The Kaneland Fine Arts Festival KCFAF is accepting submissions for the 2nd Annual Juried Art Show. Artists, ages 18 years and older, are invited to enter photos or pdfs of 2D and 3D media artworks for consideration into the show. All chosen artwork will then be judged by a panel of professional artists and cash prizes will be awarded to first through third place winners. This year, the Sugar Grove Public Library will be hosting the show April 1 - 30th.

The awards reception will take place at 11:00 am on Sunday, April 18, at the Kaneland Community Fine Arts Festival. Submissions must be postmarked by February 15. Applications are available at the library and at this site.

The Sugar Grove Library is located in Sugar Grove at 125 S. Municipal Dr. Sugar Grove. This is at the corner of Municipal and Snow Streets with access Tuesday 9-9, Wednesday 9-9, Thursday 9-9, Friday 9-1 and Saturday 9-1 or call us at 630.466.4686 for Circulation; for the Ask Me Desk 630.466.3951; or Youth Ask Me Desk call 630.466.3941. Our website provides access 24 hour per day.

The Sugar Grove Park District recently sent out 2010 Sponsorship Applications for the Pony, Major, Minor, Tiny Slugger, T-Ball, and Instructional league teams.  If you are interested in learning more, please contact them at 630.466.7436.

This year we had the contest in October, voted in November, and a winner from each grade Pre-K through 5th Grade was chosen. We had over 200 entries this year so it really has become quite the event. We have been doing this for 5 years now and this year we also incorporated winners from our Farmer's Market Coloring Contest we had when we set up a booth in late September.

Castle Bank really enjoys seeing the kids smiling faces as they drop off their pictures and we look forward to it every year.  Below is the list of the 2009 Winners :
Preschool – Aaron S
Kindergarten – Gina K
1st Grade – Zeke P
2nd Grade – Emma H
3rd Grade – Brynn A
4th Grade – Brennan H
5th Grade – Noah S
Farmer’s Market (0-6)- Susan S
Farmer’s Market (7-12)- Kristin S

You may be in business on your own, but with the NASE and your local SBDC, you aren't all alone.

For over three decades the NASE (National Association of the Self-Employed) has provided support, legislative advocacy and consolidated buying power that traditionally had been available only to large corporations. Now, NASE has partnered with local SBDCs to offer you even more guidance and support!

Thanks to this special partnership, you can now join the NASE for free! By signing up for an Associate Membership, you will receive access to health insurance, NASE consultants and a variety of discounts on your business, health and personal needs. Upgrade to one of two paid memberships for even more benefits!

For more information or to sign up visit www.nase.org/sbdc.

The Sugar Grove Public Library posts messages on the social networking site Twitter under the user name of SugarGroveKnows. The messages serve to promote library and community items of note. You do not have to enroll to read the messages posted by the library. To sign on for the service and become a follower of SugarGroveKnows would allow a user opportunity to fully appreciate the timely updates. Staff of the Janice Katherine Rich Technology Learning Center offer both class time, and individual sessions, on using the service.

The Sugar Grove Library is located in Sugar Grove at the corner of Municipal and Snow Streets with access Tuesday 9-9, Wednesday 9-9, Thursday 9-9, Friday 9-1 and Saturday 9-1 or call us (630)466-4686. Our website, www.sugargrove.lib.il.us provides access 24 hour per day.

Yamaha Golf Car Company has announced both worldwide awards to Harris Golf Cars for outstanding customer service and sales performance. Mr. Thomas G. MacDonald, Senior VP of Yamaha Golf Car Company said “it is a very rare occurrence when a major distributor earns both global awards during the same year”.

They showed an increase in sales of 16% over 2008 and 57% of all new course accounts were conquest accounts from competitors. They were the only Distributor worldwide to receive both awards

Mr. Scott Harris, of Harris Golf Cars said on acceptance of these awards, “long term as well as new customers along with loyal employees provided the corporate strength to expand during the most difficult economic time in recent history”.

Harris Golf Cars is a thirty year old distributor of Golf Cars and LSV in Illinois, Iowa and S. Wisconsin. They currently serve the golf course, commercial and private golf and utility car market.

The Quiet Reading Room of the Sugar Grove Library was recently used as a backdrop for a video shoot.  The footage involved the library fireplace setting, as a local stand in for a ski lodge, for an upcoming episode of Aspiring Women.

This show is a TLN Emmy winning production. The producer is a Kaneland Emmy nominated resident. The show is broadcast locally on Comcast.  A copy will be available at the library.

U.S. Commerce Association's Award Plaque Honors the Achievement

American Tree & Turf has been selected for the 2009 Best of Sugar Grove Award in the Lawn Services Category by the U.S. Chamber Association (USCA).

The USCA "Best of Local Business" Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses throughout the country. Each year the USCA identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2009 USCA Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the USCA and data provided by third parties.

The Sugar Grove Library has several rooms available for business, community organization, and personal use. Room rentals are currently being booked through December. All bookings are subject to approval, with booking fees applied to the cost of facility maintenance. The larger room, Meeting Room C, accommodates up to 200 people. Amenities in Meeting Rooms A, B, C include a Projector, Screen & Multi-Media display operated from a Presenter Podium. The Board Room, for use only by adult groups, offers Flat Screen TV, Multi-Media & Phone Conferencing. These rooms are available for catered functions through The Catering Gourmets, 630-466-9211. These rooms are also available for use before, during, and after library hours. Before and after hour rentals have additional fees associated with the rental.Two study rooms are available only during library hours.

The East and West Study Rooms each seat 4 at a table. Covered drinks are, but food is not, allowed in the study rooms. Walk in use of a study room is free. The rooms are available for booking, for use during library hours, at a $10.00 hourly fee.

The Library makes every effort to provide you with the resources necessary to ensure a comfortable and successful meeting. Permission to use a library meeting room does not constitute endorsement by the Library Board of any group's beliefs or policies. Meeting Room Use and Activities shall not disturb persons using the library's public areas. Community and NFP groups should call the Director with questions about the fee structure. To reserve a room visit host4.evanced.info/sugargrove/evanced/roomrequest.asp, keeping in mind that rooms cannot be booked on-line for times when the library is closed. For more information call Administrative Services 630-466-4686.

The Sugar Grove Library is located in Sugar Grove at the corner of Municipal and Snow Streets with access Tuesday 9-9, Wednesday 9-9, Thursday 9-9, Friday 9-1 and Saturday 9-1 or call us (630)466-4686. The website, www.sugargrove.lib.il.us provides access 24 hour per day.

SBA Stimulus Details

SBA is implementing two key provisions laid out in the Recovery Act.  They are temporarily eliminating certain loan fees and raising guarantees on some 7(a) loans up to 90 percent.  With these critical steps by SBA, and the Treasury Department's commitment of up to $15 billion aimed at getting lending markets flowing again, they want small business owners across this country to know how they are going to put much-needed capital in their hands.

Call the IL SBDC at Waubonsee at (630) 906-4143 for additional information.