Joliet 2-15-17

F E B R UA R Y 1 5, 2 0 1 7 V O L . 9 I S S U E 2 4

HEALTH

Changes may be coming to Medicare #jolietbugle

JOLIETBUGLE.COM

SEE PAGE 4

FORUM SPOTLIGHT

THINKING ABOUT

NEWS

District 204 District recognized for college readiness SEE PAGE 2

SPORTS

No. 20 Steelmen reach 20th win of season SEE PAGE 7

BUSINESS Dave Says Prepay & discount are good marketing ideas SEE PAGE 10

PHOTO BY MEGANN HORSTEAD | FOR THE BUGLE

Crew members working on the now underconstruction site for Water’s Edge, a $19 million public housing development project located in Joliet.

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

SCHOOL NEWS >> DISTRICT 204

District recognized for college readiness District 204 was recently named and presented with AP District of the Year award by College Board

BY MEGANN HORSTEAD For the Bugle @BugleNewspapers sweditor@buglenewspapers.com

Joliet Township High School District 204 was recently named and presented with the AP District of the Year award by College Board.

This recognition intends to recognize the district for outstanding work in promoting college readiness and achievement for traditionally underrepresented student populations.

A number of civic and business community leaders were on hand to celebrate this occasion with the district’s students, faculty and staff during a Feb. 8 presentation at Joliet West High School.

The program included performances by the district’s band, a posting of colors by junior ROTC students, the national anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Superintendent Dr. Cheryl McCarthy gave credit to the district for increasing the number of students participating in Advanced Placement classes exponentially, while at the same time increasing the percentage of students that receive 3’s, 4’s, and 5’s on the AP exam.

“All the educators realize this is the equivalent to the educational Super Bowl,” she said.

West wins 7 medals in Moraine Valley Welding Competition Joliet West High School students received winning medals out of 48 students total with four different schools in the Moraine Valley High School welding competition on February 3.

The students were provided competition project rules, blueprints, lab instructions, competition procedures and materials on the morning of the competition.

Welding processes covered were shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), oxy-fuel welding and cutting (OFC), and gas metal arc welding (GMAW).

The competition included a required written test as part of

Board of Education president Jeff Pierson mirrored that sentiment.

“We’re no. 1 out of 10,000 schools,” said.

An AP class is designed to provide students with the curriculum presented in college-level courses while still enrolled in high school.

This allows scholars to get a head start at earning credit hours toward their college education.

West campus principal Teresa Gibson recalled how greatly the AP program has expanded over the years to include the 18 courses offered today by the school district.

“When I began my teaching career at Joliet West in 1993—and I’ve taught some of your parents— there was one AP course on the book, AP U.S. History,” she said.

“In ‘94-95 school year I was the one AP teacher at West who taught two sections of AP U.S. History. At the most, I had 55 students in those sections. That was three percent of the entire school population. Central that year only had one section, which meant that just over one percent of those students in 1995 took AP classes.”

Gibson said from 2009 to 2016, the district has increased the percentage of students taking at least one AP test by 142 percent. The

the overall competition. Students made sure to bring personal protective equipment the day of the competition, including flame retardant welding coat and gloves, safety glasses, long pants, approved welding helmet with shade 10 lens, cutting goggles or cutting shield with a shade #5 lens, and high top leather work boots.

The students received the following medals: • First Place – Overall Competition: Steve Koerner • F � irst Place – Oxy Acetylene Welding (OAW) torch cutting: Steve Koerner • F � irst Place – Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG) Welding: Max Duarte • Second Place – Overall Competition: Max Duarte • Second Place – Oxy Acetylene Welding (OAW): Alejandro Pantoja • S � econd Place – Gas Metal

school district is running 81 sections of Advanced Placement between West and Central campus this year, she said.

“Being here now and being recognized as AP District of the Year is one of many highlights of my career, and I’m so happy to be sharing it with you,” Gibson said.

West campus teacher Courtney Barrowman agreed.

“AP is no longer just a few classes a few kids take to do well on a test to hopefully get some college credit,” she said. “You have made it a program—whether you’ve taken one, two, eight AP classes. I think I speak for all of us on the other side of the classroom—the teachers,

administrators, Mr. Mayor—we can’t help but beam with proud.

I am honored to be a part of this national award, this District of the Year celebration. This is because of you; you earned this title; you are being recognized collectively for all the hard work you put in from the very, very beginning.”

Trevor Packer, senior vice president of the College Board’s AP program, said typically, the more students who are added to AP program means the score will go down.

But that’s not the case for Joliet Township High School District 204, he said.

“Over the past two years, 200

Arc Welding (MIG) welding: Ryan Highland • S � econd Place – Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW): James Blankenship “The students did a great job individually and as a team. They have worked very hard to improve their welding skills. I am very proud of them, “said Joliet West welding instructor Joe Contreras.

