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Another week down, another one to go here at the University of Saint Francis.   Firstly, the football team was proud to boast a score of 19-14 against Siena Heights University, this past saturday at the homecoming game.  With the weather getting colder out, the campus is gearing up for fall with some festive events starting this Tuesday 9/27. Taking place in the Fireside lounge located in motherhouse, Saints in Action will be hosting Pumpkins and Treats For Foster Kids. The event takes place between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. with participants creating fall themed gift bags. After a brief hiatus, the Walmart shuttle returns this Wednesday 9/28. The shuttle will be departing at 7 p.m. in front of the Pat Sullivan Center so any saint in need of some groceries without a car, be sure to be there. In some more competitive news, the Justice League will be hosting an anime game night this Thursday 9/29 in San Damiano located in Donovan Hall. So if you're ready to show off you anime knowl...

In the spectrum of Joliet crime, fraud is becoming more frequent as time passes on. Violence has always been a prevalent issue but when combined you get marriage? The following report uniquely combines these three. By Josh Golden Fraud Defendant Desires Wedding Amid Jail          Joliet IL- Ryan Reddick, a man who was shot three times by Joliet police, is now seeking the opportunity to marry his girlfriend while incarcerated. Reddick and his defense attorney Chuck Bretz formally requested for Reddick's transportation to the Will County Courthouse to get married. T he Will County State's Attorney's Office accused Reddick of wire fraud and felony theft by deception for a PPP loan that granted him $21,000 in CARES ACT funds. The accusations came the same day as the request.  He's been booked into the Will County Jail since April 8 when he had a dangerous encounter with the police. He was shot three times when he fled from the passenger seat of a car while poss...

Noëllie Inard Credits: facebook.com It was announced that on December 1st, 2022, the Joliet African American Business Association (AABA) will become its separate organization. Since its creation in 2017, AABA was only a subcommittee of the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry. However, according to chamber representatives, after several months of planning between the chamber staff and the AABA representatives, it is "with pride" that they announced this opportunity to the community. According to their website, the Joliet Region Chamber of Commerce & Industry serves as the collective voice to benefit and better the community through initiative actions. It was initiated in 1914 and had the same goal since then, supporting the interests of businesses in the Joliet region and responding to the needs of the community. AABA chairman, Christopher Parker, stated “ We plan to [...] focus[ing] on collective impact, identifying new pathways for business success, and deve...

  Photo Courtesy of The Boy Band Night By: Saba Aamir Homer Glen, IL.  –  The Boy Band Night , an all-live boy band tribute act from Chicago, IL, is coming to Konow's Corn Maze on October 1st, 2022, at 3:00 PM!  The event will feature a tribute to pop sensations like Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, New Kids On The Block, One Direction, Jonas Brothers and much more.  The Boy Band Night is a nationally touring act known for paying homage to various 90s and other iconic bands we know today. With top-tier renditions and performances of signature choreographies of the bands, the "Boy Band Tribute" will bring a musical and visual experience to audiences.  Tickets for this event are sold out due to the overwhelming response from fans. The organizer implemented a $5 charge per seat to reserve a table for the event.  The all-live tribute act will also perform in other cities in Illinois, including Cicero and  Merrionette Park but tickets are available only for th...

                                                                                                         Courtesy of Shaw Local By: Hannah Mitchell 9/27 Governor of Illinois, JB Pritzker, announced roughly two weeks ago a $93 million investment into I-55 improvements and a new interchange with I-59. This project aims to enhance safety, create jobs and promote economic opportunity in Will County. According to Governor JB Pritzker, I-55 serves nearly 60,000 vehicles a day through Joliet and Shorewood. This $93 million investment is all thanks to the Rebuild Illinois Capital Plan that was passed in 2019. Re...

