DuPage Co. notable newsmakers
When we reflect on 2007 in DuPage County, we might remember the fascination with the emergence of the 17-year cicada. Or we might remember the arrival of the destructive emerald ash borer that threatens the suburban landscape.
We might remember celebrating the news that 5-year-old Hannah Klamecki of Villa Park was found alive after being lost for 40 hours on the Kankakee River. Or we might recall the sadness that came with the news that her grandfather, David Klamecki, died trying to save her.
We might focus on new beginnings for people like the Weems family, who moved into a home in the DuPage chapter of Habitat for Humanity's biggest project -- a subdivision in West Chicago.
Or we might celebrate the contributions of people like Wheaton North student Kendall Ciesemier, whose efforts to raise money for AIDS orphans in Africa earned her a surprise visit from former President Bill Clinton and a spot on Oprah Winfrey's show.
These are just some of the events that moved us, thrilled us or saddened us in 2007.
Each year, our reporters and editors identify some of the year's most memorable stories representing human achievement or events that shaped our lives in the suburbs.
They are all told through the people involved. These are the faces that represent our newsmakers of 2007.
Itasca Police Officer Rick Brogan spearheaded a project to create a historical display at the Itasca Police Department. Brogan and a number of longtime Itasca residents spent months on the project. They collected old clothing, photographs, hand-written police reports, badges and other memorabilia that is now on display.
After a rough year, DuPage State's Attorney Joseph Birkett announced in July that he would not abandon the office he helped build. His decision to seek election for a fourth term in 2008 ended months of speculation about whether the 26-year prosecutor would call it quits. The 52-year-old Wheaton Republican's team has a high conviction rate, but his office's challenges weighed heavily. His deputy criminal chief died May 11 in an alcohol-related crash. Another top assistant resigned in the fallout. It came on the heels of an ex-worker stealing nearly $1 million and severe staffing shortages due to the county's budget crisis. Instead of quitting, Birkett rolled up his sleeves and took on more courtroom cases, including personally prosecuting several high-profile murders.
Lombard resident David Cord, a sophomore at Willowbrook High School, organized a project for his Eagle Scout badge that wound up producing hundreds of pounds of fresh food for the York Township Food Pantry and the Daily Herald's Giving Garden program. His efforts at the village community garden were aided by 10 members of his Boy Scout troop -- and his grandmother, his gardening inspiration. Cord, along with residents across five counties, helped break the fresh food donation program's records this year and collected a whopping 79,297 pounds of produce for area food pantries.
Elizabeth Anne Necka of Bloomingdale was crowned Roselle's 48th Rose Queen. The Lake Park High School senior also received the Roselle Chamber of Commerce 2007 Scholastic Achievement Award.
George Hood, a 49-year-old Aurora resident attempted to pedal his way into history in January when he tied the Guinness World Record for spin cycling for 82 hours on a stationary bike. It's his second brush with world record fame. In 1986, he broke the world record by jumping rope for about 13 hours. Unfortunately, Guinness did not acknowledge the feat. He plans to keep on trying.
Alberto Agama uses puppets to teach at Lombard Assembly of God.
The 17-year cicadas hit the streets in June, singing a shrill song that won't be forgotten soon. The bugs appear only every 17 years but in vast quantities. Suburbs affected by the infestation got used to the incessant buzzing, but not the crunching sound when you walked on the bugs. The cicadas died after a few weeks, leaving a new generation to burrow out in 2024.
In April, 81-year-old Yvonne Dowlen of Lakewood, Colo., skated into hearts of local skating fans. She finished in fifth place in the age 56-and-over Ladies Masters Junior competition of the 2007 U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships, which took place in Bensenville.
Suzanne Hackenbruch, a resident of the Warrenville Winchester condo subdivision, organized neighbors and brought attention to neglect of the property by the homeowner association board and management company. As a result, Warrenville officials got involved, handing out code violations and working to mediate the situation between the board, company and residents.
Jamal and Morgan Weems, a Carol Stream couple who were selected by the DuPage chapter of Habitat for Humanity to move into a new West Chicago home in mid-2007. Habitat soon afterward announced that it would build the DuPage chapter's biggest project -- a full-scale subdivision -- in West Chicago.
