JANUARY 1, 2015 VOL. 8 ISSUE 25
#bolingbrookbugle
BOLiNgBROOKBUgLE.COM
community news
NEWS Company continues to build in Bolingbrook MacNeil Automotive Products LTD set to build its 7th building in Bolingbrook see page 3
OPiNiON Lots to do around here in 2015 Updates to courthouse, Laraway Station and traffic improvements needed in 2015
see page 7
SPORTS A look back at the year in sports 2014 had many good moments for local athletes, teams
Plans for intensive improvements to the runway at the Bolingbrook International Clow Airport continue Plans for intensive improvements to the runway at the Bolingbrook International Clow Airport continue as an agency agreement outlines an airport improvement program. The village of Bolingbrook, which owns the airport, has entered into an agency agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation to facilitate the reconstruction of the runway.
see page 9
ENTERTAiNMENT
The Show Must Go On Area theaters showing controversial film ‘The Interview’ through the New Year
see page 19
See The FuLL STory on PaGe 5
The Details
Background Image: Aerial view of Bolingbrook International Clow Airport (Photo courtesy of Clow Airport) Above Image: Clow Airport and the Village of Bolingbrook’s Cavalcade of Planes is expected to be held on June 6 and 7, 2015.
T h ursday, January 1, 2015 | boli ng brookbug le.com
WILL COUNTY
BUSINESS
WILL COUNTY
FRIDAY • JAN. 2 ParTLy cLoudy
high: 33° low: 28° athletic boosters 10th annual scotch doubles bowling night
presence regional ceo named to becker’s hospital review
Beth Hughes, President and CEO, Presence Health South Suburban Region, was named to Becker’s Hospital Review list of “130 women hospital and health system leaders to know.”
The 10th annual JTHS Booster Scotch Doubles Bowling Night will be held Saturday, Feb. 7, at Town & Country Lanes, Joliet.
silver cross encore shop holds antique and collectible sale Encore Shop, will hold its annual Antique and Collectibles Sale from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6.
radon kits available at 3 health department locations
Will County Health Department urges area homeowners to be aware of radon dangers and test their homes for the presence of radon.
SATuRDAY • JAN. 3 SnoW ShoWerS
high: 33° low: 21°
SuNDAY • JAN. 4 MoSTLy cLoudy
high: 24° low: 17° weekend eVenT:
neWS .................................................... 3 PoLice BLoTTer ............................ 6 oPinion............................................... 7
SPorTS ................................................ 9 SociaL SPoTLiGhT ......................... 14 BuSineSS & reaL eSTaTe .......... 16
cLaSSiFiedS ...................................... 18 MonThLy FeaTure ....................... 19
HI INFIDELITY AT TAILgATERS • 431 W. BOugHTON RD, BOLINgBROOK, IL, 60440 • JAN 3, 2015 (SATuRDAY)
health > will county
Reported flu cases on the rise in community area Influenza keeps on giving through the holidays and beyond By Laura kaTauSkaS STAff REpoRTER
katauskas@buglenewspapers.com @lkatauskas
If you are sick, stay home. That’s the best advice health officials can give during a flu
season that is already seeing a spike in recent weeks with months left in the cycle. The Will County Health Department collects data from area emergency rooms and clinics, and also receives an
official report from the Centers of Disease Control. In one week in late November, in the Will County area, 60 positive results came back from about 200 tested for influenza. The last numbers collected for December, show a significant jump, with 275 positives out of 470. “That is a fairly dramatic increase,” said Vic Reato, media
spokesman for the Will County Department, who was home himself with the flu. “But there is not a whole lot you can do about it, other than taking the proper hygiene rules to heart. One of the biggest things you can do though, if you feel ill, is to stay home to prevent the spread to others.” Cathy Rigali, Health
Coordinator of the Valley View School District wholeheartedly agrees. Just before the winter break, the school district also was seeing a high absence rate due to flu-like symptoms, reporting a 92 percent attendance rate, compared to a near 98-99 percent
See flu CASES| page 15
T h ur sday, January 1, 2015 | boli ng brookbug le.com
Business
Company continues to build in bolingbrook MacNeil Automotive Products LTD set to build its 7th building in Bolingbrook
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community
chAd cOOkE • 1994-2014
Former BHS Raider basketball player dies Cooke, 20, graduated from Bolingbrook High School in 2012
By Laura kaTauSkaS STAff REpoRTER
katauskas@buglenewspapers.com @lkatauskas
MacNeil Automotive Products LTD, commonly known as WeatherTech, is set to build its seventh building in Bolingbrook, a 220,000-square-foot office distribution warehouse. Ironically, the site for the new building, is the spot in which one of Bolingbrook’s first industrial buildings owned by MCL for more than 25 years. The site contained a 124,000-square-foot office/warehouse building which sat vacant for years. MacNeil recently tore down the building and is set to build one of the largest distribution buildings in the industrial park at 501 Woodcreek Drive, in addition to the six buildings already owned by MacNeil. “He has become quite a big land owner in Bolingbrook and is our largest employer,” said Claar. “WeatherTech is a great story and I am glad they came to Bolingbrook.” MacNeil Automotive, in business since 1989, provides automotive protection and vehicle accessories. The WeatherTech brand is known
PHOTO BY LAURA KATAUSKAS
Headquarters for WeatherTech
aBouT WeaTherTech
Since 1989, MacNeil Automotive has been providing automotive protection and vehicle accessories. WeatherTech® brand has been servicing the world with vehicle protection and setting the industry bar that much higher.
internationally and even appeared in a commercial spot during the Super Bowl last year. Its headquarters and showroom are located in Bolingbrook at 841 Remington Boulevard.
The company prides itself on setting the industry bar in technology, favors the American economy and works toward sustainability and environmental best practices. The building, which will sit across from Bolingbrook Adventist Hospital will have four access points from Woodcreek Drive to the east and south, as well as a right-in/right-out from Remington Boulevard near the northwest corner of the site. A berm, irrigation system and plantings will be provided within the corner side yard along Remington Boulevard and the portion of the front yard along Woodcreek Drive that faces south.
Former Bolingbrook basketball player Chad Cooke died Tuesday night while playing basketball at a local gym. Cooke, 20, graduated from Bolingbrook High School in 2012, and his former coach said both current and former players are grieving the loss. “I feel so bad for his family,” said Bolingbrook coach Rob Brost. “Chad was one of the best kids I have ever coached and, I don’t hesitate to say that. He was great to be around and great with my kids.” Some of the current Raiders were in the gym with Cooke, causing an emotional practice last week as the team prepared to play in the McDipper Tournamet on Dec. 26. “Some of our guys were there and some didn’t know about it yet,” Brost said. “We had practice this morning and obviously we didn’t practice, we just sat and talked together and cried together.” It was not uncommon for players to return to practice when home from college or to play pick up games with former and current players.
BUgLE FiLE PHOTO
Chad Cooke “This week already, we have had six former players back at practice,” Brost said. “We are a family and when something like this happens, it has an impact on all of us.” When not playing basketball, Cooke was one to give back, taking mission trips to help those in need. “I actually go to the same church as the Cooke’s,” Brost said. “I was talking to the Pastor today about what a great kid he was.” After graduating from Bolingbrook, Cooke attended the College of Charleston, where he was a walk-on member of the men’s basketball team for two years until a coaching change this season. Visitation was held Dec. 27 at Community Christian Church in Naperville, and a celebration of Cooke’s life followed at the church.
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T h ursday, January 1, 2015 | boli ng brookbug le.com
state news > in-depth
The state’s Toll Highway system in Chicago will be brought up to the same 70 mph speed limit at the rest of the state, unless the Toll Highway Authority can prove that speed is unsafe on those roadways.
