Romeoville 12-20-18

DECEM B ER 2 0 , 2 0 1 8 VO L . 15 I SSUE 23

#romeovillebugle

EVENTS

Calendar Events Upcoming events in your area SEE PAGE 4

SPORTS

Raiders win Bolingbrook hands Romeoville its first loss SEE PAGE 5

BUSINESS Dave Says Make sure it’s a gift when accepting financial help from family SEE PAGE 7

ROMEOVILLEBUGLE.COM

NEWS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

CITY NEWS

Give a Hoot, support the troops Joliet Hooters donating calendars to the troops at high percentages

BY MARK GREGORY Editorial Director @Hear_The_Beard mark@buglenewspapers.com

Soldiers in the United States military stationed overseas long for the comforts of home – especially during the holiday season and one Joliet restaurant is doing its part to send some of home.

Hooters, located at 3301 Hennepin Drive — on the outskirts of the Louis Joliet Mall — is participating in the corporate program that donates calendars to troops serving internationally.

Customers can purchase the calendar for $13.99, which comes with a souvenir cup, a free Bud Light and $100 in coupons to be used throughout the year.

Instead of taking the calendar home, the customer has the opportunity to donate the calendar to be sent to the troop, while enjoying the other perks themselves.

“We really took the ball and ran with it this year,” said Assistant Manager Tim Puleo. “It’s home. It is baseball, apple pie and Hooters and it means a lot for people overseas. We got an email and said that a family member in Kuwait got a calendar from Joliet – not just from Hooters, from us. It is a very small

world and that gets us pumped up about it and we want to do more.”

Puleo manages the Joliet location along with General Manager Nicki Sancen who last year was Manager of the Year.

Management would like to see as many calendars sent to the troops as possible.

“We have done very well, but we are coming down the stretch,” Puleo said. “We have a few weeks left and we hope to get another 100. We might have done 100 total to the troops last year and we are nearing 300 this year. Our goal is 1,000 sold and 400 to the troops.”

Getting a piece of home is something the girls want to be able to provide the troops overseas.

“It is amazing. What else would you want when you are over there?” said Chloe, 21, from Plainfield. “Under every picture, it says where the girls are from and that lets them maybe see their hometown. And [$1 from every calendar sold] goes to the fight against breast cancer, so it helps even more.”

Chloe is one of three Joliet waitresses to make this year’s calendar, as she joins Mia and Virali. The trio makes up three of 200 girls from

six countries featured in the calendar, which made its debut 35 years ago.

Chloe, who is making her second appearance in the calendar, is also one of only a select few Hooter’s girls on the commemorative cup.

“Being on the cup is such a huge honor. Only a selected few out of the many girls that were chosen to be in the calendar are put on the cup,” Chloe said. “When selling the calendar, each one is rolled into a 2019 cup and it is a preview of what is inside. I am so happy to say that I am part of the Hooters image they are trying to portray. I, myself, have at least 20 cups from the previous years that I like to keep as a trophy and memorabilia from my amazing experiences be-

ing in the Hooters international calendar.”

Being in the calendar has become a family tradition, as Chloe’s sister Chanel was featured three times from 2014-16, while Chloe was in it in 2017 and again this year. The only year the family missed was when Chloe was in North Carolina for school.

Joining Chloe as a repeat calendar girl is Mia, 19, from Minooka.

She is featured for the second time in as many years – which are the only two years she met the 18-year-old age requirement.

“When I first interviewed, they told me I should try for the calendar when I could,” she said. “I had to wait a year, but now I have been in twice. It is for fun – no one really treats it as a competition – it is

more just about a chance to be in the calendar.

“The photo shoots are fun and you get to meet girls your age who are doing the same thing as you and the friends you make are friends for a long time. It has inspired me to go after a modeling career and I am hoping to dip my toes in the water soon.”

Like Chloe, Mia is happy to be able to help send some of home to the military.

“It gives back to the people that are fighting for our country and for many [customers] when they hear we are doing the donation – that is what sells them,” she said. “It is not about us in the calendar, it is about the donations.”

