is for missing adults who are too old for an AMBER alert and too young for a Silver Alert An Ashanti Alert works in a similar manner as an AMBER Alert but instead of law enforcement notifying the public about a missing or abducted child Email notifications are only sent once a day The body of 72-year-old Chester Palusiak was found Tuesday morning near a set of railroad tracks in Munster close to the state line near 3 Floyds Brewing “Some kids were playing near the tracks and found him,” said his longtime friend Owens told me this as he accompanied Palusiak’s sister to the Lake County coroners office to identify the body multiple search parties scoured the area in Calumet City and Lansing close to the home that Palusiak shared with his two sisters “While this is not the outcome we had hoped for and support from all who helped in the search,” states the Facebook page “Please keep Chester's family and loved ones in your thoughts during this difficult time.” The Calumet City Police Department had issued a Silver Alert and also executed searches with cadaver dogs the department encouraged Palusiak’s friends and loved ones to conduct their own searches Fliers are still posted on telephone poles around that area “I’m devastated and relieved at the same time,” said Jill Ramirez who helped organize those civilian search parties “I’m so thankful we can put him to rest and honor him like he deserves but am so sad that the small hope of finding him alive is gone.” Last week, I wrote a column on Palusiak’s disappearance and also on his life. His reach of kindness and good deeds goes back decades in our area. (Read that column at NWI.com.) “He was more than a picture on a missing poster and now many people know that,” Ramirez said "While this is not the outcome we had hoped for Those who know Palusiak describe him as a soft-spoken gentle soul who was devoutly committed and dedicated to his calling from God “Chester helped so many young people over the years who were growing up in terrible domestic conditions — alcoholic fathers drug-addicted mothers — essentially non-existent families Many of them credit Palusiak for being the stability in their life they needed in their youth thoughtful and had tons of patience,” said Luci Frye We had to miss church a lot because of no gas “Chester used to show up in a big old church bus and pick all us kids up After church he never failed to buy us ice cream or a hamburger from McDonald’s which was the only time I ever had fast food as a kid.” “The direction of many lives were changed because he cared,” said Nancy Workman Arrangements are being handled by Castle Hill Funeral Home in Calumet City Residents line Ridge Road in Munster as the hearse passes during the escort procession for fallen Munster police officer Ryan Perez Firefighters hang a flag across Ridge Road in Munster for the police escort procession for fallen Munster police officer Ryan Perez Thomas More School line Ridge Road in Munster for the police escort procession for fallen Munster police officer Ryan Perez It also caught the attention of Lake County officials who told the couple their sign failed to obtain the proper zoning exemption and permitting to erect an “advertising device.” They would be fined if they didn’t remove it Mary and Richard Otterman lived on a 32-acre rural property that abuts I-65 where tens of thousands of vehicles zoom by every year Actor Thomas Ian Nicholas steps back into the role of Henry Rowengartner to promote "Henry's Hot Dogs," a ballpark food brand available at Lincoln Kitchen celebrates the Shelf Ice Brewfest in Michigan City with friends "Alcohol in the cold is a great motivator," Conrey said of their attendance Kelly Culpepper and Daffnie Pavlench show off Duneland distillery moonshine at the Shelf Ice Brewfest in Michigan City on Saturday A life-sized Dolly Parton cutout promotes Dolly Parton's Imagination Library at the Crown Point Public Library Dominga Cortes joins fellow protesters Friday during a Hispanic Student Association immigration protest in front of East Chicago's City Hall Dominga Cortes joins fellow protesters Friday during a Hispanic Student Association immigration protest in front of East Chicago's City Hall Debra Bolanos joins fellow protesters Friday during a Hispanic Student Association immigration protest in front of East Chicago's City Hall Joselyn Unzueta joins fellow protesters Friday during a Hispanic Student Association immigration protest in front of East Chicago's City Hall One of Aurorah Payne's classmates speaks about her slain friend with tears in her eyes while holding a candle and stuffed animal Friday in Lake Station Community members raise candles in memory of the Payne family Friday night outside Bailey Elementary in Lake Station Approximately 100 people gathered to remember the slain mother and three daughters found deceased inside their home Feb friends and parents are visibly emotional as they remember Bri Ava and Alayna Friday outside Bailey Elementary in Lake Station speaks to local school officials during IUN's