4-year member of the team.

Meagher has qualified in the event of Oratorical Declamation, performing her speech “Hungry Heart.”

According to the IHSA Speech Rule Book, “Oratorical Declamation is the oral presentation of persuasive or inspirational material of literary merit, such as editorials, essays, speeches, prepared by another person.”

Meagher was also the IHSA Sectional Tournament Champion at the Feb. 11 Sectionals at Homewood Flossmoor High School.

West senior qualifies for prestigious IHSA State Finals Joliet West High School’s Speech Team member Grace Meagher qualified for the prestigious IHSA State Finals, February 17-18 in Peoria.

Meagher is the Joliet West Speech Team Captain, and a

JWHS Varsity cheerleaders take 2nd at IHSA The Joliet West High School Varsity Cheerleading Team took home a second place win at the

more of you have joined [the district’s] scores keep going up, not down,” Packer said. “That’s incredibly rare. Only three percent of high schools in the country see that.”

Central campus principal Shad Hallihan said he believes the number of students participating in AP classes says a lot about the students, and it’s clear that “you accept challenge, that you want to be pushed, that you’re excited about these opportunities and that when we give them, you take advantage of them.”

Central campus student Jonathan Ortiz said he’s pleased knowing he participated in the AP program.

“Without AP classes, my entire life would’ve followed a completely different pathway,” he said. “Taking AP classes opened so many doors beyond imaginable. It really became apparent when I started applying for college. I personally had subpar ACT scores for some of the colleges that I planned to apply to. But, eventually they saw my GPA [and AP credits], I was accepted to (University of Illinois) at Urbana-Champaign where I’ll be studying mechanical engineering in the fall.”

Barrowman refuted the idea that District 204 is being recognized merely based on geography.

The real secret to their success is viewed in students’ ability to beam like scholars, she said.

February 4 IHSA Cheerleading Competition in BloomingtonNormal.

To celebrate, a police a police and fire escorted the team February 5 to Joliet West High School for a victory celebration and trophy presentation in the auditorium.

The Varsity Cheerleading Head Coach is Amy DiForti and Assistant Coach is Becky Stortz.

The varsity cheerleading team includes: Kennedy Aubry, Brynn Becker, Hope Benavidez, Kelsey Bishop, Megan Carbaugh, Leah Combs, Lea Delattre, Sandra Egizio, Makayla Hurd, Karalyn Johnson, Brooklynn Johnson, Taylor Latta, Rachel MacDowell, Lindsey McCrea, Mario Isaiah McGowan, Jazmin Morales, Jessica Orr, Lauren Peters, Tia Roland, Lydia Schrock, Alexis Stariha, Ashley Styrczula, Taylor Styrczula, and Julia Todd. The Team Manager is Savana Delrose.

INSTAGRAM: Readers, attending a game in your area? Take a photo and tag @buglenewspapers for a chance to be featured!

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

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CITY COUNCIL

Council working to address job controversy Public housing development under fire for what some are calling “discriminatory hiring practices”

BY MEGANN HORSTEAD For the Bugle @BugleNewspapers sweditor@buglenewspapers.com

Joliet officials set out to work with the Housing Authority of Joliet during a Feb. 7 meeting of the Joliet City Council by discussing and probing for solutions to the ongoing job controversy at Water’s Edge, a public housing development under fire for what some are calling “discriminatory hiring practices.”

HAJ officials were on hand for a presentation and discussion following their Jan. 18 meeting, at which time Joliet Mayor Bob O’DeKirk and council members Bettye Gavin and Terry Morris invited them to come in and provide an update to the city.

“You made some comments about wanting to see an increase in minority participation at the Water’s Edge project, and I would concur with that and that we agree,”

said HAJ CEO Michael Simelton. “In fact, I think immediately after that meeting we formed a committee along with Commissioner (Angel) Contreras and Dr. Glenda McCullum. (They) formed a committee to sit down with the contractor and talk about that very issue.”

A complaint was filed in the fall of 2016 with the city and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development alleging that HAJ was in non-compliance with section three regulations during their last two construction projects, Liberty Meadow Estate I and Liberty Meadow Estate II. Section three requires the housing authority to provide job training, employment and contracting opportunities for the low or very low-income residents in connection with projects and activities in their neighborhood. This is put into action when a need for new hires is

reported.

To qualify under section three, residents must reside in public housing or possess a section eight housing voucher or serve as a lowincome or very low-income person living in Joliet.

HAJ Chief Development Officer John Chow sought to rest concerns for non-compliance.

