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2019: A LOOK BACK

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Wednesday, December 25, 2019 | buglenewspapers.com

2019 in Will County saw many changes in construction plans, a community helping a sports organization, the expansion of a much-needed facility and board bickering. Here is a breakdown of some of the events shaped our community this past year.

Village officials argue over phone usage

An investigation into cell phone usage sparked public bickering between officials at last Tuesday’s Village Board meeting.

Mayor Rick Chapman and Trustee Barbara “Cookie” Kirkland engaged in a tense conversation shortly after Chapman presented his report regarding a Freedom of Information Act request Kirkland filed with the village staff last month.

Kirkland wanted to know about Chapman’s cell activity during the hours of a Committee of the Whole meeting on Nov. 27.

She said Chapman was distracted — regularly looking at his phone and asking Sullivan to repeat himself and present information again.

Chapman said he does not regularly bring either his villageissued or personal cell phones to meetings and did not do so Nov. 27. After receiving Kirkland’s FOIA request on Dec. 18, Chapman had the village IT staff pull records that show he was not sending texts during the time of the meeting.

Construction project took longer than expected

Reconstruction of the intersection of Route 52 and River Road is unlikely to be finished before mid-April.

And it’s estimated the delay from the originally scheduled November 2018 completion date will cost the village another $80,000.

Village officials discussed the project at the Jan. 8 board meeting but rescheduled voting on an extension of engineering services with Christopher Burke Engineering until Jan. 22 Engineer Bryan Welch told the board delays on other federal projects caused a delay in this one. Federal grants were used by the Illinois Department of Transportation to cover 80 percent of the approximately $3.1 million cost. Shorewood was initially expected to contribute $616,000 toward the cost.

The project is widening Route 52 to two through lanes and a left-turn lane in both directions. River Road is being widened to one through lane and right and left turn lanes in both directions. Both roads are also being resurfaced.

The project also required regrading the Hammel Creek channel on the north side of Route 52 and construction of

a bridge and path to accommodate pedestrians. Pedestrian access was a federal funding requirement for the project, according to information provided by the village. Nearby Glen Mor Drive is being converted to right-turn only access at River Road to prevent backups into the intersection.

According to village staff updates, rainy days led to some delays shortly after the reconstruction started last spring, but Trustee Dan Anderson told Welch he thought the project should be further along than it is.

Joliet Hospice to expand facility

The Joliet Area Community Hospice facility was the first of its kind in the state of Illinois and now that facility will get a much-needed facelift. The renovations are required to serve even more of those in need in Will County and beyond.

Currently, the hospice center has 10 beds, but after the $7 million expansion, the facility will have 20 beds and room for four more in the future. The much-needed addition began with a simple conversation.

After state representative Natalie Manley got it through the House, the legislation, was sponsored by state senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant (D-Shorewood), pushed through the Senate and was signed into law by then-Governor Bruce Rauner in August.

For Manley, it was her job — but with intimate knowledge of how JACH works. “My mom came to Joliet Area Community Hospice on July 4, 2017 and she left this world and went to Heaven on July 10 and the more important thing I can tell you is that she got wonderful, compassionate care,” Manley said. “My mom was a single mom for almost as far back as I can remember and she was always our rock and so when you know things are changing, you want her to have the best care possible and the best thing they did while she was here, the staff not only took care of mom, they took care of her children. She would have loved that. My mom was a nurse and she would have loved that. She was able to live the last days of her life with dignity.

The Great Read 2019 spotlights the ‘Wizard of Oz’

Movies and Programs and Books – oh my!

Beginning Feb. 1, students and community members within

the seven communities making up Plainfield School District 202 are being asked to follow the yellow brick road to learning and join the Great Read as it features L. Frank Baum’s Classic “The Wizard of Oz.” First published in Chicago in 1900, the “Wizard of Oz” is a work that has mesmerized children and adults alike for years.

The program – now in its 15th year – began in Plainfield and has grown immensely over the years.

The corroboration between District 202 and the surrounding libraries is what makes this program stand apart from others like it.

The program kicks off at 6:30p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31 with Wizard of Oz trivia night at the Joliet Public Library Ottawa Street Branch. The culmination will be Thursday, Feb. 28 at 6:30 p.m. at the Plainfield Public Library, where patrons can watch the classic film “The Wizard of Oz” starring Judy Garland. Attendees are encouraged to dress up as their favorite character for a chance to win prizes.

Belmont Little League helped by community

On March 22, just weeks before the start of the 2019 season, Belmont Little League suffered a big blow when much of its equipment was stolen from a shed on the property.

Rolls of fencing, fence posts, draggers, stainless steel stuff from the concession stand that was stored in the shed and even some equipment for the teams was all gone.