Shirley Zeigler, physical education teacher at Westfield Elementary School in Glen Ellyn, was crowned National Educator of the Year by the Bowling Proprietors Association of America. She won an all-expense paid trip to Las Vegas. Zeigler, a champion collegian bowler, was chosen for her creativity in the way she incorporated the game into the school curriculum.
April Rawlings of Medinah was one of roughly 2,500 young women to audition for "Paradise City," a soap documentary about life in Las Vegas by Ryan Seacrest Productions and the producers of Laguna Beach. Rawlings made the final cut and the show aired on E! Entertainment Television.
Last spring, Glenbard South High School junior Tommy Hirsch submitted a design for his version of cows throughout history: he went with Noah's Ark. Lucerne liked it so much they selected him as one of 30 students nationwide who received a life-size faux cow on which to portray his design for a contest.
Barbara Hochstadt, who served on the Roselle Elementary District 12 board, was elected to the Roselle village board this year. She received an overwhelming support from voters, earning more votes than incumbent trustees.
In July, an emerald ash borer infestation was discovered in several trees in Glendale Heights. DuPage was the fourth county in Illinois where the tiny, metallic green bugs were located. Others include Cook, Kane and LaSalle counties. An Illinois Department of Agriculture nursery inspector made the discovery at Concord Green Shopping Center, near the intersection of North Avenue and Bloomingdale Road, after he noticed distressed ash trees.
After serving tens of thousands of Chicago-style hot dogs along downtown Glen Ellyn sidewalks for nearly a decade, Lee Eversole hung up his buns this year after setting up his small cart this summer for one last run.
Ray Thompson, 96, continues to serve as Lilac Town Senior Chorus director, providing leadership for the 29 singers who tour the area. He marks his 25th year as director in 2008.
Erica Iozzo, 17, sings her way to becoming one of a dozen finalists in "Inspiration Sensation," a television contest on the Aurora-based Total Living Network. She and other contemporary Christian gospel performers vied for national exposure and a recording contract.
Former Speaker of the House, U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert, pledged his memorabilia and support for the creation of a new academic program and center of study at Wheaton College in preparation for his retirement.
Laura Barron, 47, takes over for Mario Parente as director of the Oakbrook Terrace Park District after having worked in Glen Ellyn, Naperville and most recently for seven years as Lisle Park District's recreation superintendent.
Joe Schrantz, 77, launches a laughing club in Villa Park after belonging to another laughing club at Beacon Hill Retirement Center in Lombard for nearly four years.
There was no sign of 5-year-old Hannah Klamecki, a Villa Park kindergartner who had been on a boating trip on the Kankakee River in June with her grandfather. The boat was found along the shore, as was the body of David Klamecki, 62, of Momence, who drowned. Searchers feared the worst for the little girl. However, after about 40 hours, Hannah emerged from woods near the river -- muddy, naked and hungry -- but unharmed save for a few bumps and scratches.
West Chicago resident Sandy Riess raised questions about possible residual buried thorium contamination after two of her dogs died within weeks of one another. Riess' actions set off a chain of events that, five months later, led to a federal Environmental Protection Agency announcement that 41 properties would be examined for possible leftover contamination.
Cary Dittmann, a West Chicago resident, helped organize the Friends of the Fen, a group devoted to lobbying against development of 200 acres owned by St. Andrews Golf and Country Club on the western end of Klein Road. The organization believes the property feeds needed water into a rare nearby wetland. The Friends saw a partial victory when the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County annexed a portion of the land.
Stephen L. Kuhn, the former West Chicago police chief, left the post in early 2007 under mysterious circumstances that the city never fully explained. Kuhn, who held the job for little more than a year and had a troubled history in former positions, never responded to requests for comment.
Leta Dean, a West Chicago resident, led protests against the local Family Video for its back-room selection of pornographic movies. Dean and others argued that the movies were inappropriate for a family environment and too accessible to children.
