Health officials said in a news release that the first local case of 2026 was confirmed through laboratory testing.

Anyone who isn’t vaccinated against measles and was inside the Walmart, 2300 Sycamore Road in DeKalb, from 2:30 to 4:45 p.m. on March 2 should monitor themselves until March 23 for symptoms of the viral disease, according to the health department’s news release.

Unvaccinated people who were inside the DeKalb Post Office, 600 E. Lincoln Highway, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on March 9 should also monitor themselves for symptoms until March 30, officials reported.

Symptoms such as a rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes could indicate a measles infection, according to the news release.

Health Department officials are asking that anyone who was exposed, or who develops a rash and one other symptom, contact them by long-distance communication.

“Call or email your healthcare provider BEFORE (sic) visiting a clinic or hospital so staff can take steps to prevent the illness from spreading to others,” health department officials wrote. “The MMR vaccine is the best protection against measles. DCHD encourages everyone to make sure they are up to date on their MMR vaccinations.”

Measles is considered the most contagious vaccine-preventable disease in the world. Most people are protected from measles through two doses of the MMR vaccine, however.

That vaccine, which also protects against mumps and rubella, is considered about 97% effective at preventing measles. That efficacy stymies the spread of the disease by limiting the number of people who can host the virus.

Not everyone is vaccinated, however.

Babies and infants too young to receive the vaccine are considered among the most at risk of developing the disease, according to the DeKalb County Health Department.

As of March 5, before the first case of measles in DeKalb County in 2026 was confirmed, the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported two measles cases in Illinois for the year. Fourteen cases were reported in Illinois during all of 2025 and 67 in 2024.

Illinois has bucked a recent national trend, however. Weekly confirmed measles cases in the U.S. increased from an average in the single digits in 2022, 2023 and much of 2024, according to CDC data. That data shows the last time fewer than 11 measles cases were reported in the U.S. was the week of Jan. 12, 2025.

In 2025, the CDC confirmed 2,283 measles cases. More than half that total, 1281 measles cases, were confirmed by the CDC in 2026 as of March 5.

House Bill 5037, which could be called the Fixing Illinois Higher Education Funding Act if approved by legislators, was filed by Keicher on Feb. 4. It was referred to the rules committee on Feb. 10, and on March 5, state Rep. Paul Jacobs, R-Marion, signed on as a co-sponsor of the bill.

While the proposed legislation has yet to face a vote, Keicher – a Northern Illinois University alumnus who lives in Sycamore – hosted an online panel shared by the Illinois House Republicans on Facebook to discuss secondary education reform Wednesday.

He said college campuses could be reshaped by the proposed bill.

“We need to be cautious, and now is the time for change,” Keicher said. “Every option should be on the table in this process, from expanding or downsizing some campuses or relocating, or shifting to a specialized focus that is more cost-effective and focused on career readiness.”

Before he was joined by Mark Batinick, a senior fellow at the Illinois Policy Institute and a former state representative, Keicher criticized Illinois’ state university funding model.

Keicher said he believes Illinois’ public university funding policy gives money to schools with declining enrollment “without taking steps to address the reasons behind those declines.”

Total enrollment in Illinois higher education has fallen about 29% since 2009, a loss of more than 106,000 full-time students, according to a news release from Keicher’s office.

Locally, NIU’s 10-day enrollment last fall showed the second largest freshmen class since 2014, a change from a two-year freshmen enrollment dip.

However, total university enrollment, like colleges across the state, has trended down over the past decade.

Some universities have attempted to unveil programs targeting local students and offering incentives to attend in-state schools. NIU recently was recognized nationally for its efforts to support students transferring from community colleges. NIU’s Aim High Huskie Pledge expanded in 2024 to allow for more qualifying Illinois high school seniors to attend NIU for at least their first year without paying tuition.

Batnick, who did not run for reelection in 2022, said he “became kind of addicted to education funding because” he noticed that his first daughter’s higher education opportunities were better out of state than within Illinois.

