DIRKSEN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL REOPENED
Dirksen Junior High School reopened for in-person classes on Wednesday, January 28, following a fire that occurred Friday morning, January 23.
At the time of the incident, all Joliet Public Schools District 86 students and staff were at home for an E-Learning Day due to frigid temperatures.
On January 23, 2025, at approximately 9:45 a.m., the fire alarm was activated at Dirksen Junior High School, 203 S. Midland Avenue. The Joliet Fire Department immediately responded to the call and, upon arrival, smoke was visible coming from the building.
“I could not thank the Joliet Fire Department enough for their swift assistance in helping to contain the fire and minimize damage,” said Joliet Public Schools District 86 Superintendent Dr. Theresa Rouse. “I was extremely thankful that no one was in the building at the time the fire broke out.”
According to the School Fire Report the school district received from the State Fire Marshal, the fire originated from a computer cart in the Dirksen music room (#125). Additional smoke and water damage were reported in rooms #123 and #124, and minor smoke odors were detected in nearby rooms and a hallway.
Dirksen students and staff participated in three consecutive E-Learning Days while the building was thoroughly cleaned and inspected. Air quality testing was successfully completed, and the building was cleared for occupancy by the Will County Regional Office of Education, Board of School Inspectors, Joliet District 86 administrators, and consulting architects that afternoon.
The three affected rooms remained closed until further notice. Students and staff who normally used these rooms were relocated to other classrooms within Dirksen School.
Joliet Junior College Men’s basketball beats IVCC, 68-50
Four Wolves reached double-digit scoring Thursday night as Joliet Junior College men’s basketball earned a 68-50 win at Illinois Valley Community College.
Levi Goad led the offense with 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists and three steals. Jeffrey Fleming recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds while adding four steals.
Jyaveion Green finished with 12 points and six rebounds while Ricky Hill also scored 12 points.
The Wolves improve to 9-10 on the season and will look to reach .500 on Tuesday when they travel to
Succeeding in a Remote Work Environment
Remote working might not be as common as it was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when a significant percentage of working professionals were required to work from home as a safety precaution.
A 2025 report from Wow Remote Teams estimated that 22 percent of American workers would spend the year working remotely, while the staffing and recruitment experts at Robert Half anticipated four in 10 workers being afforded some amount of remote work opportunities in 2025.
Those figures might be a far cry from remote work statistics earlier in the decade, but they still indicate that a significant percentage of professionals are spending at least some, if not all, of their workday working from home.
Working from home poses some unique challenges that are not nec-
essarily present when commuting to an office each day. A few simple strategies can help remote workers overcome the unique issues that may arise when working from home.
• Schedule each day. A work calendar that includes daily tasks and meetings can help remote workers stay the course and avoid succumbing to distractions present at home that are not around in a typical office. In addition to listing tasks and meetings, add goals to a daily schedule, which can keep remote workers motivated to continue working during lulls in the workday.
• Minimize in-office distractions. Remote workers who spend enough time working from home to merit a separate home office space should do what’s necessary to minimize in-office distractions.
For instance, a television in a home office can be a needless distraction that remote workers may turn
on even when they have a full day’s work on their plate. Additional creature comforts also can be nice but distracting. Minimizing such distractions in a home office can ensure remote workers are as productive at home as they were when they commuted to an office each day.
• Stay in touch. One of the hurdles companies face when allowing workers to work from home is maintaining open lines of communication between staff members. Remote workers should prioritize communication with colleagues and coworkers even if they no longer see them each day.
Identify ways to remain in touch so productivity does not suffer and projects are completed on time and up to par. Utilize communication channels such as email, messaging apps, text messaging, and Zoom to remain connected with colleagues.
To: Customers of Illinois-American Water Company - Notice of Proposed Change in Rates Illinois American Water hereby gives notice to the public that it has filed with the Illinois Commerce Commission a proposed change in water and wastewater rates for all operating areas served by the Company, effective approximately January 1, 2027, with a second rate step effective January 1, 2028.
The proposed rates would increase the overall water or wastewater service revenue for the Company’s districts below as follows:
Management personnel can consider daily or weekly meetings with necessary personnel to ensure workflow is not suffering and confirm everyone is on the same page with projects and expectations.
• Remain flexible. Flexibility is often cited as part of the appeal of remote work, but remote workers must recognize that’s a two-way street.
If employers and supervisors allow remote workers flex hours and other perks exclusive to working from home, then that flexibility must be reciprocated when the need arises.
A willingness to work some late nights or even weekend hours is a good tradeoff for the benefits of working from home.
The proposed changes, which include changes in design of the rates, affect charges for customers in all service classifications (including metered water service, wastewater service, private fire service and public fire service) in the districts listed above. The estimated bill impact of the proposed changes may vary based on multiple factors, including, but not limited to, meter size, usage volume, service classification, fire protection district, and other factors.
Illinois Commerce Commission procedures for intervention are contained in its Rules of Practice, 83 Ill. Admin. Code Part 200. In addition, customers may request a public forum regarding this proposed increase by making a written request to the Illinois Commerce Commission in accordance with procedures specified in Section 8-306(n) of the Public Utilities Act (220 ILCS 5/8-306 (n)).
A copy of the proposed rate schedules may be inspected by any interested party at any of the Illinois American Water offices. Additionally, customers may contact Illinois American Water at (800) 422-2782 for an explanation regarding how the proposed changes might impact their monthly bill.
Customers should be advised that the Illinois Commerce Commission may alter or amend the rates or conditions of service after hearings held pursuant to 83 Ill. Admin Code Part 200 and may increase or decrease individual rates in amounts other than those requested by Illinois American Water.
You may obtain additional information either directly from Illinois American Water, 300 N. Water Works Drive, Belleville, Illinois 62223, tel: (800) 422-2782, or by addressing the Chief Clerk of the Illinois Commerce Commission, 527 East Capitol Avenue, Springfield, Illinois 62701, or via the Illinois Commerce Commission’s website at www.icc.illinois.gov. Information is also available at Illinois American Water’s web site, www.illinoisamwater.com.
Published January 28, 2026 & February 4, 2026
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A few simple