School Superintendents Forum on Friday Boys & Girls Club of Greater Northwest Indiana "Youth of the Year" award finalists are pictured Contact Jerry at Jerry.Davich@nwi.com letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset 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Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX Reveal is public radio’s first one-hour radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting A weekly program presented by the New Yorker magazine’s editor killer beats and the edgiest new talent in storytelling come together for a weekly show that straps audiences into an audio rollercoaster Radiolab is known for its deep-dive journalism and innovative sound design Created in 2002 by former host Jad Abumrad the program began as an exploration of scientific inquiry Over the years it has evolved to become a platform for long-form journalism and storytelling Radiolab is hosted by Lulu Miller and Latif Nasser speaks while her attorney holds a photo of her son during a news conference Thursday at Daley Plaza in the Loop where they spoke about the lawsuit they filed against Grandma Jones Daycare in Calumet City Instead of donning birthday hats and singing “Happy Birthday” on what would have been Jaylin Branch Jr.'s third birthday earlier this month his family wore black and choked back tears as they attended his funeral Jaylin’s family is now suing a suburban day care accusing it of negligence in the boy’s February death after he had a seizure during nap time and staff allegedly failed to administer his emergency medication the whole scene [replays] in my head from me dropping him off and him saying during a Thursday morning press conference in the Loop stand together during a news conference at Daley Plaza about the lawsuit the family filed against Grandma Jones Daycare in Calumet City Jaylin was at Grandma Jones Daycare in Calumet City on Feb 20 when staff members put him down for a nap had epilepsy that made him prone to seizures previously disclosed to the day care staff prompting staff to call police and begin giving the boy chest compressions worked with day care staff and doctors to create an action plan in the event of an emergency cry while looking at a photo of their child after a Thursday news conference at Daley Plaza “The worst news a human being can ever receive is that their child died under circumstances that were absolutely controllable,” attorney Cierra Norris said at the news conference “It would be one thing if it surprised everyone — he had a seizure and it was the first time he had a seizure — but they had the action plan.” requires day care staff to administer 5 milligrams of diazepam seizure medication and call 911 if a seizure continues longer than five minutes The family is accusing the day care staff of not monitoring Jaylin during nap time and also waiting too long to respond and call 911 and failing to give him the required medicine the day care staff failed to supervise minors during nap time train employees to monitor and supervise the children Jaylin had vomited and his lips turned blue and an hour after he was put down for a nap “Baby J would probably very much be here today if there was emergency medication rendered,” Norris said The Cook County medical examiner’s office was not investigating the death Medical records indicate Jaylin died of a lack of oxygen to his brain a day care staffer referred a reporter to a lawyer who did not respond to requests for comment Jaylin was an energetic kid who loved chicken and “would dance to anything that came on,” especially “Action Song” by the Singing Walrus He was a smart kid who loved to learn and could count to three in Spanish at only 2 years old “It didn’t take much for you to be around Baby J to grow love for him Bailey and Branch say their grief has left them unable to sleep and eat while also trying to care for their other children Family and supporters gathered at the press conference wearing baby blue They donned pins with a photo of Jaylin and the phrase “Fly high Baby J.” Branch shed tears looking at a printed photo of his son that face right there doesn’t get to be right here physically “I have to talk to my son when I close my eyes.” tears up during a news conference at Daley Plaza on Thursday Attorneys have been in contact with the Department of Children and Family Services and are demanding an investigation into the day care DCFS didn’t comment on whether an investigation was opened against Grandma Jones saying it doesn’t comment on pending litigation Bailey filed the lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court demanding a jury trial and a judgment against Grandma Jones for at least $50,000 [the day care is] in charge of his life,” Branch said Terms of Use • Privacy Notice • Cookie Policy • Terms of Sale 2025The deadly crash happened at about 5:50 a.m (WLS) -- A man has died after being struck by a vehicle on Sunday morning The deadly crash happened at about 5:50 a.m A man was struck by vehicle and died at the scene Calumet City police said all parties remained on scene and were cooperating River Oaks Drive was closed between Greenwood Avenue and Park Avenue due to the investigation Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones (Photo Provided).  