Roads in the Knolls subdivision and Annie Glidden North neighborhood are among those planned to be resurfaced as part of DeKalb’s annual street maintenance program.

The City Council on Feb. 14 hired engineering firm Fehr Graham and Associates to design, bid and oversee the resurfacing of the following roads:

• Knolls Avenue North and South from Annie Glidden Road

• Ridge Drive from Normal Road west to the cul-de-sac

• Joanne Lane from Tilton Park Drive to Ilehamwood Drive

• 13th Street from Sycamore Road to Clark Street

• 14th Street from East Dresser Road to Clark Street

$2.2 million has been budgeted for the 2022 street maintenance program. Since the bidding process has not yet been completed, the number of streets to be resurfaced could be revised based on the costs received from contractors.

The engineering firm will be paid a fee not to exceed $170,000. The same firm completed the City’s street work under budget the last two years.

DeKalb has been named one of the 30 Best College Towns in America by 24/7 Wall Street!

To identify the best college towns in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed U.S. Census Bureau data about the affordability, economic conditions, health, safety, commutability, and arts, entertainment, and dining options in college towns across the country. Cities, towns, and villages with at least 30,000 residents and where at least 25% of the population are enrolled in college were considered

See the full report here.

A DeKalb High School alum is planning to open a business in downtown DeKalb.

The DeKalb City Council voted unanimously Feb. 28 to approve a bar liquor license for La Calle in the former House Café building at 263 E. Lincoln Hwy. Owner Yesenia Galindo also received a live entertainment permit.

“My goal is to open up a bar with live entertainment,” said Galindo, who is a 1993 graduate of DeKalb High School. “I want to bring the live entertainment scene back to the downtown DeKalb area, bring some more diversity into the downtown area as well.”

Galindo’s goal is to open La Calle, which translates to “The Street,” by the end of August so the business can participate in Corn Fest.

City Manager Bill Nicklas says the business is a welcomed addition to the downtown.

“It’s an exciting prospect, and the family is making a major investment in our downtown,” said Nicklas.

The City liquor license is conditional until a state liquor license is issued and inspections and other requirements are completed.

11 new DeKalb firefighter/paramedics were pinned Feb. 14. Five had been sworn-in last year, and six took their oath at the pinning. Nine of these hires are being funded through a $2.7 million federal SAFER grant.

“This is a monumental day for the DeKalb Fire Department,” said Acting Fire Chief Mike Thomas. “We’re very excited for the latest six additions that makes that grant whole.”

The department’s annual call volume increased by about 25 percent over a ten-year period. The additional staff will help meet that demand with the goal of increasing the minimum shift staffing from 13 to 16 by 2024. That is expected to make fire and emergency medical service calls quicker and more efficient, while reducing overtime and the likelihood of injuries. City Manager Bill Nicklas said increasing staff has been a goal for more than two decades.

“This group takes us to a new era in the life of the department and the lives of the people who rely on this department when times are tough,” said Nicklas.

Nicklas thanked the DeKalb Fire Fighters Local 1236 for their service, and the DeKalb City Council for its commitment to increasing staffing in the Fire Department.

More photos from the pinning ceremony can be seen here on the DeKalb Fire Department Facebook page.

A new commercial tenant is coming to DeKalb Airport.

The DeKalb City Council on Feb. 14 unanimously approved a Specialized Aviation Service Operation Agreement and lease to allow Aeromotive Services to operate out of a 1,200 square foot space in the airport’s Community Hangar and 384 square feet of office space.

At the DeKalb Airport, the company, which is located in Elgin and has been in business for 25 years, will initially focus on removing existing aircraft avionics and instrument panels and replacing them with new, certified avionics and custom instrument panels.

“You see a lot of general aviation coming through this airport. We see other opportunities, not just general aviation,” said Aeromotive Services CEO Carl Dumele. “We want to expand on those opportunities. We feel like we have inroads to those opportunities and we need space to take advantage of that.”

As the new business comes in, the City will also review the minimum standards for service operators at the airport.

“Anything we can do to be business friendly to attract new business, I’m all for that,” said Seventh Ward Alderman Tony Faivre (shown in photo above), who serves on the Airport Advisory Board. “In the same vein, I would also want to make sure that we’re being equitable to all of our stakeholders.”

Under Aeromotive Services’ initial two-year lease, the rate for the hangar space will be $559.20 per month and $200 per month for the office space with a $100 per month utility fee.

The DeKalb Building & Code Division has made it easier for contractors doing permitted work in the City to complete plumbing inspections.

More hours are available for inspections with the hiring of a full-time plumbing inspector. Plumbing inspections can now be scheduled Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Previously, inspections were only available a few hours each week.

Inspections can be scheduled by calling 815-748-2070.

It's approaching the spring season and you know what that means - spring cleaning!

While most people look at spring cleaning as a chance to remove dust from hard-to-reach places, throw out old food sitting in their cupboards, and go through boxes stacked in their garage, it’s also important that you pay attention to fire safety. To help you out, we’ve compiled a few tips for you to follow:

• Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors: The first thing you want to do is ensure that your family can be warned in the event of a fire breaking out. Replace the batteries in your smoke alarms and test each one. Do the same with your carbon monoxide detectors, which will alert you of any gas leaks that could be harmful or fatal to your family. Also, make sure that these detectors are properly placed. Smoke detectors should be placed in each bedroom, in the hallway outside the bedrooms, and at least one detector on each floor (including any basement or attic). A single carbon monoxide detector should be placed on each floor, as well.

• Make Your Kitchen Safe: Spills and clutter in your kitchen increase the likelihood of a fire breaking out or getting worse. You should clean up food spills right away to keep grease from collecting on your counters and stove, which can easily catch fire. So, if you missed any spots, now is the perfect time to clean them up. Also, clean up any clutter on your countertops or stovetops so that if a fire does start, it won’t have as much to keep it going.