A former campaign worker of Villa Park President Joyce Stupegia gets arrested in Champaign in June on identity theft charges, but Jason T. McDermott, 31, of Macomb bonded out and hasn't been caught since. He also is wanted in downstate Henry County for failing to appear in court after he was pulled over in August 2006 for speeding. State police said he'd shown an ID badge identifying him as Villa Park's deputy village president, a position that doesn't exist.
The Rev. John F. Dumke of St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in West Chicago kept his congregation alive for two years after their church burned down. Dumke led parishioners in their efforts to rebuild the church; groundbreaking took place in late 2007.
Itasca police officer Tim Mace pulled a disoriented 75-year-old Chicago man out of a vehicle -- only moments before the fire consumed the car in January. He was recognized for his heroics by the police department.
John Vohasek, a 6-year-old from Roselle, found a cicada with white eyes in June. It was estimated to be a one in a million find. He named the insect Bob and kept him as a pet. The boy found Bob while visiting Camp Green Wood in Naperville. Periodical cicadas, which emerge from the ground en masse every 17 years, only live for a few weeks. They come out to breed and die. Normally, the six-legged creatures have red eyes.
Ray Lytle, Steve Padron, and Clyde Passman started an Internet radio station -- ThrowBackRock.com -- in a Bloomingdale strip mall. The station has 20,000 unique daily listeners.
Carole Marcinkus and Dino Gavanes redevelop their one-story business, Premier Risk Services, into the first four-story building in downtown Itasca. The new building continues to house their business, with office and retail space on the first floor and residential units on the third and fourth floors.
Roselle police officers Scott Phillips and Pat Stopka pioneer efforts to build a Safety Town in Roselle.
Bob LaDeur, the former Warrenville police chief, retired early this year after decades on the job. In his time as chief, LaDeur helped the Warrenville Police Department evolve from a tiny operation to a one worthy of a rapidly growing city.
Mike Gresk, a former Wheaton city councilman, became the city's first new mayor in more than a decade. He immediately set about creating his own team, leading to the near complete reorganization of the city's very visible Community Relations Commission.
Mike Benard became the Wheaton Park District's third executive director in less than three years, following the tumultuous, short tenure of Rob Robinson, who resigned to the surprise of park commissioners. Benard came in with a pledge of stability and set about solving the puzzle of district finances, as poor bookkeeping left the numbers muddled.
Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 Superintendent Richard Drury replaced the retiring Gary Catalani and fell right into the climax of the most contentious issue in the district for the past five years -- the future of Hubble Middle School.
Michelle Senatore, perhaps the most vocal opponent of relocating Hubble Middle School to Warrenville, found herself booted from her position as the leader of the city's Community Relations Commission when she refused to silence her school views.
Wheaton Warrenville Unit District 200 parent Mark Rissman voiced his concerns about the viewing of R-rated films by high school students and succeeded in getting the district to overhaul its policy.
Ray Shepardson and Tim Rater, the duo behind the rejuvenation of the Wheaton Grand Theater, succeeded in selling the Wheaton city council on the impact a revitalized performance center could have on downtown business. The council recognized the theater as the city's top priority moving forward.
Wheaton North High School freshman Kendall Ciesemier found herself the guest of former President Bill Clinton on the Oprah Winfrey show in recognition for her humanitarian efforts to raise money for AIDS orphans in Africa.
Dan Tani, Glenbard East High School's most famous graduate, returns to space as a member of the space shuttle Discovery in October. He'll spend two months about the international space station, completing at least three space walks.
College of DuPage Trustee Jane Herron resigned suddenly in January, surprising her fellow board members. She cited concerns with the board awarding multi-million dollar contracts to companies with performance issues, awarding over-budget contracts on the Facility Master Plan and trying to micromanage the college.
College of DuPage graduate Joe Wozniak took his father's old campaign signs for other offices, updated them for COD and planted them around the county. For the sum of $700, this 27-year-old Naperville resident ran a campaign that got him elected to the board of trustees for the next six years.
Rob Sherman, the suburb's most well-known atheist, found himself at the heart of an international scandal, unwittingly, when a journalist was accused of fraud. Terrorism expert Alexis Debat claimed a Rob Sherman from suburban Chicago conducted an interview with Barack Obama for him that Debat attached his name to. It was not Buffalo Grove's Rob Sherman, though some national media wonks speculated otherwise.
