Images Kankakee River Valley, IL: 2007-08

2007-08 | IMAGESKANKAKEE.COM | VIDEO TOUR ONLINE TM

OF THE KANKAKEE RIVER VALLEY, ILLINOIS

Escape to Exurbia Affordable homes, quality of life drive residential growth

SUMMER DEN FOR THE CHICAGO BEARS VOCATION, VOCATION, VOCATION Students get jump-start on dream jobs

SPONSORED BY THE KANKAKEE REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

2007-08 EDITION | VOLUME 5 TM

OF THE KANKAKEE RIVER VALLEY, ILLINOIS

CO NTE NT S F E AT U R E S 10

ESCAPE TO EXURBIA Looking for a good reason to settle down in Kankakee County? The people who live here can give you a hundred.

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IT’S NOT JUST THE SAUCE; IT’S WHO’S BOSS Local companies find that investing in employee development boosts morale and the bottom line.

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VOCATION, VOCATION, VOCATION Rhett Rademacher is just 22, but he already is the boss at his dream job.

39 HITTING IT OUT OF THE PARK Writer Gary Moore took a personal, family revelation and truly hit it out of the park with a book that shares his father’s story.

40 SUMMER DEN FOR THE CHICAGO BEARS The Chicago Bears call famed Soldier Field home, but Bourbonnais is their summer place.

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KANKAKEE BUSINESS 28 Buyer’s Market As word spreads about the many amenities available in Kankakee County, it rapidly is becoming a place that more young families are calling home.

30 Biz Briefs 33 Chamber Report 34 Economic Profile

D E PA R TM E NT S 6 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Kankakee culture

19 Portfolio: people, places and events that define the Kankakee River Valley

24 Image Gallery 43 Health & Wellness 45 Community Profile: facts, stats and important numbers to know

ON THE COVER Photo by Antony Boshier Kankakee Community College Art and Science Building

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ONLINE CONTENTS More lists, links and tips for newcomers

IMAGESKANKAKEE.COM

MOVING PICTURES Take a video tour of the Kankakee River Valley at imageskankakee.com.

GET SMART ABOUT LOCAL SCHOOLS Find listings and links to schools, colleges and universities.

SEE HOW THE GARDENS GROW Get the dirt on growing seasons, soils and common challenges.

WHAT DO THE LOCALS EAT?

Marshall Crawford 570 E. North St. Bradley, IL 60915 (815) 935-8700 www.marshallcrawfordagent.com

Auto – Home – Life Health Small Business

Discover what makes cuisine in this region so deliciously different.

NO PLACE LIKE HOME Search for a new home, plus get moving tips and more at www.realtor.com.

A B O U T TH I S M AGA Z I N E Images of the Kankakee River Valley is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Kankakee Regional Chamber of Commerce. In print and online, Images gives readers a taste of what makes Kankakee tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

“Find the good – and praise it.”

– Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

jnlcom.com

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Almanac

Look Out Below

They’re All Wet Here is a business that will never be caught up a creek without a paddle.

Reed’s Canoe Trips supplies customers with 17-foot canoes for trips along the Kankakee River. It also provides lifejackets for each person as well as transportation to and from the river.

The Kankakee River offers great fishing opportunities along with observation options to spot many types of birds and other wildlife.

The river is classified as a Class I stream that is suitable for families and beginning canoeists, including children as young as age 3 who weigh at least 35 pounds.

Scuba diving enthusiasts don’t need to travel to the Atlantic Ocean to enjoy their sport.

Haigh Quarry is a 14-acre landlocked attraction just northeast of Kankakee that opened in 1992. More than 5,000 divers access the quarry each year to practice their sport or learn how to do it.

The deepest portion of the quarry is 80 feet, and several fish can be seen during each dive.

Officials also have sunk a 35-foot cabin cruiser and a military dump truck for divers to explore.

Participants can enter the quarry from two floating docks on the deep side or use the waterfront beach for easy entry.

History’s Mysteries The Kankakee County Museum turned 100 in 2006.

So what’s new for its second hundred years?

In 2007, a two-year temporary exhibit titled Kankakee Faces the American Century: 1894 to 1921 was unveiled.

It explores the area’s ties to the Spanish-American War as well as to World War I. The museum also includes the actual Dr. A.L. Small House, which was built in 1855. It was the boyhood home of Lennington Small, governor of Illinois from 1921-1929.

The Kankakee County Museum also houses four permanent exhibits along with several temporary galleries that are displayed throughout the year.

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Downtown Is Wired

These Kids Dig Summer School Instead of longing for the break between school years as many kids do, a group of seventh- and eighth-grade students in the village of Hopkins Park in the Pembroke Township are digging in deeper to learn more about the area’s history and their own heritage. Working under the co-direction of anthropologists Scott J. Demel and Chapurukha Makokha Kusimba of The Field Museum in Chicago, the students are participating in the Lorenzo R. Smith Archaeological Summer Field School, an ongoing summer dig focusing on a time in black history that is not well known.

By seeking evidence of the ways the original inhabitants of this community made the transition from American slavery to independence, the kids gain both a conduit to contemporary history and academic enrichment with exposure to archaeology, anthropology and sociology. The program won honorable mention recognition in the American School Board Journal’s 2007 Magna Awards.

WiFi hot spots are now all over downtown Kankakee.

The Kankakee Development Corp. is leading an effort to establish an entire wireless Internet system throughout the city. So far, the signal reaches Kankakee Community College, Splash Valley, OAK Sports Arena, Beckman Harbor and along the Kankakee River from Interstate 57 to the boat club.

Future hot spots are planned at the Hilton Garden Inn & Suites, East Court Village apartments and Northfield Square Mall. Sponsorships from local businesses are keeping the WiFi free for 15 hours per month, and customers can purchase unlimited usage for $20 per month – through www.wifikankakee.com.

Kankakee | At A Glance 9O\YOYSS

POPULATION (2005 ESTIMATE) Kankakee: 26,642 Kankakee County: 109,090 LOCATION Kankakee County is 60 miles south of Chicago.

BEGINNINGS The Illinois legislature established Kankakee County in 1853, although settlers arrived in the area nearly two decades earlier in 1834.

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Manteno Grant Park

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Essex FOR MORE INFORMATION Kankakee Regional Chamber of Commerce 1137 E. 5000 North Road Bourbonnais, IL 60914 Phone: (815) 933-7721 Fax: (815) 933-7675 www.kankakee.org

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Bourbonnais

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KAN KA KE E

Momence Bradley

Kankakee Aroma Park

Hopkins Park

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Almanac

Just Park It For one of the most beautiful natural settings in Illinois, look no further than Perry Farm Park.

The 170-acre recreation area features four miles of paved paths, and no motorized vehicles other than park district maintenance equipment are allowed on the trails.

There also is a nature preserve with oak meadows, a fruit tree orchard and American Indian caves along the Bourbonnais Creek.

Various events are held at the farm throughout the year, including the Perry Farm Concert Series and the Sleepy Hollow Haunted Woods experience. Perry Farm also is home to the Exploration Station, a children’s museum featuring a two-story medieval castle, live animal room and space center among its many hands-on exhibits.

Meet You at the Theatiki

PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC PENROD PHOTOGRAPHY

Theatiki? What does it mean?

That is the old French-Indian word for Kankakee, and the 19th annual Gathering on the Theatiki will take place July 12-13, 2008, in Bourbonnais. The festival is an authentic re-enactment of life in the 1700s, with plenty of food, music and fun.

The Gathering occurs at the Davis Creek Annex in Kankakee State Park. By the way, Bourbonnais is also home to the Theatiki Fife & Drum Corps, which was formed in 2001 to preserve music of the 18th century.

Fast Facts Q Two new towns were incorporated in 2006 in Kankakee County – Limestone and Sammons Point.

Q Kankakee is the only city that can claim two Frank Lloyd Wright homes built next to one another. The homes are named the B. Harley Bradley House and the Warren Hickox House, and both were designed in 1900.

Q Kankakee Valley Park District oversees everything from the OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena’s ice rink to the Splash Valley Aquatic Park that offers refreshing fun in the sun.

Q More than 80 percent of Kankakee County’s real estate is farmland.

Q Dairy Queen originated from a small Kankakee ice cream store owned by businessman Sherwood “Sherb” Noble.

SEE MORE ONLINE | For more Fast Facts about Kankakee, visit imageskankakee.com.

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Escape to

Exurbia AFFORDABLE HOMES AND QUALITY OF LIFE DRIVE RESIDENTIAL GROWTH

STORY BY JESSICA MOZO | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTONY BOSHIER

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ooking for a good reason to settle down in Kankakee County? The people who live here can give you a hundred.

