MK_032819

® 

mokena’s Award-Winning Hometown Newspaper mokenamessenger.com • March 28, 2019 • Vol. 11 No. 33 • $1 

A 

Publication 

,LLC 

Oak Lawn 

resident KellyAnn 

Bandusky plays 

the jaded wife 

Mary Collins 

during NAWS 

Murder Mystery 

fundraiser 

Saturday, March 

23, at Gaelic Park. 

Laurie Fanelli/22nd 

Century Media 

Church 

scandal Document 

lists area priests accused 

of misconduct, crimes, 

Page 4 

NAWS puts on murder 

mystery-themed 

fundraiser, Page 3 

Flat fees D210 

decides against raising 

most student fees, Page 8 

Limits for 

funds 

D159 approves measure 

to ensure tax money 

goes toward projects, 

Page 8 

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2 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger calendar 

mokenamessenger.com 

In this week’s 

Messenger 

Pet of the Week.............10 

Editorial........................13 

Faith Briefs....................16 

Puzzles..........................21 

The Scene......................21 

Classifieds................ 25-33 

The Mokena 

Messenger 

ph: 708.326.9170 fx: 708.326.9179 

Editor 

TJ Kremer III, x29 

tj@mokenamessenger.com 

sports editor 

Steve Millar, ext 34 

s.millar@22ndcm.com 

Sales director 

Lora Healy, x31 

l.healy@22ndcenturymedia.com 

real estate sales 

Tricia Kobylarczyk, x47 

t.weber@22ndcenturymedia.com 

classifieds/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 

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Published by 

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TJ Kremer iii 


FRIDAY 

Shrek Jr. The Musical 

7 p.m. Friday, March 

29, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, 

March 30 and 2 p.m. Sunday, 

March 31. Noonan 

Academy 19131 Henry 

Drive, Mokena. Tickets 

$10 adult, $8 child through 

Diane Simon at simonfam 

ily1995@gmail.com 

National Wheelchair 

Basketball Association 

Championship Tournaments 

March 29-31. The Lincoln-Way 

Special Recreation 

Association will 

host two separate National 

Wheelchair Basketball Association 

championship 

tournaments. For more 

information on times and 

locations visit lwsra.org or 

call (815) 320-3500. 

SATURDAY 

Clean the Clutter with 

Colleen Klimczak 

1-2 p.m., Mokena Community 

Public Library District, 

11327 W. 195th St. 

Join the Mokena Community 

Public Library District 

and get motivated to start 

your spring cleaning! Professional 

Organizer, Colleen 

Klimczak will show 

you how to improve your 

life by recognizing and 

eliminating clutter. Save 

time, money, and regain 

control of your home. To 

register, please call (708) 

479-9663 or register on 

our events calendar at mo 

kenalibrary.org. 

MONDAY 

Medicare Made Easy! 

6:30-8:30 p.m. Mokena 

Community Public Library 

District, 11327 W. 

195th St. Diane Adduci, 

a Medicare educator and 

licensed insurance representative, 

will present an 

educational program at the 

Mokena Community library 

about Medicare Parts 

A and B, and will also be 

discussing Medicare Supplement 

Plans. Come and 

learn about eligibility, enrollment, 

and the benefits 

of Medicare and Medicare 

Supplements. This 

program is designed for 

people turning 65, already 

65 or over but leaving their 

employer plan, or people 

who would simply like to 

learn more about Medicare. 

Questions are welcome. 

To register, please 

call (708) 479-9663 or 

register through our events 

calendar at mokenalibrary. 

org. 

TUESDAY 

Trivia Night at Doc’s 

Smokehouse 

7-9 p.m. Doc’s Smokehouse, 

19081 Old La- 

Grange Road #105, Mokena. 

Join the Mokena 

Community Public Library 

and showcase your smarts 

against other trivia geeks 

as you compete to win 

awesome prizes and enjoy 

great food. Each trivia 

round will be centered on 

a new theme every month. 

Come alone or as a team. 

This is one night the library 

won’t help you find 

the answers. 18 and older 

are welcome. To register, 

please call (708) 479-9663 

or register on our events 

calendar at mokenalibrary. 

org. 

WEDNESDAY 

Becoming a Successful 

Homeowner 

6-8 p.m. Mokena Community 

Public Library District, 

11327 W. 195th St. 

Carla Dumas, a Realtor for 

15 years, and Managing 

Broker/Owner of Amazing 

Grace Real Estate 

Services, joins the Mokena 

Community library 

in this workshop to share 

her knowledge of what it 

takes to be a successful 

homeowner. She will cover 

the following topics: the 

advantages of buying vs. 

renting, down payment assistance 

programs for first 

time homebuyers, insuring 

your investment, and the 

legal aspects of home buying. 

To register, please call 

(708) 479-9663 or register 

through our events calendar 

at mokenalibrary.org. 

UPCOMING 

Sensory Yoga 

11:30 a.m. April 6. Mokena 

Public Library District. 

11327 W. 195th St. 

Pre K thorugh 9 years old. 

Registration Required. 

The sensory benefits of 

yoga for kids help proprioceptive 

and vestibular 

input. 

Morning Bird Hike 

8-10 a.m. Sunday, April 

7. Hickory Creek Preserve, 

10537 W LaPorte Road, 

Mokena. Spring migration 

is the best time to see 

the widest variety of birds. 

Species like hummingbirds 

and orioles will be 

arriving to nest and many 

warbler species are passing 

through on migration. 

Please bring along binoculars 

and dress for the 

weather. A limited supply 

of binoculars will be available 

for loan. Participants 

will hike up to 2 miles on 

natural surfaces across uneven 

terrain. Meet at the 

Shagbark Grove Shelter. 

Flashlight Egg Hunt 

8-9 p.m. April 11. Yunker 

Farm, 10824 W. LaPorte 

Road, Mokena. Join the 

Park District to challenge 

friends to see who can find 

the most treat-filled eggs 

using only a flashlight. The 

child that finds the golden 

egg will receive a basket 

filled with treats. Please 

bring your own flashlight 

and a bag to collect the 

eggs. Pizza will be served 

after the hunt. The hunt is 

for ages 10–15. Preregistration 

is required. Early 

Bird registration fee: $12 

per resident and $14 per 

non-resident. After March 

11, additional fees apply. 

Registration deadline is 

March 28. 

Village Hall Closed 

Friday, April 19. 

ONGOING 

Kindergarten Registration 

Drive 

8 a.m.-4 p.m. Ongoing. 

District Administrative 

Center, 20100 South 

Spruce Drive in Frankfort. 

Summit Hill School 

District’s 2019-20 kindergarten 

registration drive 

continues. Parents may 

access studentregistration. 

LIST IT YOURSELF 

Reach out to thousands of daily 

users by submitting your event at 

MokenaMessenger.com/calendar 

For just print*, email all information to 

m.schuller@22ndcm.com 

*Deadline for print is 5 p.m. the Thursday prior to publication. 

Editor’s Note 

As per 22nd Century 

Media policy, no 

election coverage 

appears in this final 

edition before the April 

2 election. Election 

results coverage 

will be available the 

evening of April 2 at 

MokenaMessenger. 

com, on Twitter @ 

MokenaMessenger 

and Facebook.com/ 

TheMokenaMessenger. 

org to review the checklist 

of documents needed 

for registration. Parents 

have the option of enrolling 

their kindergartener in 

the extended day program 

or the half-day program. 

Registration fee for extended 

day is $150. Registration 

fee for half day is 

$125. Payment options are 

available. 

Mokena Fire Protection 

CPR Class 

6 —9:30 p.m. Ongoing. 

Mokena Fire Station 

1, 19853 S. Wolf 

Rd, Moknea. The Mokena 

Fire Protection District 

offers monthly CPR 

classes for the public. 

Students are instructed 

in adult, child and infant 

CPR and AED. The cost 

of the class is $35 for 

Community CPR and $40 

Healthcare CPR. Register 

for specific dates at moke 

nafire.org.

mokenamessenger.com news 

the mokena messenger | March 28, 2019 | 3 

NAWS puts on Murder Mystery Night Fundraiser 

Laurie Fanelli 

Freelance Reporter 

Animal lovers had the 

purr-fect opportunity to 

enjoy a night of fun, food 

and intrigue while supporting 

local shelter pets 

at NAWS’ second annual 

Murder Mystery Fundraiser. 

The Saturday, March 

23, event, held at Gaelic 

Park, took on a 1940s 

theme as attendees tried 

to solve the “Mystery of 

the Haunted Estate” and 

determine who may have 

caused the untimely death 

of a casino mogul, and the 

murders of some of his 

nearest and dearest. Dinner, 

games of chance and 

raffles added to the fun 

and all proceeds supported 

the NAWS Pet Rescue 

Medical Fund. 

Darlene Kokotan, 

NAWS board director and 

event chair, explained that 

the group was on track 

to raise approximately 

$5,000 through the fundraiser. 

“It was a lot of fun last 

year, and we raised a lot 

of money. People had fun, 

and it was a good event 

to make people aware of 

NAWS,” said Kokotan of 

bringing the fundraiser 

back for a second year. 

Eight attendees were 

chosen to act in the murder 

mystery party, and others 

directly participated by 

reading clues to the room. 

Before dinner was even 

served, Uncle Arthur’s 

death wasn’t the only murder 

being investigated. 

“The premise is Uncle 

Art made his money in casinos, 

and once a year, he 

threw a party to celebrate 

the anniversary of opening 

his first casino,” Kokotan 

said. “Uncle Art passed 

away, but did he die or was 

he murdered? That’s what 

we’re going to find out 

here as it all unravels as 

the night goes on.” 

Oak Forest resident 

Ken Shollenberger played 

Detective Ashland, a 

hardened cop leading the 

investigation into the murders. 

He and his wife, Sue, 

came out to enjoy a night 

of good fun for a good 

cause. 

“My wife loves murder 

mysteries, so we thought 

we would come out to support 

NAWS and have a 

good time,” Shollenberger 

said, noting that the couple 

had three Maine Coons 

waiting for them at home. 

“It’s a great organization, 

and we love animals.” 

NAWS director Delonda 

Belanger organized the 

event, which was sponsored 

at the Diamond Collar 

Level by A Salon Suite, 

Destinations by Dixon 

LLC and Jack Gibbons. 

Frankfort Counseling Associates 

sponsored the 

goody bags, and several 

local organizations donated 

items for the raffles. 

NAWS — which is located 

at 9981 W. 190th St., 

Unit A in Mokena — is the 

National Animal Welfare 

Society, a no-kill shelter. 

The organization also offers 

boarding, doggy day 

camp, as well as low-cost 

vaccinations, neutering 

and spaying at its medical 

center. 

“We have cats, dogs, 

kittens and puppies,” Advisory 

Board Member 

and dog trainer Kimmy 

Bandusky said. “We don’t 

turn anybody away. We’re 

all about saving their lives 

and loving them until their 

family loves them for 

the rest of their lives. All 

of our dogs and cats are 

spayed and neutered before 

they leave with their 

owner, and that’s included 

in their adoption fee.” 

The organization is 

known for helping pets 

find their forever homes, 

and NAWS volunteers also 

work hard to help hospice 

animals and heartworm 

dogs connect with caring 

families. 

“It doesn’t take much 

to get the heartworm dogs 

healthy,” Kokotan said. 

“It just takes time and 

medicine. That’s one of 

our mission statements: to 

help the heartworm dogs 

because they are salvageable.” 

As for the hospice pets, 

NAWS takes care of all 

the medicine the dog or cat 

may need, and foster families 

are responsible for 

providing a loving home 

for the final weeks, months 

or years of the pet’s life. 

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Tinley Park resident Lexi DeAngelis plays the role of 

Rhonda Revolver, a roulette dealer and singer, during 

the murder mystery event. 

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Oak Forest resident Ken Shollenberger (left) and Bolingbrook resident Jamin Echols 

as Officer John Reilly investigate the “murder” of Amanda Hobig during NAWS 

Murder Mystery Night Fundraiser Saturday, March 23, at Gaelic Park. Photos by Laurie 

Fanelli/22nd Century Media 

CATHIE CHOLKE 

(815) 693-4759

4 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger news 


Man again charged with sexual abuse of 

minor less than two weeks after jail release 

Bill Jones, Managing Editor 

Just 13 days after being 

released from jail for 

a similar crime, an Orland 

Park man was charged 

with sexually abusing a 

second teenager before his 

incarceration. 

Philip W. Buroff, 25, of 

Orland Park, was charged 

March 13 with criminal 

aggravated sexual abuse 

(13-16 years old), according 

to a press release issued 

March 18 by the Will 

County Sheriff’s Department. 

Buroff was originally 

arrested May 8 by Will 

County Sheriff’s detectives 

and charged with 

From March 19 

two counts 

aggravated 

criminal 

sexual 

abuse/ages 

13 to 18 and 

two counts 

of aggravated 

criminal 

Buroff 

sexual abuse after he allegedly 

had a sexual relationship 

with a minor, teenage 

employee of the Wendy’s 

in Mokena, where he 

served as a supervisor. At 

the time of that offense, 

Buroff was a supervisor 

at several Wendy’s restaurants. 

He reportedly spent 

time at the Will County 

Adult Detention Facil- 

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ity awaiting a bench trial. 

As part of a plea agreement, 

he was sentenced 

to 180 days in jail with 

three years of probation, 

according to the press release. 

On that court date, 

Feb. 28, he reportedly was 

released, having served 

his time. 

Thirteen days later, Buroff 

was arrested by Manteno 

police, with the help 

of Will County Sheriff’s 

detectives. The arrest followed 

a new investigation 

into the complaint of 

a second female, Wendy’s 

employee. 

Buroff allegedly assaulted 

the second female on 

three separate occasions 

prior to his arrest in May 

2018 and then contacted 

the female following his 

release from jail. He also 

was charged with child 

pornography after files 

were found on his phone, 

police said. 

Buroff’s bond reportedly 

has been set at $1 

million in Kankakee 

County, and the Will 

County State’s Attorney’s 

Office is looking into revoking 

Buroff’s probation 

for violating his conditions 

on the previous 

charges. 

Will County Sheriff’s 

detectives are asking 

anyone who may have 

information about Buroff 

having any other potential 

relationships with underage 

persons to contact 

Detective Corey Burket 

at (815) 727-8574 ext. 

4965. 

Buroff reportedly has 

been a supervisor at several 

Wendy’s locations in 

the areas of Frankfort, Mokena, 

Manteno and Matteson. 

Suburban area priests named in 

new abuse allegations reports 


A report released by a 

Minnesota-based attorney 

who advocates for sexual 

abuse victims names 395 

alleged abusers and others 

with accusations of misconduct 

who have served, 

past and present, in the 

Catholic Church in Illinois. 

The 185-page report 

includes all six Illinois 

dioceses, and publishes 

background information, 

photographs and assignment 

histories of Catholic 

clergy and laypersons accused 

of sexual misconduct. 

Among those named 

in the report were priests 

who over the years have 

had assignments in 22nd 

Century Media’s southwest 

suburban coverage 

area. 

Some of the allegations 

previously have been reported 

by 22nd Century 

Media and other publications 

in some cases 

predating this company. 

Some of the allegations 

also have been publicly 

reported by various dioceses 

or archdioceses. The 

assignments of priests to 

churches in 22nd Century 

Media’s coverage area are 

noted in the text that follows, 

but many of those 

priests were assigned to 

other parishes, outside of 

our coverage area, as well. 

More information is available 

in the full report at an 

dersonadvocates.com. 

In the wake of the report, 

both the Archdiocese 

of Chicago and Diocese of 

Joliet issued statements. 

The Archdiocese said it 

reports all allegations it 

receives to civil authorities 

and does not “police 

itself.” 

“If the Archdiocese of 

Chicago receives an allegation 

that a religious 

priest has engaged in 

sexual misconduct with a 

minor, the archdiocese reports 

it to the civil authorities, 

publicly withdraws 

the priest’s faculties to 

work in the archdiocese, 

and refers the matter to 

his religious superior,” according 

to the statement. 

The Archdiocese statement 

also took issue with 

how the report “conflates 

people who have been accused, 

but may be innocent, 

with those who have 

substantiated allegations 

against them,” and offers 

several examples, some of 

which have been noted in 

the text that follows. It also 

notes the differences that 

pertain to religious order 

priests. 

The Diocese of Joliet 

similarly noted it reports 

“all allegations of child 

sexual abuse to law enforcement” 

and in cases 

that involve victims who 

are still minors to DCFS. 

It said all allegations in 

the report previously were 

reported by the Diocese to 

authorities and has posted 

a list on its website since 

2006. 

“All credibly accused 

priests have been removed 

from ministry,” according 

to the Diocese statement. 

The statement further 

noted the Anderson Report 

includes allegations that 

were “unsubstantiated or 

deemed not credible by the 

Diocese of Joliet Review 

Board, or the claim did 

not involve child abuse.” 

It also notes some priests 

were of visiting status, and 

in such cases or those involving 

allegations against 

members of a religious 

order the diocese has revoked 

their authority to 

minister in the Diocese of 

Joliet. 

“The Diocese of Joliet 

continues to express its 

genuine regret and profound 

sympathy to any 

victims and survivors of 

sexual abuse by clergy in 

the Diocese of Joliet and 

elsewhere,” the statement 

added. “We are committed 

to promoting the healing 

and reconciliation of survivors, 

and the protection 

of our children today.” 

