HO_120519

Homer Glen’s Award-Winning Hometown Newspaper HomerHorizonDaily.com • December 5, 2019 • Vol. 14 No. 45 • $1 

A 

® 

Publication 

,LLC 

Don’t lose your favorite 

hometown newspaper! 

Award-winning Homer 

Horizon moving to 

subscription model 

We hope you have enjoyed receiving 

your award-winning community newspaper 

free of charge every week for the 

past 14 years. 

In fact, we know you have, as thousands 

of you have asked us again and 

again to keep sending you The Homer 

Horizon. 

And we’ve been proud to do so. 

We are counting on your continued 

loyalty and support as after 14 years of 

free delivery The Horizon takes a step 

forward to become a subscription newspaper. 

Starting Thursday, Dec. 5, subscriptions 

to The Horizon, your No. 1 source 

for local news and information, can be 

secured in several ways — via mail, fax, 

phone and online. 

To see details, please see the form on 

Page 8, visit SubscribeHorizon.com or 

call The Horizon at (708) 326-9170 and 

ask to continue receiving The Horizon 

for less than a dollar an issue ($39 a 

year). 

Over the coming months, anyone who 

has not subscribed to The Horizon will 

be removed from the mailing list. 

Through the last 14 years, The Homer 

Horizon has been the hometown newspaper 

for Homer Glen residents. The 

newspaper has won the hearts of residents 

and critics, who have lauded The 

Horizon’s coverage numerous times on 

the national stage. 

To continue to provide unmatched 

coverage of your hometown — from 

Village Board reports and Heritage Park 

updates to Homer Community Fest 

packages and Porters and Celtics sports 

— we ask you not to wait and subscribe 

today. 

The Horizon is a locally owned community 

newspaper. It was the first 

product of 22nd Century Media, which 

was founded in 2005 and expanded to 

the northern suburbs in 2010. Since 

its launch, the company has added 14 

newspapers and websites, and has become 

the largest newspaper group in the 

southwest suburbs. 

A 

sporting 

chance? 

Village Board 

approves 

feasibility 

study for sports 

complex despite 

some resident 

backlash, Page 4 

Emergency 

alert 

system 

Details on 

phone/text 

service for area 

emergencies 

further explained 

after late-night 

call, Page 6 

Knowledge is power 

Find some in the latest 22nd Century Media 

Education Guide, Inside

2 | December 5, 2019 | the homer horizon calendar 

homerhorizondaily.com 

In this week’s 

Horizon 

Sound Off.....................21 

Faith Briefs....................24 

Dining Out....................28 

Puzzles..........................29 

Home of the Week.........33 

Classifieds................ 34-40 

Sports...................... 41-48 

The Homer 

Horizon 

ph: 708.326.9170 fx: 708.326.9179 

Editor 

Thomas Czaja, x12 

tom@homerhorizon.com 

Assistant editor 

Benjamin Conboy, x15 

b.conboy@22ndcenturymedia.com 

Sales director 

Julie McDermed, x21 

j.mcdermed@22ndcenturymedia.com 

real estate sales 

Courtney Masinter ext 47 

c.masinter@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.HomerHorizon.com 

Chemical- free printing on 

30% recycled paper 

circulation inquiries 

circulation@22ndcenturymedia.com 

The Homer Horizon 

(USPS #25577) 

is published weekly by 

22nd Century Media, LLC, 

11516 W. 183rd Pl. 

Unit SW, Office Condo #3 


and additional mailing offices. 

POSTMASTER, Send changes to: 


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Published by 

www.22ndcenturymedia.com 

Ben Conboy 


Friday 

It’s Christmas Time In 

The City: Chicago and Its 

Yule Contributions and 

Traditions 

2-3 p.m. Dec. 6, Homer 

Township Public Library, 

Community Meeting 

Room, 14320 W. 151st St. 

One of Chicago’s earliest 

industries was Christmas 

trees and wreaths, and 

Chicagoans have contributed 

some of the most 

beloved holiday songs. 

These tidbits only scratch 

the surface when it comes 

to Chicago’s role in all 

things with Christmas. To 

learn more, join Clarence 

Goodman at this event. 

For more information and 

to register for the event, 

visit homerlibrary.org or 

call (708) 301-7908. 

Saturday 

Christmas on the Prairie 

2-6 p.m. Dec. 7, Annunciation 

Byzantine Catholic 

Church, 14610 S. Will 

Cook Road. Attendees will 

have an opportunity to 

learn about the true story 

of the original St. Nicholas 

and what Christmas on the 

prairie might have been 

like for the early settlers. 

There will be frontier era 

Christmas crafts for children, 

homemade Christmas 

bake sale items and 

a visit with St. Nicholas 

where attendees can get 

a ride on his horse-drawn 

carriage. For more information 

on Christmas on 

the Prairie, visit byzantine 

catholic.com or call (708) 

645-0241. 

Homer For The Holidays 

4:30-7:30 p.m. Dec. 

7, Homer Glen Village 

Hall, 14240 W. 151st St. 

The Village of Homer 

Glen hosts its Christmas 

tree lighting ceremony 

and more. There will be 

photos with Santa Claus, 

holiday crafts, a new light 

display, live music, seasonal 

refreshments and 

a chance to enter to win 

the Dress Your Pet Holiday 

Costume Contest. For 

more information, visit 

homerglenil.org, or call 

(708) 301-0632. 

Sunday 

Boy Scouts Troop 50 

Holiday Pancake Breakfast 

Fundraiser 

8-11 a.m. Dec. 8, Lockport 

VFW Hall, 1026 E. 

9th St., Lockport. Come 

out and support the boys 

that give back to our community. 

Enjoy a delicious 

breakfast, a visit with Santa, 

baked goods, fabulous 

raffle baskets and activities 

for the kids. Tickets 

cost $7 at the door, $6 in 

advance. Children ages 4 

and under are free. Contact 

us at friendsoftroop50@ 

gmail.com for tickets in 

advance. 

Second Santa Paws Craft 

and Vendor Show 

10 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 

8, Orchard Valley Golf 

Course, 2411 W. Illinois 

Ave., Aurora. There will 

be a craft a vendor show, 

along with a raffle that 

will have its proceeds 

go toward TLC Animal 

Shelter in Homer Glen. 

The event is free and 

pet friendly. For more 

information, visit tl 

canimalshelter.org. 

Seasonal Celebration 

4-5:30 p.m. Dec. 8, 

Homer Township Public 

Library, 14320 W. 151st 

St. Guests can dress in 

their holiday finest to 

join for this family event. 

There will be crafts, 

games, prize wheel, 

snack station, Santa, 

Snow White and Ollie the 

Snowman. Attendees are 

encouraged to bring their 

cameras for photos. The 

event is all ages; ages 6 

and under must be accompanied 

with an adult. For 


homerlibrary.org or call 

(708) 301-7908. 

Tuesday 

Winter Band Concert 


Jr. High, 15711 S. Bell 

Road. The sixth-grade 

Concert and Symphonic 

Bands will perform their 

winter concert in the gym. 

Wednesday 

Introduction to PowerPoint 


Township Public Library. 

14320 W. 151st St., Homer 

Glen. Come for a introductory 

course on how to use 

Microsoft PowerPoint, and 

learn how to make your 

slideshows and presentations 

from the ground up. 

Register online at homerli 

brary.org. 

UPCOMING 

“The Grinch” Holiday 

Movie and Craft 

11-11:30 a.m. Saturday, 

Dec. 14, Homer Township 

Public Library, 14320 

W. 151st St. Enjoy light 

refreshments and make a 

craft while watching the 

animated “The Grinch 

Who Stole Christmas” 

movie. Runtime is 26 

minutes. There is no registration 

for the event, but 

a limit of 30 guests. For 



(708) 301-7908. 

ONGOING 

Veterans Breakfast 

7-8:30 a.m. every first 

Monday of the month, 

Blueberry Hill Cafe, 14355 

S. Bell Road, Homer Glen. 

Active, inactive and retired 

military personnel 

can enjoy complimentary 

breakfast. For more information, 

email michelle. 

kerfin.rak3@statefarm. 

com. 

Fish Fry 

5-8 p.m. Fridays. John 

Olson American Legion 

Post 18, 15052 Archer 

Ave., Lockport. Dine in 

or carry out. For more information, 

call (815) 838- 

4515. 

Citizens Against Ruining 

the Environment 

6-7:30 p.m. every third 

Monday of the month, 

White Oak Library, 121 E. 

8th St., Lockport. CARE, 

a nonprofit and all-volunteer 

organization, will 

discuss environmental 

and health-related issues 

in Will County and the 

surrounding areas. Community 

service hours also 

available. 

LIST IT YOURSELF 

Reach out to thousands of daily 

users by submitting your event at 

HomerHorizon.com/calendar 

For just print*, email all information to 


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

Eyeglasses and Hearing 

Aid Donations 

8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 

Homer Township 

Administration Office, 

14350 W. 151st St., 

Homer Glen. The Lyons 

Club is sponsoring the donation 

of gently used eyeglasses 

and hearing aides, 

which will be distributed 

to residents in need. 

Teen Book Club 

7-8 p.m. second Thursday 

of each month, Homer 

Township Public Library, 

14320 W. 151st St., Homer 

Glen. A book club for 

teens to talk about what 

they’ve been reading and 

watching. The book club 

picks a book to read each 

month but if you don’t 

have time to read it, come 

anyway to eat snacks and 

meet new friends. Meets 

in the Community Meeting 

Room. For more information, 

contact Heather 

Colby at heather@ 


(708) 301-7908. 

Heritage Village 

Noon–4 p.m. Heritage 

Village, 249 W. 2nd Street, 

Lockport. Heritage Village 

includes historical buildings: 

Wells Corner Schoolhouse, 

the Symerton 

Depot, the Greenho Farmhouse, 

the Mokena Jail 

and other small buildings. 

For more information or 

tours, call (815) 838-5080 

or visit willhistory.org.

homerhorizondaily.com news 

the homer horizon | December 5, 2019 | 3 

Homer Glen Junior Woman’s Club spreads seasonal cheer with Holiday in Whoville 

Laurie Fanelli 

Freelance Reporter 

As the classic Dr. Seuss 

story “How the Grinch 

Stole Christmas” unfolds, 

the title character 

learns the true meaning of 

Christmas, thanks to the 

spirit of the residents of 

Whoville. 

On Sunday, Dec. 1, the 

Homer Glen Junior Woman’s 

Club created a similar 

sense of joy and community 

during its Holiday 

in Whoville event held 

at American Legion Post 

18 in Lockport. In lieu 

of the traditional Who 

feast of roast beast and 

Who pudding, a spaghetti 

dinner was served as attendees 

enjoyed spending 

time with family, 

friends, the Grinch and 

Santa Claus. 

This was the first time 

the Homer Glen Junior 

Woman’s Club presented 

Holiday in Whoville, and 

it built on the success of 

last year’s Spaghetti with 

Santa event. Jody Martiniak 

and Irene Trainor, 

the organization’s cochairs 

for fundraising, explained 

Whoville was the 

perfect setting in which 

to revel in Christmas 

camaraderie. 

“Everyone likes the 

Grinch, and it’s really 

fun,” Martiniak said. 

“We love to do themes 

and make it really exciting. 

Everyone’s a Who 

in Whoville, so it’s super 

fun. We’re all excited that 

the Grinch is making a 

visit, and Santa is coming, 

as well.” 

There are a few schools 

of thought as to which 

Grinch is the best Grinch, 

and 12-year-old Homer 

Glen resident Tyler Kouba 

said that the 2000 film 

starring Jim Carrey is su- 

Homer Glen residents Brayden (left) and Connor Hoge take a photo with the Grinch on Sunday, Dec. 1, during 

Homer Glen Junior Woman’s Club’s Holiday in Whoville event. Photos by Laurie fanelli/22nd Century media 

perior to the 1966 animated 

special.“I like the live 

one, because I like real 

life better than cartoons,” 

Kouba said. “I like how 

the people all have big 

noses.” 

Crafts, cookie decorating, 

games and raffles 

— with prizes donated 

by such local businesses 

as Bonefish Grill, Gizmos 

Fun Factory, Olive 

Garden, Dave & Busters, 

Chuy’s and more — added 

to the fun fundraiser, 

which, like all Homer 

Glen Junior Woman’s 

Club fundraisers, benefitted 

one local and one national 

non-profit. 

“We have two charities, 

a local and a national,” 

Trainor said. “Our local 

charity this year is Will- 

Grundy Medical Clinic, 

and the national one is the 

National Eating Disorder 

Association. The juniors’ 

national organization 

picks a charity locally and 

nationally, so we follow 

those guidelines.” 

Donations for the woman’s 

club’s annual support 

of Wreaths Across 

America — which presents 

veterans wreaths at 

cemeteries in honor of or 

in memory of an American 

hero — were also accepted 

at the door. 

“We’re doing Wreaths 

Across America, so we’ll 

be laying wreaths at Abraham 

Lincoln National 

Cemetery on Dec. 14,” 

Martiniak said. “We’re 

taking donations to see if 

anyone would like to support 

that tonight.” 

American Legion Post 

18 always offers an inviting 

atmosphere, especially 

during the holidays. 

Post Commander Mike 

Meyers explained that the 

organization enjoys helping 

out with community 

events. 

“We want the kids to 

have a nice atmosphere 

and everything,” Meyers 

said. “We’re like a community 

center for a lot of 

different programs like 

Scouts — Boy and Girl 

Scouts — the Junior Woman’s 

Club, and we just like 

to help out and keep these 

kids entertained around 

the holidays. The school’s 

have lost a lot of programs, 

so we’ve picked up 

the slack.” 

The HGJWC will host 

the annual Take a Chance 

for Change Bingo event 

in March. More information 

about upcoming 

events or becoming a 

member of the organization 

can be found at 

homerglenjuniors.org or 

their Facebook page. 

Homer Glen residents (left to right) Henry, William and Fiona Tetrick take a photo with 

Santa. 

2

4 | December 5, 2019 | the homer horizon news 


Homer Glen Village Board 

3 

Officials approve funding for sports complex feasibility study 

Jessie Molloy 


The Homer Glen Village 

Board approved 

funding for the next phase 

of the proposed sports 

complex feasibility study 

at its rescheduled regular 

meeting, which was 

held Nov. 26 to accommodate 

the Thanksgiving 

holiday. 

The board heard a presentation 

from Sports Facilities 

Advisory Strategic 

Advisor Gary Smallshaw 

regarding the next steps in 

researching the possibility 

of bringing a sports complex 

for travel team competitions 

and other events 

to Homer Glen. 

The property currently 

being considered for the 

project is about 400 acres 

between 151st and 159th 

Street from Parker Road 

to Cedar Road, though the 

exact size of the development 

has yet to be determined. 

Phase I of the study explored 

if there would be a 

market demand for such a 

facility in the region. Having 

determined that there 

would be a sufficient market 

for a high-end sports 

destination, Smallshaw 

recommended moving on 

to the next phase, which 

would include a financial 

analysis. The next phase 

of the study would answer 

further questions about 

the exact type of facilities 

that should be included in 

the development, as well 

as the actual acreage of 

the project. 

“Facilities like this are 

becoming more mixed 

use, so we’re looking at 

this like more of a destination,” 

Smallshaw 

said as he explained that 

many of the company’s 

similar developments include 

hotels, restaurants 

and a medical facility. 

“Parents don’t want to 

be stuck in the middle 

of a cornfield; they want 

to be able to go out and 

shop and get something 

to eat. 

“If done right, there’s a 

big opportunity here,” he 

added. 

The next phase of the 

project’s exploration is an 

“institutional grade” fiveyear 

financial forecast and 

approaching potential private 

sector financial partners. 

Currently, there are already 

two private backers 

from the community who 

have expressed interest in 

constructing the facility, 

Michael Goich and Chicagoland 

Sports Complex, 

which is headed by Mark 

Tomczak. 

The two backers combined 

provided 50 percent 

of the funding for 

the first phase of the 

study, and they agreed to 

provide half the funding 

for the second phase, as 

well. 

Suggestions provided 

by the backers for the 

complex included outdoor 

fields for soccer and baseball, 

as well as an indoor 

arena for hockey and volleyball. 

While Homer Glen 

Mayor George Yukich and 

several of the trustees expressed 

enthusiasm about 

the tax revenue such a 

facility could bring to the 

Village, some residents 

voiced concerns about 

traffic, noise and light pollution. 

“Other people may 

want this to travel to, but 

we’ll have to live with 

it,” said resident Janice 

Wood, who lives along 

151st Street. “Our motto 

is ‘Community and Nature 

in Harmony,’ and we 

won’t have that anymore. 

We won’t be able to see 

the night sky anymore if 

they have a lot of stadium 

lights.” 

Yukich noted the light 

issue has not been discussed 

yet and may not be 

a concern, and he said the 

potential revenue for the 

Village and local schools 

would be worth extra traffic. 

“Other towns around us 

all have hotels and make a 

lot of money off them,” he 

said. “Not one of us wants 

to see property taxes go 

up, but we need revenue 

from somewhere.” 

“There is a regional 

market for this, and when 

I approved Phase I, I knew 

the real answers probably 

wouldn’t come until 

Phase II,” Trustee Brian 

Burian commented. “My 

mind is not made up on 

this yet. The investors are 

key here, and we need 

more information, but I 

think we should go ahead. 

If it doesn’t make sense 

for us, we can pass and 

they can look somewhere 

Please see village, 10 

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Woman’s Club 

announces 2020 

scholarships 

Submitted by Homer Glen 

Junior Woman’s Club 

The Homer Glen Junior 

Woman’s Club has announced 

its annual scholarships 

for high school 

seniors who reside in 

Homer Glen or Homer 

Township. 

For the first time, the 

HGJWC is excited to fund 

two scholarships in the 

amounts of $1,000 and 

$500 for students who live 

in the community. 

The HGJWC strives to 

promote volunteerism, 

community and friendship 

through community service 

projects. The annual 

scholarship will be offered 

to two students who 

show exceptional service 

through volunteerism and 

who the HGJWC believes 

embodies their core values. 

Volunteerism is a key 

component in the scholarship 

decision-making process. 

Scholarship 

application 

and information 

can be found at homerglenjuniors.org/scholarships. 

The deadline for 

submitting completed 

applications is March 1, 

2020. 

Applications can be sent 

electronically to hgjwc@ 

yahoo.com or mailed to 

14007 S. Bell Road, Suite 

259, Homer Glen, IL 

60491. 

The Homer Glen Junior 

Woman’s Club consists of 

local women interested in 

enhancing the community 

through friendship, volunteerism 

and service. The 

club welcomes women of 

all ages with an interest in 

improving the community 

and meeting other likeminded 

ladies. 

For more information 

and further details on past 

and future charity contributions, 

visit homerglenju 

niors.org. Questions about 

HGJWC projects can be 

directed to hgjwc@yahoo. 

com. 