  Catholic Charities, Diocese of Joliet, Announces Plans To Celebrate Its 60th Anniversary     On August third, Catholic Charities Diocese of Joliet announced a date for the celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of its incorporation into the Diocese. At the same time, it celebrated Catholic Charities Month throughout all of August. Heading into September, it hopes to channel all that enthusiasm by continuing its mobile food pantry program. It plans to continue working hard all through this month, all the way up until its official anniversary celebration on October eighth. Anyone who is interested can, for one-hundred and fifty dollars, purchase a ticket to attend and enjoy food, drinks, entertainment, and a live and a silent auction.

Rory Richards Shuttered Without Warning: Diocese of Joliet Announces Closure of St. Dominic Catholic School in Bolingbrook The Diocese of Joliet Catholic Schools has announced that it will be closing St. Dominic Catholic School in Bolingbrook due to declining enrollment. St. Dominic has experienced a 31% decrease in enrollment in 2016, and is currently 29 students short of its goal for enrollment numbers for this fall. Total enrollment has fallen by almost half since 2016, from 253 to only 165 students.  Staff and parents have criticized the Diocese for giving no prior warning that the school was slated for possible closure. Staff members are unhappy that they will now have to begin job searching very late in the hiring season, and parents are unhappy that they will not have much time to find a different school for their children to enroll in on such short notice.  The Diocese has offered some limited support for enrolled families in the form of a $500 Closed School Gran...

 By Frank Piegari  With homecoming week well under way here at the University of Saint Francis, this week is jam packed with events and other fun that is sure to fill you with school spirit.  This Tuesday 9/20, students can join the Students Activities Board as they come together in the Turk Theater from 6 p.m. through 8 p.m. to decorate posters for the football team. " Decorate some posters for the football game to show support! There will be decoration supplies available and even stickers of the football team! Come by to show your spirit and USF pride. Pick up thundersticks for the football game all day in MH Suite 150  " In addition, Coffee and Careers is also starting back up again this Wednesday 9/21. Taking place in the career center from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., this is a great opportunity for any student who wants to find out about new and exciting opportunities in the workforce. If you find yourself in Tower Hall a little bit after Coffee and Careers, be sure ...

James Gardner via Will County Sheriff's Office By Josh Golden Physical violence has been prevalent in Joliet recently. These next stories cover the violent encounters. Woman Attacked Randomly          Joliet, IL- On September 9, a woman was attacked randomly while riding her bicycle. The attack occurred around 10:30pm at the 400 block of Kungs Way.  27-year-old James Gardner used a plastic broomstick to strike the woman after yelling at her to be quiet. He then proceeded to punch her repeatedly in a fit of rage. The woman's kids fled the area and police were requested soon after.  The woman suffered from lacerations on her left eye, bruises on her legs and her face was swollen. Gardner was charged with aggravated battery and and is on a $150,000 bond.  Man Attacks Pregnant Woman           Joliet, IL- On September 9, Chase Herman attacked a woman who is 7 months pregnant. During an altercation, Herman grabbed the victi...

 Noëllie Inard Credit: Foxvalleymagazine.com  On September 14th, the Old Joliet Haunted Prison announced its official opening to the public from September 24th until November 5th. The Thirteen Floor Entertainment Group (13FEG) , which is a producer of world-class live events and location-based entertainment experiences, returns with the opening of the Old Joliet Haunted Prison for the 2022 season. Located at 401 Woodruff Rd in Joliet, IL, the Old Joliet Haunted Prison is the only haunted house in the Chicago area to be situated in a real prison. According to the Old Joliet Haunted Prison’s website, the 2022 haunting season features two new attractions known as “The Abominations,” which are “tragic beings hungry for the companionship of living flesh”  and the “Tormented,” described as rageful beings seeking eternal suffering for others as an act of revenge. Moreover, this year the Haunted house is sponsored by “Don’t Be a Monster,” an anti-bullying program.  Brought b...

