DeKalb County is moving closer to a major power grid upgrade as the Illinois Commerce Commission has approved ComEd’s Kishwaukee Area Reliability Extension south of DeKalb.

The project aims to strengthen electric service reliability as demand grows among households, businesses and future facilities.

ComEd plans about six miles of overhead, double-circuit transmission line along an existing right-of-way and a new substation near Keslinger and Crego roads in Afton Township.

An existing line would also be extended to reach the substation.

DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes has emphasized the need for dependable power to support growth and withstand severe storms.

Before seeking approval, ComEd met with landowners, held public meetings and studied routes across roughly 23 square miles.

Construction impacts on nearby properties remain a concern, while potential connections to renewable energy are not yet confirmed.

The approval advances the project, but residents and businesses will judge its success by the reliability it delivers.

After years of renovations, DeKalb families finally returned to Hopkins Park Pool for a short but lively summer season.

Children tried the slides and splash areas during an opening delayed by construction.

The pool operated from Aug. 14 through Sept. 15 and recorded nearly 8,500 visits, about 40% of the roughly 21,000 visits logged during the full 2023 season.

DeKalb Park District leaders called that turnout a success, even as work remains on the renovated facility.

Crews still need to address water collecting at the zero-depth entry, install a valve for its bubblers and make smaller adjustments.

The district also faces winterization and staff training after staffing became more difficult near the end of the season.

For local families, the brief reopening showed how much the pool matters; the next test is getting it ready for a full summer.

A stretch of Illinois Route 23 in DeKalb County now bears the name of Deputy Christina Musil, honoring her service and keeping her memory visible to local drivers.

Family, fellow officers and community members gathered Wednesday at Afton Forest Preserve to dedicate the memorial highway between Perry Road and McGirr Road.

Musil, 35, died after a semitruck struck her squad car from behind on Route 23 on March 28, 2024.

The driver, Nathan Sweeney of DeKalb, later pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI causing death and was sentenced to 14 years in prison.

State Senator Sue Rezin and State Representative Jeff Keicher sponsored the highway designation, which lawmakers approved unanimously in May.

At the dedication, they joined Sheriff Andy Sullivan and others in remembering the person behind the badge and her commitment to protecting others.

The new signs offer a lasting tribute on a road DeKalb County residents travel every day.