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• Local Resident 

Residents confused after late-night call 

from emergency notification system 

Details given on 

alert network, how 

to opt in or out 

Thomas Czaja, Editor 

A late-night phone call 

recently jolted some locals 

awake from their 

slumber. 

This is what occurred at 

about 12:30 a.m. on Nov. 

26 when the Will County 

Sheriff’s Office sent out 

an emergency alert via 

the Emergency Notification 

System, as confirmed 

by the Village of Homer 

Glen. The call was in 

regard to a 21-year-old 

woman with a mental disability 

who was last seen 

in the community about 

90 minutes prior to that 

time who was thought to 

be endangered or missing. 

While a follow-up call 

from the same notification 

system went out the 

following afternoon that 

IDOT opens 159th Street to four lanes of traffic 

Submitted by village of 

homer glen 

The Illinois Department 

of Transportation opened 

159th Street to four lanes 

of traffic between Will- 

Cook Road and Interstate 

355 on Monday, Nov. 25. 

Completion of the improvements 

will continue, 

the woman had been located 

safe and sound, with 

residents thanked for their 

assistance, the initial call 

sent after midnight left 

some residents confused 

and/or upset that it went 

out at the time it did. 

The Will County Sheriff’s 

Office did not return 

a request for comment on 

the timing of the initial 

call. The system is meant 

as a helpful alert notification 

that can provide important 

information when 

needed, with the sheriff’s 

office and local fire districts 

having access to it 

and able to use it based on 

their discretion on a caseby-case 

basis. 

The approximately 

12:30 a.m. alert went out 

to residents in the area 

spanning from Mokena 

to Plainfield, according 

to the Village. While 

some choose to opt into 

the notification system, 

residents should note 

the system also has both 

landline and cell phone 

and daytime rolling lane 

closures will be used when 

necessary, according to a 

Friday, Nov. 22, Village of 

Homer Glen press release 

Homer Glen Mayor 

George Yukich was quoted 

in the press release as having 

welcomed the update, 

thanking residents and 

numbers that were imported 

from the database 

of white pages. 

According to the Will 

County Emergency Management 

Agency website 

on the Smart Message 

— Community Alert Network 

notification system, 

residents can receive upto-the-minute 

alerts from 

local officials in regard 

to “immediate or pending 

threats to public safety or 

property where immediate 

notification is necessary.” 

It goes on to cite evacuation 

recommendations, 

boil orders, water main 

breaks and crime alerts as 

examples. 

The website also notes 

the system is not used as 

a severe weather notification 

system for those 

wondering why it does 

not contact them for tornadoes, 

blizzards or other 

such happenings. Instead, 

residents are encouraged 

to seek weather-related 

information from places 

such as the National 

business owners along 

159th Street for their patience 

during the project. 

He urged drivers to remain 

cautious on the road 

as construction was set to 

continue, especially during 

the holiday travel and 

shopping season. 

Landscaping along 

Weather Service at weath 

er.gov, a preferred local 

media source or through a 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration 

Weather Radio at one’s 

home or business that 

broadcasts NWS warnings, 

watches, forecasts 

and other hazard information 

24/7. 

Those who opt in — 

where one can select 

voice or text communication 

methods — for the 

alert system have their 

information protected and 

not used for any other purpose, 

the website added. 

The Village noted 

residents can opt out of 

the alert system if they 

choose, but that they may 

need to create a login and 

opt in before they can actually 

opt out. 


on the Smart Message — 

Community Alert Network, 

visit the EMA’s 

website at willcountyema. 

org/emergency-notifica 

tion-sign-up. 

159th Street and other final 

project items are to be 

completed in the spring 

with the warming weather, 

per the release. 

Residents can follow the 

Village of Homer Glen’s 

Facebook page for further 

updates regarding the 

159th Street construction. 

630.728.8490 

spysold.com 

PRIDE REALTY 

BOB 

SPYCHALSKI 

5 Star Rating 

visit us online at HomerHorizondaily.com



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11516 W. 183rd Pl. 



FAX: 

Circulation Manager 

708.326.9179 

PHONE: 

Circulation Manager 

708.326.9170



THANK YOU FOR VOTING US 

BEST SENIOR LIVING FOR 

THREE YEARS IN A ROW!!! 

WHAT MAKES TINLEY COURT DIFFERENT 

THAN ALL THE REST? 

Tinley Court offers a Unique Lifestyle of Catered Senior Living 

All Residents monthly fees include: 

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• Veteran’s Financial Assistance available 

FOR A 12 MONTH 

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Homer For The Holidays 

JOIN THE VILLAGE 

IN LIGHTING UP OUR NEW 

HOLIDAY LIGHT DISPLAY! 

Saturday, December 7 

4:30 - 7:30 p.m. 

Heritage Park, 14240 W. 151st St. 

FREE OUTDOOR EVENT! 

WHAT DOES “CATERED 

SENIOR LIVING” MEAN? 

It means we understand that 

each person has unique needs 

and wants. At Tinley Court 

those needs and wants will 

be met with dignity, 

respect and support. 

Tinley Court strives to nurture individuality with a 

sense of purpose in hopes of enriching one’s life. We offer 

a support system like no other senior community. Staffed 

24 hours for the well-being and security of our residents. 

PET 

FRIENDLY 

Holiday Crafts 

Photos with Santa Claus 

Tree Lighting Ceremony 

Train Ride Live Music Food Trucks 

Most Affordable Senior Living on the Southwest Side!!! 

2017 WINNER 

2018 

WINNER 

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WINNER 

Call 708-532-7800 

TO SCHEDULE A PRIVATE TOUR. 

16301 S Brementowne Rd., 

Tinley Park, IL 60477 

www.tinleycourt.com 

Member of Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce Since 1994 

2019 WINNER 

Enter to win the “Dress Your Pet” 

Holiday Costume Photo Contest! Deadline is 11/27 

Email photos to ablank@homerglenil.org 

Visit homerglenil.org for more info! 

Find us on Facebook @villageofhomerglen



Homer 33C assessment rates student 

satisfaction high, hits on space issues 

Benjamin Conboy 

Assistant Editor 

The Consortium for Education 

Change recently 

released an assessment of 

Homer Community Consolidated 

District 33C 

schools, which lays out 

the district’s strengths, as 

well as areas it can improve 

upon. 

The assessment is based 

on more than 600 interviews 

with students, 

parents, teachers, the superintendent 

and other 

community stakeholders 

and was conducted by 

2020 EXPO 

teachers, principals and 

other educators from nearby 

school districts. 

Homer 33C Superintendent 

Craig Schoppe said he 

was pleased with a number 

of areas in which the school 

and its staff were assessed 

favorably. 

“Student satisfaction is 

very high,” Schoppe said. 

“The kiddos enjoy coming 

to school and feel their 

teachers and principals care 

for them. They feel our 

learning environment is 

safe and nurturing.” 

The assessment said that 

district staff are “committed 

and caring” and that 

“staff and leaders demonstrate 

loyalty, dedication 

and commitment.” Staff 

also “[go] beyond the call 

of duty to help students 

succeed,” according to the 

assessment. 

“It’s a reflection on how 

dedicated our staff is to 

making sure they are as 

accessible to the students 

as they can be,” Schoppe 

said. “Our parents are also 

part of the team. And that 

doesn’t happen in every 

district, where you have 

such parent buy-in and support.” 

VENDORS WANTED 

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9 a.m.–1 p.m. 

Saturday, Jan. 18 

Tinley Park Convention Center 

18451 Convention Center Drive, 

Tinley Park 

Deadline: Thursday, Jan. 2 

For more information, call (708) 326-9170 ext. 16 or 

visit 22ndCenturyMedia.com/healthy 

visit us online at www.HomerHorizondaily.com 

3 

One of the most common 

areas for improvement identified 

in the report is that 

communication between all 

levels of school staff and between 

teachers and parents 

could be greater. 

“We use different modes 

of communication at different 

schools,” Schoppe said. 

“We need to be consistent 

across the board with our 

expectations for how we’re 

communicating to families 

and narrowing [the number 

of communications 

platforms used] so parents 

know there is one platform 

you can go to to get all the 

information they need.” 

The assessment also 

noted there are space issues 

in many buildings around 

the district and as a result, 

some schools have been 

holding classes in “closets 

and halls.” 

“We have space issues 

across the board,” Schoppe 

said. “Five of the six of our 

buildings are near capacity.” 

Schoppe also said that 

students are not being 

shoved into broom closets 

for class — they are areas 

that just were not intended 

for classroom use within 

the school. 

“They’re smaller rooms 

that were renovated that 

are nice areas; it’s just that 

they weren’t designated 

to be learning areas when 

the buildings were built,” 

Schoppe said. “They were 

more built for office space, 

but now we’re utilizing 

them to meet with small 

student groups.” 

Schoppe called this 

space issue is one of his 

biggest areas of concern 

going forward. 

Read the full assessment 

at homerschools.org. 

Blessings Bags being 

collected at Providence 

Submitted by Providence 

Catholic High School 

The best gifts come in 

small packages – just ask 

the students in Providence 

Catholic High School’s 

Take a Stand to Cancer 

club. 

TASC is holding its 

second annual fundraiser 

through Friday, Dec. 6. 

TASC will be filling Blessings 

Bags for cancer patients 

and invite the community to 

be a part of this initiative 

organized by Providence 

Catholic High School students 

and Director of Counseling 

Luke Senffner. 

Senffner explained they 

are collecting items for patients 

undergoing chemotherapy 

like soft blankets, 

warm and fuzzy socks, 

adult coloring books and 

colored pencils, and gift 

cards to Dunkin’ and Starbucks. 

Cash donations are 

also being accepted. 

He added the Blessings 

Bags may be a small thing, 

but that they have a big 

impact on cancer patients 

at Joliet Oncology-Hematology 

Associates, which 

is where they are donated, 

noting they are a nice 

surprise for the patients 

around the holidays. 

The donation drive was 

started by Jake Lucky in 

Provi’s Class of 2019, as 

well as current Providence 

senior Jenna Spreitzer 

and is an example of how 

village 

From Page 4 

else, but we need to do our 

due diligence and make a 

decision based on data.” 

The study will take 

between six and eight 

weeks to conduct and cost 

a maximum of $37,500. 

The Village will pay half 

Providence Catholic students 

take the mission of 

the school out in the community. 

Spreitzer said it is important 

for them to get 

involved in giving back, 

and that they offer patients 

some comfort during an 

extremely difficult time. 

All items can be dropped 

off to the Providence Catholic 

High School Counseling 

Department and will 

be delivered to Joliet Oncology-Hematology 

Associates 

in mid-December. 

Last year, during the organization’s 

first year, 125 

Blessings Bags were created 

for the patients at JOHA, 

and more than $3,500 was 

raised through T-shirt sales 

to help families that did 

not have a Providence association 

but were families 

students knew. Last year, 

they helped with medical 

bills for a family in Lemont 

who had a child battling 

cancer and bought a 

gift for a young person in 

Morris who has been fighting 

the disease. 

They also contributed to 

a new Providence scholarship 

fund in memory of 

Pam Ketwig, a longtime 

staff member who died 

suddenly after her battle 

with cancer. 

For questions on the 

Blessings Bags, contact 

Senffner at (815) 717- 

3184. 

of that amount, while the 

two aforementioned private 

investors will split 

the remaining half 50-50. 

The board voted to approve 

the funding 5-1. 

Trustee Sharon Sweas opposed 

the measure, and 

Trustee Ann Holtz was 

absent. Yukich voted in 

favor of the measure.



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Assortment of holiday events planned this weekend 

Homer Glen to be filled 

with festive spirit Dec. 

6-8 at various places 

Benjamin Conboy, Assistant Editor 

The holiday season is once 

again upon us. 

The weather outside might 

be frightful, but there is a lot 

of holiday festivities to attend 

this weekend in Homer Glen 

that will be delightful. From a 

15-foot-tall hot cocoa mug to 

sleigh rides through the prairie 

with St. Nicholas, The Homer 

Horizon has put together some 

of the holiday season’s most 

noteworthy events from Friday, 

Dec. 6, through Sunday, Dec. 8, 

in Homer Glen. 

It’s Christmastime in the City: 

Chicago and its Yule Contributions 

and Traditions 

2-3 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, Homer 

Township Public Library. 14320 

W. 151st St., Homer Glen 

Chicago and Chicagoans have 

made some noteworthy contributions 

to the holiday season 

over the years. Speaker Clarence 

Goodman will be at the Homer 

Township Public Library to share 

a few surprising facts about our 

area’s contribution to the culture 

of the holiday season that one 

might not have known. 

Goodman will give an audiovisual 

presentation about Chicago’s 

yuletide traditions, looking back 

at Chicago during the holiday 

season in the city since the early 

1800s, as well as Chicago’s contributions 

to Christmas and Hanukkah 

worldwide. 

One of Chicago’s most notable 

contributions to Christmas traditions 

is in the form of music. 

“The famous “Christmas 

Song” (more commonly known 

as “Chestnuts Roasting on an 

Open Fire”) was written by Chicagoan 

Mel Torme,” Goodman 

said. “One of the great ironies 

of the American experience is 

that some of the best Christmas 

songs were written by Jewish 

songwriters.” 

Goodman will talk also about 

Chicago’s economic contributions 

to the holidays. As a gobetween 

from the foresters of 

Michigan and Wisconsin, and as 

a result the modern holiday tree 

and wreath market exploded in 

Chicago. 

“You’ll learn some stuff and 

have the opportunity to relive 

some memories you haven’t 

thought of,” Goodman said. “It’s 

amazing how no matter what god 

we worship or don’t worship, 

this time of year we all have way 

more in common than we realize 

or care to admit.” 

Christmas on the Prairie 

2-6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, 

Annunciation Byzantine Catholic 

Church. 14610 S. Will Cook 

Road, Homer Glen 

Christmas on the Prairie, hosted 

by Annunciation Byzantine 

Catholic Church, is the place to 

be if one wants to enjoy the holiday 

spirit in the company of nature. 

The event tells the story of St. 

Nicholas by using the church’s 

prairie. As one follows the prairie 

paths, certain areas along the 

way will have people from the 

church put on brief skits about 

the life of St. Nicholas. Several 

portions of the event will be 

held outdoors, but there will be 

a large heated tent in which to 

warm up and relax. 

At some point, St. Nicholas 

will actually arrive on a horse 

and carriage and visit with the 

children. Everybody will have 

the opportunity to take a ride on 

the carriage with old St. Nick. 

There will also be carolers, 

Christmas cookies and frontierera 

craft making. 

“To experience a very unique 

spirit about this event, it’s almost 

mystical,” Fr. Thomas Loya, 

pastor of Annunciation, said. “It 

gets right to the heart of what the 

Christmas season is and who St. 

Nicholas was. It was his spirituality 

and spirit, which is very much 

Matthew Schudt paints a St. Nicholas ornament during last year’s 

Christmas in the Prairie at Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church 

in Homer Glen, which is one of five local holiday events taking 

place this weekend. 22nd Century Media File Photo 

a part of the Christmas season, 

and it’s the way of experiencing 

that against the background of 

nature, of the indigenous prairie 

of the region, that makes this 

special.” 

Homer for the Holidays 

4:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 

7, Homer Glen Village Hall. 

14240 W. 151st St., Homer Glen 

Homer for the Holidays is 

back, and it is bigger than ever. 

The Village of Homer Glen’s signature 

traditional holiday party 

and lighting ceremony in Heritage 

Park will feature a number 

of new attractions and activities 

for all ages. 

“This year, what is especially 

interesting about the event is 

that we’ve added this enormous 

lighting display,” said Amy 

Blank, the communication and 

recreation services coordinator 

for the Village. “What it includes 

are large sculptural pieces 

that are covered in lights, in 

addition to trees being wrapped 

with lights and lights hanging 

from trees. The highlight of 

the light display is the 32-foot 

Christmas tree.” 

Another highlight of the display 

is a 15-foot tall hot cocoa 

mug. The mug, designed by 

Artistic Holiday Designs specifically 

for Homer Glen, has 

a tunnel that is so big that one 

can walk through it and take 

in the dazzling lights. As one 

walks through it, steam comes 

out that actually smells like hot 

cocoa. 

“The other thing that is interesting 

and new this year is that we 

have an augmented reality app,” 

Blank said. “You download the 

app, and as you walk through the 

display, you can play games in 

conjunction with these light displays. 

So, for example, the kids 

can open the app, and, as they’re 

standing in the hot cocoa mug, 

they can find hidden presents and 

things like that through the app.” 

Second Santa Paws Craft and 

Vendor Show 

10-2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, Orchard 

Valley Golf Course. 2411 

W. Illinois Ave., Aurora 

For a pet-friendly holiday 

event, check out the Second Santa 

Paws Craft and Vendor Show 

in Aurora. 

The event at Orchard Valley 

Golf Course will have a raffle, 

and the proceeds will go to TLC 

Animal Shelter in Homer Glen, 

who could really use some help. 

Furry friends are welcome at the 

event. 

TLC Shelter Coordinator Janine 

Carter said the shelter’s 

veterinarian bills have been “astronomically 

high” this year, and 

vet bills are one of their biggest 

expenses. 

“We had about 12 heartworm 

cases this year, and to treat that 

costs anywhere from $1,000- 

$1,400,” Carter said. “We had 

some upper respiratory issues 

with cats. And we’re also treating 

two puppies right now where the 

owner is in jail for abusing them 

and their mother. Apart from the 

scars, they have ringworm, which 

isn’t hard to treat, but still.” 

Right now, TLC has a lot of 

surplus dog and cat food thanks 

to donations, but they are still 

struggling to pay for the aforementioned 

costly vet bills. 

“Whatever is donated will 

help,” Carter said. “Our vet bills 

average about $1,500 a month, 

and that’s without the medications, 

vaccinations that we use 

here.” 

Carter said that the fundraiser 

last year netted TLC about $300. 

Seasonal Celebration 

4-5:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, 

Homer Township Public Library. 

14320 W. 151st. St., Homer Glen 

The Homer Township Public 

Library is hosting its seasonal 

celebration, where there 

will be a lot of fun activities for 

families. 

Santa Claus himself will be 

there to take photographs with 

children, and there will also be 

special visits from Snow White 

and Ollie the Snowman. 

There will also be refreshments, 

games, a prize wheel and 

a DJ playing holiday music. Families 

are encouraged to dress in 

their seasonal finest. 

“It’s a free family event to kick 

off the holidays,” Youth Services 

Manager Jody Olivieri said. “So, 

come on out and have some fun.”



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Contests 

Already underway: Holiday Card Contest 2019 

Bill Jones, Managing Editor 

We hope you weren’t 

sleeping on last week’s 

Holiday Guide. 

Oh? You were “busy”? 

You “had some things”? 

Well, fine. We hope you 

had a nice Thanksgiving 

dinner. We hope more so 

that everyone in your family 

is still talking. And we 

were crossing our fingers 

that you scored that discount 

television on Black 

Friday. 