“With regard to section three, I know there has been some confusion and concern being raised (regarding) policy recently, and we believe that we addressed these concerns through various training that we held,” he said. “(We had) additional training within our own staff, (our) residents, some of our commissioners in our community and even councilman Terry Morris.”

Simelton sought to add further clarification.

“Just for section three, you look at income for qualifications,” he said.

“In some instances, you have to look at those [hiring requirements and standards set by other HAJ programs] separately,” Simelton

said. “If you’re talking about an individual that wants to work on the project—and that’s our first tier is our residents that we serve—first tier is a resident-owned business (and) second tier is a resident of public housing and maybe section eight as well.”

If there are no qualified residents selected through section three, the opportunity for work extends to the general public.

A number of city officials urged Carlson Construction to favor Joliet contractors in the bidding process to allow more locals to find work.

Mayor Bob O’DeKirk said it’s a concern that people in that neighborhood looking to work have expressed to him they are being turned away.

“I understand you’re a federal or-

ganization (and) there’s bureaucracy, I think the question that I would ask, and maybe, Terry (Morris) you’d agree, ‘how do we cut through the bureaucracy to get people trying to work in that neighborhood on that job site?” he said. “It’s a great investment, $19 million. Michael (Simelton), as your charts have shown, you’ve pulled the housing authority from a troubled agency to one of the top performers. It’s no question the job you’ve done. We’re trying to solve a problem on that job site.”

Councilman Terry Morris acknowledging that federal laws must be followed said he’s concerned knowing that all city officials asked for was to include as many Joliet SEE COUNCIL PAGE 5

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COLUMN >> THINKING ABOUT HEALTH

Changes may be coming to Medicare What’s going to happen to Medicare?

That’s not an insignificant question given the political shift in Washington.

Now, with Republicans controlling the presidency and both houses of Congress, some ideas they’ve been pushing for years have a chance of passing.

Those ideas would drastically change the way Medicare works for those already on it and those joining in the next few years.

Medicare is wildly popular, but that popularity doesn’t necessarily translate into understanding of a very complex program, what’s happened to it, and what may happen. Writing about Medicare for nearly 30 years and watching it evolve, I’ve seen how easily Congress has already made big changes with hardly a peep from the press or the public. The same could happen again. In this column I discuss a few of those possible changes gleaned from my decades of experience covering the program.

Since the election, there’s been talk of “voucherizing” or privatizing Medicare, an idea Republicans have been pushing for 20 years. Under a fully privatized arrangement Medicare would no longer be social insurance like Social Security but more like Obamacare with everyone eventually buying their coverage from private insurance companies.

Beneficiaries would receive a sum of money, likely to be called “premium support” instead of the more diresounding “voucher,” to help buy their coverage. The amount of support and how well it would keep pace with medical inflation would be buried in the details Congress would hash out.

Today, the government provides the benefits for hospital and physician care for most Medicare beneficiaries, but that could change with more privatization. There already is a lot of privatization in Medicare, and it came about

CALENDAR ONGOING Birthing Center Tours. Tuesdays. 7 p.m.

Silver Cross Hospital will offer free Birthing Center Tours for expectant families at 1900 Silver Cross Blvd., New Lenox. The hourlong tour will be offered Saturday and Sunday afternoons and on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in December to help parents prepare and expect the best from their birthing experience in the hospital’s luxurious birthing suites.

FEBRUARY 18 Pulled Pork Dinner. Noon-3:30 p.m.at

step-by-step - usually with both political parties in agreement and lots of buzz words like “consumer choice” to sell changes to the public.

The long steady march toward Medicare Advantage (MA) plans now used by about one-third of all beneficiaries and the prescription drug benefit are privatized insurance programs within Medicare. Seniors in MA plans give up their traditional, standardized Medicare benefits for doctor and hospital services and buy them from insurers that receive subsidies from the government.

In a totally privatized arrangement, there may be no standardized benefits, and seniors would choose from a menu of insurance company options much the way drug plans are sold today.

It’s too early to say whether Congress will push for premium support this year.

Democrats have already signaled they will fight back. It’s more likely that other changes could slip through that would radically alter Medicare and force beneficiaries to pay a lot more for their care.

One of them is a change in the rules on balance billing: physicians charging seniors and disabled people on the program more than what Medicare will pay. Most doctors accept Medicare’s payment as payment in full. Those who don’t can charge patients only 15 percent more than Medicare’s payment.

This limit offers protection against the high balance billing charges patients with other kinds of insurance are facing.

The nominee for Secretary of Health

and Human Services Tom Price is no fan of the 15 percent rule and once proposed eliminating it, which may explain why he has gotten such a strong endorsement from the American Medical Association. The AMA has called Price a leader in developing public policy to advance patient choice and “reduce excessive regulatory burdens.” Many doctors who work with Medicare patients would like to charge as much as they want.

