Bugle Newspapers 3-18-21

Ma RCH 17, 2 0 2 1 Vo l . 6 5 i ss u e 21

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news from plainfield Joliet shorewood lockport Crest Hill bolingbrook Romeoville downers grove Westmont Woodridge lisle niles Morton grove park Ridge & more

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Will County

Joliet school district serves 1 million meals March 11 was a very special day in Joliet Public Schools District 86.

The Nutrition Services employees have now served over 1 million children meals since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March of 2020.

The Lozano family of Joliet received the millionth meal at Hufford Junior High School at approximately 11:40 a.m. The family was surprised with a Joliet District 86 goody bag, signs, and flowers from Joliet Public Schools District 86 Superintendent Dr. Theresa Rouse and Nutrition Services Department employees.

Rosa Lozano and her children, Kevin, a 7th grade student at Hufford Junior High, and Yumalai Lozano, a fifth grade student at Taft Elementary, thought they were just coming to the school to get their weekly meals until all the workers started clapping and shouting.

“We thought we would have a little fun announcing our millionth meal,” said Joliet Public Schools District 86 Superintendent Dr. Theresa Rouse. “Thank you so much to our Nutrition Services Department

Employees for preparing and distributing the meals. These dedicated staff members are out braving the weather every week to assist families in the community.

“Grab and Go” meals continue every Thursday from 6:30-7:30 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at Dirksen, Gompers, Hufford, and Washington Junior High Schools in Joliet. Families may receive up to seven breakfasts and seven lunches per child each week.

Child’s names are not required at the pick-ups, but face masks are required.

The curbside distributions occur in the Midland Avenue (south of Jefferson Street) parking lot at Dirksen, the Briggs Street (south of U.S. 6) parking lot at Gompers, the Ingalls Avenue (west of Larkin Avenue) parking lot at Hufford, and the Fourth Avenue parking lot (east of Richards Street) at Washington Junior High School.

Joliet Public Schools District 86, the fourth largest elementary school district in Illinois, has now provided over one million meals for children since the COVID-19 pandemic began in mid-March 2020.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Rosa lozano and her children, Kevin, a 7th grade student at Hufford Junior High, and yumalai lozano, a fifth grade student at taft elementary were the recipients of the one millionth meal served by Joliet public schools.

sCHools

Woodridge school ears grant from exxonMobile Thomas Jefferson Junior High School, a member of Woodridge School District 68, was presented with an ExxonMobil Educational Alliance grant to help enhance math and science instruction in the amount of $500 by Woodridge Mobil gas station (1940 75th Street, Woodridge) and Buchanan Energy. Jefferson Junior High will use the donation to help support efforts in implementing math curriculum standards and Next Generation Science Standards and allow students to learn from rigorous math and science curricula.

“The partnership that Jefferson Junior High and Woodridge Mobil have developed has benefitted Jefferson students and the Woodridge community by affording our students opportunities to work with state of the art equipment, embrace the design cycle, and promote inquiry in the learning process,”

said Justin Warnke, Principal at Jefferson.

The ExxonMobil Educational Alliance program is designed to enhance math and science programs across the United States and provide Exxon and Mobil retailers with an opportunity to invest in the future of their communities through educational grants to neighborhood schools.

It’s part of ExxonMobil’s ongoing effort to support science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education within the communities they serve. This partnership with the Educational Alliance helps give students the tools and technology they need to connect what they learn in the classroom with what they see in the real world.

• This year’s annual Joliet Catholic Academy Jubilaté will be a drive-through and virtual event open to the entire community held on April 24, 2021. Pre-

ordered “Take & Bake” dinners from Bella Cucina, $10,000 grand prize raffle tickets, 50/50 tickets, “Be the Light” spiritwear, and much more will be available for pick up at the JCA campus. JCA’s signature Jubilate silent auction will go live for bidding a week before the event allowing alumni, parents, and friends to bid even if they don’t live locally.

The Virtual Jubilaté Auction will take place at 7 p.m. “Take & Bake” dinners from Bella Cucina will be available for pickup on JCA’s campus from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Joliet Catholic Academy’s Jubilaté is a celebration of the JCA community. As such, JCA will honor its heroes - the countless number of JCA parents, friends and alumni who serve as “Essential Workers.” These men and women continue to lead us through this dark time into the light. JCA particularly recognizes its teachers and staff who so have

made it possible for our Hillmen and Angels to safely remain in the desks at 1200 Larkin Ave. over this past year. The community is invited to thank these heroes with an ad in our sponsorship booklet.