First Lady of Calumet City and wife of Mayor Thaddeus Jones recently was devastated by her recent diagnosis of breast cancer and has now launched an information campaign to prepare educate and support the countless women who will endure this diagnosis in the future.  “It is extremely important that I chart my own journey and create a playbook of sorts for the countless women who will be faced with this challenged I want to be there for every woman I can possibly encounter,“ says Saprina Jones  Sabrina Jones traveled to her doctor for a follow-up for an annual mammogram That mammogram resulted in the needed for additional and an ultrasound of tissue in her breast As she waited in a pink robe for the technician to return with her results she paced and prayed to God that it was just dense tissue and not a cancerous mass Those results led to the need for a biopsy of the tissue The biopsy was performed shortly thereafter she received a call to come in and discuss her results Saprina demanded that the results be shared with her during the same phone call It was then confirmed that she had breast cancer Saprina attempted to keep her composure but immediately collapsed in the salon chair Her first thought was how to tell her  13-year-old son without frightening him She then thought about her loving and most supportive husband who had recently lost his mom and two best friends Saprina’s hair stylist was forced to take her home given her devastation from the biopsy results she discussed the results with Mayor Jones He immediately consoled her and assured her that she was not alone on this journey He pledged his full and unwavering support to her Saprina felt that she would reveal her diagnosis to two people per day who she deemed extremely close to her and her family What Saprina discovered by talking about her diagnosis was that she had developed an amazing support system Her friends and family have been here every step of the way Her husband and a close friend accompanied her to the doctor following the diagnosis They held her hands as the doctor explained the stage and type of breast cancer she would battle Saprina immediately started researching and googling survival rates what could have caused it and other issues that crossed her mind What was even more odd to Saprina was that there was no history of breast cancer in her family Saprina has felt blessed to have several great friends in her life who have won this battle and were able to comfort her and share their experiences Mayor Jones requested her to consider the cancer division at Northwestern Hospital With this process came additional mammograms and MRI procedures This delayed the scheduling as she had to wait for bigger machines to become available While Saprina was blessed to never be alone in her medical visits she could not help but notice the women going through this process alone Sabrina just continued to thank God for the fantastic people in her life while praying for those who may not have been blessed with the support she had Saprina was told she needed another biopsy on the same breast the results were negative as doctors were then able devout their attention to the original cancerous tissue Her consultation with the surgeon was scary Saprina describes her surgeon as amazing and her team as outstanding thoughtful and caring; Saprina views Northwestern as the best in class The doctors explained everything in detail referring to images and diagrams of the procedure Mayor Jones was right by her side as she entered the surgery room and upon her entering the recovery room on countless occasions following the procedure has publicly expressed how she and Mayor Jones have handled their collective journey as they now have entered the recovery and healing stage of this battle “We are all so grateful that First Lady Jones is on the road to recovery and is so willing to assist other women who will ensure this challenge We are all in this together.” said Cook County Commissioner Monica Gordon “Saprina clearly understands the significant meaning of coalescing support for women from all walks of life She has taught us all how social support can also be a practical help as well as the benefit of family and friends I applaud Saprina for her courage and heart for others.” ”Illinois State Representative Debbie Meyers-Martin concludes,” Saprina Jones is a hero in the eyes of so many women who are facing breast cancer To publicly tell her story while creating a wedge of support is simply remarkable.“ TrendingCommercialChicagoANamdar sues Calumet City over River Oaks Mall eminent domain effortNegotiations between the New York retail firm and the city fell apart last year Listen to this article00:001xKey PointsAI Generated.