“I’m in love with this place. It’s everything we wanted it to be and more,” says Susan Crisp, who moved to Kankakee County from Chattanooga, Tenn. in February 2007 to become the director of Camp Shaw-Waw-Nas-See in Manteno. Her husband, Jason Robertson,

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and four-year-old son, Gabriel, came with her.

“We had opportunities to move to other areas, but this area had better schools for my son, and we like the climate,” Crisp says. “There are lots of opportunities in the realm of outdoor recreation, and we like horseback riding and getting out on the water. Plus, small-town culture still exists here with close proximity to Chicago.”

Camp Shaw-Waw-Nas-See also helped lure Crisp and her family to Kankakee County. The camp has been providing fun-packed opportunities for YMCA, 4-H, Scouts and other groups for more than 60 years and offers more than 140 different recreational activities.

“This camp is the best kept secret in Kankakee County. It’s absolutely beautiful,” Crisp says. “We’re opening the swimming pool to the public this K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

The Kankakee River Valley region offers beautiful natural settings convenient to a major urban center.

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summer, and we’re also bringing horseback riding to the area.”

Lisa Sanford, an award-winning Kankakee County real estate professional, has lived in the area for 24 years. She helps relocate professionals and their families to Kankakee County and has achieved more than $10 million in sales annually since 1996.

“Professionals are attracted here for a number of reasons – mainly the way of life we have in Kankakee County,” Sanford says. “People are attracted to the number of parks we have as well as the Kankakee River and the recreation it provides. The schools, including education at the college and university level, are also a great asset.”

The housing market is another incentive because it offers a wide variety of choices and price ranges.

Historic homes, 1950s ranch-style homes and new construction are only the beginning.

“From condominium living to acreage, buyers can fulfill their housing dreams,” Sanford says.

Sanford lives in the historic district on the Kankakee River with her husband, Walter. They married in 1999, and he moved to Kankakee from Long Beach, Calif.

“We are both self-employed and can live anywhere, but we choose to live in this community. We enjoy raising our family here. The people are friendly,” Sanford says. “There’s always something to do with the family – boating on the river, walking in the state park, riding our bikes to Dairy Queen, reading at the library, and going out to all the local restaurants, to name a few. We also love being close to so many areas to take day trips, like taking the train to Chicago or going to the University of Illinois.

Coming from Long Beach, one of my husband’s joys is parking in the front row to go to the movies.”

The Sanfords aren’t the only ones who love Kankakee County’s quality of life. While many parts of the country have experienced declining residential sales, Kankakee County experienced an increase in both the number of homes sold and the average price of homes sold

in 2005 and 2006.

“It’s very rewarding to work with people relocating to our area because of the great experiences they receive within a very short time of living here,” Sanford says. “A customer transferring away from our community recently said, ‘I love my neighborhood and house so much, I wish I could take them with me.’ ”

In summer, youth camps are the norm at Camp Shaw-Waw-Nas-See along Rock Creek, but the facility also books rentals throughout the year. Top right: Camp director Susan Crisp is a certified therapeutic recreation therapist who recently relocated here with her family.

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Monical’s Pizza President Harry Bond knows the key to producing quality results is investing in his people.

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It’s Not Just

the Sauce;

It’s Who’s Boss LOCAL COMPANIES’ WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS EMPOWER EMPLOYEES WHILE IMPROVING BOTTOM LINE

STORY BY VALERIE PASCOE | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTONY BOSHIER

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ew York-style pizza and a special sweet-andtart dipping sauce may be Monical’s Pizza Corp.’s claim to fame with three generations of Kankakee River Valley residents, but in corporate circles nationwide, the company also is making a name for itself in employee satisfaction. With astoundingly low employee turnover rates and training programs based on Harvard Business School theories, Monical’s Pizza Corp. has become a shining example of the benefits of investing in people.

“We remain true to the philosophy that satisfied employees K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

create satisfied guests, thereby creating an upward spiral of success. We do a lot of developing of our people, and it has paid off for our employees as well as for our bottom line,” says Harry Bond, president of Monical’s Pizza Corp., a privately held company with 59 restaurants located across Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.

In 1997, Bond and senior staff members traveled to Harvard University to learn more about the Service-Profit Chain business model and returned to their Bradley headquarters to incorporate the approach into everyday business. The result has produced a better-trained workforce, happier employees I M AG E S K A N K A K E E . C O M

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CSL Behring is a leading producer of plasma protein biotherapies and operates facilities in Bern, Switzerland, and Marburg, Germany, in addition to its location in Kankakee. The company works locally with Kankakee Community College to keep its employees ahead of the curve through training programs for supervisors and managers.

and more satisfied customers, not to mention an overall profit growth of 30.2 percent between 2004 and 2005.

Bond’s success has not gone unnoticed. In 2006, he received the prestigious Silver Award in Chief Learning Officer magazine’s annual Learning in Practice Awards competition in the Achieving Impact category for organizations with fewer than 10,000 employees. In 2004, Workforce Solutions magazine gave Monical’s Pizza Corp. its Optimas Award for Vision.

“We’re really proud of the fact that we’ve been ranked among some of the best companies in the world for our vision of developing people to their fullest potential. We have achieved impact,” says Bond, who also serves as chairman of the board for the Grundy Livingston Kankakee Workforce Board, an organization that oversees workforce development programs in the region.

According to Elisabeth Dunbar, the Workforce Board’s executive director, training programs at local companies like Monical’s Pizza Corp. benefit the community as a whole by raising the bar for employee skill levels.

“The focus on workforce development is significant because it means workers need to acquire additional skills and training to remain competitive. This has increased the need for the workforce system and educational institutions to offer a wide variety of services and specialized training to meet the needs of employers,” says Dunbar.

One company taking advantage of specialized training resources offered locally is CSL Behring, a leading producer in 16

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the plasma protein biotherapies industry that operates a plant in Kankakee. In 2006, the company worked with Kankakee Community College to develop and introduce a training program for the facility’s supervisors and managers.

According to Randy Furby, CSL Behring senior vice president, the collaboration is just one example of the community’s dedication to offering employers and workers better resources to compete in a global marketplace.

“It’s evident that the community is focused on developing a trained workforce and has made substantial strides in securing grants and government funding for these efforts,” Furby says.

Monical’s Pizza provides delivery vehicles to its drivers, saving them from increasing mileage on their own cars.

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Gateways to Lifelong Learning HIGHER LEARNING INSTITUTIONS PROVIDE CRITICAL TOOLS FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT

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ANTONY BOSHIER

hen Kankakee Community College was founded 40 years ago, a small group of instructors conducted the school’s first classes from a rented room at the Kankakee Hotel. Today, Kankakee Community College has grown to include degrees in more than 50 disciplines, 150 full- and part-time instructors and a strong reputation for adult education and workforce development.

The college provides two-year degrees for full-time students and also offers courses of study geared to working adults.

Kankakee Community College also works with area businesses to conduct specialized workforce training programs and oversees the Kankakee Education and Employment Center, a one-stop location for adult learners, job seekers and businesses seeking qualified workers.

Nearby in Bourbonnais, Olivet Nazarene University, which celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2007, also is helping open the gateway to lifelong learning for area residents. The school’s adult education program includes a variety of degrees, from business administration to nursing, and offers certificates in sales and sales management.

Both institutions collaborate with the Grundy Livingston Kankakee Workforce Board on numerous community service projects aimed at improving the skill level of the workforce to strengthen the local economy.

“They have been creative, engaged partners in workforce development. Both are active training providers in the public workforce system and offer flexible long- and short-term training for all components of the workforce – youth entering the workforce for the first time, workers transitioning to new careers, and underemployed workers needing additional skills to progress,” says Elisabeth Dunbar, executive director of the board.

Building on the area’s strong tradition of providing higher education opportunities, in May 2006, Governor’s State University opened its Kankakee Education Center in the city’s downtown area. The facility is a satellite location of GSU’s main campus in nearby University Park and offers an expanding selection of post-secondary programs, including bachelor of arts degrees in criminal justice and communications as well as master of arts degrees in education and educational arts.

– Valerie Pascoe

Kankakee Community College’s new building for arts and sciences is the second new building on campus in the past few years – an indication of the growth experienced by all of the area’s institutions of higher learning.

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Portfolio

Matrimonial Mansion BRIGHT FUTURES BEGIN WITH NOSTALGIC NUPTIALS AT BENNETT-CURTIS HOUSE

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after his death, his wife donated it to a local bank. It served as a boarding house, a private residence and a restaurant until it closed in 1990. The Zizics purchased it in 1992.