Transportation & Safety On Jan. 1, more than 200 new laws will take effect in Illinois touching many areas of state government from education and public safety, to transportation and wildlife. Following are a few of the local measures taking effect when the New Year begins: New Will County Board Fee
Vehicle Speed Limits
(HB 5889/PA 981085): Allows the Will County Board to impose a new fee of up to $30 per party in a civil case and $30 for a defendant in a criminal or traffic case. The proceeds are to be used to build new judicial facilities.
(SB 930/PA 98-1126): Sets a 60 mph speed limit for second division vehicles on interstates in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties. Second division vehicles are those weighing over 8,001 pounds. This is to allow large trucks to travel at a speed closer to the 70 mph speed limit allowed for passenger vehicles. Proponents have raised concerns that the 15 mph differential between a 55 mph speed limit for trucks and a 70 mph speed limit for cars can be dangerous.
Chicagoland Speedway (SB 3290/PA 98-0847): Allows the Chicagoland Motor Speedway to bring in concerts and additional auto racing schools and functions. Currently, off-road riding facilities such as the Speedway are immune from liability for noise under “normal” facility usage. This would expand the exemption to cover other events.
Code of Conduct (SB 3552/PA 98-0779): Permits Lake, Kane, Will and DuPage counties to establish a code of conduct by ordinance for appointees appointed by the county board chairman or county executive. Permits removal of appointees for violating the code of conduct with a 2/3 majority approval of the county board at a hearing. Exempts the county superintendent of highways or county engineers due to provisions already in existence for removal due to neglect, malfeasance, or incompetence.
Liability for Underage Drinking (HB 4745/PA 98-1017): Expands current law that makes it illegal for parents or guardians to allow underage drinking at a residence or other private property, so that it will include vehicles, conveyances, or watercraft under their control. A “conveyance” would include trailers, mobile homes, campers, etc.
Kratom (HB 5526/PA 98-0981): Prohibits a person under 18 from knowingly possessing kratom or using a fake ID to attempt to obtain a product containing kratom. Prohibits any person from knowingly selling or distributing a product containing kratom to a person under 18. Kratom has been sold for medicinal purposes; however, teens are showing up in the ER after using it to try and get high.
Controlled Substances (SB 3275/PA 98-0987): Adds “25I-NBOMe,” “25B-NBOMe” and “25CNBOMe” to the list of Schedule I controlled substances. This is in response to a powerful new hallucinogenic synthetic drug which has caused overdoses and fatalities in youth. It has been marketed as an LSD substitute as it targets the same serotonin receptor as many other hallucinogens including LSD. Small amounts can cause seizures, cardiac and respiratory arrest, and death. According to the DEA, reports from medical examiners link at least 19 deaths of people aged 15-29 years in the U.S. between March 2012 and August 2013.
Domestic Violence Penalty Enhancements (HB 4653/PA 98-0994): Ensures that prior convictions for domestic battery, or for any offense which is substantially similar, that occurs in another jurisdiction will trigger penalty enhancements.
Notable laws taking effect on Jan. 1 include several that will affect Illinois motorists. SB 2015/PA 98-1128, sponsored by State Sen. Jim Oberweis, brings the state’s Toll Highway system in Chicago up to the same 70 mph speed limit as the rest of the state, unless the Toll Highway Authority can prove that speed is unsafe on those roadways. The legislation is a follow-up measure to legislation that took effect in 2014 raising Illinois’ speed limit on interstate highways to 70 mph. Senate Bill 2015 had been vetoed by
Governor Quinn, but the General Assembly voted to override that veto during the fall veto session. Legislation reinstating “sign and drive” will also take effect on Jan. 1. HB 2583/PA 98-0870 prohibits law enforcement from taking a driver’s license as bail following a traffic law or ordinance violation. Currently, Illinois is one of only six states that confiscates a driver’s license for a minor traffic offense.
Ticket Quotas (SB 3411/PA 98-0650): Prohibits counties, municipalities, conservation police and state police from implementing ticket quotas.
New Technologies Inspire New Laws Surveillance drones, online communication platforms now under scrutiny of the law New technologies, like surveillance drones and online communication platforms, continue to develop, inspiring a number of new laws taking effect on Jan. 1. HB 4594/PA 98-0905, sponsored by State Sen. Dale Righter, allows for electronic search warrants to utilize services like Skype, which provide simultaneous audio and video transmission, as a way to request search warrants. A number of laws have been introduced in recent years to regulate the use of drones and mitigate any potential violations of privacy that may result. One such law taking effect Jan. 1 is SB 2937/PA 98-0831, which prohibits a law enforcement agency from using a drone owned by a third party to acquire information. HB 5623/PA 98-0930, sponsored by State Senator Michael Connelly, requires
that a unit of local government or a school district that maintains a website (other than a social media or networking website), to post an email address that members of the public can use to communicate with elected officials of that unit of local government or school district. In recent years, social media platforms, like Facebook and Twitter, have become increasingly popular. Unfortunately, so has the practice of “cyber bullying.” In what some argued was an overreach of a school’s authority, HB 4207/PA 98-0801 requires schools to address electronic bullying under certain circumstances, even if the bullying occurred off-campus and was conducted by using private computers, cell phones, etc.
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transportation > cover story
Runway work to start at Clow Airport Airport located off of Lily Cache, Weber Road was built originally in the late 1950s By Laura Katauskas staff reporter
katauskas@buglenewspapers.com @lkatauskas
Plans for intensive improvements to the runway at the Bolingbrook International Clow Airport continue as an agency agreement outlines an airport improvement program. The village of Bolingbrook, which owns the airport, has entered into an agency agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation to facilitate the reconstruction of the runway. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for the bulk of the cost, 90 percent, of the $6.8 million project. The village
is responsible for approximately $680,000, budgeted for previously through a bond issue. Having the village own the airport is a somewhat unique situation for a suburban community. The airport, located off of Lily Cache and Weber Road, was built originally in the late 1950s by Oliver Boyd Clow and included a little, grassy airstrip. According to its history, the strip was replaced in the 1970s with a 50-by-3,400foot lighted asphalt runway, and in 1973, became a commercial airport with the name Clow International Airport. In 1998, the airport was sold to developer Joe DePaulo and slated
“With some of the larger planes at 46 feet, a 50-foot-wide runway is putting it awful close,” said DePaulo. “This will be widened, but we are not making it any longer. So this is being completed for safety purposes. But in addition, this brings more business opportunities—now we will be able to land bigger corporate jets.” to close. It was then bought by the village in 2004 when the property was up for sale. Rather than let the land go up for more retail development on that corner, the village opted to
purchase the airport, not wanting to give up an airport in village limits. “This was a 75-acre parcel of land. We didn’t want sell the airport and end up regretting it,” said Mayor Roger Claar. In its class, it is has turned out to be the second busiest airport in Illinois with 70,000 take-offs and landings per year. “In the future of airport transportation, it is a big plus to have a suburban community,” said Claar. The airport will be closed for six months. The runway will be widened to 75 feet and construction is set to begin in May and continue through December 2015. Manager Joe DePaulo explains that the runway is now at 50 feet and has a slope in it.
