School district leaders recently held a reorganization meeting for the nomination of new officers.

The board decided to retain Chris Boyes as board president in a 7-0 vote.

At a recent board meeting, Boyes announced that he intends to seek a second term on the board.

His current term is set to expire in May 2027.

New this time, the board chose Nick Atwood as vice president in a 7-0 vote. He is taking over a role previously assumed by Jose Jaques, who first joined the board in the spring of 2025.

In a 7-0 vote, the board retained Steve Byers as board secretary.

Also at the meeting, the board unanimously decided to keep district staffers Jackie Pringle as board clerk and Armir Doka as treasurer.

The last day of class for students in DeKalb schools is May 22, officials said.

City Council action in a unanimous 7-0 vote helps pave the way for additional parking in the city’s downtown at 148 N. Third St. The city plans to demolish the building, formerly the Rice Hotel, and turn it into a parking lot.

“The raising of this property would introduce approximately 59 regular parking stalls, which include three handicap stalls, as well,” City Manager Bill Nicklas said.

In order to make plans for additional downtown parking possible, city officials will turn to the downtown tax increment financing district (TIF) fund assistance. TIF money is meant to be used for development and can be used to rehabilitate dilapidated or aged buildings or land for improvement.

Demolition could cost between $618,000 and $670,000, city documents show. But this figure does not include final paving and striping expenses.

The city’s Joint Review Board was consulted for feedback in April. The board reacted positively to the proposal, Nicklas said.

Nicklas urged the council for its support.

“We recommend that we proceed with this, and the joint review board does, too,” Nicklas said.

The former Monat Building was constructed in 1927 and was named after the university’s eighth president, Bill Monat.

Before that, the 28,000-square-foot building was known as the Rice Hotel.

One tricky thing, Nicklas said, is that the former Monat Building remains adjoined to another building immediately to the south.

“Special care has to be taken to make sure that other properties are not damaged,” Nicklas said.

Third Ward Alderman Tracy Smith pointed to some of the challenges the former aged building faces. It’s not up to modern standards for disability access.

“It’s not ADA accessible,” Smith said. “There’s no air conditioning. A lot of window units. Like you said [Nicklas,] the restrooms are not one on each floor, so there’s nothing there for code compliance. And a big one is there’s no sprinklers.”

It’s been difficult to find an alternative use for the former Monat Building over the years, Nicklas said.

Nicklas said rehabbing the space would come with a hefty price tag.

“That’s one of the reasons why it was remodeled once and at a significant cost,” he said. “It’s hard to believe that somebody would invest in that again at the same price.”

First Ward Alderwoman Carolyn Zasada and Fourth Ward Alderman Justin Carlson said they are all for more downtown parking.

“I’m highly in support,” Zasada said. “I think we need this, especially as the city is growing and booming and more things are happening. It’s a need.”

“We need more parking,” Carlson said. “We need to develop our downtown.”

The “Monat” name no longer belongs to the building on the lot near East Lincoln Highway and Third Street, as the university last week dedicated another building closer to campus at Carroll Avenue and West Lincoln Highway with the same name.

How the lot would be named moving forward remains unclear.

Mayor Cohen Barnes said the city understands the task.

“We’ll get creative,” Barnes said.

The DeKalb Planning and Zoning Commission will advise the City Council next week on a petition submitted by local developer John Pappas. The topic is headed for review at 6 p.m. May 18 at the DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St.

The former Advance Auto Parts, at 2151 Sycamore Road, closed in early 2025 and has since been subdivided into three separate tenant shops of 2,017 square feet in space, city documents show.

City officials are eying plans for an unidentified restaurant with a drive-thru at the south end of the site. Such a move requires a special use permit to make it a reality.

Under the proposal, the drive-thru would accommodate five to six cars at a given time, with stacking.

There will be space for parking. The lot currently accommodates 16 vehicles, but with the addition of the drive-thru, it would serve 12, city documents show.

Occupying the north end of the building will be a Tropical Smoothie Cafe, if plans are approved. It’s known not only for its smoothies but also for tropical bowls, wraps, quesadillas and flatbreads, according to its website.

The middle tenant space remains available for lease.

In a 7-1 City Council decision, the lone dissenting vote was cast by 6th Ward Alderman Mike Verbic.

Under the initiative, participating businesses of the city’s Central Business District will pilot a program offering patrons the option to carry a single alcoholic beverage in a city-approved, branded cup.

City Manager Bill Nicklas said the initiative is not entirely new to the city.

“Back Alley Market has had some limited free-range drinking for a while now, and it’s been successful, no problems,” Nicklas said.

So, too, have the DeKalb Corn Classic 5K/10K run and Taste of DeKalb events, he said. Back Alley Market’s spring event was last weekend, and organizers touted its success.

“Since 2023, organizers of a variety of downtown events have been allowed to apply for drinks to go after they’ve obtained their appropriate event permits with an existing license holder to serve alcoholic beverages on their behalf,” Nicklas said. “This is not a new idea.”

City officials have said the concept, as approved by the council, aims to provide a fun, safe way to encourage more pedestrians to walk downtown in the late afternoon and evening, combining dining, shopping and entertainment venues.

Any establishment with a liquor license opting in will have city-issued stickers or displays to indicate their program participation, according to city documents. Adults age 21 or older are required to wear a wristband to show they have been carded and purchased a drink.

Alcohol in non-city-approved bottles, cans and glass containers is prohibited. It’s also restricted outside of the entertainment district. Any business found not adhering to the city’s rules will face penalties.

Non-licensed businesses within the entertainment district can choose whether to welcome customers onto their premises with the understanding that drinks are sold and served elsewhere in the district, documents show. Participation is not mandatory.

City staff have said the initiative could include about a dozen participating businesses.

Among the downtown area business owners expressing support for the initiative was Found. Home & Vintage owner Leslie Conklin.

“I do think this can help create a more active and welcoming downtown, especially on the evenings and weekends,” Conklin said.

But Conklin also had some questions for the City Council.

“I would also respectfully ask for clarity about whether there will be future taxes, fees and assessments on this district on the entertainment district and how those will be addressed,” Conklin said.

In response, Mayor Cohen Barnes said he’s not looking to push taxes on downtown area businesses.

“I am not for that. I never have been,” Barnes said.

The city intends to have a dedicated police officer patrolling the downtown’s entertainment district in the evenings, officials said.

Verbic previously said he takes issue with the city expending more resources specifically to help police the downtown. He said he doesn’t think it’s the best use of taxpayer money.

The entertainment district’s boundaries are from the west of the east curbline of North First Street, north by the entire public sidewalk on East Locust, on the east by the west curbline on North Fourth Street, and on the south by the Union Pacific right-of-way, according to city documents. Also included are the northeast corner of North Fourth Street for The Grove Tavern, 204 N. Fourth St., and East Locust Street for Faranda’s, 302 Grove St.

