This week's in-depth interview: FREEPOD host Alan Wenzel speaks with Stephenson County Clerk Jazmin Wingert about the upcoming election:
Hosmer Apartment armed barricade incident
A week has passed since a standoff with Freeport police occurred at the Mary Hosmer apartment building in Freeport, but residents still are shaken from the event.
On the morning of Sept. 4, police responded to a call to a tenth-floor apartment for a woman who needed help. After talking with resident Grady Clark as well as the woman, officers got her out of the apartment but Clark remained inside.
He had allegedly said he had both weapons and a hostage and refused to come out, leading to a 12-hour standoff that eventually involved Illinois State Police. Clark finally surrendered peacefully late Wednesday night and several firearms were recovered. No one was injured and residents were advised they could return to their homes. Clark faces numerous charges from the incident.
Adams Avenue construction update
Adams Avenue has been a long and challenging project. In 2023, contractors Helm Civil and N-Trak Group started working on Adams to improve the roadway and renew the underlying infrastructure.
This project includes new pavement, water main, sewer main, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, water valves, hydrants, storm water inlets, storm sewer, and street signs. This reconstruction has faced many delays throughout its 15 months.
As crews uncovered sections of road, the historical issues left behind proved to require professional exactness. The movement of utility poles and service lines also caused delays.
The City is optimistic that this project can reach completion by the end of November.
Freeport High School garden project receives grant
The Illinois Department of Agriculture, or IDOA, is distributing over a half-million dollars in grants over a three-year period to support the specialty crop industry in the State, and Freeport High School is one of the recipients.
The grant the high school is receiving is just over $43,000. According to Educator Ben Skipor, who leads the program, the Freeport Student Garden, working with University of Illinois Extension, the grant will support the Garden’s transition from conventional production to high tunnel production. Students will be able to extend the Garden’s growing season and take a more active role in production during the school year while developing skills for specialized equipment and learning best practices.
Freeport High School sports
The Cross Country team had a historic summer! From June to the start of September, they recorded their miles to improve their race times from last year. Meanna Luy broke the all-time summer running mileage record by running 545 miles and Johanna Rudolph was runner up with 537 miles.
The official season started last week in Sycamore Invite and Rudolph led the Pretzels with a second-place overall finish in the varsity race. The girls will participate in the Rockford East High School ERAB invitational this Saturday.
On the boys’ side, Austin Brobst and newcomer Maddux Teresi climbed the summer record board and raised expectations for their second season. The Pretzels have three home meets this season, with the next two on October 5th and October 19. All will be held at Highland Community College.
In other summer sports news, eleven Freeport High School golfers won the Jefferson Invite Small School Division in August with Keandre Luy and Cooper Hathaway finishing in the top team of both team tournaments.
Fiesta Hispania
The public is invited to Fiesta Hispana at Jehovah-Nissi Church this Sunday, September 15th to celebrate the start of National Hispanic Heritage Month, which begins on Sunday and continues through Tuesday, October 15th.
The day begins at 11:00 a.m. and continues until 4:00 p.m. and includes music, special beverages, and delicious food from the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Columbia, Mexico, Guatemala, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Venezuela, and Costa Rica.
The theme for this national week in 2024 is “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.” Beginning in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson, this national month-long observation was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15.
Jehovah-Nissi Church is located at 1421 West Galena Avenue next to the Big Apple Restaurant.
New exhibition at the Freeport Art Museum
A new exhibition at the Freeport Art Museum opened last Friday. The Midwest Lands Exhibition focuses on farmland, rural landscapes, and the aesthetics, psychological, and emotional content of these themes.
Featuring works by renowned artists Dan Brinkmeier, Barry Roal Carlsen, Ellen Holtzblatt, Tom Linden, Stuart Roddy, and Mark Weller, the pieces capture the beauty and complexity of rural life. There are also works by members of the local Momentum Art Guild.
Complementing the visual art, the exhibition includes poetry from “Poems from the Winter House” by Daniel Smith whose work is rooted in a rural heritage and reflects on his love for a spouse, a farm, and a way of life.
The show runs through Saturday, October 12th, at the Museum at 121 N Harlem Ave in Freeport.
Public input provided for City budget
At a public input meeting held last week at City Hall, Freeport residents were able to voice City budget concerns and ideas about what they would like to see funded in their neighborhoods and the community at large.
The public will have another opportunity to offer input to City Manager Rob Boyer and the Finance Department staff during a similar meeting on Monday, October 28th.
FHN talks about sepsis
September is Sepsis Awareness Month, and FHN is hosting a Speaker Series session on the topic next Wednesday, September 18th from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the FHN Family Healthcare Center - Burchard Hills, 1010 W. Fairway Drive in Freeport.
Sepsis is the body's extreme response to an infection, and it can be deadly. Join 2 FHN experts for an informative talk about how to recognize sepsis and what types of treatments are available to address it. For more information on this FREE program and to register, visit fhn.org/sepsis or call 1-877-600-0346, ext. 901.
Flu/COVID shots
Flu shots are already available and this year’s seasonal vaccine is a trivalent vaccine, meaning that it covers three flu virus subtypes including two Group A viruses and one Group B virus. In previous years, the vaccine included an additional Group B subtype but that subtype has not been detected since 2020 so it is not included in this year’s vaccine.
The new COVID and influenza viruses can be administered at the same time but that is a more personal choice based on an individual’s circumstances rather than a scientific choice. Remember that neither the COVID or flu vaccines are live virus vaccines so you cannot get either disease from the shots.
FFHS car show/sale
This Saturday, September 14th, Freeport’s Friends Forever Humane Society is hosting The Bruce Nielsen Memorial Car Show and while car registration begins at 8:00 a.m., this fundraising event is much more than just cars! Food will be available for purchase throughout the day, and there will be music and events to keep you entertained.
From 8:00 to 3:00, temperatures permitting, the High Flying Huskies will be providing mushing demonstrations once per hour. There will also be a meet and greet with the sled dogs throughout the day. Check them out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HighFlyingHuskies
There is no fee for spectators and friendly, leashed dogs are welcome, although the shelter requests no retractable leashes. Friends Forever Humane Society is located at 966 West Rudy Rd.