The DeKalb City Council supports a new crime-free initiative imposing tougher fines on landlords who allow crimes to happen at their properties while recognizing those who work to create a safe place to live.

Mayor Cohen Barnes (right in photo) assured landlords and property managers at the Sept. 26 Council meeting that the proposed initiative will have no effect on those who provide quality housing. At the same time, he said the poor conditions and violent crime that persists must be addressed.

“We’re going to work with all the good landlords to make sure that we have a minimal impact on you,” said Barnes. “But, if you’re a bad landlord, your days are numbered in this community, period.”

The proposal builds on the crime-free housing program created in 2013 by increasing the fines for those found to have committed a criminal nuisance property violation by allowing or failing to prevent unlawful activity at a rental property.

The first violation is $2,500, followed by $5,000 for the second and $10,000 for subsequent violations. Additionally, subsequent violations would result in the closure of a rental property or unit for at least 12 months.

There are also protections for landlords who are working to prevent crimes at their property. A stay order can be issued to pause the penalties if a landlord can show steps are being taken to correct the problem.

By providing crime-free housing, Police Chief David Byrd said landlords play a role in improving public safety. While the police have the largest role, Byrd says everyone’s help is needed.

“Every person in this City is a stakeholder, and they have a responsibility to make sure that the City of DeKalb is a safe place,” said Byrd.

Another step to enhance the crime-free housing program will be the hiring of a full-time Director of the Crime-Free Bureau to ensure the program is being administered fairly and consistently.

The City has been meeting with representatives of the DeKalb Area Rental Association, an organization of landlords and property managers, to receive their input on the proposal.

The new initiative will come before the Council for a vote at their next meeting on Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. in the Yusunas Meeting Room at the DeKalb Public Library.

In This Issue

Human Resources Generalist Michelle Brening talks with NIU students about job opportunities at the City of DeKalb during the Campus Meets Community Block Party Sept. 8 on the NIU campus. The annual event in the MLK Commons gives students a chance to learn about what's offered by local businesses and organizations.

Work to begin widening Peace Road north of the tollway will begin this fall, and resurfacing will be done in the Market Square Shopping Center.

The DeKalb City Council, at its meeting on Sept. 12, approved the widening of Peace Road to four lanes between the tollway and Macom Drive. This includes a safety upgrade to the intersection at Fairview Drive and the resurfacing of Peace Road to Route 38.

The project is part of a larger multi-year plan to widen Peace Road from the tollway to the railroad overpass. Work on the first segment will begin this fall and be completed next year.

The Council has also approved the resurfacing of all driveways and several of the main entranceways at the Market Square Shopping Center on Sycamore Road.

The up to $240,000 cost of the work will be paid for by the shopping center owners through a Special Service Area. In 2020, after hearing concerns from residents about the condition of the roads in the retail area, the City created the special property tax district for the shopping center to fund road maintenance. Mayor Cohen Barnes says the benefits spread to residents across the City.

“What I love about projects like this, like Peace Road too, is the amount of people, the amount of residents, this is going to affect positively,” said Barnes. “So many of us go to Walmart, we go to Lowes, we go to those areas out there, so it’s awesome that we’re going to make an impact out there in our streets.”

The resurfacing in the shopping center will be done this fall.

The DeKalb City Council has approved projects to reduce speeding on Fairview and Edgebrook Drive, extend a bike path and a safe route to DeKalb High School and begin preparing for the reconstruction of Lucinda Avenue.

The Fairview Drive work, among the list of the projects approved Sept. 26, will address concerns from south side residents about traffic speed and heavy truck traffic between First and Fourth Street. The traffic calming measures include building a pedestrian island at the Monticello Drive intersection and new striping along the corridor. 

Fourth Ward Alderman Greg Perkins said the work is a great start and more sustainable than additional policing.

“As our economy has continued to flourish on the south side of DeKalb, the single largest feedback item in the Fourth Ward has been control of traffic speed and volume,” said Perkins in a written comment. “It has been a subject of multiple e-mails, telephone conversations and meetings. There is consensus among the Fourth Ward that something needs to be done.”

Fairview is one of two traffic calming projects approved for this fall. In the Annie Glidden North and Greek Row neighborhood, green space will be added in the center of Edgebrook Drive with cul-de-sacs on each side.