Now, if we can have but 

a moment of your time. In 

that Holiday Guide, we 

officially announced our 

Holiday Card Contest for 

2019. 

That’s right. It’s off and 

running. 

Yes, right now. There’s 

not a minute to waste. 

We’re looking for your 

custom and creative Christmas 

cards, those loud and 

proud year-end letters (we 

also enjoy the ones that 

make us laugh), pictures of 

your child’s first celebration, 

artistic interpretations 

of what the family would 

look like if they were actually 

happy together for 

the holidays, your all-time 

favorite Kwanzaa customs 

or Hanukkah handwritten 

blessings — whatever it is 

you send to the people you 

love to remind them you 

care this time of year. 

We want to see your 

intricate paperwork. We 

want to hear who got a 

new job, how they’re 

spending the money and 

who is being left out (and 

why, please). We want holiday 

photos, be they riffs 

on your favorite National 

Lampoon movie or in the 

true spirit of the holiday. 

Whatever it is you do 

to greet people for the 

holidays (just the familyfriendly 

stuff, please), 

simply address these 

things to Managing Editor 

Bill Jones, and mail 

them to 11516 W. 183rd 

St. Unit SW Office Condo 

3, Orland Park, IL, 60467. 

Make sure the items somewhere 

include a name and 

a phone number at which 

we can reach you, should 

you happen to win the contest, 

as well as your hometown. 

We will accept submissions 

through 5 p.m. Tuesday, 

Dec. 24, because we, 

too, wait to do things until 

the last minute sometimes. 

The entries must be received 

(not postmarked) 

by that day, so make sure 

to give yourself enough 

time for holiday mail service. 

The entries will be 

evaluated by our editorial 

staff and judged in two 

categories: Best in Show 

and Funniest, so tell us in 

which category you’d like 

to be considered. We will 

pick one winner in each of 

the categories from across 

all seven of the towns 

covered by 22nd Century 

Media’s Southwest office: 

Orland Park, Tinley 

Holiday Card Contest 2019 Prizes 

A look at what you can win in this year’s Holiday Card Contest 

Best in Show 

• Four $25 gift cards to Bonefish Grill, 

15537 S. LaGrange Road in Orland 

Park 

• Four one-hour passes for 

racquetball/wallyball at Silver Lake 

Country Club, 14700 S. 82nd Ave. in 

Orland Park 

• A $25 gift certificate for Tazza 

Italian Ristorante, 14065 S. Bell Road 

in Homer Glen 

• $25 gift card for One Paper Place, 

590 Bankview Drive, Suite B, in 

Frankfort 

• A certificate good for $5 off a 

purchase of $10 or more at Pop’s 

Italian Beef & Sausage, 16600 W. 

159th St. in Lockport 

Park, Frankfort, Mokena, 

New Lenox, Lockport and 

Homer Glen. 

In addition to awarding 

prizes (detailed in the accompanying 

sidebar), we 

plan to publish images or 

transcripts of our winners 

in print, along with a few 

of our other favorites. 

We do have three rules. 

• We are allowing only 

one entry per household 

for this contest. 

Funniest 

• A $100 gift card to Urban Air 

Adventure Park, 19800 S. LaGrange 

Road in Mokena 

• Four $10 gift certificates for The 

Barrel Club, 4910 W. 111th St. in Oak 

Lawn 

• Two hours of free bowling for up 

to six people, including shoe rentals, 

along with a pizza and pitcher full of 

pop, at Laraway Lanes, 1009 West 

Laraway Road in New Lenox 

• Certificates for four free value 

baskets at Culver’s, 18248 Sayre Ave. 

in Tinley Park 

• A certificate good for $5 off a 

purchase of $10 or more at Pop’s 

Italian Beef & Sausage, 16600 W. 

159th St. in Lockport 

• The entry must be from 

this holiday season. 

• Because we’re living 

in a digital world, electronic 

entries are accepted. 

They can be sent to bill@ 

opprairie.com. 

Veterans Memorial Trail project awarded $5.3 million grant 

Submitted by Forest 

Preserve District of Will 

County 

A new 3.5-mile section 

of the Forest Preserve District 

of Will County’s Veterans 

Memorial Trail will 

become a reality, thanks 

to a $5.3 million federal 

grant. 

The paved trail section 

will be built in Homer 

Township from 159th 

Street, just east of Interstate 

355, south to Hadley 

Valley preserve. Construction 

could begin sometime 

in 2020. 

The northern section 

of the new trail segment 

will connect to a path the 

Illinois Department of 

Transportation is building 

along the north side 

of 159th Street from Interstate 

355 east to Route 45. 

The southern section of the 

new Veterans Memorial 

Trail segment will connect 

to the forest preserve’s 

Spring Creek Greenway 

Trail . The project includes 

two tunnels that will carry 

the path under 167th Street 

and Gougar Road. 

The Transportation Alternatives 

Program grant 

A recently announced $5.3 million federal grant will 

pave the way for a new 3.5-mile section of the Forest 

Preserve District of Will County’s Veterans Memorial 

Trail in Homer Township. Photo submitted 

was allocated recently by 

the Chicago Metropolitan 

Agency for Planning 

as part of $475 million in 

federal funds awarded to 

70 transportation improvement 

projects throughout 

the region. 

The grant will pay for 

80 percent of the Veterans 

Memorial Trail extension. 

The City of Lockport is 

contributing $575,000 for 

the project, which will 

help the forest preserve 

pay its 20 percent grant 

match. 

The trail segment is a 

critical link in a collaborative 

effort by the forest 

preserve and its partners 

to build out Will County’s 

regional trail system, said 

Ralph Schultz, the district’s 

chief operating officer. 

Schultz said connections 

like these offer true, nonmotorized 

alternatives that 

mean cleaner air and offer 

healthy options for travel 

between homes, businesses 

and natural areas. He 

added they look forward 

to working with others 

to continue to expand the 

Veterans Memorial trail in 

the future and provide additional 

opportunities and 

connections within their 

communities. 

Trail planning grew out 

of construction of the Veterans 

Memorial Tollway 

(Interstate 355), which 

Please see trail, 21



Joliet Area Community Hospice 

wishes you and your family 

peace, hope and love this holiday season! 

REAL PEOPLE REAL CARE YOUR FAMILY 

Our Community’s 

Not-for-Profit Choice 

for Exceptional Hospice 

and Palliative Care. 

United Way of will County 

& Grundy County 

250 Water Stone Circle, Joliet, IL 60431 

815.740.4104 www.joliethospice.org 

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16 | December 5, 2019 | the homer horizon community 


Announcements 

Just engaged! 

Kate Partynski, daughter 

of Jeff and Maureen 

Partynski, of Homer Glen, 

recently got engaged to 

Joe Emery, of Riverside, 

California. Kate and Joe 

met while attending the 

University of San Diego. 

Kate, a genetic counselor, 

and Joe, an engineer, 

plan an October 2020 

wedding. Kate attended 

Homer Glen schools 

and Joliet Catholic High 

School. The couple lives 

in California. 

Make a FREE announcement 

in The Homer Horizon. We will 

publish birth, birthday, military, 

engagement, wedding and 

anniversary announcements 

free of charge. Announcements 

are due the Thursday 

before publication. To make an 

announcement, email tom@ 

homerhorizon.com. 

Barney 

TLC Animal Shelter 

13016 W. 151st St. 

Homer Glen, IL 60491 

 

$99 

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Barney is an 8-yearold 

neutered male 

rat terrier. He is 

great with children 

and other dogs. He 

is well-behaved and 

housebroken. He is 

really a nice dog that keeps getting passed by. He is going to make a devoted 

companion. 

Do you want to see your pet pictured as The Homer Horizon’s Pet of the Week? Send 

your pet’s photo and a few sentences explaining why your pet is outstanding to Tom at 

tom@homerhorizon.com or 11516 W. 183rd St., Office Condo 3, Suite SW, Orland Park, 

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18 | December 5, 2019 | the homer horizon sound off 


Staying safe 

Gaining a new perspective 

with the holidays, 2020 ahead 

Chris Dowdall 

Contributing Columnist 

Six minutes. 

This is the amount 

of time that the 

human brain can survive 

before irreparable and 

irreversible harm occurs. 

This benchmark of time is 

the exact amount of time 

that stands between the 

life you want to have and 

the life you may have. The 

ability to walk, to talk, to 

perform everyday tasks 

may never be possible 

again in a matter of moments. 

Simply imagine that 

you are enjoying your 

morning coffee, having 

a late-night dinner 

or thinking about that 

loved one you have not 

talked to in what seems 

like forever. Six minutes 

later, due to any number 

of reasons, you no longer 

have the ability or the 

cognition to do any of 

these acts. 

While there are certain 

statistical anomalies that 

will present themselves, 

for the most part, people 

who reach this benchmark 

will fail to live a life that 

is not hindered in some 

way. Accidents do not discriminate, 

and they are not 

on anyone’s schedule. 

So, more importantly, 

why does any of this matter? 

The holidays are slowly 

settling in, and a new year 

is around the corner. It 

is a time for new beginnings 

and change. As a 

first responder, I have had 

the unfortunate opportunity 

to arrive to scenes 

where people have gone 

into — and beyond — 

this six-minute window. 

The cemetery is filled 

with individuals who did 

not believe that that day 

would be their last day on 

this Earth. 

This year, countless 

families will be experiencing 

their first holiday 

without a loved one. There 

are just as many families 

who will be experiencing 

their last holiday with a 

loved one; they just do 

not know it yet. So, again, 

why does this matter? 

Six minutes. This is the 

exact amount of time it 

will take for you to lose 

the ability to tell a family 

member that you love 

them. This will be the 

amount of time that it can 

take for you to lose the 

ability to walk, to see, to 

hear. 

All your goals, all 

your words, all your life, 

altered in less time then 

it will take you to read 

this article. With a new 

year should come a new 

perspective. 

Use the gifts that you 

still possess to do all the 

things you want to do. 

Reach out, bury the hatchet 

and drop a grudge with 

family and friends that 

you may not speak with. 

Try to do that one thing 

that you have wanted to 

do, yet never had the courage 

to do. 

Hug your loved ones, 

tell them you love them 

and let them know how 

much they mean to you, 

because in six minutes 

you could lose the ability 

to. 

Chris Dowdall is a Homer 

Glen resident who is a nationally 

and State of Illinoisregistered 

EMT and also 

certified as a Department of 

Defense instructor. He has 

completed two thesis papers 

and other research papers 

on public health issues and 

has a master’s in emergency 

management, global security 

studies and human service 

counseling. 

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FROM THE TINLEY JUNCTION 

Tinley girl donates 

birthday presents to 

Treasure Chest six years 

in a row 

When Dawn Beaudry 

asked her now 10-yearold 

daughter, Ella, to 

donate her birthday presents 

for her party when 

she turned 4, Ella did not 

hesitate. 

“I was like, ‘She doesn’t 

need anymore toys=; she 

has enough toys,’ and so 

I just started researching 

places to give gifts to and 

I found the Treasure Chest 

Foundation, and I like that 

it helps kids with cancer,” 

Dawn said. 

The Pediatric Oncology 

Treasure Chest Foundation, 

located in Orland 

Park, gives children with 

cancer gifts from its treasure 

chest to provide 

“comfort and distraction 

from painful procedures,” 

according to its 

website. 

“I want her to start appreciating 

what she has 

in life and realize there’s 

kids who don’t have all 

of that, and that it’s nice 

to help others when you 

can,” Dawn said. 

Every year for the last 

six years, Dawn did not 

needed to ask her daughter 

if she would like to 

keep donating. 

“She actually asks every 

year, she’s like, ‘Can 

we bring toys again?’” 

Dawn said. 

For Ella’s birthday 

party on Oct. 11, she collected 

15 toys from three 

friends who came over for 

a sleepover. She and her 

mother also went shopping 

to buy a few extra. 

On Oct. 25, Ella, her 

mother and her 6-year-old 

brother, Charlie, went to 

the Treasure Chest Foundation 

to deliver the toys. 

Reporting by Jacquelyn 

Schlabach, Editor. For more, 

visit TinleyJunctionDaily. 

com. 

FROM THE MOKENA MESSENGER 

Holiday spirit abounds 

at LW Central Special 

Olympics Cheer Clinic 

The talented athletes of 

the Lincoln-Way Central 

varsity and junior varsity 

cheer teams are always 

full of school spirit, but 

it was holiday cheer that 

inspired them to host a 

heartwarming event. 

On Nov. 24, the LWC 

cheerleaders held a free 

Special Olympics Cheer 

Clinic to teach aspiring 

cheerleaders with special 

needs tips and techniques. 

To build on the season of 

giving, each participant 

was encouraged to bring 

an unwrapped toy to donate 

to Toys for Tots. 

This first-time event 

was inspired by the team’s 

dedication to giving back 

to the community, as well 

as the coaching staff’s 

passion for providing 

wonderful experiences 

for children with special 

needs. Cheerleading 

coach Danielle Emmart, 

assistant varsity coach 

Alexia Powers — whose 

brother Nick has Down 

syndrome and took part in 

the clinic — and JV coach 

Emilie Harris said they 

were thrilled to be able to 

host the program. 

“We do cheerleading 

clinics for kids every year 

— pre-K through eighth 

grade — and we’ve never 

really had any special 

needs kids do it,” Emmart 

said. “The more I thought 

about it, the more I felt 

that parents shouldn’t feel 

like they can’t bring their 

kids to something like 

this. 

“I feel like this is something 

that we should offer 

to these kids to give 

them a safe environment, 

especially for the parents 

to feel that they can stay 

with their kids if they 

need to. We can make this 

clinic all about these kids 

and make them feel like 

they’re cheerleaders for a 

day.” 

Reporting by Laurie Fanelli, 

Freelance Reporter. For 

more, visit MokenaMesseng 

erDaily.com. 

FROM THE ORLAND PARK 

PRAIRIE 

Illinois Lottery celebrates 

holidays with free hot 

chocolate at Orland Park 

Mariano’s 

After finishing up their 

grocery shopping at the 

Mariano’s in Orland Park, 

customers were handed a 

fresh cup of hot chocolate. 

The Illinois Lottery 

teamed up Nov. 25 with 

Mariano’s to provide a 

little cup of cheer as they 

greeted shoppers. 

Excited about the toppings 

she can choose, Orland 

Park resident Sheila 

Blockson said she was excited 

to have a hot chocolaty 

drink after shopping. 

“This is amazing,” 

Blockson said. “I was 

hoping to get something 

warm, because the temperature 

dropped outside. 

This is perfect.” 

And after finding out 

the hot chocolate event 

was partially sponsored 

by the Illinois Lottery, 

Blockson said she knew it 

was not a coincidence. 

“My brother bought a 

scratch-off last night and 

won some money, so I 

thought ‘I’m going to pick 

one up today,’” Blockson 

said. 

Larry Miller, a program 

director working with Illinois 

Lottery, explained 

the promotion. 

“The Illinois Lottery 

and Mariano’s have a new 

partnership,” Miller said. 

“We’re giving away hot 

chocolate to the consumers 

to promote the idea of 

giving more surprises this 

holiday season.” 

Reporting by Mary Compton, 


more, visit OPPrairieDaily. 

com. 

FROM THE NEW LENOX PATRIOT 

Village to honor local 

military veterans with 

banners in the Commons 

Mayor Tim Baldermann 

introduced a new program 

at the New Lenox Village 

Board meeting Nov. 25 

that will honor local military 

veterans. 

The program, which 

Baldermann said was 

suggested by a resident 

who had seen something 

similar done in another 

community in southern Illinois, 

will allow residents 

to request a banner honoring 

the military service of 

loved ones to be placed in 

the Village Commons. 

The 5-foot tall banners 

are to include the service 

member’s branch of the 

military, years of service 

and service picture on 

them, and will be fastened 

at the top and bottom of 

poles around the Commons. 

Baldermann’s plan accounted 

for 121 banners 

to be installed, with applications 

for banners now 

available on the Village 

website. First preference 

for banners will go to current 

and former residents 

of New Lenox as well as 

nonresident members of 

the New Lenox VFW and 

American Legion posts. 

Applicants who are accepted 

will be asked to 

pay a fee of $175, and 

each accepted application 

will get a banner flown for 

two years between Memorial 

Day and Veterans 

Day. 

The Village will store 

the banners during the 

winter of the first year, 

and after the second year 

the banners will be given 

to the service member 

or family of the service 

member to keep. They 

are designed to withstand 

winds of up to 70 mph, 

so they will be able to be 

kept as keepsakes after 

they have flown. 

Reporting by Jessie Molloy, 


more, visit NewLenoxPatri 

otDaily.com. 

FROM THE FRANKFORT STATION 

Frankfort dancer to 

perform in Chicago ballet 

production 

For Mairead Littleton, 

ballet is more than just 

a style of dance — it is 

a unique opportunity for 

self-expression. 

The 17-year-old Frankfort 

dancer will take her 

talents to the stage this 

weekend in A&A Ballet’s 

rendition of “The 

Art Deco Nutcracker,” 

scheduled for Dec. 6-8 

at Chicago’s Studebaker 

Theater. 

Littleton has several 

parts in the upcoming production 

— a colorful, energetic 

version of the classic 

“Nutcracker” ballet set 

in the 1920s. 

Littleton, a senior at 

St. Ignatius College Prep, 

discovered her love of 

ballet at an early age and 

has been dancing since 

she was 5 years old. 

“I remember I was 

watching YouTube videos 

of ballerinas and seeing 

advertisements, and then 

me and my two younger 

sisters, we decided we 

wanted to stop Irish dance 

and start ballet,” Littleton 

said. “And then we did 

that, and I stuck with it.” 

Reporting by Nuria Mathog, 

Editor. For more, visit 

FrankfortStationDaily.com.

homerhorizondaily.com sound off 


Social snapshot 

Top Web Stories 

From HomerHorizonDaily.com from 

Monday, Dec. 2. 

1. Trio of Homer residents among Provi 

student-athletes making college 

commitments 

2. News from Your Neighbors: D159 

superintendent to retire, dozens of 

teachers turn out to D228 meeting as 

strike looms, more 

3. Faith Briefs: Council of Catholic Women, 

Senior Happy Hour, more 

4. Woman’s Club announces 2020 

scholarships 

5. Homer resident to lead ‘Nutcracker’ 

production in Joliet 

Become a Horizon Plus member: homerhorizon.com/plus 

“The holidays are fast approaching, and the 

library is beginning to look festive! We hope 

we can help make your season bright!” 

Homer Township Public Library, from Nov. 26. 

Like The Homer Horizon: facebook.com/homerhorizon 

“Thank you to all of our parents who attended 

P/T conferences and for being an active member 

in your child’s education. Thank you to all of 

our teachers who go above and beyond each 

day. Thank you to all of our students who make 

Schilling a great place to be! Happy Thanksgiving!” 

