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A statue of Lydia Moss Bradley outside Bradley Hall at Bradley University in Peoria. The student newspaper there, The Scout, has dropped its weekly printed product and gone online-only. Staff there, like everywhere, has had to be cautious about working together in an office. "Follow these rules. Don’t move the chairs. Be careful in the office and out of the office,” Chris Kaergard, adviser to The Scout, said. “If one person tests positive, we have to close the whole office. With a small staff like ours, that would be devastating.”
By CHRISTOPHER HEIMERMAN For Illinois Press Association
DeKALB – It doesn’t make sense. The idea of telling reporters to opt for calling a source, rather than banging on their door, doesn’t add up in the mind of any editor worth their salt.
But it’s another verse in the song and dance that is reporting during a pandemic.
“I’m trying to get them to be safe. That’s what’s most important, of course,” said Shelley Hendricks, adviser of The Northern Star at Northern Illinois University.
“But we don’t want to teach future journalists to do their work over the phone. That’s not how this job is done. Not effectively, at least.”
“I don’t prefer phone interviews, but we’ll make an exception,” said Will Buss, the broadcasting and journalism instructor at Western Illinois University and the Western Courier adviser. “It’s ideal to be face-to-face and gauge reactions and responses.”
He’d know. Before joining WIU in 2016, he built a celebrated career as an award-winning reporter at the Belleville News-Democrat.
Before joining The Northern Star in 2012, Hendricks worked 14 years at the Rockford Register Star where, just like at The Northern Star, employees are setting foot in the office only when it’s necessary.
It’s a risky game of identifying the threshold of what’s safe enough, and the stakes are high. Even before the fall semester began, when two members of The Vidette staff at Illinois State University tested positive with COVID-19, the office was closed, and staff had to work remotely as it put out its weekly print edition. ISU provides Cisco Remote, which allows students to access the office PCs from off-site, and Vidette staff used the system to build its seven e-editions while campus was closed by Gov. JB Pritzker’s stay-at-home order.
Haley Johnson, the editor-in-chief of The Scout at Bradley University, will always remember when the brake was suddenly thrown in the spring. The Scout, which began printing in 1898, has dropped its weekly print product and gone online-only, so it’s last physical cover story was on students studying abroad catching flights home because of the coronavirus.
“It was creepy foreshadowing. Suddenly, it was on campus,” she said. “It wasn’t a slow economic decline. It happened so quickly, and it was a really bizarre feeling.”
The Scout’s adviser, Chris Kaergard, is also associate editor at the The Journal Star in Peoria and president of the Illinois College Press Association. He praised Johnson for her safety-first approach to management as campus reopened over the summer.
“She was very upfront with the staff: Follow these rules. Don’t move the chairs. Be careful in the office and out of the office,” Kaergard said. “If one person tests positive, we have to close the whole office. With a small staff like ours, that would be devastating.”
Perhaps it benefits college newspapers’ editors that they haven’t spent years reminding reporters that they need to get out of the office and pound the pavement to find stories and get sources to talk to them.
But that doesn’t make it easy.
“It’s a struggle to train people virtually,” said Kallie Cox, the 20-year-old editor-in-chief of the Daily-Egyptian at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.
She has an exquisite problem. Her staff is much bigger this year than a year ago. She has 16 reporters, which is more than her total staff last school year.
While she’s working in the office, her staff has the option to work remotely. So she must weigh the risks out in the field and accept the fact that many reporters won’t have the in-person training she’s gotten the past few years.
“I want to be available for people, in person. Some people are just more comfortable face-to-face,” she said. “When they don’t really have that, it’s something I’m worried about. I’m trying to teach them to ask good questions and cultivate good sources. And sometimes those sources, the people you have to work with, are really difficult people. [They’re] people who aren’t going to return your calls or emails.”
She said some sources have insisted on answering questions only via email.
