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CHRISTMAS WORSHIP SERVICES DIRECTORY: Page 10

THE REGIONA EGIONAL L NEWS Named best small weekly in Illinois five times by the Illinois Press Association

Thursday, December 18, 2014

73rd Year, NO. 51 • 2 Sections

Serving Palos, Orland and Worth townships and neighboring communities

Heights intends tax incentives for Boardwalk project Staff reporter

The Boardwalk of Palos Heights took another step forward Tuesday night, minutes before the proposed development’s most vocal watchdog had his say.

The Palos Heights City Council voted unanimously to adopt a resolution declaring the city’s intention to establish a business taxing district at the site, amend

the existing Gateway TIF (Tax Increment Financing) Redevelopment Plan and Project Area and negotiate future revenue sharing agreements.

The inducements would sweeten the pot for 83 Harlem LLC, the development group leading the push to build a mix of restaurants, retail stores, a multi-story hotel and a condominiums building on the vacant former Crown/Rizza Buick property on the northeast corner of Route

83 and Harlem Avenue.

Proposed tax incentives are the expected “next step” following a special council meeting held last week to discuss the developer’s lack of progress to complete a checklist of details the council has demanded be done before granting final approval to the project.

That next step is ill advised, according to longtime builder Jim Pasquinelli, a former Palos Heights alderman who

ran for mayor against incumbent Bob Straz in 2009.

“It is too soon (for the city) to enter into an agreement to negotiate on this property,” Pasquinelli told the council.

“There’s no PUD (Planned Unit Development) Commission approval here.

This should not be in front of the City Council until there is.”

Pasquinelli made his comments moments after Chuck Allenson, the devel-

opers’ most visible representative, left the meeting after the vote.

Pasquinelli noted that he has known Allenson since 1977 and made a point of saying his criticisms are professional and not personal.

The city is “making a major contribution to this development and land,” Pasquinelli said. He criticized 83 Harlem

ORLAND PARK

Secrets for Santa

Panel says no to developer’s 71 townhouses

By Tim Hadac Staff reporter

Photo by Joan Hadac

Alexandra Schuble, 3, of Palos Heights, shares her Christmas wishes with Santa Claus — and in a touching show of kindness, shares a wish for her mother. The jolly old elf was a centerpiece of Waddles Winter Wonderland, a holiday-themed event held Saturday at the Palos Heights Recreation Center. For more, see Page 2.

Moraine Valley ready for the ESPN spotlight

Treasures at McCord Shoppe Arlene Adams and Jeanette Wood recently took the opportunity to shop in the tranquil setting of McCord Gallery & Cultural Center, where local artists have crafted unique gift items at affordable prices.

McCord’s Holiday Shoppe is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., through Dec. 22. McCord Gallery & Cultural Center is at 9602 W. Creek Road (129th and LaGrange Road), Palos Park. For more information, call 671-0648 or visit www.mccordgallery. org.

By Jeff Vorva Bill Finn loves basketball.

The Moraine Valley Community College athletic director played at Richards High School and coached the sport at Moraine for 22 years and racked up 506 wins. He has a laundry list of great contacts in the inner circles of Illinois college and high school basketball and loves watching a matchup of power teams facing each other.

But don’t expect Finn to be glued to his easy chair on Friday when Simeon plays St. Rita in a game that will be broadcast live across the world on ESPN2.

That’s because he’ll be busy. He and his facility will be hosting the event.

The Moraine Valley Community College Health, Fitness and Recreation Center officially opened in See MORAINE, Page 2

Supplied photo

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A proposal to construct a 71unit townhouse development on the remaining 3.6 acres of the former Colette Highlands Condominiums property appears headed to defeat, after an Orland Park Village Board committee gave it a unanimous thumbs-down Monday night.

The 3-0 “no” vote by the Development Services, Planning and Engineering Committee came after several nearby residents spoke against the plan. The proposed Park Boulevard Townhomes idea is expected to receive a similar “nay” vote from the full board at its next meeting, set for Jan. 5.

It represented an entirely different direction for the village, after the village’s Plan Commission voted to recommend approval of the townhouses in November.

Builder Tom Cachey, of T.J. Cachey Builders, told The Regional after Monday’s committee meeting that he intends “to come back with a doable plan. It’s a wonderful site, and Orland Park is a good place to build.”

Cachey and village staff had already made a number of modest modifications to the original plan, in an attempt to address neighbors’ concerns and get their buy-in, but it did not appear to be enough.

Complaints by neighbors focused on their claims that a 71unit townhome development at the

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— Resident Patrick McLaughlin northwest corner of Park Station Boulevard and Somer Glen Lane would bring congestion to the immediate area.

“This [proposal] takes the openlands concept and just destroys it,” Patrick McLaughlin told the committee. “This is going to be a catastrophe for this village. We’re taking 10 pounds of potatoes and trying to stick them in a fivepound bag.”

McLaughlin, who moved from Palos Park to a 24-unit condominium building on the site earlier this year, said he was satisfied with the village’s action “up to this point,” but is taking a “waitand-see” approach.

McLaughlin was one of several neighbors who spoke against Cachey’s plan. In addition to loss of open space and sightlines, neighbors voiced concerns about what they said was a lack of foresight for such issues as snowplowing and access for emergency vehicles.

Dimitrios Delis, owner of a single-family home on the nearby Julie’s Way, complained that the 71-unit plan eliminates the view See ORLAND, Page 2

Photo by Tim Hadac

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Orland Park resident Patrick McLaughlin (at lectern) offers criticism of the proposed Park Boulevard Townhomes while others in the audience, including builder Tom Cachey (right), listen at Monday night’s meeting.

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Visit us on the web at www.theregionalnews.com • email: TheRegional@comcast.net • To advertise, call 708-448-4000

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By Tim Hadac

2 Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Regional News

Waddles welcomes yuletide revelers to his Wonderland

Emelina Patano 3, of Chicago, clings to her mother, Jessica, as she casts a wary eye at Waddles the Penguin after she saw him move. The Patanos enjoyed the annual Waddles’ Winter Wonderland on Saturday in Palos Heights with their relatives, Crissy and Joe Vuchino, of Palos Heights.

The Stagg High School Madrigals sang traditional Christmas carols in a gaily-adorned gymnasium for the 150 children, parents and grandparents who attended the Palos Heights Parks & Recreation Department’s annual Waddles’ Winter Wonderland on Saturday at the Recreation Center, 6601 W. 127th St.

Photos by Joan Hadac

Heights

Continued from Page 1 LLC for what he claimed are a lack of details on what some of the Boardwalk’s buildings will look like.

“We haven’t seen any architect’s rendering of what a proposed hotel would look like,” Pasquinelli said.

“I mean, we should see something as to what the hotel was going to look like on that site.”

He expressed a similar concern about the proposed condominium building on the eastern edge of the parcel.

“There’s also the problem [that] the developer is not going to be the builder of this whole development,” Pasquinelli continued.

“He is looking for someone for the hotel and doesn’t have anybody yet. He is looking for the condominiums and doesn’t have anybody.

“With the condominiums, he’s going to have a problem because it’s very difficult to get construction loans or builders for condominiums,” he added. “These 36 condominiums may end up being rentals, and that’s not the worst thing that can happen. Look at Orland Park. They’ve got that huge complex there [the Ninety7Fifty on the Park luxury residential development just west of 143rd Street and La Grange Road], and I understand it’s 97 percent rented, and they’re not cheap.”

Pasquinelli also said there may be difficulties in getting the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to agree to allow its land adjacent to the Boardwalk to be used as an access route linking the development with the Cal-Sag Trail.

He conceded that the Boardwalk development “can get done,” but criticized 83 Harlem’s current plan as little more than “a speculative proposal,” not yet worthy of council action.

Pasquinelli’s comments were met with silence by the council.

After the meeting, Alderman Jack Clifford (2nd Ward) brushed aside Pasquinelli’s concerns as “an overreaction.”

“There is a detailed plan that we did see, and it included renderings of the buildings,” Clifford said.

“It’s 35 pages, and you can pretty

much see what the buildings will look like.”

Clifford added that he remains a supporter of development of the site, as he was earlier this year when he publicly praised preliminary plans that predicted that the Boardwalk would be a destination for al fresco dining in mild weather, as well as smallscale musical performances and celebrations of the arts. The vision foresees people strolling along the boardwalk that will frame the property’s northern edge and which is expected to offer a view of the Cal-Sag Channel and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District’s SEPA (Sidestream Elevated Pool Aeration) waterfall on the north bank.

Also after the meeting, Mayor Robert Straz said that the city has adequate control of the process and that the details mentioned by Pasquinelli will be negotiated in the best interests of Palos Heights residents.

“The important thing is, we’re seeing progress,” Straz told The Regional. “We’re moving forward.”

Palos Place

Also Tuesday, the City Council approved plans by Brigid Capital owner Mike Coogan to remove a section of the berm that separates the west side of 72nd Court from the back of the Harlem Avenue business strip. The section to be removed is immediately behind the old Ben Franklin property at 12306 S. Harlem Ave., site of the future Palos Place mixed-use development.

Removal of the section of the berm is expected to facilitate the flow of traffic and pedestrians between Palos Place and a parking lot planned for the property at 12312 S. 72nd Court, currently home to a dilapidated, 73-year-old house that will be razed.

City crews will remove the berm’s section soon, Public Works Director Scott Smith told the council’s Roads and Construction Committee on Dec. 9. Brigid Capital will be responsible for re-shaping and landscaping the exposed portion of the berm that will be left in place, immediately south of the Palos Place property.

Workers were busy Tuesday at the Palos Place development (background), while an old home at 12312 S. 72nd Court (foreground) awaits the wrecking ball.

The property will become a parking lot for Palos Place, with a section of the berm on 72nd Court removed to facilitate access.

Photo by Tim Hadac

Moraine

Kathy Wrzesinski, of Palos Heights, coaxes a Christmas smile out of her granddaughter, Annabel Andrekus, 16 months, also of Palos Heights, at the Palos Heights Parks & Recreation Department’s annual Waddles’ Winter Wonderland on Saturday.

Families were in focus at the event, which included crafts, treats, a candy cane hunt and more, enjoyed by Brian and Mika Hampson, of Palos Heights, and their daughter, Kyto, 18 months.

Palos Park residents Keith and Megan Nabb share a lighter moment with their daughters, Chloe, 6, and Elsie, 3, as they stand next to a snowman family of four during the Palos Heights Parks & Recreation Department’s annual Waddles’ Winter Wonderland on Saturday.

Orland

Continued from Page 1 from his residence.

“What am I going to be able to see when I look out my window?” he asked trustees rhetorically. “A wall—a wall—45 feet tall, right in front of my house.”

Another neighbor claimed that building 71 housing units in a continued shaky housing market would have a negative impact on existing home values in the immediate area.

Background

According to briefing materials provided by village staff,

the “subdivision of Colette Highlands (condos, single family homes and townhomes altogether) was master planned and approved by the Village Board in 2003. In 2005, ZAUSA Homes took over the condominium part of the project from the original developer of Colette Highlands (Huguelet), but proposed the same site plan and product as the original Colette Highlands master plan first indicated. The Colette Highlands Condominiums were approved by the Village Board the same year.

“Following the successful completion of the first condominium building at the northwest corner

of Somerglen Lane and Park Station Boulevard, the economic downturn of 2007-08 prevented the completion of the project. A second condominium building broke ground shortly before the further downtown in the housing market. As a result, a foundation was installed but the building was never finished and the project went dormant.”

For seven years, the Colette Highlands Condominium property has remained unfinished. In that time, various development proposals were floated to finish the project but none ever reached the point of petition, village officials added.

Continued from Page 1 March. Nine months later, it will be featured for the world to see.

The new gym inside the facility, which seats 3,200 people, will be the host site of the game, which tips off at 5:30 p.m. But Finn figures to be working all day with preparation. The crew will be stopping by early in the morning to set up. Finn can’t wait.

“I am beyond excited,” he said. “I’ve been here 33 years and we’ve never had anything happen like this before. After my meetings, I would tell people ‘yeah, I just met with ESPN’ like it was a common occurrence. ‘’This fit the bill for them.

They want to fill the place.

They didn’t want UIC or Chicago State or Rosemont. This ended up being the perfect venue for size. We’ve had full-day showcases here before but nothing like this. This is requiring tons of more work but it’s worth it. The attention and exposure for our college and athletic program will be tremendous.’’

Finn said former players of his have connections with the Paragon Marketing group, which has ties with ESPN and the two sides came together in recent months to make this event work.

The talent on the floor will

be special. Simeon coach Robert Smith has coached stars Derrick Rose and Jabari Parker in his tenure. He may not have players of that caliber this year, but he has three Big 10 Conference signees in Edward Morrow (Nebraska), D.J. Williams (Illinois) and Isiah Moss (Iowa).

The Wolverines opened the season 3-0 including Sunday’s 7166 victory over Morgan Park at the CPS Rivalry Showcase at Whitney Young High School.

Simeon has won six Class 4A state titles in nine seasons including a historic four-year run that ended last season. St. Rita won three of its first four games, including last Friday’s 80-61 victory over St. Joseph.

Charles Matthews is heading to college powerhouse Kentucky while Armani Chaney is heading to Tennessee State while Myles Carter has Northwestern, Notre Dame, De Paul, Illinois and others still on his wish list.

Tickets are on sale now at the Palos Hills school’s rec center and will be available at the door. Tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for high school students with identification.

Finn hopes the thousands of fans at the game and many more watching the game on ESPN2 will enjoy the school’s new venue.

“This is not the Taj Mahal,’’ Finn said. “But it’s the Taj Mahal for me.’’

Photo by Tim Hadac

The Orland Park Village Board on Monday gave a Community Pride Award to Sam Travis (holding plaque), an infielder who starred in baseball at Providence Catholic High School and at Indiana University, where he was Big Ten Player of the Year in 2014. He was drafted this year by the Boston Red Sox. Offering congratulations are Trustees Daniel Calandriello, Patricia A. Gira and James V. Dodge Jr. (from left),

The Regional News

Thursday, December 18, 2014

3

Kustok gets 60 years for wife’s murder

By Tim Hadac Staff reporter

Convicted wife-murderer Allan J. Kustok will spend his 64th birthday behind bars on Jan. 6, and every other day of the rest of his life, after he was slapped with a 60-year sentence Wednesday last

by Cook County Associate Judge John Hynes in Bridgeview.

Shortly before he announced the sentence, Hynes said he was baffled by the case, saying that Kustok “had it all, he had the American Dream, and yet that was not good enough,” in an apparent reference to his alleged cheating on his wife with younger women. He told Kustok that he was supposed to be his wife’s protector “but became her executioner,” according to published reports.

The death of 58-year-old Anita “Jeanie” Kustok, an elementary school teacher in the western suburbs, represents “a loss for both her family and the community,” Judge Hynes added.

Kustok was convicted last spring of the murder

of his wife in the early morning hours of Kustok’s defense attorney, Rick Beuke, Sept. 29, 2010 at their home in Orland said he plans to file an appeal and said Park. The trial lasted four weeks, and in his heart, he believes that Kustok the jury deliberated for about 90 minutes did not kill his wife and was wrongly before delivering a verdict. convicted.

According to evidence presented at the “I know Judge Hynes believes the fact trial, Kustok pointed a loaded .357-caliber to be one way, and we believe the facts revolver at his sleeping wife and shot her to be another way,” Beuke told reporters in the face. Some 90 minutes later, he outside the courtroom. “He’s comfortable wrapped her body in bloody bed linens and with the sentence he gave, but you’ve got drove her to Palos Community Hospital. a 64-year-old man who’s going to serve Kustok Kustok did not call 911 and explained 100 percent of whatever the sentence is. it away by saying that he was distraught If he gave him the minimum, which is over what he claimed was her suicide, and that he 45 years, he’s dying in the penitentiary anyway.” wanted to spend the final minutes with his wife During the trial, Beuke noted that Kustok, the before handing her over to “useless strangers,” son of a Chicago police officer, had never been according to published reports. arrested in his life.

“I wanted to be with her as long as I could Prosecutor Jennifer Gonzalez told reporters outbecause once I gave her up, I knew I would never side the courtroom that she was satisfied with the have that opportunity again,” Kustok said before verdict after “four long years.” She smiled as she sentencing, according to a published report. The praised Jeanie’s family for the cooperation and Kustoks had been married for 34 years. steadfastness, taking one final swipe at Allan Kustok

Orland Lions play Santa for 30 needy local families

Protect holiday packages from thieves at doorstep From Palos Park Police Chief Joe Miller

Toys and more practical expressions of holiday cheer sit ready for wrapping by Orland Park Lions Club members Janet Stutz (from left), and Gail and Steve Anton. About a dozen Lions volunteered their time to purchase and wrap presents for 115 adults and children in 30 needy local families — up from 20 last year — on Saturday at Paddy B’s Pub, 11969 W. 143rd St. The superintendent of Orland School District 135, Stutz is a fairly new member of the Orland Park Lions.

Lion Jen Wlodarski checks a family’s wish list for accuracy before she wraps presents. Lion Jim Jankowski, who chaired the effort, says the club gave each family $100 in gift cards to Walgreens and Walmart, as well as a gift for each family member.

The Lions’ Christmas tree lot, which sold out last Saturday, raises some of the proceeds for the club’s generous gift giving for the holidays.

as a man so selfish that “he never gave his wife, Jeanie, that opportunity [to be rushed to a hospital emergency room and have her life saved].”

The Kustoks’ daughter, Sarah, had testified in the trial that she did not think her father killed her mother. She was in court when her father was sentenced, but did not speak, leaving quietly after the verdict was announced.

The Kustoks’ children are former standout area athletes. Zak and Sarah Kustok starred in several sports at Sandburg High School. Zak 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 Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network (YES).

Zak did not testify at the trial, but appeared at the courthouse last spring 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. Zak was not at the sentencing.

There’s nothing more anxious than fretting over picking the perfect gift to mail only to worry that it will be intercepted by a doorstep thief.

Police are reporting disturbing incidents of package theft across the country. Even though some of the culprits are caught on camera, they may escape arrest, leaving consumers to bite their nails after they click “send.”

In Michigan, neighbors and a porch camera caught thieves as they tailed a UPS driver and picked up the packages he left behind. When police caught the suspects, they had over two dozen packages in their van, including speakers, clothing, and a 30-pound bag of dog food.

Five thieves were arrested last week in Chicago for stealing packages from porches. In New York a home surveillance video surfaced on YouTube with a bold thief strolling up to a woman’s door and snagging a package from her steps.

Though alarming, mailers say actual doorstep package thefts are relatively rare. UPS spokesman Andy McGowan said “a very small number” of packages are stolen. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service didn’t have statistics readily available.

Still, there’s no need to gift unsafely. Here’s how to protect your holiday packages from those who would snatch them off your loved one’s porches.

• Add signature confirmation. For a small fee you can require that someone signs for your package before the delivery person drops it off. It’s not foolproof, but it increases the odds of a safe delivery. At FedEx, either the shipper or recipient can make that request.

• Use premium package control programs. For

$5-$10 per request, you can get access to power delivery tools at UPS at FedEx that allow you to reschedule times or specify delivery windows.

For a $40 annual fee, UPS My Choice members can make as many requests as they want. FedEx Delivery Manager also has some free options, like a 14-day vacation hold or specifying that you want it delivered to a specific area, like tucked behind a grill or planter.

• Get it delivered to your local mail facility.

All the major carriers will allow you to re-route packages to your local mail office. “These centers can serve as a “mailroom receiving agent” and offer a real street address, secure 24-hour access (at participating locations) and email or text notification when you have a package waiting,” said UPS’s McGowan. At FedEx, this is free, UPS and USPS charge a fee. UPS also accepts packages from all carriers.

• Enroll a friend. If you can’t be home, have a trusted friend or family member pick up your package and hold onto it.

• Get presents at work. Have the package mailed to you or your giftee’s workplace.

• Keep your eyes peeled. “Neighbors protect neighbors by flagging suspicious activity to each other and the police,” Sheriff Anthony Wickersham of Macomb County in Michigan told TODAY. • If it does get stolen... check your credit card.

Many issuers offer theft protection. If your package gets stolen, file a police report immediately and send it to your credit card company. They’ll refund your purchase, up to $500 or $1,000, depending on your credit card company’s policies.

-- Dan Polk, Palos Park Police Commissioner

Look for changes to AmericanProfile The last issue of AmericanProfile for 2014 is in this week’s issue of The Regional News.

For several years, The Regional has carried the weekly, full-color mini magazine in our pages as an added value for our readers. The colorful Parade-like publication is typically filled with celebrity news, recipes, heart-warming color pieces and other feature stories from America’s heartland and other items of interest.

Starting in January, look for a revised version of the renamed Community Table AmericanProfile to be published in The Regional twice a month instead of weekly. That’s what its publisher, Athlon Media Group of Nashville, Tenn., has informed us of its plans. We look forward to seeing and delivering with your Regional the twice-monthly Community Table AmericanProfile after the New Year and throughout 2015.

Photos by Joan Hadac

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4 Thursday, December 18, 2014

IS THERE A SANTA CLAUS?

OPINION

The Regional News

An enduring question, 117 years later

T

he most famous editorial that has ever been written is the one titled, “Is there a Santa Claus?”

It has been reproduced in every conceivable form, in every quarter of the globe, since it first appeared in the New York Sun in 1897.

The question was raised in a letter to the Sun by 8-yearold Virginia O’Hanlon of New York City, the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Philip F. O’Hanlon. The classic answer was written by Francis Pharcellus Church, an editorial writer at the Sun. Church undertook the assignment with reluctance, the story goes, but his fine craftsmanship produced an article that has endured and will continue to endure as long as children ask: “Is there a Santa Claus?”

“Dear Editor: “I am 8 years old.

“Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.

“Papa says ‘If you see it in The Sun it’s so.’

“Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?

“Virginia O’Hanlon, 115 West 95th Street “Virginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe unless they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this ‘Please tell me the truth, great universe of ours man is there a Santa Claus?’ is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared —Virginia O’Hanlon with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

“Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn?

Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there.

Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders that are unseen and unseeable in the world.

“You tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart.

Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernatural beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

“No Santa Claus! Thank God he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.”

THE THE

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Publisher Publisher Editor Editor Amy Richards Jack Jack Murray Murray Editor Sports Editor Sports Editor Jack Murray Heights, IL 60463 and additional Ken Karrsonpost offices.

Palos Heights, Illinois, 60463 and Ken Karrson Entered as periodical mail at the Post Office at Palos Heights, IL, additional post offices under the Act of 60643 and additional Sports post offices under the Act of March 3, 1879.

Editor March 3, 1879.

Advertising Sales contents (©Entire contents copyright copyright 2014 Southwest Regional Publishing © Entire Ken 2011 Regional Publishing Corp.)Phone: 448-4001 Val Karrson Draus This newspaper is dedicated to the memory of Phone: 448-4001 Advertising Sales those who gave their lives to protect America’s Classified Manager This newspaper is dedicated to freedom of the press, whenever and however the memory of those who gave Phone: 448-4001 Perrewe Classified Manager their lives to protect America’s freeitDebbie may be threatened. dom of the press, whenever and This newspaper newspaper dedicated to This dedicatedPhone: to however it may beisthreatened.

Debbie Perrewe 448-4002 Classified Manager the memory memory of those who gave the who gave

READERS WRITE Appreciate the service given by our local police Dear Editor, As one who is appreciative and supportive of the service given to us by our local police officers, I would like to propose a tangible way in which like-minded people can show their support.

In the coming weeks one could stop by their local police station with a tin of cookies, a thank you card, or one could even have a couple of large pizzas delivered. I think our officers need to hear from someone other than the media outlets.

— John Fleming, MS, DVM Palos Park

Thank yous for joyful Christmastime in Palos at library Dear Editor: The 10th annual Christmastime in Palos celebration at the Palos Heights Public Library on Dec. 6 was a tremendous success.

More than 650 people attended the event, which featured holiday music and singing, special activities for children and adults, a sale of specially selected books, and a tasty buffet of food from local vendors.

Our thanks go to Bella’s Bakery, Breadsmith, Entenmann’s Bakery, Honey Baked Ham, Jewel Food Stores, Trader Joes, Walt’s Food Center, Ultra Foods and local resident Julie Pietrzak for donating the wonderful variety of goodies for attendees to enjoy. Thanks, too, to First Midwest Bank for its continued sponsorship and as-

sistance to the Friends of the Palos Heights Library who coordinated the celebration.

And we certainly appreciate the attention given by The Regional and Channel 4 cable television in promoting the event.

We also thank all of the members of the Friends of the Library, the staff of the Library, and the area residents who helped and supported this celebration and other events throughout the year.

— Marge Damm Friends of the Palos Heights Public Library

Heights Women say thanks for the ‘Merry Memories’ Dear Editor: “Merry Memories,” the Palos Heights Woman’s Club’s 2014 Christmas House Walk, was held on Dec. 6, and it was a huge success in more ways than one.

Through the many varied efforts of our members, over 225 guests enjoyed the sprawling Palos Country Club venue under the direction of Pat Pykett for a delicious buffet breakfast, Boutique from 25 vendors, homemade Christmas cookies for sale, 25 raffle baskets which included a Radio Flyer wagon filled with children goodies, a Wine basket filled with various bottles of wine, a “WinWin Raffle” with donated certificates from a host of area merchants, Five lovely homes decorated for Christmas on the house tour itself, an “After Walk” special held at Bon-APit restaurant with Betty Alexakis, and an “Afterglow” Party held at a private residence.

Much of the large turnout was due to

coordination of ticket sales from Mona Lisa Boutique with owners, Jill Evans and Wendy Lundberg, and the wonderful publicity The Regional News provided during the weeks leading up to the house walk. The Regional has consistently written about all of our club’s meetings, projects, and ways-and-means events, and we thank you.

The Palos Heights Woman’s Club is a recognized charitable organization as defined

by Internal Revenue Code 501 (c) (3). The profits from the walk will be donated to college scholarships for Stagg and Shepard High School seniors, Back to School scholarship for Returning Women at Moraine Valley College, Art and Music summer scholarships, and local charities. A complete list of contributing vendors is on our website: phwc.wordpress.com We sincerely appreciate everyone who went over and above to help make this Christmas Housewalk such a success and we wish each and everyone a safe and blessed holiday season.

— Palos Heights Woman’s Club, Barbara Deckinga and Sherry TerMaat, chairs of the Christmas House Walk; Rose Zubik, President; Committee: Patricia Bailey, Sue Blais, Bev Bronowski, Cathie Ference, Joanne Ferneau, Marj Hultquist, Denise Hyker, Celeste Kappel, Mary Lee Lockwood, Eileen Lunter, Carol Margaret Miller, Lorene Rathnau, Lynda Schiappa, Arlene Sypniewski, Gloria Tolley, Lynne Wojcik, Cherry Vujevich, Karen White and Rose Zubik. Men included Rich TerMaat and Ed Mucha. Signs; Jeffrey Schiappa and Dennis Hyker, win win raffle; Mike Zubik, Wine Basket

Remembering Topinka — a ‘political mutt’ Judy Baar Topinka was one of the most energetic public officials I’ve ever met.

What a nice person.

Topinka, who died last week, was always smiling, even at moments of controversy. She was optimistic and always hopeful.

It’s funny to see the mainstream news media pretend to be her friend. They pretty much ignored her, except when she forced her way into the news. A few now fawning over her were at the frontlines attacking her with vicious accusations about her political friendships.

But that’s the news media and Topinka knew it. She had been professionally trained in journalism. A graduate of the Medill Journalism school, Topinka worked at the Life Newspapers and the Forest Park Review before buying the Riverside Landmark.

In 1981, Topinka ran for the Illinois House and won, representing the west suburbs, at a time when women in politics where breaking the glass ceiling. Jane Byrne was mayor of Chicago and when Topinka came to meet Byrne one day at City Hall, I was there and had a chance to meet her.

None of the other reporters bothered to cover the meeting, reflecting their disdain for anything southwest or west suburban.

I left journalism in 1992, just as Topinka was planning a run for Illinois Treasurer.

In 1993, I helped her and her close friend Marty Kovarik with media, pro bono,

VIEW FINDER

RAY HANANIA because I liked their style.

My love for the southwest and west suburbs gave me many opportunities to see her at events. Most recently, she led this year’s Houby Day Parade, a celebration the mainstream news media ignores of Czech and Slovak heritage and Fall Harvest. (By the way, houby means mushroom.)

More than 20,000 people attended the parade on Cermak Road between Berwyn and Cicero, with only two reporters from small newspapers.

The southwest and west suburbs have never been important to the Chicago news media, except, of course, when there is a controversy or scandal they could inflate to nudge their sagging circulations.

Topinka shared this disdain for the news media, but brushed them off as irrelevant.

“You just have to do the best you can.

The people see it,” the tough lady said after another event the Chicago media ignored.

Topinka was the keynote speaker at the Muslim religious celebration, the Eid, July 28. She joined State Senator Steven Landek as Muslims gathered for their re-

ligious holiday at Toyota Park, where they spoke about tolerance.

There were more than 15,000 people crowded into Toyota Park, but only two reporters, of course.

The state’s leading Republican officeholder, Topinka, often referred to herself as a “political mutt,” reflecting her “Reagan Democrat” political beliefs. She supported gay and reproductive rights.

She walked in parades with Democrats, while championing Republican ideals, the party coat she wore proudly.

Topinka liked to shake things up, leaving life the same way. She couldn’t have picked a more controversial moment to leave for that “polka floor in the sky,” between winning re-election and waiting to get sworn in, as the Governor’s Mansion changes hands from Democrat Pat Quinn to Republican Bruce Rauner.

And, how ironic how we lost both Jane Byrne and Judy Baar Topinka only weeks apart.

Among names that surface as possible successors are her chief of staff, Nancy Kimme, and close ally Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth “Liz” Doody Gorman.