The initiative will run from 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, according to city documents. A last call for drinks will be nightly at 9:30 p.m.

The City Council will review the program’s success by Dec. 31.

It can be a daunting task in more ways than one for parents to find fun, age-appropriate programs that will keep their children engaged when school is out.

Nia Springer-Norris, who teaches communication and journalism at Northern Illinois University and is a local mother of three children, is the founder of Springer Creative Associates, LLC, the company behind DeKalb Parent, a new hyperlocal digital platform that strives to take the guesswork out of identifying and locating summer camp programs for children and their families.

Springer-Norris said the way the summer camp finder tool works is simple.

“I have been soliciting directly from organizations,” she said. “We built an admin dashboard, too, so organizations can log in and update their camps. And then I review and approve them.”

The platform allows users to filter information according to what they need from a summer camp database with searchable categories, age ranges, registration details and newsletter curations, according to a release.

Springer-Norris said she has long felt there was a need for such a platform in the community.

“I had been really wanting a central information-type source,” Springer-Norris said.

Springer-Norris said she remembers growing up in the city in the generation when there were more alternative weeklies compiling guides for camps and other events. With her expertise in communication, media and technology, Springer-Norris said she believes the camp finder tool could fill that void locally in DeKalb.

“I’ve never really seen anything like that,” Springer-Norris said.

When asked if she is confident that this digital platform could someday become a central place for parents to find summer camps, Springer-Norris said yes.

“I do think there is a space for more positive and helpful voices in the local information ecosystem right now,” she said.

Springer-Norris said she doesn’t view information sharing within community groups on social media necessarily as a challenge to her efforts.

“To use the search function in local groups, I think [it] can be challenging sometimes,” she said. “I don’t see it as competition.”

Springer-Norris is in search of grant opportunities from funders in the journalism and civic technology sectors and is in discussion with local organizations about obtaining sponsored listings and newsletter partnerships, according to a news release.

This is not just another market trend, Springer-Norris said.

She said she’s invested in the community and committed to ensuring that the platform can provide real solutions to problems children and their families often face.

“This isn’t a startup story,” Springer-Norris said in a release. “It’s a neighbor story. I live here. My kids go to school here. I’m building something I would use every week.”

Here’s a look at some of the ways that prospective campgoers can get involved this summer, in which registration remains ongoing.

Through the DeKalb Park District, prospective campgoers have two main options to choose from.

Children ages 3 to 5 may participate in the Summer-Long Minis program, which runs May 26 through Aug. 7. The program is designed so that parents can choose whether they want their campers to participate in one or all three sections of day programming.

New this year is that the Summer-Long Minis will be doing more local field trips this year.

Camp Discover, which runs May 26 through Aug. 7, is the park district’s main camp program geared toward children ages 6 to 12.

As part of the program, the park district runs weekly field trips to various locations over the summer.

Emily Kvasnicka, recreation supervisor for DeKalb Park District, said it’s clear that park district camps are big with families.

“We try to create programming here that is consistent for our parents and the expectations of them and the campers,” Kvasnicka said. “The summer camp program here is more than just having fun. We provide a safe environment for those children. We also provide opportunities for them to learn and grow and experience things that they wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to in other programs.”

Registration for park district camps closes at noon on the Tuesday before camp opens.

Camp pricing may vary, but scholarship assistance information is available on the park district’s website.

For information, contact Emily at ekvasnicka@dekalbparkdistrict.com

At Project HOPE, a nonprofit arm founded by some of the leaders from New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in DeKalb and from the larger surrounding community, prospective campgoers have one of two options to explore: one for SIMBA, and another for SIMSA.

SIMBA (Safe in My Brother’s Arms) is a local mentoring chapter committed to serving young boys, and SIMSA (Safe in My Sister’s Arms) is dedicated to the mentorship of young girls.

The principles of the two programs are built around the teachings of Kwanzaa.

Daveyon Bradley, the DeKalb chapter head for SIMBA, said the youth appear to be excited for summer camp this year.

“Last year, we had 19 kids,” Bradley said. “This year, we’re aiming for 26 to go to camp with us.”

Summer camp is expected to take place in July in Marengo, Ohio.

The camp will cost $490 per child, including transportation.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for anyone in need of financial assistance. Organizers said a carwash fundraiser will be held next month to help raise funds, as well.

Bradley touted the experience that campers will have this summer.

“It’s super, super fun,” Bradley said. “It’s a life-changing experience. They learn so much about their culture, so much about their history.”

Through the DeKalb Salvation Army, prospective campgoers have six options to choose from, all of which will take place in Salem, Wisconsin.

Kids Camp immerses young adventurers ages 7 to 12 in a journey through God’s creation and His word, according to a flyer. Whether it be hikes in the woods or campfire games, there’s something for everyone. The camp runs from June 8 to 11.

Creative Art Camp is designed for children ages 9 to 17 who want to refine their craft and cultivate a deeper appreciation for artistic expression through collaborative worship and performances, according to a flyer. Campers will be guided by accomplished instructors as they delve into a diverse array of disciplines, from mastering musical instruments to honing vocal talents. The camp runs from June 22 to 27.

Teen Camp is where teens ages 13 to 17 come together in the spirit of adventure, friendships, and meaningful moments to grow in confidence, leadership, and faith while making lifelong memories, according to a flyer. The camp runs July 6 to 11.

Sports Camp is where young athletes ages 9 to 14 go to grow in skill, confidence, and character. Whether it be high-energy drills and team competitions, or games, campers will be challenged and pushed to their limits, according to a flyer. Each day will consist of skill development that’s built on encouragement and helping kids build both athletic ability and strong sportsmanship. The camp runs June 15 to 19.

Leadership Camp immerses campers ages 10 to 14, ready to grow, serve, and lead with confidence into team challenges, leadership workshops, and hands-on service opportunities, all of which are meant to strengthen communication, character, and decision-making skills, according to a flyer. The camp, which runs June 29 to July 3, is designed for anyone looking to take the next step in leadership.

The Salvation Army Oudoors allows campers ages 9 to 12 to explore the wonders of God’s creation while building confidence, resilience, and teamwork. Whether it be hiking trails or hands-on challenges, there is something for everyone, according to a flyer. The camp, which runs July 13 to 17, is filled with opportunities for growth and discovery.

Jennifer Spencer, corps administrator for The Salvation Army, said she encourages families to consider Salvation Army camps.

“It’s such a fantastic time for children that the camp they will experience will change their lives,” Spencer said. “It’ll stay with them forever. And they will make friendships that will last forever.”

Registration for Salvation Army camps will close May 15.

The cost for new campers is only $15. Transportation to and from the camp is provided.

For information, call 815-756-4308 and ask for Jennifer or Elena.

It’s a space filled with its share of nooks and corners where many young learners often drop in to embrace their love for reading. For some young readers, it may be their first foray into a library. And to others, it’s all part of tradition.

