WAM 3 Communicator

                                                                                                      Courtesy of geocaching.com By: Hannah Mitchell Due: 11/1 The Forest Preserve District of Will County is holding a “Geocaching Adventure” event this Sunday, November 6th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. If interested in becoming active in an interconnected game involving the outdoors, geocaching may be the hobby to choose. Geocaching is a real life treasure hunt that takes place outdoors, all around the world and never ends! The Forest Preserve District of Will county designed this program for kids, but the whole family is welco...

 It's Halloween and today marks the 1-year anniversary of one of Joliet's most notorious shootings in recent history. There is also an update on one of last week's stories involving a Spanish American Club. For more context on this specific story visit the post here.   By Josh Golden Mugshot of Jose Aguilar-Moreno via Will County Jail Anniversary and Update of 2021 Halloween Shooting     Joliet, IL - On Halloween 2021, a shooting occurred at a Joliet house party when rival gang members spotted each other and engaged in firing. The shooting left 2 people dead and 10 others injured. The three alleged shooters, Joskar Ramos and brothers Thomas and Jeremy Lopez were all arrested and placed in Will County Jail with a $10 million bond each. All three of them were charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder. Judges informed these murder defendants that if convicted, they would face life in prison with no opportunity for parole.  The intended target Latin King g...

Hugh Mungus   With fall break in our rear view mirror, it is time to look to see what the rest of this semester has in store for students here at the University of Saint Francis.  Starting this Monday (10/24) the GSA will be hosting Queer Chats in Tower Hall room N225. Queer Chats will take place from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. with the conversation centering around Polyamorous Relationships. Soccer fans are going to get a real kick out of this news!  On Tuesday (10/25) the men's soccer team are set to compete against Judson University at 7 p.m.. But that's not all we have for sports news on a Tuesday! Along with men's soccer, the girls volleyball team is set for action against Olivet Nazarene University at 7 p.m. in the Pat Sullivan Center. On Wednesday (10/26), everyone's favorite shuttle will be venturing off into the unknown (Walmart) at 7 p.m.. So Saints, get your shopping list written up and be ready to be picked up outside the Pat Sullivan Center.  On Thursday (...

 Violent and sometimes deadly encounters are constantly in the Joliet crime scene. During the course of this past week, there have been a few violent crimes reported by police. The following stories cover these encounters.  By Josh Golden Mugshot of Senior Citizen John Harold Williamson (Via Will County Jail) Joliet Victim Stabbed to Death     Joliet, IL - Two 40-year-old men were stabbed during an altercation at around 1 a.m. on October 24. The stabbing took place at the Spanish American Club on 413 Fleeker Ave. One victim survived and is in stable condition at the Silver Cross Hospital and the other victim unfortunately died at the hospital.  Ambulances hurried the two victims to Silver Cross to get them help. A third victim was also struck in the face but refused to go to the hospital. The suspect has not been identified and the victims are still anonymous as of now.  Domestic Violence Leaves Woman Hospitalized      Joliet, IL - On Sunday,...

Noëllie Inard  Credit: www.shawlocal.com On the night of Saturday, October 21st, the nurses of Joliet Ascension Saint Joseph’s Medical Center held a rally in front of the hospital. More than a hundred people attended the protest against the staff shortage and, according to the St. Joseph Nurses Association, against the suspension of three nurses who started raising concerns about the staffing in the emergency department. According to the World Socialist Website, an online publication focusing on social equality, a staff representative of the hospital, John Fitzgerald, explained that when the nurses complained about the inadequate covering of their shifts, security was called on them and they were escorted out. More importantly, Fitzgerald added that “[...] there were at least two sentinel events in this hospital that derive from unsafe staffing in this past week.” According to the medical dictionary website, a sentinel event is described as “an adverse event in health care delivery...

Photo Courtesy of @WCSFradio (Twitter) By: Saba Aamir Joliet, IL.  –  University of St. Francis’ (USF) radio station, WCSF 88.7 FM, will be hosting its annual Mega Music Rummage Sale on Saturday, October 29, 2022.  The rummage sale will be open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at USF’s St. Clare Campus, located at 1550 Plainfield Road, Joliet, IL. Thousands of items will be sold at the event, including vinyl LPs, CDs, DVDs, 8-tracks, cassettes, instruments, audio equipment and other music-related items. All items were donated by the local community and will be available to purchase for the public at the rummage sale. Admission to the event is free but early-bird admission which starts at 7:30 a.m. requires a donation of $20 to enter. The Mega Music Rummage sale is hosted every fall semester of USF. All the proceeds go to support the educational mission of WCSF-88.7 FM.   For more information about the rummage sale, contact the station at (815) 740-3697. Listen to th...