You will be missed, Judy Baar Topinka, sitting in that little, unimposing Mini Cooper with that big smile and even bigger heart.

Ray Hanania is an award-winning former Chicago City Hall reporter. Reach him at rghanania@gmail.com.

What is your least favorite Christmas carol?

Editorial: Noon, Saturday Amy Amy 5Richards Richards Advertising: p.m., Monday

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theirlives lives to protect America’s their to protect America’s free-

Jim Smith, New Lenox “‘Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,’ because I don’t like the way it sounds.”

Jim Jankowski, Orland Park “Elvis’ rendition of ‘Blue Christmas’ because it represents sadness.”

Sandy Jankowski, Orland Park “The version of ‘Jingle Bells’ sung by barking dogs. It annoys me.”

Steve Anton, Orland Park “‘Santa Baby’ because I couldn’t afford her wish list.”

Gail Anton, Orland Park “‘Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer’ because Bob Collins used to play the song on WGN radio over and over and over, and it was too much.”

• Asked of the Orland Park Lions at Paddy B’s Pub, as they wrapped Christmas presents for the needy. Photos by Joan Hadac

The Regional News

Thursday, December 18, 2014

5

Final of 4 home invasion suspects nabbed The fourth and final suspect wanted in connection with a home invasion and shooting last year in Orland Park is in custody, according to Orland Park police.

Jeremy Watson, 28, of Gary, Ind., was taken into custody Dec. 10 in Gary by Indiana University Northwest police, after a foot chase in which he was captured by a canine unit. Police said the chase began when Watson bolted from a vehicle that had been stopped for a broken taillight.

Watson was taken under guard

to a hospital in Indiana, to treat injuries he sustained from the police dog, according to Orland Park police.

A $2 million warrant for Watson’s arrest was issued last January by a Cook County Circuit Court judge, according to published reports. He is currently held in Lake County, Ind., on charges of resisting arrest, giving a false name to police, and criminal damage to property.

Orland Park police said they expect that authorities in Indiana will eventually extradite Watson

to Orland Park to face charges in Cook County.

The home invasion in Orland Park occurred at 2:50 a.m. Friday, May 10, 2013 in the 10900 block of West Antelope Lane, in the well-heeled Deer Creek Estates subdivision.

The victim, a 30-year-old man, was home with his fiancée, two young children and a nanny, according to published reports.

After entering the home via an attached garage, the invaders shot the victim, grabbed an undisclosed amount of valuables

and fled, according to police.

The victim jumped in his van and gave chase, with the offenders firing at him until they lost him, as he grew weak from loss of blood. The victim was later transported to Silver Cross Hospital for three gunshot wounds— to an arm, shoulder and leg--that were not life threatening, police said.

The victim was reportedly a native of Portage, Ind., and his uncle was later quoted in a Gary newspaper, saying that the victim knew his attackers,

who were allegedly jealous that he had made good financially.

One of the four suspects, Anthony M. Espinoza, 27, of East Chicago, Ind., put a gun to his head and killed himself within hours of the crime, when cornered by Lake County, Ind., Sheriff’s Police.

A second suspect, Warren Lamont Hunter, 28, of Gary, turned himself in to his parole officer in Indiana in August 2013 and was extradited to Orland Park in January.

The third man wanted, Brad

Len Kemp, 28, of Lake Station, Ind., was apprehended and extradited Watson in January.

Both Hunter and Kemp are currently held without bond by the Cook County Department of Corrections, charged with attempted murder, home invasion, armed robbery, and aggravated battery. Kemp is set to appear in court in Bridgeview on Monday, and Hunter’s next court date in Bridgeview in Jan. 26.

POLICE BLOTTER: ORLAND PARK Heroin possession charge P o l i c e charged Kyle C. Dunn, 25, of Orland Park, with possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession Dunn of hypodermic needles. Police responding to a “suspicious person” call at 9:22 a.m. Dec. 3 said they saw Dunn seated in a car in a parking lot at L.A. Tan, 11949 W. 143rd St., cutting heroin on the cover of a book. A search of the vehicle yielded three plastic bags containing heroin, five hypodermic needles, and an Altoids metal container with burn marks consistent with heroin cooking, according to the police report. Bond was set at $75,000, and Dunn is due in court in Bridgeview tomorrow (Friday).

Sheriff bestows Youth Service Medals of Honor

Tires stolen off new cars at auto dealership on 159th

Eight tires and rims were stolen from two new cars parked at an auto dealership in the 8300 block of West 159th Street between 7 p.m.

Nov. 22 and 6:30 a.m. the following day. The manager, a 52-yearold man, told police he discovered the two vehicles in the northeast corner of a rear parking lot, balanced on landscaping bricks. The value of the stolen items is more than $3,300, according to the police report.

Palos Park Police Cadets Andrei Lynch, Logan Maske and Don Murphy all received Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart’s 2014 Youth Service Medal of Honor for their work in the community (above). More than 350 teens were honored for their hours of community service at the awards presentation held Dec. 9 at Moraine Valley Community College. Cadets Lynch, Maske and Murphy all one day hope to be police officers for the village.

The sheriff’s medal program requires honorees put in a minimum of 100 hours of community service over the course of a year.

Most teens in the Palos Park cadet program average 500 plus hours in the cadet program.

Right, Sheriff Tom Dart congratulates Dallas Artis, of Orland Park, at the ceremony. A sophomore at Sandburg High School, Artis finished with 285.5 hours, the second highest number of hours among the 365 awardees from all the high schools in the Cook County area. Dallas insists he will top that this year.

Liquor theft suspect sought A thief stole three gift boxes of liquor from a grocery store in the 9600 block of West 131st Street at 6:29 p.m. Dec. 9. A store employee told Palos Park police that the offender attempted to conceal the merchandise under a jacket before walking out

Police charged Kimberly A. Semetis, 52, of Orland Park, with DUI, fleeing police, improper lane usage, and illegal transportation of alcohol. They attempted to curb her car near 159th Street and 108th Avenue at about 2:30 a.m. Nov. 29 and followed her for about a half mile, with the pursuit ending at her home, according to the police report. Police said they found a plastic cup containing a Mojito in the center console of the vehicle.

Semetis was given a court date of Jan. 8 in Bridgeview.

Susan J. Debiasio, 23, of Orland Park, was charged with DUI, as well as failure to reduce speed to avoid a crash, after she was involved in a two-vehicle crash near 143rd Street and John Humphrey Drive at 10:33 p.m. Dec. 5. Her car was towed and impounded, and Debiasio is set to appear in court in Bridgeview on Jan. 20.

Police charged Kyle M. Dekker, 22, of Chicago Ridge, with DUI, improper lane usage, and making an improper turn after they stopped

The owner of a company located in the 13300 block of South Southwest Highway told police that someone removed the lock from back of his box truck, parked on the premises, and stole an electric chipping hammer, a concrete floor grader, and a nail gun. The crime occurred between 6 p.m. Nov. 25 and 7:30 a.m. the following day, the victim told police. The tools are valued at more than $2,000.

Shopper’s wallet stolen at Goodwill

A 41-year-old woman told police that someone stole her wallet

POLICE BLOTTER: PALOS PARK Police charged Katherine J. Gibson, 20, of Palos Park, with driving on a suspended license, operating a motor vehicle with no front plate, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Police curbed her SUV in the 8800 block of West 119th Street at 2:47 a.m. Dec. 3. Police said they found a glass smoking pipe in her purse and rolling papers in the vehicle, which was towed and impounded. Gibson is due in court in Bridgeview on Tuesday regarding the traffic charges and at the Kaptur Administrative Center on Jan. 7 on the charges relating to drug paraphernalia.

Drivers charged with DUI

his car in the 9400 block of West Wheeler Drive at 12:51 a.m. Nov. 29. His vehicle was towed and impounded, and Dekker is due in court in Bridgeview on Jan. 8.

Thomas K. Dixon, 61, of Palos Heights, was charged with DUI, improper lane usage, and speeding. Police curbed his SUV in the 13800 block of South Southwest Highway at 12:10 a.m. Nov. 27 after a motorist called 911 to report a vehicle swerving. Police said his SUV was traveling at 57 mph, 12 mph over the posted limit. The vehicle was towed and impounded, and Dixon is scheduled to appear in court in Bridgeview on Jan. 20.

Police charged Joseph A. Kerr, 45, of Chicago, with DUI, speeding, and no proof of insurance after they stopped his SUV near 131st Street and La Grange Road at 6:35 p.m. Nov. 26. They said his vehicle was traveling at 55 mph, 20 mph over the posted limit. Kerr is set to appear in court in Bridgeview on Jan. 2.

Jennifer L. Andersen, 43, of Orland Park, was charged with DUI, making an improper turn, improper lane usage, and possession of a controlled substance after police curbed her car near 82nd Avenue and Forestview Drive at 2:05 a.m.

Nov. 30. Six pills, determined to be hydrocone, were found in her possession, according to the police report. Andersen was due in bond court on Nov. 30.

Construction tools stolen

Supplied photos

Accused suspended driver charged

from her purse while it hung from her shoulder as she shopped at Goodwill, 7400 W. 159th St., at about 1:30 p.m. Dec. 3. The wallet contained no cash, she told police.

There was one other customer in the store at the time, the victim added, although she was not certain if he was the thief.

of the store, getting into a dark red Chevy Malibu and speeding away.

The thief was described as a white, male, age 30, according to police, who added that the man may also have been one of two people who stole an undisclosed amount of tequila and other liquor from the same store at 1:23 p.m. Dec. 1. Police, who noted that the crimes were similar to one committed in early December at a grocery store in Homer Glen, said they believe the man’s accomplice is a 42-year-old Lyons woman they said is a known heroin addict. The investigation continues, according to the police report.

Man charged with heroin and cannabis possession

Herbert A. Wilson, 26, of Orland Park, was charged with possession of cannabis, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and improper lane usage.

His car was pulled over by police in the 9500 block of West 131st Street at 12:34 a.m. Dec. 1. A search yielded several containers of can-

SEASONS GREETINGS from

nabis, two plastic bags containing heroin, and a cannabis grinder, according to the police report. The vehicle was towed and impounded, and Wilson is set to appear in court in Bridgeview on Tuesday.

Charged with traffic violations Police charged John H. Brunner, 57, of Downers Grove, with driving on a suspended license, as well as operating a motor vehicle with an obstructed windshield. His car was stopped by police near 119th Street and Route 83 at 9:20 p.m. Dec. 1 after police noticed a radar detector atop the dashboard, according to the police report. His vehicle was towed and impounded, and Brunner is scheduled to appear in court in Bridgeview on Tuesday.

Jose L. Aguilar, 24, of Berwyn, was charged with driving without a license, as well as operating a motor vehicle with an expired registration tag, after police curbed his car in the 8000 block of West 123rd Street at 7:27 p.m. Dec. 6. Bond was set at $1,500, and Aguilar is due in court in Bridgeview on Tuesday.

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POLICE BLOTTER: PALOS HEIGHTS Elderly man allegedly throws empty cans at passing vehicles

Palos Heights police charged Wayne E. Paulson, 70, of Worth, with disorderly conduct and criminal trespass to land after he was apprehended in the parking lot of a fast-food restaurant in the 12800 block of South Harlem Avenue at 9:20 a.m. Dec. 8. Witnesses told police that Paulson was throwing empty soda cans at passing cars and holding up a cross to the windows of nearby businesses. Bond was set at $1,500, and Paulson is scheduled to appear in court in Bridgeview on Jan. 28.

Mancharged with aggravated speeding

Police charged Lucas J. Harney, 18, of Burbank, with aggravated speeding after they stopped his vehicle in the 12800 block of

South Harlem Avenue at 2:46 a.m. Sunday.

Police said his vehicle was traveling at 64 mph, almost 30 mph over the posted limit.

Bond was set at $1,000, and Harney is set to appear in court in Bridgeview on Jan. 13.

Five charged with driving on a suspended license

Police charged Hatim A. Elebaid, 47, of Orland Park, with driving on a suspended license, as well as operating a motor vehicle with expired registration. Police curbed his vehicle at 11:56 a.m. Dec. 10 in the 7900 block of West College Drive. Bond was set at $1,500, and Elebaid is due in court in Bridgeview on Jan. 28.

Michael E. Bucki, 22, of Crestwood, was charged with driving on a suspended license after police stopped his vehicle in the 12700 block of South Harlem Avenue

at 11:55 p.m. Dec. 10. Bond was set at $1,500, and Bucki was given a court date of Dec. 29 in Bridgeview.

Police charged Manuel H. Garcia, 27, of Carpentersville, with driving on a suspended license, as well as no proof of insurance, after they curbed his vehicle in the 11900 block of South Harlem Avenue at 7:47 p.m. last Thursday. Bond was set at $2,000, and Garcia is set to appear in court in Bridgeview on Dec. 29.

Shavonne D. Booth, 28, of Bridgeview, was charged with driving on a suspended license, no proof of insurance, and operating a motor vehicle with expired registration.

Her vehicle was pulled over by police in the 11900 block of South Harlem Avenue at 7:51 p.m. Saturday. Bond was set at $3,000, and Booth is scheduled to appear in court in Bridgeview on Jan. 28.

6857 SOUTH PULASKI CHICAGO, IL 60629 (773)585-1850

SCHOOLS

6 Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Regional News

Supplied photo

Eagles score with assist to Lions at Orland Club’s Christmas tree lot

Sandburg High School’s junior varsity and freshman soccer team volunteered early this holiday season to help the Orland Park Lions Club set up its Christmas tree lot at 143rd Street and La Grange Road. Team members unloaded 500 Christmas trees and helped set them up for the sale.

The helpful elves include Nate Carper, Anthony Coffel, Ian Crain, Ryan Frencl, Chase Hase, Luke Kazlauskas, John Kelsey, Lucas Komara, Nick Lazzara, Michael Margas, Frank Mazza, Derek McCurdy, Joey Mustafa, Jayden Perez, Tony Roselli, Frank Connelly, William Marks, Ryan Masters, Seif Masters and Jack Fornaris.

Sandburg AP art students take lessons learned back to Century Sandburg High School Advanced Placement Studio Art students in Dan McCabe’s class returned to their alma mater Century Junior High School in Orland Park to share examples of their artwork and then work with the middle school students on their own projects.

The AP students ran the show, as each student briefly discussed their art course history leading them to AP Art, showed and discussed a few artworks they brought along, and talked about their future in the arts. After

each mini presentation, there was a brief Q&A session before the next student presented.

When all the students finished their presentations, Sandburg students circulated the room showing small groups of kids their work up close.

The middle school kids were highly engaged during the presentations, and especially after as the AP students circulated the room. Students and staff reported there was a lot of discussion around details of the student work.

Century art teacher Susan Berry fa-

cilitated the event. Century Principal Mr. Horn stopped in for a session, and bought the kids pizzas.

“The Century students were great, asked thoughtful questions, and showed genuine interest,” said McCabe. “The Sandburg students were absolutely buzzing on the way home, as they found it to be an enriching experience to be in control of the class and to present in a ‘real-life’ situation.”

— High School District 230

Supplied photos

Joys at Chicago Christian

Chicago Christian High School students and faculty got into the Christmas spirit last week sipping free hot chocolate before school, wearing Christmas sweaters and taking pictures with Santa Claus. Left, juniors Savannah Wawrzyniak, of Worth, and Kayla Kamp, of Orland Park, pose with Santa at the school in Palos Heights. Right, counselor Cristin Lenters and Junior Eli Altena, of Evergreen Park, get their picture taken with Santa in their matching sweaters.

Supplied photo

Sandburg High School Advanced Placement Art students who shared their art with Century Junior High School students are Sarah Dolitsky (from left), Ally Wikstrom, Dempsey Deless, Alesia Karuntzos, Natalie Jachymiak and Jack Pavletic. They are shown with their teacher, Dan McCabe, and Century Middle School teacher Susan Berry.

SCHOOL NOTES Providence Catholic H.S. entrance placement exam Providence Catholic High School will give its incoming freshman placement exam on Saturday, Jan. 10, starting at 8 a.m.

The exam is open to all 8th-graders interested in attending Providence Catholic for the 201516 school year. Pre-registration is not necessary, but there is a $25 testing fee due on the day of the exam. All testers are asked to bring two No. 2 pencils and a completed Student Information Form, which is available on the Placement Exam page of the school’s website. Calculators are not allowed to be used for the exam.

The top 15 scorers on the placement exam will receive a $1,000 scholarship toward his/her freshman year tuition. Significant scholarship and grant opportunities are available to prospective students; information will be provided to students the day of this exam. More than $1.5 million in scholarships and grants were awarded to current students.

Questions? Call Mrs. Rachel Ellingson at

815-717-3160. Providence Catholic is at 1800 W. Lincoln Hwy. in New Lenox. For more information, visit www.providencecatholic.org.

Santa workshop at St. Michael

Holiday Extravaganza offers plays at Sandburg

St. Michael School in Orland Park recently held its Santa Breakfast and Santa Workshop, where students were able to shop for Christmas presents.

Above, among 8th- and 1st-grade partners enjoying Santa Workshop at the start of the holidays are Elizabeth Davidson, Lindsay Hayes, Grace Kupczyk , Mia Pagliero and Gia Shaheen. Collin and Kevin Bartolotta browse the Santa Workshop, left.

Sandburg High School will hold its 2014 Holiday Extravaganza featuring two plays, “A Charlie Brown Holiday LIVE” and “Abiyoyo” this Friday, at 7 p.m., Saturday at 3 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, at 3 p.m.

“A Charlie Brown Holiday LIVE” is based on the popular television special. “Abiyoyo” is based on a South African lullaby/folktale about a child and father who annoy the village they live in with their music and magic, are kicked out of town and then have to use the very things that annoyed the villagers to save them from the scary giant Abiyoyo.

Tickets are $5 and will be available at the door. Proceeds from the show will assist Sandburg students when they travel to Scotland to perform in the prestigious Fringe Festival.

Submitted photos

STUDENT NEWS Shepard High School students who qualified for the Illinois Music Educators Association District 1 instrumental and choir festivals include Tyler Callahan, bass clarinet (from left); Ashley Kamholz, Alto 2; and Larry Lesniak, Bass 1. Students must audition to win selection to the festival, which draws the finest choral and instrumental high school musicians from the south Chicago area.

Supplied photo

Rife & Associates Family Medicine Healthcare For The Whole Family / Accepting New Patients

Dr. Susan Rife Dr. Mark McKeigue Jordan Jackson P.A. Lindsay Gnade, P.A. Joelle Rickey, P.A.

It’s a holiday tradition to wish a Merry Christmas to everyone who’s stopped by to see us this year.

It’s been a pleasure serving you.

10755 W. 163rd Place, Orland Park, IL 60467 Phone (708) 873-1187 Fax (708) 873-1204

The Regional News

COMMUNITY NEWS SENIOR NOTES

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Grandparents raising grandchildren PLOWS support group PLOWS Council on Aging offers a six-session support group for grandparents raising grandchildren starting in January.

Each session will have a specific focus, including financial and legal assistance, building relationships, and caring for oneself along the way. Knowledge-

7

able and experienced guest speakers will provide additional information and guidance.

The first session will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, at the Palos Township office, 10802 S. Roberts Road, Palos Hills.

PLOWS encourages all grandparents raising grandchildren to take advantage of this opportunity. Call PLOWS to register for the sessions or with questions, 361-0219.

SIMPLE GIFTS Orland Fire Dist. toy drive for kids with cancer

Supplied photo

Former library trustees earn Palmer Award

Three former members of the Palos Heights Public Library Board of Trustees were honored with the library board’s George Palmer Award for outstanding service to the library on Dec. 7 for their combined over 50 years of service as library board members.

Shown are Pat Mueller (18 years), from left, Beverly Meyer (23 years), current Library Board President Tim Geary and Bill Poore (12 years). The three honorees served as officers of the board as well as committee chairs throughout the years. All three were heavily involved in the library referendum and renovation in 2002-04.

The George Palmer Award, named for a former Palos Height library board president for whom Palmer Park in Palos Heights is also named, is the highest award the library can bestow.

COMMUNITY NOTES Orland Theater Troupe auditions for USO show The Orland Park Theater Troupe will hold auditions for its next production, A USO Tribute.

Singers, dancers and comedians ages 16 and older may audition on Jan. 5 and 6, at the Old Village Hall, 14413 S. Beacon Ave. The show will include memorable musical pieces from war eras with favorite music from famous per-

CLUB ACTIVITIES Palos Newcomers Club Meeting of the Palos Newcomers Club will resume in March after members enjoyed a luncheon performance of the musical “Camelot” on Dec. 4 at the Drury Lane Theater in Oakbrook.

One need not be a “newcomer” to the Palos area to join this club, which offers bridge and canasta groups, needlepoint and book club, and monthly luncheons with entertainment.

Palos veteran hits 92 today William A. Watt, of Palos Heights, celebrates his 92nd birthday today, Dec. 18.

Bill and Barbara Watt moved into Palos Park with their three children, Larry, Bruce and Amy, in 1960. He still lives in Palos, in Oak Hills Country Club Village.

Mr. Watt is a graduate of Norwich University. He served in World War II as an Army Signal Corps officer in the Philippines. He is shown here on his Honor Flight to the war memorial in Washington, D.C., in 2011, “which was an amazing experience for him,” his family said.

Palos Park police cadets food dive

Area residents and businesses can cheer children and teens fighting cancer by donating a new toy or gift during the Orland Park-based Pediatric Oncology Treasure Chest Foundation annual holiday toy drive.

Toys or gifts may be dropped off now through Dec. 23 at every Orland fire station in Orland Park.

Stations are at 9790 W. 151st St., 15100 S. 80th Ave., 15101 S. Wolf Road, 16565 S. 94th Ave., 8851 W. 143rd St. and 17640 S. Wolf Road.

For information, contact Colleen Kisel at 687TOYS (8697) or visit the POTCF website at treaurechest.org.

The Palos Park Police Cadet program continues its 15th annual holiday food drive now through New Year’s Day. The cadets are accepting donations of non-perishable foods, such as canned goods or boxed goods, at the Palos Park Police Department, 8999 W. 123rd St. All donations will go to the Palos Township Food Pantry, 10802 S. Roberts Road, Palos Hills, which serves families in Palos Township, including Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Hickory Hills, Worth, Willow Springs and parts of Orland Park.

To request a pick-up or for more information, call 671-3770.

HOUSES OF WORSHIP The Wayside Chapel Palos Park Candlelit vesper services are held every Sunday in Advent, at 12:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., in the Wayside Chapel at The Center, 12700 Southwest Highway in Palos Park.

Center pastoral director the Rev. Chris Hopkins

formers including Bing Crosby, the Andrew Sisters, Bob Hope, Judy Garland, Glenn Miller, George Carroll, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and more.

Those auditioning must bring a prepared piece of music with at least 16 measures to sing. Once Heights Library cast, members must pay a registration fee. upcoming events The USO Show will be performed Feb. 27, 28 and March 1 at the Orland Park Civic Center.

The Palos Heights Library will be For more information, call the village Recreation closed Christmas Eve, Wednesday Department at 403-PARK. Dec. 24; Christmas Day, Thursday Dec. 25; New Year’s Eve, Wednesday Dec. 31; and New Year’s Day, Thursday, Jan. 1.

• Featured Database/Product – Schmoop ACT and SAT test prep For more information, call Terry at 448-6598 is provided online and is free to Palos Heights cardholders. Find your writing groove, print out flash The Palos Heights Woman’s Club cards and many more online tools to The Palos Heights Woman’s Club will meet next help you succeed. You can create an on Saturday, Jan. 10, at 11 a.m., at Capri Ristorante, account by visiting www.shmoop. at 123rd Street and Harlem Avenue, Palos Heights. com/signup/palos-heights and enLunch will be served at about noon, followed by tering your library card number. entertainment. For more information or reservations, • The following clubs meet at call Kara at 361-0029. the library, 12501 S. 71st Ave. No registration necessary. Needle club – Bring your projects to the Needle Club, and enjoy the company of others while working, on Tuesday, Dec. 23, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

New members always welcome.

• Mah jongg – Bring your game to play American Mah Jongg on Tuesday, Dec. 23, at 1 p.m. Novice and experienced players welcome.

• Movies that Focus on the Fifties - Pat and Mike on Saturday, Dec. 27; All About Eve, Sunday, Dec. 28; and Harvey, Monday, Dec. 29. All showings will be at 2 p.m.

No registration required.

For information, visit the web-

invites all who wish to meditate upon the meaning of Christmas.

Services this Sunday will focus on the journey of the Magi. The season ends with two services on Christmas Eve, one for families at 3 p.m., and a communion service for adults at 4:30 p.m.

(361-3650)

LIBRARY NOTES

(Puzzle on page 11)

Sudoku Solution #3260-M

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9 3 2 4 7 5

STUDENT NEWS

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Heights Library youth programs • Bluestem Buddies - Students in grades 4-5 are welcome to explore a 2015 Bluestem nominated book each month, and enjoy activities, snacks, giveaways, or crafts inspired by the book at 4 p.m. today (Thursday) at the Palos Heights Public Library, 12501 S. 71st Ave. Registration is appreciated.

• Tween Time - Students in grades 4-5 are invited to have fun with friends and a snack too at 7 p.m. today. Registration is appreciated.

• Fun Fridays - Come to the library for stories, music, treats, and fun this Friday, Dec. 19 at 10 a.m.

Registration is appreciated.

• Lego Builders - Children ages 4 and up are invited to get creative while building with Legos on Sunday, Dec. 21 at 2 p.m. No registration necessary.

• Gaming for Teens – Four ses-

sions during winter break: Monday, Dec. 22, 6-8 pm, Fridays, Dec. 26 and Jan. 2 2-4:30 pm and Tuesday, Dec. 30, 3:30-5:30. Get out of the house and play video games on the big screen in the young adult area. Must be 6th grade or older, no registration required.

• Play-Doh Playdate - the library supplies the Play-Doh, you supply the imagination on Monday, Dec. 22 from 10-11:30 a.m. No registration is required.

• Beach Movie - “Teen Beach Movie” will be shown on Monday, Dec. 22, at 2 p.m.

• App Test Drive - Parents and kids can try out a variety of helpful apps every month and learn how to use them on Monday, Dec. 22 at 7 p.m. No registration is required.

• Last-Minute Gift Making Still need a gift? Stop in at the library to make something special on Tuesday, Dec. 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. No registration is required.

All programs are free and open to everyone at the library. For more information or to register for a program, visit www.palosheightslibrary.org, call 448-1473, or stop by the Youth Services desk.

LEGAL NOTICE VILLAGE OF PALOS PARK PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE The Zoning Board of Appeals Committee of the Village of Palos Park, Cook County, IL has scheduled a public hearing on Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at 7:30 PM in the Council Chambers of the Kaptur Administrative Center, 8999 West 123rd Street, Palos Park, IL to consider the following:

Sudoku

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site at www.palosheightslibrary.org and view our online calendar. All programs are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.

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8 9 4 2 5 6 1 3 7

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© 2009 Hometown Content

ZBA 2015 – 01: Margaret Doyle requests three front yard setback variances from Chapter 1268.02(e) of the Village Park Code to allow construction of an addition to an existing single family residence on the property commonly known as 8112 W. 126th Street in Palos Park. A 20.62 foot variation for a covered front porch, an 11.79 foot variation for a first floor addition, and a 15.25 foot variation for a second floor addition.

The site is legally described as follows: THE EAST 90 FEET OF THE SOUTH 1/3 OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF BLOCK 10 IN FREDERICK H. BARTLETT’S PALOS PARK SUBDIVISION OF THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 26, TOWNSHIP 37 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. PIN Number: 23-26-411-013-0000 All are welcome to attend, testify, and submit evidence. For further information, please contact the Village Community Development Director, Lori Sommers at 708-671-3731 or lsommers@palospark.org Respectfully submitted by: Marie Arrigoni, Village Clerk

Answers

(Puzzle on page 11)

R O G E T S

U T O P I A

S O U S E D

D A G G E R S

B E L L E V U E

A R G U M E N T

T O D O S S C A R E S

E D M L E E A F A T M L O B L O P E P O A R S K T O T I L Y E E N R A D S M U Q U E S E M I T D O T S

E T H I C S H A S A G O

O W N A E R S S C U P O R R I G E F E L E S I D M S S P B L A O U T B R E

T A T E R T O T

A L O E V E R A

B I N D E R S

W I E N I E

P L A C E D

M O R A S S

Answers

(Puzzle from 12-11-14)

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Cardinal Bernardin School in Orland Hills took first place in the elementary division at the Midwest Cheerfest competition held on Dec. 7 at Sandburg High School. More than 80 teams competed in divisions from Mini-All Star to Large High School Varsity. Cardinal Bernardin School is currently undefeated in their competition season.

Shown are (front row) Katie Piko (Orland Park), Grace Hamilton (Orland Park), Veronica Grieco, Brooke Paradowski (Orland Park), Haley Ryan,, Gabi Vittori (Orland Park), Rachel Young, Middle row: Pauline Ochotorena, Rhea Gleespen, Emily Gacek, Ella Coyle (Orland Park), Lauryn Toth (Mokena), Anna Perez (Orland Park), Hailey Wagner, Back row: Julianna Warfield,, Alexis Abran, Madison Gilbert,, Emily Smith (Orland Park), Cloe Dittmer (Orland Park), Makayla Porter (Orland Park), Abby Kieklak and Grace Kehoe (Orland Park)

H B O M B

O O Z I L Y

E N C S

P O O H

P O O K I E

I N N I N G S

A N E N E A L S E V O K R A D I G L E N

S E H T A M G T I G N C D I I T V E E I N

M A T A L I O L E R O W C O M C K T U E R I T S O N S A N C O M A W E R E N

H A L U L T O M O O S P T E P G N O P O P

E T I E N N E R E A N N E X

R E S O N E N D A E E R O

U R A L

P A T E

C R E E P O

S I G N E R

P O T S Y

Robert A. Rita State Representative - 28th Dist.