As the father of five children who have attended or are considering attending classes in a higher education setting, Batnick said he’s found that Illinois students graduating from high school are drawn to other states’ public universities because of lower costs.

“The value proposition is better for out-of-state schools,” Batnick said.

Tom & Jerry’s, 1670 DeKalb Ave., was destroyed by a fire that broke out early in the morning on Jan. 31. Management reopened the restaurant from a temporary location, 265 W. Peace Road, on Saturday.

The owners have plans to rebuild on the DeKalb Avenue property, however.

The city’s commission voted 8-0 to recommend that city officials authorize a change to the zoning for their DeKalb Avenue property on Monday. That request would change the property from central business district zoning to highway business district.

While city documents appeared to suggest that the zoning request came from the owners of Tom & Jerry’s, Hall said city staff initiated the zoning change.

“The request is by, actually, staff, and then they have the paperwork in order to do it,” Hall said.

Sycamore Community Developer John Sauter said that there are a handful of properties near the former Tom & Jerry’s location that he hopes will be rezoned similarly in the future. He also said the request to rezone the property didn’t start with Tom & Jerry’s owners.

“We talked with them and suggested that they do it,” Sauter said. “This is a city request. They’re basically just participating. So, they were willing to rezone it. It really means nothing other than a color on a map, but it makes our map align better.”

Before the request was formally discussed, Sycamore Mayor Steve Braser, who doesn’t sit on the commission but often attends the meetings, spoke during the public comment period.

“I just want to say to you guys, thank you so much for showing up,” Braser said. “When there’s a small agenda like this, it seems trivial, it’s appreciative of your commitment to this commission,” Braser said.

Mike Thomas, a former DeKalb Fire Chief who retired in 2025 after more than 30 years with the department, was sworn in by Sycamore Clerk and Recorder Mary Kalk on Tuesday, according to a social media post from the Sycamore Fire Department.

He was appointed days after Fire Chief Bart Gilmore was suddenly out as chief. City officials have remained tight-lipped about the change, offering few details about why or when it was decided.

When reached later Tuesday, Thomas said he was honored to represent the Sycamore department. He said “at some point” city management contacted him to ask if he’d be interested in speaking to them about working as an interim fire chief.

“I was,” Thomas said. “So we started to discuss that, and it led to my being offered the job.”

Mayor Steve Braser and City Manager Michael Hall have refused to comment on Gilmore’s exit. A statement by released by the city March 6 – as speculation swirled on social media – suggested a staffing change had been in the works for “some time.”

When asked when he was offered the job to lead Sycamore’s department, Thomas said he couldn’t recall.

“Off the top of my head, it’s been – it wasn’t long, I couldn’t give you a timeline," Thomas said. “I just can’t recall off the top of my head.”

Hall said on March 5 that Thomas was expected to become the city’s interim fire chief without explaining why that decision was made.

But that was after a Sycamore firefighter – who Shaw Local has decided not to name – said Deputy Fire Chief Jim Ward was working that Thursday as the interim fire chief.

Ward on Tuesday said he thinks Thomas brings “a ton of experience” to the Sycamore Fire Department.

“I would say the membership here, we’re all pretty happy to have Chief Thomas on board with us,” Ward said. “He’s got a cool, calm, rational demeanor that we’re thankful to see.”

Hall, Braser and multiple alderpersons have refused to comment on the employment status of Gilmore, who’d been the fire chief since June 2023.

It’s not clear whether he is still employed with the city as of Tuesday.

After Thomas was sworn in, Shaw Local again asked Hall why the fire department is undergoing a change in leadership. Hall was also asked if the public was invited to Thomas’ swearing-in ceremony, and why it was held outside of a public meeting, as is typical for the city.

“The swearing-in was an administrative step required so Mr. Thomas could immediately assume the legal authority of the position while serving in an interim capacity,” Hall wrote in an email.