“With some of the larger planes at 46 feet, a 50-foot-wide runway is putting it awful close,” said DePaulo. “This will be widened, but we are not making it any longer. So this is being completed for safety purposes. But in addition, this brings more business opportunities—now we will be able to land bigger corporate jets.” While the airport is under construction, Charlie’s Restaurant and the airport museum will remain open. DePaulo said the annual Calvacade of Planes held every June will also continue. “What a perfect opportunity to promote the fact that we will have a better, great airport to all the owners that come through here during that festival,” said DePaulo.
county news
Mark Staehely still helping others in community Toy drive goes on nine years after teen’s death By Kris Stadalsky for the bugle
sweditor@buglenewspapers.com @BugleNewspapers
All Mark Staehely ever wanted to do was touch the lives of others, and nine years after his death of neroblastoma, a form of childhood cancer, he is still doing just that. The first Christmas Mark spent in the hospital, he received a stuffed teddy bear with an insurance logo on the front; many children got nothing. From that day on Mark wanted to make sure that every child on the oncology floor received a gift. This year’s toy drive is the 14th annual, the ninth since Mark passed away at the age of 18. Mark’s mom, Sue Staehely, and her small band of elves, continue to hand out toys at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago (formerly Children’s Memorial Hospital) where Mark called home for seven years. Every child in the hospital gets a gift for Christmas thanks to this toy drive, but it’s the oncology floor that
really tugs at the hearts of everyone involved in making it happen. “It’s like old home week for me. I get to see Mark’s doctors, some of his nurses are still there,” said Sue. “Being at the hospital is like bringing a part of Mark back to me. This toy drive meant everything to Mark.” While the brand new Lurie hospital might be different from the old Children’s, the cause is still the same. “Bricks and mortar will change, but the need is never going to change,” said Sue. “The kids are always children in the hospital at Christmas time.” It’s no easy feat for this small group to pull off collecting, sorting, bagging and delivering hundreds and hundreds of gifts. In fact, the day after Thanksgiving Sue was in panic mode when local toy drop off points were coming up empty. But thanks to some very great people, businesses, schools and organizations, the Mark Staehely toy drive was a resounding success not only for Lurie’s Children’s Hospital, but for children at U of I Comer Children’s Hospital and Presence St. Joseph in Joliet, where Sue and the elves deliver toys as well. Left over toys then went to
PHOTOS COURTESY OF JAN TERRY
Sue Staehely presents a gift to a young patient on the oncology floor at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital (formerly Children’s Memorial Hospital) in Chicago. children at Forest Park Community Center, Morning Star Mission and Joliet Community Pediatric Hospice. “When they say it takes a village, it really does take a village to pull this off,” Sue said. She can’t possibly thank every person who makes a monetary donation or drops of one or more toys, but it’s the people from Shorewood and surrounding areas who make the drive a success.
Without any corporate sponsorships or grants, the Mark Staehely Toy Drive relies strictly on the goodness of people’s hearts, Staehely said. All the Troy schools make a huge effort to collect toys and ended up with two packed school buses. Lockport Township High School delivered a bus load. Plainfield Middle School and High School hold a cheerleading exhibition each year and the admission cost is
a toy for the drive. Walsh School in Lockport has been collecting toys for 13 years for it. Tow Trucks for Tots, a nine-mile procession of 200-plus trucks all decorated in lights heading to Hollywood Casino began donating half their toys to the Mark Staehely Toy Drive last year. And Laborer’s Union Local 2 contacted Staehely this year and started collecting from their membership - they brought four truckloads.
www.crimestoppersofwillcounty.org • 800.323.734 T h ursday, January 1, 2015 | boli ng brookbug le.com The following items were compiled from the official reports of the Bolingbrook Police Department. Appearing in the police blotter does not constitute a finding of guilt, only a court of law can make that determination.
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Julio Torres, 38, 7824 87th St., Justice, was arrested at 3:30 p.m. Dec. 14 and charged with retail theft at Macy’s, 645 E. Boughton Road, after taking numerous bottles of fragrances.
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8 11
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A vehicle parked on the 500 block of Kildeer Drive had the steering column pulled off and the ignition was damaged between 7:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Dec. 14.
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Alish Remedi, 24, 5600 Narragansett Ave., Chicago, was arrested at 8:23 a.m. and charged with theft and resisting a peace officer, following a call to Holiday Inn, 205 Remington Boulevard, for report of unwanted subjects.
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BHS
10 3
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Derek Pollard, 52, 139 Somerset Lane, was arrested at 9:04 p.m. Dec. 14 and charged with violation of order of protection.
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Gilberto Torres-Aviles, 29, 2438 S Drake Drive, Chicago, was arrested at 8:09 p.m. Dec. 14 and charged with no insurance, no valid driver’s license, hit and run and a moving violation, following a traffic stop on the 700 block of Remington Boulevard.
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Officers were called to the 100 block of South Bolingbrook Drive for the report of a theft. Cash was taken by an unknown subject from behind the counter at 2:02 p.m. Dec. 14. Loss valued at $1,500.
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Officers responded to the area of Lindsey Lane and Pennsbury Court for the report of a theft. A cell phone was grabbed from the victim and the suspect ran from the vehicle at 11:30 p.m. Dec. 15. Loss valued at $750.
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Anthony Lyons, 22, 1229 S. Harding Ave., Chicago,
was arrested at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 15 and charged with delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, possession of cannabis, following a traffic stop on the 500 block of Pinecrest Road. Officers responded to the 200 block of Seneca Way for the report of burglary to motor vehicle. Numerous tools were taken from a secured vehicle
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between Dec. 14 and Dec. 16. Loss valued at $1,900. Christopher
Balaban,
34,
10 3250 Karen Court, Joliet, was arrested at 2:43 a.m. Dec. 16 and charged with possession of drug equipment and an in-state warrant, following a traffic stop in the 300 block of South Bolingbrook Drive.
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Grisel Villanueva, 27, 309 Sulgrave Court, was arrested
at 9:48 a.m. Dec. 16 and charged with no insurance, a warrant, driving on a suspended license and a moving violation, following a traffic stop on the 500 block of Pinecrest Road. Shawn Roszak, 25, 65 N Veronia St., Morris, was arrested at 11:31 p.m. Dec. 16 and charged with muffler violation, possession of cannabis and possession of drug equipment,
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following a traffic stop at Pinecrest Road and Briarcliff Road. Officers were called to the 100 block of North Lindsey Lane, for the report of a residential burglary. A rear glass door was shattered and several pieces of jewelry were taken between 10 a.m. and 2:50 p.m. Loss valued at $700.
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For more Bolingbrook Police Blotter, visit www.buglenewspapers.com/ policeblotter
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T h ur sday, January 1, 2015 | boli ng brookbug le.com
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EDITORIAL
illustrated opinions
ALEX HERNANDEZ • LAURA KATAUSKAS STEWART WARREN • MARK GREGORY • MIKE SANDROLINI
column
PRODUCTION
Lots to do around here in 2015 Updates to courthouse, Laraway Station and traffic improvements needed in new year By nick reiher
managing editor
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The date on this newspaper says December 31, 2014. There’s a whole new year ahead of us, and there is a lot of work to do around here. In Will County, we have to get moving on this courthouse plan. Every weekday I go by there, people are lined up at both major entrances waiting to get in. Once they do, they are treated to a crowded, musty, smelly building not befitting Will County. Heck, ANY county. The Will County Courthouse is an embarrassment. But relatively few people realize how bad it is because only the regulars – attorneys, deputies and other officials – usually are the only ones who have to deal with it unless someone gets tabbed for speeding or something more serious. The same goes for the sheriff’s Laraway Station. Most of you have no idea where it is, other than it’s on Laraway Road, if you know where that is. And most of you who know where it is likely haven’t been in there. Let me try to describe it for you: It’s a pit. I imagine Hitler and Eva Braun had honeymoon conditions in their death bunker compared to the Laraway station. It’s like the courthouse: smelly, crowded, musty … only smaller. And the other buildings are no better. Except the Will County Jail, which led one Will County Board member after
a tour of all the facilities to note the arrestees have better conditions than the officials. Another issue that needs to be dealt with may be settled by the state: the traffic on Illinois 53. The Illinois Commerce Commission likely will order state transportation officials to do something they should already have done, a thorough traffic study on Illinois 53 from U.S. 52 (just south of I-80) to Arsenal Road. It would seem like a no-brainer that if you were putting in a major truck-train facility that will draw a lot of trucks to do a traffic study. And if you add to that several years later by putting in another truck-train facility, wouldn’t you think maybe now’s the time to catch up on all that traffic? Yet it took village officials with a penchant for petulance and a hired public relations firm who can outspin Bill O’Reilly to ultimately get the state to move on the issue. (Boy, they are gonna be even more fun to deal with now). Walter Strawn Drive probably will be closed until the state transportation officials get the study done, inconveniencing a lot of Ag business coming from east of 53. We can only hope the Houbolt Road Bridge from I-80 to the intermodal yards can make it from parlor talk to serious planning. A lot depends on the state. And there is a new governor coming in, along with a new transportation secretary. Outgoing Gov. Pat Quinn certainly had his issues,
A lot depends on the state. And there is a new governor coming in, along with a new transportation secretary. Outgoing Gov. Pat Quinn certainly had his issues, as did the politically sacrificed IDOT Secretary Ann Schneider, but they got a lot done in Will County. as did the politically sacrificed IDOT Secretary Ann Schneider, but they got a lot done in Will County. Meanwhile, incoming Gov. Bruce Rauner has been non-committal on the Illiana Tollway and not too supportive of the South Suburban Airport, two projects put on the front burner by the previous administration. I have no idea what’s going to happen with either, but I would guess the Illiana is far enough along and has enough support – both public and private – to keep moving forward. The airport? Well, the state is a major landowner out in the Peotone-Monee area, especially after spending $34 million and change to buy Bult Field to give the SSA a running start. Now they just need a private investor to go in with them on the deal. I hope Gov.-elect Rauner can interest some of his business friends to get involved in the airport. Or at least he should have an idea how to attract some partners. Well, that’s my list for 2015. I suppose they’ll also have to figure out something on the pension mess and the state income tax issue. Should be fun.
