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Herald-News reporter Felix Sarver was able to bring a little bit of closure to those of us wondering what truly happened in the 32 seconds of mystery that I wrote about here . The body cam footage that was finally released did indeed prove that in the span of about 30 seconds, a big mistake had been made. Within those 30 seconds, Jabbar was instructed 11 times (by the deputies) to put his weapon down, and as he had bent over to seemingly do so, deputy Binnendyk fired his gun as Jabbar Muhammad lunged at Eldred Wells.  Sarver wrote about how the Freedom of Information Act requests had finally produced newly released records from the Will County sheriff’s. The report “determined the death of Eldred Wells was primarily from those gunshot wounds, with stab wounds as a contributing factor.” As of today, it has been 1 year and 23 days since the deaths of Jabbar Muhammad (age 21) and his grandfather, Eldred Wells (age 70). On November 6, 2021, the grandson had been pronounced dead on arri...

                                                                                                            Courtesy of reconnectwithnature.org By: Hannah Mitchell Due: 11/29/22 The Forest Preserve District of Will County has been hosting a show called “The Buzz” where they share projects going on in the preserve and environmental news in the area. This is to keep the community updated and involved in the environment. The Joliet Patch shares that the upcoming Buzz will launch Wednesday, November 30th at 8:30 p.m on the District’s Facebook and Youtube pages. The show also can be viewed on WJYS TV on Friday, December 2nd at 9 p.m., courtesy of funding fro...

 Noëllie Inard Credit: www.dundalkeagle.com On Monday, November 28th, Amazon workers gathered to protest outside of the Amazon factory in Joliet, Illinois. The protest started at 3 AM on Monday, which was Cyber Monday, a marketing term for e-commercial transactions on the Monday after Thanksgiving to encourage people to shop online. This protest is the second one in less than two months and workers are still asking for better work conditions. Indeed, they want a safer workplace as well as a pay increase. The worker chose Cyber Monday to protest as a way to amplify their intentions since, according to them, Amazon could lose millions of dollars by being shut down during Cyber Monday. One of the Amazon workers told CBS 2, an American news channel, that “ This is one of the most ramped up days of the year, one of the most profitable, it's basically making sure everyone knows this is just a first fight that will help us in the long run.” Last May, racist death threats were found in the...

Photo Courtesy of Rialto Square Theatre By: Saba Aamir Joliet, IL.  – Celebrate the holidays with friends and family at the magical Broadway show,  The Illusionists - Magic of the Holidays.  The Illusionists will perform at the Rialto Square Theatre today, November 29th, at 7:30 p.m.    "The Illusionists franchise has shattered box office records across the globe and continues to dazzle audiences of all ages with a powerful mix of the most outrageous and astonishing acts ever seen on stage," their official website states, "This non-stop show is packed with thrilling and sophisticated magic of unprecedented proportions."   The Broadway show produced by Simon Painter, Tim Lawson and MagicSpace Entertainment will feature the jaw-dropping talents of five incredible illusionists: Chris Cox, Hyun Joon Kim, Pablo Canovas, Paul Dabek and James More.    There are tickets still available, so grab them while you can before the show tonight. The...

     On November 6, 2021, Jabbar Muhammad and Eldred Wells were pronounced dead after Will County policemen arrived on the scene. A 911 call reporting potential domestic abuse had been placed. It was initially stated that the deputies had attempted to calm Jabbar down, ordering him to put his knife down. When Jabbar lunged at his grandfather, the deputies shot Jabbar in an attempt to save Eldred Wells’ life. In one statement, it was disclosed that the policemen had gotten to the home at 4:07 pm, while a paramedic report stated that at 4:08 pm, Jabbar Muhammad was dead. As recounted by Joliet patch reporters, both men were killed within 32 seconds of the deputies arriving at the Joliet Township home. In the 32 seconds that the Joliet policemen had been officially on the scene, what happened to Jabbar and his grandfather? After more than one year, the question remains the same.       Earlier this year, CBS reporters Dave Savini and Samah Assad, wrote a s...

