Ja nuary 1, 2 0 2 0 Vo l . 1 2 i ss u e 18
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2019: A LOOK BACK
July through December - the top stories in sports
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2019 in Will County saw many changes in construction plans, a community helping a sports organization, the expansion of a much-needed facility and board bickering. Here is a breakdown of some of the events shaped our community this past year.
Walsh will not seek a fifth term
Will County Executive Larry Walsh announced in August that he will not seek a fifth term next year. Walsh has been battling prostate cancer in recent years and told the Will County Board his treatment would prevent him from running an effective campaign. Walsh, who has overseen the board since 2004 served out the remainder of his term through December. An Elwood farmer, Walsh served as a state senator from 1997 to 2004. During his first term in Springfield he became friends with another new senator, Barack Obama. While President, Obama on more than one occasion expressed a desire to have his “poker-playing buddy” visit the White House for a game, but it’s unclear if that ever occurred. Walsh, a Democrat, said he’s always tried to “reach across the aisle” for the county’s benefit. Despite the recession, Will County’s population and development have grown substantially since Walsh has been County Executive. More warehouses and intermodals front highways and truck traffic has increased. Walsh also targeted the rising heroin deaths by starting the Will County Heroin Education Leads to Preventative Solutions (HELPS) organization.
Leslie Goddard portrayed Jackie Kennedy at Joliet library
Whether it’s Queen Elizabeth II, Amelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jackie Kennedy or anyone else, Leslie Goddard seems to be able to portray anyone. This time, it was Jackie Kennedy. At the Joliet Library in front of more than 100 spectators, Goddard portrayed former first lady and fashion icon. Kennedy, the First Lady of the United States when her husband John F. Kennedy was in office, was an enigma. Although she was regarded as an international icon of style and culture, Kennedy was somewhat aloof. Kennedy’s fashion choices became a hot topic in the media throughout her time as the First lady, especially when she hired American designer Oleg Cassini. She was the first presidential wife to hire a press secretary, Pamela Turnure, and carefully managed her contact with the media, usually shying away from making public statements, and strictly controlling the extent to which her children were
photographed. Though she was not very fond of the media, the media portrayed Kennedy as the ideal woman. That assertion led Kennedy to more uncharacteristic activities in the White House such as hosting social events that brought together elite figures from politics and the arts. One of her unrealized goals was to found a Department of the Arts, but she did contribute to the establishment of the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities, established during Johnson’s tenure. Being a widow from the assassination of her husband John, Jackie also had a death that is still looked at today as a mystery. In November 1993, Jackie was thrown from her horse while participating in a fox hunt in Middleburg, Virginia, and was taken to the hospital to be examined. A swollen lymph node was discovered in her groin, which was initially diagnosed by the doctor to be caused by an infection. Because of the fall from her horse, over the next six months Jackie’s health began to deteriorate even more, and then died May 19, 1994 from Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Although Kennedy once described feeding her dogs reporters for food and not always being as forthcoming as people would have liked, Goddard said she was still a revolutionary First Lady that had a large positive impact on so many people in America, most notably her
Troy administrator spends time working in Nepal
As Troy students have gotten back into the rhythm of the school year, one faculty member can remain confident she traveled the farthest this summer. District Administrator Kristin Johnson recently spent 10 days in Nepal where she conducted math workshops with teachers and worked with educators and fourth grade students in their classrooms.
Johnson, Troy’s Director of Curriculum and Assessment, was chosen by Origo Education to be its United States educator representative with the not-for-profit STEM education organization, Teachers2Teachers Global. She applied for the sponsorship because she wanted to share with the Nepali teachers the methods she has learned work best in teaching mathematics to young students. The New Way of Teaching Math workshops included hands-on lessons and studentto-student interaction in the classroom. The programs were held in the cities of Kathmandu, Bharatpur and Pohkara, and the coaching sessions were held at Gandaki Boarding School in Pohkara, which is 7,602 miles from Shorewood.
