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LOCAL NEWS

By: Encounter Staff

The Expansion of the Veteran Memorial Trail

Photo: www.thetimesweekly.com The Veterans Memorial Trail has expanded with a newly paved section open to public use.

The new section travels North beginning at Hadley Valley and going through Lockport including a tunnel under Bruce Road on a 3.5-mile stretch.

In observance of this opening, a ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on October 28 featuring Forest Preserve Board President Joe VanDuyne, Lockport Mayor Steven Streit and Illinois Tollway Executive Director Cassaundra Rouse. This $7.5 million project was achieved with the assistance of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, the City of Lockport, the Village of Homer Glen, ComEd, plus other state and federal agencies.

In the future Veterans, Memorial Trail plans to grow more with a plan to extend North from 159th street to an already existing section of the trail in DuPage Township.

For more information, visit www. reconnectwithnature.org.

First Lion Electric School Bus in Joliet

On Wednesday, November 2, Lion Electric announced the end of the production of its first LionC zeroemission electric school bus at its Joliet factory.

In May 2021, Lion Electric, a Canadian-based manufacturer of commercial vehicles, selected Joliet to hold its future US factory due to a growing demand for electric school buses in the United States.

Lion Electric positioned itself to help school districts with the transition to electric buses with the help of the EPA Clean Bus Program which funded the project with $5 billion.

The EPA Clean Bus Program is part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, a law that the Congress recently passed under President Joe Biden and which aimed to invest “in [the] nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness,” according to the White House.

The company’s efforts have paid off since they have now 700 electric vehicles on the road.

Photo: www. electrek.co

A New Board Game Coffee Shop in Shorewood

On Thursday, November 10, a new cafe named the Critical Grind Board Game Café opened in Shorewood, Illinois.

Situated on 852 Sharp Drive in the Sharp Center off Black Road near Route 59 in Shorewood, the coffee shop, previously owned by a kickboxing studio, is close to the Bliss Hair Studio.

The owners, Dana Buxbaum and her husband Shaun Tenant, mixed what they loved to create their idea of the perfect coffee shop.

“I always wanted a coffee shop,” said Dana Buxbaum, “My husband and I combined our love of gaming with my vision of the coffee shop.” The coffee shop has made available bookshelves full of games such as Clue, The Serial Killer Trivia Game, Sorry, Dragoon and many more

Board games are available for free to play inside the coffee shop, however, the owner asks to purchase something from the coffee shop among their selection of teas, coffees, smoothies and refreshers, as well as their assortment of 14 different toasts.

They also made available a rental system that allows people to take the board games home for only $4 per day for up to one week.

The coffee shop will also be hosting different game nights like Dungeons & Dragons on Saturday, Magic the Gathering on Monday or open game night on Tuesday.

The owner said that they always wanted to open a cafe in the place they would settle in and “be a part of the community.”

The coffee shop is open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., on Friday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The coffee shop is also accepting public donations and more information can be found on www. criticalgrind.com

Happy Graduation 2022

Sarah Vandermolen

Joining the Encounter freshman year was one of the best things I've done during my time here at USF. Everyone involved in the Encounter holds a special place in my heart, there's a select few that I have to mention. Firstly, thank you to Val, my little Editor-in-Chief. Every issue you've published has been perfection and I've loved seeing you come into this leadership role like a pro. I knew you could do it. Thank you to Saba, the best up and coming layout designer that I've ever had the pleasure to work with. You have so much talent and I can't wait to see what else you do for the Encounter. Noëllie, you've never been afraid to write about hard hitting topics or speak up on an issue that needs to be heard. You're exactly what the Encounter needs and I can't thank you enough for being so outspoken and determined. Finally, thank you to Jessica for sharing a brain with me for the past two years. Jessica knew exactly what I was thinking before the thought even left my mouth. Karaoke won't be the same without you as my duet partner. To all the teachers on the Fourth floor, you better savor the silence. It will only be a matter of time before the next Sarah and Jessica come barging in or even worse, the original decide to pay a visit.

Happy Graduation 2022

Jessica Scroppo

Looking back on my time in the USF Encounter, it is difficult to put the feeling of gratitude I have into words. I had the opportunity to publish 10 issues across 3 semesters as Layout Designer and Assistant Editor. As a journalist, it is our "job" to put experiences into words: news, perspective and truth. However, the skills, teamwork and friendships I have developed are experiences that I cannot find words for. I would like to thank my peers for always supporting me (that also means tolerating my talking and laughing). I always wanted to bring fun to our work, and with you all, I think we accomplished that. The USF Encounter is being left in great hands. I want to especially thank all of the staff of the Fall 2022 semester: specifically, Val, my Editor-in-Chief and Saba, my layout designer protégé that needed no training. Of course, I cannot forget my partner in publishing and the other half of the USF Encounter's creative mind: Sarah. Sarah was the finishing touch, wrap it in a bow, chase down that writer, let's sing karaoke part of the Encounter that made our issues what they were. Thank you for a great 3.5 years!