The city manager again did not provide answers to questions about the swearing-in not being public, or about the fire chief change.

Instead, Hall reiterated that “the City does not comment on personnel matters.”

The city’s issued statement March 6, which didn’t mention Gilmore, suggested that staffing changes within the Sycamore Fire Department had been on the table for a while.

In the statement, the city pointed to labor negotiations which began mid-2025 for firefighters and a desire to build on a 2015 strategic departmental plan.

Earlier this year, Gilmore told the City Council that fire department staffing had been a concern of his for some time in Sycamore.

“I’ve talked for the last three years about how we’re on the knife’s edge of being out of people,” Gilmore said at a Feb. 2 Council meeting.

Gilmore, who has not responded to multiple requests for comment, said during that meeting that a lack of staffing prevented the city’s ladder truck from responding to a major fire that destroyed Tom and Jerry’s Restaurant on Jan. 31. Nearby fire agencies brought their own trucks and crews to help, since Sycamore is part of the region’s Mutual Aid Box Alarm System.

Sycamore City Council authorized the purchase of a $1.4 million used ladder truck – the first of its kind for the city – in April 2025.

Gilmore also said during that meeting that the fire department was working with city staff to draft a hiring plan.

Hall on Tuesday didn’t mention any staffing challenges. Instead, he said that the department was operating “normally and emergency services remain fully staffed and available to the community.”

Thomas said he hopes hard work can accomplish some of the department’s goals. When asked what those goals were, Thomas mentioned staffing.

“I understand there’s a staffing issue that’s been discussed, and so we want to talk about that when the time’s right,” Thomas said. “I need some time to get my feet under me.”

Nina’s Taco Shop is expected to open at 10 a.m. on March 21 at a new location, 1969 DeKalb Ave. in Sycamore, according to a social media post from the restaurant. The grand opening of the new location will come six months after a Sept. 21, 2025, fire left the former building uninhabitable.

In the post, the owners wrote that they are “incredibly grateful to be starting again and continuing to serve our community.”

“Your support means so much to us, and we would truly appreciate you joining us as we celebrate this new beginning,” the owners wrote. “We look forward to welcoming you, sharing great food, and celebrating together.”

Nina’s Taco food truck has been in operation in the meantime.

The Sycamore Fire Department estimated that the 2025 fire caused $150,00 worth of damage to the restaurant, 122 E. Page St. On Oct. 25, the owners wrote that an electrical fire in the restaurant’s attic caused extensive fire, smoke and water damage to their property.

They wrote that their East Page Street property and everything inside were “deemed a total loss.“

In January, they announced that they found a new home for their business.

The space Nina’s Tacos will move into this month was formerly occupied by the Maria’s Little Italy restaurant in Sycamore. That Italian eatery closed in August 2025 after almost seven years of business.

The returning taco shop is also hiring front-of-house staff, according to their post.

Jeanene Wasson, 63, died from smoke inhalation at 6:45 p.m. Sunday in Rockford, according to a coroner’s office news release. Multiple animals also were killed in the fire, authorities said.

Wasson was one of two women who were hospitalized after suffering injuries Saturday morning in the fire. She was taken by paramedics to a Rockford hospital for additional care, according to the coroner’s office.

A bystander sprang into action alongside an assistant fire chief to rescue one of the women from the fire, officials reported on Monday.

Somonauk Assistant Chief Jake Whiteaker was responding to the fire when someone who authorities said was a bystander helped him rescue a woman from the front of the home, according to a news release from the Somonauk Community Fire Protection District.

Fire crews found the second woman while they were working to suppress the fire and search the residence.

Somonauk fire officials wrote that “resuscitation efforts were initiated immediately outside the home” before taking the woman to Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital in Sandwich.

Two dogs who were rescued and “successfully resuscitated at the scene,” officials wrote. Those pets were taken to Sandwich Animal Clinic before being transferred to a veterinary clinic in Plano, according to the fire protection district.

