Lake and McHenry County Scanner Fire officials say an investigation is underway after over 100 acres of land were burned by a massive fire in Island Lake that could be seen for miles away Sunday evening The Wauconda Fire District responded around 5:34 p.m Sunday to the area of Route 176 and Bassler Drive in Island Lake for a report of an outside fire Wauconda Fire District Battalion Chief Adam Schlick said responding crews observed a large plume of black smoke Firefighters arrived at the scene in three minutes and discovered a “significant active” fire at Cotton Creek Marsh Nature Preserve which is owned by the McHenry County Conservation District The incident was immediately upgraded from an outside fire call to a grass fire call bringing additional resources to the scene The Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) was soon activated minutes later to the box alarm level The MABAS Box was upgraded again to the second alarm level to deploy the Lake and McHenry County Wildland Team for additional support Schlick said it was estimated that over 100 acres of land were involved in the fire told Lake and McHenry County Scanner they could see the large smoke header in the distance Some residents in Algonquin and Lake in the Hills reported seeing falling ash from the fire No injuries were reported to any civilians or firefighters No damage to surrounding neighborhoods was found Schlick said the cause of the fire remains underdetermined and is under investigation by the Wauconda Fire District Drone footage shared with Lake and McHenry County Scanner showed the extent of damage to the nature preserve with the blaze coming close to homes in two nearby neighborhoods as well as fire departments from Lake Zurich Nunda Rural and Lake Bluff responded to the scene The Barrington Countryside and Wonder Lake fire districts covered Wauconda fire stations during the incident 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 Curated pairing dinners are usually the domain of fine dining restaurants local joints known for smash burgers and draft beer which are usually designed for a whole room of guests four-course affairs for parties as small as two Costello is not only the host for the experience but also he makes every dish and drink himself and then serves you what he’s created with a little story behind the inspiration for the pairings “It’s really just all these crazy ideas I’ve got bottled up or written down Stuff I couldn’t do for an entire restaurant but would be great for two six people at a kind of private dinner,” he said The dinner menus are a mystery until diners arrive When making reservations for the experience diners answer a few questions about preferences dietary restrictions or foods that are an absolute no-go Costello crafts the menu specifically for that party telling a story with food and drinks that he makes and we’re gonna have a lot of fun,” he said Guests get a personalized menu when they arrive From there Costello brings out four food courses Dishes from recent dinners include marinated beets with whipped feta and pita bread fresh oysters served with a single malt scotch mignonette served under a dome of smoke salmon carpaccio and poached lobster on French toast Many of the menu ideas come from what’s fresh and in-season Thursday visits to the Wauconda farmers market can inspire a weekend’s worth of dishes but done in a playful way that’s fun for the guests and the host “Everybody’s spending habits and the way they want to spend recreational time are changing,” he said “Just going out to get something for dinner is less important The restaurant also offers other experiences including dinners that center around scotch tequila or sparkling wine and a brunch experience which features five drinks and four courses The scotch and tequila experiences are $75 Costello said The Side Lot has done larger “Chef’s Table” themed dinners but he wanted to do something more flexible with this series but it’s the whole restaurant for the whole night,” he said “The downside was if someone wants to pop in for a quick burger and a beer on a Saturday night This is a similar concept in that it’s all off-menu stuff but we can do it on a nightly basis for small groups.” A Wauconda police dog was injured while helping apprehend a man who fled on foot following a traffic stop Tuesday a Wauconda police officer patrolling the area of Route 12 and Bonner Road received a FLOCK notification regarding a maroon Hyundai Elantra with Illinois registration The alert identified the vehicle as being linked to organized crime and multiple retail thefts The officer saw the vehicle traveling northbound on Route 12 and conducted a traffic stop near Case Road after noting unlawful window tints was riding with a passenger who provided inconsistent personal information When the officer attempted to verify the passenger’s identity the person fled on foot toward Deacon’s Restaurant & Bar at the Golf Farm the officer observed the suspect reaching into his pocket and issued multiple warnings before deploying K9 officer Skye Skye caught up and bit the suspect’s jacket and the suspect hit the dog multiple times before the officer recalled Skye Skye was redeployed and the suspect kicked her in the head before fleeing the wooded area The suspect was intercepted by another officer as the man left the wooded area and the two briefly struggled The pursuing officer then deployed a Taser subduing the suspect and taking him into custody identified as 27-year-old Jose Barico-Pena was transported to First Appearance court and charged with two counts of injuring a police canine He also was found to have multiple outstanding felony warrants A mother was arrested after officials say she drove drunk with her two young children leaving all three of them injured near Wauconda was charged with two counts of aggravated driving under the influence with a child passenger two counts of aggravated driving under the influence with a child passenger resulting in a crash two counts of child endangerment and transportation of alcohol by a driver Wauconda Fire District and Wauconda Police Department responded around 9:19 p.m on April 2 to the 29200 block of North Virginia Lane in unincorporated Wauconda for a vehicle crash Lake County Assistant State’s Attorney Elizabeth Cannon said deputies arrived to find a Honda CR-V approximately 30 feet off the roadway that had struck a tree Paramedics were removing Moctezuma from the driver’s seat and her two children were already in the ambulance when officers arrived Deputies saw child car seats in the Honda but they were not first at the scene and were unable to determine whether the children were buckled in the car seats at the time of the crash An open alcohol container of Four Loko was found in the passenger side area of the Honda who suffered a large laceration to her face admitted to officers and deputies that she had been drinking alcohol and driving Moctezuma has a prior driving under the influence conviction in 2016 in Cook County The four-year-old child suffered abrasions to the right side of her face and the one-year-old suffered abrasions to the right side of her neck and upper right chest Moctezuma and both children received medical care from the Wauconda Fire District and were transported to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington Deputies obtained a search warrant for Moctezuma’s blood and urine “This Defendant knowingly got behind the wheel of a vehicle and drove drunk with her four-year-old and one-year-old child as passengers,” Cannon said the Defendant as well as both of her children received injuries.” “This Defendant is a risk of harm to the safety of herself as evidenced by the facts in this case,” Cannon added The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Moctezuma pending trial and Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the petition following a detention hearing The judge has since allowed for Moctezuma to be released from the Lake County Jail after her attorney sought her release and a subsequent motion hearing was held Nerheim placed Moctezuma on Level 4 pre-trial services monitoring and on a 24-hour curfew while ordering her to be placed on an alcohol monitoring device undergo random drug and alcohol screenings obtain a substance abuse evaluation and not to drive Moctezuma is scheduled to appear in court again on May 1 for a status of preliminary hearing Is there a particular issue that motivates you what makes you the best candidate for the position integrity and actual willingness to work with the community I’ve observed and participated in many TH and EDC meetings including the Ice Cream Truck request in town Also was a big opponent of Home Rule in 2023 pushed by our opposing slate at the taxpayer expense of $33k You have to identify a problem as we have in order to fix it Now I’m asking you to vote us in to do just that What is the most serious issue your community will face in coming years and how should leaders respond to it How to keep small businesses thriving thus embracing our small-town feel How to welcome new businesses and create a healthy market for all businesses We will shift to a freer market friendly community by relieving some burdens on businesses such as detrimental regulations and fees Less government control of who does business in town and how Free market business relieves residential taxpayer burdens in the now Controlled markets often add extra expenses to homeowners by requiring expensive oversight which also further burdens smaller businesses Courting larger corporations often requires taxpayer funded deals with substantial upfront money allowances and tax breaks for years to come This gives unfair advantages over existing businesses How would you describe the state of your community's finances What should be the top priorities for spending during the next few years Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed but not as good as our incumbent opposition presents why did they try to pass home rule last consolidated election where the community overwhelmingly came out to defeat Hundreds specifically voted NO and chose to abstain from all other voting I think infrastructure is our biggest concern patched and been done by the lowest bidder far too long I think spending can be curbed in quite a few ways Quit wasting taxpayer dollars on pet projects like Home Rule and rushed vote 6 figure steel barricades bypassing bidding process Paid premium on something unneeded that no town our size has Government should not be paying for advertisement campaigns that businesses can afford themselves Public service cost for events put on by local organizations can be brought down by restructuring of events based on size and popularity Certain events getting 1/2 off discount service rates should be reassessed again It’s time local taxpayers know exactly how their money is being funneled and if they want to continue to fund as such I'd also like to focus paying down more debt freeing up interest costs What do you see as the most important infrastructure project you must address what project(s) can be put on the back burner I’m told by many our huge problems are under the streets I’m also told our current administration has put together a plan that will carry future boards to success for many years to come I will intend to initially take them at their word on that one and follow the plan year one while consulting with their 3 remaining trustee seats for input As we get more of a grasp of the plan and seeing it in action after our first year the network of arteries that run this town are crucial We hope to cut