Tag: Sycamore

Demolition Derby and Memorial Day Championship This Weekend

May. 22 no comments

demolitionderbyThis Friday May 24, 2013 starts the full weekend schedule for the season at the Sycamore Speedway! Friday night is the ever popular, Demolition Derby night. There will also be Spectator and Compact Racing, Figure 8, One on One Drags Powder Puff and Compact Car Demo races.

This Saturday evening will be Stock Car Racing at the Speedway.  All classes will participate in the Memorial Day Championship races. These races are 25 laps on the big track. Gates open at 6pm. Time Trials are at 7:15 p.m. Races are at 8:00 p.m. Call 815.895.5454 for information or weather.

The Sycamore Speedway takes only cash for the Grandstand Admission of $12 for ages 14 and above, $5 for ages 6 thru 13 and free for those 5 and under. A Pit  Pass costs $30 with membership card or $35 without membership. Pits open at 2pm for car pull out.  On Saturday Pit Shack opens at 4pm.  On Friday Pit Shack opens at 6pm. Cash only.  Visit the Sycamore Speedway Website now to learn more!

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Register Now for the Illinois Battle of the Bands

May. 20 no comments

ilbattleofthebandsRegister now for the Illinois Battle of the Bands, taking place Sunday, June 23rd at 1pm in Sycamore. The cost to register is $25 per band. This competition is for ages 12-21 (half of the members must be 19 or younger). Registration ends on June 7th, 2013.

The winner is determined by a panel of judges and continues on to compete at the regional level. The winner of the regional competition plays at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, Illinois at the Statewide Competition.

2012 was the first year for the Sycamore Park District’s participation in ‘Teen Battle of the Bands.’ Their winner, Desolation Row, advanced to the Elgin competition, won that and then advanced to the State Finals at the Illinois State Fair!

The Battle of the Bands will happen on Sunday, June 23rd starting at 1pm at the Sycamore Park District’s Good Tyme Shelter, off of Airport Road in Sycamore. For more information, please call 815-895-3202.  Admission to the event is free so bring your friends!

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Motorcycle Riders Sought for Holiday Motorcade

May. 20 no comments

Motorcycle riders are wanted for a Motorcycle/Motorcade Military VIP Escort on Monday, Memorial Day, May 27, 2013 at 7:55am starting in downtown Sycamore, Illinois. Riders will meet near Route 64 and California St., by the movie theater no later than 7:45am. (2 wheelers, 3 wheelers, 4 wheelers and all wheelers welcome). The Motorcade will be escorting Major General Emile P. Bataille (USA Ret) around DeKalb County.

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Major General Emile P. Bataille

Major General Emile P. Bataille United States Army Retired (MG Bataille USA Ret) retired off of Active Duty in August 2004 after 34 years of service in the US Army and Reserve Components. His last assignment was as the Director for Combat Support at the United States Strategic Command in Omaha Nebraska. He managed a staff of over 1000 and was responsible for a budget of over $150M. He  was responsible for a range of assets from multiple communication’s satellite constellations, to developing procedures for Military inter-Service computer network systems defense, to multiple security levels of computer system networks for the Command.

He led his staff to formulate and implement  Joint policies, concepts, and readiness for the Command’s command, control communications, and computer systems, The US STRATCOM mission is to provide the means for the National Command Authority to command the Nation’s strategic forces. General Bataille was also the Command’s senior logistics officer responsible for all logistical operations plans and procedures. On 9/11, he provided communications support to President Bush’s critical visit to US STRATCOM to assess the National situation after the morning attacks. He was the first Army General Officer to serve at the US Strategic Command in over 30 years.

The route of travel and approximate start times for the Memorial Day Motorcade are as follows: (7:55am) from downtown Sycamore to the Joiner Cemetery, (8:30am) to the DeKalb Memorial Day Parade line-up, (9:00am) DeKalb Memorial Day Parade starts, (9:20am) to the Malta Memorial Day Parade, (11:00am) to the Genoa Memorial Day Parade line-up, (11:30am) Genoa Memorial Day Parade starts and (1:00pm) the Genoa Veterans Home Hamburger buffet. For more information contact Frank Beierlotzer at ffb66@juno.com or by phone at 815-758-5788.

