2015 irish Parade will have fewer floats. see page 2. opinion
sports
Ignorance can be as deadly as any virus
North gets defensive in win over East page 13
page 6
T HE ENTERPRISE Your Complete Source For Plainfield News Since 1887
thursday, february 12, 2015
volume 127 no. 28
enterprisepublications.com
75 cents
serving Will and Kendall counties
28 pages
Community mourns death of eighth-grader Sport from the 50s includes combination badminton, tennis and ping pong played on a small court and a favorite with senior citizens eich’s sports has indoor courts that are smaller than tennis courts, and about 20 regulars show up for the game. There is no special skill to play, just a friendly competitive spirit. The average age of players may be 60 to 70 years, retired and have the time to hone their skills at the game. and it is a game. The players each have a number, numbers are picked randomly for a court, players play doubles to a court, and games end when a score of eleven is reached.
Bolingbrook student died playing basketball at Plainfield Central By nick reiher
managing editor
nreiher@buglenewspapers.com @PlainfieldNews
See The Full STory on Page 3
iNsidE
(ToP, going DoWn) Pickle Ball players Jim hicks and sharon serota share some time waiting for their turns to play. ; Pickle Ball players get ready for a game at Eich’s Sports in Plainfield. ; The Pickle Ball regulars at eich’s sports with owner Brian eich, fourth from the right.; a Pickle Ball player gets ready to strike. (PhoTos By PaT sChaGeR)
opinions...........................................6 community events...........................8 police report..................................10 sports.............................................13 puzzles...........................................20 suBscriBe today! — call (815) 436-2431 or go online to www.enterprisepublications.com
Grief counselors will be available at Plainfield schools for the next few school days following the sudden death of a 13-year-old Bolingbrook boy who collapsed the evening of Feb. 4 while playing basketball. Will County Coroner Patrick K. O’Neil said Dramon Ratcliff collapsed at Plainfield Central High School and was pronounced dead at 8:24 p.m. in the emergency room at Presence St. Joseph Medical Center in Joliet. Plainfield School District spokesman Tom Hernandez said Dramon, an eighthgrader at JFK Middle School, was playing in a private league when he collapsed. He said Dramon had played on the school’s seventh- and eighth-grade teams. Hernandez said Dramon was an honor roll student described by JFK Principal A.J. Hundal as “a polite young man who got along well with all of his peers and respected his teachers. His family was very involved in his education.” He added that Dramon’s mother said her son loved being a JFK student and was loved by everyone at JFK.
see mourn | Page 10
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