Calendar donations are being taken until Jan. 1.

COMMUNITY >> SENIORS

Health aficionado offers advice for seasonal blues Director of Health Services at Senior Star living community. Anna Walters, has advice to those who are going through seasonal blues

BY RYAN OSTRY Bugle Staff @RyanOstry_BR18 rostry@buglenewspapers.com

The holiday blues can affect seniors in ways that people don’t always recognize.

This is often a time when families get together and may notice changes in mom and/or dad.

Between sibling conflict or denial, and understanding how to bring up a sensitive conversation that won’t make mom or dad feel helpless, this can be a challenging time of year for all.

Senior Star living community Director of Health Services, Anna

Walters, has given advice to those who are feeling some sort of seasonal blues, depression or any other type of seasonal challenges.

“Holiday blues are very temporary usually before Thanksgiving that goes away after Christmas,” Walters said. “It’s sad, stressful and surprisingly more young adults have winter blues than older adults.”

With advice for seniors and their families to feel better during this time, Walters highly recommends to decrease stress by planning ahead, be kind to yourself, be selective how you spend your time, see people you enjoy and

remember that feeling down is temporary.

Something else that Walters stressed on was differentiating between seasonal blues and depression, and that there is a distinct difference in the two.

“About the older adults, it’s mainly about the grieving process,” Walters said. “A lot of them have outlived everybody in their family which makes them the last of their generation.”

One diagnosis Walters added was Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is a condition of clinical major depression that occurs during winter months for two years in a row.

For this specific diagnosis, Walters said treatment includes light therapy, medication, psycho-

therapy and vitamin D. With many seniors being immobilized due to health concerns and age, Walters said that staying active in someway is a huge key to reversing seasonal depression and blues.

“Seniors can identify what interests them and what they enjoy doing, telephone visits or learn how to skype and volunteering their time by making something for others,” Walters said.

Walters also added that navigating family conflict, communication and aging parents is a must for a healthier lifestyle.

“Accepting each others strengths and weaknesses,, realizing judgment is a barrier, knowing aging parents have the right to make decisions that value inde-

pendence more than safety and adult children raised by the same parents have very different ideas of what is the best plan,” Walters said.

Establishing a connection with individuals to get to know them on a more humane level is vital for Walters and the staff at Senior Star living community, as she added that sometimes people just need someone to talk to with face-toface communication.

“Even before people move in, we try and learn as much as we possibly can about them,” Walters said. “We want to understand what they use to do, what they still enjoy and we all try very hard to find out what is meaningful to them so build a happier and healthier experience for them.”

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

NEWS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

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COUNTY NEWS

Joliet church brings Christmas to Stateville Local Seventh-day Anventists join forces with ‘Prison Behind Bars’

BY MARK GREGORY Editorial Director @Hear_The_Beard mark@buglenewspapers.com

While Christmas for many is a time surrounded by family, friends and loved ones, for more than 3,000 Crest Hill residents, however, the holiday has a different feeling.

For those incarcerated in Stateville Correctional Center, the maximum security prison located on Rt. 53, Christmas is confinement over cheer. This year members of the Joliet Seventhday Adventist Church tried to change that.

In conjunction with Christmas Behind Bars, a charity based in Bluffton, IN, third generation church member Vickie Funk and other volunteers brought care packages of food and religious reading material to each and every prisoner in Stateville.

“I know they are criminals and they are where they are supposed to be, but they are still human beings and they deserve to be treated as such,” Funk said.

“I went in and actually saw the men in their cells and it makes a big impact on you.”

The program, which took place over two days the week after Thanksgiving, was the first of its kind at Stateville.

The guys said he had been there over 22 years and no one had ever done that for him before. It was just an awesome experience.

“This is the first time it has ever been done at Stateville,” Funk said. “Other organizations have come in and given the inmates crackers or a candy bar, but to come in with a whole grocery bag of food and religious material and individually give them to each inmate – that has never been done before.