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It’s Storage Auction Time Again!

May. 16 no comments

dekalbcoselfstorageThis Saturday, May 18th, 2013, the DeKalb County Self Storage facilities will be the sites of public auctions: There will be five separate auctions at each of the locations in DeKalb, Sycamore, Cortland and Malta. See below for times at each facility and see the website linked above for facility location maps.

As you may know, these auctions are the final step in a long process through which they have tried to collect past due rent from some of their delinquent tenants. They undertake auction of a customer’s stored goods only as a last resort, and then only in scrupulous compliance with the self-service storage statute enacted by the Illinois Legislature.

If you are interested in attending the auctions, you are most welcome. They appreciate you understanding the necessity to purge the facilities of these non-paying tenants. DeKalb County Self Storage requests that you avoid trying to access your storage unit(s) that Saturday, due to the likely congestion. You will not be allowed access during the auction time.

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Boy Scout Clean Up Cemetery for Memorial Day Services

May. 15 no comments

cemetarycleanupOn Saturday, 05-11-2013, the Sycamore Boy Scout Troop 40 and a few adults cleaned up the Joiner Cemetery in preparation of the scheduled Memorial Day Service on Memorial Day, Monday, May 27th, 2013 at 8:15am. Major General Emile P. Bataille (USA Ret) will be the Keynote Military VIP speaker at that event. Since 2005 several members and adults from Troop 40 have helped clean-up the cemetery. The cemetery is located west of Sycamore on West Old State Road just east of Five Points Road.

Major General (MG) Bataille will start his day at the Mayors’ Memorial Day Breakfast, Jane Fargo Hotel, 355 W. State St., Sycamore, IL., from 6:45am to 7:30am. There will be a short program after the breakfast and he will be leaving before 8:00am to speak at the Joiner Cemetery. The public is invited to the breakfast and the cemetery. To get a RSVP prepaid $10.00 ticket for the breakfast contact Frank Beierlotzer ASAP but before Friday, 05-24-2013 at email ffb66@juno.com or phone 815-758-5788. If not prepaid it will be $15.00 at the door.

Weather permitting, MG Bataille will have a Motorcycle Escort starting at 7:55am from Jane Fargo Hotel in Sycamore. The escort will go from Sycamore (7:55am) to Joiner Cemetery, (8:30am) to DeKalb for their parade, (9:20am) to Malta for their ceremony, parade & wreath laying and (11:00am) to Genoa for their parade & ceremony. MG Bataille will also be speaking at Malta (10:00am) and at Genoa (Noon).

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Tuesdays on the Town in Sycamore

May. 13 no comments

tuesdaysonthetownBring the whole family to Downtown Sycamore this coming Tuesday, May 14th, and the 2nd Tuesday of every month, May through September, from  5:30-7:30pm. Tuesdays on the Town will feature a variety of family-friendly activities and downtown businesses will be open late and showcasing special offers!

This Tuesday, May 14th, the City of Sycamore will host a Touch A Truck event featuring police, fire and public works vehicles. Also, the Sycamore High School Marching Band will be stopping by for a performance. D&D Jewelers will host the Midwest K9 Emergency Response Team. Stop by to meet the dog squad and their handlers.

Be sure to check out the following locations in Downtown Sycamore too;  Somonauk and State Street parking lot;  North Maple Street;  7- Eleven Parking lot and  Joe Bussone Blvd..

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Milner Receives Largest Transaction Award

May. 08 no comments

sior-conventionSteve Milner and Denise Weinmann of RVG Milner/Carpenter recently attended the SIOR (Society of Industrial and Office Realtors) convention in Palm Springs, CA.  At this convention, Mr. Milner received an award for the 2012 SIOR Member to Member Transaction Award for the Largest Dollar Volume Transaction (Other) for his 350 acre land sale for $9,650,000.