FOR WHEN YOU WANT TO TAKE 5 MINUTES FOR YOURSELF T h ursday, January 1, 2015 | boli ng brookbug le.com
Aries
mARCh 21 tO APRIl 20
March to your own beat. Your own pursuits and objectives are more than enough to keep you satisfied and content. Don’t get too involved in other people’s crises and disputes, or their problems may soon become your own.
gemini
m Ay 2 2 t O J U N E 2 1
It’s all in the details. Knowing the specifics of an issue will let others know you’re on the ball and set minds at ease that the right person is handling things. You can rely on your instincts and are able to make quick decisions when necessary.
leo
J U ly 2 3 t O A U g U S t 2 1
You may be your own worst critic. Don’t allow doubts and inhibitions to keep you from making any progress when there’s much to be done. Past mistakes should not instill fear. Instead, there are valuable insights to be gained from the experience.
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librA
SEPtEmBER 24 tO OCtOBER 23
If you’re not catching any fish, you may be using the wrong type of bait. Your perceptions of what others are attracted to may be slightly off today. Avoid making impulsive decisions with regard to your appearance for the time being.
sAgittArius
NOvEmBER 23 tO dECEmBER 22
Enchantments wear off quickly. A physical attraction may knock you off your feet, but after a little probing you may find there isn’t much below the surface. Enthusiasm for a new project may fade after more details are revealed.
AquArius
JANUARy 21 tO fEBRUARy 19
All is not as it seems. Be skeptical about what you are told, as the information you receive may be slightly skewed to suit someone else’s agenda. Only act on what you learn from trusted and reliable sources.
Sudoku
tAurus
A P R I l 2 1 t O m Ay 2 1
Get to the point. Skirting around an issue or trying too hard to impress may compound a problem. For the best results, be honest and forthright and let the other party know exactly what your intentions are.
cAncer
J U N E 2 2 t O J U ly 2 2
Sleep on it. There’s no need to rush an important decision, as waiting a little bit could produce valuable information that allows you to make a more insightful choice. What may seem exciting now will be boring tomorrow.
virgo
AUgUSt 22 tO SEPtEmBER 23
A penny saved is a penny earned. Don’t shell out your hard-earned cash on an item you’ll be bored with by next week. Focus your energies on exercising your mind, either through puzzles, deep conversations, or solving complicated problems.
scorpio
OCtOBER 24 tO NOvEmBER 22
Don’t rely on the kindness of strangers. Putting your faith in someone who’s little more than a friendly acquaintance is only asking for trouble. Steer clear of making changes to your financial situation and take care to stay within the budget.
cApricorn
dECEmBER 23 tO JANUARy 20
Stick to the subject. Others may be all be all business when it comes to a new endeavor and not be interested in small talk or pleasantries. Stay focused on your key objectives now and enjoy some leisure time with friends and family later.
pisces
fEBRUARy 20 tO mARCh 20
There’s a time and place for everything. While you may be in the mood for fun and games, that special someone may have deeper and more serious issues on his/her mind. Be thoughtful and attentive to your partner’s needs and you’ll find the favor eventually reciprocated.
Jumble
Tribune Content Agency 2014
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PreviouS Puzzle’S anSwerS
PreviouS Puzzle’S anSwerS
Jumbles:
• PAUSE • ROUSE • APIECE • CORNER
Answer:
Why JUNIOR dIdN’t SNEAk A PEEk At hIS PRESENtS - “PEER” PRESSURE
THURSDAY, JANUARY 1, 2015
page 9
>> inside: Voyager media remembers chad cooke page 12
year in review
A look back at
2014 IN SPORTS Some of the top area stories from a great year for locals
Here are the top stories for the 2014 calendar year in the Valley View area.
SuPerBoWL chaMPion On April 27 of last year, it looked as if former Bolingbrook High School football player Kenneth Boatright had achieved his dream when he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Seattle Seahawks. Less than four months later, the 23-year-old suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder that could have threatened his NFL dreams before they even started. And then, four months later, he was hoisting the Vince Lombardi trophy as an NFL champion. While he was on the sidelines, Boatright has not only been rehabilitating his shoulder, he was learning from members of the top defense in the NFL. The 6-foot, 4-inch, 253-pound former SIU Saluki joins a list of four other locals who have won Super Bowls. Boatright joins his former Bolingbrook coach and Plainfield High School graduate John Ivlow, who won in 1988 as a member of the San Francisco 49ers. Other locals to win are Joliet Catholic graduates Mike Alstott (2002, Buccaneers) and Tom Thayer (1985, Bears) and Joliet Junior College graduate Kelvin Hayden (2006, Colts).
SuSPended Just
hours
before
former
Bolingbrook girls basketball coach Tony Smith and four former players, Kristen Moore, Amarah Coleman, Destiny Harris and Lexi Smith, were set to face Thornton Fractional North Feb. 19 in the IHSA State Series, they were forced to forfeit over a series of IHSA bylaw violations. The Vikings were also forced to forfeit all games played this season, including the two wins over Bolingbrook and LincolnWay East. After splitting their head to head games, the Raiders and Griffins shared the SouthWest Suburban Conference title that had belonged to H-F. Although not the way they would have preferred to win a share of the league title, it does extend the Raiders’ consecutive streak of nine straight championships that date back to the inception of the league in 2005. Originally, the IHSA had accepted H-F’s self-imposed penalty that would include the suspension of Smith and 11 varsity players and participate in the state playoffs with other players. However, in the morning of Feb. 19, the school asked to appear before the IHSA Board of Directors during the Board’s regularly scheduled meeting. After an official ruling to suspend Smith and 11 players, H-F appealed. After deliberation, the Board upheld the Executive Director’s
See REvIEW | page 11
PHOTO BY SCOTT TAYLOR
Jessica Watkins took home a pair of state medals for Bolingbrook.