“I had been in the restaurant business all my life, and I was looking for something unique,” Zizic says.

“My wife’s parents lived in town and told us this house was available.”

The Zizics reopened the historic house as a restaurant, and they live on the upper two floors with their five children. The mansion houses a full-service bridal shop that offers invitations, a bridal consultant, catering, tuxedo and gown rental, DJ services and more.

“The bridal shop was added on

after we got into weddings, because we had been bombarded with questions from brides about where to find different services,” Zizic says.

Weddings at the Bennett-Curtis House can be held outdoors surrounded by bubbling fountains and colorful gardens or inside the mansion, which boasts crown molding, moray cloth-covered walls, velvet drapery and the stunning Rose Room with a 6-foot circular stainedglass window.

The Bennett Curtis House also hosts mystery dinners that are open to the public from September through April, and a variety of other special events. A 250-seat restaurant in the mansion is open by reservation.

ANTONY BOSHIER

hen wedding bells are ringing, the Bennett-Curtis House in Grant Park offers everything from carriage rides and tuxedos to ice sculptures and butterfly releases, and an elegant, historic ceremony and reception site to boot.

“We’re unique because we’re a onestop shop. We have everything a bride needs to plan the entire event,” says Scott Zizic, who owns the BennettCurtis House with his wife, Kerry.

“We often say, ‘You get the dress, we do the rest.’”

The Bennett-Curtis House is an 18-room mansion built in 1900 by George Bennett, a lumberyard owner.

Nineteen years later, it was purchased

by Illinois Sen. Edward Curtis, and

Likely the first wedding at Bennett-Curtis House was that of the home’s second owners, Sen. and Mrs. Edward Curtis.

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Watch for our second annual Christmas walk of homes on Sunday, December 9 from 12-4. All proceeds to benefit the Harbor House. Call for details.

Member HBAK• Member of Kankakee Regional & Bradley Bourbonnais Chamber of Commerce

Portfolio

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s director of practice development with OAK Orthopedics, Brent Wright gets to work with some pretty amazing athletes, including the Chicago Bears while they are at summer training camp in Bourbonnais. But equally rewarding for him is helping up-and-coming athletes at Kankakee’s 13 area high schools, Olivet Nazarene University and Kankakee Community College.

“We love being able to offer our local athletes the same service that an NFL player would get,” says Wright, who joined OAK Orthopedics in 2004.

OAK Orthopedics has served the area since 1945 and is composed of eight orthopedic surgeons, two medical sports medicine specialists, one pain management specialist, one rheumatologist and two physician assistants. Wright helps grow the practice and develops marketing strategies, outreach and practice promotions.

“I knew OAK had a great reputation in the area, and I wanted to be a part of that and continue to develop the services OAK provides,” he says of his decision to join the practice.

A longtime sports lover, Wright enjoys interacting with athletes. With the Chicago Bears, most of his work is done behind the scenes.

“It’s our job to get the players in quickly and give feedback to the Bears staff, so the players can get back to 100 percent and performing at the level they are capable of,” he says.

OAK Orthopedics is offering a new athletic development program that will be run by Joe Kessler, who has done strength and conditioning programs with the Bears and the Indianapolis Colts.

“He will now be running those same programs for our local athletes,” Wright says. “Even more amazing is that the technology we now have to help athletes run faster, jump higher and become more explosive is only used by the teams that met in this year’s Super Bowl, the Bears and Colts.

Our goal is to help athletes reach their potential, which will hopefully help create more college scholarships and championships for athletes in our area.”

ANTONY BOSHIER

An Advocate for Athletes

OAK Orthopedics Director of Practice Development Brent Wright is an Olivet Nazarene University alumnus.

Floating Your Boat for 24 Consecutive Years

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owerboat racing is a deepseated tradition in the Kankakee River Valley.

“People have been racing on the Kankakee River over 80 years, and we’re in our 24th consecutive year of hosting the Powerboat National Championships,” says Joe Walz, event chairman.

That’s no small feat, considering Kankakee bids for the opportunity to host the national championships along with larger cities like Nashville and San Diego. It draws more than 125 competing boats and 30,000 spectators.

“For such a small community to have such a big event and pull it off is so incredible,” Walz says.

Held over Labor Day weekend in September, the Powerboat Nationals on the Kankakee River – formerly the Kankakee River Valley Regatta – attracts boats from as far as Mexico and Canada and awards more than

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$50,000 in prize money. It’s a family-friendly event, with food vendors, a petting zoo, inflatable attractions and climbing walls.

“We always have a Blues Night Saturday night, and we had Lonnie Brooks last year,” Walz says.

“This year, we’re having a Hispanic Culture Day on Sunday and bringing in mariachi bands.”

The event kicks off Friday night, when people come down to

the river to see the boats and meet the drivers. The actual racing takes place Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

“Some people have been coming to this event 20 years,” Walz says.

“They rent tents and barbecue.

You’ll see them pick their spot on Friday and stay there all weekend long. It’s rewarding to see so many people volunteer at the event and give back to the community.”

Boats zip along the Kankakee River in excess of 135 mph during the Powerboat Nationals, an event that is in its 24th consecutive year.

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In the Market for a Fresh Experience I

f you visit downtown Kankakee on a Saturday morning from May through October, you’ll find juicy red tomatoes, bright yellow squash, farm-fresh meats and plenty of other locally grown foods at the Kankakee County Farmers Market.

But it wasn’t always this way.

Before the market started in 1999, local growers had to load up their trucks with produce and drive to Chicago and suburban areas to sell at a farmers market. Merrill Marxman, a former employee of the U.S. Department of

Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency, changed all of that when he pitched the idea of a Kankakee farmers market to Tim Schmidt, executive director of the Kankakee Development Corp.

“In the ’90s, we raised between 8,000 and 10,000 acres of flowers, vegetables and fruit here in Kankakee County, and today we still raise between 5,000 and 6,000 acres,” says Marxman, Kankakee County Farmers Market manager. “I thought it was embarrassing to raise so much local produce and not

Bunge Oils produces premium food ingredients for the food service, baking and food processing industries.

have a farmers market.”

Marxman gathered a small group of local growers, and the first Kankakee County Farmers Market was a hit.

“We started with four to six vendors on a Saturday morning, and they all sold out within two hours,” Marxman recalls. “I had to stand there the rest of the morning explaining that to people who showed up asking where the farmers market was.”

Eight years later, the farmers market averages 30 vendors on Saturdays in the peak season and offers everything from produce and meats to flowers and baked goods. There’s also live music, ranging from country to barbershop quartets and Hispanic music.

“Probably the craziest idea we’ve had was to provide shopping carts, but we now have 50 of them,” Marxman says. “They’re great for young mothers and older people, and it helps a lot when people are buying big watermelons and cantaloupes.”

Twice a year, the farmers market gives away free hot buttered sweet corn, and there are other special events throughout the season. For more information about the farmers market and locations, visit www.kankakee countyfarmersmarket.com.

Bunge Oils is proud to be part of the Kankakee River Valley Community.

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Fresh, in-season produce is available from spring through summer at the Kankakee County Farmers Market.

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Who You Gonna Call?

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ave Edwards’ interest in ghosts began with a dream.

“Eight years after my grandma passed away, I dreamed I was talking with her. It was very vivid,” Edwards recalls. “We had hugged in the dream, and when I woke up, I could smell her scent all over me. It was kind of creepy.”

A year later, another paranormal experience raised the hairs on the back of his neck – literally.

“I was sitting in a chair at this little cottage, and the hair started raising on my arms. Suddenly, I got a whiff of a flowery perfume,” Edwards says. “That intrigued me, and I began to wonder, ‘Are there ghosts?’ ” Edwards, a Monee resident, joined a group called the Indiana Ghost Trackers, which has a chapter in Chicago.

He began investigating paranormal activity using EVP, or electronic voice phenomenon, technology.

“EVP is basically capturing spirits’ voices on cassette recorders or camcorders,” Edwards explains. “Sometimes you get voices and can make out exactly what they’re saying. Other times, you can hear voices, but you can’t understand what they’re saying.”

Two years ago, Edwards appeared on The Travel Channel’s “The Dead Famous,” and he appeared again on WGN in October 2006 with a group from the Indiana Ghost Trackers.

Locally, Edwards has investigated ghost activity at the vacant Manteno Mental Health Center.

“I think the Manteno mental institution dates back to 1928,” he says.

“We’ve gotten a lot of activity there.

One time we saw a piece of metal move across the floor, and we’ve heard and recorded a lot of voices there.”

Edwards suspects Kankakee has some haunted places of its own, including the historic Paramount Theatre and City Tavern, though he hasn’t investigated those sites yet.