HEALTH & FITNESS

8 Thursday, December 18, 2014

PICK OF THE LITTER

The Regional News

Little Honey had a stroke?

Connie and I were over at the Palos Country Club checking out their fish dinner last Friday night, which by the way was great. Florida gators love seafood.

As we were leaving the pub, a gentleman came up to me and said he recognized my newspaper column photo and told me that his neighbor, Bob, was just talking about our clinic that very afternoon. I was informed by this stranger that Bob was unhappy with his and his dog Honey’s visit to our clinic and wanted to let people know about our poor service.

I was a little taken aback and proceeded to tell the gentleman what had transpired earlier in the day.

As it turns out Bob’s his little Sheltie went down suddenly in the rear end. There was no pain and no history of an accident. After an examination and radiographs by one of my staff veterinarians, a presumptive diagnosis of Fibrocartilaginous Embolism (FCE) was made. You can think of FCE as a “stroke” of the spinal cord. The spinal cord needs a proper blood supply to maintain normal function and any decrease in blood supply (ischemia) or loss of blood supply (infarction) to any region of the spinal cord, causes spinal cord damage and loss of function.

Blood supply is usually lost when an obstruction (embolus) develops within a blood vessel supplying the cord. FCE occurs when microscopic pieces of an intervertebral disc lodge in the blood vessels that supply the spinal cord. The end result is spinal cord ischemia or infarction. The cause is unknown.

When an FCE occurs, a dog usually dog experiences a sudden onset of neuro abnormalities, which are dependent on the area of the cord affected. The condition is not normally painful as one would see with a herniated disc. Neuro signs do not usually progress, or deteriorate, from their initial severity and are usually worse on one side of the body or in one leg.

FCE is initially suspected in animals based on the history and neurologic examination. Blood tests and X-rays are usually normal. CT scans are also usually normal. MRI is the best test available to diagnose FCE. Unfortunately, there is no specific treatment and basically one must offer good supportive nursing care and allow time for the spinal cord to heal, if it is going to do so. Physical therapy, such as hydrotherapy, may be recommended during recovery.

Supportive care is particularly important for paralyzed pets since these patients may develop bladder infections, urine scaling of their skin, skin ulcers and pneumonia. Steroids and cold laser therapy may also be tried in an attempt to reduce inflammations and speed healing.

The prognosis for FCE depends upon the severity of the signs. Many mild to moderately affected dogs improve over time. Recover may take weeks to months and some dogs do not return to completely normal. Any clinical signs remaining after three to four months are likely to remain.

All of this was explained to Bob while he was in the clinic and several times he was told that we could help him get in to see a neurologist pronto.

JOHN FLEMING

DVM • PrairieStateVet.com

Supplied photo

Swallow Cliff NSDAR chapter Regent Eles Miller (from left) congratulates Conservation Award recipient Patricia Hayes, site steward of the Orland Grassland Volunteers, with Donna Skubic, chapter conservation committee chairman.

Orland Grassland Volunteers leader earns conservation award from DAR Supplied photo

Meet Bridget and Mosley from Evergreen Park.

Each time referral was mentioned, he said he wasn’t going to spend that kind of money. He took Honey home with some medication and nursing instructions and over the course of the day proceeded to call the clinic four times to complain that we weren’t doing enough for his dog. Each time he called he was offered help in securing an appointment with a neurologist and each time he declined.

I know it’s frustrating to him and it’s frustrating to us vets when we know so much about various conditions, but can’t always fix them, as in so many of our cancer patients. So often in veterinary medicine we not only have to deal with the medical conditions presented to us, we have to deal with scared, irrational and sometimes abusive owners.

From talking to my MD friends I know that their problems like this are multiplied by a thousand times (at least). I wasn’t able to tell the restaurant stranger this, but the following morning Bob called in with a report on Honey’s condition. He was quite calm and pleasant, and told the receptionist that Bob was already improving.

The Swallow Cliff Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution presented the NSDAR Conservation Award to Orland Grassland Volunteers site steward Patricia Hayes at its Christmas luncheon last Saturday at the Doubletree Hotel in Alsip.

The NSDAR Conservation Award, a medal and certificate, was given to Hayes in recognition of her 12 years of work “in the preservation of natural resources and outstanding achievement for environmental awareness” in the project to restore the Orland Grassland.

The results of Hayes’ conservation efforts and work with the local community are apparent at Orland Grassland, located at the southern edge of Orland Park and

bounded by LaGrange Road and 104th Avenue on the east and west and by 167th Street and 179th Street on the north and south.

This 960-acre parcel of Forest Preserve land contains the largest contiguous prairie in Cook County and has more than 750 acres of open prairie that are now being restored to also contain wetlands, open ponds, oak savannas, shrub lands, and woodlands.

Winners of NSDAR conservation award must meet several of the following criteria: outstanding volunteer record in educational work (K-12th grade or college), distinguished teaching, major replanting efforts by an individual, wildlife and nature center work, resource management, youth leadership, conservation related media work, and park establishments.

Hayes works with children and adults of all ages as a site steward and volunteer coordinator. She signs school community service hours certificates for student volunteers, and coordinates volunteers to do prairie restoration and to remove invasive species.

She performs conservation-related media and administrative work, and her efforts have contributed greatly to conservation awareness in Orland Park and the surrounding communities. Orland Grassland is an outdoor classroom and a place where both young and old may learn about, enjoy and participate in conservation work. “The DAR values Pat as a community leader and recognizes her integral role in preserving the open space at Orland Grassland for future generations.”

I was born on the prairies where the wind blew free and there was nothing to break the light of the sun. I was born where there are no enclosures.

— Geronimo

Receptionist-cartoonist loves making the residents smile at Smith Crossing On any given week, Monday through Thursday, Laurie Maurisak, lead receptionist for Assistant Living and Health Care, at Smith Crossing, a continuing care retirement community located in Orland Park, greets residents and visitors, handles incoming calls, sets-up onsite medical appointments, and manages paperwork for room changes and maintenance requests, helps prepare calendars and much more.

But the thing she claims to enjoy doing most of all is making people smile.

Not too long ago when a resident was having a difficult day, Laurie placed his photo on the front page of a newspaper and announced he was a candidate for governor. “I gave it to him and he got the biggest kick out of it,” Laurie says.

“He was smiling for days and telling his friends all about it.”

In addition to employing a playful sense of humor, Laurie shares her artistic gifts with residents. Each month, she creates special drawings for those who are celebrating birthdays and other personal milestones, such as anniversaries or Honor Flight Chicago trips.

“I probably draw as many as 10 birthday pictures a month,” Laurie says. “Our residents appreciate them a lot.”

As a young girl, Laurie was always drawing and eventually painted a cartoon scene on her parent’s garage that included Mickey and Minnie Mouse along with Plu-

Photo by Peter Clevering, Trinity Christian College

Senior nursing students Scott Meves and Michael Ippel demonstrate the technology in the college’s simulation lab.

Trinity celebrates high pass rate on board exams for nursing grads Supplied photo

Laurie Maurisak, lead receptionist for Assistant Living and Health Care at Smith Crossing, in Orland Park, stands in front of a mural she created to include characters suggested by residents—Betty Boop, the Tasmanian Devil, Cookie Monster, the Simpsons, the Jetsons, and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, among others.

to set against the Chicago skyline.

Dumbo the elephant was flying overhead. The image gained the attention of neighbors who further encouraged her.

Laurie continues to make murals: A preschool in Hickory Hills features one, and so do several baby rooms and nurseries in homes belonging to friends. A storage room at Smith Crossing also showcases a mural Laurie created to include characters suggested by residents—Betty Boop, the Tasmanian Devil, Cookie Monster,

the Simpsons, the Jetsons, Snow White and the seven dwarfs, among others.

In February, Laurie will celebrate her 10th anniversary at Smith Crossing. She and her husband, Rex, live in Lockport; they have four adult children. According to Laurie, her most significant accomplishment was carrying triplets— Amanda, Amber and Nick—to term, against a specialist’s advice.

Robbie is her youngest.

— Smith Crossing

Trinity Christian College is celebrating the NCLEX-RN pass rate of its nursing graduates. The college reports a pass rate of 95 percent, higher than the national year to date total average of 82.86 percent.* The exams are taken following graduation from a bachelor’s degree-granting nursing program and administered through the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN). According to the website, the NCSBN is the vehicle through which boards of nursing act and counsel together to provide regulatory excellence for public health, safety, and welfare.

Nursing Department Chair Tina Decker credits the high pass rate with the nursing program’s stateof-the-art simulation lab, which provides hands-on training for students; the college’s proximi-

ty to a large number of major Chicago and suburban hospitals through which students complete their clinicals; and Trinity’s dedicated faculty.

“We know each of our students and strive to help each of them succeed,” said Decker.

In addition to the high pass rate percentage of Trinity nursing graduates, the college’s program also experiences a better than average nursing retention rate, something Decker said the

department takes pride in.

Trinity’s nursing program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. For more information about Trinity’s nursing program, visit http://www. trnty.edu/academics/nursing/ nursing.html. *Year to date total January through September 2014; First Time, RN Candidates taking NCLEX Exam.

—Trinity Christian College

HEALTH BEAT Early memory loss education and support

NAMI course for family and friends

PLOWS Council on Aging in Palos Heights and the Alzheimer’s Association offer an eight-week group that provides education, emotional support, and social interaction in a safe supportive environment. Topics may vary but include an overview of early stage memory loss, medical information, legal and financial planning, and navigating social and family relationships.

Date and location are to be determined.

Space is limited. An interview is required prior to attending the group. There is no fee to participate. To register, contact PLOWS Council on Aging at 361-0219.

As a major part of its mission, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) offers a six- week course in the south suburbs for family and friends of persons who are living with a mental illness. This course is free, but prior registration is required. Call Len at 3102038.

Free CPR classes at Orland Township Orland Township, 14807 S. Ravinia Ave., will hold free CPR classes for both seniors and adults ages 16-54 on Tuesday, Jan. 6, at 6:30 p.m. (adults) and Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 1

p.m. (seniors).

The classes will be led by instructors from the Orland Fire Protection District, and certificates will be distributed upon completion. Additional classes, including health-care provider CPR, which includes a certification card, are also held monthly at the fire department’s Station 3. Dates and times are at www.orlandfire.org.

Registration is required. Call 403-4222.

Printed on recycled paper— Please recycle your Newspaper

CONVERSATION REQUIRES LISTENING We have helped thousands of people improve their hearing so they could be part of the conversation again. Schedule a free, hearing screening with us and pick up a copy of our mini-book on the risks of hearing loss to your health. Call 708-599-9500 today.

SERTOMA SPEECH & HEARING CENTERS Nonprofit speech and hearing health care trusted since 1978

For the office nearest you, visit www.sertomacenter.org/locations

BUSINESS

The Regional News

Thursday, December 18, 2014

9

FINANCIAL FOCUS

Seek to balance ‘Risk Tolerance’ and ‘Required Risk’ toward goal

Submitted photo

Marquette Bank employees started volunteering monthly with South Suburban PADS, which shelters the homeless, in October and will continue through April of next year.

Marquette Bank employees feed families served by PADS Marquette Bank employees are dedicating the third Wednesday of every month to feeding those in need by volunteering with South Suburban PADS (Public Action to Deliver Shelter), a program that provides shelter and support services to the homeless in the South Suburbs.

Bank volunteers purchase, prepare and serve meals to more than 70 guests at Our Lady of the Ridge Catholic Church in Chicago Ridge as part of the monthly Cook Team made up of eight or more volunteers.

“As a neighborhood bank it is

our duty to help our community in any way we can, and that includes feeding the hungry in our neighborhoods,” said Betty KoskyHarn, executive vice president at Marquette Bank. “We take great pride in the dedicated employees that give their time every month to help South Suburban PADS.” Marquette Bank also packs weekly lunches for South Suburban PADS through its Lunch Program. Each week a different Marquette Bank branch packs 75 sack lunches consisting of a sand-

wich, drink, fruit and snack and delivers them to South Suburban PADS. Some Marquette Bank employees purchase the food for the lunches and others spend time making the sandwiches and packing the lunches.

Marquette Bank encourages those who are able to help South Suburban PADS to donate online at www.sspads.org or call 754-4357 to learn more about volunteer opportunities.

— Marquette Bank

Like everyone else, you have financial goals.

To help achieve these goals, you may need to invest — and when you invest, you’ll need to take on some risk. But the more you understand this risk, and the better you are at managing it, the greater your potential for staying invested for the long term.

To begin with, then, take a look at these terms: • Risk tolerance — Your risk tolerance is essentially your comfort level with taking risk.

For example, if you have a high tolerance for risk, you may be comfortable investing aggressively. Conversely, if you tend to be risk-averse, you might lean more toward more conservative investment vehicles that offer greater protection of principal.

• Required risk — While the term “required risk” may sound odd, it is actually an integral component of your ability to invest successfully.

Basically, your required risk is the level of risk necessary to help you achieve your investment goals. The higher the return necessary to reach those goals, the more potential risk you’ll need to assume.

As you invest, you’ll need to balance these two aspects of risk. For example, what might happen if you have a low risk tolerance, leading you toward “safer,” low-growth investments, but your goal is to retire early? For most people, this goal requires them to invest in vehicles that offer significant growth potential, such as stocks. And, as you know, investing in stocks entails risk — specifically, the risk that your stocks will lose value. So in this situation, your risk tolerance — the fact that you are risk-averse — is going to collide with your required risk level, the amount of risk you are going to need to take (by investing in stocks) to achieve your goal of early retirement.

When such a collision occurs, you have two choices. First, you could “stretch” your risk tolerance and accept the need to take on riskier investments in exchange for the growth potential you will require. Your other choice is to stay

JIM VAN HOWE

Edward Jones Investments within your risk tolerance and adjust your ultimate goal — which, in this example, may mean accepting a later retirement date.

Obviously, this is a personal decision. However, you may have more flexibility than you might have imagined. For instance, you might feel that you should be risk-averse because you have seen so many fluctuations in the financial markets.

But if you have many decades to go until you retire, you actually do have time to recover from short-term losses, which means you may be able to reasonably handle more volatility. On the other hand, once you’re retired, you won’t have as many years to bounce back from market downturns, so you’ll have less “risk capacity” than you did when you were younger.

In any case, by balancing your risk tolerance and your required risk level — and by understanding your risk capacity — you can be better prepared to take the emotion out of investing.

When investors let their emotions get the better of them, they can make mistakes such as chasing “hot” stocks or selling quality investments due to temporary price drops. By having a clear sense of what risk really entails, however, you may be able to avoid costly detours — and stick with your long-term investment strategy.

Jim Van Howe is a financial advisor with Edward Jones Investments, in Palos Heights. His office is at 7001 W. 127th St. He can be reached at 361-3400. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Military and veterans discount ID COMINGS & GOINGS card available from Cook County New-look Hooters opens in Oak Lawn The holidays present real challenges for military members, veterans and their families. State Rep. Bob Rita, D-Blue Island, wants to bring a little holiday cheer through a program aimed at connecting these public servants with savings.

The new Cook County Military and Veterans Discount Program is jointly administered by the Cook County Recorder of Deeds and Department of Veterans Affairs. It is open to current members of the military, National Guard, reservists and veterans and provides a free Discount Program ID Card with discounts at more than 120 local businesses.

Honorably discharged veterans

and current members of the armed forces can receive a Discount Program ID Card at the Cook County Recorder’s Veterans Service Office, located in Room 120 at 118 N Clark Street in downtown Chicago. Applicants must provide a government-issued photo or military ID. Veterans should bring a copy of their DD-214 or other separation papers indicating their discharge status.

Businesses are also encouraged to register for the program and offer their own promotions. A registration form, as well as a list of participating businesses, is at www.cookrecorder.com/militarydiscount. Registered businesses will be included on the website’s

master list as well as in promotional flyers that are sent to cardholders.

“Every dollar matters at this time of the year, especially for those who fight for our freedom,” Rita said.

“This discount program is a small way we can show our appreciation and help these servicemen and women save money while helping our local businesses. I thank the businesses who provide these discounts and hope they can make a difference for many this year.”

For more information on this program visit the Recorder’s website or contact Rep. Rita’s office at 396-2822 or robertbobrita@ aol.com.

Orland Park

Butkus Adrian to Alexander Stefani, 15643 Westminster Dr, Unit #D, $13,800; Sjo David to Arnold Scott W, 9850 145th Pl, $145,000; Dickerman Bradley to Smith William B Jr, 17727 Bernard Dr, Unit #2D, $117,000; Shader Shirley A Tr to Briedis Dovydas, 15733 Ravinia Ave, Unit #157352W, $157,000; Moscatello Vincent A to Chmuar Miroslaw, 11702 Brookwood Dr, $287,500; Janicek Richard to Christian Douglas, 11147 Wisconsin Ct, Unit #1A, $120,000; Adamczyk Szymon to Diaz Jose, 11751 Mark Ln, $415,000; Stecko Izabela Trust One to

Car wash reopens in Summit

Tornado Car Wash, which closed a couple of years ago reopened last week at 5735 S. Archer Road in Summit, under new ownership.

AREA PROPERTY TRANSFERS Following are the property transfers in the area, according to the latest report, as received from the Cook County Recorder of Deeds Office. The Regional News does not attempt to correct errors made by that office.

Hooters, a restaurant famous for its wings and waitresses who wear tight T-shirts and short shorts, opened its new-look restaurant Monday at 9159 S. Cicero Ave. in Oak Lawn.

The new Hooters will act as a flagship for its Chicago-area locations, according to the Florida-based chain. It was built next to the existing location, which will be torn down and turned into a parking lot for the new building.

The new Hooters is one of the first locations to offer new features and services as the chain looks to revitalize itself.

The restaurant, which is one of the busiest in the Chicago area, opened 15 years ago. It has a new interior and exterior, updated furnishings, video gaming and high definition televisions. The remodel cost about $3 million.

There also is a new, updated menu with even more wing choices along with burgers and salads.

Stecko Roman, 9209 Bedford Ln, $235,000; Kumarich Daniel to Newquist Mark, 14520 Lake Ridge Rd, $330,000; TCF Natl Bk to Abuhamameh Bishara, 13229 Jean Creek Dr, $345,000; Heinz Edward A to Heinz John L Jr Decd, 14325 Raneys Ln, $125,000; Mladic James Charles to Crowley Sara L, 14648 Green St, $185,000; Ochse Matthew to Janeczek Adam, 18228 Clear Creek Crossing, $455,000; Waterhouse Robert L Tr to Barman Mischelle A, 17754 Bernard Dr, Unit #1C, $117,000; Genesis 1 LLC to Crowe Patrick W, 15333 Treetop Dr, Unit #1005, $115,000; Kohr Nancy A to Reynolds Donald F, 8747 Trinity Dr, $188,000; Howdyshell Euth Ellen Tr to Bielawski Stanley J, 15243 Huntington Ct, $162,000.

Palos Heights

Yuhas Anthony to Mehlert Debora S, 13303 S Oakview Ct, Unit #13303, $160,000; Sweiss Ihsan Tr to Sweiss Irar I, 410 Shadow Creek Dr, $400,000; Crrekview Venture Inc to Georgopulos Demosthenes, 414 Shadow Creek Dr, $475,000; Trauscht Peter L to Janda John P, 12102 S 71st Ave, $400,000; Vaskelis Donna M to Provenzano Susan M, 13155 Oak Ridge Trl, Unit #131552B, $155,000.

Panera bails on Beverly

Panera Bread will be closed its sandwich shop at 2314 W. 95th St. in Chicago’s Beverly community Tuesday.

Ald. Matt O’Shea was quoted in a number of news outlets as saying the decision was based, in part at least, because of the recent vote by the city council to raise the city’s minimum wage.

For its part, the company did not address the minimum wage issue when it issued a release about the closing: “For years, the Panera bakery-cafe on 95th and Western has been privileged to serve and feel the support of the community. We continually invest in efforts to improve and renovate bakery-cafes to ensure that our customers have the dining experience they have come to appreciate from Palos Park the brand. Unfortunately, in some locations, it is Marquette Bk Tr to Spe- difficult to achieve the standards we believe will ro Alan J, 11537 Autobahn meet customer expectations. With the expiraDrive East, Unit #11537202, tion of our lease, we have decided to close our $151,000; Taveggia Robert W to Beham Gerald, 11661 Matterhorn Cir, Remember to Unit #11661201, $123,000; recycle this Wachowski Konrad to Grusznewspaper! ka Krystyna, 9818 W Mill Dr, Unit #E2L32, $134,000.

Beverly location on Dec. 16. We will provide opportunities for all associates and managers who wish to continue with our company at other Chicagoland locations. Thank you for all the years of loyalty and patronage; we truly appreciate it and will miss the deep connection to the neighborhood.”

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.

You can also catch up on Comings & Goings in other parts of the Southland at www.southlandbusinessnews.com and www.southlandsavvy. blogspot.com

Stand up and be counted!

Stand up and be counted!

Letters to the Editor in

The Regional Letters to the Editor in News The Regional News Mayor

John F. Mahoney

Village Clerk

Mortgage Rates Around the Area First Midwest Bank (as of Dec. 15) 30-year fixed 15-year fixed 30-year fixed Jumbo

RATES 4.000 3.375 4.125

APR 4.047 3.644 4.170

POINTS 0 0 0

APR 4.011 3.286 3.042

POINTS 0 0 0

APR 4.038 3.802 3.314

POINTS .25 .25 .25

United Trust Bank (as of Dec. 16)

Supplied photo

BOB BONG

30-year fixed 15-year fixed 10-year fixed

RATES 3.990 3.250 2.990

‘Community in Focus’ on TV

Prospect Federal (as of Dec. 15)

Ed McElroy, host of the “Community in Focus” TV show (center), recently interviewed Cook County Commissioner John Daley and Joseph Ahern, CEO of the 100 Club of Chicago. The show will air this Friday, at 5 p.m., and again on Sunday, at noon, on Senior Network Can TV, Channel 19. McElroy is past national commander of the Catholic War Veterans, USA.

30-year fixed 20-year fixed 15-year fixed

RATES 4.000 3.750 3.250

All rates subject to change daily. Equal opportunity lenders.

Marie Arrigoni

Commissioners

James Pavlatos Dan Polk Nicole Milovich-Walters G. Darryl Reed Richard Boehm, Village Manager Barbara Maziarek, Finance Director/Treasurer Joseph Miller, Chief of Police Lori Sommers, Community Development Director Michael Sibrava, Public Works Director Theresa Tevsh, Recreation & Parks Director www.palospark.org

10 Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Regional News

St. Mark Lutheran Church

11007 S. 76th Ave., Worth (708)448-6555 COME CELEBRATE THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS WITH US!

Palos United Methodist Church 12101 S. Harlem Ave. Palos Heights 448-0798

Christmas Eve

December 24, 4:00 p.m.

Sunday, December 14

Candlelight and Communion

Children’s Program “Simply Chistmas” 9:30 & 10:45 a.m.

Wednesday, December 24 Christmas Eve

You are invited by these local churches to join in their holiday fellowship.

10 a.m. Birthday Party for Jesus, Children ages 3 to 8 are welcomed 5:30 p.m., 7 p.m., and 11 p.m. Candlelight Service

Our Lady of the Woods Church

Thursday, December 25 Christmas Day

10731 W. 131st Street Orland Park 708-361-4754 Wednesday, December 24, 2014

10:00 a.m. Traditional Service

Rev. Jay Trygstad • www.stmarkworth.org

Christmas Eve 4:00, 5:30 & Midnight

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Christmas Day 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00

First Church of Christ, Scientist (Christian Science) 12300 S. 80th Ave. Palos Park 448-1808

(church entrance at top of hill on 80th Ave.) We’d love to have you join us this reverent season.

Christmas Service on Sunday, December 21 at 10 a.m.

(Sunday school for children and young people up to the age of 20)

Sunday Services at 10 a.m.

Wednesday Evening Testimony meetings at 7 p.m.

Christmas Eve Services Christmas Eve Services Candlelight andCarols Carols Candlelight and 5pmand and 11pm 5pm 11pm

Care provided for babies and toddlers at all services.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Anticipated Mass, Mary, Mother of God 5:00 p.m.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God 9:30 a.m. & 11:00 a.m.

Christ Lutheran Church 14700 S. 94th Ave. Orland Park 708-349-0431 Fax: 708-349-0668 www.christlutheranorland.com South on 94th Avenue at John Humphrey Drive

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20 & SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21 Service of Lessons and Carols with Holy Communion Saturday, 5:00 p.m., Sunday 8:00 a.m. & 10:00 a.m.

Moraine Valley Church

6300 W. 127th St. Palos Heights IL

Palos Heights Christian Reformed Church

Moraine Valley Church 708-389-1268

7059 W. 127th St. Palos Heights 708-448-0186 www.paloschurch.org Sunday, December 14

morainevalleychurch.org 6300 W. 127th

DAY, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 25 St.CHRISTMAS 10:00 a.m. – Holy Communion NEW YEAR’S EVE, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 31 Palos Heights IL *6:00 p.m. Holy Communion

9:00 a.m. & 10:45 a.m. – Worship Services 6:00 p.m. – Annual Candlelight Service

Sunday, December 21

9:00 a.m. & 10:45 a.m. – Worship Service

Thursday, December 25

10:00 a.m. – Christmas Morning Service

Sunday, December 28

10:00 a.m. – Worship Service

Wednesday, December 31

708-389-1268 The Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd morainevalleychurch.org

7800 W. McCarthy Road Palos Heights (708) 448-4170 Rev. Dr. Wayne A. Basch, Pastor

7:00 p.m. – New Year’s Eve Service

***Childcare is provided at all services.

Friday, December 19

10300 W. 131st St. Palos Park 448-7833 www.pmcucc.org Invites you to

Celebrate the Birth of Jesus with us!

Wednesday, December 24 – CHRISTMAS EVE 4:00 p.m. Harp & Candlelight Service 10:30 p.m. – String Quartet in Sanctuary 11:00 p.m. – Candle Light Service with Caroling and Scripture

The Wayside Chapel at The Center

12700 Southwest Highway, Palos Park (708) 361-3650

Please Join Reverend Chris Hopkins and our Fellowship.

We have two services December 24th, the earlier one for children (in the Anderson Center) and the later one for the general public (in the Lodge).

Christmas Eve, 3 p.m. — Children’s Service Christmas Eve, 4:30 p.m. — Candlelight Communion Service Non-Denominational Services All Welcome Come Celebrate The Glory Of Christmas With Us!

9:00 & 11:00 a.m. – Worship

Fully Accessible Facility *Please note new times

Palos Park Presbyterian Community Church

7:00 p.m. All Choirs Christmas Concert

Sunday, December 21

Peace Memorial Church

CHRISTMAS EVE, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24 *4:00 & 11:00 p.m. – Candlelight Communion Service

Corner of 123rd St. & 88th Ave. Palos Park 708-448-5220 — www.pppcc.org

Wednesday, December 24, Christmas Eve

Pastors John R. Curphey and David M. Carlton

4:00, 6:30 and 10:30 p.m.

Special Music at all Services

Thursday, December 25, Christmas Day 10:00 a.m. – Holy Communion

Sunday, December 14 8:30 a.m. Contemporary Worship Service

St. Alexander Catholic Church

11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship Service

7025 West 126th Street Palos Heights 448-4861

Third Sunday of Advent

Christmas Schedule 2014

9:45 a.m. Advent Learning Opportunities

Sacrament of Reconciliation All Saturdays after 8:00 a.m. morning Mass and after 5:00 p.m. evening Mass

Sunday, December 21

Christmas Masses

8:30 a.m. Contemporary Worship Service

Christmas Vigil – Wednesday, December 24 4:00 p.m. – Church — Contemporary Music Ministry 4:00 p.m. – Parish Center — Children’s Choir 6:30 p.m. – Church — Traditional

11:00 a.m. Traditional Worship Service

Christmas (Midnight Mass) – Wednesday, December 24 11:15 p.m. Choir and Carol Prelude Mass begins at Midnight

Fourth Sunday of Advent

9:45 a.m. Christian Education Hour

Wednesday – Christmas Eve, December 24 Christmas Eve Services 4:00 p.m. Contemporary Family Service

Christmas Day – Thursday, December 25 7:00 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

(Please note there is no 6:00 p.m. Mass)

8:00 p.m. Traditional Family Service

MARK YOUR CALENDARS Spiritual Growth Weekend

New Year’s Day Masses Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God Wednesday, December 31 — 5:00 p.m. — Vigil Thursday, January 1 — 9 a.m. & 10:30 a.m.

Friday, January 30th – Saturday, January 31 Dinner – 6:00 p.m. Breakfast – 8:30 a.m.

Presentation 7 p.m-9 p.m. Presentation 9 a.m.-1:p.m.

Sign Up Beginning December 14

DEATH NOTICES Janice E. Barry Janice E. Barry passed away in Wentzville, Missouri on December 6, 2014 at the age of 95.

Beloved Wife of the Late Jasper “Bud” Barry.

She is survived by her Daughter Patricia (Rev. James R. Tony) Tony of Wentzville, MO. Her Granddaughter Kara LiVecche and Grandson Rev. Jonathan Tony.

She is preceded in death by her Father Robert F. Todd her Mother Amy Todd nee Young.

And Her Brother Robert Todd, Jr. A service was held at the Dardenne Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014 and burial will take place in the Hartford Cemetery in Croton,

Marion V. Bonnema

Marion V. Bonnema, nee Dyka, 88, of Orland Park, died on Dec. 12.

Visitation was held at Colonial Chapel funeral home in Orland Park on Dec. 15 until time of the funeral service at the funeral home. Interment was private at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood.

Mrs. Bonnema is survived by her

Ohio on Thursday Dec. 18.

2014.