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T h ursday, January 1, 2015 | boli ng brookbug le.com
COLUMN
Sports writers tell you our favorites of 2014 Favorite event covered: Scott Taylor: My favorite event this past year was one I competed in. It doesn’t get any better than 63 holes of golf in a day. That is, unless it is free and you are on the clock. That was the case when Mark Gregory and I took a trip up to Gaylord, MI to review the Man vs. Golf Challenge at Treetops Resort. We played 63 holes of golf in beautiful weather on gorgeous courses. It was one of those days that you will always remember, and I certainly will, despite the company.
Mark Gregory: It has to be the Class 4A state final basketball game between Whitney Young and Benet. There is nothing better than IHSA state basketball Final Four in Peoria. If you haven’t been to one and you are a sports fan – it is a MUST GO. This game in particular had a couple of good story lines. First off, no one gave Benet a chance against Young and Duke recruit Jahlil Okafor. Well, they were wrong, as Benet and Sean O’Mara hung with the highly hyped Young, losing by two. Mike Sandrolini: Voyager Media co-sponsored an Ultimate Tailgate Party with Famous Dave’s
in Bolingbrook the Sunday before the Chicago Bears kicked off their 2014 season. The featured guest that afternoon was Bears Hall of Fame defensive lineman Dan Hampton, who met with fans, signed autographs and also talked to your’s truly about the upcoming season. I vividly recall Hampton’s evaluation of Jay Cutler: He has top-five ability, but he needs to beat some people this season. No excuses. Needless to say, Bears fans know all too well that Cutler didn’t live up to No. 99’s expectations.
Greatest game covered: Scott: This also wasn’t a high school event, but it is one of the perks of the job. I traveled for the second year in a row to Dayton, OH for the NCAA First Four. This year we had a pair of area athletes there as Plainfield’s Brian Bennett played for Cal-Poly and Quinton Chievous was with Tennessee. The Vols are my favorite college team and watching their thrilling overtime comeback from press row will be a game I will never forget. Mark: Well, if my favorite event covered was the Class 4A boys hoops game – and it was, see above, then I guess that is also my favorite game covered. Like I said in the last item, that Benet team was written off by so many people and then to compete the way they did on the biggest stage made it a game I will never forget. Mike: It had to be this season’s West Suburban Silver boys basketball opener between Downers North and Proviso West played earlier this month. It was drama personified. The Trojans held a large lead, lost that lead in the fourth quarter, and then apparently sewed up the victory when senior Devin Blake hit a three-pointer from the top of the key as time was running out. However, the Proviso West coach called timeout. The officials put 2 second back on the
photo by mark gregory
Tuf Borland was Mark Gregory’s favorite athlete to watch in 2014. clock, which gave West enough time to inbound the ball to Khalil Walker, who turned and heaved up a shot near mid-court to win the game.
Best team covered: Scott: Benet basketball. While I didn’t cover them at state, I saw them play a couple of times in the regular season as well as at the sectional and supersectional. This team had a perfect blend of inside and outside basketball with an unselfish team. They weren’t
the second most talented team in the state, but their teamwork was unmatched and was fun for a basketball fan to watch. Mark: Benet volleyball. This team just dominated. The Redwings held their foe in the state final match to only 20 total points in the two matches combined. After beating Mother McCauley in the supersectional, it was smooth sailing as Benet claimed its third
see column | page 13
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T h ur sday , January 1, 2015 | boli ng brookbug le.com review | from page 9 decision and required the school to forfeit its regular-season wins from the 2013-14 season.
SNUBBED One season ago, Ben Moore was both the Voyager Media Player of the Year and the Prep Shootout MVP. Fast forward one year later and the former Bolingbrook big man was a consistent performer for Southern Methodist University in Dallas. The freshman appeared in every game and averaged 6.4 points and 3.7 rebounds off the bench last season and helped the Mustangs to their 10th 20-win season in history and first since the 1999-00 season. In the opening game of the NIT, Moore tallied 11 points and had seven rebounds in a 68-54 win over UC Irvine. It was Moore’s ninth double digit scoring game this season. Moore also posts a 64.5 field goal percentage on the season, currently the best mark ever by an SMU player with at least 75 made field goals. Moore said he is just happy the hard work paid off. For his efforts this season, Moore was named American Athletic Conference rookie of the week three times during the year.
NORTH WINS SHOOTOUT After not winning a game for the first four years of the Voyager Media Prep Shootout, the North boys team made it back-to-back wins with a 98-83 victory over the South squad at the Sullivan Center on the campus of the University of St. Francis. The North was paced by a pair of Bolingbrook players, as Gage Davis led the scoring with 24 points and Shakur Triplett added 23. Triplett dominated the first half with 20 points before intermission, while Davis tallied 20 after the break including four three-pointers. Bolingbrook players now own four of the top five highest scoring games in the Prep Shootout, as they join Moore (27) and Antoine Cox (21, 2010) on the list. Plainfield North’s Ryan Crowe still holds the top spot with 42 in 2009. The South team was paced by 16 points from Lockport’s Grover Anderson. In the girls game, the North allstar team to 64-38 victory over the South. The North led from the outset and never relinquished its lead the entire evening, save for a
4-4 tie early in the game on a free throw by the South’s Jenae Rowe of Joliet West. The North increased its margin to 7-4 on Kate Moriarty’s (Chicago Resurrection) three-point play and a basket by Bolingbrook’s Ashley Drain. Bolingbrook center Ryaen Johnson scored eight points, but it was her dominant defensive performance that enabled her to be named the game’s Most Valuable Player. Johnson blocked eight shots.
TOP COACHES When the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association holds its annual Hall of Fame banquet at Illinois State University on April 26, there will be a pair of Brooks Middle School coaches honored. This season eighth grade girls basketball coach Alan Hampton and seventh grade boys coach Patrick Meginniss were both named as District 9 Co-Coach of the Year by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association. Hampton took the Bulldogs to the state quarterfinals and an overall record of 20-3, while winning a regional and a sectional championship. Meginniss led the boys to a 20-3 record and a fourth-place finish in the Illinois Elementary School Association’s state playoffs.
TRACK AND FIELD Cierra Pulliam jumped her way into Romeoville history at the state meet at Eastern Illinois University. Pulliam finished in third place in the triple jump with a jump of 38-feet, 2.5-inches. Pulliam qualified for finals after an opening jump of 37-01.75, good for first in her flight. •The Bolingbrook 400-meter relay squad wasn’t expecting to medal at state after sitting in lane eight in the prelims at the state meet at Eastern Illinois University. However, the Raiders’ relay, comprised of Jessica Watkins, Asha Wallace, Claire Young and Charlyncia Stennis, won their heat and went on to take sixth place in the state with a time of 48.35 seconds, good for All-State honors. Watkins also placed sixth in the 100, clocking in with a time of 12.25. Stennis also brought home an individual medal, placing seventh in the 400 with a time of 57.66. •In one short season, Romeoville senior Curshaun Pruitt went from a gym class hero to an IHSA state medalist.
Pruitt was not part of the Spartan track and field team until this year, when a physical skills test in school revealed he had a gift for leaping. Pruitt triple jumped 45-feet at the state meet and placed seventh in Class 3A.
BOLINGBROOK SOFTBALL Jean Ryan-Moak remembers all too well how things played out during regionals last spring against highly heralded Benet Academy. The Raiders advanced to a regional softball championship game for the first time in school history, only to have that accomplishment short-circuited by the Redwings, who dismantled Bolingbrook, 13-2. Last season, Bolingbrook took on the Redwings for a second straight year in a regional final,
but this time around, it would not be déjà vu all over again. Sophomore Olivia Simpson broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning by crushing a two-out, three-run homer, and the Raiders tacked on four more runs in the seventh to stun No. 1-seeded Benet, 7-1, and win the program’s first regional softball crown. Ryan-Moak said she believed going into the game that if the Raiders could play up to their potential, they could topple Benet, which came into the matchup 30-2 and ranked at, or near, the top of every Chicago area softball poll imaginable.