any unnecessary spending to refocus extra dollars to these most important issues Many buildings have been not addressed appropriately in years putting us in a scary position We're seeing that on some levels of them sitting empty for extended periods of time and causing a stalemate between owners We hope to facilitate free market ideas to find a compromise to appease all so our town doesn’t suffer the blow of sitting empty We’ve witnessed roads being replaced that had a few years left in them in my IMO Describe your leadership style and explain how you think it will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your village board My leadership style is having a voice and allowing everyone else to have one too Get the community involved on decisions from the inception of an idea all the way across the finish line Truly make them aware of agendas and make them working family accessible so they can choose to be heard should they so choose Our board will put our thoughts to the side should the community decide overwhelmingly they prefer another direction on items Social media has been a free avenue that we will continue to use to get information out there Currently my Wauconda Screams 4 Ice Cream pages are where we create most village concern content And our free speech FB group Wauconda Area Uncensored carries interactive polls to engage the community Having control of village sponsored sites will only help spread the word on agendas to encourage actual involvement What’s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet Starting simple by thinking outside of the box with existing concepts but adapting them to a unique community like ours We’ve proposed Food Truck Mondays on Main to help fill our two vacant With the restaurant industry being as risky as ever our idea allows potential suitors to come in and test proof of concept and see if their business would do well to commit to brick and mortar in our wonderful community We chose Mondays as it doesn’t conflict with our 3 existing restaurants downtown (all 3 with a common partner) as they’re closed on Mondays Many Main St businesses supported the concept to draw new foot traffic without other distractions like the Farmers Market Thus making it more likely patrons would shop at their stores as well There is virtually nothing to lose by testing this concept that the current administration continues to ignore despite huge community interest Ice Cream Trucks are a right of childhood passage that only creates more community spirit- however everyone is talking about this one An engaged couple was arrested after law enforcement found a large amount of cannabis at the Milk and Honey Farm in Wauconda and at a warehouse in Lakemoor The Illinois State Police Lake County Metropolitan Enforcement Group (LCMEG) recently arrested Emily A LCMEG agents were notified in November about illegal cannabis manufacturing occurring at a warehouse in Lakemoor State police said an extensive investigation led to LCMEG agents executing search warrants and seizing evidence with Fields and Coleman identified as suspects Officers executed additional search warrants at Milk and Honey Farm in unincorporated Wauconda on March 5 They arrested Coleman and Field and the two were both charged in McHenry County with unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver over 5,000 grams a Class X felony; calculate criminal conspiracy a Class 3 felony; and one count of unlawful possession of cannabis over 5,000 grams A criminal complaint said field and Coleman sold over 5,000 grams of a substance containing cannabis and obtained money in exchange for it Coleman and Field were released from the McHenry County Jail on March 6 and placed on pre-trial monitoring services by McHenry County Judge Cynthia Lamb additional arrest warrants were issued for Field and Coleman following additional evidence collected during the search at Milk and Honey Farm The two were charged in Lake County with unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver over 5,000 grams and one count of unlawful possession of cannabis over 5,000 grams Coleman and Field were released from the Lake County Jail on Wednesday and placed on Level 4 pre-trial services monitoring by Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim An attorney representing one of them said the two are set to get married next week Court records show the couple resides at 27451 Route 176 in unincorporated Wauconda which is where Milk and Honey Farm is located State records show Coleman is listed as the manager of Milk & Honey Farm Coop An online listing said Field “represents” the farm The state police declined to say Thursday the total quantity of cannabis recovered saying it was to “protect the integrity of the investigation” that remains active and ongoing Two Wauconda residents are facing multiple marijuana-related charges following an investigation by Illinois State Police over several months are both charged with unlawful possession of cannabis with intent to deliver over 5,000 grams manufacturing and delivery of cannabis over 5,000 grams and calculated criminal conspiracy The pair initially came under scrutiny in November 2024 when authorities were tipped off about an illegal marijuana-growing operating inside a Lakemoor warehouse Field and Coleman were identified as suspects authorities searched Milk and Honey Farm in Wauconda and arrested the pair in the wake of the raid They were granted pretrial release after appearing at a detention hearing McHenry County Dozens of fire departments were called to battle a second-alarm brush fire that damaged 20 acres in Wauconda Wednesday and one of the firefighters was relieved from the scene to witness his baby being born The Wauconda Fire District responded around 2:14 p.m Wednesday to the 29600 block of Virginia Lane in unincorporated Wauconda for a report of a grass fire Firefighters began extinguishing operations to control the approximately three-acre blaze which threatened nearby structures and posed a risk to the surrounding community according to Wauconda Fire District Battalion Chief John Spratt The incident was upgraded to the second alarm through the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) along with the Lake and McHenry County Wildland Task Force Spratt said there were challenging conditions dry vegetation and a lack of fire hydrants The fire was declared under control at 3:48 p.m with full extinguishment reported at 5:16 p.m “We would like to thank all our brave first responders and our partner agencies for their quick and coordinated efforts in tackling this fire our teams were able to act swiftly and prevent any injuries or property damage,” Spratt said There were no injuries reported to any residents or firefighters and no structures were damaged Spratt said the fire began when a resident was burning a Christmas tree behind his home and embers caught the marshy area on fire which quickly spread due to the dry conditions “We urge residents to remain cautious and not to burn during windy conditions,” Spratt said The fire ultimately damaged more than 20 acres One of the firefighters at the scene was relieved from his duties to be with his wife as she went into labor “Personnel worked seamlessly to continue firefighting efforts in his absence ensuring the safety of everyone involved as he was hurried away to the hospital,” Spratt said The firefighter was able to make it to the hospital in time to witness the birth of his first child “The fire district understands the importance of family and we are incredibly proud of this firefighter’s dedication to the job and his commitment to his wife We would like to express our well wishes to the new parents sending our heartfelt congratulations and support,” Spratt said Wanting to prevent continued economic malaise in the downtown business area Wauconda officials have authorized the acquisition — one way or another — of the former Bulldogs restaurant The village board this week gave Village Administrator Allison Matson authority to pursue the prominent property either through a negotiated purchase or by condemnation if necessary Matson said condemning the property is a last resort “We want to see it open more than anything,” she said of the building at 122 S in the village's central downtown business area a quirky favorite for 12 years at the corner of Main and East Mill streets business co-owner Aaron Aggarwal said just before it closed for good July 31 Bulldogs was the last in a series of restaurants that have operated in the building almost continuously for generations dating to the 1970s and perhaps earlier Bulldogs has “no apparent prospect of reopening” and offers of economic incentives to do so as well as a specific lead for a business interested in leasing the property have gone unanswered Residents in a 2023 survey cited economic development and filling Main Street vacancies as priorities Business owners say foot traffic has decreased considerably in recent years promoting new economic development and nurturing existing businesses are among the goals of the village’s 2024-2028 strategic plan “Business is not where it was three years ago,” said Kelly Lincoln owner of Daddyo's Framing Music Memorabilia Lincoln said he is a fourth-generation resident and remembers going to what in the 1970s was Randy’s restaurant every Saturday with his grandmother and her sisters He's operated Daddyo's for about two decades with the last 11 years at his current location The village wants to acquire the property to forestall blighting reinvigorate its economic potential and prevent an economic malaise from continuing the village sold the original village hall at 100 N Interior renovation has been completed but no new business has been announced Creating a special redevelopment area, known as a tax increment financing district to spark investment along Main Street north of Route 176 also is under consideration “We're doing what we can to support Main Street,” Matson said Visting Warren stole the show Thursday night at Ray Porten Field with a four-goal second half explosion to defeat host Wauconda 5-1 Junior Kate Mondejar and her teammate Addison Stanciak who combined on four of the five goals the Blue Devils scored in a recent 5-1 victory over Highland Park and helped on a Stanciak strike late in the second half 8 (Stanciak) were just too much for us tonight (They) are two great players who bring a lot of intensity energy and some great play up top," said Wauconda coach Beau Shogren "Warren will be one of two or three of the best teams we'll play this year I really felt we played a terrific game up until those two late goals when we were pushing players up." "We told the girls in advance that Wauconda is always organized and that's what we saw from them tonight," said Blue Devils coach Ryan McCabe so we needed to get some of the rust off our game and did a lot of good things with and without the ball." Sophie Dolinar sent the Blue Devils into the intermission with a one-goal advantage when she found the back of the net at 39 minutes She would watch Mondejar double the lead in the 59th minute when Elise Weidemann provided a wonderful helper which was really important after not playing for two weeks and I thought everyone was so involved all throughout the game and that's something that I am really happy about," said Mondejar who continues to climb up the ladder on her way to set program scoring records during a super four-year career Bulldogs (2-2-0) sophomore Isabelle Gerle claimed her sixth goal of the season with a lovely finish off an assist from her sister Meagan moments after the Stanciak goal Dolinar