“We went to all the different houses in Stateville and handed the bags out cell by cell and we were able to talk with each inmate and wish them a Merry Christmas and in some cases, we were able to pray with them.”

The undertaking was a big one for the church, which has fewer than 75 members, had to raise more than $25,000 to pay for all

“... it is very impactful to our organization to know that most of the men that helped unload the truck are all pretty well doing 20-plus years or almost life in prison and to reach a group of people that have lost hope because their family members that were supportive of them have passed away or are no longer able to visit and we pray that our mission of hope will have a lasting impact ... of the 3,650 bags which were distributed.

“We raised most of the funds and we are still working on it,” Funk said. “I had talked with Lemuel Vega, who runs Christmas Behind Bars and he said just raise the funds that we could and they would help with the rest.”

Stateville was the largest delivery in the 20-plus years of the program.

“It is not about the numbers, it is about the opportunity,” Vega said. “If it was 120 members in the county jail, that would have been phenomenal, too. However, it is very impactful to our organization to know that most of the men that helped unload the truck are all pretty well doing 20-plus years or almost life in prison and to reach a group of people that have lost hope because their family members that were supportive of them have passed away or are no longer able to visit and we pray that our mission of hope will have a lasting impact. It is not just about the bag of food - it is to encourage them to try even though they are still incarcerated. That may be a GED, a work program, college education, a bible study – it is not to encourage them in one way only, but to try as a whole.

Maybe that is to rekindle family relationships or to write that letter for forgiveness to whoever they did wrong. Whatever it is, we want to encourage them to try one more time.”

It wasn’t only the volunteers

helping the inmates distribute the gift bags, it was other inmates helping as well.

“The way the prison is set up, each house has five stories and there were a lot of stairs, so when we brought the bags in, we got help from the inmates to carry them up to the levels. It was so impressive that the inmates were helping distribute bags to the other inmates,” Funk said.

“We distributed to everyone - We went to maximum, minimum, segregation, the hospital and we went to each inmate and distributed. There were some we weren’t able to visit in the medical side and in the receiving area, so they kept the bags to the side to distribute to them later.”

Vega knows what it means to inmates to get a little bit of love from strangers when it is needed the most.

“I was 18 years old and I was facing prison time and a group came in to sing for us. They didn’t talk about religion, they just came in to sing,” he said. “I went to prison at 18 and I was at a church service and I don’t remember what was talked about that day, but I remember I had tears in my eyes and I prayed to Jesus to use me if he ever needed. Ironically that day, when we were leaving, there was a 20-pound bag of peanuts in the shell someone had brought in and I filled my pockets up with peanuts and I ate them all the way back to the cell house.

When I got to my cell, I put the rest of the peanuts in my locker and I ate them one a day until they were gone. When I got out of prison, I tried to do what was right and for 12 years, I was back into drug addiction and at 35-years old, I was suicidal, I was going to die of a drug overdose or I was going back to prison and I went to rehab. When I was clean

for a year, the pastor’s wife of the church I was attending had the idea to make some packages for the local jail and I knew they would appreciate it. I was selling groceries at the time, so I had product and for the first years, the grocery business funded the gift packages – it all started with people singing, a handful of peanuts and someone else’s idea.”

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The lost and the entitled

BY ROBERT C. KOEHLER TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY When I popped open the old laptop, the Geek Squad guy said maybe I should dust it off.

He slid a canister of Endust toward me. “Spray the cloth,” he said, “not the machine.”

I started choking on my sense of humiliation. This poor baby was covered with dust. How could I be so careless and lackadaisical toward the technology at the center of my life?

And I hadn’t even realized the extent of my indifferent maintenance until the computer crashed and I had to rush it to the tech doctor.

I had been in the process of writing a column. I was researching the Central American refugees recently teargassed as they struggled toward the U.S. border. They were fleeing the violence and hopelessness in their countries, traversing 1,000 miles or more on foot, often with small children in tow, to find ... something better.