Janice was faithful to the Lord and was very active in her church. She was great with numbers, loved to read and was a wonderful seamstress, also enjoyed spending time with her family and loved being with her grandchildren.

Janice was previously from Croton, OH, Hamburg, NY, and Palos Park, IL. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her.

Memorials to the Palos Park Presbyterian Community Church 12312 S. 88th Ave. Palos Park, Illinois 60464 would be appreciated.

For additional information please call Van Henkelum Funeral Home 708 448-3530.

Chapel funeral home in Orland Park on Dec. 14. A funeral service was held at the funeral home on Dec. 15. Interment was private.

Mr. Karlson is survived by his sons, Jay, Eric and Keith; his daughter, Jill; his sister, Beverly Karlson, and was the grandfather and uncle of many.

Mr. Karlson was born in Chicago.

He was self employed, sheet metal worker. He had 40-plus years of service with the Orland Fire Protection District as a firefighter and elected trustee.

John D. Lubben

John D. Lubben, 89, of Orland Park, died on Dec. 11.

Visitation was held at Colonial Chapel funeral home in Orland Park on Dec. 17 until time of the funeral service.

Interment was at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood.

Mr. Lubben is survived by his daughter, Gail Mehra; five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. daughter, Kathi Barker; six grandchilMr. Lubben was born in Chicago. dren and eight great-grandchildren. He was a longtime employee of IlliMrs. Bonnema was born in Mich- nois Bell, after taking early retirement igan. She was a homemaker. a became a real estate broker for Re/ Max. He served in the Army Air Dale H. Karlson Forces during and after World War II. Dale H. Karlson, 76, of Wilmington, died on Dec. 4 at University of Bernice Raubiskis Chicago Hospitals.

Bernice Raubiskis, nee Jocius, 94, Visitation was held at Colonial of Palos Park, died Dec. 14 at Holy

Family Villa in Palos Park.

Beloved wife of the late George Bartkus and the late Albert Raubiskis.

Devoted mother of Robert (Carol) Bartkus, William Bartkus and Cynthia Bartkus. Loving grandmother of Joseph, Elizabeth, Cynthia, Peter and great grandmother of Brynn, Brandon and Avery. Visitation was held Wednesday until time of Mass, at Holy Family Villa Chapel, in Palos Park. Interment St. Casimir Lithuanian Cemetery.

Mr. Raubiskis was a homemaker.

She was a member of Sisters of St. Casimir Auxiliary.

was held at St. Michael Church in Orland Park on Dec. 13. Interment was at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Worth.

Mr. Troller is survived by his daughters, Suzanne Walsh, Jane Wood and Rita Troller; his sons,

William Sayre

William “Bill” Sayre, of Palos Heights, age 92.

Visitation was held at Kosary Funeral Home in Evergreen Park on Dec. 13 until time of funeral service at the funeral home. Interment private.

Loving father of Marc and Alyssa, grandfather of seven and nieces, nephews and other relatives. In lieu of flowers, memorials appreciated to Shriners Hospital for Children, 2900 Rocky Point Dr. Tampla, FL 33607.

John Jr. and Michael; his sister, Emily Preuss, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Mr. Troller was born in Chicago. He was an engineer with Continental Can Co. He served in the Army during World War II.

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John E. Troller Sr.

John E. Troller Sr., 88, of Orland Park, died on Dec. 7.

Visitation was held at Colonial Chapel funeral home in Orland Park on Dec. 12. A funeral Mass

Owned and Operated by the Mintle Family

10701 S. Harlem Ave. Worth, IL 708.448.6000 “Your Neighborhood Funeral Home”

The Regional News

Thursday, December 18, 2014

PHOTO MEMORIES FROM THE REGIONAL ARCHIVE

11

CROSSWORD PUZZLE "Cheesy Films"

50 Years Ago This Week

File photo from Dec. 17, 1964

Pam Stancik, Dave Peterson, Roy Lane and Mike Manning (kneeling) members of the Methodist Youth Fellowship loading the big trailer truck with paper from the Sunday afternoon pick up. Nearly 12 tons were collected in the drive.

Across 1 Decayed, like metal 7 Catty comment 11 Bar obligation 14 Actor Peter 15 European volcano 16 "Open, sesame" speaker 17 Cheesy film starring Marlon Brando? (with "The") 19 Huge amount 20 Downs or salts 21 Lane of Metropolis 22 Something to plant 23 Formal wear 24 Group of nations 25 Don't go straight 26 Bummed, say 27 Animation or spirit 28 Athlete 30 Ascends to a height 32 Paces 33 Cheesy film starring Michael J. Fox? 36 Knock off the track 37 Certain locks 38 "Let's Stay Together" singer 40 Vicious fellow?

41 Typing test stat.

44 One using Elmer's 45 Silly Sandler 47 Storage structure on a farm 48 Tiffany merchandise 49 Feeling superior 50 Old fishing tool 51 "WALL-E" love interest 52 Cheesy film starring Humphrey Bogart?

54 Series, in cards 55 Cast forth 56 Some navels

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57 Spot for a scene 58 Round specks 59 Canine categories Down 1 Popular thesaurus 2 More perfect world?

3 Drunk as a skunk 4 Minor errands 5 Jack of old westerns 6 OED offering 7 Tagalong's cry 8 Morals 9 Dollar bills 10 Kind of chest 11 Deep-fried mouthful

12 Medicinal juice 13 Some school supplies 18 Among the best in the league 22 Billows 24 "Revolver" musician 25 Styled in the salon 27 More dawdling 29 Undercard match, for short 30 Gives the willies to 31 Pig abode 33 City near Seattle 34 Debater's activity 35 Gives it a shot 36 Cloaks' partners

39 "Your wish is my command" 41 Frank 42 Arranged 43 Quagmire 46 Does a housecleaning task 47 Flurry 49 Wrestling with the big guys 50 Speak thickly 52 Abbr. in a math textbook 53 Try for an apple

(Answers on page 7)

Sudoku Puzzle #3260-M

1 2 6

3 8 4 7

25 Years Ago This Week

File photo from Dec. 21, 1989

The Children’s Farm is Palos Park holds live nativity performances by the Home of the Clovers 4H Club weekends through December. Wisemen Carrie Carlson, Kelly Garofalo and Sunny Humikowski visited Mary and Joseph (Rosemary and Joey Brooks) and other 4H members at the manger. Live animals from the farm are carefully handled by the club members during the show.

3 4 5 7

4 3 1 2 5

1 9 7 6 4 9 8 1 4 2 5 7 © 2009 Hometown Content

3 8 6 4

The object of the game is to fill all the blank squares with the correct numbers.

Each row of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order.

Each column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order.

Each 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9.

(Answers on page 7)

Medium

IMPRESSIONS

These holiday songs tower over all the others

“I’ll tell you what, if I hear Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer one more time, I’m gonna go up on a tower with a high-powered rifle.’’

Those were the words of wisdom from Peter Buck in REM’s holiday tune “Christmas Griping,’’ which is a sort of rap set to the beat of a poor man’s “Tusk” while the boys talk about throttling the person who invented fruitcake and having nightmares about Burl Ives.

Like Buck, a lot of people are driven crazy by some Christmas carols. Many of them are lame and sung lamely by lame artists. My daughter Lauren makes me listen to Justin Bieber’s version of “The Christmas Song” in which he sings “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…” and the word “fire” seems like it has 13 syllables. If I have to hear that one again, I may join Buck on the tower.

But there are some good Xmas tunes out there.

I have about 100 or so in my iPod, including the aforementioned REM gem. Like most people, I listen to a batch of them around this time of year.

Unlike a lot of people, I will play some of them on days when the temperatures are in the 90s and 100s. But only for a few minutes.

Last week, we asked people in our Viewfinder to tell us their favorite Christmas carols. Today, it’s my turn. Out of the 100 or so holiday songs from my collection of oddball and traditional songs, here are my 12 favorite in reverse order.

12. The 12 Gifts of Christmas by Allan Sherman. This novelty song features Sherman merrily singing about the 12 gifts he will return, including a statue of a woman with a clock where her stomach ought to be and a Japanese transistor radio. Over the years, I haven’t enjoyed the song as much when I found comedy’s Santa Claus was really sad and miserable most of the time.

It’s still a fun song, though.

11. I Saw Three Ships by Blackmore’s Night.

Ritchie Blackmore’s guitar riff in “Smoke on the Water” by Deep Purple is a classic and lately he’s been heavily involved with a project in which they play a bunch of songs in a Renaissance style. Break out the mandolins and flutes. This Christmas ode is no “Smoke on the Water” but it is special.

10. Let Me Sleep by Pearl Jam. Eddie Vedder’s haunting voice sings about a lost soul – possibly a hobo – thinking about the magic of Christmas when he was younger. But this Christmas he just wants to sleep. It’s kind of a downer with a

JEFF VORVA trace of sentiment.

9. Silver Bells by REM. The Athens boys are just horsing around here, singing this classic with a hillbilly twang but for some reason, it works!

8. Little Saint Nick by the Beach Boys. Dismiss them as just a hot rod and summer band if you will, but these guys save some serious harmonic chops and show it on their “Christmas Album.” This song was the best of the batch with “Merry Christmas Baby” not far behind.

7. The Christmas Song by the Ravonettes.

I am not a big fan of the Ravonettes and less of a fan of slow songs, but for some reason this original song has an old 50s or 60s-ballad feel that strikes me just right. It really should be a classic. Maybe in 20 years.

6. Jingle Bells by Yello. It’s basically the Swiss electronic pioneers’ hit “Oh Yeah” meets “Jingle Bells” but it works. The group probably just mailed this in as a song for the soundtrack for the 1995 film “The Santa Clause” but it’s fun and bouncy in which sleigh bells meets electronic gizmos.

5. Feliz Navi-nada by El Vez. The Mexican Elvis Presley impersonator turns out a wicked version of this song with the punky “Public Image” riffs in the background. Wild stuff. It should make even the Scrooge-like Johnny Rotten smile, since he wrote the background tune.

4. Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight) by the Ramones. My favorite group of all time came up with a novelty tune in which the so-called brudders dialed down the punk guitars and added sleigh bells. The song is about a couple who are fighting during the holidays and the video of the tune ends with an elf throwing up in a toilet. Nothing says Christmas more like an elf barfing!

3. Jingle Bells by Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters. Crosby is insanely famous for his version of “White Christmas” but for my money, his bouncy version of “Jingle Bells” with the iconic Andrews Sisters is superior. Aside from the

Who would have ever thought that Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” would mix well with the Ramones “Blitzkrieg Bop?’’ Well it works so well that it became Vorva’s favorite holiday song.

great vocal talent, we have a hot band swinging away toward the end of the tune.

2. Little Drummer Boy by Sparks. One of the quirkiest musical acts around (“Eaten by the Monster of Love,” “Ugly Guys With Beautiful Girls,” “Angst in My Pants” and “Pretending to Be Drunk” are just a few of their song titles) play it straight on this live BBC rendering of the classic. It’s always been one of my favorite Christmas songs growing up and the Mael brothers make it greater.

1. Blitzkrieg Santa by Divide and Kreate.

Some mashups work. Many don’t. This one is great as it mashes the Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” with the Jackson 5’s version of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.’’ No, I never thought that highvoiced Michael Jackson before puberty would ever be able to blend in with the Ramones, but there you go.

As a bonus, my favorite Christmas song title is “I Farted on Santa’s Lap (Now Christmas is Going to Stink For Me) by the Little Stinkers but it didn’t find its way to the Top 12.

If you have any suggestion of odd favorite carols, let me know at thereporter@comcast.net.

WHATIZIT?

Photo by Jeff Vorva

Oh, oh, oh.

It was a very un-merry Christmas for the few guessers who tackled last week’s photo. It was Santa’s beard, which is also a song by the quirky group, They Might Be Giants. It’s also another song by the Beach Boys but that would have been too easy of a clue. We’ll try to make it up this week with an easier.

Theresa and George Rebersky of Worth were first with the right answer.

Worth’s Robert Solner nailed it and Evergreen Park’s Bernie Mysliwiec knew it was the TMBG song and not some reference from the movie with the same name.

Incorrect guesses were of a snow monkey, the Abominable Snowman, a boa and the unfortunate guess of “We have come to the conclusion that this is not Santa’s beard, so we are going with the Great Pyrenees dog.’’

This week clue, think a “top’ hit for Neil Diamond.

Good luck and get those guesses to us by SUNDAY night (earlier holiday deadlines ) at thereporter@ comcast.net with WHATIZIT? in the subject line. Don’t forget your name and home town.

12 Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Regional News

Photos by Joan Hadac

Showing his best North Pole form at the event was Santa Claus, who skated on the Centennial Park ice rink with people of all ages and stopped to chat with children and hear their last-minute Christmas gift requests.

Girl Scouts’ tree at Village Green is People’s Choice award winner Girl Scout Troop 60349 won third place and also the People’s Choice Award in the Palos Park tree-decorating contest, judged during the tree-lighting festivities on Dec. 5. Above, Scouts are shown with their trophies and village Commissioner Nicole Milovich Walters (above). First place went to the Palos Park Woman’s Club, as we reported last week.

Community groups trim trees at Skate with Santa in Orland As skaters glide across the ice behind them, Oak Forest residents Camryn King, 5, (right) and her sister, Makayla, 8, toast marshmallows by a nearby fire pit.

from

Palos TownshiP Colleen Grant schumann, Supervisor Jane nolan, Clerk Robert E. Maloney, Assessor Gene adams, Highway Commissioner TrusTees

sharon Brannigan • Michael lebarre Richard C. Riley • Brent woods Orland Park School District 135 Superintendent Janet Stutz (from left), Board President Joseph La Margo, and Orland Park Trustees Patricia A. Gira and Daniel Calandriello share a few smiles as they stand in front of a Christmas tree decorated by District 135 students, faculty, staff and administrators Sunday at Centennial Park. The tree was one of eight decorated by local Zach Heuser, 9, of Orland Park, shows off a tree that he and other students organizations. helped decorate.

Beverly Environmental, LLC

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Warmest thoughts and best wishes for a joyous holiday season.

The City of Palos Heights Mayor Robert Straz City Clerk Thomas Kantas Treasurer Frank Oswald Aldermen

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Sports S

The Regional News - The Reporter

outhwest

Ken Karrson, Sports Editor sports@regionalpublishing.com

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Section 2 Page 1

Eagles rested, but not rusted Time off offers payoff as Eagles beat Steelmen

By Ken Karrson

shot 80 percent in the first quarter and jumped out to a 20-15 Receiving two weeks’ notice advantage. Joliet Central never is an ominous occurrence in the retreated, but it also did not fulworkplace. ly recover from the early blows Todd Allen’s basketball-related as it suffered a 76-66 SouthWest concern was whether or not his Suburban Conference Blue loss in Sandburg players would experi- Orland Park. ence any ill effects from having “I was real happy because I two weeks off. A scheduling quirk thought we were pretty much in left the Eagles sitting idle after control the whole game,” Allen their break-even appearance at said. “They’re a team that plays the Hinsdale/Lyons Thanksgiving a lot of guys who are athletic and tournament and 14 days elapsed likes to play up-tempo, but we had before Sandburg took the court a long time to prepare for them again. and we knew what kind of game “I was a little leery of how we’d we were in for.” play in our first home game and The Steelmen, however, may after being off for that long,” Al- not have known. Used to dislen said. “We were getting a little rupting opposing teams with its antsy at practice playing against aggressive style, Joliet did only each other, but we have a lot of moderate damage in that regard guys that don’t have a lot of expe- as the Eagles (3-3, 1-0) finished rience so I think [the down time] with a baker’s dozen worth of worked to our benefit.” turnovers, a total Allen considered It certainly gave Allen and his more than acceptable. coaches plenty of opportunity to “I had told our guys [beforeget ready for Friday night’s op- hand] if we had 12 [or less], I’d ponent, unbeaten Joliet Central. be really happy,” he said. “They That was good news when tan- really pressed us, but we had said, gling with the fast-pace-favoring ‘If you break it, you’ll get good Steelmen and it ultimately paid shots.’” dividends.

That much was borne out by Behind eight points from Tom- a shooting percentage over 50, Photo by Jeff Vorva my Demogerontas, three 3s from not to mention plenty of trips to Sandburg’s Tommy Demogerontas ponders his next move while getting support from band members Friday night in Orland Park.

Niko Kogionis and another long Demogerontas scored a career-high 28 points to help the Eagles knock off previously undefeated Joliet Central 76-66 in a SouthWest ball from Peter Paxinos, Sandburg (Continued on page 5) Suburban Conference Blue game.

Positive senior moments

Pained on the glass

Rebounding woes Trio of upperclassmen carry Chargers past Griffins cost Knights vs. Illiana

By Ken Karrson

has created a wider learning curve than usual for Stagg and The term “senior moments” it also had to do without its most does not carry with it positive game-tested athlete, Jeff Goral, a connotations. few times because of injury.

It usually refers to an act of forGoral was back in action Thursgetfulness, but Stagg remembered day after lobbying Daniels for a resomething Thursday thanks to a turn and receiving clearance from trio of senior players: how to win. the team doctor and immediately The Chargers have done a lot made his presence felt. But Goral of that during John Daniels’ 12- wasn’t the only senior having an year coaching tenure but not so impact against Lincoln-Way East. much this season. Acclimating five Fellow upperclassmen Joe Zasophomores to the varsity game remba and Brett Stratinsky did

as well. Together the three seniors supplied the Chargers with 29 points and 11 rebounds, an exhibition good enough to propel Stagg to a 56-47 SouthWest Suburban Conference Blue triumph over the Griffins.

That victory was sandwiched between a pair of losses suffered in Addison Trail’s holiday tournament. But it was still enough to give Daniels reason to grow more optimistic.

“The kids played hard [against

Lincoln-Way East] — if we would have played this way at Thanksgiving, I think we would have won a couple more games,” he said.

“The first step to success is competing and we did the little things better. That’s the key coming out of this [past] week [and] it was encouraging.”

What aided the Chargers (26, 1-1) on Thursday was a better-than-usual getaway. With the

By Ken Karrson

Chicago Christian is broken on the glass.

Maybe that’s not entirely true, but what is a fact is the Knights are having trouble rebounding the ball this season. Except for a strong performance against an overmatched Walther Christian Academy squad last Tuesday, Chicago Christian has been on the (Continued on page 6) short end of most board battles, including Friday night versus visiting Illiana Christian.

The Vikings and Knights again belong to the same conference after a few years apart, although that will change once more in the near future when Illiana moves its campus from Lansing to northwest Indiana and drops its association with the IHSA. In the meantime, though, emotions still run high in head-to-head meetings between the Vikings and Chicago Christian.

But Illiana, which entered Friday’s contest with a 7-0 ledger, seemed to possess a little more of it on this occasion. That was certainly the case in the rebounding department, where the Vikings’ eight first-quarter boards represented half of the Knights’ game total.

Chicago Christian still managed to exit that period ahead by a deuce, but Illiana erupted for 20 points in the second stanza and never again trailed as it bagged a 52-37 Metro Suburban Conference victory in Palos Heights.

“They’ve got a little height, some speed and outside shooting,” Knights coach Kevin Pittman said of the Vikings. “And they’re physical and rebound pretty well, which is the last thing in the world we needed to see.

“I have really good kids — me being the dean of students, I’m thrilled about that. As a basketball coach I’d like to see them not be so nice. If someone comes out and Photo by Jeff Vorva puts one on us, we shrink.

Stagg sophomore John Contant follows the flight of his 3-point shot, which was on the mark last Thursday against Lincoln-Way “They [figuratively] punched us East. The Chargers defeated the Griffins 56-47 in Palos Hills to square their SouthWest Suburban Conference Blue record at 1-1.

in the mouth and we didn’t do anything. You have to play through some things, [but] right now we’re not tough enough. That’s all rebounding and defense is — toughness.”

Chicago Christian’s cause wasn’t helped by either the loss of forward Bradford Fitzpatrick to an ankle sprain in the second quarter or center Jay Spencer’s foul trouble, which put him on the bench with his fourth early in the third frame. But the situation had grown unfavorable before Spencer was forced to sit.

Looming largest in the pivotal second period was Matt Zandstra (18 points), who nailed three of Illiana’s four 3s during that session and added a layup just before halftime. Compounding the Knights’ misery were eight turnovers of their own as the Vikings staked themselves to a 26-17 advantage at the break.

“Against good teams every mistake you make gets magnified,” Pittman said. “That 20-point quarter absolutely killed us.”

Pittman felt Fitzpatrick’s injury “should have been something we were capable of playing through,” but he cited “poor shot selection [and] poor transition defense” as culprits in Chicago Christian’s struggles. The Knights (3-5, 1-2) did climb within 34-30 with less than 2 ½ minutes remaining in the third quarter, but a 7-1 Illiana run capped by Chandler Kimmel’s three-point play pretty much quieted Chicago Christian for good.

Trevor Wolterink netted 21 points for the Knights, but the production dropped off dramatically behind him. Marcus Parker’s seven points were Chicago Christian’s second-highest total.

The Knights hit just 10-of41 field-goal attempts and were out-rebounded by a massive 4216 margin. With its 14 offensive boards Illiana was able to satisfactorily overcome its own 20-of(Continued on page 4)

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2

Section 2 Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Regional News - The Reporter

BARTOSH

Glad to be a Gladiator invitee Reprinted from Feb. 21, 2008 Anyone who has reached — or even approached — middle age understands the concept of sagging.

Except in the case of freaks like Sylvester Stallone, previously well-toned bodies have a tendency to be undone by gravitational pull once individuals enter their fifth or sixth decade on the planet. And I even have my doubts about Stallone, whose acting chops reveal him to be more robot than man.

For those of us to whom the term “well-toned” describes the sound emanating from our stereo speakers, middle age can be even more cruel. On the plus side, we obviously have less to lose in both muscularity and self-esteem.

So given my current state of not-in-shape, imagine how thrilled and confused I was to receive an e-mail from someone connected with “The American Gladiators,” a show once relegated to television’s wee hours and an off-brand network, but magically resurrected by NBC and placed in a prime-time slot.

(Who says the TV writers’ strike didn’t negatively affect the public in any tangible manner?)

Since my picture doesn’t run at the top of my column, the folks at “American Gladiators” must have mistaken me for someone much younger and fitter. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have read these words in the e-mail: “We’re on the prowl for extreme athletes, adrenaline junkies and badass weekend warriors who have what it takes to compete in Gladiator Arena. If you’ve been tuning-in to Monday night’s episodes thus far, you know what kind

of bone crunching, hard hitting action goes on between these Gladiators and Competitors ... and we’re just getting started!

Join us in pumping up our open casting call in CHICAGO as we search for next season’s exceptionally skilled athletes to hang with the likes of Titan, Mayhem and Crush!”

After counting up the myriad grammatical mistakes and wondering if perhaps Titan or Mayhem had written the message, I re-read it to make sure it really was meant for me. I didn’t see anything that would have indicated otherwise, so then I contemplated what category best fit me.

“Extreme athlete?” Unless that means getting extremely winded after playing a computerized basketball game, I don’t think this is the one.

“Adrenaline junkie?” I don’t know — do snack foods give you an adrenaline rush or just a cholesterol one?

“Bad-[butt] weekend warrior?” Sorry, my behind’s getting plopped in an easy chair every chance I get on a weekend.

Personally, I’m getting a bit long in the tooth for “bone-crunching, hard-hitting action.” I prefer to pursue such things vicariously these days by watching rugged endeavors like ultimate fighting, rugby, kickboxing and women jostling to be the first in line at a 2-for-1 shoe sale played out by tougher competitors than I. I remember the original “American Gladiators,” hosted by former NFL players Mike Adamle and Larry Csonka.

Csonka was no shrinking violet in his heyday, but I’m guessing he’d have come in second-best against some of those gladi-

ators. The males would have probably given him quite a tussle, too.

Some of those people bordered on frightening, but then I’ve always been leery of monosyllabic Neanderthal types, particularly if they’re close enough to slap a headlock on me. Having that done in front of a television audience by somebody’s muscle-bound sister never held much appeal to me.

I don’t know if the current “Gladiators” is any different, though I’m guessing not. Why mess with a formula that worked so well for so short a time before?

But as far as what they want from me, I’m at a loss.

I couldn’t have effectively competed before, when I was in A-1 — OK, make that 4-F — condition. How could I possibly avoid completely embarrassing myself now?

Maybe there’s some other competition involving the gladiators. After all, I wouldn’t mind matching up with them in more intellectual activities, such as simple addition and finishing a complete sentence.

Somehow, though, I don’t think I’ll get that lucky.

So I must say, “Thanks, but no thanks” to the invitation.

I appreciate being thought of, particularly when I’m being thought of as someone possessing vast physicality, but I must be realistic. Being an “American Gladiator” just isn’t in my future.

I will treasure the e-mail, however, and I intend to print it out so I can show it to everyone I know. It’ll let them see just how close I came to being on television.

Not to mention a full-body cast.

Not busyness as usual RedHawks manage to win ESCC opener in hectic week

By Ken Karrson Playing four games in six days is nothing for a baseball team.

For a basketball squad, however, a similarly packed schedule can present plenty of hurdles, foremost among them being the onset of fatigue. That’s why hoops coaches generally refrain from dealing with such a slate.

But that was the assignment Marist boss Gene Nolan placed in front of his players last week, and the busyness came with an added feature: the RedHawks’ East Suburban Catholic Conference opener. The matchup with St. Patrick followed two games within Marist’s holiday tournament and was a precursor to Saturday’s clash with DePaul Prep in the ESCC-Chicago Catholic League Shootout at St. Rita.

The Rams got the better of the RedHawks, as did TF South, which put the first black mark on Marist’s ledger after six consecutive wins last Monday. Most important to Nolan, though, was that confrontation with the Shamrocks — and the RedHawks picked that exact time to perform a great-escape routine.

Except for a 3-2 deficit near the start of the contest St. Pat’s never trailed, and as the fourth-quarter clock ticked down Marist appeared destined to fall short. But before time ran out the RedHawks caught up to — and then passed — their foe.

Jeremiah Ferguson’s steal and layup handed Marist a 40-38 ad-

vantage. Chamar Hawkins hit a basket right after that to extend the lead and the Shamrocks failed to answer.

A missed layup, two errant free throws and an off-target 3-point try earmarked St. Pat’s closing possessions. Brian Barry (two) and Ferguson then closed out a 45-41 win with free throws.

“It was a well-played game, [but] we were fortunate late in the game,” Nolan said. “I thought our kids played very hard and our effort was outstanding, and so was [the Shamrocks’]. It was two teams that really brought it.

“It was a big early season game and getting a win like this early was big in order to gain [more] confidence. It helped the kids realize we can be a team that can do great things.”

One of the best things Marist (8-2, 1-0) did here was lock down St. Pat’s two biggest offensive threats. Four-year varsity player Nick Coleman, the ESCC’s top returning scorer, was held to three points by Ferguson while Kevin Lerma drew Adrian Pierzynoski as his defensive assignment and limited the Shamrock to seven points.

“We always talk about making unknowns beat us,” Nolan said. “The kids did a great job [of stopping St. Pat’s].”

The Shamrocks committed 19 turnovers, two more than the RedHawks, and six of those occurred in the second period, paving the way for Marist to recover from a sub-par opening stanza. The

RedHawks notched four baskets off those miscues, two of them Hawkins dunks.

Hawkins ended the night with 19 points, nine rebounds and three steals. Ferguson also did his part on the offensive side as he tallied 16 points, grabbed five rebounds, doled out four assists and made three steals.

TF South 53 Marist 43 The Rebels had a tall order for the RedHawks on Monday as 6-foot-7 Brandon Johnson presented a potential matchup nightmare for the locals. Johnson scored only 13 points, though, not enough to inflict great pain upon Marist.

The RedHawks harmed themselves in the early going with seven turnovers and then were unable to hit the mark with a couple of late 3-point attempts that would have knotted the score.

“You always want to be consistent and great at the end,” Nolan said. “I thought we got better in terms of ball security as the game went on, but we just did not make enough plays, offensively and defensively, down the stretch. We could not get stops in the half-court.”

Despite its mistake-prone tendencies at the outset, Marist was charged with just 10 others over the last three periods. A bigger problem was 42 percent fieldgoal shooting — which included a 2-of-14 display from 3-point (Continued on page 6)

Reversing the roles Bulldogs gain traction by downing Rebels

By Ken Karrson

attached to their current-season resume, the Bulldogs suddenly Richards and TF South prac- viewed the Rebels as a barometiced a little role reversal Friday ter. And first-year Richards coach night.

Jevon Mamon told his players that Ever since winning a state title very thing. in 2008 the Bulldogs have been “We said we’d see Friday what a program against which many kind of character we had by how other teams measure themselves. we played,” he said. “We weren’t That’s particularly true of squads very pleased about that [45-42 looking to raise their reputation setback to Bremen] and we talked from pretender to contender, about having some grit and not something the Rebels were once losing three straight. We had a seeking to do, as beating someone solid two days to prep for South of Richards’ caliber is a great way and that was probably the best to make progress. ball we’ve played, at least in the Fast forward to December of first half.”

2014 and TF South has become Mamon likely wouldn’t get one of the south suburbs’ better much of an argument from coachcontingents, a theory given validi- ing counterpart John O’Rourke ty by several noteworthy wins this as to the Bulldogs’ effectiveness. fall. One of its most recent was Richards’ defense forced TF South against Eisenhower, which had into seven turnovers on its first blasted its District 218 rival from nine possessions and the host RebOak Lawn by nearly 30 points at els never did get righted before Thanksgiving. halftime.

With that loss, another one-sidNo field goals in the second ed one to Hillcrest and a nail-bit- quarter compounded TF South’s er versus Bremen last Tuesday misery and it fell into a 31-18 hole.

The Rebels made a second-half charge and closed to within two in the waning moments, but a couple Ameen Hussein free throws applied the finishing touches to a satisfying 54-50 South Suburban Conference crossover triumph in Lansing.

