OP_100517

16 | October 5, 2017 | The orland park prairie News
opprairie.com
FROM THE LOCKPORT LEGEND
VFW ceases showing NFL games
following protests
Following a rapid expansion of
protests during the national anthem,
the National Football League
has lost the support of Lockport
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post
5788.
Lockport VFW Cmdr. E.J. Errico
announced Sept. 25 the establishment
will no longer air NFL games
because of the protests.
“I made the decision Monday
night in front of our patrons, saying
that due to Sunday’s involvement
with them kneeling and locking
arms, disrespecting our nation’s
flag, I made the decision that no
longer will we televise any NFL
games,” Errico said. “Everybody
in the bar was in full support.”
Former San Francisco 49ers
quarterback Colin Kaepernick began
kneeling during the national
anthem in 2016 in protest of a
number of police-involved shootings
of African-Americans. Several
players continued to protest in a
similar way earlier this season, but
things escalated during Week 3, after
United States President Donald
Trump publicly said NFL owners
should “fire” players who protest
during the anthem, telling the owners
to, “Get that son of a [expletive]
off the field right now.”
Errico said he agrees with
Trump’s statement the players
should be “fired” for the protests
and took special exception to Oakland
Raiders running back Marshawn
Lynch sitting and eating a
banana during the national anthem
before one of the team’s preseason
games in August.
“They have every right for freedom
of speech, but don’t forget
those players are hired to perform,”
Errico said. “That is a business out
there. They are there to entertain
us, not to disrespect us.”
Reporting by Max Lapthorne, Editor.
For more, visit LockportLegend.com.
FROM THE NEW LENOX PATRIOT
Mayor comments on White House’s
response to protests
New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann
took a moment to address the
controversial national discussion
taking shape between President
Donald Trump and his comments,
and the players in the NFL and
NBA, as it relates to protests involving
taking a knee or staying in
the locker room when the national
anthem is played.
Baldermann stressed Sept. 25,
during the Village Board’s regular
meeting, that there is a time and
place for peaceful protests, but he
said he finds the demonstrations to
be “highly offensive.”
“It’s not a racial issue for me; it’s a
patriotic issue for me,” he said. “This
is about — in my opinion — disrespecting
our flag and disrespecting
our country and those who serve.”
But Baldermann acknowledged
there are “great divides” in this nation
that need to be addressed and
said he cannot support the president
when he suggests there are
good people who belong to Neo-
Nazi group.
“To me, we all need to take a
deep [breath], I think, and take a
step back and realize that we live in
a good country, that people should
be able to express their freedom
of religion, their political persuasion,
their sexual orientation, that
the government is too far reaching
on some of these matters, and that
although we’re entitled to our opinions
we are at each other’s throats,”
Baldermann said. “We are two
things: we’re human beings, and
we’re all Americans. We should be
standing up for each other, defending
each other, and not be fighting
against each other.”
Reporting by Megann Horstead,
Freelance Reporter. For more, visit
NewLenoxPatriot.com.
From THE FRANKFORT STATION
Yumz offers tasty flavors, relaxed
atmosphere
While making one of the most
important decisions in his life —
designing an engagement ring —
Todd Hyatt started thinking about
making another leap of faith: starting
a business.
Opening a Yumz Gourmet Frozen
Yogurt had been on his mind for
years, especially since his sister’s
brother-in-law started the franchise,
but it was not until after he heard
about the Emagine movie theater
opening that he made up his mind.
Now, his shop is right down the
parking lot from the theater, tempting
passersby with numerous flavors
of frozen treats and an endless
combination of toppings ranging
from fruits and nuts to candy and
sprinkles.
Hyatt, who owns the shop with
his fiancée, said his favorite flavors
of frozen yogurt are Key lime pie
and salted caramel, and the flavors
offered by Yumz are one of
the things he likes most about the
franchise.
“I really like the flavors that
[Yumz] has,” he said. “I’ve gotten
a lot of really good comments on
how much people really like the
flavors that they have. I just like
the environment. I like the color
schemes, the design stuff, the different
chairs and the decor we have
on the wall. It kind of makes it a
fun, festive [and] lively place.”
Reporting by Amanda Stoll,
Assistant Editor. For more, visit
FrankfortStation.com.