• Inspect Electrical Cords: Electrical cords can become damaged and frayed over time. This is especially true due to pets and pests that chew on the cords. Spring cleaning is the perfect time to check each and every cord in your house. If they show even the slightest damage, replace them immediately. Another safe practice is to limit the number of cords running from a single outlet (with the help of power strips and whatnot), as this can cause overloading to occur.

• Clean Up the Clothes Dryer: Household fires are often caused by excess lint in a clothes dryer. Although cleaning should happen on a regular basis - as in, every time you run a load of clothes - this time of year is a great time to remove any lint that you’ve missed. And, to be safe, move combustible items such as boxes and clothing away from your dryer.

• Take a Look at Your Grill: The first thing you should do with your grill is check all of its components for potential leaks - the propane tank, hose, and all connection points. Once that’s done, clean up any grease or fat build-up (which you should do every time you grill). This will decrease the risk of fire and your food will taste better.

• Create an Escape Plan: No matter how careful you are, a fire may still break out (which is why you must have detectors, of course). Your family should have an escape plan already figured out. Print out a map of the house and post it in every bedroom, and then run a fire drill once a month. And, please don’t forget to make your pets a part of that plan.

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.

The department currently offers families the ability to notify the department of anyone in their family who has special needs so emergency responders are aware before responding to the scene. Individuals can fill out the form at the police department or submit the form online here.

More photos from this event can be seen here on the DeKalb Police Department Facebook page.

Seasonal testing of outdoor warning sirens begins March 1.

The sirens will be tested at 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday of the month.

The start of siren testing coincides with Severe Weather Preparedness Week. Here are some tornado safety tips from the Illinois Public Works Mutual Aid Network.

Watch vs. Warning: A watch means that conditions are favorable for severe weather to occur, usually in a 6-10 hour period. “Watch” for more information. A warning means that severe weather is occurring or is about to occur soon for your area (next 30-60 minutes). We are “warning” you to stop what you are doing and seek safe shelter.

Take the following actions when a Tornado Warning has been issued by the National Weather Service, when sirens have been activated or when a tornado has been sighted near your area:

• Monitor a weather radio, radio, TV, weather app, or social media for the latest information.

• Go immediately to your predetermined shelter, such as a storm cellar, basement or the lowest level of the building. In a basement, go under the stairs, under a heavy piece of furniture or a work bench. Stay there until the danger has passed.

• If in a mobile home, get out and seek shelter elsewhere, well before the storm arrives. A mobile home can overturn very easily even if precautions have been taken to tie down the unit. If there is not a substantial shelter nearby, go to a low-lying area and shield your head with your hands.

• If there is no basement, go to an interior hallway or a small interior room without windows, such as a bathroom or closet. Stay away from outside windows and walls as they may be penetrated by high speed, wind-borne debris.

• Get under a piece of sturdy furniture, such as a workbench or heavy table, and hold onto it. If sturdy furniture is not available, make yourself the smallest target possible. Squat low to the ground. Put your head down and cover your head and neck with your hands.

• Use pillows, mattresses or cushions to protect your head and neck.

Outdoors: If possible, get inside a substantial building on the lowest floor, away from windows and doors. If an indoor shelter is not available or there is no time to get indoors, then, as a last resort, lie in a ditch or culvert. Use your arms to protect your head and neck. Beware of the potential for flash flooding.

• Do not park under a bridge or overpass! The embankment under an overpass is higher than the surrounding terrain, and the wind speed increases with height. Additionally, the overpass design may create a wind-tunnel effect under the span, further increasing the wind speed. Many overpasses are completely exposed underneath, and most lack hanging girders or a crawlspace-like area to provide sufficient protection from debris, which can travel at high speeds even in weak tornadoes. People stopping underneath overpasses block the flow of traffic, putting others in danger.

• Immediately exit the vehicle in a safe manner and take shelter in a nearby building.

• Never try to outrun a tornado in a vehicle. Heavy rain, hail and traffic may impede your movement. Tornadoes can change directions quickly and can easily lift up a vehicle and toss it through the air.

Feb. 15 was National School Resource Officer Day. Chris Sullivan, Danielle Sorensen, and Allison Remnes all serve DeKalb schools as SRO’s. They were treated to a number of recognition items across the various schools.

The Downtown DeKalb Merchants will be among the 400 shops in Illinois and Wisconsin taking part in the Vintage Shop Hop.

See the full list of shops participating in the event here, and learn more about the Downtown Merchants on their Facebook page.

Vocalist Layni Katz and pianist Deane Myers perform Broadway hits from the 60’s through the 2000’s. This event is free and open to all. No registration is required.

More information on the event can be found here, and see all of the library's programs on its calendar.

Find more events by visiting the Community Events Calendar on the City's website.

The National Dance Company of Ireland brings their show featuring 2,000 years of dance, music, songs and culture from pre-Celtic times to the modern day.

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

Submit your event to be consider for the e-News Community Events Calendar by e-mailing here.

This modern musical comedy by Mel Brooks won multiple Tony Awards and has thrilled audiences since it opened on Broadway in 2000.

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

Submit your event to be consider for the e-News Community Events Calendar by e-mailing here.

City Hall          

Monday - Friday  

DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport    

City Clerk 815-748-2095 

City Manager's Office 815-748-2090

Community Development Department 815-748-2070

DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport 815-748-8102

Finance Department 815-748-2000

Fire/Police Emergency 911

Fire Non-Emergency 815-748-8460

Mayor's Office 815-758-1886

Police Non-Emergency 815-748-8400

Public Works Department 815-748-2040