I had wanted to reach into the core of this situation, reach into the barbed wire and tear gas canisters and the words of Donald Trump, who saw them as perfect scapegoats for the nation’s problems: the enemy of the moment, bedraggled, desperate and hungry. Terrorists, keep out! He would protect America from them.

Then my computer crashed and I realized I was just a guy alone in his cluttered, dusty study. Then I was a guy in his car, heading west on Pratt Boulevard to the closest Best Buy. I was thirsty. I stopped at a convenience

CALENDAR DECEMBER 19 Holiday Tea. Downers Grove Mu-

store and bought a bottle of water and - because I deserved it - a bag of Skittles.

I was still negotiating through hightech America, consuming gasoline and plastic, rubber and steel, to accomplish the goals of my ordinary day.

I was still - I slowly began to realize insulated from my own raw need and humanity. I wasn’t trudging into the bitter December afternoon on foot, feeling the wind scrape my face as I clutched my dust-coated 5-year-old, trying to reach a doctor. I had no hostile borders to cross, no armed hatred - no tear gas - to endure. I just wanted to get back online ASAP and continue writing about the wrongs of the world.

But the sense of insulation from what I wanted to write about wouldn’t go away. I was free of hunger and cold and able to get somewhere in a hurry, shrinking distance without effort in my dependable old Toyota (while listening, if I so chose, to a CD of Bob Dylan singing “Shelter From the Storm”).

What do I actually know beyond this safe, techno-convenient world, which allows me to write in comfort about the cruel wrongs beyond its borders?

Suddenly I thought about novelist Ariel Dorfman’s fleeting memory of George H.W. Bush. After Bush’s death, Dorfman wrote an essay about a brief encounter he once had with the 41st president. By random chance they were staying at the same hotel. And one day the novelist, from his balcony, happened to see Bush and his entourage walk past. At one point Bush snapped his fingers and the man be-

(Robert Koehler is an award-winning, Chicago-based journalist and nationally syndicated writer. His book, “Courage Grows Strong at the Wound,” is still available.

Contact him at koehlercw@gmail.com, visit his website at commonwonders.com or listen to him at Voices of Peace radio.)

U P CO M I N G E V E N TS I N YO U R A R E A brary.org.

seum, 831 Maple Ave., Downers Grove.

From 11 to 12:30 p.m., enjoy a delightful afternoon tea in the sitting room of the Blodgett House! Learn about Charles Blodgett’s wife Emma and other prominent women from the Downers Grove area during a private tour of the holiday decorated Victorian home. Tea and light snacks will be served following the tour. Advanced registration required.

DECEMBER 31 Rockin’ in the New Year. Join us 2-3

DECEMBER 19 Candy House Creations at Crest Hill Library. Decorate your very own candy

DECEMBER 31 Countdown to Noon Year at Crest Hill Library. We are celebrating Noon

house with graham crackers, icing, and all of the toppings from 1-3:30 p.m. This program is open to children of all ages.

Registration is required. Parents: While your child attends this program, check out the Last-Minute Gift Wrap program in Meeting Room A/B. Registration is required. Call Brittany Whyte at (815) 552-4290 or email bwhyte@whiteoakli-

hind him quickly stepped forward and handed him a tube of suntan lotion.

Bush lathered up his neck and arms.

They walked on.

That was it: a rich man’s show of entitlement. And I couldn’t separate myself from it. My crashed computer felt like the equivalent of a disobedient manservant, denying the master his suntan lotion the moment he wanted it, skewing his day into inconvenience.

Lurking behind these involuntary musings was a big “what if”: What if the world’s refugee crisis and poverty crisis were somehow shared, or sharable? What if every human being’s life on this planet stretched from security and comfort and control to utter homelessness - to hatred and tear gas and, ultimately, disposal?

What if Donald Trump (and every other U.S. president) could spend some time in his own crosshairs?

Or so I reflected on a disrupted, inconvenienced day: thoughts, awareness and dust in my computer void.