“This is a project that has been in the talking phase for a year and a half or so,” said City Manager Bill Nicklas. “City officials, the Mayor, have been involved in working with NIU officials and the Greek community, talking about ways to calm traffic there to cutdown on the raceway between Blackhawk and Normal.”

The new green space will be next to the former site of the 912 Edgebrook apartment building, providing a large area for activities to be held. A similar project is planned on Kimberly Drive in the future.

Another project approved for the Annie Glidden North neighborhood is construction of a sidewalk on the westside of Annie Glidden Road. 

This will connect the new sidewalk along Twombly Road and the new path along Dresser Road and provide a safer route to students walking or riding their bike to DeKalb High School. Students will be able to cross at the signalized intersection at Annie Glidden and Twombly Road, instead of crossing in the middle of the street as they do now to reach a sidewalk on the east side of Twombly.

The Council also approved construction of a bike path extension through the Vaughn Parking Lot. This will connect the on-street bike lanes on Grove and First Street, providing a safe bike route through the downtown.

All four projects are scheduled to be completed this fall. They are part of a busy season of public infrastructure improvements which also includes the downtown lane reconfiguration, resurfacing portions of North 13th and 14th Street and the Knolls subdivision and the upcoming project to begin the widening of Peace Road, north of the tollway.

The City is also preparing for future projects. The Council approved the hiring of an engineer for the reconstruction and resurfacing of Lucinda Avenue from Annie Glidden Road to the Kishwaukee River. This work is scheduled for the summer of 2024.

An engineering design shows the location of green space that will be added to Edgebrook Drive to slow traffic. The bottom of the map still shows the apartment building at 912 Edgebrook. That has been demolished. That vacant grass lot and the new green space will provide a large area for activities to be held.

Plans for Art Studio, Grocery Store Approved

The First United Methodist Church will have new life as an art studio and a mostly vacant building on North Sixth Street will become a grocery store and restaurant following action by the DeKalb City Council.

On Sept. 12, the Council approved rezonings for EggToy Studio’s use of the church building at North Fourth and Oak Street and the grocery store and restaurant at 304 North Sixth Street.

City Manager Bill Nicklas said the studio, which makes customized lighting, furniture, signage, glass, and sculptures, chose the church building because of the large amount of space inside, its location and its uniqueness.

Mayor Cohen Barnes agreed the building will be a great fit for the new owners while preserving an important building in the City.

“That church has a lot of history in our community,” said Barnes. “It’s a beautiful, beautiful building, and to find this kind of a use, for creative talent to be there to continue that mission of that building, I think is wonderful.”

The studio will begin operating in the building after First United Methodist Church moves to its new building under construction on North Annie Glidden Road.

The new grocery store and restaurant will be operated by Martin Garcia Miranda and Paulina Chavez Martinez, who also own Paraiso Minimarket on North Tenth Street. That business will remain open. Fifth Ward Alderman Scott McAdams is pleased to see the addition to the community.

“Thank you for this great idea for the neighborhood,” said McAdams. “It’s received overwhelming support online from everyone that I’ve talked to and we’re looking forward to what you bring to the community.”

A parking lot with around 50 spaces south of the building across Oak Street will be available to the business’ customers, relieving pressure on the limited on-street parking in the area.

Fifth Ward Alderman Scott McAdams (second from left) thanks Martin Garcia Miranda and Paulina Chavez Martinez for bringing a new grocery store and restaurant to North Sixth Street.

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Community members who visit DeKalb Airport can now hear the air traffic as pilots take off and land with the reactivation of the outdoor loudspeaker in the DKB Airpark.

The airpark is on the east side of the Main Terminal and allows visitors to watch airplanes from park benches and an EAA-donated picnic table.

Fire Won't Wait. Plan Your Escape.

October is Fire Prevention Month! This year's theme is “Fire Won’t Wait. Plan Your Escape,” which promotes potentially life-saving messages that can mean the difference between life and death in a fire.

The DeKalb Fire Department encourages you all to develop a home escape plan with all members of the household, and practicing it regularly ensures that everyone knows what to do when the smoke alarm sounds and uses that time wisely.

