Fox River Grove’s iconic Bettendorf Castle has canceled all events indefinitely after the village rescinded its special-use permit The stone structure — built by an immigrant from Luxembourg who modeled it after medieval castles in his homeland — has long held weddings But that’s come to a swift end just as wedding season gets underway because of what the family who owns the building called an “unexpected challenge.” “It is with heavy hearts that we share some unfortunate news,” read a statement on the castle’s Facebook page signed by William and Daniel Strohl citing the “recent passing of our beloved mother lovingly cared for and shared Bettendorf Castle with the community.” “The Village of Fox River Grove has informed us that our existing special use permit is no longer valid as it was originally issued under our parents’ names They are now requiring us to go through the full process of reapplying for a new special use permit in order to continue hosting tours and events at the Castle,” the statement read “While we respectfully disagree with this interpretation — believing not individuals — we must comply with the Village’s directive to cancel all scheduled events until further notice.” Fox River Grove village officials explained the original special-use ordinance was granted specifically to owners Michael and Judy Strohl The village board unanimously passed a measure last week canceling out the special permitting “It’s really more or less a housekeeping item for us,” Village Administrator Derek Soderholm said “The original special use was granted to the property and those owners specifically.” Soderholm confirmed the current owners may go before the village again to apply for a new use permit under their names “Anybody who owns that castle can go back through a zoning process to request a zoning ordinance for home tours,” he said The Strohls’ April 24 statement said refunds will be provided for affected events and would be processed within a few days “minus the standard payment processing fee “We are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment this may cause,” the Facebook message read the owners hope to resolve the matter as quickly as possible Ticketed events scheduled in May on the Bettendorf Castle website include a sold-out Princess Tea Party and a self-guided tour on May 24 will be for the exterior only as the “village will not allow inside tours.” The owners could not be reached for additional comment The castle’s distinctive features include turrets arrived in 1931 and took more than 36 years to construct the castle out of collected stones from local farmers’ fields quarries and the excavation of Lake Julian in Cary according to the Bettendorf Castle’s website The Strohls were at odds with the village and neighbors for years with multiple permitting and lawsuit battles a McHenry County judge ruled that Michael Strohl was not guilty of violating local ordinances when he allowed busloads of visitors onto his property The 2018 ordinance for public tours was granted when Strohl planned for off-site parking and a shuttle transportation service and I’ve had to deal with a lot of people living on that street who literally have moved because it got so bad,” Trustee Steve Knar said at last week’s village board meeting “It really took apart the fabric of one of our streets so I just hope we don’t make that mistake again.” A 2011 lawsuit accused neighbors of writing down the license plate numbers of Bettendorf Castle visitors and having a Chicago police officer run the numbers to obtain their personal information The neighbors were accused of calling the visitors and asking them not to return to the castle The Chicago police officer was fired as a result ExpandA concept rendering of a mixed-use development for the Block B site in Fox River Grove (Photo provided by Village of Fox River Grove) Fox River Grove’s plans for residential and commercial growth are underway as the village announced a developer for the recently demolished Block B site and completes construction on rental homes near Route 22 often referred to as “Block B,” extends from Lincoln Avenue to Illinois Street along Route 14 across from the village’s Metra station A restaurant with a covered outdoor space and townhome buildings also may be included in the plan the developer will formally propose the project for approval by the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Village Board Concept plans could come to the board as soon as next month Construction could “optimistically” start as early as this fall according to a news release from the village of Fox River Grove Fox River Grove Village President Marc McLaughlin speaks at the annual Cary-Grove Area Chamber of Commerce breakfast Feb “We are excited about the opportunity to work with developers like the Harlem Irving Group and Hamilton Partners in Fox River Grove,” McLaughlin said in a news release “This group has a proven track record in the northwest suburbs and we are confident that they will be successful in bringing to market a project that will help transform downtown Fox River Grove.” the Redwood Apartment neighborhood of 110 single-story rental homes is currently under construction with leasing expected to start this spring two bathrooms and a two-car garage in the “age-targeted but not age-restricted community,” McLaughlin said More than $130,000 in annual revenue is expected to go to the village “The cool thing about that is all the streets sidewalks and space is to be maintained by Redwood,” he said “There’s no additional financial burden on the village to maintain that community.” The village has been trying to seize control of the property filing for eminent domain in the courts last year over assertions that the area is blighted Future plans for the site still are to be determined as the village expects the acquisition of the property will be a timely process “That’s our first plan of attack,” he said McLaughlin highlighted other village wins at the chamber breakfast, including another year of remaining debt free since 2019 Fox River Grove is one of nine municipalities in Illinois with a population higher than 4,500 to hold that status A crew does demolition work on a row of buildings in downtown Fox River Grove on May 21 A tap house and restaurant called Lord of Beers is expected to open at the strip mall where the Panera was located Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network In honor of former Madera County District 5 Supervisor Tom Wheeler the community room at River Grove will be named the Tom Wheeler Community Center recognizing his leadership in advocating for affordable housing in the region You must be logged in to post a comment Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family and faithful dog Ivy after a 16-month battle against glioblastoma on Friday With his generous spirit and love for community service Greg will be fondly remembered as a thoughtful the son of Al and Barbara (nee Skiba) Schladt He spent his childhood in Morton Grove and his teenage years in Arlington Heights with three kids in the back seat of the car on family road trips Greg graduated from Rolling Meadows High School where he was on the cross country and track teams and in the symphonic and jazz bands.  A proud graduate of the University of Illinois Greg received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering He then embarked on a 25-year career at Motorola Greg co-invented a state-of-the-art wireless radio system used by the Motorola Men’s Cycling Team enabling him to serve as their technician at events including the Tour de France and the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics.  While working at Motorola in South Florida he met his wife Melissa during Hurricane Andrew they enjoyed many outdoor activities like music festivals Pennsylvania in July 1996 and moved to Fox River Grove to start their family Greg held multiple officer positions with the Fox River Grove Lions Club and Fox River Grove Recreation Council He volunteered many hours for the Norge Ski Club and coached local soccer and basketball teams Greg is also the founder of the legendary Fox River Grove Poker Club.  Greg will forever be known as a lifelong Cubs and Bears fan Greg especially loved traveling to Las Vegas to play craps and blackjack with his wife Melissa Greg will always be remembered for his role as “Superdad” to Emily and Olivia Greg was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents Joe and Anne (nee Bochnik) Skiba and paternal grandparents Alfred Sr Emily (boyfriend Matt Stelmasek) Schladt and Olivia Schladt; his parents Diane (Ron) Liigsoo and Sue (Cory) Mahn; his parents-in-law Dave and Brenda Jones; his brothers-in-law Dave (Jenn) Jones and Mike (Colleen) Jones; his nieces and nephews and Madeline Jones; and many other beloved family members and friends.  at Davenport Family Funeral Home and Crematory The funeral service will be held the following day Burial will follow at Windridge Memorial Park donations may be made in Greg’s memory to Team Schladt Foundation a 501c3 charity he founded supporting glioblastoma awareness Donations can be made via Zelle to teamschladtfoundation@gmail.com.  Davenport Family Funeral Homes and Crematory – Crystal Lake Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Read Today’s Top Story: Matthew Gardner’s Q1 2025 market insights Renters looking to escape the confines of the city, while retaining walkability to restaurants and shopping, will find it at The Grove Luxury Homes in historic River Grove Winner of BUILD’s “2024 Best New Luxury Residential Construction Development” in Illinois The Grove offers renters an amenity-rich lifestyle minutes from the city without the high price tag uniquely located at the intersection of River Grove The vision of renowned luxury home developer The Grove features modern architectural design by JSA and upscale finishes by Lisek Interiors this exciting development boasts 85 modern The collection of new properties each has its own private “The area has never seen a development of this size and amenity-focus before,” said Stephanie Mack the listing broker with AvenueOne Realty Group in Forest Park “It’s something the market definitely calls for,” Stephanie added highlighting how The Grove is designed as a true community thanks to its wide offering of shared and private amenities and overall convenient location All residences boast open-concept floor plans large windows with custom treatments and modern fluted millwork make each unit a light-filled Stephanie and senior marketing manager for Noah Properties recently announced that the townhomes will be ready for occupancy in mid-August “The Grove offers the unique opportunity for residents to live in a completely new-construction home and be centrally located just minutes from the city and the Chicagoland suburbs,” Rich said self-contained residential