When he isn’t chasing ghosts, Edwards runs his business, Like New Tile & Grout Restoration, and serves as a licensed private investigator.

– Stories by Jessica Mozo K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

Dave Edwards is part of Indiana Ghost Trackers, a group that provides no-cost, paranormal activity investigations of homes and businesses.

I M AG E S K A N K A K E E . C O M

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Image Gallery

Reed’s Canoe Trips on the Kankakee River

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K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTONY BOSHIER

Field near Kankakee

K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

I M AG E S K A N K A K E E . C O M

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Image Gallery

Vulcan Quarry

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K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTONY BOSHIER

Kankakee State Hospital

K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

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Business

Buyer’s Market KANKAKEE RIVER VALLEY SEES MAJOR GROWTH IN RETAIL AND RESIDENCES

STORY BY NANCY HUMPHREY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTONY BOSHIER

O

ver the past five years, Kankakee County has seen a period of unequaled growth – both in its population and its retail sector. As word spreads about the many amenities here, it quickly is becoming a place that more 28

I M AG E S K A N K A K E E . C O M

young families are calling home.

“What they’re finding is that it’s a great and affordable place to raise a family, with good schools and a 60-minute drive from downtown Chicago,” says Jeff Bennett, of Bennett Commercial, a company that handles

both residential and commercial development in the area. Bennett says that the primary wage earner of many of the families moving into town works outside of the county, “but they have a willingness to drive up to 60 minutes to and from work because of the quality of K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

Residential development at Bon Vivant Country Club in Bourbonnais offers upscale homes with easy access to one of the top golf courses in the state.

life in Kankakee County.”

Along with the rise in residential growth has come an explosion of retail development in both the north and south portions of Kankakee County.

“It’s a bit of the chicken and the egg,” Bennett says. “Along with more people comes more retail, but also, residential growth is enhanced when that potential K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

home buyer sees quality grocery stores and retail development.”

One of the area’s largest new retail and residential developments is Bradley Commons near Interstate 57’s Exit 315.

Situated at the corner of North State Route 50 and St. George Road in Bradley, the development’s first phase is anchored by an 88,000-square-foot Kohl’s depart-

ment store with an additional 65,000 square feet of inline retail space. In the fall of 2007, a 207,000-square-foot Wal-Mart Supercenter opens, along with other businesses such as Buffalo Wild Wings, Petco, Lane Bryant, Shoe Carnival, Starbucks and McDonald’s.

Pat Daly, chairman of the Daly Group, who is developing Bradley Commons with Mid-America Development Partners, says that the new development is creating a domino effect by luring additional retailers.

With the opening of the new Wal-Mart Supercenter, the old freestanding WalMart located about a mile to the south will close, making way for new businesses in that space.

“It’s a great community to work with,” Daly says. “The elected officials are very visionary and extremely helpful in helping us bring tenants to this market.”

Retail and residential growth in the southern portion of Kankakee County is most evident at the RiverStone development. RiverStone includes the Hilton Garden Hotel, RiverStone Conference Center, Gas City and the county’s newest family attractions – Splash Valley Aquatic Park and OAK Orthopedic Sports Arena.

Another Wal-Mart Supercenter for the area is set to open at RiverStone in February 2008, anchoring adjacent retail space.

Adding to the mix is the new Prairie Walk of RiverStone, a residential development containing homes of varying sizes.

“Nothing was here, now people who live out this way will have retail, commercial and restaurant space,” says Connie Licon, vice president of marketing and public relations for RiverStone. “One thing after another is being developed. We’re the catalyst for the south side explosion.”

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Business | Biz Briefs

ANTONY BOSHIER

WELL-DISTRIBUTED RESOURCES Chances are, if you’re an industry executive looking for a perfect location for a distribution center, you’ve checked out the Kankakee River Valley. The area’s convenient proximity to major transportation routes has elevated its status as a prime spot for companies to stock and move huge amounts of inventory with relative ease.

Retail giants Sears and K-Mart led the charge with distribution centers on the outskirts of Manteno that combine for a whopping total of 1.5 million square feet of warehouse space.

“K-Mart and Sears started the trend and are proving to other smaller warehouse and distribution centers that we qualify as a major warehouse distribution point,” says Jeff Bennett, of Bennett Commercial. “We’ve learned suddenly, as odd as it sounds, Chicagoland is a port.”

Nearby distribution and warehouse centers also open up space within some of the companies’ area retail locations. For example, Wal-Mart is completing a 3.4 million-squarefoot distribution center in nearby Will County’s CenterPoint Intermodal Center. Once completed, this megafacility will provide warehouse space for new Wal-Mart stores in Kankakee County, enabling smaller building footprints within their respective retail developments.

City Tavern offers an exceptionally wide selection of cocktails and wines.

TOAST TO HISTORY The 142-year-old City Tavern in Kankakee is the most beautiful bar south of Chicago. Or at least new coowner Darlene Gardner thinks so.

“It has the original woodwork and tin ceiling. There’s so much culture and class,” says Gardner, who, along with business partner Gary Gerberding, took ownership of the business in spring 2007. “It’s a beautiful place to just be.”

The building also has a colorful history, many years ago having served as a brothel.

The building can seat 400 people in both the downstairs and upstairs bar areas. The upstairs portion of the building is designated as non-smoking and 30

I M AG E S K A N K A K E E . C O M

has a separate air filtration system. This area is open on Friday and Saturday nights, and for private parties and special events like Cinco de Mayo.

City Tavern offers 60 types of beer and about 40 varieties of wine.

“If a drink is brand new, you’ll see it at City Tavern before you see it anywhere else in this area,” Gardner says.

The main bar downstairs opens at 11 a.m. each day, seven days a week and has three outdoor decks for its customers, all heated during colder weather. Tuesday nights are especially popular, as they feature digital karaoke.

“I am certainly enjoying it,” Gardner says. “I love interacting with our customers. It’s very rewarding.”

THIS COMPANY ROCKS Vulcan Materials Co. and Fortune magazine’s inf luential lists are no strangers. The company, with quarries in Manteno and Kankakee, recently made the magazine’s list of most admired companies for the sixth time, garnering honors as the most admired construction materials company in 2007. It also ranked among the top 10 companies in the Fortune 1000 for social responsibility and longterm investment.

In the social responsibility category, Vulcan has impressive company, including UPS, McDonalds, Starbucks and Walt Disney. In the long-term investment category, Vulcan places among Exxon Mobil, Procter & Gamble and FedEx. “We do a lot of things in our operation to be an even better neighbor,” K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

says Joshua Robbins, a spokesman for Vulcan. “We have a community advisory group in Manteno in an effort to improve relations with our neighbors and strengthen our commitment to the area.”

There also is an Adopt-a-School initiative that has created partnerships between Vulcan’s Kankakee Quarry and Limestone and Bonfield Grade Schools, as well as the Manteno Quarry and Manteno Community Unit School District 5.

“Our Kankakee Quarry has also been recognized as a national leader in facility improvements. We have a lot going on,” Robbins says.

VAST VOLUMES OF VOLUMES Next time you buy a book, DVD, video game or CD, know that the odds are high that it passed through hands in Momence before making it into your own.

Baker & Taylor Inc. has established itself as a leader in the book and new media distribution market since it was established more than 179 years ago.

The Charlotte, N.C.-based company has distribution centers strategically located throughout the United States in order to quickly fill orders for libraries, retailers and other resellers all around the world, and its largest distribution center is located in Momence.

More than 650 employees at the 450,000-square-foot distribution center ship 20,000 packages a day, says Gary Dayton, senior vice president of operations at the Momence center. The center has undergone two expansions since 1999, and business remains brisk.

While Dayton says Baker & Taylor’s customized library service is its fastest-growing unit, the company is experiencing an unprecedented interest from overseas.

“Another area that is expanding is in our international business,” Dayton says. “It’s increased significantly over the last few years.”

LOOKS LIKE POPCORN, TASTES LIKE WATERMELON It might come as a surprise that the most popular item at Manteno’s Café Liquid on North Main Street is not a liquid at all. It’s popcorn.

K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

But if you ask customers which of the shop’s 50 flavors of gourmet popcorn is their favorite, you might get a variety of answers. The best selling of the store-popped popcorns is the cheesy/ caramel mix, but the truly daring might choose one of the store’s more unusual f lavors such as watermelon or hot jalapeno cheese.

“People are surprised about the watermelon flavor,” says Ron McMahon, the store’s manager. “Not only does it taste like watermelon, it’s also the color of the inside of a watermelon.”

