Travel safety event at right time, place
As Benny Buchanan, 74, of Kankakee, was traveling to Moline to visit his granddaughter around 10 a.m. Friday, he stopped at the rest area on westbound Interstate 80 between Minooka and Morris. But after the General Motors retiree got out of his pickup to go inside, he slipped, gashing his head on the sidewalk.

Teenage (job) wasteland
When Jessie Raven, 18, interviewed for a clerical job, she didn't expect a sales pitch. She also didn't expect to be asked to take out a $500 loan for job training and to buy fire extinguisher equipment. She would also have to pay $50 for a criminal background check. After three months of training, she would get paid $1,000. She tried to get out of the interview gracefully, but the interviewer was persistent.

Firefighter who faked leave gets probation
Former Orland Fire Protection District firefighter Larry Masa was sentenced to three years of probation and 120 hours of community service today after pleading guilty to theft and three counts of official misconduct. Masa had faced up to 15 years on the theft charge over the more than $200,000 in military wages and benefits paid to him between 2003 and 2006.

Shabbona could drop 'middle school' from moniker
Shabbona Middle School hasn't been a true "middle school" in four years, ever since the grade school board made major budget cuts, including axing the programs and staffing that distinguished Shabbona as a middle school, versus a junior high.

Channahon school district finances in the black
While some area school districts are pinching pennies in this economy, Channahon School District is doing fine. In fact, its school board unanimously approved raises for its two district administrators.

God's garden
Three weedy acres of land in the middle of Channahon's growing town center have evolved into a project that is bringing neighbors together and will benefit many in the community.

Grundy co-op: Let us expand at school
The special education cooperatives in Will and Grundy counties are making big decisions this summer on what to do with rather large bonuses of federal stimulus money received through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

HEALTH NOTES

Community notes: French market on July 11

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School board OKs 2 raises
While some area school districts are pinching pennies in this economy, Channahon Grade School District is doing fine. In fact, its school board this week unanimously approved raises for its two district administrators.

Summer Serenade: hot ticket in town
The Will-Grundy Center for Independent Living's annual Summer Serenade fundraising event will be held at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 15 at Harrah's Casino Joliet.

Train depot to move Sunday
The historic depot that has sat near the railroad tracks since 1882 is set to move on down the road this Sunday. Tina Odle, of Odle Construction and House Moving in Kankakee, said the move will start at 6 a.m. rain or shine.

Giants of midget auto racing to be honored
Two men who meant a great deal to local midget auto racing will be commemorated Saturday at the Grundy County Speedway at the 6th Annual Hot Rod Barn UMARA Carter/Anderson Classic, co-sponsored by The Herald News.

St. Mary's Parish holding blood drive
Blood drive: 3 to 7:30 p.m. June 24 in St. Mary Immaculate Parish's Cana Hall, 15629 S. Route 59 in Plainfield. Sponsored by Knights of Columbus Good Shepherd Council No. 5573 and the Ladies Auxiliary. Donors are asked to make an appointment after Masses.

12-hour cleanup after fatal I-80 crash
Update: A deadly chain-reaction crash involving four semis along Interstate 80 near Minooka on Monday afternoon killed William E. Henderson, 39, of Bradley, left a  passenger from another semi hospitalized and closed the eastbound lanes as crews worked 12 hours to clear debris from the highway so it could be reopened.

Illinois Freedom Run honors fallen heroes
The line up started at 6 a.m. Thousands of bikers came from far and wide, traveling down the back roads and the interstates to the Grundy County Fairgrounds.

Longtime GAVC instructor retiring
Howard Whitney will retire at the end of June with protégés numbering in the hundreds, after having taught Grundy County high school students computer skills through his teaching position at the Grundy Area Vocational Center for 14 years. But throughout his years there, he has made sure his students learn more than just hardware and programs.

POLICE BLOTTER

COMMUNITY NOTES

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Ex-firefighter's case delayed
Though the case against former Orland Park Fire Protection District firefighter Larry Masa was postponed once again this week, a Cook County judge said he expects to sentence the accused man July 2.

Dogs welcome to 'Yappy Hour'
Clayton'S Tap in Morris is going to the dogs. On Sunday,. the longtime Morris drinking establishment will open its doors to local dogs, accompanied by their human owners.