Joliet, Plainfield to co-produce ‘The Boulevard’
Coming soon to the old truck stop — The Boulevard: A Joliet and Plainfield co-production. A Costco is slated to anchor the 170-acre commercial project, which will occupy the border between the towns along the northwestern edge of Route 30 and Interstate 55. In past months, Plainfield trustees unanimously approved an intergovernmental agreement with Joliet that will be necessary for the development. A Clark Auto-Truck stop and 24-hour restaurant operated there for many years before closing in the late 90’s or early 2000’s. The Plainfield Fire Department was allowed to destroy some structures for training but other buildings remain standing. Plainfield and Joliet began talking about an intergovernmental agreement in 2007. Joliet’s footprint includes the front 21 acres of the property, which runs along almost all of the frontage of Route 30. Of the 31 buildings shown in the site plan submitted for the Boulevard, 10 are in
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continued from page 2 Joliet - a 48,000 square-foot on its own toward the east and a cluster of buildings between 4,000 and 16,000 square-feet near the center. Costco’s 152,000 square-foot building close to I-55 would be located in Plainfield, but all of their parking lot would be in seven acres of Joliet. Under the agreement, Joliet and Plainfield would need the other’s approval for land use projects outside the existing zoning districts. Each town is responsible for development in their border but must share plans and allow suggestions from the other. Plainfield will provide water, sanitary sewer and storm water sewer to the project and collect all tap-on fees. Replacing Joliet’s existing sewer and water to the site with the sizes needed would require going under the interstate and be cost-prohibitive, according to Melrose. Village Boulevard, the 3/4-mile road coming off Route 30 into the Boulevard, will have snow removal and lighting replacement performed by Plainfield and reconstruction and resurfacing done by Joliet. Plainfield police and fire will respond to calls at the development with Joliet services available for mutual aid. With the intergovernmental agreement in place, the developer can seek project approval and public feedback will be sought.
Harrah’s Casino parent company donates $10K to Joliet Hospice
The Caesars Foundation awarded Joliet Area Community Hospice (JACH) with a $10,000 grant towards the agency’s current Remembering from the Heart Campaign for the Hospice Home for the addition and renovation of the hospice home inpatient unit. Randy Conroy, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Harrah’s Joliet Casino and Hotel and other members of his team presented a $10,000 check from the Caesars Foundation to JACH Chief Executive Officer Mary K. Sheehan and Chief Operating Officer Cindy Brassea. After the check presentation, the Harrah’s executives toured the existing inpatient unit and learned more about all the improvements and changes to come. JACH has a longstanding relationship with Harrah’s and Caesars. Harrah’s/Caesars Foundation is responsible for JACH’s paved labyrinth walk and garden that provides a lovely place of solitude and reflection for families and visitors; Harrah’s Joliet Casino and Hotel has been a consistent supporter of the agency’s annual dinner and golf outing; and casino staff have volunteered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service event. Their recent generosity will provide a patio outside of a patient room allowing patient access to fresh air and beautiful scenery, even if confined to a bed. Joliet Area Community Hospice changed the face of inpatient hospice care when it opened the first free-standing hospice home inpatient unit in Illinois in 2004. Now fifteen years later, JACH is embarking on a capital campaign to add a twelve-room addition to the Hospice Home and renovate and enhance the existing structure. The $3.5 million Remembering from the Heart Campaign for the Hospice Home will take advantage of recent state legislation passed in 2018 increasing the maximum hospice inpatient unit size to 20 beds, by adding four patient rooms; adding a multi-family kitchen and dining area; adding a larger commercial kitchen and larger spiritual space; renovating the existing patient rooms to add a refrigerator, sink, all new furniture and fixtures and French doors leading to private outside patios; and relocating nursing staff adjacent to patient rooms. Construction of this capital project is begun last August of 2019.
