOD DRIVE, WOODSTOCK, IL 60098, which

the operation thereof: Withdrawal of Name: Vincent Tran, Withdrawal of Name: Thuy Bui, Addition of Name: Thuy Thi Tran.Dated DECEMBER 29, 2014/s/ MARY E MCCLELLAN (County Clerk)(Published in The Woodstock Independent Jan 7, 2015, Jan 14, 2015) L9388




conducting and transacting the business known as CANASTA BASICA located at 213

Dated DECEMBER 29, 2014/s/ MARY E MCCLELLAN (County Clerk)(Published in The Woodstock Independent Dec 31, 2014, Jan 7, 2015, Jan 14, 2015) L9389

PUBLIC NOTICEThe Storage Space LLC, 945 Dieckman St., P 0 Box 1873, Woodstock, IL. 60098, must receive the delinquent amount of $615.00 for rental of unit #74 at 945 Dieckman St., Woodstock, IL. 60098, name Kim Halper. Or contents will be sold (no auction) or disposed of on 1/23/15 at 10:00 a.m. at 945 Dieckman St., Woodstock, IL. 60098. Contents: Ice Drill, Stepladder, Mirrors, Scooter wheelchair, Walker, Twin beam spotlight, Fishing gear, Concrete statuary, Clothes rack, Clothing, Hand tools, Miscellaneous items, and Bags & boxes contents unknown and other general household.(Published in The Woodstock Independent Jan 7, 2015, Jan 14, 2015) L9390





IL 60051.Dated DECEMBER 30, 2014/s/ MARY E MCCLELLAN (County Clerk)(Published in The Woodstock Independent Jan

7, 2015, Jan 14, 2015) L9391


Public Notice is hereby given that on January


conducting and transacting the business known as NAILTIQUE located at 5420 S US

Dated JANUARY 7, 2015/s/ MARY E MCCLELLAN (County Clerk)(Published in The Woodstock Independent Jan 14, 2015) L9392




conducting and transacting the business known as MCHENRY TREASURES ESTATE FINDS & COLLECTABLES located at 3819 MAIN STREET, MCHENRY, IL 60050.Dated JANUARY 8, 2015/s/ MARY E MCCLELLAN (County Clerk)(Published in The Woodstock Independent Jan 14, 2015) L9393

PUBLIC NOTICEIN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE TWENTY-

SECOND JUDICIAL CIRCUITMCHENRY COUNTY-IN PROBATE

Case No. 14PR000357In the Matter of the Estate ofMICHAEL C BUSTERDeceasedCLAIM NOTICENotice is given of the death of: MICHAEL C BUSTERof: JALISCO, MX

to:Representatives: CHARLES CRICK309 PHEASANT TRLLAKE IN THE HILLS, IL 60155whose attorney is:

127 E CALHOUN STREETWOODSTOCK, IL 60098

within three months from the date of mailing or delivery of Notice to Creditor, whichever is later, shall be barred.

of Circuit Court at the McHenry County

Avenue, Woodstock, Illinois, 60098, or with the representative, or both.

mailed or delivered to the representative and to his attorney within ten days after it has been

/s/ MARY E MCCLELLAN (County Clerk)(Published in The Woodstock Independent Jan 14, 2015) L9394

PUBLIC NOTICEIN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE TWENTY-

SECOND JUDICIAL CIRCUITMCHENRY COUNTY-IN PROBATE

Case No. 14PR000353

In the Matter of the Estate ofLYLE H KRAUSEDeceasedCLAIM NOTICENotice is given of the death of: LYLE H KRAUSEof: UNION, IL

to:Representatives: TRACIE JO ANN KRAUSE6405 MAIN STUNION, IL 60180whose attorney is:

127 E CALHOUN STREETWOODSTOCK, IL 60098

within three months from the date of mailing or delivery of Notice to Creditor, whichever is later, shall be barred.

of Circuit Court at the McHenry County

Avenue, Woodstock, Illinois, 60098, or with the representative, or both.

mailed or delivered to the representative and to his attorney within ten days after it has been