rental community you can’t find anywhere else.” The townhomes are available to lease at three monthly price points: $4,500 $4,800 and $5,000 and come in two sizes: 2,200 square-feet and 2,400 square-feet Something you don’t often find in the city each residence at The Grove offers private greenery out front and individual outdoor space with plenty of room for potted plants or flowers Maintenance and management is also located onsite to provide an added level of personalized attention and service to residents the first-floor ensuite has a full bath and walk-in closet that can also function as a den or home office 2.5 car garage — with closed storage and electric vehicle charging stations — is also on the first floor The second level is ideally crafted to entertain watch a movie or share a home-cooked meal with loved ones It includes an open-concept kitchen with walk-in pantry gas range and soft-close European cabinetry A large chef’s island seats four comfortably and contains a built-in sink the room opens up to a substantial dining area Overlooking the kitchen is the main living space featuring a stunning three-sided-view fireplace with custom cabinet surround and European windows accented by custom Roman shades Rounding out the space is a half bath and walkout balcony with enough room to recline in a chair and take in the view A relaxing oasis awaits on the third floor The primary suite has a large walk-in closet with a custom including a body bar with rain showerhead and vanity with double sinks brings the spa experience home Two additional bedrooms have spacious closets and share one luxury bathroom with a tub-and-shower combination There’s no need to walk up and down the stairs to do laundry The home’s washer and dryer are conveniently located on the bedroom level for added ease an oversized linen closet offers plenty of space to store bedding The Grove is walkable to the River Grove Metra station and Elmwood Park Circle Rosemont’s entertainment district is also just 10 minutes away featuring famed restaurants like Gibsons Steakhouse Residents will also benefit from neighboring towns like Oak Park and Park Ridge that offer convenience of popular fresh markets like Whole Foods Arrive in the city of Chicago by train in about 20 minutes Those who prefer to drive can hop on nearby entrances to the I-290 and I-90 expressways that lead to the city and suburbs Frequent business travelers and vacationers take note: O’Hare Airport and the neighboring Rosemont dining and entertainment district is about a 10-minute drive away A social lounge serves as part health and fitness center and part community gathering space The 1,200-square-foot fitness center is outfitted with industry-leading Peloton Tonal and Rogue exercise equipment and a sauna room workstations and free Wi-Fi upgrade the typical work from home experience the pet-friendly community has a dedicated pet grooming room with free dog treats Bringing resort-style living close to home the social lounge has an outdoor swimming pool with private cabanas a sun deck and a large entertainment patio with grilling stations reservable room for entertaining includes a full kitchen pool table and fireplace with a lounge area Outside of the social lounge is a glistening pond with a 20-foot fountain and lighted walking path around it The Grove residents will also appreciate the forward-thinking amenity conveniences offered with electric vehicle charging stations placed throughout the property To learn more or schedule a showing, call Stephanie Mack at 708-296-3801 or visit grove-homes.com Editor’s Note: This article originally was published on Aug and website in this browser for the next time I comment Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited WNIJ Morning Edition host takes us to the northeast corner of McHenry County As the late Chris Farley's Saturday Night Live inspirational speaker Matt Foley would opine "Let's have some fun DOWN BY THE RIVER!!!" Fox Fest 2024 takes place this weekend The annual festival is held every five years Jason was joined event organizer Jamie Dimmick to discuss this weekend's fun to be had at Fox Fest Dimmick explains how Fox River Grove was once THE ski resort destination for the Midwest, as well and that it provided a safe place for the Chicago mafia to catch some R&R and keep a low profile. The festival itself will feature all the food music and games one expects from a northern Illinois good time bands and carnival rides will be on hand to make sure you have a grand ole time DOWN BY THE RIVER Listen to the full conversation in the link above and feel free to add your suggestion for community spotlights here. ExpandJoseph Bajorek (Photo provided by Joseph Bajorek ) Occupation and employer: Teacher at Harrison School District #36 Campaign Website: https://www.facebook.com/people/Joe-Bajorek-For-FRG-SD-3-School-Board/61566513616596/ Education: Bachelors of Science in Education from Illinois State University and Masters in Educational Technology from Aurora University Community Involvement: Fox River Grove Rec Council - Athletic Director Marital status/Immediate family: No, I currently do not have a spouse or children. The district can improve these numbers by using data-driven instruction that targets each student. Every student should be receiving what they need to get the best education at school. I do not have children, however, I have attended public schools for my entire life and worked in public schools as an adult. The school district should make available materials for students of all levels and backgrounds. Families help guide what is right for their student to read. My priorities lie with what is best for all parties including students, families, staff, and taxpayers involved. This year the tax levy was lower than years past. This is a trend I would like to see continue as we continue to upgrade the facilities and hire qualified teachers. I believe it has been used up. However, I would say adjustments need to make sure that we are able to hire the support staff needed and not always just creating new positions. Title IX should cover all of that. At the end of the day, we want what is best for the student. Many students want to be active in extracurriculars and athletics. I believe we need to create a space for all to thrive in. School is a place where students should feel safe and be able to learn. With that, I don’t believe ICE should be on school grounds. It goes back to office policies of if you are not a parent or guardian of the child, you have no right to pull that student from school. Staff retention - it seems the district is turning into a revolving door and a stepping stone into something better. Community Engagement - the district is working on this with the new superintendent starting last year, however the taxpayers without children are out of touch. Testing Too Much - this can be said everywhere, but how much testing is too much. Having data driven instruction requires some but in the spring many students burn out with the amount. As a teacher, this is always a hard question. I think there are great academic purposes cell phones can be used for. However, it needs to be monitored and not just free time with them. If not for an educational purpose, they should be out of sight. Yes, I think there should be exceptions when cell phones can be used. Again it comes with strong monitoring and holding the expectations. If the expectation is they are only using the camera to record a video project and you catch them on something else, what is the consequence? Once that is laid out, the phone can be more of a tool than a distraction in the classroom. It would be a team approach. If something happens at school with it, I would expect administration to get involved. If it is after school, I would expect families and administration to work together to try to resolve the issue. At the end of the day, these are kids who are going to make mistakes. Our role as adults is to be a role model and help guide them through these issues to make better decisions in the future. Possibly. At this point in time, there is no guidance from educators and districts on how it should be used. I think it can be helpful to get the ball rolling and give ideas to those who use it. However, there needs to be clear practices with it and better oversight before we can implement it with students or else everything would be plagiarized. The district has many platforms that aren’t being utilized. This would greatly help getting information out there. I think social media is the biggest one that can be getting used better to promote what is happening in the district. Again, efforts are being made to increase the public knowledge in the last few months and it is a step in the right direction. I think board members also need to be present at key events for the district and attend PTO meetings to help answer questions. I believe there needs to be more dialogue and town-hall style meetings. This would allow for all to be heard throughout the process. Committee can then be formed better with the needs of the student in mind. We want well rounded citizens to be developing in school and all parties play a role in that. Books for students of all levels and backgrounds should be around for them to read. Families help guide what is right for their student to read. However, we just need to make sure they are age appropriate for the student. If not, start a conversation with the teacher to discuss it more. Class sizes are small and that is a positive in my view. I think with our current staff we need to be reinforcing classroom management and expectations. This goes with any classroom. Expectations are the backbone of a good classroom. I think we need to allocate more money to hiring and retaining the staff to be competitive with other districts. With that, we need to ensure that as our administration could be seeing an increase in their wages, it is being reflected on the whole district. Living in a small town, everyone sees everyone. I feel as if I am very approachable and happy to talk whenever. As a board member, I would also get an email and would love communication about current topics. That helps me shape how I am representing the taxpayer. Fox River Grove has approved a 3% increase in usage rates for water and sewer but will keep base rates steady The village board OK’d the increase unanimously at a meeting last week The new rates account for inflation and rising expenses of the village’s water and sewer fund Fox River Grove Village Administrator Derek Soderholm said Residents will see the changes on their July bill the base rate for combined water and sewer is $71.19 with an additional $4.89 fee per 1,000 gallons for water and $5.68 per 1,000 gallons for sewer The average water and sewer bill will increase by about $2.88 every two months which equates to an overall 