Casseday Mansion in jeopardy of being demolished
While it is said that all good things that must come to an
end, one group is trying to prevent the end of one nostalgic building on Joliet’s East Side. One of the last mid-19th century two-story limestone homes, the George Washington Casseday Mansion is in jeopardy of being torn down. When Casseday moved to Joliet, he got into some legal trouble and was sued by Abraham Lincoln. The limestone house that was built in 1851 on the city’s east side, may be torn down so developers can build a new Thornton’s gas station at the corner of Collins and Jackson Street. The 1851 limestone home, now a three-unit apartment is something that initially Gannon said didn’t make a lot of sense because of a current gas station that is already near the house. One man showed interest in moving the house and refurbishing it, but that fell through.
Tensions between mayor, police were heated
Tensions in the past between the mayor and police officials in Joliet have openly escalated into investigations and accusations of misconduct and political shenanigans. The latest issues stem from the conduct of both Mayor Bob O’DeKirk and Joliet Police Sgt. Lindsey Heavener at the Mexican Independence Day Parade on Sept. 14. A confidential police memo that was leaked to the media said O’DeKirk accused Heavener of being drunk while on duty at the parade and brought his concerns to Chief Al Roechner. O’DeKirk said he was told about Heavener’s condition by others and made his own observations, but did not speak with the sergeant. Roechner eventually took Heavener to the hospital where voluntary blood tests reportedly showed no drugs or alcohol in his system. Heavener is reportedly considering filing a civil suit against the city and the mayor. Heavener referred questions to his attorney’s office. Meanwhile, Roechner is also the subject of a city investigation. The mayor did not know how long the city’s internal investigation is expected to last. At the Oct. 1 Joliet City Council meeting, interim City Manager Steve Jones noted tension has built “for several months between city hall and the police department.” Jones suggested “outside eyes” may find the
most effective resolution for city staff. Roechner and Heavener’s attorney did not return messages left asking for comment.
Joliet Police Officers wear pink badges for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Breast cancer is a disease that affects one out of every eight women in the United States and the Joliet Police officers were doing their part to bring awareness during the month of October by wearing pink badges in place of their normal shields. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Joliet police officers were able to purchase the pink badges for $100 and wear them all month. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure. The campaign also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer. For the Pink Heals organization, the money raised with the purchasing of the badges goes to people in the area who are affected by breast cancer. It can be towards people that currently have breast cancer, family members who are living with it or to those who have fallen from the disease or any other form of cancer.
Marine gifted home in Joliet from ‘Building Homes for Heroes’
Within five years, Marine Corps Sergeant Nick Wallace went from living in a homeless shelter on Chicago’s west side to living in his own home in Joliet – one gifted to him by ‘Building Homes for Heroes.’
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upcoming eVents in your area wednesday, January 1, 2020 | buglenewspapers.com
JANUARY 3 PARK RIDGE free sKating lesson at soutH parK. 10 a.m - 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. 4 p.m. Get out on the ice with guidance from Oakton Ice Arena s skating instructors. Two sessions are offered (weather permitting) JANUARY 4 DOWNERS GROVE nerf nigHt - grades 7-12. 4:45 8 pm. Downers Grove Public Library. Play games with Nerf blasters throughout the library. Nerf blasters and darts provided. Meet in the Kids Program Room at 4:45 p.m. More information below. JANUARY 13 PLAINFIELD star gaZing. 7 - 8:30 pm. Mather Woods, 25032 W. Renwick Rd. Plainfield. Would you like to visit Mars? A black hole? Then join us for an evening of star gazing fun. We will be using professional-grade telescopes to search the heavens for constellations, galaxies, stars and star clusters, as well as planets with their moons, our Moon, the International Space Station, comets and asteroids. This outside viewing event will occur only if the sky is clear; otherwise, we will have an astronomy-themed presentation indoors. Please dress appropriately for the weather. Instructor: Jim Hopkins, Retired Associate Professor of Astronomy. Ages 3 and up with Responsible Adult. Price: $5 per family. On-site registration fee $7 per family. Recurring Event also taking place Feb. 3, March 23, April 6 and May 4. FEBRUARY 1 PLAINFIELD parc one year anniVersary. All Day. 24550 W. Renwick Rd. Plainfield,IL60544. Celebrate the one year anniversary of the Prairie Activity & Recreation Center. Come workout, play a game of basketball, or join some friends for a round of pickleball. $1 entrance all day. FEBRUARY 8 ROMEOVILLE daddy daugHter matinee & ball. 2:30-9 p.m. at the Recreation Center, 900 West Romeo Road, Romeoville, IL 60446. Make lasting memories together as you dance the night away while enjoying an evening filled with food and drinks, dessert, and dancing. If the evening isn t enough time we also will have a matinee prior to the event to add to the fun.