In addition to the three sizes of popcorn available for purchase in the

THE

store, the shop also sells 20-gallon bags to organizations. It can be made in color combinations representing just about any school or college, and the blue and orange Chicago Bears mix has been a hit.

The store also spins cotton candy and, yes, there are liquids served at Café Liquid. The choices include Main Street Marvel (an espresso served with steamed milk and caramel), Girly Foo Foo Coffee, made with your choice of any of the flavored syrups, or Manteno Mocha, touted on the menu as “a chocolate-lover’s dream.”

– Nancy Humphrey

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I M AG E S K A N K A K E E . C O M

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ANTONY BOSHIER

Business | Chamber Report

Between writing for local newspapers, serving as a radio host and sports announcer, and his day job in marketing, Bill Yohnka shares his passion for the area through Kankakee Regional Young Professionals.

All in the Name of Kankakee NATIVE GOES TO GREAT LENGTHS ADVOCATING AREA TO OTHER YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

B

ill Yohnka is so passionate about the place he calls home, he’s donned a tuxedo to host a mock game show, helped stage a football Tailgate Challenge and polished his 10-pin skills for a The Big Lebowskithemed bowling night.

As the chairman of the Kankakee Regional Young Professionals (KRYP) Core Council, Yohnka is happy to participate in these and other networkbuilding events, all in the name of getting young people involved where they work and live.

“It really is pretty exciting,” says Yohnka, marketing coordinator for Martin Whalen Office Solutions in Bradley. “Our group is driven to provide something that wasn’t really there before – to fill a void for this age group.

It’s a passion of mine. I really do think there’s a lot of opportunity here, and a lot of it is what we make of it.”

Yohnka is midway through his twoyear term as chairman of the council for KRYP, a division of the 500-member K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

Kankakee Regional Chamber of Commerce. KRYP was formed in 2004 as the Young Professionals Network for those ages 21-39, and has nearly 100 members.

KRYP has introduced several special events, including the first Tailgate Challenge, which coincided with the Chicago Bears summer training camp in July 2006. A new event in July 2007 was a screening of the 1998 cult movie The Big Lebowski and a night of bowling, which is a prominent part of the film.

The group also plans its third Beaujolais Nouveau Wine Festival on Nov. 15, 2007.

In addition, KRYP has monthly luncheon meetings with programs ranging from a panel discussion with local mayors to a game show that featured questions for “contestants” about the local community.

“For people just starting their careers here, it was fun,” Yohnka says. “I dressed up in a tuxedo and made a big show out of it. People learned from it, and it provided an orientation to the community.”

The inaugural Tailgate Challenge

was held while the Bears, who went on to play in the 2007 Super Bowl, were at training camp at Olivet Nazarene University. One of the judges for the grilled fare at the cook-off was Bears’ quarterback Rex Grossman’s father.

The group’s second wine festival in 2006 featured a live jazz band, Eiffel Tower building contest and French pastries along with the wine, and the third event promises to be bigger and better.

The variety of opportunities is designed to provide something for everyone, Yohnka explains, as well as give KRYP members an opportunity to get to know fellow chamber members.

“Part of it is building a network to increase business, but when you are involved in things like this, the quality of life is vastly different,” Yohnka says. “[Without KRYP], my life wouldn’t be nearly as much fun. So it’s partially business, but it’s also creating an environment that is welcoming and encouraging to young people.”

– Anne Gillem I M AG E S K A N K A K E E . C O M

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Business | Economic Profile

KANKAKEE BUSINESS CLIMATE From its agricultural roots to its strong manufacturing base, Kankakee County offers economic incentives such as international trade assistance, technology support and workforce development programs.

KANKAKEE COUNTY ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS Employed civilian population 16 years and over: 48,227

Occupation

Number Employed

Percentage Employed

5,080

10.5%

Construction, extraction and maintenance occupations

Company

Employees

Riverside HealthCare

2,100

296

0.6%

Shapiro Developmental Center 1,288

Management, professional and related occupations

12,583

26.1%

Provena St. Mary’s Hospital

Production, transportation and material moving occupations

Cigna Health Care

900

9,998

20.7%

Baker & Taylor Co.

640

12,763

26.5%

7,507

15.6%

Sears Logistics Services

633

CSL Behring

550

K-Mart Distribution Center

460

Armstrong World Industries

367

Bunge Edible Oils

320

Nucor Steel

304

Cognis Corp.

269

FlandersPrecisionaire

195

5.1%

Merisant

180

990

2.1%

Valspar Corp.

165

7,842

16.3%

Peddinghaus Corp.

154

Esselte

140

Hostmann Steinberg

140

American Springwire

136

Farming, fishing and forestry occupations

Sales and office occupations Service occupations Industry Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, and mining

788

1.6%

Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation and food services

3,221

6.7%

Construction

3,236

6.7%

10,801

22.4%

Educational, health and social services Finance, insurance, real estate, and rental and leasing Information Manufacturing Other services (except public administration)

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MAJOR EMPLOYERS

2,460

2,348

4.9%

Professional, scientific, management, administrative and waste management services

2,673

5.5%

Public administration

1,746

3.6%

Retail trade

6,896

14.3%

Transportation and warehousing, and utilities

3,330

6.9%

Wholesale trade

1,896

3.9%

I M AG E S K A N K A K E E . C O M

1,000+

K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

TRANSPORTATION Airports Kankakee Valley Regional Airport (815) 939-1422 Midway International Airport Chicago, (773) 838-0600 O’Hare International Airport Chicago, (800) 832-6352 Highways The region is bisected by Interstate 57 and is minutes from Interstates 80, 55 and 65.

Mass Transit River Valley Metro, 937-4BUS Rail Amtrak Canadian National Illinois Central Metra commuter train (Chicago) Norfolk Southern Union Pacific

Small business development programs

FINANCIAL INCENTIVES

Revolving loan fund

Kankakee River Valley Enterprise Zone Kankakee County Enterprise Zone Tax increment financing

Competitive interest rates State finances program and tax credit for Illinois businesses Employee training assistance programs

Kankakee Regional Development Authority/ industrial revenue bonds

International marketing support

Job training programs

Low tax rate

Industrial training partnership programs

Rural or riverfront housing availability

Modernizing and technological support

Kankakee School District 111 “Excellence in Education”

INCOME/HOUSING STATISTICS Average household income $53,737 Average home value $61,908 2005 Census Estimate

FOR MORE INFORMATION Kankakee Regional Chamber of Commerce P.O. Box 905 Kankakee, IL 60901 Phone: (815) 933-7721 Fax: (815) 933-7675 www.kankakee.org Kankakee County Economic Development Association 200 E. Court St., #507 Kankakee, IL 60901 Phone: (815) 935-1177 Fax: (815) 935-1181 www.kankakeecountyeda.com Kankakee County Regional Planning 189 E. Court St. Kankakee, IL 60901

Sources: www.visitkankakee.com www.ci.kankakee.il.us www.census.gov

K A N A K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

Committed To Providing Quality Educational Opportunities For All Children 240 Warren Ave. Kankakee, IL 60901 (815) 802-7732 www.kankakeeschooldistrict.org

I M AG E S K A N K A K E E . C O M

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ANTONY BOSHIER

Education

Kankakee Area Career Center offers approximately 15 technical courses for students at 16 area high schools.

Vocation, Vocation, Vocation KANKAKEE AREA CAREER CENTER HELPS STUDENTS ACHIEVE PROFESSIONAL GOALS

A

t the stage of life when many young people are preparing resumes and beginning to enter the workforce, 22-year-old Rhett Rademacher already is the boss at his dream job. With four years of business ownership and two years of work-study under his belt, Rademacher operates like a seasoned professional.

“I’ve known for a long time that I wanted to work with computers, but I didn’t know how to make starting my own business a reality. Once I got the experience and had the guidance I needed, it all came together,” says Rademacher, who owns Service IT, a growing technology support and computer repair business located on Main Street in Peotone, just 20 miles north of Kankakee.

Rademacher, who founded Service IT as soon as he graduated from high school in 2003, attributes the jump-start on his career to experience gained through the Kankakee Area Career Center. It was there that he secured an apprenticeship with the New Lenox School District, and starting as a high school junior worked for two years as a computer repair technician, troubleshooting computer problems and repairing them. During this time, he learned what it would take to start his own business.

“It wasn’t just an opportunity to get real-world job experience, I was also learning business basics like how the stock market works and how to write a business plan,” says Rademacher. “It’s made a tremendous difference for me, personally and professionally.”

According to Don Fay, director of the Kankakee Area

K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

Career Center, the school continues to make a difference for hundreds of area students each year by providing handson training opportunities, internships and certifications that prepare them for jobs directly out of high school. The center also provides college credit in a third of its classes, and 73 percent of its students go on to some kind of post secondary training.

