MY SUN DAY NEWS
I want to tell you for a minute about an unsung hero. Sorry, I can barely keep a straight face just writing that because unsung hero is probably an overstatement so far as our readers are concerned, but the term is still apt because he’s both unsung and a hero to this newspaper. His name is Kurt Kuehnert, and after ten years, he recently retired from his Advertising Manager position.
I want to tell you for a minute about an unsung hero. Sorry, I can barely keep a straight face just writing that because unsung hero is probably an overstatement so far as our readers are concerned, but the term is still apt because he’s both unsung and a hero to this newspaper.
His name is Kurt Kuehnert, and after ten years, he recently retired from his Advertising Manager position.
As the population in McHenry and Kane Counties continues to grow rapidly, will there be enough drinking water to satisfy the demand?
Yes, with smart planning, a region-wide collaboration and residents as well as businesses adopting a strong water-conservation ethic.
That’s the word from local and state water experts.
I’m in a good mood today, and I have heavy traffic to thank for it.
I know that’s a crazy thing to say, unless you’re an ambulance-chasing lawyer or a psychiatrist who sees dollar signs in other people’s misery. But I’m neither of those things, so go ahead — call me crazy.
If you were an active camper, does not mean you have to give up camping when you hit your golden years. Esther Bell, a Sun City resident, camping for 55 years continues to hitch her camper to the wagon and get back to nature. Bell said, “In college, we went camping to a spot with no water, and no toilets. We brought big coolers, dug our latrines, and hung our toilet paper on branches. That trip as difficult as it sounds, but it was made worse when a tent started on fire from a spark from a campfire.”
If you were an active camper, does not mean you have to give up camping when you hit your golden years. Esther Bell, a Sun City resident, camping for 55 years continues to hitch her camper to the wagon and get back to nature.
Bell said, “In college, we went camping to a spot with no water, and no toilets. We brought big coolers, dug our latrines, and hung our toilet paper on branches. That trip as difficult as it sounds, but it was made worse when a tent started on fire from a spark from a campfire.”
Every so often, I’ll have a week where it seems as if my coworkers hate me. Later that same week, my husband will start eyeing me in that way that convinces me he’s desperate to divorce me. My friends won’t call — a sure sign that they absolutely cannot stand me. And it isn’t just people turning against me — it’s dinner, scorched in the oven; the latch on the window that snaps off in my hand as I hurry to let the smoke from the oven escape. It’s the spot on my favorite pants, rendering them unwearable.
Did you know that heat-related illnesses are the most risky and dangerous for older adults? This becomes true with the presence of age-producing conditions and medications that can increase susceptibility to heat. Extreme heat has continued to become more common in the U.S. With higher outdoor temperatures, more heat-related illnesses, such as heatstroke, are found annually.
It was announced at the May 25 Sun City board meeting that four cameras were purchased at a cost of $9,000 and that they would be installed at the Tall Oaks Courts for unspecified purposes. Executive Director Loughran did state that “they’re not for security purposes.”
Six sample illustrations for a new monument sign at the recently renamed Veterans Memorial Field were presented at the June 22 meeting of the Sun City Board. The illustrations showed stone signs that were in the six feet high by nine feet wide range with ornamental stones as embellished frames.
Film fests have been a breeding ground for the next generation of talent. From major leaders like Steven Soderbergh and Quentin Tarantino, to niche filmmakers like Wes Anderson, they all got their start at one place: The Sundance Film Festival. Started in 1978 and spearheaded by Robert Redford, the event has happened every January in Park City, Utah. Many features and shorts are presented and attended by bigwigs in Hollywood. If you happen to be the lucky director, bid wars between studios are common. And with the need for more content means more competition. But some are just hype.
As the 10th largest state in the United States, Michigan possesses a large amount of natural resources. From wetlands to sand dunes, from forests to lakes and rivers all are just waiting for us to explore and enjoy. One of the state’s natural resources is called Oudolf Garden.
Whenever Nancy and I have a day dedicated to running errands, we always like to plan out our itinerary in the morning while sucking down coffee and watching cartoons. Our travels that day would take us to Schaumburg where Nancy had to get the obligatory COVID test before having a medical procedure in a few days. As a reward for Nancy having to bear the horrific ordeal of having a cotton swab jammed up her nose, she requested to have lunch at Heng Wing Restaurant in Palatine.
I’m a spousal caregiver to my wife, who has Parkinson’s disease. Her care needs are beginning to exceed what I can manage. Although we have daughters in the area who stop by frequently during the week, we don’t want to become a burden to them.
Huntley pitcher Jori Heard fires a strike in action earlier this season. She was named first team all-state.