1.73% increase The average resident uses about 9,000 gallons every two months the total projected revenue in the water and sewer fund for operating and capital expenses is $2.5 million Included in the expenses are long-term financial projects such as lead pipe replacements which became a state requirement after a bill was signed into law in 2021 The village has 488 lead service lines out of a total of 1,609 with another 35 galvanized lines that also need replacement “We did not adjust rates specifically for that It’s an adjustment to our overall operating capital needs,” Soderholm said ExpandAlex Johnson (Photo provided by Alex Johnson) Fox River Grove District 3 School Board Member Board of Education Member in District 3 since 2021 Fox River Grove SupportFRGSchools.com Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance from Loyola University Chicago Fox River Grove Recreation Soccer Coach and Seasonal Library Volunteer Married and have two elementary age children. Our district is actively transitioning to teaching with a focus on research based approaches. I believe that continuing with this trend will continue to improve our kid’s reading scores. I have two elementary age children attending public school. I think the district’s role should be to provide materials which help students enhance their reading ability and expand their knowledge base. Being married to a librarian, this is of particular interest to me. I think our schools do a great job partnering with local libraries to ensure our students have access to materials which supplement the curriculum. This continues to be a struggle in many districts. I have discussed this specific issue with community members who have students in district and those who don’t have students in district. I think we need to continue to strike an appropriate balance and find new opportunities to decrease taxes moving forward. I think we are appropriately funded to succeed as a district without additional COVID relief money. I think we should follow applicable laws and regulations tied to Title IX. Decisions should not be made in a closed room, these decisions should include feedback from teachers, parents, and community members collectively. Our schools priority should be on education and the safety of our students. We partner with the Illinois State Board of Education to align on the best approach for students and families. Student Test Scores, District Culture and Morale and Administrative Accountability. I think research has proven that cell phones can cause a major distraction to both student learning and teacher instruction. As a parent, I respect the opinion that students feel safe and parents would like to maintain communication with their child. I think we must find new ways to solve for these distraction issues to ensure our students and teachers are succeeding. I think this is a larger conversation with community members to understand what defines these exceptions and emergencies. Educating parents and the community about options they have available to them to help reduce cyber bullying and adding appropriate parental controls or restricting devices. I think it’s impossible to avoid AI. We should learn to appropriately leverage AI as I believe it will play a major role in our children’s future. I have taken an active role on the district’s finance committee and have spoken with numerous community members to ensure they understand the current financial situation and future spending plan. I hope to continue to inform the community on this topic. Our district recently launched surveys and strategic planning sessions on this exact topic. Continuing to develop this plan with input from the community is critical to our district’s success. I think our students should have access to any age appropriate materials. By partnering with local libraries we’re able to grant access to libraries across the state. Over the past few years our district has been able to manage class sizes well when compared to surrounding districts. I believe a focus on district morale and culture is needed to help retain teachers long term. I have always appreciated running into community members around town to help understand our district’s plan. I’ve also been available via email or following board meetings. ExpandLeigh Comerford (Photo provided by Leigh Comerford ) Fox River Grove District 3 School Board Member Occupation and employer: Stay at home mom (former teacher in Highland Park Campaign Website: https://supportfrgschools.com/ Education: Bachelors degree in Elementary Education (minor in Spanish) from University of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign; Master’s degree in Reading Instruction from Northeastern Illinois University; Gifted education endorsement Marital status/Immediate family: My husband, Mike, is a high school teacher in Palatine, IL. We have two children. Lucy is in first grade and Will is in preschool. There have been major shifts in best practice reading Instruction over the past 6 years or so. Districts should be making changes to adapt to these shifts in practice. Our district has done a nice job transitioning to teaching with a focus on the science of reading. We can continue to work to make the switch from balanced literacy instruction to structured literacy instruction. With my background as a reading specialist, I will bring a focus on improving our reading proficiency. I have two children in public school. One is in first grade and one is in preschool. Each school has a library media specialist who is the expert in choosing curricular materials for the library. The librarian will collaborate with the educators to make sure that the materials in the library supplement the curriculum. The reading curriculum will also come with materials that are tailored to help our students improve in Reading. I am aware our community in Fox River Grove is affected by high taxes considering the services available in our town. The school district will always be responsible in making sure we are utilizing taxpayers’ money in the most efficient and effective way possible. In our town, I think we need to urge our village trustees to bring in more businesses to ease the financial burden of our taxpayers. We will follow the federal and state regulations in regards to Title IX. If we have a situation where we need to make a decision about bathrooms or locker rooms, we will collaborate with the community to ensure we are maintaining the safety, privacy, and inclusion of all students. 1. Improving student achievement and test scores 2. Holding administration accountable to our district’s goals and mission 3. Maintaining a positive environment that attracts and retains the highest quality educators We would need to collaborate with the community to ensure we have a plan that helps every family feel safe. Our district’s financial reports and budgets are, and will continue to be, presented to the public at regularly scheduled board meetings. We can do more to make these reports available to the public in other formats for those that are not able to attend these meetings. We will continue to brainstorm ways to make these reports easy to understand. I do not believe in censorship. If a parent or community member had a request that a specific book be removed from our shelves, we would listen to their ideas and collaborate on a solution that keeps the best interest of all of our students in mind. There are changes that can be made to our teachers’ contract and pay scales to make their income more comparable to neighboring districts’ teachers. We must do this to be able to hire and retain the best quality educators for our students. Fox River Grove is seeking court approval to demolish a long-abandoned apartment complex as lawsuits among contractors and its developer continue The village of Fox River Grove filed a motion in McHenry County court in recent days to demolish the “incomplete shell” and remove construction material and debris from the site asked the court to grant approval of the demolition to issue expenses to the property owner and award the village other costs related to the demolition Hill described the partially built structure on the site as “dangerous” and a “nuisance.” The village formally asked that the owners either demolish the building within 15 days or that village officials be allowed to “seek an immediate (court) order” to have the structure dismantled and make a claim for the expenses filing for eminent domain in the courts in February over assertions that the area is blighted An offer to purchase the property for more than $183,000 in January was unsuccessful the court allowed the village to put up a fence around the property Village Administrator Derek Soderholm said The project had received criticism from neighbors over concerns about privacy and an influx of new residents as well as questions from the Fox River Grove Fire Protection District which asked in an unusual move to review safety codes and planning documents for the new building 2025 at 5:15 pm CSTExpandTony Benzie of the Flying Eagles Ski Club launches during the 119th Norge Annual Winter Ski Jump Tournament in Fox River Grove Sunday (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local) Would you like your event highlighted in this weekly feature? The first step is submitting your events to the Northwest Herald’s community calendar at shawlocal.com/northwest-herald/local-events. Restaurant Susie Sushi in Fox River Grove is closing by the end of this month because of ongoing landlord disputes the owner promises to reopen at another location in the future Owner Susie Lyu said frequent heat and air-conditioning outages were factors in her decision to close when her lease expires The lease Lyu signed two years ago included conditions that leave the tenant responsible for utility repairs “I just cannot afford to repair the entire building anymore and keep my doors open,” she said This is my first experience and first business Lyu and supportive customers spoke at a village board meeting in January about concerns over what they said were a leaky roof and faulty heating and water systems The restaurant had to close some days in the winter because it would be too cold for workers in the kitchen Lyu has been able to fix the heater temporarily but said she cannot afford to replace the system “The walk-in cooler was even warmer than the kitchen,” Lyu said The person cited in village documents as the owner of the building The village sent him four notices about heat violations in January and February of this year that included three fines of $750 each Fox River Grove’s village code requires landlords to provide heat at a minimum 65 degrees for workspaces and 68 degrees for residential buildings Lyu came to the United States from China in 2019 with her dream of owning a sushi restaurant With a staff of four and some help from