FLYING HIGH Rebecca Preisler and Chantel Stennis grew up not far from each other in the shadows of Lewis University. While they were both decorated
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prep athletes, their paths seldom, if ever, crossed, but the two ended up on eerily similar paths that has led to being some of the best in the nation at their craft. Both Preisler, a graduate of Romeoville High School and Stennis, a Bolingbrook product, gave up on track for different reasons and found a way back to the sport this season with the Flyers, where both have obliterated Lewis school records and qualified for the NCAA Division-II National Meet. Preisler was a pole vaulter and volleyball player for the Spartans and out of high school, she decided to give up track and play volleyball for Oakton Community College, which she did. After a two-year stint on the team, she departed for California with
see review | page 13
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T h ursday, January 1, 2015 | boli ng brookbug le.com
R e m e mb e r i n g F o r m e r At h l e t e s column
NATE FOX • 1977-2014
chad cooke • 1994-2014
KARLY JACKSON • 1994-2014
Remembering local athletes recently taken from us Bugle staff shares their memories of former athletes on and off the field he job that we do as sports writers is a great gig, we can’t lie. Sure, we don’t make millions doing it, but we have the ability to make memories. We are the ones that are tasked with taking what an athlete does and preserving that moment for all times. Often in our job, we also form relationships. We cover these athletes and coaches for years in big wins and crushing defeats and through this, bonds are formed. That is why when we hear
of the deaths of some of these athletes, it is not just us having to write about the death of a former athlete, but often times, the death of someone we shared a bond with, some longer, some stronger, but a bond nonetheless. The Voyager Media area lost three such athletes over the last few weeks, two within days of each other. We offer our condolences to their families, friends and their teammates in this tough time.
NATE FOX
when he was inducted into the Plainfield Central Athletic Hall of Fame. Those were great times, getting to really hear the stories of playing basketball internationally – only about a quarter of them ever made print. One of the last times I saw Nate, I was with some friends in a bar and grill and saw Nate with a group of his friends. We talked for a few and returned to our parties. As my group was leaving, Nate called the waitress, ordered me a drink, pulled up a chair and I sat the rest of the night with his friends like I was one of the group. I didn’t know them, but that didn’t matter to Nate. He was just that kind of a guy – a gentle giant by all definitions. I said before he was the kind of guy you would spot the second you walked into a room – and you were always happy about that. - Mark Gregory
Speaking of bonds, I can personally say Nate Fox was not just a guy I covered and wrote stories about, but was a friend. I first met Nate on the baseball field when we umped Plainfield Athletic Club games together in our early teenage days. I then followed his career from Plainfield High School to Boston College to Maine and then onto playing professional basketball overseas. I can do a column on his stats and awards and where he ranks on career lists – but while he played basketball, Nate Fox was so much more than a name on a stat sheet. I would see Nate from time to time when he was in between seasons, we would catch up and repeat the next time we bumped into each other. The Joliet bar scene isn’t that big and it was hard for me to miss a 6-foot, 9-inch guy, so he was easy to spot the second I walked in. Just as Nate’s career started to take off, I came to The Enterprise for my first stint and I was able to follow his career closer, share stories with then Wildcat coach Dave Stephens, and write a few stories on him. I was able to do a feature piece on his career and what he was doing in the international game and then was also able to write his story
The first time I went to see a Plainfield basketball game was in the fourth grade. The year was 1995 and my sister was in the Pep Band as a freshman. It was one of the best seasons in Wildcat history but what really stood out to me was the biggest person I had ever seen. His name was Nate Fox. He was big, strong and could dunk, which to me was the coolest thing in the world. I saw multiple games that year, but the one that I will always remember is the game vs. Sycamore. That is because it was a battle
very cryptic and when Chad called it was from his personal cell phone, which as I always do, I saved the number, just in case. That came in handy when I got word the next season that Chad and several teammates went on a mission trip to help those in need. Hearing those stories rounded out the kind of guy Chad was. While he was willing to work hard to further himself, he was willing to work just as hard to further someone else in a time of need. - Mark Gregory
KARLY JACKSON
photo courtesy of college of charleston athletics
Bolingbrook’s Chad Cooke played two years at the College of Charleston. between Fox and fellow post player Elvir Ovcina, a Syracuse recruit. I can’t tell you who won or what the score was, but I will always remember being at the game. I will also remember being at the Plainfield basketball camp over the summer and Fox was working it at least one year while I was there. While some people classify stars as being cocky and arrogant, Fox was nothing like that. He would take as much pride, if not more, than his teammates in helping out the younger players, all while doing so with a smile on his face. I am not one for sports role models, particularly at the college or pro level, but I can honestly say that I looked up to Fox as a youth. -Scott Taylor
CHAD COOKE Just a day after hearing of Nate Fox’s death, word came in over social media that former Bolingbrook guard Chad Cooke had died playing basketball at a local gym. I still hadn’t wrapped my head around Nate’s death yet and then this news. I didn’t know Chad as well, but still had many interactions with him and I can tell you, he was one of the good ones. Of course I covered Chad a
lot during his playing days at Bolingbrook. He was a player who I was able to watch grow from a guy coming off the bench to hit a three pointer to a starter and all around contributor to a good Raider team. It wasn’t until after graduation, though, where I really got to know who Chad Cooke really was. I had heard that Chad had tried out – and made – the College of Charleston basketball team as a walk on his freshman season, which is not an easy task. Chad played two seasons for COC. With the help of the college, I was able to get an interview and talk to Chad about the countless hours of hard work he had to put in just to make the team, sit the bench and maybe get in a game for a minute or two in a blowout situation. He would practice all week just as hard as the superstars – I’m going to guess, often times harder – knowing the odds were stacked against him to ever see the court. And he was perfectly fine with that. The way college SIDs work, when you request an interview, some go through a cryptic, stealthlike process of calling from the school number and either having the athlete there or patching through to their line on three-way, while others just give the athlete a message. Lucky for me, Charleston was not
Jackson was a mainstay on the diamond and hardwood for Plainfield Central, playing on varsity for three years in both sports. She was a two-time AllSouthwest Prairie Conference selection and was a key member for the sectional championship team in 2012, the year she had 11 homers. I will always remember doing a senior story earlier in the season with her, Morgan Vogt, Cailey Baker and Rachel Egly. They were all great to talk to and really enjoyed their time together in what would soon become a remarkable playoff run. We did a mini photo shoot as well where they took some serious and fun photos around home plate. On the basketball court, Jackson was fiery. She made then-coach Mark Kruz’s pressure defense that much tougher. She was always in the middle of the action and is to this day still one of the toughest athletes I’ve covered. She didn’t mind mixing it up with the other team. They would back down, not her. As hard as she played on the court or field, she seemed to always have a smile on her face after the game was over or when I saw her at other events throughout her career. In college she played softball at my alma mater, Lewis University. In her freshman season she played in 10 games, averaging .286 with a run scored. -Scott Taylor
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T h ur sday , January 1, 2015 | boli ng brookbug le.com column | from page 10 title in four years. Mike: Maine East girls basketball team. Coach Karol Hanusiak’s club had been a perennial doormat, but turned the corner in 2012-13 by posting a .500 record. With a number of senior veterans returning for the 2013-14 season, I thought they would be good, but not as good as they ended up. Maine East set a girls basketball school record for victories in a single season (20) and became the first girls cage team in school history to win the CSL North title.