and Brianna Nunez put the game away with late goals 60 seconds apart Wauconda came back from a 2-0 deficit to draw level with reigning 2A state champion Crystal Lake Central before dropping a 4-3 contest Next up for Wauconda will be Waukegan Friday at home while the Blue Devils are away on Saturday morning against Glenbrook North Kids and their parents were among the visitors who watched with fascination as trains rolled past on the six scale miles of mainline track at the Lake County Model Railroad Club in Wauconda Saturday Passenger trains modeled after 1950s-era prototypes predominated as they rolled through meticulously-detailed scenes that included mountains towns and industrial areas on the HO scale layout who has been a part of the club since 1974 said the purpose of the club's twice-annual open houses is to promote the hobby as an activity that families can participate in together and to give people an idea of what they can do in their own homes The Lake County Model Railroad Club was founded in 1972 and visitors can also view the layout from 6-8 p.m Office Sought: Wauconda Unit District 118 board (Vote for 4) Wauconda Rotary Club; and True Colors 4-H-Lake County-Interact Club through Wauconda High School What is the role of the school board in setting and monitoring the curriculum The superintendents do a great job — listening and learning Are there curriculum issues within the district that you feel need particular attention from the board How do you view your role in confronting policy or curriculum controversies: provide leadership even if unpopular give a voice to constituents — even ones with whom you disagree Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy What is your style in such a setting to reach an agreement and manage school district policy Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions for your school board Have worked with adults and children for many years What is your assessment of the school district’s diversity and equity efforts Do you support the continuation or enhancement of such programs What makes you the best candidate for the job What’s one good idea you have to better your district that no one is talking about yet who started as a part-time firefighter in 1995 20 and will be succeeded by Curt Hanselman deputy chief with the Arlington Heights Fire Department was hired as a full-time member of the Wauconda Fire Department as a firefighter/paramedic in 1999 and ascended the ranks After the department merged into the fire district he subsequently was promoted to lieutenant in 2009 battalion chief in 2016 and deputy chief in 2019 He continued efforts already underway to implement the Mobile Integrated Healthcare program which utilizes firefighter/paramedics to provide “pre-emergency” medical outreach It is meant as a preemptive measure to provide patient service to avoid the unintentional misuse of the emergency medical system Wauconda and four other area departments partner with Northwest Community EMS System in the program which is funded through grants from health and civic organizations The district worked with municipal recruitment firm MGT Corporation to find a successor Hanselman was chosen from among 53 candidates and is the first chief hired from outside the department He brings 30 years experience and has been deputy chief in Arlington Heights since 2021 He has a bachelor of science degree in fire administration from Columbia Southern University and will complete a master’s in fire executive leaders this year Hanselman holds the chief fire officer designation from the state and Center for Public Safety Excellence and has numerous state and national operational certifications He has served on several boards and committees including the Northwest Community Hospital Advisory Board for EMS The Wauconda Fire District’s three stations provide services to about 40,000 people covering about 50 square miles in all or parts of Port Barrington and some unincorporated areas in Lake and McHenry counties Kennedy Manning and Ellie Mjaanes led Cary-Grove to a 46-41 win over Wauconda in Tuesday's Class 3A North Chicago Sectional semifnal NORTH CHICAGO – Cary-Grove’s thrilling 46-41 Class 3A North Chicago Sectional semifinal win over Wauconda on Tuesday wasn’t a sure thing until the game’s waning moments. That’s when Trojans senior guard Alivia Nielsen picked off a Bulldogs pass with nine seconds to play, and in the blink of an eye the concerned looks on the C-G players' faces washed away into oblivion. “Just a massive feeling of relief,” Nielsen said. “We faced so much adversity all game and the way we responded was amazing.” The No. 2 seeded Trojans (25-7) were without star senior center Ellie Mjaanes nearly the entire second quarter due to foul trouble. It was a big reason why No. 3 seeded Wauconda (24-4) grabbed 18 offensive rebounds – nine in each half. Cary-Grove led by five points in both the second and third quarters, which was the largest lead by either team. But the Trojans watched the Bulldogs execute an 8-0 run to finish the third, and C-G’s 12-for-35 shooting mark from the field up until that point wasn’t helping its cause. “I thought we defended extremely well, that definitely wasn’t our issue,” Wauconda coach Jaime Dennis said. “Mjaanes was a handful. There’s not much you can do to slow her down.” Mjaanes tallied an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double, adding a pair of blocks. But it’s what her and her teammates did down the stretch that stood out most. The Trojans shot 11 of 12 from the foul line in the fourth quarter, including a pair from Mjaanes with 2:25 remaining that gave C-G the lead for good. “It’s obviously a little nerve racking, especially in a situation and atmosphere like this,” Mjaanes said. “Our last [potential] high school game was on the line. But we’re a confident team. I was just trying to mentally drown out all the noise.” Noise was something senior teammate Kennedy Manning made plenty of on the court, symbolically and literally. She had three first half 3-pointers, four rebounds and four assists. But she was tough as nails defensively with five steals, and was part of the reason Wauconda shot just 33% (5 for 15) in the third, then 9.1% (1 for 11) during the final eight minutes. “Our defense was 100% important,” Manning said. “Without that, we couldn’t have won because Wauconda is so good at penetrating the lane. It would’ve been a totally different ballgame if we didn’t stick with our zone assignments and help each other out.” The Trojans advance to face No. 1 seed Grayslake Central in Thursday’s sectional title game after the Rams held on to beat St. Viator 52-43 in the other semifinal. Trojans coach Tony Moretti knows his team will need to tighten some things up in their next game if they hope to advance to the supersectional. “The good thing is we have an extra day of practice to figure that out now,” Moretti said. “We’re going to do our best to be prepared, and hopefully we have our A-game ready to go against Grayslake.” Senior Sam Skerl (13 points) was stellar in the clutch for C-G, sinking all six of her fourth-quarter free throws, including a pair with 1:17 left, then two more with 56.9 to play. Both times, it turned a one-possession game into a two-possession game. “Just fabulous effort down the stretch by these girls,” Moretti said. “I couldn’t be more proud of them right now. This was an incredibly physical game.” Wauconda gave a tremendous effort as well. Emma Wisniewski (five points, eight rebounds), Grace Parker (eight points, nine rebounds), Sarah Palmer (eight points, seven rebounds) and Alexia Manalo (nine points, seven rebounds, six steals, three assists) led Wauconda. “We just didn’t execute. We committed 21 turnovers and only had seven assists,” Dennis said. “That’s not like us. But these girls gave it their all. A tough way to end our season. The seniors on our roster have been with us since they were freshmen. Losing them is going to be tough. But I’m proud of every single one of our players.” https://www.shawlocal.com/northwest-herald/2025/02/26/cary-grove-overcomes-adversity-to-beat-wauconda-in-sectional-semifinal/ Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network Authorities say a suspect linked to organized crime punched and kicked a police canine repeatedly after fleeing a traffic stop in Wauconda Tuesday evening A Wauconda police officer was on patrol around 5:50 p.m Tuesday in the area of Route 12 and Bonner Road in Wauconda Heather Cognac said the officer received a Flock license plate reader notification regarding a maroon Hyundai Elantra with an Illinois license plate The officer observed the vehicle traveling northbound on Route 12 and conducted a traffic stop near Case Road after noticing unlawful window tints The male driver was identified but the passenger provided inconsistent personal information fled on foot as officers attempted to verify his identity Barico-Pena fled toward Deacon’s Restaurant & Bar at the Golf Farm A foot pursuit ensued and the officer observed Barico-Pena reaching into his pocket The officer issued multiple warnings before deploying Canine Skye to apprehend him Cognac said Skye caught up and bit Barico-Pena’s jacket and the suspect struck the canine multiple times before the officer recalled Skye Skye was soon redeployed and Barico-Pena kicked her in the head before fleeing the wooded area Another officer intercepted the suspect as he exited the wooded area and engaged in a brief struggle which successfully subdued Barico-Pena and they took him into custody Wauconda Police Chief David Wermes praised the efforts of the officers involved “This incident highlights the invaluable role of our K9 unit in law enforcement K9 Skye and her handler demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication and this successful outcome is a testament to the rigorous training that prepares our officers and canines to protect our community and fight crime effectively,” Wermes said Barico-Pena was transported to the Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan on Wednesday morning He is charged with two counts of injuring a police animal He was also found to have multiple outstanding felony arrest warrants The driver of the vehicle on the traffic stop was released without charges Cognac said the canine did not have any visible injuries Office sought: Wauconda Unit District 118 board (Vote for 4) Occupation: Project manager senior — technology Previous offices held: Wauconda Unit District 118 board member since 2010 which motivates me to donate my time and expertise to the development of our children's education The opportunities I have as a school board member provides another opportunity for me to help and support our children my focus was to bring a quality scouting program not only to the scouts who were in the program but also to the families of those scouts When I was on the Wauconda PTO board of the middle school working to build a program that supported not only the experience of the youth attending the school but also the families and teachers I look for ways the club can help support families in the community by bringing together different groups to work together for the common goal of building our community I am running for school board to continue working on bringing together our community I am motivated by the need to see our communities continue to come together for our students and their families We build not only schools that are safe but communities that are safe The role of any school board member is to approve textbooks that comply with the district curriculum plan The role of each board member