Once again we are being asked by the governor to close the doors to inside dining in our community. All of you have been so good in supporting our local businesses and restaurants. Please continue your support, as we need them to survive this pandemic and be there for our enjoyment for years to come. This is a very challenging time with the political climate and COVID-19. I ask that everyone respect others and do what you think is right to protect you and your family from this virus.
On a brighter note, if you haven’t seen the improvements downtown, please take a drive and check out the new parking and streetlights. The Village Board met and would like to continue improvements to our downtown. One thing we discussed was putting holiday decorations on the new light poles. The Village would like to display holiday lights, banners and decorations. We decided to decorate the poles with garland and lights.
It was suggested to see if anyone would be interested sponsoring decorations for the poles. The additional decoration would be a holiday display attached to the pole. We have seven poles that are available. If you are interested in sponsoring a pole, please let us know. The average price is around $500.
Thank you everyone for your support of our community and local business. We will get through this together.
Mark Eisenberg,
Village President
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Scammers Getting Unemployment Benefits |
Many Spring Grove residents have reported falling victim to a new scam. Imposters are filing claims for unemployment benefits using the names and personal information of people who have not filed claims. People learn about the fraud when they get a notice from the unemployment office. Sometimes payments get sent to the real person’s account, instead of the imposter's. If this happens to you, they may call, text, or email to try to get you to send the money to them. They may pretend to be your state unemployment agency and say the money was sent by mistake. View more info and what to do if this happens to you here.
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Salon Jevee wants to thank you for your business and wishes everyone a safe and healthy Thanksgiving! They would like to remind you to book your appointments now for the holidays! View more information here. Salon Jevee is located at 2207 Route 12 in the Spruce Point shopping center.
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16th Annual Tailgate 4 Education |
This year, instead of a dinner and a live and silent auction to raise funds for Richmond Grade School, the RGS PTO will be holding a 13-day raffle with amazing prizes to give away. Each prize is valued at over $200 with the grand prize being $2,020 in cash! View information on all of the sponsors and prize details here!
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Photo of the Week
These hungry baby robins were born this August in Michelle Jordon's tree in the Pine Meadows subdivision. If you have a photo of Spring Grove you would like to share, email it here.
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The Jake Vinyard Foundation Operation Feed 33 will be providing meals to those in need this Christmas. Donations are accepted from November 2 - December 12. View donation suggestions and drop off locations here. Check Facebook for more details and visit jakevinyardfoundation.com.
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The McHenry County Department of Health is sponsoring a no-charge tire recycling event for pre-registered McHenry County residents this Saturday, November 7, from 9 a.m. - noon at the McHenry County Division of Transportation, located at 16111 Nelson Road in Woodstock. View details here.
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Vehicle Sticker Citations |
The 2020-2021 vehicle sticker fee has now doubled to $40 per vehicle. Additionally, officers are writing citations for those who have yet to purchase stickers for their vehicles. You may purchase stickers in person or online here. New residents have 30 days from the time they move in to purchase stickers.
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As COVID-19 cases continue to climb, McHenry County is now facing tighter restrictions aimed at mitigating the spread of the virus. The region's 7-day rolling average of people who tested positive exceeded the 8% threshold for three consecutive days.
If key metrics like positivity rate, hospital admissions and ICU bed availability return to stable levels, then the region will return to Phase 4. So, please, keep practicing the 3 Ws: Watch your distance, wear a mask properly (covering your mouth AND nose) and wash your hands frequently.
A map and information of the status of every Illinois county can be found on the IDPH website here. View a map of the United States and other countries to view potential risks associated with traveling. Areas with increased risk of COVID-19 are based on case rates.
If you have health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 800-889-3931 or email questions here.
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Blast from the Past - Harvest Time & Hard Times |
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Frank Jung was born at sea over the Atlantic Ocean in 1848. His parents were farmers and settled in Johnsburg. When he grew up, Frank farmed in the Spring Grove area and can be seen in his later years in the photo with the wheat thresher. He is the man with the beard and hat standing on top of the thresher. Wheat was a valuable crop because the seed head would be ground into flour and the stalk used as bedding for livestock.
Frank had eight children, including Joe, pictured on his wedding day circa 1911 to Catherine May, who died three years later in 1914. They had two children together, Frances & Frank. In 1916, Joe married Lillian Biggers and they had three more children. In the summer of 1925, Lillian got pneumonia and wasn't getting better. There wasn't much that could be done, but the doctor told Joe a drier climate would be good for Lillian's health. Joe didn't want to lose his second wife, so took the doctor's advice, sold his cattle, and waited until fall to harvest and sell his crops and farm equipment. Then they got on a train headed for Denver, Colorado.
They found a place to rent and he got a job at a creamery, picking up milk from the ranchers. The ranchers had their cattle fenced in and he would have to open the gate to get in to get the milk. He had to carry a revolver with him as there were sometimes rattlesnakes hidden in bushes by the gates. Lillian continued to cough more and breathe less easily. They weren't there quite a year when one night she died.
By the next morning, the curtains were off the windows and their things packed. That night the casket was put on the train and they headed back home to Illinois. Everyone told Joe that he couldn't raise five kids all by himself and he'd have to put them in an orphanage. But he was determined to raise his kids no matter what. He was penniless by this time but after a couple of years he moved onto a farm on German Prairie, south of downtown Spring Grove. The kids were all put to work, milking cows, doing chores, fieldwork, and housekeeping duties. He successfully raised all his children, who lovingly took care of him in his declining years. He lived until 1971 and is buried next to his first wife, Catherine, in St. Peter's cemetery in Spring Grove.
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