@Schilling33C, Schilling School 33C, from Nov. 

26. 

Follow The Homer Horizon: @homerhorizon 

from the publisher 

Local news matters. You keep it alive. 

Joe Coughlin 

Publisher 

If you have not yet, 

please make sure you 

check out the story 

on the cover of this issue 

before you read this 

column, which may not 

make a whole lot of sense 

otherwise. 

We hope you find the 

idea of supporting for 

your local news reasonable. 

We have been 

dedicated to providing 

unbeatable coverage of 

Homer Glen for 14 years. 

And as you can imagine, 

producing complete and 

original community journalism 

takes people and it 

takes resources. 

You have supported The 

Horizon for years, showing 

that you appreciate 

and trust our work. Asking 

you to buy a subscription 

for our product is the next 

step in that journey. 

trail 

From Page 14 

provides a 15-20-footwide 

corridor for portions 

of Veterans Memorial 

Trail. 

Schultz said with more 

than 20 years in planning 

and engineering, they look 

forward to helping make 

the tollway a truly multimodal 

transportation corridor. 

Ultimately, if all of the 

planned trail segments are 

Before I get into the 

specifics of a Horizon subscription, 

I hope you bear 

with me for an anecdote: 

In my first year as a community 

newsman, a role I 

was not yet sure suited me, 

I got a call from a troubled 

woman in New Lenox. 

She told me that one 

morning the month prior 

her husband — a relatively 

young, vibrant man — did 

not wake up. With the 

breakfast table set, the kids 

waiting and the coffee hot, 

the man of the house never 

walked down the stairs. 

In his sleep, to the 

shock of all, he slipped 

into a coma. 

As medical bills piled 

up, the family of humble 

means decided to raffle off 

the husband’s prize possession: 

a rehabbed, vintage 

motorcycle. So, for the 

newspaper, The New Lenox 

Patriot, a sister of The 

Horizon, I wrote about it. 

I got another call from 

the woman a week later. 

Not only did the family 

receive more than enough 

entries to hold the raffle, 

but also, the winner of the 

bike gave it back to its 

owner. 

Local news mattered 

then. Local news matters 

completed, Veterans Memorial 

Trail will stretch 

around 15 miles from Internationale 

Parkway in 

Woodridge south to New 

Lenox. 

Currently, the trail consists 

of a 4.73-mile segment 

that travels from 

135th Street in Romeoville 

to Woodridge. Additional 

segments are 

planned from 159th Street 

north to 127th Street (ending 

at Lemont’s Centennial 

Park) and south from 

now. 

We did what no one else 

could. A community connection 

is the foundation 

of 22nd Century Media, 

publisher of The Horizon. 

With our feet on the street, 

we cover our beats like no 

one else can or will. 

We report on every 

Village Board meeting, 

keep up on local breaking 

news, provide police 

reports, give regular business 

features/updates and 

cover Lockport Township 

High School District 205, 

Providence Catholic High 

School, Homer Community 

Consolidated School 

District 33C and Will 

County School District 

92. We are present at all 

your favorite events, from 

Homer for the Holidays 

and Homer Community 

Fest to fundraisers and 

community concerts. We 

provide unparalleled and 

award-winning coverage 

of local sports and studentathletes. 

This dedicated 

and valued coverage is our 

calling card and has led to 

unprecedented growth in 

the media industry over 

the last 14 years. It has 

also led to more than 170 

national and state journalism 

awards. 

Spring Creek Greenway 

Trail to Route 6 across 

from Silver Cross Hospital, 

which would be part 

of a commercial development 

overseen by the Village 

of New Lenox. 

A connection to the 

Schneider’s Passage trailhead 

on 135th Street also 

is planned. 

For more information on 

Veterans Memorial Trail 

and other forest preserve 

projects, visit reconnec 

twithnature.org. 

More importantly, 

though, our detailed and 

authentic work has led to 

our news becoming an 

essential part of life in 

Homer Glen and our other 

communities. 

As The Homer Horizon 

moves to paid subscriptions, 

we are confident our 

loyal readers will continue 

to support the type of 

thorough, local reporting 

that informs, equips and 

inspires a community. 

This is a necessary step 

forward for The Horizon, 

which has provided to you 

its award-winning coverage 

free of charge through 

its first 14 years. 

With your subscription, 

at just 75 cents an issue, 

you will be telling us that 

you value quality local 

news; you will be telling 

us that it matters to you. 

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 Homer Horizon 

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 Homer Horizon 

reserves the right to edit 

letters. Letters become property 

of The Homer Horizon. Letters 

that are published do not reflect 

the thoughts and views of The 

Homer Horizon. Letters can be 

mailed to: The Homer Horizon, 

11516 West 183rd Street, Unit 

SW Office Condo #3, Orland 

Park, Illinois, 60467. Fax letters 

to (708) 326-9179 or e-mail to 

tom@homerhorizon.com. 

www.homerhorizon.com.

22 | December 5, 2019 | the homer horizon homer glen 


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Another round of 

Cheers Annual charity 

collaboration between 22nd 

Century Media, Rock Bottom 

hits 10-year mark, Page 27 

the Homer Horizon | December 5, 2019 | homerhorizondaily.com 

It must be a sign 

George’s fortuitous run in Lockport 

started with owner’s name already 

on sign, Page 28 

Rubi Agave morphs into 

Santa’s Cantina for the holiday 

season, Page 25 

Rubi Agave in Homer Glen has been renamed Santa’s Cantina for the holidays and features a variety of holiday decorations, drinks and music being played. 

Photos by Mary Compton/22nd Century Media 

INSET: Olaf the snowman is just one of the holiday decorations greeting patrons at Santa’s Cantina for the holidays.

24 | December 5, 2019 | the homer horizon faith 


FAITH BRIEFS 

Cross of Glory Lutheran Church 

(14719 W. 163rd St., Homer Glen) 

Nursery for Children 

9:30 a.m. Sundays, 6:30 

p.m. Wednesdays. Parishioners 

may use the nursery 

for their children up to age 

3 during services. There is 

a Kids Klub for children in 

grades 4-5 during the service. 

Bible Study 

7:30 p.m. Wednesdays 

Open to anyone ready to 

discuss the Bible. 

Christian Life Church 

(15609 W. 159th St., Homer Glen) 

Sunday Service 

10 a.m. 

EDGE Youth Service 

7:30-9:30 p.m. Thursdays. 

Our Mother of Good Counsel Parish 

(16043 S. Bell Road, Homer Glen) 

Daily Mass 

8 a.m. Monday-Saturday 

Weekend Mass 

5 p.m. Saturday 

8:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m. 

Sunday 

Confessions 

4-4:45 p.m. Saturdays; 

9:30-10:15 a.m. Sundays; 

8:30 a.m. every first Friday 

Holy Hour 

First Friday of each 

month with 8 a.m. Mass 

followed by exposition of 

the blessed sacrament at 

8:30 a.m. and concluding 

with benediction at 9 a.m. 

Council of Catholic Women 

7 p.m. Second Tuesday 

of the month. 

Women of the parish 

meet to discuss its needs. 

The group also hosts a 

monthly charity bake sale. 

St. Bernard Parish 


Happy Hours (Seniors) 

11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. 

Seniors meet monthly for 

food, fun and fellowship. 

St. Bernards Kids’ Choir 

4:30-6 p.m. Thursdays. 

All children in grades 

first through eighth are 

welcome to join choir. 

A permission slip to join 

can be obtained through 

Julie Kane at the table by 

the church exit or through 

one’s RE teacher. 

Weekday Worship 

9:30 a.m. weekdays. 

Communion Service on 

Thursdays. 

Weekend Worship 

4:30 p.m. Saturdays. 

8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., and 

11:30 a.m. every Sunday. 

Confession 

3:30-4:15 p.m. First 

and third Saturday of the 

month. Confessions are 

also available upon request 

at any time. 

Community Choir Practice 

7:30-9 p.m. Thursdays. 

Parish members ages 16 

and older may join the 

choir. The choir needs vocalists 

and instrumentalists. 

For more information, 

join the weekly rehearsal 

or contact the music director, 

Julie Kane, after Mass 

on Sundays. 

Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Church 

(14610 S. Will Cook Road, Homer Glen) 

Sunday Services 

8:15 a.m. Orthros; 9:30 

a.m. Divine Liturgy; 10 

a.m. Sunday School. For 

more information, call 

(708) 645-0652. 

Adult Bible Study 

9-9:45 a.m., first and 

third Sundays of the month 

Assumption Greek Orthodox Church 

(15625 S. Bell Road, Homer Glen) 


8:15 a.m. Orthros; 9:30 

a.m. Divine Liturgy; 10 

a.m. Sunday School. For 


(708) 645-0652. 

New Life Community Church - Homer 

Glen 


Weekly Worship Services 

10 a.m. Sundays; for 


(815) 838-1416. 

Kids Zone Ministry 

10 a.m. Sundays. 

Children up to fifth grade 

can participate in games, 

singing, take part in interactive 

Bible teaching and 

participate in hands-on 

crafts. Participants should 

arrive 5-10 minutes prior 

to the service to sign children 

up for the group. For 


(815) 838-1416. 

Women’s Ministry 

9:30 a.m. Fridays. Bible 

study for women of all ages. 

Prayer Meeting 

10 a.m. Tuesdays. 

Parkview Christian Church - Homer Glen 

(14367 W. 159th St., Homer Glen) 

Senior Connections 

10:45 a.m.-1 p.m.. Orland 

Park Campus, 11110 

Orland Parkway, Orland 

Park. Second Friday of 

the month, chili lunch 

and program. The cost is 

$10, and Pastor Chaz will 

speak. To RSVP, call (708) 

478-7477 ext. 272 or email 

merry-o@att.net. 


9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 

noon, Sundays. 

First United Methodist Church of 

Lockport 

(1000 S. Washington St., Lockport) 

Sunday Worship 

9 a.m. Sunday School 

10:25 a.m. Worship 

Circle of Love 

9 a.m. Wednesdays. Circle 

of Love provides diapers, 

feminine and incontinence 

products to clients 

who are qualified to use 

the local FISH Food Pantry. 

For more information, 

call (815) 838-1017. 

Lemont United Methodist Church 

(25 W. Custer St., Lemont) 


8:30 a.m. Communion 

Worship Service 

9:30 a.m. Sunday School 

10:45 a.m. Contemporary 

Worship Service 

(nursery available) 

Christ Community Church 

(13400 Bell Road, Lemont) 

Sunday Worship 

9:30 a.m. Sundays. Worship 

is casual. 

Have something for Faith 

Briefs? Contact Assistant 

Editor Benjamin Conboy at 

b.conboy@22ndcentury 

media.com or call (708) 326- 

9170 ext. 15. Information is 

due by noon Thursday one 

week prior to publication. 

Pastor Column 

Advent season a time to help renew hope 

Rev. Joseph McCormick, OSA 

St. Bernard Catholic Church and 

Our Mother of Good Counsel 

Catholic Church 

Every human being 

and every grouping 

of human beings 

needs to take time to 

identify their hopes and 

dreams — for themselves, 

for their families, for 

their communities, their 

work environments, their 

faith communities and 

the world at large. For 

many Christian communities, 

the several weeks 

before Christmas is this 

sacred time for hopes and 

dreams known as “Advent.” 

While the hope of 

Christians is shaped by 

the teachings of Jesus 

and by his life, death and 

resurrection, all people 

of goodwill can use this 

Advent season as a time 

to renew hope. It is true 

that as we grow, some 

of our hopes and dreams 

fall by the wayside 

due to life’s harsh 

circumstances. But rather 

than being a reason to be 

discouraged, this might 

present an opportunity to 

refine our hopes and even 

identify new ones that 

can still bring us comfort 

and joy. 

Jerzy Kenar is a local 

Polish-American artist 

who has created provocative 

wooden sculptures 

of the Holy Family of 

Jesus, Mary and Joseph. 

Homer Glen’s St. Bernard 

Church has one such 

modern expression with 

his signature arrangement 

of the three, including a 

young boy Jesus, sitting 

at a picnic table sharing a 

bowl of fruit. 

And as participative 

art, there is room on the 

benches for parishioners 

to join the Holy Family 

for sharing, rest or prayer. 

But the chapel at 

Mother Theresa Home 

at Franciscan Village 

in Lemont has another 

of Kenar’s provocative 

sculptures of the Holy 

Family. It is just Joseph 

standing behind Mary, 

who happens to be very 

pregnant. In fact, the 

pregnant Mary is perhaps 

the best symbol of this 

Advent season of hopes 

and dreams. 

As Mary carried Jesus 

and brought him to birth, 

so are we called to bring 

to birth positive human 

values like compassion, 

patience, forgiveness, 

perseverance — values 

that do instill hope and 

renewal in others. 

While these weeks 

before Christmas can be 

quite hectic for us all, the 

Advent spirit calls us to 

imitate the great prophets 

of old in pointing to all 

that still needs to come 

alive within us and our 

world. Making resolutions 

to work toward the 

fulfillment of those hopes 

can be the best gift given 

to ourselves and others at 

this time of year. 

The opinions of this column 

are that of the writer. They do 

not necessarily reflect those 

of The Homer Horizon.

homerhorizondaily.com life & arts 


Rubi Agave turns into festive Santa’s Cantina for the holidays 

Owner creates 

a Christmas bar 

with seasonal 

decorations, more 

Thomas Czaja, Editor 

Those who walk into 

Rubi Agave in Homer 

Glen during the holiday 

season will immediately 

see noticeable differences 

practically everywhere. 

Christmas trees, props, 

inflatables — even a new 

sign out front — all signal 

the temporary change of 

the business at 12622 W. 

159th St. over to Santa’s 

Cantina. The Christmasthemed 

pop-up bar began 

late last month and will 

run through New Year’s. 

“The big trend downtown 

and what you see 

on social media is a lot 

of [pop-up] Christmas 

bars,” said Rubi Agave 

owner, general manager 

and executive chef Ruben 

Pazmino. “There 

was nothing [like that] 

out here in the southwest 

suburbs, and people don’t 

want to have to drive out 

[to the city] and back after 

eating and drinking all 

night.” 

Realizing the popularity 

of Christmas bars and that 

there were not any locally, 

Pazmino decided to turn 

Rubi Agave into Santa’s 

Cantina to do something 

fun for the locals for the 

Christmas season. 

“Everybody likes 

Christmas, and everybody 

likes decorating, so, 

boom, there it is,” Pazmino 

said. 

Between snowflakes 

and lights hanging from 

the ceiling, friendly inflated 

snowmen greeting 

guests, staff in festive 

Santa hats or outfits on the 

weekends and Christmas 

hits playing throughout, 

the desired ambiance is 

readily apparent at Rubi 

Agave. 

Ornaments have been 

placed, and there is a little 

train by the gaming area 

that goes around a little 

Christmas tree, and so on 

and so on. It all adds up 

to an attempt to create a 

cheery atmosphere filled 

with nostalgia of past 

Christmases. 

Furthermore, a number 

of Christmas cocktails 

have been crafted for the 

pop-up cantina. The coquito 

($9.95) is one such 

cocktail that comes from 

Puerto Rico — popular 

there at Christmastime 

— that contains coconut 

cream and rum. 

Another selection is the 

snow miser ($9.95), made 

from pineapple, coconut 

and blue Curacao that 

comes out with a distinctive 

wintry look. An apple 

cider sangria for the same 

price is also on the list. 

So far, Pazmino said 

those who have stopped 

in to check out Santa’s 

Cantina for themselves 

have given it two festive 

thumbs way up. 

“Everybody loves it,” 

Pazmino said. “Everybody 

is just wowed by it. 

It’s just a different energy 

with the holiday spirit.” 

Pazmino added, as always, 

they have a live DJ 

and dancing on Fridays 

and Saturdays, and local 

Nick Pontarelli will be 

performing at 8 p.m. Dec. 

14 for a dinner and show 

singing jazz standards. 

Another new aspect 

coming soon to the business 

for this winter season 

is the enclosing and heating 

of the pergola to create 

additional space for 

Rubi Agave owner, general manager and executive chef Ruben Pazmino stands in front of some of the festive 

decor Saturday, Nov. 30, at Santa’s Cantina, the Christmas pop-up bar he recently turned his business into for the 

holiday season. Photos by Mary Compton/22nd Century Media 

customers. Between that 

and the holiday ambiance, 

Pazmino thinks Santa’s 

Cantina is perfect for corporate 

holiday parties or 

anyone’s holiday party, 

with the establishment already 

coming decorated. 

He also believes the 

timing of all lanes of 

traffic on 159th Street 

recently opening from 

construction in front of 

the restaurant is ideal for 

him and other businesses 

along the road, as the holiday 

season is now fully 

underway. He hopes the 

warm and inviting Christmas 

décor and spirit will 

continue to attract locals 

to the Santa’s Cantina 

pop-up. 

“I think the nostalgia 

brings you back to when 

you were a little kid and 

Santa’s Cantina’s Demir Akyurek (left) serves holiday drinks to Gregg Shisler and 

Bernie Kopec at the holiday pop-up bar in Homer Glen. 

creates positive energy,” 

Pazmino said. “Years ago, 

smaller little pubs would 

decorate real nice, and I 

think we kind of lost that, 

and we’re bringing that 

back.” 


on Santa’s Cantina, call 

the business at (708) 301- 

8006 or visit rubiagave. 

com.

26 | December 5, 2019 | the homer horizon life & arts 


Respect Life 

Ministries 

announce 

Holy Hour 

Eighth-year event 

to focus on life, 

marriage, family 

Submitted by Multi-Parish 

Respect Life Ministries 

The Knowledge and 

Prayer Series has begun 

and ended each year of 

its program with special 

spiritual events: a Concelebrated 

Mass in January 

and a Holy Hour in December. 

As it finished its eighth 

year in the series, people 

are invited to join for a 

special “Holy Hour for 

Life, Marriage and Family” 

at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 at St. 

Bernard, 13030 W. 143rd 

St. in Homer Glen. 

A schedule for the 2020 

series also is to be available 

to address hot topics 

families are facing 

today. 

A Holiday Hospitality 

Hour is to follow the program. 

This program is sponsored 

by the Multi-Parish 

Respect Life Ministries of 

St. Bernard, Our Mother 

of Good Counsel, Annunciation 

Byzantine, Our 

Lady of the Woods, St. 

Francis of Assisi and St. 

Michael churches. 

visit us online at 

www.Homer 

HorizonDaily.com 

Attendees greet each other at the Nov. 24 Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration held at St. Dennis Church in Lockport. Photos submitted 

Interfaith Thanksgiving Celebration takes place in Lockport 

Homer Glen’s 

Cross of Glory 

among those to 

partake in event 

Submitted by Cross of 

Glory Lutheran Church 

A chance to give thanks, 

respect all backgrounds 

and learn more about one 

another recently took place 

late last month in Lockport. 