her friends on the weekends Lyu built up a restaurant known and beloved for its creatively presented fresh sushi rolls “I spend most of my day working the restaurant because I love it.” Lyu said she fell in love with the Fox River Grove community she was “surprised” by the community’s reaction and she has been overwhelmed with supportive words “It’s been a bittersweet experience because I didn’t realize how much of an impact I had on the community,” she said But this isn’t the end of Susie Sushi forever Lyu said she is actively looking for new locations and asks customers to spread the word that Susie Sushi will be open soon and to keep an eye out for updates “I don’t plan on staying out of business for long,” she said ExpandDave Gutierrez (Photo provided by Dave Gutierrez ) Occupation and employer: Logistics and Warehousing Education: MBA in Leadership and Management, Quinlan School of Business at Loyola University Chicago BA in Creative Writing, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Marital status/Immediate family: I live in Fox River Grove with my wife. We have two children, an 8th grader and a 4th grader in District 3. Yes, and they are currently attending public school. I believe that our educational professionals are more than qualified to evaluate curricula and what materials will be available to students. That kind of meddling in the educational details is not the correct role for a school board or board member--our job is to consider strategic goals and outcomes, not to step in and run the day to day operations of the school. That’s why we have administrators. In my time on the board we’ve been able to build a healthy financial base for the district while making intentional investments in our facilities, staff, and educational needs. I take our job as financial stewards very seriously, and carefully consider the financial ramifications of everything we do. Thanks to careful planning by our board and superintendent, we were able to make good and productive use of that relief money without relying on it for any critical programs or expenses. The expiration of those relief funds will not have a negative impact in our district. ICE has no business on our school property. I do not support terrorizing young people to coerce their parents. We are a K-8 school district, our students are nowhere near adults and our school should be a safe place where they can focus their energy on learning and socializing with their peers. I can understand why some parents want their kids to have their phone available at all times, but I also think there need to be rules and guidelines about when and where the students can use those things freely. In most workplaces as adults we’re not able to just sit and scroll our phones while we’re supposed to be doing something else, I think the expectations for our students should be no different. We already do this as much as possible, and I am personally happy to sit down and talk through those reports with any stakeholder from the district who is interested. The best way to understand these issues is always going to be to come to the meetings and watch and listen. We use a number of methods to include the community in our conversations--surveys, focus groups, comment at open meetings, etc.--and will continue to do so. On a personal level as a board member i have always been happy to hear anyone out when they want to share their opinion on a topic. I am adamantly opposed to banning books, and would not support any attempt to set criteria to do so. In our district we do this proactively throughout the year. Our board takes input from the administration, the teachers themselves, and the parents into account in setting those appropriate class sizes. I believe we can do more for our teachers, and I am confident that we will do so in our next term. I’m available in the community for anyone who wants to talk, any time. My email is on the board homepage, and I’m always excited to talk about the cool things we have happening in the district. I invite anyone and everyone to reach out. The Village of Fox River Grove plans to put up a new fence around abandoned unfinished apartment complex over safety and resident concerns after the old fence was removed As lawsuits remain pending after more than two years, the village of Fox River Grove continues to take steps to take ownership of the abandoned 100-unit apartment complex in town The village been trying to seize control of the property filing for eminent domain in the courts in February over allegations that the area is blighted Development of the project was hastily “abandoned leaving a shell of a building which has become a blight on the community and constitutes a dangerous nuisance which must be removed necessitating that tile vests in the village,” the attorney representing the village the court allowed for the village to put up a fence around the property The private fencing had been taken down “several weeks ago,” Soderholm said “We want the site somewhat more secure than it is now so your average person can’t just walk up and walk through there,” he said The village also filed a building code violation and public nuisance complaint against The Grove Residences in McHenry County court last year The company was charged a total of $210 for the petty offenses Among the liens against the property owners include from Spancrete Creative Erectors LLC $332,000 and mortgage lender Jorie L.P countersuits have been filed in the yearslong dispute A steady stream of spectators trudged uphill in Fox River Grove to watch dozens of ski jumpers fly rapidly down Sunday during the 120th annual Norge Ski Jump Tournament The two-day event that culminated Sunday drew an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 spectators to the McHenry County village to watch world-class athletes speed down the club’s 70-meter jump then soar hundreds of feet through the air before arriving back on solid ground “It’s a tradition to come here to our event,” said Scott Smith Event volunteer Beth Janczak of Cary said Norge is the oldest continuously operating ski club in the country “I feel like it's one of the best kept secrets in the area.” The gates for Sunday’s competition didn’t open until 11 a.m. but a determined crowd of tailgaters already were pouring into the parking lot by 7 a.m spectators unfolded their portable chairs and jockeyed for a spot on the surrounding snow to watch the jumpers fly down the hill Jumpers came from Norge as well as clubs in Minnesota “The crowd is awesome here,” said Gavin Mjolsness “Most places don’t have this big of a crowd.” a Norge mainstay better known as Marty the Viking curls of hair spilling beneath his horned helmet and carrying a walking stick inscribed with the figure of a Viking and I probably have been coming out here 85 years because mom was pregnant with me being out here,” he said Jumper Isak Nichols of Barrington wowed spectators with a 71-meter jump He said the large crowd makes the tourney more fun and exhilarating “I love seeing my kids jump,” added his mom Jen Nichols “Isak's been a great jumper over the years and he always performs well at his home hill.” Thirteen-year-old Evan Giese of Wilmette praised the course “It’s definitely the most fun one,” he said You get to stay in the air for a little bit longer.” Lake and McHenry County Scanner Four residents were displaced and two firefighters were injured after a fire likely started in the garage of a Fox River Grove home and caused significant damage Saturday afternoon The Fox River Grove Fire Protection District responded around 2:55 p.m Saturday to the 100 block of Beachway Drive in Fox River Grove for a structure fire Firefighters received reports of an attached garage of a two-story house that was engulfed in flames Crews arrived to find heavy fire coming from the garage Fox River Grove Deputy Fire Chief Eldee Jackson said Firefighters pulled hose lines to attack the fire which Jackson said likely started in the garage and worked its way up to the second floor of the home A total of four residents were able to escape the home Two firefighters were feeling ill and had to be medically evaluated by paramedics at the scene but they were released and not transported to the hospital The house sustained heavy damage and is uninhabitable The American Red Cross Disaster Relief Services responded to the scene for the displaced residents The exact cause of the fire or a damage estimate were not immediately available as fire investigators continue to investigate the incident The Fox River Grove Fire Protection District was assisted by the Algonquin-Lake in the Hills No part of this website may be reproduced or stored in any form without written permission from Lake and McHenry County Scanner To keep you informed about the latest news across Lake and McHenry counties as it happens the Lake Oswego school district in Oregon kicked off the new school year by opening a brand new school It is believed to be one of the first K-12 schools in America to get its energy from a microgrid—a self-sufficient energy system partially powered by an onsite solar array that can operate independently from the area’s electric grid Most schools have traditionally run on fossil fuels and used backup energy from fuel-powered generators with space for about 600 students in kindergarten through 5th grade is designed to remain standing—and available as a place of refuge for the community—amid earthquakes which was a pretty significant piece of history we also had a number of other regional disasters that had … closed buildings down for more than a week or two,” said Tony Vandenberg executive director of project management for the 6,900-student school district “We wanted to make sure that we were being resilient and we were able to respond sustainably to climate change and being able to showcase that in a building like this is very important for us.” The school’s microgrid setup means the school’s power and heating and cooling systems can stay on even when the rest of the surrounding area goes dark which could translate to fewer emergency school closures And it’s part of what makes the school suitable as an emergency shelter for the community during natural disasters The school is also certified at the highest-level “structural performance code,” meaning its structural integrity is stronger than that of a traditional school the mechanical equipment has been tested to ensure it can withstand the trauma of an earthquake and the building can be immediately occupied following an earthquake Experts say districts could take a lesson from River Grove and begin planning now for the effects of climate change by outfitting existing schools with infrastructure to withstand extreme weather and natural disasters such as upgraded heating and cooling and other energy-efficient systems “I think when it comes to climate resiliency