FROM THE TINLEY JUNCTION
Tinley Park yoga studio one of
many to raise funds
This weekend, yoga practitioners
from around the south Chicago
suburbs will come together not
only to financially support victims
of hurricanes Harvey and Irma but
also to send positive vibes.
“I know when we’re all together
we all develop and cultivate this
energy that is just so amazing,”
said Leslie Amadio, of Chicago
Southland Yogis, who teaches
yoga at The Hart Wellness Center
in Flossmoor. “And, when you feel
good inside, you walk out — we
talk about life on and off the mat
— you are a better person for the
world because you feel good.”
Amadio is organizing the event,
called “This is Yoga!” to be held
Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Roma
Sports Club, 9115 Roma Court in
Frankfort. She and other yoga instructors
and fitness instructors are
donating their time and energy to
the event.
“This is Yoga!” also will feature
classes from Barre It All Fitness,
Revival Yoga Studio, Vibe Yoga
Room and more.
Bringing goodness to the world
may not be the first thing people
generally think about when
they think of yoga, but Patricia
Paloumpis, owner of Vibe Yoga
Room in Tinley Park, said yoga
becomes much more than impressive
poses or a desire for increased
flexibility for people who practice
regularly.
Cost is $30 for an all-day pass,
$15 for a two-class pass and $10
for a one-class pass. All proceeds
will be donated to hurricane relief.
For more information and tickets,
visit www.eventbrite.com and
search “This is Yoga!”
Reporting by Amanda Stoll, Assistant
Editor. For more information, visit
TinleyJunction.com.
FROM THE HOMER HORIZON
LTHS grad directs new terrors at
HellsGate
Just as was the case in 2016,
guests start out at the Lockport
Metra parking lot before boarding
a bus to be taken down a dark road.
From there, they are dropped off
in what could be described as a secluded
parking lot before having to
embark down a dim path into the
woods. Along the way, they will
encounter multiple horrors while
crossing a cemetery before finally
escaping and coming up upon a
1920s-era mansion.
Then the real fun — or horrors
— begin.
HellsGate Haunted House, now
in its second year, is a popular autumn
attraction created by Zombie
Army Productions, a company
founded, and still directed and
led, by Lockport Township High
School graduate John LaFlamboy.
The success of its trial run last
year led to vast improvements and
enhancements for this year’s attraction,
according to LaFlamboy.
“We knew there would be interest
in it; we had no idea how
much interest there would be in it,”
LaFlamboy admitted of the overwhelming
turnout and response
last year. “It was amazing. We
had thousands coming from states
away.”
This year, there are more zombies
and longer path in the forest
leading up to the actual house, and
an entire new portion in the basement
has been added toward the
end of the inside track.
The cast of passionate and terrifying
actors also has doubled.
For more information, visit
www.hellsgate.com.
Reporting by Thomas Czaja, Editor.
For more, visit HomerHorizon.com.
FROM THE MOKENA MESSENGER
Nighthawk Veterinary Clinic offers
personal touch
When asked whether she is a
dog or cat person, Aarthi Subram
laughed and replied, “I probably
shouldn’t say.”
Truth is, she enjoys working with
both of them at her recently-opened
veterinary clinic in Mokena — she
just prefers living with a dog.
After working at Bremen Animal
Hospital in Tinley Park for 11
years, Subram decided to start her
own practice, which opened July
24 at 11600 Francis Road in Mokena.
Though she works exclusively
with dogs and cats now, she worked
with horses after graduating from
veterinary school and spent time
with the large equine species as a
child.
“Honestly, I’ve wanted to be a
vet since I was a little kid,” Subram
said. “I used to ride horses growing
up. So, I started riding when I was
8 years old, but even before that I
always just kind of knew I wanted
to be a vet.”
Subram, a Mokena resident,
grew up in Flossmoor, studied
animal science at the University
of Illinois and then received her
Veterinariae Medicinae Doctoris
at University of Pennsylvania. It is
an equivalent degree to a Doctor of
Veterinary Medicine, but the letters
appear in a different order because
the degree is given in the Latin format,
rather than the English one.
The name for her clinic might
lead people to believe it is an emergency
clinic or open during offhours,
but, in fact, the name for the
general practice is the combination
of her children’s middle names.
Reporting by Amanda Stoll,
Assistant Editor. For more, visit
MokenaMessenger.com.