The Interfaith Thanksgiving 

Celebration was 

held on Nov. 24 at St. Dennis 

Church. 

The event was sponsored 

by the Lockport-Homer 

Glen Area Ministerial Association 

and featured 

speakers from a variety of 

faith backgrounds. 

Food was collected during 

the celebration for the 

A circle forming around the sanctuary was just one of 

the symbols of unity at the interfaith celebration. 

Fairmont Food Pantry, as 

was a monetary offering of 

$635 that was to go to assist 

the Lockport Resource 

Center. 

Snacks and conversation 

were had after the celebration. 

Participants in the Interfaith 

Thanksgiving included 

Fr. Jim Curtin, of 

St. Dennis Church; Dana 

O’Brien, of Cross of Glory 

Lutheran Church; Swami 

Varadananda, of the Vivekananda 

Vedanta Society 

of Chicago, the Rev. Jon 

Pedersen, of Shepherd of 

A Native American prayer of the seven directions was 

one of the things that helped conclude the second 

annual service. 

the Hill Lutheran Church; 

Ahmed Abouhaiba, Furqaan 

Islamic Foundation; Dr. 

Arshad Qureshi, of AMAN; 

Rabbi Charles Rubovits, 

Jewish Congregation of 

Joliet; Cean Magosky, of 

Lockport Resource Center; 

Larry McCure, stewardship 

minister at First Congregational 

Church of Lockport 

UCC; Dr. Christie Billups, 

of Lewis University; 

and Joseph Standing Bear 

Schranz, of Midwest Soarring 

Foundation.

homerhorizondaily.com life & arts 


A tradition 

10 years 

strong 

Rock Bottom, 22nd 

Century Media 

team up for Cheers 

to Charity again 

RIGHT: Michele Pierson, 

events and social media 

coordinator for Orland 

Park Area Chamber of 

Commerce, makes a food 

deposit on Nov. 26 during 

22nd Century Media’s 

annual Cheers to Charity 

event at Rock Bottom 

Restaurant and Brewery 

in Orland Park. 

Photos by Bob Klein/22nd 

Century Media 

Mistletoe 

Market 

PRESENTED BY 22ND CENTURY MEDIA AND COLLEEN MCLAUGHLIN, 

THE MCLAUGHLIN TEAM, COLDWELL BANKER RESIDENTIAL 

4–8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, 

Orland Park Crossing, 

14225 95th Ave. Orland Park 

Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, an elf and 

live reindeer! Bring your camera! 

Live Ice Carving Demonstration 

Sandburg Chamber Singers 

Holiday music and more! 

70+ 

vendors 

Heather Warthen, 

22nd Century 

Media’s Chief 

Events Officer, 

welcomes guests 

to the 10th 

annual Cheers 

to Charity and 

explains the 

sales at Rock 

Bottom that 

benefit the 

Orland Township 

Food Pantry. 

FREE ADMISSION 

FAMILIES WELCOME 

Bring a new, 

unwrapped toy for 

our Toy Drive! 

Sandburg Chamber Singers (left to right) 

Maudy Miklos, Abby Hooks and Veronica 

Leafblad perform during Cheers to 

Charity. Through Dec. 20, guests at Rock 

Bottom Orland Park get $5 off their bill if 

they bring three canned food items or a 

new, unwrapped toy to donate. 

Pat and Ann Rodgers, of Tinley Park 

— longtime contributors to the cause — 

donate toys for the Toy Box Connection 

as well as food during Cheers to Charity. 

Through Dec. 20, 25 cents of every glass 

of Rudolph the Prairie Red sold at Rock 

Bottom Orland Park will benefit the 

Orland Township Food Pantry. 

22ndCenturyMedia.com/mistletoe

28 | December 5, 2019 | the homer horizon dining out 


The Dish 

‘Good food, great service’ key to George’s successful 27-year run 

Abhinanda Datta 

Contributing Editor 

After spending over four 

decades in the food business, 

George Kollintzas 

has mastered the key to 

running a successful restaurant. 

“Good food, clean place 

and great service — these 

are my secret ingredients,” 

George said. 

The eatery, established 

in 1992 and located at 990 

N. State St. in Lockport, 

has an extensive menu, 

from fresh salads to satiating 

desserts, and the 

owners take credit for revamping 

the items every 

few years. But no matter 

what the dish, they are all 

consistent in flavor, texture 

and presentation. 

“One unique thing we 

offer is consistency, since 

we’ve had the same cooks 

for about 20 years,” said 

Christina Kollintzas, 

George’s daughter and 

business partner. “People 

can always count on us for 

the same taste and the same 

friendly environment. We 

are all one big family here, 

and it is just very comfortable 

and welcoming.” 

The Kollintzas family 

moved to Chicago from 

California in 1990, and 

fortuitously came across a 

restaurant that already had 

one of its member’s name 

on it. While it got a complete 

makeover, “I did not 

have to spend money on 

the sign,” George said. 

George said he takes 

great pride in the wide variety 

of delicacies they serve, 

but if he had to pick a favorite, 

it would be the Greek 

1/2 chicken ($14.95). 

Broiling for 30 minutes 

in lemon, garlic and herbs 

renders the meat tender 

and juicy. It is then cut into 

George’s Restaurant 

990 N. State St. in 

Lockport 

Hours 

• Open 24 hours, daily 

For more information... 

Web: www. 

mygeorgesonline.com 

Phone: (815) 838- 

7225 

four pieces and served with 

Greek potatoes. 

After a taste of Greece, 

guests can allow their palates 

to explore some delectable 

Italian dishes such as 

the chicken broccoli Alfredo 

($14.45) or the chicken 

penne pesto ($13.95). 

For those looking to 

discover the restaurant’s 

authentic flavors, there are 

George’s chicken penne 

($13.95) — the owner’s 

own recipe, with chicken 

tossed with creamy tomato 

vodka sauce and penne 

noodles — or the spaghetti 

or mostaccioli ($13.45), 

which are prepared with 

meat sauce. 

Christina has been 

working at George’s since 

she was 14 and became a 

partner at 21 in July 2000. 

She said working with her 

dad gave her “the freedom 

to do what I needed”. 

“My father has been a 

great support and for the 

past 19 years, he has always 

had complete trust 

in me,” she said. “He believes 

in my vision for the 

restaurant.” 

The restaurant boasts a 

special menu section with 

healthier food options, 

and Christina said she is 

responsible for incorporating 

that. 

“I added them about 15 

years ago, because I like 

keeping up with the trend 

as far as diets are con- 

The avocado toast ($8.95) at George’s Restaurant in Lockport is served with smashed avocado, house pico de 

gallo, chopped bacon and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Photos by Jacquelyn Schlabach/22nd Century Media 

The chipotle chicken and rice ($15.25) at George’s features grilled marinated chicken 

breast over rice with chipotle cream, avocado, tortilla strips and sour cream. 

cerned,” she said. “When 

my father bought the place, 

it was all about low-calorie 

meals. Later it changed to 

low-carb, and so I changed 

the menu to reflect more 

Paleo-friendly options.” 

Despite the lack of delicious, 

greasy condiments, 

these items are quite popular 

with the diners. 

“Strangely enough, 

one of our most soughtafter 

[dishes] is the skinny 

Greek chicken ($9.95) 

which is basically Greekstyle 

chicken breast paired 

with tomato, broccoli, and 

a cucumber and olive salad,” 

she said. “The other 

popular low-carb dish is 

the steamed veggie pita 

($8.95), served with a lowfat 

cucumber sauce.” 

Another filling, healthy 

option is the keto bowl 

($9.25), overflowing with 

veggies such as baby spinach, 

zucchini and squash, 

served with turkey sausage, 

two eggs and avocado 

toast. 

Guests can cap off their 

meals with one of the selections 

from the dessert 

menu. 

George suggests trying 

the berries and cream 

crepes ($9.45) — crepes 

lathered generously with 

sweet cream cheese, blueberries 

and strawberry 

sauce, and topped with 

powdered sugar. 

While the food at 

George’s is affordable and 

delicious, there is a lot of 

competition from the other 

eateries in Lockport. But, 

“we have been here for 

many years thanks to the 

love and support of the 

residents”, George said. 

“We have great staff, 

and that is important, because 

no matter how good 

the food is, if the service 

is lousy, no one will want 

to come back,” he said. 

“There is something for everyone 

here, and we love to 

make our guests happy.” 

One thing that sets 

George’s Restaurant apart 

is its 24-hour service. 

Whether it’s a midnight 

craving or mid-day pangs 

of hunger, the restaurant 

always has its doors open. 

Its real secret? 

“We lost our key, so we 

can never close,” George 

said.

homerhorizondaily.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. Actress Adams 

4. St. Petersburg ballet 

group 

9. They often involve 

probate 

14. “She loves __” 

Beatles 

15. Royal band 

16. Indigenous Canadian 

17. Canada’s ___ 

Island National Park 

18. Keep under wraps 

19. Wood fasteners 

20. Squabbling 

22. Archaeological 

site 

24. Architectural 

style developed from 

Baroque 

27. Dubai or Qatar 

32. Remedies 

34. Little letter 

35. Post-op time 

37. Columbus’ 

favorite 

38. Refuse 

42. __-A-Day 

43. Fleshy red vegetables 

44. ___ Martin 

(cognac) 

45. Austrian province 

whose capital is 

Innsbruck 

47. On the ___, doing 

better and better 

50. Magnetic induction 

unit 

53. Short literary or 

musical composition 

54. Tempest container, 

proverbially 

57. Catcher 

58. Fermented juice 

of the grape 

59. Seasoned rice 

63. Show 

68. Stop functioning 

69. “What now?!” 

70. Fine golf hole 

performance 

71. Time on end 

72. Satisfy 

73. First stomach 

74. “ER” extras 

Down 

1. Annually 

2. Very, to Verdi 

3. Homer Glen mayor, 

George 

4. Gold units: Abbr. 

5. Half of VI 

6. ___ race 

7. Spanish for gold 

8. Tinley Park mayor, 

Jacob 

9. Improvise 

10. ___ manner of 

speaking 

11. French pronoun 

12. Rapper prefix 

13. Urban rds. 

21. First body part to 

try out the water 

23. “What I think,” 

online 

25. Disney movie 

26. Ring cheer 

28. Rationalist Descartes 

29. “I cannot tell ___” 

30. Military quarters 

often 

31. JFK listings 

33. Certain track-andfield 

participant 

36. In the least 

38. Marching band 

instrument 

39. Bank take-back 

40. Actor Sharif 

41. Get in tune with 

43. Downhearted 

46. Stable staple 

48. Strip off covering 

49. Emirates, for short 

51. Carpenter tool 

52. Ferrari, for one 

55. Whopper topper 

56. Adolescents 

59. Neg.’s counterpart 

60. “____ be seeing 

you” 

61. Mauna __ (Hawaiian 

peak) 

62. Famous animalrescue 

vessel 

64. ___ de cologne 

65. Annual meeting 

66. Airport near Lake 

Erie: Abbr. 

67. Chick’s mom 

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 1-9. 

LEVEL: Medium 

Crossword by Myles Mellor and Susan Flanagan 

answers 

HOMER GLEN 

Front Row 

(14903 S. Bell Road, 

Homer Glen; (708) 645- 

7000) 

■7 ■ p.m. Wednesdays: 

Trivia 

LOCKPORT 

Port Noir 

(900 S. State St., 

Lockport; (815) 834- 

9463) 

■6 ■ p.m. - 12 a.m. 

Thursdays: Comedy 

Bingo 

■6 ■ p.m. - 12 a.m. Fridays 

and Saturdays: 

Live Band 

■6 ■ p.m. - 12 a.m. 

Sundays: Open Mic 

Night 

Strike N Spare II 

(811 Northern Drive, 

Lockport; (708) 301- 

1477) 

■9:30 ■ p.m.-12:30 a.m. 

Mondays: Quartermania 

■10 ■ p.m.-midnight 

Saturdays: Cosmic 

Bowl 

ORLAND PARK 

Traverso’s Restaurant 

(15601 S Harlem Ave, 

Orland Park; (708) 532- 

2220) 

■5-7 ■ p.m. Mondays: 

Free bar bingo 

Girl in the Park 

(11265 W. 159th St., 

Orland Park; (708) 226- 

0042) 

■8 ■ p.m. Wednesday- 

Saturday: Live music 

The Brass Tap 

(14225 95th Ave. Suite 

400, Orland Park; (708) 

226-1827) 

■8 ■ p.m. Tuesdays: 

Trivia. Prizes awarded 

■9 ■ p.m. Fridays and 

Saturdays: Live music 

Dan ‘D’ Jac’s 

(9358 171st St., Orland 

Hills; (708) 460-8773) 

■9 ■ p.m.-1 a.m. 

Wednesdays: acoustic 

open mic night 

■9:30 ■ p.m.-1:30 a.m. 

Thursdays: karaoke 

To place an event 

in The Scene, email 

b.conboy@22ndcentury 

media.com.

30 | December 5, 2019 | the homer horizon local living 


Distinctive Home Builders Introduces New Craftsman Homes 

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

Stonebridge II Model Opening Soon 

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 two story, 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, Distinctive Home Builders 

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 two 

story 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, two 

to 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 andWestGate 

Manor can accommodate a threecar 

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. 

Distinctive has two early 

delivery homes available at its 

newest community, Cedar Creek 

in Joliet where you can choose 

your colors now and move in 45 

days. One is a three-bedroom 

Princeton ranch with two full 

baths in an open floor plan with 

kitchen and Great Room. Priced 

at $289,990 this home has over 

$20,000 in free upgrades. The 

second home is a Brentwood 

three-bedroom raised ranch with 

an oversized garage. Priced at 

$279,900, this home features 

many interior and exterior 

architectural details and over 

$30,000 in free upgrades. 

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.

homerhorizondaily.com local living 


If you are looking for the perfect ranch home 

at a great price, look no more. Ranch Villas at 

Keating Point, in the Village of Channahon, 

offers ranch homes that are both beautiful and 

maintenance-free. 

These unique, detached townhomes feature 

two bedrooms and two baths in 1,308 to 1,621 

square feet. Each comes equipped with a full 

basement, two-car attached garage, brick fronts, 

and central air. 

These Ranch Villas start in the $230’s and 

boast an association fee of just $140 per month. 

We offer five floorplans for you to choose from. 

Do you long for a little more time to yourself? 

For more family moments, too? 

Luxury Ranch Detached Townhomes 

Immediate Move-Ins. • Maintenance-Free Living 

Starting from the $230’s 

Maintenance-free living at The Ranch Villas at 

Keating Pointe is our solution to your problem. 

In one of our ranch townhomes, you can finally 

wave goodbye to the chores that gobble up your 

precious time. All exterior and landscaping 

maintenance is done for you, including snow 

removal. If you’ve had enough of cleaning 

gutters, mowing the lawn, and shoveling the 

driveway, you’re ready to take the next step. 

The photos in this article feature The Roma, 

one of the floorplans you can choose from for 

your new ranch home. This 1,467 sq. ft. design 

features two bedrooms and two baths. Plus, 

you’ll get a flex room to use as you see fit. 

Office? Guest room?You tell us. The Roma also 

features ceilings that reach nine feet high and a 

large kitchen with included appliances. You’ll 

enjoy an impressively roomy feel, bounty of 

spaceforentertaining,andultimateconvenience. 

Speaking of convenience, a basement, two-car 

attached garage, and patio are included. The 

Roma starts in the low $240’s, delivering quality 

in its construction and price tag. 

Looking to move into a new home sometime 

soon? Our ranch homes also feature quick 

delivery homes. These quick delivery homes 

have move-in dates as early as this fall. 

To learn more about our detached ranch 

townhomes, give us a call at (815) 290-5303 or 

go to homesbycore.com. 

Immediate Move-Ins • Maintenance-Free Living

32 | December 5, 2019 | the homer horizon local living 


Dunree II 

Contact the Sales Center for details at 

708.479.5111 

and visit online any time at www.cranahomes.com 

Decorated Models are Open 

Mon-Thu 10am-4pm Sat/Sun Noon-4pm 

Friday by Appt. 

Since 1970 

Exit I-80 at La Grange Road south for just under twomiles to La PorteRoad andturn east for one-half mile to Brookside Meadows. 

OPPORTUNITY

homerhorizondaily.com real estate 


Sept. 30 

• 13818 Prairie Hill 

Drive, Homer Glen, 

604917434 Kozak 

Trust to James P. 

Spaulding, Sandra J. 

Spaulding, $570,000 

• 15206 S. Mackenzie 


604914504 Sekhi 

Trust to Keith Giemzik, 

$503,000 

• 16055 S. Stonebridge 


604918049 Lageose 

Trust to Kelly Ott, 

$260,000 

Oct. 1 

• 13211 W. Cedar 

Creek Court, Homer 

Glen, 604918609 

Fannie Mae to Erminijus 

Eimontas, $305,000 

• 13323 Oakwood 

Drive, Homer 

Glen, 604918116 

Wladyslaw Gruszka to 

Wojciech S. Strama, 

Boguslawa Strama, 

$335,000 

• 13447 Farm View 

St., Homer Glen, 

604916608 Maciej 

Rzonca to Marcin 

Gawron, $345,000 

• 13724 Lemont 

Road, Homer Glen, 

604915801 Donald 

L. Peterson to Cesar 

Montes, $355,000 

• 15824 W. 143rd 

St., Homer Glen, 

604918593 Kunes 

Trust to David A. 

Kovar, Lauren Kovar, 

$830,000 

• 17844 S. Parker 

Road, Homer Glen, 

604919740 John D. 

Sabo to Bryan Kovach, 

Jacqueline Kovach, 

$460,000 

Oct. 3 

• 13645 W. Ironwood 

Circle, Homer Glen, 

604917701 Tammy 

Kjos to Michael 

Bezener, $248,000 

Oct. 4 

• 14508 S. 

Heatherwood 


604917717 Sean 

O’Connor to Haleigh E. 

Kimento, $240,000 

• 16229 Wildwood 

Lane, Homer Glen, 

604916910 Migal Trust 

to Peter L. Zerial, Judy 

Zerial, $454,500 

The Going Rate is provided 

by Record Information 

Services, Inc. For more 

information, visit www. 

public-record.com or call 

(630) 557-1000. 

DON’T WAIT 

...To Place 

Your Classified Ad! 

CALL 708.326.9170 

22ndcenturymedia.com

34 | December 5, 2019 | the homer horizon classifieds 


Help 

Wanted 

1023 Caregiver 

Business Directory 

CLASSIFIEDS 

Help Wanted · Garage Sales · Automotive 

Real Estate · Rentals · Merchandise 

Automotive 

$52 4 lines/ 

7 papers 

Help Wanted 

$13 4 lines/ 

per line 7 papers 

1003 Help 

Wanted 

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 

School Bus Drivers Wanted 

Homer School District 33C 

seeks quality individuals 

to join our family of 

school bus drivers. 