                                                                                                                           Courtesy of WJOL By: Hannah Mitchell Date: 10/24/22 In the coming weeks, the Troy Community Consolidated School District 30-C will have the honor of being the first school district in Illinois to use Lion Electric battery-charged electric buses. According to localnewstoday , “Lion Electric is the Canada-based electric company chosen by Joliet for its first electric bus manufacturing facility in the United States. Assembly line production i...

  Rory Richards At Least According To Polling, Will County Resident Are Almost 10% Less Likely To Identify As “Religious” As Illinois Citizens As A Whole According to a poll, only 46.6% of Will County Residents self-identify as “religious”. This is compared to an average of 55.7% state-wide. Among those who are religious, 32% identify as Catholic, and no non-Christian faiths totaled more than 1.5%. This tracks almost exactly with the statistics of the state as a whole. Source: https://www.bestplaces.net/religion/county/illinois/will

  Rory Richards All Saints Greek Orthodox Church To Host Fall Food Fest       All Saints Greek Orthodox Church will be hosting “Fall Food Fest” at 102 North Broadway in Joliet, on Saturday, October 15th from 4-8 PM, and on Sunday, October 16th from noon to 7 PM. The event will feature Greek food, such souvlaki, Greek-style chicken, and pastitsio, as well as drinks and desserts. There will be a raffle and live music at the event, too.     For additional information, please visit allsaintsjoliet.com, or call 815-722-1727.

 By Frank Piegari Happy Monday Fighting Saints! As another week begins, we have another week full of exciting events! Beginning on Monday (10/10) Mary Honey will be presenting "The Fix". If you would like to attend this event, sign up through this link:  https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10c0e45a8a729a2fdce9-thefix . The event will take place from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. and will accommodate for both in person and virtual attendance. On tuesday (10/11) the commuter assistants will be hosting a Commuter Kickback in the Turk Theatre from 7 p.m. until 8 p.m.. Pizza will be provided to commuter in an event where they can hangout and win prizes! This Wednesday (10/12) the Walmart Shuttle rides once again. The shuttle will be leaving from the Rec Center at 7 p.m. and will be returning at 8:30 p.m.. This Thursday (10/13) the Justice League will be hosting a Tabletop RPG Game Night in the Abbey Lounge, located in Marion Hall, beginning at 7 p.m.. Finally, this Friday (10/14) ki...

 Lately, there have been unfortunate circumstances in Joliet's crime scene.  By Josh Golden Bomb Threats at the Hollywood Casino     Joliet, IL - On October 1, an unknown man called and threatened the Hollywood Casino with bombs. The man claimed that there were multiple bombs on the premises of the casino and that they would be detonated remotely. Authorities such as the Joliet Fire Department, specialized bomb detection officers, and bomb detecting K-9's were were called to the scene. Through thorough search it was concluded that there were no bombs at or around the casino.  The casino complex and the hotel was evacuated prior to the search. After the search the casino was closed for the remainder of the night and the hotel was opened back up to guests. Child Accidentally Shoots Himself     Joliet, IL - Sensei Bennet is a fugitive wanted by the Joliet Police Department. Bennet was located and arrested on October 6 at around 10 a.m. in Morris, Illinois...

 Noëllie Inard                                                                                     Credit: www.orbitz.com  On Monday, October 10th, Penn Entertainment Inc. announced the relocation of its gambling casino and hotel to the Rock Run Crossings development mixed-use project near the I-80 and I-55 in Joliet. According to the Chief Executive Officer and President of Penn Entertainment, Jay Snowden, this new location offers “exceptional visibility and accessibility.” The casino has previously been situated at 777 Hollywood Boulevard along Route 6 since the early 1990s. According to Patch, a business-based news source, the project is expected to include a modern casino with approximately 800 slots, 45 live-game tables, ...

  Photo Courtesy of Rialto Square Theatre By: Saba Aamir Joliet, IL.  –  Blue's Clues & You! Live on Stage  is coming to Rialto Square Theatre on October 16th! The brand-new, interactive show based on the popular children's television series Blue's Clues & You!  launched its tour this fall. The live tour organized by Round Room Live and Nickelodeon will feature Blue, Josh Dela Cruz and other characters in a Broadway-style musical adventure.  "Josh Dela Cruz is the live-action host of Nickelodeon's hit preschool TV series Blue's Clues & You! " stated the official Blue's Clues & You! Live on-Stage website, "[now] that the show is being brought to theaters around the country in an original new musical adventure, we are thrilled that a dynamic stage performer has been cast to play the character of "Josh" to delight and entertain audiences across all of the tour markets."  All tour dates will include a special op...

