MM_012518

16 | January 25, 2018 | The Mokena Messenger news
mokenamessenger.com
FROM THE NEW LENOX PATRIOT
Three men, one juvenile
charged in string of
burglaries
Three men and one juvenile
reportedly were apprehended
near the Village
Commons the morning of
Jan. 15 in connection with a
string of burglaries in New
Lenox and neighboring communities.
A public works employee
who was plowing the streets
observed the four checking
on cars around 4 a.m. near
Old Plank Trail Community
Bank and called the police,
according to New Lenox
Police Deputy Chief Louis
Alessandrini. When authorities
responded to the area, all
four fled, he said.
One was found hiding in
an unlocked vehicle; two
were found hiding in bushes;
and the other was caught as
he was running across Route
30 — all in a short amount of
time, Alessandrini said.
Omar Ali, 22, of Harvey;
Tyler Cupit, 21, of Dolton;
and Abullah Mansurmasa,
20, of Calumet City, each
were charged with possession
of a stolen car and burglary
to a motor vehicle. The
juvenile, who is from Harvey,
was released to his family and
will be petitioned to court at a
later time, Alessandrini said.
Alessandrini said the four
traveled to New Lenox in
a car that was stolen out of
Highland Park. Inside the vehicle,
police reportedly found
items that were connected
to car burglaries from New
Lenox and other towns over
several days.
Reporting by James Sanchez,
Editor. For more, visit New
LenoxPatriot.com.
FROM THE ORLAND PARK PRAIRIE
Faith United Methodist
presents first of safety
training series
This winter, Faith United
Methodist Church of Orland
Park is opening its doors for
a series of Church Safety &
Disaster Preparedness Training,
aimed to help its congregation
— and members of
the community — gain skills
to put to use in any number
of emergency situations.
On Jan. 17, the first of
these classes — two additional
courses are slated to
be offered later in the season
— was presented in two
parts. Orland Park Police
Deputy Chief Joe Mitchell
led a session on church
safety and, later, members
of Faith United Methodist’s
own Emergency Response
Team led a session on Disaster
Preparedness Training.
It can be tough to engage
in conversations about active
shooters and bomb threats,
but Mitchell explained the
importance of “what if”
thinking and developing response
plans to such horrible
scenarios.
“We’re going to talk a
bit about the background of
what’s going on in houses of
worship, active shooter situations
that occur, and how
to build and maintain site
security,” he said before his
presentation.
Faith United Methodist
Church is slated to offer the
program again at 11 a.m.
Feb. 17 (the Orland Park Police
presentation only) and
at 10:30 a.m. Feb. 25 (both
sessions).
For more information,
visit faithumcop.org or call
(708) 444-8560.
Reporting by Laurie Fanelli,
Freelance Reporter. For more,
visit OPPrairie.com.
From THE FRANKFORT STATION
Mayor administers oath to
two new police sergeants
Two longtime members
of the Frankfort Police Department
were sworn in as
sergeants during the Jan.
16 meeting of the Village
Board.
Frankfort Mayor Jim Holland
administered the oath of
office to Sgt. Michael Jaicomo
and Sgt. Leanne Bender.
“I don’t think our residents
necessarily know how
complex and difficult it is to
become a sergeant in the police
force,” Holland said.
Jaicomo began working
for the Frankfort Police Department
in 2005 and participated
in the Police Training
Institute at the University of
Illinois. Throughout his 12-
year career in Frankfort, he
has been assigned to several
functions with the department,
including the Investigations
Division.
In 2006, Jaicomo received
the department’s life-saving
medal after assisting a man
experiencing a heart attack.
The new sergeant also has
been a part of the Will-Grundy
Major Crimes Task Force
and the South Suburban Major
Crimes Task Force, with
which he has assisted with
multiple investigations, including
homicides.
Bender joined the department
in 2002 as a patrol
officer and began working
as a crime prevention officer
in 2006. During her
time in crime prevention,
Bender played a role in
implementing department
programs such as the Night
Out Against Crime, Citizens’
Police Academy, Seniors on
Patrol, Trunk or Treat and
school safety programs.
Reporting by Nuria Mathog,
Editor. For more, visit Frank
fortStation.com.
FROM THE LOCKPORT LEGEND
New computer program
at Homer 33C opens
communication between
parents, students
It is normal for parents
to ask their children what
they did at school when they
come home. Too often, however,
the answers tend to be,
“nothing” or ”not much.”