 Violence has been an issue in Joliet these last few weeks. The following stories detail some of Joliet police's problems with violence in the community.  By: Josh Golden Crashed Vehicle, Driver Shot     Joliet, IL - Late on Wednesday November 23, a 28-year-old man crashed into a tree after being shot in the chest. According to Joliet police the crash occurred around 11:05 p.m. and took place on the Joliet side of Larkin Avenue. The car was a Chevrolet Malibu and once the driver was shot, the vehicle veered off into different lanes and eventually struck a tree as well as an office building.  The Joliet Fire Department brought the man to the Ascension St Joseph Medical Center and no other injuries were reported to police.  Man With Aluminum Bat Allegedly Hospitalizes Woman       Joliet, IL - Thomas Couch is a 59-year-old man who allegedly used an aluminum bat to strike a Joliet woman. The attack happened on November 23, and Couch was book...

 Frank Piegari  Hello Saints! With Thanksgiving and finals right around the corner, there is no shortage of things to do this week at the University of Saint Francis. To kick things off tonight (11/28), the Justice League will be hosting another Tabletop Game Night beginning at 7 p.m. in Motherhouse room C305. But that's not all we have. Beginning at 7 p.m., the Asian American Student Association will be hosting a Filipino Family Night in the Abbey Lounge located in Marion Hall. The event will feature food and karaoke so if you're interested, be sure to stop by. On Tuesday (11/29), the Criminal Justice and Pre-Law Society and the Social Work Club will be hosting a screening of the documentary "Jacinta". The screening begins at 5:30 in San Damiano Hall and will be followed up by a discussion and attendees will also have the opportunity to make a Christmas card for an incarcerated person. On Wednesday (11/30), the girls basketball team has a home game at 7 p.m. against ...

 Frank Piegari Happy Monday Saints! With Thanksgiving now behind us I wanted to say how thankful I was for a week off. But instead of leaving you high and dry, we're going to do a recap of this past week's events that you might have missed out on. On Monday (11/21) the Gender and Sexuality Alliance hosted Queer Chats in Tower Hall with the main topic of conversation being asexuality. With just a few weeks left of the semester, be sure to attend one of the upcoming Queer Chats in the coming weeks before it's too late. On Tuesday (11/22) the GSA kept it comfy as they hosted "Cozy Movie Night". The event began at 7:30 p.m. in San Damiano Hall with attendees being treated to snacks and a showing of the critically acclaimed film Everything Everywhere All at Once. As is tradition every week, the Walmart shuttle took to the road once again. This time leaving on Tuesday at 7 p.m. due to the holiday. There you have it Saints, this wraps up your Thanksgiving week recap, be ...

By: Hannah Mitchell Due 11/22/22                                                                                                                 Courtesy of ord21.com On November 21st, Maddie Ellis, a contributor of The Chicago Tribune revealed that the city of Chicago received the green light to redevelop O’Hare International Airport due to its compliance with environmental factors. Federal aviation officials determined the proposed project would not have a “significant” negative environmental impact, according to Mayor Lori Lightfoot. This approval now allows the modernization ...

There have been several different types of crimes that have been committed in Joliet. The following stories detail these incidents.  By Josh Golden  Cocaine Dealers Caught With Guns     Joliet, IL - On November 17, two cocaine dealing defendants have been placed into Will County Jail on numerous charges. The two drug dealers were caught due to a raid conducted by the Joliet police's Narcotics and Tactical units. During the raid of the house on the 700 block of West Marion Street, police discovered a 9 mm handgun, ammunition, cash, and cocaine and ecstasy pills were also confiscated. The police caught 42-year-old Victor Bailey and his associate 25-year-old Trayonte Holmes in a traffic stop on the 900 block of Jefferson street . Bailey was charged with two counts of unlawful delivery of controlled substances, unlawful use of a weapon by a felon, aggravated unlawful use of a weapon, possession of a stolen gun, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver,...

