Northwestern Medicine first in McHenry County to implant heart device preventing strokes caused by irregular heartbeat

Northwestern Medicine announced that physicians from the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital have successfully placed a WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) device in the heart of a patient to help prevent a stroke and discontinue the long-term use of oral blood-thinning medication.

“The WATCHMAN device is for patients who have atrial fibrillation, an irregular heartbeat that is not related to problems with the heart’s valves. This is the first procedure using this device in a McHenry County hospital,” said an Oct. 20 statement from Northwestern Medicine.

Staffing shortages lead local business to temporarily close Mondays

Parkside Pub located at 11721 E. Main Street announced via its Facebook page that kitchen staff shortages have made it impossible for the sports bar to continue to run at regular business hours.

“With that said, in order to give our kitchen a break, we have decided to temporarily close on Mondays until further notice. Should we find the right fit, we will go back to serving you all on Mondays again,” an Oct. 2 Parkside Pub Facebook post said.

Legen-dairy

On Aug. 8, friends and family of legendary WGN agribusiness broadcaster Orion Samuelson, gathered at Jameson’s Charhouse in Sun City to celebrate his retirement after 60 years on the air.

Gloria Samuelson, Orion’s wife, explained that there were about 65 people in attendance at the celebration, which included other big-name guests like Emmy-Award-winning entertainment reporter and critic Dean Richards and WGN Radio AM 720 anchor Steve Alexander who was named as Orion’s successor back in January.

Village of Huntley proclaims September 2021 as National Suicide Prevention Awareness month

At the Aug. 26 Village of Huntley Board meeting, Tim Hoeft, Huntley’s village president, announced that the village is committed to showing its full support in raising awareness on a topic that is stigmatized and is even often considered taboo to talk about.

According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), “Suicide is the [second] leading cause of death among people aged 10-34 and the [tenth] leading cause of death overall in the U.S.”

Huntley Police Department ‘take to the sky’ in support of the Illinois Special Olympics

The Huntley Police department announced that on Friday, Aug. 20, from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m., officers will take to the rooftops at the Dunkin Donuts located at 12090 Princeton Drive and the Dunkin Donuts at 9800 Route 47.

The reason why residents will find police officers on the rooftops of these two establishments has to do with the Huntley Police Department’s support of the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Illinois.

Village honors IHSA long jump state champion

At the Aug. 12 village board meeting, Huntley High School sophomore Alexandria “Alex” Johnson was recognized for her state championship in the long jump at the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) track and field state meet held on June 12.

Alex was also recognized at the July 15 Huntley Community School District 158 (D158) Board of Education meeting, where Jennifer Garza, one of the track and field coaches, spoke of Alex’s accomplishments.

Huntley-area thrift shop says goodbye after 11 years in business

The Sweet Repeats Thrift Shoppe located at 10514 West Route 47 in Huntley, announced on Aug. 4 that the store will be officially closing for business on Wednesday, Sep. 15.

A Sweet Repeats press release revealed that the reason for the closure is due to the store losing its lease.

Upcoming Amazon Sci-Fi series with J.K. Simmons films in Woodstock and other local areas

Island Lake, Wauconda and Woodstock all got the opportunity to be featured in Amazon Studios’ latest sci-fi drama series “Lightyears,” which is co-produced by Legendary Television.

The show stars Oscar-winners Sissy Spacek and J.K. Simmons as Irene and Franklin York, a couple who discovers a chamber buried in their backyard that inexplicably leads them to a strange, deserted planet. The series follows the Yorks’ quest for answers to the mysterious chamber they’ve kept secret, as their quiet lives become upended when an enigmatic young man enters the picture.

Another big development project could be in the works for Huntley

By now, Huntley residents may be fully aware of an Amazon receive center that will be occupying property on 41W368 Freeman Road. As completion for the receive center is anticipated for June 2022, it has begun conversations regarding the potential for other major businesses to take interest in coming to Huntley.

Helping seniors in need

Sun City residents may have heard of Senior Services Associates (SSA), but still not be all that familiar with what it is this non-profit does. Beginning in 1973, this non-profit got its start by meeting the needs of community seniors and disabled individuals by offering adult day care at a center in Elgin.

Huntley bar faces noise complaints and code violation accusations

Tipsy’s Bar and Pizza, located at 10753 Dundee Rd., had to face the Village of Huntley’s Liquor Commission on April 22 due to various alleged violations of the Huntley Village Code and the Illinois Liquor Control Act.

Bridging the gap between generations

The topic of generational labels can sometimes cause a stir amongst the different groups. As of recent, the most publicized clash has been between Generation Y or the Millennials and the newer, Generation Z. Much of the disagreement between these different generations resembles that of what was occurring between the Baby Boomers and Millennials, and similar with all other generations before that.

McHenry County Board of Health receives thank you letters for their COVID-19 vaccination efforts

In light of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine having been paused due to rare, but potentially lethal side-effects, the McHenry County Department of Health (MCDH), like other vaccination providers, has had to work hard to replace J&J vaccination clinics with either Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.