Mokena 

• James Burnett: Assigned 

to St. Mary in Mokena 

(1974-1990) 

After working for over 

three decades in the Diocese 

of Joliet, the priest 

was placed on administrative 

leave in 2006, after 

a man filed a lawsuit alleging 

he had been sexually 

abused as a child by 

Burnett. According to the 

lawsuit, Burnett sexually 

abused the boy approximately 

40 times at St. 

Mary Church in Mokena, 

starting in 1978, when the 

boy was 8 years old. 

At some point following 

the first accusation, a 

second man came forward 

also alleging he had been 

sexually abused by Burnett. 

In March of 2007, 

the Diocese of Joliet announced 

that its Review 

Committee found the first 

accusation not credible but 

was unable to resolve the 

credibility of the second 

accusation, according to 

the report. 

Following the first two 

accusations, a third man 

came forward and filed a 

civil lawsuit. It is thought 

that this lawsuit was eventually 

settled in March 

Please see priests, 6

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priests 

From Page 4 

of 2013, according to the 

report. After the lawsuit 

was resolved, the Diocese 

of Joliet reportedly conceded 

that all three allegations 

against Fr. Burnett 

had been substantiated and 

deemed credible. The Diocese 

of Joliet also added 

Burnett to its list of 

priests with a credible allegations 

of sexual abuse of 

minors made against them. 

• William D. Virtue: 

Assigned to St. Mary in 

Mokena (1982) 

The priest was ordained 

for the Diocese of Joliet in 

1975. The first reports of 

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child sexual abuse by Virtue 

came in 1984. By 1986, 

he had left the Diocese 

of Joliet and was incardinated 

into the Diocese of 

Peoria. In 2006, a lawsuit 

filed against Virtue alleged 

that he repeatedly sexually 

abused a 10-year-old boy 

at St. Mary’s in Mokena in 

1981. Virtue subsequently 

was removed from public 

ministry in the Diocese 

of Peoria. In 2007, Virtue 

reportedly was working in 

the Diocese of Rockford 

but was removed from all 

public ministry by 2009. 

Virtue was named on lists 

published by three dioceses. 

Frankfort 

• Salvatore Formusa: 

Assigned to St. Anthony’s 

Parish in Frankfort (1976- 

1984) 

Formusa allegedly sexually 

abused young girls 

as early as 1962. In 1968, 

after being accused of 

SPACE RESERVATION DEADLINES MARCH 29 

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708.326.9170 | www.22ndcenturymedia.com 

sexual misconduct with a 

girl younger than 16 years 

old, he was removed and 

placed on sick leave, according 

to the report. In 

1976, he reportedly was 

allowed to return to the 

Diocese of Joliet, where he 

worked until his retirement 

in 1985. Formusa was included 

on a diocese list of 

priests facing credible allegations. 

• Lowell Fischer: Assigned 

to Motherhouse, 

Novitiate, Sacred Heart 

Residence, Portiuncula, 

Center for Prayer - Retired 

in Frankfort (1999-2001) 

The first known allegation 

against the priest was 

made in Hawaii, where 

he relocated for approximately 

18 years from the 

Diocese of Joliet in 1975. 

Upon his return to the 

Diocese of Joliet in 1993, 

it is thought that Fischer 

was placed on restricted 

ministry, according to the 

report. A second allegation 

of abuse was made 

against Fischer in 2002, 

after which he was removed 

from ministry. In 

2014, he was named in a 

lawsuit against the Diocese 

of Joliet pertaining to 

a third accusation of sexual 

abuse. He was included 

on a diocese of priests 

with credible allegations 

against them. 

New Lenox 

• Harold Jochem: Assigned 

to St. Jude Church 

in New Lenox (1978- 

1989) 

He was ordained a Franciscan 

priest in 1930 in 

the Diocese of Joliet. In 

2004, a civil suit was filed 

by a man alleging that he 

was abused as a youth, between 

1974 and 1978, at 

St. Jude’s Parish in New 

Lenox by Jochem, and a 

brother, Jeffery Salwach. 

The suit alleged that Jochem 

and Salwach forced 

the boy to engage in group 

sex, smoke marijuana and 

drink alcohol. It is reported 

that Jochem was deceased 

at the time the suit 

was brought forth. 

• Richard J. McGrath: 

Assigned to Providence 

Catholic High School in 

New Lenox (1986-2017) 

McGrath is an Augustinian 

priest. In late 2017, 

a student reported having 

seen an image of a naked 

boy on McGrath’s cellphone. 

McGrath reportedly 

refused to turn over 

his cellphone to police. 

In 2018, McGrath was 

named in a lawsuit alleging 

he sexually abused 

a boy from 1995-1996, 

while he was the president 

at Providence Catholic. 

In September 2018, he 

was reportedly transferred 

from Providence to the St. 

John Stone Friary near a 

preschool and a Catholic 

grade school. In December 

2018, McGrath is said to 

have left the friary. 

Orland Park 

• Michael W. 

O’Connell: Assigned to 

St. Michael Church (1984- 

1989) and Our Lady of 

the Woods Church (1998- 

2012), both in Orland Park 

The priest reportedly 

was removed in December 

2013 from a position 

at St. Alphonsus Parish 

after sexual misconduct 

involving a minor boy 20 

years earlier when he was 

working at Our Lady of 

the Woods was alleged. A 

second allegation surfaced 

in April 2014 regarding 

a different minor boy being 

sexually abused at the 

same church. O’Connell 

reportedly was reinstated 

to active ministry that 

month, after law enforcement 

found insufficient 

evidence to prosecute. He 

is currently assigned to St. 

Alphonsus. 

The Archdiocese notes 

the allegations were first 

brought forth in December 

of 2013. O’Connell’s 

status is active, because 

the allegations were investigated 

by civil authorities 

and found to be unfounded 

by the Department of Children 

and Family Services, 

and unsubstantiated by 

the Archdiocese of Chicago 

Independent Review 

Board, according to the 

archdiocese’s report. 

• Paul O’Toole: 

Thought to have been living 

in Orland Park 

In 2004, a woman received 

a settlement from 

the Archdiocese of Chicago 

after reporting she 

was sexually abused by 

the priest in 1966 when 

she was 16 years old. 

The Archdiocese said 

O’Toole died in 2017. The 

Archdiocese contended 

the allegation “did not relate 

to abuse of a minor,” 

and noted O’Toole had resigned 

before the first allegation 

was received. 

Tinley Park 

• Leonard G. Huske: 

Assigned to St. Julie Billiart 

Church in Tinley Park 

(1982-1988) 

The priest reportedly 

was removed from public 

ministry in 2018. He is on 

the Archdiocese of Chicago’s 

list of clergy with 


of sexual misconduct with 

minors. 

• Michael Weston: Assigned 

to St. Julie Billiart 

Church (1977-1981). The 

priest was ordained in 

1973 and a few years later 

the archdiocese received 


of child sexual abuse, but 

no action was taken, according 

to the report. He 

resigned in 1993. At least 

three survivors reportedly 

have accused Weston of 

child sexual abuse. Weston 

was laicized in 2009 and is 

included on the Archdiocese 

of Chicago’s list of clergy 

with allegations of sexual 

misconduct with minors. 

Visit MokenaMessenger.com 

to read the full, free report 

online.



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8 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger school 


Lincoln-Way Community High School D210 Board of Education 

Students’ fees to remain virtually flat 

T.J. Kremer III, Editor 

Students — and, by 

extension, their families 

— caught a break at 

Lincoln-Way Community 

High School District 

210’s Thursday, March 

21 meeting: The board 

voted 6-1 to keep registration 

fees for the 2019- 

2020 school year the 

same as the current 2018- 

2019 year. Board Vice 

President Joseph Kosteck 

was the sole “nay” 

vote. 

Students who drive 

and utilize any of the 

three schools’ parking 

lots will have to pay an 

additional $25, up from 

FREE 

500 LOADS 

OF CLEAN FILL 

(815) 469-9299 

$125 currently to $150. 

The increase is expected 

to bring in an additional 

$32,000 to help cover the 

cost of maintenance and 

upkeep of the parking 

lots, according to board 

documents. 

“Are fee comparisons 

are pretty similar with 

other comparable districts,” 

said Superintendent 

Scott Tingley. “As 

we know — as was discussed 

at the [Feb. 21] 

meeting — we’re going 

to have to discuss an increase 

in the technology 

fee in the future, if 

the board does decide 

to go to a 1:1 structure, 

and we will have much 

more conversation about 

that.” 

Board member Christopher 

Lucchetti asked 

the other board members 

and Tingley if, in the future, 

it would be possible 

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Round it Up 

A brief recap of other items discussed at the March 

21 D210 meeting 

• During the Curriculum and Instruction update, 

staff gave a presentation on a new feature for the 

district’s school’s websites that outlines possible 

college and career pathways for students, specific 

to each department. The interactive model would 

show students what classes are recommended 

for a specific career and what kinds of careers are 

available with what types of degrees. The feature is 

expected to be completed over spring break. 

• The board voted unanimously to approve 

$478,164 for a bid from CDW-G for technology 

updates at all three schools, including switches for 

internet connectivity. The board stipulated that the 

approval was dependent on whether discounts of 

up to 40 percent would be granted, lowering the 

actual cost to the district to $286,898.50. 

• The board also unanimously approved bids 

from four vendors for custodial supplies for a total 

estimated cost $50,692.40. 

to develop a policy to 

display for students and 

families a written summary 

of where, exactly, 

those fees and fundraising 

money are being 

applied. 

“I do think you’re right; 

we need to work it into 

a policy,” Tingley said. 

“We have not tackled this 

with the activities — different 

activities do different 

fundraisers — but I 

think you’re right. I think 

we need to get something 

in writing so we’re consistent 

across the board, 

and have it in place by 

July 1 for the this next 

school year.” 

An ‘A’ for a ‘B’ 

The board voted unanimously 

to change the way 

in which it weighs grades 

for honors and AP classes 

from its currents weighted 

system to a “one up” 

system. 

Board member Beth 

Janus-Doyle explained 

that the decision is 

meant, in part, to reduce 

the confusion that 

would sometimes occur 

when colleges were 

presented with students’ 

transcripts. 

“What we’re recommending 

is, basically, to 

change the way that we 

weight grades — our indexing 

system — to a 

standard 1 point up, consistent 

with pretty much 

every other school district 

in the state,” Janus- 

Doyle said. 

The new system gives 

students who receive a 

letter grade of C or above 

an extra full point toward 

his or her GPA. For example, 

a student who 

earns a B in an AP class 

would have that B — 

which would be weighted 

as a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale — 

weighted as a 4.0. 

Mokena D159 Board of Education 

Policy to limit use of possible 

referendum funding gets OK 

Danielle Brown 


Funds from a proposed 

tax referendum will only 

be used on specific school 

maintenance, repairs and 

updates following a policy 

approval March 20 by the 

Mokena School District 

159 Board of Education. 

“I think [this policy] 

adds a level of security 

and comfort to people that 

we’re going to keep our 

promise,” board member 

Jim Andreesen said. 

Under the policy, revenue 

from the proposed referendum 

would be limited 

to: upgrading school security 

measures; improving 

and replacing school 

HVAC systems; repairing 

parking lots and school 

walkways; interior surfaces; 

and maintaining roofs, 

windows and doors. 

Once those projects are 

completed, the proceeds 

can then be used for any 

facility or classroom upgrades 

relating to Future 

Ready or 21st Century 

Learning Environments, 

the policy states. 

“This [policy] will help 

quite a bit lessen the confusion 

on what will be 

happening with these proceeds,” 

Superintendent 

Don White said. 

The proposed referendum 

would allow a .3 percent 

tax to remain as part 

of the overall tax levy. In 

January, the school board 

agreed to place the referendum 

on the April 2 ballot. 

The tax, which is set to 

expire in 2020, was originally 

approved by voters 

to help finance the construction 

of Mokena Junior 

High. It generates about 

$1.8 million in additional 

revenue per year. 

Round it Up 

A brief recap of other 

items discussed at 

the March 20 D159 

meeting 

• The board approved 

student fees for the 

2019-20 school 

year. There were no 

increases to the fees 

for the upcoming year. 

• The board agreed to 

hold its reorganization 

meeting at 6:30 p.m. 

on April 25. 

The policy also addressed 

several concerns 

regarding what actions 

would be needed for it to 

be suspended or revoked. 

For that to happen, the 

board must either unanimously 

approve an “action 

item to declare an 

emergency situation where 

proceeds will be used for 

an alternate purpose,” or 

the board could provide 30 

days notice, hold a public 

hearing and unanimously 

vote to revoke or suspend 

the policy. 

Previously, the policy 

only required five of seven 

votes. 

“Not only is it awesome 

that we’re able to share 

what it’ll be used for, but 

we’re also keeping money 

going from the traditional 

budget toward these items 

in addition to whatever 

money this may generate,” 

Andreesen said. “There’s 

a lot of projects, it’s a lot 

of money and it’s going to 

take a long amount of time 

before that list is complete. 

We would be using this 

money in addition to our 

own funds to help complete 

these purchases for 

improving our schools.”

mokenamessenger.com school 


the Mokena messenger’s 

Standout Student 

Sponsored by Marquette Bank 

Katley Kmak, Mokena Junior 

High eighth-grader 

What do you like to do when not in 

school or studying? 

I like to play softball. I’m on a travel 

softball team and I love working on getting 

better everyday and learning what I 

can to fix any problems with my hitting 

or fielding. 

What’s your dream job? 

My dream is to become a pediatric 

nurse or surgeon. I love helping others, 

especially kids. It would be great to work 

with kids each and every day, and find 

ways they can get better. 

What’s one thing people don’t know 

about you? 

I have never broken a bone. I have 

played many sports and still have not broken 

a bone. 

Whom do you look up to and why? 

I look up to my older cousin Allison. I 

look up to her because she is a great role 

model and she gets good grades. She is 

also going to Marquette, which is a very 

good college. I hope to be just like her. 

What’s your favorite class and why? 

My favorite class is history... because 

it is the most interesting and fun. I love 

learning about everything that happened 

in the world to become what it is today. 

What’s one thing that stands out about 

your school? 

naws 

From Page 3 

Along with special event fundraisers, 

NAWS also supports its mission through 

the generosity of the community. Making 

monetary donations, giving wish list items 

— paper towels, detergent, dust-free kitty 

Photo submitted 

Everyone is so kind and welcoming to 

one another. The teachers are also so helpful 

to all of the students. 

What extracurricular(s) do you wish your 

school had? 

I wish my school had Best Buddies. I 

love spending time with the special ed 

kids and seeing them smile and laugh. 

If you could change one thing about your 

school what would it be? 

I wish that my school started at a later 

time so I could sleep longer. I am not a 

morning person so it’s hard to get up. 

What’s your favorite thing to eat in the 

cafeteria? 

I usually don’t eat in the cafeteria, but if 

I do I prefer to have nachos or bosco sticks. 

What’s your best memory from school? 

My best memory is from fifth grade and 

my teacher, Mrs. Hill, did a cartwheel for 

my class. It was very funny and I will remember 

that forever. 

Standout Student is a weekly feature for The 

Mokena Messenger. Nominations come from 

Mokena-area schools. 

litter, etc. — and purchasing goods from 

online supporters are just a few ways to 

help NAWS serve animals as is volunteering 

your time. 

“We need volunteers. We need people 

who care. We need fosters,” Kokotan 

said. “It takes a village.” 

More information about NAWS can be 

found at nawsus.org. 

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10 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger community 


FREE 

Admission 

FREE 

Parking 

FREE 

Tote Bag* 

*to first 500 

attendees 

SAVE THE DATE 

9am - 1pm 

SATURDAY 

Apr. 27, 2019 

Tinley Park 

Convention Center 

18451 Convention Center Drive 

Vendor opportunities available! 

Deadline is April 10 

SPONSORS 

This women-focused 

event will offer: 

• More than 100 

vendor booths 

• FREE 30-minute 

workout sessions! 

• Speaker sessions 

• Cooking demo stage 

• Vitalant Blood Drive 

AND MORE TO COME! 

Daphney 

NAWS Illinois Humane Society 9981 W. 190th Street Mokena, 60448 

Daphney is an adorable, 2-year-old terrier mix who was rescued from the 

euthanasia list at a high-kill shelter in Tennessee. She is very sweet, loves 

attention and seems to like everyone she meets. She is playful and energetic, 

and would love to find an active family to adopt her. Please email Stacy at 

stacy@nawsus.org or call NAWS at (708) 478-5102 to make an appointment 

with an adoption counselor to meet her. 

Want to see your pet featured as The Mokena Messenger’s Pet of the Week? Send your pet’s 

photo and a few sentences explaining why your pet is outstanding to Editor T.J. Kremer 

III at tj@mokenamessenger.com or 11516 W. 183rd St., Office Condo 3, Suite SW, Orland 

Park, IL 60467. 

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FROM THE NEW LENOX PATRIOT 

Moody Blues celebrates six-year 

anniversary April 1 

Moody Blues Jean Boutique 

and its owner, Kathy Wilda, are 

to celebrate the store’s sixth anniversary 

April 1. 

The store is located at 1844 E. 

Lincoln Highway in New Lenox. 

Moody Blues has been at its location 

for four years, after spending 

its first two across town. 

The plaza it is in now, directly 

across the street from Lincoln- 

Way Central High School, has 

female-focused stores, with salons, 

beauty supply and florists 

in the same strip. 

In six years of business, being 

able to serve people is the best 

part for Wilda. She takes pride in 

the fact that women do not just 

walk in, grab what they want and 

leave. 