Multiple pets were found dead in the home, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office previously reported.

First responders were called at 6:44 a.m. Saturday to the 200 block of South Depot Street in Somonauk for a reported kitchen fire, according to multiple responding agencies.

What caused the fire has not yet been determined, but officials believe the fire may have been electrical in nature, authorities said.

The blaze is being investigated by the Illinois State Fire Marshal’s Office, the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office and Somonauk Fire Chief Pat Colford, according to the Somonauk Fire Protection District.

At the same time, the Winnebago County Coroner’s Office and the Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal are investigating Wasson’s death.

Earlville, Leland, Sandwich and Serena fire departments assisted at the scene of the fire, according to the release. Little Rock-Fox Fire Protection District responded with a third ambulance.

Multiple small pets and animals were found dead inside the home. They died from apparent smoke inhalation, authorities said in a news release.

One of the injured women suffered what was described as “major life threatening injuries due to smoke inhalation,” according to the sheriff’s office.

That woman, and another woman who also was rescued from the home, were taken by paramedics to Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital in Sandwich, authorities said.

About 6:45 a.m. Saturday, a homeowner in the 200 block of South Depot Street in Somonauk told 911 operators that her kitchen was on fire, according to the news release.

As a result, DeKalb County sheriff’s deputies, the Somonauk Fire Department and other firefighting agencies responded to her call for service.

The fire remains under investigation by the State Fire Marshall’s Office and the sheriff’s office.

This is a developing story which could be updated.

The city’s statement instead suggested that ongoing staffing conversations related to the department and its new fire station had been underway for months.

City Manager Michael Hall said in an email Thursday that the city was asking retired DeKalb Fire Chief Mike Thomas to work as an interim fire chief beginning on March 9.

However, hours earlier, a firefighter – who Shaw Local has decided not to name – said Deputy Fire Chief Jim Ward was the interim fire chief.

When asked in person Thursday, Hall again refused to elaborate or comment on online rumors that began circulating Wednesday night, suggesting that the Sycamore Fire Chief Bart Gilmore had been placed on administrative leave.

Rumors alleged that Gilmore’s employment change was because of comments he’d made after a Jan. 31 fire destroyed Tom & Jerry’s Restaurant. Gilmore told the City Council after the fire that there weren’t enough firefighters that day to staff a ladder truck when the fire broke out.

Shaw Local hasn’t been able to confirm whether that’s true or not. City officials remain tight-lipped on the matter.

The city purchased the truck in 2025.

Friday’s public statement released by the city Friday did not name Gilmore or Ward.

Instead, the city said staff began in early 2026 a plan to revise the fire department’s staffing models, evaluate deployment strategies and develop a plan to expand EMS and fire response capacity.

Officials also wrote that ongoing fire department labor union negotiations that began mid-2025 have included discussions about developing a new staffing plan and evaluating long-term operational needs.

“As part of this ongoing work, the city has asked retired DeKalb Fire Chief Mike Thomas to assist in reviewing operations and helping evaluate future staffing needs,” officials wrote. “This effort will also build upon the Fire Department’s 2015 strategic plan, which outlined long-term considerations such as staffing, a ladder truck, and future facilities.”

Thomas will help the city’s “future decisions regarding staffing, equipment, or facilities are based on objective operational data, professional standards, and responsible financial planning,” according to the statement.

Gilmore has worked as the city’s Fire Chief since June 2023. His employment status remains unclear. He hasn’t responded to request for comment.

Saturday morning, Tom & Jerry’s opened from a temporary location at 265 W. Peace Road in Sycamore. Patrons began lining up outside the restaurant at 10:45 a.m., 15 minutes before the restaurant opened for the first time in its temporary location.

“Words can’t express how much it means” to have the community’s support, General Manager Sarah Meyer said.

