Kane County digest
Ex-officer appeals to court:
A Kane County corrections officer fired in June is appealing his dismissal to a civil court. Jose Rivera, of Batavia, was fired by the Kane County Sheriff's Merit Commission for showing favoritism to an inmate, which could have led to a tip-off of an upcoming cell shakedown. Shortly before the planned shakedown, Vincent Born, of Elgin, died after taking a stash of pills. The civil court serves as an appellate court, of sorts, for sheriff and fire merit commission decisions.
Sugar Grove man pleads:
A Sugar Grove man who torched a strip club near Geneva was sentenced to five years in prison for arson.
John H. Kellum, 34, agreed to the sentence last week as part of a plea deal. He admitted setting the Nov. 20 fire at Thumper's Gentlemen's Club on Route 38 in exchange for prosecutors dropping charges of burglary and criminal damage to property. He also must pay $6,453.48 in restitution. He gets credit for the 177 days he spent in the Kane County jail. According to prosecutors, Kellum and John Hall of Aurora set fire to the strip club because they were mad that after they broke into the building there was nothing they wanted to steal. The fire caused about $10,000 in damage to the carpet and some furniture.
Hall was sentenced in April to five years in prison for the arson and an Oct. 28 break-in at Sportster's Bar in St. Charles. Hall and Kellum face charges in Grundy, Kendall, DeKalb and Livingston counties for other burglaries.
'Elvis' at the Arcada:
Concerts set for Aug. 10 and 11 at the Arcada Theater in St. Charles will mark the 30th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death. The "Three Faces of the King" series features three Elvis impersonators, a choir and live backup band. DJ Fontana, Presley's original drummer, also will be on hand to share his memories of Elvis. The shows start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $29 and up, and are available in advance by calling (630) 587-8400 or through the venue's Web site, www.thearcada.com. The theater is at 105 E. Main St.
'Senior Idol' auditions:
Senior citizens can compete in the "Senior Idol" contest at the 12th annual Senior Lifestyle Expo Sept. 5 and 6 in Oak Brook. The deadline to enter is Aug. 15 or until all slots are full. "Senior Idol" is open to people who will be 60 or older by Sept. 5. Auditions will be from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sept. 5 and from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 6 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane, Oak Brook. Audition times must be scheduled in advance and there is a $10 entry fee for individuals. The cost is $20 for a group of up to four. For details or an application, call Connie Kobitter at (630) 293-5990 or send an e-mail to crkevents@ageguide.org.
Aurora to apply for grant:
The city of Aurora and Aurora Police Department will apply for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program for 2007. Aurora, Elgin, Carpentersville and Kane County are working together to apply for the grant, which might allocate up to $84,358 to the city. If approved, the city may use the funding to purchase a gunshot locator system. Public comments are sought and can be e-mailed to Deputy Chief Greg Anderson at andersog@apd.aurora.il.us. He also can be reached at (630) 264-INFO.