Letters for the week of July 14.
Sun City resident Bob Begora began to worry about the pineapple top he had planted in a small pot two years ago, as he noted not much progress had occurred in its growth. Having been a wholesale produce buyer for major hotel chains for over 30 years, Begora has had the opportunity to experience the whole pineapple lifecycle through his visits to plantations in Hawaii and always had the idea in his mind to grow a pineapple of his own.
Sun City resident Bob Begora began to worry about the pineapple top he had planted in a small pot two years ago, as he noted not much progress had occurred in its growth.
Having been a wholesale produce buyer for major hotel chains for over 30 years, Begora has had the opportunity to experience the whole pineapple lifecycle through his visits to plantations in Hawaii and always had the idea in his mind to grow a pineapple of his own.
Women’s fiction author and former life coach Merida Johns took a leap of faith in 2017 when she decided to transition from publishing academic literature to writing fiction upon being challenged to do so by one of her colleagues during a conference call. “The other [life] coaches and I were talking about how best to disseminate information about leadership and how to have a flourishing life and one of the coaches asked me about writing a book on leadership,” Johns said. “I really wanted to take the concept of leadership and positive psychology and self-awareness and flourishing lives, and I wanted to embody those concepts in stories looking at how ordinary folks, ordinary people, really face challenges.”
Women’s fiction author and former life coach Merida Johns took a leap of faith in 2017 when she decided to transition from publishing academic literature to writing fiction upon being challenged to do so by one of her colleagues during a conference call.
“The other [life] coaches and I were talking about how best to disseminate information about leadership and how to have a flourishing life and one of the coaches asked me about writing a book on leadership,” Johns said. “I really wanted to take the concept of leadership and positive psychology and self-awareness and flourishing lives, and I wanted to embody those concepts in stories looking at how ordinary folks, ordinary people, really face challenges.”
Never have I been so reluctant to return a book to the library than Yossy Arefi’s Snacking Cakes: Simple Treats for Anytime Cravings. Most of the recipes are mixed in a single bowl, and use simple ingredients. I baked my way through that book, making the cute little cakes. I started with chocolate, then graduated onto oatmeal chocolate chip, lime-coconut, and finally plum-cardamom. Each cake reminded me of my time as an exchange student in Germany when I was in high school.
The never-ending battle over gun control always seems to hit a brick wall at the Second Amendment, which states: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” The statement raises important questions on all sides, regarding what, exactly, our Founding Fathers meant by it. By “Arms” did they necessarily mean “guns,” or would swords, knives, and spears suffice as arms? If they were talking specifically about guns, did they give any thought to what type of gun might be a bridge too far, given the horrors future technology might bring?
The never-ending battle over gun control always seems to hit a brick wall at the Second Amendment, which states: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
The statement raises important questions on all sides, regarding what, exactly, our Founding Fathers meant by it. By “Arms” did they necessarily mean “guns,” or would swords, knives, and spears suffice as arms? If they were talking specifically about guns, did they give any thought to what type of gun might be a bridge too far, given the horrors future technology might bring?
Russ Becker saw a small log cabin while at a museum in New York State when he was in grade school. He couldn’t get that building out of his mind. It was his inspiration to build a castle. Becker, a resident of Huntley, said, “I wanted to build something bigger than a log cabin, but there wasn’t anything around at the time that would give enough material to build a castle. I would have to buy many Lincoln Log kits. I decided to use pennies. So, I started collecting pennies.”
Russ Becker saw a small log cabin while at a museum in New York State when he was in grade school. He couldn’t get that building out of his mind. It was his inspiration to build a castle.
Becker, a resident of Huntley, said, “I wanted to build something bigger than a log cabin, but there wasn’t anything around at the time that would give enough material to build a castle. I would have to buy many Lincoln Log kits. I decided to use pennies. So, I started collecting pennies.”
The need to replace the water main at the Mill and Dean Street intersection was addressed. The H. Linden & Sons Sewer and Water company bid of $804,346 to complete the work was accepted and approved. The payout of $120,404 to Martam Construction for their work on the Eakin Creek Sanitary Interceptor Sewer at the Jim Dhamer-Illinois Route 47 intersection was approved. This was the first payout on the progress of the project.
The need to replace the water main at the Mill and Dean Street intersection was addressed. The H. Linden & Sons Sewer and Water company bid of $804,346 to complete the work was accepted and approved.
The payout of $120,404 to Martam Construction for their work on the Eakin Creek Sanitary Interceptor Sewer at the Jim Dhamer-Illinois Route 47 intersection was approved. This was the first payout on the progress of the project.