“We work one-on-one with 

the women to find the right fit 

for their body type,” Wilda said. 

“We don’t let them grab their 

jeans. We bring them to you, and 

we understand which ones are 

going to fit each woman properly. 

We do custom alterations with 

hemming and things like that.” 

Wilda has had the experience 

of women coming into the store 

and telling her, “No jeans fit me. 

I have not worn jeans in 15-20 

years.” And then they will walk 

out with two or three pairs, she 

said. 

From 10 a.m.-noon April 5 

and 6, Moody Blues is to hold an 

anniversary sale. 

Reporting by Sean Hastings, Editor. 

For more, visit NewLenoxPatriot. 

com. 

FROM THE FRANKFORT STATION 

Frankfort man becomes police 

officer after years with 

department 

After four years of service 

with the Frankfort Police Department, 

Frankfort native Dominic 

Martello was officially sworn 

in as a police officer March 18 

during a Frankfort Village Board 

meeting. 

Martello was born and raised 

in Frankfort, graduated from 

Lincoln-Way East High School 

in 2014 and attends Lewis University, 

where he expects to 

complete a bachelor’s degree in 

criminal justice in the fall. After 

graduating, he plans to continue 

his education by pursuing a master’s 

degree. 

Martello began his career with 

the Frankfort Police Department 

as a police cadet in 2015. He was 

hired as a community service officer 

later that year. 

The two positions are distinct 

and come with different responsibilities, 

Mayor Jim Holland 

said. 

“A police cadet is essentially 

part of the scout program and 

can literally be high school people,” 

Holland explained. “They 

help with some traffic issues, and 

they help with Concerts on the 

Green and a lot of the events in 

town. A community service officer 

is an employee of the Village. 

... They will help with lockouts. 

They will help with some of the 

accident issues.” 

Frankfort Police Chief John 

Burica described Martello as 

an asset to the police department, 

noting it was rare to have a 

homegrown officer. 

“We’re very lucky to have 

him, and I’m sure he will have 

a long career ahead of him,” Burica 

said. 

Reporting by Nuria Mathog, Editor. 

For more, visit FrankfortStation. 

com. 

FROM THE ORLAND PARK PRAIRIE 

Corner of 171st and LaGrange 

on its way to getting mixed use 

development 

A new, 57.72-acre, mixed use 

planned development that could 

feature 104 senior-designated 

ranch homes, 190 townhomes, a 

six-story hotel, and commercial 

retail and restaurant space was 

recommended unanimously on 

March 18 by the Development 

Services, Planning and Engineering 

Committee to the Orland 

Park Village Board. 

The project, which is named 

Orland Ridge, would be located 

near the northeast corner of 171st 

Street and LaGrange Road. The 

plan includes construction of a 

clubhouse, as well as conceptual 

site plans for the hotel that 

would house up to 122 rooms, a 

retail area of 19,000 square feet 

and up to 26,625 square feet of 

restaurant space along LaGrange 

Road. 

“The current parcel is vacant 

and used for agricultural purposes, 

except for the large jurisdictional 

wetland that is located 

on the site,” said Khurshid Hoda, 

the Village’s assistant director of 

development services. 

Hoda said the plan also features 

several parks with play 

equipment for multiple age 

groups, a network of multiuse 

paths that connect to the larger 

system of paths in the region, 

a green space corridor within 

the townhome development, a 

fitness trail with equipment targeted 

for seniors, and a large 

preserve and enhanced wetland. 

Staff also negotiated for the developer 

to contribute $100,000 

toward a public art component 

for the project. 

Reporting by Jon DePaolis, Freelance 

Reporter. For more, visit 

OPPrairie.com. 

FROM THE TINLEY JUNCTION 

Tinley Park resident passes 

9-day exam to become world’s 

67th Certified Master Chef 

It was nine days, 35 years in 

the making. There were setbacks. 

There was stress. There 

was cuisine of every kind. 

And it ended — it finally ended 

— with Tinley Park resident 

Timothy Bucci becoming the 

world’s 67th Certified Master 

Chef. 

“Absolutely one of the best 

moments of my career,” Bucci 

said. “Surreal.” 

Administered for decades by 

the American Culinary Federation 

and this year held at Schoolcraft 

College in Livonia, Michigan, 

the CMC exam — as it is 

known — is designed to be the 

ultimate test of kitchen skill. 

Each day presents a new challenge 

— healthy food, classical, 

catering, baking and more 

— and only 27 percent of those 

who take it pass. Only three other 

chefs joined Bucci in taking 

the 2019 test. 

“It’s a very grueling, taxing, 

very mental exam,” he said. 

Bucci, a longtime culinary 

arts instructor at Joliet Junior 

College, was the only chef to 

successfully finish the test, held 

March 1-10. Two test-takers 

failed to produce high enough 

scores, while the other opted to 

withdraw. 

“For me, it’s just a validation 

of what I’ve been doing my 

whole career,” Bucci said, explaining 

the trial entailed 16- to 

18-hour days of planning, prep, 

cooking, presentation and kitchen 

management. “It was, ‘Are 

you good enough to take this and 

pass this test?’” 

Bucci’s been getting ready, in 

one way or another, nearly his 

whole life. 

“To know I’m now part of 66 

other master chefs in the nation 

— it hasn’t really sunk in completely,” 

he said. “It’s a dream 

come true. It really is.” 

Reporting by Will O’Brien, Freelance 

Reporter. For more, visit 

TinleyJunction.com. 

FROM THE LOCKPORT LEGEND 

LTHS grad plans bigger Cruise 

for a Cause in Year 2 

Last year, Cruise for a Cause 

was a sold-out event with a gross 

income of roughly $60,000. 

In 2019, a bigger ship and 

loftier financial goal in Year 2 of 

the function is the plan, according 

to Mitch Zeiler, a Homer 

Glen native and Lockport Township 

High School graduate who 

is once again leading planning 

for Cruise for a Cause, which 

primarily benefits the Sertoma 

Centre. 

In 2018, Zeiler came up with 

the idea for the event to rent a 

boat on Lake Michigan for an 

evening of food, drinks, entertainment 

and dancing. Since last 

year’s event did so well, this 

time around, Zeiler rented a bigger 

boat that can hold up to 750 

people, which is 300 more than 

the capacity of the ship rented 

last year. 

The ship is to board at 7:30 

p.m. July 13 before setting sail 

and returning to Navy Pier at 

11:30 p.m. 

Zeiler added that while Sertoma 

Centre will receive the 

majority of the proceeds, a small 

percentage also will be given to 

two other foundations. The first 

is The Andrew Weishar Foundation, 

created in honor of its 

namesake who died at the age of 

21 in 2012 and asked his family 

to “pay forward” the kindness 

and generosity he was shown 

during his fight, providing support 

and financial relief to families 

with young adults and adolescents 

battling cancer. 

The other is the Tom Hopkins 

Memorial Foundation, started by 

its namesake’s children after he 

died from cancer and assists local 

youth athletics and families 

affected by cancer. 

Reporting by Thomas Czaja, 

Contributing Editor. For more, visit 

LockportLegend.com. 

FROM THE HOMER HORIZON 

Reimagined renovations unveiled 

at Homer Glen senior living 

community 

It was a gathering of food, 

drink and socializing that marked 

the start of the next chapter for 

seniors both present and future 

living there. 

Dozens of senior citizens from 

Homer Glen and surrounding 

communities were greeted with 

hors d’oeuvres and beverages 

March 13 at Marian Village for 

the unveiling of the reimagined 

Catholic senior living center. 

Margaret Rogers, director of 

sales and marketing for Marian 

Village, which is part of the 

Franciscan Communities, said 

the renovations took several 

months, and they were happy to 

show the improved space to current 

and prospective residents. 

The main highlights of the redesigned 

space are a Wellness 

Please see nfyn, 13

mokenamessenger.com sound off 


Social snapshot 

Top Web Stories 

From MokenaMessenger.com as of Monday, 

March 25 

1. Priests who had southwest suburban 

assignments named in new abuse 

allegations report 

2. Breaking News: Man again charged 

with sexual abuse of minor less than 

two weeks after jail release 

3. Home of the Week: 11052 Kimberly 

Trail, Mokena, IL 60448 

4. News from Your Neighbors: Tinley 

Park High School band director named 

to Midwest Music Festival Hall of 

Fame; more 

5. Daddy Daughter Ball makes every girl 

a princess for a night 

Become a member: mokenamessenger.com/plus 

“Why don’t they put up stop signs at all the 

railroad gates until they are 100 percent 

sure it’s safe?” 

Karyn Fuessel Murphy posted this to her 

Facebook page March 20. 

Like The Mokena Messenger: facebook.com/ 


From the Editor 

On the value of allergy medicine 

TJ Kremer iii 


Ah, springtime! 

Trees are budding, 

grass is getting 

green again and soon little 

ducklings will be meandering 

about around so 

many of Mokena’s ponds. 

And by the time many 

of you dear readers will 

be reading this, baseball 

season will have gotten 

underway. Go Sox! 

While I do enjoy seeing 

life and baseball come 

back to our little corner 

of the world, there is one 

thing about spring I could 

do without: allergies. So 

many allergies. 

Allergies to pollen. Allergies 

to mold. Allergies to 

the Cubs. The list goes on. 

Even for year-round 

allergy sufferers like 

me, it always seems as if 

springtime brings out the 

worst symptoms of all the 

seasons. 

So, what do those of us 

who enjoy spending time 

outdoors in the increasingly 

nice weather do? Load 

up on allergy medicine, of 

course. Lots and lots of allergy 

medicine. Enough to 

drug a horse, if needed. 

Clearly I am not a doctor, 

and it would probably be 

wise for you dear readers 

to check with a licensed 

professional medical person 

before taking any of my 

advice. But, for me, I’m 

considering buying stock 

in Zyrtec given that I have 

to take a pill a day, and will 

continue to have to do so, 

probably at least until July. 

I’ve never been the 

kind of person who 

enjoys taking any kind 

of pills. Not that I’m an 

anti-vaxxer or anything. I 

just don’t like the idea of 

being dependent on some 

pharmaceutical in order to 

do everyday things. 

But, for springtime, I 

make an exception. It’s just 

too darn nice out to not 

swallow the pill and enjoy 

the season while it lasts. 

So, dear readers, I urge 

you to do whatever you 

must — whether that’s 

take an allergy pill, wear a 

gas mask or place yourself 

inside of a clear bubble — 

to get out and experience 

Nature’s renaissance. It’s 

totally worth it. 

nfyn 

From Page 12 

Center for health and fitness, 

as well as additions 

to the community’s dining 

experience, which include 

three new dining venues. 

Also, a game room area 

was relocated to a central 

location near the dining 

areas for the residents to 

enjoy “everything at the 

heart of the community,” 

Rogers said. 

The building was built 

in 2001, so “we wanted a 

more modern, contemporary 

and fresh look,” Marian 

Village Executive Director 

Daniel Bannon said. 

“It was time for a vibrant 

atmosphere and more dining 

options.” 

Bannon said there has 

been a wonderful response 

so far, and residents are 

thrilled to have new options. 

Reporting by Alex Ivanisevic, 

Assistant Editor. For more, 

visit HomerHorizon.com. 

Letter to the Editor 

Mokena-Marley FISH 

Outreach continues 

Dear Friends, 

First of all, I want to 

thank The Messenger 

for the very nice article 

about the recent closing 

of the Mokena-Marley 

FISH Resale Store. You 

certainly captured the 

sincere feelings of both 

the volunteer workers 

and our loyal customers. 

Thirty-six years was a 

good run, change is inevitable, 

and now it is time 

to move on. 

To all of you who donated 

clothing and household 

items to the store 

over the years, we are 

most grateful. Before 

closing our doors, we had 

many bargain “bag sales,” 

but at the end there were 

“Yesterday was World Down Syndrome Day 

and the Lincoln-Way Central Varsity softball 

team volunteered at the GiGi’s Playhouse 

Down Syndrome Carnival! The girls played 

different games with the participants and 

had a blast!” 

@LWDistrict210 posted this to its Twitter 

account Friday, March 22. 

Follow The Mokena Messenger: @mokenamessenger 

still items left unsold. 

Anything left was donated 

to other charitable 

organizations; Morning- 

Star Mission, My Joyful 

Heart, Shepherd’s Table, 

Manteno Veterans’ Home 

and Franciscan Sisters of 

the Sacred Heart’s Apalacian 

charity. We worked 

diligently to find a good 

“home” for things that 

were donated to us. 

And now for the rest of 

the story: The Mokena- 

Marley FISH organization 

is not gone. Rather, it is 

functioning under a new 

name, Mokena-Marley 

FISH Outreach, and will 

continue to serve residents 

of Frankfort Township 

in need of assistance 

with food, shelter, clothing, 

utility bills, transportation 

issues, etc., just 

as we have always done. 

The only difference is 

that, without income from 

the resale store, we will 

be relying on monetary 

donations from individuals, 

businesses, church 

groups, fund-raisers and 

charitable foundations in 

order to fund the help we 

provide for our clients. 

We can still be reached by 

calling Will County Crisis 

Lines. 

Again, thank you for 

your past, as well as your 

ongoing, support of the 

work we do here in Frankfort 

Township. 

Barbara Cottingham, 

Secretary 

Mokena-Marley FISH 

Outreach 

Sound Off Policy 

Editorials and columns are the 

opinions of the author. Pieces 

from 22nd Century Media are 

the thoughts of the company as 

a whole. The Mokena Messenger 

encourages readers to write 

letters to Sound Off. All letters 

must be signed, and names and 

hometowns will be published. 

We also ask that writers include 

their address and phone number 

for verification, not publication. 

Letters should be limited to 400 

words. The Mokena Messenger 

reserves the right to edit letters. 

Letters become property of The 

Mokena Messenger. Letters that 

are published do not reflect 

the thoughts and views of The 

Mokena Messenger. Letters 

can be mailed to: The Mokena 

Messenger, 11516 West 183rd 

Street, Unit SW Office Condo 

#3, Orland Park, Illinois, 60467. 

Fax letters to (708) 326-9179 or 

e-mail to tj@mok 

namessenger.com. 

www.mokenamessenger.com.

14 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger mokena 


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indulgences may steal the spotlight, Page 20 

the mokena messenger | March 28, 2019 | mokenamessenger.com 

Mokena music school gives students variety of instruction, Page 17 

Students at Mokena’s School of Rock rehearse for an upcoming performance. T.J. Kremer III/22nd Century Media

16 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger faith 


Faith Briefs 

St. Mary’s Catholic Church (19515 

115th Ave., Mokena) 

Church Service 

5 p.m. Saturdays; 8 a.m, 

9:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6 

p.m. Sundays 

Adoration 

Wednesdays following 

8 a.m. Mass in the Chapel 

until 6:45 p.m. 

St. John’s United Church of Christ 

(11100 Second St., Mokena) 

Traditional Service 

8 a.m. traditional service, 

9:45 a.m. contemporary 

and traditional music 

in a service of praise and 

reverence. Supervised 

childcare available. For 

more information, call 

(708) 479-5123. 

Cards for a Cause 

7 p.m. the second Monday 

of each month. Bring 

your tape, scissors and colored 

pencils, if you have 

them, and plan for a creative 

evening with lots of 

fun. 

Bundles of Love 

7 p.m. the second and 

fourth Tuesday of each 

month. Enjoy fun and fellowship 

while making 

baby quilts for infants baptized 

at St. John’s and lap 

quilts for shut-ins. 

Mokena United Methodist Church 

(10901 LaPorte Road, Mokena) 

Service and Sunday School 

10:15 a.m. Sundays. 

Church service and children’s 

Sunday School will 

be held. For more information, 

call (708) 479-1110. 

Bible Study 

7 p.m. Tuesdays at the 

church. For more information, 

call (708) 479-1110. 

Community Prayer 

Gathering 

2:30 p.m. every fourth 

Sunday. 

Marley Community Church (12625 W. 

187th St., Mokena) 

Church Service 

10 a.m. Sundays. Childcare 

is provided. 

Sunday School 

FUNERAL SERVICES DIRECTORY 

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9-10 a.m. Sundays. 

Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church 

(10731 W. La Porte Road, Mokena) 

Worship 

5 p.m. Saturdays and 9 

a.m. Sundays. 

God’s Kids Club 

10:15 a.m. Sundays in 

Sept.-May. 

Mokena Baptist Church (9960 W. 187th 

St., Mokena) 

Sunday Services 

11 a.m. and 5 p.m. For 

more information, call 

(312) 350-2279. 

Sunday School 

10:15 a.m. Sundays. 

Mokena Baptist offers 

Sunday School classes 

for all ages. For more information, 

call (312) 350- 

2279. 

Parker Road Bible Church (18512 

Parker Road, Mokena) 

Worship Service 

10:30 a.m. Sundays. Be 

sure to arrive early for our 

Sunday Worship Service 

In Memoriam 

Judy A. Goldstein 

Judy A. Goldstein, 

Esq., 69, of Mokena, died 

March 14. 

She was the beloved 

sister of Betty (late Barry) 

Tanenbaun, Nancy (Lou) 

McNabb and Peggy Segerstrom; 

loving aunt of Brian 

McNabb, Laura (Chad) 

Whitman and James Segerstrom; 

dear great-aunt of 

Elijah, Finnley and Anderson; 

and dearest friend and 

colleague of Timothy and 

Barbara Ehlers. 

