MK_022020

® 

mokena’s Award-Winning Hometown Newspaper MokenaMessengerDaily.com • February 20, 2020 • Vol. 12 No. 28 • $1 

A 

Publication 

,LLC 

Crime update 

Mokena police chief 

again addresses issue at 

board meeting, Page 4 

Former Mokenaian brings village past to new home, Page 3 

Where the 

money goes 

Mokena Jr. High shows 

off programs made 

possible by fundraising, 

Page 5 

Recognizing 

academic 

excellence 

Mokena students receive 

scholarly honors, Page 6 

Former longtime 

Mokena resident 

and local historian 

Robert Horras sits 

in his office at his 

home in Princeton, 

Illinois. Horras has 

compiled an extensive 

collection of historical 

items and documents 

related to Mokena. 

T.J. Kremer III/22nd 

Century Media 

HIGH-YIELD 

CD RATES 

www.LWCBank.com 

SEE OUR 

AD INSIDE 

FOR 

DETAILS

2 | February 20, 2020 | the mokena messenger calendar 

mokenamessengerdaily.com 

In this week’s 

Messenger 

Police Reports................. 8 

Pet of the Week.............. 9 

Editorial........................11 

Puzzles..........................19 

The Scene......................19 

Classifieds................ 26-33 

The Mokena 

Messenger 

ph: 708.326.9170 fx: 708.326.9179 

Editor 

TJ Kremer III, x29 

tj@mokenamessenger.com 

sports editor 

Steve Millar, ext 34 

s.millar@22ndcm.com 

Sales director 

Lora Healy, x31 

l.healy@22ndcenturymedia.com 

real estate sales 

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.MokenaMessenger.com 

Chemical- free printing on 

30% recycled paper 

circulation inquiries 

circulation@22ndcenturymedia.com 

The Mokena Messenger 

(USPS #025404) 

is published weekly by 

22nd Century Media, LLC, 

11516 W. 183rd Pl. 

Unit SW, Office Condo #3 


and additional mailing offices. 

Periodical postage paid at 

Orland Park, IL 

POSTMASTER: Send changes to: 


11516 W. 183rd Pl. 

Unit SW, Office Condo #3 


Published by 

www.22ndcenturymedia.com 

FRIDAY 

Pinkalicious Party 

6-8:15 p.m. Feb. 21, 

Mokena Community 

Park District Program 

Center, 10925 LaPorte 

Road in Mokena. Calling 

all Pinkerbelles and 

Pinkerellas. This will be 

a totally Pinktastic party 

that you don’t want to 

miss. We’ll start with 

pizza, pink lemonade 

and cupcakes. We’ll read 

our favorite Pinktacular 

book, and have fun with 

games and a craft. Ages 

4–7. Early Bird Registration 

Fees: $20R/$24NR. 

After Feb. 7 additional 

fees apply. For more information, 

call Mokena 

Community Park District 

at (708) 390-2401 or register 

at mokenapark.com. 

Saturday 

Ray the Sax Guy 

1-2 p.m. Feb. 22, Mokena 

Community Public 

Library District, 11327 

195th St. in Mokena. Mokena 


Library District is happy 

to welcome Ray Forlenza 

for an afternoon of singing 

and dancing. For more 

information, call (708) 

479-9663, or visit mokena 

library.org. 

Monday 

Village Board meeting 

7 p.m. Feb. 24, Mokena 

Village Hall, 11004 Carpenter 

St. in Mokena. 

UPCOMING 

Motown: Music That 

Changed the World 

1-2 p.m. Feb. 29, Mokena 



195th St. in Mokena. 

Celebrate Black History 

Month at the Mokena 

Community Public Library 

District as we take 

a musical journey to the 

Motor City. Gary Wenstrup 

will use audio and 

visual content to trace the 

amazing musical journey 

of artists like The Supremes, 

The Temptations, 

Stevie Wonder, Marvin 

Gaye and many more. For 

more information, call 

(708) 479-9663, or visit 

mokenalibrary.org. 

Early Voting for 

Presidential Primary 

8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. March 

2-13, Mokena Village 

Hall, 11004 Carpenter St. 

in Mokena. 

ONGOING 

LWABWO Meetings 

6-8 p.m. on the third 

Tuesday of each month 

Sept. through June, Gatto’s 

Restaurant, 1938 E. 

Lincoln Highway, New 

Lenox. The Lincoln-Way 

Area Business Women’s 

Organization is a nonprofit 

club formed in 

1971 to provide scholarship 

funds to graduating 

female high school 

seniors and adult women 

for the purpose of continuing 

education. We are 

always looking for new 

members. For more information, 

visit LWABWO. 

org. 

We are Lions 

7 p.m. first Thursday 

of each month, Doc’s 

Smokehouse, 19081 Old 

LaGrange Road #105 in 

Mokena. The Lions Club 

of Mokena hosts is monthly 

meeting. For more information, 

email Mokena 

LionsClub@att.net. 

Al-Anon 

6 p.m. Sundays, Mokena 

Fellowship Center, 

11137 W. 191st St., Mokena; 

7 p.m. Mondays 

and 6 p.m. Thursdays, 

Old Plank Trail Bank, 

20012 Wolf Road, Mokena. 

Meetings are open 

to anyone who feels their 

life has been affected by 

a problem drinker. There 

are no dues or fees. All 

meetings are confidential. 

For more information, 

call (815) 773-9623. 

Mokena Fire Protection 

CPR Class 

6-9:30 p.m. First and 

third Mondays of the 

month. Mokena Fire Station 

1, 19853 S. Wolf 

Road, Moknea. The Mokena 

Fire Protection District 

offers monthly CPR 

classes for the public. 

Students are instructed 

in adult, child and infant 

CPR and AED. The 

cost of the class is $40 

for Community CPR 

and $50 Healthcare 

CPR. Register for specific 

dates at mokena 

fire.org. 

Kindergarten Registration 

Drive 

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

District Administrative 

Center, 20100 South 

Spruce Drive in Frankfort. 

Summit Hill School 

District’s 2019-20 kindergarten 

registration 

drive continues. Parents 

may access studentregistration.org 

to review the 

checklist of documents 

needed for registration. 

Parents have the option of 

enrolling their kindergartener 

in the extended day 

program or the half-day 

program. Registration fee 

for extended day is $150. 

Registration fee for half 

day is $125. Payment options 

are available. 

Walking Book Club 

9-10 a.m. Wednesdays, 

The Oaks Fitness & Recreation 

Center, 10847 

LaPorte Road, Mokena. 

Organized by the Mokena 


Library, this group 

walks for 30 minutes and 

then talks about a book 

for 30 minutes. Copies 

of the reading schedule 

are doled out at weekly 

meetings. For more information, 

call (708) 

479-9663. 

3D Printer Class 

10-11 a.m. every third 

Saturday of the month, 

Mokena Community Public 


W. 195th St. Visit the YA 

Computer Lab to create 

3-D nameplates with our 

Makerbot 2x 3-D Printer. 

Call (708) 479-9663 for 

more information. 

Mobile Workforce Center 

1:30-3:30 p.m. Fridays, 

Mokena Community 

Public Library, 11327 W. 

195th St., Mokena. The 

Mobile Workforce Center 

travels to communities 

throughout Will County 

assisting residents who 

are looking for a job. 

Lincoln-Way Toastmasters 

7:30 p.m. every first 

and third Thursday of 

each month, Frankfort 

Village Hall, 432 W. Nebraska 

St., Frankfort. 

This club for adults ages 

LIST IT YOURSELF 

Reach out to thousands of daily 

users by submitting your event at 

MokenaMessenger.com/calendar 

For just print*, email all information to 


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

18 and older helps participants 

overcome their 

fear of public speaking, 

which in turn fosters selfconfidence 

and personal 

growth. All are welcome 

to attend and/or join. For 


(708) 769-7506. 

Music in the Box 

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

Wednesdays, Mokena 

Community Public Library 

District, 11327 W. 

195th St., Mokena. Newborns 

to 5-year-olds and 

their parents/guardians 

will explore rhythm instruments, 

rhythmic poetry, 

music picture books 

and more. Classes are 

limited to 20 children. 


call (708) 479-9663. 

Youth Story Time 

10-10:45 a.m. and 11- 

11:45 a.m. Mondays and 

Tuesdays for children 

ages 3-5; 10-10:45 a.m. 

and 11-11:45 a.m. Thursdays 

for 2-year-olds; 10- 

10:45 a.m. Fridays for 

all ages, Mokena Community 

Public Library 

District, 11327 W. 195th 

St., Mokena. No preregistration 

is required for 

story hour. Parents of 

2-year-olds must remain 

in the activity room during 

story hour; parents of 

all children must remain 

in the library during story 

hours. For more information, 

call (708) 479-9663.

mokenamessengerdaily.com news 

the mokena messenger | February 20, 2020 | 3 

Take the man out of Mokena but not Mokena out of the man 

3 

T.J. Kremer III, Editor 

Part of former longtime Mokenian Robert Horras’ vast collection of 

the history of the village and surrounding area includes thousands 

of pages of documents dealing with everything from schools to 

businesses to individuals. T.J. Kremer III/22nd Century Media 

Imagine a place where one 

can step back in time nearly 

200 years to catch a glimpse 

into how the earliest Mokenians, 

and the generations who 

followed those pioneers, lived 

their lives. 

This place would be filled 

with historical documents, letters 

and correspondences, artifacts, 

clothes and trinkets, and 

just about everything else that 

brings the history of the village 

back to life. 

Such a place does exist — in 

Princeton, Illinois. 

There is the home of Robert 

and Valerie Horras, former 

Mokena residents who spent 58 

years in the village. Each can 

trace their families’ lineage back 

to the earliest days of frontier life 

in the mid-1800s. 

Robert — who served on Mokena’s 

Planning and Zone Commission 

for 25 years from 1980- 

2005, 23 of those as chairman 

— said he caught the history 

bug when he was in his 20s and 

started researching the family’s 

genealogy. 

“I asked my grandmother 

one day where we came from,” 

Robert said. “So, I started looking 

back, and my relations and 

my wife’s relations were some 

of the earliest settlers in Frankfort 

Township. My great-greatgrandfather 

[George] Lauffer 

[Sr.] came here in 1846.” 

Robert said he was fascinated 

by the sacrifices the earliest settlers 

made in order to build a 

community that, at the time, was 

on the fringes of western expansion. 

“Look what these people gave 

up,” he said. “Was it that bad 

over there that they gave up everything 

to come over here? Because 

they weren’t going back 

for a visit.” 

Through his research into his 

own family’s history, he began 

collecting historical documents, 

which led to collecting 

other things: old promotional 

calendars from Mokena businesses, 

a Mokena baseball uniform 

from the early part of the 

20th century, school records, 

a bass drum head from a 1915 

Mokena band, postcards, maps 

and anything else he could get 

his hands on. 

Robert said it is his goal to try 

and spread his vast amount of accumulated 

history of Mokena to 

other people and organizations, 

so that they too can help keep the 

past alive. 

“If you don’t know history, 

you’re likely to repeat it,” he 

said. “And you generally don’t 

repeat the good things because 

you forget what happened and 

why things are.” 

Robert is available to give 

presentations on a variety of 

historical topics. Those who 

are interested can reach him 

via email at rob9348@hotmail. 

com. 

 

 

 

 

Weight Gain 

Fatigue 

Hair Loss 

Constipation 

 

 

 

 

Low Libido 

Cold Hands/Feet 

Insomnia 

Depression/Anxiety 

 

 

 

 

Heart Palpitations 

Muscle Weakness 

Muscle Aches/Pains 

Digestive Problems 

 

 

 

 

Are your thyroid symptoms worsening while your doctor says your lab 

tests look “normal”? 

Have you been told you have Hashimoto’s and there’s nothing else that 

can be done? 

Are you tired of suffering year after year with no hope for better health? 

Do you suffer with thyroid symptoms because you are being misdiagnosed 

and poorly managed? 

Mon, Feb. 24th 6:30 pm 

CALL NOW! 

Seating is limited! 

“Do you wonder why, even though you are on thyroid 

medication, you still suffer with all of the symptoms of your 

thyroid condition? Or maybe initially you felt better on your 

thyroid medication until all the symptoms started to come 

back? You are invited to get your questions answered and 

learn about new protocols in the management and support of 

many thyroid conditions-including Hashimoto’s and Graves 

Disease.” ~Dr. Ed Beyer 

17023 S Harlem Ave, Tinley Park 

17023 S Harlem Ave 

See our reviews Tinley onPark 

Facebook 

Visit beyernaturalhealthsolutions.com

sion, the board members 

heard a special use request 

to construct a self-storage 

facility off 191st Street 

and near LaGrange Road. 

The proposed site, located 

at 19140 Darvin 

Drive, is approximately 

62,421 square feet with 

an average building height 

of 35 feet. The three-story 

building would have climate-controlled 

personal 

storage lockers, as well 

as spaces for boat or RV 

storage in the rear of the 

building that would not be 

climate-controlled. 

Village Building and 

Planning Director Matt 

Ziska said the petitioner, 

Pine Forest Development 

LLC, is asking for one 

point of full access to the 

site on the southeast corner 

of Darvin Drive. Ziska 

also said the Village’s 

parking formula required 

five parking spaces, but 

the applicant was providing 

for eight. 

The hours of operation 

would be 9 a.m.-6 p.m. 

Mondays through Fridays, 

and 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturdays 

and Sundays; however, 

customers would 

have access to their storage 

lockers 24/7. 

Ziska said the nearest 

residential property is 

about 540 feet southwest 

and about 600 feet southeast 

of the proposed site. 

Trustee Joseph Siwinski 

said he was not com- 

4 | February 20, 2020 | the mokena messenger news 


Mokena Village Board 

Police again address public’s crime concerns, offer updates 

Jon DePaolis 

Freelance Reporter 

In response to public 

concerns about ongoing 

vehicular crimes in the 

Village of Mokena, Police 

Chief Steven Vaccaro 

commented on the ongoing 

efforts of his department 

Feb. 10 during the 

Village Board of Trustees 

meeting. 

Vaccaro said that, per 

the direction of the Village 

Board, the emphasis of the 

PROUD TO BE NAMED AN AMERICAN STAR CERTIFIED AGENCY 

Our customers have recognized us as an American Star Certified Agency — an honor that affirms our 

commitment to “Excellence in Customer Experience.” You work hard for your dreams. You deserve an 

insurance company that works just as hard to protect them. 

Maria Hohman, Agent 

15 Oak St Ste 2C 

Frankfort, IL 60423 

Bus: (815) 464-6155 

mhohman@amfam.com 

mariahohman.com 

AUTO | HOME | BUSINESS | LIFE | DREAMS 

American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. & its Operating Companies, American Family Insurance Company, American 

Family Life Insurance Company, 6000 American Parkway, Madison WI 53783 006890 – Rev. 06/17 ©2015 – 10167529 

APRIL BLAIR 

Broker 

• Lifelong resident of the 

LincolnWay area 

• Full time realtor since 1992 

• Remodeling & staging 

experience 

• Competitive commission rates 

• Professional photography 

included with all listings 

(815) 954-4443 Cell 

april.blair@comcast.net 

www.AprilBlairHomes.com 

9 

department will continue 

to be on deterring vehicle 

thefts and burglaries in 

Mokena. He said there has 

been a lot that has happened 

since the last Village 

Board meeting operationally, 

but he could not 

comment on some of those 

actions. 

However, he was able to 

shed some light on efforts 

the police department is 

undertaking to deter these 

crimes, including: putting 

additional police personnel 

on midnight patrols for the 

foreseeable future; moving 

a detective to handle these 

incidents on a full-time 

basis; officers monitoring 

key areas within the village; 

working with area 

police departments — including 

Frankfort, New 

Lenox, Orland Park and 

Tinley Park police departments 

— as well as the 

Will County Sheriff’s Office; 

and utilizing resources 

from other areas. 

“We are researching future 

options and resources 

to assist in addressing 

these and any future incidents 

that may come up,” 

Vaccaro said. 

He also said the department 

held a neighborhood 

watch liaison meeting on 

Feb. 6. 

“I’m happy to report 

we have 23 neighborhood 

watch liaisons,” Vaccaro 

said. 

Additionally, Vaccaro 

said that Mokena School 

District 159 sent a Lock It 

or Lose It message home 

with students to give to 

their parents. Vaccaro said 

numerous homeowners’ 

associations and the Mokena 

Chamber of Commerce 

also have been contacted 

and are assisting in 

getting the message out, as 

well as various electronic 

Round it up 

A brief recap of other items discussed during the 

Feb. 10 Mokena Board of Trustees meeting 

• As part of the consent agenda, the trustees voted 

5-0 to approve a disconnection ordinance for the 

properties at 11215 and 11221 W. 183rd Place. 

• Also part of the consent agenda, the trustees 

approved a resolution designating the Chicago 

Southland Convention and Visitors Bureau as the 

agency of record. 

• The trustees also approved as part of the 

consent agenda a resolution supporting the Will 

County 80th Avenue improvement project. 

signs in Mokena showing 

the Lock It or Lose It messaging. 

Vaccaro said residents 

also can help. 

“They are part of our 

equation for safety and security 

in our village,” he 

said. “We are asking that 

they safeguard their vehicles, 

safeguard their property 

by locking everything 

up, and to be a good partner 

for the police department 

and for the village. 

Watch out for your neighbors. 

If you see something 

suspicious, something that 

you think doesn’t belong, 

give us a call. Get involved 

and consider becoming a 

liaison with the police department 

or assist us with 

passing along information 

if you have information to 

pass along. Report suspicious 

activity immediately. 

Please don’t wait until it is 

too late. And please do not 

confront any of these subjects.” 

Before finishing his 

comments, Vaccaro said 

that since the last board 

meeting, some of the 

people involved in these 

crimes have been arrested 

in other communities. 

“We need to continue to 

work together in order to 

have a significant impact 

in deterring these crimes,” 

he said. 

Self-storage facility plans 

moving forward 

During the work ses- 

Please see village, 10

mokenamessengerdaily.com news 


Getting more bang for the buck 

MEF gets tour of 

junior high to see 

how fundraising 

money is used 


Members of the Mokena 

Educational Foundation, a 

nonprofit group that raises 

money for Mokena School 

District 159, were given 

a tour of Mokena Junior 

High School Feb. 11 to see 

where some of the monies 

raised through various fundraisers 

goes. 

MJH Principal Michal 

Rolinitis took the group to 

the sixth- through eighthgrade 

science classes where 

teachers showed how they 

utilize a program called 

Gizmos, an online correlated 

science and math tool 

Mokena Junior High School fitness teacher Crystal 

Grimes shows off the Spivy bikes at the school Feb. 11. 