“Now we’ve seen the type of ball we’re capable of playing,” Mamon said. “All we need is to do it consistently. [We have to] just play our brand of basketball for 32 minutes to give ourselves a chance to win.

“Guys know [TF South has been] playing well — they had some good wins leading up to us.

So this was definitely a great confidence boost for us.”

The key, according to Mamon, was the Bulldogs’ ability to set a positive early tone.

“They were on a roll,” he said of the Rebels. “We had to come out and be more aggressive. We wanted to get after them and we (Continued on page 6)

Photo by Jeff Vorva

Stagg’s Noor Elmosa tries to get past Andrew defenders during last Tuesday’s SouthWest Suburban Conference crossover contest. Elmosa scored 12 points, but the Chargers dropped a 49-23 decision.

Girls’ basketball roundup

Pride make their coach proud

By Anthony Nasella

After a tough 2013-14 season that produced just two victories, Queen of Peace has already surpassed that total.

The Pride collected three wins the past two weeks and had their most productive stretch last week.

Although it dropped a hard-fought 56-55 decision to Evergreen Park last Monday, Peace demonstrated some fortitude by rallying from an eight-point deficit to create a tie just before the end of regulation.

Kara Shimko's 3-pointer established the deadlock with seven seconds remaining and overtime appeared imminent when the Mustangs offered no immediate response. However, with .7 seconds left Evergreen was awarded three free throws after the Pride were whistled for a foul.

“Coaches from a few different high schools who were at the game stated that it was unfortunate for an official to make that call with such insignificant contact to decide the game,” Peace coach George Shimko said. “They felt terrible for my girls, who battled all night against a very good Evergreen Park team. We had a great showing against Evergreen Park [and] it was such a great game.

"We were down eight points with a minute to go and fought our way back. Despite the tough call, the girls were [right] there and that was a fun thing to see. It was great for our girls to compete in a game like that.”

Ally Herman led the Pride with a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds. Kara Shimko backed her with 16 points, six assists and three steals, and both Ashley Murphy (nine points) and Mary Keenan (six) lent a hand.

Any disappointment stemming from that somewhat controversial loss was gone by the time Peace tangled with Josephinum. The Price (3-6) won handily, 41-14, on Tuesday as Shimko (14 points), Herman (eight points, eight rebounds), Erin Foley (seven points, six rebounds) and Sarah Spencer (six points) all supplied noteworthy performances.

“I was really proud of the girls,” Coach Shimko said. “Despite a really tough loss, they bounced right back with a solid victory over Josephinum. They keep moving along.

“We’re playing some really nice basketball. The girls are starting to buy into the changes that we’re making [and] they’re understanding what’s expected of them. They’re playing really hard, really well and playing together.”

Shimko said that he has been using nine of the 11 players on his roster consistently, but the play of his daughter and Herman has anchored the team in the early stages of the season.

“Kara and Ally are both are doing a very nice job,” he said.

“They’re the stalwarts of what we’re doing. The two of them have been a really solid inside-outside combo for us.

"Kara really shoots the ball well and is a solid all-around player, and [she] is such a team player who really sees the floor and can also score with solid outside shooting. Ally is just a force inside."

The maturation of Murphy, Keenan and Abby Bennett has also opened Shimko’s eyes.

“We’ve gotten some solid guard play from Ashley and Mary is a completely different player than she was last year,” he said. “She’s becoming a scorer and handling the basketball [in addition to] rebounding. She’s starting to get more comfortable with herself and finishing pretty nicely.

“It’s just fun to watch them all grow. Abby and Mary are my seniors and I had just a little time with them last year. You can see how they want to improve and be successful.”

Herman, Spencer and Amber Anderson all enrolled at Peace after Mt. Assisi closed its doors in the spring. Their arrival has given the Pride good depth.

“We’re getting [a lot of] the girls minutes," Shimko said. "Every one of them has a particular role to fill. They all do a nice job.”

Four games awaited Peace this week before it enters the 16-team Riverside-Brookfield Tournament. “We’ve got our hands full for the next two weeks,” Shimko said. "We’ll get plenty of experience and a chance to build on what we’ve started.”

EVERGREEN PARK In addition to their win over Peace, the Mustangs also scored a 51-38 triumph over Tinley Park in a South Suburban Conference crossover on Thursday.

Megan Pfister (13 points) and Maddie Vojacek (10) led the way for visiting Evergreen (9-3, 2-1).

RICHARDS The Bulldogs went 1-2 last week, with the win coming over Bremen (59-42) in a South Suburban Conference crossover last Tuesday. Richards came up short versus TF South (51-32) in another conference crossover on Thursday and against Riverside-Brookfield (56-42) on Saturday at the Oak Lawn Holiday Tournament.

Richards led the Braves at each quarter stop as Sydni Tears (18 points, 11 rebounds, six steals) was its top gun. Also pitching in with solid efforts were Takesha Powell (11 points, six rebounds, seven assists), Andy Sonichsen (10 points, six rebounds), Kennedy Brister (seven points), Dominque Miller (five points, five rebounds) and Briana Kuchenny (four points, four rebounds).

“I thought we started out slow," Bulldogs coach Jeff Kortz said.

“We came out in the second half, turned up the pressure a little bit and caused some turnovers and got some easy baskets. I was happy how we played in the second half.

It was good to see the bench get some time and score.”

On Thursday it was Richards doing the chasing as it fell behind by nine in the first period and never caught up. Tears (10 points, seven rebounds), Powell (six points, seven rebounds), Brister (four points, six rebounds) and Kuchenny (three points, nine rebounds) all contributed in defeat.

“We played hard,” Kortz said.

“We just couldn't overcome the pressure they applied.”

The Bulldogs fell behind R-B 20-7 on Saturday and couldn't fully recover. Powell (13 (points), Tears (10 points), Miller (six points) and Brister (five points) were Richards' headliners.

“They came out on fire shooting the ball and they pushed the ball up,” Kortz said of the other group of Bulldogs. “I thought we played very hard in the second half. Our pressure was amped up. I thought we played more physical and rebounded the ball better and we didn't get pushed around.

"I was very proud of the girls.

We cut it to eight a couple of times and couldn't get over the hump.

R-B is a good team and very well coached."

STAGG The Chargers came up short against both Andrew (49-23) and Homewood-Flossmoor (87-22) last week.

There was no home-court advantage for Stagg on Tuesday as poor shooting plagued it throughout the SouthWest Suburban Conference crossover game. The Chargers struggled from both the field and free-throw line.

Noor Elmosa led Stagg with 12 points. Mia DiGiacomo (seven) and Erin O'Leary (four) accounted for the remainder of Stagg's offense while Katie Dwyer and Michelle Rentauskas pulled down five rebounds apiece.

“The T'bolts did a nice job of getting the ball inside while we shot 0-of-18 from the 3-point line and 5-of-15 from the charity stripe,” Chargers coach Bill Turner said.

“I can't explain it, but we would have had a hard time throwing the ball in the ocean. It was one of those nights, I guess.

“We stayed fairly close for most of the game, trailing by only nine

at the half and 16 after three quarters. Defensively, we are making some progress. Now we have to start putting the ball in the basket.”

Stagg didn’t fare any better on the road Thursday in their SWSC Blue opener against divisional powerhouse H-F. The game was decided early on by the Vikings' full-court pressure, which paved the way for a 30-8 getaway.

“They are able to force you into so many turnovers and convert them into easy baskets,” Turner said. “H-F is very quick, long, and they have a deep bench that continues to attack you in waves.

They just wear you down."

On the few occasions Stagg was able to beat the press, DiGiacomo (12 points, six rebounds, three steals) was the beneficiary of a couple of layups. Elmosa added six points and three steals and O'Leary dished out three assists.

“That was about the extent of our offense for the night,” Turner said.

OAK LAWN The Spartans went 3-0 last week to improve their record to 6-4. Defeated were Tinley Park (47-27 in a Tuesday SSC crossover), Lemont (38-37 in another crossover on Friday) and De La Salle (48-27 at the Oak Lawn Holiday Tournament on Saturday).

Brianna Markusic had 12 points and Kara Melvin added 11 and to lift the Spartans (6-4, 3-0) over the Titans and Markusic delivered 16 markers opposite the Indians. Another heroine in the latter contest was Kelly Touchie, whose 3-pointer in the final half-minute decided things in Oak Lawn's favor.

Markusic was at it again versus the Meteors, who were burned for 19 points. Also helping the Spartans dispatch De La Salle on Saturday was Kara Melvin (15 points).

MARIST After starting off 6-0 the RedHawks have dropped two of their last three contests, the most recent one being a disheartening 52-32 setback against Marian Catholic in an East Suburban Catholic Conference contest last Wednesday.

Penn State University-bound Teniya Page scored a game-high 21 points for the Spartans (51, 2-0). Kauai Bradley added 11 points and 12 rebounds and Jerell Matthews had seven points and six rebounds. Tehya Fortune (eight points) and Claire Austin (seven rebounds) paced Marist (7-3, 1-1).

Page was the difference-maker over the final couple of minutes of the first half, scoring eight points during a 10-0 Marian run that broke open what had been a 1712 game. Down 29-14 at halftime and shooting just 5-of-19 from the field, things didn’t get any better for the RedHawks in a 2-of-8 third quarter.

It was 45-16 Spartans in the closing seconds when a 3-pointer

by Dajae Black gave Marist a tiny spark that carried over into what was a respectable final frame.

MOTHER MCAULEY The Mighty Macs fell to 5-7 after dropping a 65-55 decision to Kenwood at Young’s Chi-Town Showdown on Saturday.

Amy Balich and Tara O’Malley scored 15 points and had three steals apiece for Mother McAuley.

Caitlin Jandacek added 12 points for the Macs.

An athletic Kenwood squad that applied an aggressive half-court press went up 22-9 in the second quarter and 53-37 in the fourth.

McAuley, however, kept fighting.

A flurry of 3-pointers and free throws over the final nine minutes had Kenwood reeling, but time ran out on the Macs' comeback effort.

McAuley finished with 23 turnovers. The Macs’ defensive effort was evident throughout the game as Kenwood struggled to convert inside, shooting just 24-of-61 from the field.

(Continued on page 5)

The Regional News - The Reporter

Thursday, December 18, 2014 Section 2

Not a sure thing Lack of confidence haunting Mustangs

By Ken Karrson When talking about his team’s prospects before the 2014-15 season began, Evergreen Park coach Pat Flannigan joked that he might have to hang out the help-wanted sign at some juncture.

He’s doing it now.

It’s not that the Mustangs don’t have enough available bodies; Flannigan simply wants to see measurable input from more of them. Too often in the early going Evergreen has leaned heavily on senior Isaac Matthews, a returning all-area performer and the Mustangs’ unquestioned ringleader.

Flannigan understands the desire to have Matthews handle the load given his track record, but one man alone isn’t going to get it done. That much was proved again last week, especially in a Thursday encounter with TF North.

Matthews tossed in 16 points versus the Meteors, but the problem for Evergreen was that the rest of its roster generated only 19 more. That added up to a 62-35 loss, the Mustangs’ second of the week and third straight in South Suburban Conference crossover play.

Also doling out a defeat to Evergreen (3-5, 0-3) was Tinley Park, which did so by a 71-62 count on Tuesday. The Mustangs did show some signs of life in the final quarter of that earlier game as they exploded for 31 points, but the Titans tallied 22 themselves and were able to hold on for the win.

“Both games could have been different if we had come out with some confidence and hit some shots,” Flannigan said.

“We broke the press [versus TF North] and should have been up 8-0 or 10-0, but we were missing [good] shots.

“We have some trust issues with our own games and our teammates’. As a result we don’t get that extra pass, [which is] something we’re working on changing to take some pressure off of Isaac Matthews. We’re putting too much on him.

“We’re not very deep, so we need everyone in every quarter to compete. We’re depending on guys to play a lot of minutes.”

Given Evergreen’s 3-1 showing in Oak Lawn’s season-opening Thanksgiving tournament, learning that confidence problems exist might catch many people by surprise. However, Flannigan has an explanation for that.

“They didn’t know those teams [at Thanksgiving],” he said of his athletes. “This senior class has been beat up in this [South Suburban] conference every year they’ve played. I think that has something to do with it.”

TF North seized control of Thursday’s game right away as it raced to a 19-9 first-period lead and the Mustangs, who were unable to reach double digits in any stanza, could not adequately respond. Evergreen notched just seven baskets and would have suffered an even more resounding setback had it not gone 19-of-27 at the foul line. Not helping the Mustangs’ cause, either, were 27 miscues.

Matthews paced Evergreen in both scoring and rebounds (five) and Darren Pritchett provided a defensive bright spot with five blocks. However, that was nowhere near enough to derail the Meteors, who were led by a combined 42 points from Christian Johnson and Sadiq Salisu.

“They only had eight guys, which hurt them against Eisenhower [in another game last week],” Flannigan said of TF North. “But they had two fantastic guards and a pretty good big man and we gave up a lot of transition baskets. That’s pretty much the same formula each game — when we can set up our defense we’re difficult to score against.”

Johnson and Salisu also contributed to the Meteors in ways other than scoring, the former with a game-high 14 rebounds to go with his 22 markers and Salisu with five assists and five steals. And when TF North didn’t create trouble for the Mustangs, the latter supplied some of their own.

Flannigan pointed to a couple instances of Evergreen being unable to run an out-of-bounds play.

Traveling violations cost them possession each time.

“We did some things in that Thursday game I’ve never seen,” Flannigan said, “and I’ve been coaching a long time at all levels.

TF North 19 9 18 16 - 62 Evergreen Park 9 8 9 9 - 35 Evergreen Park Scoring: Matthews 16, Moran 8, Brown 4, Sorbellini 3, Horton 2, Pritchett 1, Smith 1. Rebounds: Matthews 6. Assists: Matthews 1. Steals: Brown 1, Langston 1, Moran 1. Blocks: Pritchett 5.

Offensive difficulties hamstring Crusaders twice While being offensive is not a worthwhile trait to carry in polite society, it’s a must in sports.

Defense is said to win games, and ultimately championships, but even the most robust display of resistance doesn’t matter if the team flashing it hasn’t scored enough points of its own to construct a lead. Such is life at the moment for Brother Rice.

The Crusaders have performed above average defensively in most outings this season. A glimpse of that was seen last Tuesday against St. Ignatius, where the Wolfpack managed to hit only 41 percent of their shots.

With a typically potent Rice squad, that would have been more than good enough to capture a win. But the Crusaders are not experience-laden, and where that has shown up with some frequency is on offense.

Rice posted a field-goal percentage of 39 versus St. Ignatius, which helped trip the locals up.

After being handed a tough 4138 Chicago Catholic League loss by the Wolfpack, the Crusaders were kept on the skids by Loyola Academy, which made off with a 57-43 triumph on Friday in Mount Greenwood.

While admitting the losing was “frustrating,” Rice coach Rick Harrigan also felt bad for his athletes.

“They’re battling hard and doing all the right things,” he said. “Guys expect to win, but the natural kind of presence that’s there when you’re a junior [with experience] or a senior isn’t there yet [for the younger players].

As a young team it’s hard to jell right away and develop the consistency you need.

“But I couldn’t be more proud of being the coach of this team.

They’re coming to practice every day, watching film and doing extra [work].”

The Crusaders (3-5, 0-3) played Loyola on even terms for three of Friday’s four quarters.

The one exception was the second, which is when the Ramblers

embarked on a momentum-shifting 24-10 surge.

Loyola scored in bunches of threes as Ramar Evans’ threepoint play inched it in front, then Brandon Danowski and Ricky Cenar buried five long balls between them to keep the Ramblers’ offense humming.

Danowski (19 points) and Evans (11 points, seven rebounds) were the visitors’ ringleaders, along with Michael Mangan (10 points) and Peter Poggioli (eight points, six rebounds).

Mike Shepski’s three-quarters-court shot at the end of the period gave Rice a much-needed lift and the hosts eventually climbed within 39-33 of Loyola in the third stanza. But the Ramblers netted the only points over the final 2:05 of the quarter and another Danowski 3 ushered in the fourth frame and effectively silenced the Crusaders for good.

Shepski canned four 3s of his own and topped Rice with 16 points to go along with four rebounds and two steals. Joe Ruzevich narrowly missed a double-double as he ended the evening with 11 points and nine boards.

Loyola outshot the Crusaders 49 percent to 39, committed five fewer turnovers and sank seven more free throws. Rice held a 25-18 edge on the glass.

“A couple more smart plays [would have helped],” Harrigan said. “It’s based on a lack of experience — we’re half a tick too slow sometimes. We need to improve our ability to read plays, but we’re not going to quit.”

St. Ignatius 41 Brother Rice 38 The Crusaders’ offensive woes were also evident on Tuesday as no one beyond senior Connor Finn (14 points, three assists, two blocks, one steal) and Shepski (eight points, five rebounds) made much of an impact.

Rice’s errant marksmanship — which included a 3-of-17 performance from 3-point land — would seem to indicate players were pressing and trying to do too much. However, Harrigan said, “If anything we want them

Astros’ performances win approval, not games

By Ken Karrson

Like many parents with their children, a coach is going to be the harshest critic of his own team.

So the first person Shepard basketball players have to impress is Tony Chiuccariello, which they managed to do for the most part last week. On Friday, in fact, the veteran leader “thought the kids played as hard as they possibly could.”

Unfortunately for the Astros, effort did not translate into accomplishment. The hard work of which Chiuccariello spoke went unrewarded on the scoreboard, where Shepard found itself on the wrong end of a 63-45 final in a South Suburban Conference crossover game against Oak Forest.

Chiuccariello did not consider Shepard’s wire-to-wire exhibition last Tuesday versus Lemont to be quite as energetic, but there were still enough encouraging signs to make the 58-48 outcome that favored the Indians a tough one to swallow.

“There’s some positives in there,” Chiuccariello said, referring to both contests. “I hate saying that after a loss, but it’s true. [Friday’s game] looks like a blowout, but we were playing a very solid team and the effort level in this game was great.”

And more than anything else Chiuccariello wants his players to have that same opinion about the matchup with the Bengals and use it as emotional fuel going forward.

“You don’t want it to snowball and have them lose confidence,” he said. “We’ve just got to keep clawing away. If we keep working, we’ll break through and the confidence grows [from that].”

Oak Forest didn’t gain a foothold against Shepard (2-5, 0-3) until the second quarter when it Statistics outscored the Astros 21-13 behind Tinley Park 14 20 15 22 - 71 14 points from Drew Dominik (25 Evergreen Park 7 14 10 31 - 62 points), who drilled four 3s in the stanza.

“They’ve got three shooters Evergreen Park Scoring: Matthews 22, who can take it to you,” ChiucBrown 19, Pritchett 12, Sorbellini 4, Moran 3, Smith 2. Rebounds: Pritch- cariello said of the Bengals. “With ett 14, Brown 11, Matthews 9. Assists: us trying to double down on the

A need to score some more

By Ken Karrson

Nothing to show for it

They’re pretty smart kids, but I think [the making of mistakes] is just contagious.”

Tinley Park 71 Evergreen Park 62 Undoubtedly the week’s highlight for the Mustangs was their fourth-quarter display versus the Titans. The only problem was that they were chasing 18 points by the time their attack shifted into overdrive.

Matthews was his usual productive self with 22 points, nine rebounds, five assists and five steals, but also delivering huge pick-me-ups were senior Jordan Brown and Pritchett, who combined for 31 points, 25 rebounds and eight blocks. Both players registered double-doubles and eight of Pritchett’s 14 boards were snared on the offensive end.

Flannigan said Evergreen was the more aggressive squad over the last eight minutes and pegged Brown’s emergence as his team’s X-factor in its late charge. However, the coach also liked Pritchett’s ability to complement his staunch defensive work.

“We need him to be scoring about 10 points [every game],” Flannigan said. “He’s got to start believing in himself [as being competent on offense].”

The Mustangs were guilty of 23 turnovers against Tinley and went 0-of-10 from 3-point land, but they did shoot a respectable 46 percent overall, collect 44 rebounds and sink 16 free throws to keep some heat on the Titans.

A Friday date with Lemont is the only game on tap for Evergreen this week.

Matthews 5. Steals: Matthews 5. Blocks: Pritchett 5.

to be more aggressive.”

The coach also likes how Finn is following in the footsteps of predecessors Quinn Niego and Ray Rubio in regard to being the Crusaders’ cornerstone.

“Connor Finn’s trying to play the way we need him to play,” Harrigan said. “Sometimes when there’s a youth movement you can get some [older] guys who buck the system and some upperclassmen who bail out on you, [but] Connor has stepped into a leadership role. He’s trying to show [others] how it’s done and he’s a guy we look to.”

Harrigan also reiterated that despite the slow going there is no chance Rice will ever start “mailing it in this season.”

“We’re at Brother Rice, where winning is commonplace and expected, so it’s tough to go through this,” he said. “But there’s no immediate formula that’ll make this turn over right away. It takes time.

“We try to tell the players to take the consolation victories and pats on the back, but that when we hit the floor against these tough Catholic League teams we want to compete with them. That means we need to keep working hard.”

Next up for the Crusaders is Leo, which meets Rice in a Catholic League game Friday at St. Xavier University.

Statistics Brother Rice St. Ignatius

7 13 6 12 - 38 11 6 13 11 - 41

Brother Rice Scoring: Finn 14, Shepski 8, Collins 4, Badali 3, Conlisk 3, Kosakowski 2, Niego 2, Ruzevich 2.

Rebounds: Badali 5, Ruzevich 5, Shepski 5. Assists: Badali 3, Finn 3. Blocks: Finn 2.

Loyola Academy 8 24 10 15 - 57 Brother Rice 9 10 14 10 - 43 Brother Rice Scoring: Shepski 16, Ruzevich 11, Finn 7, Collins 4, Badali 3, Niego 2. Rebounds: Ruzevich 9. Assists: Conlisk 2, Finn 2. Steals: Shepski 2.

3

post [to negate 6-foot-10 Kyle Flanagan], Dominik made us pay.”

So, too, did Flanagan over the course of the game as he finished with 18 points. With Dominik and Flanagan leading the way Oak Forest connected on 58 percent of its field-goal tries (26-of-45), a showing that rendered the Astros’ respectable 45 percent performance moot. An additional problem for Shepard was losing the rebounding battle by a 2-to-1 margin (28-14).

“It was pretty much one-anddone for us,” said Chiuccariello, whose club claimed only three offensive boards.

Kenjrick Watson had 13 points to pace the Astros, while Marlon Perkins and Kenny Gorski chipped in 10 and eight, respectively. Shepard committed four fewer turnovers than the Bengals but hurt itself further with 4-of-11 free-throw shooting.

An interesting statistic Chiuccariello noted involved the last two minutes of each of the first three periods. Over those spans the Astros surrendered a total of 16 points while scoring none themselves.

“We really battled, but we have to do a better job [of executing] on both ends of the floor at those times,” Chiuccariello said.

Lemont 58 Shepard 48 Just as on Friday, one quarter pretty much made the difference last Tuesday.

A 26-13 scoring advantage in the third frame shot the Indians into a lead that wasn’t relinquished. Starring for Lemont in that period was PJ Pipes, who buried a couple 3-pointers and provided 10 points.

Coupled with Pipes’ marksmanship was a bad start to the quarter by the Astros, who rushed their first four shots and never seemed to regain momentum. Gorski’s layup halted the Indians’ opening 8-0 run and briefly forged a tie, but Shepard soon found itself having to play catch-up.

“We can’t get into a faster pace [because] it’s a challenge for us to

score,” Chiuccariello said. “If we could put the ball in the basket, we’d be better served. Our [firsthalf] shot selection was what we wanted and the tempo was where we needed it to be.”

The Astros’ defense also “didn’t get the job done — we couldn’t get enough turnovers after halftime.”

That wasn’t so in the first half, which Shepard won by limiting Lemont to three points in the second frame.

“We were jumping to the ball defensively and shut down any type of driving lane,” Chiuccariello said.

The Indians’ 40 percent accuracy and 15 miscues illustrated the Astros’ defensive work, but the latter couldn’t do enough offensively to make those numbers matter. Shepard, which had no double-figure scorers, connected on 31 percent of its shots and was guilty of 18 turnovers.

Watson and Adebayo Ogungbeni both tossed in nine points, Gorski added eight and Kyle Longfield led the rebounders with 10.

Between them Watson and Kyrun Heard distributed four of the Astros’ seven assists.

Shepard traveled to Manteno this past Tuesday and hosts Hillcrest on Friday in another SSC crossover. In a Blue Division Chiuccariello says “is pretty darned good,” the Hawks are flying highest thus far.

Statistics Shepard Lemont

10 12 13 13 - 48 13 3 26 16 - 58

Shepard Scoring: Ogungbemi 9, Watson 9, Gorski 8, Perkins 7, Longfield 5, Haxel 4, Heard 4, Ashkar 2. Rebounds: Longfield 10. Assists: Heard 2, Watson 2.

Oak Forest Shepard

10 21 18 14 - 63 10 13 13 9 - 45

Shepard Scoring: Watson 13, Perkins 10, Gorski 8, Heard 6, Ashkar 2, Haxel 2, Smith 2, Longfield 1, Newhall 1. Rebounds: Haxel 4, Longfield 4. Assists: Gorski 2, Haxel 2, Newhall 2, Watson 2.

Rout of the problem Spartans reeling after lopsided loss to Lemont

By Ken Karrson At the root of Oak Lawn’s recent problems are routs.

Or, more specifically, the Spartans’ inability to avoid being the victim of them has become troublesome to coach Jason Rhodes.

One week after seeing his team get roughed up by TF North, Rhodes had to endure another long evening Friday night.

This time it was Lemont laying a hurt upon Oak Lawn on the latter’s own floor. A relatively close game at halftime, the South Suburban Conference crossover matchup became a romp for the Indians during the third quarter as they scored the period’s first 11 points in about 4 ½ minutes.

Josh Rogers netted five of those, PJ Pipes had four and Lemont never wavered after that. With the Spartans undermining themselves further with 17 turnovers and 9-of-40 shooting, the Indians had no difficulty cruising in with a crushing 58-27 victory.

Although the defeat left Oak Lawn with a .500 ledger, Rhodes termed it “probably the worst 3-3 in the state.” While he was quick to credit Lemont for its role in the outcome, Rhodes said the differential between the clubs shouldn’t have been so massive.

“We are not bringing the necessary level of engagement,” he said. “The last three games we’ve been down by [at least] 10 in the first quarter and had to scrap our way back.

“We allowed [the Indians] to do

whatever they wanted and that was embarrassing on our own court. I saw three [of their] games before we played them so we had a good game plan going in. I thought there were some things we could do, but nothing came to fruition.”

Rhodes conceded Lemont possessed more size and overall skill than his team, but he said that alone shouldn’t have been enough to produce the one-sided result.

“Effort, execution, intelligence [and being] mentally and physically tough can offset that,” Rhodes said. “Those are things we pride ourselves on, but if we don’t play with high energy we’re not going to succeed.”

Josh Prince accounted for more than a third of the Spartans’ points and augmented his 10 markers with six rebounds. Also earning kudos was junior Jimmy Wiltzius, who contributed eight points and “did some nice stuff” according to his coach.

Little went right, though, for Oak Lawn beyond those two. Foul trouble plagued one of the Spartans’ other usual scorers, senior Leo Nelson, for the second game in a row and no one else stepped forward in his place to effectively attack the Indians’ 2-1-2 zone defense.

Oak Lawn (3-3, 0-2) was also the victim of some plain old bad luck. Rhodes noted several examples of the Spartans getting “a lot of looks inside that we could not convert.”

Lemont, on the other hand,

rarely seemed to misfire. It sank 55 percent of its field-goal tries as Nick Wisz (14 points, six rebounds) and Rogers (12 points) were its top guns.

In some ways Rhodes wasn’t shocked by Oak Lawn’s shortcomings, saying those reflected “a very inconsistent week of practice. We played how we practiced — we can’t catch the ball, can’t throw the ball, can’t hit a layup.”

“And you can’t use the word ‘young’ either,” he said. “I’ve got to fly off the handle sometimes at practice and you don’t do that with good teams.”

Rhodes certainly isn’t writing off the 2014-15 campaign at such an early juncture, but he was emphatic when stating some changes are forthcoming.

“The last three games were a big enough sample size,” Rhodes said. “We’re not going to roll the same guys out and expect a different outcome. If it means I have to bring guys up from the sophomore level who’ve impressed, that’s what I’ll do.”

Oak Lawn tangles with Oak Forest in another SSC crossover on Friday.

Statistics Final Lemont 58 Oak Lawn 27 Oak Lawn Scoring: Prince 10, Wiltzius 8, Cosenza 3, Alshaikh 2, Nelson 2, Smith 2. Rebounds: Prince 6.

Trouble brewing? No way

Shorthanded Vikings open league play with pair of wins

By Ken Karrson

Jumping on a bandwagon is easy, but what happens when one — or more — of the wheels suddenly comes off?

What St. Laurence, and by extension its fans, did was simply keep riding along the high road.

Trouble certainly appeared to be brewing for the Vikings last week.

After getting tagged with its initial defeat of the season by Marist the previous week, St. Laurence suffered a couple other losses, both of them player-related.

Rich Lamb, who had been tournament MVP at Stagg as the Vikings captured the championship of that event, was nursing an injured ankle and St. Laurence coach Jim Maley chose to hold the senior out of the Vikings’ first two Chicago Catholic League encounters. In addition, senior sharpshooter Matt Gurgone was unavailable for non-medical rea-

sons.

That left St. Laurence severely shorthanded for its entry into league action, which began last Tuesday against Seton Academy.

But instead of wilting under the pressure the Vikings blossomed, thanks to input from some heretofore unknowns.