“We went a couple of days trying to come up with a game plan,” said vice president of Belmont Dan Vestal. “We dug into our own pockets and realized that wasn’t going to put a dent in it – the police estimated it at like $3,000 of stuff gone.”

Vestal then turned to the local media and WJOL host Scott Slocum.

“I had met Scott Slocum like four or five years ago at an event and his name popped back into my head and I reached out to him and explained the situation and told him that we didn’t know what way to turn and asked him for direction,” Vestal said. “He put us on the radio and it has taken off.

“It has been a humbling experience. I never expected the

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continued from page 2 outpouring of support from the city. So many times you hear about the bad things, not the good things.

It has been a wonderful response. We have had cash donations, we are getting equipment from all over to make sure the kids have it for the start of the season. There is never a good time for this to happen, but for it to happen right before the start of the season, it just compounds the matter.”

Belmont Little League has been around since 1951 and is all about helping the community. The league is less worried about team records and is more concerned about teaching the game the right way. Vestal said board members have even assisted with league fees if a family falls on hard times.

It is that sense of community and family that has helped good things come out of a bad situation, teaching the Belmont players life lessons.

“It has renewed my faith in people. It has been an emotional roller coaster – we have older people, kids, everyone coming to help. We had a sports store donate boxes of equipment.

We have had families donating some of their stuff. It puts it all in perspective,” he said. “I coach a 13-year-old team and two of the kids said, we understand what happened, but they didn’t understand why people who don’t know them are stepping up and helping. We told them it’s a chance to pay it forward.

We told them that someday there will be a moment that defines them and if they remember this, it will only make them a better person. This is a chance to talk about something good that came from something bad.

“Our official opening day is April 20 at 10 a.m. and we are inviting everyone that has helped us so that as a group we can say thank you.”

Public Works Director receives Professional Service Award

The City of Joliet announced that Jim Trizna, Director of Public Works, received the 2018 Samuel A. Greeley Award at the American Public Works Association (APWA) Southwest Branch of the Chicago Metro Chapter awards ceremony.

The Samuel A. Greeley Award is given to an individual who has continuously served the public in an official capacity and contributed to the advancement of Public Works and thereby improving the quality of life for those who live and work within that community. Trizna, who has worked in Joliet for 32 years, said this award means so much to him because of the hard work and time he has dedicated to his hometown city.

“It means the world to me because it shows that the time I’ve spent here in Joliet has gotten some respect,” Trizna said.

“Getting this recognition from your colleagues and people I deal with in the professional world a lot, just shows how great of people they are that I can share this honor with.”

Trizna began his illustrious career as a civil engineer and steadily increased his responsibilities until promoted to public works administrator and eventually assuming the role as director in 2006.

During his tenure, the city has experienced unprecedented growth, nearly doubling in population putting significant demand on the divisions managed under Public Works which includes engineering, electrical, parking, fleet services and streets.

“A little bit of receiving this award is longevity,” Trizna said.

“For this specific award, a individual has to work in a particular city or county for at least 30 consecutive years.

“There’s so many more things to take care of when a city like Joliet doubles in size, we’re the third largest city in the state now so there’s just a lot happening to say the least.”

In the last 10 years, Trizna has been instrumental in reviewing the development of the CenterPoint Intermodal Center and expansion, managed the divergent diamond and reconstruction improvement of Houbolt Road and reviewed the reopening of Chicago Street from Washington to Jefferson streets to provide additional access to downtown Joliet.

Trizna has supervised hundreds of projects over the years, but the CenterPoint Intermodal Center and Houbolt road renovation have both been extremely vital to the cities expansion.

Wednesday, December 25, 2019 | buglenewspapers.com CenterPoint is an ongoing project over the past decade with info structure plans while redeveloping roads and areas to city standards.

“We’re putting in a divergent diamond interchange, and for Houbolt usually IDOT would oversee that, so it’s a entire new learning curve for us, but going to a two lane road to a five lane road has been paramount.”

Trizna said working in the city for as long as he is has humbled him, and serving the people from Joliet has made him want to keep going every day.

“It’s been pretty special for me because a lot of the folks here aren’t from Joliet,” Trizna said. “After getting a job with the county highway department after college and coming back here, renovating some of the old parts of Joliet and just being with the people with the common goal to make this place a better place to live has been really great for me.”

Suspected bank robber fatally shot by police

A suspected bank robber was fatally shot during a fight with police Feb. 6.

Shortly after 9:30 a.m. Bruce W. Carter Jr., 38, allegedly walked into First Midwest Bank, 1415 W. Jefferson St., and approached a teller.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Carter handed the teller a note demanding money, but did not show he was carrying any weapons. Carter “reached over the counter and into the money drawer, removing currency...and fleeing the bank on foot,” the FBI said in a news release. The teller was not injured.

Joliet Police Deputy Chief Darrell Gavin said investigators used still photographs from surveillance video at the bank and witness statements to connect the suspect to a temporary employment office in Joliet.