/s/ MARY E MCCLELLAN (County Clerk)(Published in The Woodstock Independent Jan 14, 2015) L9395




conducting and transacting the business known as KANNAN KAMARAJAN located at

Dated JANUARY 9, 2015/s/ MARY E MCCLELLAN (County Clerk)(Published in The Woodstock Independent Jan 14, 2015) L9396





HARVARD, IL, 60033.Dated JANUARY 9, 2015/s/ MARY E MCCLELLAN (County Clerk)(Published in The Woodstock Independent Jan 14, 2015) L9397





HARVARD, IL, 60033.Dated JANUARY 9, 2015/s/ MARY E MCCLELLAN (County Clerk)(Published in The Woodstock Independent Jan 14, 2015) L9397

PUBLIC NOTICES

REAL ESTATE NOTICES

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 22ND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

MC HENRY COUNTY, WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS

US BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION; Plaintiff, vs. CHRISTOPHER J. SCHAEFER; SNOOPY LIMITED PARTNERSHIP; THE SONATAS HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION; JENNIFER SCHAEFER AKA JENNIFER LSCHAEFER; Defendants,12 CH 2727PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause on October 24, 2014, Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Thursday, January 29, 2015, at the hour of 10:30 a.m. in the

970 McHenry Avenue, Crystal Lake, Illinois 60014, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described property:P.I.N. 08-29-479-001.Commonly known as 2611 HAYDN STREET, WOODSTOCK, IL 60098.The improvement on the property consists of a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act.

No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a

purchaser to a Deed to the premises after

For Information: Visit our website at http://

service.atty-pierce.com. Between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. only. Pierce & Associates,

Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602. Tel.No. (312) 476-5500. Refer to File Number 1219843.INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION

I638881(Published in The Woodstock Independent Dec 31, 2014, Jan 7, 2015, Jan 14, 2015) L9382

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE 22ND JUDICIAL CIRCUIT

MC HENRY COUNTY, WOODSTOCK, ILLINOIS

Plaintiff, vs. JOSE R. ORTIZ AKA JOSE R. ORTIZ RIVERO AKA JOSE ORTIZ; EDITH M. ORTIZ AKA EDITH

ORTIZ; COBBLESTONE TOWNHOMES ASSOCIATION; UNKNOWNOWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendants,13 CH 747NOTICE OF SALEPUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Thursday, January 29, 2015, at

conference room,Crystal Lake, Illinois 60014, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate:Commonly known as 1121 Pond Point Road, Woodstock, Illinois 60098.P.I.N. 13-16-303-013.The improvement on the property consists

of a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act.

No refunds.The property will NOT be open for inspection.For information call The Sales Department

Lindberg LLC, 1771 West Diehl Road, Naperville, Illinois 60563-1890. (630) 453-6960. For Bidding instructions visit www.fal-illinois.com 24 hours prior to sale. F13040122I638887(Published in The Woodstock Independent Dec 31, 2014, Jan 7, 2015, Jan 14, 2015) L9383

are upset. … We can’t lose focus. I’m not going to apologize for our choice. It was thoroughly thought out. Hopefully, peo-ple will take a long look and respect our decision.”

Dirk Stanger was the offensive coor-dinator for five quarterbacks at Marian who went on to play NCAA Division 1

football. Stanger said he learned a lot under

Brucker’s tutelage.“I can’t say enough about what I

learned from coach Brucker, the respon-sibilities he gave me,” Stanger said. “It made me the coach I am today.”

Stanger said he was proud of his years

coaching at Marian. “I’m so proud of what we accom-

plished, so proud of the kids we had,” Stanger said. “I was very fortunate to have some high-level athletes. At the same time, we had a lot of success and produced some high-character kids. �at became evident to me with all the

messages and phone calls that I have [received] from kids the past couple of days.”

Stanger, who resigned from the Mar-ian coaching staff Jan. 9, has been con-tacted by several schools about joining their coaching staffs and said he is con-templating his future.