Congress may try to shift costs another way. The objective is to reduce what the government pays for beneficiaries’ care by making them pay more themselves. One solution is to combine the deductibles for hospital and physician care into one, and impose an outof-pocket spending cap for beneficiaries still enrolled in traditional Medicare.

Two-thirds of beneficiaries are. Currently no such cap exists. (Seniors in MA plans do face such caps – last year as high as $6,700.)

If seniors in the traditional program also buy a Medigap plan, it’s possible they have what’s called “first dollar coverage.” That means medical expenses are covered from the beginning.

Congress has already begun to take that protection away. Beginning in 2020 insurers can no longer sell certain Medigap plans that provide for the first dollar coverage beneficiaries want. However, if you have such a policy, you can keep it.

Medicare does face some long-term funding shortfalls, and so far the acceptable solution is to require that seniors pay more rather than raise taxes for everyone or impose cost controls with teeth, which doctors, hospitals, drug companies, and other healthcare providers don’t want. I will explore all that, including negotiating pharmaceutical prices, in a future column.

How do you think Medicare should change?

Write to Trudy at trudy.lieberman@gmail.com.

U P CO M I N G E V E N T S I N YO U R A R E A Central Student Center Galleria, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Joliet. The afternoon benefits the Joliet Central Band Program. Get a pulled pork sandwich, chips, pop for just $5 in advance or $6 at the door. The band is also selling five pound bags of pulled pork for $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Call Nancy Timm at 815-545-9058 for tickets.

FEBRUARY 20 Dueling Pianos. At 11:30 a.m. Starved

Rock Lodge, Utica. Don’t miss this wildly entertaining music and comedy dueling

piano show: $40 includes lunch and show.

Make reservations by calling 815-220-7386.

FEBRUARY 21 Bee A Beekeeper: Introduction To Successful Beekeeping. 6-8 p.m.

at Plum Creek Nature Center, 27064 S. Dutton Road, Beecher. This six-session beekeeping course will build your confidence to make you a successful beekeeper. With more than 12 years of beekeeping experience, advanced beekeeper Mike Rusnak will lead you through the beekeeping process.

METRO

NEWS FROM THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

POLICE BLOTTER The following items were compiled from the official reports of the Joliet Police Department. Appearing in the police blotter does not constitute a finding of guilt, only a court of law can make that determination.

JOLIET JANUARY 31 Tashae McNulty, 21, of Crete, was arrested at 14 W. Jefferson St. for criminal trespass to state property and resisting a police officer.

Person/s unknown entered a trailer on the 2100 block of S. Chicago Street and removed six backpack blowers, six grass trimmers, two chainsaws, one brick saw, one compactor, and two compressors.

Phillip A. Pemble, 28, of Rockdale was arrested near Cherry Hill Road and I80 for theft over $500.

Daniel Michalek, 55, of New Lenox was cited near S. Briggs and E. Washington for no valid registration, improper use of registration, driving while license

suspended and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

Shayla R. Applewhite, 25, of Joliet was cited near Collins and E. Jackson for driving while license suspended and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

FEBRUARY 1 Gloria Cisneros, 34, of Joliet was cited near N. Center and Division streets for no valid registration, no valid driver’s license and operating an uninsured motor vehicle.

Samantha D. Washington, 29, of Joliet was cited near Collins and Woodruff for driving while license revoked and expired registration.

Yazojara Castelan, 21, of Joliet was cited near Richards and E. Washington streets for failure to signal, disobeying a traffic control device, failure to yield emergency vehicle and no valid drivers’ license.

FOR MORE POLICE BLOTTERS, GO TO BUGLENEWSPAPERS .COM

COUNCIL FROM PAGE 3 contractors as possible.

But according to what the housing authority expressed to him, that’s not how it works, he said.

“I know I was told, ‘well, the housing authority serves all of Will County,’” Morris said. “But, you didn’t go to Bolingbrook for incentives, you didn’t go to Plainfield (or) Frankfort for incentives. You came to Joliet.”

The city waived building permit fees and water tap-on fees for the Water’s Edge project to assist with the development.

Chow tried to explain.

“Triggering section three does not equate automatically to hiring a resident or a resident-owned businesses,” he said. “It triggers section three in the sense that additional needs from the consultant, the general contractor ad subcontractor that we hire must consider hiring our resident and resident-owned businesses first, and it must be based on qualification. There is no direct relation to section three and (Minorityowned Business Enterprise) and (Woman-owned Business Enterprise), which caused some confu-

sion initially. It is race and gender neutral.”

O’DeKirk questioned the extent to which the project is kept local.

“When you say local, what are the boundaries that you’re looking at?” he asked.