is to work collectively with the board to set the expectation that any district curriculum is educationally balanced that it takes into account the different interest levels and skills each of our children bring into the classroom Curriculum should not only provide the basics in developing skills needed as adults but also provide opportunities for our children to be challenged at multiple levels of interest Wauconda school board has given guidance for the district to develop and deliver curriculum that provides the academic rigor our children need for their adult futures in the technologically changing world we as adults have developed We have seen great strides to implement text book content with online curriculum offerings Our district has implemented additional technology tools that have helped students to be ready for the workforce in whatever capacity they enter As we transition to more technology-based curriculum tools there is evidence that reading from a book or writing on paper has tremendous advantages in learning I feel the school board should not overlook the advantages non-technology tools such as hard cover books or hand written exercise have for learning Non-technology based skill building should always be part of our curriculum in addition to current technology advances My view as a school board member is to verify a policy or curriculum item is equitable and provides a balanced quality education our children should depend on There can be situations where laws are passed or community voices ask for policy’s or changes to curriculum that cause controversies I always start by understanding concerns with policy or curriculum I build my understanding by getting feedback from concerned sources I work to understand the arguments and work with board members to determine the best policy or curriculum for our district Having been a school board member since 2010 I have had several experiences working with school boards to review and implement the oversight of several policies A Wauconda High School soccer coach told me the best players are the ones who participate in more than one sport The same has held true for me regarding leadership positions My time in leadership roles such as Scouts Bulldog Nation Foundation as well as other experiences have built my skills and served me well as a school board member There have been several board meetings where the board has had to work to reach agreements over difficult matters I feel my experience has helped produce effective actions and decisions for the school district My efforts to listen to the other board members and the community serves me well gaining a good understanding of differing sides to a topic My calm execution in presenting my views helps effectively build on the board's understanding on a topic My willingness to work with others to come to an equitable consensus helps build a strong board What is your assessment of the school district's diversity and equity efforts our community is composed of several diverse groups and families Our schools do a great job at recognizing the diverse groups in our community Our children benefit when they learn and understand each other’s backgrounds I will always support and defend district programs that promote a balanced representation of our community Diversity and equity should always teach our children to share and listen to each other The willingness of our children to learn from each other costs nothing to our district but is priceless for our children's future our children naturally share their diverse backgrounds all we need to do as a district is give them a safe place to share with each other I view the role of a school board member not to be a job I combine my deep understanding of history with a professional approach that fosters collaboration among board members to find equitable solutions that align with our community’s values probing questions to ensure that board policies are implemented with precision and quality I strive to consider all perspectives before presenting arguments and remain open to adjusting my viewpoint based on strong The continued growth in test scores and athletic achievements reflects the leadership I’ve contributed and I am committed to furthering that success There are unrecognized resources that help our student body Alumni and businesses have been known to provide such unrecognized resources such as involvement for our students through volunteer opportunities and support that fosters an improved school culture I would like to see a district-wide program put into place that formally coordinates volunteer opportunities across District 118’s activities and ensure as a district we recognize such efforts along with fellow board member Vincent Torossy are spearheading in leading such efforts with our work on the Wauconda Bulldog Nation Foundation We are working to bring together businesses along with reaching out and involving alumni across our community — trying to better coordinate volunteering opportunities and positive partnerships for our students I am confident that it will only grow from the building blocks we've begun to lay Although we are in the early phases of this concept I am optimistic about our future as a district with relation to this The Wauconda girls basketball team continues to make headlines on the court Coach Jaime Dennis’ squad is fresh off winning the Northern Illinois Holiday Classic hosted by McHenry in mid-December The Bulldogs upended Larkin 51-38 in the third round and edged Crystal Lake Central 49-45 for the title A Northern Lake County Conference win over Grant prior to Christmas pushed the Bulldogs to 11-1 overall (4-0 NLCC) and ran their winning streak to 8 games in a row Wauconda plays at league co-leader Grayslake Central on Friday Kelsy Piehl and Alexia Manalo were three key reasons among many as to why the Bulldogs left McHenry with first-place hardware Parker led the team in scoring there with 57 points over the 4 games while Piehl averaged 10 points a game and hit clutch foul shots at the end of the Crystal Lake Central title game to seal it 4.8 deflections and 4 steals a game at McHenry “Alexia played solid defense throughout the tournament,” Dennis said Dennis also pointed out Wauconda is excelling due to its prowess on the boards and in the assists column The Bulldogs average 15 offensive rebounds and 20 defensive rebounds per game “We focus on trying to control the boards in the game,” she said “The other big stat we talk about is assists,” Dennis explained “We are sharing the ball and playing as a team.” Grayslake Central update: Speaking of Central who went over the 1,500 career-point barrier during the St Viator Blenner Classic in Arlington Heights over the holidays Hoffmann was front and center in that tournament where Central went 3-1 and took third place The Wisconsin-Green Bay pledge averaged 12.5 points 3.8 assists and 2.8 steals on her way to an all-tournament nod “Madison and Peyton had great performances at the Blenner Classic,” said Central coach Steve Ikenn said whose team was off to a 12-4 start (4-0 in Northern Lake County action) The Rams held their four opponents at Viator to an average of 37.5 points per game Central recorded wins at Viator against Glenbard West (45-39) Vernon Hills (49-38) and the hosts (40-32) Antioch update: The Sequoits went 2-2 at the Lisle Cage Classic Heidi Rathmann earned all-tournament honors at Lisle after averaging 22.5 points per game 12-rebound effort in the opener against Timothy Christian 4 steals and 3 blocks in the third game against Lemont Rathmann is now averaging 15.7 points this season for Antioch (5-9 “Heidi had some nice scoring games in the tournament for us,” Antioch coach Jamie D’Andrea said “It’s nice to see her settling in for this back half of the season.” Enza Nawrocki had a season-high 14 points against Lemont and also registered 10 points against Timothy Christian at Lisle while Scarlett Carroll had a pair of double-doubles with 14 points and 11 rebounds against Addison Trail at Lisle and 12 points and 11 rebounds against Lemont Grant update: The Bulldogs played 4 games over the holidays at the Rockford Boylan tournament where Lily Capulong was highly notable She had 21 points there against Woodstock Marian Central and 13 points against Sycamore “Lily did a great job for us at the Christmas tournament,” Grant coach Andrea Weaver said Grant started 2024 with a 2-12 overall mark (1-3 in Northern Lake County action) Lakes update: The Eagles went 1-3 at the Northern Illinois Holiday Classic at McHenry and entered the new year 6-7 overall but a strong 3-1 in Northern Lake County action a game back of Wauconda and Grayslake Central to start the week holding the Knights to 6 points in the second half (none in the fourth quarter) Coach Grant Murray liked the way Kaylee Anderson Adey Martin and freshman Ryan Horvath played over the holidays Anderson led Lakes in scoring and rebounding “Adey Martin has picked up her scoring recently along with being one of the top defenders on the team,” Murray added “Ryan is a freshman and has been a top player off the bench by scoring fellow freshman Brynn Skinner has been another top contributor for the Eagles Murray also has been pleased with Lakes’ efforts on the glass (40-30 rebounding edge per game) Lake Zurich update: The Bears lost 51-39 to Loyola Academy in the title game at the Loyola Christmas tournament but played the Ramblers even at 33-33 the rest of the way Lake Zurich (10-6 overall) made it to the final after wins against Chicago DePaul College Prep Senior Molly Friesen was named to the all-tournament first team after posting 41 points 14 rebounds and 9 assists in the tournament Junior Layne Nordstrom was named to the second team after finishing the four-game set with 19 points Coach Chris Bennett added that Avery Cooper also was a difference-maker for the Bears on the North Shore “while dealing with a swarm of double-teams all game long,” he said Cooper earned a player-of-the-game honor against Hersey The Bears start the back half of the North Suburban slate with a 3-2 mark Libertyville update: The Wildcats ended 2024 on a high note by winning their own Rustoleum Winter Classic with a 4-0 record Libertyville downed Chicago Mother McAuley 51-41 to finish up the tournament and take the crown The Wildcats also downed 10-6 Cary-Grove in the tournament Lily Fisher and Madison Sears earned all-tournament honors for the Wildcats (13-4) who were riding an 8-game winning streak to start the year 8 rebounds and had 25 assists against only 11 turnovers at Rustoleum “Lily is playing the best basketball of her high school career as point guard and off-guard and she’s defending well on the other end,” Libertyville coach Greg Pedersen said “Madison is becoming more and more essential to our offense Libertyville also was off to a 5-0 start in North Suburban action who was the MVP in Libertyville’s recent win over Yorkville in the Grow the Game Showcase She had 16 points and shot 7-for-11 from the floor Round Lake update: The Panthers played in both the Northern Illinois Holiday Classic at McHenry and the Hiawatha Holiday Tournament in Kirkland Sophomore guard Brianna Arteaga was named Hiawatha all-tournament “Brianna is finding her rhythm at both ends of the floor,” Panthers coach Molly Hennig said 5 deflections and 3 steals during the month of December “Lisette is leading us as our point guard,” Hennig noted a first-team all-state selection for Round Lake in flag football “Layah is translating to basketball with her athleticism,” Hennig said and (she) has been a leader on the court for us.” Round Lake was 