Memorials are appreciated 

in Judy’s memory to 

NAWS of Mokena, Illinois 

State Rifle Association 

(Legislative Donation), 

American Greyhound or 

the Illinois Patriot Guard. 

to enjoy a hot, complimentary 

cup of coffee every 

week at the church. Following 

the Christian Education 

Hour (9:15-10:15 

a.m.), all beverages can 

be found just outside the 

sanctuary. 

Grace Fellowship Church (11049 

LaPorte Road, Mokena) 

Narcotics Anonymous 

7-9 p.m. Mondays. All 

those struggling or who 

have struggled with a narcotics 

addiction are welcome. 

All meetings are 

confidential. For more information, 

call (708) 479- 

0300. 

Spanish Church 

12:30 p.m. Sundays. 

Have something for 

Faith Briefs? Contact 

Editor T.J. Kremer at tj@ 


or call (708) 326-9170 

ext. 29. Deadline is noon 

Thursday one week prior to 

publication. 

William “Billy” Anthony Bopp 

William “Billy” Anthony 

Bopp, 38, of Mokena, 

died March 12. 

He is survived by his 

two children, Cameron 

and Lily Bopp; their mother, 

Mary Thornton Bopp; 

grandparents Terrence M. 

And Mary Caryl Bopp; 

stepmother Joy Bopp; 

stepbrother Gary Coglianese; 

as well as four step 

sisters, and several cousins, 

aunts and uncles. 

He was preceded in 

death by his grandmothers 

Colleen Cherco and Janice 

Bopp, and father Terrence 

S. Bopp. 

Do you have someone’s life 

you’d like to honor? Email 

Editor T.J. Kremer III at tj@ 

mokenamessenger.com with 

information about a loved 

one who was a part of the 

Mokena community.

mokenamessenger.com life & arts 


Music school teaches rhythm, 

harmony on stage and in life 

Reach more than 87,900 homes and businesses! 

T.J. Kremer III, Editor 

The saying goes: “Rock 

and roll will never die.” 

Perhaps that’s because the 

spirit of music is timeless, 

no matter what genre it 

takes. And as long as there 

are places like School of 

Rock in Mokena, music 

and the values it embodies 

will continue to pass along 

from one generation to the 

next. 

Last week was national 

Teach Music Week, and 

School of Rock continued 

the tradition by not 

only teaching students the 

technical side of music, 

but also by emphasizing 

how music brings people 

together. 

Mark Doyle, of Frankfort, 

took over the school 

in January 2018. He said 

that since then, he has been 

impressed by how well different 

groups of students 

work together to achieve 

their common goals. 

“One thing that really 

surprised me when I took 

over School of Rock: You 

kind of think of the rock 

and roll lifestyle type 

thing and [how that draws] 

maybe less than ideal students, 

but the kids here are 

just amazing,” Doyle said. 

“We don’t have any problems. 

Since I’ve been here, 

we’ve not had one problem 

with bullying. Everybody 

really helps each other out. 

Everyone gets along.” 

The school has multiple 

classes and bands designed 

for ages as young a 4 years 

old all the way up to adulthood, 

with its most recent 

development of an adult 

band segment. 

Twenty-year-old Studio 

Manager Zack Marshall, 

Artwork at School of Rock Mokena, such as this mural 

above the entrance to the studios, give inspiration to 

students as they practice their musical abilities. T.J. 

Kremer III/22nd Century Media 

School of Rock Mokena 

Where: 9613 W. 194th St. in Mokena 

When: 11 a.m-6 p.m. April 6-7 at Q Bar in Darien; 

and April 26 at Imagine Theatre in Frankfort for 

the premiere of “Avengers: Endgame.” Show Band 

performs 4:30-6 p.m. third Sunday of every month 

at Port Noir in Lockport 

For more information… 

Phone: (708) 479-7625 

Web: locations.schoolofrock.com/mokena 

of Tinley Park, started at 

School of Rock when it 

opened in 2013. He’s seen 

first-hand what kind of impact 

music has on young 

people. 

“One thing that I see in 

a lot of students is definitely 

a community kind of 

grows out of these bands, 

for sure; a lot of them go 

out and start bands of their 

own,” Marshall said. “So, 

it’s really nice to watch the 

transformation of kids who 

come in here maybe not 

knowing a lick of music — 

most of them who come in 

here don’t even know what 

kind of instrument they 

want to play at all — and 

then, not only discovering 

that instrument, but bettering 

themselves and getting 

into those groups. 

“You see a lot of kids 

kind of come out of their 

shells socially, I think, 

with kind of building their 

own confidence, and doing 

that with their friends, as 

well, helps them out.” 

Part of the confidence 

building involves performances 

on stage across 

the area and on some of 

the biggest stages in the 

country. 

The school is a regular 

feature at local places, 

such as Lockport’s Port 

Noir, as well as a yearly 

staple at Summerfest in 

Milwaukee. 

So, in the words of 

rocker David Essex: “Hey, 

kids, rock and roll, rock 

on.” 

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Call 708.326.9170 to reserve your Ad today! 

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18 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger life & arts 


ONLY 3 LEFT! 

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Start the day with cookies 

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Contributing Columnist 

If you want to thrill 

your kids — or maybe 

yourself — with the 

idea of cookies for breakfast, 

then go for it with 

this week’s recipe. 

My hubby, Joel, found 

this recipe online last 

summer. We were busy 

working on renovating a 

rental property we bought 

on a lake in Indiana, and 

all four of us would head 

out the door early a few 

days a week to put in long 

hours of cleaning, fixing, 

and painting, inside and 

out. Lots of painting. It 

INFO BOX 

Breakfast Cookies 

Adapted from www. 

glutenfreeonashoestring.com 

Ingredients 

• 1¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats* 

• 1½ cups oat flour (grind oldfashioned 

rolled oats in a NutriBullet 

or blender) 

• ½ teaspoon baking soda 

• ½ teaspoon baking powder 

• ½ teaspoon salt 

• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon 

• 5 tablespoons butter or coconut oil, 

melted 

• 5 tablespoons honey 

• ½ cup smooth natural applesauce 

• 2 eggs, beaten 

• ¼ cup chocolate chips 

• ¼ cup raisins 

Breakfast cookies make for tasty, on-the-go snacks 

Beth Krooswyk/22nd Century Media 

was hard physical work, 

but so rewarding. 

Grateful for all the help 

and wanting something 

fun and yummy we could 

eat quickly or even in 

the car, Joel made these 

breakfast cookies a few 

times, and continues to 

whip them up since. (Yep, 

he’s a keeper!) He also 

made a few good changes 

to the recipe, such as adding 

some cinnamon. 

They are big, delicious, 

soft, gluten-free and not 

overly sweet. Great with 

a glass of milk or a large 

cup of coffee, and quite 

perfect for breakfast. 

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350. Line two baking 

sheets with parchment paper. 

In large bowl, or using stand mixer, 

combine first six dry ingredients. 

Next add wet ingredients (but not 

chocolate chips and raisins); blend well. 

Stir in chocolate chips and raisins. 

Chill in fridge about 10 minutes until 

firm (to keep cookies from spreading 

too much during baking). 

Divide into about 10 equal portions 

on baking sheets (use a medium ice 

cream scoop if desired). 

Bake at 350 until golden brown 

around edges and set in center, about 

16 minutes. 

Cool slightly on baking sheet. Serve 

warm or let cool. Cookies freeze well, 

too. 

*Note: If you follow a strict GF diet, be 

sure to use certified gluten free oats.

mokenamessenger.com life & arts 


get out of town! 

Oh sweet cherries of mine 

Traverse City 

known for famous 

fruit fest but has so 

much more to offer 

Heather Warthen 

Contributing Editor 

While it may be best 

known for its National 

Cherry Festival, Traverse 

City, Michigan, also offers 

a variety of wineries 

and breweries, as well as 

unique restaurants and 

tributes to locally sourced 

food. 

Summer months are its 

peak season, but there is 

still plenty to do during the 

fall and winter months. 

Situated on the northwest 

side of Michigan’s 

Lower Peninsula, the city 

is on the 45th parallel, 

which they seem to take 

pride in, especially when 

it comes to wineries. According 

to Traverse City 

Tourism, Traverse City 

shares that latitude with 

two of the world’s top 

wine regions — Italy’s 

Piedmont region and Bordeaux 

in France. Traverse 

City visitors can check out 

roughly 40 different wineries, 

vineyards and tasting 

rooms. 

On Old Mission Peninsula, 

my first stop was at 

the famed Bonobo Winery. 

Owned by longtime 

Traverse City natives, 

HGTV star Carter Oosterhouse 

and his brother 

Todd, the tasting room 

has a rustic, vintage feel 

that offers views of the 

vineyards. The cheese and 

charcuterie board pairs 

well with any of the wines. 

The white wines are the 

best, particularly the Pinot 

gris, which had hints of 

peach and nectarine. 

A little further down 

the road was Chateau 

Grand Traverse Winery. 

Its Traverse Bay cherry 

wines were the best of my 

trip, with everything from 

a spiced cranberry wine 

perfect for Thanksgiving 

dinner to a lighter cherry 

Riesling I opened last 

summer during a cookout. 

On the topic of cherries, 

I love local gift shops, 

and Cherry Republic is a 

great one-stop shop for all 

things cherry. I picked up 

a couple hostess gift sets 

that include some of their 

top products — cherry 

jam, cherry salsa, chocolate-covered 

cherries and 

more. Samples are available 

throughout the store, 

and it only took one taste 

to hook me on the cherry 

horseradish sauce and 

cherry summer sausage. 

Off the beaten path 

We asked readers on social media 

what destination known for a 

particular thing they like to visit 

for some other reason. This is 

what some of them told us. 

“Lake Erie — 

walleye fishing.” 

Anthony McMahon, on 

home of Cedar Point 

“Florida for the 

beach.” 

Peter Passass, on the home 

of Walt Disney World 

Contributing Editor Heather Warthen tours the 

Bonobo Winery in Traverse City, Michigan. The spot is 

owned by longtime Traverse City natives, HGTV star 

Carter Oosterhouse and his brother Todd. Heather 

Warthen/22nd Century Media 

As for dinner, a friend 

recommended The Cooks’ 

House. It only seats roughly 

25 people, and was like 

dining inside someone’s 

cozy kitchen and living 

room. The restaurant offers 

multi-course tasting 

menus to highlight Northern 

Michigan produce 

and vegetables as well as 

feature local, sustainable 

foods. I had one course 

that featured roasted beets, 

red cabbage, dukkah — an 

Egyptian condiment created 

with nuts and spices — 

olive oil and fresh chevre. 

I can still taste that dish 

and remember its vivid 

presentation. For foodies, 

dinner here is a must. 

For a more laid-back 

meal, visit Hopscotch 

Brick Oven & Taproom. 

I opted for a spot at the 

packed bar, so I could see 

the action at the woodburning 

oven. In warmer 

weather, a large patio is 

great for dining al fresco. 

At the time, there was 

a baked raclette dish featuring 

Leelanau Cheese 

Company’s raclette, roasted 

potatoes, gherkins and 

chives, served with toast 

points. I also ordered a seafood 

brick oven pizza that 

came with smoked shrimp, 

lobster, garlic, roasted corn 

and three-cheese blend. I 

know — seafood on pizza? 

Just trust me on this one. 

(But you can build a lessadventurous 

version, too.) 

For dessert, I stopped at 

the 16th floor Aerie Restaurant 

& Lounge of the 

Grand Traverse Resort & 

Spa, where I was staying. 

The nighttime views were 

a beautiful backdrop to a 

delicate triple chocolate 

bavarois that is any chocolate 

lover’s dream. The layers 

of white, milk and dark 

chocolate mousse formed 

something like a pyramid 

shape on the plate, accented 

by raspberry sauce and 

dried raspberries. 

My final stop in Traverse 

City was The Village 

at Grand Traverse 

Commons. It is the former 

site of Traverse City State 

Hospital, a state-run asylum 

dating back to 1885, 

which was redeveloped in 

the early 2000s. Today, it 

has dozens of local boutiques 

and shops, as well 

as a variety of restaurants 

and eateries. Some great 

local Michigan products 

are available at The Underground 

Cheesecake 

Company. Guided tours 

of the property also are 

available. 

Horses & Bikes: A dodgy story about Michigan’s Mackinac Island 

Ever-changing obstacle 

course remains from 

a child’s hit (and miss) 

memory 


With much love to my late 

grandparents, who took me all 

over the country and beyond 

when I was a child despite what 

they dubbed “temper tantrums” 

but I might call the occasional 

impatience of a youngster 

cooped up in an automobile for 

hours, some of the trips I took as 

a youth were simply too soon. 

I’ve lost track of which experiences 

are really forever lodged 

in my brain and what only found 

its way there through family 

stories that have persisted over 

the years. 

But when I was a child, I 

know I visited Mackinac Island, 

a spot that sits on Lake Huron 

between Michigan’s Upper and 

Lower peninsulas, known for 

its lack of cars. Transportation 

is either self-propelled (feet and 

bicycles), or horse and buggy. 

I absolutely would love to recommend, 

if you are already as 

far north as Traverse City, driving 

another two hours to Mackinaw 

City and visiting. Except, I 

only have one true memory from 

Mackinac Island. 

My grandfather and I rented 

bicycles to see the island. 

As soon as we got out there, 

though, we were surprised to 

learn how difficult riding a bike 

on the island could be. 

When horses are your only 

real mode of transportation, 

horses are plentiful. And more 

horses mean more of what I’m 

only allowed to call “equine excrement” 

in this fine publication 

— creating a treacherous obstacle 

course that sees ponies popping 

out new bumps in the road 

whenever the mood strikes. 

I don’t mean to get lowbrow, 

but that, to this day, when someone 

mentions Mackinac Island 

the only thing that crosses my 

mind is my grandfather and I 

doing our best to stay clean and 

upright on our bicycles, I have to 

laugh. What an absurd frame of 

reference to a place. I don’t think 

I’d have it any other way.

20 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger dining out 


The Dish 

Indulging without cashing in on a cheat day 

Bonefish Grill highlights 

its healthier menu 

options 


Many who made New Year’s 

resolutions to live a healthier 

2019 gave up on that goal long 

ago. And those still hanging onto 

hope as March comes to a close 

are probably dealing with the culinary 

equivalent of cabin fever. 

The routine is starting to get 

stale, the meal planning tedious 

and uninspiring. And a night out 

can be challenging. 

Bonefish Grill’s Orland Park 

managing partner Nick Kapellas 

gets it. 

“There’s not many places you 

can go and have a nice meal and 

not have it be a cheat day,” he 

said. 

But even in the midst of one of 

its busiest seasons of the year — 

seafood sells particularly well on 

Fridays during Lent — Bonefish 

is trying to keep the dream alive 

for its health-conscious diners 

Bonefish Grill 

15537 S. LaGrange Road in 

Orland Park 

Hours 

• 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. 

Monday-Thursday 

• 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Friday- 

Saturday 

• 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday 

For more information ... 

Phone: (708) 873-5170 

Web: bonefishgrill.com 

with a menu that focuses on dishes 

under the 600-calorie mark. 

Among the offerings are a 

Chilean sea bass (480 calories, 

$33.40), rainbow trout (410, 

$19.10) and Lily’s chicken 

(470, $16.70), the last of which 

is topped decadently with goat 

cheese, spinach, artichoke hearts 

and lemon-basil sauce. And 

Bonefish cooks over an oak wood 

fire, meaning the proteins are not 

taking on extra oils, while the 

high temperatures help to keep 

things naturally flavorful. 

Of course, staying under the 

mark necessitates picking some 

of the lower-calorie sides, such 

as seasonal vegetables (30-150), 

coleslaw (180) and steamed asparagus 

(50, $4 extra with entree). 

But the entrees themselves 

do not reduce portion size or 

change a thing to hit the mark, 

highlighting the fact that the 

healthy options were there all 

along. 

“Bonefish is always a place for 

healthier options,” Kapellas said. 

“It’s been there, but these days, 

guests are looking for those options.” 

Bonefish simply made them 

easier to find, and in catering to 

different lifestyles, the restaurant 

also is showcasing its gluten-free 

offerings on a separate menu. 

And Kapellas said while he 

knows sometimes patrons simply 

prefer the diet, Bonefish can 

prep things with different equipment 

for those who absolutely 

have to adhere to it. 

“We take the utmost care for 

people with allergies,” he said. 

“We know that’s a nerve-racking 

situation.” 

Bonefish Grill’s Lily’s chicken ($16.70) — plated here with steamed asparagus and jasmine rice — is 

topped with goat cheese, spinach, artichoke hearts and lemon-basil sauce. Bill Jones/22nd Century Media 

Bonefish Grill’s smoked old fashioned ($12.90) — come for the 

smoke show, stay for the drink. Bill Jones/22nd Century Media 

Smoke on the firewater 

Bonefish old fashioned 

about presentation 

and aroma, as much 

as taste 


If you’re anything like me, a 

good effort on the diet — which 

should be the endgame — simply 

becomes a reason to indulge 

elsewhere. 

So, I finish sampling some of 

the “menu items under 600 calories” 

at Bonefish Grill in Orland 

Park, and then managing partner 

Nick Kapellas tells me about the 

smoked old fashioned ($12.90) 

the Orland Park spot is doing. 

He wants me to try it while I’m 

there. 

“Oh, that’s not necessary,” I 

say, not really believing myself 

as the words come out of my 

mouth. 

He insists. I don’t argue more. 

“I earned this,” I tell myself, 

thinking about the healthy fish, 

chicken and vegetables I just 

tried. 