T.J. Kremer III/22nd Century Media 

that allows the teachers to 

better visually represent the 

finer details of lessons for 

the students and allows for 

students to conduct virtual 

experiments. 

Next up was a tour of the 

remodeled fitness room, 

which received about 

$15,000 from MEF to purchase 

Spivy bikes, rowers, 

resistance bands and 

other work-out equipment. 

Students are able to take 

virtual rides on the stationary 

bicycles while having 

their heart rates monitored 

to ensure safety and maximum 

efficiency. The fitness 

room is unlike most 

classes in the area in terms 

of the technology used, 

and Rolinitis said that other 

schools and districts are 

interested in having MJH 

present at a conference 

how the school was able 

to fund and implement the 

programs in the classes. 

The tour ended in the 

Resource Center, where 

there is not only the newly-implemented 

“Rebecca 

Caudill Reading Program,” 

but also feature 

flexible seating and desks 

that can be moved up and 

down and are on wheels, 

also partially funded by 

MEF fundraising efforts. 

Rolinits expressed his 

gratitude for all the work 

MEF does for the district. 

“Thank you so much 

for all that you do for the 

junior high and the other 

schools,” Rolinitis said. 

New scholarship 

from Mokena 

Athletic Boosters 

Staff Report 

The Mokena Athletic 

Boosters announced a pair 

of $250 scholarships in the 

name of one of its longtime 

members. 

The Laurie Connolly 

Mokena Athletic Boosters 

Scholarship will be 

awarded to a former Mokena 

Junior High School 

student who played a sport 

at MJHS and has continued 

through senior year at 

Lincoln-Way Central High 

School to play a sport all 

four years. The scholarship 

winners will be one 

senior female and male 

athlete. 

Applicants must submit 

a 500- to 750-word 

essay addressing the topics 

of: What is special 

about representing Mokena 

as an athlete, how 

has living in Mokena 

helped shape you into 

the person you are today, 

and what the student 

has done throughout the 

years in Mokena to contribute 

to his or her community. 

The deadline to apply 

is March 13. Forms 

can be downloaded at 

lw210.org/Central/pps/ 

college/scholarships. 

php. 

Franciscan Health 

OUTPATIENT 

PHYSICAL THERAPY 

FRANKFORT 

Wolf Rd. 

30 

Elsner Rd. 

45 

10367 W. Lincoln Hwy. 

FRANKFORT 

(708) 679-2940 

Quality Care 

Great Therapists 

in FRANKFORT 

• Physical Therapy 

• Speech Therapy 

Services provided by 

• Orthopedic Rehabilitation 

• Repetitive Motion Injuries 

• Vestibular Rehabilitation 

• Fall & Balance Program 

• Post-Operative Rehabilitation 

• Sports-Related Injuries 

• Spine Rehabilitation 

• Nerve Injury Rehabilitation 

Frankfort

6 | February 20, 2020 | the mokena messenger school 


the Mokena messenger’s 

Standout Student 

Sponsored by Marquette Bank 

I look up to all doctors 

because of how they help 

people and even save lives 

everyday. 

Will Luoma, 

Mokena 

Intermediate 

School fifth-grader 

What is one essential you 

must have when studying? 

Definitely my pencil. 

What’s your favorite class 

and why? 

My favorite class is 

LA. This is because of my 

amazing teacher Mrs. Tiberi 

and how she makes it 

fun every time. 

What’s one thing that 

stands out about your 

school? 

The teachers. 

Expires 3/5/2020 

Expires 3/5/2020 

What do you like to do 

when not in school or 

studying? 

I like to play video 

games with my friends and 

play sports. I also like going 

to friends’ houses and 

inviting them over. 

When is your dream job? 

To become a professional 

soccer player. I don’t 

Southwest 

real estate listings 

NEW WEBSITE 

IS NOW LIVE! 

Browse featured Homes of the Week 

and Local Listings quickly and 

conveniently any time from 

swlistings.22ndcenturymedia.com. 

For more information or to place your ad, contact Real 

Estate Sales Director Courtney Masinter at (304) 356-6708. 

know which team I’d play 

for, but I’d like to play for 

any. 

What are some of your 

most played songs on your 

iPod? 

I don’t really listen to 

music, but I kind of rotate 

School News 

Elmhurst College 

Mokena students receive 

academic honors 

Daniel Jones and Sara 

Zaksas were named to the 

dean’s list for the 2019 fall 

semester. Students who 

earned a GPA of 3.75 or 

higher made the list. 

University of Alabama 

Mokena students makes 

dean’s, president’s lists 

Nicholas Finn, Jonathan 

G. Muller, Ellie 

Marie Novotny, Madelyn 

C. Osowsk, Caroline Sophia 

Ward and Sydney E. 

Photo Submitted 

through all genres. 

What is one thing people 

don’t know about you? 

I like to play the game 

“Destiny 2.” 

Whom do you look up to 

and why? 

Whalen were all named 

to The University of Alabama 

president’s list for 

the 2019 fall semester. 

Jacob A. Babich, 

Joshua A. Perch, Allyson 

Elaine Shipley and Tara 

Nicole Tischer were all 

named to the dean’s list for 

the 2019 fall semester. 

Students named to the 

Dean’s list had a GPA of 

3.5 or above, while those 

named to the president’s 

list had a GPA of 4.0. 

University of Nebraska- 

Lincoln 

Mokena residents earn 

What extracurriculars do 

you wish your school had? 

Clubs for certain sports 

like soccer club or football 

club. 

What’s your favorite thing 

to eat in the cafeteria? 

It would probably be the 

mini pancakes meal. 

Standout Student is a weekly 

feature for The Mokena Messenger. 

Nominations come 

from Mokena-area schools. 

dean’s list honors 

Victoria Bailey, a freshman 

in the College of 

Education and Human Sciences 

majoring in communication 

sciences and disorders; 

and Jared Michael 

Clutter, a sophomore in 

the College of Journalism 

and Mass Communications 

majoring advertising 

and public relations, and 

broadcasting, were named 

to the 2019 fall semester 

dean’s list. 

School News is compiled by 

Editor T.J. Kremer III, tj@ 

mokenamessenger.com. 

visit us online at 

www.mokenamessengerdaily.com

mokenamessengerdaily.com mokena 


We mend 

broken hearts. 

Nearly half of all Americans have some form of heart 

disease. If you or someone you love is one of them, 

let Silver Cross Hospital mend your broken heart. 

From prevention programs to open heart surgery and 

aftercare, we’ve brought together the latest technology 

and the finest heart specialists in one place.... for all of 

your heart care needs. Why travel when we have 

exactly what your heart needs, right here, right now. 

To learn more about our total heart program, 

visit SilverCross.org/Heart 

HIGH-YIELD 

CD RATES 

13-month CD 

1.75 % APY* 

$5,000 Minimum Balance 

22-month CD 

2.00 % APY* 

*Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of 1/31/2020; Minimum 

deposit to receive APY is $5,000; A penalty may be imposed for early 

withdrawal. Fees may reduce earnings. Advertised rates are available only 

for new money, not currently on deposit at Lincolnway Community Bank. 

MOKENA 

19102 S. 88th Ave. 

708-326-8300 

www.LWCBank.com 

NEW LENOX 

US30 at Marley Rd. 

815-462-4300



INSPIRED BY 

THE PEOPLE 

WHO FILL 

OUR HEARTS. 

And the amazing valves and 

vessels that make our hearts go. 

At Franciscan Health, we’re 

inspired by heart care that 

keeps you doing what you love, 

with who you love. To discover 

more about our inspired approach 

to heart care, visit 

FranciscanHealth.org/Heart. 

Police Reports 

Mokena crash ends in multiple charges, arrest 

Daniel W. Haddad, 

36, of 9242 Greenwood 

Drive in Tinley Park, 

was charged Feb. 1 with 

driving on a suspended/ 

revoked driver’s license, 

leaving the scene of a 

property damage accident, 

failure to yield and illegal 

transportation of alcohol. 

According to police reports, 

an officer responded 

to a report of a two-vehicle 

crash at Birch Avenue and 

South LaGrange Road. 

Upon arrival, the officer 

observed heavy front-end 

damage to both vehicles 

and airbag deployment. 

Haddad reportedly told 

the officer that he left 

the scene prior to the officer’s 

arrival in order to 

retrieve his cellphone from 

a nearby business. The 

officer reportedly could 

detect a an odor of alcohol 

coming from Haddad. 

He was asked to perform 

several field sobriety tests, 

all of which he reportedly 

passed. The officer observed 

a travel-sized bottle 

of alcohol in plain view on 

the front passenger seat, 

and when a check of Haddad’s 

driver’s license came 

back with two suspension 

and a revocation, he was 

placed under arrest. A further 

search of his vehicle 

then uncovered three more 

bottles of alcohol. 

• Feb. 5 

Kirk Douglas, 54, 4445 

Provincetown Drive in 

Country Club Hills, was 

charged with driving on a 

suspended/revoked driver’s 

license and operation 

of an uninsured motor vehicle. 


an officer responded 

to a report of a traffic crash 

in the 11600 block of West 

Lincoln Highway. A check 

of both drivers’ driver’s licenses 

revealed Douglas’ 

driver’s license was suspended. 

Because of the extreme 

weather at the time, 

Douglas was processed on 

the scene and released on a 

$2,000 I-Bond. 

• Jan. 28 

Michael G. Dvorak, 44, 

of 265 W. Circle Drive in 

New Lenox, was charged 

with driving on a suspended/revoked 

driver’s 

license, operation of an 

uninsured motor vehicle 

and expired registration. 


an officer on patrol 

in the 11200 block of 

West Lincoln Highway 

observed a vehicle with an 

expired registration sticker 

dated September 2019. 

The officer initiated a traffic 

stop, and a check of 

Dvorak’s driver’s license 

came back suspended. He 

was then placed under arrest. 

• Jan. 27 

Codey M. Cervantes, 27, 

of 19742 Greenview Ave. 

in Mokena, was charged 

with driving on a suspended/revoked 

driver’s license 

and expired registration. 


An officer on patrol 

in the area of West 191st 

Street and Henry Drive 

observed a vehicle with an 

expired registration sticker. 

The officer initiated a 

traffic stop, and a check of 

Cervantes’ driver’s license 

came back suspended. He 

was then arrested. 

EDITOR’S NOTE: The 

Mokena Messenger’s police 

reports come from the 

Mokena Police Department. 

Anyone listed in these reports 

is considered to be innocent 

of all charges until proven 

guilty in a court of law. 

Mokena Fire receives 208 

calls for service in January 

Submitted by Mokena Fire Protection 

District 

The Mokena Fire Protection District responded 

to a total of 208 calls of service 

for the month of January, including the 

following: 

• Emergency medical services - 105 

• Auto accident response - 26 

• Request for citizen assist - 14 

• Carbon monoxide alarm - 2 

• Commercial fire alarm - 18 

• Fire investigation - 1 

• Gas leak - 1 

• Mutual aid response - 22 

• Residential fire response - 2 

• Structure fire - 1 

• Commercial trouble alarm - 16 

For more information of the Mokena 

Fire Protection District, visit mokenafire. 

org.

mokenamessengerdaily.com community 


Bobby 

NAWS Illinois Humane Society 

9981 W. 190th St. Mokena, 

60448 

Bobby is a handsome 9-yearold 

male black and tan 

Chihuahua who is looking for 

a loving home. He is friendly, 

gives sweet kisses and good 

with other dogs. He would love 

to find a home where he can 

be a cherished companion and lap dog. Please email Stacy at stacy@nawsus. 

org or call NAWS at (708) 478-5102 to setup an appointment with an adoption 

counselor to meet him. 

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

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

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

IL 60467. 

Be a big part 

of big ideas 

Is making the Southland an 

exceptional place important to you? 

GREATER CHICAGO 

COIN, CURRENCY & COLLECTIBLE SHOW 

10 Year Anniversary! 

Tinley Park Convention Center 

Feb 27 - 28th - 29, 2020 

Bring in 

this ad to receive 

a FREE American 

Silver Coin 

One coin per person per 

weekend. 

Dealers from around the country! 

US & World Coins, 

US & World Paper Money, 

Gold & Silver Bullion, 

Exonumia, & More! 

Tinley Park Convention Center 

18451 Convention Center Dr., Tinley Park 

708-342-5485 

*Call for show room rates* 

Thurs. 12PM to 6PM 

Fri. 9AM to 6PM • Sat. 9AM to 3PM 

Free Admission • Free Parking • Public Invited 

The University of Chicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial is forming a 

Community Advisory Council and is seeking members to offer input 

on issues that impact us all. We want to tap into your energy and 

talents to improve the Southland. 

As a Council member, you’ll help identify, review and provide input 

about community health needs which will improve access to health 

care services, community initiatives and more. 

For more details and how to apply, contact: donbradford@ingalls.org 

Application deadline is February 26. 

UChicagoMedicine.org/Ingalls 

Dealers Contact: Bourse Chairman • Steve Harrison 

5909 S Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60629 

Email: kedziekoin@aol.com or call 773-771-1178 

www.chicagocoinshow.com



FROM THE ORLAND PARK PRAIRIE 

D146 leans into antibullying 

efforts 

Four years after starting 

to take a closer look 

at the issue of bullying, 

Community Consolidated 

School District 146 has 

seen tremendous progress 

in its efforts and continues 

to tweak its approach with 

the aim of creating the best 

learning environment possible, 

said Kelly Voliva, 

the district’s director of 

student services. 

D146 has worked to address 

bullying and socialemotional 

learning for a 

long time, Voliva said, but 

roughly four years ago first 

introduced a curriculum 

called Second Step. The 

research-based approach is 

designed to help students 

handle emotions, make 

good decisions and learn 

strategies to avoid peer 

conflict, she said. 

The district rolled out 

Second Step at all elementary 

schools at the time 

and then implemented it 

at Central Middle School 

two years ago, said Voliva, 

a former Memorial School 

principal in her first year 

as director of student services. 

This school year, the 

district made Second Step 

even more of a priority, 

weaving the curriculum 

into more classroom activities, 

she said. It reportedly 

has made good progress in 

getting parents involved in 

the anti-bullying, sociallearning 

process. The district 

offers “side-by-side” 

visits to parents in which 

they get a firsthand look at 

the schools’ techniques. 

Reporting by Will O’Brien, 

Freelance Reporter. Fore 

more, visit OPPrairieDaily. 

com. 

FROM THE NEW LENOX PATRIOT 

Metra station construction 

to begin soon 

The first phase of New 

Lenox Metra Station construction 

likely will begin 

by the end of the month, 

starting with the middle 

parking lot, between the 

entrances off of Prairie 

Road, the board announced 

at its Feb. 10 meeting. 

The new train house location 

will be in the north 

section of the current middle 

parking lot. There also 

is utility work that will 

happen in that area. 

“That section will be out 

of commission until the 

train station is completed,” 

Village Engineer Will 

Nash said. “There’s a little 

bit of a drive aisle that will 

be the connection point 

from the east to west lot.” 

He added that when 

changes happen, information 

will be posted 

on social media, the Village 

website and message 

boards at the station, and 

shared with Metra to make 

announcements on the 

train. 

One concern brought 

up by Trustee Annette 

Bowden with the construction 

was the elimination of 

parking spaces. 

Trustee Kurt Carroll 

said the Village will be 

given a schedule to phase 

in the parking lot work, 

adding that the parking lot 

is currently not at capacity, 

and there will be places to 

park. 

“During the summer, it’s 

the lightest,” Carroll said. 

“We’re hoping that is an 

ideal time for them to do 

a majority of parking lot 

work over the summer.” 

The house and the platform 

is planned to be completed 

by November 2020, 

with the parking lot construction 

being finished by 

July 2021. 

Reporting by Sean Hastings, 

Editor. For more, visit New 

LenoxPatriotDaily.com. 

FROM THE LOCKPORT LEGEND 

Scholarship program aids 

Lockport students for 

education 

A Lockport resident 

walked into Shepherd of 

the Hill Lutheran Church 

in 2010, looking to help 

some members of the 

community with a $10,000 

check and a leather coat. 

The donor wished to remain 

anonymous, and his 

contribution helped fund 

the beginning of the Lockport 

Resource Center, a 

one-stop shop for residents 

of Homer Glen and Lockport. 

The Lockport Resource 

Center opened its doors on 

Feb. 14, 2012, at 944 N. 

State St. in Lockport. The 

store is packed with gently 

used goods — donated by 

community members — at 

a modest price. 

“We have also become 

a true community resource 

with connections to more 

than 10 food pantries, 

other thrift shops and a 

list of services and organizations,” 

said Cean 

Magosky, president of the 

Lockport Resource Center. 

The Transformation 

Scholarship is the Lockport 

Resource Center 

scholarship program 

awarded to residents of 

Lockport or Homer Township. 

It is a $1,000 scholarship 

for students attending 

a nonprofit educational institution, 

Magosky said. 

One of its major fundraising 

events of the year 

is the annual bicycle drive 

and re-homing event. 

Reporting by Abhinanda 

Datta, Editor. For more, visit 

LockportLegendDaily.com 

FROM THE TINLEY JUNCTION 

Local artist provides $20K 

in scholarships, opens 

gallery 

When updating a home’s 

interior decorating, sometimes 

it can be difficult to 

find that perfect piece. 

Barbara Leahy-Edwards 

spent her career as a physical 

education teacher and 

sports coach. So, when she 

struggled to find the right 

picture to hang above her 

bed, in her usual spirit, she 

challenged herself to create 

what she wanted. 

“One day, I was like, I’m 

going to just do a painting 

myself,” she said. “I went 

and bought the stuff and 

did a painting, and nobody 

believed I did it.” 

Now, more than a decade 

later, the long-time 

Tinley Park resident has 

become a professional artist, 

funding a scholarship 

with the proceeds from the 

sale of her paintings. She’s 

opened B & L Gallery in 

the Zhou B Art Center and 

also has begun curating art 

shows. 

After winning several 

shows, Leahy-Edwards 

and her late husband, who 

had been a passionate supporter 

of her artwork, decided 

to use the winnings 

to create a scholarship for 

girls. 

“Because I was teaching 

at the time and coaching, 

I would give a scholarship 

or two every year to 

girls that were graduating 

toward their college, and 

it’s called the Triumphant 

Spirit Scholarship,” she 

said. 

After her husband’s 

passing, Leahy-Edwards 

started an event in his 

name to fundraise for 

the scholarship. At these 

events, Leahy-Edwards 

marks down the price of 

her paintings and puts all 

of the event proceeds toward 

the scholarship. 