Elwood Dowd, the kind-hearted, eccentric protagonist of the play, “Harvey,” enjoys talking to strangers, although, he says, they don’t stay strangers for long. “Soon, the faces of all the other people, they turn toward mine and they smile,” says Elwood. “And they’re saying, ‘We don’t know your name, mister, but you’re a very nice fella.’”
Elwood Dowd, the kind-hearted, eccentric protagonist of the play, “Harvey,” enjoys talking to strangers, although, he says, they don’t stay strangers for long.
“Soon, the faces of all the other people, they turn toward mine and they smile,” says Elwood. “And they’re saying, ‘We don’t know your name, mister, but you’re a very nice fella.’”
As houses age, some of the original equipment, even some of the replaced equipment, is no longer safe to use. While talking to neighbors, I am surprised at how much needed maintenance is not being done. Every few months we plan remind readers of things they need to do. Below are five home maintenance chores that if you don’t do could cost you many thousands of dollars.
As houses age, some of the original equipment, even some of the replaced equipment, is no longer safe to use. While talking to neighbors, I am surprised at how much needed maintenance is not being done. Every few months we plan remind readers of things they need to do.
Below are five home maintenance chores that if you don’t do could cost you many thousands of dollars.
As residents may already be aware, at the April 28 Village Board meeting, trustees unanimously approved a $47,000 one-year contract with a retail recruitment firm called The Retail Coach. The Retail Coach states that they are “the nation’s premier retail recruitment, market analysis, and development firm that will assist in creating a retail recruitment and development strategy that will help drive new business to Huntley.”
As residents may already be aware, at the April 28 Village Board meeting, trustees unanimously approved a $47,000 one-year contract with a retail recruitment firm called The Retail Coach.
The Retail Coach states that they are “the nation’s premier retail recruitment, market analysis, and development firm that will assist in creating a retail recruitment and development strategy that will help drive new business to Huntley.”
After two and a half years into the world viral disaster, health experts and White House officials are pivoting and stating a Covid-19 vaccination conclusion: “The current approach of offering booster shots every few months isn’t sustainable.” Due to the critical need for the initial quickly developed vaccination to curb the drastic amount of deaths and hospitalizations at the onset of the pandemic, it now becomes apparent that these shots are not as successful as viral vaccines from the past.
For some people, sand is an inconvenience that gets stuck between one’s toes. For others, it is something fun to collect and display. Sand collectors are called arenophiles. They look for sand samples with a variety of textures, colors, mineralogy, and location. Sun City resident Kari Freeman has a collection of small bottles filled with samples of sand from all over the world.
For some people, sand is an inconvenience that gets stuck between one’s toes. For others, it is something fun to collect and display. Sand collectors are called arenophiles. They look for sand samples with a variety of textures, colors, mineralogy, and location.
Sun City resident Kari Freeman has a collection of small bottles filled with samples of sand from all over the world.
One thing that unites us all is the ability to be loved and understood. No matter the differences, those are criteria which matter. Some would say we could be proud of those. And here we are in the perfect month for that. Parades, mixers and drag shows are for allies too. We have come a long way from 1969 and it is great to see the inclusiveness. I laughed at seeing the trailer for Bros, happy to see ourselves getting an offbeat romantic comedy in theaters. However, there is also a great set of movies and series newly released.
As you go north on Route 47 things seem to get bigger. You approach the town of Hebron, and immediately you see a giant basketball cleverly disguised as a water tower. This undoubtedly was the game ball when the Hebron High School won the IHSA championship in 1952. Drive past the downtown area, look on your left, and there stands as Henery Hawk, the cartoon character would say, “that is the biggest chicken ever I see.” It must be a monument to Foghorn Leghorn. He is standing guard in front of Crandall’s Restaurant in Hebron.
Tonight, like most nights, Chris, my husband, made us a delicious dinner. A fresh salad and chicken quesadillas were enjoyed by my daughter, my son and me. Strawberry Baked Alaska, compliments of my daughter, Sarah were served for dessert. This morning we enjoyed coffee and fresh baked blueberry muffins for breakfast. While we all appreciate each other’s time and talents in the kitchen, none of it would be possible if not for the bees and other pollinators. The tomatoes, blueberries, strawberries, cucumbers, green peppers, jalapeños and even the coffee that nourish our bodies were only harvested after pollinating insects helped to produce them.
I’m concerned about my husband. He is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s and has always been an avid gardener. He (and I) have reached the point where we can no longer garden as he’s used to doing. The constant bending over to plant flowers causes my back to flare up. My husband’s Alzheimer’s prevents him from staying safe outside in the heat and sun.
Letters for the week of June 30.