One of those individuals was sophomore Justin Wierzgac, who actually shone brightest on Friday night versus Bishop McNamara as he tossed in 13 points, all in the second half. Christian Ferrer hit double digits against both the Fightin’ Irish and Sting and Miguel Delvillar made his presence felt along the way as well.

And then there was point guard Quentin Forberg, who answered Maley’s request to become more of a scorer by contributing a gamehigh 23 points opposite Seton to go along with five rebounds and four steals. With help coming from so many sources, St. Laurence

weathered the absence of its two veterans and recorded twin victories as it downed the Sting 52-37 and Bishop Mac 68-60.

“I’m about as proud as I’ve ever been of any team,” Maley said.

“Some other teams might have folded when their two leading scorers were out, but the thing about our team is [the players] all rebound and play defense. You’re either going to win or be in most games doing that.”

A sampling of the Vikings’ devotion to defense was found in Chris Gutierrez’s proclamation to his coach. The senior forward, who has not logged a lot of minutes so far this season, told Maley upon entering one of the games, “Wait till you see the charge I take.”

Gutierrez did exactly that and St. Laurence as a team totaled nine over the two contests, six of which ruined Irish possessions.

“Taking a charge is like a dunk (Continued on page 6)

4

Section 2

Thursday, December 18, 2014 The Regional News - The Reporter

SXU sports summary

Moraine athletics wrap

Cyclones snap five-game losing streak

By Maura Vizza

Last Tuesday’s 79-64 setback was made all the more painful With the basketball schedule by the fact that Moraine had easing up as Christmas apearly control of the proceedings. proaches, Moraine Valley Col The Cyclones’ lead grew as lege’s men didn’t want to be left high as 12 points during the with several lumps of coal as first half and stood at 28-24 stocking stuffers. by the break. But when play So the Cyclones stuffed the resumed everything went the stats sheet instead last Tuesday, Hawks’ way, so much so that which enabled them to snap a Ermias Nega (21 points, two Moraine fell behind by as many five-game losing streak. Brian assists), DJ Deere (12 points, as 20 points before absorbing Townsend’s 22 points, eight reseven assists), Mychele Bullock the 15-point defeat. bounds and two steals led the (eight points, five rebounds) and Nariman Jaber, the No. 1 shot way to a convincing 86-61 victory Randall Rushing (eight points, blocker in National Junior Colover Malcolm X College.

Moraine, which has been three rebounds) played key roles lege Athletic Association Division II with an average of 5.7 plagued by some late-game in the win.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL per game, did her part to make breakdowns this season, stayed solid the entire way and coped While the Cyclones men pros- things go the Cyclones’ way as effectively with the Hawks’ de- pered at Malcolm X’s expense, she swatted aside 13 Malcolm fense. In addition to Townsend, the women pulled up short. X field-goal attempts.

Sports Wrap

By Anthony Nasella After four weeks of practice, Shepard's boys' swim team was more than ready to compete in a varsity meet.

And the Astros took full advantage of their initial opportunity last Tuesday in a triad against Richards and Thornton Fractional Co-op, racking up 150 points and nearly doubling on both squads in the process. Overall, Shepard captured first place in seven events, making a mark in relays, individual medley and sprint events and diving.

“This was our first meet of the year and I think the boys were just really excited to finally get the chance to start competing and not just [be] practicing,” Astros coach Tricia Biedron said. “This is our fourth week together, so they’re just excited to just step up and swim against someone other than who’s on their [own] team.

“We have a solid group of juniors and seniors who are all very talented. It was great to see the juniors step up in the first meet on the varsity level for them and really compete well against other teams.”

Sanders Yu was a standout as he finished first in the 100-yard breaststroke (1 minute, 6.98 seconds) and 200 IM (2:10.47) as an individual and was a member of two triumphant relay foursomes. Hayden Wiest, Mike Graham and Jeremy Schultz joined Yu in winning the 200-medley (1:50.85) while the victorious 200-free relay quartet consisted of Graham, Mike Jokubauskas and Andrew Choragwicki in addition to Yu. Their winning time was 1:41.78.

“I call Sanders my quiet leader, even though he has become more vocal this season,” Biedron said. “But he’s not one to get in people’s faces and yell.

He primarily leads by example by busting his butt. The other boys really respect that. “But it’s cool that a four-year varsity starter is starting to take a more vocal role."

Wiest set the pace in the 100-butterfly (1:02.08) and 100-backstroke (1:01.87) individually and Tyler Timmer took first in diving.

KNIGHTS

(Continued from page 1)

53 effort from the floor. Keeping Chicago Christian in the hunt for a while was a 15-6 edge in made free throws.

For Pittman, however, the result came down to only one thing.

“The rebounding disparity [against us] can’t be huge,” he said. “If [42-16 is] not huge, I have to recheck the definition of the word.

“We had a nice crowd on both sides, but we just didn’t respond well when things started to go poorly. When you bring guys in you expect them to do something positive with the opportunity they’re getting.”

Pittman said he challenged his players afterward to “do some things a little bit different,” and he saw some positive signs during a Saturday practice session. According to the coach, emotions flared at times and a little pushing and shoving ensued.

“I thought, ‘Hallelujah!’” Pittman said with a chuckle. “I’m not telling them to play dirty or do things that are illegal, but when your mind battles your body it’s not good. You have to get mind over body.”

Pittman gets two chances to see if the Knights can bring that

What impressed Biedron was that so many juniors — Graham, Jokubauskas, Choragwicki, Wiest, and Schultz — shone right out of the gate.

“The majority of our team is made up of juniors this season,” she said. “They haven’t disappointed so far for the team.

We have many returning players from last year who scored well at sectionals — Sanders and Hayden were top six — so that gives us a lot of hope this season.”

Ahead for Shepard is a meet today against Reavis and Tinley Park, plus the Tinley Park Invitational on Friday.

“The [tri] meet against Reavis and Tinley Park, that will be a big meet,” Biedron said. “Reavis beat us last year in conference and Tinley beat us in dual meets, [so] that will be a good gauge to see where we are at. We really have a good group with a lot of potential.”

BOYS’ BOWLING Shepard (6-6) split a pair of matches last week as it lost 3,033-2,980 to neighboring Chicago Christian Monday at Orland Bowl before rebounding to defeat Oak Forest 1,915-1,643 Thursday at Centennial Lanes.

Eric Walters was a ringleader in both meets as he rolled a 676 three-game series versus the Knights and a 458 for two games opposite the Bengals. Walters also had the high game in the second match with his 246. Jordan Noftz (268) had the Astros’ high game on Monday.

Kyle Starostka’s 664 series paved the way for Chicago Christian in its victory over Shepard. *** Sandburg finished sixth with 6,186 pins at Saturday’s 22-team Lincoln-Way East Invitational at Orland Bowl. Andrew (6,612) topped Lincoln-Way North (6,504) for first place.

In a SouthWest Suburban Conference crossover last Tuesday, Lincoln-Way Central beat Stagg 1,781-1,510.

GIRLS’ BOWLING Chicago Christian defeated Shepard 1,378-928 last Monday at Orland Bowl behind Breanna Malak’s195 game and 378 series.

Also on Monday Stagg suffered a 1,700-1,351 loss against

Richards. Getting the better of the Chargers on Thursday in an SWSC Blue dual was Lockport, which prevailed 1,703-1,254.

Emily Schrader bowled a meet-best 480 series on Thursday, but that wasn’t enough to spare Sandburg from an 1,8241,546 SWSC crossover setback versus Andrew at Orland Bowl.

Thursday also wasn’t a good day for Shepard, which fell 1,4921,083 to TF North.

Freshman Tatyanna Taylor rolled games of 156 and 122 to lead the Astros.

WRESTLING Sandburg remained unbeaten in dual meets after a convincing 52-15 victory over Lincoln-Way Central in a SouthWest Suburban Conference crossover between two of the top teams in the area Thursday evening in New Lenox.

A year ago the Knights edged the Eagles 30-21, but this time Sandburg (10-0) had that many points after five matches. Pins by undefeated John Prieto (152 pounds) and Tom Slattery (160) at 2 minutes, 21 seconds and 3:51, respectively, highlighted the getaway, which was also aided by decision wins from Brian Krasowski (7-3 at 170), Patrick Brucki (1-0 at 182) and Cole Bateman (10-6 at 195).

Lincoln-Way Central pulled within 21-12 after scoring pins at 220 and in the heavyweight match, but Louie Hayes’ pin at 2:53 of the 106-pound match and Robbie Precin’s 12-4 major decision at 113 got the Eagles back on track. Vinnie Piunti’s 15-12 decision at 120 was the Knights’ last win.

Brother Rice transfer Rudy Yates (126) registered a technical fall for Sandburg, Colin Glascott (132) captured a 15-5 major decision, Christian Robertson (138) won via forfeit and Ben Schneider (145) pinned his opponent in 2:29.

Hayes, Yates and Matt Frostman (220) all maintained perfect records at Saturday’s nine-school Wheeling Invitational, which the Eagles won with 262 points. The hosts were runner-up with 176.

Precin, Glascott, Robertson, Slattery and Krasowski were Sandburg’s other titlists.

same intense attitude into a game night as they host Guerin Prep on Friday and visit Timothy Christian for a boys-girls doubleheader on Saturday.

Chicago Christian 71 Walther Christian 23 While manhandling any foe would appear to be reason to celebrate, Pittman was having none of that following the Knights’ destruction of the Broncos, who never tallied more than seven points in any period last Tuesday and were down by 17 at intermission.

“Two years ago they were an above-average team,” Pittman said of Walther. “They had a big enrollment drop [since then] and I knew they were down, but I wasn’t expecting it to be this bad. Walther has always been a nice rivalry, so it was really sad [to see this].

I can’t imagine going through an entire year like that.”

The Broncos, who had three would-be starters transfer and a fourth forgo basketball to prepare for track season, committed 33 turnovers — four on their first four possessions — and never issued a threat.

Christian scored the game’s first 11 points and rolled from there.

Wolterink (15 points), Daylon Washington (12 points, four steals), Spencer (12 points, 15 rebounds), Parker (eight points, five steals) and Josh Decker

(five points, seven rebounds, three assists) were the Knights’ notables. Christian coaxed the Broncos into 14-of-51 shooting and out-rebounded its opponent 30-20, with 19 of the boards being grabbed off the offensive glass.

While the stats were impressive, Pittman wanted the Knights to know they were also somewhat misleading.

“I warned against reading too much into it and [getting] false feelings of overconfidence,” he said. “I had subs in the majority of the game and we learned nothing from the Walther game.

Playing Illiana after Walther didn’t help us.”

Statistics Chicago Christian 20 11 19 21 - 71 Walther Christian 7 7 6 3 - 23 Chicago Christian Scoring: Wolterink 15, Spencer 12, Washington 12, Parker 8, Decker 5, Fitzpatrick 4, Frierson 4, Winchester 4, Johnson 3, Hill , Schaaf 2. Rebounds: Spencer 15, Decker 7.

Assists: Fitzpatrick 4. Steals: Parker 5, Washington 4.

Illiana Christian 6 20 15 11 - 52 Chicago Christian 8 9 14 6 - 37 Chicago Christian Scoring: Wolterink 21, Parker 7, Fitzpatrick 5, Spencer 2, Washington 2. Rebounds: Wolterink 4.

Assists: Parker 2, Spencer 2, Washington 2. Steals: Parker 2, Washington 2.

Another honor for Hayward The honors keep coming for Greg Hayward.

St. Xavier University’s senior defensive end, a two-time Capital One Academic All-America® College Division first-team selection and the 2014 Defensive Player of the Year in the Mid-States Football Association Midwest League, is one of 70 finalists for the 2014 Cliff Harris Award.

The award is presented to the nation’s top small-college defensive player. Nearly 500 schools representing NCAA Division II and III and the NAIA are eligible to have a nominee and Hayward is one of only 14 NAIA athletes chosen for the final list of candidates.

The overall winner will be announced Christmas Eve and honored at the Little Rock Touchdown Club’s annual banquet in February.

Hayward had an amazing senior season with the Cougars, who finished with a 10-3 record and rose to No. 3 in the national rankings.

The Oak Lawn graduate led SXU with 28 tackles for loss and 15 sacks, both single-season school records. On the NAIA charts Hayward was second in total sacks and third in sacks per game (1.2), tackles for loss and tackles for loss per game (2.2).

Hayward concluded his collegiate career as the Cougars’ alltime leader in tackles for loss (55 ½) and sacks (28 ½). He was second among SXU players in 2014 with 85 total tackles.

MEN’S BASKETBALL Call it “3s and easy” for the Cougars.

The last thing SXU coach Tom O’Malley expects whenever his team plays Robert Morris University is a cakewalk. And while Saturday’s Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference contest couldn’t officially be declared one, it certainly wasn’t standard basketball procedure.

The Cougars have had some success against the Eagles in the past, perhaps more than any other CCAC program has. And even when Robert Morris has prevailed, a down-to-the-wire battle often took place.

But only once before could O’Malley recall SXU having an easy time of it against the Eagles, and that instance didn’t feature Cougars domination from the getgo. That’s pretty much what happened this time, though, thanks to some otherworldly 3-point marksmanship.

Buoyed by 67 percent accuracy from beyond the arc SXU jumped out to a quick lead and never loosened its grip. Eighteen points separated the clubs at halftime and Robert Morris made only minor inroads over the last 20 minutes as the Cougars collected a 115-101 victory at the Shannon Center.

“Anytime you beat Robert Morris it’s a good win, no matter when or where,” O’Malley said. “This was particularly pleasing because we played well. When you shoot 14-of21 from 3, you think the game is going to be [a] better [one for you].”

Spearheading the long-range bombardment were Kyle Huppe and Jack Krieger, who combined for 52 points. Huppe went 8-of10 from the field with six 3s and Krieger hit five 3s in six tries before intermission, part of a 6-of-9 shooting effort that supplied 20 of his 24 points.

“We played the first half as well as we could, especially offensively,” O’Malley said. “[The Eagles] have some pretty good athletes and they’re not a team you can usually build a big lead against.

But we ran a little different style of offense to match up with what they do defensively and I thought we moved the ball better both on the dribble and passing it.

“And when you kick the ball out [to the wings] and kids can knock down 3s, it takes all the steam out of you.”

SXU (8-2, 3-1), which sank 20-of-36 first-half shots, started out on a 16-5 run to put Robert Morris on its heels immediately. Mitch Uratchko’s three-point play culminated the tear. The Cougars’ advantage got to 23-8 before the Eagles responded, and when Greg Tucker hit a layup the visitors were within 31-28 at the eight-minute mark of the half.

However, Tony Core’s dunk began a fresh surge and SXU’s ensuing 18-6 blitz was instrumental in creating that 18-point halftime cushion.

Uratchko was one of five Cougars in double digits as he scored 15 points, one fewer than freshman point guard Quinn Niego (Brother Rice), who also distributed six assists. Also inflicting harm on Robert Morris was Stanley Moore, who totaled 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals. Moore’s rebounding and steal totals tied Krieger for the team lead.

O’Malley felt SXU might have caught the Eagles at a good moment, seeing as how the latter had just come off a win over Cardinal Stritch and were likely basking in the glow of achievement. Of course, now he must prepare his

own players to avoid a similar fate.

“We need to keep our guys from thinking that way,” O’Malley said.

“You get those kinds of ups and downs, but you’ve always got to look at things in perspective. This whole league has gotten better.

“We can’t go into any particular game thinking it’s a sure ‘W.’ Judson hasn’t won, but I don’t think anybody is anxious to play them.”

The Cougars finished with 58 percent shooting overall against Robert Morris. O’Malley was plenty satisfied with that portion of SXU’s game but would have liked a bit more second-half intensity on defense.

“I can’t say we’re playing really good defense when we give up over 100 points,” he said. “[But] when you’re moving the ball fast and playing fast, the other team’s going to get more chances to score, too.”

The Cougars’ win was their fifth straight and it placed them in a three-way tie with the Eagles and Stritch atop the CCAC standings.

Another league contest is on tap tonight at the Shannon Center as SXU tangles with Roosevelt University. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.

Beginning Sunday the Cougars host their annual holiday tournament and a field that includes several ranked clubs.

“It’s a very good schedule, but five of the 10 [games] we’ve already played were [against] very good teams,” O’Malley said. “So we’re prepared for it.” — Ken Karrson WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Falling behind Robert Morris 7-0 on Saturday was somewhat unexpected, but Cougars coach Bob Hallberg knew exactly why it happened.

“All week we talked about moving the ball around, [but] in the first five minutes we held the ball way too much,” Hallberg said. “We needed to get our zone offense rotating. When you’re playing [against] a zone you have to have some ball movement — all we did was freeze the basketball, which played right into their hands.”

So NAIA Division II No. 4 ranked SXU made the necessary adjustments and eventually made up the early deficit. The Cougars took a 14-point lead into halftime and eventually bagged a 76-62 CCAC triumph at the Shannon Center.

Senior Morgan Stuut recorded her ninth double-double of the season as she totaled 21 points and 14 rebounds. Freshman Kara Krolicki sank four 3 pointers in the opening half and wound up tying Stuut for the team scoring lead.

Also chipping in for SXU (101, 5-0) were senior Suzie Broski and sophomore Mikayla Leyden, both of whom tossed in eight points. Leyden complemented her offense with five assists, two fewer than Maloree Johnson’s team-best seven.

The Cougars dished out 24 assists in all, their second-highest number of the season.

“We have a good passing team and the girls are very unselfish,” Hallberg said. “They share the ball well and hit the open person. You always have strengths and weaknesses, but we’re very good at handling and distributing the ball.

“The assist is usually the result of knowing who you’re supposed to get the ball to. Once we started moving the ball around, we started getting better looks at the basket and got some wide-open shots. The zone gives you the outside, which we used to our advantage by shooting 8-for-18 from the 3-point line.

“Our shooting has been more inconsistent than I’d like it to be, but it’s also hard to go out and shoot 70 percent from threepoint land every night.”

SXU’s field-goal percentage of 35 wasn’t anything special on this occasion, but it bettered the Eagles’ 31 percent mark. The Cougars didn’t move in front for the first time until more than six minutes had elapsed, but then they embarked on a 17-2 burst that turned things their way for the rest of the game.

Krolicki’s 3-pointer and Stuut’s jumper in the final minute established a 45-31 halftime advantage. Robert Morris narrowed the gap to 10 early in the second half, but no full-blown rally was in store for it.

Instead, SXU ballooned its lead to 23 (72-49) after another 3 from Krolicki, who has relished the opportunity to be an impact player so early in her collegiate career.

“Coming into the program, you never know what’s going to happen,” Krolicki said. “You’re never guaranteed a starting spot or a lot of playing time, especially as a freshman. Being able to play with these girls as a freshman is the best feeling ever. We get along

on and off the court perfectly, which helps a lot in the game.

“It’s definitely great to have Morgan and Suzie be able to play their game with a lot more relief. You can’t come out and play great every game, but we can’t get down on ourselves. We have to pick each other up, which we were able to do early in the game.”

Broski, for one, has certainly appreciated Krolicki’s contributions.

“It has honestly been great,” Broski said. “Kara has been a great asset to our team. She opens options up, not only for herself but also for the rest of us. It makes it easier.

“And what’s great is that it’s not just Kara, but it’s also been Mikalya, too, and the girls coming off the bench. It’s been the mix of us all that has made the difference. That’s the coolest part compared to the past three years is the offensive options that we have.

“Consistency is [also] what we have this year. We have good execution because we have good components.”

Hallberg said that Krolicki’s ability to succeed is in direct proportion to her confidence level.

“For a freshman to play, they really have to play like a junior or senior — Kara has been playing with that kind of confidence all season,” he said. “She doesn’t get intimidated at all. Kara is proving to be a difference-maker right away.”

The Cougars head to Honolulu later this week to play two games in the Hoop N' Surf Classic They’ll take on Dickinson State (ND) University Friday at 8:30 p.m. and then face No. 1-ranked Morningside (Iowa) University on Saturday.

“We’re really looking forward to Morningside,” Hallberg said.

“You want to see how well you stack up against a team outside of your conference. If we’re going to have an opportunity to win a national championship, these are type of teams — win, lose or draw — that you have to play well against.

“I’d be happy win, regardless of the score, but it wouldn’t be good if we lost by 15 or 20 points.

It’s a very important game to evaluate where you’re at. We beat them four years ago in Hawaii, so we’ll see how we fare this time around.” — Anthony Nasella SOFTBALL Elizabeth Brzezinski, a senior outfielder at Tinley Park, recently signed a letter of intent to continue her academic and athletic careers at SXU as a member of the Cougars softball program.

She will be a freshman in the fall of 2015 and compete for playing time during the 2016 season.

She plans to pursue a degree in education.

“Liz will fill one of two open slots in the outfield [in 2016],” Cougars coach Myra Minuskin said. “She has great instincts in the outfield and gets an excellent jump on the ball. Liz will also add another solid left-handed bat to our lineup.”

NEWS Former Cougars pitcher and SXU Hall of Famer Luke Gregerson recently signed a threeyear, $18.5 million deal with the Houston Astros.

Gregerson has had a solid major-league career that started in 2009 and included a five-year stint with the San Diego Padres before he spent last season with the Oakland Athletics. This will mark the first time in his professional career Gregerson has landed a multiyear contract.

Gregerson’s earned-run average of 2.75 over the past six seasons ranks fourth overall among relievers who have thrown at least 350 innings.

“We are very excited to hear the news that Luke will continue his professional career with the Astros and so proud to have him as part of the Cougar baseball family,” first-year SXU coach Rocco Mossuto said.

“Everyone in our program follows his career and we wish him continued success as he makes this move to a new team. His accomplishments from his days playing at St. Xavier University until now are truly inspirational and should serve as a model for young athletes everywhere.”

Gregerson had a stellar senior season with the Cougars as their closer during the 2006 campaign, a 3-1 record with nine saves and a 0.68 ERA. And as the team’s starting right fielder that same year, he earned NAIA Region VII Player of the Year honors.

Gregerson hit .330 (72-for218) with a team-leading 49 RBI, 46 runs scored, 15 doubles, 12 stolen bases and five homers for SXU as it reached the NAIA World Series.

In February 2014 Gregerson was inducted into the SXU Athletics Hall of Fame along with his former head coach Mike Dooley, who retired at the conclusion of the 2014 season.

The Regional News - The Reporter

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Community Sports News

Section 2

5

Girls Basketball (Continued from page 2) SHEPARD The Astros dropped a pair of SSC crossovers last week, 37-29 to Lemont on Tuesday and 49-27 to Oak Forest on Thursday.

Abby Newsome’s 12 points paced Shepard (2-5, 1-2) versus the Indians and she tallied a teambest 10 against the Bengals. Cassidy McCarthy added seven points on Thursday.

SANDBURG The Eagles, behind Victoria Stavropoulos’ 16 points, defeated Romeoville 54-41 at Saturday’s Oak Lawn Holiday Tournament.

Sandburg improved to 7-2 with the win.

CHICAGO CHRISTIAN The Knights scored a 44-18 victory over Walther Christian Academy last Tuesday in a Metro Photo by Jeff Vorva Suburban Conference East contest. Abbie Bulthuis’ 14 points Stagg forward Mia DiGiacomo attempts to maintain control of the paced Chicago Christian (4-8, 3-0). ball as an Andrew player reaches for it last Tuesday in Palos Hills.

Stagg guard Alex Abed sees something she likes as she smiles while bringing the ball upcourt last Tuesday against Andrew.

Submitted photo

The Chicago International U14 girls’ soccer team, featuring some players from area communities, placed first in its division while posting an 8-0-1 record.

Photo by Jeff Vorva

SANDBURG (Continued from page 1)

the foul line. Sandburg made hay there as it went 27-of-30, which included a 17-of-20 display in the fourth quarter that enabled the Submitted photo Eagles to withstand a late 3-point Chicago Bears defensive lineman Jared Allen (center) and St. Laurence football players joined barrage and 25-point uprising by the Steelmen. together to help veterans during the holiday season.

Kogionis’ trio of 3s, part of a 21-point evening for him, made colette Gossage, Katie Farr and Palos Stampede 13U team Evergreen bowlers the senior guard Sandburg’s Claire Cronin. long-distance king. He ended the looking for players take two of three Palos Stampede Baseball’s 13U night with 179 for his career, three After dropping an 88-pin South team is looking for two Gold-level more than previous record-holder Suburban Conference Red verdict Vikings join Bears’ Allen players to fill out its roster for Sean McBride. to Reavis last Tuesday at Arena Members of St. Laurence’s foot- the 2015 season.

“That was a nice accomplishLanes, Evergreen Park’s boys’ ment for him,” Allen said of Kogiobowling team rebounded to post ball team recently joined Chicago Pitching experience is a plus. nis, who eclipsed a standard that a winning record for the week as it Bears defensive lineman Jared Players must be 13 years of age had stood for over a decade. He by May 1. defeated Hinsdale Central (2,724- Allen in volunteering their time added five more 3s to his collec Winter workouts begin in ear2,609) and Argo (1,683-1,616). for veterans of armed services. tion the next night against Lyons The latter match, played at The meeting with St. Laurence ly January. The Stampede play Township. a competitive schedule that inArena Lanes, was another SSC Playing an even bigger role for students wasn’t Allen’s first. A cludes appearances in several Red affair. The Red Devils were the Eagles on Friday, though, was a nonconference foe that met the few members of the school’s tournaments, including one out- Demogerontas, whose 28-point Mustangs at Suburbanite Bowl Sports Management Club saw of-town event, and their main outburst represented a career in Westmont. him at a commercial shoot for goal is preparing players for high high for him.

Jacob Ottenfeld paced Ever- Proctor and Gamble, where they school baseball.

“He’s a tough matchup for a green versus Hinsdale as he rolled also got a behind-the-scenes For more information or a pri- lot of people because he’s 6-7, can vate tryout, contact Dan Szykow- put the ball on the floor and shoot a 637 series. Producing the day’s high game was the Mustangs’ Isa- look at how the commercial ny at 906-7148 or dannyszy@ the 3,” Allen said. yahoo.com.

Lyons Twp. 51 iah Colon, who registered a 247, was made.

Sandburg 39 three pins better than the Red Allen loved the fact the Eagles Devils’ top individual score.

SPBL seeking players Some opening for Shaun Quinn was Evergreen’s The Southside Pony Baseball ringleader against the Argonauts Diamond in the Rough League is seeking players aged as he claimed both high-series Diamond in the Rough Fast- 13 and 14 for the 2015 season.

(445 for two games) and high- pitch has a limited number of Players must be in grades 7-9 as game (223) honors. Nick Tonika openings for winter pitching of May 1. bowled a 205 high game and 353 All games will be played at training. series for Argo. the Spartan Athletic Complex Quinn also doubled up for the Room is available for beginner, in Oak Lawn. The season runs Mustangs in their loss to the Rams intermediate and advanced stu- April through June. as he finished with a 466 series dents. For more information or to For more information, email and 253 high game. Reavis’ Ja- schedule a time, contact Bill Lam- pony@oaklawnbaseball.com. To son Barrios was five pins shy of mel at 289-3438 or ditrfp73@aol. register, go to www.oaklawnbaseball.com. matching Quinn’s best game, but the former rolled the top series com, or visit www.facebook.com/ pages/Diamond-in-the-Roughwith his 474.

Online registration for Fastpitch

Chicago International U14 soccer team completes successful fall season

The Chicago International U14 girls’ soccer team, coached by Emir Hadziahmetovic and featuring some players from local communities, recently completed an unbeaten fall season.

CI went 8-0-1 to take first place in the IWSL Open Division while outscoring its opponents 36-7. The Open Division, which features competitive teams from all around the Chicagoland area, is the highest level of play before advancing to the Midwest Regional League.

Orland Park residents Victoria Collins and Megan Kirkwood and Palos’ Madison Karr are included on the team roster. Other members are Jane Pinkerton, Megan Shelton, Meghan Schick, Brittny White, Shannon Klemm, Jennifer Latoza, Natalie Miller, Ashley Canny, Sara Loichinger, Brianna Geary, Maura Murphy, Anna Kirk, Samantha Sarna, Ni-

Oak Lawn baseball, softball

Moraine looking for basketball alumni Moraine Valley College is reaching out to its former basketball players.

In celebration of the school’s new basketball courts and Health, Fitness and Recreation Center, the Cyclones are inviting anyone who has played for either the men’s or women’s hoops program over the past 35 years to attend a basketball doubleheader on Jan. 17. The first game will begin at 1 p.m. and a reception will be held at the conclusion of the second contest.

In addition, athletic director Bill Finn will name Moraine’s all-decade teams. For more information, call 974-5727 or email NagelM3@ morainevalley.edu.

Oak Lawn Baseball and Softball is currently conducting online registration and accepting payment for the 2015 spring season.

Registration in both sports is open to players aged 5-18. Visit www.oaklawnbaseball.com.

U.S. Baseball Academy returning to Oak Lawn

U.S. Baseball Academy, which operates a national network of affordable hitting, pitching, catching, fielding and base-running camps for players in grades 1-12, will be returning to Oak Lawn High School for a winter session.

The session is scheduled to run Jan. 4-Feb. 15 under the direction of Spartans head coach Bill Gerny. Registration is now underway at www.USBaseballAcademy.com and will conclude approximately six weeks before the beginning of the session, although last year’s camp filled up before that.

For more information, visit the website or call 1-866-622-4487.

Niko Kogionis became Sandburg’s career leader in 3-point baskets Friday night when he hit three versus Joliet Central. He added five more against Lyons Twp. on Saturday and now has 184.

Photo by Jeff Vorva

averaged more than a point per possession on Friday, but he didn’t get to witness a similar feat one night later.

While the Lions always play a Friday-Saturday schedule, the back-to-back concept is foreign to Sandburg, which made Allen wary of how his players would answer the bell right after registering such an emotional triumph.

Through the first half, however, any worries seemed unfounded as the Eagles trailed by only three.