McHenry County Board Chairman highlights the COVID-19 pandemic in State of the County Address

On Tuesday, April 20 McHenry County Board Chairman Mike Buehler, gave his first ever State of the County Address. The presentation which was streamed via the county’s YouTube channel and available to watch on the McHenry County Government’s Facebook page, allowed Buehler to give some insight into what the county has done in terms of overcoming the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sun City special interest group petitions for more walker and biker friendly options

Paxton Knopsnyder, a member of the Walkers and Bicyclists for a Safer Community (WBSC) group, recalls the moment he and other residents knew there was a need to further advocate for better safety measures for the walkers and bicyclists of the community.

Phasing into a new era

Eager residents have probably kept up to date with each new photo the Huntley Area Public Library (HAPL) posts on their Facebook page regarding the new additions to the library. As of March 15, the library has been closed in order to prepare the old building for phase two which will involve some renovations.

What if I miss my second vaccine appointment in Sun City?

Residents have praised how well organized the Sun City clinics were and how easy it was for them to have their next appointment scheduled for their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. However, this does appear to bring up some concern for those who, for one reason or another, might not be able to make the appointment for their second dose at the next upcoming clinics scheduled to take place in March.

Snow obstructions raise concerns among some residents

It’s not only been a frigidly cold year in terms of temperatures reaching below zero somedays, but snowfall has been exceptionally on the heavier side this winter season.

There’s no exaggerating the nuisance this has caused Huntley residents as even the Village of Huntley assistant director of public works and engineering Jason Irvin explained via email, “The Village of Huntley has seen 68% (21.9”) of its average snowfall (32”) in 3-weeks and with the extreme cold and basically no snow melt there is very limited area left to pile snow.”

What can Sun City expect in the next phase of the COVID-19 vaccinations?

As many residents may already be aware, both Kane and McHenry Counties are in the process of gearing up to begin distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to individuals of group 1B which includes those that are ages 65 and older.

Trash it or pass it?

Residents, at one point or another, may have wondered to themselves whether the piece of garbage they are about to throw away should be recycled instead. The U.S. generates approximately 262 million tons of municipal solid waste annually, according to a report done by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The biggest portion of waste comes from consumer disposal of paper products, plastics, and food.

Club closures curb Woodchuck’s annual toy making

Residents of Sun City may remember how during last year’s holiday season, the Woodchucks’ charitable efforts led to the charter club being featured on local news station, WGN9. However, their annual wooden toy making drive is not exclusive to just one year alone, as according to fellow Woodchuck and event organizer, Al La Pelusa.

Bravery, compassion, humor

Avid readers of the Sun Day may very well be aware of former Sun City resident, Paul Souchek, whose colorful life has filled the Sun Day’s pages with tales of his time in 36th Infantry Division of the Army during WWII to his active involvement in various Sun City organizations such as the Scandinavian Club and other activities alongside his wife, Joan. Although today Souchek spends his days entertaining nurses and other staff with his humorous stories at the Alden of Huntley Senior Living facility, Souchek’s daughter, Linda Cook, explains that despite battling some medical setbacks, “[it] doesn’t slow him down.”

Sadly, Souchek’s wife passed away August 21 of this year after 73 years of marriage, but as Souchek recounts, was able to have one last touching moment with his beloved partner.

Prepare to lift your spirits with some Halloween Bingo!

The current pandemic has certainly taken its toll in terms of forcing events to either get cancelled or postponed for this year. With that in mind, residents of Sun City who have kept up to date on ongoing shows and events within the community may have taken notice to the Halloween BINGO event being held in the Drendel Ballroom on October 21.

Board approves camera installation and spillway construction

Residents that have kept up to date with the SCCAH Board of Directors meetings may already be aware of the Board’s new and old business highlights that took place at the September 23 meeting.

For those unfamiliar, the Board has approved the motion to install cameras in the Prairie and Meadowview Lodges, as well as the Millgrove Woodshop. The camera installations are part of a series of phases to monitor the improvement of security and cost savings as stated by SCCAH Board President, Dennis O’Leary.

Reed Rd. multi-use path project makes way for an enhanced pedestrian experience

As of August 15, the Village of Huntley concluded construction on a continuous multi-use path along the north side of Reed Road stretching an approximate distance of 0.25 miles and is now open for use to the public.

According to Tim Farrell, Director of Public Works and Engineering for the Village of Huntley, the path project began in direct response to the announcement of the Illinois Department of Transportation’s (IDOT) Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP).

Mum’s the word

September 22 marks the first day of fall, making it the prime season for one of autumn’s quintessential flowers, mums. Under normal circumstances, Sun City’s Sunflower Garden Club would have hosted their annual mum flower sale this month, demonstrating the beauty and vibrancy that mums can offer residents.

Whether they prefer them outside in a garden or keep them as a nice indoor plant, the possibilities are endless.

Meet the governing board candidates as they prepare for upcoming elections

Tuesday, August 4 provided the opportunity for all six candidates competing for the five open seats on the Sun City Community Association of Huntley (SCCAH) board of directors, to mingle amongst each other as they prepare their campaigns for the upcoming elections.

With the October 14 deadline for residents to cast their votes quickly approaching, this election poses some unique obstacles for the candidates having to navigate around the restrictions placed upon them by the current pandemic.

Proudly Serving the Community of
Sun City in Huntley

Michelle Moreno