“After Carter was identified, detectives went to different locations associated with his records, including a residence in the 200 block of South Des Plaines Street,” Gavin said.

About 11:20 a.m. police arrived and began speaking with Carter when a struggle began near the front porch.

“Mr. Carter was armed with a boxcutter-style razor knife during this struggle (and) the officer discharged his firearm, striking Mr. Carter,” said Ken Kroll, Chairman of the WillGrundy Major Crimes Task Force. According to Kroll, a witness statement corroborates the physical evidence showing the struggle took place. Investigators did find a boxcutter, he said.

Carter was taken to Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center where he was pronounced dead in the emergency room at 11:55 a.m. An autopsy performed Feb. 7 at the Will County Coroner’s office shows he died from multiple gunshot wounds.

“As a matter of department policy and procedure, the officer was taken to Silver Cross Hospital without physical injury, and placed on administrative leave,” Kroll said. The officer’s name is being withheld pending completion of the investigation.

“Under our regulations, an officer-involved shooting has to be investigated by an outside agency, so the Major Crimes Task Force was called in,” Joliet Police Chief Al Roechner said.

“Until their investigation is complete, we cannot comment on the incident.”

Kroll said investigators will conduct interviews and review evidence before submitting a report to the Will County State’s Attorney’s office. The state’s attorney will determine if any charges are filed as a result of this incident.

Will County Court records show that Carter pleaded guilty to armed robbery in 1999 and was sentenced to two years of probation, which was not completed satisfactorily. In 2001, the Illinois Conservation Police fined Carter $100 for fishing without a permit.

Four people died after an apparent murder-suicide Feb. 28 in Joliet.

At 10:19 p.m. police went to a house in the 500 block of Whitley Avenue after learning someone had been shot.

“Officers arrived on the scene and located a male, female and two young children deceased on the second story of the

3

residence,” Joliet Police said in a statement.

The Will County Coroner’s office has identified the dead as Brandyn Lee, a 34-year-old man; Jacquelon Gaskin, a 28-yearold woman; and Gaskin’s children - Gianna Lee, a 6-year-old girl, and Giovanni Lee, a 1-year-old boy.

Police said the incident is being investigated as a “murdersuicide” and no suspects are being sought. Evidence collected at the scene and witness statements led detectives to determine Brandyn Lee shot Gaskin and her children before killing himself.

Autopsies were performed Friday at the coroner’s office and showed all four people died from a single gunshot wound. A gun was recovered from the crime scene, police said. Police records show no prior reports of domestic violence at the home.

“These are the worst types of calls that officers can respond to,” Police Chief Al Roechner said. “Anytime a person is killed it’s a heartbreaking situation, but when children are killed it’s incomprehensible. It’s something that I will never understand.

My heart goes out to the family of the victims.”

While providing information about the incident, police encouraged anyone feeling suicidal to call 911, seek professional help or reach out to the Will-Grundy Crisis Line at (815) 722-3344.

Two people drown in the DuPage River

Two people drowned March 31 in the DuPage River near the Hammel Woods Dam in Shorewood.

About 5:50 p.m. Abraham Ramos, 28, of Palatine, went into the water near the dam, which is yards from where Route 52 passes over the river. While the shore and concrete pier near the dam are popular fishing sites, swimming is prohibited and “Strong Undertow” signs are posted.

Warning signs are posted on the river that boaters must portage around the dam.

Will County Forest Preserve spokeswoman Cindy Cain said after the man went into the river, his girlfriend, Hannah Tammeling, 22, of Plainfield, went in after him.

“They were by themselves and we don’t know why they went in, but a witness heard her yelling for help and called 911,” Cain said.

A Will County Sheriff’s deputy was in the area and saw both people near the dam. A Troy firefighter arrived and saw the man on the surface.

“The firefighter went into the water with a rope tied around him, but couldn’t find the man,” Cain said.

Firefighters walked along the shore and searched the river in boats until 9 p.m. when darkness prohibited further searching. Ramos’ body was found further downriver late the following morning and Tammeling’s was recovered a few hours later.

Access points at Hammel Woods were closed during the search. Troy Fire Chief Andy Doyle said 30 fire agencies and five police agencies participated in the search, which covered a 2.5-mile stretch of the river from Route 52 to Mound Road.

Doyle cautioned Hammel Woods visitors to stay away from the dam, which he likened to a lake riptide. While water near the dam may look calm at times, it is extremely dangerous because of the turbulence at the structure’s base.

“It’s very hard to swim out of that,” Doyle said. “ ...

We really stress that people stay away from the dam.”

The dam, which was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps as a New Deal project during the Great Depression, has been the site of previous drownings and water rescues over the years.

