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2 | February 22, 2018 | The Mokena Messenger calendar mokenamessenger.com In this week’s Messenger Pet of the Week.............. 7 Police Reports................. 9 Editorial........................13 Faith Briefs....................16 Puzzles..........................22 Classifieds................ 25-35 The Mokena Messenger ph: 708.326.9170 fx: 708.326.9179 Editor TJ Kremer III, x29 tj@mokenamessenger.com assistant editor Amanda Stoll, x34 a.stoll@22ndcenturymedia.com Sales director Lora Healy, x31 l.healy@22ndcenturymedia.com real estate sales Tricia Weber, x47 t.weber@22ndcenturymedia.com Classified Sales Kellie Tschopp, x23 k.tschopp@malibusurfsidenews.com Recruitment Advertising Jess Nemec, x46 j.nemec@22ndcenturymedia.com Legal Notices Jeff Schouten, x51 j.schouten@22ndcenturymedia.com PUBLISHER Joe Coughlin 847.272.4565, x16 j.coughlin@22ndcenturymedia.com Managing Editor Bill Jones, x20 bill@opprairie.com president Andrew Nicks a.nicks@22ndcenturymedia.com EDITORIAL DESIGN DIRECTOR Nancy Burgan, x30 n.burgan@22ndcenturymedia.com 22 nd Century Media 11516 West 183rd Street Unit SW Office Condo #3 Orland Park, IL 60467 www.MokenaMessenger.com Chemical- free printing on 30% recycled paper circulation inquiries circulation@22ndcenturymedia.com The Mokena Messenger (USPS #025404) is published weekly by 22nd Century Media, LLC, 328 E Lincoln Hwy New Lenox, IL 60451. Periodical postage paid at New Lenox, IL and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send changes to: The Mokena Messenger, 328 E Lincoln Hwy New Lenox, IL 60451 Published by www.22ndcenturymedia.com Amanda Stoll a.stoll@22ndcenturymedia.com THURSDAY Parent Academy 6:30-7:30 p.m. Feb. 22, Mokena Elementary School, 11244 Willow Crest Lane, Mokena. Join Mokena District 159 student services for a parent academy focusing on practical solutions to tough childhood problems. The session will be held in the district board room adjoining the cafeteria. For more information, call (708) 342-4911. College Planning Workshop 7-8:30 p.m. Feb. 22, Mokena Community Public Library, 11327 W. 195th St., Mokena. This workshop will cover the complex world of admissions and financial aid as well as how admissions decisions are made. The workshop will also unveil important strategies you can use to get into — and afford — the college of your choice. Both parents are encouraged to attend this free 90-minute seminar presented by My College Planning Team at the Mokena Community Public Library. To register, call (708) 479-9663 or online at www.mokenalibrary.org. MONDAY Frankfort Township Board Meeting 7 p.m. Feb. 26, Frankfort Township Office, 11000 W. Lincoln Highway, Frankfort. The Frankfort Township Board meets the second and fourth Monday of each month. For more information, agendas and meeting minutes visit www.frank forttownship.com. UPCOMING Garden Plot Reservations 9-11 a.m. Saturday, March 3, Mokena Park District Administration Center, 10925 La Porte Road, Mokena. The park district will begin accepting 2018 Garden Plot reservations for the Yunker Farm Community Gardens. Garden plots cost $25 for residents per 14’x12’ plot. Proof of residency will be required. Individuals may reserve one plot until March 12, at which time additional plots may be rented if available. For more information, call (708) 390-2401 or visit www.mokenapark.com. Kindergarten Registration 5:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, March 6, Mokena Elementary School, 11244 Willow Crest Lane, Mokena. Mokena School District 159 will hold Kindergarten Registration for the 2018-2019 school year. Mokena residents with students (age 5 years old by September 1, 2018) should plan to attend registration night to provide proof of residency and an original state issued birth certificate. Registration packets are available at the MES office. FOr a list of documents needed for Proof of Residency, visit www.mokena159.org under the “District News” section on the right hand side of the home page. For more information, call (708) 342-4850. Community Health Fair 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, March 10, Health Nutz, 19844 S. LaGrange Road, Mokena. Twelve local, health-oriented vendors and representative will discuss health and wellness with visitors. There will be lots of fun, raffles, sales and freebies. At 1 p.m., The Greenhouse will present a free lecture about medical cannabis. Gong Sound Meditation Noon-1 p.m. Sunday, March 