every community has something that they can get behind,” said Rebecca Stuecker architect and educational planner at the architecture firm Arcadis which worked with the Lake Oswego district on the River Grove project Climate-resilient schools can also provide students with early exposure to eco-friendly methods and applied lessons on the importance of being good residents of Earth “It’s also an opportunity to teach students how a building can change the way you think and act and reduce your energy use,” she said “Offering a learning tool when we do [a building project] is the responsible thing to do.” Scott Smith sat during a ski jumping competition in December in Steamboat Springs and couldn’t help but laugh at how things had changed As he and other Norge Ski Club members watched the day’s competition the event’s announcers promoted the upcoming 120th annual Norge Ski Jump Tournament When Smith got a chance to talk with the announcers they told him how much they loved the annual Fox River Grove tournament and they planned on bringing a group over for this year’s event “Everybody around the country knows of our jump.” The annual tournament wasn’t always met with the same enthusiasm across the country the club’s president and operations manager remembered a time 20 to 25 years ago when he’d bring up Norge in different parts of the nation and no one knew what he was talking about But thanks to dedicated club members and support from the community the annual jump is as popular as ever heading into its 120th running “It makes us work a little extra harder to sure pull off a quality event,” Smith said and they’re just sliding by to pull off the event We take pride in making sure the hills are in good shape So we definitely try to do the best we can.” Smith and the rest of the club hope to keep up that tradition during the two-day event Jan The club is expecting 80 to 100 jumpers to compete both days from different parts of the world The 120th tournament will look mostly the same as previous years’ events and club members are hoping for large crowds like they’ve had in the past Smith said participants love the tournament’s tradition and the unique atmosphere large crowds provide “We take a lot of pride in our club by being as old as we are and continuing to have events especially with us being so far south compared to some of these other ski clubs around the country,” Smith said “We always pull off an event and we’re pretty proud of it.” Organizers use leftover revenue from the tournament to keep the club up to date more efficient concessions stand a couple years ago and updated the club’s electrical system “How we survive is having this event,” Smith said your facility is going to start to deteriorate Tournament officials expect perfect conditions for the event if the weather forecast holds up Smith said the cold temperatures over the past couple of weeks have been good for making snow and the forecast of low-30 degree temperatures should make for a great competition atmosphere Parking for the event is free and there will be shuttle buses from the Fox River Grove Metra station and the Stone Hill shopping center. Patrons can buy tickets and buttons ahead of the event at norgeskiclub.org or during each day of the event Smith has watched the tournament evolve during his 55 years as part of the club Enthusiasm from the community hasn’t waned in all those years you hear it out on the street,” Smith said They know it’s a tradition to come here in January at our event.” A network of correspondents providing impartial news reports and analysis in 33 languages from locations around the world Up-to-the-minute news and analysis from around the world and in Chicago Hosted by WBEZ's Mary Dixon and NPR's Steve Inskeep Newshour is the award-winning flagship program of the BBC World Service the world’s largest news gathering operation 1A convenes a conversation about the most important issues of our time smart reflection on world news as it’s happening innovators and artists from around the globe with news from Chicago from WBEZ’s Lisa Labuz Reset digs into how the news has moved since you left the house 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train struck a vehicle Jan A motorist has died after a Metra train struck a vehicle Tuesday morning near west suburban River Grove North Central Service train #108 collided into the vehicle just before 8 a.m Extensive delays on the Milwaukee District West and North Central Service lines were “expected to last for a while,” the spokesperson said Check Metra’s website for service updates Terms of Use • Privacy Notice • Cookie Policy • Terms of Sale please let us know if you are not satisfied with a print or product Please direct any issues to support@limitlessproductiongroup.com Include a thorough description and if possible a photograph of and defects We will work with you to find a resolution we collect personal information from you to fulfill the order Details relating to your purchase (for example We share this information with Squarespace so that they can provide website services to us this site may auto-complete your shipping and billing address by sharing what you type with the 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off 102nd Street East and Inver Grove Trail in Inver Grove Heights Initial scanner traffic said a few explosions might have occurred before the flames were seen Inver Grove Heights Fire units reported seeing smoke and the call was upgraded to a confirmed working structure fire at 12:03 PM The upgrade to a confirmed working structure fire brought mutual aid from the Eagan Initial units on the scene reported a narrow and icy road that made it difficult to get resources to the source of the fire according to a press release from the Inver Grove Heights Fire Department a lack of fire hydrants near the source of the fire meant that several tankers were used to shuttle water to the fire scene to fight the fire Inver Grove Heights Public Works was also called to help salt and sand with the icy conditions but the number and estimated cost of damage was not readily available Since trucks would need to be bringing in water a request was made to Union Pacific to close the tracks temporarily along 102nd Street East with the scene marked clear around 3:04 PM The train tracks were reopened around 3:30 PM No injuries were reported as a result of the fire We have contacted the Inver Grove Heights Fire Department for more information on the possible cause of the fire and will post updates as soon as they are available Photo credit: Inver Grove Heights Fire Department/Facebook Follow our social media accounts for the latest breaking news updates Email: contact@limitless-news.comPhone: 507-301-6001 Privacy PolicyTerms of Service ©2025 A Limitless Production Group LLC Company The community is raising money for a family of four described as “wonderful friends and neighbors” who lost their Fox River Grove house in a fire Saturday afternoon The GoFundMe fundraiser was started by family friend Vesela Nikay for the Dombrowski Family Saturday to the Dombrowski Family’s home in the 100 block of Beachway Drive in Fox River Grove Firefighters received reports that the attached garage of the two-story house was engulfed in flames The house is uninhabitable due to heavy damage The Dombrowski Family was able to escape the home but Nikay said that “most of their belongings are gone and they will have to replace everything.” if not months for the insurance claim to be approved,” Nikay said “They have 2 children in our district and are wonderful friends and neighbors Anything no matter how small helps right now!” Nikay added Over 50 donors raised nearly $5,000 as of Sunday afternoon A River Grove man was charged Tuesday in connection with the burglary of a Bartlett home in October 2023 is charged with felony residential burglary after being taken into custody at the DuPage County court facility where he was appearing on unrelated charges 2023 residential burglary at a home on the 900 block of Tallgrass Drive Investigators determined forced entry had been made and personal property stolen from within With assistance from the North Regional Major Crimes Task Force Bartlett police reported their investigation had identified Cuesta-Martinez as a suspect in the burglary He was transported to the DuPage County Jail to await a detention hearing ExpandA doctor's office at 400 Fox Glen Court sustained water damage and fire damage to the roof More than a dozen fire protection districts responded Sunday morning to a blaze that significantly damaged a commercial office building in Fox River Grove The Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District responded to a call at 12:40 a.m The Fox River Grove Police Department initially had been dispatched for a burglary alarm activation and observed flames coming from the roof of the office building upon arrival Barrington Family Health Care medical clinic is listed at that address located in the Fox Glen professional offices off Route 22 east of Route 14 Firefighters performed a “360-degree structural assessment” and tried to attack the fire from the outside and inside as the flames ran “up the interior ridge line of the roof structure,” according to the release “These actions were hampered by significant weather outbreaks The fire spread quickly and unchecked through inaccessible void spaces within the roof structure,” according to the release Thunderstorms were in the area before and during the firefighting The fire was upgraded from a Code 3 to a Code 4 alarm and a Mutual Aid Box Alarm System was requested The Barrington Countryside fire district and surrounding chief officers implemented a National Incident Management System Unified Command Post Crews continued an aggressive fire attack for about three hours from the interior and ground-level exterior Drone technology was used to assist in the fire attack plan and crews were able to contain the fire where it broke out The building sustained “significant water damage” and “significant roof damage,” according to the release No civilian or firefighter injuries were reported The cause of the fire is under investigation by BCFPD fire investigators A judge denied pre-trial release to a woman who allegedly slashed a man in the face with a knife and then was caught on video attacking a police officer and yelling during her arrest in Fox River Grove Fox River Grove Fire Protection District and Cary Fire Protection District responded around 9:50 p.m A man was reported to be stabbed in the face He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleged that the man’s girlfriend used a steak knife to inflict a laceration on the right side of the man’s face A witness reported the victim was bleeding from his head but was able to walk on his own before he was transported by paramedics Police officers began searching for