SPORTS

Stanger Continued from Page 32

29Jan. 14-20, 2015THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENTSPORTS

SCOREBOARD

Liedtke, Redbirds fall in football title game

Mike Liedtke, a Woodstock graduate,

and the rest of the Illinois State Uni-

versity Redbird football team lost the

NCAA Division I-Football Champion-

ship Series National Title Jan. 10.

�e Redbirds lost a 29-27 decision

to North Dakota State University. Two

touchdowns were scored in the final

two minutes of the game. �e Redbirds

scored with 1:38 to play to give the Birds

a 27-23 lead. But a minute, one second

later, the Bison, who

were seeking their

fourth consecutive

national champion-

ship, scored to seal

the victory.

“I have to hand

it to them, they

were able to make

the drive in a short

period of time,” said

Liedtke, who started

at left tackle. “�ey

have the confidence.

Not to mention, both

teams traveled so well. We brought lots

of fans to Frisco, Texas, but so did they.”

�e Birds finished the contest with

424 yards of offense. Of the yards, 267

were rushing yards, while 157 were

passing yards. �ey finished with 16 first

downs and four touchdowns.

“�e atmosphere was simply electric,”

said Liedtke. “I have played in front of

larger crowds, but it was not as loud as

this. It also did not have the significance

of this game.”

Illinois State finished the season with

a 13-2 mark. It was the first time ISA

played for a football national title.

Chris Streveler (Marian Central

Catholic) recently finished his redshirt

freshman season at the University of

Minnesota. Streveler, who played in five

games, rushed for 235 yards on 36 car-

ries. He also completed 4-of-11 passes

for 37 yards. He was intercepted once.

He completed one touchdown pass and

rushed for another score. Minnesota,

finished the year 8-5, 5-3 in the Big Ten

Conference.

Women’s basketball Arianna Davis (Woodstock) scored

in double figures two recent games, but

neither performance led to a McHenry

County College victory. In the 64-49 loss

to Black Hawk College-East, Davis, who

hit 6-for-15 from the field and 8-for-12

from the charity stripe, finished with 20

points, 11 rebounds and two steals. In

the 73-44 loss to Black Hawk College-

Moline, Davis finished with 13 points

and nine rebounds. She drained 6-for-10

from the floor and was 1-for-2 from the

free-throw line.

Fellow area player Sara Crain

(Woodstock North) had one point, five

rebounds and two assists in the loss to

BHC-East. She also had one point and

five rebounds in the loss to BHC-Moline.

MCC is 6-7.

Cody Brand (Woodstock) scored four

points as her college team, the Univer-

sity of St. Francis, defeated Roosevelt

University 75-63. Brand came off the

bench and played 10 minutes. St. Francis

has won four games in a row. St. Francis

is 8-11 overall and 4-2 in the Chicago-

land Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Men’s swimmingMatt DeWane (Woodstock) scored

points in three events, but it was not

enough to power the Loras College

men’s swimming team beyond Luther

College, who won a 128-73 decision. In-

dividually, DeWane finished fifth in the

50-yard freestyle (23.78 seconds) and

the 200 breaststroke (2:27.36). He also

was a member of the 400 medley relay,

which won in 3:44.91.

» COLUMN

The College Report

DanChamness

Dan Chamness follows the college athletic careers of Woodstock-area athletes.

Catholic Academy High School in

2000. He was a captain of the 1999

Hilltoppers team that won the IHSA

Class 4A state title. He attended the

University of Illinois-Champaign,

where he was a three-time varsity let-

ter winner and a member of the 2001

Big Ten championship football team.

He earned a Master of Art in educa-

tional leadership from the University

of St. Francis. He has coached at Saint

Ignatius College Prep, Joliet Catho-

lic and Johnsburg. As head coach at

Johnsburg, he led the Skyhawks to a

9-2 record this last season and into

the second round of the IHSA Class

4A playoffs.

Maloney said he believes his players

were key to the turnaround at Johns-

burg, and players will be key to success

at Marian.

“I’ve always believed that players

make coaches,” Maloney said. “We’ve

had a dedicated group of players the

last three years that wanted to turn

things around and made that sacri-

fice during the offseason. I’m leaving a

quality program [for the next coach].”

Because he believes players lead to

the success of the team, Maloney said

he focuses on turning them into young

men.