“We service students from 16 high schools located in Iroquois, Kankakee and Will counties, and we are seeing the popularity of the center grow,” says Fay. “When I arrived five years ago, we had 600 students. Today enrollment is up to around 750.”

Established in 1972, the Kankakee Area Career Center began as a basic vocational training program and has expanded to include courses of study such as computer technology, law enforcement and childcare in addition to traditional vocations such as nursing, cosmetology and automotive repair.

With a record number of students participating in the school’s internship program and a recent $1.6 million facelift to the 49,000-square-foot Bourbonnais facility, Fay says the Kankakee Area Career Center is better equipped than ever to help produce skilled workers to support the local economy.

“We provide a tremendous opportunity to develop the workforce in this community. Many of our students will remain close to the home after graduation and become the workforce of the future,” Fay says.

– Valerie Pascoe I M AG E S K A N K A K E E . C O M

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K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

Arts & Culture

Hitting It Out of the Park NOVEL AND COMING MOVIE CAPTURE THREE GENERATIONS OF MOORE MEN

K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

When he’s not speaking to readers or filmmakers about his book, Moore can be founded in his Bradley office running Covenant Air & Water, a business that manufacturers water refining systems.

In June 2000, Covenant Air & Water purchased Addie Water Systems of Janesville, Wis. Moore moved the company’s assembly plant to Bradley in 2006 in order to remain close to home.

“The cost to keep the company in Wisconsin was actually cheaper, but we moved it here because this is such a great place to live, work and do business.

I could live anywhere in the world, but I choose this area for quality of life and because it’s home,” says Moore, who also founded Moore Industries in Bradley alongside his father in 1974.

– Valerie Pascoe

ANTONY BOSHIER

B

ourbonnais author Gary Moore took a personal, family revelation and truly hit it out of the park with a new novel that shares the story of his father, Gene Moore. Not only is a major motion picture based on the book in the works, but Gary’s son, actor Toby, has been cast to play the role of his grandfather.

It wasn’t until the day before his father’s death in 1983 that Moore discovered his dad had been recruited by the Brooklyn Dodgers as a teenager but tragically lost his big league career due to injuries sustained in World War II while teaching German prisoners of war how to play baseball.

Moore was so astonished by the story that he spent the next two decades researching his father’s life. In September 2006 he published Playing with the Enemy: A Baseball Prodigy, a World at War, and a Field of Broken Dreams as a tribute to his father.

“He grew up believing he would be a baseball star. He never achieved his dream in his lifetime, but today, 24 years after his death, his star is rising and more people each day come to know and love him, not just for the ball player he was, but more for the man he came to be,” Moore says. “I get letters and phone calls daily from people wanting to talk about my dad’s story and their story.”

Earlier this year, Moore received another surprise. He learned that Toby, who has been pursuing an acting career in Los Angeles, landed the role of his grandfather in the upcoming movie.

“It’s just such a miracle that Toby will be the one playing his grandfather.

We’re so honored and blessed that his story will be told to an even wider audience,” Moore says.

Fittingly, the movie is scheduled to be released Father’s Day weekend 2008 and is being made by Academy Award winner Gerald Molen, the producer of films such as Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, Rain Man, Days of Thunder and Minority Report. Pre-production is already under way and filming is expected to begin soon.

Bourbonnais resident and author Gary Moore is an accomplished entrepreneur, business executive, motivational speaker and sales trainer.

I M AG E S K A N K A K E E . C O M

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PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL SMITH

Sports & Recreation

Chicago Bears Training Camp in Bourbonnais often features special theme days as well as events geared toward kids.

It’s Their Summer Place OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY PROUDLY HOSTS CHICAGO BEARS TRAINING CAMP EACH JULY & AUGUST

E

very fall, the defending NFC champion Chicago Bears call famed Soldier Field home.

Bourbonnais, though, is their summer place.

For the last six years, the Monsters of the Midway have conducted summer training camp on the campus of Olivet Nazarene University, an arrangement that has worked well for the team, the community and thousands of Bears fans in Chicagoland.

Until 2001, the Bears held training camp in Wisconsin. But, at the insistence of the state legislature, the club started looking inside the state’s borders when Soldier Field was being renovated.

The organization studied more than a dozen sites before narrowing its final choice to three. Olivet Nazarene was the last school standing to become the Bears’ home for the 3 1/2-week training camp.

While some upgrades were needed, including construction of four practice

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I M AG E S K A N K A K E E . C O M

fields and a larger training room, Olivet Nazarene already had many selling points in place. The university’s tight campus, with the training rooms, practice fields, locker rooms and dormitories all within easy walking distance, are a hit with the players.

The team also liked its easy access to major highways and interstates, allowing quick getaways for preseason games or other activities.

Finally, the fact that Bourbonnais is an easy drive for most of the team’s fans is a huge advantage.

“It allows us to be close to Chicago but host our fans at training camp,” says Brian McCaskey, senior director of business development for the Chicago Bears.

The Bears have quickly made themselves comfortable in the community, hosting family nights, fireworks displays and other events to thank the team’s fans. During camp, the coaches travel the campus on bicycles and then give those bikes away to youth agencies

when the session concludes.

Though the club and university are just finishing up a second three-year contract, McCaskey fully expects the Bears to be back for years to come.

“I think both sides benefit from it,” says McCaskey.

Olivet Nazarene officials certainly aren’t complaining.

The arrival of the Bears each summer also brings previously unrealized attention to the university, both from new visitors and media outlets.

“It gives you instant name recognition,” says Gary Griffin, director of university relations.

But the real beneficiaries of the Bears-ONU relationship, he’s quick to note, are Bourbonnais and the surrounding areas.

“This was a gift from Olivet Nazarene to the Kankakee River Valley,” Griffin says.

The economic impact is undeniable.

With more than 100,000 fans attending training camp from late July through the middle of August, the visitors keep local shops, restaurants and hotels busy.

But even more important, Griffin says, is the chance to sell the area as more than just a place to visit.

“In the long run, the real benefit is with people moving their families here,” Griffin says.

– Dan Markham K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

No Hard Feelings COLTS PLAYER GETS HERO’S WELCOME IN KANKAKEE COUNTY

I

n the first quarter of Super Bowl XLI, a fumble by the Chicago Bears’ Gabe Reid sent groans throughout households all over the Kankakee River Valley.

But in some living rooms in this area, cheers rang out for the guy on the other end of the turnover.

Tyjuan Hagler, born and raised in Kankakee, gobbled up the loose football for the Indianapolis Colts. It was a highlight moment for Hagler in the Colts’ Super Bowl victory.

“I had to get my name called on TV somehow,” he jokes.

Despite his role in vanquishing Kankakee County’s favorite NFL team, Hagler was afforded regal treatment when he returned home in March. Tyjuan Hagler Day was declared, with Hagler receiving a key to the city.

“That was overwhelming,” says Hagler, who attended Bishop McNamara High School and the University of Cincinnati before signing with the Colts in 2005. “It was a very special moment.”

It is this humility that made him a fitting recipient of the honor, says Sam Nicholos of the Kankakee County Board.

“He’s a great ambassador for Kankakee County in a lot of ways,” Nicholos says. “He’s a conscientious kid and a hard worker.”

Hagler is already working hard to develop his game in the NFL. Restricted primarily to special teams duty during his first two seasons, the off-season departures of many of the Colts’ linebackers have him optimistic about a greater role on the team’s defense.

“It looks like they’re going to give me a chance to compete for a starting job,” he says.

– Dan Markham

K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

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I M AG E S K A N K A K E E . C O M

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We’ll Always Do You Justice BOURBONNAIS (815) 939-1255 WATSEKA (815) 432-6011 MANTENO (815) 468-3000 CISSNA PARK (815) 457-2729

R R

CLIFTON (815) 694-2333 PAXTON (217) 379-2111

Kankakee County Title Company 151 N. Schuyler Ave., Kankakee, IL (815) 933-8525 | www.kankakeetitle.com

Serving the Title Needs of Kankakee County Since 1910 • Title Insurance • Closings • Escrow Services • Construction Escrow Services

Representing:

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K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

Health & Wellness

Patient-Focused Providers RIVERSIDE & PROVENA ST. MARY’S AIM FOR EVEN BETTER, MORE EFFICIENT CARE

K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

available for traumas and emergency surgeries.

“Quality and safety are always our No. 1 focus,” says Barb Decker, director of perioperative services. “The additional number of anesthesiologists on staff reduces any delays, expands our capabilities to schedule, and improves both patient and physician satisfaction.”