 Noëllie Inard Credit: urbanmilwaukee.com Last week, November 15th, 2022, C-Viche, a new Latin restaurant opened in Shorewood. Located at 4330 N. Oakland Avenue in Shorewood, this new restaurant offers Peruvian, Mexican and other Latin specialties. Its owners, Karlos Soriano and Paco Villar, are both respectively natives of Peru and Mexico. The partners originally wanted to open the restaurant in 2021, however, it was postponed due to the pandemic. This new C-Viche restaurant is the second location on top of the one located at 2165 S. Kinnickinnic Av. in Milwaukee. This new location will be the same as the first one with the exception that his new one will have an open kitchen where four people at a time would be able to sit behind the counter and watch the cooks.  Hours of opening are will be 4 to 10 PM Tuesday through Thursday and 4 to 11 PM Friday and Saturday. The restaurant plans to have a Sunday brunch as well as happy hours from 4 to 6 PM during the week. Main dishes' p...

Photo Courtesy of A Charlie Brown Christmas Live By: Saba Aamir Joliet, IL.  – The Peanuts gang is coming to the Rialto Square Theatre on November 30th at 6:30 p.m. for  A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live on Stage . The on-stage adaptation of the animated television show will feature your favorite scenes and expand the story we all know with fun music and performances.  "‍Adapted from Charles M. Schulz's timeless story and featuring the music of Vince Guaraldi,  A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live on Stage  is a present that the whole family can enjoy," the official  A Charlie Brown Christmas Live   website states. Since the television show's release 50 years ago, the story's withstanding tradition has warmed the hearts of millions of fans. Every year during the Christmas season in the United States, Schulz's story is broadcast on television. It has also been awarded an Emmy and a Peabody Award. The unique on-stage adaptation of the story will give the audi...

  Rory Richards Facebook Certain Fields From Profile Bios, Including “Religious Views”; Does Not Say Why Facebook has announced plans to remove certain fields from profile bios. Starting on December 1, users will no longer be presented with an option to list their sexual orientation, their political views, their address, or their religious views on their personal profiles. Facebook did not provide an explanation for this decision. The decision was announced one week after Meta, the parent company of Facebook, fired 11,000 employees, 13% of its total workforce; whether or not these two events are correlated, however, remains unclear.

  Rory Richards St. Raymond is Hiring! In St. Mary Nativity’s most recent church bulletin, the Cathedral of St. Raymond in Joliet put out a for-hire ad for a “full-time building grounds and custodial maintenance manager” The church is looking for an experienced professional who already has training with maintaining HVAC systems, and preferably electrical and plumbing systems, as well. Applicants must be able to work on their own with limited supervision. If you are, or know someone who, may be interested in a high-skill building maintenance position, you can submit your resume and references to ppluth@straymond.net . https://stmarynativityholycross.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/January-9-2022-Bulletin.pdf  

 By Frank Piegari  Happy Tuesday Saints! This past Sunday (11/13), the university held another Visit Day event for prospective students and their families. The event saw around one hundred students in attendance and was a great opportunity for them to explore the campus and become acquainted with the USF family. In addition, Monday (11/14) saw the Justice League host yet another Tabletop Gaming night. This event took place in Tower Hall at 7 p.m.  Tonight (11/15), the University Ministry will be hosting "Faith and Food" in the Moes Room located in Tower Hall. The event begins at 5 p.m. and will run until 7 p.m. and will be a night of culture based foods and fun games of Kahoot with the winner of the game receiving a gift card. On Wednesday (11/16) the Department of Art and Design will be hosting an Art Fair in the Abbey Lounge located in Marion Hall. The event begins at 1 p.m. and runs until 5 p.m. and will feature of multitude of different pieces of art created by studen...

 Joliet has faced a variety of different crimes this past week. The following stories detail the events.  By Josh Golden Mugshot of Melissa Gonzalez via Will County Jail Casino Troubles     Joliet, IL - On November 13 Melissa Gonzalez, a 39-year-old woman, was kicked out of the Harrah's Casino after appearing to be intoxicated. The casino's security asked her multiple times to leave and she ignored their requests. The police were called to escort her out and when they arrived Gonzalez resisted arrest. During her escort, she refused to walk on her own and assaulted a cop by kicking them in the chest. She was then taken to the Joliet Police Department where she was ultimately charged with aggravated battery to a police officer, obstructing a police officer, criminal trespass, and obstructing justice.  More Casino Troubles     Joliet, IL - Nearly four years ago, Emmanuel Burgarino was fatally stabbed and robbed by Robert Watson in the Harrah's Casino. It ...