“We’ve given out close 

to $20,000 in scholarships 

over the last several years, 

Please see nfyn, 11 

START THE NEW YEAR 

BY ADVERTISING HERE 

CONTACT 

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS IN 


LORA HEALY 

708.326.9170 ext. 31 l.healy@22ndcenturymedia.com 

® 

village 

From Page 4 

pletely sold on the site for 

this particular use, given 

its proximity to a park and 

residences. He also cited 

some concerns about security 

and parking. 

“I’m not opposed to it 

moving forward to Planning 

and Zoning … but I 

can’t tell you that I’m sold 

on it as of now,” Siwinski. 

“I have some problems 

with 24-hour access … 

and I also have some problems 

with the eight parking 

spots. I don’t believe that 

is going to be adequate for 

this facility.” 

Trustee George Metanias 

asked staff if residents 

were notified of this potential 

development. Village 

Manager John Tomasoski 

said residents were not informed 

because the nearest 

homes were outside of the 

required distances needed 

to send out notices. 

Metanias said he liked 

the design of the building 

but that he was not “100 

percent sold” on the project; 

however, he did support 

it moving forward to 

Planning and Zoning. 

“I’m worried about it 

being open 24 hours and 

people going there late at 

night,” Metanias said. 

Trustee Jim Richmond 

said he would like to see 

some fencing around the 

site around the west and 

south portions of the site 

to screen it from residences. 

He also mentioned he 

would like to see a flagpole 

added to the plans in order 

to fly the American flag, 

and that he was generally 

supportive of the project.

mokenamessengerdaily.com sound off 


Social snapshot 

Top Web Stories 

From MokenaMessengerDaily.com as of 

Monday, Feb. 17. 

From the Editor 

On the value of history 

1. All aboard the Brothership 

2. ‘Kicking cancer’s butt’ 

3. 10 Questions with Grace Kmak, 

Lincoln-Way co-op gymnastics 

4. Boys Basketball: Banged-up Griffins 

look to bounce back from tough week 

5. The Dish — Taco Patio in Lockport 

continues to win hearts with unique 

family recipes 

Become a member: mokenamessenger.com/plus 

TJ Kremer iii 


I 

admit, I’m a little 

biased when it comes 

to this week’s News 

Cover story. I always 

enjoyed history classes in 

high school and college. I, 

like Robert Horras, have 

always been fascinated 

by the things that happened 

in the past and how 

those events have led us to 

where we are today. 

It was a treat for me to 

see Horras’ vast collection 

of items and documents, 

some of which are 

nearly 200 years old. My 

personal favorite was a 

Mokena baseball uniform 

from the early 1900s. 

But there was more to 

the interview with Horras 

and his wife, Valerie, than 

simply taking a tour of his 

“stuff” and grabbing a few 

quotes for an article. (In the 

interest of full disclosure, 

I must express that Robert 

and Valerie are wonderful 

hosts, and Valerie is a great 

cook!) 

We took some time to 

discuss, on a kind of existential 

level, why people 

care about history, particularly 

history pertaining to 

this neck of the woods. 

And, I think, we came to 

some profound answers. 

We asked ourselves 

what is it about Mokena 

that keeps generations of 

families wanting to stay 

in or around the same community? 

And we found 

that part of the answer was 

in the question itself, that 

a big part of the appeal 

of our community is that 

connectedness between 

its residents, whether that 

connection stretches across 

generations of different 

families or whether the 

connection has only recently 

been made through 

Mokena’s recent boom in 

population. 

And that’s the thing 

about history: It keeps 

expanding, just as does 

our village. 

So, what will be written 

in the future about where 

we are now as a community? 

Only time will tell, 

I suppose. But, it is my 

hope, that history will remember 

us as a community 

that looked out for each 

other; a community that 

opened its arms to new 

people and new ideas; and 

a community that embraced 

change and did not 

only live in its past. 

How these events will 

manifest themselves 

remains to be seen, but if 

there is one certainty in 

life it is change. Maybe 

that change happens 

slowly, incrementally, but 

it does happen. 

When Robert and I were 

looking back on Mokena’s 

past, we saw many things, 

good things, that remained 

true for nearly 200 years. 

It is my hope that we can 

continue to remember 

those good things, but not 

to the detriment of change 

that can bring forth great 

things. 

“Congratulations to the 1st and 2nd place 

winners of the MJHS Spelling Bee: Aidan 

Coulter & Grace Rhodes!” 

Mokena School District 159 posted this to 

its Facebook page Feb. 6. 

Like The Mokena Messenger: facebook.com/ 

mokenamessenger.com 

“The man who owns mokena video owns 

my heart as well” 

@notyoLingling posted this to her 

Twitter account Feb. 9. 

Follow The Mokena Messenger: @mokenamessenger 

nfyn 

From Page 10 

so I’m pretty proud of 

that,” she said. 

Reporting by Amanda Del 

Buono, Freelance Reporter. 

For more, visit Tinley 

JunctionDaily.com. 

FROM THE FRANKFORT STATION 

Resident pursues passion 

for bodybuilding 

At one point in her life, 

Dore Robinson weighed 

well over 200 pounds. An 

introduction to a personal 

trainer changed her life. 

Mutual friends of Robinson 

— who at the time 

went by the last name De- 

Bartolo — and personal 

trainer LaMark Robinson 

knew the couple would be 

a perfect fit and introduced 

them in 2015. 

“A friend of mine used 

to work out with LaMark 

at his gym in Racine,” 

Dore said. “They were 

having a run called the 

Lighthouse Run, and I 

was invited to run with 

them. She had told me 

ahead of time about La- 

Mark. When I met him, I 

asked why he wasn’t running 

the race, and he told 

me he had a bad knee. I 

told him, ‘You’re in luck, 

because I’m a sports medicine 

physician.’” 

The pair began playing 

golf and spending time 

together, and a few weeks 

later LaMark offered to 

train her. Dore, who was 

involved in track and field 

in high school and college, 

knew how to do the 

exercises in the workouts 

LaMark texted her, and 

sending him photos of the 

scale and the food she ate 

helped keep her accountable. 

In six months, Dore lost 

more than 80 pounds, and 

in February 2016 she entered 

her first bodybuilding 

contest. 

“I had done a lot of 

goals and achieved them, 

such as mud runs, obstacle 

courses, Spartan runs, half 

marathons,” she said. “I 

wanted something more.” 

Reporting by Mary Compton, 

Freelance Reporter. For 

more, visit FrankfortStation 

Daily.com. 

Sound Off Policy 

Editorials and columns are the opinions of the author. Pieces from 

22nd Century Media are the thoughts of the company as a whole. 

The Mokena Messenger encourages readers to write letters to Sound 

Off. All letters must be signed, and names and hometowns will be 

published. We also ask that writers include their address and phone 

number for verification, not publication. Letters should be limited 

to 400 words. The Mokena Messenger reserves the right to edit letters. 

Letters become property of The Mokena Messenger. Letters that 

are published do not reflect the thoughts and views of The Mokena 

Messenger. Letters can be mailed to: The Mokena Messenger, 11516 

West 183rd Street, Unit SW Office Condo #3, Orland Park, Illinois, 

60467. Fax letters to (708) 326-9179 or e-mail to tj@mok 

namessenger.com. 

www.mokenamessenger.com.

12 | February 20, 2020 | the mokena messenger mokena 


SAVE BIG with Lincoln-Way Realty 

Proudly serving Chicago Southland 

and Northwest Indiana! 

(708) 479-6355 

Joseph Siwinski 

Designated Managing Broker & Owner 

Buying or Selling? Team Siwinski is here for You! 

11104 Front Street (Unit 2E), Mokena, IL 

10800 W. 133rd Ave (Unit B), Cedar Lake, IN 

Indiana 219-232-3010 Mokena 708-479-6355 

www.IincoInwayrealty.com 

jsiwinski@lincolnwayrealty.com 

NEW 

PRICE CHANGE 

PRICE CHANGE 

PRICE CHANGE 

$789,900 $699,999 

Plainfield, IL 

• Offered at $214,900 

• 2 Bedrooms, 2.1 Baths 

24262 Leski Ln. 

• Gorgeous & Updated! 

• Desirable Location! 

Tinley Park, IL 


• 3 Bedrooms, 1 Bath 

17404 71st Ct. 

• Spacious Ranch Home! 

• Convenient Location! 

Mokena, IL 



10901 1st St. 

• Beautifully Updated! 

• Desirable Location! 

Mokena 



19312 Kylemore Ln. 

• Beautiful 2 Story! 

• Backs to Open Land! 

Mokena, IL 

• 3.6 Wooded Acres! 

• 5 Bedrooms, 5 Baths 

12765 W. Regan Trl. 

• Magnificent Custom Home! 

• Finished Walkout Basement! 

Westmont, IL 


• Custom 2 Story! 

412 Kristin St. 

• Finished Basement! 

• HinsdaleCentralHighSchool! 

$650,000 

$574,990 

Lemont, IL 


• Custom 6500 Sq Ft Home! 

52 Sawgrass Dr. 

• Pond & Golf Course Views! 

• Ruffled Feathers Subdivision! 

Mokena, IL 

• Custom 6 Bedroom Home 

• Finished Walkout Basement! 

11529 Swinford Ln. 

• Backs to Forest Preserve! 

• Old Castle Woods Subd 

$504,900 

$499,900 

New Lenox, IL 2066 Water Chase Dr. 

• 4 Bedrooms, 2.1 Baths • Stunning & Impeccable! 

• Custom Home built 2012! • 4400 Square Feet! 

Manhattan, IL 


• Beautiful Custom Home! 

25210 S. Schoolhouse Rd. 

• Over 3700 Square Feet! 

• 5 Serene Acres! 

$434,900 

$419,000 

$369,900 

$325,000 

$264,900 

$249,900 

New Lenox, IL 


• Custom 2 Story! 

34 Warren Ave. 

• Serene Wooded Lot! 

• Two - 3 Car Garages 

Frankfort, IL 


• Stunning & Immaculate! 

22698 Nature Creek Cir. 

• Custom Ranch Home! 

• Oversized Corner Lot! 

Mokena, IL 


• Custom Ranch Home! 

19624 Waterford Ln. 


• Tara Hills Subdivision! 

New Lenox, IL 


• Custom & Spacious! 

1101 Hillside Dr. 


• Over Half Acre Lot! 

New Lenox 


• Serene Pond Views! 

668 Grace Ct. 

• Finished walkout basement! 

• Bluestone Bay Subdivision! 

New Lenox, IL 

• Immaculate Cape Cod! 

• Numerous Updates! 

314 W. Haven Ave. 

• Oversized wooded lot! 

• Fantastic Location! 

$244,900 

$144,900 

$106,900 

$374,900 

COMMERCIAL 

COMMERCIAL 

New Lenox, IL 


• Impeccable & Pond Views! 

2763 Foxwood Dr. 

• Numerous Updates! 

• Nantucket Lakes Subdivision! 

St. Anne, IL 

• Scenic Views 


320 River Run Dr. 

• Beautiful Ranch Duplex! 

• Open Floor plan! 

Mokena, IL 19535 116th Ave. Unit B 


• Spacious Condo! 

• Attached 1 Car Garage! 

• Wonderful Location! 

Frankfort, IL 

• Build your dream home! 

• Unsurpassed ¾ Acre Lot 

231 Oak St. 

• Historic Downtown Frankfort! 

• Fully Improved & Build Ready! 

Mokena 


• Updated Ranch Building! 

19420 Wolf Rd. 

• Over 2800 Sq. Ft! 

• 1/2 Acre & Broker Owned! 

Mokena 


• Over 2200 Sq Ft! 

19430 Wolf Rd. 

• High Traffic Visibility! 

• Updated & Broker Owned! 

*Cooperative Commission and other restrictions may apply. Listing fee is applicable on primary residence only. The fee is not an “upfront fee” it is payable at closing. 

Lincoln-Way Realty Inc. is proud to be an affiliated business with MBLO Funding Inc. an Illinois and Indiana residential mortgage licensee NMLS #223738, Joseph Siwinski NMLS #223856.

All that jazz 

LW Central students 

play concert in 

Evanston, Page 16 

the mokena messenger | February 20, 2020 | mokenamessengerdaily.com 

Luck of the Irish Tom Kelly’s 

owner tells story of surviving recession to 

find success in New Lenox, Page 18 

Mission Meals hosts Valentine’s Day dinner, Page 15 

One Love Global Wellness volunteer Joe “The 

Soup Guy” Lewandowski serves up soup 

Thursday, Feb. 13, to those in attendance at 

the nonprofit’s Mission Meals Valentine’s Day 

dinner at EggCetera Cafe on Front Street in 

Mokena. T.J. Kremer III/22nd Century Media

14 | February 20, 2020 | the mokena messenger faith 


Faith Briefs 

St. Mary’s Catholic Church (19515 

115th Ave., Mokena) 

Church Service 

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

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

p.m. Sundays 

Adoration 

Wednesdays following 

8 a.m. Mass in the Chapel 

until 6:45 p.m. 

Young at Heart Senior Club 

1 p.m. the first and third 

Wednesday of the month. 

Join the senior club for activities 

and outings Sept.- 

June. For more information, 

call (708) 699-5018. 

Holy Rosary 

7:30 a.m. daily; 7 p.m. 

Tuesday evenings. 

St. John’s United Church of Christ 

(11100 Second St., Mokena) 

Blood Drive 

8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. 

March 15. St. John’s UCC, 

in conjunction with Versiti 

Blood Centers, is hosting 

a blood drive in the Christian 

Community Center 

next to the church. Contact 

the church office at (708) 

479-5123, or vistt versiti. 

org to sign up. Walkin-ins 

welcome but appointments 

will be seen first. 


8 a.m. traditional service, 

9:45 a.m. contemporary 

and family service 

with children’s bible lesson 

during adult worship 

service. For more information, 

visit stjohnsmokena. 

org 

Bundles of Love 

7 p.m. the second and 

fourth Tuesday of each 

month. Enjoy fun and fellowship 

while making 

baby quilts for infants baptized 

at St. John’s and lap 

quilts for shut-ins. 

Mokena United Methodist Church 

(10901 LaPorte Road, Mokena) 

Service 

10:15 a.m. Sundays. 

For more information, call 

(708) 479-1110. 

Bible Study 

7 p.m. Tuesdays at the 

FUNERAL SERVICES DIRECTORY 

 

 

 

 

2019 WINNER 

"BEST FUNERAL 

HOME" 

Advertise your 

Contact the 

 

It waseasyto 

decide on cremation. 

Now, what aboutthe 

rest of thedecisions? 

Colonial Chapel 

Funeral Home 

Private, On-site Crematory 

15525 S. 73rd Ave. 

(155th/Wheeler Dr. &Harlem) 

Orland Park, Illinois 

Family owned for 40 Years 

colonialchapel.com 

708-532-5400 

The Cremation Experts. 

funeralservices. 

708.326.9170 

 

church. For more information, 

call (708) 479-1110. 

Community Prayer 

Gathering 

2:30 p.m. every fourth 

Sunday. 

Breakfast 

9 a.m. every third Saturday 

of the month. 

Marley Community Church (12625 W. 

187th St., Mokena) 


10 a.m. Sundays. Childcare 

is provided. 

Sunday School 

9-10 a.m. Sundays. 

Senior High Youth Group 

7-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays. 


email marleycommu 

nitychurch@gmail.com. 

Junior High Youth Group 

6-7:30 p.m. Fridays. 


email marleycommunity 

church@gmail.com. 

Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church 

(10731 W. La Porte Road, Mokena) 

Worship 

5 p.m. Saturdays and 9 

a.m. Sundays. 

God’s Kids Club 

10:15 a.m. Sundays in 

Sept.-May. 

Adult Bible Study 

10:15 a.m. Sundays in 

Sept.-May. 

Mokena Baptist Church (9960 W. 187th 

St., Mokena) 

Sunday Services 

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


(312) 350-2279. 

Sunday School 


Mokena Baptist offers 

Sunday School classes 

for all ages. For more information, 

call (312) 350- 

2279. 

Parker Road Bible Church (18512 

Parker Road, Mokena) 

Worship Service 

10:30 a.m. Sundays. Be 

sure to arrive early for our 

Sunday Worship Service 

to enjoy a hot, complimentary 

cup of coffee every 

week at the church. Following 

the Christian Education 

Hour (9:15-10:15 

a.m.), all beverages can 

be found just outside the 

sanctuary. 

Grace Fellowship Church (11049 

LaPorte Road, Mokena) 

Narcotics Anonymous 

7-9 p.m. Mondays. All 

those struggling or who 

have struggled with a narcotics 

addiction are welcome. 

All meetings are 

confidential. For more information, 

call (708) 479- 

0300. 

Spanish Church 

12:30 p.m. Sundays. 

Worship Service 

10 a.m. Sundays. All are 

welcome. 

Women’s Bible Study 

8:45-9:45 a.m. Sundays 

and 2-3 p.m. Tuesdays. 

Victory Baptist Church (13550 US Route 

6, Mokena) 

Sunday School 


Morning Worship 


Evening Worship 

6 p.m. Sundays. 

Weekday Worship 

7 p.m. Wednesdays. 

Have something for Faith 

Briefs? Contact Editor T.J. 

Kremer at tj@mokenames 

senger.com or call (708) 

326-9170 ext. 29. Deadline 

is noon Thursday one week 

prior to publication.

mokenamessengerdaily.com life & arts 


Mission Meals spreads 

love for Valentine’s Day 


Nearly 150 members of 

the community turned out 

for a special Valentine’s 

Day dinner Thursday, Feb. 

13, at EggCetera Cafe, located 

at 19709 Mokena St. 

in Mokena. 

The dinner was part of 

the nonprofit group’s One 

Love Global Wellness, 

which has hosted the Mission 

Meals dinners periodically 

throughout the year 

since 2011. 

On the menu were heaping 

portions of three choices 

of soup — cream of mushroom, 

chicken noodle and 

beef barley — followed by 

a main course of chicken 

fried steak with mashed 

potatoes and gravy, vegetables, 

and homemade 

bread from Oak Forest High 

School’s culinary class. 

There was also a childfriendly 

option of a 

cheeseburger or chicken 

strips with fries. 

For dessert, homemade 

cookies were provided by 

a student from Providence 

Catholic High school. 

Volunteers from local 

grade schools, junior highs 

and high schools typically 

play an important role in 

the Mission Meals dinners, 

and the Valentine’s 

Day meal was no different. 