And whether you are celebrating 

a cheat day, simply using 

flawed logic to justify your 

choices of just allowing yourself 

a guilt-free night out in Orland 

Park, there are infinitely less interesting 

ways to end (or start) a 

meal than this drink. 

The smoked old fashioned, at 

its core, is a Bourbon cocktail 

featuring Woodford Reserve, a 

touch of maple, Angostura bitters 

and a Bordeaux cherry on 

ice. If it ended there, it would be 

a perfectly satisfying cocktail. 

But Bonefish takes it a step 

further, smoking oak wood into 

a snifter and inverting that glass 

over the cocktail. A bartender 

serves it at that point, imploring 

patience to give it a good 30 seconds 

to do its thing. 

Removing the glass releases 

a swirl of smoke and the smell 

of a campfire. The cocktail picks 

up a little bit of that smoke, but 

it’s as much about presentation 

and aroma as anything. 

Gimmicky? Absolutely. But 

dining out is always, in part, 

about the service, the presentation, 

the experience. Otherwise, 

you’d simply eat at home. So 

have a little fun (responsibly) 

and enjoy the show.

mokenamessenger.com puzzles 


crosstown CROSSWORD & Sudoku The crosstowns: Frankfort, Homer Glen, Lockport, Mokena, New Lenox, Orland Park, Tinley Park 

Crossword by Myles Mellor and Cindy LaFleur 

Across 

1. Ancient assassin 

in black 

6. Turkish generals 

10. Lentil sauce 

14. Cousins of 

ospreys 

15. Disney or Whitman 

16. Convenience 

17. Choppers 

18. Set upon 

20. This city was 

the HQ for the 

I&M Canal when 

it was operating 

22. Spy novelist 

25. Freed from pain 

29. Pinnacle 

30. Get it wrong 

32. Family head 

33. Big name in 

fashion 

35. Montezuma, 

e.g. 

37. Electrocardiograph, 

abbr. 

38. Decry 

40. Somewhat, 

suffix 

41. Dad’s morning 

activity 

43. Give up 

44. Government 

security agency, 

abbr. 

45. Silver and mercury 

alloy 

47. Sillier 

50. Crowbar 

51. Historic building 

in Lockport 

52. N. California 

city 

55. Heavenly 

59. French girlfriends 

63. Seine sights 

64. Cornerstone 

abbr. 

65. Smooth jazz 

player 

66. Roulette bet 

67. Refuse 

68. Make a statute 

Down 

1. Bottom line 

2. Wrath 

3. Compass direction 

4. Sleep rhythm disturbance 

5. On dry land 

6. Conscious 

7. Audience surprise 

reaction at a game 

8. “Not to mention ...” 

9. Gawks 

10. Rock and Roller 

who sang “Runaway” : 

__ Shannon 

11. “The Cat in the __” 

12. Suffix for an enzyme 

13. Was ahead 

19. Salt Lake City native 

21. Belief 

22. Loads with cargo 

23. Highly significant 

24. Swindle 

26. “___ who?” 

27. Deplete 

28. Chest of drawers 

30. Data transmitter 

31. Ticked off 

34. Machu Picchu 

builder 

36. Swiss ___ (vegetable) 

38. Hollywood stars 

39. Award 

42. 6th letter of the 

Hebrew alphabet 

46. She foiled a witch 

48. Nautical response 

49. Scenery worker on 

a stage 

51. Neuters a colt 

53. Skyrocket 

54. Actress, Blanchett 

55. The Pres., militarily 

56. “The Book of ___” 

(2010 film) 

57. “Funeral in Berlin” 

writer Deighton 

58. Fancy name appendage 

60. ___ manner of 

speaking 

61. Abbr. in a business 

letter 

62. ___ for a portrait 

How to play Sudoku 

Each Sudoku puzzle consists of a 9x9 grid that 

has been subdivided into nine smaller grids of 

3x3 squares. To solve the puzzle each row, column 

and box must contain each of the numbers 

1 to 9. 

LEVEL: Medium 

Crossword by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan 

answers 

MOKENA 

The Alley Grill and Tap 

House 

(18700 S. Old LaGrange 

Road, Mokena; (708) 

478-3610) 

■9 ■ p.m. Tuesdays: 

Karaoke 

Fox’s Restaurant and Pub 

(11247 W. 187th St., 

Mokena; (708) 478- 

8888) 

■6 ■ p.m. Thursdays, 

Fridays and Saturdays: 

Performance by Jerry 

Eadie 

NEW LENOX 

Little Joe’s Restaurant 

(1300 N. Cedar Road, 

New Lenox; (815) 463- 

1099) 

■5-8 ■ p.m. Tuesdays: 

Piano Styles by Joe 

HOMER GLEN 

Front Row 

(14903 S. Bell Road, 

Homer Glen; (708) 645- 

7000) 

■7 ■ p.m. Wednesdays: 

Trivia 

FRANKFORT 

Pete Mitchell’s Bar & Grill 

(21000 Frankfort 

Square Road, Frankfort; 

(815) 464-8100) 

■6-8 ■ p.m. Wednesdays: 

Free N’ Fun Bar Game. 

Free to play. 

LOCKPORT 

Port Noir 

(900 S. State St., Lockport; 

(815) 834-9463) 

■4-7 ■ p.m. Monday- 

Friday: Happy Hour 

Strike N Spare II 

(811 Northern Drive, 

Lockport; (708) 301- 

1477) 

■9:30 ■ p.m.-12:30 a.m. 

Mondays: Quartermania 

ORLAND PARK 

Traverso’s Restaurant 

(15601 S. Harlem Ave., 

Orland Park; (708) 532- 

2220) 

■8 ■ p.m. Wednesdays 

and Saturdays: Karaoke 

To place an event in The 

Scene, email a.ivanisevic@ 

22ndcenturymedia.com.

22 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger local living 


Outstanding new home values in Peotone can be yours At Westgate Manor 

Distinctive Home Builders is building new homes from the low $200s 

When it comes to a preferred location, 

Peotone is a steadily growing 

suburb with a strong infrastructure 

and an irresistible small-town charm 

with a bright future—which is why Distinctive 

Home Builders chose the Will 

County village for its newest community 

of 38 single-family homes: Westgate 

Manor. 

“Peotone is a family-friendly village 

just south of Chicago and is one 

of the best kept secrets among new 

home seekers,” said Bryan Nooner, 

President of Distinctive Home Builders. 

“We expect to attract home shoppers 

from northwest Indiana and the 

south suburban Chicago marketplace. 

We will likely also see buyers from the 

Kankakee area because the Peotone 

school district is so desirable.” 

Several factors attracted Distinctive 

Home Builders to this hometown atmosphere 

community, not the least of 

which was its convenient location between 

Interstate 57 and Illinois Route 

50 and easy access to I-80. Commuters 

will enjoy several nearby train stations 

and a mere 35-minute drive to 

Chicago. 

“It’s a vibrant, growing community 

 

centers in the west and southwest suburbs 

with impressive commercial and 

industrial growth that has followed the 

residential boom here,” said Nooner. 

 

combined with lower construction 

costs add up to savings when compared 

to a similarly-equipped home in 

the area,” added Nooner. 

Westgate Manor brick and frame 

 

The Fahan II, a split level 3-4BR luxury townhome at Brookside Meadows. 

2-Story Great Room Prairie Model 

three to four bedrooms, two to threeand- 

a-half baths, full basement, 

formal dining room, vaulted, tray or 

 

kitchen with custom maple cabinets, 

family room or great room, and concrete 

driveways. Depending on the 

home selected, other standard amenities 

can include a living room, den, 

dinette, a tray or vaulted ceiling in 

the master bedroom, and dual-zoned 

heating and air conditioning. 

 

wide variety of styles and selections— 

 

designs—each available in three to 

 

Manor, including two-story and ranch 

homes. Square footages span 1,600 to 

2,500 for ranches and 1,800 to 3,000 

for two-story homes. 

“Most home shoppers feel there 

 

you need and what you want in a new 

home. With our new premium inclu- 

cantly 

by including additional features 

that our buyers told us were most important 

to them,” said Nooner, who 

added that “now is the best time to buy, 

because you can still take advantage of 

preconstruction prices that range from 

the low $200s which makes this a ter- 

 

Other premium standard features 

included at Westgate Manor are brick 

 

basements in most models, ceramic 

 

baths and foyer; and custom maple 

cabinets. Distinctive kitchen cabinets 

 

ers 

with dove tail joints, which is very 

rare in the marketplace. 

“When you build a new home with 

Distinctive, you truly are receiving a 

hand crafted home with custom made 

cabinets no matter what the price 

range,” noted Nooner. This year, Distinctive 

Home Builders is celebrating 

30 years building thousands of homes 

throughout the Will and south Cook 

county areas. 

Distinctive Home Builders, an in- 

 

 

with a “Zero Punch list” closing policy. 

Prior to closing, each home undergoes 

an industry leading 100-point checklist 

to insure the home measures up to 

our high quality standards. 

Aspen III Exterior 

Customers stay connected to the 

progress of their home from start to 

struction 

portal. “Our customers simply 

download our Distinctive HomeBuilders 

app and they are in touch with their 

new home 24/7 from anywhere in the 

world. The app allows our customers 

to see the progress of their home and 

access their documents at any time,” 

Nooner explained. “Our customers really 

appreciate the integration of social 

media sites directly in our app allowing 

them to easily share photos and updates 

of their new home with family and 

friends,” he concluded. 

As a semi-custom builder, Distinctive 

Home Builders can modify any of 

its standard designs to cater to a customer’s 

tastes, which means that moving 

walls, adding extra windows or even 

extending the garage are all possible. 

Nooner added that “All our homes 

 

built to the new National Energy Code 

guidelines. Every home we build has 

upgraded wall and ceiling insulation 

 

 

customers take possession of their new 

home, we perform a blower door test to 

insure that each home passes a set of 

very stringent guidelines which insures 

that our homes are tight and energy ef- 

 

means lower gas and electric bills for our 

customers each month.” 

Peotone was established in 1856 and 

 

downtown area complete with diners, 

pizza parlors, cafes and pubs. In season 

there is a Farmer’s Market in front 

of the American Legion. Also the community 

has a popular Fall Fest in front 

of the famous Peotone Windmill; once 

 

the map in the late 1800s. A Christmas 

in the Village Festival is another annual 

community event that concludes with a 

Lighted Parade at night. Peotone now 

has an estimated population of just over 

4,000. Metra rail service is nearby providing 

commuters easy access to downtown 

Chicago. 

Westgate Manor is conveniently located 

within walking distance of the 

esteemed Peotone High School. The 

 

and Information Center is located in 

Manhattan three miles south of Laraway 

Rd. on Rt. 52. at 16233 Pinto Lane, 

Manhattan, IL, 60422. Hours are daily 

from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed 

Wednesday and Thursday and they are 

always available by appointment. 

- 

 

times and lot availability are subject to 

change without notice. Please contact 

a Distinctive representative for current 

pricing and complete details. For more 

 

homebuilders.com.

mokenamessenger.com local living 


Distinctive Home Builders Introduces New Craftsman Homes 

In Manhattan and Peotone – From the mid-$200’s 

New designs are a result of buyer feedback 

Two refreshing designs mark 

the beginning of a new series 

of Craftsman-style homes 

available from Distinctive Home 

Builders at its latest new home 

communities: Prairie Trails; 

located in Manhattan within the 

highly-regarded Lincoln-Way 

School District and at WestGate 

Manor in Peotone within 

the desirable Peotone School 

District. 

“Craftsman homes were 

introduced in the early 1900s 

in California with designs 

based on a simpler, functional 

aesthetic using a higher level 

of craftsmanship and natural 

materials. These homes were a 

departure from homes that were 

mass produced from that era, 

“according to Bryan Nooner, 

president of Distinctive Home 

Builders. 

“The Craftsman design has 

made a comeback today for 

many of the same reasons it 

started over a century ago. Our 

customers want to live in a home 

that gets away from the “mass 

produced” look and live in a 

home that has more character. As 

a result of our daily interaction 

with our homeowners and their 

input, we are excited to introduce 

these two homes, with additional 

designs in the works.” 

Nooner, who meets with 

each homeowner prior to 

construction, has been working 

on these plans for a while and felt 

that the timing was ideal for the 

debut. “Customers were asking 

for something different and 

simple with less monotony and 

higher architectural standards.” 

The result was the Craftsman 

ranch and the Prairie twostory, 

now available at Prairie 

Trails and WestGate Manor. 

The Craftsman ranch features 

an open floor plan with Great 

Room, three bedrooms, two 

baths and a two-car (optional 

three-car) garage. The Prairie 

features a two-story foyer and 

Great Room, three bedrooms 

and one and one-half baths, a 

convenient Flex Room space 

on the main level and a two-car 

(optional three-car) garage. The 

Craftsman architectural elements 

on both homes include brick and 

stone exteriors with cedar shake 

accent siding, low-pitched gabled 

bracket roofs, front porches with 

tapered columns and stone piers, 

partially paned windows, and a 

standard panel front entry door. 

Distinctive Home Builders 

offers a Craftsman-style trim 

package offering trim without 

ornate profiles and routers. The 

trim features simplicity in design 

with rectangles, straight lines and 

layered look trims over doors for 

example. The front entry door 

will have the standard Craftsman 

panel style door. Distinctive has 

also created a Craftsman color 

palate to assist buyers in making 

coordinated choices for the 

interior of their new Craftsman 

home. Colors, cabinet styles and 

flooring choices blend seamlessly 

with the Craftsman trim package 

and are available in gray tones 

package and earth tones. 

Distinctive offers custom maple 

kitchen cabinets featuring solid 

wood construction (no particle 

board), have solid wood drawers 

with dove tail joints, which is 

very rare in the marketplace. 

“When you buy a new home 

from Distinctive, you truly are 

receiving custom made cabinets 

in every home we sell no matter 

what the price range,” noted 

Nooner. 


works to achieve a delivery goal 

of 90 days with zero punch list 

items for its homeowners. “Our 

three decades building homes 

provides an efficient construction 

system,” said Nooner. “Many of 

our skilled craftsmen have been 

working with our company 

for over 20 years. We also 

take pride on having excellent 

communicators throughout our 

organization. This translates into 

a positive buying and building 

experience for our homeowners 

and one of the highest referral 

rates in the industry.” 

Nooner added that all homes 

are highly energy efficient. Every 

home built will have upgraded 

wall and ceiling insulation 

values with energy efficient 

windows and high efficiency 

furnaces. Before homeowners 

move into their new home, 


conducts a blower door test that 

pressurizes the home to ensure 

that each home passes a set of 

very stringent Energy Efficiency 

guidelines. 

With the addition of these two 

new designs, there are now 15 

ranch, split-level and six twostory 

single-family home styles to 

choose from each offering from 

three to eight different exterior 

elevations at both communities. 

The three- to four-bedroom 

homes feature one and one-half 

to two-and-one-half baths, twoto 

three-car garages and a family 

room, all in approximately 1,600 

to over 3,000 square feet of living 

space. Basements are included in 

most models as well. Distinctive 

also encourages customization 

to make your new home truly 

personalized to suit your lifestyle. 

Oversize home sites; brick 

exteriors on all four sides of the 

first floor; custom maple cabinets; 

ceramic tile or hardwood 

floors in the kitchen, baths and 

foyer; genuine wood trim and 

doors and concrete driveways 

can all be yours at Prairie 

Trails and WestGate Manor. 

Most all home sites at Prairie 

Trails and WestGate Manor 

can accommodate a three-car 

garage; a very important amenity 

to the Manhattan homebuyer, 

said Nooner. 

“When we opened Prairie 

Trails and WestGate Manor we 

wanted to provide the best new 

home value for the dollar and 

we feel with offering Premium 

Standard Features that we do 

just that. So why wait? This is 

truly the best time to build your 

dream home!” 

Prairie Trails is also a beautiful 

place to live and raise a family 

featuring a 20-acre lake on site, 

as well as direct access to the 22- 

mile Wauponsee Glacial Prairie 

Path that borders the community 

and meanders through many 

neighboring communities and 

links to many other popular 

trails. The Manhattan Metra 

station is less than a mile away. 

Besides Prairie Trails, 


has built homes throughout 

Manhattan in the Butternut 

Ridge and Leighlinbridge 

developments, as well as in the 

Will and south Cook county 

areas over the past 30 years. 


chose the Will County village 

of Peotone for its newest 

community of 38 single-family 

homes at WestGate Manor 

within walking distance of the 

esteemed Peotone High School. 

Its convenient location between 

Interstate 57 and Illinois Route 

50 provide easy access to I-80 

and commuters enjoy several 

nearby train stations and a 

35-minute drive to Chicago. 

Visit the on-site sales 

information center for 

unadvertised specials and view 

the numerous styles of homes 

being offered and the available 

lots. Call Lynne Rinck at (708) 

737-9142 or (708) 479-7700 for 

more information or visit www. 

distinctivehomebuilders.com. 

The Prairie Trails and WestGate 

Manor new home information 

center is located three miles 

south of Laraway Rd. on Rt. 

52. The address is 24458 S. 

Rt. 52, Manhattan, IL. 60422. 

Open Daily 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 

p.m. Closed Wednesday and 

Thursday and always available 

by appointment. 

Specials, prices, specifications, 

standard features, model 

offerings, build times and lot 

availability are subject to change 

without notice. Please contact 

a Distinctive representative for 

current pricing and complete 

details.