“The love and support of our community has powered us to keep going, to just come back as quick as we can to serve the community that we love that’s served us so well for so many years,” Meyer said.

Early in the morning Jan. 31, the former Tom & Jerry’s restaurant building, which was located at 1670 DeKalb Ave., was devastated by a fire. A week after the blaze, the restaurant announced in a social media post that it would reopen in a temporary space where the Eggsclusive Cafe was once located.

“We are Tom & Jerry’s strong,” Meyer said.

Over the past five weeks, Meyer and the ownership behind Tom & Jerry’s and Catering by Diann have dealt with the aftermath of the fire. Meyer said that included the intricacies of insurance claims, the logistics of getting a new restaurant space up and running and the efforts required to undertake their planned rebuild.

Their efforts to reopen Tom & Jerry’s were met by dozens of hungry diners at 11 a.m. Saturday.

“The community support has just, it’s – we’ll never be able to say thank you," Meyer said.

Despite being closed for more than a month, Meyer said the restaurant did not part with a single employee it had before the Jan. 31 fire. And she plans on hiring more workers in the near future.

“We have about 35 people on staff right now, total, and we are hiring all positions, so front of house, back of house, cashiers, supervisors, delivery drivers, kitchen,” Meyer said.

Diann Beaulieu, one of the owners of Tom & Jerry’s and Catering by Diann, recently submitted a request to the city of Sycamore to change the zoning code for the property where the torn-down restaurant once stood, according to city records.

Sycamore Director of Community Development John Sauter wrote that Beaulieu’s request would “clean up” what he called “anomalous” zoning along that section of DeKalb Avenue.

Restaurant ownership has not yet indicated a timeline for a rebuild, but as of Saturday Tom & Jerry’s once again was serving food to the Sycamore community.

Married couple Gary A. Schmidt, 60, and Holly S. Schmidt, 59, were found dead, from apparent blunt force trauma wounds, inside their home in unincorporated Sycamore on Sept. 30, 2025, according to records filed in DeKalb County court.

Soon after they were found by DeKalb County sheriff’s deputies, their son, Kevin Schmidt, was charged with four counts of first-degree murder in connection with their deaths.

Kevin Schmidt, 35, could face a life sentence if convicted.

He has been jailed since Sept. 30 but has not yet been arraigned after refusing to appear in court this week.

Authorities have said they believe the Schmidts were killed sometime in the evening of Sept. 29, 2025. The Schmidts were well-known and liked in the community by loved ones, neighbors and colleagues. Holly Schmidt was a longtime educator in Sycamore School District 427, and Gary Schmidt was a master carpenter.

DeKalb County Circuit Court Judge Philip Montgomery said on Monday that Schmidt hadn’t yet been arraigned because he had not been able appear before the court, despite being in the DeKalb County Jail’s custody.

Schmidt hasn’t shown up for any scheduled court hearing since a Nov. 25 hearing, court records show.

Montgomery, as well as DeKalb County State’s Attorney’s Office prosecutor Brooks Locke, said he wasn’t comfortable proceeding further with Schmidt’s trial until he’s present.

DeKalb County Public Defender Chip Chriswell, whose office is representing Kevin Schmidt, previously told Shaw Local he raised doubt about his client’s fitness for trial. Criswell said Monday he’s also considering setting up a not guilty plea by reason of insanity.

Schmidt’s next court date is set for 10 a.m. on March 11.

At 6 p.m. on Monday, the Sycamore Planning and Zoning Commission will consider a request from Diann Beaulieu to change the zoning for the DeKalb Avenue property that long housed the restaurant. She told the city she intends to rebuild a new Tom & Jerry’s, documents show.

As a part of that venture, she’s asking the city to change the property’s zoning from central business district to highway business district, according to city documents.

Sycamore Director of Community Development John Sauter described the current zoning for the property as “anomalous” in a March 2 email to City Manager Michael Hall. He wrote that central business district properties are typically within the city’s downtown district.