column >> daVe says
Dave Says: Starting off on the right path together couples have a high probability of a successful marriage if they agree on kids, money, religion, and in-laws dear dave,
dear allison,
I’m getting married next summer. My fiancé and I are in agreement about how to handle money, and we both follow your plan. Do you recommend pre-marital counseling? If so, what do you feel are some of the important areas of agreement for couples before they get married?
Congratulations! I’m glad you’re both on the same page with your finances, too. I’ve worked with thousands of couples and numerous marriage counselors over the years. In that time, I’ve learned fights over money—and the resulting problems from those disagreements—are probably the biggest
allison
cause of divorce in America. In my opinion, in-depth pre-marital counseling is an absolute must. The idea of entering into something that’s supposed to be a lifelong commitment, without thoroughly addressing all the issues—and potential issues—is a really bad idea. With that said, it’s been my experience that couples have a high probability of a successful marriage if they agree on four things, in detail, before the big day—kids, money, religion, and inlaws. With kids, the big question is do
you want them? If so, how many and when? Are you going to let them run wild, or are you going to provide structure and make them behave? When it comes to money, something it sounds like you two are already in agreement on, get all your cards out on the table, and construct an intelligent game plan for your finances that you both agree on. Staying away from debt, living on a written, monthly budget, and saving for the future are important parts of this. Also, be in agreement on religion.
Statistically speaking, two people from the same faith have a better chance of making a marriage work. And finally, when it comes to your future in-laws, you need to learn who they are and what you’re getting into. What are they really like? What are the boundaries when it comes to their influence on your lives? All these topics should be discussed at length, dealt with, and agreed upon before the rings are exchanged. God bless you two, Allison!
dave
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BASKETBALL SOCCER CROSS COUNTRY FOOTBALL SOCCER TENNIS BASEBALL SOFTBALL VOLLEYBALL TRACK & FIELD SWIMMING CHEERLEADING DANCE bowling year localinnews reView - part 1i of ii
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part 1i: a look back at the local sports stories that shaped the area in 2019 from July to december Charlie Donovan Baseball Player of the Year For a Plainfield Central team that finished one game away from advancing to the state finals, it was senior first baseman Jac Lindish that led the way all season. Lindish led the team in hits (38), RBI (32) and home runs (5) and tied for team-high with seven doubles, while posting a .392 batting average and an OPS of 1.097. What he earned this season was the honor of being named the 2019 Voyager Media Charlie Donovan Baseball Player of the Year. The award is named for the former Westmont standout who was a three-time Voyager Media Player of the Year and died in November of 2015. Lindish led the Wildcats on a run that saw them beat Oswego 8-7 and Naperville Central 10-7 in the regional round. In the sectional, Central defeated rival Plainfield South 6-3 and Neuqua Valley 11-4 in the sectional. Lindish was one of seniors leav-
ing the Central roster that has worked the program to a super sectional contender.