“We’re really going to focus on build-

ing the men and organizing the group

so they really love and trust each other

in order to get [to] that next level on

the field,” Maloney said.

Maloney said he will let the players’

talents dictate the schemes they use.

“Our personnel is going to deter-

mine what we do,” Maloney said. “Our

system will be flexible enough to put

the best people in the right positions

to make plays.”

Maloney has yet to set his coaching

staff.

Maloney will work full time at the

school as the director of admissions

and marketing. He also will teach two

to three physical education classes.

Maloney and his wife, Sarah, live in

Antioch. �ey have three daughters

– Madison, Kaile and Delani.

Maloney said is grateful to having

been selected.

“It’s been a heck of a ride, and I’m ex-

cited to a part of Marian Central Cath-

olic,” Maloney said.

More than 30 candidates applied for

the job, and Potthoff, Superintendent

Tom Landers and Director of Academ-

ics Barb Villont conducted the inter-

view process, and Potthoff said they

had a plethora of good candidates.

“We had some great applicants,”

Potthoff said. “We had a lot of classy

individuals and a lot of very qualified

individuals apply.”

Landers made the final decision on

Maloney’s hiring.

Maloney replaces Ed Brucker, who

retired last fall after 12 years coaching

the Hurricanes.

“It’s been a heck of a ride, and I’m excited to a part of Marian Central Catholic.”

— Mike Maloney, Marian football coach

Maloney Continued from Page 32

WOODSTOCK

Boys basketballJan. 9: WHS 57, Richmond-Burton 67For WHS, Nick Kubiak scored 19 points. Jan. 6: WHS 56, WNHS 48For WHS, Bradon Abt scored 16 points, Nick Kubiak scored 18 points and Vannis Smith scored 12 points.

WrestlingJan. 9: WHS 48, Rockford Lutheran 20For WHS, Jack Fischbach (145) and Eli Kruse (170) each won by decision.

Girls basketball

Jan. 10: WHS 47, Crystal Lake Central 37For Woodstock, Selena Juarez scored 18 points, Jenifer Crain scored 13 points and Ga-briella Scolio scored 10 points.

WOODSTOCK NORTH

Boys basketballJan. 9: WNHS 32, Prairie Ridge 57For WNHS, Josh Jandron scored 14 points. Jan. 6: WNHS 48, WHS 56For WNHS, Josh Jandron scored 19 points, and Vic Ortiz scored 14 points.

Girls basketballJan. 10: WNHS 48, Grayslake Central 35

For WNHS, Ashley Jones and Kristy Darling scored 10 points each.

WOODSTOCK CO-OP

Girls bowlingJan. 5: Woodstock 2213, Barrington 2007For Woodstock, Samantha Kunke rolled a 543 series and a 214 high game.

MARIAN CENTRAL

Boys basketball

Jan. 10: MC 53, Libertyville 65For MC, Adam Pischke scored 26 points.

WrestlingJan. 10: MC finished 9th out of 18 teams at the Newbill Invitational.For MC, Nick Remke placed 2nd in the 152-pound weight class. Jan. 9: MC 39, Nazareth Academy 36For MC, Joe Herff (152) and Tom Welch (160) won by pin. Jan. 9: MC 30, Marian Catholic 39For MC, Adam Konopka (182) won by pin.

30 THE WOODSTOCK INDEPENDENTJan. 14-20, 2015 SPORTS

Ahr returns, helps WNHS to first FVC win

By JAY SCHULZThe Independent

�e Woodstock North High School

girls basketball team received a

much-needed boost at its Jan. 10

game against Grayslake Central High

School.

Junior Haley Ahr returned to the

team after missing the first 14 games

of the season and scored seven points

in the �under’s 48-35 victory over

the Rams.

Ahr, who fractured her ankle in Au-

gust, said she was happy to be back on

the court.

“It felt really good to be back on the

court,” Ahr said. “I was a little rusty at

first with not playing a game in five

months, but when I got going, it felt

like I hadn’t skipped a beat, especially

with the chemistry on the floor with

[my teammates]. It felt like I had never

left.”