$17.42/hr. + full benefits 

available 

Training provided. 

Call (708) 226-7625 

or visit homerschools.org 

employment tab 

Sterling Site Access 

Solutions LLC. 

Located in Phoenix, IL 

(near Harvey, IL) 

Seeking: Manufacturing 

Operators (2 years exp.) & 

Manufacturing Maintenance 

Technicians (8 years exp.) 

Submit resumes to: 

recruiting@sterlingsolutions.com 

Village of Tinley Park has 

PART TIME openings for 

CDL Bus Driver, 

Sub Bus Dispatcher, 

and Seasonal II Laborer 

See www.tinleypark.org 

Employment page for 

info and application 

Tractor-Trailer Driver 

Wanted 

P/T, 20-30 hrs/week, days. 

Drop & Hook Only, 

53 ft. Dry Vans. 

(Semi-Retired Preferred) 

Call (708)339-7971 

Part-Time AM OASIS 

Instructors Wanted 

Lockport Township Park District 

Attn: Sarah Hamilton 

shamilton@lockportpark.org 

Retired RN gives care to 

elderly. Daily, hourly, some 

weekends (bathing, transport) 

Rachel 708-220-8918 

1037 Prayer / 

Novena 

Prayer to the Blessed Virgin 

Oh, most beautiful flower of 

Mt. Carmel, fruitful vine, 

splendor of Heaven, Blessed 

Mother of the Son of God, Immaculate 

Virgin, assist me in 

my necessity. Oh, Star of the 

Sea, help me and show me, 

herein you are my mother. Oh, 

Holy Mary, Mother of God, 

Queen of Heaven and Earth! 

I humbly beseech you from 

the bottom of my heart to succor 

me in this necessity. There 

are none that can withstand 

your power. Oh show me 

herein you are my mother. Oh 

Mary, conceived without sin, 

pray for us who have recourse 

to thee (3x). Holy Mother, I 

place this cause in your hands. 

Rental 

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 

2006 Basement Waterproofing 

2011 Brick/Chimney Experts 

Sell It 708.326.9170 | Fax It 708.326.9179 

Charge It | DEADLINE - Friday at 3pm 

2011 Brick/Chimney Experts 

2015 Carpet 

Cleaners 

CARPET 

CLEANING 

Over 40 Years in 

Business! 

708-429-6200 

2017 Cleaning 

Services 

Barb’s Cleaning 

Service 

We clean your home the 

way YOU want it 

cleaned! Good 

Quality, Professional, 

Reliable, and 

Experienced. 

Please call for 

estimate. 

708-663-1789 

2017 Cleaning 

Services 

FANTASTIK POLISH 

CLEANING SERVICE 

If you’re tired of housework 

Please call us! 

(708)599-5016 

5th Cleaning is 

FREE! Valid only one time 

Buy 

It! 

Real Estate 

$50 7 7 papers 

lines/ 

SELL 

It! 

2025 Concrete Work 

FIND 

It! 

Merchandise 


lines/ 

Free Estimates 

& Bonded 

in the 

CLASSIFIEDS 

CALL 

708.326.9170 

1022 Caregiver 

Wanted 

Caregiver Wanted 

24 hours/day for 95 year old 

woman in Lemont, IL 

Days and Salary Negotiable 

Call Judy for more Information 

(703)244-9245 

A+

homerhorizondaily.com classifieds 


2060 Drywall 

2070 Electrical 

OCAL REALTOR 

DIRECTORY 

READYTO SELL 

YOUR REAL ESTATE? 

CALL 

MIKE McCATTY 

708-945-2121 

Drywall 

*Hanging *Taping 

*New Homes 

*Additions 

*Remodeling 

Call Greg At: 

(815)485-3782 

2070 Electrical 

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 

BILLION IN SALES 

5000 

SOLD 

REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS 

Calling all 

 

 

Eileen Hord 

708.278.4700 

LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE 

Mary Jean Andersen 

708.860.4041 

AndersenHord.com. 

Contact Classified Department 

to Advertise in this Directory 

708.326.9170



CLASSIFIEDS 



Sell It 708.326.9170 

Fax It 708.326.9179 

Charge It 

DEADLINE - 

Friday at 3pm 

Automotive 

$52 

4 lines/ 

7 papers 

Help Wanted 

per line $13 

4 lines/ 

7 papers 

Real Estate 

$50 

7 lines/ 

7 papers 

Merchandise 

$30 

4 lines/ 

7 papers 

2080 Firewood 

2120 Handyman 

2120 Handyman 

Ideal 

Firewood 

Seasoned Mixed 

Hardwoods 

$120.00 per FC 

Free Stacking & 

Delivery 

708 856 5422 

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 

Buy 

It! 

SELL 

It! 

FIND 

It! 

in the 

CLASSIFIEDS 

CALL 

708.326.9170 

2090 Flooring 

2130 Heating/Cooling 

2090 Flooring 

2110 Gutter 

Systems 

BEECHY’S 

Handyman Service 

Custom Painting 

Drywall & Plaster Repair 

Carpentry Work 

Trim & General 

Tile & Laminated Flooring 

Light Plumbing & Electrical 

Remodeling, Kitchen & Bath 

Install StormWindows/Doors 

Clean Gutters 

Wash Siding & Windows 

Call Vern for Free Estimate! 

708 714 7549 

815 838 4347 

DRIVE 

CAR 

BUYERS 

TO YOUR DOOR 

WITH A CLASSIFIED 

AUTO AD 

2132 Home Improvement 

Buy 

It! 

SELL 

It! 

FIND 

It! 

in the 

CLASSIFIEDS 

CALL 

708.326.9170 

CallTodayAt 

708.326.9170 

Buy 

It! 

SELL 

It! 

FIND 

It! 

in the 

CLASSIFIEDS 

CALL 

708.326.9170



2132 Home Improvement 2132 Home Improvement 

2150 Paint & Decorating 

2150 Paint & Decorating 

2170 Plumbing 

orlandpainting@gmail.com 

www.orlandpainting.com 

2200 Roofing 

2135 Insulation 

2150 Paint & 

Decorating 

MARTY’S 

PAINTING 

Interior / Exterior 

Fast, Neat Painting 

Drywall 

Wallpaper Removal 

Staining 

Free Estimates 

20% Off with this ad 

708-606-3926



CLASSIFIEDS 



Sell It 708.326.9170 | Fax It 708.326.9179 

Charge It | DEADLINE - Friday at 3pm 

2170 Plumbing 

Automotive 

$52 4 lines/ 

7 papers 

Real Estate 


lines/ 

Help Wanted 

$13 4 lines/ 

per line 7 papers 

Merchandise 


lines/ 

2200 Roofing 

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 

2490 Misc. 

Merchandise 

New Baby Changing Table 

(in box) - $75.00 

Baby Crib 3-1 Spring 

(no mattress) - $75.00 

ExerGlider (standing) - $25.00 

Westclox Grandfather Clock 

(6 ft. tall, 3 chimes) - $200.00 

2489 Merchandise 

Wanted 

Metal Wanted 

Scrap Metal, Garden 

Tractors, 

Snowmobiles, 

Appliances, Etc. 

ANYTHING METAL! 

Call 815-210-8819 

Free pickup! 

2490 Misc. 

Merchandise 

- Kobalt 30gal. 175psi 

Air Compressor - $250.00 

- 4 Michelin Truck Tires 

L265 70R 18 - $75.00 

(will not separate) 

- 6ft Oak Church Pew - 

$100.00 VGC 

Dave (708) 932-2112 

2390 Computer Services/Repair 

2391 Custom Apparel 

2420 Piano Tuning 

...to place your 

Classified Ad! 

708.326.9170




Under $100 


Under $100 


Under $100 


Under $100 


Under $100 


Under $100 

Calvin Klein-wool-mens jacket 

size large new with tags never 

worn $100 Firm. Call 

219-308-0205 

Charley Brown Christmas trees 

new in box $7, 2 flowerpot 

lamps $10 ea, Table top wagons 

$20 ea. Call 708-633-1978 

Christmas tree beautiful lrg 

11ft $50. Call 815-464-9023 

Crystal wine glasses set of 8 

$35, Crystal champaign glasses 

set of8$35, Bar mirrors $10 

each Call 708-214-8351 

Dozen Coke Christmas glasses 

1970’s $35, gold tree topper 

w/lights new $5, new bent handle 

snow shovel $22, new dust 

pan w/brush $6. Call 

708-460-8308 

Dunlop at Rover Tire 

P245/70R/15 on 5lug Chevy 

rim EC was spare $65. Call 

708-710-0170 

Fishing reel new & used 

$10-$25, Lures $2 each, Gas 

can Johnson/Evinrude 6gal 

metal $25 Call 708-214-4022 

Free large entertainment center, 

cherry wood in good condition 

50”long x 40”high Call 

708-601-3023 

Grey duct tape $3, kelly 

green-clear orwhite tape $4ea, 

photo/video storage boxes 

$4ea, B&D 50pc screw driving 

bit set $19, 12in hack saw $5. 

Call 708-460-8308 

Hamilton Beach bar blender 

H-BB908, new-never used in 

orginal box $65. Lawn roller 

steel $10. 773-552-7850 

Handbags-Coach, red leather 

hand/shoulder $40, Clairborne 

brown hobo $20, Burberry new 

k/o $35. Call 708-645-4245 

Head TS 6 tennis racket $60, 4 

wooden folding chairs $40. 

Call 815-463-0282 

Honda mags 4bolt pattern fits 

Accord 1990-2002, Prelude 

1992-1996, Acura 1997-1999 

size 15 $80. Call 708-227-0113 

Kris Kindle mugs. 8 mugs 

years 2000-2007 10.00. TV 

stand. Black w/smoked glass. 

Nice. $20.00. Golf clubs and 

bag. Full set. Wilson. $20.00. 

708-514-4623 

Like new chest freezer 20 

1/2”w, 37”l, 33”h $70. 

Lighted Christmas houses ceramic 

total of 13 $5 ea Call 

815-409-2665 

Mailbox post kit-white plastic 

new in box, fits over 4x4, holds 

1 or 2 mailboxes-Gilbraltar $50 

at Menards $20 Firm Call 

708-380-8671 

Motion recliner, neutral color 

&very comfortable. $75 OBO 

Call 708-921-8505 

New 2008 School House collector 

plate boxed $15, new 

1992 ceramic candy server 

boxed $10, new 1982 crystal 

party plate beautiful Wiebolts 

boxed $20. Call 708-460-8308 

New 20in wide Christmas tee 

stand $15, ice blast w/s de-icer 

32oz $4, men’s ski gloves XL 

$5, men’s rubber totes 9 $10 

Call 708-460-8308 

New alum scoop wood handle 

shovel $24, snow plastic 18” 

blade shovel $12. Call 

708-460-8308 

Over range range hood 

w/lite/fan $35, tempered glass 

shelving 58in long $12, H/D 

steel scoop shovel $15, new 

Mohawk runner rug 60in tan 

$10. Call 708-460-8308 

Potted Dwarf burning bushes 

$20 ea, Atomic projection 

alarm clock new $15, green 

glass tealight holders new 

$10ea, new 9”6flute champagne 

glasses Holland $12, 

new 8” 4 clear stem wine 

glasses boxed $12. Call 

708-460-8308 

Recliner like new, brown 

leather and plush beigh material. 

Paid $425 asking $100. 

Call 815-464-9972 

Saloman downhill sky boots 

m/f size 9 black $25. Call 

708-785-3085 

Santa Claus outfit XL many 

extras with suit $100 OBO Call 

708-590-6889 

Shimano rod and Abu Garia 

reel $60, Brale rod and Pfluger 

reel $50. Call 708-687-5903 

Slightly used pingpong table 

with net, paddls, and balls. In 

great shape $99. Call 

708-949-9340 

Snow skies; 5’6” Dynastar, 

5’6” Rosignol, 6’3” Heads, all 

with poles $100 Firm Call 

708-717-5054 

Target computer table $35, AP 

Muffler Minute Man clock 

$25, Throw rug 5x7 $15. Call 

815-838-7898 

Treadmill with incline feature 

and workout monitor, works 

great $100. Call 815-485-6008 

Unused Rowing machine exerciser 

$100. Call 708-633-7406 

VW steel wheels fits 1999 thru 

2010 Beetle, Golf, Jetta size 16 

$50. Call 708-227-0113 

Wood ladder 6ft $25, 22 cup 

coffee pot $15. Call 

708-478-5338 

Wrought iron fireplace set. 

Tongs, shovel, porker, broom, 

and rack (18”w x 32”h) that 

tools hang from. Excellent condition. 

$20 Call 815-462-4942 

Motion Recliner, neutral color 

&very comfortable $75 OBO 

Call 708-921-8505 




Call 815-464-9972 

Santa Claus outfit XL many 

extras with suit $100 OBO Call 

708-590-6889 

Schwin Aerodyme exercise 

bike in like new condition. 

$100 Will send pictures. Call 

815-600-1240 

Shimano rod and Abu Garia 

reel $60, Brale rod and Pfluger 

reel $50. Call 708-687-5903 

Snow skies; 5’6” Dynastar, 

5’6” Rosignol, 6’3” Heads, all 

with poles $100 Firm Call 

708-717-5054 

Telescope 41/4” Edmund Reflector 

w/ clock drive and Barlow 

lens $100 OBO Call 

708-429-1371 

Wood ladder 6ft $25, 22 cup 

coffee pot $15. Call 

708-478-5338 

Wrought iron fireplace set. 

Tongs, shovel, porker, broom, 

and rack (18”w x 32”h) that 

tools hang from. Excellent condition. 

$20 Call 815-462-4942 

Men’s Sorel winter boots size 

10 below zero -5-40 never 

worn $45, 2 life like animated 

illuminated Christmas dolls 

$25 each Call 708-478-8976 

Misc plants/bulbs: Asiatic lillies 

bulbs pink & red plant now 

dozen $39, potted red dogwood 

shrub $17, potted burning bush 

$20 Call 708-460-8308 

Motion recliner neutral color 

very comfortable $75 OBO 

Call 708-921-8505 

Musical Santa car plays Christmas 

songs new Marshall Fields 

$15, Gold tree top with lights 

new $5, Snow shovel aluminum 

blade $10 Call 

708-460-8308 

New never used Cuisinart custom 

classic toaster oven 

broiler, Model TOB-40 $50, 

New all-clad slow cooker 6.5 

qt w/black ceramic insert $50 

Call 773-552-7850 

Norman Rockwell prints 

$2-$10, Hallmark Disney puzzles 

6for $10, Wood croquet 

set $10, Bocce ball set $10 Call 

708-349-4058 

Oil paintings sizes ranging 

from 5x7 - 36x48 $10, Curio 

cabinet 3’ high +wide $50 3 

bowed glass panels with shelf 

6” brown oak clawed feet and 

1/2 shelf on top 

Sz 10 men’s Sorel winter boots 

-5-40 zero new $40, Large 

room humidifier on/off auto 

switch $40, 2 Christmas dolls 

$20 each. Call 708-478-8976 

Bissell power steamer power 

brush carpet shampoo/cleaner. 

Excellent condition $98 Call 

708-577-3210 

Bissell Powerforce bagless 

turbo vacuum cleaner. Excellent 

condition w/hepa media 

filter. $79.00 Call 

708-577-3210 

Christmas decor very large 

poinsettia’s in cedar pots, 

unique, outdoor, 2 for $45, 

orig. $50 each. Hoover electric 

broom $15 Call 708-645-4245 

Craftsman table saw 10inch 

$50, Craftsman skill saw 7 

1/4inch $20 Call 708-574-9174 

Enviro Cycle composte recycler 

(organic) $40 Call 

815-320-6142 

Halloween new h/d door mat 

$9, Solid wood toilet seat elongated 

$25, Green folding steel 

table 2x5 ft $8, 2gal steel gas 

can $4 Call 708-460-8308 

Happy Bear wood tree trunk 

carving 12” dia. 2ft tall, Bear 

fan mascot $45 Call 

708-479-7537 

Irwin 3snap blade utility knife 

$5, New drywall saw $5, New 

Torpedo level $15. 20pc Gearwrench 

racheting set $55, 

Craftsman 12pc wrenches $35 

Call 708-460-8308 

Kenmore 500 series gas dryer 

7.0 cubic foot $50. Call 

708-738-2351 leave message if 

no answer. 

Men’s rubber totes xxl $20, 

Black/grey new jacket xl $15, 

Bears xl blue/orange jacket 

$35, Men’s dark pink 40R 

sport jacket USA $35, Call 

708-460-8308 

Misc plants/bulbs: Asiatic lillies 

bulbs pink & red plant now 

dozen $39, potted red dogwood 

shrub $17, potted burning bush 

$20 Call 708-460-8308 

Musical Santa car plays Christmas 

songs new Marshall Fields 

$15, Gold tree top with lights 

new $5, Snow shovel aluminum 

blade $10 Call 

708-460-8308 

New deluxe 5piece barbecue 

tool set stainless steel with 

solid oak wood handles $30, 

RockFord air hammer 705 & 

Universal air coupler quick disconnect 

hose connector $25 

Call 708-466-9907 

Oak bar stools, very nice condition, 

swivel seat. $25 each 

Call 815-348-2884 

Oil paintings sizes ranging 

from 5x7 - 36x48 $10, Curio 

cabinet 3’ high +wide $50 3 

bowed glass panels with shelf 

6” brown oak clawed feet and 

1/2 shelf on top 

Oreck upright vacuum - Like 

new, w/bags $50 Call 

708-301-5759 

1960’s Singer sewing machine, 

needs some repair, includes 

walnut desk-like cabinet $25 

Call 708-724-4331 

1998 Rascal Mobility Scooter 

front and rear baskets. Seat up 

to 400lb. Needs new batteries. 

$100. Call 708-606-3119 

24pc foam brush set $5, wallpaper 

smoother brush new $5, 

6pc wir brush set $6, 3in brass 

wire wheel $2 Call 

708-460-8308 

3 portable CD players $10 

each, golf umbrellas like new 

$8 each, electric drill $25, volleyball 

pro set $40 including 

accessories. Call 

708-601-1947 

84 inch couch, neutral color, 

very good condition, can text 

photo. Call 708-307-0279 

9piece ceramic Christmas Village 

each one lights seperately 

$40 Call 708-403-2473 

Avariety of mens suits in excellent 

condition, sizes 40 to 46 

jackets, waist 32to 34” $20 

each. Call 815-838-7770 

Air fryer used once (new $160) 

$100 Call 815-258-7763 

Airplane lamp green glass 

body with metal. $40 Call 

708-642-9019 

Bissell power steamer power 

brush carpet shapooer/cleaner. 