Home Run Derby The Major League Baseball home run derby saw record-setting performances this season from the Dodgers’ Joc Pederson and Blue Jay Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but locally, it was another slugger that got to hit in prime time. Plainfield’s Logan Huegel, an 11-year-old student from Heritage Grove, took place in the finals of the MLB MLB Jr. Home Run Derby Saturday, July 6 at Progressive Field in Cleveland. He competed in the 12u age group. The competitors knew they would meet some of MLB’s top stars, but Huegel said he was able to meet the game’s top player, Angles outfielder Mike Trout. Huegel placed sixth out of the 10 hitters in the derby at the 225-foot fences. After he hit, Huegel was able to
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Wednesday, January 1, 2020 | buglenewspapers.com ‘ YIR :2’ from page 5 attend the MLB Home Run Derby, the MLB Futures Game and the celebrity softball game. Forty-four hitters ages 7-14 from around the United States and Canada competed during MLB All-Star Week. The fourth annual MLB Jr. Home Run Derby National Finals featured 20 young sluggers advanced from more than 1,800 local competitions across the U.S. and Canada.
Family Affair Following her dad’s footsteps, Kristen Shimko began her coaching career at Morton College After completing her internship at Argo High School at the end of last school year, Kristen Shimko was looking for a job. She went into Morton College in Cicero looking for a position as an academic advisor and ended up landing that position as well as head women’s basketball coach. In her first head coaching position, Shimko took over a Panthers’ program that went 16-15 last season. The 25-year-old Plainfield North graduate was an assistant on the
22-4 Argo girl’s team while completing her internship. Just because she has never held a formal head coaching position does not mean Shimko is new to the ranks. She competed for four years at Concordia University Chicago, was an all-Southwest Prairie Conference selection at Plainfield North High School in 2012 and has been around the game since birth. Shimko’s father, George, runs the George Shimko Basketball School, which he opened in 1994.
Hall of Famers The Joliet Area Sports Hall of Fame committee has announced its 2019 class, which took place on Saturday, September 14 at the Joliet Area Historical Museum. Joining the previous 67 inductees in this past year’s 12th class were Jane Condon, Ron Coomer, Ned Grabavoy and “Mack” McLaughlin. Condon, one of the first female star athletes in the area, lettered in five sports at the former St. Francis Academy before going on to earn another 11 letters in four sports at then-Lewis College. An inductee into each of those
schools’ Halls of Fame, Condon led her prep basketball team to a perfect 27-0 record her first two seasons, while averaging 18.0 points per game. In track & field, she qualified for state in the discus competition. Condon was also a part of St. Francis’ inaugural softball and tennis teams, driving in 59 runs that first season in the former sport. Coomer, the current radio analyst for the Chicago Cubs on WSCR 670 AM, turned in a nine-year major league career that saw him play for four teams – Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers – and produce a .274 career batting average with 827 hits, 92 home runs and 449 runs batted in as both a first and third baseman. The Lockport High School graduate was an All-Star with Minnesota in 1999 and went on to become the Twins’ television analyst after his playing career ended. Grabavoy, a product of the Chicago Magic Soccer Club, played 13 seasons of professional soccer in the MLS donning five different jerseys with the majority of his time
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‘ YIR :2’ from page 6 spent with Real Salt Lake. The 2000-01 Gatorade National High School Player of the Year, Grabavoy led Lincoln-Way High School to two straight IHSA state championship game appearances. He then went on to Indiana University, where he was the leading scorer for the Hoosiers’ 2003 national championship team, which earned him consensus first-team AllAmerican honors. McLaughlin served as the head wrestling coach at Joliet Central High School for 40 years, compiling a 507-192-9 record during that four-decade span. He also led the Steelmen to a dual-team title in 1985 as well as runnerup honors the
Wednesday, January 1, 2020 | buglenewspapers.com
following year. A 1991 inductee into the Illinois Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame, McLaughlin recently earned the Lifetime Service Award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame – Illinois Chapter. A product of Chicago Dunbar High School and North Central College, McLaughlin’s first taste of Joliet actually came as a runningback for the semi-professional Joliet Explorers football team.