By: Hannah Mitchell Date: 10/11/22 The Forest Preserve District of Will County is back at it yet again with another opportunity to take on the beautiful outdoors. Get active during the fall season with the Pumpkin Fun Run! On Saturday, October 15th the Forest Preserve District of Will County will be hosting Pumpkin Fun Run . This event is for all ages and will take place from 11am-1pm at the Hadley Valley Preserve. All are welcome to join from avid runners to leisurely walkers. According to reconnectwithnature.org , “The distance on this run comes out to just under 2.5 miles on a crushed limestone surface.” This event offers the chance to take in all of the fall feels as participants go through the delightful Hadley Valley Preserve. Strollers are welcome. According to reconnectwithnature.org , Each participant will receive a complimentary orange wrist sweatband with a zipper pocket to wear during the race. After crossing the finish line participants can choose the perfect mini pumpkin ...

Picture belongs to YMCA With the fall and winter seasons approaching most outdoor sports seasons will come to a close. Leaving some parents wondering state of what they should do because they want their kids to remain active.  Opening the doors for indoor sports, like basketball.  All through the National Basketball Association (NBA) begins in March with Match Madness.  Most schools locally have the basketball season start in mid-November and go all the way to April.  Yet, because an average basketball team is made up of 12 players, not everyone will have a chance to participate. That is where YMCA or better known as the “Y” enters the picture.  YMCA facilities have a basketball program that ranges from ages 4 to 17, with kids playing t local schools or the YMCA gyms. Even though the YMCA basketball program is not a league the games are still competitive, just in a friendly way that is.  Registration fees vary from $70 to $140, it all depends on if people a...

Picture found in History.com Over the weekend of Saturday, September 17th soccer fans had lots of exciting content to consume. Not only did Joliet soccer fans have two major league games, but they have new teams forming in the Troy schools.   With Mexican Independence day has held on Friday 16th everyone was waiting for the soccer games on Saturday. They weren't disappointed with the day starting with the Mexican League game Club America taking on C.D Guadalajara, the final scoreboard two to one. This game did not count for Liga MX, the cup in which both teams are still participating this year. The game was concerned to be a practice-friendly game or a Classico (classic) in the Mexican League.  More locally in the Chicago area, the American League held a game in Solder field stadium to celebrate the start of the Hispanic month. Chicago Fire FC played against Charlotte FC, this game did count for Major League Soccer.  The final scoreboard read three to two, with Chica...

  Rory Richards Incumbent Tammy Duckworth and Opposition Challenger Kathy Salvi Debate Abortion Rights In a forum organized by the Illinois Associated Press, incumbent Illinois senator Tammy Duckworth debated her opponent, Kathy Salvi, on, among other things, abortion rights. Tammy, being a Democrat, argued for the reinstatement of the Roe vs. Wade Supreme Court decision, while Kathy, being a Republican, was evasive about the specifics of her position, but argued that abortion is a “state’s rights issue”. Kathy accused Tammy of being an abortion “extremist”, as Tammy repeatedly insisted that she wanted only for the previous status quo to be restored.

 Violence and drug dealing seems to be consistent problems here in Joliet. The following reports cover these stories By Josh Golden Pregnant Woman Attacked, Suspect Jumped Bridge           Joliet, IL- On Wednesday September 28, a pregnant woman was allegedly attacked by 21-year-old Anthony Ramirez. According to Joliet police, Ramirez punched a woman who was nine months pregnant and held her down against her will. Ramirez was then pulled out of the Des Plaines River after he jumped in it earlier that evening.  Eight criminal charges were filed against Ramirez. two counts of aggravated battery against a pregnant victim, two counts of domestic battery, three counts of resisting arrest and one count of battery.  Ramirez was safely removed from the river and was brought ashore. He was then placed into custody and is currently in the Will County Adult Detention Facility with his bail set at $25,000.  Suspected Cocaine Dealer Failed to Outrun P...