SIOR is the leading professional commercial and industrial real estate association, with more than 3,000 members in 630 cities in 33 countries.

Recently, RVG’s commercial real estate division joined forces with veteran real estate brokers Steve Milner and Mike Carpenter to form RVG Milner Carpenter. RVG’s DeKalb office is at 444 East Hillcrest Drive Suite 230 in DeKalb. RVG knows property values and the marketplace. Search properties on their website here.

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Mother’s Day Brunch at Timber Creek

May. 07 no comments

tcmothersdaybrunchPlan to come to Timber Creek Inn & Suite’s Mother’s Day Brunch this Sunday, May 12, 2013. Open from 11am – 2pm, Timber Creek is pulling out all the stops to make this a Mother’s Day to remember for the whole family. Visit the Fresh Omeltte Station where your omelette will be made to order. The Prime Rib Carving Station is another can’t be missed entree.

Some of the other food you’ll see are fresh waffles, blackened filet of sole, honey glazed pit ham, bacon, sausage, chicken breast with tomato vodka sauce, assorted baked goods, fresh fruit and a completely decadent dessert buffet.

Timber Creek Inn & Suites is located at 3300 Drew Ave. in Sandwich. For questions and reservations call 630.273.6000. Visit their website to learn more.

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Cinco de Mayo in Sycamore

May. 03 no comments

cincodemayo12Cinco De Mayo in downtown Sycamore brings in entertainment for the whole family. Behind Taxco Restaurant on Sunday, May 5th, the party gets going with live bands, dancing, margarita bar, beer garden, and all the authentic Mexican food you could want. Featured in the Kid’s Corner is a petting zoo, pony rides, games, face painting, moonwalk, climbing wall, a Magic Balloon Man, and Piñatas.

The food, beverages, music and fun takes place between 1pm – 9pm Sunday. From 2-3pm will be Piñatas and Quesadilla eating contests,  Tacos eating contests and Milk Drinking contests. From 6-8pm will be the band Dis Bard from Geneva. From 8-9pm will be Salsa dancing and a DJ.

Cinco de Mayo takes place on Bill Johnson Blvd., Behind Taxco Restaurant – 223 W. State Street in Sycamore. Visit their website to learn more.

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Preschoolers to Receive Donated Bookcases Saturday

May. 01 1 comment

bookcaseprojectFifty-two local preschoolers will receive personalized bookcases and starter libraries on Saturday, May 4, at the DeKalb-Sycamore Bookcase Project’s second annual awards ceremony. Volunteer craftsmen constructed 50 solid-oak bookcases, each with a brass nameplate bearing the name of a disadvantaged student at Two Rivers Head Start. Two bookcases will be shared by sets of siblings. Each bookcase will be filled with donated preschool-level books.

The public is invited to gather with the children and their families from 3 to 5 p.m. this Saturday, May 4, at Huntley Middle School, 1515 S. Fourth St. in DeKalb, for a special ceremony in which the children will receive their bookcases.

The purpose of the Bookcase Project is to instill a love of reading at a young age. Research has shown that the more young children read and are read to, the more their literacy skills improve, which has benefits from better grades and college prospects in youth to higher adult income and more engagement as a citizen in adulthood.

“The more that you read to a child at that age, and the more they learn to love books, the easier it is for them to love to read,” Head Start center supervisor Lisa Annen said at the 2012 awards ceremony.

The speaker at this year’s ceremony will be Sycamore Mayor Ken Mundy. Storyteller Phyllis Horst will engage the children in the audience with interactive stories, and Cub Scout Pack 131 of DeKalb will perform a flag ceremony. After the ceremony, cookies and punch will be served while volunteers read stories aloud to small groups.

