Free Press Advocate

In shadow of Parkland, 209-U discusses safety

Published by admin on Tue, 03/20/2018 - 6:34pm

    The School District 209-U Board of Education was asked to approve a resolution supporting local control to develop student safety and protection plans — namely, to arm staff to protect students.
    Larry Kaitschuck, a lifelong resident of Wilmington, WHS graduate and professional firefighter/paramedic, became a firearms instructor when he retired from the fire service in 2014.

Travel team hopes to avoid shut-out

Published by admin on Tue, 03/20/2018 - 6:21pm

    With questions about whether the Wilmington Baseball and Softball Association would be making a profit off a proposed lease for the island ballfields, and concerns about control issues, the council’s Buildings, Grounds, Parks, Health and Safety Committee decided not to support the agreement.

Contractor did, and didn’t cause main break

Published by admin on Tue, 03/20/2018 - 6:15pm

    Work that will result in a new section of water main under the Union Pacific tracks indirectly caused the water main break that put the entire north side of town under a boil order Friday into Saturday.
    Excavation subcontractors were digging on Kankakee River Drive east of the railroad tracks on Thursday, near the 16-inch water main that will be replaced in the high speed rail project. A new sleeved section will be pushed under the tracks and connected with the existing main.

Kankakee Street crossing closing next week

Published by admin on Mon, 03/19/2018 - 4:46pm

    The contractor rebuilding the Union Pacific Railroad crossing at Kankakee Street announced last week that it planned to close the thoroughfare March 27, according to city administrator Scott Murphy.
    Kankakee Street will be closed from Canal Street to the tracks.
    The closure had been slated to begin March 12, but was delayed waiting for Nicor to address some utility issues, The Free Press Advocate was told.

Boil order continues in Wilmington

Published by admin on Fri, 03/16/2018 - 3:11pm

    Contractors and the city public works department finished repairing a broken water main on Wilmington’s north side around 2:30 p.m. Friday, but residents who now have water at the tap remain under a boil order.
    Residents are advised to boil their water for at least five minutes prior to consumption until the order has been lifted.

Water rate rises in Lakewood Shores

Published by admin on Tue, 03/13/2018 - 5:28pm

    The cost of water in Lakewood Shores has gone up, because the subdivision was having trouble paying its bill from the city of Wilmington, which supplies its water.

Wilmington still safe, with little serious crime

Published by admin on Tue, 03/13/2018 - 5:24pm

    All in all, Wilmington remains a safe community. A look at the police department’s 2017 Uniform Crime Report indicates no trends between years and no sharp increases in any crime category.
    “We have no major crime trends here, and that’s a good thing,” commented Police Chief Phil Arnold.

Kankakee Street closure delayed

Published by admin on Tue, 03/13/2018 - 5:20pm

    The superintendent of public works was told September, but the city administrator was told August,  or, maybe a little sooner. Illinois Constructors Corporation (ICC) has pushed back the reconstruction of the Kankakee Street railroad crossing, and as a result, the road did not close on March 12 as planned.

Truck catches fire inside repair center

Published by admin on Thu, 03/08/2018 - 11:17am

A Channahon truck repair and body shop is uninhabitable after a semi truck parked inside caught fire and caused more that $2 million in damage.
The Channahon Fire Protection District was dispatched for a structure fire in the area of Riverside Drive and Frontage Road West in Channahon on March 6, at approximately 8 p.m. Upon the arrival at the 18 Wheeler Truck Center, the firefighters reported they were on the scene of a multi-story commercial building with heavy smoke showing.

Issert writes using gifts of observation, memories

Published by admin on Tue, 03/06/2018 - 7:57pm

    Anybody can write a book, says Denise Issert. Some will write well, others will not. She’s been preparing her whole life to write; she studied and practiced, observed and appreciated the world around her, and now is an accomplished author.
    Issert had a wonderful childhood, a wonderful life. She grew up on a farm in Peotone with one horse, one dog and four brothers and — although it shames the brother who has been her sparring partner for life— is the descendant of Confederate soldiers.