– Nancy Humphrey

ANTONY BOSHIER

E

fforts to change the way health care is delivered at two area hospitals have one outcome in mind: improved experiences for the patients combined with heightened efficiency of institutional processes.

Riverside Hospital is seeking the Magnet status, which is conferred by the American Academy of Nursing and considered by many to be the gold standard in the industry. Magnet Recognition is a highly sought distinction for health care institutions, which must satisfy a demanding set of criteria that measure the quality of their nursing programs. Only a handful of hospitals in the United States have received this status.

Magnet coordinator Vicki Haag, R.N., M.S. said that although the designation would be wonderful for the hospital, it’s the journey that’s important.

“Magnet is the hallmark of nursing excellence, but we’re using it for a springboard for every department at the hospital, not just nursing,” Haag says.

Two areas upon which the hospital is focusing are shared decision making between management and those directly involved in the care of patients, as well as recognizing, rewarding and supporting the education of hospital staff by encouraging nurses to take national certification exams or to obtain bachelor’s or master’s degrees.

Carl Maronich, Riverside’s director of marketing, says whether the Magnet designation is achieved or not, the lessons learned along the way will impact the hospital.

“We will have a much stronger organization in the process,” Maronich says.

Improving patient safety and satisfaction is a strong focus at Provena St. Mary’s Hospital. The hospital has instituted a new patient follow-through program, focusing on the time the patient enters the hospital – through the emergency room, a direct admission or a physician’s office – until they leave. The program aims to streamline wait times and allow patients to be seen faster.

A new system ensures that all processes and people impacting the patient do so in a timely and efficient manner – therefore improving the entire experience for both patients and the health care team.

The system already is implemented in select areas of Provena St. Mary’s, and the hospital administration is seeing success through tracking outcomes. The plan will be incorporated fully by all teams by June 2007.

“Step by step, we’re being able to see a change,” says Amy LaFine, vice president of clinical operations. “It’s a journey.

We’re having to unfreeze all our ways of thinking and open ourselves up to new ways.”

Provena St. Mary’s also has implemented a new, highly skilled, 20-member anesthesia group, Madison Avenue Anesthesia Placement Service, which began seeing patients at the hospital in December 2006. Since the group began, surgical capacity has increased, allowing quicker scheduling of procedures. In addition, 24-hour, in-house coverage is

The Walter and Gretchen Charlton Medical Centre in Bourbonnais is among more than a dozen Provena facilities in the Kankakee River Valley region.

Jojo Sayson’s

PROVIDING MANUAL PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR :

• Sports injuries • Work-related injuries • Motor vehicle accidents • Orthopedic rehabilitation Jojo Sayson Physical Therapist

(815) 936-1992 586 William Latham Dr. • Ste. 3 Bourbonnais, IL 60914

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An Affordable Assisted Lifestyle Community for the Older Adult

When you need a helping hand or personal attention to do the activities you may no longer be able to do safely on your own, our courteous and caring staff is always ready to assist you.

Mistie J. Whitlow 516 E. Broadway Bradley, IL 60915 (815) 933-9396 Fax: (815) 933-9479 www.allstate.com/mistiewhitlow

As your Allstate agent, I can help you understand how the choices you make, such as the car you drive, affect your insurance rate. I’m committed to helping you get the appropriate level of protection and make it easy to do business with Allstate.

Mistie J. Whitlow is licensed to sell Allstate insurance products only in the state(s) of Illinois. The material contained in this Web site is applicable only in the state of Illinois. If you do not reside in the state(s) of Illinois or you’re not insuring property located in the state(s) of Illinois, please go to the Find an Agent section on allstate.com to search for another agent. This material is intended for educational purposes only. Allstate, through its insurance companies, subsidiaries and brokers/dealers, offers property and casualty insurance, life insurance and registered securities. Certain products, such as variable annuities, variable universal life insurance and mutual funds are available only through securities licensed representatives and sales material must be accompanied by a prospectus. Auto and homeowners insurance, and other property and casualty insurance products, are available from Allstate Insurance Company, Allstate Indemnity Company, Allstate Property & Casualty Insurance Company and Allstate Fire & Casualty Insurance Company: Home Offices, Northbrook, IL. Life insurance and fixed annuity products are available from Allstate Life Insurance Company: Home Office, Northbrook, IL. Securities offered by Personal Financial Representatives through Allstate Financial Services, LLC (LSA Securities in LA and PA). Registered Broker-Dealer, Member NASD, SIPC. Main Office: 2920 South 84th Street, Lincoln, NE 68506. (877) 525-5727.

Kankakee Area Career Center Financial assistance is available to those seniors who qualify. For more details, please contact our friendly staff.

The best in career and technical education!

Serving Kankakee and portions of Will and Iroquois counties www.kacc.k12.il.us

355 Diversatech Dr. Manteno, IL www.bma-mgmt.com (815) 468-3553 Preparing Students for Tomorrow 44

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K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

Community Profile

KANKAKEE SNAPSHOT Kankakee County boasts small-town charm and big-city amenities.

The region is separated from urban life by more than 30 miles of open prairie. As residents will tell you, it’s truly the “best of both worlds.”

Electricity ComEd, (800) 334-7661 Natural Gas NICOR Gas, (888) 642-6748

MEDICAL FACILITIES Provena St. Mary’s Hospital (815) 937-2490 www.provenahealth.com (210 beds) Riverside Medical Center (815) 933-1671 www.riversidehealthcare.org (336 beds)

NUMBERS TO KNOW Kankakee has an enhanced 911 system for emergencies Kankakee County Administration, (815) 937-2958 Kankakee County Health Department, (815) 937-3560 Kankakee County Sheriff’s Department, (815) 937-8250 Bradley-Bourbonnais Chamber, (815) 932-2222 Grant Park Chamber (815) 466-0604 Herscher Chamber (815) 426-2131 Manteno Chamber (815) 468-6226 Momence Chamber (815) 472-4620

CLIMATE Average rainfall, 33.6 inches Average temperature, 49.3 F Average July high, 84.6 F Average January low, 12.6 F

UTILITIES Cable Comcast, (866) 594-1234

Telephone AT&T, (800) 851-1305 Water Aqua Illinois Inc. (815) 935-6535

EDUCATION

Grant Park School District #6 (815) 465-6013 grantpark.k12.il.us Herscher Community Unit School District #2 (815) 426-2162 www.hsd2.k12.il.us/ DHomePage.htm Kankakee School District #111 (815) 933-0779 www.k111.k12.il.us

Kankakee County has 12 school districts, 11 parochial schools, Kankakee Community College, Olivet Nazarene University, the Kankakee Area Career Center and the Governor’s State University Kankakee Education Center.

Manteno Community Unit School District #5 (815) 928-7000 www.manteno.k12.il.us

The region is within a 75-minute drive of the University of Illinois, Governor’s State University, the University of Illinois at Chicago, Loyola University, Chicago State University, Illinois Institute of Technology and many other institutions in the Chicago area.

Pembroke Consolidated School District #259 (815) 944-5219 www.pembroke.k12.il.us

Iroquois-Kankakee Regional Office of Education (815) 937-2950, www.I-Kan.org

St. Anne Community High School District #302 (815) 427-8141 www.sachs.k12.il.us

School Districts Bourbonnais Elementary School District #53 (815) 939-2574 www.besd53.k12.il.us Bradley Bourbonnais Community High School District #307 (815) 937-3707 www.bbchs.k12.il.us Bradley Elementary School District #61 (815) 933-3371 www.besd61.k12.il.us

Momence Community Unit School District #1 (815) 472-3501 www.momence.k12.il.us

St. Anne Community Consolidated School District #256 (815) 427-8190 www.sags.k12.il.us

St. George Consolidated Community School District #258 (815) 933-1503 www.stgeorge.k12.il.us Private Schools Aquinas Catholic Academy (K-8), (815) 932-7911 Bishop McNamara High School (9-12), (815) 932-7413 www.bishopmac.com/ index.php

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When you need the right person with the right skills and the right attitude, call

(815) 937-5300 525 East North Street, Suite A Bradley, IL 60915 trilliumstaffing.com

JK Steel Erectors, Inc. Structural Steel and Rebar Installation

Bonfield, Illinois 60913 (815) 933-3739 Certified W.B.E.I.

Rehearsals | Showers | Any Occasion Private Room Available

110 Meadowview Center Kankakee, IL 60901 (815) 932-6795 Sunday Brunch

Catering Available

questions

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Š 2002 American Cancer Society, Inc.