 Noëllie Inard Credit: www.ttnews.com On September 28th, leaders from Walmart, government officials and community members joined Walmart associates in Joliet to celebrate the grand opening of Walmart’s 1 1.1M square-foot Next Generation fulfillment center. Situated at 3501 S. Brandon Road in Joliet, the Walmart fulfillment center would work as a storage for the millions of items available on Walmart’s website. A fulfillment center is a newly used term for a warehouse that serves as a hub for the entire fulfillment process, so items ordered through the website will be picked at the fulfillment center, packed, and shipped directly to the customers. According to Business Wire, a market-focus news website, this new center will be the first out of four next-generation fulfillment centers that were announced this year to feature “ a new patent-pending process powered by the combination of people, robotics and machine learning.” Because of the new technologies available in this new Walmar...

  Photo Courtesy of www.bolingbrook.com By: Saba Aamir Bolingbrook, IL.  –  The Village of Bolingbrook is getting ready to kick off the spooky season with its annual Halloween Walk on October 14th, 2022. The free family event will run from October 14th to October 31st and will be located behind the Town Center at 375 W Briarcliff Road. The Village is also looking for volunteers to help decorate a space surrounding the pond behind Town Center. Residents, homeowner associations, non-profit organizations, businesses and other groups are invited to set up Halloween displays along the path. Decorations will begin on Saturday, October 9th and must be completed by Friday, October 14th, by noon. After the decorations are completed, they will be open for the public to enjoy till October 31st.   Participants must fill out an application to decorate plots. There are limited plots, so the Village encourages people to apply as soon as possible. You can fill out the app...

                                                                               Photo Courtesy of EvgeniiAnd/Shutterstock By: Hannah Mitchell Date: 10/4 On September 29th, ABC News shared that Central Illinois pumpkin farms are adapting to improve soil and lower emissions. With fall in full swing, families begin to take to pumpkin farms to enjoy the cozy season. As fun as pumpkin patch season is though, it's also important to reflect on the environmental impacts of jack-o-lantern carvings. According to Hope Ngo, writer for mashed , “The World Economic Forum says in Britain alone, of the 10 million pumpkins grown every year, 95% are tossed after Halloween, resulting in 18,000 tonnes of food waste. It's not m...

 By Frank Piegari  Happy Monday Saints! With a relaxing weekend officially behind us, it's time to look to the week ahead and see what the university has in store. On Monday (10/3) the Justice League will be hosting will be hosting a game night in mother house (C305 MH). The event starts at 7 p.m. so be sure to stop by and see what fun they have going on! For the foodies out there, Food Truck Tuesday (10/4) will be hosted by USF ministry. The truck will be there from 12:30 p.m. through 2 p.m. outside the Pat Sullivan Center. In addition, the first 150 people eat for free. So for those of you looking to score a free meal, good luck and enjoy! Wednesday (10/5) continues the food news but adds singing to the mix. Once again, the USF ministry will be hosting karaoke and walking tacos at 6 p.m. in San Damiano. In addition, Mighty Minds will be hosting a hugging event in the fireside lounge beginning at 8 p.m. and ending at 9 p.m.. Not sure what a hugging event is? Be sure to stop b...

  A candidate for state representative within the 86th District, Scott Greene, provided his own opinion regarding the rise of Illinois taxes, criticizing Governor J.B. Pritzker’s methods and dealings with the federal COVID relief funds and PPP loans throughout the global pandemic. As shared by Fox News, J.B. Pritzker actually doubled the state’s gas tax from 19 cents to 38 cents in 2019. Additionally, the governor of Illinois put an annual gas tax increase in place while democrats passed legislation to postpone the scheduled increase. "I recently read that Pritzker gave COVID money to BLM. MILLIONS....Wasn't BLM and Antifa that did millions upon millions of dollars in damage in Illinois? As usual his priorities are skewed. He should have never shut the state down like he did and as long as he did anyway," Greene told the Will County Gazette. According to a report by Rocket Mortgage this past year, the property tax rate in Illinois is the second highest in the United State...

  Only three days after Glasgow filed a Will County Lawsuit, the county’s Republican Sheriff candidate Jim Reilly issued a press release on the topic. According to writer John Ferak from The Patch, Reilly said that “The Safe-T Act is nothing more than reckless legislation that will empower criminals and undermine the efforts of law enforcement who put themselves at risk to keep our communities safe,” Reilly declared. “It is refreshing to see State’s Attorney Jim Glasgow put partisan politics aside and do what’s best for the people of Will County and the State of Illinois.”  Two other State’s Attorneys, Jason Helland and Jim Rowe, have filed lawsuits against Governor J.B. Pritzker as well as the Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. Their argument is that the Safe-T Act is in violation of the single-subject law, separation of powers, the three-readings requirement, and other sections of the Illinois Constitution.  On Monday, September 19, Jim Reilly said that, “Unfortunat...