James White, DuPage County's longest serving superintendent, announces his retirement at the end of the current school year. He's been in charge of Queen Bee Elementary District 16 since 1985.
Paul Friedrichs leaves his post as finance director to become executive director of the Lombard Park District and takes some heat after leaks force him to close the Moran Water Park's lap pool.
Wheaton 10-year-old golfer Michael Suazo makes two holes-in-one within weeks of each other over the summer, both during tournament play.
Bloomingdale resident and Fenton High School teacher Jerry Vondruska finished in 33rd place out of 88 runners in the two-day, 135-mile, nonstop foot race from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney, CA, known as the Badwater 135.
Bloomingdale Marine Joshua Brooks returned home from his second and final tour of Iraq in time to celebrate July 4 with family and friends.
Plain White T's came home to rock the DuPage County Fair July 26, the same week "Hey There Delilah" topped national iTunes and Billboard charts.
Wood Dale indie rock band After Never finishes in second place on a nationally televised battle of the bands contest in September and lands on the initial Grammy 2008 ballot by late October.
Zachary Woosley, 4, of Bloomingdale and his service dog Gemini made news this year when the boy with autism was allowed to bring Gemini to school on a regular basis in October.
Emil Cargola, a 20-year Itasca police officer , resigned in the midst of criminal drunken driving charges and an internal department investigation.
Robert Williams, a 65-year-old avid jogger from Bensenville, accused Alfonso Ramirez of cheating and argued Ramirez couldn't have completed the Bensenville 5K in 16 minutes, 25 seconds -- more than six minutes faster than Williams' time. After a few weeks, Ramirez discovered he may have forgotten to run the third and final lap.
Kevin Streelman, a Winfield native and amateur golfer, was one of 12 golfers to advance to the final rounds of "The Ultimate Game" in Las Vegas. He won $100,000 in the golf tourney. Streelman netted $25,000 after paying back his sponsors.
The Rev. Jim McLain lost his New Orleans home and Peace Presbyterian Church in Hurricane Katrina in 2005. After two years of not knowing what to do or where to go next, he has relocated to Itasca's First Presbyterian Church.
Wheaton College Professor Joel Sheesley contributed a piece to "Expressing Faith," an art show at the Billy Graham Center.
Marget Hamilton, manager of the DuPage Older Adult Institute for about 20 years and the first woman mayor in Illinois, shares her story with the B.R. Ryall YMCA's Men and Women's Club in Glen Ellyn.
Mark Schmidt, a junior at Wheaton Warrenville South High School, took second place in national recitation contest for Illinois Poetry Out Loud.
Villa Park author Allie Pleiter published her eighth book, a Christian romance novel set in Seattle titled "The Perfect Blend." Pleiter's seventh novel, "My So-Called Love Life," won second-place honors for best contemporary romance from the American Christian Fiction Writers.
Lisa Wise of Naperville, Peggy Wilson of Western Springs and Sheri D'Ambrose of Addison were winners in the first "You Look Marvelous, Mom" contest, sponsored by Excentrique Boutique and Zazu Salon and Day Spa in Hinsdale, Plastic Surgery Consultants of DuPage in Wheaton, mbc Fitness in Westmont and P.S. Communications. The prize? A lifestyle makeover that included dermatological treatments, workouts with a personal trainer, nutrition and beauty consultations and a new outfit. The busy women also learned it's OK to take care of themselves every now and then.
Villa Park resident Kathy Carwell, owner of Cornerstone Used Books, celebrated the shop's fifth anniversary in April.
Alton Yeager of Yeager Fotografix received the coveted Wedding and Portrait Photographers International Accolades of Excellence Award in the "Wedding Photojournalism" category for seven of his photos.
In January, 33-year-old Lombard resident Jason Pisarik bested three opponents to retain his title as "Ultimate Couch Potato" at the ESPN Zone in Chicago. Pisarik sat and watched TV -- and had to remain awake -- for nearly 40 hours. His efforts earned him a 42-inch HDTV, gift certificates and a trophy with a fresh potato on top, not to mention his mom's praise. "(The title) would make any mother proud," Teri Pisarik said. "He's always been a big sports fan."