I offer these words with the hope that they can push beyond themselves: that we can hear our own fingers snap the next time we demand our entitlement of the moment; and that, as we gasp for breath while the tear gas dissipates, we can offer help and compassion to the orange-haired man next to us.

p.m. New Year’s Eve as we say goodbye to 2018 and ring in 2019 with an awesome party for kids of all ages. There will be games, crafts and snacks so come join us and have a rocking good time. Registration is encouraged. Call Jessica Smith at (815) 552-4210 or email jsmith@whiteoaklibrary.org.

Year with snacks and crafts, plus a special toast, complete with balloon drop. Dancing will follow. This program is intended for all ages.

Registration is required due to limited space. If you are not able to

attend, please inform us 24 hours in advance so we can offer your spot to someone else. No shows may be

waitlisted for future programs. Call Brittany Whyte at (815) 552-4290 or email bwhyte@whiteoaklibrary.org.

DECEMBER 31 Festival of Lights. Evenings daily at

The Promenade Bolingbrook, 631 East Boughton Road, Bolingbrook. 250,000 LED glimmering lights synchronized to 17 rotating songs on the 48-foot-tall holiday tree at 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 p.m.

DECEMBER 31 New Year’s Eve Countdown to Noon. Recreation Center, 4500

Belmont Rd., Downers Grove. 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Join us to ring in the New Year at noon. We’ll celebrate with party favors, DJ Coach Josh, a photo booth, face painting, snacks, a balloon drop at noon and more. Parents must stay and supervise their children. Children 2 years old and under are welcome to attend, but will be limited in activities being offered.

PAGE 5

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

BOYS BASKETBALL

TRENDING

UP

Bolingbrook defeated Romeoville in battle of Valley View, but both teams are on the rise

BY MARK GREGORY Editorial Director @Hear_The_Beard mark@buglenewspapers.com

In what Bolingbrook coach Rob Brost hopes will be the final game of the season without Northern Illinois University recruit Tyler Cochran, the Raiders retained district bragging rights by defeating fellow Valley View residents Romeoville, 74-66 last week “This is the most prepared Romeoville team we have seen in a long time and they did a great job and they could have beat us,” Brost said. “Not having Tyler really hurts us a lot. If you take one of the best players off any team that we play and we destroy them. So, it is a testament to our kids and to our team to be where we are.”

Bolingbrook has two losses on its record — a pair of defeats at

the Jerry Slyhuis Memorial Basketball Showcase in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

“We lost to the No. 1 team in Iowa (Cedar Falls, 71-64) and the No. 1 or No. 2 team in Wisconsin (Madison East, 79-74) and they were both close games.

“We have created a monster here where the expectations here are through the roof.

“We purposely ramped up the schedule this year and you can see it with who we played in Iowa, who we will play in Florida and with Simeon, Evanston, Whitney Young and H-F twice in conference, there will be some battles.”

The Raider expect Cochran to return from a broken finger injury he suffered the day before the season-opening game.

He is slated to return Dec. 27 when Bolingbrook heads to OcaSEE UP PAGE 6

PHOTO BY MARK GREGORY

Bolingbrook and Romeoville are both heading in an upward direction this season. The Raiders beat the Spartans last week in a head-to-head battle.

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

6 SPORTS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Romeoville falls despite early lead

BY RYAN OSTRY Enterprise Staff @RyanOstry_BR18 rostry@buglenewspapers.com

With an offensive struggle in the first quarter leading to just five points, Lincoln DePaula’s young Plainfield South Cougar girls basketball team showed no quit in them the following three quarters, defeating the Romeoville Spartans 59-46.

“We’ve been struggling offensively the last three games,” DePaula said. “One of the things with our team is that we are really young, we aren’t necessarily used to the physicality of varsity basketball, but after some of our shots started falling we gained some momentum and ran from there.”

The Cougars have only one senior on the team in Shannon Smith.

The 5-foot, 5-inch senior guard led her team with 18 points on the night, followed by sophomore guard Aniya Mabry who also finished with 18 points and freshman guard Grace Harris who ended up with 16.

“One thing that we have been working on is really trying to finish out games,” Smith said. “I was really proud of the way we never gave up after trailing early, that’s something I love about this team is that we are all fighters.”