The project’s contractor, Rob Carlson, of Carlson Construction, defined local as residing in Will County.

Data specific to section three, WBE/MBE and local participation show that housing authority projects have remained steady over the years. Recent construction of Liberty Meadow Estate I created jobs for people in the community through section three at 21 percent, WBE/MBE at 11 percent and local participation at 53 percent.

At Liberty Meadow Estate II, the hiring effort reached residents through section three at 29 percent, WBE/MBE at 9 percent and local participation at 55 percent.

The housing authority’s current project, Water’s Edge, aggregated jobs through section three at 13 percent, WBE/MBE at 8 percent and local participation at 59 percent. That housing development is at 30 percent completion.

There are a number of ways in

5

which HAJ has already sought to improve hiring practices, including efforts to allow for rebids, increase publication, and post large signs at job sites.

“We utilize this housing initiative as a platform to improve on the quality of life of the residents that we serve,” Simelton said. “Our first obligation is to the residents we serve (is to) assist them in achieving economic independence, selfsufficiency through out strategic initiatives and programs… We know that if we change the landscape of the buildings, we’re starting to impact lives.”

Morris questioned the extent to which fairness is maintained when bids are publicly read.

HAJ Commissioner Robert Hernandez said one suggestion that Carlson has expressed a liking for is one that allows for a city staff person to be present when they are bid.

The council came to a consensus this is an initiative they’d like to see happen.

To date, there are a number of available items still needing to be bid out.

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TAKE 5

FOR WHEN YOU NEED 5 MINUTES FOR YOURSELF! WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

PAGE 7

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

>> INSIDE: CENTRAL GIRLS FALL TO TIGERS PAGE 8

BASKETBALL

STEELMEN

HIT 20

Joliet Central earns 20th victory of the season with win over conference foe Plainfield North

BY RANDY WHALEN For the Bugle www.buglenewspapers.com

How did the Joliet Central boys basketball team reach 20 victories this season? Plays like what happened in the second quarter last week against Plainfield North.

Jason Bingham swatted away the ball for a steal, but was fading out of bounds as he did so. No worries, he just flipped it behind his back before he went out for a perfect pass to fellow senior guard Devonte Pitchford, who was streaking toward the basket.

Pitchford put in the layup as the crowd went wild and the Steelmen started pulling away. They were comfortably ahead at halftime and coasted to a 62-39 victory over Plainfield North on Friday, Feb. 10

in the second game of a girls/boys doubleheader at Joliet.

“I just saw him [Pitchford] creeping a bit and I knew he’d go,” Bingham said of the play. “We talk a lot about what we’re going to do when we trap and get the ball.

We’re smaller than other teams, so we have to play defense and trust each other.”

That trust has resulted in Joliet Central (20-3, 9-1) reaching the 20-win mark for the first time since it and Joliet West once again became two separate programs in 2010-11. The last time the Steelmen had 20 wins as their own program came in 1992-93, which was their final season as a separate school team. Between SEE 20 PAGE 9

PHOTO BY MARK GREGORY

Jojo McNair and Joliet Central earned win No. 20.

TWITTER: For up -to-the-minute coverage of upcoming local sport events going on in your area, follow @VoyagerSport

8 SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

BASKETBALL

Plainfield N. sets win record against Central

BY RANDY WHALEN For the Bugle www.buglenewspapers.com

Tierrah Farris knew this was a special group. Last week the senior guard helped the Plainfield North girls basketball team set a new measuring stick.

The Tigers established a new school record for most wins in a season last week. That came in a 44-33 victory over Joliet Central on Friday, Feb. 10 in the opening game of a girls/boys doubleheader at Joliet.

Farris poured in a game-high 14 points as Plainfield North (189, 8-4) jumped out to an early lead and maintained it the rest of the way. The Steelmen (7-18, 2-10) were led by nine points from senior guard Tylenea Hood.

“I’m always drawn to a great

group of ladies,” Farris said of playing with the Tigers. “They’re my friends and we all get along really well.”

Playing in their 11th season as a varsity program, the Tigers have clinched their fifth winning campaign to go along with five losing ones and one at .500 (13-13 in 2010-11). The previous mark of most wins in a season of 17 was first reached in 2008-09 and the same 17-9 record was matched last season.

“I knew what a talented team we when we took the girls to a team camp in Kentucky over the past summer and did well,” Plainfield North coach Reggie Lemon said. “We don’t have a 20 point scorer, but we have a lot of girls that can score 10 points per game.”

Against the Steelmen, Plainfield North had four players with six or more points. Junior post player Kelle Knopp (8 points, 13 rebounds), senior guard Mariah Collins (7 points), and freshman guard Lindsey Dusatko (6 points) all chipped in for the Tigers.