Join us and “Be the Light.” We welcome your support through sponsorships, silent auction donations, raffle ticket purchases, Essential Worker ads or simply cash donations to offset the event’s expenses. Contact Chris Voss, Director of Special Events, for more details on how to contribute to JCA’s largest annual fundraiser (815-773-0784 or e-mail cvoss@ jca-online.org).

• Valley View Middle Schools Announce 2021 “One Book” Selection VVSD’S middle schools will place book in every middle school student’s hands again this summer. This year’s One Book One Middle School Book of the Year selection is Clean Getaway by Nic

Stone. Books will be distributed in May for spring and summertime reading, District-wide book clubs and activities. Clean Getaway is a timely tale set in the present and addresses the challenges faced by current middle school students due to lockdowns and the national conversation regarding race relations.

• Online Kindergarten enrollment for the VVSD Class of 2034 is now available. To be eligible to register, a student must be five years old on or before Sept 1, 2021. Families of current VVSD students will be able to register via their Infinite Campus Parent Portal account, while families new to the District will be able to online register at www.vvsd.org/ enrollment After an application for enrollment is submitted, you will be contacted for an enrollment appointment.

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dupage County

DuPage County Sheriff names 2020 Employee of the Year The DuPage County Sheriff’s Office 2020 Employee of the Year recognition was awarded Tuesday to Deputy Griselda Wester, a deputy serving in the Corrections Bureau.

Deputy Wester was considered for the award after first receiving the March 2020 Employee of the Month Award. Sgt. Kevin Keenan nominated her for that award for the “exceptional level of patience and tact” she displayed while assisting a chronically mentally ill inmate in a time of crisis on March 9, 2020.

After working to free the female inmate from an area in her cell in which she had become stuck, Wester ensured the inmate received attention from the psychological and medical staff before safely relocating the

inmate to a clean cell.

“All personnel on scene noted Deputy Wester’s professional demeanor and compassion that day and it set the tone for a positive interaction with a severely mentally ill inmate who was clearly in crisis,” Keenan wrote in his nomination letter.

Sheriff James Mendrick said Deputy Wester faced strong competition for the award, which comes with a plaque and three days off.

“Ultimately it was Deputy Wester’s professionalism and compassion in a really difficult situation that put her ahead,” Mendrick said. “Her actions exemplified what it means to represent the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office.”

Will County

Romeoville releases expanded event lineup After months of preparation and planning, the Romeoville Parks and Recreation Department released plans for their 2021 event schedule.

“We are excited to bring even more this year,” said Kelly Rajzer, Director of Parks and Recreation. “This past year has given us the opportunity to really get creative and try new things and we’re looking forward to expanding on that success.”

Last summer’s Rockin’ the Pandemic concert series, which included seven socially distant concerts, was well received by the community and the village plans to bring it back. This year, the series will include 12 dates, two of which will be geared towards families.

Beyond the concert series, the proposed schedule of events also includes the return of Movies Under the Stars, a Drive-In movie, Community Day of Play, and a newly created Founder’s Day Entertainment Weekend that will take the place of

this year’s RomeoFest. This three-day event will include a parade, fireworks, two nights of live music, and some family friendly entertainment.

One of the most successful events that was held in 2020 was the three simultaneous firework shows on July 3. The village is excited to announce they will be doing this again in 2021.

The fireworks will be held at Lukancic, Volunteer and Discovery Parks. The shows are designed to allow residents to enjoy them throughout the community.

“This summer is going to be packed with activity,” said Mayor John Noak.

“Although it won’t be quite the same, it is our hope that these events will give everyone the opportunity to enjoy a little summertime fun.”

“The fun doesn’t stop there either,” said Rajzer. “We’re also expanding our Holiday Lights Festival; this year’s festival will include even more lights, entertainment, and activities.”

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CooK County

Chicago man charged with promoting prostitution A Chicago man has been charged with promoting prostitution after Cook County Sheriff’s Police arrested him at his home after arranging to meet a woman at his home who offered to exchange sex for money, Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart announced today.

Investigators from the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Special Victim’s Unit responded to an online advertisement promoting prostitution and received the location where services were being provided, where they observed activity keeping with promoting a house of prostitution.

At approximately 12:30 p.m.

on Wednesday, March 10, SVU Investigators who made appointments via text message to meet the victim for sex arrived at a residence in the 600 block of West 31st Street in Chicago. Upon arrival, the investigators were met at the door by a male resident of the home identified as Xin Jun Zhu, age 50.

Zhu verified that the text messages were sent from the investigators’ cellphones, and then directed them to a room where a female victim was waiting, at which point Zhu and the woman were both taken into custody for questioning.