As the librarian at Cortland Elementary School, Leslie Leahy said she’s put a lot of effort into ensuring the library can be a welcoming environment for all.

“I wanted this to be the center of the school,” Leahy said. “I would want everyone to feel welcome and warm. I love being in the library.”

On a recent Tuesday, a class of fourth grade students dropped in to visit with Leahy.

Leahy said she loves sharing her love for reading and learning with students.

“[I] love books, of course,” Leahy said. “I love students even more.”

Leahy said she puts a lot of careful thought into selecting books for the library’s collection.

“I try to get newer books because I have a good budget to get books,” Leahy said.

District staff said the library currently has 14,513 books in its collection. Some of the students’ favorite reads these days include “Dog Man,” “The Baby-Sitters Club” and “Big Nate.”

Leahy said she prides herself on providing a space in the library where students feel they can connect.

“I don’t believe in a quiet library unless I’m reading,” Leahy said.

Cortland Elementary School principal Jennifer Hilliard said it’s clear that students and their families enjoy working with Leahy.

“Students enjoy going to the library for the interesting read-alouds and the ability to pick out books that interest them,” Hilliard wrote in an email. “Parents appreciate that students have great books to bring home and read with their families. Leslie helps students find books that interest them and that they can read at home with their families.”

When asked whether she prefers reading books, graphic novels or e-Books, Leahy said it’s all the same.

“I think all books are books personally,” she said. “I know there are some librarians who don’t think that.”

Leahy touted her ability to turn non-readers into readers.

“Not every kid wants a book, so we’ve got to find what they want,” she said.

Leahy said she is all about practicing what she preaches to students.

She said she has long had a love for reading and learning.

Hilliard said she likes how intentional Leahy is.

“I deeply appreciate staff members, like Leslie, who intentionally build positive, meaningful relationships with students,“ Hilliard wrote. ”These educators create classrooms/spaces where students feel seen, heard, and valued as individuals. They take the time to learn about their students’ interests, backgrounds, and experiences, and they use that knowledge to foster trust and connection.”

When asked to choose between libraries and bookstores, Leahy said it’s simple.

“I’ve been to many bookstores,” Leahy said, “but I still prefer a library.”

The shelves in the DeKalb Public Library are filled with stories.

Maybe some may tell of Paul Mandigo. For years, he’s worked hard volunteering at the DeKalb Public Library.

Now retired from working at Bell Laboratories, Mandigo has been lauded by library staff for his years of service.

“He is a dedicated volunteer, and he quietly serves our community, helping us out with what we need done at the library,” Library Director Emily Faulkner said. “He’s a really steadfast volunteer. He comes reliably every time he comes in. He knows what he’s doing.”

On a recent Wednesday, Mandigo took to the library to start his volunteer shift.

He’s been volunteering at the library for the past 11 years.

Mandigo acknowledged that his work may go unnoticed by the casual library patron.

He is usually tasked with ensuring that all the books and materials in the library’s adult department are in order and spaced properly on the shelves.

“They probably don’t last long, but at least this starts out that way,” Mandigo said.

Mandigo also tutors students in grades 3 through 6 at the library when they need help.

Mandigo said he enjoys his assigned duties.

“It helps the readers find what they need to get,” Mandigo said. “I hope the readers find what they can get.”

Mandigo said it may take him a couple of months to complete a given section in the library. Library staff said the library is home to about 150,000 items, including books, CDs and other materials.

Faulkner said Mandigo has been a great find for the library.

Mandigo said it’s clear that library staff appreciate the work of volunteers like him.

“Everybody that I’ve worked with ... are just delighted that somebody’s going through making sure things are where they’re supposed to be in order,” he said.

Faulkner said the work of volunteers, like Mandigo, is invaluable to the library.

“It’s wonderful. There’s nothing more frustrating than going to go look for a book on the shelf and having it not be there,” Faulkner said.

Mandigo likened his duties as a library volunteer to solving puzzles and said it’s been rewarding.

“That’s the kind of thing that drives me, is getting things fixed,” he said. “Growing up on the farm, I thought that’s what I did was solve puzzles,” he added.

Mandigo went on to dedicate the majority of his life’s work to technical and coding work, and then software development for Bell Laboratories, a telephone switching system. He retired in 2005.

“If you look underneath the software coding, solving problems that came from things that didn’t quite work right in the field,” Mandigo said.

He recalled how advanced technology appeared earlier in his career.

“At the time, the largest computers that you could buy were from IBM, and they took their computers off the air at midnight to go through and make sure they’d run the night and be up-to-date for the next day,” Mandigo said.

Mandigo said he’s thankful that his parents got him into volunteering from an early age.

He’s also volunteered at the Westminster Presbyterian Church, 4-H workshops and more.

Mandigo said he often spends his free time with his grandchildren or reading books.

His favorite books to read these days include Reader’s Digest, police dramas and nonfiction titles. Mandigo said he used to be big on science fiction books. He touted the collection of books he keeps in his personal library at home, featuring a wide assortment of titles in the genre.

“It was more extensive than theirs, not in shelf space but in the particular author I like,” Mandigo said, in making a comparison to the DeKalb Public Library.

When asked what he thinks of bookstores versus libraries, Mandigo said they’re both useful, but each serves a different purpose.

“My view is libraries are great for books you want to read and put back, and for people who get books and do research,” he said. “But we all have to understand that libraries are managed by people who are going to put their own ideas in. Our bookstores are going to sell whatever they want to sell.”

Both Olayiwola and Garcia-Martinez were bestowed with the Award of Meritorious Service for their work in DeKalb schools.

It is an honor granted to educators who “go above and beyond in service” to their students, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. Their efforts to exude leadership have a track record of uplifting the culture of learning in their buildings, thereby making them exemplars in the profession and integral members of their schools and districts.

Olayiwola said it meant a lot to her to receive state recognition.

Olayiwola is a special education resource teacher at Mitchell Elementary School.

“It means the world to me,” Olayiwola said. “It means that I am being seen and that the students I represent are being seen. This is 100% for them. And it feels good to receive my flowers. Not a lot of time, teachers in this industry, especially Black and Brown teachers, get the recognition that we deserve in everyday life.”

But a career in teaching wasn’t Olayiwola’s first choice.

Olayiwola has long had an interest in forensic science. But it wasn’t until 2018 when she started teaching that she began to piece everything together.

Growing up, Olayiwola remembers the struggle her family faced in the late 90s, trying to make sense of how her brother was born with autism.

It was a bit of a mystery for Olayiwola and her family.

“There was not a lot of information about autism, especially in the Black community,” Olayiwola said. “A lot of us don’t really recognize different disabilities.”

Olayiwola said her experience better prepared her for teaching students in special education.

“I fell in love with special education,” Olayiwola said. “It became a part of what I wanted to do moving forward.”