Cain said the Forest Preserve decided in 2017 to remove the dam and was scheduled to solicit bids for the project next

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upcoming eVents in your area wednesday, december 25, 2019 | buglenewspapers.com

deCemBer 30 BolingBrook Happy noon year. From 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Fountaindale Public Library District.

Celebrate the New Year with stories, music and more including a countdown complete with party favors, noisemakers and more. All ages, preschoolers with an adult. deCemBer 30 Plainfield dance into tHe noon year. From 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. at the Plainfield Public Library District.

Can’t stay awake until midnight? Count down to noon and celebrate the upcoming New Year with stories, music, and dancing. Please register each adult and each child attending. Children must be accompanied by an adult caregiver. deCemBer 31 Joliet noon year’s eVe celebration. From 11:30 a.m.

- 12:30 p.m. at the Joliet Library Ottawa Street Branch. (Children of all ages with adult) Countdown to 2020 kid-style with some festive family fun. Music and party favors will be awaiting your arrival complete with a balloon drop and grape juice toast at noon. No registration. deCemBer 31 Crest hill countdown to noon year. From 11 a.m.

– 12:30 p.m. at the Crest Hill Library Branch.

We are celebrating Noon Year with snacks and crafts, plus a special toast, complete with balloon drop. Dancing will follow. This program is intended for all ages. *please only register tHe number oF cHildren participating. registration is reQuired due to limited space. If you are not able to attend, please inform us 24 hours in advance so we can offer your spot to someone else. No shows may be waitlisted for future programs. deCemBer 31 naPerville ring in tHe new year at tHe museum’s bubble basH. From 9 a.m. – Noon at the DuPage Children’s Museum. Families will spend their morning creating lasting memories, exploring the Museum’s hands-on exhibits, taking Part in sPeCial aCtivities, enJoying liVe musical perFormances, and more. deCemBer 31 skokie new year’s eVe magic eXtraVaganZa. From 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at the Skokie Public Library.

We’re having our annual magic extravaganza to ring in the new year. Limited to 190 participants.

For all ages. Join magician Terrence Hunter to celebrate the closing of 2019, and then help us with an early countdown to 2020 at noon, complete with noisemakers and a toast of “champagne” (sparkling grape juice).

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BasketBall soCCer Cross Country footBall soCCer tennis BaseBall softBall volleyBall traCk & field swimming Cheerleading danCe bowling year in reView - part 1 oF ii

a look BaCk

at 2019

part 1: a look back at the local sports stories that shaped the area in 2019 from January to June WIN No. 300 Joliet Central never looked back after cruising to a 19-3 first quarter lead en route to a 52-26 win Friday night on the east side of Joliet. The win was the 300th in the career of coach Lawrence Thompson, Jr. His wins came at two schools — Lockport and Joliet Central Central started hot right out of the gate, jumping to an early 11-0 run, with Crete-Monee getting its first bucket at the 2:40 mark in the ball game.

With two key players out of the game for the Steelmen (9-5, 1-1), Thompson knew that the next man up mentality was key for a positive outcome.

Senior guard Demarta Hill-Holmes and junior guard Dakota Joachim were the two men out for the Steelmen on Friday night, but senior forward Keaton Gregory did not miss a beat, leading the Steelmen with a 26-point performance on 8-17 shooting, with seven 3-pointers.

With Crete-Monee inching themselves back into the game after a 9-9 second-quarter battle, the Warriors still had a 28-12 deficit heading into halftime.

Gregory and his offensive crew were just a little bit too much for the Warriors, jumping to a 43-17 advantage at the end of the third quarter, led by the high percentage 3-point shooting.

With the win, Central remains undefeated on its home floor.

Crete-Monee (2-12, 0-2) shot a combined 10-52 from the floor Friday night, while committing 16 turnovers.

While the Steelmen were potent on the offensive and defensive side of the ball, one area of concern for coach Thompson was free throw shooting.

Central shot a combined 4-14 from the line.

ANGELS TAKE FIRST Joliet Catholic Academy entered 2019 with 31 state finals, but that wasn’t enough for the venerable JCA athletic program justice.

The Angel dance team added to that number when it brought home the IHSA Class 1A Competitive Dance state finals title.

It was the 32nd title for the school, but first for the dance program.

The big stage is not something that was particularly new for the JCA Dance team, as Coach Shelley Poropats’ squad came in fourth place at last year’s festivities, with an axe to grind in the 2018-19 season.

Poropat said with every year having the mindset to get better individually and collectively as a team, it wasn’t a straightforward path to the finals for her girls this year.

The Angels featured seven returning dancers from last year’s squad, and the 10-member team featured just two seniors, co-captains Abi Voss and Reese Hafner.

For Voss, she said she has always been well aware of the accolades and the high standards her school sets, so brining home a championship was even more incumbent upon her.