“Tom & Jerry’s has been a valued business partner within the community for many years, and they plan to continue to do so as soon as they are able to rebuild,” Sauter wrote. “Staff is both grateful and excited for Mrs. Beaulieu’s continued investment in Sycamore.”

Tom & Jerry’s, 1670 DeKalb Ave., was destroyed by fire that broke out early in the morning on Jan. 31.

The building was demolished the week of Feb. 19.

Five weeks removed from the blaze, and amid a sudden change in Sycamore Fire Department leadership that city officials have shared little about so far, Beaulieu, Meyer and other colleagues were given a standing ovation by hundreds at a Sycamore Chamber of Commerce event they catered on Thursday.

Sycamore Chamber Executive Director RoseMarie Treml revealed to everyone in attendance that Tom & Jerry’s will officially reopen at 11 a.m. on Saturday at its new temporary location at 265 W. Peace Road.

The city manager and mayor have refused to answer questions about Gilmore’s standing, however.

City Manager Michael Hall told Shaw Local Thursday that the city has plans to recruit a new permanent fire chief.

It’s not clear as of Thursday morning what the status of Gilmore’s employment is in the Sycamore Fire Department or whether the social media post alleging he’d been placed on leave was true. Gilmore didn’t respond to request for comment.

Sycamore Mayor Steve Braser refused to confirm if the post was true when reached on Wednesday night.

“I can’t comment on personnel matters,” Braser said.

Jim Ward, the city’s deputy fire chief, was acting as interim as of Thursday, a firefighter told Shaw Local. When reached, Ward also said he couldn’t comment on personnel matters.

In an email Thursday morning, City Manager Michael Hall said, “The city doesn’t comment on personnel matters.”

“The Fire Department continues to operate normally, and emergency services remain fully staffed and available to the community,” Hall wrote.

Hall was then asked who was currently leading the city’s fire department, but didn’t name anyone.

“The Fire Department continues to operate under its established chain of command,” Hall wrote. “We have experienced leadership in place, and emergency services remain fully staffed and available to the community.”

But a firefighter – who Shaw Local has decided not to name – said Ward is the interim fire chief as of Thursday.

In a later email sent from Hall shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday, the city manager said there are now plans for a new interim in the works: Former DeKalb Fire Chief Mike Thomas, who retired in July 2025, will begin serving as Sycamore’s interim fire chief on March 9, Hall said.

“Chief Thomas will provide experienced leadership and help the City evaluate Fire Department operations while we begin the process of recruiting a permanent Fire Chief,” Hall said.

Hall again did not comment on Gilmore specifically, however.

Ward 3 Alderman Marvin Barnes and 4th Ward Alderman David Stouffer declined to comment on the matter Thursday morning. They said they are unable to comment on city personnel and did not offer more information on who was leading the Sycamore Fire Department at the moment.

A social media post widely circulated on Wednesday night that purported Gilmore had been placed on administrative leave.

The post alleged the apparent move was in connection to comments Gilmore had made in February that staffing challenges had impacted his department’s ability to respond to a major fire at Tom & Jerry’s Restaurant that destroyed the building on an early Saturday morning Jan. 31.

Shaw Local hasn’t been able to confirm whether that’s true or not.

Gilmore has been the fire chief since June 2023. Before coming to Sycamore, he was a 26-year veteran of the DeKalb Fire Department, where he last served as deputy chief.

The change in fire department leadership comes less than a month after the city formally relocated Fire Station No. 1 to a new facility, custom-built for the department, at 1351 S. Prairie Dr.

Gilmore hosted a parade and public ceremony Feb. 17 to open the new facility, meant to provide firefighters with a more modern home.

The Sycamore City Council met on Monday, though nothing related to the fire department or fire chief’s employment status was on the agenda.