Valentine's cards were 

made by the Young at 

Heart Senior Club of St. 

Mary Church in Mokena, 

the 4-year-old preschool 

classes at Nazarene Preschool 

in Lemont and the 

seventh-grade religious 

education class of St. Mary 

School in Mokena. 

In addition to the hot 

meal, participants were 

given a bag full of food 

and toiletries to take home, 

which were organized by 

students from Providence 

Catholic High School, 

who worked for over a 

month collecting donated 

items, said One Love 

Global Wellness President 

Tammy Leonard. 

Volunteer servers from 

the Lincoln-Way High 

Schools, as well as Mokena 

Junior High, St. Mary 

School and Summit Hill 

Junior High helped keep 

the mood festive and warm. 

“Since there are no meal 

programs in our immediate 

3 

LEFT: Diners 

at the Mission 

Meals’ 

Valentine’s 

Day dinner 

Thursday, Feb. 

13, get a hot 

meal and these 

Blessing Bags, 

which contain 

additional food 

and essential 

items. 

T.J. Kremer 

III/22nd Century 

Media 

area and the nearest soup 

kitchens serve only breakfast 

and lunch, the Mission 

Meals program provides 

a solution to this gap in 

services by serving dinner 

at the EggCetera Café 

in Mokena,” Leonard said. 

“... Community support 

has allowed us to serve 

7,082 individuals since we 

started.” 

Additionally, 1,671 

Blessing Bags have been 

delivered to individuals, 

and 6,375 pounds of food 

distributed to families in 

need per year, Leonard 

said. 

“When one is struggling, 

it is often the hardest 

time to envision a brighter 

future,” Leonard said. “We 

are grateful for partnering 

with organizations that 

help those in need feed not 

only their bodies, but also 

their spirits. Together we 

help them envision that 

brighter future.” 

The next Mission Meals 

dinner is scheduled to be 

an Easter-themed meal 

April 2 at EggCetera Cafe’s 

Mokena Street location. 

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: 

• 3 Chef Prepared meals served to you by professional wait staff 

• Full Daily activity program which includes entertainment & trips 

• Wellness Center offering podiatry, therapy, x-ray, lab, hearing 

& dental services without having to leave the building 

• Weekly housekeeping 

• Utilities 

• Library, chapel, café, beauty/barber shop 

• Walking distance to Tinley Park shops & restaurants 

• Veteran’s Financial Assistance available 

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. 

Most Affordable Senior Living on the Southwest Side!!! 

2017 WINNER 

2018 

WINNER 

2019 

WINNER 

Call 708-532-7800 

TO SCHEDULE A PRIVATE TOUR. 

16301 S Brementowne Rd., 

Tinley Park, IL 60477 

www.tinleycourt.com 

WINTER 

SPECIAL 

1/2 OFF ENTRANCE 

FEE IF THE DEPOSIT 

PUT DOWN ON DAY OF 

TOURING. LIMITED TIME 

OFFER PLUS $200 OFF 

OF YOUR MONTHLY 

RENT FOR A 12 

MONTH PERIOD. 

PET 

FRIENDLY 

Member of Tinley Park Chamber of Commerce Since 1994 

2019 WINNER

16 | February 20, 2020 | the mokena messenger life & arts 


Jazzing it up 

Lincoln-Way Central High School jazz band performs in 

Evanston 

Lincoln-Way Central High School jazz band Director Band Director Stacy Williams- 

Jackson leads the band during a performance at Evanston Township High School 

Saturday, Feb. 15. Photos by Rhonda Holcomb/22nd Century Media 

Sophomore Jacob Moss keeps the band in tempo on drums. 

Lincoln-Way Central High School senior Andrew Doerr plays the saxophone during a 

performance at Evanston Township High School. 

Pharez Whitted (left), of Northern Illinois University, works with senior Nolan Cales at 

the piano. 

Lincoln-Way Central High School senior Simone Charles lets the notes flow through 

her saxophone.

mokenamessengerdaily.com mokena 


22ND CENTURY MEDIA is looking 

for local FREELANCE REPORTERS 

and PHOTOGRAPHERS to cover events, 

meetings and sports in the area. 

Need a Doctor? See a 

DOCTOR! 

EVERYDAY • 7AM – 11PM 

Interested individuals should send 

an email with a resume and any clips to 

jobs@22ndcenturymedia.com 

• Board-Certified Physicians 

• Easy Access/Parking 

• Prompt Attention 

MOST INSURANCE PLANS ACCEPTED 

LA PORTE RD 

N 

45 

TACO 

BELL 

ST. FRANCIS RD 

COLORADO AVE 

CHICAGO SOUTHWEST 

CHICAGO NORTHSHORE 


MALIBU 

FRANKFORT • (815) 464-2010 

LaGrange Road @ St. Francis Road

18 | February 20, 2020 | the mokena messenger dining out 


The Dish 

Tom Kelly’s turning ‘lucky’ No. 13 in March 

Sean Hastings 

Contributing Editor 

Roughly a year after 

Tom Kelly’s opened, the 

recession hit. But through 

that and the last 13 years, 

the restaurant’s drive 

in customer service has 

helped it thrive. 

The Irish-American restaurant 

is owned by Kelly 

and Brett Trumpey, and 

Kelly’s parents, Pat and 

Jerry Lavery. 

“We always wanted to 

have an Irish-American 

restaurant,” Kelly said. 

“When we first opened, we 

had a menu similar to the 

one now with bar items, 

but then also higher-end 

items, so you could come 

have a beer after work but 

you can also bring your 

family back for dinner.” 

But when the recession 

hit, Tom Kelly’s had to be 

more bar-focused to survive, 

Kelly said. She said 

almost overnight it was 

booming and then empty 

the next day. 

“I’m grateful we went 

through that, because you 

obviously learn a lot,” 

Kelly said. “That’s also 

when having loyal customers 

became so apparent. 

People were holding onto 

their money, but if they 

wanted to spend it, they 

came here. That’s when 

we said, ‘This always has 

to be the bottom line for us 

— customer service.’ 

“You appreciate so 

much more now.” 

And although Tom Kelly’s 

has evolved over the 

years, Kelly thinks the loyalty 

they have shown customers 

has been reciprocated 

and has allowed the 

two to grow up together. 

“We have customers that 

have been with us for 13 

Pictured is a message on the wall of Tom Kelly’s, along 

with many old tap handles. 

years,” she said. “We’ve 

seen them drinking at our 

bar at 10 p.m. to now coming 

in with their kids to our 

kids parties. I think that 

is really cool. I feel like 

they’re invested in our success 

as much as we’re invested 

in always trying to 

make it an enjoyable time.” 

Over the years, Tom 

Kelly’s has gone back to 

its roots, which are homecooked 

food. 

Tom Kelly’s makes all 

of its soups and sauces, 

and tries to make comfort 

food with a twist by which 

the customer gets a large 

portion and knows it is 

homemade. 

“That’s always been a 

pivotal part of our kitchen,” 

Kelly said. “We’ve 

been able to evolve our 

food. We like to take our 

comfort food and make 

it with a twist or [a] little 

crafty version. We try to 

stay true to who we are but 

evolve that way.” 

One of the top items 

on Tom Kelly’s menu has 

been the ribs ($22 for a full 

slab, $15 for a half), which 

are made with homemade 

barbecue sauce. 

Being an Irish-American 

restaurant, a staple 

item has been the corned 

Tom Kelly’s Chophouse 

and Pub 

495 Degroate Road in 

New Lenox 

Kitchen Hours 

• 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. 

Sunday 

• 11:30 a.m.-11 p.m. 

Monday-Thursday 

• 11:30 a.m.-midnight 

Friday 

• Noon-midnight 

Saturday 

For more information ... 

Phone: (815) 462- 

8420 

Web: www.tomkellys. 

com 

beef and cabbage ($18). 

“We have our own secret 

recipes with it,” Kelly 

said. “It’s thinly cut; it’s 

not fatty.” 

Other examples of the 

“comfort food with a 

twist” are the cheese & 

chips ($9) served with 

toasted pita points, and the 

Reuben rolls ($11), made 

with sliced corned beef 

with swiss cheese and sauerkraut 

in a crispy wonton 

wrapper and deep fried. 

And as an Irish restaurant, 

year after year, Tom 

Kelly’s goes all-out for 

Pictured is Tom Kelly’s full slab of ribs ($22), which is served with jalapeno coleslaw 

with french fries. Photos by Sean Hastings/22nd Century Media 

The corned beef and cabbage are a staple of Tom Kelly’s menu. 

St. Patrick’s Day, and for 

the first time it will have 

a Kids Saint Patrick’s Day 

Party Sunday, March 15. 

The regular party dates are 

March 13-14. 

“It’s our month,” Kelly 

said. “You have March 

Madness, St. Patrick’s 

Day, the weather breaks a 

little bit, but the challenge 

with St. Patrick’s Day is 

how to keep evolving it 

and making it bigger and 

better and keep it safe.” 

Tom Kelly’s is going to 

keep evolving and growing 

but aims to stay true to 

its roots. Kelly hopes New 

Lenox continues to join 

the restaurant for the ride. 

“New Lenox has been 

great to us,” Kelly said. 

“Our customers have been 

great. The Village has been 

great to work with. We like 

it in New Lenox.”

mokenamessengerdaily.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. School orgs. 

5. Old Testament 

song 

10. Annoyance word 

14. Gad about 

15. À la King 

16. Dumbo’s likeable 

trait 

17. “What ___?” 

18. Rulers of Russia 

19. Teacup defect 

20. The name 

Mokena came from 

a Native American 

phrase meaning this 

22. Flower receptacle 

23. Seafood delicacy 

24. Cheering crowd 

member 

25. ___ Pet (novelty 

item) 

28. O.K. Corral town 

34. Casts 

35. “What a good boy 

___!” 

36. Diddly-squat 

37. Bar stock 

38. Compass point 

39. Manhattan, for 

one 

41. UN Labor Organization 

(abbr.) 

42. Luau serving 

43. Birchbark 

44. Woodcraft hobbyist’s 

creation 

48. Newlyweds’ car 

attachments 

49. CPR expert 

50. Tolkien beast 

52. Quills 

54. Heavenly title 

60. Rock’s Bon ___ 

61. Check endorser 

62. Look ___ (study) 

63. Accts. for the 

future 

64. Capital of East 

Flanders 

65. Grandmas, for 

some 

66. Hereditary factor 

67. It’s on the plus 

side of the ledger 

68. Touch down times 

Down 

1. Senior formal 

2. Soybean curd 

3. Enthusiastic 

4. Badger’s homestead 

5. Prefix with dollars 

6. Musical composition 

for 6 

7. Uzbekistan’s ___ 

Sea 

8. Italian monies 

9. ___ amis 

10. Pour, as wine 

11. Cheers 

12. “Strength, Courage 

and wisdom” singer 

India 

13. RX abbr. 

21. Russian range 

22. “___ in victory” 

24. J. Edgar Hoover’s 

crew 

25. Kind of dog 

26. Comedy 

27. Upset 

29. Water in a desert 

30. Madame, for short 

31. Gibson garnish 

32. Half courses, in 

golf 

33. Canadian antlered 

animal 

37. Ad follower 

38. Former coin of 

France 

39. Asian capital, oldstyle 

40. Messenger follower 

42. Boiling equipment 

45. Actress who lived 

in Mokena, ___ Richards 

46. British Royal Navy 

abbr. 

47. Tertiary period 

51. Butler at Tara 

52. Look at closely 

53. “Almighty” one, in 

a 2007 film 

54. Satisfied sounds 

55. Dark loaves 

56. Muses of myth 

57. Insect 

58. Lava maker 

59. Result of a QB sack 

60. Dance 

61. Pro golfer’s org. 

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 

MOKENA 

The Alley Grill and Tap 

House 

(18700 S. Old LaGrange 

Road, Mokena; (708) 

478-3610) 

■9 ■ p.m. Tuesdays: 

Karaoke 

Fox’s Restaurant and Pub 

(11247 W. 187th St., 

Mokena; (708) 478- 

8888) 

■6 ■ p.m. Thursdays, 

Fridays and Saturdays: 

Performance by Jerry 

Eadie 

NEW LENOX 

Little Joe’s Restaurant 

(1300 N. Cedar Road, 

New Lenox; (815) 463- 

1099) 

■5-8 ■ p.m. Tuesdays: 

Piano Styles by Joe 

HOMER GLEN 

Front Row 

(14903 S. Bell Road, 

Homer Glen; (708) 645- 

7000) 

■7 ■ p.m. Wednesdays: 

Trivia 

FRANKFORT 

Pete Mitchell’s Bar & Grill 

(21000 Frankfort 

Square Road, Frankfort; 

(815) 464-8100) 

■6-8 ■ p.m. Wednesdays: 

Free N’ Fun Bar Game. 

Free to play. 

LOCKPORT 

Port Noir 

(900 S. State St., Lockport; 

(815) 834-9463) 

■4-7 ■ p.m. Monday- 

Friday: Happy Hour 

Strike N Spare II 

(811 Northern Drive, 

Lockport; (708) 301- 

1477) 

■9:30 ■ p.m.-12:30 a.m. 

Mondays: Quartermania 

ORLAND PARK 

Traverso’s Restaurant 

(15601 S. Harlem Ave., 

Orland Park; (708) 532- 

2220) 

■8 ■ p.m. Wednesdays 

and Saturdays: Karaoke 

To place an event in The 

Scene, email b.conboy@ 

22ndcenturymedia.com.

20 | February 20, 2020 | the mokena messenger local living 


Lennan II 

1 st Floor Master Suite With 

Walk-in Closet and Large Bathroom 

3 Spacious Bedrooms, Plus Loft and 2 1/2 Baths 

Full Walkout Basement & Deck 

Chicago Water - Low Monthly Maintenance Fees 

(Lawn Care & Snow Removal) 

School System is Among the Best in the State 

Homes Located in a Private Secluded Neighborhood 

that Backs Up to a Open Natural Setting 

Since 1970 

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. 

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

mokenamessengerdaily.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

22 | February 20, 2020 | the mokena messenger local livng 


Distinctive Home Builders Debuts Luxury Furnished Model 

At Hanover Estates in Manhattan within the Lincoln-Way School District 

Distinctive Home Builders 

continues to add high 

quality homes to the 

Manhattan landscape at 

Hanover Estates; its latest 

new home community 

located within the highlyregarded 

Lincoln-Way 

School District. Distinctive 

is selling Craftsman 

Series and Legacy Series 

single family homes with 

base prices from the upper 

$290s - $400s. Square 

footage of the ranch 

homes begins at 2,400 

square feet and the twostory 

homes start from 

2,700 square feet. Many 

of the sites in both neighborhoods 

offer lake views 

and all homes will have 

brick around the first 

floor as a premium standard 

feature. 

“Sales and construction 

are underway and a 

brand new Stonebridge 

II model is open for touring,” 

said Bryan Nooner, 

President of Distinctive 

Home Builders, “These 

new home designs are a 

result of an extraordinary 

amount of time and effort 

spent on refining the 

architectural standards.” 

“There is indeed a difference 

– there is nothing 

else like it on the market 

– the elevations are outstanding 

and our homeowners 

also have the ability 

to customize so they 

can truly have the home 

of their dreams,” he said. 

Nooner speaks of the 

Craftsman designs the 

company has introduced 

at Hanover Estates. These 

new designs feature low 

pitched rooflines, large 

front porches with tapered 

columns and stone 

piers, partially-paned 

windows, gable brackets, 

and an exterior color 

palate with a variety of 

earth tones or gray tones. 

Popular exterior options 

are stone and cedar shake 

accents. 

Besides the new model, 

there are several homes 

at various stages of construction 

are available to 

tour and as a semi-custom 

builder, Distinctive can 

modify any of its standard 

designs to cater to a 

customer’s tastes, which 

means that moving walls, 

adding extra windows or 

even extending the garage 

are all possible. 

Numerous home styles 

are available, each with 

multiple exterior elevations. 

Hanover Estates 

homes have three to five 

bedrooms and two full to 

three and one-half baths 

and two to three-car garages. 

All of the Legacy 

Series homes will have 

three-car garages. 

Homes include custom 

maple kitchen cabinets 

featuring solid wood 

construction (no particle 

board) with solid 

wood drawers and dove 

tail joints; ceramic tile 

or hardwood floors in 

the kitchen, baths and 

foyer; genuine wood 

trim and doors; granite 

countertops and 

concrete driveways. 

Building a new home is 

certainly not what it used 

to be. Thankfully, the latest 

technology coupled 

with fine-tuned people 

skills, has made the experience 

an exciting one for 

Distinctive buyers at Hanover 

Estates. 

“We are on the leading 

edge when it comes to the 

home buying customer 

sales experience,” said 

Nooner. “Our sales professionals 

are among the 

best. We provide them 

with high-level training 

and the latest tech tools to 

enhance our homebuyer’s 

experience. We also provide 

technology to our 

homeowners throughout 

the home building 

process with a private 

homeowner portal app. 

Building a new home is 

an exciting yet long process 

that can have many 

ups and downs that can 

be neutralized by simply 

having great communication. 

We want our buyers 

to be informed and empowered 

every step of the 

way.” 

Daily pictures of customer 

homes in progress 

are taken and uploaded 

for easy access from 

anywhere in the world. 

Homeowners can view 

their selections from their 

phone, tablet or desktop; 

review detailed information 

about the quality 

components used in their 

new home, and easily access 

their documents using 

a username and password 

that is issued once 

construction of their new 

home begins. 

“Communication exists 

on an entirely new level 

making building with us a 

very personal experience. 

Never before could customers 

have access to all 

of this information 24/7. 

We want to raise the bar 

for our industry,” added 

Nooner. 

Through the customer 

portal, homeowners can 

easily share the pictures 

and progress of their 

home with friends and 

family via e-mail and integrated 

links to social 

media. They can also 

review the construction 

schedule to see 

what is happening next 

in the building of their 

new home. 

Hanover Estates boasts 

four lakes and three 

parks within its borders. 

The Manhattan Metra 

train station, several forest 

preserves and many 

dining and entertainment 

options are nearby. 

Hanover Estates children 

attend schools 

within the Lincoln-Way 

School District. 

Besides Hanover Estates, 


has built hundreds 

of homes throughout 

Manhattan most recently 

at Prairie Trails; also in 

the Butternut Ridge and 

Leighlinbridge communities, 

as well as thousands 

of other homes in 

the Will and south Cook 

county areas over the past 

30 years. 

Our model home visitor 

center is located at 

23936 William Drive, 

Manhattan, IL 60442 

and is open daily from 10 

a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days 

a week or by appointment. 

