Coronavirus cancellations: real time updates as DeKalb County events, places amend plans

Daily Chronicle reporters are working to give you real-time updates as organizations, educational institutions, businesses and other public places announce closures, amended visiting hours or other updates due to coronavirus concerns.

This list will be updated in real time as more announcements are made, and readers should check back regularly for updates.

PARK DISTRICTS

DeKalb Park District

All facilities will be closed from March 18th until at least March 29. All programs will be canceled at both golf courses, the Sports and Recreation Center, Haish Gymnasium, the Terrace Room, and Hopkins Community Center. All outdoor trails and parks, and including the dog park, will remain open to groups of 10 or less. Groups of more than 10 are discouraged and more than 50 are prohibited.

Sycamore Park District

Indoor public facilities run by the park district will be closed from March 16 through the end of the month. This includes the Community Center and the Golf Course clubhouse. All outdoor parks remain open. Classes have been canceled through March 31, and all current Pathway Fitness Memberships and Passes, Track Passes, and Open Gym Passes will be extended by one additional month. Please be aware that the state is mandating gatherings be smaller than 50 and the CDC is recommending that groups be kept to fewer than 10 people.

EVENTS

The Mystery of the Passion of Christ play canceled
St. Catherine's Catholic Church of Genoa's The Mystery of the Passion of Christ play, scheduled for April 4, has been canceled.

Meals for Moms (Voluntary Action Center) canceled
Meals for Moms scheduled for May 12 is canceled. A new date has not yet been announced.

Northern Illinois University's Standing in My Shoes canceled

NIU's one-woman play by Val Lantz-Gefroh "Standing in My Shoes," originally scheduled for March 20 has been canceled. Training sessions by Lantz-Gefroh scheduled for that day have also been canceled.

Girls Scouts cancel cookie booth sales, other activities

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois announced that all activities are canceled until at least April 20.

This includes cookie booth sales, which were slated to run for at least two more weeks.

All resource centers will be open on Monday for members and the public to pick up any orders or make further purchases. They will not reopen again before April 20.

Kishwaukee Family YMCA closing

The YMCA, 2500 Bethany Road, Sycamore, will close Wednesday, March 18 through April 6.

Youth Service Bureau's Royal Children's Ball postponed

The annual Royal Children's Ball planned for Friday at Northern Illinois University's Altgeld Hall has been postponed.

According to the Youth Service Bureau's website, the event has been postponed to ensure the safety and well-being of attendees, partners, vendors, volunteers and staff as a preventative measure against COVID-19.

Ticketholders are being contacted currently by bureau staff, and will be able to use their purchased tickets at the rescheduled date, Saturday, May 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Altgeld Hall.

Saturday, June 6, from 6 to 9 p.m. is the secondary postponement date.

Egyptian Theatre shows

March 13 through 15: Beth Fowler Dance Company Swan Lake and Wizard of Oz postponed, no new date yet announced.

March 17: Rhythm of Dance canceled

Ninth Annual Transformation through Rhythm benefit concert postponed

The Friends of Jane Adeny Memorial School for Girls announced Friday their benefit concert, originally scheduled for March 20 at DeKalb High School, has been postponed. No new date has yet been announced.

DeKalb Park District cancellations

The park district announced late Thursday they will cancel all district-sponsored events and programs with an expected attendance of over 100 people for the rest of the month. That includes all soccer, basketball and indoor adult softball leagues. The district won't cancel rentals, and will allow reschedules at no cost to the renter, or cancellations with a full refund, according to a news release.

Karate and swim lessons will be canceled this week and next week. Karate classes will try to be made up at a later date. A decision about swim lessons will be made at a later date.

DeKalb County meeting cancellations

Law and Justice Committee – March 23

Forest Preserve Operations Committee – March 24

Board of Health – March 24

Planning and Zoning Committee - March 25

Sycamore Park District

The Sycamore Park District announced only programs with 25 or less people will continue to run as normal. Canceled programs will be announced via the program's instructor or district staff.

The Community Center including Pathway Fitness and the track remain open. The gym capacity is reduced to 10 participants per quadrant and staff will properly sanitize facility and equipment before and after.

Jazz in Progress

Sunday's Jazz in Progress benefit concert has been postponed, according to its Facebook page. The organization has not yet picked a new date.

Genoa Area Chamber of Commerce postpones Home and Business Expo

The Genoa Area Chamber of Commerce announced its Home and Business Expo, scheduled for March 21 at Genoa-Kingston High School, has been postponed, says Executive Director Krissy Johnson. A new date has not yet been announced.