Harnish who was not immediately located when officers arrived at the scene A McHenry County sheriff’s canine unit was called to the scene along with the Huntley Police Department for a drone to aid in the search Harnish was spotted by an officer around 11 p.m She was non-compliant with officers and ran into a wooded area The canine unit called her out and she eventually ran out towards the canine A video captured by a Lake and McHenry County Scanner photographer showed Harnish running toward the canine while yelling Come the f–k here” as she clapped her hands and jumped up and down Harnish kneeled to the ground and put her hands in the air Harnish yelled “You stupid little b—h back up” at the police canine as it stood in front of her barking during the arrest The woman calmed down before again acting erratically She yelled profanities at the arresting officer and then tried kicking him when he had her stand up once she was in handcuffs I didn’t do s–t,” Harnish yelled She then kicked the officer twice in his legs while yelling “Kill your f–king self,” according to the video A female officer searched Harnish before officers placed her in the rear of a squad car to be transported to the police department The complaint said Harnish also spat onto two officers and threw a landline phone while at the police department Harnish was charged with two counts of domestic battery two counts of aggravated battery of a peace officer and criminal damage to property The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Harnish pending trial calling her a real and present threat to the safety of others She appeared in court on Monday where McHenry County Judge Carl Metz granted the petition A status of preliminary hearing was scheduled for Wednesday morning A home was left uninhabitable and two firefighters were evaluated for heat exhaustion after a garage fire Saturday afternoon in Fox River Grove The Fox River Grove Fire Department responded at 2:54 p.m Saturday to the 100 block of Beachway Drive for a residential fire Firefighters arrived within three minutes to find heavy fire coming from the attached garage of the home All residents evacuated the home before first responders arrived Firefighters controlled the fire within 10 minutes Two firefighters were evaluated by emergency medical services for heat exhaustion and cleared after rehydrating The cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation Damage to the home was estimated at $150,000 The American Red Cross are assisting the residents 2025 at 5:32 pm CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The winter ski jump tournament will run from 11 a.m IL — It's time to get ready for high-flying fun The Norge Ski Club is celebrating 120 years and is bringing its annual winter ski jump competition back to Fox River Grove this weekend The winter ski jump tournament will run from 11 a.m which has been Fox River Grove for 120 years prepares athletes for Olympic-level competition in the sport of ski jumping The fun begins Saturday at noon with the club's juniors followed by intermediate ski jumpers at the ski hill's 40-meter jump Olympic hopefuls will launch off the towering 70 meter jump the competition starts again at noon with 70-meter jumps all afternoon A weekend pass button can be purchased online for $20 There will be food and beverage available for purchase at Norge Those interested in getting VIP access can purchased tickets for $125 For more information on the ski competition -- and to purchase tickets -- visit here. Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Firefighters from more than a dozen Northwest suburban departments battled a blaze early Sunday morning that heavily damaged a Fox River Grove office building the cause of which remains under investigation officials noted that the blaze broke out as heavy thunderstorms passed through the area According to the Barrington Countryside Fire Protection District firefighters were dispatched to the building in the 400 block of Fox Glen at 12:40 a.m after police officers who’d initially responded to a burglary alarm spotted flames coming out of the roof Crews initially performed a primary search of the one-story building and attempted a combination interior and exterior fire attack but their efforts were hampered by the storms The fire spread quickly and unchecked through inaccessible void spaces within the roof structure while firefighters battled the blaze with multiple streams of water from above Drone technology also was used to fire attack plan The fire was declared under control at 3:25 a.m Crews were able to contain the fire to the unit of the office building where it started but the roof was significantly damaged and the rest of the structure sustained water damage firefighters from departments in Hoffman Estates ExpandFaith Harnish (Photo provided by McHenry County Sheriff's Office) A 19-year-old woman is accused of cutting a man’s face with a steak knife at a Fox River Grove motel and then later spitting on two police officers and shattered a police phone Sunday night Faith A. Harnish, 19, of Fox River Grove, was charged with two counts of domestic battery, two counts of aggravated battery to a police officer and criminal damage to government property, according to records filed in McHenry County court Fox River Grove Chief of Police Eric Waitrovich said Harnish used what authorities described as a steak knife to cut the man on the right side of his face she spit on two Fox River Grove police officers and threw a landline police phone off a counter A McHenry County Sheriff’s Office K-9 also was kicked and spit on The man who suffered the laceration to his face was taken to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington with “non-life-threatening injuries,” he said At an initial detention hearing for Harnish Monday the state’s attorney’s office requested that she be denied pretrial release arguing she’s a “real and present threat” to public safety The request was granted and Harnish is due back in court Wednesday Harnish’s home address is listed as the River Inn Motel located at 1000 Northwest Highway and where the alleged actions took place Since last year, there hasn’t been “any increase or uptick” in crime at the motel, Waitrovich said Monday. “We appreciate the help of the motel staff in maintaining their property,” he said. Hotel staff was “cooperative” and were the ones that called the police on the current allegations, Waitrovich said. boaters complained of difficulty navigating through the sediment to the river It showed that approximately 11,500 cubic yards of sediment needed to be dredged to open the channel The cost approached $800,000…without any contingency funds built in KSA’s board authorized the Parks Committee to spend the money at its April Board Meeting board members also requested the Parks Committee to explore ways to lower the cost first a dredging subcommittee asked the low bidder to do another sonar survey The new survey indicated that the amount of sand needing removal increased about 50 percent The cost – without any contingency funds for overages – represents 49% of KSA’s current Capital Assets Reserve Fund balance And that prompted many tough questions from the Parks Committee Especially since boat dock usage represents only a small part of KSA’s responsibilities And because a relatively small percentage of Kingwood residents use the boat docks Compare that to 23,842 regular vehicle stickers Only 3.5% of the vehicles using Kingwood parks use the boat launch Meanwhile East End Park needs extensive trail restoration after the last storm And KSA is about to renovate the entry at Kingwood Drive and US59 that the mouth of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch (at the boat docks) also plays a role in flooding The ditch drains the western third of Kingwood hundreds of homes behind the blockage flooded Here is a slight revision of the River Grove boat launch presentation that the KSA Parks Committee reviewed last night The revisions reflect changes discussed in the meeting I’ve also shown the individual pages below with some background information The title slide shows sediment buildup at the mouth of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch in River Grove it could eventually back water up into homes as it did during Harvey The next section of the presentation covered developments since the last Parks Committee meeting After the first sonar survey of the River Grove Boat Launch in February the Dredging Subcommittee authorized a second survey to quantify the amount of additional sediment deposited by May storms and the cost impact…even as it looked for ways to reduce costs The amount of sediment requiring removal increased 50% during May The low bidder proposed hydraulic as opposed to mechanical dredging which is much faster And the sediment would go to a property owner on the south shore of the river The slide below shows an estimate of the revised costs and the current balance in KSA’s capital assets reserve fund The River Grove Boat Launch dredging would consume 49% of KSA’s fund balance the ability to pump the sand across the river helped to keep direct dredging costs close to the first estimate With all that as background, the next slides present additional dimensions of the problem. The photo below shows the confluence of Spring Creek (left) and the West Fork (right) at US59. Sediment is now coming downriver from the West Fork after flowing through a mile-long sand pit The photo above helps explain the sediment build up at the River Grove Boat Launch: 5+ feet in places at the mouth of the Diversion Ditch and an average of 1.5 feet across the entire dredging area The dredging-company representative said he’d never seen anything like it in that short of a period And a retired Army Corps representative who helped lead the Emergency West Fork Dredging Project after Harvey said “After we completed our survey of the area we predicted sedimentation will be a perpetual problem at this location.” Hydrologists call the photo below a “difference map The colors represent the difference between the first and second surveys It shows the build up between mid-February and mid-May outside the River Grove Boat Launch orange and yellow areas show the greatest build up They set up a discussion of the pros and cons for each alternative I’ll let you read the pros and cons from the visuals in the following slides In the first option, KSA would seek help with dredging costs. This became a possibility when the Governor and President issued disaster declarations for this area last month federal money became available for debris removal and flood mitigation The sand deposits might qualify under either Council Members Fred Flickinger and Twila Carter have already reviewed the pre/post surveys and forwarded them to the City’s Chief Resilience Officer the outcome won’t be