Naperville News Digest: Novack retires after three decades working for city of Naperville; 6th annual Pint For Kim blood drive/fest to be held May 10

Chicago Tribune

30-04-2025

Novack retires after three decades working for city of Naperville
Bill Novack, director of Naperville's Transportation, Engineering and Development department, will retire Friday, May 2, after 33 years with the city.
His tenure was honored April 15 at the Naperville City Council meeting, where Mayor Scott Wehrli presented Novack with a proclamation.
'Throughout his more than three-decade career, Bill has consistently exemplified the city's core values of people, trust, respect and pride and become a trusted partner, mentor, leader and friend to city employees and his fellow directors,' Wehrli said as part of the proclamation. 'He will be greatly missed.'
In his time with the city, Novack attended more than 600 city council meetings and led the planning, development and management of the Naperville Riverwalk for more than 25 years, according to the proclamation.
The recognition was met with a standing ovation from audience members.
'Little did I know or expect that I would finish my full-time civil engineering career in the city of Naperville,' Novack said as he accepted the honor. 'How lucky I am.'
6th annual Pint For Kim blood drive/fest to be held May 10
The 6th annual A Pint for Kim blood drive and festival will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, May 10, at Naperville North High School, 899 N. Mill St.
Community members can make an appointment or drop in during the event to donate blood. Organizers recommend arriving a half hour before a scheduled appointment. There are 1,300 blood donation appointment spots available, and the last walk-in will be taken at 3:15 p.m., an event announcement said.
As part of the gathering, there will be live music, a car show, food trucks, raffle prizes, a dunk tank, face painting, U.S. Marine Corps' pull-up challenge, children's crafts, games and bounce houses, Edward Hospital therapy dogs, and other attractions and activities.
Each blood donor and event volunteer will receive 10 tickets for a raffle for about 100 prizes worth more than $25,000. Each donor also will be given a pass for themselves and their children to sit in one of the cars in the Hamilton Collection Car Show, the announcement said.
Organizers hope to break their record of collecting more than 600 pints, the largest one-day blood drive in the state, the announcement said. The event started in 2020 to honor Naperville resident Kimberly Sandford, who lost her eight-year battle with a rare cancer.
To sign up to donate blood, volunteer or for more information, go to apintforkim.com.
Travelers will need REAL ID or passport starting Wednesday
Travelers 18 and older who want to take a commercial flight anywhere in the U.S. will need to present a REAL ID or passport for verification starting Wednesday, May 7, according to an alert from U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville.
Either of those documents also will be needed to enter some federal facilities and military bases, Foster's release said.
However, REAL IDs are not be needed to drive, vote or enter state-owned buildings and some federal buildings.
The requirement is a post-9/11 initiative to improve security. It took many years to implement but is now taking effect, the release said.
REAL ID designations on driver's licenses or identification cards can be obtained at Illinois Secretary of State's facilities. Recipients must provide several forms of identification in order to obtain the designation.
Information on making an appointment to obtain a license or card can be found at www.ilsos.gov.
Naperville VFW Post hosting Day of Service events Saturday
Judd Kendall VFW Post 3873 will host a fitness competition for veterans and the public as part of its VFW Day of Service at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 3, at the Yellow Box Community Theatre, 1635 Emerson Lane, Naperville.
Last year the day drew more than 2,000 people, organizers said in a news release.
Members of the community are invited to take part in the event, which will also include military fitness demonstrations, recruiting booths and merchandise from all participating organizations, organizers said. Military and first responders will be recognized as part of the activities.