Residents want justice for Riley
Most residents seem to agree with attorney Kathleen Zellner and do not understand why the state's attorney's office waited so long to ask for FBI help. "It makes me mad that everything that could be done has not been done," said a Wilmington mother, who asked her name not be used.

Three Rivers library leader retires after 32 years
Erik Blomstedt is looking back on 32 years of serving the Channahon/Minooka area as Three Rivers Public Library District director, and on Saturday the library will throw an open house retirement party for him.

Channahon OKs tree delay for developer
The Channahon Village Board is wondering if it might get flooded with requests after two decisions Monday, one involving radar speed signs and another relating to a request for leniency from a developer.

Morris tritium leak located
Engineers have found the pipe that likely leaked tritiated water at the Dresden Generating Station.

Shorewood seeks input on riverfront plan
Beginning Thursday, the village will start surveying residents about uses for land adjacent to the DuPage River and the Route 52 and Route 59 intersection.

5 officers honored for DUI effort
Five police officers have been recognized for their efforts against drunk driving. Sgt. Monty Allbert, Curt Kneller, Doris Noll, Charles Newton, and Daniel Burke received certificates of appreciation from the Alliance Against Intoxicated Motorists (AAIM) earlier this month.

Morris cancer center hosts survivors' picnic
Peggy Sasgen says she is a boring housewife, and she says it with a big smile and an air of delight in her voice. It's a good thing, she says. A very good thing.

CALENDAR

Students win coal contest
Jessica Karalow and Sydney Monroe of Three Rivers School in Channahon will be seeing their artwork published in the 2010 Illinois coal mining calendar, due out this fall.

Senior briefs: 'Concert in the Park'

CLASSROOM NOTES

POLICE BLOTTER

Area Notes

School board plan gets seniors involved
The grade school board plans on enriching its students academically and culturally, easing the load on teachers, and helping its community's senior citizens all in one swoop.

Minooka woman convicted of theft
After deliberating for about 30 minutes Thursday, a jury found Brenda Shear guilty of stealing money from a landscaping company. She now faces a sentence ranging from probation to seven years in prison.

Police: Man shot mom, then killed himself
An apparent attempted murder and suicide left a 34-year-old man dead and his mother in serious condition today in their home. Channahon Chief Joe Pena said a cleaning woman called police around 11:30 a.m. today to the home at 26200 block of Highland Drive, citing shots fired and a woman calling for help.

New charges in nail polish fatality?
Lake County prosecutors who are considering upgraded charges threw out a traffic violation against Lora Hunt of Morris, who police say hit and killed a motorcyclist as Hunt painted her fingernails while driving last month.

Exelon still looking for leak's cause
Exelon officials are still working to determine the cause of a tritium leak reported in Morris Sunday. Bob Osgood, spokesman for the Dresden Generating Station, said they know the general area of the leak and will send a G-Scan device down their pipelines to pinpoint the source of the leak. A G-Scan uses ultrasonic waves to identify areas of erosion in pipes.

Accused of theft, woman to go on trial this week
A Minooka woman accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a Bolingbrook landscaping company will go to trial this week.

Summer reading programs keep kids sharp
Book circulation increases by about 400 books per day when Morris Area Public Library has its summer reading programs, and children's librarian Carol Hutchings says that's a very good thing. "It's really important that the kids are reading 15 to 30 minutes a day over the summer," Hutchings said. "They don't realize how much it helps their vocabulary." To encourage summer book time, Hutchings has run summer reading programs for more than 30 years at the Morris library.

Exelon: No worry over Dresden tritium leak
Exelon officials are saying not to worry about their latest tritium leak at the Dresden Nuclear Power plant because it stayed in the middle of their property. Exelon officials said that state and federal authorities were notified of the leak over the weekend.

Channahon teen jurors hear first case
Channahon's first Peer Jury Hearings were this week, holding "court" on three juvenile offenders who had confessed their guilt to police for criminal defacement incidents. Peer jury programs are not uncommon in Chicago and some suburbs, but this is the first one in the Joliet area.

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Scout spearheads church project
Three different dedications were part of the a Memorial Day celebration at Plattville Lutheran Church on Sunday, May 24.

Area Notes

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