Through the investigation, it was learned that Zhu was receiving money from the female victim. She was released without charges and offered support services by Sheriff’s Office.

Zhu was charged with promoting prostitution within 1,000 feet of a school and promoting prostitution/profit and appeared in the George N. Leighton Criminal Courthouse for a bond hearing on March 12, where he was issued a $10,000 D bond.

The public is reminded that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty by the government in a court of law.

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spoRts

Pair of Valley View grads are in NCAA tourney

by MaRK gRegoRy editorial director

@Hear_The_Beard mark@buglenewspapers.com After beginning the season with a perfect 19-0 record, the Drake Bulldogs finished with a record of 25-4 on the season and after falling to Loyola-Chicago in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament final on Sunday.

The Bulldogs were still awarded a berth in the field of 68 teams that will advance to the NCAA tournament, giving Drake’s 6-foot sophomore guard Joseph Yesufu a chance to play in the big dance.

Yesufu averaged 12.1 points, 1.8 assists and 1.7 rebounds per game. Played in 29 games this season. He shoots 45.3 percent from the floor and 37.1 percent from behind the three-point arc.

“Joseph has been a catalyst for Drake this season and he represents everything that makes us proud,” said Bolingbrook coach Rob Brost.

It is the first time since the 2007-08 season that Drake has earned a spot in the men’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament and the first time the program has done it with an at-large berth.

Drake was given the shared No. 11 seed in the West region along with Wichita State and will play the Shockers in the opening round of the tournament, or the “First Four.”

A win would have the Bulldogs face off against No. 6 USC seed in first round action.

Drake vs. Wichita State will tip off at 4 p.m. Central Time Thursday.

• Prior to this season, no St.

Bonaventure men’s basketball team had ever won both the Atlantic 10 outright regular season and postseason tournament championships.

That changed Sunday when the Bonnies defeated VCU to take both titles.

The win landed St. Bonaventure a No. 9 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Bonnies will face off against No. 8 LSU at 4 p.m.

Central Time on Saturday, March 20.

On the roster for the Bonnies is Romeoville graduate Eddie Creal.

Creal is a junior on the roster, but in his first season on the team after transferring in from Moberly Community College in Missouri.

Creal saw action in 14 games this season, averaging 5.3 minutes per game.

He posted a season-best four points and four rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench against Akron on Dec. 15.

“We’re so proud of Eddie Creal the hard work and sacrifices he has made on and off the court that lead to his experience this season at St. Bonaventure should not go unnoticed,” said Romeoville coach Marc Howard. “He has taken the unconventional route to the big dance. He worked hard in junior college academically and was team MVP at Moberly last season. His Moberly team qualified for the (junior college) finals last season at Hutch but wasn’t able to compete for a national championship due to COVID. It’s no doubt about it we’re pulling for St. Bonnie to keep dancing.”

DRUE WOLFE/DRAKE ATHLETICS

bolingbrook graduate Joseph yesufu is a member of the drake bulldogs and is headed to the nCaa tournament.

COURTESY OF EDDIE CREAL

Romeoville graduate eddie Creal and st. bonaventure won the atlantic-10 tournament and are a no. 9 seed in the nCaa men s basketball tournament.

sppoRts

Minooka s yudzentis is girls bowling Coach of the year Minooka Community High School Principal, Dr. Bryan Zwemke and Athletic Director, Bob Tyrell were able to surprise head girls bowling coach Frank Yudzentis with news that he had been named the 2019-20 Illinois State Coach of the Year by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

“It truly is an honor to be nominated, let alone receive this award.”

Yudzentis said.

“This is something that cannot

be accomplished without being surrounded by some really fine and supportive people. There is no way any of this happens without the kids.

I just happen to be in the right place at the right time and feel extremely fortunate.”

Yudzentis started as an assistant coach at Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy (IMSA) for two years and later became their head coach for a year.

After IMSA, Yudzentis moved to

Plainfield Central High School where he was head coach for eight years before his placement at Minooka Community High School.

This year will mark his 17th season as head coach for the Minooka girls bowling team.

In that time, the Minooka Girls Bowling Team has been to the state tournament 14 times winning four trophies and placing third the last two seasons.

The team placed third during his

first season and finished second in 2012.

“I was extremely surprised to hear from Bob Tyrell that I was the recipient of this award and even more honored I was nominated,” Yudzentis said. “I don’t want to think of this as a culmination of my time coaching, but as recognition of what we have all accomplished through the years. It is quite an honor and I am truly humbled to receive this award.”

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