Following are key messages behind this year’s “Fire Won’t Wait. Plan Your Escape” theme:

• Make sure your home escape plan meets the needs of all your family members, including those with sensory or physical disabilities.
• Smoke alarms should be installed inside every sleeping room, outside each separate sleeping area, and on every level of your home. Smoke alarms should be interconnected so when one sounds, they all sound.
• Know at least two ways out of every room, if possible. Make sure all doors and windows open easily.
• Have an outside meeting place a safe distance from your home where everyone should meet.
• Practice your home fire drill at least twice a year with everyone in the household, including guests. Practice at least once during the day and at night.

Receive important notifications from the City by signing up for ALERT DeKalb. Text, email, and phone messages are used to alert the public to emergency situations, severe weather, and traffic disruptions.

Users can also text ALERTDEKALB to 67283 to report criminal or suspicious activity and quality of life concerns.

DeKalb Police Chief David Byrd presents Officer Hickman with his badge after Hickman was sworn on Sept. 6. More photos from the ceremony and other events can be viewed on the DeKalb Police Department Facebook page.

A new NIU Homecoming event will transform downtown DeKalb into a pep rally of community festival proportions.

Downhome in Downtown DeKalb: A Huskie Homecoming Block Party is scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, in and around the Egyptian Theatre, 135 N. Second St.

Special guests include NIU President Lisa C. Freeman, DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes, NIU Football Coach Thomas Hammock, the Huskie Marching Band, Victor E. Huskie and Mission along with other Huskie student-athletes, coaches, Athletics Hall of Fame members and alumni, all of whom will march in around 6 p.m. to the beat of the drums.

Visitors can belt out the Huskie Fight Song; view and vote on window displays in the nearby storefronts; purchase food and drink (including adult beverages for those age 21 and older) from hometown restaurants; check out a classic car show that also includes police, fire and city vehicles; and, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., dance the night away on the street as a DJ spins tunes.

Children of all ages can head inside the Egyptian to see submissions to the Victor E. coloring contest and create their own, snap photographs with the VIPs, collect athlete autographs, get Huskie temporary face tattoos and grab some NIU swag while it lasts.

Beyond the actual Oct. 6 party, 10 local retail and dining establishments will serve as “Huskie Hosts” by offering discounts throughout Homecoming week. The roster includes businesses throughout DeKalb, Sycamore and DeKalb County, such as Jonamac Orchard.

Jennifer Groce, NIU’s director of Community Promotions, and Cortney Strohacker, executive director of the DeKalb County Convention and Visitors Bureau, are the architects of Downhome in Downtown.

“When President Freeman gave the charge to make our 115th Homecoming year really special, Matt Streb, Rena Cotsones and Cortney Strohacker and I met with the City of DeKalb to brainstorm what the community aspect of this celebration could include,” Groce said.

“As we sat and talked about it, Dr. Cotsones came up with the idea for local businesses serving as Huskie Homecoming Hosts, and we all agreed on the need for a fun, downhome celebration concentrated in downtown DeKalb,” Groce added. “The City of DeKalb was excited to be finishing up the downtown construction just in time for Homecoming and to help make the downtown event a real ‘communiveristy’ celebration. We all agreed a parade-like march was a must-have event.”

Strohacker shares Groce’s excitement.

“Really, we’re finding a way to get the community involved by extending things from ‘just on campus.’ We want people to come into downtown and feel like they’re part of NIU, no matter where they go,” Strohacker said.

“Our downtown merchants are great. They’re always so supportive, and they always do specials for Huskies. They’re always going the extra mile for us,” she added. “But this really brings them into the fold and to really feel a part of things, and they’re all so excited to be Huskie Hosts, to wear their Huskie T-shirts, and have their staffs wear that. They’re going to have their windows painted and feel that vibe you feel on campus.”

Groce is looking forward to a specific time: 6:15 p.m.

“Everyone is there. You’ve got the marching band filling every inch of Second Street. You’ve got everyone out on the street. You’ve got all the community members all lined up together. You have Victor E. and Coach Hammock and everybody crowded around the Egyptian Theatre, because that’s our home – that’s the heart of DeKalb and the downtown,” Groce said.

“Then you’ll just hear what I hope will be that rumble – that roar – of the Fight Song and the community and everyone cheering,” she added. “That’s what I’m super excited about – that we really, truly are a college town. We are all Huskies, and we all belong here.”

Strohacker agrees.

“We all belong, we’re all going to be together, and we’re all just going to be rooting on our Huskies,” she said.