✨This summary is reviewed by TRD Staff A town that attempted to takeover a struggling suburban Chicago shopping mall via eminent domain was hit with a lawsuit this week from the mall’s owner a town on the border of Illinois and Indiana improperly used eminent domain as a scare tactic to get tenants at the River Oaks Mall to leave and depress the value of the shopping mall has owned the 1.4 million-square-foot shopping mall since 2017 A notice that the city was pursuing the use of eminent domain to take over the mall was sent out to retail tenants in late September It came after negotiations over the city’s purchase of the mall from Namdar fell apart because the two parties couldn’t agree on the fair market value of the property Namdar reportedly stepped away from a deal to sell for a price in the range of $4 million to $7 million which would be $2.85 to $5 per square foot Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones said Namdar was asking $10 million In response to the city’s negotiations, Namdar presented his own valuation of the property, claiming it is worth $40 million, or $28.50 per square foot. However, the city strongly disagreed with the owner’s valuation of the center, prompting officials to consider alternative actions.  The city made a final offer of $13.2 million Officials then moved ahead with the eminent domain process which illegally interfered with Namdar’s contracts with tenants Calumet City officials also failed to properly notify the mall tenants of the city’s requirement under state law to support tenants in relocating tenants did not re-sign leases as a result of the proposed takeover but it states that the company suffered at least $50,000 in damages SIGN UPEven with a notice sent out to tenants the eminent domain action still needed approval from the Illinois General Assembly The city has long eyed the struggling property and unveiled a $110 million plan for the site in July A key feature of the proposal was a three-level go-kart track from Supercharged At least two developers are interested in the plan Jones said at an October City Council meeting although he did not specify which developers those were One alderman voted against the proposal to take over the mall via eminent domain because a developer for the project had not been identified Calumet City isn’t the only municipality in Chicagoland looking to repurpose a shopping mall. The Village of West Dundee has been buying portions of the Spring Hill Mall over time The Village of Bloomingdale spent $17 million to buy the Stratford Square Mall with plans to transform the property into a mixed-use development known as The Grove Similar to the Calumet City mall turmoil, not all mall takeovers have gone smoothly. Plans to redevelop the Charlestowne Mall, a defunct suburban shopping mall in St. Charles stalled for a second time in September as the village announced a second buyer had backed out of plans to purchase the property 72-year-old Chester Palusiak wandered from his Calumet City home late at night without his phone His last whereabouts were at 165th Street and Wentworth Avenue “He is considered to be endangered due to his condition,” online bulletins state Palusiak was diagnosed with early signs of dementia These kinds of disappearances are becoming increasingly common as the number of dementia and Alzheimer’s cases rise in a graying America developmentally or cognitively-impaired person has gone missing and is determined to be at risk Many of the Silver Alert notifications I receive from Indiana State Police are soon canceled when that missing person is found Palusiak could be anywhere in the Calumet Region The Calumet City Police Department issued a Silver Alert and also executed two searches with cadaver dogs Fliers are posted on telephone poles around that area “Chester is somewhere out there and needs to be found and brought back home,” bulletins state This brief description is typically all we get with such notifications His reach of kindness and good deeds goes back decades in our area selfless man who has helped countless people in his life he would search for any of us,” said Jill Ramirez who organized a search for Palusiak on Wednesday morning in Lansing Volunteers search Wednesday morning for a 72-year-old Calumet City man who wandered from his home on 165th Street on Feb A small group met at Lansing Church of Christ on Wentworth searching in nearby woods and residential areas I first heard about his disappearance last week and wrongly assumed he was found I’ve heard similar stories from other people who know him and will never forget him “I met Chester when I attended Dolton Church Of God in 1986,” Nancy Workman said Palusiak served the church as the bus minister “He would find these precious kids and bring them to church anytime there was service,” Workman said “Afterwards he treated them to a meal before taking them home — at his expense He was there for them whenever they needed anything.” my sisters and I attended Dolton Church of God so these children from church were his kids “He has always held a special place in my heart fashioned after Jesus’ own heart,” Frye said “The