The game was pretty much decided in the first quarter as Plainfield North jumped out to a 10-2 lead. Farris scored six points in the second quarter and had nine in the first half as the Tigers led 19-9 at halftime.

“We got out to that 10-point lead, but really couldn’t get over that hump,” Lemon said. “It was a struggle [to score], but we found a way and it was a total team effort.”

Joliet Central just couldn’t overcome the poor start. The Steelmen closed the gap to eight points twice in the opening minutes of the third quarter, the last time at 21-13 on a basket by Shawton Brown (5 points) with

5:11 to play in the period. But the sophomore guard was fouled on the play and missed the opportunity for a 3-point play.

“Our defense has been great,” Joliet Central coach Laura Brumfiel said. “We have a hard time scoring. But still we kept fighting through it.”

The Tigers led 32-23 after three and scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to open up their largest lead. Joliet Central, which received six points from sophomore forward Annette Hymon and junior guard Deericka Martin, did pull back within nine twice in the fourth quarter. But it was too little, too late.

“We played as a team, moved the ball and didn’t panic,” said Farris, who has been on the varsity since the end of her freshman season. “It [school record for wins] feels great and I’m glad I was here to experience such a great year.”

Plainfield North only has four

seniors, so things look to be good next season too. The seniors are Collins, Farris, Lauren Higgins, and Madison McGath.

On Senior Night, the five Steelmen seniors were honored before the game. They are Hana May Cardona, H’Aeneise Coopwood, Hood, Natae’ya Hudson, and Gabrielle Robertson.

Both teams were in the Class 4A East Aurora Sectional this week.

The No. 20 seeded Steelmen hosted their own regional and opened on Monday, Feb. 13 against No. 13 seeded West Aurora. The winner faced No. 4 seeded Yorkville on Wed. Feb. 15 and the regional title game is slated for Thurs. Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.

Plainfield North which is the No. 8 seed, faced No. 9 seeded Lemont on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at Benet Academy. The winner will likely face top seed and 2-time defending Class 4A state champion host Redwings on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m.

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SPORTS

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ROUNDUP

Former Porter bowlers rolls perfect series in Lockport

BY MARK GREGORY Sports Editor @Hear_The_Beard mark@buglenewspapers.com

There was a little history being made in Lockport over the weekend.

Former Lockport High School bowler Sam Esposito bowled a perfect 900 series during his regu-

20 FROM PAGE 7 the 1993-94 and 2009-10 seasons, the two teams combined as Joliet Township.

“It’s a godsend,” Joliet Central coach Lawrence Thompson, Jr. said of reaching 20 wins. “We’ve been blessed with a hardworking bunch of kids. All of them are willing to listen and it’s outstanding. [Former head coach] Jeff [Corcoran] and [assistant] Brian [Koehne] did a great job teaching some fundamentals, and the kids play hard.”

The Steelmen had three straight winning seasons heading into this campaign, including a regional title last year. But this season has been special. Last Friday’s victory over the Tigers was their sixth straight and their three losses this season including a 60-55 loss to undefeated and top-ranked Bolingbrook, have been by a combined nine points.

“I think we played well, we hit the open guys and made our shots,” Joliet Central senior forward Jose Grubbs said. “I think we came out hard and set the tone.

We’ve got guys who come in off the bench and know their roles, and they excel in those roles. I think that will help us out in March.”

What’s helped Joliet Central all year is balanced scoring. That was evident again against the Tigers as Bingham and Grubbs (7 rebounds) each had 14 points, while senior guard Marcellus Hornsby added 10 points and Pitchford poured in nine.

Sophomore forward Matt O’Boye scored a game-high 15

lar league play at Strike N Spare II Lanes in Lockport on Friday, Feb. 3.

“I never thought I would come close to this,” He said. “I was shocked and I couldn’t believe it.

That 36th strike I got out four to five boards right of where I wanted to throw it and luckily it came back.”

The feat is awaiting approval

from the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) and once approved, will be only the 32nd 900 series ever recorded and the second ever in Illinois.

“It is crazy,” he said. “I never thought I would even be close to doing something like this.

Andrew Mank of Bellevue bowled the first Illinois 900 on

March 18, 2010.

Esposito, who bowled for the Porters from 2005-09, said the day started out like any other.

“I started to work at 4:30 that morning, I was actually late to bowling and three and a half hours later it happened,” he said. “I still can’t believe it.”

Esposito’s 900 series came al-

most 20 years to the day of the first USBC approved 900 on record, when Jeremy Sonnenfeld of Lincoln, Nebraska set the standard Feb. 2, 1997.

Esposito, 26, said he only had two or three sanctioned 300 games in his career, although he had bowled several in practice. His previous high series was 822.

points for Plainfield North (3-18, 0-10). Senior guard Justin Wilson added 11 points and sophomore guard Carter Thurman came off the bench to add six points for the Tigers, who committed 16 turnovers.