With Smith being the veteran on the team, she said that she tries to show others the way things should be done, by carrying yourself the right way and

UP FROM PAGE 5 la, Fla. for the Kingdom of the sun tournament.

When Cochran returns, that will only add to the team’s strength after several players have stepped up in his absence.

“You never want to lose one of your top players, but in a way, this is a blessing in disguise,” Brost said. “Guys have picked up their games that wouldn’t have to do as much with Tyler here.

“We are much deeper than we would have been with Tyler. There will be an adjustment when he comes back, but in a good way.”

Not only does Brost anticipate

working as hard as you can.

“I try and make sure my teammates are comfortable with the game plan and they know what they are doing not just on the court, but off,” Smith said.

“I stay around and shoot after practice, so I will let them know that they are always welcome to join me, I try and set that example that even though we are good now, we can be great.”

With a first quarter deficit of 11-5, resulting in South having numerous turnovers and struggling in half-court press, they went on a 24-12 second quarter explosion leading the Spartans (4-9, 1-2) 29-23 at halftime.

“We missed a lot of easy bunnies tonight which is really what it comes down to,” said Romeoville coach Julio Carrasco “We gave South nice run outs, missed easy shots and we’re definitely not happy with the loss, but we hope they learned something from it.”

The Spartans went on a brief 6-0 run in the third quarter, but the Cougars kept their lead by six points heading into the fourth quarter, with a 44-38 advantage.

It was all Cougars in the final quarter of play, outscoring the Spartans 15-8, putting its record at (6-5, 2-2).

“After the game I tried to emphasize mental toughness to my team,” DePaula said. “Basketball is a game where you’re going to make runs, give up runs but the mentally tougher team usually comes out on top.”

the schedule to be challenging in Florida, he looks forward to the team bonding.

“It is really good for us,” Brost said. “To be together for six consecutive days is something I look forward to. We are going to do some things other than basketball, which I look forward to as well. We have a special group of kids and we wouldn’t be going there if we didn’t get invited and if I didn’t think we can compete.

“We are going down there to try and win as many games as we can, but at the same time, we are going to get some bonding in. We are going to relax together and eat together and do all that stuff

PHOTO BY RYAN OSTRY

Romeoville drops SPC contest despite holding early lead.

for six days. We are generally considered one of the best programs in the state and with that comes expectations, but also with that, you get things that other teams don’t get and Florida will be one of those things.”

Romeoville will spend its winter break at the Big Dipper Tournament at Rich South, looking to improve on what has been a hot start to the season.

The Spartans opened play by winning the WJOL Thanksgiving Classic and carried an undefeated record into the game against Bolingbrook.

“We had opportunities late in the game. We took a lead around

the three minute mark,” said Romeoville coach Marc Howard.

“Then, we had two costly mistakes down the stretch. We gave up an offensive rebound when they took the lead and then we had a turnover and that kind of turned the game in a different direction and we couldn’t recover.

“Overall, I am happy with the kid’s effort, we just have to get better and execute. We will learn from it and get better. As a team, you hate that you let that one slip by, but we will figure it out.”

For people outside of the Romeoville locker room, it may be a surprise how hot they opened the year.

“We lost four starters from last year, but these guys have two veterans in (Mike) Salter and (Destin) Whitaker that were part of it and they give us a lot of poise and they wanted to show that we are a team that you still have to prepare for.”

The Spartans also added Benet Academy transfer Noah Ferrell, who was with a Benet program that made deep runs into the playoffs.

“Noah is tough,” Howard said.

“He is very passionate. He is very vocal and the team listens. He stays on top of guys and encourages them to battle and we needed that.”

BUSINESS + REAL ESTATE

NEWS ABOUT LOCAL BUSINESSES IN YOUR COMMUNITY THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

COLUMN >> DAVE SAYS

Make sure it’s a gift when accepting financial help from family DEAR DAVE, I’m on Baby Step 4 of your plan.