direction of many lives were changed because he cared,” Workman said “I watched him single-handedly help countless kids Kids who became my lifelong friends,” Ramirez said “We are pulling together for a man who sacrificed so much to care for others.” Some of those former church kids now live out of state so they’re helping the search by contacting media outlets Doing exactly what we're doing is how we find Chester,” one post states “People are helpers and so many want to help Let's ask them to help and let them know how we need them.” Another public search is scheduled for Sunday afternoon Anyone with tips or information can call the Calumet City Police Department at 708-868-2500 “Even if you don’t know Chester personally we appreciate every bit of help,” Ramirez said a Calumet City man has had his pre-trial release taken away According to the La Salle County States Attorney's office Desmond Rowan faces three counts of felony aggravated battery for an incident at Arukah Institute in Ottawa last week The charges refer to an incident January 9 involving two employees and a member of the general public where the States Attorney's office filed a petition to revoke Rowan's pre-trial release that was granted for previous and unrelated charges Ryan agreed and Rowan is in the La Salle County Jail His next court appearance will be January 31 Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page 2024 at 7:50 am CT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A 27-year-old Calumet City man was charged with first-degree murder in the Sept (Courtesy Glenwood Police Department)GLENWOOD IL — A Calumet City man has been charged in the fatal shooting of a Glenwood liquor store employee earlier this week was charged Wednesday with first-degree murder in the Sept 9 fatal shooting of a Glenwood liquor store employee Police said Diggines is charged in the shooting of Naveen Singh Diggines was scheduled for a detention hearing at the Markham courthouse Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Owners Gus and Chris also give back to their community often the restaurant marked a momentous milestone celebrating its 35th anniversary in October “We serve 12,000 pounds of gyros a month and we appreciate all the support we have received throughout the years,” said Chris Kotsiovos, who runs the business with his son, Peter, and brother, Gus. “The people of Calumet City and Chicago’s South Side have been good to us and our employees “We were closed for nine weeks because at that time they were only allowing restaurants that had a drive through or curbside structure to operate COVID definitely hurt us,” said Jeannie Kotsiovos However while other restaurants were unable to sustain the economic weight of shutdowns and adversity the family run business ramped up its take out orders marketed on social media and sustained their loyal customers They have weathered the storm of rising meat prices and continue to see their sales rise “We have employees who have been here for 20 to 25 years We are not a business that has a lot of turnover we pride ourselves in buying only quality meats and making everything fresh so we believe that is what keeps people coming back,” said Jeannie we also have people stopping in from other states like Indiana Our customers will always be our first priority They have even had Chicago area local celebrities such as former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb former Chicago Bulls center Eddy Curry and legendary comedian Bernie Mac stop by The Kotsiovos believe being part of the community is more than simply running a business They have handed out backpacks and supplies to elementary schools in the area along with this season donating 30 turkeys to families through the village of Calumet City they hand out calendars to their customers and holiday pastries “We have a good relationship with our customers and the community They are nice people and we want to give back,” added Chris It’s likely the reason why their customers also consider them family too They have been invited to parties and even weddings by those same customers “We have some  loyal people who eat at the restaurant; sometimes two or three times a day,” said Jeannie “We are just thankful that they continued with us and showed us so much love.” while they put their own personal stamp on the cuisine with freshly made beef daily It has served them well and they look forward to serving the community for years to come “So many businesses close and we are still here,” said Chris “We have been at the same spot and we are not only surviving but getting stronger People say we have some of the best gyro sauce Nicky’s Gyros in Calumet City a Beacon for Great Food Log in to leave a comment The Chicagoland Journal is the premiere news source of the Greater Chicagoland area TrendingDevelopmentChicagoANamdar hikes price of River Oaks mall Calumet City proceeding anywaySouth Side suburb looking for partner to invest in $100M redevelopment around outdated shopping center From left: Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones and Namdar Realty Group’s Igal Namdar along with 96 River Oaks Center Drive in Calumet City Plans for the one-time retail heart of the Calumet Region on Chicago’s South Side to find new life with the addition of residential development could be in critical condition now that the owner of the property is raising its price restaurants and park space would round out the development according to plans from Gregory Ramon Design Studio The design for the overall redevelopment would keep existing retail tenants Shoe Carnival and Shoppers World in place while seeking restaurants and other tenants to complement them and benefit from residential development according to Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones who said New York-based owner Namdar Realty Group has backed away from a deal to sell for a price in the $4 million to $7 million range Jones said the “U-turn” by the landlord of the center has brought negotiations to halt The price cited by Jones would come to about $10 million at the high end said the city will consider moving without a deal with Namdar instead developing 40 acres it owns around the River Oaks center into an “entertainment district.” SIGN UP“We’re not going to stop because of them,” Jones said “We offered them fair value for it; we tried to negotiate with them We’ve given them two-and-a-half years to come to the table and they’ve been giving us the runaround.” The overall plan for River Oaks would cost an estimated $110 million Namdar paid an undisclosed amount for River Oaks and has changed little at the center since Namdar did not immediately respond to questions about its plans for River Oaks The city’s plan calls for the State of Illinois to cover $60 million of the cost and a private developer to fund the rest adding that two possible partners have expressed interest The deal could turn on the condition of the building which likely helps explain the low price range being bandied about by city officials River Oaks was built in 1966 as an open-air center and enclosed in the early 1990s Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct where Namdar is based Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones gives an address at the end of his swearing-in ceremony in May The city council passed Jones' first budget last week CALUMET CITY — With an assist from pandemic relief aid from the state of Illinois Calumet City aldermen have approved a budget that is both balanced and includes $12 million more in revenue and spending than the previous one and Michael Quiroz as they ride for Superior Ambulance in East Chicago Mayor Thaddeus Jones' first budget is for fiscal 2021-22 and carries a $49 million price tag It passed last week by a 5-1 vote with one abstention DeJuan Gardner and Anthony Smith voted in favor James "JR" Patton voted no and Michael Navarrete voted present Jones said that when he was sworn in May 1 as the first black mayor in a city whose population is 74% black we closed that gap and completely erased the deficit," Jones said Though state money helped balance the budget retooling the invoice system to allow for better accounting cutting overtime in the public works and fire departments and trimming health care costs by $350,000 Jones also said the annual expenses for the city's legal team are down to $1 million from $2.8 million under the previous administration Jones said the savings and new revenue will enable the city to hire 10 additional police officers and 10 more firefighters Other spending highlights include an additional $150,000 for the city's summer youth program and $250,000 for emergency support for residents The budget includes no new taxes for city residents But Jones said one looming concern is Chicago's recent notification to Calumet City of its intent to raise water rates It's unclear yet how that could impact water bills for residential and commercial customers Patton said he was broadly in approval of the budget in particularly backing the hiring of more public safety personnel He said his no vote was based on an inability to get clarity on the duties of and need for a new position in the city clerk's office "I went into that final meeting prepared to vote yes," Patton said (but) overall I thought it was a good budget." is sworn in as mayor of Calumet City by Illinois Supreme Court Justice P Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones gives an address at the end of his swearing-in ceremony Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones gets a big hug from his wife Saprina after being sworn in Saturday Thaddeus Jones is congratulated as mayor of Calumet City by Illinois Supreme Court Justice P Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones addresses guests after being sworn in Saturday Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones displays his gavel Calumet City Mayor Thaddeus Jones gives an address Saturday at the end of his swearing-in ceremony family and others were on hand Saturday as Thaddeus Jones is sworn in as mayor of Calumet City