 Noëllie Inard Credit: www.criticalgrind.com  On Thursday, November 10th, a new cafe named the Critical Grind Board Game Café opened in Shorewood, Illinois. This coffee shop is a little different from cafes already opened in the Joliet, Plainfield and Shorewood areas. 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. In an interview with Patch editor, Buxbaum stated that they have “[...] about 400 games in [their] library” with family-friendly and inclusive...

Photo Courtesy of University of St. Francis By: Saba Aamir Joliet, IL.  – The Joliet City Center Partnership is bringing the Light Up The Holidays Festival and Parade on Friday, November 25 th . The event sponsored by the University of St. Francis (USF) will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. “This year’s event will include a North Pole Market, North Pole Park, horse-drawn carriage rides and the always spectacular parade and firework show,” according to the Joliet City Center Partnership website.  Photo Courtesy of Joliet City Center Partnership The “Christmas Tree Lighting” which will begin at 5:15 p.m. at the Chicago Street Fountain will be led by USF President Arvid C. Johnson, Ph.D. and Joliet Mayor Bob O’Dekirk, followed by the “Light Up The Holidays Parade” at 5:30 p.m., led by USF’s own Bernie St. Bernard. Additionally, the North Pole Park will feature an artificial skating rink, curling game and fun photo opportunities for all. The event is open to everyone, so come c...

  Rory Richards St. Mary Nativity To Offer Low-Gluten Alternative Communion Wafers For Parishioners With Celiac Disease In its most recent church bulletin, St. Mary Nativity included an announcement stating that, going forward, the service will provide low-gluten communion wafers upon request to better accommodate churchgoers with celiac disease. The church’s members are happy to see their church so proactively taking steps to be inclusive and equitable for everyone. Friar Jerome would like anyone who may need low-gluten accommodations to contact the parish office so that the church will know ahead of time.

                                                                                                                 Courtesy of NBCChicago By: Hannah Mitchell Due: 11/15/22 On Monday, November 14th, the National Weather Forecast notified Illinoisans of the winter weather to come. Illinois residents are to see 2-4 inches of snow in the following hours. Although the first day of winter is December 21st, winter really arrives this week based off of its weather forecast. This week is expected to show us more than a dusting of snow. The heaviest snow is said to make an appearance be...

  Rory Richards Council of Catholic Women (CCW) To Host a Bake Sale      On November 20, the Council of Catholic Women (CCW) will be hosting a bake sale at St. Mary Nativity. “Pies, cakes, cookies, brownies, breads, cupcakes, muffins, and more” will be available (author’s note: I recommend the homemade cream puffs. They’re really good!). If you are so inclined, you can donate your own homemade or store-bought baked goods to contribute to the sale. Please make sure your desserts are wrapped, packaged, and labeled. They can be dropped off a day early (November 19) from 3:30-5:30 P.M.), or the day of (November 20) any time after 7:00 A.M.. If you have any questions, please contact Grace Blaszak at gblaszak@sbcglobal.net .

  Rory Richards “The Redemption of Scrooge” Stage Play at St. Mary Immaculate St. Mary Immaculate will be performing a stage play adaptation of The Redemption of Scrooge this holiday season. The Redemption of Scrooge is a book written by Matt Rawle, a pastor who seeks to analyze the moral lessons in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol through the lens of the Christian faith. In-person performances will be held on November 20, December 4, December 11, and December 18, at 10:30 A.M.. If you are unable to make it to an in-person performance, remote performances will also be held on November 16, November 30, December 7, and December 14, at 9 A.M. and 7 P.M., via Zoom. If you would like to attend, you can sign up at: https://smip.org/the-redemption-of-scrooge/ .

  Rory Richards St. Mary Immaculate Allies For Peace And Justice To Host “Listening Session” The Allies For Racial Justice group at St. Mary Immaculate hopes to help all parishioners and community members feel welcome and included by hosting a “Listening Session” where anyone can share their unique perspectives and ideas for ways to improve the church. The Listening Session will be held on November 20, from 3:00 to 4:30 P.M., in the Our Lady of Fatima Room in the north wing of St. Mary Immaculate. If you have any questions, please contact Mary Michalski by calling 815-347-2725 or via email at michalskim@att.net.