Wilson scored on a coast-tocoast layup 2:23 into the game to give Plainfield North its only lead at 4-3. The Steelmen led 13-7 after one quarter and were ahead 20-13 with less than three minutes left in the second quarter. The play from Bingham to Pitchford happened with 2:15 left in the opening half and highlighted a 12-2 quarter ending burst. That was capped on a long 3-pointer by Hornsby at the buzzer which gave Joliet Central a 32-15 halftime lead.

The Tigers, who lost to Joliet Central 64-57 in double overtime in the teams first meeting of the season, on Dec. 2, never got closer in the second half. The Steelmen led by as many as 28 late in the third quarter and 49-23 after three.

“We started out the season kind of shaky,” Thompson said. “We almost lost to them in double overtime, but we’ve gotten better at sharing the ball and rotating on defense.”

Plainfield North was coming off a 56-45 victory over host Nazareth Academy on Tuesday, Feb. 7. But the Tigers, who have lost 10 games by nine points or less including a trio in overtime, couldn’t keep up with Joliet Central.

“Our defense let us down and we didn’t play the way we’ve been playing,” Plainfield North coach Bob Krahulik said. “[Joliet Central] played great defense and beat us

in transition.”

Before the game the Steelmen honored their nine seniors.

They are Bingham, Tylan Fuller,

Grubbs, Hornsby, Tyrell Hundley, Ryan King, Jomarre McNair, Pitchford, and Marcus Stone.

Joliet Central will host cross-

town rival Joliet West this Saturday, Feb. 18 at 1:30 p.m. in a battle between two of the states topranked teams.

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BUSINESS + REAL ESTATE

NEWS ABOUT LOCAL BUSINESSES IN YOUR COMMUNITY WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

COLUMN >> DAVE SAYS

Prepay & discount are good marketing ideas You have to be really secure in your ability to provide the service DEAR DAVE, I’m a small-business owner with a lawn care franchise. It’s common in our industry, after the season is over, to send out pre-pay letters for the upcoming season. If we send out these letters offering a five or 10 percent discount for early payment on next year’s services, is that too similar to borrowing money from our customers at five to 10 percent?

KEVIN DEAR KEVIN, Not at all. I definitely would send pre-pay letters. It takes some of the seasonality “ouch” out of your financial equation, and it gives them the opportunity to take advantage of a bargain. It’s not a bad plan from a marketing standpoint for your business, either. You might even be able to add some new customers with an offer like this.

You obviously have to be really secure and confident in your ability to provide the service. Otherwise, you could end up in a really bad situation. Your equipment, staffing and track record in the business will all come into play.

But if all this is strong, and you’ve been in the business for a number of years and plan on staying in the business for years to come, then this is something I’d definitely do.

—DAVE DEAR DAVE, I’m 29, and I have no debt. I’ve gotten a good start on my savings and retirement, too. My girlfriend and I plan to get married in the next couple of years, and she has about $90,000 in debt. I’m not paying on her debt yet, but I think together we can save up enough to pay it off by the time we’re married. Should I temporarily slow down saving for a house and start saving toward paying off her debt?

JAMES DEAR JAMES, Yes, I would have a “girlfriend debt” account. That way when she becomes your wife, you two can write a check the moment you get back from the honeymoon and be debt-free — or at least knock out a huge portion of the debt. After that, the two of you — as in WE — resume saving for retirement, a house and so on.

That, James, is exactly what I would do. You’re right in line with my thinking on this, brother. Best of luck to you both!

—DAVE * Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven bestselling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 12 million listeners each week on 575 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.

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PHONE: 815.436.2431 WEB: buglenewspapers.com/classifieds EMAIL: classifieds@buglenewspapers.com

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PHONE: 815.436.2431 >> Mon. - Fri. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. FAX: 815.439.2548 EMAIL: classifieds@enterprisepublications.com IN PERSON: Enterprise Publications >> 23856 Andrew Rd. >> Plainfield, IL

LEGAL LISTINGS IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE 12TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT WILL COUNTY - JOLIET, ILLINOIS Reverse Mortgage Solutions, Inc. PLAINTIFF Vs. Rose Ugorek a/k/a Rose M. Ugorek; United States of America - Department of Housing and Urban Development; Unknown Owners and Nonrecord Claimants DEFENDANTS 17 CH 00025 NOTICE BY PUBLICATION NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU: Rose Ugorek a/k/a Rose M. Ugorek Unknown Owners and Nonrecord Claimants That this case has been commenced in this Court against you and other defendants, praying for the foreclosure of a certain Mortgage conveying the premises described as follows, to-wit: COMMONLY KNOWN Thayer Avenue Joliet, IL 60432

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and which said Mortgage was made by: Rose Ugorek a/k/a Rose M. Ugorek the Mortgagor(s), to Reverse Mortgage Solutions, Inc., as Mortgagee, and recorded in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Will County, Illinois, as Document No. R2012131345 re-recorded as R2016089067; and for other relief; that summons was duly issued out of said Court against you as provided by law and that the said suit is now pending.