The Council held a closed executive session at the end of the meeting to discuss what’s cited under Illinois law as the “appointment, employment, compensation, discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific employees,” the document shows.

Those sessions are not open to the public, however, and officials generally don’t divulge what is discussed.

This story was updated at 10:29 a.m. March 5, 2026, and again at 3:13 p.m. Additional updates could occur.

In front of hundreds of business leaders and city officials who gave him a standing ovation on Thursday inside the St. Mary’s Memorial Hall, Douglas C. Roberts was awarded the 2025 Clifford Danielson Outstanding Citizen Award.

“Sycamore has been good to me,” Roberts, whose family founded DeKalb Ag, said.

Roberts also emphasised that philanthropy doesn’t have to start from a bank account.

“Sycamore is a place that gets things done,” Roberts said. ”Charity doesn’t have to be big dollars. It can be big ideas that start small, or thoughtful ideas that need to be well communicated. And charity is not just about money, it can be about your time, your talents, your expertise."

He was introduced by DeKalb City Manager Bill Nicklas, who previously served as city manager in Sycamore for years, and Tom Matya, executive director of Opportunity House. They said Roberts spent years working to bring local nonprofit organizations together.

Matya, who made sure the audience understood that it had taken years to convince Roberts to accept the award, began his introductory speech by saying, “Finally.”

Roberts has donated to charitable efforts locally, nationally and internationally.

Matya said when a 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra, triggering the Dec. 26, 2004, Indian Ocean tsunami, Roberts provided support to those impacted. Around 230,000 people died because of that catastrophe, The Associated Press reported.

Eight months later, Roberts helped domestically after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. That hurricane was responsible for nearly 1,400 deaths and an estimated $200 billion in damage, according to The AP.

“[Roberts] personally toured multiple states, and he provided funding for multiple nonprofits to rebuild themselves,” Matya said. “He did the same thing after the tornadoes in 2011 in Joplin.”

Matya also credited Roberts with helping DeKalb County residents who were left homeless after a 2019 fire at the St. Albans Green apartment complex, 711 S. Main St. in Sycamore.

After an EF-4 Tornado decimated Fairdale in 2015 – killing two Fairdale residents, Geraldine Schultz, 67, and Jacklyn K. Klosa, 69, and injuring 22 others who were in its path – Roberts stepped in to help, Matya said.

Nicklas also spoke about what he said was “Doug’s critical support for the recovery effort for Fairdale in 2015.”

“At that time, literally hundreds of thousands of dollars was needed to construct a community-wide sewer system,” Nicklas said. “There’s a lot more to that story than I will not go into today.”

Roberts comes from a lineage of community philanthropists.

His parents, Charles and Mary Roberts, established the DeKalb County Community Foundation in 1993. That gift to the community has grown to 475 charitable funds worth more than $75 million in assets.

“That’s kind of a hard act to follow, but I would say over the past 25 years, Doug and his wife Lynn have funded well over a hundred nonprofit organizations with their own funds, which amounted to millions of dollars,” Matya said.

Sycamore Chamber Executive Director RoseMarie Treml said Roberts “is a thoughtful, forward-moving thinker whose influence can be felt across Sycamore and DeKalb County.”

“He leads with intention, he invests with purpose and he serves not for recognition, but because he believes deeply in the future of this community,” Treml said.

Roberts wasn’t the only person honored at the annual chamber event, however.

Sarah Meyer, married couple Diann Beaulieu and Tom Beaulieu, and Josh Osenga – the people behind Tom & Jerry’s and Catering by Diann – received a standing ovation on Thursday.

They catered the annual event five weeks after the building that housed their longtime businesses at 1670 DeKalb Ave. was destroyed by fire on Jan. 31.

Treml drew attention to their work at the end of the chamber event, prompting hundreds to stand and applaud Meyer, Diann Beaulieu and Tom Beaulieu and Josh Osenga, bringing them to tears.