In order to reach its goals, JCA had to rebound after a subpar per-

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6 sports ‘ yir’ from page 5 formance being behind Morris, who posted a 93.22, while Clinton scored a 89.4 compared to JCA’S 89.3 The resilient Angels had no quit in them the following day on Saturday however, as they posted a 95.68 to usurp Morris’ 95.08.

Not only did JCA win the the state title, it recorded the best score in Class 1A tournament history, topping Highland’s 95.05 mark from a year ago.

ACADEMY OF COACHES On January 26, as part of Alumni Day, Lewis University introduced the inaugural class of the Lewis Academy of Coaches.

The 10-member class was announced December 10 by Director of Athletics Dr. John Planek.

The class consisted of John Boles, Thomas Dedin, Tony Delgado, Jack Fitzgerald, Robert “Red” Miller, John Morrey, John Ostrowski, Matthew Senffner, Chuck Schwarz and Pat Sullivan

SOUTH TAKES 2ND In 2019, the Plainfield South cheerleading team made history. The Cougars came through, not only for

Wednesday, December 25, 2019 | buglenewspapers.com themselves but for their school.

South took home second place in the Co-Ed Division of the IHSA Competitive Cheerleading Finals that were held on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 1 and 2 at Grossinger Motors Arena in Bloomington.

It was not only the first trophy for the Cougars in the sport, but it was also only the second one ever for the school, which opened its doors for the 2002-03 school year. The only other state trophy in school history was a state championship in boys bowling in the 2009-10 school year.

When the coed standings, which is the last of the four cheerleading divisions to perform, were read on Feb. 2, Belvidere North (96.63), which opened as a school in the fall of 2007, won its third straight co-ed division championship by more than three points. It was the fourth consecutive trophy for the Blue Thunder, who placed second in the same division in 2016. Plainfield South (93.43) was second, Grant (93.24) took third and South Elgin (91.77) rounded out the top four teams.

The members of the Cougars team were seniors Orlando DeYoung, Madilyn Hall, Kaitlin McCann, and Alyssa Plata. Juniors Fabian Arteaga,

Cadey Chartrand, Lillian Goorsky, Jordan Lipowski, Aubry Mikel, Bree Slaby, Ashley Suddreth, and Bria Trenor. Sophomores Jairus Bowman, Tenley Brown, Ellie Grundon, Jazmin Jimenez, David Ochoa, Isabella Rios, Maggie Schoener, and Devin Stapleton. Freshman Emilee Trunnell rounded out the squad.

Assistant coaches were Emily Durham, Alyssa Padilla, and Keri Storako.

WRESTLERS EARN MEDALS A season ago when then freshman DJ Hamiti won his first state championship, he did so for Joliet Catholic Academy, who had not had a state wrestling champion since Pat Mudron in 1967.

• Matt Ramos and Baylor Fernandes led a quartet of Lockport medalists at the IHSA Class 3A wrestling meet.

At 120 pounds, Ramos defeated Noah Surtin of Edwardsville 8-4 for his first state championship, while Fernandes pinned Hunter Yohn of Quincy in a Class 3A 160-pound state final record 1 minute, 10 seconds.

Yohn got the first points of the match on takedown right off the whistle, but that did not sit well with Fernandes.

After Ramos had won earlier in the

evening, Fernandes became the 11th state champion in Porter history, a goal he had always had.

To get to the final, Fernandes (35-4) pinned Brock Pfeifer of Lincoln-Way West in 1:48, defeated Barington’s Luke Rasmussen 11-4 and earned a 12-4 major decision over Brad Gross of Marmion Academy.

For Ramos, it was his third state medal becoming just the eighth threetime medalist in Lockport history after Anthony Molton reached that mark in the third-place match.

The fourth medal for Lockport went to Kaleb Thompson, who as a junior is wrestling for his high school team for the first time after transferring from Montini.

At 106 pounds, he won the thirdplace match by disqualification over Jameir Castleberry of Proviso East, however, Thompson was dominating the match up to the point of disqualification.

The 2019 tournament is the 12th time in school history that Lockport has placed multiple wrestlers on the medal stand and fifth time the Porters have had at least four medalists.

• The last wrestler to medal for Bolingbrook High School was thensophomore Dylan Burnoski, who

placed sixth in 2016 at 106 pounds.

A year later, Burnoski advanced to the state meet again, but lost in the opening round and did not place.

Prior to his junior season, Burnoski transferred from Bolingbrook to Montini Catholic in Lombard and placed fourth as a junior at 126.

In Februaury, he made his fourth and final trip to the state to the State Farm Center on the campus of the University of Illinois in Champaign and again came home with a fourthplace medal at 132.

• Plainfield South advances three to state and all earn medals — ­ most in school history Jimmy Pierandozzi, Jake Kendall and Andrew Bejarano all placed at state, marking the first time in school history the Cougars have placed three wrestlers on the podium inside the State Farm Center on the campus of the University of Illinois.