11, The Oaks Recreation & Fitness Center, 10847 W. La Porte Road, Mokena. Enjoy the healing effects of gong sound meditation while you are guided on a powerful sonic meditative journey. Relax and take in the sound vibrations as the gongs resonate with all the cells of the body. Come and experience this unique healing practice. Participants may bring pillows/blankets. This program is for ages 12 and older. Early bird registration fees are $23. After March 9, additional fees apply. For more information, call (708) 390-2401 or visit www.mokenapark.com. Quad Cities Tour Deadline to register is Thursday, March 15. Trip dates are Tuesday, May 1-Thursday, May 3. Join the Frankfort Township for a bus trip to Mississippi River as well as Rock Island, Moline and East Moline in Illinois and Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. Visit the childhood home of President Ronald Reagan, stop at the John Deere Museum, Rock Island Arsenal, Blackhawk State Historic site, Mississippi dinner cruise, Starved Rock State Park and more. Cost for single occupancy is $550 and $470 for double occupancy. Two night accomodations are provided and include two breakfasts, three lunches and two dinners. For more information and registration, call (815) 806-2766. Tennis Play Day 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 17, The Oaks Recreation & Fitness Center, 10847 W. La Porte Road, Mokena. Mokena. Join coach Cincy and the LWAC- TA coaches for an indoor tennis day. There will be courts set up, racquets and balls available to use and fun games at each court. All participants will receive a prize for attending and a USTA 10 & under membership. Ages 5 and older can play during this family friendly tennis event. Early bird registration is $3. After March 3, additional fees apply. For more information and registration, call (708) 390- 2401 or visit www.moke napark.com. Gentle Yoga Demo Class Deadline to register is Sunday, March 18. Class will be held from 10-11 a.m. Tuesday, March 20 at The Oaks Recreation & Fitness Center, 10847 W. La Porte Road, Mokena. AOA (Active Older Adult) Gentle Yoga incorporates flexibility and basic yoga components to improve range of motion, decrease stress and tension, and teach relaxation techniques. Space is limited. For more information, call (708) 390-2343 or visit www.mo kenapark.com. Ageless Grace Demo Class Deadline to register is Sunday, March 18. Class will be held from 11:15-noon Tuesday, March 20 at The Oaks Recreation & Fitness Center, 10847 W. La Porte Road, Mokena. Ageless Grace is an anti-aging fitness program for body and brain, for all ages and most fitness levels. Activities are performed in a chair with music and movements that incorporate stretching, flexibility, coordination, strength, and thinking skills. Registration deadline: March 18. Space is limited. For more information, call (708) 390-2343 or visit www.mokenapark.com. ONGOING Mokena Woman’s Club Scholarships. Applications must be postmarked by March 15. Graduating Mokena high school students pursuing higher education are eligible to apply for the GFWC Mokena Woman’s Club Scholarships. The funds for the scholarships were raised at the Club’s 44th Annual Holli-Daze Arts and Crafts Show which is the Club’s major fund raiser and a year-round project. Over the past 55 years, the Club has awarded 210 scholarships totaling more than $143,000. The application is available at Lincoln-Way East High School, Lincoln-Way Central High School and Providence Catholic High School as well as at the Mokena and Frankfort Public Libraries for other students. Submit the completed application, an official transcript, a letter of career goals, and a letter of recommendation to GFWC Mokena Woman’s Club, Scholarship Committee, P.O. Box 1008, Mokena. Chorale Scholarships Applications must be submitted to the school counselor by March 8. To meet its mission of enriching and enhancing musical opportunities in the community, Lincoln-Way Area Chorale will be awarding a scholarship to one senior student from each of the Lincoln-Way High Schools. The student must be planning on majoring in vocal performance, vocal education, or musical theater in the fall semester of 2018. Qualifying students should see their school counselor or music teacher for the application. Lincoln-Way Half Marathon Registration is open for the 2nd Annual Lincoln- Way Half Marathon. Race will be at 7 a.m. Sunday, April 22 and will begin at Breidert Green, 123 Kansas St., Frankfort. Current registration cost is $70. Volunteers are being sought for the race as well. For volunteer sign-up and race registration, visit lincolnwayhalf marathon.com. To submit an item to the printed calendar, contact Amanda Stoll at (708) 326-9170 ext. 34, or email a.stoll@22ndcenturymedia. com. Deadline is noon Thursdays one week prior to publication.