I’m debt-free, and I’m currently putting lots of money toward retirement. Now, I want to go back to school and get an MBA. I could pay for school with cash, but that would delay buying a home. My parents have offered to help out financially, so do you think I should accept their offer?

ISAAC DEAR ISAAC, I don’t have a problem with this, if they’re doing well enough financially to afford it, and the help comes in the form of a gift.

If they’re borrowing the money to make it happen, then the answer is “no.” If they want to loan you the money, the answer is “no.” A loan between family members, or even friends, isn’t help — it’s a trap for both parties.

But hey, if they’re in good enough shape to gift you some money to help with the MBA or a home, that would be an incredibly generous thing to do. I think it’s so cool when people work hard, make smart decisions and manage their money well to the point they can do things like this for others.

It sounds like you’re in a really good place, Isaac. Pay cash for school, and if you can’t buy a home outright when the time

comes, make a down payment of at least 20 percent. That way, you’ll avoid having to pay private mortgage insurance!

—DAVE DEAR DAVE, I’m 45, married and we have a household income of around $85,000 a year. We have no debt, except for our home, and we owe about $70,000 on it. I recently stopped contributing to my 401(k) temporarily in an effort to help us build an emergency fund, but things are moving slowly. We also have $25,000 in stock. Should we cash out the stock and use the money for an emergency fund?

NATE DEAR NATE, Yes, that’s what I would do. Basically, your emergency fund is in stock right now. That’s not a good place to keep an emergency fund, because you never know when life will throw unexpected expenses your way or the stock market will go down.

I would cash out that stock as

soon as possible. Put the money in a simple money market account — one with check writing privileges and no penalties for early withdrawals. You always want your emergency fund to be safe and easily accessible. Then, make sure you keep pushing forward and take care of Baby Step 4, investing for retirement; Baby Step 5, save money for college if you have young children; and Baby Step 6, pay off your home early.

Baby Step 7 means building wealth and giving like crazy. These things are easy once you have the other Baby Steps out of the way.

Good question, Nate!

—DAVE Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 14 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey.com and on Twitter at @ DaveRamsey.

SHERIFF’S SALE OF REAL ESTATE of 425 BLUEBIRD DRIVE, BOLINGBROOK,, IL 60440 (Tan frame, two story single family home with attached two car garage). On the 10th day of January, 2019 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: NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A MR. COOPER, Plaintiff V. EFRAIN S FLORES A/K/A EFRAIN S. FLORES; ELVIA G. FLORES; MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR LEHMAN BROTHERS BANK, FSB; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS, Defendant.

Case No. 18 CH 0705 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. No judicial 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 to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. All payments shall be made in cash or certified funds payable to the Sheriff of Will County. Judgment amount is $254,677.77 plus interest, cost and post judgment advances, if any.

In the event the property is a condominium, 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 a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and legal fees required by subdivisions (g)(1) and (g)(4) of Section 9 and 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

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is a surplus following application of the 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 of the surplus and that the surplus will be held until a party obtains a court order for its distribution or, in the absence of an order, until the surplus is forfeited to the State.

For Information Please Contact: PIERCE AND ASSOCIATES 1 N. Dearborn Suite 1300 Chicago, Illinois 60602 P: 312-346-9088 F: PURSUANT TO THE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT YOU ARE ADVISED THAT THIS LAW FIRM IS DEEMED TO BE A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.

Published 12/20, 12/27, 1/3

DEADLINE FOR CLASSIFIEDS: FRIDAY AT NOON

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BUSINESS & PRIVATE PARTY CLASSIFIED ADS: $21 PER WEEK, 20 WORDS OR LESS. WEDDINGS, BIRTHS & ENGAGEMENTS: BLACK & WHITE - $45, COLOR - $55. OBITUARIES: START AT $45.

LEGAL LISTINGS

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

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LEGAL LISTINGS

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 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2018 | BUGLENEWSPAPERS.COM

PURSUANT TO THE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT YOU ARE ADVISED THAT THIS LAW FIRM IS DEEMED TO BE A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. STATE OF ILLINOIS )

) SS. COUNTY OF WILL ) IN THE CIRCUIT COURT TWELFTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS

OF

THE

NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A MR. COOPER, Plaintiff, vs.