Olayiwola said she strives to empower students to take charge of their education.

Olayiwola often turns to interactive lessons, which she said can result in students taking the lead.

“I’m very non-traditional,” she said. “I have students teach me.”

When asked why she may have been recognized by the state with the honor, Olayiwola said it’s simple.

“I know, for me, I aspire to be the support and inspiration for my students, whether they are on my caseload or not, that I once needed myself,” she said.

Olayiwola said it’s important to her that students can relate to her.

With teaching at Mitchell Elementary School, it’s all the more important, she said.

“A majority of the students come from ... ‘The Village,’” she said. “A lot of them come from low-income housing in this area. I say, ‘I came from something called The Village, as well, back in Chicago. I came from low-income housing. ... It’s an honor to me to be able to show you what the result of someone who’s just like you.’”

Garcia-Martinez said she’s excited knowing that she’s been recognized by the state.

She is a fifth grade bilingual teacher with an emphasis on Spanish language arts and science in the Two-Way Dual Language program at Littlejohn Elementary School.

“Every day as a teacher, you work in the community and you never really do it for any accolades or recognition,” Garcia-Martinez said.

Garcia-Martinez has been in the teaching profession for six years and has worked in the nonprofit sector for 17 years. Teaching wasn’t always part of her plan.

“Teaching kind of fell in my lap,” Garcia-Martinez said. “It was never something I envisioned for my future, but I absolutely love it.”

Garcia-Martinez said it’s clear that students gravitate to her teaching style.

“I have a very different approach to teaching, so I think that’s why I connect so well with students from all different levels,” Garcia-Martinez said.

It’s all about creating a sense of community in the classroom, Garcia-Martinez said.

“My classroom has its own culture,” she said. “The students have to create the dynamics of their learning. I make them in charge of their learning. Yes, I’m the teacher. I’m the one who has to make sure they’re learning, and I bring the lesson plans, but it’s all based on their desire.”

Garcia-Martinez said she believes bilingualism in education is important.

“Our bilingual learners are the future,” Garcia-Martinez said. “I make the students, the schools, the community understand how important and valuable bilingual learners are.”

Whether he’s operating a camera or a drone, he’s got one goal in mind.

“It really is just capturing beauty,” Tortoriello said.

As a DeKalb resident, Tortoriello, 53, often takes to social media to share highlights of his work and other content creations.

He’s provided clients with professional drone photography and video production services for about 25 years. His line of work has allowed him to travel and see the world, taking him to places such as Hawaii and Costa Rica.

But another focus of his? Capturing what makes DeKalb, DeKalb.

He frequently uses his skills to showcase the local community and then shares it online.

In a pair of publicly shared Facebook posts in the “What’s Happening in DeKalb, IL?” community group in December 2025, for example, Tortoriello captured snow falling onto the streets of downtown DeKalb.

In sharing his work publicly, he said he hopes people look at the positive.

“That is why I got into photography in the first place, to see the beauty that a lot of people may overlook and not see,” Tortoriello said.

Tortoriello said he thinks there’s enough negativity on TV and hopes to give viewers of his work a glimpse into his take on life.

Notably, some of his content creations have garnered shares from Tom Skilling, a beloved meteorologist formerly for WGN-TV.

“We geek out on nature, knowing when things are going to be a certain way, so I have shared stuff with him in the past,” he said.

Tortoriello added that his end goal is simple.

“Hopefully it’s a unique perspective where I use my drone,” Tortoriello said. “Because a lot of people don’t fly in ... extreme conditions, but I do, I guess, because I feel comfortable and confident. I think even with my Hawaii experience, we flew in hurricanes. So, it gave me a lot of confidence. [I’m] more trusting [of] my drones.”

Tortoriello said he’s fond of the opportunities he’s had to get up close to ocean life, swimming with dolphins, turtles, seals and big waves.

Camera technologies have come a long way since he first started out.

“I had an Apple campaign for the iPhone that I used to shoot with my iPhone underwater,” Tortoriello said. “... It was funny because everyone would make fun of you because this was like iPhone 6 when people really weren’t touting and talking about the cameras much. Now, it’s the HERO or the iPhone for the most part.”

Tortoriello said he’s embraced the “refresh” that newer technologies have unlocked for him.

“I appreciate the different perspectives that the drone gives you,” Tortoriello said. “It opens up a whole other window of perspectives that you can’t get on the ground.”

His favorite social media platforms to showcase content are Facebook and YouTube.

Tortoriello said some things lend themselves easily to promoting his business.

His roommate, Brian Awe, said he’s seen Tortoriello at work in his element before.

He said it’s clear that Tortoriello is passionate about his work.

“That’s his thing,” Awe said. “He loves beauty, and he can capture it really well in his photography.”

When he’s not tending to his duties as a for-hire videographer, photographer and drone operator, Tortoriello can often be found caring for his adoptive mother, Inessa, who was diagnosed with dementia.

Tortoriello is part of a growing segment of the population at 63 million taking up caregiving responsibilities, according to the latest report from AARP and the National Alliance for Caregiving. This figure makes for an almost 50% increase since 2015.

Tortoriello was adopted by his parents in 1972.

He said Inessa is the only mother that he’s known.

Tortoriello had been living in Hawaii until about three years ago, when he decided to move back to Illinois.

He said he wanted to be closer to his mother.

“She’s the reason I came back,” Tortoriello said. “... She’s always been a really great mom in regards to being there for me when I was a kid.”

Tortoriello’s mother lives in a memory care facility in South Elgin.

“It became a lot for me, but I don’t really have a lot of family here to help out either,” Tortoriello said. “Basically, it’s all on me.”

Awe said he knows how much Tortoriello wants what’s best for his mother.

“You can tell he really cares about his mother,” Awe said. “He works really hard to advocate for her and to make sure that she’s doing well.”

When the news first broke, it was announced that the district one of three dozen under review for how and if they teach gender and sexuality, along with what parent opt-outs are in place, whether bathrooms and locker rooms are single-sex only and whether access to girls’ sports teams is limited “based on biological sex.”

DeKalb resident Frankie DiCiaccio, who heads up DeKalb Migrant Aid, said they believe the investigation has caused harm regardless of how it unfolds.

“It continues dangerous narratives that queerness and transness are somehow unjust, duplicitous, inherently wrong, or something that requires investigation,” DiCiaccio said at the May 5 school board meeting. “It undermines the academic or speech rights of our educators. It’s scary; It’s mean. And how our leaders respond to it or navigate in the coming weeks and months will be very impactful.”

A spokesman for Gov. JB Pritzker’s office released a statement denouncing the DOJ’s move as a “sham.”

A letter obtained by Shaw Local between the DOJ and DeKalb School District 428 showed that DeKalb schools are bound by Title IX.

Title IX is a U.S. federal civil rights law enacted in 1972 that prohibits sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

As DeKalb schools receive federal funding assistance from the DOJ, they are subject to certain requirements.