8 0 0 . A C S . 2 3 4 5 / c a n c e r. o r g

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K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

Community Profile Grace Baptist Academy (K-12), (815) 939-4579 www.gracebaptistacademy.org

RECREATION AND AMUSEMENT

Kankakee Trinity Academy (K-12), (815) 935-8080 www.K3trinityacademy.org

Bourbonnais Park District (815) 933-9905

Maternity BVM (K-8), (815) 933-7758 www.mbvm.org/?p=school

America’s Bistro

Brunswick Gala Lanes (815) 939-3136 Hidden Cove Family Fun Park (815) 933-9150

St. Joseph School (K-8), (815) 933-8013 www.stjosephbradley.org/ school

Kankakee River Valley Forest Preserve, (815) 935-5630

St. Martin of Tours (K-8), (815) 932-7911 www.catholic-church.org/ stmartinoftours

Kankakee Valley Park District/ Splash Valley Aquatic Park, (815) 929-9779

St. Patrick Academy (K-8), (815) 472-2469 www.myschoolonline.com/il/ stpatrickacademy St. Paul’s Lutheran School (K-8), (815) 932-3241, www. stpaulslutheran.net/school.htm Sts. Patrick and Teresa School (K-8), (815) 932-8124

Kankakee Valley Park District (815) 939-1311

Kankakee Valley Park District/ Oak Orthopedic Sports Arena (815) 939-1946

HISTORICAL SITES Bourbonnais Letourneau Home/Museum (815) 933-6452 Kankakee

Unity Christian School (K-8), (815) 472-3230

Essex Historical Society Museum (815) 365-4048

Higher Education Governor’s State University Kankakee Education Center (708) 534-4099 www.govst.edu

Kankakee Historical Society Museum, (815) 932-5279

Kankakee Community College (815) 802-8100, www.kcc.cc.il.us

Manteno

Kankakee Area Career Center (815) 939-4971, www.kacc.k12.il.us Olivet Nazarene University (815) 939-5011, www.olivet.edu

Kankakee Model Railroad Club & Museum, (815) 929-9320 Watchekee’s Revenge

Manteno Historical Society Museum, (815) 468-6629 Momence Momence Conrad Park Pioneer Cabin, (815) 472-6081

Aspen Ridge Golf Course (815) 939-1742 Bon Vivant Country Club (815) 935-0400 Kankakee Elks Country Club (815) 937-9547 Minne Monesse Golf Club (815) 465-6653 South Shore Golf Course (815) 472-4407

Armour Kankakee Credit Union Baker & Taylor www.btol.com Bunge www.bungeoils.com Cardinal Sleep Disorder Centers of America www.cardinalsleep.com Connected Community www.connectedcommunity online.com Eastcourt Village Apartments Finishing Contractors Association of Illinois www.nipdi.com Gallagher Asphalt www.gallagherasphalt.com Governors State University www.govst.edu Herberger Construction www.herbergerhomes.com Heritage Woods www.bma-mgmt.com Hostmann-Steinberg www.hostmann-steinberg.net James McCurry Allstate www.allstate.com/jamesmccurry JK Steel Erectors, Inc. Jojo Sayson’s Performance Physical Therapy www.4ppts.com Kankakee School District III www.kankakeeschooldistrict.org Kankakee Area Career Center www.kacc.k12.il.us Kankakee Community College www.kcc.edu Kankakee County Title Company www.kankakeetitle.com Kelly Services www.kellyservices.com Merisant www.equal.com Mistie J. Whitlow – Allstate www.allstate.com/mistiewhitlow Oak Orthopedics www.oakortho.com Provena St. Mary’s Hospital www.provena.org Quality Inn & Suites www.qualityinnbradley.com River Valley Metro www.rivervalleymetro.com Riverside Healthcare www.riversidehealthcare.net

FOR MORE INFORMATION

GOLF COURSES

Visit Our Advertisers

Kankakee Regional Chamber of Commerce 1137 E. 5000 North Road Bourbonnais, IL 60914 Phone: (815) 933-7721 Fax: (815) 933-7675 www.kankakee.org

Rosenboom Realty www.rosenboomrealty.com Speckman Realty www.speckmanrealty.com St. Joseph School www.stjosephbradley.org/school Standard Title Guaranty State Farm Insurance www.marshallcrawfordagent.com Superior Silkscreen, Inc. www.superiorsilkscreen.net Trillium Staffing Solutions www.trilliumstaffing.com Vulcan Materials www.vulcanmaterials.com

Sources: www.visitkankakee.com www.ci.kankakee.il.us.com

Wal-Mart www.walmart.com

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BOOKS • VIDEOS • MUSIC • INFORMATION SERVICES OF THE KANKAKEE RIVER VALLEY

BAKER & TAYLOR Information and Entertainment Services

501 South Gladiolus Street Momence, IL 60954 Tel (815) 802-2444 Fax (815) 472-2682 BTOL.COM

BOOKS • VIDEOS • MUSIC • INFORMATION SERVICES

Hostmann-Steinberg is a member of the hubergroup, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of printing inks, overprint varnishes coatings and additives for Sheetfed printers, Flexography printers, Web Heatset, Web Coldset and other lithographic and Flexographic printing processes. With 26 branch operations throughout Canada and the United States, Hostmann-Steinberg provides standardized products made in centralized manufacturing plants with the highest degree of automation, consistency and quality.

Hostmann-Steinberg operates headquarters in both Canada and the USA. In the USA, Hostmann-Steinberg operates a newly acquired manufacturing facility in Kankakee, Illinois, just outside of Chicago.

This 240,000-sq.-ft. facility has been attained as part of the Micro inks acquisition and is equipped with state-of-the-art machinery and automated systems.

(815) 929-9293 2850 FESTIVAL DRIVE

www.hostmann-steinberg.net

SENIOR EDITOR LISA BATTLES COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS SUSAN CHAPPELL, KIM MADLOM, ANITA WADHWANI ASSISTANT EDITOR REBECCA DENTON STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN, JESSICA MOZO DIRECTORIES EDITORS AMANDA KING, KRISTY WISE CONTRIBUTING WRITERS ANNE GILLEM, NANCY HUMPHREY, DAN MARKHAM, VALERIE PASCOE ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER TODD POTTER SALES/MARKETING COORDINATOR SARA SARTIN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS WES ALDRIDGE, ANTONY BOSHIER, MICHAEL W. BUNCH, IAN CURCIO, BRIAN M CCORD PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT JESSY YANCEY CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR SHAWN DANIEL PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS ASST. PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER SENIOR PRODUCTION PROJECT MGR. TADARA SMITH SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER CANDICE HULSEY GRAPHIC DESIGN JESSICA BRAGONIER, LINDA MOREIRAS, DEREK MURRAY, AMY NELSON WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP WEB PRODUCTION JILL TOWNSEND DIGITAL ASSET MANAGER ALISON HUNTER COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN CORY MITCHELL AD TRAFFIC COORDINATOR JILL WYATT AD TRAFFIC SARAH MILLER, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./PRODUCTION & OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART EXECUTIVE EDITOR TEREE CARUTHERS MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA M CFARLAND, LISA OWENS, JACKIE YATES RECRUITING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR MATT LOCKE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR NICOLE WILLIAMS CLIENT & SALES SERVICES MANAGER/ CUSTOM MAGAZINES PATTI CORNELIUS

Images of the Kankakee River Valley is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Kankakee Regional Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Kankakee Regional Chamber of Commerce 1137 E. North Road. • Bourbonnais, IL 60914 (815) 933-7721 • Fax: (815) 933-7675 www.kankakee.org VISIT IMAGES OF THE KANKAKEE RIVER VALLEY ONLINE AT IMAGESKANKAKEE.COM ©Copyright 2007 Journal Communications Inc., 361 Mallory Station Road, Ste. 102, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved.

No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.

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Member Custom Publishing Council Member Kankakee Regional Chamber of Commerce

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K A N K A K E E R I V E R VA L L E Y

Welcome to the Quality Inn & Suites Nestled in the heart of the Kankakee River Valley, just 40 minutes from Chicago. The Quality Inn & Suites is a full service hotel that offers downtown ambiance of elegance and luxury.

• Banquet/Meeting Accommodations • Complimentary Hot Breakfast • Room Service • Heated Indoor Pool and Spa • Executive Two-Room Suites • Whirlpool Suites • Fitness Center • Free High-Speed Internet

(on property) Open Daily* 11 a.m.-2 a.m.

Cocktails & Great Food

For reservations, please call: (815) 939-3501

800 N. Kinzie Ave. (Rte. 50) • Bradley, IL 60915 • (815) 939-3501 • Fax (815) 939-1108 • www.QualityInnBradley.com