Ahr, the �under’s center, averaged

11 points and nine rebounds per game

as a sophomore. Her presence on the

floor had an immediate impact, ac-

cording to WNHS head coach Mike

Lewis, who said Grayslake Central had

problems matching up with her.

“Haley spent most of the game

getting double-teamed,” Lewis said.

“When she did get the ball, she made

the most of it, but she really opened up

shots for our guards.

“Just her being there caused prob-

lems for Central shooters. Offensively,

they had to know where she was at all

times. … �ey were constantly running

a double-team at her even when she

didn’t have the ball. Our other kids did

a good job of moving the ball and get-

ting it to the open person.”

Ahr’s presence benefited �under

guards Ashley Jones and Kristy Dar-

ling, who scored 10 points each, and

Rhetta Bates, who added eight points.

Ahr is still working to get into game

shape, and Lewis said he is pleased to

have his whole roster back.

“She is slowly working to get her

conditioning back,” Lewis said. “It’s

really nice to have her and Paige

Schnulle back. It was really nice to get

that win and have our full comple-

ment [of players] now.”

Junior had fractured ankle, missed first 14 games of the season

Woodstock North’s Haley Ahr, playing in her first game of the season, brings the ball up court against Grayslake Central Jan. 10. Ahr scored seven points in the Thunder’s 48-35 victory over the Rams. INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY MICHELLE KRENGER

Schnulle sat out the early part of the

season while recovering from meniscus

surgery.

�e �under are 4-11 and are entering

the heart of their Fox Valley Conference

schedule. Ahr said the team is primed for

success moving forward.

“It’s really nice to have all the girls

back now,” Ahr said. “We are working

with a full team, running drills, having

full practices. It’s really nice to have ev-

eryone on the same page now.”

�e �under will play at Genoa-Kings-

ton at 7 p.m. �ursday, Jan. 15. �ey

will host Harvard High School at 7 p.m.

�ursday, Jan. 22.

» GIRLS BASKETBALL

Social media is interesting. I’m a Facebook junkie. I probably spend a lot more time on it than I should.

I love some of the discussions I get involved in. �ere is a lot of ranting and raving going on, especially if you want to talk politics.

Over time, I have moved away from political discussions, but I still love to talk sports. One of the big discussion points this past week revolved around Ndamukong Suh. Suh, a standout defensive lineman for the Detroit Lions, was recently fined $70,000 by the NFL for stepping on Green Bay Packer quarterback Aaron Rodgers. He was initially suspended for one game, but the suspension was reduced to a fine after he appealed. During his five-year career, Suh has been fined a total of $286,875 by the NFL for seven player-safety violations, and suspended once for two games, resulting in the loss of $165,294 in pay.

My opinion on Suh is pretty straightforward. I believe he is an incredibly talented player who is wasting his talent because of his antics. I believe there is no place for his actions in the NFL. Further, I would never want him on my team.

Most of the people I chat with agree. However, there are some who argue that football is a violent sport, and they are adamant Suh’s actions are part of the game.

I simply can’t agree. I understand that football is a violent sport, but I can’t excuse players trying to intentionally hurt another player. What are we teaching our children if we tell them it’s OK to hurt another person? Would we want any coach telling his/her players that it is OK to hurt another player?

In the end, I think this is really very simple. Football is a game. All games have rules. One of those basic rules is for players to treat each other with respect. Trying to injure another player is not respectful of other players or the game. Players like Suh don’t belong in the game.

Support winter sports Winter sports are heating up.

�e holiday season is past us, conference play is heating up and regional competitions will be here before we know it. I encourage all Woodstock fans to flock to their nearest high school and support our teams. Before we know it, spring will have sprung.

» COLUMN

JayTalking

JaySchulz

Jay Schulz is sports editor of The Wood-stock Independent. Email him at [email protected].

No place for hurting

colleagues on the field

confidence in me,” Abt said. “Also, the

fact that we shoot free-throws in prac-

tice every day really helped too.”

WNHS head coach Steve Ryan said

his team failed in their execution in

the fourth quarter.