EFRAIN S FLORES A/K/A EFRAIN S. FLORES; ELVIA G. FLORES; MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE FOR LEHMAN BROTHERS BANK, FSB; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS, Defendant. No. 18 CH 0705 NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE Public notice is hereby given that pursuant to a judgment entered in the above cause on the 25th day of September, 2018, MIKE KELLEY, Sheriff of Will County, Illinois, will on Thursday, the 10th day of January, 2019 , 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 or bidders the following-described real estate: LOT 231 IN BLOOMFIELD VILLAGE P.U.D., UNIT THREE, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF PART OF THE WEST HALF OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 15, TOWNSHIP 37 NORTH, RANGE 10, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED AUGUST 15, A.D. 1996 AS DOCUMENT NO. R96-073189, IN WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS. Commonly known as: 425 BLUEBIRD DRIVE, BOLINGBROOK,, IL 60440 Description of Improvements: T a n frame, two story single family home with attached two car garage P.I.N.: 12-02-15-312-011-0000 Terms of Sale: ten percent (10%) at the time of sale and the balance within twenty-four (24) hours. No judicial 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 to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. All payments shall be made in cash or certified funds payable to the Sheriff of Will County. Judgment amount is $254,677.77 plus interest, cost and post judgment advances, if any.

In the event the property is a condominium, 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 a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and legal fees required by subdivisions (g)(1) and (g)(4) of Section 9 and 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 a surplus following application of the 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 of the surplus and that the surplus will be held until a party obtains a court order for its distribution or, in the absence of an order, until the surplus is forfeited to the State.

FOR INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: PIERCE AND ASSOCIATES 1 N. Dearborn Suite 1300 Chicago, Illinois 60602 P: 312-346-9088 F: MIKE KELLEY Plaintiff’s Attorney Sheriff of Will County

Published 12/20, 12/27, 1/3

(IMPORTANT note: This is a Foreclosure Notice. Please place this in the legal notice section on Dec 20, 27, 2018; Jan 3, 2019. After the first run, a copy of the notice needs to be sent to the Circuit Clerk.)

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE 12TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT WILL COUNTY - JOLIET, ILLINOIS Wells Fargo Bank, NA PLAINTIFF Vs. Ana Rosa Colon; United States of America Department of Housing and Urban Development; Portfolio Recovery Associates, L.L.C.; Illinois Housing Development Authority; Lakewood Falls Phase 7 Homeowners Association; Unknown Owners and Nonrecord Claimants DEFENDANTS 18CH1277 NOTICE BY PUBLICATION NOTICE IS GIVEN TO YOU:

Ana Rosa Colon 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 AS: 760 S. Shannon Drive Romeoville, IL 60446 and which said Mortgage was made by: Ana Rosa Colon the Mortgagor(s), to Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as Mortgagee, and recorded in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Will County, Illinois, as Document No. R2010055207; 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.

YOU MAY STILL BE ABLE TO SAVE YOUR HOME. DO NOT IGNORE THIS DOCU-

MENT. By order of the Chief Judge of the Circuit Court of the Twelfth Judicial Circuit, this case is set for Mandatory Mediation on 02/05/2019 at 2:15 pm at the Will County Court Annex-3rd Floor (Arbitration Center), 57 N. Ottawa Street, Joliet, Illinois. A lender representative will be present along with a court appointed mediator to discuss options that you may have and to pre-screen you for a potential mortgage modification. For further information on the mediation process, please see the attached NOTICE OF MANDATORY MEDIATION. YOU MUST APPEAR ON THE MEDIATION DATE GIVEN OR YOUR RIGHT TO MEDIATION WILL TERMINATE. 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 January 22, 2019 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. 14-18-08636 NOTE: This law firm is a debt collector.

I3107493

Published 12/20, 12/27, 1/3

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