DeKalb resident Killian Becker, who identifies as non-binary, queer, and transgender, expressed their support for the staff in DeKalb schools.

“I am the adult that I am today mainly because of these safe adults that I grew up with here in this [high] school, in this district,” Becker said.

The DOJ has not reached any conclusions with its inquiry, to date.

Board President Chris Boyes tried to address the public’s concerns.

“In our efforts to be a diligent district, we will be making sure that we continue to follow all applicable federal and state laws at this time,” Boyes said. “We intend to fully collaborate and work with the Department of Justice in their compliance review.”

This story was edited on May 13, 2026, to show that Killian Becker identifies as non-binary.

But others said they weren’t informed enough on the issue to provide any comment.

A final City Council vote on this topic is expected at 6 p.m. Monday at the DeKalb Public Library, 309 Oak St.

Faranda’s owner Bill McMahon said he is excited about the proposed entertainment district.

“I came away excited for the possibility of an entertainment district,” McMahon said. “I thought it bodes positive. I’ve been downtown DeKalb for 32 years. And people are always like, ‘What can we do to get more people downtown?’ And I think as long as our police force and our city staff can administer this, it’s a great idea.”

Under the proposal, participating businesses of the city’s Central Business District would pilot a program in which patrons may carry a single alcoholic beverage in a city-approved, branded cup.

City officials have said the concept, if approved by the council, aims to provide a fun, safe way to encourage more pedestrians to walk downtown in the late afternoon and evening, combining dining, shopping and entertainment venues.

Any establishment with a liquor license opting in would have city-issued stickers or displays to indicate their program participation, city documents show. Adults age 21 or older would also be required to wear a wristband to show they have been carded and purchased a drink.

Alcohol in non-city-approved bottles, cans and glass containers would not be allowed and is restricted outside of the proposed entertainment district. Any business found not adhering to the city’s rules would face penalties under the existing liquor license regulations, city documents show.

Non-licensed businesses within the entertainment district can choose whether to welcome customers onto their premises with the understanding that drinks are sold and served elsewhere in the district, documents show. Participation is not mandatory.

City staff said the district could include about a dozen participating businesses.

Among downtown businesses voicing support of the proposed initiative is the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St.

In a statement, theater executive director Alex Nerad said the Egyptian welcomes the initiative.

“The Egyptian Theatre is supportive of initiatives that will attract more people to Downtown DeKalb,” Nerad wrote. “Over the past few years, we have participated in the ‘To-go cup’ program at downtown events such as DeKalb Pride and Back Alley Market. We have not encountered any problems; it has helped our concession sales, and attendees seem to appreciate the opportunity to walk around with their drinks.”

Nerad said the Egyptian is unique among downtown businesses, with larger capacity and offering more diverse options for events. He said he was appreciative that the Council has allowed multiple weeks to discuss the proposal and welcome business feedback before a final vote.

“As such, we had a few minor questions about the proposed ordinance,” Nerad said. “The City was very responsive in making some adjustments to the final draft of the ordinance to incorporate our feedback.”

Nerad said the theatre is excited to see the city taking initiative.

“We attract over 50,000 people a year to the Egyptian Theatre, so we are always happy to see the City of DeKalb investing in the success of downtown and taking steps to make DeKalb even more friendly and welcoming to all,” Nerad wrote.

Fifth Ward Alderman Andre Powell expressed support for the initiative and what it aims to accomplish.

“I think it’s a great idea,” Powell said. “I think it’s forward-thinking for the downtown area.”

Powell was among several DeKalb city officials present for a recent meeting of downtown merchants.

“I feel there was strong support,” Powell said. “I feel like more than anything, we wanted a clear understanding and everyone to be on the same page. I felt like we found level ground within the downtown business merchants. I feel there’s a clear understanding of what this looks like, and I feel there’s a clear understanding that if there’s room for improvement, we will improve.”

Not everyone on the City Council is sold on the proposal.

Sixth Ward Alderman Mike Verbic said he doesn’t support the initiative as it’s presented.

He said he would only get behind it if there were changes.

“I would support that in a confined area that was not crossing railroads or state highways, and if security was provided for the entertainment district,” Verbic said. “If the downtown merchants want to invest further in downtown services, then we should establish, as I suggested before, a special service area.”

A special service area is a measure that assesses a special tax on properties within a set defined area in exchange for certain services.

The proposed entertainment district’s boundaries from the west of North First Street, to the north on East Locust, to the east on North Fourth and to the south by the Union Pacific right-of-way, city documents show. Also included as proposed cutouts are the northeast corner of North Fourth Street to include The Grove Tavern, 204 N. Fourth St., and East Locust Street for Faranda’s, 302 Grove St.

McMahon said he doesn’t necessarily see the initiative increasing crime in the city’s downtown.

But he said the city appears to be prepared.

“At the very least, it’s going to get us a dedicated police officer downtown 4 to 8 [p.m.] on these nights where they’re enforcing the district,” McMahon said.

Verbic said he takes issue with the city expending more resources specifically to help police the downtown.

He said he doesn’t think it would make the best use of taxpayer money.

“An issue for me is that the police have better things to do, more responsibilities that go to the safety of DeKalb residents,” Verbic said. “I will not compromise on safety for the city of DeKalb to support an entertainment district, which is completely unnecessary and a very bad use of public safety resources, along with public works. The cleanup.”

Found. Home & Vintage owner Leslie Conklin said she supports the city’s proposal.

“I think that most towns that have thriving shopping districts do have the open carry [initiative,]” Conklin said. “It comes with some concerns, but I think that the police department, the city council, and the mayor are addressing those concerns.”

Conklin said if the initiative brings more downtown foot traffic, she’d consider expanding her operating hours at the store, 153 E. Lincoln Highway.

“I would if we were going to have traffic in downtown that are sipping and shopping, not sipping and browsing,” she said.

The proposal would run from 4 to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, city documents show. A last call for drinks would be nightly at 9:30 p.m.

If approved, the City Council would review the program’s success by Dec. 31.

Once it’s complete, the building is expected to begin welcoming students in the fall of 2028.

The measure, as approved, will help pave the way for the district’s plans for a 71,900-square-foot building with 24 classrooms for a cost of $50.55 million. An earlier plan projected 20 classrooms.

The school board initially voted in support of a roughly $38 million build spread out over 24 classrooms in the fall of 2025, school board documents show.

Officials have said concerns about staffing the building and ensuring it would meet the community’s needs were raised by the district’s administration. The district has, in the past few years, taken steps to accommodate a growing student population.

Board President Chris Boyes accepted the blame at a recent meeting for what he said was the district’s fault for making Mitchell Elementary School too small.

Mitchell Elementary opened in the fall of 2025 and is the latest addition to the district’s facilities. At about 70,000 square feet, the three-section elementary school is equipped for between 450 and 500 students in grades one through five, according to the district.