It is only the fourth time in District 202 history that three or more wrestlers from the same school placed in the same meet. Plainfield Central has the most with four in 2012.

Pierandozzi, a junior transfer from Lockport, earned his first state medal after advancing to state twice as a Por-

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sports ‘ yir’ from page 6 ter.

This season he finished 35-9 on the season and placed sixth at 145 pounds after a 7-2 loss to Giovanni Cassioppi of Rockton Hononegah in the fifth-place match.

Pierandozzi opened the tournament with a 11-6 win over Joaquin Miranda of Huntley and a 4-1 loss to Fidel Mayora of Montini.

GYMANSTIC FINISHES Downers Grove South senior Abby Carlson and Downers Grove North senior Brooke Stocki ended their gymnastics careers a day apart but with similar satisfaction.

Carlson scored 9.45 to finish third on uneven bars at the individual event finals of the state meet at Palatine, becoming the second girl in program history to finish her career with medals on two different apparatus. She was second on floor last year.

Stocki finished 15th on uneven bars during Friday’s preliminaries, sticking her final routine for a 9.275. The top 10 finishers in prelims advanced to finals, where the top 5 win medals.

Carlson, who missed the state meet two seasons ago after surgery for a torn ACL, capped her career with two tremendous bars routines. She tallied 9.525 in Friday’s prelims, which was the third-highest score.

As she did Friday, Carlson swung like a whippet on the high bar before dismounting with a double pike, which she landed flawlessly.

Carlson finished seventh in Friday’s all-around competition with a 37.075 total, which included 9.35 on vault, 9.325 on beam and 8.875 on floor, where a fall marked her only blemish of her final meet.

That was Stocki’s approach as well.

After returning to help the Trojans win a regional championship and advance to sectionals as a team for the third straight year, Stocki contracted stomach flu just two days before the sectional meet, but managed to compete and qualify for state on bars.

In other results, Downers North sophomore Gabriella Stellato made her state meet debut and finished last of 38 competitors on balance beam with a 6.725.

Downers Grove South freshman Katrina Carlson, Abby’s sister, finished 14th on floor exercise with a 9.125, while senior teammate Andrea Davenport scored 9.0 to place 25th.

Katrina Carlson is the third member of her family to qualify at state and said competing with her sister this season helped her ease into high school gymnastics.

• Maine South senior Caleigh Pistorius became the first state champion in program history in 2018 when she won the balance beam title while finishing second in the all-around to Glenbard West’s Maddie Diab.

Pistorius didn’t win a state title in 2019 at Palatine, but she has never been happier.

That’s because Pistorius got to celebrate another historic accomplishment with her teammates. With Pistorius and junior Collette Roth leading the way, the Hawks finished third in the team standings to win their first state trophy.

Glenbard West won its second straight title with 149.025 points, while New Trier was second at 147.525 and Maine South third at 147.25.

Glenbrook South was .10 back in fourth.

Wednesday, December 25, 2019 | buglenewspapers.com When Maine South coach Tessa Robinson took over the program 16 years ago, the Hawks were an afterthought. The possibility of one day winning a trophy didn’t even cross her miind.

Indeed, Pistorius dislocated both elbows in a fall off uneven bars in a club meet last May. Except for changing her release move on that event, she somehow managed to regain all of her skills and contended for the all-around title.

Pistorius scored 38.075 to again finish second to Diab in the all-around. She had the highest preliminary round score on floor (9.6) and tied Diab for the best score on vault (9.8) to advance to the event finals on both.

The Hawks had to battle several injuries this season and didn’t get their full lineup in place until late in the season. Then they won regional and sectional titles.

Senior Cristina DeFillippis, a four-year starter who performed on vault and floor, reflected on that as she held the trophy.

Senior Olivia Johnson contributed on bars and beam, while freshman Annie Middendorf performed on vault, bars and beam and sophomore Susie Currey chipped in on beam and floor.

But the future team leaders will be Roth and junior Brittany Argaez, who are becoming stars in their own right. Argaez, who broke her finger early in the season, did three events, tying for 18th on vault (9.375) and sharing 21st on floor (9.075).

Roth was 11th in the all-around (36.925), which included 9.225 on vault, 9.5 on bars, 9.3 on beam and 8.9 on floor. Like Pistorius, she made two event finals, finishing 7th on bars (9.35) and eighth on beam (8.85 despite a fall).

Most of the Hawks have been doing gymnastics as long as they can remember. For Pistorius and DeFlillippis, the ends of their careers brought out some sweet emotions.

Neither could Pistorius, who earned tow more medals Saturday when she tied for fourth on vault (9.55) and tied for fifth on floor (9.475).

“It was the best ending I could think of,” Pistorius said. “I didn’t really come into this weekend thinking that I was going to win anything.

But Maine South’s run might not be over. Pistorius will be impossible to replace, but Roth will be a worthy successor.