5-11 overall and 1-3 in Northern Lake County play to start the week Vernon Hills update: The Cougars finished seventh at St wrapping up play with a victory in that seventh-place game A win over Normal Community at the Grow the Game event at Elk Grove recently pushed the Cougars to 11-7 overall (also off to a nice 3-1 start in Central Suburban North happenings) Anahya Castro was named to the all-tournament team “Anahya has made steady improvement and it showed in our final three games,” Vernon Hills coach Paul Brettner said Brettner noted Vernon Hills has been consistently getting more possessions than its opponents by winning the offensive rebounding and turnover battles “This keeps us in every game,” he explained A plan to build a Starbucks and make improvements in an area south of Route 176 and east of Route 12 in Wauconda is considered a big step in an area targeted by village officials for redevelopment a pact inked by the village with Bradford DIR LLC for property just east of Chase Bank is the first redevelopment agreement within an area designated 11 years ago as a special financing district to encourage private investment the village will reimburse Bradford up to $1.25 million for expenses to demolish the vacant former Fifth Third Bank prepare the site and improve a main intersection Bradford anticipates investing $9 million into the two-phased project The first part involves demolishing the bank and backfilling and grading the site by June 30; building a Starbucks to open by Oct 31; and preparing a portion of the property along Route 176 for additional development the intersection of Route 176 and Brown Street will be realigned to reduce the entrances from two to one Brown Street will be extended south and a sidewalk built to improve access to the site including Starbucks and future developments Barring unforeseen delays in approval from the Illinois Department of Transportation that portion of the project is expected to be completed by Dec The village will use tax increment financing The Bradford property is within a large TIF district generally south of Route 176 east to Barrington Road (Route 59) and south and west of Route 12 property taxes paid to government bodies are frozen Tax increases generated by the increased value of development (the increment) are directed to a special fund used for eligible development-related costs “By investing a portion of accumulated TIF funds into the development the village is supporting the removal of a blighted building and the improvement of the problematic intersection,” said Village Administrator Allison Matson we want to see Bradford continue the development behind the (Route 176) frontage onto the 4.5-acre site it already owns,” she added “That would be much less likely to happen if the old building doesn’t come down and we don’t fix the access at the intersection.” the village negotiated a right of first refusal to buy the 4.5 acres at 10% below market value not to exceed $1 million if the property is not under development within two years after the Brown Street work is done Bradford is known for its retail “power centers” featuring national and regional chains the Bradford property represents a small portion of a much larger TIF district but is considered a big deal as a possible spark for others This is the first redevelopment agreement but not the first significant private investment in the TIF area Alta Rehab at Route 176 and Thomas Court to the east completed a major addition a few years ago “We are also hoping to keep the momentum moving east on Route 176,” she added To facilitate that and set the stage for the future the village board next week will consider amending the village’s comprehensive plan for the eastern portion of the TIF district encouraging redevelopment of vacant or underutilized lots and enhancing the appearance of the Route 176 corridor are among the objectives Occupation: Multilingual paraprofessional and interpreter while also making sure student achievement goals are met My role in confronting policy or curriculum controversies is to always listen to the concerns of constituents and their children and work together to reach a goal or solution Hispanic parents in the community don’t feel represented appropriately parents whose children are in special education aren’t being given the appropriate duration of speech minutes and/or occupational therapy minutes as needed I’m the best candidate for this school board because I’ve worked with children of all ages and advocating for children is my passion Involve the Hispanic community more and provide interpreters Inclusion of students in special education throughout the school would be a great learning experience for everyone and national championships should be celebrated The pending sale of Wauconda’s original village hall is meant to revive an old building and bring new business and visitors downtown The village board last week approved a sale agreement with Ya-Mon Properties Ltd. a local investor with other interests in town Prominently located with views and access to Bangs Lake the structure was built in 1907 and has served as village hall a community center and offices for the Wauconda Area Chamber of Commerce It's been vacant about a year and was considered practically unusable due to mechanical and structural issues Unwilling to pay for extensive repairs or have the building demolished Only Ya-Mon responded to a request for proposals to renovate and reuse the building with closing anticipated in early September Among the conditions are that nonprofit or tax-exempt uses are prohibited on any portion of the property and that no more than 25% of the square footage on the first floor can be dedicated to antiques Village Administrator Allison Matson said the agreement reflects the village's strategic plan as well as the results of resident surveys asking officials to be more aggressive in economic development put the property on the tax rolls and help existing businesses by drawing additional foot traffic the buyer will work in the best interest of the village to provide uses that attract more visitors remediate asbestos and complete exterior renovations consistent with a rendering the company supplied Permit fees will be waived for three years and the village also would rebate its portion of property taxes for five years or consider other incentives if a tax increment financing district is approved at a later date Ya-Mon a few years ago bought and renovated a building at 314-316 Liberty St now occupied by Alonso's Burrito Express and also owns about 7 acres of commercial property nearby between Route 176 and Barrington Road that includes various businesses The company last year received a $20,369 facade improvement grant for the Liberty Street property That and the other holdings are in a village TIF district “We have a very good relationship with the village of Wauconda based on our investments there,” said Rich Glogovsky He said there have been inquiries about the space but no tenants have been announced A restaurant is the type of use that could draw people “It's a nice area,” Glogovsky said of the location “We want people to gather and enjoy themselves.” A new TIF would help address some “stubborn vacancies,” Matson said “We have a lot of older buildings and they're harder to renovate and renew as they become vacant,” she said An elderly man who went missing last evening was found unconscious and rushed to the hospital in serious condition after he was located by officers in Wauconda Tuesday morning The Wauconda Police Department responded around 5:08 a.m Tuesday to the 300 block of Larkdale Row for a report of a missing person Wauconda Police Department Public Information Officer Heather Cognac said an elderly man with dementia went missing from his residence The 77-year-old man was last seen at his home at 11:38 p.m a t-shirt and a blanket wrapped around his body Video footage was reviewed and officers confirmed the man had left his residence and was traveling southbound The Wauconda Police Department said they immediately reached out to Red Center dispatch to request the K9 and Drone Search and Rescue Strike Team Officers conducted a thorough grid search south of the victim’s home before the canines and drones arrived Officers located the missing man unconscious but still breathing around 7 a.m. He was lying in a tree line near a creek on the west side of Larkdale Row Cognac said officers administered lifesaving aid while paramedics arrived at the scene The victim was transported to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington where he remains in serious condition and dedicated efforts of our police officers this victim would not have been found alive,” Wauconda Police Chief David Wermes said “The victim and his family are in our thoughts and prayers as we hope for a swift and full recovery,” Wermes said The coroner has released the identity of a Wauconda man who died after a rollover crash with a utility pole that left his truck destroyed near Antioch Monday afternoon An autopsy performed Tuesday showed Carlos Zamora died as a result of blunt force injuries from a vehicle crash according to Lake County Coroner Jennifer Banek The Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Antioch Fire Protection District responded around 1:10 p.m Monday to the area of West Grass Lake Road and Broadway Avenue in unincorporated Antioch for a vehicle crash with injuries Deputies arrived and located a single-vehicle crash involving a heavily damaged GMC Sierra according to Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Chief Christopher Covelli was traveling westbound on Grass Lake Road when it left the roadway for an unknown reason The GMC struck a utility pole and rolled over Zamora had already been removed from the vehicle by bystanders when emergency crews arrived He suffered critical injuries and a LifeNet medical helicopter was requested Zamora was in too unstable of a condition to be flown when the helicopter arrived The medical helicopter crew assisted paramedics in the ambulance ground transporting him to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville Covelli said Zamora died at the hospital from his injuries Grass Lake Road was shut down for several hours into Monday evening The crash remains under investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Technical Crash Investigations Team Investigators have announced the arrest of a hit-and-run driver over three months after a 24-year-old Wauconda High School graduate was fatally struck by a vehicle near Island Lake was charged on Monday with leaving the scene of a crash involving death and failure to report a crash involving death The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office and Wauconda Fire Protection District responded around 10:50 p.m on September 27 to the 4300 block of Roberts Road in unincorporated Island Lake for a report of a vehicle crash with injuries had been struck by a vehicle that fled the scene Stanek was not conscious and not breathing and CPR was started on him according to fire department radio traffic Paramedics arrived and confirmed Stanek was unresponsive He was transported by ambulance to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington The Lake County Coroner’s Office said Stanek was pronounced dead in the emergency room after arriving at the hospital The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said at the time that a preliminary investigation showed several pedestrians were walking on or near the roadway when a white vehicle struck Stanek The force of the impact caused the man to be thrown into the