Excellent condition. $98 Call 

708-577-8210 

Boys clothes sizes 6-8, pj’s, 

jeans, t-shirts, underwear, twin 

bedding, all for $50. Large 

metal tool box $50. Call 

535-9354 

Calvin Klein-wool-mens jacket 

size large new with tags never 

worn $100 Firm. Call 

219-308-0205 

Charley Brown Christmas trees 

new in box $7, 2 flowerpot 

lamps $10 ea, Table top wagons 

$20 ea. Call 708-633-1978 

Christmas tree beautiful lrg 

11ft $50. Call 815-464-9023 

Crystal wine glasses set of 8 

$35, Crystal champaign glasses 

set of8$35, Bar mirrors $10 

each Call 708-214-8351 

Dozen Coke Christmas glasses 

1970’s $35, gold tree topper 

w/lights new $5, new bent handle 

snow shovel $22, new dust 

pan w/brush $6. Call 

708-460-8308 

Dunlop at Rover Tire 

P245/70R/15 on 5lug Chevy 

rim EC was spare $65. Call 

708-710-0170 

Fishing reel new & used 

$10-$25, Lures $2 each, Gas 

can Johnson/Evinrude 6gal 

metal $25 Call 708-214-4022 

Free large entertainment center, 

cherry wood in good condition 

50”long x 40”high Call 

708-601-3023 

Grey duct tape $3, kelly 

green-clear orwhite tape $4ea, 

photo/video storage boxes 

$4ea, B&D 50pc screw driving 

bit set $19, 12in hack saw $5. 

Call 708-460-8308 

Hamilton Beach bar blender 

H-BB908, new-never used in 

orginal box $65. Lawn roller 

steel $10. 773-552-7850 

Handbags-Coach, red leather 

hand/shoulder $40, Clairborne 

brown hobo $20, Burberry new 

k/o $35. Call 708-645-4245 

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homerhorizondaily.com sports 


Athlete of the Week 

10 Questions 

with Lindsey Merk 

Lindsey Merk is a senior 

at Lockport Township. 

She placed sixth in the 

100-yard butterfly on Nov. 

23 in the state finals. It 

was her fifth medal, a new 

standard for the Porters 

girls swimming team. 

You became the first 

swimmer in LTHS 

history — boys or 

girls — to medal at 

state for four-straight 

seasons. How does 

that feel? 

It hasn’t sunk in yet that 

I’m never going to swim 

on a Lockport team again. 

I’m going to miss it. But 

yes, I will always enjoy 

seeing my name up there 

[on the record board]. 

Since you medaled 

all four years in the 

butterfly, was there 

a favorite year out of 

them? 

This year was my favorite, 

because I felt so close 

to my team. We had a lot 

of support at state, and a 

lot of the girls that hadn’t 

qualified were there to 

cheer us on. 

How did you get 

involved in swimming? 

I just started to try it 

and took lessons one day. 

Then, I decided to continue 

with it. I first started 

in the Lockport Homer 

Swim Club when I was 6. 

Then, I started swimming 

at for the Academy Bullets 

22nd Century Media File 

Photo 

[Swim Club] a few years 

later. 

When do you start 

back with the 

Academy Bullets? 

I took a little time off 

after state. But I will start 

back up with them right after 

Thanksgiving. I also do 

the butterfly and backstroke 

with them. We have Junior 

Nationals in March, and 

then have a little time off 

before the summer season. 

Why is the butterfly 

your favorite event, 

and if you had to be 

in a third individual 

event, what would it 

be? 

I guess I’m just made to 

do [the butterfly]. It just 

comes natural to me. As 

far as another event, the 

50-free. Because I see myself 

as a sprinter. That is 

short bursts and fun. 

What have you 

learned from Lockport 

swimming coach Grant 

Ferkaluk? 

He’s been my swimming 

coach for four years. 

He taught me and pushed 

me into being a leader. I 

grew into that. 

If you could meet any 

person from any time, 

who would it be and 

why? 

Abraham Lincoln. Because 

he had such an impact 

on our country. 

Do you have a name 

for your vehicle? If so, 

what is it and why? 

Yes, my vehicle is called 

Merk Dog. It’s a Hyundai 

Elantra, and that’s my licence 

plate on it. That’s 

my nickname, too, so I call 

my car that. 

You are going to 

Georgia Tech to 

continue to swim. 

How did you decide to 

go there? 

When I went there on 

my official visit, I loved 

it. I loved the campus, the 

team, the coaches. Just everything 

about it. 

What is the best thing 

about being an athlete 

at Lockport? 

Having the feeling of 

getting such an opportunity 

to be on a great team. 

That’s because it’s not 

something I get to experience 

at the school yearround. 

I just loved swimming 

season. 

Interview by Freelance Reporter 

Randy Whalen 

Athlete of the Month 

Andrew volleyball player 

wins November honor 

Jeff Vorva, Sports Editor 

Kylie Adams digs her 

position. 

The Andrew High 

School senior played libero 

on the Thunderbolts’ 

volleyball team, which 

made it to the Sweet 16 

in Class 4A this season. 

Although libero can be a 

thankless position, Adams 

embraces it. 

“I just like the feeling 

of getting a good dig, it’s 

the greatest feeling in the 

whole world,” she said. 

Adams was voted as the 

winner of the 22nd Century 

Media’s Southwest Chicago 

Athlete of the Month 

contest for November. 

She is the first Andrew 

athlete since Jack Pranckus 

(June 2017) to earn the 

honor. 

The Athlete of the 

Month competition pits 

featured Athlete of the 

This Week In... 

Porters Varsity 

Athletics 

Boys Bowling 

■Dec. ■ 7 at Oak Forest 

Bengal Invite, 8:30 a.m. 

■Dec. ■ 9 host Providence, 

4 p.m. 

■Dec. ■ 10 host Bolingbrook, 

4:30 p.m. 

Girls Bowling 

■Dec. ■ 7 at Palatine Invite, 

9 a.m. 

■Dec. ■ 10 host Lincoln-Way 

West, 4:30 p.m. 

Boys Basketball 

■Dec. ■ 6 host Bradley, 

7 p.m. 

■Dec. ■ 9 host Reavis High 

School, 6:30 p.m. 

Andrew libero Kylie Adams is the Athlete of the Month 

for publisher 22nd Century Media’s Southwest Chicago 

branch. 22nd Century Media File Photo 

Week selections from our 

south suburban newspapers 

against one another 

in an online voting contest. 

The next contest is to 

begin Tuesday, Dec. 10. 

To vote, visit Homer 

HorizonDaily.com, hover 

over the “Sports” menu tab 

Girls Basketball 

■Dec, ■ 7 host Minooka, 

12 p.m. 

■Dec. ■ 10 host Bradley, 

7 p.m. 

Boys Wrestling 

■Dec. ■ 7 at Washington 

Super Dual, 10 a.m. 

Boys Swimming 

■Dec. ■ 6 host Lincoln-Way 

West, 5 p.m. 

Celtics Varsity 

Athletics 


■Nov. ■ 27-30 WJOL Invite 

at Joliet Junior College and 

University of St. Francis, 

TBA 

■Dec. ■ 3 host Fenwick, 

7 p.m. 

and click “Athlete of the 

Month.” Readers can vote 

once per session per valid 

email address. Voting ends 

at 5 p.m. Dec. 25. 

All athletes featured in 

the November Athlete of 

the Week sports interviews 

are automatically entered 

into the contest. 


■Dec. ■ 3 at Regina, 

7 p.m. 

Boys Bowling 

■Nov. ■ 30 Marist at Rolling 

Lanes, 1 p.m. 

Dance 

■Dec. ■ 1 at Oak Forest 

Invite, 8 a.m. 

Boys Hockey 

■Nov. ■ 28-Dec. 1 at Loyola 

Thanksgiving Tournament, 

TBA 

Wrestling 

■Nov. ■ 27 host Marmion 

and Shepard, 3 p.m. 

■Nov. ■ 30 at McHenry 

Duals, 9 a.m.

42 | December 5, 2019 | the homer horizon sports 


Wrestling 

Porters to rely on returners, plugging in pieces to sustain program success 

Randy Whalen 


lths 

From Page 46 

Plainfield Central. The 

Wildcats (4-0) went on to 

defeat Providence 41-34 

to capture the tournament 

championship for the first 

time since 2009. 

Lockport had a doubledigit 

lead but lost it and 

went down by nine points, 

then chipped away and 

had an opportunity to 

win it at the buzzer but 

missed. Senior guard Jake 

Kaczmarek led the way 

for the Porters with 21 

points on 5-of-8 shooting 

from 3-point land. He also 

grabbed five rebounds. 

The Porters opened the 

season on Nov. 25 with a 

The Lockport wrestling 

team just keeps chugging 

along. 

Coming off a season 

that produced four Top 3 

individual state placers, including 

two state champions 

and a return to state as 

a team, the Porters expect 

to plug in the pieces this 

year for more of the same. 

“We return a lot of kids 

with meaningful varsity 

experience,” Lockport 

coach Josh Oster said. 

“This freshman class is 

may be the deepest we’ve 

ever had, which is saying 

something. Our sophomore 

class is pretty deep, 

as well. There are a lot of 

weights that are up in the 

air, but I’m confident whoever 

comes out on top will 

be good.” 

Baylor Fernandes at 

160 pounds and Matt Ramos 

at 120 pounds won 

Class 3A state championships 

last season. Fellow 

senior Anthony Molton 

capped off a three-year 

stretch, which included a 

state title at 120 pounds in 

2018, with a third-place 

finish at 126 pounds, but 

they all graduated. 

After falling just short as 

a team the previous year, 

the Porters went 17-6 and 

advanced to the Class 3A 

state finals for the fourth 

time in the last five years 

this past February. That 

followed a fourth-place 

finish in 2015, a thirdplace 

placement in 2016 

and the Class 3A state 

championship in 2017. 

Kaleb Thompson, who 

is now a senior, returns 

after placing third at 106 

pounds last year. He is 

expected to be at 120 this 

season. Another senior, 

Mikey Kaminski, was a 

state qualifier at 126 this 

past year. He may move up 

to 132 pounds this season. 

Also returning from last 

season’s dual team state 

53-50 loss to Lemont (3- 

1), which went on to defeat 

Romeoville 47-44 to 

take third. 

Vassilakis led Lockport 

with 17 points and 10 rebounds. 

But the Porters 

had a really poor shooting 

night, as they went 

1-of-16 from downtown 

and 9-of-18 from the freethrow 

line. 

This Friday, Dec. 6, 

Lockport travels to Bradley-Bourbonnais 

for a 

SWSC crossover. The following 

Monday, Dec. 9, 

brings a trip to Burbank to 

face Reavis in a nonconference 

clash. 

The home opener is on 

Friday, Dec. 13, in another 

SWSC crossover 

against Stagg. 

lineup are seniors Kyle 

Boone at 160 pounds, Anthony 

Crapia at 145, Mike 

Kinney at 182 and Joe Oster 

at 152 pounds. 

There will also be juniors 

Brandon Gamagami 

at 170, Ryan Oster at 

106, Nate Ramsey at 132 

and Brendon Shin at 285 

pounds, along with sophomores 

Andrew Blackburn- 

Forst at 195 and Keegan 

Roberson at 113 or more 

pounds. 

Plus, there are a bevy 

of freshmen on the team, 

many of whom helped 

Homer Jr. High to its second-straight 

Illinois Elementary 

School Association 

state title last season. 

“We’re definitely a pretty 

young team,” Boone 

said. “But the competition 

in the room is great. We 

definitely have a good future. 

But we are going to 

be competitive this year. 

Everyone is ready. We also 

have a lot of returning varsity 

guys, and we are all 

Vorva wins his first Pressbox Picks title 

STAFF REPORT 

Despite what he calls one 

of his worst runs of luck in 

covering high school football, 

Jeff Vorva, the sports 

editor of The Orland Park 

Prairie and The Tinley Junction, 

won his first Pressbox 

Picks championship after 

going 61-16, ousting Editor 

Thomas Czaja by one game. 

“I don’t want to complain,” 

complained Vorva. 

“But this football season I 

had issues with the internet 

under deadline, my camera, 

my health and the final 

game of the season my car 

battery died. So, winning 

looking to contribute to 

the team making a run this 

year.” 

Roberson was one of 

those on the Homer Jr. 

High team that won state 

in 2018. He was at 113 

pounds and won a championship 

at the Barrington 

Invite last year to kick off 

his varsity career. He expects 

to move up in weight 

this season. 

“Yes, when we were in 

eighth grade, we were the 

leaders of the team,” Roberson 

said. “So, we came 

in here with the same mentality. 

We just wanted to 

win. Yes, we’re going to 

be good, and we strive to 

get better. 

“We just keep working 

hard and keep a winning 

mentality. Personally, I 

want to be in the Top 3 in 

the state, especially since 

last year, I didn’t make it.” 

This season’s freshmen 

class is expected to make 

an impact down the road, 

too. 

this was like finding a diamond 

in a cesspool. This 

was a tough field of pickers 

to beat.” 

Lincoln-Way-area 

Sports Editor Steve Millar 

tied last year’s champion, 

Publisher Joe Coughlin, 

for third with a 58-19 

mark. The New Lenox 

Patriot editor Sean Hastings 

was 54-23 and Chief 

Marketing Officer Heather 

Warthen finished 51-26. 

As a group, the panel 

finished 342-120 – 74 percent, 

which would be a ‘C’ 

in most classrooms and a 

‘D’ in a few others. 

“Our freshman class is 

really good, but at the moment, 

we have no freshmen 

starters,” said Oster, 

who enters his ninth season 

with a record of 168- 

41, just before Thanksgiving 

last week. “That’s just 

how it lines up at the moment. 

We have a lot of outstanding 

individuals and 

are deep. 

“We graduated a big 

class with a lot of accomplishments. 

But one moves 

out, and another moves in, 

and now it’s their chance 

to shine. Year in and year 

out, we are a successful 

program. Our job is to step 

in and get them ready to 

compete and ready to get 

better.” 

The Porters opened the 

season this past weekend, 

on Friday and Saturday, 

Nov. 29 and 30, with a 

trip to the 29th annual 

Moore-Prettyman Varsity 

Wrestling Tournament 

at Barrington. There, 

the host Broncos edged 

Jeff Vorva 

Lockport by half a point, 

181-180.5, for the team 

title. 

Individually, Kaminski 

won the title at 126 

pounds. 

This Thursday, Dec. 5, 

Lockport hosts Lincoln- 

Way Central in a South- 

West Suburban Conference 

dual meet in the 

fieldhouse. The next night 

brings another SWSC 

home dual, this one in the 

gym, against Homewood- 

Flosmoor. This Saturday, 

Dec. 7, the Porters travel 

to Central Illinois for the 

Washington Super Duals, 

starting at 10 a.m. 

Next week brings some 

huge matchups, starting at 

5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 13, 

at SWSC foe Sandburg. 

The next day brings a trip 

to Carol Stream for the 

Glenbard North quad. 

There, Lockport is set to 

face the host state power 

Panthers, as well as Hononegah 

and Plainfield 

South.



Trio of Homer residents among Provi student-athletes making college commitments 

Submitted by Providence 

Catholic High School 

Providence Catholic 

High School Athletic Director 

Doug Ternik announced 

last month that 

12 student-athletes from 

the school, including three 

from Homer Glen, will 

continue their athletic careers 

at the collegiate level. 

Those three from Homer 

Glen are Samantha Spencer 

in track and field and 

Brendan Slota and Bryce 

Backal in baseball. 

Ternik said Providence 

is extremely proud of the 

student-athletes for their 

hard work, both in the 

classroom and on the field, 

and that the school wishes 

them the best in college 

and the future. 

Samantha Spencer — 

University of Minnesota 

Spencer will be continuing 

her career at the 

University of Minnesota, 

having signed her National 

Letter of Intent to continue 

her career in track and 

field on an academic and 

athletic scholarship. She 

plans to major in engingeering 

there. 

Spencer, the daughter 

of Gary and Tracy, is a 

graduate of SS. Cyril and 

Methodius School and is 

a member of their Lemont 

parish. Throughout her 

four years, she has been an 

honors student and an active 

member of the track 

and field and volleyball 

teams. 

She has earned track 

and field All-Conference 

honors for three years, 

track and field All-State 

honors for three years and 

was the pole vault state 

champion her junior year. 

She credits Providence 

Catholic for preparing 

her for her college aspirations, 

noting the school 

gave her many new opportunities 

and resources 

to succeed, guiding her 

throughout her time there 

in making choices that 

would benefit her past her 

high school years. 

Brendan Slota — 

Lindenwood University 

Slota will be continuing 

his career at Lindenwood 

University, having signed 

his National Letter of Intent 

to continue his career 

in baseball on an academic 

scholarship. He plans to 

major in finance there. 

Slota, son of Edwin 

Slota and Michelle 

Flamm, is a graduate of 

Homer Jr. High and a 

member of St. Bernard’s 

Parish. Throughout his 

four years, he has been an 

honors student and an active 

member of the baseball 

team. 

Slota is prepared for 

college in great part, he 

said, because of the opportunities 

he has had at 

Providence Catholic. He 

noted as a college prep 

school, Providence prepared 

him with a collegestyle 

environment and 

mentality in order to be 

fully prepared for life in 

the classroom and extracurricular 

activities in 

college. 

Bryce Backal — University 

of Wisconsin-Whitewater 

Backal will be continuing 

his career at the 

University of Wisconsin- 

Whitewater, having committed 

and planning to 

major in general business 

there. 

Backal, son of Broque 

and Lisa, s a graduate 

of Oak Prairie Junior 

High and a member of 

St. Bernard’s Parish in 

Homer Glen resident Samantha Spencer will major in engineering and continue on in track and field at the 

University of Minnesota. Photos submitted 

Brendan Slota, of Homer Glen, has decided to accept an 

academic scholarship to continue his baseball career at 

Lindenwood University and will major in finance. 

Homer Glen. Throughout 

his four years he has been 

an honors student and 

an active member of the 

baseball team. 

He looks forward to 

the opportunity to applying 

what he has learned at 

Homer Glen’s Bryce Backal has committed to the 

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and will be a 

general business major. 

Providence to his education 

and baseball career at 

Wisconsin, noting Providence 

has taught him how 

4 

to manage time and have 

a proper work ethic with 

both his schoolwork and 

sports.




MVP Knight leads Providence to Beecher title 

Steve Millar, Sports Editor 

Providence senior guard 

Lauren Knight knew it was 

going to be a good night 

early on in the Beecher 

Fall Classic championship 

game against the host Ladycats 

on Nov. 26. 

Knight hit her first shot, 

and the shots kept falling 

on her way to a 10-point 

first quarter. 

“I didn’t score at all in 

the first quarter [in a Nov. 

25 win over St. Laurence], 

so coming out and hitting 

those shots right away really 

picked me up,” Knight 

said. “It felt good to get off 

to a good start.” 

Knight poured in 22 

points and was named the 

tournament’s Most Valuable 

Player as Providence 

topped Beecher 44-33 to 

win the Fall Classic for the 

second straight season. 