“I would rather that we do it right, to begin with, instead of kicking the can down the road to future boards to eat that cost,” Boyes said.

The district intends to use revenue from its reserve fund to pay for a new ELDC building. The district is also exploring ways to obtain assistance from the state through its Preschool For All and Preschool For All Expansion grants.

Armir Doka, the district’s director of business and finance, pointed to how the project could impact the taxpayers.

The school board decided to revise its property tax levy in April to lower the burden imposed on taxpayers.

“We actually took down about $3.5 million underlevy, which affects us continuously for the next few years, and in addition, we’re adding $10 million,” Doka said. “Our projections that we had previously are not the same.”

Doka said the board’s revised decision may leave the district with reserves in the amount of 39% of its operating budget, or $65.8 million by fiscal 2029.

He said action taken by the board could impact the timeline for the district to carry out Vision For28, though the current plan is for that to take effect in 2028. Vision For28 is a larger plan aimed at reducing middle school class sizes while ensuring buildings can accommodate the grade levels they serve.

Officials have said it can be a challenge to forecast the district’s needs.

But officials reiterated the importance of the preschool project, saying there’s a need for local preschool options in DeKalb.

The district said that a new ELDC will be larger than Mitchell Elementary and may serve more students in a standalone facility on DeKalb’s northwest side than it does at Huntley Middle School.

Board Vice President Jose Jaques questioned whether the community’s needs would be better supported by the revised proposal.

“Do you think the community is sufficiently supported with a 20-classroom building?” Jaques said.

Early Learning Development Center principal Shannon Armstrong said yes.

“I have no doubt that we could fill a 20-classroom building,” Armstrong said. “As far as what that looks like two years from now, it’s hard to say.”

It remains unclear how many of the classrooms would be full-day or half-day programs.

Armstrong said there is already a growing waitlist for children.

“Just looking at our waitlisted numbers as well as classrooms, I know there’s been a tremendous increase in our bilingual population in our classrooms,” Armstrong said. “I would love to incorporate more of that perspective, whether that’s full day, what that looks like, as well as multiple bilingual classrooms.”

Board member Nick Atwood, acknowledging there are a lot of working parents in the district, said he would like to see more full-day classrooms.

“We have a lot of folks in this community that don’t have good transportation,” Atwood said. “An all-day option makes that a whole lot easier.”

Boyes expressed support for a new 24-classroom ELDC building.

“The big thing for me on having those four extra classrooms is it enables our ability to do full-day [programs] more easily,” Boyes said. “With full-day [programming,] we can really get more of our students at the baseline for where our students should be by kindergarten.”

She’s among other dancers who’ve just learned that they qualify for the 4-week to 5-week training experiences.

At Ballet Chicago, Matthiesen is expected to study classical ballet, Balanchine, modern dance, and classical Spanish dance under expert faculty, according to a release.

“We’re so proud of Maggie for making this commitment to her art,” Dimensions Youth Ballet Artistic Director Miranda Cordes said in a news release. “We require our company dancers to attend at least one external audition per year because I recognize how valuable this experience is for their growth. The audition process – and the process of attending a summer intensive for those who are able– encourages them to get out of their comfort zone and home studio, to expand their vision and help them believe in themselves.”

Matthiesen is one of several dancers from Dimensions Youth Ballet in DeKalb this season accepted into summer programs, whether it be with Joffrey Ballet, Ballet Chicago, Milwaukee Ballet, or the Ruth Page Center for the Arts.

In building on the momentum that dancers receive at Dimensions Youth Ballet, these intensive programs immerse students into dance with 40 hours per week of classes in repertoire, technique, and stretching and strength exercises, all of which are generally completed in five-week sessions.

Experiences in Dimensions Youth Ballet’s performance company often help prepare dancers to take on such training opportunities, performing locally and building on foundational skills and dance company experience.

Cordes said she hopes to help broaden the experience of young dancers.

She had started her own career in dance as a local youth.

“Our goal is to help our DeKalb area youth get out into the world for bigger and better dance experiences,” Cordes said in a release.

Matthiesen has long been into the expression of dance and is excited to learn more this summer.

“I started dancing when I was three,” Matthiesen said in a release. “I just loved it so much that it beat out all my other sports. I love tap dancing because I find comfort in the rhythms. I really like ballet for its history and artistry.”

Matthiesen said location mattered to her in choosing a summer training program, as did an opportunity to improve her technique. She pointed to when she was in sixth grade, learning to dance en pointe, as a turning point for her and her dance experience.

“I was struggling with dance at that time, so pointe shoes served as a motivation to ease me back into dance and help my focus remain,” Matthiesen said in a release. “I really took to it, so it helped me latch on to dance better.”

Since then, Matthiesen has showcased her dancing en pointe skills in Dimensions Youth Ballet’s annual performances – most recently as a demi-soloist in Giselle – and in the Fox Valley Ballet’s Nutcracker, according to a release.

“Dancing in the Nutcracker was a big learning experience for me,” Matthiesen said in a release. “They have a well-known professional teacher who worked with the Waltz of the Flowers dancers. I was an understudy for that section for a while. Then this past year I was in that section, so it got me way more comfortable as a pointe dancer in a big corps de ballet.”

Maggie’s father, DJ Matthiesen, expressed support for his daughter.

“It took a long time for Maggie to get here,” DJ Matthiesen said. “She’s auditioned every year for these intensives since she was 11. She’s always been accepted, but she’s always been hesitant to reach that next level and commit to being with a whole new company. This year, I’m very proud of her. She really latched onto the idea and has been very excited. She’s worked very hard to get here.”

At $3,000 for tuition, it’s a bit of an undertaking for dancers, like Matthiesen, to commit to such training programs.

But Dimensions Youth Ballet strives to help students by offering scholarships, which are made possible by donations through Give DeKalb County, the annual donation platform dedicated to serving nonprofits located in or serving DeKalb County.

Marter is vying for a seat in Congress this fall, hoping to replace incumbent candidate Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville.

District 14 includes portions of Bureau, DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, Putnam and Will counties.

The town hall, held at the Hinckley Community Center, opened up with some remarks from Marter and was followed by a Q&A session with the audience.

In his public remarks, Marter said he believes healthcare is at issue.

“A lot of folks, including my opponent, will lie to people about what I would do or not do with respect to healthcare,” Marter said.

When asked for comment about the town hall, the campaign team for Underwood declined.

Marter said the Affordable Care Act is not achieving its intended aim, as healthcare did in 2002 when he turned to the marketplace for private health insurance. Last fall, she and other Democrats pushed for the Premium Tax Credits enacted under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to be extended.

“The problem was it’s become anything but affordable unless you’re the one at the bottom of the scale, which most people are not, by the way,” Marter said. “Most working people don’t get the free plans. They don’t get all those benefits that the politicians in Washington like to talk about. So, it ran the cost of everything up.”