“Baseball’s Forgotten Black Heroes” Retirement plans vary from person to person. For Bill Leibforth, there is no taking a
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8 sports ‘ YIR :2’ from page 7 break during retirement. A resident of Chicago his entire life, he fell in love with baseball at the age of eight and the game has always been a big priority in his life. He authored the book “Baseball’s Forgotten Black Heroes” and discussed it recently at the Lisle Library, Leibforth’s book is centered about how Jackie Robinson changed baseball forever, and the 17 players that followed in his footsteps. Leibforth said that the difference from today’s game to back when he was a kid has changed immensely, but the love he developed from an early age has kept his motivation to watch the game still alive. Fifty-cent bleacher seats, players playing for the love of the game and getting autographs in the parking lot from players were all things Leibforth said he enjoyed as a kid. Robinson, who became the first African American to play in the MLB in the modern era, broke the color line when he started at first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. “Jackie was an American hero,” Leibforth said. “Some of the things he was called, how much scrutiny he had and to still be as great as he was is truly incredible.” What followed Robinson was a group of players Leibforth said that most avid baseball fans don’t even know. Educating the public and becoming more knowledgeable about the history of the game is something he said he wants his reader’s to get from the book, while understanding the importance Robinson and the ones who followed had on American history. “Willard Brown, John Kennedy and Bob Trice are just a few guys I really tried to highlight because of the large impact they all made,” Leibforth said. “I mentioned some of the other guys in the book as well, but these few individuals had amazing stories.” Brown, played briefly in the major leagues in 1947, where he and Hank Thompson played against the Boston Red Sox which was the first time that two back players appeared in an MLB game together. Kennedy, made his big league debut on April 22, 1957, becoming the first black player in the history of the Philadelphia Phillies organization. Trice, made his big league debut
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on September 13, 1953, became the first black player in the history of the Philadelphia Athletics organization, now the Oakland Athletics. “All of those guys just have a profound impact on baseball and American history,” Leibforth said. “I just hope that this book can shed some light on a little more truth with all of these players, what they endured and how they changed baseball and America forever.”
Gary Bell returned to Will County When January rolls around, Vince Carter will become the first player in National Basketball Association history to play in the league in four different decades. In 2016, Chicago native Kevin Garnett retired from the NBA as a 15-time All Star, 2004 NBA Most Valuable Player and 2008 NBA Champion. In 1995, those two, along with Terrance Roberson, Ron Mercer and Stephon Marbury made up the Street & Smith’s High School AllAmerican First Team. The five of them went on to combine for more than 50 years in the NBA. On that same list of the top 20 prep players in the nation was Joliet’s Gary Bell. The 6-foot, 4-inch high school standout was on the Street & Smith Third Team that season. He finished behind Garnett as Illinois Mr. Basketball, and went on to play at the University of Notre Dame. After a myriad of injuries and misinformed decisions, Bell retired from playing professionally in 2003 without ever reaching his goal of playing in the NBA. Bell has spent time as a high school basketball and football coach, administrator and special education coordinator in North Carolina and Virginia. Now, he is ready to devote his time back to his game and his community — his Joliet community. Bell hosted his Skill over Politics Elite 80 Skill Evaluation Showcase Nov. 2 at Romeoville High School – where his grade school teammate and lifelong friend Marc Howard is the head boys basketball coach. The event included players from the high school graduating classes of 2022-2028.
