Fox Valley faces in the news in 2010

The Fox Valley has its fair share of newsmakers. But looking back at 2010, there are a few people who stand out. A risk-taking policeman, a passionate teacher, a driven attorney, an active community member, a resourceful Scout and a trailblazing teen have all made their mark on the Fox Valley this year. Their enthusiasm and perseverance started before 2010 and will likely continue for years to come. But as we reflect on the last 12 months, it would be a mistake not to highlight the achievements of these six.

Jeffrey Swoboda

Swoboda started his career with the Elgin Police Department as a resident officer who lived in a city neighborhood. In April, 18 years after his start, Swoboda took over as chief after Lisa Womack left.

Swoboda improved morale at the station and enhanced his reputation as a chief who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty.

Exhibits 1 and 2: he jumped off a police Jeep to make an arrest during a fight at the city's July Fourth parade and directed traffic during a lengthy railroad track repair in downtown.

Yvonne Dinwiddie

Dinwiddie was the face of the opposition to the Batavia Park District plan to borrow $20 million to build a recreation center/store building/parking garage in downtown Batavia.

The longtime resident is known for her passionate devotion to reducing the burden on taxpayers and keeping an eye on the duties and limits of government.

She started a petition drive in the spring to get the project put to a vote by the public. She made yard signs, spoke at park board and city council meetings and wrote position papers.

People may not have agreed with her arguments, but she was clearly the one who initially questioned whether taxpayers should pony up the lion's share of the money for the public-private development.

Voters said no in November.

Gary Swick

Swick, a legendary Dundee-Crown High School environmental science teacher, has had a hand in nearly all the major environmental initiatives in the northern Fox Valley: the successful effort to save the Pure Oil silo in Carpentersville's Raceway Woods Forest Preserve from demolition; “Monitor with your Mother,” an annual Mother's Day event that teaches families how to monitor water quality in the Fox River; “Perry in the Prairie,” a program that educates students from Dundee-Crown and Perry Elementary School about the prairie ecosystem; the “Cool Bus,” a school bus that runs on biofuel and teaches kids about conservation; “Teen Teaching,” which has high school students develop an environmental science curriculum for other students; and the community's annual Earth Week celebrations.

Swick's efforts have won him a series of prestigious educator awards over his years of teaching.

He retired at the end of the 2009-2010 school year.

John Barsanti

As Kane County State's Attorney, Barsanti made his mark by suing Latin King members; starting a “No Refusal” DUI patrol in which officers were armed with search warrants to take blood draws from offenders who refused Breathalyzer tests; and launching a program to give first-time domestic violence offenders a chance to have their records expunged if they plead guilty, get counseling and stay out of trouble for 10 years.

Barsanti was sworn in as a judge in November.

Alex Reinbrecht

Alex earned one of Boy Scouts of America's highest honors — the Medal of Heroism Award — this year. His quick thinking and use of the CPR training he'd learned from Algonquin Boy Scout Troop 151 saved his mother's and sister's lives.

The West Dundee trio had been driving to New York over Labor Day weekend when their 1999 Ford Explorer left the roadway on the Indiana Toll Road, flipped over at least twice and came to rest upside down in a ditch.

In the chaos, Reinbrecht's sister Tatiana, 15, was thrown from the vehicle. Their mother, Marcela, had broken bones in her face and was knocked unconscious.

Alex, 14, had earned certificates in first aid and CPR from the Boy Scout troop months before the accident as a Star Scout. He used those skills to help his sister, who was losing consciousness and could have gone into shock from severe leg, head and spinal injuries at the side of the road.

He also instructed passers-by to assist his mother until help came.

Hannah Perryman

Hannah, a 17-year-old Elgin High School student who was stalked for years by a local teen but unable to obtain an order of protection, launched a campaign to change the state's stalking law. This year, the changes Hannah fought for became law.

The legislation helps people who cannot get orders of protection through the Illinois Domestic Violence Act or no-contact orders from civil courts.

The penalty for breaking an order of protection was increased for first and second violations. And the legislation retooled the definition of stalking, taking into account much of Hannah's experience.

Hannah has reached out to President Barack Obama, Congressman Peter Roskam and Sen. Dick Durbin asking them to work for stalking victims' protection.

Gov. Pat Quinn has already declared January Stalking Awareness month since reading Hannah's story.

• Staff writers Susan Sarkauskas, Harry Hitzeman, Christopher Hankins, Kerry Lester and Lenore Adkins contributed to this report.