STATE SWIMMING Kevin Sullivan wasn’t victorious in his final high school meet, but he still is going out a winner.

The Downers Grove North senior’s place in school history was already secured before he attempted to defend his state diving championship Saturday at the state finals at New Trier.

While the Penn State recruit came up a hair short in that quest, his legacy will be based as much for what he did outside the pool as in it.

Sullivan, who last year became the first diving champion in school history, racked up the sixth-highest point total in the 88-year history of the state meet, but it wasn’t enough to repeat.

Homewood-Flossmoor junior Jack Williams, a club teammate of Sullivan’s, captured the title with 531.20 points Sullivan was second at 524.75 and Evanston senior Trevor Nelson a distant third with 501.10.

If Sullivan was disappointed afterward, he didn’t show it.

• In the history of the Plainfield Co-op boys

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‘ yir’ from page 7 swimming program, Netzel and Tran are the only two surnames that dot the list of individual state medal winners.

Ryan Netzel won eight individual medals before graduating last year, while his brother Alex won one.

Brandon Tran, who graduated in 2017, took home four medals.

The list just got longer.

Juniors Alex Dvorak and Marc Avery combined to win three medals Saturday at the state finals at New Trier and they teamed with seniors Ethan Fox and Ryan Crafton to capture Plainfield’s first medal in the 400-yard freestyle relay, which finished 11th in 3:09.05.

Avery joined Tran and Ryan Netzel as the only swimmers in program history to win two individual medals in the same year and he is the first to medal in the 50 or 100.

• Maine South swimmer Brendan Forrest made his state meet debut at New Trier and did well enough to advance to Saturday’s finals in the 200yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle.

He had the ninth-best prelims time in the 200 and sixth-fastest clocking in the 500. The top six swimmers in each event advance to the championship heat, while the next six qualify for the consolation heat. Everyone in those two heats are awarded medals.

NATIONAL STAGE Plainfield’s Luke Winder wins his

fourth indoor national pole vault championship at North Central Drama had become the norm at the NCAA Division III National Championships for the North Central College men’s track and field team recently. The Cardinals placed second by a single point in both the indoor and outdoor championships in 2018.

In no mood to do the same at this year’s indoor championship meet, the Cardinals surged ahead of the field with a series of clutch performances to win their sixth indoor national title and their 12th championship overall at the Reggie Lewis Center.

Winder is the first pole vaulter in collegiate history in any division to win four indoor national championships, and, owning a trio of outdoor titles as well, is also the only seventime pole vault champion collegiate track and field has yet to know.

RECORD SEASON Everything seemed to be breaking the way Joliet Central wanted heading into last week’s Plainfield North Sectional final.

A few upsets ahead of them aided the red hot Steelwomen who had won 11-straight games heading into the round of 16 matchup with a conference team they split with during the season.

With a 24-7 record, last year’s squad put up the most wins by a Central program since the Joliet

Township team’s resplit in 2010.

It also claimed the first regional championship in the same period.

FOURTH PLACE Benet Academy was openly disappointed Saturday night after a 49-39 loss to Rockton Hononegah in the IHSA Class 4A third-place game at Redbird Arena on the campus of Illinois State University.

In the third-place game, Benet got out to a 12-0 run to open the game, but after cutting the lead to 14-3 with 7 minutes, 26 seconds remaining in the second quarter, Hononegah used a 14-0 run of its own that gave it a lead.

SHOOTING STARS On Saturday, March 16, Joliet Central forward Kendrick Williams announced on Twitter that he had committed to play college basketball at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

The next day, Sunday, May 17, he went out and earned MVP honors at the Voyager Media Boys Basketball All-Star Shootout at the University of St. Francis in Joliet. He scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the South squad rallied for an exciting 136-133 victory over the North team.

Williams is the second straight Joliet Central player to win MVP honors at the all-star event, which started in 2009. Ryan Saunders, who played at Kaskaskia College in downstate

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Centralia this season, won it last year.

• Anyone that walked in right after tip-off of Voyager Media Girls Basketball All-Star Shootout would have thought there was a lot of scoring in the opening moments since the scoreboard read 18-18.

But it was all by design.

The 18-18 score to start the game was in honor of Beth Dunlap.

The Downers Grove North junior was fatally struck by a car on Feb. 19.

She wore No. 18 as a setter on the Trojans volleyball team, helped them to a state runner-up finish last fall and was a member of the Voyager Media All-Area volleyball team.

Throughout the end of the basketball season, Dunlap had been honored, so Voyager Media Publications decided to open the scoring at 18-18 in her memory.

The 18-18 start meant a higher scoring total than usual as the North team, which included the Downers Grove North players, pulled away for a 91-81 victory at the Voyager Media Prep Shootout All-Star game on Sunday, March 17 at the University of St. Francis in Joliet.