Contact Lynne at 

708-737-9142 or 708- 

479-7700 to schedule a 

private viewing. Specials, 

prices, specifications, 

standard features, model 

offerings, build times and 

lot availability are subject 

to change without notice.

mokenamessengerdaily.com local living 


Luxury Townhomes in New Lenox Pre-Construction Sales 

Distinctive Homebuilders debuts SkyHarbor Townhomes from the $300s 

Sales have commenced on 

luxury townhomes in a prime 

location in New Lenox at 

Laraway and Schoolhouse/ 

Lincolnway Roads. Known 

as SkyHarbor Townhomes, 


is meeting the need for 

townhomes in an area where 

they have not been built in a 

long time. 

“We are excited to bring 

these fresh, new architecturally 

refined townhome designs to 

New Lenox. Now residents 

can stay put in town when they 

downsize from a large home to 

a maintenance free lifestyle,” 

said Bryan Nooner, president 

of Distinctive Home Builders. 

“We discovered that many 

area single-family residents 

have parents seeking an 

independent, carefree lifestyle, 

who want to live in close 

proximity to their children 

and grandchildren. These 

buyers tend to spend a couple 

months of the year in warmer 

climates and don’t want to 

be concerned with home 

upkeep while they are away. 

At SkyHarbor Townhomes a 

homeowner’s association takes 

care of lawn maintenance and 

snow removal for residents. 

Additionally, SkyHarbor is 

a good fit for many young 

families as well. Just a few 

minutes from several commuter 

train stations and major 

highways, the location of 

this property makes it easy to 

commute to work. The idea of 

living in a community with a 

maintenance free lifestyle gives 

today’s buyer the freedom to 

travel and recreate without the 

time burden of home upkeep. 

SkyHarbor Townhomes is 

a small enclave community 

with an on-site lake and is 

adjacent to single family 

homes. Townhomes range in 

size from two to four bedrooms 

with 1,800 to 2,600 square feet 

of living space in three and 

four-unit buildings. All homes 

include a full basement and 

luxury appointments such 

as granite counter tops and 

custom maple cabinets. 

SkyHarbor Townhome 

exteriors are architecturally 

refined and feature Craftsman 

style designs in brick and 

stone construction on the 

first floor. Tapered columns, 

stone accents, bracketing 

on gables and bracket detail 

on garage doors are some 

of the thoughtful features 

Distinctive Home Builders has 

incorporated into the design. 


has built thousands of singlefamily 

homes throughout 

the South and Southwest 

suburbs over the past 30 years, 

and is dedicated to giving 

its customers the best home 

buying experience. 

Top-notch home creation 

with zero punch list items is an 

expectation Distinctive delivers 

to its homeowners. The builder 

performs numerous quality 

control checks throughout the 

building process and adheres 

to a nearly 1,500-point formal 

checklist that project managers 

certify. Before closing, each 

home undergoes an industryleading 

checklist that ensures 

each home measures up to the 

firm’s high quality standards. 

“Having measurable, identifiable 

standards that our 

craftsmen are expected to 

maintainiscriticaltoupholding 

high quality standards and 

ensuresdeliveringaZeroDefect 

Home to our homeowners,” 

Nooner said. 

Communication is key to 

maintaining an overall positive 

experience during the construction 

process. Therefore, 

all Distinctive customers have 

the Project Manager’s e-mail 

address and cell phone 

number, as well as access to 

the secure online portal where 

pictures and logs chronicle the 

continued progress on their 

home. Customers have access 

to the online portal through the 

Distinctive Homebuilders App 

that can be easily downloaded 

to any smartphone or tablet. 

“Our customers simply download 

our app and they are in 

touch with their new home 

24/7 from anywhere in the 

world. The app allows our 

customers to see the progress 

of their home and access 

their documents at any time” 

Nooner explained. “Our customers 

really appreciate the 

integration of social media 

sites within the app allowing 

them to easily share photos 

and updates of their new 

home with family and friends,” 

he concluded. 

Nooner added that all homes 

are highly energy efficient with 

upgraded wall and ceiling 

insulation, energy efficient 

windows and high efficiency 

furnaces. Before homeowners 

move into their new home, 

Distinctive conducts a Blower 

Door Test that pressurizes 

the home to ensure that each 

home passes stringent Energy 

Efficiency Guidelines. 

SkyHarbor Townhomes is 

within New Lenox School 

District 122 serving students 

K-8 and Lincoln-Way Community 

High School District 

210, which is ranked in the 

top 10 high school districts in 

Illinois. Providence Catholic 

High School is also located 

in New Lenox. 

SkyHarbor Townhomes are 

served by major thoroughfares 

such as IL Rtes. 30, 45 and 

52 and I-80, I-355 and I-57. 

Residents are serviced by 

the New Lenox Metra 

Station on the corner of 

Cedar and Laraway Roads. 

Two large hospital complexes 

are in the vicinity: Silver Cross 

Hospital and Presence Saint 

JosephMedicalCenter;College 

education nearby includes 

Lewis University, the University 

of St. Francis and 

Joliet Junior College. Many 

restaurants and pubs are in 

the area: Starbucks, Cooper’s 

Hawk, Teardrop Café, Arrowhead 

Ales Brewing Company, 

Chicago Dough Company, 

Bulldog Ale House, Portillo’s, 

and Country Charm Restaurant. 

Jewel/Osco is within 

walking distance from the 

Skyharbor Townhomes. Other 

notable retailers nearby are 

Kohls, JC Penny and Petsmart. 

and the 14-screen AMC 

Showplace is on Maple Street. 


center is open for viewing. 

Contact Lynne at 708-737- 

9142 or 708-479-7700 to 

schedule a private viewing 

of our luxury townhomes 

or visit our on-site Sales 

Information Center located 

at 23936 William Drive, 

Manhattan, IL., 60442. Hours 

are daily 10 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. 

open seven days a week. 

Specials, prices, specifications, 




to change without notice. 

Please contact a Distinctive 

representative for current 

pricing and complete details.

24 | February 20, 2020 | the mokena messenger local living 


Why Pay Rent? 

Immediate Occupancy Homes available now from the mid $200’s 

Distinctive Home Builders Presents Quality Built Affordable Homes at Cedar Creek in Joliet 


recently began preconstruction 

sales at 

Cedar Creek in Joliet. 

Homeowners there will 

enjoy competitively priced 

quality built homes and 

low Joliet taxes from 

one of the area’s leading 

home builders. Cedar 

Creek is located on Millsdale 

Road, one half mile 

west of Rt. 53 and south 

of Laraway Road. Our 

model home visitor center 

is open for viewing. 

“Handcrafted semi-custom 

homes are unheard 

of in the area in this price 

range,” said Bryan Nooner, 

president of Frankfortbased 

Distinctive Home 

Builders. “These homes 

provide a great value and 

in many cases will be less 

than paying rent. This 

opens up home ownership 

opportunities to those 

who were locked out of 

the market previously. Although 

construction is underway, 

pre-construction 

savings are still available.” 

Affordable, conveniently 

located ranch and twostory 

homes feature floor 

plans ranging from 1,500 

to 3,000 square feet in 

size with two to four bedrooms 

and front elevation 

brick exteriors with the 

option to add stone accents. 

Prices start from 

the mid $200’s and some 

home sites back up to Cedar 

Creek Park. We have 

four immediate occupancy 

homes available at our 

Cedar Creek community - 

3 ranch homes and a twostory 

home. 

“These homes appeal 

to two markets: Empty 

nesters that are downsizing 

with our ranches and 

an outstanding value for 

first time homebuyers and 

families wanting the most 

space for their money,” 

added Nooner. 

Cedar Creek school 

children attend Elwood 

School District 203 for K – 

8 and high school age children 

attend Joliet Township 

Central High School 

within District 204, which 

was recently named the 

College Board’s Advanced 

Placement District of the 

Year. Saint Joseph Academy 

is also nearby. 

“We have closed the gap 

of getting what you want 

and getting what you 

need in a new home significantly 

by including additional 

features that our 

buyers told us were most 

important to them,” said 

Nooner. “Now is the best 

time to buy, because you 

can still take advantage 

of preconstruction prices 

that range from the mid 

$200s which makes this a 

terrific new home value.” 

Bryan Nooner, president 

of Distinctive Home 

Builders, has built thousands 

of single-family 

homes throughout the 

south and southwest suburbs 

over the past 30 

years. Distinctive Home 

Builders is dedicated to 

giving their customers the 

best home buying experience. 

A home delivery with 

zero punch list items is an 

expectation Distinctive 

has for its homeowners. 

Before closing, each home 

undergoes an industryleading 

checklist that ensures 

each home measures 

up to the firm’s high quality 

standards. Distinctive 

performs numerous quality 

control checks throughout 

the building process 

and adheres to a nearly 

1,500 point formal checklist 

that project managers 

certify. 

“Having a set of measurable, 

identifiable standards 

that our craftsmen 

are expected to maintain 

is critical to upholding 

high quality standards 

and ensures delivering a 

Zero Defect Home to our 

homeowners,” according 

to Distinctive president, 

Bryan Nooner. 

During the construction 

process, there are prescheduled 

times set for 

site visitations at various 

landmark stages of construction. 

Communication 

is an important aspect 

to maintaining an overall 

positive experience during 

the construction process. 

Therefore, all Distinctive 

customers have the Project 

Manager’s e-mail address 

and cell phone number, 

as well as, access to the 

secure online customer 

portal where pictures and 

logs show the continued 

progress on their home. 

Customers have access to 

the online portal through 

the Distinctive Homebuilders 

App that can be 

easily downloaded to any 

smartphone or tablet. 

“Our customers simply 

download our Distinctive 

Home Builders app and 

they are in touch with their 

new home 24/7 from anywhere 

in the world. The 

app allows our customers 

to see the progress of their 

home and access all their 

documents at any time” 

Nooner explained. “Our 

customers really appreciate 

the integration of social 

media sites within the 

app allowing them to easily 

share photos and updates 

of their new home 

with family and friends,” 

he concluded. 

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. 

Cedar Creek is served by 

major thoroughfares such 

as IL Rte. 53, I-55 and 

I-80. Locational amenities 

for Cedar Creek homeowners 

are two large hospital 

complexes nearby: 

Silver Cross Hospital and 

Presence Saint Joseph 

Medical Center; College 

education nearby including 

Lewis University, the 

University of St. Francis 

and Joliet Junior College. 

Numerous restaurants 

and attractions such as the 

Chicagoland Speedway, 

the Joliet Splash Station 

and the Haunted Trails 

Family Entertainment 

Center, to name a few. 

Visit the Memorial Walkway 

at the Abraham Lincoln 

National Cemetery 

in Elwood comprised of 

982 acres honoring our 

veterans. 


center is open for 

viewing. Contact Lynne 

at 708-737-9142 or 708- 

479-7700 to schedule a 

private viewing of our Cedar 

Creek model and immediate 

occupancy homes 

available: three ranch 

homes and one two-story 

home. Or visit our on-site 

Sales Information Center 

located at 23936 William 

Drive, Manhattan, IL., 

60442. Hours are daily 

10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. open 

seven days a week. Specials, 

prices, specifications, 




to change without notice. 

Please contact a Distinctive 

representative for current 

pricing and complete 

details.

mokenamessengerdaily.com real estate 


Sponsored content 

The Mokena Messenger’s 

of the 

WEEK 

Price reduction on 

this luxurious, new 

construction, walkout 

ranch by Gale 

Builders in Ginger 

Creek of Mokena. 

What: Three-bedroom, 

2.5-bath home 

Jan. 10 

• 8822 Clifton Way, 

Mokena, 60448- 

8156 - Municipal Trust 

& Savings Bank to 

Matthew D. Ronan, 

Michael W. Ronan, 

$270,000 

• 9505 Hickory St., 

Mokena, 60448-8491 

- Susan Carnahan to 

Andrew H. Barnard, 

Alexandria Barnard, 

$200,000 

• 19380 Wolf Road 1, 

Mokena, 60448-1161 - 

Excelsior Management 

Llc to Steven Poplin, 

$100,000 

Jan. 13 

• 21426 Saddle Lane, 

Mokena, 60448 - Rico 

Inc to Philip Savarino, 

Andrea Savarino, 

$115,000 

• 21337 Sage Brush 

Lane, Mokena, 60448 

- Rico Inc to Joseph 

Savarino, $80,000 

Jan. 14 

• 11829 W. Josephine 

Drive, Mokena, 60448- 

8480 - Benjamin 

D. Kamp to Mark V. 

Procaccio, $265,000 

• 9214 W. Pullman 

Court, Mokena, 60448- 

8601 - Hpa Borrower 

2018-1 Llc to Eric A. 

Piet, $172,000 

Jan. 16 

• 10513 O’Connell 

Ave., Mokena, 60448- 

1775 - Gregory M. 

Handley to Anthony 

Hernandez, Abby 

Hernandez, $305,000 

• 18837 Ruth Drive, 

Mokena, 60448-9571 

- Fannie Mae to George 

Tragos Jr., Christopher 

Tragos, $175,000 

The Going Rate is provided 

by Record Information 

Services, Inc. For more 

information, visit www. 

public-record.com or call 

(630) 557-1000. 

Where: 11930 

Heinecke Drive 

Mokena 

Amenities: Spacious 

open floor plan filled 

with lots of natural light, Gourmet eat-in kitchen featuring Riverton Cabinets 

Quartz Tops and high-end stainless steel appliances looks into large family room 

with vaulted ceilings and fireplace perfect for entertaining. Master suite comes 

complete with double sinks, glass-enclosed double-sprayer shower and seat, 

Roman soaking tub, and separate water closet. Front study for home office or den, 

mudroom with coat hooks and storage areas, Large second and third bedrooms, 

powder room. Huge walk-out basement with 9-foot ceilings, plumbing 

rough in for bathroom. Partially-covered deck off kitchen with stairs 

leading to professionally landscaped exterior. 

Asking Price: 

$589,000 

Listing Agent: 

Sean Murray | Real Estate Broker 

(708) 704-5510 

sean@murrayrealestategroup.com 

Listing Brokerage: 

CRIS Realty 

Want to know how to become “Home of the Week”? Call (708) 326-9170, ext. 47. For more, 

visit MokenaMessenger.com/realestate.

26 | February 20, 2020 | the mokena messenger classifieds 


CLASSIFIEDS 

Help Wanted · Garage Sales · Automotive 

Real Estate · Rentals · Merchandise 

FREELANCE WRITERS WANTED 

Publisher 22nd Century Media’s Southwest Chicago branch is seeking 

to bolster its roster of freelance reporters & photographers to cover 

the southwest suburbs, including local government, events, 

human interest features, and athletic contests. 

This is a pay-per-assignment position that requires journalism fundamentals, 

such as interviewing skills, unabated accuracy, and adherence to deadline. 

Previous reporting experience is preferred. 

Photography skills a plus and can increase pay. 

To be considered for this opportunity, please send a copy of your resume 

and three (3) writing samples at your earliest convenience to 

Managing Editor Bill Jones, bill@opprairie.com 

Plant Lovers Wanted at 

Possibility Place Nursery! 

April-June 

Looking for P/T help for 

spring propagation in our 

greenhouses. Must be able to 

lift 25 pounds, stand for 

several hours while 

transplanting, and work in a 

hot, humid greenhouse. 

Flexible hours. Experience is 

not required, but love for 

plants is a must! 

If interested, email or call 

Stephanie to 

set up an interview. 

(708)534-3988 

stephanie@ 

possibilityplace.com 

www.PossibilityPlace.com 

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 

Alvernia Manor Senior Living 

is now hiring: 

- CNA to work all shifts 

- Dietary aide 

- Dining room aide 

- Housekeeper on casual call 

Call to apply: 630-257-7721 

DRIVE CAR BUYERS 

TO YOUR DOOR WITH 

A CLASSIFIED AUTO AD 

CALL US TODAY at 708.326.9170 

Help 

Wanted 

1003 Help Wanted 

Outside Work: 

Lawn Fertilizing & Core 

Aeration: Year-round & 

Seasonal Employment 

Potential for paid winters off. 

Benefits incl. health, dental, 

IRA. Good driving rec a must. 

Time and a half over 40 hrs. 

Apply in-person 8am - 3pm 

Lawn-Tech, Ltd. 

7320 Duvan Dr 

Tinley Park, IL 

708-532-7411 

Part-time Telephone Work 

calling from home for 

AMVETS. Ideal for 

homemakers and retirees. 

Must be reliable and have 

morning &evening hours 

available for calling. 

If interested, 

Call 708 429 6477 

M-F, 10am - 1pm Only! 

Cashiers Wanted for 

Microsoft Computer Registers 

3pm-9pm, including weekends 

$11.00/hr to start 

Paid vacation, Winter bonus 

15% employee discount 

Must be 18 years and older 

No phone calls! Apply in store: 

Sox Outlet 6220 W. 159th St. 

Oak Forest, IL 

Administrative Assistant 

Req. exp. in bookping/ledgers 

Exc. computer skills 

QuickBooks for Payroll 

Phone Savvy, P/T M-F 

Email lucykate5@aol.com 

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 

(3x). Holy Spirit, you who 

solve all problems, light of all 

roads so that I can attain my 

goal. You who gave me the divine 

gift to forgive and forget 

all evil against me and that in 

all instances in my life you are 

with me. I want in this short 

prayer to thank you for all 

things as you confirm once 

again that I never want to be 

separated from you in 

Eternal Glory. Thank you for 

your mercy toward me and 

mine. The person must say this 

prayer 3 consecutive days. 

After 3 days, the request will 

be granted. This prayer must 

be published after the favor is 

granted. 

-JR- 

Sell It 708.326.9170 

Fax It 708.326.9179 

Charge It 

DEADLINE - 

Friday at 3pm 

1023 Caregiver 

Automotive 

$52 

4 lines/ 

7 papers 

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 


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 

(3x). Holy Spirit, you who 

solve all problems, light of all 

roads so that I can attain my 

goal. You who gave me the divine 

gift to forgive and forget 

all evil against me and that in 

all instances in my life you are 

with me. I want in this short 

prayer to thank you for all 

things as you confirm once 

again that I never want to be 

separated from you in 

Eternal Glory. Thank you for 

your mercy toward me and 

mine. The person must say this 

prayer 3 consecutive days. 

After 3 days, the request will 

be granted. This prayer must 

be published after the favor is 

granted. 

-KB- 

...to place your 

Classified Ad! 