And with much of the third period gone there was still reason for optimism as the teams were deadlocked at 28-all.

“I knew it was going to be a tough game, but I was happy with our effort defensively,” Allen said.

“If you would have told me [the scenario before the game] I would have liked my chances with them having 28 points with 2 ½ minutes to go in the third.”

Things went south in a hurry, though — at the quarter break Lyons was ahead by 13, thanks to a nightmarish span for Sandburg. Eight of the Eagles’ 13 turnovers were made in that stanza, six of them over the last nine possessions.

And nothing changed at the outset of the fourth period as Sandburg missed its first four shots and committed another

miscue on the next possession.

“We had a stretch where we really didn’t play well,” Allen said.

“We were careless with the basketball and uncharacteristically had some unforced turnovers. I don’t think we kept our mental focus the entire game and that’s dangerous against a good team. I hope it’s a lesson learned [for us].”

Kogionis poured in 18 points, but only two of those came after halftime. No one else tallied more than five points for the Eagles, who shot 11-of-42.

“Give Lyons credit [for that],” Allen said. “That was the tale of the game.”

Sandburg met Lockport in an SWSC Blue game this past Tuesday and plays Lincoln-Way East Monday at the United Center.

Statistics Joliet Central 15 13 13 25 - 66 Sandburg 20 14 18 24 - 76 Sandburg Scoring: T. Demogerontas 28, Kogionis 21, Kotsogiannis 13, Paxinos 8, Martinez 6.

Sandburg 8 13 8 10 - 39 Lyons Twp. 4 20 18 9 - 51 Sandburg Scoring: Kogionis 18, Martinez 5, T. Demogerontas 4, Paxinos 3, L. Demogerontas 2, Kotsogiannis 2, Maras 2, McLin 2, Razik 1.

Sandburg point guard Alec Martinez gets hounded by a Joliet Central defender during Friday night’s SouthWest Suburban Conference Blue contest. Following a two-week layoff the Eagles downed the Steelmen by 10.

Photo by Jeff Vorva

6

Section 2

Thursday, December 18, 2014 The Regional News - The Reporter

STAGG

new year to make sure the player’s ankle was sufficiently healed from a football injury and not put his (Continued from page 1) athletic future in jeopardy.

“He came to me Thursday and seniors and sophomores John Contant (13 points) and Josh said, ‘I really want to play,’” DanStrama (nine points, three re- iels said. “We were going to limit bounds) all lending a hand, Stagg his minutes and be real careful. outscored the Griffins 15-7 over He only played about 14 minutes, the first eight minutes and held less than half the game, but it an 11-point edge (34-23) at in- was nice to have him there [even for a while].” termission.

cause we were senior-dominated and we went 3-1,” he said. “Being so young and inexperienced [now] I should never have gotten in it — that was a coaching mistake. Prep is important [for these players] and we’re saying things to kids on the fly.”

Even so the Chargers didn’t embarrass themselves, not even when they took a goose egg in Saturday’s first quarter versus Naperville Central. That’s be“We took care of the ball early 56 cause Stagg’s defense prevented and it was nice to run some offense Addison Trail in the half-court,” Daniels said. Stagg 46 the Redhawks from running away 33 and hiding.

“We played a good game and it Naperville Cent.

Stagg 20 Naperville accumulated just six was nice having that confidence points in each of the first three early.”

The Chargers were slated for quarters and, behind two ConLincoln-Way East didn’t disappear from view, but the Chargers three games in the Blazers’ hol- tant 3s and six more points from held it at arm’s length by put- iday event, but Universal was a Strama closer to the basket, the ting together their finest show- no-show for Wednesday’s sched- Chargers notched 14 third-periing at the foul line to date. Stagg uled contest. Daniels is hoping to od points to pull into an 18-all converted 20-of-27 free throws, play the game on Saturday but deadlock. But the Redhawks drew including 13-of-16 in the fourth was surprised it was postponed first blood in the final frame when they hit a layup and 3-pointer on quarter. Goral went 7-of-8 to lead in the first place.

“I was really taken aback by their first two possessions. the way for the Chargers, whose After that Naperville went into only basket in the session was a the whole thing, [but] I don’t want to take a forfeit,” he said. a delay.

Stagg was forced to foul Stratinsky layup.

Daniels called the combined “It doesn’t do us any good. My once the clock wound under three minutes and the Redhawks sealed performance of Stratinsky, Za- kids need to play.”

That being said, Daniels wasn’t the deal for themselves with free remba and Goral “the best game our seniors have played,” but he so sure he did the right thing by throws.

“We did a pretty good job dewas particularly thrilled to have placing Stagg in the tournament, even though it has become an fensively, but they gutted it out,” Goral back in the lineup ahead of schedule. A week earlier Daniels annual pre-Christmas destination Daniels said.

The Chargers committed only announced he was perfectly con- for the club in recent years.

“Last year it was good for us be- six turnovers but were undercut tent having Goral sit out until the by disastrous 7-of-38 shooting.

Strama and Contant accounted for all but four of Stagg’s points. *** Daniels lives in Addison, one of his sons attends Addison Trail and he’s friends with the Blazers’ coach, but all that familiarity didn’t breed contentment for the Chargers, who missed Goral’s presence last Monday.

“We lost his height passing out of traps,” Daniels said. “They hurt us with their length. We didn’t play terrible, but they’re better than us.”

An 18-11 scoring advantage in the third quarter enabled Addison Trail to stretch out what had been a two-point halftime lead. Stagg’s ability to match the Blazers’ productivity early on, particularly during a 17-point opening period, pleased Daniels, who termed it “one of our better quarters of the season. We came out and did a really nice job.”

Contant and Strama were an effective 1-2 punch for the Chargers in Goral’s absence as they teamed up to score 30 points. Contant also dished out a team-best four assists while Strama tied Stratinsky for the rebounding lead with four boards.

Photo by Jeff Vorva Besides the hoped-for makeup Matt Mohan gathers in a rebound as Stagg teammate Jeff Goral with Universal, Stagg’s docket watches last Thursday during the Chargers’ SouthWest Suburban this week included a clash with Lake Park on Monday and a Tuesday SWSC Blue encounter with Bolingbrook.

Statistics Stagg 17 6 11 12 - 46 Addison Trail 17 8 18 13 - 56 Stagg Scoring: Contant 16, Strama 14, Zaremba 9, McMahon 3, Liput 2, Mohan 2. Rebounds: Strama 4, Stratinsky 4.

Assists: Contant 4.

Lincoln-Way East 7 16 7 17 - 47 Stagg 15 19 7 15 - 56 Stagg Scoring: Goral 14, Contant 13, Strama 9, Zaremba 9, Stratinsky 6, Worst 3, Mohan 2. Rebounds: Goral 6, Stratinsky 5. Assists: Goral 3.

Photo by Jeff Vorva

Stagg guard Nick Worst advances the ball along the sideline last Thursday vs. Lincoln-Way East.

Stagg 0 4 14 2 - 20 Naperville Cent. 6 6 6 15 - 33 Stagg Scoring: Strama 10, Contant 6, Mohan 2, Stratinsky 2. Rebounds: Stratinsky 5. Assists: Contant 1, Zaremba 1.

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REDHAWKS (Continued from page 2)

territory — and just five made charity tosses.

“We weren’t shooting well and we didn’t get to the free-throw line enough [to compensate for it],” Nolan said.

Ferguson’s 13 points topped the RedHawks. Hawkins added eight points and seven rebounds, and both players were credited with three steals. TF South totaled 15 turnovers.

“The things that presented issues to us as far as what they did well, I felt we generally played well against those things,” Nolan said. “[But] they’re good. TF South’s got some real good size, strong [and] athletic kids, and I think they’ll continue to get better throughout the year.”

Marist 62 Southland Prep 42 After destroying Southland by 30 points in the season-opening District 218 Tournament, the RedHawks got a rematch last Tuesday. Seemingly a gimme for Marist’s win column, Nolan didn’t view the contest in quite so obvious a way.

“You wonder what’s the mentality of playing a team the second time that you had been able to beat [handily] before?” he said.

Nolan found out soon enough as, just like in the earlier meeting, the RedHawks imposed their will right away. A 21-5 charge out of the gate made this game another runaway for Marist.

Six RedHawks tallied between

BULLDOGS (Continued from page 2)

hit them first and made them uncomfortable.”

Doing a large share of the pain-inflicting was Hussein, who topped Richards (4-3, 1-2) in both scoring (26 points) and rebounds (seven), the latter stat being especially eye-opening seeing as how the senior guard stands just 5-foot-10. Prior to Friday Hussein had often been playing out of position as he ran the ‘Dogs’ offense at point guard.

“He’s done a good job of creating off the dribble for himself, but we put him at a point where he was able to play off the ball [against TF South] and he was great all night,” Mamon said.

“It was good having that scoring punch.”

Spencer Tears and Chris Bender both tossed in eight points for Richards, which scored the last nine points of the second quarter and then opened the third with an 11-4 run that handed it a 42-22 advantage at the 4:43 mark. But before the Bulldogs could slam

VIKINGS

(Continued from page 3)

or 3-point shot, especially when they score [and it gets wiped out],” Maley said. “It demoralizes a team. And when we get one called the whole bench acts like we won the World Series.

“It’s been a lot of fun how these kids have bought in. They play hard — that’s what I’ve been hearing from everybody — and our whole motto is to make people beat us with contested jump shots. When people do get in the lane, we get defenders on them.”

Maley called the Vikings’ defense “phenomenal” against Seton, and indeed it was solid as the Sting’s 12-point first quarter wound up being their most potent. A 15-6 scoring edge in the second period gave St. Laurence a 30-18 lead to protect and visiting Seton offered only token resistance after that.

Ferrer backed Forberg’s strong all-around performance with 11 points and a couple of assists.

The Vikings (6-1, 2-0) out-rebounded the Sting 24-18 and exhibited no hangover from the Marist matchup.

“The thing about losing to

eight and 10 points and both Ferguson and Barry passed out five assists to keep the attack humming the whole way. Marist shot 53 percent from the floor, buried 6-of-16 3-pointers and bettered Southland in both offensive rebounding (8-5) and miscues (11-16).

“We played very well early,” Nolan said. “We shared the ball and executed well.”

DePaul Prep 45 Marist 42 Saturday’s affair with the Rams, who are coached by former DePaul University player and Gordon Tech standout Tom Kleinschmidt, featured a battle similar to Friday night’s.

As was the case one evening earlier, the RedHawks held a 4038 lead. This time, however, they were unable to close the deal as DePaul Prep went on a 7-2 run to end the contest and snatch victory away from Marist.

The RedHawks did a solid job defensively after the first quarter as they held the Rams to seven baskets over the final three, but DePaul did maximum damage early as it erupted for 22 points in the first eight minutes and built a 10-point edge.

“It’s a hard one to climb when you’re playing a talented team,” Nolan said. “They’re very sound defensively so it’s not easy to go on a run.”

Shooting was again a sore spot for Marist, which clicked on only 36 percent of its shots and made good on just 3-of-14 from behind the arc. Hawkins (18 points, eight rebounds, three steals) and Ferguson (11 points, five rebounds,

four assists) were the RedHawks’ notables once more.

Encounters with Gage Park and Leyden this past Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, wrapped up holiday-tournament play for Marist. It meets Marian Central Catholic in an ESCC game Friday night in Woodstock.

the lid shut on the Rebels, the home team roared back with a 16-0 surge sparked by Ronald Ryan (18 points) and De Ason Taylor (10).

A free throw with 1:11 remaining in the contest drew TF South within 52-50, but the Rebels missed the front end of a 1-and-1 — and with it a chance to tie — with 9.2 seconds left and was also charged with a lane violation. Hussein’s two charity tosses finalized the verdict.

Although Richards’ lead dwindled during the second half, one thing keeping the visitors afloat was a relatively error-free existence. The Bulldogs were charged with only five miscues over the last 16 minutes.

“We shared with the guys how important it was for us to get this win, not just for us but for the [SSC] Red [Division],” Mamon said. “We needed it because the Blue teams have been winning most of the [crossover] games.”

Richards gets another crack at a Blue foe on Friday when it plays its home opener at D-Wade

Court versus TF North, which rolled over Evergreen Park last Thursday.

Those Blue successes included the Braves’ conquest of the Bulldogs in a Tuesday meeting. Unlike on Friday Richards struggled to run its offense cleanly and the turnovers prevented it from ever mounting a sustained run.

Tears’ 18 points represented the Bulldogs’ best individual effort.

Marist was we still played pretty well [overall],” Maley said. “It just worked against us near the end.”

St. Laurence 68 Bishop McNamara 60 The Vikings demonstrated their offensive prowess early in Friday’s matchup as, even without Gurgone in the lineup, they unleashed a 3-point barrage on the host Irish.

Five long balls in all were deposited during the opening period, part of a 25-point outburst

by St. Laurence that staked it to a nine-point edge. From there the Vikings added to their lead and were ahead by 14 at the third-quarter break.

While some may have been caught off guard by St. Laurence’s ability to do damage from the perimeter minus Gurgone, Maley was not.

“We told our players, ‘This is not a fluke — you guys can shoot,’” he said.

The Vikings did so at a 53 percent clip from 3-point territory.

Brett Risley finished with four 3s and totaled a team-best 17 points.

He also passed out four assists, which tied Delvillar and Forsberg for the lead in that category.

Forsberg couldn’t duplicate the scoring onslaught with which he

attacked Seton, but he did toss in 10 points and earned praise from his coach.

“I think he’s been sacrificing a lot, but he did exactly what we needed him to do [here],” Maley said.

Wierzgac, Ferrer (12 points) and Chris Carli (six points, seven rebounds) were other principal figures for St. Laurence, which visited Solario Academy this past Tuesday and hosts Hales Franciscan in another Catholic League contest on Friday.

Statistics TF South Marist

13 16 13 11 - 53 9 17 11 6 - 43

Marist Scoring: Ferguson 13, Hawkins 8, Hill 7, Parker 6, Reynolds 4, Barry 3, Lerma 2. Rebounds: Hawkins 7, Lerma 6. Assists: Barry 4. Steals: Ferguson 3, Hawkins 3.

Southland Prep 5 10 19 8 - 42 Marist 21 21 9 11 - 62 Marist Scoring: Ferguson 10, Hawkins 9, Hill 9, Lerma 8, Parker 8, Reynolds 8, Barry 3, Hardin 3, Brown 2, Weaver 2. Rebounds: Hawkins 6. Assists: Barry 5, Ferguson 5. Steals: Hawkins 3.

St. Patrick Marist

13 13 10 5 - 41 8 14 11 12 - 45

Marist Scoring: Hawkins 19, Ferguson 16, Commander 3, Hill 3, Barry 2, Lerma 2. Rebounds: Hawkins 9. Assists: Barry 4, Ferguson 4. Steals: Ferguson 3, Hawkins 3.

DePaul Prep Marist

22 6 12 9

5 9

12 - 45 12 - 42

Marist Scoring: Hawkins 18, Ferguson 11, Parker 5, Commander 3, Hill 3, Barry 2. Rebounds: Hawkins 8. Assists: Ferguson 4, Hawkins 4. Steals: Hawkins 3.

Statistics Final

Richards 54 TF South 50 Richards Scoring: Hussein 26, Bender 8, Tears 8. Rebounds: Hussein 7.

Final

Bremen 45 Richards 42 Richards Scoring: Tears 18.

Statistics Seton Academy 12 6 10 9 - 37 St. Laurence 15 15 8 14 - 52 St. Laurence Scoring: Forsberg 23, Ferrer 11. Rebounds: Delvillar 5, Forsberg 5.

Assists: Ferrer 2. Steals: Forsberg 4.

St. Laurence 25 8 21 14 - 68 Bishop McNamara 16 6 18 20 - 60 St. Laurence Scoring: Risley 17, Wierzgac 13, Ferrer 12, Forsberg 10, Carli 6. Rebounds: Carli 7. Assists: Delvillar 4, Forsberg 4, Risley 4.

The Regional News - The Reporter

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, I L L I N O I S ďż˝ COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION FIRST MIDWEST BANK, AS SUCCESSOR IN I N T E R E S T ) ďż˝ TO PALOS BANK AND TRUST COMPANY; Plaintiff, v s . ďż˝ STEVEN J. ZEBROWSKI, AN INDIVIDUAL; C A R O L Y N ďż˝ M. ZEBROWSKI, AN INDIVIDUAL; SKYLINE, INC., AN ILLINOIS CORPORATION; UNKNOWN OWNERS; NON RECORD CLAIMANTS; UNKNOWN TENANTS AND OCCUPANTS; Defendants, 13 CH 3828 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Friday, January 16, 2015, at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: Commonly known as 12920 South Mason Avenue, Palos Heights, IL 60463.

P.I.N. 24-32-205-003-0000.

The mortgaged real estate is a single family residence.

If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: Bidders must present, at the time of sale, a cashier's or certified check for 10% of the successful bid amount. The balance of the successful bid shall be paid within 24 hours, by similar funds. The property will NOT be open for inspection.

For information call Mr. Stephen G. Daday at Plaintiff's Attorney, Klein, Daday, Aretos & O'Donoghue, LLC, 2550 West Golf Road, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008.

(847) 590-8700.

INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 I637416

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, I ďż˝ L L I N O I S ďż˝ COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS Tďż˝ R U S T E E , ďż˝ SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO BANK OF Aďż˝ M E R I C A , ďż˝ NATIONAL ASSOCIATION AS TRUSTEE AS Sďż˝ U C C E S S O R ďż˝

BY MERGER TO LASALLE BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR CERTIFICATEHOLDERS OF BEAR STEARNS A S S E T ďż˝ BACKED SECURITIES I LLC, ASSET BACKEDCERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-EC1 Plaintiff, v s . ďż˝ THERESA POSPISIL; DAVID POSPISIL Defendants, 13 CH 18345 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Monday, January 12, 2015 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: Commonly known as 8812 West 103rd Place, Palos Hills, Il 60465.

P.I.N. 23-15-202-008-0000.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff's Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 220-5611.

1 3 0 2 2 4 5 1 ďż˝ INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 I637369

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF Cook County, Illinois, County ďż˝ Department, Chancery Division.

Nationstar Mortgage LLC P l a i n t i f f , ďż˝ vďż˝ s . ďż˝ Tricia Bradley aka Tricia Lynn Skowron aka Tricia Lynn ďż˝ Bradley; Michael Bradley aka Michael O. Bradley aka Michael Oliver Bradley; The Crystal Hills Condominium ďż˝ Association; Unknown Owners and Non-Record C l a i m a n t s ďż˝ D e f e n d a n t s , ďż˝ 13 CH 18494 Sheriff's ďż˝ # 140772 F13070021 NSTR Pursuant to a Judgment made and entered by said ďż˝ in the above entitled cause, Thomas J. Dart, Court Sheriff of Cook County, Illinois, will on January 20, 2015, at 1pm in room LL06 of the Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction the following described premises and real estate mentioned in said Judgment: Common Address: 9120 West 95th Street, Apartment 3A, Hickory Hills, Illinois 60457 P.I.N: 23-03-400-037-1075 Improvements: This property consists of a Residential Condominium Unit.

Sale shall be under the following terms: payment of not less than ten percent (10%) of the amount of the successful and highest bid to be paid to the Sheriff by cashier's check or certified funds at the sale; and the full remaining balance to be paid to the Sheriff by cashier's check or certified funds within twenty-four (24) hours after the sale.

Sale shall be subject to general taxes, special a s s e s s m e n t s . ďż˝ Premise will NOT be open for inspection.

The purchaser of a condominium unit, other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments as required by 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1) For information, contact the sales department, FREEDMAN ANSELMO LINDBERG LLC, 1771 W. Diehl Road, Suite 120, NAPERVILLE, IL 60563, (630) 453-6960 ďż˝ For bidding instructions, visit www.fal-illinois.com. Please refer to file number F13100372 CHOH. For bidding instructions, visit w w w . f a l - i l l i n o i s . c o m ďż˝ This is an attempt to collect a debt pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

I631368

For Sale For Sale

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on September 22, 2014, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 14, 2015, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive - 24th Floor, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 9831 NOTTINGHAM AVENUE, UNIT 14, Chicago Ridge, IL 60415 Property Index No. 24-07-113-028-1014.

The real estate is improved with a condominium.

The judgment amount was $148,675.04.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No 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. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in AS IS condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, contact Plaintiff s attorney: POTESTIVO & ASSOCIATES, P.C., 223 WEST JACKSON BLVD, STE 610, Chicago, IL 60606, (312) 263-0003 Please refer to file number C1498653.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

POTESTIVO & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 223 WEST JACKSON BLVD, STE 610 Chicago, IL 60606 (312) 263-0003 Attorney File No. C14-98653 Attorney Code. 43932 Case Number: 14 CH 05576 TJSC#: 34-17585 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION BANKFINANCIAL, FSB Plaintiff, -v.LINDA JARINA, BANKFINANCIAL, F.S.B., PALOS PLACE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF JOYCE JARINA F/K/A JOYCE E. DAMON, LAURA ZOULEK, KEVIN R. JARINA, LENORE GOSLAWSKI, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF KENNETH J. JARINA, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS, WILLIAM P. BUTCHER, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR JOYCE JARINA F/K/A JOYCE E. DAMON (DECEASED) Defendants 14 CH 005415 10561 PALOS PLACE UNIT C PALOS HILLS, IL 60465 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on August 28, 2014, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 6, 2015, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive - 24th Floor, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 10561 PALOS PLACE UNIT C, PALOS HILLS, IL 60465 Property Index No. 23-13-103-030-1027. The real estate is improved with a condo/townhouse. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted.

The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No 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. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS� condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property.

Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file or contact Plaintiff’s attorney: CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C., 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL 60527, (630) 794-9876 Please refer to file number 14-14-04768. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE, IL 60527 (630) 794-5300 Attorney File No. 14-14-04768 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 14 CH 005415 TJSC#: 34-15641 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

I635915

For Sale IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK C O U N T Y, I L L I N O I S C O U N T Y D E PA R T M E N T - C H A N C E R Y D I V I S I O N CITIZENS BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION F/K/A RBS CITIZENS NA SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO CHARTER ONE BANK, N.A. P l a i n t i f f , v .

DANIEL W. SCHULLER, WESTGATE VALLEY TOWNHOMES CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, CITIZENS BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION D e f e n d a n t s 1 4 C H 0 0 9 0 0 4 4 0 0 1 S P Y G L A S S C I R C L E PA L O S H E I G H T S , I L 6 0 4 6 3 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on September 2, 2014, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 2, 2015, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive - 24th Floor, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 4001 SPYGLASS CIRCLE, PALOS HEIGHTS, IL 60463 Property Index No. 24-31-404-056-1157. The real estate is improved with a condo/townhouse.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No 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. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS� condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. Effective May 1st, 2014 you will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues. For information, examine the court file or contact Plaintiff’s attorney: CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C., 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL 60527, (630) 794-9876 Please refer to file number 14-13-32788.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE, IL 60527 (630) 794-5300 Attorney File No. 14-13-32788 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 14 CH 009004 TJSC#: 34-15937 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

I635083

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IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION QUICKEN LOANS, INC. Plaintiff, -v.ODAI KHUFFASH, KERI A. MARTINEZ, WESTRIDGE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants

7

Thursday, December 18, 2014 Section 2

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Publisher’s Notice

Call Tom Maloney at

  All Real Estate advertising in this news-

I N T H E C I R C U I T C O U R T O F C Opaper O Kis subject to the Fair Housing Act CO D E - makes it illegal to advertise “any ďż˝ U N T Y, I L L I N O I S C O U N T Y which limitation or discrimination.â€?

PA R T M E N T - C H A N C E R Y D I V I S preference, ION Familial status includes children under WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIthe age of 18 living with parents or legal ATION, TRUSTEE FOR THE CERTIFICATEcustodians, pregnant women and people HOLDERS OF FIRST FRANKLIN MORTGAGE securing custody of children under 18.

LOAN TRUST 2004-FF4, MORTGAGE PASS  This newspaper will not knowingly acTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2004-FF4 cept any advertising for real estate which of the law. Our readers are P l a i n t i f f is in violation , herby-informed that all dwellings adverv . tised in this newspaper are available on SAWSON HADDAD A/K/A SAWSON R. HADDAD, an equal opportunity basis. To complain RAJAEI HADDAD A/K/A RAJAEI J. HADDAD A/K/A of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1 � HADDAD, CHICAGO TITLE LAND TRUST RAY (800) 669-9777. The toll-free telephone COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE U/T/A DATED number 1ST for the hearing impaired is 1 (800) DAY OF APRIL, 1999 A/K/A TRUST NO. 1107004, 927-9275.

INLAND BANK AND TRUST, MIDLAND FUNDING, LLC, INTEGRA BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, STATE OF ILLINOIS, UNKNOWN BENEFICIARIES Selling homes locally for 25 years OF CHICAGO TITLE LAND TRUST COMPANY, AS TRUSTEE U/T/A DATED 1ST DAY OF APRIL, corey53@sbcglobal.net Email:Email: corey53@sbcglobal.net RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE 1999 A/K/A TRUST NO. 1107004, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS D e f e n d a n t s 1 1 C H 0 2 8 0 5 5 Frank Lloyd Wright 17128 POINTE DRIVE ORLAND PARK, IL 60467 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY inspired home on GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on November premium homesite 15, 2012, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporabreathtaking views of tion, will at 10:30 AM on January 15, 2015, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker crystal tree golf course.

Drive - 24th Floor, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth Full ďƒžnished walkout below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 17128 POINTE DRIVE, ORLAND PARK, IL 60467 Property Index No. 27-29-313-003.

The real estate is improved with a single family $799,000 residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No 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 14340 S. LaGrange Road, Orland Park, IL 60462 creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real Sharon Kubasak estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS� condition.

The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will

NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no

representation as to the condition of the property.

Prospective bidders are admonished to check the

court file to verify all information. If this property is

 ��� a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the  ��� foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay �

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foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification ‡� ��� for ‡� ��� sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file or contact Plaintiff’s attorney: CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C., 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL 60527, (630) 794-9876 Please refer to file number 14-11-18640.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South

Wacker Drive, Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650

24th

RESIDENTIAL BROKERAGE (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE, IL 60527 (630) 794-5300 Attorney File No. 14-11-18640 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 11 CH 028055 TJSC#: 34-20866 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a R e f .

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1 4 - 0 1 7 3 7 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF I L L I N O I S ďż˝ information obtained will be used for that purpose.

C O O K C O U N T Y, I L L I N O I S COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION I637239 COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION BANK OF AMERICA, N.A. C I T I M O R T G A G E , I N C . , P l a i n t i f f , ďż˝ P l a i n t i f f , v s . ďż˝ GHADA SHAABNAH; MORTGAGE ELECTRONIC v s .

REGISTRATION SYSTEMS, INC., AS NOMINEE MICHAEL R. WHALEY A/K/A MICHAEL REYNARD F O R ďż˝ WHALEY AND KARLENE M. COUNTRYWIDE BANK, N.A.; W H A L E Y A / K / A K A R L E N E D e f e n d a n t s , ďż˝ M I C H E L L E W H A L E Y, C I T I B A N K , N . A . , 10 CH 37060 D e f e n d a n t s , NOTICE OF SALE 1 4 C H 9 6 5 5 PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to C a l e n d a r 6 0 a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the N O T I C E O F S A L E above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to Corporation will on Friday, January 9, 2015 at the hour a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, entitled cause on September 10, 2014, InterSuite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to county Judicial Sales Corporation will on Monday, the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the January 12, 2015, at the hour of 11 a.m. in their following described mortgaged real estate: office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Commonly known as 10601 South 80th Court, Palos Chicago, Illinois, sell to the highest bidder for cash, Hills, IL 60465. the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 23-14-217-037-0000.

Commonly known as 6717 W. SHIAWASThe mortgaged real estate is improved with a single S I E D R . , PA L O S H E I G H T S , I L 6 0 4 6 3 . family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is P. I . N .

24-30-415-015-0000. a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the family residence. If the subject mortgaged real esassessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section tate is a unit of a common interest community, the 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. property will NOT be open for inspection Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff's within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds.

Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East The property will NOT be open for inspection.

Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 220-5611.

For information call Mr. Ira T. Nevel at Plain1 0 2 0 6 1 8 � tiff’s Attorney, Law Offices of Ira T. Nevel, INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION 175 North Franklin Street, Chicago, Illinois Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 60606. (312) 357-1125. Ref. No. 14-01737 I636092 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION

(708) 903-9865

RUN 12When 5 13

you are thinking Real Estate, Think CoREy!

Merry Corey Bergamo COREY BERGAMO ChristmasColdwell Banker RealReal Estate Coldwell Banker Estate Have & Happy Cell:Cell: 708-212-1342 708-212-1342 New Year!Selling homes locally for 25 years

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Cell: (708) 269-0490 www.SharonKubasak.com

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$189,900 Original Palos 125x121 lot w/hardwood floors, 2 baths, full basement, deck and handi

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like yard (98X344 lot) with

pool

fenced in-ground

Eileen Lunter Broker

A Palos Resident Since 1968

Call Eileen at (708) 466-7089

14470 S. LaGrange Rd.

For Sale

Do you have a house for rent?

Call today to place your ad!

Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122

For Sale

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ďż˝

8

Section 2

Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Regional News - The Reporter

Real Estate

Property Listings

For Sale

For Sale

For Sale

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION Plaintiff, -v.WALDEMAR DZBIK, MONIKA DZBIK, SOUTH CENTRAL BANK, N.A., M&I BANK FSB Defendants 09 CH 024952 9720 MAPLE CREST COURT PALOS HILLS, IL 60465 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 7, 2014, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 9, 2015, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive - 24th Floor, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 9720 MAPLE CREST COURT, PALOS HILLS, IL 60465 Property Index No. 23-10-208-026. The real estate is improved with a residence. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No 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. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS� condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property.

Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file or contact Plaintiff’s attorney: CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C., 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL 60527, (630) 794-9876 Please refer to file number 14-09-16985. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE, IL 60527 (630) 794-5300 Attorney File No. 14-09-16985 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 09 CH 024952 TJSC#: 34-18355 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

I636450

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO NATIONAL CITY MORTGAGE, A DIVISION OF NATIONAL CITY BANK Plaintiff, -v.KRZYSZTOF NEDZA CHOTARSKI AKA KRZYSZTOF NEDZA-CHOTARSKI, BEATA NEDZA CHOTARSKI AKA BEATA K NEDZA-CHOTARSKI AKA BEATA K CHOTARSKI AKA BEATA MRUGALA, CAPITAL ONE BANK (USA), N.A., BERKSHIRE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION Defendants 13 CH 02180 8901 SOUTH ROBERTS ROAD UNIT 101 HICKORY HILLS, IL 60457 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 8, 2014, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 9, 2015, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive - 24th Floor, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 8901 SOUTH ROBERTS ROAD UNIT 101, HICKORY HILLS, IL 60457 Property Index No. 23-01-101-019-1001, Property Index No. 23-01101-019-1042. The real estate is improved with a 44 unit condominium with no garage. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No 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. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS� condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. Effective May 1st, 2014 you will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues. For information: Visit our website at service.atty-pierce.com. between the hours of 3 and 5 pm. PIERCE & ASSOCIATES, Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street Suite 1300, CHICAGO, IL 60602. Tel No. (312) 476-5500. Please refer to file number PA1224008.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. PIERCE & ASSOCIATES One North Dearborn Street Suite 1300 CHICAGO, IL 60602 (312) 476-5500 Attorney File No. PA1224008 Attorney Code. 91220 Case Number: 13 CH 02180 TJSC#: 34-17719 I635443

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. Plaintiff, -v.JEFFREY M. THORNTON AKA JEFFREY THORNTON AKA JEFF M. THORNTON, SUSAN L. THORNTON AKA SUSAN THORNTON, BRIDGEVIEW BANK GROUP, CAPITAL ONE BANK (USA), N.A., UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 14 CH 8355 10108 SOUTH BUELL COURT Oak Lawn, IL 60453 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 14, 2014, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 15, 2015, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive - 24th Floor, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 10108 SOUTH BUELL COURT, Oak Lawn, IL 60453 Property Index No. 24-09-315-031-0000.

The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

The judgment amount was $139,709.47.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No 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. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in AS IS condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, or a unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). 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 property, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and legal fees required by subsections (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. IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, contact the sales department, FREEDMAN ANSELMO LINDBERG LLC, 1771 W. Diehl Road, Suite 120, NAPERVILLE, IL 60563, (630) 453-6960 For bidding instructions, visit www.fal-illinois.com.. Please refer to file number F14040007.

If the sale is not confirmed for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale may be entitled at most only to a return of the purchase price paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Mortgagee s attorney, or the court appointed selling officer.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

FREEDMAN ANSELMO LINDBERG LLC 1771 W. Diehl Road, Suite 120 NAPERVILLE, IL 60563 (630) 453-6960 E-Mail: foreclosurenotice@fal-illinois.com Attorney File No. F14040007 Attorney ARDC No. 3126232 Attorney Code. 26122 Case Number: 14 CH 8355 TJSC#: 34-19107 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

For Sale IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, I L L I N O I S ďż˝ COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION BANK OF AMERICA, NA; SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO BAC HOME LOANS SERVICING LP FKA C O U N T R Y W I D E ďż˝ HOME LOANS SERVICING, LP; P l a i n t i f f , ďż˝ v s . ďż˝ MOUNCEF ELALAMY; NADIA BOUKILI; TCF N A T I O N A L ďż˝ B A N K ; ďż˝ D e f e n d a n t s , ďż˝ 12 CH 7227 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Monday, January 12, 2015 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: Commonly known as 10300 South 83rd Avenue, Palos Hills, IL 60465.

P.I.N. 23-14-219-054-0000.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff's Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 220-5611.

1 4 0 1 7 3 5 5 ďż˝ INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 I637342

For Sale For Sale IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, I L L I N O I S ďż˝ COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION HUDSON CITY SAVINGS BANK, FSB; P l a i n t i f f , ďż˝ v s . ďż˝ LISA BRANDAU; FREDERICK BRANDAU; J P M O R G A N ďż˝ CHASE BANK NA; Defendants, 12 CH 40831 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Wednesday, January 14, 2015 at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described mortgaged real estate: Commonly known as 12327 South 71st Court, Palos Heights, IL 60463.

P.I.N. 24-30-301-003-0000.

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance, by certified funds, within 24 hours. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff's Attorney, Manley Deas Kochalski, LLC, One East Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (614) 220-5611.

1 2 0 2 6 4 5 7 ďż˝ INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122 I637394

There’s something for everyone in the Classifieds!

ďż˝

R e f .

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1 2 - 0 2 4 5 6 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF C O O K C O U N T Y, I L L I N O I S ďż˝ COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION ďż˝ U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A., AS TRUSTEE FOR LSF8 Mďż˝ A S T E R P A R T I C I P A T I O N T R U S T, P l a i n t i f f , v s .

C A R O L E A .

R A M E Y , D e f e n d a n t s , 1 2 C H 2 6 9 8 5 C a l e n d a r 6 0 N O T I C E O F S A L E PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause on October 2, 2014, Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on Tuesday, January 13, 2015, at the hour of 11 a.m. in their office at 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, Illinois, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: Commonly known as 9857 S. LAWNDALE AVE, EVERGREEN PARK, ILLINOIS 60805.

P . I . N .

2 4 - 1 1 - 1 3 0 - 0 5 4 .

The mortgaged real estate is improved with a single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: 10% down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. ďż˝ property will NOT be open for inspection.

The For information call Mr. Ira T. Nevel at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Law Offices of Ira T. Nevel, 175 North Franklin Street, Chicago, Illinois 60606. (312) 357-1125. Ref. No. 12-02456 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION Selling Officer, (312) 444-1122

Call today to place your ad!

For Sale IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK C O U N T Y, I L L I N O I S C O U N T Y D E ďż˝ PA R T M E N T - C H A N C E R Y D I V I S I O N U.S. BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE HOLDERS OF MASTR ADJUSTABLE RATE MORTGAGES TRUST 2007-3 P l a i n t i f f , ďż˝ v .

CHOUDHRY K. HUSSAIN AKA CHOUDRY ďż˝ K.ďż˝HUSSAIN, SHAHIDA KAMRAM HUSSAIN D e f e n d a n t s 0 ďż˝9 C H 4 0 7 9 8 8748 ďż˝ WEST 96TH PLACE PALOS HILLS, IL 60465 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY ďż˝ GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on October 16, 2014, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on January 23, 2015, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive - 24th Floor, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at public auction to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 8748 WEST 96TH PLACE, PALOS HILLS, IL 60465 Property Index No. 23-11-103-007-0000. The real estate is improved with a brick, single family home with a detached 2 car garage. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No 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 ďż˝ acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS ISâ€? condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property.

Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information: Visit our website at service.atty-pierce.com. between the hours of 3 and 5 pm. PIERCE & ASSOCIATES, Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street Suite 1300, CHICAGO, IL 60602. Tel No. (312) 476-5500. Please refer to file number PA0924114.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. PIERCE & ASSOCIATES One North Dearborn Street Suite 1300 CHICAGO, IL 60602 (312) 476-5500 Attorney File No. PA0924114 Attorney Code. 91220 Case Number: 09 CH 40798 TJSC#: 34-18237 I637698

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May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved and preserved throughout the world now and forever.

Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us. St. Jude, worker of miracles, pray for us.

St. Jude, helper of the helpless, pray for us.

Say this prayer nine times a day, on the ninth day your prayers will be answered. It has never been known to fail. Publication must be promised.

Thank you, St. Jude, for prayers answered.

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The Regional News - The Reporter

Thursday, December 18, 2014 Section 2

Out & About

9

Your Guide to Arts and Events in the Southwest Suburbs and Beyond

Five of my favorite Christmas films With Christmas around the corner and holiday cheer all around, what better way to escape than with a timeless Christmas movie?

With so many Christmas movies and so little time around the holidays, you have to be careful that you don’t get stuck with a lump of coal. Well, I’m here to help. Instead of a nice shiny new movie review, I’m here to unwrap the top five Christmas movies of all-time according to this young writer.

You may be wondering what the criteria is for this list. It’s something I’ve seen, something I like, and something I would watch again. Basically there are no rules, so let’s get to unwrapping these festive movies: 5) A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas To start with a movie many of you have not seen, we have the third movie in the Harold and Kumar trilogy. They’ve been to White Castle and to Guantanamo Bay, so now all they have to do is become friends again. Santa gets shot, they burn down the prized Christmas tree, they become friends again, and you can’t forget the big musical numbers with Neil Patrick Harris. The movie itself is very cheesy but it’s worth giving it a shot.

4) Jingle All The Way What more do you need than Arnold Schwarzenegger? Apparently not much more for this 1996 classic. On the Eve of Christmas, Arnold must fight through the herd of people in order to find a Turbo Man action figure for his son. Little does he know it’s the hottest toy around. The movie follows him as he competes against police, con-artist Santas, a messed-up postman, and all the other horrible parents who waited until the last minute. While Arnold is searching for the doll, you

Pinto’s Popcorn Picks by Tony Pinto

have a son clamoring to spend time with his dad.

3) National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation The search for the perfect tree, way too many Christmas lights, and some family you don’t want to see decorate this Chevy Chase led-holiday classic. The drive for the perfect holiday creates a mess from a burning tree to a non-existent bonus. What can go wrong does go wrong.

2) Home Alone Another John Hughes movie makes the list (the previous movie was also written by him) and another movie that happens to call Chicago home. What more reasons do you need to watch this movie?

1)How The Grinch Stole Christmas (cartoon version) Technically this is cheating because this isn’t a movie, but who cares? It was made into a movie starring Jim Carrey but let’s not talk about that abomination. Narrated by Boris Karloff and his beautiful baritone, this animated TV special which originally aired in 1966 is something that’s going to continue to stand the test of time. Most of you already know the story and how the Grinch steals Christmas away from Whoville. It’s a touching story that teaches us that it doesn’t matter what we have for Christmas, it’s who we spend it with.

Now you’ve seen my list, so go check out these films while making your own list and spread it around with the ones you care about.

Broaden Your Horizons This Week

for adults in Drawing, Watercolor Painting, Pastel Painting, The Bridge Teen Basketry, Weaving, Knitting, Stoneware Pottery, Woodcarving, Center events Quilting, Collage, Lapidary, Po• Ping Pong Tourney - 5 to etry, Stained Glass, Calligraphy, 6 p.m. today (Thursday), The Silver Jewelry, and Papermaking.

Bridge Teen Center will host a Family Pottery, Teen Pottery, and Ping Pong Tournament for High Children’s Art are also on the winter schedule.

T h e School students only.

• Leave the Light On - 7:30 Log Cabin Art Center offers sixto 10:30 p.m. this Friday, The week courses plus occasional 1 Bridge Teen Center will host its day workshops. Classes are held weekly Friday Night Live event in three cozy log cabins in the with live music from acoustic/ woods, and are known for their rock band Leave the Light On warm and welcoming ambience and free popcorn from a popcorn and excellent instruction.

Registration is required for bar courtesy of Meijer.

• Movie Day: Elf - 4:30 to 5:30 classes, most of which begin p.m. Dec. 23, a movie day for in early January. For further students to watch “Elf” and get information, interested persons should call The Center at 361a free cup of hot chocolate.

These free events are for teens 3650. in 7th through 12th grade. For more information call 532-0500.

Upcoming

Yulelog service A Christmas Yule log Service will be offered on Monday, Dec. 22, at 7:30 p.m., at The Center, 12700 Southwest Hwy, Palos Park.

The Yule log service features Christmas carols, scripture, stories, and a variety of old-fashioned traditions. The highlight of each evening is the lighting of the huge log and the opportunity for each participant to throw his or her own twig into the fire, symbolizing a fresh start for the New Year. Special music will be provided by The Center’s Singers.

“The Christmas Story” will be read from the Bible by Chris Hopkins. The Rev. Ron Greene will dramatically deliver his rendition of “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” The Yule log service is a night of warm fellowship, good cheer, and Christmas spirit.

Tickets to the Yule log service cost $10 per person, are limited in number, and must be purchased in advance. Call 361-3650 for more information.

No excuses journaling

“No Excuses Journaling” is a new opportunity at the Log Cabin Center for the Arts, beginning Friday, Jan. 2 at 12700 Southwest Highway in Palos Park.

Participants will be encouraged to create a colorful artistic record of their days, their thoughts, and their experiences, through words, collages, photos, poems, magazine images, drawings, watercolors, or any other media. The idea is that there are so many options that there are no excuses. Using Gina Rossi Armfield’s “No Excuses Art Journaling” book as an inspiration, participants will make a commitment to make time for creativity, to document the days of their lives and keep a record of their thoughts and inspirations.

Students will need to purchase a daily, weekly, or monthly datebook or calendar, and should plan to begin right away on Jan. 2.

The Jan. 2 meeting is a free no-obligation introduction to the project. The group will meet once each month from noon to 3 p.m.

Winter art The program cost $100 per registration year, or $10 per month. After Registration is open for winter the Jan. 2 introductory session, classes at the Log Cabin Center students will need to register for for The Arts, located at The Cen- the remainder of the project.

To participate on Jan. 2, call ter, 12700 Southwest Highway, The Center to say you are planPalos Park.

Winter classes are offered ning to come: 361-3650.

Supplied photo

Native American games at Isle a la Cache A Native American games workshop will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. this Saturday, Dec. 20, at the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Isle a la Cache Museum, 501 E. Romeo Road. Learn the history of several Native American games and toys and how to make them.

Participants may choose to make one or more crafts, including a toy buzzer, a cornhusk doll, a ring-and-pin game and a dice game. The program, which will be held indoors in an accessible facility, is for ages 8 to 16. Cost is $10 per person. Registration is required; call 815-886-1467. For information, visit ReconnectWithNature.org.

Wolfgang Puck’s Kitchen

by Wolfgang Puck

Enjoy a golden loaf of homemade bread on your holiday table “I’ve baked a loaf of bread.”

These are such simple words.

Yet, if you say them to family or friends, especially during the holidays, there’s a very good chance they’ll be greeted with awe, admiration and gratitude.

Nothing you can make impresses in quite the same way. After all, bread is considered elemental sustenance. Who hasn’t heard it referred to as “the staff of life,” or read the classic romantic yearning of “The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam” for “A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread — and Thou Beside me singing in the Wilderness”?

There will be no trace of wilderness on your holiday dining table if it features some good bread.

And if you’ve made the bread yourself, for your own celebration or a party to which you’ve been invited, many of those gathered will feel it has transformed the meal into a feast — regardless of whether it accompanies a glorious roast or humble leftovers.

As you’ll discover while making the recipe I share here for Braided Egg-and-Butter Loaf, you can accomplish that feat with relative ease. Thanks to the mixing and kneading help supplied by a stand mixer, which so many home cooks have in their kitchens today, and the seemingly miraculous action of the benevolent microorganisms known as yeast to make the dough rise, most of the work of making bread is done for you while you simply sit back and let it happen.

Of course, you do have to measure your ingredients carefully and check to make sure you provide the correct water temperature and room temperature for, respectively, activating the yeast and letting the dough rise. (If you need to go out, you can slow down the rising process by refrigerating the dough, which will then take about 4 times longer.)

A close cousin of French brioche and Jewish challah, my recipe also involves dividing the dough into two equal batches (for two loaves), then dividing each batch into three equal pieces that are rolled out into ropelike shapes and braided. Please don’t be intimidated by this task. It’s surprisingly similar to braiding hair into a pigtail; and even if you’ve never

done that, you’ll find it easy to follow the simple, methodical instructions I include here.

Try making this bread for any forthcoming holiday party. (If you observe Jewish dietary laws, in which dairy and meat are not mixed, you can substitute water for the milk and 1/2 cup, or 125 ml, of vegetable oil for the butter.)

It freezes well, too — just wrap it airtight in plastic and then in aluminum foil.

Here’s to a holiday season filled with awe, gratitude and good food.

BRAIDED EGG-ANDBUTTER LOAF Makes 2 large loaves

DOUGH:

• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons (2 packets) active dry yeast • 2 cups warm milk, 80-90 degrees F. (27 degrees-32 degrees C.) • ¹∕³ cup (85 ml) granulated sugar • 6 cups (1.5 l) bread flour or all-purpose (plain) flour, plus extra for kneading • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted • 3 large cage-free eggs, at room temperature • 2 teaspoons salt • Cornmeal, for sprinkling

Fotolia

A close cousin of French brioche and Jewish challah, my recipe is easier than it looks to make!

2 minutes, then medium speed for about 8 minutes, until a smooth dough forms, adding a little more flour if it looks too sticky.

Scrape out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and finish kneading by hand, about 1 minute. Shape the dough into a ball.

EGG WASH: Clean and dry the bowl. Lightly • 1 large cage-free egg butter or oil it and return the • 1 tablespoon water dough to it, rounded side down • Poppy seeds or sesame first, and then turning it roundseeds, optional In the bowl of a stand mixer, ed side up to coat it. Cover the combine the yeast and 1 cup of bowl with plastic and set aside warm milk; stir to dissolve. Add in a warm, draft-free place until the sugar and 2 cups (500 ml) doubled in bulk, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

Turn out the dough onto a of the flour and mix with the paddle attachment at medium lightly floured work surface. Cut speed. When smooth, cover the it in half. Cut each half into 3 bowl with plastic wrap and leave equal pieces. Roll each piece back in a warm spot until bubbly, 45 and forth between your fingers to form an even strand 18 inches minutes to 1 hour.

Add the remaining warm milk (45 cm) long. Pinch the ends of and, with the paddle at medium 3 strands together and stretch speed, beat in the butter. One at them out parallel to but 2 to 3 a time, beat in the eggs. Com- inches (5 to 7.5 cm) apart from bine the remaining 4 cups (1 l) each other; then, braid by alflour with the salt and add all at ternately lifting the right-hand once to the mixture. Mix with the strand over the middle one, and paddle. Then, switch to the dough then the left-hand strand over the hook and knead at low speed for middle. Finally, pinch the other

ends together and tuck both ends neatly underneath. Repeat with the remaining 3 strands to make a second loaf.

Sprinkle a large baking sheet with cornmeal. Transfer the loaves to the sheet, space about 3 inches (7.5 cm) apart, or use 2 sheets. Beat together the egg and water and gently brush over the loaves. Sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds if you like. Cover the loaves with 1 or 2 clean, damp kitchen towels and leave to rise until nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. If using 2 baking sheets, place 1 in the refrigerator, removing it after 1 hour.

About 30 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (175 degrees C). Position the topmost rack in the middle of the oven. Place the baking sheet on the middle rack and bake the loaves until they are deep mahogany brown and sound hollow when rapped on the bottom with a knuckle, about 45 minutes.

Transfer to wire racks and cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.

10

Section 2

Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Regional News - The Reporter

Out & About

Your Guide to Arts and Events in the Southwest Suburbs and Beyond

Videoview

by Jay Bobbin (NOTICE: Ratings for each film begin with a ‘star’ rating — one star meaning ‘poor,’ four meaning ‘excellent’ — followed by the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and then by a family-viewing guide, the key for which appears below.)

STARTING THIS WEEK: “TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES”: The “heroes in a half-shell” return to big-screen action in this live-action adventure, which may mean more to those who recall their earlier exploits than youngsters who may not be as familiar with them now. Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael are back on the streets of New York to combat the latest nefarious plot by their enemy Shredder.

Megan Fox plays the turtles’ usual cohort, reporter April O’Neil, and Will Arnett and Whoopi Goldberg also turn up. *** (PG-13: V) (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand) “THE MAZE RUNNER”: A continually reconfiguring maze poses endless challenges for the young people trapped within it in this compelling adaptation of the James Dashner best-seller.

The youths aren’t alone inside the puzzle, since additional threats are posed by creatures known as Grievers that are on their trail. Dylan O’Brien (“Teen Wolf ”) and Thomas Sangster (“Game of Thrones”) are among the actors, but the clever production design is a star in itself here. *** (PG-13: P, V) (Also on Blu-ray) “ T H E SKELETON TWINS”: After being “Satur-

day Night Live” colleagues, Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig reunite as long-estranged twin siblings ... and while humor might be expected from their casting, the performers dig commendably deep with the dramatic content.

Directed and co-written by Craig Johnson, the tale finds their characters surviving brushes with mortality on the same day, prompting them to reunite and assess the paths their lives have taken. Ty Burrell (“Modern Family”) and Luke Wilson also appear, but Hader is the particular revelation among the cast members, making a very impressive transition from comedy. DVD extras: two “making-of ” documentaries; audio commentary by Hader, Wiig, Johnson, co-writer Mark Heyman and producer and editor Jennifer Lee; deleted scenes; outtakes. *** (R: AS, P) (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand) “MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT”: Colin Firth and Emma Stone furnish the romantic magic, as well as some of the more literal kind, in this beguiling comedy written and directed by Woody Allen.

Firth plays a popular illusionist who isn’t a complete believer in what can’t be explained rationally, making him an unlikely partner of an alleged psychic (Stone) as they make their way through Europe. Eileen Atkins, Marcia Gay Harden and Jacki Weaver (“Silver Linings Playbook”) also star. DVD extras: “making-of” documentary; Los Angeles premiere footage. *** (PG-13: AS) (Also on Blu-ray

and On Demand) “THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU”: The death of the family patriarch leads to an uncomfortable reunion for the four grown children in this seriocomic, wellplayed story, adapted by Jonathan Tropper from his novel.

Jason Bateman, Tina Fey, Adam Driver (“Girls”) and Corey Stoll (“House of Cards”) play the siblings who have much to work out with each other — and others in their respective lives, including their omnipresent mother (Jane Fonda). The impressive cast also includes Rose Byrne, Timothy Olyphant, Connie Britton (“Nashville”), Dax Shepard (“Parenthood”), Abigail Spencer and Kathryn Hahn. DVD extra: “making-of” documentary. *** (PG-13: AS, P) (Also on Bluray and On Demand) “EXTANT: THE FIRST SEASON”: Halle Berry began her acting career in series television (in the sitcom “Living Dolls”), and the Oscar winner returned to it recently in a much different way. Aired on CBS last summer, this sci-fi-thriller casts her as an astronaut who returns to Earth after a year alone in space. If that was the case, how did she come back pregnant? Goran Visnjic, Camryn Manheim, Michael O’Neill, Grace Gummer and young Pierce Gagnon (as Berry and Visnjic’s android “son”) also star in the show executive-produced by Steven Spielberg — and it will return next year. DVD extras: seven “making-of ” documentaries; interview with series creator Mickey Fisher; network promos.

*** (Not rated: AS, P, V) (Also on Blu-ray and On Demand) COMING SOON: “THE EQUALIZER” (Dec. 30): Denzel Washington reinvents Edward Woowdard’s television role as Robert McCall, a former government agent who uses his skills to help people in trouble. (R: AS, P, V) “GET ON UP” (Jan. 6): Chadwick Boseman plays James Brown, the music icon who channeled his energy and ambition to become known as “the hardest working man in show business.”

(PG-13: AS, P, V) “NO GOOD DEED” (Jan. 6): A family woman (Taraji P. Henson) comes to regret giving assistance to a stranger (Idris Elba) who turns out to be an escaped convict. (PG-13: AS, P, V) “ANNABELLE” (Jan. 20): The spirit within a vintage doll makes things tough for the cultSupplied photo ists who invade its new owners’ (Annabelle Wallis, John Gordon) home. (R: AS, P, V) “THE BOXTROLLS” (Jan. 20): An orphan tries to protect The owners of family-owned Capri Ristorante in Palos Heights the trash collectors who raised pose for a holiday picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus him from an exterminator in this Monday evening at their Italian eatery, at 12307 S. Harlem Ave. animated fantasy; Ben Kingsley Capri sponsored photos with Santa for a small charge for the comis in the voice cast. (PG: AS) munity, donating the proceeds to Palos area charitable organizations.

“LUCY” (Jan. 20): An innocent (Scarlett Johansson) is transformed into a furious warrior by an untested drug in writer-director Luc Besson’s scifi-adventure; Morgan Freeman also stars. (R: AS, P, V)

Christmastime at Capri

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The Regional News

FAMILY-VIEWING GUIDE KEY: AS, adult situations; N, nudity; P, profanity; V, violence; GV, particularly graphic violence.

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Top DVD Rentals 1. 22 Jumpstreet, Columbia Pictures, R 2. The Expendables, Lionsgate, PG-13 3. The Giver, The Weinstein Company, PG-13 4. Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas, Lionsgate, PG-13 5. Maleficent, Walt Disney Pictures, PG

Top Pop Albums

6. The Purge: Anarchy, Universal Pictures, R 7. X-Men: Days of Future Past, 20th Century Fox, PG-13 8. Earth to Echo, Relativity Media, PG 9. Hercules, Paramount Pictures, PG-13 10. Neighbors, Universal Pictures, R

1. 1989, Taylor Swift, Big Machine Records 2. That’s Christmas to Me, Pentatonix, RCA 3. ShadyXV, Various artists, Interscope Records 4. Four, One Direction, Columbia 5. In the Lonely Hour, Sam Smith, Capitol Records (Universal)

Top Country Albums 1. Man Against Machine, Garth Brooks, Sony Music Nashville 2. Old Boots, New Dirt, Jason Aldean, Broken Bow 3. Home for the Holidays, Darius Rucker, Universal Nashville 4. Montevallo, Sam Hunt, MCA 5. Platinum, Miranda Lambert, RCA Records Label Nashville

6. 747, Lady Antebellum, Capitol Nashville (Universal) 7. Just As I Am, Brantley Gilbert, VALORY 8. Anything Goes, Florida Georgia Line, Big Machine Records 9. Crash My Party, Luke Bryan, Capitol Nashville 10. The Big Revival, Kenny Chesney, Blue Chair Records, LLC./Columbia Nashville

6. Hood Billionaire, Rick Ross, Def Jam 7. My Everything, Ariana Grande, Universal Republic 8. Beyonce: More Only, Beyonce, Columbia 9. Frozen, Soundtrack, Walt Disney Records 10. V, Maroon 5, Interscope Records

Top Pop Singles 1. Blank Space, Taylor Swift, Big Machine Records 2. All About That Bass, Meghan Trainor, Epic 3. Take Me to Church, Hozier, Columbia 4. Shake It Off, Taylor Swift, Big Machine Records 5. Animals, Maroon 5, Interscope 6. The Heart Wants What It Wants, Selena Gomez, Hollywood

Records 7. I’m Not the Only One, Sam Smith, Capitol Records 8. Uptown Funk!, Mark Ronson, featuring Bruno Mars, Elektra 9. Habits (Stay High), Tove Lo, Island 10. Love Me Harder, Ariana Grande & The Weeknd, Motown/ Universal

Omarr’s Weekly Astrological Forecast

by Jeraldine Saunders ARIES (March 21-April 19): Networking can rope in golden opportunities in the week ahead. You may feel pressured to perform at a high level or to adapt to new technologies. New contacts and reliable advisors will help you make progress.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Clear planning may help you to focus your energies. A proposal about joint finances or possessions can move forward during the week to come. Those who care about you the most are willing to wait for the best.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Your initiative and willpower give you an advantage in the week ahead. This can be an excellent time to make promises and commitments, or to make definitive decisions about a business partner or romantic relationship.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): You may strive to attain material things in the week to come, but a compassionate act can alter the results. This is a great time to make a favorable impression on a new friend or to participate in group activities.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Your theme song might be “getting to know you” as the week unfolds.

Other people may be glad to meet you and emulate your attitudes.

Since you have more influence than usual, this is a good week to ask for support.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Let your friendliness shine like a beacon. If you show yourself to be an eager participant in interactive activities, you could get invited to the best places. Make crucial family decisions in the week ahead.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Implement prettier philosophical principles. This is a good time to reassess your goals and develop more admirable ideals. A wise advisor might give you an inspiring idea that you can use for your benefit in the week ahead.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): If you expect the best, you set the

stage so that you’ll surely get it.

Keep your mind trained on attaining your most spectacular dreams in the week ahead. You’re wiser than usual about money and possessions.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): New friends may figure in your future. Your dissatisfaction with certain situations in the week ahead can be assuaged with a little help from your friends. Use financial problems as a catalyst of change.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You’ll find you have extra drive and determination to put your dreams into action this week.

At the same time, you may find it

necessary to compromise and participate as a member of a team in order to get ahead.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Join in as a team member. Someone might take his or her cues from Tom Sawyer in the week ahead and show you that painting a fence can be fun. You’ll find great companions during a work-related project.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): You should have all your favorite ducks lined up in a row. You’ll receive appreciation for your talent for organization. Concentrate on keeping your promises in the week ahead and you will get ahead.

Chesterfield Designs, Inc. 12614 S. Harlem Ave., Palos Heights (708) 448-7373

Please Join Us As We Celebrate the Season Wednesday, December 17 ~ 12:00 - 7:00 Thursday, December 18 ~ 12:00 - 7:00

Creating a Christmas You Can’t Wait to Come Home to Complimentary Gift Wrapping by our Elves BRING THIS AD IN FOR 25% OFF A HOLIDAY ITEM www.chesterfielddesigns.com Custom Draperies • Window Treatments Wallpaper • Interior Designs Service Sherrill & Hickory White Furniture Taylor King Furniture Cock tes tificae r e Like us on Facebook Mrs.tails with C l Clau Gift Availab s