Sycamore Chamber of Commerce's Business After Hours canceled

Tonight's Business After Hours hosted by the Sycamore chamber has been canceled, according to a Tweet by the chamber. The event will be rescheduled at a later date.

Kishwaukee Education Consortium cancels 8th Grade Career Conference

The DeKalb County Economic Development Corp. announced on Twitter the KEC eighth grade career conference which was scheduled for Friday has been canceled. There were 1,300 students signed up to attend, however, due to the timing, it will not be rescheduled, the post reads.

BUSINESSES

Walmart, Schnucks amend hours due to empty shelves

Walmart and Schnucks stores nationwide announced amended store hours because hoards of shoppers keep buying out products at a rapid rate due to coronavirus concerns.

On Wednesday, Wal-Mart, 2300 Sycamore Road, DeKalb, changed its store hours to 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Wal-Mart's tire center is closed. Schnucks in turn will open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The amended hours are until further notice so retailers can restock shelves overnight for shoppers, according to news releases from the companies.

Kohl's closes all stores across United States until April 1
Kohl's Corporation announced Thursday it will close all its 1,100 retail stores across the country beginning Thursday at 7 p.m. through at least April 1. Customers can still purchase items online at www.kohls.com or the Kohl's Mobile App, according to a news release.

BUILDING CLOSURES

Somonauk Public Library closed through March 31
The Somonauk Public Library has closed, effective Wednesday, March 18 through the 31, with a tentative re-open date of April 1 pending further COVID-19 news. All due dates for materials on loan will be extended without late fees, and patrons are encouraged to not drop off books at the outside book drop-off, but instead wait until the library opens again.

Mardi Gras Lanes, 1730 Sycamore Road, closed through March 31
DoorDash, GrubHub and Uber Eats services will also be suspended during this time.

First Lutheran Church, 324 N. Third St. in DeKalb, has suspended all worship services and church activities until further notice.

DeKalb Area Women's Center closed for rest of month

The DeKalb Area Women's Center at Old Finn Hall, 1021 State St. in DeKalb, is closed through March. Volunteer board and staff members will continue to work remotely during this time. If you need to reach the center, email dekalbAWC@gmail.com.

Sycamore Library to close March 18 through March 29

The Sycamore Library will be closed Wednesday, March 18, and plans to reopen Monday, March 30. All programs and outreach activities will be canceled during this time. All due dates for materials on loan will be extended during the closure.

DeKalb Public Library closed to public Saturday, March 16 through Sunday, March 29

According to a news release from the library, the library is closed until March 29, and staff hope to reopen by March 30. You can take advantage of the digital library at www.dpkl.org, place holds, renew and borrow books, movies, TV shows, music and online research.

Patrons with borrowed materials should retain them until March 30, and no fines will be accrued.

DeKalb County History Center closed until further notice

The history center has closed until further notice, though staff are still accepting requests via email to joinerhistoryroom@dekalbcounty.org or by phone at 815-895-7271.

Family Service Agency of DeKalb County closes senior activity center

The FSA announced it will close it senior activity centers, Club 55s, beginning Monday, March 16, according to a news release, at the recommendation of the Illinois Department of Aging. Sites will remain closed until further notice.

Affected Club 55 sites are 330 Grove St. in DeKalb, 240 W. Main St. in Genoa, 115 S. Third St. in Malta, and 480 S. Airport Road in Sycamore.

Older adults are among the highest risk population group for becoming seriously ill if they contract COVID-19, the release states, therefore, they should limit gathering in large groups.

DeKalb County Rehab and Nursing Center, Oak Crest Retirement Center, restricting visitors

Area senior facilities have started a "lockdown" mode on recommendations from the Illinois Department of Public Health, which severely restricts visitors from seeing their loved ones. The lockdown includes barring visitors younger than 18 years old from entering the facility. The lockdown is outside of instances where the visitation is in the best interest of the patient, such as those going through the end of life stages, or patients suffering from illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

Voluntary Action Center closes three dining halls

N.I.C.E. Center food pantry in Shabbona transitions to pick-up only

Beginning Saturday, March 14, until further notice, the food pantry will operate as a pick-up only service for clients, according to a news release. Food items will be packed and a drive-through system will be set up to load food into cars.

Hours will remain 8:15 to 11 a.m.

Clients will sign in on paper and staff will enter it into a computer, the release states. Houseware and clothing rooms will be closed until further notice. If there is an emergency, contact Sandy at 815-751-0585, Audra at 815-739-8312 or Dave at 815-751-0401.

SPORTS

IESA State Wrestling Finals canceled

[ Mid-American Conference for men's and women's basketball canceled ]