NOW, THEREFORE, UNLESS YOU file your answer or otherwise file your appearance in this case in the Office of the Clerk of this Court, Andrea Lynn Chasteen Clerk of the Court 57 N. Ottawa Street Joliet, IL 60432 on or before March 17, 2017, A DEFAULT MAY BE ENTERED AGAINST YOU AT ANY TIME AFTER THAT DAY AND A JUDGMENT MAY BE ENTERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRAYER OF SAID COMPLAINT. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Attorneys for Plaintiff 15W030 North Frontage Road, Suite 100 Burr Ridge, IL 60527 (630) 794-5300 DuPage # 15170 Winnebago # 531 Our File No. 14-16-15540 NOTE: This law firm is a debt collector.

I714968 Published 2/15, 2/22, 3/1

S TAY I N F O R M E D W I T H L E G A L L I S T I N G S WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2017 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

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EVERDAY HEALTH

Why dental hygiene is essential flossing twice daily and rinsing with mouthwash can remove bacteria and keep gums healthy.

FAC I A L PA I N The Office of the Surgeon General says infections of the gums that support the teeth can lead to facial and oral pain. Gingivitis, which is an early stage of gum disease, as well as advanced gum disease, affects more than 75 percent of the American population.

Maintaining a healthy mouth can fend off decay and infections, thereby preventing pain The importance of maintaining clean teeth and healthy gums goes beyond having fresh breath and a white smile. Many people are surprised to discover that oral hygiene plays an integral role in overall health.

Research indicates that oral health mirrors the condition of the body as a whole. Also, regular dental visits can alert dentists about overall health and pinpoint if a person is at a risk for chronic disease. An oral health check-up also may be the first indication of a potential health issue not yet evident to a general medical doctor.

HEART DISEASE

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Eye examinations are recommended to identify potential vision problems in their infancy stages.

Many eye experts advise that the average person should have an eye exam every one to three years, depending on his or her age.

The American Optometric Association says children should

According to the Academy of General Dentistry, there is a distinct relationship between periodontal disease and conditions such as heart disease and stroke. Joint teams at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom and the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, Ireland, found that people with bleeding gums from poor dental hygiene could have an increased risk of heart disease. Bacteria from the mouth is able to enter the bloodstream when bleeding gums are present.

That bacteria can stick to platelets and subsequently form blood clots. This interrupts the flow of blood to the heart and may trigger a heart attack. Brushing and

•

have their first eye exam at six months of age.

Subsequent exams can take place at age 3, and then when the child is beginning school. If an eye doctor determines a person has a particular condition that requires monitoring, more frequent eye exams will be advised.

Dental decay can lead to its own share of pain. Maintaining a healthy mouth can fend off decay and infections, thereby preventing pain.

PA N C R E AT I C CANCER In 2007, the Harvard School of Public Health reported a link between gum disease and pancreatic cancer. In the ongoing study, 51,000 men were followed and data was collected beginning in 1986. The Harvard researchers found that men with a history of gum disease had a 64 percent increased risk of pancreatic cancer compared with men who had never had gum disease. The greatest risk for pancreatic cancer among this group was in men with recent tooth loss. However, the study was unable to find links between other types of oral health problems, such as tooth decay, and pancreatic cancer.

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

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Children require less frequent eye exams, but as a person gets older, he or she should schedule eye exams every year.

Consult with an eye doctor if you have questions on when to schedule an eye examination or if you are experiencing vision problems.

Various health ailments, including poor oral health, have been linked to a greater risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease. In 2010, after reviewing 20 years’ worth of data, researchers from New York University concluded that there is a link between gum inflammation and Alzheimer’s disease. Followup studies from researchers at the University of Central Lancashire in the United Kingdom compared brain samples from 10 living patients with Alzheimer’s to samples from 10 people who did not have the disease. Data indicated that a bacterium — Porphyromonas gingivalis — was

present in the Alzheimer’s brain samples but not in the samples from the brains of people who did not have Alzheimer’s. P. gingivalis is usually associated with chronic gum disease. As a result of the study, experts think that the bacteria can move via nerves in the roots of teeth that connect directly with the brain or through bleeding gums.

These health conditions are just a sampling of the relationship between oral health and overall health. Additional connections also have been made and continue to be studied.

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