ditch and the vehicle The sheriff’s office said debris from the offending vehicle’s front and right side were located at the scene and collected as evidence The Island Lake Police Department and McHenry County Sheriff’s Office began searching for the hit-and-run vehicle Roberts Road was shut down for several hours while investigators worked at the scene The sheriff’s office said that investigators recovered a white SUV in a garage in Lakemoor and identified a person of interest believed to be involved in the crash Eilers was identified as the driver involved through the course of a nearly four-month investigation the sheriff’s office said in an update Tuesday Eilers was arrested on a warrant and transported to the McHenry County Jail where she remains held who was a 2018 Wauconda High School graduate said he died just days before his October 4 birthday he loved playing baseball and basketball as a kid and after high school he loved the people,” the obituary said Stanek had a “knack for bringing others together” and was described as having an “easygoing nature” that made everyone feel welcome “… it was impossible to be around him without feeling his positive energy.” Stanek worked for a home remodeling services company alongside his cousin they were a successful team designing and remodeling homes,” the obituary said ExpandHoracio Olayo (Photo provided by Wauconda Police Department) A Wauconda man was charged with public indecency after allegedly “engaging in lewd behavior while naked on his porch,” according to a news release from the Wauconda Police Department. Police said they responded to the 400 block of Barrington Road about 4 p.m. Jan. 28 for a well-being check for a man, later identified as Horacio Olayo, 44, after they got a report from two young people. Olayo appeared disoriented and confused when officers made contact with him inside his residence, according to the release. Police said that there was “evidence of cocaine use” on Olayo’s person and inside the residence; he was taken to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation. Authorities said they obtained a search warrant after further investigation and seized U.S. currency and cocaine. An arrest warrant was issued Monday, and Olayo was charged with two counts of public indecency, two counts of disorderly conduct, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of a controlled substance, according to the release. After 28 years as head coach at Stevenson and 10 more at Jacobs Bill Mitz didn't expect to be calling plays for Wauconda at this point in his career But a match that began with a cold call is now thriving in its third season junior fullback Jackson Rudolph rumbled for 253 yards on 36 carries as Wauconda won this battle of the Bulldogs 37-13 “You never know what's going to happen,” Mitz said I don't have to deal with some of those little nagging headaches I go can coach and have fun with the kids and I really enjoy working with the coaching staff.” Wauconda hired a new coach after Dave Mils retired the administration turned to Chris Prostka as an in-house replacement Prostka said his superintendent came up with the idea of asking Mitz to help him make the transition to head coach There wasn't really any connection that set this in motion Mitz had resigned from Jacobs before the pandemic season and was available “That's basically how that started,” Mitz said “I wasn't going to come over there until I talked with Chris to see how he felt about all that I think we spent four or five hours one Saturday talking football.” Wauconda is 21-6 with Prostka as head coach and reached the second round of the playoffs in both 2022 and '23 “I'll ask him some questions or he'll share some ideas He sees things from the perspective of a guy that has more than 250 varsity wins Plenty of Mitz's football personality was on display Friday Wauconda's first offensive possession was 59 yards Reluctance to punt is another famous Mitz trait Grant stopped two fourth-down plays and landed a couple of long touchdowns junior running back Tyler Zydon went 75 yards up the middle for a score quarterback Matthew Gipson hit fellow junior Max Hembrey deep for a 52-yard pass and Grant trailed just 14-13 at halftime “They wore us down,” Grant coach Tim Norwood said “You don't stop the fullback in that offense “It's always great when you have an O-line that can block for you and you're able to run through the holes as fast as you can They're the best O-line in the conference.” Cole Korycanek added 98 yards rushing for Wauconda senior QB Logan Olsen went 4 for 4 and also tossed a pair of 2-point conversion passes This was a rematch of last year's first-round playoff game in which Grant gained more yards but lost 21-20 Grant has a couple of ex-head coaches of its own who coached Norwood in high school at Crystal Lake Central “We took a step last year and some of them thought the next step was going to naturally happen,” Norwood said plus a pair of ten-minute overtime periods simply weren’t enough to determine a winner during Friday’s Class 2A Grayslake Central Sectional title match So when Prairie Ridge senior Matthew Fireng scored on his team’s ensuing penalty kick moments later against Wauconda 2-seeded Wolves’ sideline understandably bordered on chaotic “Those are the kinds of moments we spend all season preparing for,” Fireng said “I was confident I was going to make the shot and confident the guys shooting after me would step up as well.” then helped ice the ensuing 1-0 victory by burying penalty kicks of their own it marked the first sectional title for the Wolves since 1999 “I felt like we controlled this match more and more as it went on,” Wolves coach Josef Schroeder said “We didn’t make many mistakes defensively and did the things we wanted to do to dictate the play and tempo mostly they gave us a tremendous effort and deserve a lot of credit too Prairie Ridge advances to the Class 2A Wheaton Academy Supersectional to face Benet at 5:30 p.m Wolves junior goalkeeper Christopher Zinevich only needed to make two saves for the Wolves (18-4-1) during regulation and overtime combined But he also thwarted all three penalty kick attempts by No That included a brilliant diving stop to his right against Freddy Barnshaw then a gem of a two-handed snag against the next PK attempt he saw “Just being able to do my part to lift my teammates up means the world,” Zinevich said Friday also marked the first time all season Prairie Ridge has had its typical starting lineup in consecutive games “Being healthy for the first time all season at the same time we’re peaking as a team has been awesome to watch,” Schroeder said “We’re very confident heading into the Supersectional and awful proud of these kids for overcoming this level of adversity Wauconda coach Tim Miller praised his team “Every one of our players gave 100% out there,” Miller said but we lose just five seniors to graduation “So we still have a really bright future here ahead of us And I’ve said it before so you can print it This 2A sectional is the toughest in the state Police say they seized drugs and cash following a search warrant and arrested a suspect who was also accused of exposing himself in the presence of children in Wauconda The Wauconda Police Department responded around 4:08 p.m last Tuesday to the 400 block of Barrington Road for a well-being check Wauconda Police Department Public Information Officer Heather Cognac said officers conducted a well-being check on a male subject after receiving a report from two juveniles later identified as 44-year-old Horacio Olayo “engaging in lewd behavior” while naked on his porch at the mobile home park Officers made contact with Olayo inside his residence and observed that he appeared disoriented and confused Evidence of cocaine use was found on his person and inside the residence Olayo was transported to a nearby hospital for a medical evaluation leading to the seizure of cash and cocaine from the residence An arrest warrant was issued for Olayo on Monday for two counts of public indecency possession of drug paraphernalia and attempt unlawful possession of a controlled substance “The Wauconda Police Department remains committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of the community We appreciate the cooperation of witnesses in this case,” Cognac said Previous offices held: Current District 118 board member I am running for reelection because I am passionate about continually improving our district while ensuring we remain fiscally responsible As a special-education teacher and a parent of children with varying educational needs I understand firsthand the importance of supporting all students and making sure they have the resources they need to succeed I am also deeply committed to supporting our incredible staff and empowering them with the tools and support necessary to help our students thrive A strong district starts with strong educators and I want to continue advocating for policies that attract and retain high-quality teachers I want to continue building on our successes while making thoughtful responsible decisions that benefit our students The role of the school board in setting and monitoring the curriculum is to provide oversight and ensure that the district’s educational programs align with state standards and the needs of our students We are proud of our administration and recognize that they are the experts in curriculum development we support the district teams — comprised of teachers and administrators — who lead discussions on curriculum adoption and implementation Our responsibility is to ask thoughtful questions and ensure that curriculum decisions are made in the best interest of all students while reflecting the values and priorities of our community Math has been a consistent area of focus in our district for years leading to some of the highest math scores in several elementary and middle-grade levels it’s important for the board to continue monitoring student achievement supporting teachers with the necessary resources and professional development and ensuring that all students have access to high-quality instruction that prepares them for future success It will become important to continue this momentum in all academic areas I believe the role of a school board member in confronting policy or curriculum controversies requires a balanced approach that includes all three aspects is essential to maintaining the integrity of our schools and ensuring that policies are in the best interest of all students it is crucial to give a voice to all constituents including those with whom I may personally disagree as open dialogue strengthens our district and builds community trust we must recognize the role of state authorities in setting educational standards and ensure that our district remains in compliance while advocating for what is best for our students and staff and make informed decisions that support student success while reflecting our community’s values I have had the privilege of serving on the school board for the past four years during which I have learned a great deal from our administration and incredible leaders like Carey McHugh and Vincent Torossy This experience has given me valuable insight into the policy-making process and the importance of collaboration in making informed decisions that benefit our students my 14 years as a teacher have given me firsthand experience working within teams to problem-solve while adhering to policies that guide our schools I understand the importance of balancing structure with flexibility to meet the needs of students and staff effectively My approach