24 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger REAL ESTATE 


The Mokena Messenger’s 

Sponsored content 

of the 

WEEK 

Located 

in the 

heart of 

downtown 

Mokena. 

What: 

Two bedrooms and one 

bath near all Mokena 

amenities. 

Where: 19806 Wolf 

Road Unit 306, Mokena, 

60448 

Amenities: This well 

built flexicore building 

conveniently located 

to all village amenities, 

including shopping, 

restaurants, walking/ 

biking trails, fitness 

center and Metra 

commuter train just 

steps from your door. 

Excellent Mokena 

schools and Lincoln-Way 

H.S. Elevator and indoor 

parking garage, and 

sundeck accessible to 

all residents. Low utility 

bills and all Maytag 

appliances. 

Asking Price: $170,000 

Listing Agent: Joann 

Tomczak (708) 602-9043 

Listing Brokerage: 

Murphy Real Estate in 

Frankfort 

Want to know how to become Home of the Week? Contact Tricia at (708) 326-9170 ext. 47. 

Feb. 27 

• 18898 S. Vanderbilt 

Drive, Mokena, 60448- 

8882 - Michael A. 

Gregory to Aiste 

Rakstyte, $192,000 

Feb. 27 

• 19913 Amberly 

Court, Mokena, 60448- 

1675 - Lynette M. 

Delatte to Tu Cam Thi 

Dzu Castillo, David 

Castillo Jr., $535,000 

Feb. 28 

• 11405 191st St., 

Mokena, 60448-9254 

- Daniel Construction 

Associates to Karl Scott 

Jilek, Melissa J Jilek, 

$330,000 

The Going Rate is provided 

by Record Information 

Services, Inc. For more 

information, visit www. 

public-record.com or call 

(630) 557-1000

mokenamessenger.com classifieds 


Help 

Wanted 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Help Wanted · Garage Sales · Automotive 

Real Estate · Rentals · Merchandise 

Sell It 708.326.9170 | Fax It 708.326.9179 

Charge It | DEADLINE - Friday at 3pm 

Automotive 

$52 4 lines/ 

7 papers 

Real Estate 

$50 7 7 papers 

lines/ 

Help Wanted 

$13 4 lines/ 

per line 7 papers 

Merchandise 


lines/ 

1009 Financial 

1003 Help Wanted 

1003 Help Wanted 

MARKETING ASSOCIATE 

Aero Rubber Company, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of 

industrial rubber products including industrial rubber bands 

and custom rubber parts and we’re looking to enhance 

our marketing department. We’re searching for a creative, 

deadline-oriented marketing associate. 

You must be a self-starter who is ready for a challenge. You will 

apply your passion for marketing to assist with content 

development, target marketing, email automation, 

new business development, and customer loyalty programs. 

You will have the opportunity to: 

- Develop and curate content for blogs, social media, 

and publications 

- Create emails to support marketing automation 

- Maintain, monitor, and improve lead scoring 

- Conduct market research and develop action plans 

- Be a driving force behind new coporate partnerships through 

outbound calling, lead nurturing, and collaborating with 

our sales force 

- Plan and support tradeshows 

Qualifications 

Degree in marketing or a related field 

Proficient in Microsoft Office and Adobe Suite 

Familiarity with marketing automation 

Ability to meet deadlines 

Results orientated 

(An Added Plus): 

Graphic design prowess 

Previous writing experience 

Knowledge of SEO best practices & WordPress 

An understanding of Google Ads & Analytics 

Benefits 

Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K 

To Apply: Send cover letter and resume to: 

kmoore@aerorubber.com 

Warehouse Help Wanted 

Looking for full-time Warehouse Help. 

Must be 21 years old and have a valid Drivers License with a 

good driving record. Forklift experience a plus. 

Warehouse duties will include; Lifting, Measuring & Cutting of: 

Carpet, Padding, Sheet Vinyl & Cartons of product. 

Loading & unloading of delivery trucks & Installer Vans. 

Scheduling daily installations via computer. 

Making deliveries to Binder and Customer’s Homes. 

Taking Inventory. Other duries involve maintenance around the 

Building, inside and outside. 

Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mon. thru Fri., 

Sat. 7:30 to Noon every other week. 

Call (708) 364-6100 for appointment, 

ask for Mike Potempa or Paul Wisnoski 

Carpet Interiors Carpet One 

50 Orland Square Drive Orland Park, IL 60462 

(708) 364-6100 

Outside Work: 

Lawn Fertilizing & Core 

Aeration: Year-round & 

Seasonal Employment 

Potential for paid winters off. 

Benefits incl. health, dental, 

IRA. Good driving rec a must. 

Time and a half over 40 hrs. 

$15/hr starting pay. 

Apply in-person 7am - 5pm 

Lawn-Tech, Ltd. 

7320 Duvan Dr 


708-532-7411 

Custodians 

Full-Time & Substitute 

Positions Available 

Kirby School District 140 - 


Shift: 3:00pm-11:30pm 

$10.60/hour 

Apply online: 

ksd140.org/employment 

Need Laundry Attendant 

Do laundry, cleaning, 

& help customers 

Call Ray at 708.203.3734 

SALES ASSISTANT 

NEEDED 

Due to our rapid growth and 

expansion, Tinley Park 

Industrial Manufacturing Sales 

office seeks detail-oriented 

Sales Assistant for full-time 

position. A Sales Assistant at 

ARC does both sale’s 

administrative and customer 

service functions. This is a 

very diversified position in our 

FAST-PACED office. The 

ideal candidate must be 

HIGHLY MOTIVATED and 

needs to possess strong 

organizational & 

communication skills. 

Excellent computer literacy 

needed, including MS Word & 

Excel. Industrial customer 

service experience a plus. 

Repeat customer & supplier 

contact. No telemarketing or 

cold calling required. 

Competitive salary & benefit 

pkg incl. 401K. 

Send letter & resume to: 

cstratton@aerorubber.com 

Hiring Desk Clerk 

(must be flexible w/ shifts) 

& Housekeeping 

(Morning) Needed at 

Super 8 Motel 

Apply within: 

9485 W. 191st St, Mokena 

No Phone Calls 

Full-Time/Part-Time Positions 

Cashier/Stock/Sales/Delivery 

Flexible Hours 

Will-Cook Ace Hardware 

12121 W. 159th Street 

Homer Glen, IL 60491 

708-301-7130 

Hiring Cashier and 

Greenhouse Assistant 

Send resume to: 

gardencenter@jimmelka.com 

Melka Garden Center 

in Mokena, IL 

Lawn Care Service 

Looking for responsible, 

motivated with driver’s 

license. Pay based on exp. 

708.226.9322 

Landscaping & Lawn 

Maintenance Personnel 

Experience needed 

(708) 687-8091 

DRIVE CAR BUYERS 

TO YOUR DOOR WITH 

A CLASSIFIED AUTO AD 

CALL US TODAY at 708.326.9170 

SEEKING FULL-TIME 

SHOP WORKER 

Tinley Park Manufacturing 

Co. seeks responsible, 

detail-oriented individual 

to perform shop 

production functions. 

Duties include: running 

production equipment, 

loading/unloading trucks, and 

warehouse duties. 

Forklift cert. and exp. with 

UPS shipping software 

are pluses. 

MUST be reliable, 

self-starter, excellent 

reading/writing/math. 

Competitive wage. 

Email resume and/or letter to: 

lacosta@aerorubber.com 

AERO Rubber Co., Inc. 

8100 West 185th Street 

Tinley Park, IL 60487 

Part-time Telephone Work 

calling from home for 

AMVETS. Ideal for 

homemakers and retirees. 

Must be reliable and have 

morning &evening hours 

available for calling. 

If interested, 

Call 708 429 6477 

M-F, 10am - 1pm Only! 

P/T Associate for Travel 

Agency in Orland Park. 

Exp. and open 

availability required. 

Approx. 16-24 hrs/weekly. 

Send resume to: 

travel@goodbuytravel.com 

F/T Experienced Glazier 

Non-Union Shop 

Apply Within 

9324 Golfstream Road 1W 

Frankfort, IL 

(815) 469-7485 

Personal Assistant needed 

2-3 days per week. Background 

& education preferred. 

References required. 

708.756.1524 

Delivery/Warehouse Worker 

for Restaurant 

Distribution Industry 

No Experience Needed 

Call 708.945.9150 

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It! 

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It! 

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It! 

in the 

CLASSIFIEDS 

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708.326.9170 

Caregiver Services 

Provided by 

Margaret’s Agency Inc. 

State Licensed & Bonded 

since 1998. Providing quality 

care for elderly. 

Live-in/ Come & go. 

708.403.8707 

Heaven Sent Caregivers 

Professional caregiving 

service. 24 hr or hourly 

services; shower or bath 

visits. Licensed & bonded. 

Try the best! 708.638.0641 

1052 Garage Sale 

Frankfort (Homestead area) 

- 11324 Stoll Road. Huge 

garage sale March 28-29-30, 

8am - 3pm. Household, 

knick-knacks, tools, jewelery, 

clothing from A-Z 

1998 Chevy Silverado 

White, clean interior, needs 

an engine. $1000 OBO 

312.656.3724 

1023 Caregiver 

Do you want to Save Money? 

Polish caregiver will take care 

of elderly people. 15 years 

exp. & references available! 

Caregiver training, CPR, rehab 

exercises, background check 

available. Affordable prices 

with no agency fees! 

F/T, P/T & Weekends 

Call 708-699-9555 

Garage 

Sale 

1058 Moving Sale 

Homer Glen 13609 Potawatomi 

Trail. Fri. 3/29 9am-4pm 

&Sat. 3/30 8am-3pm, rain or 

shine. Furniture, toys, baby & 

adult clothes, accessories, 

home goods, holiday decorations, 

tools, sporting goods, 

and craft supplies 

Automotive 

1074 Auto for Sale 








CALL US TODAY at 708.326.9170

26 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger classifieds 


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LOCAL REALTOR 

DIRECTORY 

READYTO SELL YOUR 

REAL ESTATE? 

CALL 

Mike McCatty 

& ASSOCIATES 

mccattyrealestate.com 

708-945-2121 

Illinois Indiana Florida 

ONE BILLION IN LOCALLY 

CLOSED SALES SINCE 1999 

CENTURY 21 AFFILIATED 

Kim Wirtz 

realtor 

kim@kimwirtz.com 

kimwirtz.com 

708.516.3050 

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1221 Houses for Rent 

Mokena House for Rent 

3BR, 2renovated baths, wood 

floors, large fenced yard, attached 

garage, deck, W/D & 

water included. $1,875/mo, 

must have good credit & 

background check. One 

month security deposit. 

L-Way schools. 

Leave message 708-655-5728 

1061 Autos Wanted 

WANTED! 

WE NEED CARS, TRUCKS & VANS 

Running Or Not from Old to New! 

Top Dollar Paid - Free Pick-Up 

Locally Located 

(708)205-8241 

Rental 

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your 

RENTAL 

PROPERTY 

in the 

newspaper 

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to first CALL US TODAY: 708.326.9170 


1225 Apartments for Rent 

2003 Appliance Repair 

QUALITY 

APPLIANCE 

REPAIR, Inc. 

• Air Conditioning • Furnaces 

Refrigeration • Dishwashers 

Stoves & Ovens • Microwaves 

Garbage Disposals 

Washers&Dryers 

Family Owned &Operatedsince 1986 

Someone you can TRUST 

All work GUARANTEED 

BEST price in town! 

708-712-1392 

Business Directory 

Place a garage sale ad & reach 

over 96,000 homes across 

the southwest suburbs! 

FOR $42 YOU’LL GET 

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2004 Asphalt Paving/Seal Coating 

2011 Brick/Chimney Experts 

2017 Cleaning Services 

Oak Forest Terrace 

15815 Terrace, Oak Forest 

For Rent 

1BR home in New Lenox. 

Very nice for asingle/quiet 

person, all utilities included; 

gas, electric, cable & internet. 

No Pets, credit check required. 

$1,250/month. 

708-205-6918 









Spacious 1 & 2 Bdrms. 

Serene setting & Beautiful 

Grounds. Tennis, Pool, 

Walking Trails. Near metra. 

708-687-1818 

oakterrapts@att.net 

2025 Concrete Work 




1327 Warehouse Property for Rent 

Frankfort 

Warehouse/office space. 

Could be used for toy storage, 

shared unit. Call for 

apt. 219-613-1800 

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It! 

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It! 

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It! 

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2006 Basement Waterproofing



2025 Concrete Work 

2060 Drywall 2070 Electrical 

Drywall 

*Hanging *Taping 

*New Homes 

*Additions 

*Remodeling 

Call Greg At: 

(815)485-3782 

CLASSIFIEDS 



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2120 Handyman 

Automotive 

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2075 Fencing 

EXPERIENCED 

ELECTRICIAN 

R E A S O N A B L E 

D E P E N D A B L E 

SMALL JOBS 

CALL ANYTIME 

(708) 478-8269 

HANDYMAN SERVICE —WHATEVER YOU NEED 

"OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE" 

Windows, Doors, Decks Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling, Plumbing Interior and 

Exterior Painting Wall Paper Removal Professional Work At Competitive Prices 

CALL MIKE AT 708-790-3416 




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It! 

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708.326.9170 






2090 Flooring 




2032 Decking 

Sturdy 

Deck & Fence 

Repair, Rebuild or 

Replace 

Make It Safe - Make it Sturdy 

708 479 9035 

2060 Drywall 

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PROPERTY 

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2130 Heating/Cooling 

Drywall Taping 

& Repair 

Professionally Done 

Call Ed 

815-710-0350 

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It! 

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2140 Landscaping 

2132 Home Improvement 

2132 Home Improvement 

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2135 Insulation 

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2140 

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2144 Lawn 

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2145 Lawn Maintenance 

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2150 Paint & Decorating 

2145 Lawn Maintenance 

2150 Paint & Decorating 




Neat, Clean, Professional 

Work At ACompetitive Price 

Specializing in all 

Interior/Exterior Painting 

• Drywall/PlasterRepair 

• Wallpaper Removal 

• Deck/Fence Staining 

• PowerWashing 

Free Estimates 

Senior Discounts 

Forquality & service you 

can trust, call us today! 

MARTY’S 

PAINTING 

Interior / Exterior 

Fast, Neat Painting 

Drywall 

Wallpaper Removal 

Staining 

Free Estimates 

20% Off with this ad 

708-606-3926 

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2170 Plumbing 2174 Propane 

2200 Roofing 

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2294 Window Cleaning 

P.K.WINDOW 

CLEANING CO. 

Window Cleaning 

Gutter Cleaning 

Power Washing 

Office Cleaning 

call and get $40.00 off 

708 974-8044 

www.pkwindowcleaning.co4 

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PROPERTY 

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Professional 

Directory 

2390 Computer Services/Repair 

Merchandise 

Directory 

2489 Merchandise Wanted 

Buy 

It! 

2220 Siding 2255 Tree Service 

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It! 

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Metal Wanted 

Scrap Metal, Garden 

Tractors, 

Snowmobiles, 

Appliances, Etc. 

ANYTHING METAL! 

Call 815-210-8819 

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It! 

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2702 Public 

Notices 

2900 Merchandise 

Under $100 


Under $100 

FREE FREE FREE 

Certificate No. 32726 was filed in 

the office of the County Clerk of 

Will County on February 28, 2019 

wherein the business firm of Precision 

Home Improvements located 

at 10505 English Bay, Mokena, IL 

60448 was registered; that the true 

or real name of the person owning 

the business, with their respective 

post office address is as follows: 

Jake Peters 

10505 English Bay 

Mokena, IL 60448 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have 

hereunto set my hand and Official 

Seal at my office in Joliet; Illinois, 

this 28th day of February, 2019 

Lauren Staley Ferry 

Will County Clerk 


Under $100 

(2) Chrome swivel bartsools, 

black vinyl seat and backrest 

$40/pair. Heavy-duty metal 

worktable w/ belly drawer, 

wood laminate top measures, 

36” by 62” FREE. 

708.301.0249 

1pink 20” Schwinn girls Stardust 

bike $20 or best offer. 

1 green 20” Upland girls Dragonfly 

bike $20 or best offer. 

708.301.1213 

2 black swivel seat bar stools, 

29” high (w/ back 39” high). 

Round 17” black seats. Can 

text pictures, $30 for pair. 

708.925.2341 

4 antique dining room chairs 

$100. 815.485.6008 

5 pc. entertainment center, 

solid oak, smoked glass doors, 

fully lighted, lots ofstorage for 

CDs and tapes, etc. Excellent 

condition $90. 

70 packages of tiny beads for 

jewelery crafting $20. Vintage 

16 pc. set Golden Shell luncheon 

dishes Anchor Hocking, 

new in box $20. 708.301.0519 

New KingCraft 1/2” 24 volt 

hammer drill charger, 

2batteries $60. Push back recliner 

$40. 708.448.9597 - 

Ask for Lou 

Oakley sunglasses for young 

me. Flack style, white frame 

w/ grey lenses $100. 

708.606.6398 

Pro-Form 485E eliptical exercise 

machine. Good condition 

$40. 708.995.7223 

T.V. 22” LG brand $39. 

815.922.3690 

Telemania Harley Davidson 

telephone (used) w/ box $40. 

815.717.8615 

Two 20gallon fish tanks, one 

hexagon/one regular. Both 

have stands, lids, lights, 

pumps, filters, and decorations. 

$75 each. Mokena 

708.710.0896 

AmScopre Microscope, used 

about 3 times. Like new, must 

see w/glass slides and extra 

cover glass $100. 