                                                                                                          Courtesy of Shutterstock By: Hannah Mitchell 9/20 The Nature Foundation of Will County is holding an Autumn Native Tree and Shrub Sale! This online sale runs from September 1st through September 30th, 2022 and is the perfect opportunity to spruce up neighborhood and subdivision environments.  According to an article posted by the Nature Foundation of Will County, “This year’s sale features over 20 different species of native trees and shrubs with an emphasis on those most suitable for your home...

  Photo Courtesy of www.bolingbrook.com By: Saba Aamir Bolingbrook, IL. – The Windy City Blues Society and the Village of Bolingbrook are bringing the “Bolingbrook Blues Showcase” to the Roger C. Claar Performing Arts Center on September 24, 2022. The showcase will feature nine bands from Chicagoland who will compete in round 2 of the “Chicago Blues Challenge."  The challenge will be timed, judged and scored as the bands perform. Finalists of the challenge will move on to the “International Blues Challenge” (IBC) in Memphis, according to the Bolingbrook Arts Council press release.  Performances for the showcase will feature Darren Jay and The Delta Souls, Downtown Charlie Brown and Binford, Hendricks and Cash, Kevin Purcell and The Nightburners, Lil Harvey and The Chitown Blues Band, A Patch of Blues, The Sean McKee Band, Tip Jar Stars and Win Noll and The Rockin’ Souls. The Village sponsored band, The Instinct, who was part of IBC in 2018 and 2019, will headline...

  This past week, the mayor of Joliet, Illinois, Bob O’Dekirk announced that a decision had been made regarding recent revelations about Pat Mudron. To recap, Pat Mudron is one of Joliet’s council members and the principal for his own insurance company, Mudron Kane. It was revealed last week that he had violated Joliet’s code of ethics and Illinois state law by using his position to generate more money for his company. By making no-bid contracts with the Rialto Theater and the Joliet Area Historical Museum, the councilman put himself in a bad position.  According to John Ferak, a writer for Patch, “during the new business portion of the meeting, O'Dekirk remarked: ‘Let me get this out of the way. Councilman Mudron, in light of recent revelations that have come forward regarding some of the financial transactions that you made on behalf of your business with either government entities or with entities that get money from the city, I don't think it's proper at this point to k...

picture found in the NWCSRA website By: Elvia Cardenas  The world is becoming a more diverse and open-minded place; especially in the world of sports. Athletes aren’t the stereotypical jocks from high school anymore, today they come in all shapes and sizes.  Now everyone can be welcomed into the sports world because of places like Northern Will County Special Recreation Association (NWCSRA).  They help people with special needs get into the heart of the community through their many programs, most of them having to do with sports.  They have everything from sensory room experiences to competitions in Special Olympics.  NWCSRA is a local organization with partnerships with the Bolingbrook, Plainfield, Romeoville, and Lockport Park Districts. Guests can come in and participate in community events that range anything from Music theater to swimming class.  These events can be found on NWCSRA’s webpage under the calendars page .  However, NWCSRA’s main goal ...

 By Frank Piegari  With the fourth week of class officially in session, the University of Saint Francis has no shortage of events and announcements for students.  For those of you with cars on campus but no parking pass, Safety and Security have announced that the two week grace period of parking on campus has ended. This means that in order to avoid a parking violation, then a permit must be purchased. This can be done at the security office or on the student portal. Brochures with additional information will be available in the security office to help assist anyone who might have any further questions. In other news, homecoming is almost upon us, and the time to nominate a king and queen is now. Students have been sent emails with a link that will allow them to nominate a king and queen. Nominations are open until September sixteenth. Saturday 9/17 is a big day for campus athletics. Beginning at 10:00 a.m., the women's cross country team will be participating in the Whe...