But a new educational
program called Seesaw is
changing the way parents
and children communicate
with one another about the
activities done throughout
the school day at Homer
School District 33C.
All grade levels at Schilling
School and select teachers
at Goodings Grove, Butler
and Young schools are
using Seesaw, which allows
students to post throughout
the day the various activities
and assignments they have
completed for their parents
to see. Parents can sign into
Seesaw via the smartphone
application or directly on
the website, and get notifications
when their child has
made a post.
“We do so much on the
computers now that the
parents don’t get the opportunity
to see, and now students
are able to screenshot
the things that they make;
they’re able to upload files,
any Google slideshows, and
it’s just great for the parents
to see what they’re doing
on a daily basis in the classroom,”
said Alisha Neil,
third-grade teacher at Schilling
School.
At the start of the 2017-
2018 school year, teachers
updated from the free version
of Seesaw to the school
edition, which has more capabilities.
“Really, we were looking
for it to empower our
students to showcase their
learning, but also really to
kind of engage our families
more in communication, we
wanted students to be able
to show that authentic work
sample,” said Kathleen Robinson,
assistant superintendent
for instruction at Homer
33C.
Reporting by Jacquelyn Schlabach,
Assistant Editor. For
more, visit LockportLegend.
com.
FROM THE HOMER HORIZON
Lockport boys swimming
overcomes Warriors 105-
77, awaits postseason
With an eye on the upcoming
conference meet and
sectional to follow soon after
that, the Lockport Township
and Lincoln-Way West boys
swimming teams tuned up
last week.
The two teams met in a
SouthWest Suburban Conference
crossover dual meet
on Jan. 16 in New Lenox.
There, Lockport outdistanced
the host Warriors
105-77.
“We’re nearing the end,
so we’re looking to finetune
everything,” Lockport
swimmer Erik Firganek
said. “Our turns, our touches,
our walls, everything.
We’re swimming tired now.
Some of the younger guys
are looking ahead to the conference,
while the guys that
have been on varsity longer
will look to taper more toward
the sectional.”
Firganek, a senior, captured
the 100-yard butterfly
against West with a time of
59.06 seconds and also was
on a pair of winning relay
teams.
Also winning individual
titles for the Porters was junior
Michael Bates (25.58
seconds) in the 50 freestyle
and Connor Hecker (51.83),
who outraced fellow senior
teammate Colin Onak
(55.37) in the 100 free. Also,
sophomore Augusto Ureta
(5:30.14) won the 500 free
by more than 18 seconds.
In the diving, senior Logan
Morgan (271.05) outscored
junior teammate Wrigley
Fields (263.60).
The week before, on Jan.
11 against Sandburg, Morgan
set a new Lockport pool
record with a six-dive score
of 289.80.
Reporting by Randy Whalen,
Freelance Reporter. For more,
visit HomerHorizon.com.
FROM THE TINLEY JUNCTION
Applications open for
Benches on the Avenue
One of Tinley Park’s favorite
traditions is to return
this May for its 15th season.
The Village of Tinley Park
recently announced applications
are now open for
Benches on the Avenue, with
this year’s theme of “Treasured
Family Musicals.”
Artists of all degrees and
experience are encouraged
to submit two designs that
will be become the art base
for each handcrafted wooden
bench sponsored by a
local individuals and businesses.
The 6-foot benches
are to be on display from
May to October along Oak
Park Avenue in Tinley Park’s
downtown district.
“We are looking for exciting,
imaginative, threedimensional
designs depicting
some of the most classic
musicals of both stage and
screen,” according to a press
release issued by the Village.
“Anyone with imagination
and a bit of artistic creativity
can be part of Benches on
the Avenue.”
An application and design
form are available on the Village’s
website, and selected
artists will receive $400 for
supplies, as well as a chance
to win one of several awards
based on various criteria,
such as Best First-Time Participant
and Judge’s Choice.
Entries must be postmarked
no later than Feb. 2
or can be dropped off at the
Tinley Park Village Hall,
16250 S. Oak Park Ave. Artists
whose designs have been
selected are to be notified by
Feb. 23, with an artist meeting
planned for Feb. 28.
Benches will be available
for pickup on March 1 at
which point the selected artists
will work on the project
from their homes or studios
before the benches are due
back by May 4.
Reporting by Cody Mroczka,
Editor. For more, visit Tin
leyJunction.com.