“I’m an NIU alum, and so is my daughter, so NIU has a special place in my heart – and I dearly love DeKalb and DeKalb County,” she added. “I can’t wait to go and just see all the red and black, to judge the best Huskie pride, to have Brad Hoey lead the Fight Song, to have the Marching Band down there. I just think there’s going to be such an energy. There’s such an energy when you’re at the game, and to bring that into the community is going to be awesome.”

More details on the event can be found here.

This article by Mark McGowan first appeared on NIU Today.

HOPE Fair Housing is the oldest and largest fair housing organization in the state of Illinois. They will be sharing vital information on the agency and its programs, the Fair Housing Act, History of Fair Housing in the United States, information on Disparate Impact, and more.

Nafia Khan is the Director of Outreach, Events & Fundraising for HOPE Fair Housing Center. Prior to joining HOPE, Nafia worked in the field of Developmental Disabilities for five years, in direct service and advocacy. She has worked in the nonprofit sector for the large part of her career, with experience in both state and local government, most notably for former Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.

This community training is free and open to all. It will be held Wednesday, Oct. 26 from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Yusunas Meeting Room at the DeKalb Public Library. The City of DeKalb is a partner in this program. It is intended for adults and no registration is required. Snacks will be provided!

Get community news all month long by following the City on social media.

October Community Events

Stage Coach Players

126 South Fifth Street

The Crucible

The Stage Coach Players present one of Arthur Miller’s greatest plays, The Crucible, a story that revolves around the Salem Witch Trials and those who became wrongly accused of practicing witchcraft.  

Continues through Oct. 2

Purchase tickets here, and view the theater's full schedule.

Trash Squirrels Clean Up

Meet at Greek Row for the group's 17th clean up of the season. Look for the There's Fun In Store/Trash Squirrels tent. Trash bags, pullers, wagons, gloves, safety vests and water will be provided.

Sunday, Oct. 2, 1 to 3 p.m.

See the group's Facebook page for more information.

Egyptian Theatre

135 North Second Street

Horror Film Series

Enjoy thrills and chills on the largest movie screen in DeKalb County.

Oct. 4 - Double feature: The Mummy's Hand & The Mummy's Tomb

Oct. 11 - Psycho

Oct. 18 - Christine

Oct. 25 - The Shining

Showings begin at 7 p.m.

Purchase tickets here. Learn about more events on the Theatre's Events Schedule.

DeKalb High School

Homecoming Parade

The parade will start at DeKalb High School and go east on Dresser Road. It will then travel south on Wildflower Lane, circle around Tallmeadow Drive, go east on Heatherfield Lane, north on Daniel Lane, west on Dresser Road and then north on Pride Avenue and back to the high school.

Wednesday, Oct. 5 from 5:30-6:30 p.m.

NIU Homecoming Block Party:

Down Home in Downtown DeKalb

In & Around the Egyptian Theatre

Local fans, students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to join the Huskies for a down home celebration featuring kids activities, a car show, delicious food & beverage options from downtown restaurants and the March of the Huskies!

Thursday, Oct. 6 from 5 to 8 p.m.

More information can be found here.

Back Alley Market

North 2nd Street & Palmer Court

This multi-vendor event in downtown DeKalb features vintage and retro items; handcrafted candles, oils, lotions and jewelry; repurposed upcycle items and more.

Saturday, Oct. 8, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

More information can be found here.

DeKalb Public Library

309 Oak Street

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Huntley Park

Extend the summer into the fall with this performance by Stone Soup Shakespeare.

Saturday, Oct. 8 at 5 p.m.

See all of the library's programs on its calendar.

DeKalb Chamber of Commerce

Spooktacular

Downtown DeKalb

Invite your friends and family to put on their costumes and trick-or-treat at over 20 downtown DeKalb businesses. After trick-or-treating, the Egyptian Theatre will be offering a free movie showing of Hocus Pocus. No ticket or RSVP required.

Thursday, Oct 27

Trick-or-treating: 4 to 6 p.m.

Movie: 6:30 p.m.  

Find more Chamber events on its calendar.

City Hall          

164 E. Lincoln Highway

Monday - Friday  

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Police Station

700 West Lincoln Highway

Monday - Friday   

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Public Works

1216 Market Street

Monday - Friday

7 a.m. - 4 p.m.

DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport    

3232 Pleasant Street  

Monday - Friday     

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.