Niles West’s Sam Galanopoulos scored a game-high 20 points to lead the North squad to victory, 15 coming in the second half.

Jennifer Krizka finished with seven points and five rebounds for the South team. But the multi-athlete at Joliet Catholic Academy has made contributions not only in sports but off the field too. With that in mind,

she was awarded the Jeremy Izzo Character Award, which is named after the former JCA boys basketball coach, who passed away in 2010.

SAM I AM In the second half of the 2019 Voyager Media Prep Shootout All-Star game, Niles West senior Sam Galanopoulos took the game over, scoring 15 of her game-high 20 points, leading her team to the win and grabbing the game’s Most Valuable Player honors.

Galanopoulos finished four points shy of the record for the game, but that was not why she put on the performance she did. She subbed out of the game with four minutes left to play, knowing she was close to the mark.

Galanopoulos didn’t need an individual record — she needed a win.

Admitting as much after the game, the Central Suburban League South Player of the Year was not going to lose the final game of her career in her high school uniform.

That was how Galanopoulos played every game of her career that saw her put her name all over the Wolves’ record books that are headlined by WNBA star Jewell Loyd.

While leading her team, Galanopoulos averaged 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 2.1 steals per game.

For her achievements, she is the 2018-19 Voyager Media Girls Basketball Player of the Year.

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column >> daVe says

Dave Says: Who owes the debt when parents die?

you would only be held liable for any of their debt if you were a co-signer on the loans

die, who will be liable for their debt?

dear tammi,

daVe says by dave ramsey

@DaveRamsey daveramsey.com

dear dave, My parents are getting up there in years, and they aren’t really prepared for when they pass away. They can’t afford life insurance at this point, and they also have a lot of debt. When they

continued from page 3 week.

shooting by Joliet officer ruled as justified

Detective Bandy fatally shot robbery suspect Feb. 6

By Brian Stanley A Joliet police officer’s fatal shooting of a bank robbery suspect earlier this year was justified, according to official reports.

“It is my conclusion that Detective

tammi

Any outstanding debt your parents have upon passing will likely go against their estate. If they have a positive net worth—meaning they owned more than they owed—there will be money left over after the debts are paid, and this could go toward an inheritance. If they have a negative net worth, which means they owed more than they owned, everything could be sold off to cover as much of the debt as possible. Regardless, you would only be held liable for any of their debt if you were a co-signer on the loans.

(Aaron) Bandy acted lawfully and was justified in using deadly force against Bruce Carter Jr.,’ Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow wrote in a May 7 letter to the Joliet Police Department. State law requires inquiries officer-involved shootings to be conducted by separate law enforcement agencies. Carter’s Feb. 6 death was investigated by the WillGrundy Major Crimes Task Force.

About 9:30 a.m. Carter approached a teller at First Midwest Bank, 1415 W. Jefferson St., and passed him a note that said it was a robbery and demanded money or the teller would be hurt.

After the teller gave Carter money from his drawer, Carter reached over the counter to take more bills and left

I’d also suggest getting their permission to buy burial policies on them. If they won’t agree to this, you might have to save up money for their final expenses yourself. In most areas, $10,000 to $15,000 is enough to cover basic burial costs for two people.

dave * Dave Ramsey is CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best-selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 16 million listeners each week on 600 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on the web at daveramsey. com and on Twitter at @DaveRamsey.

with $1,173.

Police learned Carter had been walking toward a nearby apartment building and surveillance photos from the bank were shown to witnesses who provided Carter’s name.

At 11:20 a.m. Bandy and Det. Brad McKeon went to Carter’s house in the 200 block of South Des Plaines Street. While McKeon went around to the back of the house, Bandy spoke on the front porch with Carter’s mother who uses a wheelchair.

A housekeeper said Carter came downstairs when his mother called him, but kept one hand in his pocket when Bandy told him to raise his hands, according to the state’s attorney’s report.

Carter then sprang at Bandy with a boxcutter in his hands, Bandy and the housekeeper told investigators.

“As Bruce Carter Jr. was coming towards him with the knife in his hand, Det. Bandy pulled his gun from his holster and fired...twice,” the report said. Bandy told investigators he used his free hand to push the still-oncoming Carter back while his own back was against the wall and he continued shooting.

19 seconds after shots were reported, Bandy radioed dispatch to say “he came after me with a knife, shots fired,” according to the report.

Toxicology tests showed Carter had marijuana in his system when he was killed.

“Based upon a thorough review of all the facts and applicable law, Det. Bandy had the reasonable belief that the deadly force employed was necessary to prevent the imminent death or great bodily harm to himself,” Glasgow said.

“No officer ever wants to be in a situation where he must use deadly force to save his life and those lives around him,” Police Chief Al Roechner said. “It’s not good for anyone involved when reports are generated without the true facts.”

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