“That’s something we try to avoid at all costs, because it is not the same as getting a real interview or having a real conversation with someone,” Cox said. “It is almost impossible for us to build trust with a source when we can't look them in the eye, so that's something we have struggled with as well. It is definitely one of the hardest parts of the pandemic.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 7, 2026 Media Contact Information: Aunt Millie's Bakeries Melissa Koeneman, director of marketing (260) 417-2581 mkoeneman@auntmillies.com
John F. Popp, President of Aunt Millie’s Bakeries
FORT WAYNE, Indiana — Aunt Millie’s Bakeries is deeply saddened to announce the passing of its President John F. Popp, who died on Friday, July 31, at the age of 94. A third-generation member of the family business, John’s leadership, optimism, faith, and unwavering commitment to people helped shape the company and its culture for more than four decades. John Franke Popp was born March 2, 1932, to Lucile and Les Sr. Popp. He grew up with his older brother, Les Jr., on Forest Park Boulevard in Fort Wayne and graduated from Northside High School in 1950. He went on to attend the University of Michigan, graduating in 1954, and entered the U.S. Army that same year. He served as a second lieutenant before returning home following his military service. John was offered an opportunity to begin a career as an analyst with T. Rowe Price, but his path ultimately led him back to Fort Wayne and the family bakery. At his mother’s urging, he returned home to join the business — a decision that would shape not only his own life, but the future of generations of the Popp family and Aunt Millie’s employees. Long before his career in baking, John developed a love for Lake Wawasee and water skiing, eventually becoming the Indiana state slalom water ski champion. It was at the lake that he met Esther Rolene, the love of his life. They married on June 19, 1960, and spent the next decades building a life together, raising two sons and creating countless memories with family and friends. Even with the demands of running a growing company, John made time for what mattered most, including cheering his sons on from the sidelines at their baseball and football games.
John F. Popp and his wife, Esther Rolene Popp
In 1967, John stepped away from the family bakery to pursue a career in real estate, where he developed the subdivisions of Devil’s Hollow, Manitou, Lakewood, West Hamilton Estates, White Loon, and Winding Brook. In 1980, he returned to Perfection Bakeries, where he helped guide the company through a period of significant growth and expansion. The company that would become known as Aunt Millie’s grew under his leadership into one of the largest family-owned baking companies in the United States. John viewed the people around him as an important part of that success. He loved being part of the team and was known for his optimism, encouragement, and genuine care for employees. His leadership was not simply about growing a business; it was about building an organization where people could grow, contribute, and feel that they were part of something bigger than themselves. A third-generation leader of the family-owned bakery founded in 1901, John was deeply committed to protecting and building upon the legacy established by his grandfather, John B. Franke. His influence also reached beyond Aunt Millie’s. He was a passionate advocate for independent bakeries across the country, working with industry organizations to strengthen and protect family-owned businesses. He believed in the importance of education and workforce development and encouraged lifelong learning within the company while supporting the next generation of leaders in the baking industry. In recognition of his contributions to the baking industry, John was inducted into the Baking Hall of Fame by the American Society of Bakers and Engineers in 2021. He also served the state of Indiana after being appointed by Governor Mike Pence to serve on the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. While John’s professional accomplishments were many, those closest to him knew that his faith and family were at the center of his life. He cherished Bible Study Fellowship and worshiped at The Chapel and Wawasee Lakeside Chapel. He was quietly generous and found joy in serving others through organizations including the Euell Wilson Center, Women’s Care Center, and Ratio Christi. John enjoyed spring breaks in Florida, trips to Maine, his ’61 Corvette, and working on projects at the lake. He appreciated the simple pleasures of life, but most of all, he loved his family. His greatest legacy will not be measured solely by the company he helped build, but by the family he loved, the people he encouraged, the lives he touched, and the values he carried with him throughout his life. “John Popp believed that success was built on people,” said Rick Brown, Chief Customer Officer. “He cared deeply about our employees, our customers, our communities, and the generations of families who have made Aunt Millie’s a trusted name. His leadership was defined by humility, kindness, and an unwavering commitment to doing what was right.” John’s passing leaves a tremendous loss for the Popp family, the Aunt Millie’s family, and the many people and organizations whose lives he touched. While the company mourns his loss, Aunt Millie’s leadership team remains committed to carrying forward the mission, values, and legacy John championed throughout his life. Daily operations will continue uninterrupted as the company moves forward under its established leadership plan. The Popp family extends its heartfelt appreciation for the many expressions of sympathy and support received during this difficult time. Memorial service information will be shared at a later date. About Aunt Millie’s Bakeries Founded in 1901 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Aunt Millie’s Bakeries is one of the largest family-owned bakeries in the Midwest, serving customers across six states with fresh bread, buns, rolls, bagels, and other baked goods. For more than a century, the company has remained committed to quality, innovation, and serving the communities it calls home.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 21, 2026 Media Contact Information: Michael Korman, highway commissioner North Township Road District (847) 728-7055 mike.korman@northfieldtownship.com
Northfield Township Road District’s Phase II project placed in Group 1, the top tier, of MWRD’s 2026 Stormwater Partnership Program; construction could begin as early as 2027
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