A new feature in this year’s bookcase distribution is hand-painted book bags. DeKalb-Sycamore Bookcase Project steering committee member Katherine Cessna had her art students at Serena High School decorate plain canvas bags with a literary theme; each child will receive a one-of-a-kind painted bag filled with books for their bookcase. Volunteers sorted through thousands of donated books collected over the past three months. Books at higher reading levels will be donated to other local nonprofits. The funds for the materials used in the bookcases are raised through the project’s annual literacy banquet in February.

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Sycamore Park Pride Day Saturday

Apr. 30 no comments

sycamorecommunityparkThis Saturday, May 4th, 2013, plan to take part in Sycamore’s Park Pride Day! Volunteer for a specific park or be assigned to a location in need from 8am – 1pm. A list of parks will be available on the District’s website, www.sycamoreparkdistrict.com, closer to the work day or meet at the Administration Building at 940 E. State St. (Rt. 64) in Sycamore.  Park District staff will be driving from park to park delivering supplies and water and answering questions. As a thanks, all volunteers will receive a free T-shirt and are invited to a 12:00 p.m. luncheon at Good Tymes Shelter.

To confirm your participation, send your contact information – name, phone # & email – to bartd@sycamoreparkdistrict.com. If you are part of a group, remember to include the number of volunteers available to help.

Park Captains are still needed! This job entails leading and coordination the day’s tasks and projects. Interested? Call Bart at 815-895-3202. A captain’s meeting will be held on May 1 at 7pm in the Golf Course/Clubhouse.

Financial Contributions are just as helpful and just as appreciated. If you contribute by April 5, you will be listed on a large volunteer appreciation banner to be displayed along Rte. 64. For more details, call Bart at 815-895-3202.

Why Volunteer? • Improve YOUR Parks & Natural Areas • Enjoy time with YOUR Neighbors • Learn more about YOUR Park District • Share YOUR love for the land • Get YOURself some Exercise! Make it a team-building exercise! Local Businesses, Area Service Groups, Youth Sport Organizations, Scout Troops, School Groups, Community Neighbors.

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DeKalb County and the Anti-Slavery Years

Apr. 22 no comments

The perilous journey of escape from enslavement during 19th century America ran through DeKalb County. Freedom wasn’t a destination in northern Illinois but it was a much needed stop on the clandestine “Underground Railroad.”

One of Sycamore’s former leading ladies, Nancy Beasley, now a resident of Portage in Wisconsin has written a book about DeKalb County’s abolitionists involved in the antislavery movement from about 1840 to 1860.

ugrrbookSome of the escaping enslaved coming through DeKalb County were headed to Chicago for transport to Canada. Others continued on to Wisconsin and Michigan.

Under the draconian “Black Law” of 1853 no black from another state could remain within the Illinois borders for more than ten days. Beyond ten days and he or she was subject to arrest, confinement in jail, and a $50 fine and removal from the state. If unable to pay the fine, the law directed the sheriff to auction the offending African-American to the bidder willing to pay the costs and the tine and to work the “guilty” party the fewest number of days.

During that period much of the county was a hotbed for Abolition activities. The area Congregationalist, Universalist, Presbyterian and Wesleyan Methodist churches all had strong antislavery views. For some membership required a signatory pledge to oppose slavery.

DeKalb County had the highest concentration of subscriptions to the Chicago-based Western Citizen antislavery newspaper. Despite extensive research Beasley was unable to find one person prosecuted for aiding a fugitive slave in DeKalb County, Illinois.

Even the sheriff looked the other way when fellow church members, county elected officials, and the Underground Railroad conductors and stationmasters were all one and the same.

Nancy M. Beasley, graduate of Northern Illinois University in music and vocal performance, is a civic and social organizer who has served on numerous boards including the Illinois State Police Merit Board. She was a longtime administrative aide to John Countryman when he served in the Illinois General Assembly.

The Underground Railroad in DeKalb County Illinois is now available through publisher McFarland & Co. as well as Amazon.com.

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