mokenamessenger.com news the Mokena Messenger | February 22, 2018 | 3 Provi ex-president not charged after phone in question vanishes Amanda Stoll Assistant Editor New Lenox police declined to file charges Thursday, Feb. 15, after a nearly two-month investigation into alleged inappropriate content on McGrath a cellphone used by the Rev. Richard J. McGrath, former president of Providence Catholic High School. McGrath resigned on Dec. 22 amid the investigation, which was opened Dec. 8 and led by Sgt. Micah Nuesse of the New Lenox Police Department. After McGrath refused multiple times to surrender the phone — which was the property of the high school — to Providence officials and police, McGrath’s lawyer, Patrick Reardon, told police Dec. 27 the phone “no longer exists” and it would be a “huge waste of time” to look for it, according to the police reports. Without the phone, police say in the report they could not file charges. According to the report, the Rev. John Merkelis, now acting president at Providence Catholic, met with police on behalf of a female student who allegedly saw “what she believed to be a photo of a nude 13-yearold male” on McGrath’s phone Dec. 8 during a wrestling meet at the school. The student reportedly told a trusted employee, who informed Providence Principal John Harper, who then relayed the information to Merkelis. The trusted employee was interviewed by police at the police department on Dec. 11, and she told police the female student witness confided in her shortly after seeing the image on McGrath’s phone. Accord- From feb. 16 ing to the report, the individual said the witness was “visibly shaking” and pale in the face upon telling her what she had seen. On Dec. 12, Nuesse and Merkelis met with McGrath in McGrath’s office at the school, according to the report. He was asked by police and Merkelis to hand over his cellphone, and he reportedly refused to do so despite Merkelis’ assertion that the device was the property of Providence Catholic. At that time, New Lenox Police Chief Brian Sterba said police did not have enough evidence to obtain a warrant for the phone and therefore did not have the authority to take it without permission. According to the report, Mc- Grath “stood up and walked out of the office, advising that he needed to get to the theatre.” “Unless Father Merkelis was prepared to wrestle him for it, we weren’t getting the phone,” Sterba said. After McGrath left, police seized the computer on his desk, which Merkelis confirmed was McGrath’s exclusive computer. The computer subsequently was searched by the Computer Crimes Unit of the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office. No relevant information was obtained, according to the report. Police reportedly contacted Providence’s attorneys at Kopon Airdo law firm on Dec. 27, who indicated that Reardon had told them “no evidence exists.” According to the report, the initial witness’s testimony was then subpoenaed, and she was interviewed on Jan. 11 at the police station in lieu of an appearance in front of a grand jury. The witness then told police that she had approached Mc- Grath at the wrestling meet to greet him because he was sitting alone on the bleachers. According to the report, as she approached from behind, Mc- Grath “‘freaked out like when someone saw something that you don’t want them to see’ and pulled his phone close to his body.” During her interview with police, the witness described the photo as that of a male between the ages of 12 and 15 who was naked and standing with his arms down at his sides. The report states that the boy was pictured from the shoulders to the knees, but that the witness was unsure whether she saw male genitalia or not. Further contact was made with both McGrath and his attorney between Jan. 16 and 17, in which Reardon reportedly told police he did not “believe that the cellular phone exists,” according to the report. The case officially was closed by the New Lenox Police Department Feb. 15 “due to the absence of cooperation and lack of further leads.” Police asked that anyone with any information related to this case contact Nuesse