to reaching agreements and managing district policy is rooted in active listening I believe in working collaboratively to find solutions that prioritize student success while being mindful of the needs of teachers By fostering open communication and relying on the expertise of our district leaders I am confident that we can continue making effective and meaningful decisions for our schools Our district is committed to ensuring that all students have access to a high-quality education and the resources they need to succeed Diversity and equity efforts play a role in creating an inclusive learning environment where every student feels valued and supported I believe it is important to regularly assess these efforts to ensure they are effective and aligned with the needs of our students and community informed decisions that prioritize student success welcoming environment and help all students reach their full potential I believe in fiscal responsibility and ensuring that any initiatives are implemented effectively and with clear goals in mind my focus is on supporting policies and programs that enhance student achievement I believe I am the best candidate for this role because I bring a unique combination of professional experience and a deep personal commitment to our schools I understand the challenges and opportunities within our education system and the importance of meeting the diverse needs of all students As a parent of children with varying educational needs I have firsthand experience navigating the school system from multiple perspectives which allows me to advocate effectively for families and students I am dedicated to giving back to our community and through my involvement with the Wauconda Soccer Club I have built strong relationships and a deep understanding of the values and priorities of our district I believe in listening to understand — not just to respond informed decisions that support student success One of the most exciting developments in our district is the rollout of full-day kindergarten next year — a huge win for our youngest learners and their families I’m incredibly proud of this initiative and the work that has gone into making it a reality I have been a huge advocate for this as an early childhood teacher and a parent of a kindergartner myself we have the opportunity to build on that momentum using our strategic plan to ensure continued growth and success across all grade levels One idea that isn’t being talked about enough is strengthening early intervention and support services to make sure every child enters first grade with a strong foundation By enhancing access to targeted support — such as literacy interventions and social-emotional learning opportunities — we can maximize the impact of full-day kindergarten and set students up for long-term success This approach aligns with our district’s strategic goals and ensures that we’re not just expanding time in the classroom but truly enhancing the quality of learning for every student 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 discussing and unpacking the biggest stories and issues in Chicago 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examining how the media sausage is made Important ideas and practical advice: Code Switch features fearless and much-needed conversations about race—and Life Kit offers practical advice on things in life no one prepared you for Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX Reveal is public radio’s first one-hour radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting A weekly program presented by the New Yorker magazine’s editor killer beats and the edgiest new talent in storytelling come together for a weekly show that straps audiences into an audio rollercoaster Radiolab is known for its deep-dive journalism and innovative sound design Created in 2002 by former host Jad Abumrad the program began as an exploration of scientific inquiry Over the years it has evolved to become a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling Radiolab is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser A Wauconda police dog was injured while helping in the arrest of a man who ran away after a traffic stop Tuesday a Wauconda police officer patrolling the area of Route 12 and Bonner Road received a notification about a maroon Hyundai Elantra with an Illinois registration The officer saw the vehicle traveling northbound on Route 12 and stopped it near Case Road after noting unlawful window tints was carrying a passenger who provided inconsistent personal information When the officer tried to verify the passenger’s identity he ran toward Deacon’s Restaurant & Bar at the Golf Farm the officer saw the passenger reaching into his pocket and issued several warnings before deploying K-9 officer Skye was charged with two counts of injuring a police canine He also was found to have several outstanding felony warrants Terms of Use • Privacy Notice • Cookie Policy • Terms of Sale Wauconda police officers and firefighters and paramedics from the Wauconda Fire District responded about 4:27 p.m 2024 to a report of a fire in a townhouse in the block of 200 Wethington Drive in Wauconda Steve Solimini was passing by the apartment complex when he and his fiancé saw a townhouse fire with flames coming out a second floor window He made a U-turn on Route 176 and drove to the scene to see if he could help and one of the two lived in the unit that was burning Solimini ran through the door and helped evacuate the people from the three adjacent townhouse units Flames were coming out of a second floor bedroom window he saw flames coming out of a doorway into the hallway Solimini was able to help evacuate residents from two townhouse units His fiancé helped evacuate residents from the other side of the building Residents from the third townhouse unit were able to evacuate on their own Wauconda firefighters and paramedics arrived on scene in four minutes and found fire showing from the second story of an apartment building One resident was treated for smoke inhalation All other residents made it out of the building without harm Damage is estimated at approximately $200,000 and the cause of the fire is accidental in nature Five of the eight units in the complex were left uninhabitable from the fire and residents must wait until repairs and restorations can be made before they can live in their homes at the location The Wauconda Fire District would like to remind residents to ensure your smoke alarms are installed and working properly Wauconda Fire District was assisted on the scene by firefighters paramedics and/or command officers from Grayslake Austin III’s Call With Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant Harvard Man Killed in Rollover Ejection Crash on Lawrence Rd Near Harvard “Someday soon we’ll stop to ponder what on earth’s this spell we’re under.” so don’t waste it living someone else’s life Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual.” Wauconda residents can now experience the thrill of curling without braving the icy conditions thanks to The Side Lot’s new Backyard Curling facility This heated outdoor space offers an exciting way to enjoy the winter season with friends Owners Phil Castello and Brittany Barth have transformed their outdoor area into a winter wonderland complete with two synthetic curling pitches and full service from The Side Lot’s kitchen and bar “We wanted to create a fun and social atmosphere where people could enjoy a unique activity all winter long,” Castello said “Curling is a sport that everyone can enjoy Whether you’re a seasoned curler or a complete novice with prices ranging from $10 to $15 per person or join a league for weekly competition and camaraderie The Side Lot is hosting a variety of themed tournaments throughout the season adding an extra layer of fun to the experience December features an Ugly Sweater Tournament and they are kicking off the new year with a New Year’s Day Bloody Mary Tournament The Backyard Curling facility will be open through April, providing ample opportunity to experience this exciting sport. For more information, including league signups and tournament schedules, visit TheSideLot.com and head over to The Side Lot to experience the coolest new winter activity in Wauconda Chase Santucci was nervous most of Tuesday ahead of Prairie Ridge’s Class 2A Grayslake Central sectional semifinal against Crystal Lake Central Santucci and the Wolves lost in the sectional semifinal in overtime on the very same field they would play on Tuesday night he and the Wolves had a chance to make things right Santucci and the Wolves made sure not to waste their shot at redemption PR grabbed an early lead and never looked back “We came out knowing that we had the feeling of losing on this field before and all around I feel like we have the best chemistry or brotherhood around The Wolves (17-4-1) went into Tuesday’s match knowing they needed to score against the Tigers’ stout defense PR earned an early corner kick and capitalized when Santucci received the corner cross and kicked it at the goal Senior Henry Knoll knocked it in to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead with 36:49 left in the first half PR kept pushing with its aggressive style and scored not too much longer Santucci got a nice through pass from Knoll and sailed a shot into the goal to give the Wolves a 2-0 lead with 31:37 left in the first half “He was so nervous today,” PR coach Joe Schroeder said he told the assistants he’s not feeling well They finished the first half with four shots on goal and added three more in the second half Senior Seth Maston added his second goal of the season when he knocked in a pass off a corner kick with 11:58 left While the Wolves moved the ball up and down the pitch the Tigers struggled to build much momentum because of PR’s strong defense PR stopped Central from completing passes in the middle of the pitch and the Wolves stopped any late scoring chances “That’s something that really goes overlooked on our team,” Maston said “We have a very strong backline and midfield we were focusing on how our front three defended but they were the real defensive champions tonight.” Senior John Malina stopped all four shots he saw from Central (15-5-1) who competed with the Wolves near the top of the Fox Valley Conference title Central coach Leah Rutkowski was proud of what her young squad accomplished “It’s just this team was something special and we did things we weren’t expecting to,” Rutkowski said PR will compete for its first sectional title since 1999 when it takes on Wauconda on Friday After earning redemption Tuesday and winning the FVC title this season the Wolves are ready to continue making history “We’ve had pressure on us all season with a lot of returning seniors but I feel like we have a really good chance this Friday,” Santucci said Wauconda went into Tuesday’s sectional semifinal match against Harvard looking to create unique chances The Bulldogs knew if they got creative deep in Hornets territory They executed their plan right from the start Wauconda grabbed an early lead and then scored two goals within four minutes toward the end of the first half to win 3-2 it involves the final third being a place where we can be creative,” Wauconda coach Tim Miller said especially when we only have two strikers up top The Bulldogs (13-6-1) created a strong look right from the start when senior Sam Jurczyk headed in a goal off a corner kick with 36:57 left in the first half Harvard (18-5-2) tied the match 1-1 when senior Eric Valdez sprinted out a fast break and scored with 25:44 left in the