MM_032218

16 | March 22, 2018 | The Mokena Messenger news
mokenamessenger.com
FROM THE NEW LENOX PATRIOT
Fundraising the star of the runway
at local Lions Club fashion show
Looking good while doing good
never goes out of style.
South suburban fashionistas got
a sneak preview of the spring season’s
trendiest looks at the New
Lenox Lions Club’s Garden Party
Fashion Show March 11. The annual
event — hosted at VFW Post
9545 — featured local ladies modeling
outfits from local businesses,
catching the eye of a wide variety
of ages and tastes.
Each $25 ticket included soup,
salad, drinks and dessert, and proceeds
will help the Lions Club continue
to do good through several
charitable programs.
“We’re excited,” said Lisa Kline,
the fashion show chairperson. “This
is a great time to promote women
and Lionism. It’s a fun, ladies day
event, and it helps us give back to
the community in a variety of ways,
including Lincoln-way scholarships,
sight-and-hearing programs,
and many, many more things. ...This
is a fantastic fundraiser and a day of
good fellowship.”
After attendees enjoyed their
meals, the lights dimmed, music
played, and the fashion show began.
New Lenox Lions Club President
Marie Wheeler took the mic, as
the event’s emcee, describing spring
looks from Briosa Boutique, Moody
Blues Jean Boutique, Simply Rose
Boutique, That Girl Boutique and
To the Nines on 9th, as the models
walked down the runway.
Reporting by Laurie Fanelli, Freelance
Reporter. For more, visit New-
LenoxPatriot.com.
FROM THE ORLAND PARK PRAIRIE
Man arrested after allegedly
selling quarter-pound of cannabis
to cop
A Palos Hills man was arrested
after he allegedly tried to sell a
quarter-pound of cannabis to an
undercover Orland Park police officer.
Mohammed Khattab, 24, of 9199
Windsor Drive, was charged with
one count each of unlawful delivery
of cannabis, a Class 3 felony;
unlawful possession of a controlled
substance (psilocybin) with intent
to deliver, a Class 3 felony; and unlawful
possession of a controlled
substance (amphetamine) with
intent to deliver, a Class 2 felony;
according to a press release issued
March 13 by the Orland Park Police
Department.
Police recently began an investigation
into a man unlawfully
selling cannabis to people in the
southwest suburbs, according to
the press release.
At 4:30 p.m. March 9, Khattab
drove a vehicle to an area near College
Drive and Ridgeland Avenue
in Palos Heights, where he met an
undercover officer and tried to sell
him the cannabis, police said.
Following his arrest, a search of
Khattab’s vehicle reportedly led
to the recovery of additional cannabis,
psilocybin (a type of mushroom
containing a psychedelic
substance) weighing 8 grams, 70
assorted amphetamine pills (Adderall),
along with a scale and
packaging materials. Police also
seized cash and the vehicle, according
to the release.
Orland Park Police Cmdr. Tony
Farrell said “just under” 30 grams
of additional cannabis was recovered
from a 2012 Hyundai Santa
Fe. The cash seized was $159, he
added.
Judge Michael R. Clancy issued
a $10,000 recognizance bond to
Khattab March 10 at the Leighton
Criminal Court Building in Chicago.
Reporting by Bill Jones, Editor. For
more, visit OPPrairie.com.
FROM THE LOCKPORT LEGEND
Lockport resident looks to help Top
Driver flourish
Top Driver driving school will
be celebrating 15 years of business
this year. Throughout that time,
one thing has not changed — the
proactive approach to teaching
teens how to drive.
“We don’t just teach them the
basics enough to get their driver’s
license; we go beyond that, and we
really want them to be lifelong intelligent
drivers,” Top Driver owner
Paul Zalatoris said.
With 40 locations in both Illinois
and Michigan, Top Driver recently
had a ribbon cutting for their Homer
Glen driving school March 14
with members of the Orland Park
Area Chamber of Commerce. Although
it began offering classes
in March 2017, just after officially
opening, approximately 600 students
have already gone through
their programs in Homer.
“My hopes for this location is to
pretty much be, you know, when
someone says, ‘I need to go to a
driving school; where do I go?’ I
want Top Driver to always be at the
top of everyone’s list. I want people
to say, ‘Hey, my daughter went to
Top Driver in Homer Glen and
they’re the best driver I know,’” said
Scott Parrino, Lockport resident and
regional manager at Top Driver.
Parrino said Top Driver is not
just around as a business but as a
service to the community.
Reporting by Jacquelyn Schlabach,
Assistant Editor. For more, visit LockportLegend.com.