708.326.9170 

Help Wanted 

per line $13 

4 lines/ 

7 papers 

1037 Prayer / Novena 

Oh holy St. Jude, Apostle & 

Martyr, great in virtue and rich 

in miracles, near kinsman of 

Jesus Christ, faithful intercessor 

of all who invoke your special 

patronage in time ofneed. 

To you Ihave recourse from 

the depths of my heart and 

humbly beg to whom God has 

given such great power to 

come to my assistance. Help 

me in my present and urgent 

petition. In return, I promise to 

make your name known and 

cause to be invoked. Say 3Our 

Fathers, 3Hail Marys and Glories 

for 9 consecutive days. 

Publication must be promised. 

St. Jude pray for us all who invoke 

your aid. Amen JM 

Real Estate 

$50 

7 lines/ 

7 papers 

1040 Fine Jewelry 

1061 Autos Wanted 

Merchandise 

$30 

4 lines/ 

7 papers 

Oh most Beautiful Flower of 

Mt Carmel, Fruitful vine, 

splendor of heaven, blessed 

mother of the Son of God, Immaculate 

Virgin, Assist me in 

this my neccessity, oh star of 

the sea help me . Oh holy 

Mary, Mother ofGod, Queen 

of Heaven and Earth, I humbly 

beeseach you from the bottom 

of my heart tosuccor me in my 

necessity (make request) there 


your power, oh show me herein 

you are my mother, oh Mary 

conceived without sin, pray for 

us who have recourse tothee 

(3x). Holy Mary, Iplace this 

cause in your hands (3x). Say 

this prayer for three consecutive 

days, you must publish it 

and itwill be granted to you. 

JM 

See the Classified 

Section for more info, 

or call 708.326.9170 

22ndCenturyMedia.com 

Don’t just 

list your 

real estate 

property... 

Sell It! 

With a Classified Ad 

Automotive 

WANTED! 

WE NEED CARS, TRUCKS & VANS 

Running Or Not! 

Top Dollar Paid - Free Pick-Up 

Locally Located 

(708)205-8241

mokenamessengerdaily.com classifieds 


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 

LOCAL 

REALTOR 

DIRECTORY 

Ready to sell 

your real estate? 

CALL 

MIKE McCATTY 

GROUP 

708-945-2121 

BILLION INSALES 

5000 SOLD 

BUY, SELL ORRENT 

Handling your entire Family’shousing needs for over 15 years. 

• Your listing advertised on all major websites 

• Instant feedback- weekly updates 

• Professional photography- aerial shots too 

• Discounts to all teachers, senior citizens, 

veterans, 1st responders, doctors & nurses. 

CALL TODAY-LISTED TOMORROW 

Bob Haustein 

Lincoln-Way Resident • Remax 1st Service 

Call, Text or Email 

708-822-3690 

bobhaustein@yahoo.com 

www.bobhaustein.com 



Call 

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 

2070 Electrical 2080 Firewood 

2011 Brick/Chimney Experts 

Real Estate 

1092 Townhouse 

for Sale 

Rental 

1225 Apartments 

for Rent 

1 story townhouse 

16011 Messenger Circle, 

Homer Glen 2-3bd/2ba, 

sunrm, lrg kitch, 3 pantries, 

laundry rm, mastr suite 

wlkin closet, 2 car attch garage, 

3miles rt355, Homer33c,205 

schls, $275,000 

708.932.0343 

Business Directory 

2003 Appliance Repair 

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 

2075 Fencing 

Ideal 

Firewood 

Seasoned Mixed 

Hardwoods 

$120.00 per FC 

Free Stacking & 

Delivery 

708 856 5422 

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 



708.326.9170 

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 

Experienced 

Cleaning Lady 

Will Clean House or 

Apartment. 

Free estimates! 

815 690 7633 





2060 Drywall 

Drywall 

*Hanging *Taping 

*Additions 

*Remodeling 

Call Greg At: 

(815)922-3782 

2090 Flooring 

2120 Handyman 

Buy 

It! 

SELL 

It! 

FIND 

It! 

in the 

CLASSIFIEDS 

CALL 

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 

2132 Home Improvement 

2120 Handyman 

2130 Heating/Cooling 

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 


Want to 

See 

Your 

Business 

in the 

Classifieds? 

Call 

708-326-9170 

for a FREE 

Sample Ad 

and Quote! 





Buy 

It! 

SELL 

It! 

FIND 

It! 

in the 

CLASSIFIEDS 

CALL 

708.326.9170




2150 Paint & Decorating 2170 Plumbing 

VETERANS HOME SERVICES 

AND REMODELING 

www.vhsremodeling.com 

(833) 447-3838 • (833) HIRE-VET 

WINDOWS SIDING 

DOORS FASCIA 

SOFFIT GUTTERS 

SHUR-FLO GUTTER COVERS 

2135 Insulation 

2150 Paint & 

Decorating 

Neat, Clean, Professional 

Work At ACompetitive Price 

Specializing in all 

Interior/Exterior Painting 

• Drywall/PlasterRepair 

• WallpaperRemoval 

• Deck/Fence Staining 

• PowerWashing 

Free Estimates 

Senior Discounts 

Forquality & service you 

can trust, call us today! 

2170 Plumbing 

2200 Roofing 

See the Classified 

Section for more info, 

or call 708.326.9170 

22ndCenturyMedia.com 

Don’t just 

list your 

real estate 

property... 

Sell It! 

With a Classified Ad 



CALL 

708.326.9170 

MARTY’S 

PAINTING 

Interior / Exterior 

Fast, Neat Painting 

Drywall 

Wallpaper Removal 

Staining 

Free Estimates 

20% Off with this ad 

708-606-3926



CLASSIFIEDS 



Automotive 

$52 4 lines/ 

7 papers 

Help Wanted 

$13 4 lines/ 

per line 7 papers 

2200 Roofing 

CLASSIFIEDS 



Automotive 

$52 4 lines/ 

7 papers 

Help Wanted 

$13 4 lines/ 

per line 7 papers 

Sell It 708.326.9170 | Fax It 708.326.9179 

Charge It | DEADLINE - Friday at 3pm 

Real Estate 

$50 7 7 papers 

lines/ 

Merchandise 


lines/ 

Sell It 708.326.9170 | Fax It 708.326.9179 

Charge It | DEADLINE - Friday at 3pm 

Real Estate 


lines/ 

Merchandise 


lines/ 

2200 Roofing 

2220 Siding 





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 

2390 Computer Services/Repair 

2480 Furniture 

2489 Merchandise 

Wanted 



708.326.9170 

Dark brown reclining lift chair 

Brand New 

Paid $1,000 - Asking for $800 

(708)429-2605 

Dining Room Set - $150 

Matching Buffet - $150 

21 inch TV w/ stand - $25 

Stand-up Ornate Clock - $25 

Call (708)403-9481 

Office Furniture at Homer 

Glen Insurance Office 

708.301.9115 / 815.409.1575 

Two cherrywood exec. desks 

w/ matching credenza, 4 chairs 

2 exec. chairs, 1-42” 5 drawer 

and 1-24 drawer doc. file cabinets, 

assort. supplies. 

Asking for $1,500 for all. 

Will also sell by piece. 

$ or Zelle / Pick up by 2/28 

Metal Wanted 

Scrap Metal, Garden 

Tractors, 

Snowmobiles, 

Appliances, Etc. 

ANYTHING METAL! 

Call 815-210-8819 

Free pickup! 

Wanted, 8 Track cassette 

tapes in good condition. Call 

815-838-1862 

Advertise your 

RENTAL 

PROPERTY 

in the newspaper 

people turn 

to first 

CALL US TODAY: 708.326.9170 


Contact Classified Department 

to Advertise in this Directory 

708.326.9170



2701 Property for 

Sale 

2701 Property for 

Sale 

2703 Legal 

Notices 

2703 Legal 

Notices 

2703 Legal 

Notices 

2900 Merchandise 

Under $100 

COMMON AD - REAL ESTATE 

SECTION 

SHERIFF'S SALE OF REAL ESTATE 

of 11234 Pin Oak Cir, Mokena, IL 

60448 (Residential). Onthe 27th day of 

February, 2020 to be held at 12:00 

noon, at the Will County Courthouse 

Annex, 57 N. Ottawa Street, Room 201, 

Joliet, IL 60432, under Case Title: Federal 

National Mortgage Association 

Plaintiff V. Steven R. Rodriguez; et. 

al. Defendant. 

Case No. 19 CH 0629 in the Circuit 

Court of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, 

Will County, Illinois. 

Terms of Sale: ten percent (10%) at the 

time of sale and the balance within 

twenty-four (24) hours. Nojudicial sale 

fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring 

the residential real estate pursuant 

to its credit bid at the sale or by any 

mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other 

lienor acquiring the residential real estate 

whose rights in and tothe residential 

real estate arose prior to the sale. All 

payments shall be made in cash or certified 

funds payable tothe Sheriff of Will 

County. 

In the event the property is acondomin- 

ium, in accordance with 735 ILCS 

5/15-1507(c)(1)(H-1) and (H-2), 765 

ILCS 605/9(g)(5), and 765 ILCS 

605/18.5(g-1), you are hereby notified 

that the purchaser of the unit, other than 

amortgagee, shall pay the assessments 

and legal fees required by subdivisions 

(g)(1) and (g)(4) of Section 9and the assessments 

required by subsection (g-1) 

of Section 18.5 of the Illinois Condominium 

Property Act. 

Pursuant to Local Court Rule 11.03 (J) 

if there is asurplus following application 

ofthe proceeds of sale, then the 

plaintiff shall send written notice pursuant 

to 735 ILCS 5/15-1512(d) to all parties 

to the proceeding advising them of 

the amount ofthe surplus and that the 

surplus will beheld until aparty obtains 

acourt order for its distribution or, in 

the absence of an order, until the surplus 

is forfeited to the State. 

For Information Please Contact: 

Codilis & Associates, P.C. 

15W030 N. Frontage Road Suite 100 

Burr Ridge, Illinois 60527 

P: 630-794-5300 

F: 630-794-9090 

PURSUANT TO THE FAIR DEBT 

COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT 

YOU ARE ADVISED THAT THIS 

LAW FIRM ISDEEMED TO BE A 

DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING 

TO COLLECT ADEBT AND ANY 

INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL 

BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. 

COMMON AD - REAL ESTATE 

SECTION 

SHERIFF'S SALE OF REAL ESTATE 

of 9971 Cambridge Ct#D, Mokena, 

IL 60448 (Residential). Onthe 27th day 

of February, 2020 to be held at 12:00 

noon, at the Will County Courthouse 

Annex, 57 N. Ottawa Street, Room 201, 

Joliet, IL 60432, under Case Title: PNC 

Bank, National Association Plaintiff V. 

Michael A. Pomorski Sr.; et. al. Defendant. 

Case No. 19 CH 0730 in the Circuit 

Court of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, 

Will County, Illinois. 













County. 



5/15-1507(c)(1)(H-1) and (H-2), 765 

ILCS 605/9(g)(5), and 765 ILCS 




and legal fees required by subdivisions 




Property Act. 


if there is a surplus following application 










For Information Please Contact: 




P: 630-794-5300 

F: 630-794-9090 









2703 Legal 

Notices 









STATE OF ILLINOIS 

) 

) SS. 

COUNTY OF WILL 

) 

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OFTHE 

TWELFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT 

WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS 

Federal National Mortgage Association 

Plaintiff, 

vs. 

Steven R. Rodriguez; et. al. 

Defendant. 

No. 19 CH 0629 

NOTICE OF SHERIFF'S SALE 

Public notice ishereby given that pursuant 

toajudgment entered in the above 

cause on the 23rd day of October, 

2019, MIKE KELLEY, Sheriff of Will 

County, Illinois, will on Thursday, the 

27th day of February, 2020 ,commencing 

at 12:00 o'clock noon, at the 

Will County Courthouse Annex, 57 N. 

Ottawa Street, Room 201, Joliet, IL 

60432, sell at public auction to the highest 

and best bidder orbidders the following-described 

real estate: 

PARCEL 1: THAT PART OF LOT 

20, IN HAMILTON CROSSING A 

PLANNED UNIT DEVELOPMENT, 

BEING A RESUBDIVISION OF 

PART OF ROBERT BARTLETI'S 

WOODLAND ACRES, BEING A 

SUBDIVISION INSECTION 7 AND 

SECTION 18, TOWNSHIP 35 

NORTH, RANGE 12EAST OFTHE 

THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, 

ACCORDING TO THE PLAT 

THEREOF RECORDED MARCH 

11, 1997, AS DOCUMENT NUMBER 

R97-20293, IN WILL COUNTY, IL- 

LINOIS BOUNDED AND DE- 

SCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: COM- 

MENCING AT THE NORTHEAST 

CORNER OF SAID LOT 20; 

THENCE SOUTH 00DEGREES, 02 

MINUTES, 14 SECONDS EAST 

ALONG THE EAST LINE OF SAID 

LOT 20 A DISTANCE OF 43.20 

FEET TO THE POINT OF BEGIN- 

NING; THENCE NORTH 89 DE- 

GREES, 56 MINUTES, 03 SECONDS 

WEST A DISTANCE OF 143.40 

FEET TO A WESTERLY LINE OF 

SAID LOT 20; THENCE SOUTH- 

ERLY 39.41 FEET ALONG SAID 

WESTERLY LINE OFLOT 20 BE- 

ING AN ARC OF A CIRCLE, CON- 

VEX NORTHEASTERLY, HAVING 

A RADIUS OF 60.00 FEET, AND 

HAVING A CHORD BEARING 

SOUTH 39 DEGREES, 32 MIN- 

UTES, 41 SECONDS EAST; 

THENCE SOUTH 89DEGREES, 56 

MINUTES, 03 SECONDS EAST 

118.78 FEET TO THE EAST LINE 

OF SAID LOT 20; THENCE 

NORTH 00 DEGREES, 02 MIN- 

UTES, 14SECONDS WEST ALONG 

SAID EAST LINE A DISTANCE OF 

29.82 FEET TO THE HEREIN DES- 

IGNATED POINT OF BEGINNING, 

IN WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 

PARCEL 2: EASEMENT FOR THE 

BENEFIT OF PARCEL 1AS CRE- 

ATED BY DECLARATION FOR 

HAMILTON CROSSING TOWN- 

HOMES AND RECORDED NO- 

VEMBER 24, 1997, AS DOCUMENT 

NUMBER R97-104231 FOR IN- 

GRESS AND EGRESS OVER COM- 

MUNITY AREAS. 

Commonly known as: 

11234 Pin Oak Cir, Mokena, IL 60448 

Description of Improvements: 

Residential 

P.I.N.: 

19-09-07-409-055-0000 













County. 



5/15-1507(c)(1)(H-1) and (H-2), 765 

ILCS 605/9(g)(5), and 765 ILCS 




and legal fees required bysubdivisions 




Property Act. 












FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CON- 

TACT: 




P: 630-794-5300 

F: 630-794-9090 

Plaintiff's Attorney 

MIKE KELLEY 

Sheriff of Will County 









STATE OF ILLINOIS 

) 

) SS. 

COUNTY OF WILL 

) 

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OFTHE 

TWELFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT 

WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS 

PNC Bank, National Association 

Plaintiff, 

vs. 

Michael A. Pomorski Sr.; et. al. 

Defendant. 

No. 19 CH 0730 

NOTICE OF SHERIFF'S SALE 

Public notice ishereby given that pursuant 

toajudgment entered in the above 

cause on the 20th day of November, 

2019, MIKE KELLEY, Sheriff of Will 

County, Illinois, will on Thursday, the 

27th day of February, 2020 ,commencing 

at 12:00 o'clock noon, at the 

Will County Courthouse Annex, 57 N. 

Ottawa Street, Room 201, Joliet, IL 

60432, sell at public auction tothe highest 

and best bidder orbidders the following-described 

real estate: 

PARCEL 1: THE NORTHEAST- 

ERLY 1/2 OFTHE SOUTHEAST- 

ERLY 1/2 OF LOT 16 IN CAM- 

BRIDGE PLACE OF MOKENA, 

PHASE II, APLANNED UNIT DE- 

VELOPMENT, BEING ARESUBDI- 

VISION OF PART OF LOT 551 IN 

GRASMERE OF MOKENA, BEING 

A SUBDIVISION OF PART OF 

SECTION 9, TOWNSHIP 35 

NORTH, RANGE 12EAST OFTHE 

THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, 

ACCORDING TO THE PLAT 

THEREOF RECORDED NOVEM- 

BER 1, 1991 AS DOCUMENT NO. 

R91-63239, IN WILL COUNTY, IL- 

LINOIS. PARCEL 2: EASEMENT 

FOR INGRESS AND EGRESS FOR 

THE BENEFIT OF PARCEL 1 

OVER DRIVEWAYS AND WALK- 

WAYS IN THE COMMON AREA 

AS SET FORTH IN DECLARA- 

TION OF PARTY WALL RIGHTS, 

COVENANTS, CONDITIONS, RE- 

STRICTIONS AND EASEMENTS 

FOR CAMBRIDGE PLACE MOK- 

ENA TOWNHOUSE ASSOCIATION 

MADE BY CHICAGO TITLE AND 

TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE 

UNDER TRUST AGREEMENT 

DATED MARCH 18, 1991 AND 

KNOWN AS TRUST NUMBER 

1094840 RECORDED OCTOBER 9, 

1991 AS DOCUMENT NO. 

R91-58297 AND AS CREATED BY 

DEED FROM CHICAGO TITLE 

AND TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUS- 

TEE UNDER TRUST AGREEMENT 

DATED MARCH 18, 1991 AND 

KNOWN AS TRUST NUMBER 

1094840 TO ROBERT J.KASANDA 

AND ARLENE M.KASANDA RE- 

CORDED JUNE 24, 1992 AS DOCU- 

MENT NUMBER R92-48747, ALL 

IN WILL COUNTY ILLINOIS 

Commonly known as: 

9971 Cambridge Ct#D, Mokena, IL 

60448 

Description of Improvements: 

Residential 

P.I.N.: 

19-09-09-378-066-0000 













County. 



5/15-1507(c)(1)(H-1) and (H-2), 765 

ILCS 605/9(g)(5), and 765 ILCS 




and legal fees required bysubdivisions 




Property Act. 












FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CON- 

TACT: 




P: 630-794-5300 

F: 630-794-9090 

Plaintiff's Attorney 

MIKE KELLEY 

Sheriff of Will County 

LEGAL NOTICE 

The Mokena Fire Protection District 

(MFPD) is seeking sealed bids 

for the purchase of 30 – MSA G1 

Fire Service SCBA’s per MFPD 

specifications. Detailed specifications 

for the proposed purchase are 

on file with the MFPD at 19853 S 

Wolf Rd, Mokena, IL 60448. Bids 

will be accepted until 11:00 AM on 

March 5, 2020. The sealed bids 

will be opened at a public bid 

opening at 12:00 PM on March 5, 

2020 at 19853 SWolf Rd, Mokena, 

IL 60448; after which time no 

additional bids will be accepted. 