“We played well for three quarters,”

Ryan said. “In the final quarter, we got

away from our game plan. You have to

give credit to [Nick] Kubiak. He hit the

offensive boards hard and played well

down the stretch.”

Kubiak scored 18 points and Vannis

Smith scored 12 points for the Streaks.

For the �under, Josh Jandron scored

19 points and Vic Ortiz scored 14

points.

Baker said he is pleased with the di-

rection his team is heading going into

Fox Valley Conference play.

“I’m very happy with where we’re

at,” Baker said. “�e conference is very

tough, top to bottom. From here on,

it’s all conference games, and we know

we are going to have to bring every-

thing we’ve got every night, because it

is only going to get tougher the last six

weeks of the season.”

Ryan said his team needs to improve

defensively.

“We need to concentrate more on

the defensive end and do the little

things on defense, the things that will

really help us,” Ryan said.

�e �under will host Hampshire

at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 17, and the

Streaks will host Prairie Ridge at 7 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 17. �e teams will play

each other again at 7 p.m. Tuesday,

Feb. 3, at WHS.

�e Streaks are 10-4, and the �un-

der are 3-10.

Round one

IN BRIEF

WL club to host ice fishing derby

The Wonder Lake Sportsman’s Club will host the 29th Annual Ice Fishing Derby from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25.

The catch-and-release derby is open to Wonder Lake residents and their guests. In case of insufficient ice or weather condi-tions, the backup date is Sunday, Feb. 8, or-

ganizer Jerry Graff said in a press release. Anglers interested in venturing out for the

afternoon event can register in advance at Smitty’s Bait and Tackle, 6507 McCullom Lake Road, Wonder Lake, according to the club’s website, www.wonderlakesportsman-sclub.org, or attendees can register on derby day at the sign-up tent at Wonder Woods Beach No. 4.

Registration fee is $10 for adults; free for children 12 and younger. Bait will be avail-

able on the ice. The competition includes 11 fish categories for adults and children.

Because it is a catch-and-release derby, all fishermen should bring along a live-well bucket. All fees from the event benefit lake conservation efforts. Judging will be based on the length of each fish. All measuring will be conducted by a Sportsman’s Club official.

For information, call Jerry Graff at 815-


Receive a

10% discount and pay NO initiation fee if you prepay for a 1-year membership

PLAY ROOM HOURS (Children 6 mos. and older)Monday-Saturday mornings 7:45 a.m. to 11 a.m.Monday-Thursday evenings 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.Friday evening 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Monday-Friday 5:00 am to 9:00 pm

Saturday & Sunday7:00 am to 5:00 pm

Free Group Fitness Demos

Visit: woodstockrecreationdepartment.com

50 Floor & Water Group Fitness Classes Offered Per Week Including Boot Camps

19 Cardiovascular Machines (Treadmills, Ellipticals, 2 NuSteps, Bikes,Steppers, Rower, Treadclimber)

16 Magnum Circuit Weight Lifting Machines

17 Free Weight Stations

Fitness Ropes & Kettle Bells

Indoor Pool/Whirlpool/Sauna

Unlimited Tanning Available

2 Racquetball Courts

Full Size Gymnasium/Track

Supervised Play Room

Personal Trainers

Free Towel Service

Facility Rentals

Fun Fitness Contests

SPORTS


COLLEGE REPORT

PAGE 29

Dan Chamness covers ISU’s title

game and more

GIRLS BASKETBALL

The return of a key player lifts the

Thunder over the StreaksPAGE 30

COLUMN

Sports editor Jay Schulz tackles a

recent football controversyPAGES 30

Sports

Assistant coach passed up for Marian’s top job“It’s a shame,” says Dirk Stanger


After 12 years as an assistant coach

under Ed Brucker at Marian Central

Catholic High School, Dirk Stanger was

hoping to step in as head coach follow-

ing Brucker’s retirement at the end of

the 2014 season. �e hiring of Mike Ma-

loney Jan. 9, however, has left Stanger

contemplating what happened and

what’s next for him.