“We wanted to win really 

bad,” Knight said. “We 

wanted to win this again 

like we did last year, and 

we wanted to be 5-0.” 

Knight’s backcourt mate 

and fellow senior Claire 

McGrath joined her on the 

All-Tournament team. Mc- 

Grath scored 10 points in the 

title game, while freshman 

Annalise Pietrzyk added six 

points and five rebounds for 

the Celtics (5-0). 

“We’ve got a big learning 

curve ahead of us, but 

I’m very happy for the 

girls,” Providence coach 

Eileen Copenhaver said. 

“They earned it. They did 

a nice job this week.” 

Behind Knight’s hot 

shooting, Providence raced 

to an 18-4 lead after one 

quarter, but Beecher (3-2) 

slowly chipped away. 

Down 27-16 at halftime, 

Beecher opened the 

second half on an 8-0 run 

Providence celebrates with the Beecher Fall Classic championship plaque after their win against the Ladycats Nov. 26. Steve Millar/22nd 

Century Media 

to pull within three. After 

a Providence timeout, Pietrzyk 

came up with a big 

basket inside to stop the 

Ladycats’ surge. 

McGrath and Knight 

followed with baskets to 

help Providence right the 

ship and take a 33-26 lead 

into the final quarter. 

“I think we had to slow 

down on offense,” Mc- 

Grath said. “We were 

chucking up shots kind of 

fast. We had to move the 

ball around and get the 

right shots.” 

While the Celtics went 

cold offensively through 

the middle quarters, they 

got some big stops on the 

defensive end to maintain 

their lead. 

“Our main focus this 

year is definitely defense,” 

McGrath said. “We’re not 

as much worried about our 

offense, because we know 

we can score.” 

Knight echoed those 

sentiments. 

“We have a lot of shooters, 

but we’re short, so defense 

and rebounding are 

big for us,” she said. “We 

needed to play better defense 

than we were earlier 

in the game. We needed to 

move our feet more, because 

we were fouling too 

much.” 

McGrath scored six 

points in the fourth quarter 

as Providence pulled 

away. After primarily setting 

up her teammates for 

shots early in the game, 

McGrath got more aggressive 

late, attacking the basket 

for key buckets. 

Copenhaver was happy 

to see her team answer 

when Beecher made its 

run. 

“This early in the season, 

you’re not sure how 

they’re going to respond,” 

she said. “We got challenged 

[in the St. Laurence 

game] and responded, and 

we did it again today. So 

those are promising signs.” 

The 5-0 start has Providence 

excited about the big 

games ahead. The Celtics 

are set to host 2018-2019 

Class 4A state runner-up 

Mother McAuley at 7 p.m. 

Thursday, Dec. 5. 

Following that is a battle 

with Carmel on Sunday, 

Dec. 8 as part of the 

GCAC-ESCC Challenge 

at Nazareth. 

“This good start has got 

us pumped up,” McGrath 

said. “We’re really excited 

to play McAuley. We’ve 

been ready for that game 

since last year.”




Providence wins crosstown clash with West in opener 

Sean Hastings 

Contributing Editor 

4 

The first game of the 

season is always a learning 

one. Neither team will be 

where they are at the end 

of the season and both are 

able to finally assess where 

they currently are. 

For the Lincoln-Way 

West Warriors, there is 

a little more figuring out 

to do. For the Providence 

Celtics, a 56-34 seasonopening 

win in the WJOL 

Tournament over their 

crosstown foe from West 

has them confident one 

game in, but they still have 

long-term goals in their 

minds. 

The Celtics have nine 

seniors out of 17 on the 

team and all five starters 

were seniors. 

One of those is guard 

Joe Alfirevich. 

“I thought it was a great 

team win and everyone 

was getting involved,” Alfirevich 

said. “Everyone 

contributed to the game. 

We had [seven] different 

players on the board, 

which is huge. We were 

sharing the ball and getting 

good looks.” 

Alfirevich led the Celtics 

with 16 points. Senior 

Noah Vassal added 14 and 

senior Lucas Porto scored 

10. 

Connor Jenkins paced 

West with 11 points, while 

Jacob Vassalla added 10. 

As a junior, Alfirevich 

was a part of a Celtic 

team that won two playoff 

games, including upsetting 

Oak Forest in the regional 

semifinal on a buzzer 

beater, but had the tables 

turned on it in the regional 

championship and lost on 

a buzzer beater to Rich 

Central. 

He was a little motivated 

Providence’s Lucas Porto goes up for a layup during the Celtics’ 56-34 win over Lincoln-Way West in a WJOL Tournament game Nov. 25 at Joliet 

Junior College. Sean Hastings/22nd Century Media 

to start the season strong 

from that experience. 

“I just wanted us to be 

ready to go and play as a 

team,” he said. “We had 

two good weeks of practices 

and were just excited 

to get on the floor.” 

The Celtics did a bulk of 

their scoring down low on 

layups and midrange jump 

shots. They had just three 

3-pointers — one from 

Vassal, one from Lucas 

Porto and one in the waning 

seconds of the game 

from senior Matas Mikuzis. 

“Our mentality was 

to share the ball and attack 

the rim,” Providence 

coach Kyle Murphy said. 

“That’s when we are at our 

best. Push the ball when 

we can.” 

But defense was one 

thing they talked about all 

offseason, Murphy said. 

And although the Celtics 

forced the Warriors into 

multiple turnovers, leading 

to scores at the other 

end on fast drives to the 

basket, Murphy was not all 

too happy with the defense 

overall. 

“Our backbone has to be 

our defense,” he said. “We 

let up a lot of blow-bys, 

drives to the rim, we bailed 

out guys with fouls. I just 

thought we were sloppy 

on the defensive end, but I 

told these guys that’s how 

we’re going to have to win 

games. Lock them down 

on that end and the rest 

will take care of itself.” 

When West did go on 

its runs, like an 8-0 run to 

start the second half, Murphy 

attributed the end of 

the run to the senior leadership 

from the Celtics. 

West’s early run was 

helped put together by 

Vassalla. 

“We wanted to get Connor 

the ball near the basket 

out of the sets that 

we were running,” West 

coach Brian Flaherty said. 

“But we couldn’t stay in 

it, then we started running 

up to the basket out of our 

little motion stuff that we 

do at the end. In the second 

half, we executed 

some of those sets and we 

got him the basketball. 

Every time we did that, 

we could score.” 

Jenkins, a 6-foot-6 junior, 

had the height advantage 

on just about 

everyone on the floor, so 

when he did get the ball 

down low, he was able 

to spin himself free for 

either a soft hook shot or 

lay-in. 

The score was lopsided 

and Flaherty admitted, in 

the end, there was not a 

whole lot West did right. 

He blamed himself for 

some of that. 

As Flaherty put it, it 

looked like the Warriors 

were “ragtag running 

around out there,” in the 

first half. 

“In practice, we tried to 

hit the details of execution 

and doing things the right 

way, we got out there and 

it looked like we didn’t 

break down things ever,” 

he said. “I’ll put that on 

me for obviously not preparing 

us as much as we 

needed to to step on the 

floor game one.” 

West trailed 27-14 at the 

end of the first half after 

scoring two points in the 

first quarter — both by 

senior Andrew Pyles. He 

finished with eight points, 

all scored in the first half.



Fourth time the charm for Porters at tourney 

2 

Lockport boys 

basketball team 

gets first win after 

trio of close losses 

Randy Whalen 


Learning how to win. 

That is what a young 

Lockport Township boys 

basketball team had to do 

last week. 

After a trio of frustrating 

losses, the Porters finally 

did figure out how 

to win. They pulled away 

in the second quarter and 

went on to a 64-49 victory 

over Lincoln-Way West 

on Saturday, Nov. 30, in 

the seventh-place game 

of the 24th annual WJOL 

Thanksgiving Classic at 

the University of St. Francis 

in Joliet. 

It was a much-needed 

win for a Lockport (1-3) 

team that had all three of 

its losses go down to the 

final seconds earlier in the 

week to open the tourney. 

“It was a huge win,” 

Lockport coach Brett 

Hespell said of the Lincoln-Way 

West victory. 

“We played in the much 

more competitive of the 

two pools, since all four 

teams in our pool won 

the crossover games [on 

that Saturday], which was 

nice in terms of a challenge. 

But with a team as 

inexperienced as ours is 

this year, we needed to go 

through a win. That really 

helps the guys feel confident 

in their efforts.” 

Hespell credited the 

team’s defense for the final 

round win over the 

Warriors (0-4). Trailing 

after the opening quarter, 

the Porters outscored 

Lincoln-Way West 16-2 in 

Lockport’s Angelo Vassilakis drives to the hoop in between Steelmen defenders in his team’s game against 

Joliet Central on Friday, Nov. 29, in the WJOL Thanksgiving Classic at the University of St. Francis in Joliet. Adam 

Jomant/22nd Century Media 

the second quarter to lead 

32-19 at intermission by 

“playing very energetic 

defense.” 

For the game, Lockport 

had 14 offensive boards 

and forced 19 turnovers. 

Senior forward Tommy 

Ferriter led the way with 

15 points and added six 

rebounds, while junior 

Angelo Vassilakis added 

12 points. 

The game was a contrast 

from the one just 16 

hours earlier. That was a 

53-47 loss to Joliet Central 

on Friday, Nov. 29, 

in the final round of pool 

play. 

There, the Porters had 

a nine-point third quarter 

lead but saw it slip away. 

They still had an opportunity 

to tie or take the 

lead in the waning seconds 

but missed. That allowed 

the Steelmen, who 

are coached by former 

Lockport coach Lawrence 

Thompson Jr., to score 

the final four points of the 

game to secure their first 

win of the season. 

“Part of it is being 

young, some guys have 

to get used to varsity basketball,” 

Ferriter said following 

the Joliet Central 

loss. “But we needed a 

complete effort the whole 

way, not just little spurts. 

“It sucks, but I guess 

if we are going to be 0-3 

[through Joliet Central], I 

guess you’d want to be in 

every game.” 

Lockport led in every 

game at the tournament, 

and by a fairly big margin 

in some of those early 

games. That included a 

27-21 lead at halftime 

and a 36-27 advantage 

with less than three minutes 

to play in the third 

quarter against the Steelmen, 

who also entered the 

game winless. But trailing 

37-29, Joliet Central 

ended the third quarter on 

an 11-3 burst to tie it at 

40-40. 

The Steelmen then 

scored the first five points 

of the fourth quarter to 

take the lead for good. 

Lockport closed within 

two points on three occasions, 

including 49-47 on 

a layup by senior guard 

Tyrell Harris with 42 seconds 

to play in the game. 

Ten seconds later, the Porters 

forced a turnover but 

missed a 3-pointer that 

would have given them 

the lead. 

Ryan Wisneski made 

a layup for Joliet Central 

with 22.7 seconds to play. 

But the junior forward 

missed a free throw opportunity 

for a three-point 

play. The Porters once 

again turned the ball over, 

however, and a final Steelmen 

basket just before the 

buzzer accounted for the 

final score. 

“It’s going to be a work 

in progress every day,” 

said Thompson, who is 

now 3-1 against his former 

team, of his squad 

this season. “By far, this 

was our best performance 

of the season. I’m just 

glad Lockport didn’t have 

all its 3-point shooters hitting 

at the same time.” 

Junior swing player 

Matas Deksnys, who had 

five rebounds, led Lockport 

with 15 points, hitting 

5-of-8 shots from 3-point 

land, but the rest of the 

Porters were 2-of-13 from 

downtown. Ferriter found 

his way for seven points, 

a team-high six rebounds 

and added four assists and 

four steals. Senior guard 

Timmy DiCristofano 

added six points and four 

assists, and junior forward 

Sam Trafton also had six 

points for the Porters. 

Senior center Kee 

Hargrow led Joliet 

Central with 19 points, 

nine rebounds and three 

steals. Senior forward 

Kennell Sutton added 16 

points, and Issiah Zabel 

zapped nine points for 

the Steelmen (2-2), who 

defeated Minooka 48- 

32 last Saturday for fifth 

place overall. 

Hespell was frustrated 

following the Joliet Central 

loss. 

“We played well 

enough to win but not 

well enough to win, if that 

makes sense,” he said. “I 

know we are really inexperienced, 

but at this 

point, that’s just an excuse. 

We’ve got to grow 

up at some point. But I 

still believe in our guys. 

We are just a handful of 

plays from being 3-0.” 

The Porters showed that 

growth on the final day, 

but the first few games 

were certainly frustrating. 

In a second-round pool 

play game on Nov. 27, 

Lockport lost 54-53 to 

Please see lths, 42



fastbreak 

Girls Bowling 

Porters girls bowling expects successful season with returning players 

3 

Adam Jomant/22nd Century 

Media 

1st and 3 

Porters boys 

basketball defeats 

Lincoln-Way West in 

tourney 

1. Getting a win 

The Porters boys 

basketball team 

beat the Warriors 

by a final of 64-49 

on Friday, Nov. 

29, in the WJOL 

Thanksgiving Classic 

in Joliet after 

starting 0-3 there. 

2. Close contests 

The Porters played 

in three-straight 

close games to 

open the season, 

losing by only 

a combined 10 

points to Lemont, 

Plainfield Central 

and Joliet Central. 

3. Taking over 

In the game 

against Lincoln- 

Way West, LTHS 

got 14 offensive 

boards and caused 

19 turnovers by 

their opponent. Senior 

Tommy Ferriter 

had 15 points, and 

junior Angelo Vassilakis 

had 12 points 

in the contest. 

Randy Whalen 


This season, the Lockport 

Township girls bowling 

team is looking for a 

return to the top. 

With seven of the eight 

bowlers from last season’s 

team, which placed fifth 

(11,272) in the state, the 

Porters certainly believe 

they have the people in 

place to do it. 

“We are very deep and 

have a lot of girls back 

from last year,” Lockport 

coach Art Cwudzinski 

said. “We have a lot 

of experience and a lot of 

girls in the mix. We’re a 

great team here [at Strike 

& Spare II], but we have 

to be a great team everywhere. 

“Last year, I was surprised 

by our fifth-place 

finish. This season, I hope 

to do better.” 

So does Chloe Siezega. 

Now a junior, she placed 

fourth in the state overall 

last season with a twoday 

total of 2,531. She 

was 139 pins behind individual 

winner Rebecca 

Hagerman, of Harlem, for 

first, but only one pin out 

of third and 21 pins out of 

second. 

“I feel a lot of people 

improved over the summer 

and have come here ready 

to bowl,” Siezega said. “I 

personally want to go with 

the flow. I’ve been waiting 

for bowling season, and I 

want to start well. We have 

some young girls, and I 

want to help get them better 

by midyear.” 

Cwudzinski, who enters 

his 20th season as Porter 

coach with state titles in 

2009 and 2015, often reiterates 

two things — how 

important spare shooting 

is, and the postseason 

spots on the team are not 

given; they are earned. 

That means the trio of 

returning seniors Emilie 

Pleshar, Jessica Ramirez 

and Samantha Traina will 

have to bowl at the top of 

their game to be back on 

the postseason roster. So 

will junior Payton Vandenburg 

and now sophomores 

Isabella Colon and Emma 

Punter. 

Erin Kleffman, who is 

now playing softball at the 

University of Evansville, 

was the only senior on last 

season’s state roster. 

Vandenburg has one distinction 

so far this season. 

She fired a 300 game in 

practice on Nov. 21. It was 

her first perfect game. 

“I wasn’t that nervous; I 

was excited,” Vandenburg 

said of her perfect game. 

“My previous high was a 

298, so it felt so cool, but 

I just have to keep practicing. 

“The whole team has 

improved a lot, and our 

scores have improved a 

lot. I hope we can do well 

again this season. I think 

we can get a trophy. We 

just have to keep improving, 

keep picking up our 

spares.” 

One thing that is almost 

Seven of the eight bowlers from last season’s LTHS girls bowling team that placed 

fifth in state are back. 22nd century media file photo 

assured is that the Porters 

will be at the state finals, 

which will be held Feb. 

21-22 at The Cherry Bowl 

in Rockford. They have 

made it the past seven 

seasons, winning the state 

title in 2015, getting third 

the next year and placing 

second in 2017. 

They host a regional this 

season and have qualified 

for state 24 times in their 

34 years as a program. 

They have a state record 

of 21 sectional titles, and 

also a record 21 Top-10 

finishes. They have seven 

trophies in their history, including 

a school record of 

four state championships. 

Ramirez, a four-year 

varsity bowler, knows 

what it takes to get to that 

elite level and believes 

Lockport has it this season. 

“We’ve definitely got 

talent, and I’m hoping for 

a state championship,” 

Ramirez said. “I think we 

can do it. I’d settle for a 

trophy, but we have the 

talent to do it. 

“It’s just the way we all 

come together as a team 

and be there for each other. 

We all work together, and 

we are a cohesive bunch.” 

Lockport opened the 

season last Saturday, Nov. 

30, with a trip to the Rock 

Island Invite at Highland 

Park Bowl in Moline and 

won the team title on both 

the varsity and JV levels. 

For varsity, the Porters 

rolled a six-game total of 

5,767 to outdistance Harlem 

(5,677) by 90 pins 

and win the 15-team tournament. 

Vandenburg and 

Traina led the way, as both 

bowled a six-game total of 

1,242, which tied for third 

overall. Siezega (1,122), 

Ramirez (1,094), Colon 

(564 in 3 games) and 

Pleshar (503 in 3 games) 

rounded out the lineup. 

On the JV level, the Porters 

(5,367) won by more 

than 400 pins over Harlem 

(4,954). 

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Index 

“With a team as inexperienced as ours is this year, 

we needed to go through a win. That really helps 

the guys feel confident in their efforts.” 

Brett Hespell — Porters boys basketball coach, after his 

team beat Lincoln-Way West for its first win 


Ready to compete — 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, at Bradley- 

Bourbonnais 

• The Porters hit the road for a SWSC crossover clash. 

41 - Athlete of the Month 

41 - Athlete of the Week 

FASTBREAK is compiled by Editor Thomas Czaja, 

tom@homerhorizon.com.

homer glen’s Hometown Newspaper | December 5, 2019 

Making their commitments Three 

student-athletes from Homer Glen who attend 

Providence officially announce where they will 

continue their respective sports in college, Page 43 

Hitting the mats 

Lockport wrestling confident 

it can bring home more state 

hardware this season, Page 42 

Young Porters boys basketball 

squad beats Warriors by 15 in 

Thanksgiving tourney to notch first 

victory, Page 46 

Lockport’s Tommy 

Ferriter puts up a 

shot against Joliet 

Central on Friday, 

Nov. 29, in the WJOL 

Thanksgiving Classic 

at the University of 

St. Francis in Joliet. 

Adam Jomant/22nd 

Century Media 

Oh what funitistoride. 

Ride Metra to shopping, skating, light displays and more 

to skip traffic and save time all season long. See why 

Metra is made for the holidays at metrarail.com.

HO_120519

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