known for a while KSA could make the decision to dredge one more time using its own money But if a hurricane should come along and fill the sand back in then KSA would wipe out its capital asset reserves fund Hence the emphasis on “ONE” below Another option the Parks Committee agreed to explore was asking the City to dredge. The City is strapped for cash right now, but if the City could get funds from FEMA to cover the removal, it might be possible. That’s because the City already has a dredge in the river for a separate project between Kings Point and FM1960 If FEMA covered the sand deposited after the first survey perhaps a cost-sharing arrangement could be worked out with the City for the rest the City owns the lake and the lake is developing a sediment problem The City also has responsibility for maintaining the outfalls of the ditches around the lake While discussing ways to reduce dredging costs KSA’s low bidder suggested long-term ways to make periodic dredging more affordable and sustainable This is not an immediate answer to the problem but could be considered as a follow-on option if one of the others becomes possible Example: the dredging company suggested building a jetty to deflect floodwaters out into the river instead of letting them curl into the gap between the islands They also suggested building low underwater rock walls that could catch sand scooting along the riverbed And that could help minimize the area needing dredging in the future that could also make dredging more affordable and sustainable in the future the permitting and construction costs for those measures would be in addition to any dredging done now Some people on the parks committee felt the jetty might work in small floods KSA also considered an option to just close the boat dock a compromise became clear: just limit its use This would let families with smaller watercraft, such as canoes, kayaks and paddle boards, continue to use the facilities if they could portage over the developing sand bar Large boats would have to seek other places to launch The Parks Committee agreed that the options needed to be shared with HOAs and residents consensus may develop around one of the options The community can then make a decision in the fall when people return from summer vacations about both short- and long-range plans for the River Grove boat launch please share this post with friends and neighbors And make sure you register your opinion with your homeowner association officers Even though most residents don’t use the boat launch imagine if a potential buyer for your home someday owned a boat The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas 2024 at 8:06 am CDTExpandFILE - A carnival takes place during the centennial celebration Friday at Lions Park in Fox River Grove Celebrate Fox River Grove’s 105th birthday during Fox Fest through Sunday at Lions Park The fest includes carnival rides, live music, vendors and food trucks, and entry is free. Musical performances include Hello Weekend, Sixteen Candles and The Honey Men. The Fox River Grove Lions Club will be providing drinks. Check out more details about Fox Fest here: facebook.com/frgliving Shaw Local News NetworkShaw Local News Network provides local news throughout northern Illinois ExpandA crew does demolition work on a row of buildings in downtown Fox River Grove on May 21 As a block of buildings in downtown Fox River Grove are demolished into a grassy lot village officials are in talks with multiple developers to create a new downtown A previous developer proposed construction of a five-story mixed-use building with 8,600 square feet of commercial space with 150 apartment units The village’s goal is to have a mixed-use development of apartments with retail but the market will ultimately determine what will replace the block The village is currently in talks with “several developers,” but no agreements have been made The village completed asbestos abatement in April and started demolition earlier this month. The Village Board unanimously approved Omega III LLC bid to complete the demolition for $350,000 in March. “The demolition of the buildings on Block B signifies a significant step forward in Fox River Grove’s downtown revitalization efforts,” Village President Marc McLaughlin said in the release. “We hope that removal of this blight will help set the stage for the future developer of this premier location in the downtown.” All structures have been demolished and foundations and debris is still being cleared. Weather permitting, the demolition should be completed by June 15, Soderholm said. The board previously discussed marketing incentive packages for future developers in order to jumpstart construction on the block. Board members are open to cutting village fees like building permit costs and park fees. TrendingDevelopmentChicagoAFox River Grove chooses developers for plan to increase housingHarlem Irving Group Hamilton Partners won contract for mixed-use project on city-owned land Harlem Irving Group and Hamilton Partners won the contract for a mixed-use redevelopment effort downtown Fox River Grove The project is expected to include 7,000 square feet of office space, 100 apartments and parking on city-owned land along Route 14, Shaw Local reported often referred to as “Block B,” extends from Lincoln Avenue to Illinois Street just across from the village’s Metra station Townhomes and a restaurant could also be part of the project the developers will present their proposal to the Planning and Zoning Commission and the Village Board for approval Pans could be reviewed as soon as next month with construction potentially starting by fall Other developments in the suburb include Redwood Apartment Neighborhoods’ built-to-rent project It will feature 110 single-story rental homes and leasing is scheduled to begin in the next few months catering to an “age-targeted but not age-restricted” community The village anticipates the development will generate over $130,000 in annual revenue Fox River Grove continues to operate debt-free The village recently secured $600,000 in state funding for renovations to Lions Park SIGN UPNot every development in the suburb is going smoothly. Fox River Grove is seeking court approval to demolish the partially built apartment complex at 401 Algonquin Road which developers The Grove Residences LLC and Branko Tupanjac abandoned in 2022 The project was intended to address housing needs in the area but stalled due to lawsuits from nearly a dozen contractors for unpaid work of Fox River Grove passed away early Wednesday morning 1929 to Salvatore and Francesca (nee Spadafora) Cali Mary grew up and raised her family in Chicago  She loved walking to the food markets and Walgreens and simply having what she needed just a walk away   She enjoyed over 17 years of bowling with her daughter Sunday afternoons were for Bears football games and the only thing that could beat a Bears game was her own grandkids sports  She always needed to have her pasta and vegetables she lived for her family and cherished her role as wife mother and grandmother and daughter as she took care of her own mom while she was sick.  Joseph (Kathy) Fano and Deborah (John) Ferlito; her grandchildren Danielle Ferlito and Nicole (fiancé She was preceded in death by her husband of over 64 years from 3pm until a service at 6:30pm at Davenport Family Funeral Home and Crematory Davenport Family Funeral Homes and Crematory – Barrington The Lake Osewego school district in Oregon is no stranger to climate crises and their impact on students After years of close encounters with extreme weather and wildfires as well as the constant threat of earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest the district south of Portland rebuilt one of its elementary schools in the hopes of never again being caught flat-footed The 79,000-square-foot facility can accommodate 600 students But what sets it apart is that it’s specially designed to withstand the compounding and often difficult-to-predict fallout of climate change which the community has experienced over and over in recent years It is believed to be one of first K-12 schools in America to get its energy from a microgrid—a self-sufficient energy system that can operate independently from the area’s electric grid supplied in part by an onsite solar panel array The setup means the school’s power can stay on even when the rest of surrounding area goes dark That could translate to fewer emergency school closures as the building is able to maintain power and heating and cooling systems And it’s part of what makes the school suitable as an emergency shelter for the community during natural catastrophes Starting with the onset of the pandemic in early 2020 from a “heat dome” that brought several days of temperatures eclipsing 115 degrees to wildfires that put thousands of people in Lake Oswego on standby evacuation orders to a massive ice storm that knocked out thousands of miles of power lines and left residents without power for up to three weeks The back-to-back-to-back extreme weather events are emblematic of the problems school districts across the country are contending with increasingly as climate change alters regular weather patterns and sparks more frequent climate-related emergencies Extreme heat and smoke from wildfires have increasingly forced schools to call off classes in recent years And even when those events haven’t prompted closures extreme weather has affected students’ learning Students don’t learn as well in classrooms that lack climate control or have poor air quality schools still are largely burning fossil fuels for heat and rely on diesel-powered buses to get students to school Experts say districts need to be planning now to become less reliant on fossil fuels and to brace for the impacts of climate change on their operations outfitting their schools with the necessary infrastructure to withstand extreme temperatures as well as events like earthquakes and wildfires—a costly and time-consuming endeavor that can take years with memories of recent extreme weather in mind that’s exactly what the Lake Oswego district with a population of just shy of 7,000 students The design process for the school began in early 2020 and was influenced by the pandemic and other natural disasters that hit the Portland area soon after “The issues were really hitting front and center as we were leading up to the design,” said Tony Vandenberg executive director of project management for the school district “Resiliency and sustainability came up over and over in conversations with the community as we observed and dealt with the things that kept hitting us It really confirmed the work we were doing and pushed us to continue to gather the momentum we needed to do this work.” the community has a versatile and resilient facility to show for it Portions of the building can continue