first half But the Bulldogs kept attacking and took a 2-1 lead with 13:47 left in the first half when freshman Aiden Werner scored off a nice strike battling off a couple rebounds and knocking in a goal with 10:44 left in the first half Junior Jonathan Roldan scored for Harvard with 1:58 left to make it a 3-2 Tuesday was a tough ending for the Hornets but Harvard coach Victor Gonzalez was proud of his team’s success “This is one of the most successful teams that we’ve had,” he said “Winning the conference four years in a row winning the [Kishwaukee River Conference] three years in a row since its inception And then to win back-to-back regionals for a lot of these seniors is special “So I think it’s a successful overall success even though it doesn’t feel like that right now.” Prosecutors say a man called a group a slur for their sexual orientation and then attacked multiple responding police officers while also calling them racial and anti-gay slurs in Wauconda was charged with two counts of aggravated battery of a peace officer two counts of aggravated assault of a peace officer resisting a peace officer and three counts of disorderly conduct The Wauconda Police Department responded to a laundromat on March 2 after receiving a call of a disorderly conduct Officers learned that a group of three females were at the laundromat when Bigham catcalled one of the people in their group The victims felt uncomfortable and began leaving when Bigham called the group an anti-gay slur The group felt it was based on their sexual orientation as they had been “affectionate” in the laundromat by kissing and holding hands Prosecutors said Bigham followed them to the exit of the laundromat and stared them down as they walked away A description was provided to officers and they located Bigham who was immediately verbally aggressive toward them and visibly intoxicated Bigham began calling officers multiple anti-gay and racist slurs before “squaring up” on the officers and attempting to punch them in the face Officers took Bigham to the ground and one of the officers suffered a five-inch laceration to his hand Paramedics were treating Bigham where he continued with verbally abusive tirades including calling the paramedics a multitude of slurs Prosecutors said Bigham was transported to the hospital where he continued to resist and struggle against medical intervention and tried spitting blood on nurses and doctors Bigham has a lengthy criminal history of battery He has been charged in 25 cases since 2019 with failure to appear warrants being issued for him in nearly every case The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Bigham pending trial Lake County Judge Michael Nerheim granted the petition and remanded Bigham to the Lake County Jail after agreeing with prosecutors that he poses a willful flight risk based on his history A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 26 Marking a milestone at Wauconda Grade School has grown into a celebration involving the entire community a huge banner hoisted and the word spread by businesses and organizations in town about events planned Saturday to mark the 100th anniversary of the school “We believe this is history in the making and we are determined to make this a lasting memory for everyone,” Principal Debra Monroe said superintendent of Wauconda Unit School District 118 noted that many alumni would be in town for Wauconda High’s Homecoming Weekend and suggested the grade school may want to be on the parade route we're not in the homecoming (festivities) but this year is a special year for us,” Monroe said A host of activities and attractions are planned inside and outside the school which opened along Osage Street in 1924 as a four-classroom facility The building has undergone additions in the late 1940s Building tours Saturday will include stops in those first classrooms which still have the original floors and host classes “They (students) love being in those old rooms because they have so much character,” Monroe said Classroom doors will be decorated to depict school life from 1924 to the present photos and other anniversary-themed materials will be displayed in the gym Presentations and speakers are planned and a meet and greet with former staff and teachers is considered a highlight “She's coming and she's going to speak,” Monroe said “We have a lot of other teachers coming back.” the Hot Ground Gym mobile obstacle course will appeal to students of all ages Police and fire department members will be grilling hot dogs out back and a DJ vintage vehicles and police dog demonstrations also will be featured Wauconda Township and Wauconda Area Chamber of Commerce in what Monroe said will be a once-in-a-lifetime event Wauconda Grade School is one of six in District 118 with facilities serving students pre-K through high school it and several others operated independently in Wauconda and surrounding towns before consolidating “This centennial celebration has been the most fun and incredibly rewarding event we have ever put together,” Monroe said My daughter graduated from the district in 2021 and my son is currently a freshman at Wauconda High School It’s time I gave back to the community that has given me and my kids so much I want to be a voice for all the students and staff in our community It would be to collaborate with our educators to ensure that standards are being met or exceeded with the curriculum that is introduced To evaluate current curriculum to confirm it is being taught correctly My role would be to be a voice for our staff and community and the assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction to achieve the above goals Not that I can see from what my kids have gone though I would like to explore this more when I get elected I am friendly with many teachers in the district as well as parents of children in the area I am not afraid to be a voice for those who need it I have always stood up for those who may have needed a voice It would be my job to consider both sides of a controversy and help determine the best course of action for all I have been a champion for my district at work to be a voice for my team to senior leadership After all solutions were brought to the table we discussed the best possible option to move forward with it was about the overall better good of the company I understood my ideas may not have been the best one but at least we were getting things accomplished I would be able to use this tactic with the school board I always think that everyone should be given equal opportunities I don’t necessarily believe that we need to fill a quota but that the best person for the job should be hired Equity and Diversity encompasses so much more than hiring for a position though We should try and accommodate those who need accommodations I would hate to see some of programs that we currently have in place This question is a rough one because so many things fall under this category and I have a voice that I am not afraid to use for the greater good I would like to see more programs for parents Everything seems to be about the kids but education and discipline start at home and some of the parents need more support ExpandDundee-Crown’s Jared Russell drives to the hoop against Wauconda's Kaden Pemberton in varsity basketball Friday 2024 at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local) CARPENTERSVILLE – Finals week is no time to relax So after Dundee-Crown wrapped up basketball practice early Thursday afternoon, senior Jared Russell went home and then came back to school to shoot extra shots with his dad, Chargers assistant coach Jason Russell. That’s just the way D-C’s leading scorer is wired. “He’s here all the time,” Chargers head coach Lance Huber said. “He puts in a ton of work.” Russell’s hard work has been paying off all season, and it did again Friday. The 5-foot-11 shooting guard scored a game-high 24 points as Dundee-Crown held off Wauconda 62-57 in a nonconference game. Dundee-Crown’s Rasheed Trice corrals the ball against Wauconda in varsity basketball Friday, Dec. 20, 2024 at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville. (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local) Russell made 7 of 15 shots from the floor, including two 3-pointers, and went 7 of 10 from the free throw line. He sank 3 of 4 foul shots in the final 1:25 after Wauconda got within 56-54. “I worked really hard in the offseason,” said Russell, a three-year varsity player who scored a career-high 32 points against Rochelle in D-C’s third game of the season, an 80-52 win in Sycamore’s Thanksgiving tournament. “I’ve just had more opportunities to shoot the ball, just trying to do my best to get the most shots I can to help us win.” Russell scored seven points, including a 3, in the second quarter when D-C (3-5) outscored Wauconda (1-8) 18-8 to go into halftime up 34-26, closing the half with a 12-4 run in the final 4:49. The Chargers got five layups off their motion offense in the quarter as they made 8 of 11 shots. Russell had 14 points at the break. “We played even with them for three quarters,” Wauconda coach Ty Weidner said. “The second quarter, that four-minute stretch, that’s your ballgame. With a young team, we have to make those droughts shorter.” Indeed, the Bulldogs opened the second half with a 9-0 run, capped by Tony Salemi’s steal and layup to give the visitors a 35-34 lead. But D-C answered with two layups by Anthony Jobe (four points, five rebounds, three charges). A 3-pointer by Wauconda sophomore Leo Brinias (seven points) got the Bulldogs within 51-50 with 4:25 left in the fourth. D-C then ran about 20 seconds off the clock before Rasheed Trice found space in the lane, scored and converted a free throw. Trice (11 points) then scored again to make it 56-50 with 2:41 to go. Dundee-Crown’s Jared Russell moves the ball against Wauconda in varsity basketball Friday, Dec. 20, 2024 at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville. (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local) “No. 2 (Russell) is great ballplayer,” Weidner said. “We left him open [in the first half], and then we really harassed him in the second half, did more of a face guard, and made someone else beat us.” Terrion Spencer added 10 points for the Chargers. His steal and assist to Russell, who finished a layup in transition, stretched D-C’s lead to 60-54 with 15 seconds left. “My team was finding me,” Russell said. “They were setting screens, getting me open. I think we just had really good chemistry tonight. We worked really hard in practice to get our motion offense going, and I think tonight it really showed. They just found me, and shots fell.” Salemi had 13 points, four rebounds and two steals for Wauconda. Sophomore wing Austin Carlsen added 12 points. Dundee-Crown’s Kadin Malone gathers the ball against Wauconda in varsity basketball Friday, Dec. 20, 2024 at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville. (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local) “They played a heck of a second half,” Huber said of the Bulldogs. “They really jumped on us early. We just found a way to make a few baskets here and there, and then a big rebound and put it away.” Wauconda’s young team also played competitively against Grayslake North, Antioch and Mundelein but lost all three games as it figures out how to finish in what Weidner said is a rebuilding year. “A competitive game, that’s what they need,” Weidner said of his players. “We’ve been in a lot of these now.” https://www.shawlocal.com/northwest-herald/2024/12/21/hard-working-jared-russell-dundee-crown-hold-off-wauconda/