Benet Champions As if winning the IHSA Class 2A soccer championship wasn’t enough, the way Benet Academy won was unprecedented. The Redwings defeated Crystal Lake South 2-0 – the eighth con-
secutive shutout of the playoffs, leaving Benet unscored upon the entire postseason run. In the 11 years of the three-class system, no Class 2A champion has ever blanked every opponent from the regional opener through a championship. In the state championship match this past season, Benet had nine saves from Vyto Staniskis, who tallied 38 total saves in the playoffs. Last season, as Benet Academy volleyball placed third in the state in Class 4A, then-junior Colleen McGuire was not on the floor at Redbird Arena. After playing on the lower levels her first two seasons at Benet, McGuire decided not to play last season in order to focus on training for her future in beach volleyball, which she will play next season at the University of California-Davis. On Friday night, she finished off rival Marist to send the Redwings to the state championship match against Wheaton Warrenville South and on Saturday, she got the final point in the 25-12, 25-16 victory over Wheaton Warrenville
South to earn Benet the state title.
Lehr, Ranallo lead All-Area After the success it had in 2018 football season, and with several key players returning, Minooka knew this season could be special. The Indians rolled off 11 straight wins, claiming the Southwest Prairie Conference West Division title with a win at Oswego and winning a pair of playoff games before falling at Brother Rice in the quarterfinals. In the win over Oswego to complete a perfect regular season, it was a late game touchdown drive led by senior quarterback Seth Lehr. It was that leadership, accompanied by his stats, that makes Lehr the 2019 Enterprise Publications Football Offensive Player of the Year. On the season, Lehr completed 137 of 197 pass attempts, good for a 70 percent completion percentage. He recorded 1,893 yards and threw for 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions – a passer rating of 117. On the ground, Lehr carried the football 101 times for 356 yards and eight scores.
He was named to the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 8A All-State First Team. When the season ended for Notre Dame College Prep, it did so at the hands of eventual Class 8A state champion Lincoln-Way East, it did not end without a fight – especially by the vaunted Dons defense. East won 23-13 but the Dons defense battled through short fields and facing the top-rated player in the state and blanked the Griffins in the second half. That defense allowed an average of 11.7 points per game of the season, holding its opponents to seven points or less five times and one shutout. At the center of that defense was 6-foot, 190-pound senior linebacker Anthony Ranallo who posted a total of 107 tackles for the season, 24 tackles for loss, eight sacks, two forced fumbles, one interception and a pair of pass breakups. For his stats and leadership on a talented defense, Ranallo was tabbed as Enterprise Publications 2019 Football Defensive Player of the Year.
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continued from page 2 Wallace rebounded and ended up working for the city of Macomb, where one day he saw a television commercial that changed his life. On Sept. 19, Wallace received the keys to his home, he had another organization step up and assist even more. Operation Welcome You Home, a Naperville-based volunteer organization, provided furnishings for Wallace’s home. Wallace served in the Marines from 2003-07, spending time in Fallujah, Iraq. While in Iraq, Wallace was injured when indirect mortar and rocket fire hit his landing zone. He sustained injuries to his back and a traumatic brain injury. He also suffers from PTSD, tinnitus and chronic headaches. After receiving his new home and furniture, Wallace wants to help other vets the way he was.
The Chalkboard will close after 39 years of business
All good things must come to an end. That is the case with The Chalkboard — one of the
most popular businesses in Crest Hill, Aurora and Downers Grove. All three local locations will be closing, however, a date has yet to be announced. Ken and Norma Ireland founded The Chalkboard on August 1, 1980, thrived for years, catering to teachers and students. The couple is still president, secretary and treasurer of the business and said that it is because of online shopping why The Chalkboard will no longer be open. Throughout the years, The Chalkboard has provided products such as school supplies for teachers and children, games, puzzles and other fun services to enhance learning and play. The Irelands released a public statement to shoppers who visit The Chalkboard, explaining why they’re going out of business. An emphasis stating how Amazon has been the reason businesses are closing, how the commercial real estate tax in communities is drying up and how Amazon has had an unfair competitive advantage by not being required to collect sales tax which is another reason they are more price competitive were all included in the message. The Chalkboard customers, for the time being, have been informed that there is now a 50-percent to 70-percent off store-wide sale and “limited stock on hand, all sales final” bargain taking place at the three locations.
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