Most surprising performance: Scott: Plainfield Central boys volleyball. The program had never won a regional title, let alone a sectional game. However, the Wildcats peaked in the tournament and became the first District 202 boys volleyball team to win a sectional match when it beat Plainfield North. Mark: Joliet Catholic Academy boys basketball. The Hilltoppers entered the Class 3A playoffs with a 9-20 record and won the team’s first regional title since 1988. It really should not be a surprising feat for me to have witnessed, as I have watched a lot of team’s coached by Joe Gura go on to big things. Mike: Maine East girls basketball team. Coach Karol Hanusiak’s club had been a perennial doormat, but turned the corner in 2012-13 by posting a .500 record.With a number of senior veterans returning for the 2013-14 season, I thought they
review | from page 11 hopes to restart her pole vault career there, which did not happen. After a year on the west coast, she returned home and enrolled at Lewis in 2011 with a desire to reach new heights in the vault – only to find new lows. In the GLVC outdoor championships at Lewis, Preisler vaulted 12-1 to place second and Stennis won the 100 and 200-meter dash, while clocking in with NCAA provisional marks, with times of 11.9 and 24.58, respectively. While Preisler was breaking records in the air, Stennis was setting marks on land. Stennis broke a 13-year old school-record in the 400-meter dash with a winning time of 54.37 at the Gina Relays. That time, which is currently fifth-best in the country, obliterated the previous record of 55.83 set by Beth Bayser in 2001. The time earned her GLVC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week
would be good, but not as good as they ended up. Maine East set a girls basketball school record for victories in a single season (20) and became the first girls cage team in school history to win the CSL North title.
He left everything on the field game in and game out. Not only did he lead the Hawks in rushing, but he was named CSL South Defensive Player of the Year.
state meet—an event in which she had never competed prior to 2013.
Best athlete covered:
Favorite athlete covered:
Scott: Janile Rogers, Minooka. The senior scored 25 points at state for the Indians, leading them to a fifth-place finish in state. She took home the state title in the long jump, finished fourth in the 100-meter dash and was a part of fifth and sixth-place finishes in state. It was the most impressive individual performance I have covered in my six years at state girls track and field. Mark: There were some really good ones last year from the likes of Sean O’Mara and Jasmine Lumpkin, but there was one athlete that stood out from the rest and that was Plainfield Central sprinter Kahmari Montgomery. The thenjunior not only became Illinois’ fastest man, winning the 100 meter dash, he doubled up, winning the 200 dash as well. Mike: It’s difficult enough to star in one sport, let alone two, but Elanta Slowek of Maine East did just that. She helped lead the Demons to their record-setting girls basketball campaign last winter, playing stingy defense while being the team’s second-leading scorer. Then in the spring, she won a state medal in the discus at the Class 3A
Scott: Normal West Supersectional volleyball. Plainfield North relinquished big leads in both sets to Normal Community to fall in straight sets. The Tigers were looking to become the first volleyball team since 1989 to make it to state from Plainfield. There’s no doubt in my mind if the two teams played 10 times, the Tigers would win eight times. Mark: I will have to say the IHSA Class 4A basketball state semifinals when Stevenson superstar Jalen Brunson capped off an amazing 56-point performance by flipping off the Whitney Young fans with both hands. I was not at the game, but thanks to the wonderful world of social media was able to chime in and react to the event as it unfolded. There have been many different opinions on what happened, but my opinion is that he did it out of frustration and then his coaching staff and school bullied the IHSA into removing a suspension they had handed down for the thirdplace game. Overall, the whole incident was a disappointment. Mike: For Bolingbrook softball team, its 7-1 victory over Benet to win its first regional title in school history was sheer elation. But for Benet, the loss was a major
Scott:Trevor Stumpe (Plainfield North) and Aaron Jordan (Plainfield East). I will co this one as the two players bring different dimensions that I love to watch. Stumpe is a shooter who can score from just about anywhere on the court. Jordan can shoot and take the ball to the rack and make some great dunks and passes. Mark: I didn’t have to think very hard about this one. Anyone who knows me and knows my taste in football knows that I am an old soul – a really old soul, like back before the forward pass. I like running the football and playing great defense. So because of that, I was thrilled to be able to watch Bolingbrook linebacker Tuf Borland. He seemed to be everywhere on the field on every play. And the really good thing for me is, he is a junior and will be back next season. Mike: After Barrington ousted Maine South’s football team from the postseason, coach David Inserra heaped praise on senior two-way standout Justin Fahey, and for good reason. Pound-forpound, Fahey—listed at 5-8, but that may have been a generous listing—was arguably the best allaround player in the CSL last fall.
for the period ending April 27. Stennis was also part of the 4x400 relay team with Megan Marchildon, Krysten Sebby and Amy Polhemus that broke the school record this season with a time of 3:47.22. The previous school-record of 3:48.66 was set in 1998. Like Preisler, Stennis was away from track prior to running this season at Lewis. A multi-time state medalist and state champion her sophomore year at Bolingbrook, Stennis passed on an offer from Lewis and attended McKendree University.
bowling Romeoville’s Dakota Vostry finished his successful career by placing third at the state meet. He had a grand total of a 2,841, which was a 236.8 average. The Bolingbrook team qualified for state, but didn’t make finals, finishing 13th. -compiled by Mark Gregory
Most disappointing moment covered:
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disappointment. The Redwings entered the game as the No. 1 seed in their sectional and sported a 30-2 record. Their lineup, 1-9, was as formidable as any in the state last spring, yet an anticipated deep postseason run was short-circuited by the Raiders.
Most impressive performance covered (individual or team): Scott: The day Tom Poznanski of Plainfield Central had against rival Plainfield North in a Bolingbrook Sectional semifinal was one for the ages. Poznanski slammed home 24 balls as the Wildcats took down the Tigers to advance to the sectional championship. Everyone knew who was getting the ball and it didn’t stop Poznanski from delivering in clutch moments. MarK: I am going to head back to the state track and field meet for this one and say my most impressive cover this year was watching Plainfield Central’s Luke Winder win his second-straight state pole vault state championship, while breaking the IHSA outdoor record by clearing 17-feet, 3-inches. Mike: When it comes to track and field, I’m all about the sprints. John Hader of Maine South darted to Class 3A sectional crowns in both the 100- and 200-yard dashes, and then made school history by becoming the first Hawk to earn state medals in both events.
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T h ursday, January 1, 2015 | boli ng brookbug le.com romeoville
q & a with local athletes
FEATURING
leXi marin
Basketball
favorite social media outlet that you use? i use instagram the most. What do you use it for the most? Me and my dad put up basketball videos of me.
andrew mccuTchen
how good is it to have that outlet? it is great because people who may not have seen you play otherwise can see you play. What is the best holiday tournament?
ponTiac boys
proViso wesT boys
75% 25%
monTini girls sTaTe Farm classic
lEE dICKlITCh @fuEllEEd
10% 0%
Who will win NCAA football championship? alabama oregon Florida sTaTe ohio sTaTe
“Tragic loss of Nate Fox from this world. He was a good man & will not be forgotten.”