Tom & Jerry’s will reopen in a temporary location at 11 a.m. on Saturday at 265 W. Peace Road.

“You are moving forward with resilience, heart, and the same commitment you have always shown us,” Treml said.

Other business owners and community leaders were also honored by the Chamber on Thursday.

Nicole Patterson of Resource Bank and Country Financial’s Chris Patterson were honored as the joint winners of the Chamber Champion award. The award is given to a chamber member who has demonstrated exceptional dedication to the success of the chamber and the broader community.

“I’m very rarely at a loss for words, but I was truly speechless when Rose and Ashlee called to tell me I had been selected as a Sycamore Chamber Champion this year,” Nicole Patterson said.

Sycamore Orthodontics & Pediatric Denistry was named the winner of the Sycamore Chamber’s Spirit of Small Business award. Heather Martines and Sarah Buie said they were honored to accept the award on behalf of their employer.

“As a family-owned practice, this community isn’t just where we work: it’s home,” Matines said. “We are raising our families here, supporting other local businesses here, and caring for the child and families who trust us every single day.”

Old National Bank won the Outstanding Business Award, which is given to a Sycamore Chamber business that exemplifies integrity, leadership and long-term commitment to the community. Andrew Miller, branch manager for the downtown Sycamore’s location, accepted the award.

“Even in a large organization, we still have the heart of a community bank, and we’re proud of the inclusive culture that brings out our best,” Miller said.

Chris Mayer and Windows Distillery won the chamber’s Community Diamond Award. That award is given to a chamber member who recently invested and improved their business in a way that reflects a meaningful commitment to the Sycamore community.

He said that Windows Distillery will open a tasting room in Sycamore in 2026, but didn’t give an opening date.

“That is going to happen, and we look forward to everyone being there,” Mayer said. “If you haven’t tried our whiskey yet, don’t worry, we’ll fix that soon. I wanted to bring it here today, but you know, liquor laws.”

The Sycamore beautification committee will give a 2025 year-end-report, according to the agenda.

Between those agenda items, the city officials will consider six resolutions. Here are some highlights from the agenda for the Sycamore City Council scheduled for 6 p.m. on Monday:

A resolution approving road construction using Motor Fuel Tax funds for fiscal 2026. This resolution would allocate up to $500,000 for roadwork on six city streets.

Stark Avenue: From DeKalb Avenue to Cottage Row.

Wyman Street: From South Cross Street to South Avenue.

Kingsway Terrace: From State Street to the north end of Kingsway Terrace.

Vista Terrace: Swanson Street to Kingsway Drive.

Becker Place: Somonauk Street to Parkside Drive.

Borden Avenue: FoxPointe Drive to Park Avenue.

A resolution approving preliminary and construction engineering services with Municipal Engineering Corporation with Motor Fuel Tax Funds for fiscal 2026 for the City of Sycamore. This resolution is required by the Illinois Department of Transportation when Motor Fuel Tax funds are used on city projects.

A resolution awarding a contract to Stenstrom Construction Companies of Rockford for the city’s 2026 influent pump station improvements project.

The influent pump station located on North Cross Street is where the city of Sycamore’s sanitary sewer collection system enters the wastewater treatment system, according to city records.

Stenstrom Construction provided the cheapest bid ($2.67 million), but city staff are proposing the Council greenlight a modified contract up to $2.8 million for the work.

A resolution authorizing Hall to sign a professional services agreement with Baxter and Woodman for construction engineering services for the 2026 influent pump station improvements project.

The city has used Baxter and Woodman to design the project of improvements for the influent pump station since April, documents show.

City officials want to keep Baxter and Woodman on through the construction phase of the project.

A resolution authorizing the Hall to sign contracts, including joint participation agreements with the State of Illinois for rock salt

This annual agreement with the Illinois Central Management Services could supply the city with 1,300 tons of roadway salt for the 2026-2027 winter season.

The total cost of the road salt is not yet known, however, documents show.