Mary E. Springhart, 84, of Russellville, Ala., former area resident, died Wednesday (Feb. 17, 2010) at the Burns Nursing Home in Russellville.
Lenore Weiss, 63, of Custer Park, died on February 22, 2010.
Leandro S. Velazquez, 68, of Grant Park, died Sunday (Feb. 21, 2010) at his residence.
Agnes LaDelle Byers, 88, of Morris, formerly of Braceville, died Friday (Feb. 19, 2010) at her home.
• A Watseka man was sentenced Monday to nine years in prison on a weapons possession charge in connection with a fatal shooting outside of McSki’s Place last spring.
• Friends are part of the foundation of our life journey.
It starts when we are toddlers and goes all the way through to the day we die. Think about that for a while and then read Jeff Bonty’s column in today’s edition.
• The Bishop McNamara Catholic High School girls’ basketball team qualified on Monday for its fifth state tournament in seven years, advancing to the Final Four with a 51-38 victory over Walther Lutheran at the Class 2A Villa Park (Willowbrook) Super-Sectional.
• There’s another major “disease” on the horizon, and there is no immunization plan in place. (Insert your gasp of fear and outrage here.) Parents and teachers have probably already seen it. Find out what it is in today’s edition.
• It was one of those overlooked milestones of change that signals improvement in the community. When January turned into February, the River Valley Metro Mass Transit District purchased ads and issued a press release to note that from now on, passengers would only be picked up and dropped off at designated stops. Previously, the buses would pull over whenever potential customers waved them down.
• Reed-Custer High School wrestling coach Andy Gleixner knew he had eventual state champions in his prodigious crop of light weights. But Trent Lyons surprised even his coach by needing only two years to conquer the state tournament and bring hardware back to Braidwood.
Edward “Ed” Vondrak, 88, of Orland Park, a former area resident, died Sunday (Feb. 14, 2010) in Fort Myers, Fla.
Anne Balind, 87, of Manteno, died Wednesday (Feb. 17, 2010) at Riverside Medical Center, Kankakee.
• Education reporting is back and all the reporters are getting involved in bringing you all the latest. For more information, check out today’s edition, including the new Education Page.
• For a fleeting moment on Wednesday, Katherine Reutter was the fastest 500-meter short track speedskater in Olympic history. A thrill for Reutter’s extended family viewing on television in Cissna Park. Read more in Sports.
• Back home in the area for a family visit this week, Army Sgt. Timothy Elkins is still basking in the joy of earning the Bronze Star Medal.
Avis J. Ader, 80, of Kankakee, died Monday (Feb. 15, 2010) at Riverside Medical Center.
