4
The Regional News Thursday, March 6, 2014
Photos by Jeff Vorva
Orland Park’s indoor duathlon turns 12 Guy Petruzzelli, of Darien (left photo), won his sixth straight overall men’s title in the 12th running of the Orland Park Indoor Duathlon while Orland Park native Kelly Hansen (right photo) won her first women’s title Saturday morning at the Sportsplex. At center is a competitor wiping sweat from her face during the bike portion of the event. Pretruzzelli ran the race, consisting of a 1.5 mile-run around the track, 10 miles on a stationary bike and 1.5 more miles around the track, in 30 minutes, 35 seconds while Hansen finished in :36.10. Hansen lives in Chicago but was a St. Michael School graduate who also attended Providence Catholic High
School. She was known as Kelly Stack back then. Hansen’s husband, Andy, claimed the 29-under men’s title Saturday and other age-group champs were Orland Park’s Ray Peisker (30-35), Orland Park’s Brian Pautsch (36-40), Orland Park’s George Canellis (41-50), Palos Park’s, Frank Wappel (51-59) and Orland Park’s Larry McDonough (60 and older). Female age-group champs were Palos Park’s Karissa Wappel (29-under), Orland Park’s Mary Peisker (30-35), Karen Schwarz (36-40), Glenview’s Melinda Poulton (41-50), New Lenox’s Sally Podolski (5159) and Lockport’s Mary Donovitch (60 and older).
Dist. 230 board names Sandburg’s next principal among staff changes
Deb Baker
Jennifer Tyrrell
Derrick Smith
Three administrative hires, including a principal and associate principal at Sandburg High School and an associate principal at Stagg High School, were approved last week by the Consolidated High School District 230 board of education. The moves were made during a meeting at Stagg High School, 8015 W. 111th St., Palos Hills. The appointments take effect at the end of the current school year. “All three of these administrative hires come from within the school district,” said Superintendent Dr. James M. Gay. “They are great representatives of the strength of District 230’s teachers and administrators and will bring great stability to these positions.” Deb Baker was approved as principal for Sandburg High School. Last month, current Principal Dr. Julia Wheaton was named Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources as Liz John-
son retires following 37 years of service to the district. “The School Board is proud to approve the hiring of Deb Baker,” said board President Rick Nogal. “She is a strong leader who will continue to focus on student achievement while supporting the Sandburg community. A veteran administrator who has served each of District 230’s campus, she is passionate about the success of each student.” Gay said that Baker “returns to Sandburg High School, where she has taught and served as an administrator. Her knowledge, expertise and compassion will be an incredible asset. Deb is committed to collaboration and teamwork which will serve the Sandburg community well during this transition of leadership.” “It has been a pleasure to work with Deb over the past several years,” said Stagg High School Principal Eric Olsen. “Her leadership, intelligence, wit, and work
ethic will be greatly missed at the building. However, we are very excited to work with her in her new capacity as the educational leader at our sister school.” Baker has served each of District 230’s high schools since she joined the district in 2001. She was as an English teacher and then division chair for English, Music and ELL at Sandburg. She has also served as assistant principal at Andrew High School and associate principal at Stagg. Before joining District 230, she taught in Chicago Public Schools and at De La Salle Institute in Chicago. Prior to becoming an educator, Baker and her husband were retail business owners. Baker holds a master’s degree in educational administration and a bachelor’s degree in the teaching of English, both from the University of Illinois at Chicago. The board also approved Jennifer Tyrrell as associate principal of instruction at Stagg High School
Expert witness for prosecution testifies that Kustok shot his wife by Tim Hadac Staff reporter If Allan Kustok didn’t shoot his wife on the morning of Sept. 29, 2010, the killer was someone standing over her while wearing his T-shirt, shorts and glasses, an expert witness testified Tuesday at Kustok’s murder trial. In perhaps the most damning testimony yet as the trial began its third week, crime scene reconstruction analyst Rod Englert said that the pattern of blood stains in the Kustoks’ Orland Park bedroom made it clear—at least from his analysis—that Anita “Jeanie” Kustok could not have shot herself, deliberately or accidentally, as Allan Kustok has claimed for more than three years. Englert was on the stand for several hours and was the only person to testify Tuesday at the trial in the Bridgeview courtroom, according to published reports. Prosecutors showed a photograph of a crime scene re-creation in which Orland Park police posed
on a bed to show how they believe the shooting occurred. Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez was in attendance for the first time, sitting in the front-row along with Jeanie Kustok’s relatives. After the prosecution rests its case this week, Kustok’s defense team is expected to call its own crime scene analysis experts to counter Englert’s claims. Defense attorneys had sought unsuccessfully two weeks ago to stop Englert from testifying, according to published reports. What is not disputed by either side is that shortly after Anita Kustok’s death, Allan Kustok told police his wife shot herself with a .357 caliber revolver he allegedly had given her for their 34th wedding anniversary, because he said she feared for her safety while he was away on business trips. After the shooting, Kustok did not call any authorities and drove his wife’s body—reportedly wrapped in bloody bed linens--to Palos Community Hospital nearly
90 minutes after the gun was fired, police said. Anita Kustok, 58, was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital with a gunshot wound to the left cheek. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office declared the death a homicide from a gun fired inches from her face; the gunshot wound was not selfinflicted accidentally or otherwise, according to what Orland Park Police Chief Tim McCarthy said in 2010. The victim was reportedly right handed, which would not be consistent with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the left cheek, police said. The Kustoks’ children are former standout area athletes Zak and Sarah Kustok, who starred in several sports at Sandburg High School. Zak Kustok played quarterback at Northwestern University for three years while Sarah played basketball at DePaul University, was an anchor for Comcast SportsNet Chicago and currently works for the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets.