@#CofC Athletics Mourns The Loss Of Chad Cooke
Rob bRoST @bRooKhoopS “Lost a former player last night-Way too soon! Love my players (current and former) more than they even know!” oNE-bId WoNdERS @ToNEbIdWoNdERS “Friends, former teammates, and foes alike will miss Nate Fox forever. ”
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T h ur sday, January 1, 2015 | boli ng brookbug le.com flu cases | from page 2
Reato also reminds that germs live on the surface only for about 24 hours. “You can clean, but as attendance rate on average. Rigali said the drop is soon as someone else sneezes significantly high for the school the next day, the germs are there district and reminds caregivers again.” Adding to the predicament of of the rules for students feeling the flu, is that this year’s vaccine ill. Students with a fever of 100 isn’t as successful at combating degrees or greater, heavy cough the illness. Reato explains that the or has had vomiting and/or diarrhea should not be sent to scientists try to develop the school. Students may return vaccine based on what they are once the fever/symptoms have seeing happen in other parts of the world, creating a vaccine been resolved for out of three or four strains of 24 hours. One of the biggest problems is viruses, when in reality there are that people tend to either send hundreds to choose from. Scientists, on average, hope their child to school sick or even for an 85 to 95 adults go out percent match themselves, bent “It’s just human nature— for the flu; this on powering it’s nice out, it’s the year’s reports through the holidays, people are going are showing a illness. The 50 to 60 percent out and you can’t really holidays and match. warm weather blame them,” said Reato. But Reato doesn’t help. “But at the same time, still advises on “It’s just you see more people, you getting a flu human nature— spread more germs. It’s shot, saying it’s nice out, it’s warmer out, sometimes he knows from the holidays, you skip the jacket and f i r s t h a nd people are you set yourself up for experience that going out and getting sick.” the vaccine will you can’t really help shorten blame them,” said Reato. “But at the same the length of the illness at least. “I was sick for about 36 hours, time, you see more people, you spread more germs. It’s warmer but I know that people have been out, sometimes you skip the reporting to be sick for five to six jacket and you set yourself up for days with the flu.” In addition, the flu season getting sick.” And as a general rule, schools usually peaks in January or February, leaving question to realistically can’t close down. It comes back to the basics of whether or not this spike in washing your hands and keeping December was this year’s peak, fingers away from your face. or there is more on the way. “There is no way to really Rigali said the district in recent years has placed hand sanitizers predict it,” said Reato. “All you everywhere in the schools and can do is be aware, and protect encourages their constant use. yourself by following the simple The best schools can do is super rules of hygiene and dress appropriately.” clean the area.
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News about local businesses in your community
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T h ursday, January 1, 2015 | boli ng brookbug le.com
Dave Says
Trying to help a good friend to grow up a little Goals need to be much more realistic in this case
chance of catching something. When you chase just one, in most cases you end up with nothing. The first thing I’d tell her is that the most employable people are ones who aren’t broke. When you go into an interview and you’re By dave ramsey dave says broke, you come off as tense and www.daveramsey.com desperate, and you don’t make a @DaveRamsey very good job candidate. The answer to that, Dear Dave, when you’re basically I have a friend who is unemployed, is to work any experiencing financial job – and any three or four problems. She is jobs. Wait tables, deliver between real jobs at pizzas or mow yards. I don’t the moment and only care what, just generate bringing in about $600 Dave Says advice by some income. Work all the a month. But even money dave ramsey time and smile! You never when she’s working know when you might be regularly, she doesn’t budget or manage her money talking to your next employer. wisely, and she’s always looking You could be walking someone’s for more money. On top of all dog one day and end up in their this, she’s holding out hope for marketing department the next. her dream job out of state. She But none of this will happen interviewed several months ago, if you’re trying to feel better and hasn’t heard anything from about yourself by sitting home the company. What can I do to watching Oprah reruns. I assume that since you’re help her? Gina friends, she’s willing to listen to what you have to say. But if she Dear Gina, I don’t mean this as an insult so won’t, all you can do is pray for much as an observation, but your her. Remember the old saying, friend sounds kind of flighty and “Those convinced against their impulsive to me. I think she may will are of the same opinion also be a bit immature. So what still.” —Dave we’re really talking about here is how to get your friend to grow Honeymoon up a little bit and stop chasing on a budget rainbows. Don’t get me wrong. There’s absolutely nothing wrong Dear Dave, with having a dream job, but you I just got married, and my have to be realistic and practical husband and I want to book a at the same time. combination honeymoon and Right now, I want her chasing New Year’s trip to celebrate. We three or four smaller job rainbows don’t have all the money for it at once so she’ll actually have a right now, but will have in a few
weeks. We were thinking about booking the trip on a zerointerest credit card, and paying it off when we have all the money. I know you hate debt, but would this be okay since it would be a very short-term debt? Laura Dear Laura, I know you guys are excited and happy about being married. And I wish you all the happiness in the world. But I don’t recommend credit cards of any kind, for any reason, whatsoever. I don’t want to burst your bubble, but if you can’t pay for this trip up front you can’t afford it. Believe it or not, lots of people postpone wedding trips until they’ve had a chance to save up a little bit of money. Some folks have never even gone on a honeymoon trip, and they have great, loving marriages. My advice to you and your new husband is to work, and save up a little bit more. Maybe one or both of you could pick up extra jobs for a little while, and make it happen sooner. Then, when you can pay cash for the trip, go have a blast on a honeymoon you can afford! —Dave
*Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business. He has authored five New York Times best-selling books: Financial Peace, More Than Enough, The Total Money Makeover, EntreLeadership and Smart Money Smart Kids. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 8 million listeners each week on more than 500 radio stations. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com.
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Thursday, January 1, 2015 | bolingbrookbugle.com
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county news
Seth Rogen and James Franco star in “The Interview.” (Image courtesy of Sony Pictures)
Hollywood Blvd. will be showing controversial film ‘The Interview’ through the New Year It’s the talk of the entertainment world, and on Christmas Day, The Interview opened nationally in a limited release. The film that has caused a stir around the country, and in known parts of the world, saw a Dec. 25 release in a select group of Chicago theaters. One local theater pushing the controversial film was Hollywood Blvd, located in Woodridge. If the theater had any reservations about showing the politically charged comedy, the crowd that arrived that night quickly put them to rest. No security issues were in sight, and faces of joy littered the theater. “It’s been a phenomenal reaction; people are coming out and they’re enjoying the movie,” Manager Mike Moore commented on the throng of bodies in the lobby. Throughout the evening, a continuous stream of eager movie goers flowed through the front doors. Seemingly, each of them was looking for the movie causing a hubbub among fans, critics, and everyone in between. Unfortunately, unless they had previously purchased their ticket, they were most likely going out empty handed. “For pre-sales, it was almost 800 tickets we had sold, as of 6:00 am yesterday,” Moore informed. “That’s the most pre-sales we’ve ever moved in a single day.” The lobby floor at the Hollywood Blvd proved that the pre-sale tickets were going to use. A mass of warm bodies lined themselves from the opening of theaters to the doors. Some eager audience members even waited in the frigid Christmas air outside the building, looking for any hope of seeing a 9:00 pm showing (already sold out hours before).
If anything, the turnout for The Interview proved something more profound about the American spirit. At least for a few audience members, and the management at Hollywood Blvd, the mere act of attending the opening night showing was a statement. While being interviewed, Moore was interrupted by one citizen who wanted to say, “Thank you.” Moore politely took the cordial greeting with a smile of pride on his face. “I’m actually very happy to see all these people because they’re making a statement. You told us we couldn’t do something,” Moore explained, referencing an underlying theme of the evening. Since the initial uproar arose over a week ago, stemming from threats made by internet hackers, a grand debate has surrounded the release of the film. Sony (distributor for the film) decided it had no option, but to pull the film, citing security concerns. Quickly, freedom of speech supporters came out in droves in favor of continuing to screen the film as planned. “I’m a musician, the whole freedom of artistic expression and freedom of speech is really important to me,” audience member David Paige said. “I actually bought my ticket as soon as they announced it here…it’s the act of going that’s kind of like my non-violent protest.” The spirit behind the film has changed into a mirror of this sentiment. Suddenly, a film that began as a goofy romp in buddycomedy has turned itself into a focal point for freedom: artistically, nationally, and individually. It’s hard to say that The Interview will leave a legacy past these few months, but for now it doesn’t seem important to audience members. What’s important to viewers is that the film they were promised is available. The values they hold dear are seemingly being honored, as well.
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Photos By Ryan Tackitt • For The Bugle Audience members line up 45 minutes before ‘The Interview’, hoping to view the movie that has become a national focal point. Eager fans of ‘The Interview’ spilled out of Hollywood Blvd.
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