Finalists for the 2007 Golden Apple Awards from DuPage County schools were: John Naisbitt of Hinsdale Central, Mike Sullivan of Willowbrook High School in Villa Park, Chris Pietsch of Glenbard East in Lombard, Stephanie Skizas of Glenbard South near Glen Ellyn and Kraig Conyer of Hinsdale South. Naisbitt was named one of the 10 winners. These five from DuPage were among 32 Chicago-area finalists out of 941 nominations for high school teachers.
Skizas_stephanie_mg011807
Sullivan_Mike_mg0118
Naisbitt_John_mg011807
Conyer_Kraig_mg011807
Pietsch_Chris_mg011807
Oak Book police sergeant Randy Mucha kept his job last April after a local couple sued the village, which settled for $2 million, claiming that Mucha spied on and harassed them. But he was fired in June when the Oak Brook police and fire board decided Mucha lied under oath.
Three young entrepreneurs, Chase, 9; Brice, 6; and Logan, 4, grew pumpkins and gourds in their back yard to earn spending money for their family vacation. The Balosky brothers were so successful with harvesting and selling their crop that they plan to revive their fledgling business next fall.
Saying the Silent Reflection and Student Prayer Act blurred the line between separation of church and state, Willowbrook High School junior Sara Tews started an online group to protest the law. The group attracted more than 200 members in less than a week and claims more than 1,000 members.
With her pink hair highlights and down-to-earth vibe, Naperville native Jes Rickleff won the VH1 reality show "Rock of Love with Bret Michaels," where dozens of women competed to become the Poison singer's girlfriend. Love didn't last, however, and Rickleff is now home in the Chicago area promoting a clothing line.
Ray Campbell, a Glen Ellyn resident who is visually impaired, spoke out against proposed cuts to the Pace budget. Campbell said if his bus service to the Metra station is eliminated it would adversely affect his commute, echoing concerns of other mass transit users in the region.
Hudson, the new polar bear cub at Brookfield Zoo, made his public debut in April, becoming an instant celebrity. He was named after Hudson Bay in Canada.
Carol Stream native Ryan Anderson spends his summer season operating a boat detailing business in the city, and his winter traveling to Cambodia to help rebuild orphanages. He spun those trips off into a fledgling not-for-profit called Hands on Helping.
Naperville native Jeffrey Tunkel finished in 62nd place out of 6,200 participants in the World Series of Poker, netting a $154,000 pay day.
Longtime Carol Stream mayor Ross Ferraro stepped down in April after 20 years in the post.
Caylen Goudie, a 2003 graduate of Benet Academy in Lisle and daughter of ABC-7 Chicago investigative reporter and Daily Herald columnist Chuck Goudie, took a summer job driving the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile.
Wheaton native Ryan Larson was one of only two men to be ordained as Catholic priests this year in the Joliet Diocese.
Independent candidate Pete Ladesic put a dent in the Civic Betterment Party's long tradition in April after voters chose him to serve as a trustee on the Glen Ellyn village board. It's been about 30 years since a candidate independent of the party was elected as trustee, and throughout the party's 76-year history, only a few independents have been elected.
DuPage County board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom was at the center of a storm over his doomsday budget that includes layoffs and program cuts. Despite threats of a revolt by board members, Schillerstrom got enough votes to pass the budget with the proviso the reductions won't occur if a sales tax hike referendum question passes Feb. 5.
Jim Zay, chairman of the county board's storm water management committee, is in the forefront of a study examining if DuPage County should switch to a fee-based system for storm water instead of property taxes based on paved surfaces on properties. It would impact school districts, not-for-profits and other governments which is creating some flak.
Joan DiPiero of Bloomingdale became a new board member for Lake Park High School District 108 in June. She has replaced Katherine Wienberg, who resigned earlier this year and moved out of the district.
Terry Isaacson made a drastic career change after he turned 50 years old. The Glen Ellyn man, who spent more than 20 years working as a body mechanic at an auto shop in Glendale Heights, opened up a photography studio. He decided to switch careers after he suffered a severe brain injury after being involved in a car accident. He believes it's never too late to teach an old dog new tricks.