Photo Courtesy of Rialto Square Theatre By: Saba Aamir Joliet, IL. – The Fab Four is coming to the Rialto Square Theatre on Wednesday, October 5th, 2022, to perform the Ultimate Beatles Tribute.  The Emmy Award-winning Fab Four is a tribute act known for wowing audiences across the United States and worldwide for over two decades with its fantastic homage to the Beatles. With uncanny and note-perfect live renditions of songs such as "Hey Jude," "Twist and Shout," "Here Comes the Sun," and much more, The Fab Four presents a simply stunning portrayal of the Beatles. The performance will include three costume changes representing every Beatles era as they travel back to the 1960s. This Ultimate Tribute act has surprised audiences with its spectacular performance in various countries worldwide, including Japan, Australia, France, Hong Kong, The United Kingdom, Germany, Mexico, and Brazil.  If you want to experience Beatlemania all over again, you won't wa...

 Noëllie Inard Credit: Chicagobusiness.com On September 6th, 2022, the owner of a Whirpool distribution center in Joliet sold its property, which, as of now, made the biggest sale of a Chicago-area industrial building this year. According to Crain’s Chicago Business, the one-million-square-foot warehouse situated at 3851 Young Road in Channahon was sold for $104.4 million to Bank of America. Whirpool Corporation is a business providing services in the field of storage and moved into the space in 2015. According to Crain, Whirpool bought the building in 2018 for $71.5 million, showing an increase of almost 50% in the price. If today’s prices are high it is, according to REJournals, mostly due to a booming logistic market and the rise of e-commerce. According to Crain, the selling price of the warehouse has surpassed the $102.5 million sale in Channahon by Denver-based Ares Industrial Real Estate that happened a few months ago.  Warehouse values have increased along with the dec...

By Josh Golden There has been a lot of violence recently in the Joliet area. This includes gun violence and physical assault. Here are several stories about these violent cases.  2 Teens Shot on McDonough Street          Joliet, IL- On Monday, September 6th, two teens were shot on the 1800 block of McDonough at around 11pm. The boys ages were 16 and 13. The 16-year-old was fatally shot and pronounced dead at St Joe's hospital. Fortunately, the 13-year-old boy was only grazed by gunfire.  Police arrived at the scene and provided immediate care for the boys until the ambulance arrived to take them to a nearby hospital. No arrests have been made and the Joliet Police Department continues their search for the shooter.  Woman Attacked With Beer Bottles           Joliet, IL- A domestic violence incident occurred last Wednesday in the 900 block of Prairie Avenue at approximately 7:30pm. Reimundo Rodriguez assaulted a woman w...

                                                                                               Courtesy of CNN Weather Large portions of the Midwest including Will County have been experiencing severely milder temperatures compared to weeks prior and it's getting many excited for the upcoming fall season. CNN Meteorologist, Jennifer Gray says, “By the way, the fall equinox is on September 22 (even though meteorological fall began on September 1), and we all know it means nothing when it comes to Mother Nature, so if you are one of the lucky ones experiencing this false fall, ENJOY!” It may technically still be summer, but the recent temperatures do not reflect the notion of summer. This is due to the shower...

  Rory Richards Mosaic Community Church to Host Its Annual Church Picnic Mosaic Community Church will be hosting its annual church picnic for its congregation. The event was originally slated for September 25, but it has been rescheduled to October 2nd. The event will include catering from Jody’s Hotdogs, games, and bouncy house for the children. The picnic will be hosted at Inwood Park in Joliet, from 2 to 7. Attendees are invited to bring a potluck dish to share with everyone and to invite their friends and family to come with them if they are so inclined.

Photo was taken from the Joliet West Cross-Country Twitter Account. By: Elvia Cardenas Over the holiday weekend, Bicentennial Park hosted their last “Concert On the Hill” for the summer of 2022. The performers closing the 48th season were the Joliet Township High School (JTHS) orchestra and Joliet American Legion Band.  The evening started out with the JTHS orchestra playing the National Anthem followed by the Joliet Central and West fight songs. Lipari, the JTSH orchestra conductor, announced, “Let’s have a little competition and see which alumni sings the loudest!”  That was enough to start a murmur among a group of yellow shirt-wearing students. They caught the eye of everyone as they started to chant the Joliet West fight song. These lovely girls were members of the Joliet West Cross-Country team and were there to support three of their team members who were also part of the orchestra.  Cross-Country coach Haaker said that this idea came all from the girls, he was onl...