The District reserves the right to 

reject any and all bids and isnot 

required to accept abid that does 

not meet its established specifications, 

terms of delivery, quality and 

serviceability requirements. 

2703 Legal Notices 

Honeywell humidifier transformer, 

never used $20; Antique 

collectible radio crystal 

set parts $80. Call 

708-408-1576 

King soft plastic mattress cover 

$4; New 8” dust pan &brush 

$6; 24pc foam brush set $5; 15 

young ladies sweaters $3ea; 

Ladies hoded maroon gooded 

jacket, XL $15. Call 

708-460-8308 

Large 15oz soy orregular candles, 

misc. smells $6ea; stuffed 

animals $5ea; new large moose 

animal $10; 4 Lithium button 

batteries #2016 $3ea. Call 

708-460-8308 

Large bird cage 

24”Lx12”Hx12”W for small 

birds $25; Small wooden cage, 

wire bars $13; Steel tool box 

24x10x10 $49. Call 

708-478-8976 

Large radiant projection screen 

$50; TDC model Dslide projector 

$50. Call 708-532-3489 

ORDINANCE NO. 2020-1 

AN ORDINANCE RE-ESTABLISHING AMBULANCE CHARGES 

. . . 

NOW, THEREFORE, BEITORDAINED bythe Board of Trustees of the 

Mokena Fire Protection District as follows: 

Section 1. The Fire Protection District shall assess ambulance and related 

charges as follows: 

Advanced Life Support - Non-Resident $ 2000.00 

Basic Life Support - Non- Resident $ 2000.00 

Transport Mileage – Non-Resident $ 25.00 per mile 

Advanced Life Support - Resident $ 2000.00 

Basic Life Support - Resident $ 2000.00 

Transport Mileage – Resident $ 25.00 per mile 

Section 2. The Chief of the Fire Protection District isauthorized toassess 

the foregoing charges and to take any and all reasonable steps in the collection 

of the same. 

. . . 

PASSED bythe Board of Trustees of the Mokena Fire Protection District 

and deposited and filed in my office this 11th day of February, 2020 

A full version of Ordinance No. 2020-1 is available upon request from the 

District. 

Want to 

See 

Your 

Business 

in the 

Classifieds? 

Call 

708-326-9170 

for a FREE 

Sample Ad 

and Quote!



FREE FREE FREE 

CLASSIFIED MERCHANDISE ADS!!! 

In this tough economy, we'll give you a free 

merchandise ad totaling $100 or less. 

· Write your FREE ad in 30 words or less. 

· One free ad per week. 

· Same ad may not be submitted more than 3 times. 

· The total selling price of your ad must not exceed $100. 

· Ads will be published on a space available basis. 

· Free Ads are Not Guaranteed to Run! 

GUARANTEE Your Merchandise Ad To Run! 

Free Merchandise Ad - All Seven Papers 

Ad Copy Here (please print): 

$30 for 7 papers 

Merchandise Pre-Paid Ad $30! 4 lines! 7 papers! 

Choose Paper: Homer 

Horizon New Lenox Patriot Frankfort Station 

Orland Park Prairie Mokena Messenger Tinley Junction 

Name: 

Address 

City/State/Zip 

Phone 

Payment Method(paid ads only) Check enclosed Money Order Credit Card 

Credit Card Orders Only 

Credit Card # 

Signature 

® 

Exp Date 

Please cut this form out and mail or fax it back to us at: 

22nd Century Media 

11516 W. 183rd St, Suite #3 Unit SW 


FAX: 708.326.9179 

Circle One: 



Call 

708.326.9170

34 | February 20, 2020 | the mokena messenger sports 


Athlete of the Week 

10 Questions 

with Ryan Sucha 

Ryan Sucha is a junior 

guard on the Lincoln-Way 

East basketball team. 

How long have 

you been playing 

basketball and how 

did you first get 

started? 

I’ve been playing since I 

was 5 or 6 years old. Everyone 

in my family has 

always played basketball. 

I’ve had cousins and uncles 

who played Division I 

basketball, so I’ve always 

played basketball. 

Has basketball been 

something you have 

been able to share 

with your family? 

Yeah, I always played a 

lot with my cousins growing 

up. Now they’re off 

playing in college. But 

I got to play one-on-one 

with them a lot when we 

were younger. 

What do you like most 

about the sport of 

basketball? 

I just like competing. I 

love going out there and 

playing my hardest every 

night. 

It’s getting late in the 

season. How do you 

feel about where your 

team is at? 

It’s going good. Losing 

Sean [McLaughlin] to 

surgery is really bad, but 

I think we’re at our best 

right now. We’re shooting 

the ball better than we have 

all year. We’re passing it 

really well. I think we’re 

almost playoff-ready. 

How have you tried to 

take on a bigger role 

and be a leader this 

season? 

We went on a little bit 

of a losing streak and we 

were struggling as a team, 

so I recently tried to step 

up and try to score more. 

I’ve been playing a lot 

more aggressively and just 

trying to help my team. 

If you could be 

anybody else for a 

day, who would you 

want to be? 

It would have to be Michael 

Jordan. He’s really 

rich, and it’d be cool to 

live that life for a day. It’d 

be really fun. 

You’re stranded on a 

deserted island and 

can have an endless 

supply of one food. 

What do you want? 

Definitely steak. Steak is 

my favorite food. Medium 

rare. 

If you could be any 

superhero, which 

would you want to 

be? 

I’d definitely want to be 

The Flash. You can speed 

3 Roundup 

2 

Steve Millar/22nd Century 

Media 

around, do whatever you 

want, go wherever you 

want instantly. 

Speaking of going 

wherever you want, 

if you could travel 

anywhere in the 

world, where you 

want to go? 

Costa Rica. I’ve seen 

pictures and it looks fun. I 

know a couple people who 

have been there and really 

loved it. 

If a movie were being 

made about your life, 

who should play you? 

I’d want Adam Sandler 

to play me. He’s a really 

good actor. He’s one of my 

favorites, and I just love 

him. Him and Will Farrell 

are my top two. 

Interview conducted by 

Sports Editor Steve Millar. 

Mokena wrestler at Mount 

Carmel advances to state 

STEVE MILLAR, Sports Editor 

Mount Carmel senior 

wrestler Ashton Breen 

finished one win shy of 

making it to the state finals 

last season, losing in the 

consolation semifinals – 

known as the blood round 

– at sectionals. 

Breen, a Mokena resident, 

made sure there was 

never a chance of that happening 

this year. That’s because 

he never lost at the 

Hinsdale Central Sectional 

on Saturday, Feb. 15. 

Breen (21-11) was a 

surprise sectional champion 

at 160 pounds, 

emerging from a tough 

bracket that included 

three wrestlers ranked in 

the top eight of the state 

by the Illinois Wrestling 

Coaches and Officials 

Association. 

He advanced to the 

IHSA Class 3A State Finals, 

which are set for 

Thursday, Feb. 20 to Saturday, 

Feb. 22, at the State 

Farm Center in Champaign. 

“The key for me today 

was to think I could beat 

anybody,” Breen said. “All 

year with our schedule 

I've wrestled against tough 

competition. It was a matter 

of time before I could 

get into my groove and 

keep going.” 

Breen beat Sandburg’s 

Zach Bateman 5-1 before 

handing East Aurora’s Jay- 

Cee Gonzalez his first loss 

of the year with a 1-0 win 

in the semifinals. 

Breen, ranked No. 8, upset 

No. 2 Robert Major of 

Downers Grove South 6-2 

in the finals. 

“I was doing good last 

year,” he said. “I won [the 

prestigious Dvorak Invitational], 

and I got injury-plagued, 

had an ankle 

sprain. 

“It means everything [to 

get to state]. I want to go 

perform. I want to show 

that my beginning of the 

season last year wasn't a 

fluke. I want people to remember 

who I am.” 

Providence sends three 

wrestlers to state, season 

ends for LW Central and 

East 

Providence had three 

wrestlers qualify for state 

out of the tough Quincy 

Sectional on Saturday, 

Feb. 15. 

Freshman Billy 

Meiszner (2nd, 106), 

senior Kevin Countryman 

(3rd, 145) and Ryan 

Boersma (3rd, 285) all 

moved on. 

Neither Lincoln-Way 

Central nor Lincoln-Way 

East qualified a wrestler. 

Three Griffins and one 

Knight fell just one short 

of qualifying. 

East freshman Ari Zaeske 

(22-10) won three 

matches but was pinned 

by Edwardsville’s Dylan 

Gvillo in the blood round. 

Sophomore Dominic 

Adamo (22-11) was 

pinned by Joliet West’s 

Jeremy Pullen in the blood 

round, ending his shot at a 

repeat trip to state. 

Senior Jake LaMonto 

(33-7) was pinned by 

Lockport’s Andrew Blackburn-Forst 

in the blood 

round, in the final chapter 

of a rivalry that saw 

Blackburn-Forst also pin 

LaMonto in the championship 

match of the Tom 

Lahey Invitational before 

LaMonto beat Blackburn- 

Forst in the Lockport 

Regional championship 

match. 

LW Central sophomore 

Joey Malito (36-14) fell 

8-4 to Bradley-Bourbonnais’ 

Anthony Lawryn in 

the blood round. 

Area bowlers fall short at 

sectional 

LW Central sophomore 

Abby Nolan (1,204 pins 

in six games) finished 10th 

at the East Moline United 

Sectional on Saturday, 

Feb. 15, at Highland Park 

Bowl in Moline. 

Nolan, though, finished 

15 pins out of a state-qualifying 

spot. 

LW East’s Katelyn 

Marks (20th, 1,127) and 

Providence’s Carly Kowalik 

also competed at the 

sectional. 

Strong finish for LW East 

girls basketball 

The Griffins avenged an 

earlier loss to Sandburg 

with a thrilling 49-47 victory 

over Sandburg on 

Feb. 11. 

With the win, the Griffins 

ended the regular season 

at 16-13 and guaranteed 

that, no matter what 

happens in the playoffs, 

they will end the year 

with a winning record for 

the 14th consecutive season. 

The last time East 

finished under .500 was 

2005-06, when it had an 

11-14 mark. 

Olivia Molnar (18 

points) hit two free throws 

with 10 seconds left to put 

the Griffins up for good.

mokenamessengerdaily.com sports 


College-bound athletes celebrated on Signing Day 

STAFF REPORT 

Lincoln-Way Central, 

Lincoln-Way East and 

Providence Catholic held 

Signing Day ceremonies 

on Feb. 5. 

Central honored 18 athletes 

who will continue 

their athletic careers in college. 

They included softball 

players Jenna Deang 

(Cleveland State), Torince 

Muczynksi (Western Illinois), 

Gianna Niemeier 

(North Florida), Melanie 

Nelson (Maryville), Sydney 

Grein (Ohio) and Olivia 

Flinn (Olivet Nazarene). 

A pair of golfers - Maddie 

Pyle (Lewis) and Carly 

Schiene (Valparaiso) - also 

signed, as did baseball 

players Luke Hancock (St. 

Francis) and Zach Ward 

(U.S. Naval Academy). 

Also recognized were 

diver Rebekkah Schimick 

(McKendree), swimmer 

Matthew Senese (Lewis), 

bowler Alex Nolan (St. 

Ambrose), wrestler Skylar 

Novak (King), soccer player 

Nick Willner (Aurora), 

Lincoln-Way Central honored 18 college-bound student athletes on Signing Day. 

Photos submitted 

volleyball player Layne 

Stevens (Clark), water polo 

player Sierra Maze (Salem 

International) and cross 

country/track athlete Alexandria 

Sams (Wisconsin- 

Parkside). 

Lincoln-Way East had 

17 athletes sign, including 

softball players Melissa 

Bauer (MIT), Paige Geraghty 

(Auburn), Ella Jacobson 

(Lewis), Gabby Paliska 

(Wisconsin-Green Bay), 

Payton Wuske (Lewis) and 

Isabelle Zinkel (Saginaw 

Valley State). 

Also honored were swimming/diving 

team members 

Braelyn Binkowski (Miami 

Ohio), Dominick Tobin 

(Maryland-Baltimore 

County) and Tina Winter 

(Grand Valley State), and 

water polo players Emma 

Hernandez (Siena) and Katie 

Meagher (St. Francis of 

Pennsylvania). 

Cross country/track 

standouts Brett Gardner 

(North Carolina State) and 

John Kruzel (Kentucky) 

both signed with Division I 

programs. 

Other athletes who 

signed were basketball 

players Lilly Genis (Edgewood) 

and Olivia Molnar 

(Wisconsin-Whitewater), 

golfer Jesssica Loera (St. 

Catherine) and soccer player 

Cory Pitlik (Drake). 

Providence’s Mitchell 

Bahnaman, a Mokena resident, 

signed with Lewis for 

baseball. 

RIGHT: College-bound 

athletes from Lincoln-Way 

East were recognized in a 

Signing Day ceremony. 

Providence’s Mitchell Bahnaman (front), a Mokena 

resident, signs to play baseball at Lewis during a Signing 

Day cermony on Feb. 5. Also pictured are (back row, 

left to right) Providence principal John Harper, baseball 

coach Mark Smith and athletic director Doug Ternik. 

Hockey 

Lincoln-Way rolls past Lyons in Founders Cup semis 

3 


As the only goalie currently 

on the Lincoln-Way 

varsity hockey roster, senior 

Jack Schedin knows 

there is a big burden on his 

shoulders. 

Still, he would have 

it no other way than being 

out on the ice every 

game. 

“There’s some pressure 

because if you have 

a bad game, there’s no 

one to come in for you,” 

Schedin said. “But it’s 

a lot more fun to be out 

there than sitting on the 

bench.” 

Schedin, a LW West student, 

continued his strong 

season as Lincoln-Way 

beat Lyons 6-1 in an Illinois 

West Founders Cup 

semifinal Sunday, Feb. 16, 

at Arctic Ice Arena in Orland 

Park. 

Lincoln-Way advanced 

to take on Sandburg in 

a best-of-three Founders 

Cup finals series. The 

schedule for that was still 

to be announced as of 

press time. 

In the win over Lyons, 

senior center Jason Lange 

(West) scored twice, 

while sophomore defenseman 

Preston Paulas 

(West), junior defenseman 

Brett Dudek (Central), 

junior left wing 

Charles Tucker (East) 

and senior defenseman 

Caleb Hack (Central) 

each scored once. 

Lyons pulled within 2-1 

midway through the second 

period, and the score 

remained the same at the 

end of the second. 

Lincoln-Way broke it 

open with four third-period 

goals. 

“The key was just getting 

pucks out of our 

zone,” Dudek said. “They 

were really trying to force 

their offense, so we knew 

if we could get it out, we’d 

have some odd-man rushes.” 

Lincoln-Way’s defensemen 

helped kickstart the 

offense, combining for 

three goals. 

“It’s always a good thing 

when defensemen score,” 

Dudek said. “We always 

want to get some offense 

generated.” 

Lincoln-Way struggled 

through the regular 

season, going 5-15-2 in 

Hockey West play, but is 

4-2 in the Illinois West 

playoffs. 

The team also won its 

opening game in the AHAI 

varsity combined state 

playoffs and is next set to 

take on Buffalo Grove- 

Hersey-Wheeling on 

March 1. 

Schedin said team 

chemistry has gone up recently. 

“We’ve had better passing, 

better team communication 

and a lot more 

bonding since the beginning 

of the season,” he 

said. “We’re having a lot 

more fun in the locker 

room hanging out.”

36 | February 20, 2020 | the mokena messenger mokena 


“I subscribed for 

the breaking local 

news, (and) it is great to 

see what is going on in our 

area and local sports 

coverage.” 

— Ryan Johnson, of 

Frankfort 

“Love being kept 

informed of local news 

and events. The online 

(version) is easy to read 

and very informative.” 

— Mary Smith, of 

Lockport 

“Get the latest 

neighborhood news in 

real time via email and can 

share with other family/- 

friends.” 

— Rosemarie Melnik, of 

Tinley Park 

Here’s the good word 

“I enjoy the 

digital subscription 

because the content is 

very informational. … Keep 

doing what you're doing! 

— Tony Gugliuzza, of 

New Lenox 

“I get to read the 

articles before the 

newspaper arrives AND I 

get to read all of the other 

22nd Century Media 

papers.”— MaryEllen 

Smolinski,of 

Mokena 

“ I subscribed 

because I feel it is 

important to know what is 

going on in and around my 

community” 

— Joan Pavlik, of 

Homer Glen 

“I like the 

hyper-local aspect. ... 

Also, the reporting seems 

to be faster on breaking 

stories than any other local 

news sources.” 

— Joseph Solek, of 

Orland Park 

Join thousands of your neighbors who get daily local news, 

alerts and more with a digital subscription 

All for less than $1 per week 

Subscribe today at MokenaMessenger.com/Plus 

or scan the QR for a direct link



Evans Scholarship has extra meaning for Mokena caddie 

7 


W h e n 

Jaden Soroka 

was 

awarded a 

Chick Evans 

scholarship 

from 

the Western Soroka 

Golf Association, 

it symbolized 

more than just free tuition. 

For Jaden and his family, it 

was a positive moment to 

treasure. 

“I said in my interview 

for the scholarship that, 

for me, this was mostly 

for my family,” Soroka 

said. “My brother [Julian] 

passed away [in 2016, at 

the age of 18]. We’ve been 

through some rough stuff. 

“It’s just nice for my 

family to have something 

to celebrate.” 

Soroka, a Mokena resident 

and senior at Lincoln- 

Way Central, has caddied 

at Prestwick Country 

Club in Frankfort for three 

years. 

Following a final selection 

interview held at 

Olympia Fields Country 

Club in Olympia Fields on 

Nov. 20, 20 Chicago-area 

high school seniors who 

have worked as caddies 

found out they had been 

awarded the scholarship, 

a full, four-year housing 

and tuition scholarship 

from the nation’s largest 

privately-funded scholarship 

program. 

“Each of these deserving 

Evans Scholars epitomizes 

what our program has been 

about since its creation in 

1930,” WGA Chairman 

Frank Morley said in a press 

release. “Their dedication, 

hard work, and sacrifice is 

humbling, and we are honored 

to be able to help them 

pursue their dreams.” 