815.464.5232 or 815.600.1023. 

Call for more info 

Beautiful Capodimonte basket, 

15” L-10” W-12” H. $25. 

708.479.9338 (If no answer, 

please leave message) 

Car roof bag, 15cu. ft., water 

proof, complete kit. US made. 

Storage bag for it $90 OBO. 

708.301.0729 

Collector plates of Chicago, 

8plates, still in boxes, mint 

condition. By artist Franklin 

McMahon, 1972-1978-1979. 

$10 each - call for more info. 

815.600.1023 or 815.464.5232 

Curio cabinet, dark oak. 

72” high - 16” wide - 12” deep, 

w/ 4glass shelves. Like new 

$100. 815.806.9094 

For Sale: Men’s Foot Joy golf 

shoes, size 13, still in box $25. 

Women’s Top Flight golf 

shoes, size 10, still in box $25. 

815.806.9094 

For Sale: Spring-Easter ceramic 

village includes 17 

houses plus 30 figures and accessories. 

Like new $100 for 

set. 815.806.9094 

Golf balls (pre-driven): Bag of 

100 Callaways $25. Bag of 100 

Titleists $25. Bag of 100 Nikes 

$25. Bag of 100 Topflites $20. 

Call Tom 708.597.2972 

Hot Point gas range/stove, 

good condition $75. Steve 

815.735.5063 

HP Printer ink #93 tri-color 

$25. #92 black and #93 

tri-color combo package $40. 

Both items in original boxes - 

never opened! Call 

708.460.3919 

Johnson/Evinrude 6gallon gas 

can $25. 1gallon safety gas 

can, metal type 1 $10. New 

socket set SAE 21 pc. gearwrench 

$40. 708.214.4022 

Karcher pressure washer 1.800 

PSI. Used 5 or 6 times, too 

small for my needs. Runs great 

$85. Call 815.600.1023 or 

815.464.5232 

Matchbook cover collection 

$50 OBO. 708.785.0987 

Mitsubishi 35 inch tube TV w/ 

remote control. Very good condition 

and provides avery nice 

picture w/ true colors, no 

scratches or dents $75. 

708.532.4978 

New in box Black &Decker 

Jigsaw 4.5 amp $20. Tinley 

Park 708.226.8072 




$40. 708.448.9597 - 

Ask for Lou 

New deluxe 5 pc. barbecue tool 

set, stainless steel w/ solid oak 

wood handles $45. Antique 

vintage GENEVA ILL #8 

black flat cast iron, nice condition 

$20. 708.466.9907 

New dog trolley 50’ pulley and 

cable $25. New ceiling fan 

$65. Metal frame basket planters 

$10. 708.224.8003 




$40. 708.448.9597 - 

Ask for Lou 

New white 5 foot solid surface 

vanity top w/4inch on center 

sink that can be trimmed to fit 

smaller vanity $65. 

815.592.9474 

Oakley sunglasses for young 

me. Flack style, white frame 

w/ grey lenses $100. 

708.606.6398 

Pro-Form 485E eliptical exercise 

machine. Good condition 

$40. 708.995.7223 

Rocking chair $55. Hand knitted 

sweaters, size M/L, warm! 

$30. Mechanics uniforms, size 

M/L $15. 708.224.8003 

Rolling sewing machine tote. 

Everything Mary brand, cheetah 

print. New $35. 

815.838.9432 

T.V. 22” LG brand $39. 

815.922.3690 

Vintage APMuffler Minutemen 

Clock Sign 30 Minute 

Install by Burnwood Products 

$75. 5Hess, 2ERTL trucks 

$25. 815.838.7898 

Young adult fancy tail guppies 

$1 each. Live stem plans $1 

per stem, $2per bunch. From 

clean show tank. Call 

708.738.5038 

16 x16x48(in.) reptile tank, 

screened top and thermometer, 

heavy glass $100. 

815.258.7763 

2Bag Boy golf carts $20 each. 

1 golf bag $15. Golf clubs $2 - 

$5 each. Mokena 815.462.3933 

2 prom dresses -1blue Kimberly 

Bond $100, 1 pink corsett 

back $75. Will send pics. 

708.715.0887 

2 wing chairs, rose colored 

$100 OBO. 708.785.0987 

4kitchen island stools, excellent 

condition. Will send pics 

$75. 708.715.0887 

4pc. oak entertainment center, 

good condition $100. Mokena 

708.205.3989 

5beer steins $3 each. 5lamp 

time clocks $3 each. 3piece 

brass fireplace set $3. 41”pipe 

threading dies rigid brand $4. 

Call 708.614.8148 





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Circle One:

34 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger sports 


Athlete of the Week 

10 Questions 

with Jordan Bruni 

Jordan Bruni is a senior on the Lincoln- 

Way East girls water polo team 

How long have you been playing 

water polo for and how did you get 

started? 

I have been playing water polo since 

I was 9 years old. So, about eight years, 

and I got started because my mom did it 

in college. 

What do you most enjoy about the 

sport? 

The thing I enjoy most about the sport 

is working with a team. Just connecting 

with the girls as teammates and people. 

They are a group of girls that will always 

be there for me. 

What is your greatest strength as 

an athlete? 

My greatest strength is that I never give 

up. Even if it looks like we’re on the losing 

side, I won’t give up until the game 

is over. 

What are your goals for your final 

season at East? 

My goal for my final season at East is to 

go to state and win the first-round game. 

We’ve never made it that far, and it would 

be amazing if we finally did it. 

What advice would you give to 

next year’s team? 

My advice that I would give to my team 

next year is that winning isn’t everything, 

but if you continue to work together, you 

can achieve anything. 

Who is your role model? 

My role model is my mom. My mom is 

my role model because she taught me the 

value of hard work and the importance of 

being myself. 

Photo submitted 

What athletic accomplishment are 

you most proud of? 

I am a four-year varsity athlete in both 

swimming and water polo, having gone 

to state once for swimming and twice for 

water polo and hoping to make that a third 

this year. 

Do you have any special traditions 

before a big game? 

We have a team cheer that we do before 

every game, and we always make sure we 

jump in together before each quarter. 

What are your plans for after high 

school? 

After high school, I will be attending 

the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 

studying psychology. 

If you could travel anywhere in the 

world, where would you go and 

why? 

I love to travel, and I have always wanted 

to rent a boat and travel the Caribbean 

because I think it would be an amazing 

adventure. 

Interview conducted by Contributing Editor 

Nuria Mathog. 

This Week In 

Knights Varsity 

Athletics 

Badminton 

■March ■ 28 - at Lockport 

quad, 4:30 p.m. 

■April ■ 2 - at Homewood- 

Flossmoor, 4:30 p.m. 

Baseball 

■March ■ 28 - hosts 

Sandburg, 11 a.m. 

■April ■ 1 - vs. Lockport at 

Route 66 Ballpark, 7 p.m. 

■April ■ 2 - hosts Lincoln- 

Way East, 4:30 p.m. 

■April ■ 3 - at Plainfield 

Central, 4:30 p.m. 

Girls Soccer 

■March ■ 28 - hosts Tinley 

Park, 11:45 a.m. 

■March ■ 30 - at Minooka, 

10 a.m. 

■April ■ 2 - at Bradley- 

Bourbonnais, 6:15 p.m. 

Softball 

■March ■ 29 - hosts Lincoln- 

Way East, 10 a.m. 

■April ■ 1 - at Stagg, 4:30 

p.m. 

■April ■ 2 - at Marist, 4:30 

p.m. 

■April ■ 3 - hosts 

Homewood-Flossmoor, 4:30 

p.m. 

Boys Tennis 


Way Central quad, 11 a.m. 

■April ■ 3 - at Oak Lawn, 

4:30 p.m. 

Boys Volleyball 

■March ■ 28 - at Wheaton- 

Warrensville South Invite, 

5:00 p.m. 



5 p.m. 



8 a.m. 

■April ■ 2 - hosts Naperville 

Central, 6 p.m. 

■April ■ 3 - at Glenbrook 

South, 6 p.m. 

Boys Water Polo 

■April ■ 3 - hosts 

Homewood-Flossmoor, 5 

p.m. 

Griffins Varsity 

Athletics 

Badminton 

■March ■ 30 - at Lockport 

Invite, 8 a.m. 

■April ■ 1 - at Shepard, 4:30 

p.m. 

■April ■ 2 - hosts Stagg, 

4:30 p.m. 

Baseball 

■March ■ 28 - at Thornton, 

4:30 p.m. 

■March ■ 29 - at Crete- 

Monee, 4:30 p.m. 


Warrensville South, 10 a.m. 

■April ■ 1 - hosts Andrew, 

4:30 p.m. 

■April ■ 2 - at Lincoln-Way 


Girls Soccer 

■March ■ 30 - hosts Lyons, 

10 a.m. 

■April ■ 2 - at Thornwood 

co-op, 4:30 p.m. 

Softball 

■March ■ 28 - hosts Normal 

Community, 11 a.m. 

■March ■ 29 - at Lincoln-Way 

Central, 10 a.m. 

■April ■ 1 - hosts Bradley- 

Bourbonnais, 4:30 p.m. 

■April ■ 3 - at Thornwood, 

4:30 p.m. 

Boys Tennis 

■March ■ 28 - hosts Joliet 

Catholic, 4:30 p.m. 


Way East quad, 8:30 a.m. 

■April ■ 3 - hosts Minooka, 

4 p.m. 

Boys Volleyball 



5 p.m. 



5 p.m. 



8 a.m. 

■April ■ 1 - vs. Wheaton- 

Warrrensville South at 

Lewis, 6 p.m. 

high school highlights 

The rest of the week in high school sports 

Track and field 

Kreis wins title at Top 

Times 

Lincoln-Way Central 

junior Jared Kreis won the 

Class 3A 3,200 meter-run 

at the Illinois Top Times 

in Bloomington, the unofficial 

indoor track state 

championship meet, on 

Saturday, March 23. 

Kreis broke a school indoor 

record in the event, 

finishing in 9 minutes, 

10.59 seconds to win by 

more than a second. 

Boys Water Polo 

■March ■ 29 - at St. Patrick 

Invite, 6:10 p.m. 

■March ■ 30 - at St. Patrick 

Invite, TBA 

■April ■ 3 - at Bremen co-op, 

5 p.m. 

Lincoln-Way co-op 

Athletics 

Boys Lacrosse 

■April ■ 3 - hosts Naperville 


Girls Lacrosse 

■March ■ 30 - at Mother 

McAuley, 3:30 p.m. 

■April ■ 1 - at Minooka, 6 

p.m. 

■Arpil ■ 3 - at Neuqua Valley, 

7:30 p.m. 

Softball 

Lincoln-Way Central 9, 

Providence 0 

Torince Muczynski went 

2-for-4 with three RBIs, 

while Amanda Weyh and 

Ashley Platek each drove 

in two runs for the Knights.

mokenamessenger.com sports 


Gymnastics 

Thompson promoted to head coach of LW co-op girls 

Former assistant takes 

over after Lago steps 

down 

Chris Walker 


Recognized by the Illinois 

High School Girls Gymnastics 

Coaches Association as its Assistant 

Coach of the Year in 

2010, 2015, 2017 and 2018, 

Kory Thompson has quite an 

outstanding reputation in coaching 

girls gymnastics. 

Now, she’ll take on a bigger 

role as she is succeeding former 

Lincoln-Way co-op girls gymnastics 

head coach Kim Lago, who 

Thompson has served as an assistant 

for the past five seasons. 

Lago certainly did some wonderful 

things with the co-op 

team, which consists of girls 

from Lincoln-Way Central, East 

and West. During her six years 

as head coach, the team won 

regionals every year, brought 

home three sectional titles and 

advanced to the state finals the 

past three seasons. 

“Kim did a great job building 

and establishing the program,” 

Lincoln-Way East athletic director 

Mark Vander Kooi said. 

“She had her second child and 

wanted to spend time at home 

with them.” 

Thompson, a 2001 Sandburg 

graduate who helped Sandburg/ 

Stagg co-op take fifth in the state 

her senior year, has a great deal of 

high school coaching experience, 

including one year as Sandburg’s 

head coach in 2010-2011. 

“I think it’s perfect timing for 

me,” she said. “I’ve had babies 

for quite a few years and now that 

they’re growing up, I can take on 

a little bit more and I think it’ll 

be great. I’ve had a great five 

years (at Lincoln-Way). I know 

the kids are super excited.” 

Thompson has had coaching 

stints at St. Charles co-op, 

Neuqua Valley, Homewood- 

Flossmoor, Sandburg and 

Lincoln-Way co-op. She also 

coached Plainfield-area gymnasts 

who competed in the state 

series as individuals since their 

teams didn’t have programs. 

She is in her 10th season coaching 

Team Illinois at the National 

High School Gymnastics Association 

Senior Showcase and 

has coached boys gymnastics for 

three years for District 230. 

“Each coach brings their own 

style, I think, to coaching,” 

Thompson said. “There’s usually 

some things that change but 

Kim and I have worked together 

the last five years so it should be 

a nice transition for the girls and 

not anything out of the ordinary 

for them.” 

Thompson acknowledged that 

she’s always looking out for the 

best interests of the girls while 

serving as an assistant coach, 

and that won’t change. 

“As an assistant coach I was 

the one there to comfort them 

because sometimes the head 

coach is there to tell them what 

we need to do,” she said. “I’ve 

always been able to talk to the 

girls and help them figure things 

out. I think that the difference 

with being a mother now is that I 

know they have to see more than 

just the sport. There are valuable 

lessons I can help them learn 

from gymnastics.” 

While saddened to see Lago 

depart, the girls were equally 

thrilled to learn that Thompson 

is replacing her. 

“My teammates and I are so 

happy it was her who got the position 

of head coach,” junior Korina 

Jarosz said. “We wouldn’t 

have wanted anyone else in that 

place. It’s nice to have someone 

that all of the gymnasts on the 

team have a bond with.” 

Senior Allie Reis is ecstatic 

that Thompson was hired as 

she’s gotten to know her well, 

especially the past three seasons. 

“She pushes all of us to be 

our best and believes in us when 

we don’t,” Reis said. “Although 

Coach Lago will be missed very 

Former assistant coach Kory 

Thompson was promoted to 

head coach of the Lincoln-Way 

co-op girls gymnastics team, 

PHOTO SUBMITTED 

much, especially for my senior 

year, I think that Kory was the 

best option to be chosen as head 

coach as it will make the transition 

smoother.” 

Volleyball 

Knights keep positive mentality after up-and-down first week 

Steve Millar, Sports Editor 

Testing itself against some of 

the best competition in the state, 

Lincoln-Way Central came away 

from the first week of the season 

with some positives, some negatives, 

and plenty of useful lessons. 

After dropping their season 

opener to Minooka 25-14, 25-22 

on March 20, the Knights finished 

eighth among a talented 

32-team field at the Marist Invitational. 

They ended the week 

with a 2-4 record. 

“I think overall, we learned a 

lot,” senior outside hitter Aidan 

Heniff said. “As much as it’s 

hard to lose, we’ve learned how 

to jell together and become a 

team. 

“One our teammates, (Sebastian 

Olmos) has a saying, ‘A 

twig breaks pretty easily by itself, 

but if you have a group of 

twigs, it’s hard to break.’ If you 

work as a team, you can accomplish 

anything.” 

Central won its pool at the 

Marist Invite by going 2-0 on 

Friday, March 22. The Knights 

beat Shepard 25-21, 25-14 and 

St. Ignatius 25-21, 25-22. 

That earned them a spot in the 

Gold Flight for Saturday, March 

23, when they dropped three 

tough matches. 

After falling 25-19, 26-24 to 

Minooka and 25-21, 25-12 to 

Naperville Central, the Knights 

battled Downers Grove North in 

the seventh-place match.. 

Central and the Trojans played 

a thrilling three-setter, but the 

Knights came up short in a 23- 

25, 25-23, 24-22 loss. 

In the tournament format, the 

third game was only up to 15, 

with a team needing to win by 

two, but the teams fought well 

beyond that. 

The Knights had nine match 

points but could not put Downers 

North away. Central fought off a 

pair of Trojans’ match points before 

succumbing. 

“This one was a nailbiter,” senior 

libero Tyler Casey said. “In 

situations like that, we just want 

to find a way to close out games. 

“Once we find the right group 

of people to close out games 

with ease, everything will come 

more smoothly.” 

Jack Yurkanin led the Knights 

with 13 kills, six digs and four 

blocks. He totaled 36 kills, 14 

digs and nine aces in the tournament. 

Heniff added seven kills, four 

digs and three aces, Casey had 

15 digs, Dylan Leonard finished 

with 21 assists and Brendan Mc- 

Carthy had six blocks and four 

kills against Downers North. 

“It’s been a great first week 

because we had such good competition,” 

Central coach Mary 

Brown said. “It helps me see 

Lincoln-Way Central libero 

Tyler Casey goes up for a 

serve during the seventh-place 

match at the Marist Invitational 

on Saturday, March 23. Steve 

Millar/22nd Century Media 

where we’re weak, where we’re 

strong. I still have no set starting 

lineup. 

“It’s disappointing for the boys 

because they worked so hard to 

get ready for the season and now 

we’re 2-4, but they just have to 

keep their chins up. We’ve definitely 

improved every match.”

36 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger mokena 


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Badminton 

Doubles delightful for Knights against LWE 

Randy Whalen 


Most of the girls on the 

Lincoln-Way Central and 

Lincoln-Way East badminton 

teams already know 

each other. 