“It’s disappointing to me,” Stanger

said. “�e thing I struggle the most with

is the logic behind it but I am not part

of the administration [at Marian]. … I’m

just trying to digest everything.”

Stanger, who started at quarterback

for the Hurricanes and graduated

from Marian in 1993, was hired by

Brucker in 2003. He was joined on the

football staff at Marian by his father,

Terry, who was an assistant coach at

the school for more than 20 years,

from 1983 to 1993, and from 2003 to

2014.

Terry Stanger was planning on coach-

ing under his son if he had become head

coach.

“I’m very sad right now,” Stanger said.

“Marian has always been about tradi-

tion. It’s been about family. It’s about

building those relationships and kids.

It’s a shame.”

Dirk Stanger was one of 30 appli-

cants for the job. Marian Athletic Di-

rector Drew Potthoff, Superintendent

Tom Landers and Director of Academ-

ics Barb Villont conducted the inter-

view process and Landers made the

final decision.

“It’s always hard, especially when

people in house apply,” Potthoff said,

noting that more than one internal can-

didate applied for the position. “All the

other applicants who did not get the job

are I’m sure heartbroken. I know people

The Thunder’s Josh Jandron, right, tries to drive past Blue Streak Vannis Smith Jan. 6 at Woodstock North High School. The Blue Streaks defeated the Thunder 56-48 in a back-and-forth battle. INDEPENDENT PHOTO BY KEN FARVER

» BOYS BASKETBALL

WHS bench helps team earn crosstown victory over Thunder


A shortage of varsity players left the

Woodstock High School boys basket-

ball team in need of a team effort in

its Jan. 6 game against crosstown rival

Woodstock North

High School. �e

Blue Streaks’

bench helped rally

the team past the

�under 56-48 in

their first meeting

of the year.

�e Streaks

were missing five

players – Zach

Cullom to injury

and Mason Sutter,

Dan Shook, Noah

D e h n - F r a n k l i n

and Ryan Princer

to illness.

“It was a very

close game,” WHS

head coach Al Baker said. “I was very

proud with how they responded. We

had several guys that were asked to

step up and assume roles that they

had not really assumed in the past,

and they all stepped up and performed

great.”

Baker praised sophomores Josh

Turner and Blake Brainard, who were

Streaks take round one over Thunder

Please see Round one, Page 30

Please see Stanger

“It was a very close game. I was very proud with how they re-sponded.”

— Al Baker, WHS head coach

called up for the game to help out.

“Both played significant minutes, and

they did a terrific job,” Baker said.

Baker’s greatest praise was for junior

Bradon Abt, who scored 16 points and

helped seal the win for the Streaks with

six free throws in the last minute.

“[Bradon] did a fantastic job,” Baker

said. “He made some big shots for us

along the way, and he made six free-

throws in the last minute to seal the

win for us.”

Abt said he didn’t feel the heat at the

free-throw line.

“I wasn’t really that pressured because

I knew my teammates and coaches had

Former J’burg coach will lead Marian football


Former Johnsburg High School

head football coach Mike Maloney

was named as the next Marian Central

Catholic High School football coach

Jan. 9.

“Mike brings everything to the table

we were looking for,” said Marian Cen-

tral Athletic Director Drew Potthoff.

“His football acumen is outstanding

but his personal beliefs – he’s a Cath-

olic-school guy – fits into what we are

trying to do at the heart of Marian. …

Mike is just a fantastic young man.

He’s a great coach, and he will really

relate to our kids.”

“He’s just one of those guys who,

when you meet him, you know that

he’s sincere and he’s going to work not

only building great football kids but

also great men. We’re very excited he’s

coming,” said Potthoff.

Maloney said the

C a t h o l i c - s c h o o l

nature of Marian

was a key to his de-

cision to apply for

the job.

“I’m a pretty fam-

ily-oriented per-

son, which is what

drives me to the

C a t h o l i c - s c h o o l

model,” Maloney

said. “We’re look-

ing for a great fit for

the family, and if it’s anything like my

alma mater, it will be.”

Maloney graduated from Joliet

Maloney tapped to replace Brucker as ’Canes coach

Please see Maloney, Page 29

Mike Maloney

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