WGA directors, Evans 

Scholars alumni and 

other program supporters 

interviewed each of the 

nominees at the selection 

meeting. Each caddie has 

a unique story to tell, reflecting 

the scholarship’s 

four selection criteria: a 

strong caddie record, excellent 

academics, demonstrated 

financial need 

and outstanding character. 

The full tuition and housing 

college scholarship 

is valued at an estimated 

$120,000 over four years. 

“I caddied as much as 

I could,” Soroka said. “I 

was out there three or four 

times a week pretty much 

every week in the summers. 

I always did my best 

in school, kept up with my 

homework, took AP classes 

and honors classes. One 

of the criteria is excellent 

academics, so I wanted to 

be able to present myself 

in that area.” 

Soroka said caddying 

is fun because he enjoys 

hanging out with all the 

members at Prestwick and 

his fellow caddies. 

“Everyone there is really 

friendly and personable,” 

he said. 

He has one caddie story 

that stands out. 

“One time, I was caddying 

for a guy and we 

were on the 10th hole, 

about 115 yards out,” Soroka 

said. “I gave him the 

yardage, he took a swing 

and hit it. I saw the ball 

go flying straight into the 

hole. He looks over, ‘Hey 

Jaden, did that one go on 

the green?’ He was an older 

gentleman. I told him it 

went in the hole, and he 

didn’t believe me until he 

went up there and saw for 

himself.” 

Currently, a record 

1,010 caddies are enrolled 

at 18 universities across 

the nation as Evans Scholars, 

and more than 11,050 

caddies have graduated as 

Evans Scholars since the 

program was founded by 

famed Chicago amateur 

golfer Charles “Chick” 

Evans Jr. When the 2019- 

20 selection meeting process 

is completed by April, 

an estimated 285 caddies 

are expected to be awarded 

the Evans Scholarship. 

Soroka is still deciding 

where to attend college, 

but plans to major in computer 

science. 

“It’s fantastic to have the 

scholarship,” he said. “I 

have uncles who are still 

paying off their student 

loans. It’s nice knowing 

I’m going to go through 

life not having to worry 

about that. It should help 

me get a head start in life 

after college.” 

Girls Basketball 

LW Central beats Stagg, finishes regular season strong 

6 

JOE BIELANSKI 

Freelance Reporter 

The Lincoln-Way Central 

Knights ended the regular 

season on a high note, 

as their 18 wins marked 

their most since 2007-08. 

They defeated the Stagg 

Chargers, giving them win 

number 18 on the season. 

With the win, they end with 

a regular season record of 

18-12 and 6-2 in conference 

play. 

“We talked about that a 

lot,” Central coach Dave 

Campanile said. “It’s nice 

to get to 18 wins. That’s 

something we haven’t had 

at that level since [2007- 

08] So, it’s a great accomplishment 

for our girls to 

get to 18 wins. For me, it’s 

more important to have 

momentum going into the 

playoffs.” 

The Knights (18-12, 6-2) 

had to battle for their 18 

victories, including the latest 

against Stagg. 

It was a defensive battle 

all night as the Knights held 

on to top the host Chargers 

40-32 in a SouthWest Suburban 

Red game. 

“We talk about this time 

in the season, this is game 

30 of the season,” Campanile 

said. “It’s not about 

pretty wins. A lot of teams 

already know each other, 

and everything is going to 

be scouted. 

“This is about the teams 

that can grind out wins. 

The games aren’t going to 

be pretty and not everything 

is going to work. The 

teams that can keep their 

Azyah Newson-Cole, pictured in a game earlier this 

season, scored 12 points in Lincoln-Way Central’s 40- 

32 win over Stagg on Feb. 11. 22ND CENTURY MEDIA FILE 

PHOTO 

composure and grind out 

dirty wins are the ones who 

move on throughout the 

playoffs and so forth.” 

The Knights, seeded seventh 

in the Class 4A Stagg 

Sectional, were set to open 

the postseason at 10thseeded 

Bloom in a regional 

semifinal Tuesday, Feb. 18. 

With a win, they would advance 

to the regional final 

Thursday, Feb. 20, likely 

against second-seeded 

Homewood-Flossmoor. 

Against Stagg, freshman 

Azyah Newson-Cole 

led with 12 points, four 

rebounds and four assists. 

Senior guard Regan Lo- 

Conte added 11 points, 

junior guard Colleen Erdman 

had seven points, and 

junior forward Haley Stoklosa 

added five points, 11 

rebounds and three blocks. 

LoConte, a Quincy University 

commit, ended her 

final regular season with 

the Knights with another 

strong game. 

“It’s exciting because, I 

know that it’s my last one 

and for all of my years on 

varsity, we’ve never [won 

this many games].” Lo- 

Conte said. “It’s great to be 

with my teammates and exciting 

to know what we are 

capable of in the regional. 

It’s big because going in, 

we have hope in what we 

can do.” 

The standout star of 

the night, Newson-Cole, 

echoed those sentiments. 

“I think that we can 

shoot the ball better,” Newson-Cole 

said. “We need to 

run the ball more; we need 

to keep doing what we are 

doing but do it better. 

“We have to have each 

other’s backs and carry 

good body language. Personally, 

I can step up and 

make sure that I knock my 

shots down. We need to get 

better at the free-throw line. 

Going into the playoffs, 

those are going to be very 

important points.”

38 | February 20, 2020 | the mokena messenger sports 


Knights ahead of schedule in breaking records 

5 


Lincoln-Way Central 

junior Sean Curran said 

his team has not thought 

much about making 

school history, at least not 

this season. 

Curran is one of 18 juniors 

on the roster for the 

Knights, who have just 

two seniors, both reserves. 

“We’re young, so we’re 

really excited about next 

year,” Curran said. 

Those comments came 

after the Knights picked 

up their 21st win of this 

season, with three regular 

season games still to go. 

If next year is the year 

for Central, this year has 

been quite the precursor. 

With a 71-59 win over 

Lincoln-Way West on 

Thursday, Feb. 13, Central 

clinched at least a share of 

its first SouthWest Suburban 

Red title and can win 

the league outright with a 

victory in either of its final 

two conference games. 

The Knights are set to host 

Andrew on Friday, Feb. 

21, and visit Stagg on 

Tuesday, Feb. 25. 

The Knights hit the coveted 

20-win mark for the 

Lincoln-Way Central’s Sean Curran runs into Lincoln- 

Way West’s Jacob Vassalla on his way to the basket 

during the Knights’ 71-59 win Thursday, Feb. 13. JULIE 

MCMANN/22ND CENTURY MEDIA 

first time as Lincoln-Way 

Central. 

They last won 20 or 

more when they went 25-5 

in 2000-01, the final season 

as one Lincoln-Way 

before the split into Central 

and East. 

“I think it’s pretty cool,” 

junior forward Ryan Kraft 

said. “It’s a cool number to 

hit. We have a few more 

games left [in the regular 

season], so we want to finish 

strong.” 

Central coach Bob Curran 

knows the significance 

of getting beyond 20 wins. 

He hit the mark three times 

in five seasons as Thornwood’s 

coach, but this is 

his first time in 10 seasons 

at the helm of the Knights. 

“We haven’t done it 

since I’ve been here, so it’s 

great,” he said. “I didn’t 

know coming into the season. 

We don’t see these 

guys in the summer. We 

have four baseball players, 

two golfers, so hardly any 

of them play basketball 

in the summer. We had to 

kind of piece it together at 

the start. 

“The season is a grind. 

I’m really impressed with 

our juniors and the two seniors 

we have. They have 

come to play almost every 

single basketball game, 

and you don’t always see 

that with younger guys. 

It’s a sign of their maturity 

and competitiveness. 

Hopefully we can keep 

that going the next two 

weeks.” 

Central’s 20th win came 

Feb. 11 with a 66-49 win 

over Bradley-Bourbonnais. 

James Ogrodnik 

scored 16 points, Nick 

Tingley added 12, and 

Mike Maloney scored 10. 

In the win over West, 

five players hit double digits 

in scoring for Central 

(21-7, 6-0): Kraft (16), 

Sean Curran (14), Tingley 

(12), Matt Maloney (11) 

and Mike Maloney (10). 

Jacob Vassalla (nine rebounds) 

and Connor Jenkins 

led West (2-22, 0-6) 

with 19 points each. 

The Warriors hung 

tough early as Central led 

just 30-28 at halftime. 

“It’s a rivalry game,” 

Bob Curran said. “We 

have respect for them. We 

know how good [West 

head coach Brian Flaherty 

and assistant coach Dick 

Mandella] are as coaches. 

“I told the guys if we’re 

going to give up 50 points, 

every game is going to be 

somewhat close. We need 

to do a better job on that 

end. It will be nice to get 

back to some fundamentals, 

but our defense has 

been struggling a little 

bit.” 

Kraft caught fire in the 

third quarter, knocking 

down three 3-pointers as 

Central outscored West 

22-13 to pull away. 

“On certain nights, we 

just figure out who has the 

hot hand and get the ball to 

them,” Kraft said. 

Sean Curran, who has 

played more of a facilitator 

role for the Knights of late, 

scored 13 points in the second 

half. 

“The great thing about 

this team is we have so 

many guys that can shoot,” 

he said. “As the point 

guard, I have to recognize 

that when guys are helping 

on me, that’s leaving 

someone open, and I need 

to find the open guy. 

“I could get more shots 

up, but right now I don’t 

see the need to with the 

way guys are shooting.” 

Quentin Villa added seven 

points for the Warriors. 

“We’ve been a lot more 

competitive the second 

half of the season, but by 

no means is it translating 

into wins,” Flaherty said. 

“I don’t fault the kids’ effort, 

but we have to be able 

to do the things we talk 

about doing and execute at 

the end of a game at some 

point.” 

This Week In 

KNIGHTS VARSITY 

ATHLETICS 

BOYS BASKETBALL 

■Feb. ■ 21 – hosts Andrew, 

6:30 p.m. 

■Feb. ■ 25 – at Stagg, 6:30 

p.m. 

GIRLS BASKETBALL 

■Feb. ■ 20 – Class 4A Bloom 

Regional final, 7 p.m. 

■Feb. ■ 24 – Class 4A Stagg 

Sectional semifinal, 7:30 

p.m. 

GIRLS BOWLING 

■Feb. ■ 21-22 – IHSA State 

Finals at The Cherry Bowl, 

Rockford, TBA 

BOYS SWIMMING 

■Feb. ■ 22 – IHSA 

Homewood-Flossmoor 

Sectional, 9 a.m. 

GIRLS INDOOR TRACK 

AND FIELD 

■Feb. ■ 25 – hosts LW 

Central quad, 4:30 p.m. 

WRESTLING 

■Feb. ■ 20 – IHSA Individual 

State Finals at State Farm 

Center, Champaign, 4:30 

p.m. 




p.m. 



Center, Champaign, 9 a.m. 

GRIFFINS VARSITY 

ATHLETICS 

BOYS BASKETBALL 

■Feb. ■ 21 – at Lockport, 

6:30 p.m. 

■Feb. ■ 25 – hosts 

Sandburg, 6:30 p.m. 

GIRLS BASKETBALL 

■Feb. ■ 21 – Class 4A 

Shepard Regional final, 7 

p.m. 

■Feb. ■ 24 – Class 4A Stagg 

Sectional semifinal, 7 p.m. 

GIRLS BOWLING 


Finals at The Cherry Bowl, 

Rockford, TBA 

BOYS SWIMMING 

■Feb. ■ 22 – IHSA 

Homewood-Flossmoor 

Sectional, 9 a.m. 

BOYS INDOOR TRACK 

AND FIELD 

■Feb. ■ 22 – Greg Foster 

Invite at Proviso West, 9 

a.m. 

GIRLS INDOOR TRACK 

AND FIELD 

■Feb. ■ 26 – at Thornwood 

Invite, 4:30 p.m. 

WRESTLING 




p.m. 




p.m. 



Center, Champaign, 9 a.m. 

LINCOLN-WAY CO-OP 

ATHLETICS 

GIRLS GYMNASTICS 


Finals at Palatine, 2 p.m.



fastbreak 

22nd century media file 

photo 

1st-and-3 

THREE notes on the 

girls basketball 

regular season 

1. Providence 

It was a memorable 

regular season for 

the Celtics, who set 

a school record for 

wins, going 23-8. 

Mokena’s Lauren 

Knight (above) went 

over 1,000 career 

points. 

2. LW Central 

The Knights also 

had a player hit 

the 1,000-point 

milestone as 

Regan LoConte 

accomplished the 

feat during an 18- 

12 regular season. 

3. LW East 

It was not always 

pretty, but the 

Griffins were able 

to stretch their 

streak of winning 

seasons to 14 in a 

row, going 16-13. 

Olivia Molnar, Lilly 

Genis and Andie 

Perch stepped up as 

senior leaders. 

Girls gymnastics 

Lincoln-Way’s sectional streak snapped by Downers Grove 

Reis’ injury proves costly, 

but Lincoln-Way sends 

three individuals to state 

CHRIS WALKER, Freelance Reporter 

If things went according to plan, 

senior Allie Reis would have set a 

PR in the all-around and Lincoln- 

Way co-op would have qualified 

for state for the fourth straight 

season during the Hinsdale Central 

Sectional on Feb. 11. 

They did not, however. Reis, a 

senior, was unable to compete due 

to injury and Lincoln-Way did not 

advance, finishing in second place 

with a 141.975 and not earning 

enough points to qualify for state 

via an at-large berth. 

Downers Grove co-op won with 

144.075, while Andrew co-op 

nearly caught Lincoln-Way with 

141.25 for third place. 

Reis sustained an injury Feb. 6 

during practice and, as much as 

she tried to return – even receiving 

cryotherapy and acupuncture 

– she could not. 

“It was really hard on her and 

really hard on the girls,” Lincoln- 

Way coach Kory Thompson said. 

“We all kind of went with Allie 

[to Victory Chiropractic in 

Frankfort on Feb. 10, submerging 

themselves in near-freezing 

temperatures for cryotherapy]. 

She did everything she could to 

get back. She even came out during 

warmups and said she at least 

wanted to do floor, but the sprain 

is a bad one. It was too weak still.” 

The absence of Reis was huge. 

As talented as Lincoln-Way coop 

is, you simply cannot replace 

a key all-arounder, especially one 

who advanced in all four events in 

Lincoln-Way co-op’s Grace Kmak competes in the floor exercise Feb. 

11 at the Hinsdale Central Sectional. She advanced to state on the 

floor and three other events. JEFF VORVA/22ND CENTURY MEDIA 

the regional. 

“It would’ve been neck and 

neck,” Downers Grove co-op 

coach Kristyn Campos said. “Our 

joke [with Thompson] was always 

we’re going to come in and try to 

tie [so both teams would automatically 

advance to state].” 

Lincoln Way’s team score 

dropped 2.675 points from regional 

to sectional while Downers 

Grove co-op’s went up 2.125 

points. While nothing is guaranteed, 

if Reis were healthy 

and Lincoln-Way repeated what 

it did at its regional Feb. 4, it 

would be heading to Palatine yet 

again. 

That’s a tough pill to swallow, 

but that’s life, and in a sport as 

grueling as it is on the body, Lincoln-Way 

won’t be the first nor the 

last to wonder what could’ve been 

if not for a huge injury. 

“It was pretty tough, but there 

are always people who can come 

in and try to do their best to replace 

someone,” junior Grace 

Kmak said. “Everyone tried to do 

good to get the team as far as we 

could.” 

Kmak, senior Korina Jarosz and 

junior Lucy Haas advanced as individual 

competitors for the state 

meet, set for Friday, Feb. 21, and 

Saturday, Feb. 22, at Palatine High 

School. 

Kmak advanced in the allaround 

(3rd, 36.325), balance 

beam (1st, 9.325), vault (2nd, 

9.475) and floor (2nd, 9.25). 

Jarosz qualified for state in the 

all-around (5th, 36), bars (1st, 

9.325) and vault (3rd, 9.35). 

6 

Haas tied for sixth on the floor, 

but her 9.15 was good enough to 

qualify as an at-large competitor 

in the event. 

“I feel like my feelings were 

all over the place,” Jarosz said. 

“We were trying to stay positive 

and wanted to do it for Allie. We 

started out super strong on vault 

but we had a couple falls on beam 

that threw us off a little bit, so we 

had to come through on floor and 

perform our best.” 

Jarosz knew it was heartbreaking 

for Reis to be unable to contribute. 

“It was upsetting for all of us 

and probably hit me harder being 

a senior,” she said. “I know how 

badly she wanted to compete so 

our last [team] meet did not go as 

we expected it would.” 

Reis suffered the ankle injury 

while attempting a new dismount. 

If there’s any consolation in her 

season ending prematurely, at 

least it came from once again 

challenging herself for the betterment 

of her team. 

“I only had a few days to recover, 

and went to the doctor and 

did whatever I could to help myself 

heal, but I didn’t have enough 

time,” she said. “I’m trying to not 

beat myself up over it. I’ve been 

very fortunate the past four years 

with great success here, even 

though it would’ve been nice to 

finish out at state.” 

Jarosz, Kmak and Haas will 

attempt to win the first individual 

state title in program history. 

Laney Costello was the vault runner-up 

in 2008 and Cindy Giroux 

placed second on beam in 1990. 

The team last had a medal winner 

in 2011 when Kaitlyn Neiheisel 

took fifth on floor. 

Listen Up 

“We haven’t done it since I’ve been here, so it’s great.” 

Bob Curran – LW Central boys basketball coach, on his team winning 20 

games for the first time since there was one Lincoln-Way 

what2watch 

Girls Gymnastics, Friday, Feb. 21-Saturday, Feb. 22 

IHSA State Finals at Palatine HS 

Lincoln-Way co-op gymnastics Grace Kmak, Karina 

Jarosz and Lucy Haas will compete at the state meet. 

Index 

38 - This Week In 

34 - Athlete of the Week 

FASTBREAK is compiled by Sports Editor 

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

mokena’s Hometown Newspaper | February 20, 2020 

GOOD AND BAD 

LW gymnastics has sectional streak 

snapped, but three individuals advance 

to state, Page 39 

CADDIE CELEBRATION 

Mokena resident earns 

Chick Evans scholarship for 

golf caddies, Page 37 

Knights hit 20-win mark for first time in Central era, win 

crosstown clash with LW West, Page 38 

Lincoln-Way Central’s Ryan Kraft fights to pull down a rebound during the Knights’ 71-59 win over Lincoln-Way West on Thursday, Feb. 13. JULIE MCMANN/22ND CENTURY MEDIA

MK_022020

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?