Underwood, a licensed nurse, has attempted to take steps to alleviate the financial burden of health care for Illinoisans.

Also discussed during the town hall were federal spending priorities.

Marter questioned whether special interests are influencing how taxpayer money is allocated.

The Hinckley Public Library was named a beneficiary of over $1 million in federal funding, secured with help from Underwood in 2024. The money was netted to help complete the second phase of rehabilitation and renovations to the 6,000-square-foot building, which needed improvements to address asbestos and patron accessibility issues. Underwood has said the funding helps support local communities and resources residents care about.

“Why are we doing that?” Marter said. “Why are we using the federal government to fund out, loan some money here and loan some money there?”

Marter previously served on the Oswego Public Library District’s Board of Trustees from 2021 to 2025.

“It’s an interesting thing, but if you look around the country all of our history, libraries usually they’re funded locally, not with federal dollars,” Marter said. “I would only ask the question, was that the best use of your money? Because that money was your money, was my money, was everyone in the 14th district who’s been taxed, who works, and has been taxed.”

During the Q&A session, Big Rock resident Rand York expressed his support for Marter.

“I find that I’ve never found the platform I’ve agreed with all the way up and down the line,” York said. “I never found a political candidate with whom I agreed on everything. I disagree with you on a number of things, but what’s important is that I trust you. That is one of the rarest things in politics – the people that you can actually trust.”

York said he believes the nation has become divisive these days, and he wants a representative in Congress who understands that and is open to bridging the divide.

“You don’t have blinders on where you’re not going to hear what anyone has to say,” York said. “That is what we need in a representative, not an idealist. But a realist who understands the people that you purport to represent, which I do not believe that our current representative does. ... But you are one of those, I think, rare people who do listen and who don’t write anybody off.”

York’s sentiments were shared by some attendees of the town hall, including Hinckley residents Tim and Debbie Hannan.

“It has become segmented,” Debbie Hannan said. “There’s no feeling of community.”

Debbie Hannan said Marter provides a different voice for voters at a time when conservative views may not always be heard.

Marter has been taking to the campaign trail ahead of the Nov. 3 election by hosting meet-and-greets, attending events and hosting the first of what he said is hoped to be several planned town halls.

Marter said he wants the voters to get to know him better.

“One of our main goals this cycle is to do whatever we can [to] get the message out,” Marter said.

After the meeting, when asked if he would stand up to Republican President Donald Trump should he ever not agree with him, Marter said he believes he’s the right candidate for the job.

“I can tell you that with me and President Trump, there’s probably a number of issues we don’t agree at all on,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean that I can’t have a relationship with him, that I can’t support the things that I do support him doing, and that I can’t, let’s say, vote the other way on things that I don’t agree with. To me, that would be a non-issue for me.”

As a librarian at Mitchell Elementary School in DeKalb, McCain said he believes he can achieve his goal.

“I always liked school,” McCain said. “I had great teachers.”

McCain is among the staff at DeKalb School District 428 who have benefited from aid provided under the state’s Teacher Vacancy Grant.

First awarded to the district in the 2023-24 school year, the Teacher Vacancy Grant works by design to address teacher shortages, all while working to ensure fewer unfilled positions and improving workplace morale and job satisfaction.

Deetra Sallis, the district’s director of human resources, said Teacher Vacancy Grant funding is meant to help with both retaining and attracting educators.

“They see how the district is investing in them and students, they feel valid,” Sallis said.

According to the most recent state school report card data, DeKalb schools’ teacher retention remained largely steady in recent years. In 2025, it was 91.2%, compared to 91.2% in 2024 and 90.7% in 2023.

Sallis said the district has been able to get creative in building a sense of belonging in DeKalb schools.

“Some people may think that doesn’t make sense, but that is a huge factor for people – feeling like they’re part of the culture and part of the team," Sallis said.

According to the Illinois State Board of Education, the grant allows districts maximum flexibility to use allocated funds in “innovative, creative and evidence-based ways, such as signing bonuses, housing stipends, down-payment assistance or loan repayments; to pay tuition and fees or provide residencies or apprenticeships; and to sustain employment of current teachers by providing materials, supplies, coaching and school culture supports.”

In May 2025, school board member Mark Charvat asked for better transparency on records of how the grant funds are spent, and board member Nick Atwood said he thought they should be better prioritized. Also around that time, the school board approved several purchase order requests for spa/salon services such as massages, hair treatment, nails and facials funded through the grant program.

District staff said they had been allocated a little more than $300,000 from the state to use.

Sallis said she believes the grant funding has gone a long way to further the district’s efforts to promote culture, retention and hiring.

“What we did is we looked at the systems and structures we had in place and looked to see how we could enhance and better support them in order to continue to support the culture, the recruitment, the retention process,” Sallis said.

McCain said he appreciates the opportunity to advance his career.

“Before I got hired, I was looking for some colleges to take me in,” McCain said. “I couldn’t find any programs. You know, when I got hired, I was also then offered a chance [to] do schooling. My dream was, you know, have a classroom one day and, you know, help the kids out.”

McCain, who is Black, said he didn’t often see people like himself teaching while growing up and attending Chicago schools.

He said he hopes to have an impact on young students of color.

“It’s really important, especially for me, [a] young black man,” McCain said. “I had one teacher, [an] African American male teacher. I met him and honestly, I can say, he put an impression on me.”

Also working to become a teacher through the grant program is Aimee Lewis. Lewis said she is grateful for the district’s support. She’s an administrative professional at Mitchell Elementary School who has been working for DeKalb School District 428 for 15 years.

“I would not have been able to go back to school because I have a family of five, and it’s not in the cards to do it unless I had this help,” Lewis said.

Lewis is studying to become an elementary school teacher, thanks in part to a partnership between the district and Grand Canyon University. She’s also working to attain endorsements in both special education and English as a Second Language.

Lewis said it would mean a lot to her to complete the program.

“I’m dyslexic myself, so I wanted to help others like me, and that’s the reason why I’m getting a special education endorsement,” Lewis said.

Cassandra Sprankle said she strives to be a better educator for everyone in her classroom.

Sprankle is a first-grade general education teacher at Mitchell Elementary School who has been working for DeKalb schools for four years.

“Every year, I’ve had a very wide range of learners,” Sprankle said. “I have some that are way above grade level, and then I have some that are quite below. So, I thought, like, ‘I can get my special education degree, and then I can help my low learners.’”

Sprankle said she has aspirations to work more closely with those with special needs.

“I also do want to transition into special education at some point in my career,” she said.

This month, Sprankle is expected to have completed a Master’s degree program in special education. She said she is getting reimbursement on student loans she acquired to help pay for her schooling.

Sprankle said she plans to stay in DeKalb schools.