Submitted photo
Posing for a photo during a break in last week’s District 230 board meeting are President Rick Nogal (from left), Susan Dalton, Superintendent Dr. James M. Gay, incoming Sandburg Associate Principal of Instruction Derrick Smith, incoming Stagg Associate Principal of Instruction Jennifer Tyrrell, Vice President Patrick O’Sullivan, incoming Sandburg Principal Deb Baker, Kate Murphy Peterson, Secretary Kathy Quilty, Tony Serratore and Melissa Gracias. filling Baker’s slot at Sandburg. “Jen Tyrrell is a tremendous leader in our building, and the staff and administration look forward to the expansion of her leadership role,” said Stagg High School Principal Eric Olsen. “Jen’s experience in literacy training, data analysis, and curriculum will be invaluable to the school and the district. Jen is an amazing leader and of her greatest strengths is her ability to form positive relationships with students and staff.” Tyrrell is a Stagg High School graduate and has served Stagg High School students since 2005 as a physical education teacher and division chair for physical education, health and drivers education. In addition she has coached softball and tennis for the Chargers.
She is currently pursuing a doctorate in educational administration and supervision from Loyola University. She holds a certificate of advanced study in educational leadership from Lewis University, as well as a master’s degree in kinesiology-sport management and a bachelor’s degree in physical education, both from Western Illinois University. The board also approved Derrick Smith as associate principal of instruction at Sandburg, upon the retirement of Trish Gikas following 31 years of service. “Derrick demonstrates exceptional knowledge, training and skills in the areas of curriculum, instruction and leadership,” said Sandburg Principal Dr. Julia Wheaton. “He consistently demonstrates with students, staff and parents a strong ethical and profes-
sional code, maintenance of high expectations for himself and others and commitment to the collaborative decision-making process.” Smith is a Sandburg graduate and has served the school since 2005 as an English teacher and division chair for English and music. He also has supervised the school’s student newspaper and coached the freshman baseball team. Smith currently is pursuing a doctorate in literacy, language and culture from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He holds a master’s degree in educational organization and leadership from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, a master’s degree in secondary education from St. Xavier University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Orland
The event was declared a success by chamber President Rob Wehmeier, owner of Wehmeier Portraits (Continued from page 1) in Orland Park. “We decided to try something threw away boxes of pictures new this year, hosting the State of or some key items from Orland the Village as a luncheon (rather than a breakfast), giving more Park’s past.” The mayor had budgeted time people the opportunity to attend,” after his remarks to field ques- Wehmeier said. “Early-morning tions from chamber members, but meetings are difficult for many there were none—at least at first. people and we’re expecting the McLaughlin shattered an awkward lunch time meeting to be more silence when he looked at Village convenient.” McLaughlin’s remarks, along Manager Paul Grimes and quipped, Allan Kustok “It’s pretty bad when the village with videos he introduced, are Neither Zak nor Sarah has testi- manager’s writing a question,” as available via the village’s page on fied thus far. Zak appeared at the the audience erupted in laughter. Facebook. courthouse last week and made it clear to a newspaper columnist that he was only there to support his wife, Nicole, who testified about whether or not Jeanie feared for her own safety and wanted a gun for protection, as Allan Kustok has claimed. Sarah appeared at the trial last month during jury selection and sat in the gallery, behind her father. Mrs. Kustok was a longtime elementary school teacher who, at the time of her death, was teaching in a gifted program at Central Elementary School in Riverside. Photo by Tim Hadac
Heights
to add that the benefits would far outweigh the costs. No action was taken by alder(Continued from page 1) men at the committee meeting, and Leonard was not asking for any, dice,” Hanley said. “When you saying he simply wanted officials roll the dice, you can lose—and to look over the draft plans. The next steps, he said, include worse, you can lose the trust of the voters and even jeopardize shepherding the plan through important future projects, like a council committee, with presentation to the full council in roads and sewers.” Hanley’s company proposes April—assuming District 128 ofworking with the city to explain ficials are on board. Photo by Tim Hadac Palos Heights Mayor Robert Straz shares a lighter moment Tues- the renovation and expansion day night with Palos Heights resident Frank Salman, co-owner of plans to voters, gauge their reRoyalberry Waffle House & Restaurant, 6417 W. 127th St., after the sponse, solicit and incorporate Remember to council gave unanimous approval to a liquor license for the restau- feedback into plans. The price recycle this rant. Details about Royalberry’s success and its future plans can tag for the assistance would be be found in a story in the special section for St. Patrick’s Day in this as much as $40,000, city officials newspaper! said after the meeting, hastening week’s Regional News.
Orland Park Mayor Daniel McLaughlin delivers his annual State of the Village address last week at Silver Lake Country Club.
Answer
Sudoku
(Puzzle on page 8)
D E J A
I C A N
E M U S
N O R A
M I N E D
O F U S E
M E D S O L I T N I S J O N I K T S E V E J O Y E D E S J O H N N T A H A Y O G I S J O O L D C J I M N E B O E S D E N
P A P E R T N T D O J O S
A M S L I A L I N S S C A M A R I A L E N J A Y H R U N I E B U T M E T A R M U K E N E G O
(Puzzle on page 8)
J A N E J E T S O N
A R E N A
M E T E R
E A S T
D O T O
E S S O
A C U P
T H E Y
6 9 7 3 5 2 4 2 8 1 6 9 1 8 3 5 7 4
7 8 2 1 9 5
1 4 3 6 7 8
© 2009 Hometown Content
9 5 6 2 3 4
2 3 4 8 1 6 7 5 9
8 1 5 9 4 7 6 3 2
4 6 8 5 2 3 9 7 1
5 2 9 7 8 1 3 4 6
3 7 1 4 6 9 5 2 8