at (815) 462-6100. “If new evidence comes to light, we will certainly evaluate it,” Sterba told 22nd Century Media via text message. Police did not comment on if there are any related ongoing investigations involving Mc- Grath, who worked at Providence for more than 30 years. “It would be inappropriate to comment on any investigation that may or may not be happening,” Sterba said. Merkelis and Reardon did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Additional reporting by Publisher Joe Coughlin. Village of Mokena Board of Trustees Bid granted for manhole repairs Jon DePaolis, Freelance Reporter A low bid on manhole rehabilitation repairs will lead to the Village of Mokena potentially saving 32 percent on what trustees budgeted for the program. Mokena trustees voted 4-0 Feb. 12 to award a contract to National Power Rodding Corporation in the amount of $49,010 for the 2018 fiscal year manhole rehabilitation program. Trustees John Mazzorana and George Metanias were absent. Staff Engineer Dan Peloquin told the Village Board members the contract will include cover replacement, chemical grouting, curtain grouting, internal chimney sealing and other repairs for about 71 sanitary sewer manholes. “At the end of January, bids were opened, and we had seven bidders — of which, the low bidder was National Power Rodding Corp. of Chicago,” Peloquin said. The bid was $13,790 less than the next closest bidder, RMS Utility Services. Peloquin also noted that the company’s bid came in $22,990 (about 32 percent) less than the amount the Village budgeted for the project, which was $72,000. Trustee Jim Richmond pointed out the substantial difference between National Power Rodding’s bid compared to the others and asked Peloquin to keep an eye on the project. Annexation terms outlined Later on, during the work session that followed the regular meeting, Assistant Village Administrator Kirk Zoellner updated the board members on the potential annexation of a 0.5 acre parcel of land located at 10724 W. 191st St. Zoellner said Village staff, at the Village Board’s direction, has been working with the property owner to annex the property, which is between Revere and Schoolhouse Roads. According to Zoellner, on Dec. 6, staff received a letter from the property owner’s attorney asking for certain conditions to be met for an annexation agreement, including: zoning the property as commercial; exemption from code violations for six months while the existing structure is demolished; Round it up A brief recap of other issues covered during the Feb. 12 board meeting: •During the Discover Mokena portion of the agenda, Cheryl Collins, of Curtain Call Theatre, promoted the upcoming performances of “Enchanted April.” The romantic comedy is scheduled to be performed at the Mokena theater at 7:30 p.m. March 2-3 and March 9-10, as well as at 2 p.m. March 4 and March 11. •As part of the Consent Agenda, trustees voted 4-0 to grant a special event request from the Mokena Lions Club to hold its 31st annual Firecracker Dance Weekend and Fundraiser from July 13-14, and to allow the organization to use the Front Street commuter lot through the weekend. •During the work session after the regular meeting, the Village Board members heard an update from Zoellner on potential vendors for a community survey. Four vendors were discussed, and the Village Board members asked staff for additional information about the proposals made by two of those vendors. and waiver of water and sewer connection fees. On Jan. 18, staff met with the property owner at Village Hall to negotiate terms and set responsibilities and approximate costs for the two parties, such as: the property owner paying for the demolition costs, to be completed within 180 days of the annexation date; the Village agreeing to not issue code violations during that time period; the Village zoning the land C2, highway commercial; and the Village providing a partial waiver of a future water and sewer connection fee valued at a soft cost of $2,000. Trustees Joseph Budzyn and Jim Richmond both said they were unsure about granting the waiver on the connection fees, but both said that if it was what the rest of the Village Board was comfortable with, they would be onboard with it in order to move this issue along. Direction from the mayor and the trustees was for staff to move ahead with the agreement. A public hearing is planned for Monday, Feb. 26 Village Board meeting.
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