to function during prolonged large-scale power outages thanks to the school’s microgrid which includes a multi-part battery backup system The school can also capitalize on this infrastructure when there’s not a crisis if the school recognizes that it’s using more energy at certain times during the day it can employ its back-up power system to supplement its usual power supply in turn reducing the demand on the grid at peak times The backup system recharges when it’s not in use The school also features electric-powered heat pumps for climate control and hot water and energy-efficient windows and insulation to reduce energy demand The architects and school staff have worked closely with the Red Cross and county government leaders in designing River Grove to ensure it meets the requirements to be used as an emergency shelter and command center should disaster strike an engineer with sustainability consulting firm Glumac The school is certified at the highest-level “structural performance code,” meaning its structural integrity is stronger than that of a traditional school mechanical equipment has been tested to ensure it can withstand the trauma of an earthquake and the building can be immediately occupied following a temblor facilities including hospitals and fire stations have similar structural integrity The district spent about $44 million building and outfitting the school before it opened in May upfront investment that may not feel feasible for many districts noting that the River Grove project was the product of a successful bond measure that voters supported But the long-term benefits and savings can be extraordinary “When you look at the life cycle of the building and the fact we’re going to have a building after a major event and systems that still work and be able to support our students and community—not to mention the significant saving on our utility bills from using cleaner energy—that adds up tenfold over the years,” Vandenberg said School leaders and teachers also plan to use the building’s features to aid classroom lessons about climate “These systems are great and they’re there How do we use this building as a teaching tool That’s another big component that we’ve been talking about,” he said The River Grove project is the culmination of a series of smaller-scale sustainability projects that have been deployed across the district—seismic upgrades at its nine other schools so they can better withstand earthquakes and the installation of solar cells that convert sunlight into electrical energy The new school also signals a paradigm shift in how the community thinks about sustainability It’s a shining example of what’s possible in Oregon and beyond “We’re starting to see these initiatives around green energy gain traction in Oregon and Washington,” she said “and I think we’ll see that continue to expand in the years to come.” 5/26/24 – Now that the flood has completely receded, aerial photos show that the Kingwood Diversion Ditch at River Grove Park has become completely blocked by sand again … for the third time in six years Without serious sand-mine reform (which is an unrealistic dream) dredging will become more frequent and costlier Let’s look at the problem and a possible solution The mouth of the ditch has already been dredged twice since Harvey: once by the Army Corps and once by the Kingwood Service Association (KSA) two floods redeposited sand that now blocks the channel mouth again Boaters report that river access has become increasingly difficult but not the Diversion Ditch which cuts through the park The City and County have responsibility for that KSA has obtained dredging bids north of $800,000 to keep the boat docks open it’s one third of the organization’s cash reserves And that will force KSA to decide whether it wants to continue funding a boat launch Hundreds flooded behind a Diversion-Ditch blockage during Harvey I started at River Grove and worked my way upriver toward a hellish out-of-control sandscape on the West Fork just above Kingwood It typifies 20 square miles of sand mines in a 20-mile reach of the West Fork between US59 and I-45 But let’s talk about River Grove first every boat owner in Kingwood would normally flock to River Grove But the parking lot was virtually empty this morning He had to get out of his boat and drag it on foot across the sand bar note the virtually empty parking lot in the picture above So, I took a short drive upstream to see where the sand came from. The next stop: the confluence of Spring Creek and the West Fork, a few hundred yards upstream from the US59 Bridge. The confluence has looked like this for the last month. It led to the hellish sandscape mentioned above the damage to mines in the river’s floodway and floodplains has become apparent During the storms, the river cut through the dike of an abandoned sand pit owned by Hallett until January 2024 That’s when Hallett sold it to a real estate developer according to the Montgomery County Appraisal District records the year’s first flood breached the dike at the downstream a second flood breached a dike on the upstream Then the river started flowing through the mile-long, half-mile-wide pit and abandoned its normal channel. It churned up massive amounts of exposed sand and carried it downriver. The river’s velocity was more than sufficient to transport sand As more and more stormwater went through the sand pit less and less went down the normal river channel Water velocity slowed in the channel and sand dropped out of suspension That created an enormous blockage that now appears to have cut off the river channel No one has yet taken steps to rebuild the broken sand mine dikes the West Fork is running through an abandoned sand mine and carrying sediment downstream it’s hard to tell where the river even was This one-minute video shows where the river now enters the sand pit and the blockage in the former river channel Environmental factors often influence photography Harris County’s Flood Warning System shows that it hasn’t rained at all in the last week That has reduced rates of flow in the West Fork Lake Conroe was finally approaching its normal level of 201 feet above mean sea level But the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) was still releasing water at a modest 350 cubic feet per second (CFS) The SJRA release from Lake Conroe increased flow in the river past the sand mines Downstream, the Coastal Water Authority was discharging almost 4,000 CFS from Lake Houston at the same time in preparation for some repairs on the dam beginning later this week The CWA release would lower the water level slightly in Lake Houston and near River Grove Park But it would not affect areas as far upstream as the sand mines The Lake Houston water level was several inches to a foot below normal when I took these pictures. The CWA lists the normal pool at 42.4 feet. However, the Texas Water Development Board says that the spillway on the lake has a crest elevation of 41.73 feet Note that the Kingwood Diversion Ditch affects drainage of the entire western half of Kingwood. The Harris County Flood Control District listed it as one of the top two priorities among flood-mitigation projects in the Kingwood Area Leaving this ditch silted in is not an option Hundreds of homes flooded during Harvey near this ditch when it previously became silted in and backed up KSA, a small, volunteer organization, cannot continue to fund the dredging of City and County property as dredging intervals become more frequent. Especially since no one is attempting to reign in irresponsible mining practices upstream As a result of the disaster declaration that came after recent flooding the Harris County Flood Control District should explore using FEMA debris removal funds to remove this dangerous blockage immediately The Diversion Ditch project would be an excellent candidate for those funds We need to make our elected representatives aware of the issue and a possible funding solution This FEMA Fact Sheet outlines eligibility for the funds We only have 30 days from the disaster declaration shares a laugh with friend Bridget McGuiness during his weekly bowling league game in 2022 The D-Day operation is remembered as a pivotal point in World War II to clench the Allied Forces’ victory by using land, air and sea to invade Normandy, France. Now 80 years, later at the age of 104, Air Force veteran and Fox River Grove resident Edward “Bud” Berthold returns to the same French beaches to commemorate that historic day Berthold is joined by 52 other veterans across America to revisit the D-Day battlefield an effort put on by the nonprofit organization Best Defense Foundation with Delta Air Lines the veterans will participate in a ceremony This is the third year Delta Air Lines has flown World War II veterans back to Normandy “The 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in Normandy will be a very special opportunity to honor WWII Veterans through various events and also to pass the torch of remembrance to the next generation,” President of the Normandy Region Hervé Morin said in a Delta Air Lines news release “We will also pay a special tribute to the memory of all those who fought to restore peace in Europe They sacrificed their youth and endured immense suffering and Normandy wishes to express its deep and eternal gratitude.” Berthold went into active duty service in 1943 and trained as a B-24 bomber co-pilot His third mission was on D-Day where he co-piloted a mission to bomb the town bridge of St “As time passes quickly for our WWII generation it is our duty and honor to provide this opportunity of closure and camaraderie for those who gave so much,” President and Co-Founder of Best Defense Foundation Donnie Edwards said in the release While serving in the Army Air Corps during the war, Berthold found bowling as a hobby. An engine fire on his B-24 bomber forced his flight crew to wait 30 days in Iceland for replacement parts. He and fellow crew members passed the time by ice fishing and bowling on ice. Ever since he’s been bowling regularly at Bowlero in Deer Park. Other Chicago-area WWII veterans on the trip are Dick Rung The Veterans Assistance Commission of McHenry County commemorates D-Day by reminding veterans and their families of the resources provided by the organization. Financial assistance, help with disability and pension benefits, caregiver and wellness programs are some of the ways the commission supports local veterans. 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Chicago River Grove tiki bar Hala Kahiki has transformed into Sippin’ Santa a famed holiday pop-up with locations across the country The tropical experience features over-the-top including new and returning drinks like Sugar Plum Mai Tai Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twitterinstagrampinterestspotifyAbout us Contact us Time Out magazine