 With the school year now in full effect, the University of Saint Francis has no shortage of events coming up in order to ensure that students are getting involved in the campus community. Are video games more your speed? Well then ready up player one, because all throughout this week, the universities own Esports team will be hosting tryouts for a multitude of popular titles within the gaming community. If Super Smash Bros is your game of choice then you're in luck! Stop by Tower Hall N111 on Tuesday (9/6) at 6 p.m. and be ready to fight. But maybe Smash Bros isn't your thing. Well the team has you covered as shortly after Smash tryouts, the team will be hosting Overwatch tryouts at 6:30 the same evening. In addition, the previously posted blood drive will be happening this week (9/6) at the Saint Clare Campus from 1-6 p.m..  Interested in joining any clubs but you don't know where to start? Then clear your schedule for Wednesday (9/7) as the Student Government Association...

       Joliet City Councilman, Pat Mudron, has been found guilty of violating state law and code of ethics. The councilman has been using his position to generate a greater income for his insurance business, Mudron Kane. In April of 2015, Pat Mudron was elected as the District 2 City Councilman. This chair is both his first and last political position as Mudron violated not only Joliet’s code of ethics but Illinois state law as well. As councilman, principal of Mudron Kane Insurance and liaison of the Rialto Theater, it is a conflict of interest for his business to provide any kind of insurance to the Joliet Area Historical Museum (JAHM). According to investigative reports, Mudron Kane had been the insurance provider to JAHM for at least three years. By obtaining a no-bid contract of $248,000 with the Rialto Theater, the two-term councilman violated the city’s code of ethics. For those who may not know, a no-bid contract is a military or government contract made dire...

Crosswinds Church To Host Mission Trip To Kenya On Sunday, September fourth, from eleven AM to twelve PM, Crosswinds Church in Plainfield held its annual church picnic. Parishioners were encouraged to bring a potluck dish to share with their fellow churchgoers. The attendants had a relaxed day of socializing with each other. If you missed the Annual Picnic, worry not; Crosswinds Church has a calendar of other upcoming events available to peruse at xwindschurch.org. Looking to get involved and volunteer your time? Crosswinds Church will be hosting a mission trip to Kenya from September eleventh to September twenty-second. If you are interested in participating, please contact Cecily Lopez via email to RSVP. The link to RSVP can be accessed from the event calendar on the Crosswinds Church website.

  Photo Courtesy of www.visitjoliet.com By: Saba Aamir Joliet, IL.  – The Illinois Rock and Roll Museum is hosting its first annual Wine & Jazz Festival at the Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park on Saturday, September 10th, from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM. With various food, vendors, jazz and wine tasting, there will be something for everyone attending to enjoy.  "We invite you to sip wine and listen to live jazz bands play beautiful music in the park," the Illinois Rock and Roll Museum states, "Enjoy the wine tasting and the sounds of smooth jazz." The Illinois Rock and Roll Museum is known for celebrating the rich history of Illinois music. Through these events, they strive to engage and inform their visitors about Illinois's tremendous influence on music. They work with various artists, producers and creators to host events in the Joliet community.  The Wine & Jazz Festival, sponsored by the Old National Bank, will provide wine from the award-winning win...

Noëllie Inard                                                                                                                          Credit: Yelp.com Sunday, September 4th, is the last day of business for River Hawk Brewing in Channahon, IL. After 5 years of business on U.S Route 6 in the Mallory Plaza, they announced their permanent closing on Thursday, September 1st because of financial reasons, stating that “it is a difficult decision, but financially we see it’s our only option.” The craft brewery will stay open from 12 PM to 9 PM to welcome their last customer.  On a sweeter note, Dan’s Homemade Candies situated at...