If not they will in the 

next few weeks. They 

probably did by the end 

of last week as they faced 

each other two times in 

five days. 

On the strength of their 

doubles teams, the opening 

round went to Central. 

The Knights won all five 

doubles matches and went 

on to a 9-6 victory over 

East in a SouthWest Suburban 

Conference crossover 

match on March 19 in 

New Lenox. 

The Knights (8-4, including 

quad meets 

through March 19) not 

only won the three maratahon 

doubles matches, 

which were key. 

Central’s Cinderella 

story came at first doubles. 

That’s where Emma 

Schueler and Caroline Erdman 

had a huge comeback 

for an 8-21, 21-19, 21-17 

win over fellow seniors 

Mackenzie Dockweiler 

and Madison Phillips. 

Erdman previously 

teamed with Dockweiler 

for the Griffins. 

“I was a doubles partner 

with Mackenzie as a 

freshman,” said Erdman, a 

Mokena resident who had 

to transfer to Central after 

District 210 realligned 

when Lincoln-Way North 

closed in 2016. “But most 

of last year I was on the JV 

team.” 

How did Erdman go 

from the JV team to playing 

top doubles? 

“I worked a lot and 

worked on strategy,” she 

said. “I had a fire in my 

stomach. Then Emma and 

Lincoln-Way Central’s Caroline Edrman (left) and Emma 

Schueler pulled off a comeback victory at No. 1 doubles 

against Lincoln-Way East on Tuesday, March 19. Julie 

McMann/22nd Century Media 

I kind of tried it out playing 

doubles. It’s worked 

really well. It’s a really 

good feeling and it makes 

it better that we came back 

to beat East. 

Schueler loves how it’s 

worked out too. 

“We’re really good 

friends,” she said of her 

and Erdman. “We have a 

good strategy and communicate 

well. We don’t 

let one shot affect the 

other. Everything finally 

clicked [against East] and 

we gained a lot of confidence.” 

The Knights also had a 

rally at second doubles as 

juniors Regan LoConte 

and Carly Schiene came 

back for a 17-21, 21-16, 

21-17 victory over seniors 

Kea Roppolo and Paige 

Carlson. 

At No. 3 doubles, it was 

seniors Grace Herzog and 

Gillian Underhill winning 

19-21, 21-13. 21-16 over 

juniors Jillian Jackson and 

Allison Logan. Underhill 

is the only returning state 

qualifier for the Knights 

from last year, when she 

advanced in singles. 

Juniors Christine Boisvert 

and Annabelle Andrews 

had a 21-18, 21-19 

win over seniors Haley 

Elmer and Casey Kirschsieper 

at No. 4 doubles. 

At No. 5 doubles, it was 

senior Layla Dennehy and 

junior Jordyn Jawor with a 

21-19, 21-19 victory over 

senior Megan Blaney and 

junior Brooke Anderson. 

Central won four singles 

matches. Underhill won at 

No. 2, junior Alexis Novak 

was victorious at No. 3, 

Erdman won at No. 7, and 

junior Della Helwig prevailed 

at No. 10. 

The Griffins (1-1 in dual 

meets through March 19) 

won six singles matches. 

Kirschieper won at top 

singles, while Dockwieler 

(No. 4), Blaney (No. 5), 

Jackson (No. 6), Logan 

(No. 8) and Phillips (No. 

9) were also victorious. 

Kirschsieper is the twin 

of East ace baseball pitcher 

Cole Kirschsieper. But 

she’s made a name for herself 

in her sport. 

She advanced to state in 

doubles last year. 

“I’m looking to go to 

state in singles this season,” 

she said. “I like 

singles much better. I like 

the feel of the game and 

the fact that I’m the one in 

control.” 

LINCOLN-WAY SWIM ASSOCIATION 

GATORS 

TRYOUTS 

APRIL 2 ND & APRIL 4 TH 

Ages 5-8 • 6pm 

Ages 9 and Over • 7pm 

at Lincoln-Way Central 

2018 GOLD AND BLUE WINTER 

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS 

www.lwsagators.org 

Email the LWSA Board president Michelle Moline 

at president@lwsagators.org to sign up!

38 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger sports 


LW East grad Krolicki savors time coaching with Hallberg 

STEVE MILLAR, Sports Editor 

As her stellar basketball career 

at St. Xavier drew near its end, 

Lincoln-Way East graduate Kara 

Krolicki came to a realization. 

She wasn’t ready to step away 

from the game. 

“With me loving basketball so 

much and being so invested in 

it, thinking that after your four 

years of college, it’s over, that 

just didn’t feel like something i 

could accept,” Krolicki said. “I 

knew I couldn’t just give up basketball. 

“I was able to get involved 

with coaching AAU teams over 

the last few summers and it really 

opened my eyes, showed me 

that I’d enjoy coaching. I knew 

this would be the way for me to 

not give up the game, so it became 

an easy decision for me.” 

It was just as easy of a choice 

for longtime St. Xavier coach 

Bob Hallberg to add Krolicki, a 

2018 St. Xavier graduate, to his 

staff as a graduate assistant for 

this past season, which recently 

wrapped up with the Cougars 

finishing 21-10. 

In Hallberg’s mind, Krolicki 

was a coaching natural. 

Krolicki, a Mokena native, 

was usually the best player on 

the court in any game she played 

in. She averaged 19 points a 

game her senior season at East 

in 2013-14 and went on to become 

St. Xavier’s all-time leading 

scorer. She was twice named 

NAIA Division II National Player 

of the Year. 

But Hallberg also saw her 

as one of the smartest players 

around. 

“She was a coach on the basketball 

floor,” Hallberg said. “I 

learned things from coaching 

her. She’d tell me things that 

I’d like be like, ‘Wow, after 50 

years, I never thought of that.’ 

There was no doubt she’d make 

a good coach. She has a very 

high intensity level, a good personality 

to get along with her 

teammates, and on the floor she 

Lincoln-Way East grad Kara Krolicki recently completed her first season as a coach at St. Xavier. photo 

Submitted 

had a complete understanding 

of the game. Those are all the 

things you look for.” 

Hallberg would know. The 

legendary coach began his career 

in 1966 and retired earlier 

this month with a career record 

of 1,080-420 including stints as 

a men’s coach at St. Xavier, UIC 

and Chicago State, a boys coach 

at Kennedy High School, and the 

past 20 seasons as the Cougars’ 

women’s coach. 

He’s also been the athletic director 

at St. Xavier since 2001, 

and will hold that position until 

the end of the school year. 

For Krolicki, there could be no 

better mentor. 

“He’s a legend so there’s a lot 

to learn from him, somebody 

who’s been around the game for 

so long,” she said. “He taught 

me a lot as a player, but now being 

around him as a coach has 

opened my eyes to so many new 

things that I didn’t know before. 

“As a player, you have a completely 

different mindset. You’re 

out on the floor, trying to do 

certain things. As a coach, I was 

able to step back and take more 

of a wide view of things going 

on. Coach Hallberg would 

explain something to the players 

and then pull me to the side 

and say, ‘This is what we have 

to look for, this is what we have 

to do.’ They’re just things you 

don’t think about as a player, so 

you develop more of a coaching 

mind that way to go with your 

playing mind.” 

What Krolicki never expected 

when she accepted the assistant 

position was that her first season 

would end up being Hallberg’s 

last. 

Hallberg, 75, had planned on 

coaching at least a few more 

years - he joked his plan was to 

retire at 90 - until he was diagnosed 

with liver cancer last November. 

“Coming into this season, we 

obviously had no idea that this 

was going to happen,” Krolicki 

said. “Then it happens halfway 

through the season and it starts to 

hit you slowly.” 

The season became highly 

emotional for all the players and 

staff. It all came to a head when 

Hallberg announced on Feb. 13 

that he planned to retire at the 

end of the season. He was honored 

that night before his final 

regular-season home game. 

“When he was honored on the 

court is when it really hit me,” 

Krolicki said. “I was able to 

build a relationship with him for 

four years as a player and then 

we developed that coaching relationship, 

so it was really emotional 

for me and it still is. 

“I’m honored and glad I was 

able to learn so much from him 

in my five years I got to spend 

with him as my head coach.” 

Krolicki said Hallberg taught 

her the importance of having a 

positive approach with players. 

“He’s someone who had a lot 

of confidence in me from the 

start,” she said. “Even when he 

was recruiting me, he always 

was very adamant that he wanted 

me with his team and he wanted 

me to play right away. Having 

that confidence in players right 

away is a very important aspect 

because sometimes as a player, 

you don’t have that confidence 

yourself.” 

That approach helped Krolicki 

with what could have been an 

awkward transition from teammate 

to coach. 

“Some of these players, you 

were just on a team with them 

last year and now you’re on the 

other side coaching, almost telling 

them what to do,” Krolicki 

said. “You don’t know what to 

expect at first, but it was awesome 

how the players responded 

to me. I told them it’s going to 

be as weird for me to tell them 

what to do as it’s going to be 

for them to be listening to me. I 

think we understood each other, 

and they knew I just wanted to 

help them be as successful as 

they can be.” 

Krolicki had the opportunity 

to serve as interim head coach 

for two games on a Florida trip 

that Hallberg was unable to attend 

because of his illness. 

“The day before we left for 

Florida, I told her ‘You’re the 

head coach,’ and she was like, 

‘Oh my God,’” Hallberg said. 

“Then she went down to Florida 

and won both games. I guess she 

didn’t miss me.” 

Hallberg is confident Krolicki 

will make a great head coach 

one day. In fact, he said she’s a 

candidate to replace him at St. 

Xavier. 

“There’s no doubt that she’s 

ready for it right now,” he said. 

Krolicki is ready to go with 

the flow. 

“I’m excited to work with 

whoever the coach is,” she said. 

“I think you can learn from every 

coach you work with. I want 

to continue to grow, expand my 

basketball mind. Hopefully in 

the future I can continue to go 

with it and see where my coaching 

career goes from here.”



fastbreak 

Steve Millar/22nd Century 

Media 

1st and 3 

THREE ATHLETES TO 

KEEP AN EYE ON THIS 

SPRING 

1. Danielle Drogemuller 

Drogemuller (above) 

is stepping in as LW 

East’s No. 1 pitcher. 

She struck out 13 

hitters in a completegame 

shutout March 

19. 

2. Megan Hutchinson 

Hutchinson, a 

sophomore playing 

her first season of 

high school soccer 

for LW Central, 

recently recorded 

hat tricks in three 

straight games, 

including a four-goal 

performance in a 

win over Marist on 

March 21. 

3. Jack Yurkanin 

Yurkanin, a senior 

outside hitter for 

the LW Central volleyball 

team, had 

36 kills, 14 digs 

and nine aces over 

five matches in the 

Marist Invitational. 

Let’s embark on a new sports journey together 

Steve Millar 

Sports Editor 

Greetings Mokena, 

and please allow 

me to introduce 

myself. 

I’m the new sports 

editor of The Mokena 

Messenger, as well as The 

Frankfort Station, and The 

New Lenox Patriot, and it 

is a huge honor to be the 

first person to take on this 

position for these three 

terrific newspapers. 

I’m thrilled to have the 

opportunity to work in 

communities that consistently 

produce highly successful 

sports teams and 

athletes, from the youth 

and high-school levels to 

beyond. 

I’ve already had the 

pleasure to cover these 

towns for more than a 

decade, and I know how 

passionate our readers are 

about sports. 

I share that passion, 

and my hope is that will 

be evident on these pages 

every week. The people 

of Mokena, Frankfort 

and New Lenox deserve 

the best sports coverage 

around, and I will do my 

absolute best to deliver 

that. 

My plan is to give 

the readers a little bit of 

everything on these pages 

with a mix of in-depth 

profiles of local athletes 

and game coverage that is 

geared toward telling the 

story of a player or players, 

with less emphasis on 

play-by-play and stats. 

I’ve always tried to dig 

deeper, to find the personal 

stories underneath the 

surface of a local sporting 

event, and I will continue 

the pursuit of those tales. 

Here’s a little about 

me: I spent most of my 

childhood about a half 

hour away in Riverdale 

but moved to Tinley Park 

when I was 16 and graduated 

from Lincoln-Way – 

yes, when it was still one 

school. 

I had already developed 

a strong interest in local 

sports by this point. 

You could catch me 

at many Lincoln-Way 

sporting events, especially 

basketball as I cheered on 

James Augustine and the 

great Knights teams of 

those days. 

When I went off to 

college, I looked forward 

to coming home 

for Thanksgiving and 

Christmas breaks not only 

to spend time with family 

and friends, but to watch 

some high school hoops at 

holiday tournaments. 

I knew a long time ago 

that I wanted to write 

about sports. 

After earning my 

journalism degree at the 

University of Missouri, 

I’ve been back in the area 

for the last 11-plus years, 

living in Tinley Park then 

Oak Forest, then back to 

Tinley Park. 

I’m currently in south 

Tinley, just a short walk 

from both Frankfort and 

Mokena, and a quick drive 

from New Lenox. 

If you’re the type of 

person who reads these 

sports pages every week, 

you’ve likely seen my 

name before. 

I’ve had the pleasure to 

cover sports for 22nd Century 

Media as a freelancer 

over the last several years 

and have been writing for 

various publications in 

the area since I graduated 

from college in 2007. 

When I came back to 

the Chicago area to write, 

one of the first big high 

school events I covered 

was the 2007 Medieval 

Classic at Lincoln-Way 

East. 

That was when the 

Christmas basketball 

tournament was a 16-team 

event with boys and girls 

teams, and I sat in the 

Griffins’ gym for 12 hours 

a day four straight days, 

watching eight games a 

day, and loving nearly 

every minute of it. 

That is also where I met 

fellow sportswriter Tim 

O’Brien, who became my 

best friend. I was the best 

man at his wedding in 

2017. 

So, thanks to the Medieval 

Classic for that! 

That was just the first 

of many great experiences 

I’ve had covering 

Lincoln-Way schools and 

Providence. 

Some highlights include 

watching the 2017 state 

champion Lincoln-Way 

East and 2015 state champion 

Providence football 

teams on multiple occasions 

and following the 

Providence baseball team 

on its crazy run to three 

straight state titles from 

2014 to 2016. 

Just a few months into 

my career, I covered the 

2008 Lincoln-Way Central 

softball team that won the 

state championship. 

I was there to write 

about virtually the entire 

postseason run of the 2013 

Knights’ girls water polo 

team, which finished second 

in the state. Danijela 

Jackovich, the star of 

that squad, was among 

the most dominant high 

school athletes I’ve seen 

in any sport. 

More recently, I was 

down in Forsyth last October 

to watch Central’s 

Brianne Bolden – a future 

Missouri Tiger, I must 

add - finish second in the 

state in golf for the second 

straight year. 

I’ve been fortunate 

enough to write about 

some of the best moments 

in Lincoln-Way West 

athletics history. 

I was there for both 

sectional games and the 

supersectional during the 

Warriors’ boys basketball 

team’s stunning run to finish 

as the state runner-up 

in 2015-16. 

I followed the girls 

soccer team on its run to 

a sectional title in 2017, 

and covered the wrestling 

team’s third-place state 

finish the same year. 

I watched from nearby 

as Lincoln-Way North 

opened and closed, and 

saw some of my neighbors 

star at the school. 

I’ve covered a lot of 

soccer over the years, and 

the Phoenix were responsible 

for some of my best 

memories in that sport. 

I was there for North’s 

fourth-place state finish 

in 2014, and I was on the 

sideline for the final game 

in program history the following 

year. 

I’ve seen many area 

athletes go on to great 

success after high school. 

I extensively covered the 

St. Xavier basketball career 

of Lincoln-Way East 

graduate Kara Krolicki, 

who became the Cougars’ 

all-time leading scorer, 

and saw East graduate 

Anthony Kropp and 

Providence alum Justin 

Hunniford quarterback the 

St. Xavier football team 

on many occasions. 

There are countless 

others whose great careers 

I’ve followed from afar. 

Surely, many more 

highlights await, and I 

look forward to sharing 

them with you on these 

pages. 

Also, if you have a 

story idea, please feel 

free to contact me at 

s.millar@22ndcm.com. 

Let’s have some fun! 

LISTEN UP 

“I think that the difference with being a mother now is that I know 

they have to see more than just the sport. There are valuable lessons I 

can help them learn from gymnastics.” 

Kory Thompson — newly promoted LW co-op gymnastics head coach on 

how being a mother has prepared her for new role 

Tune In 

Softball - 10 a.m., Friday March 29, LW East at LW 

Central 

• The Griffins visit the Knights in a battle of top 

teams and District 210 rivals. 

Index 

35 - LWC Volleyball 

34 - Athlete of the Week 

FASTBREAK is compiled by Sports Editor 

Steve Millar, s.millar@22ndcm.com.

mokena’s Hometown Newspaper | March 28, 2019 

Doubling up LW 

Central badminton led 

by doubles teams in win 

over LW East, Page 37 

Promoting within 

Former assistant Kory 

Thompson named LW co-op 

girls gymnastics coach, Page 35 

Mokena native Krolicki makes transition to coaching with help of mentor Bob Hallberg, Page 38 

LEFT: Kara Krolicki was a star at Lincoln-Way East, averaging 19 points a game her senior season in 2013-2014. 22nd Century Media file photo 

RIGHT: Lincoln-Way East grad Kara Krolicki recently finished her first season as a coach, working as an assistant to longtime St. Xavier coach Bob Hallberg. Submitted photo

MK_032819

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