FROM THE TINLEY JUNCTION
Annexation request from truck
stop draws heavy opposition
Citizens abutting a controversial
business spoke for nearly an hour
in firm opposition to an annexation
request that would allow 24-hour
video gaming and packaged liquor
sales.
Over a dozen residents voiced
concerns about traffic, crime,
noise, infrastructure and pollution
during the March 13 Village of Tinley
Park Committee of the Whole
meeting regarding an annexation
request on behalf of Leonard
McEnery, of Lenny’s Food N Fuel
Harlem Avenue LLC, for his 4.87-
acre property located at 19240 S.
Harlem Avenue.
Constructed in 2015 with later
additions in 2017, the business operates
a motor fueling facility for
automobiles and trucks, a convenience
story with a drive-up food
service window for Dunkin’ Donuts
and Beggars Pizza, a carwash,
and outdoor propane-dispensing
station. The parcel is located in
unincorporated Will County and is
connected to Frankfort water and
sewer.
The property would be zoned
B-3, with special uses to allow for
the continuance of existing plans
contingent upon the creation of a
new liquor license allowing for the
sale of packaged liquor and video
gaming. The new class would be
known as Class UV, with an annual
license fee of $1,500 and comply
under State of Illinois Gaming
Act’s definition of a “truck stop,”
as well as the Village’s ordinance
for alcohol sales times.
Village officials estimate projected
revenue collected from
sales, video gaming and property
taxes, and licensing fees would
generate $400,00 annually. A public
hearing for the annexation is to
be held May 1.
Reporting by Cody Mroczka, Editor.
For more, visit Tinley
Junction.com.
FROM THE HOMER HORIZON
Duo charged for armed robbery at
Homer Glen gas station
An 18-year-old and his juvenile
accomplice were charged for their
involvement in an armed robbery
that took place around midnight
March 12 at a gas station in Homer
Glen, according to a press release
from Will County Sheriff’s Office
Deputy Chief Dan Jungles.
Wallace I. Thomas, 18, of Plainfield,
along with a male minor from
Bolingbrook, were charged with
aggravated armed robbery after allegedly
robbing the Speedway located
at 15060 S. Bell Road. Deputies
were reportedly dispatched to
the Speedway at 12:01 a.m. and
were informed an unknown man
was wearing a white-colored covering
over his face and displaying
a handgun at an employee, from
whom he demanded money.
After emptying $116 from the
register into a bag, the Speedway
employee fled the store, attempting
to get help, according to the
release. The gunman fled the station,
running toward Bell Road,
and entered a vehicle later found to
be driven by Thomas.
A Speedway customer followed
the duo and obtained the license
plate number of the gunman’s vehicle
before losing sight of them,
according to police.
Detectives located Thomas at his
school in Joliet. He subsequently
provided detectives with information
on who the gunman was, according
to the release. Detectives then found
the minor in Bolingbrook.
Thomas was transported to the
Will County Adult Detention Facility,
and the gunman was transported
to the River Valley Justice
Center, according to the release.
Reporting by Thomas Czaja, Editor.
For more, visit Homer
Horizon.com.
FROM THE FRANKFORT STATION
Frankfort police warn community
about increased burglaries to
vehicles
Following a string of vehiclerelated
thefts, Frankfort Police
Department officials are asking
residents to be vigilant and take
precautions to avoid having their
cars and personal belongings stolen.
In 2015, the department logged
21 incidents of burglaries to motor
vehicle and seven vehicle thefts.
The following year, those numbers
increased to 42 and 11, respectively,
and in 2017, 35 burglaries
to motor vehicles and 12 vehicle
thefts were reported.
As of mid-March, there were
11 burglaries to vehicles and three
vehicle thefts reported in 2018,
Frankfort Police Chief John Burica
said.
“We’ve seen this happen over the
past few years, where it’s increased
that way, and we’ve recently had a
rash again — and when I say we,
it’s the whole area,” he said. “It’s
from Monee to New Lenox to Mokena
… the surrounding Lincoln-
Way area, including unincorporated
areas, have been getting hit with
both stolen vehicles and burglary
to motor vehicles.”
In just the past week, Burica
said, there were multiple reported
incidents of stolen vehicles and
cars that had been broken into —
all of which occurred overnight
and involved vehicles that had
been left unlocked.
He advised residents to avoid
leaving purses or other valuables
in plain view, and to make sure to
always lock their vehicles.
Reporting by Nuria Mathog, Editor.
For more, visit FrankfortStation.com.