It is her first year working at Mitchell Elementary School, the district’s newest school that opened in the fall of 2025.

“I think our school has been really good at being a team and trying to make things work here because we’re still learning,” Sprankle said.

Upon program completion, Lewis said she sees herself landing a teaching job in DeKalb schools. She said she looks forward to someday having her own classroom.

“I love working in the schools because I’m with students and that is what I want to do, is be with students,” Lewis said.

Sallis expressed appreciation for the Teacher Vacancy Grant funding and what it’s done for the district, and hopes there’s more to come.

“This is the third, and at this point the final year, but we got our fingers crossed and we’re hoping that this is not the case,” Sallis said.

The grand finale took place April 30 in the Liberty 250 Theater at the RTW Veteran Center in DeKalb, providing a venue in which jazz performers and fans united for a showcase of live, collaborative jazz performances highlighted by what organizers said was improvisation, mentorship and musical excellence.

April 30 also marked International Jazz Day, an annual observance aimed at celebrating jazz and its influence across cultures and communities.

“We created the Liberty 250 Theater to be an outlet for artistic talent right here in DeKalb County,” RTW Veteran Center Founder Daniel Habeel said. “As a former musician myself, I understand how powerful music can be in bringing people together and giving them a sense of purpose.”

The GI Jam sessions were made possible with help from Roosevelt Griffin, the director of jazz studies at NIU and the brainchild behind the program.

“This is how the art form survives,” Griffin said in a news release. “Experienced musicians work side by side with younger players, helping them develop their skills in a live setting. It’s about paying it forward.”

Griffin said he hopes to create space for the local jazz community to grow.

“We expect to see it spread through word of mouth,” Griffin said in a release. “Younger musicians will come up through the ranks, and seasoned professionals will join in. That’s the natural ecosystem of jazz.”

Organizers intend to keep the momentum from the GI Jam going.

In June, the RTW Veteran Center is putting on “DeKalb County Has Talent,” a community-wide talent search.

The program will identify and showcase the talents of local performers of all ages and disciplines, according to a release.

On Saturday, the DeKalb resident will give away flowers outside the Taylor Street Plaza apartments to help mark the occasion.

Saunders said he hopes all mothers, including his own, get the special recognition they deserve.

“It’s something to bring life to people that don’t have nobody, or nothing like that,” Porter Saunders said. “Hopefully, it will change the atmosphere of Taylor Street.”

Mother’s Day this year is Sunday, May 10. Saunders said he hopes the gesture is received by the community positively.

“I’ve been staying here for about three to four years, and I’m trying to uplift the building for everybody to be happy, get along, and love one another,” Porter Saunders said.

Saturday’s flower giveaway won’t be a one-off for Saunders.

His own mother, Deborrah Saunders, 70, lives in Iowa and is unable to make it on Saturday to receive her flowers.

But Saunders already made sure that his mother was treated to flowers last month. Around that time, Deborrah was in town visiting her son, who was serving up a free community dinner for residents of Taylor Street Plaza.

She said it was a nice gesture by her son.

“I wasn’t even looking for [any] roses,” Deborrah Saunders said. “I’m going to be honest, they were so pretty and red.”

Saunders said he had a caterer come in and cook all the food that residents enjoyed.

“I had about 150 to 200 people to come out, celebrate, and chitchat,” Porter Saunders said. “It made me feel good to see the people come out of their apartments to sit down here, communicate, laugh, and then talk. And they’re still talking about the dinner right now.”

Deborrah Saunders said she’s proud of her son and what he’s been doing to uplift his neighbors.

“Some people don’t have nobody to give them nothing,” she said. “They don’t even have people. Like that dinner, it was nice that he did that because these buildings where he live at, these people don’t do nothing.”

Saunders said he thinks the atmosphere at Taylor Street Plaza could use some energy at times to help uplift residents who might be sad.

The Hy-Vee grocery store in nearby Sycamore will be delivering all the flowers that Saunders plans to give away this Saturday.

“I just want to wish all the mothers in the United States a happy Mother’s Day and wish them well,” Saunders said. “I know some people don’t have their mother, but it’s still a great day.”

But there’s more to Saunders’s generosity.

He said he’s also planning to have a food truck stop by in mid-June to serve up BBQ outside Taylor Street Plaza.

“The Lord gave me the vision to do it again,” he said.

But things haven’t always been rosy in Saunders’s life.

“I was almost on the verge of being homeless,” he said.

Saunders said he had lost his job and was struggling to make payments on bills until recently. But he turned to DeKalb Township for assistance. By February, he landed his current job.

Saunders said he appreciates everyone who helped him in his time of need. He said he’s got a lot of love for his own mother.

“My mother means so much to me,” he said.

Growing up, Saunders lived in a single-parent household with his mother, raising five children. He described his childhood as a struggle, but said he believes that he and his siblings are making their mother proud.

“We all grown and doing our own thing,” he said.

Deborrah Saunders expressed gratitude for her children and what they do for her.

“I appreciate anything my children do for me,” she said. “I appreciate [it] because like I said, they don’t have to do anything.”

Canvas is an online Learning Management System brought to students and faculty by Instructure, a Salt Lake City, Utah-based education technology giant. The platform is often used for processes such as assessments, homework and grading. A significant number of universities across the country also use Canvas. But a spokesperson for Northern Illinois University said Friday that NIU isn’t one of them.

Ben Bayle, director of technology for DeKalb School District 428, said students and faculty have been able to use the platform.

“At this point, I have not heard of a major interruption,” Bayle said Friday.

But he said the district has been working with the high school’s administration to determine what to do in the event they need to consider changing Learning Management Systems.

“Google Classroom would probably be the quickest and easiest way to pivot, but we haven’t had to go down that path yet,” Bayle said.

Users from some schools and universities, including in McHenry County, found that the platform had gone offline on Thursday during a cyberattack, only to return online the next morning, The Associated Press reported.

The hacking group ShinyHunters has since claimed responsibility for the breach, multiple reports show.

Bayle said sensitive data may have been compromised.

“Based on what was shared by Instructure is really first name, last name, student ID number, email address and then potentially any internal system conversations within the Canvas LMS,” he said.

A message has since been shared with DeKalb High School students and their families about the breach.

It remains unclear how widespread the breach was.

Bayle, who has been the district’s technology director since 2016, said that in terms of scope, the breach is very similar to Pearson’s.

The breach in data to that educational publishing company came during former District 428 superintendent Jamie Craven’s tenure, from 2017 to 2020, he said.

Bayle said the district doesn’t have a lot of specifics at this time.

“I’m sure it’ll go through a legal review process,” Bayle said. “We may find out a year from now. These things take a while.”

According to the city of DeKalb, the store first opened its doors earlier this year.

Located at 2350 Sycamore Road, Boost Mobile aims to provide customers with a full-service wireless retail experience.

The new store services customers by activating new lines, upgrading devices or paying bills.