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examining how the media sausage is made Important ideas and practical advice: Code Switch features fearless and much-needed conversations about race—and Life Kit offers practical advice on things in life no one prepared you for 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 a 6-year-old Palestinian American boy from Plainfield A Plainfield landlord was sentenced to 53 years in prison Friday for attacking his Palestinian American tenant and killing her son 6-year-old Wadee Al Fayoumi — stabbing him 26 times — in one of the most violent hate crimes to immediately follow the Oct But the sentence was not enough to console the boy’s grandfather who asked the convicted Joseph Czuba in court to explain why he did it “We want to know what made him do this,” Mahmoud Yousef told the judge shortly before sentencing that made him do such an unheard [of] crime.” Prosecutors have said Czuba was radicalized by conservative news commentary about the war in Gaza speaks to the media Friday after the sentencing of Joseph Czuba outside the Will County Courthouse in Joliet Yousef gave a victim impact statement during Czuba’s sentencing Czuba declined to speak before Will County Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak who handed down the sentence: 30 years for killing Wadee; 20 for trying to kill his mother The judge did not comment beyond calling it a brutal crime It was not the maximum sentence of life the judge could have imposed But Czuba will not likely outlive his sentence His attorney said the 73-year-old has stage-4 cancer Wadee’s father told reporters he was still confused about how Czuba who he said had once admired his boy and thought of him as an “angel,” could have changed so suddenly and called him a “devil Muslim,” as prosecutors alleged in court Yousef told reporters that no sentence could bring justice Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow called the “cruelty” of Czuba’s actions “truly unfathomable.” Czuba was convicted of all charges in late February after a four-day trial Prosecutors said he carried out the murder after becoming increasingly paranoid about the war in Gaza after listening to commentary on conservative talk radio A jury deliberated for a little over an hour before convicting him of all counts Czuba’s attorney on Friday tried to convince the judge to dismiss the verdict and request a new trial arguing the prosecutors used emotional language during closing arguments Then-President Joe Biden met with Hanan Shaheen During the trial, Shaheen testified that Czuba started treating her differently after the Oct “Your people are killing Jewish [people] and babies in Israel Czuba banged on her door as Shaheen was in her bathroom preparing to give her son a shower Czuba pushed into the unit and began stabbing her while yelling Shaheen locked herself in a bathroom and called 911 Police arrived and found 62-pound Wadee on a bed Officers found Czuba at the scene covered in blood with a holster for a knife attached to his side Czuba was recorded in the back of a squad car telling an officer he was afraid for his life Joseph Czuba stands before Circuit Judge Dave Carlson for his arraignment in the murder of Wadee Al-Fayoumi at the Will County Courthouse in Joliet “I was afraid they were going to do jihad on me,” he said in video shown during the trial who was not home at the time of the attack testified she pushed back against Czuba’s claims that Shaheen would bring friends over to harm him She testified that Czuba had no reservations about Shaheen’s Muslim faith or Palestinian background when he began renting to her in 2021 at Czuba’s Plainfield property on Lincoln Highway The sentence drew praise from the Chicago chapter of the Council On American Islamic Relations but today’s outcome delivers a necessary measure of justice,” Ahmed Rehab He was targeted because of who he was — Muslim Our work now is to ensure that no other child suffers from the deadly consequences of hate walk outside the Will County Courthouse after the sentencing of Joseph Czuba Friday in Joliet Terms of Use • Privacy Notice • Cookie Policy • Terms of Sale With summer just around the corner comes the return of community cruise nights throughout Will County Auto enthusiasts can get out and show off their flashy and vintage cars while residents take a night to enjoy the summer weather support local restaurants and even take in some live entertainment A spectator walks past the exposed engine of a hot rod during a Cruise Night in Plainfield There are different cruise nights held in the city during the summer hosts a car night (weather permitting) from 5 to 8 p.m Wednesdays from April throughout the summer Bring your car or come check out the cool classic cars Cars and Guitars is held at the Joliet Junior College City Center Campus parking lot in downtown Joliet Stone City Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2199 every Wednesday beginning May 7 through September The village of Lemont holds cruise nights from 6 to 9 p.m Food and beverages will be available at local restaurants and from participating vendors The city of Lockport has been hosting cruise nights for 20 years on Monday nights and will continue this tradition this year, holding them weekly from June 2 through Aug. 25. The only exception to the Monday night tradition will be June 9, which is the Monday after Old Canal Days weekend from June 5 to 8 Cars will be displayed down State Street from 4 to 8 p.m. during the events. Each week will feature a different special theme, and cars fitting that theme will be displayed on 10th Street between State and Hamilton. Specific themes can be found on the city of Lockport’s website Car owners can register their cars for various competitions each week to win prizes Concerts are held each week from 6 to 8 p.m Downtown restaurants open and food vendors on-site Plainfield’s summer Cruise Nights take place from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m There will be no Cruise Night on July 1 to avoid conflicts with Fourth of July travel and celebrations The events are sponsored by the Plainfield Shorewood Area Chamber of Commerce and offer an opportunity for residents to showcase their classic and vintage cars while promoting local businesses and restaurants Each week has a specific theme, the full list of which can be found on the Plainfield Cruise Night Facebook page Cars will be displayed along Lockport Street Cruise nights are from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. the second Wednesday of the month throughout the summer in Manhattan – June 11 bikes and community fun for the whole family Cruise night specials are offered at local restaurants The village of New Lenox hosts cruise nights monthly throughout the summer at the Village Commons 16 – and feature live music and food from rotating local vendors The list of weekly food vendors and entertainment can be found on the village website along with information about how to participate. There are no fees, registration or requirements for vehicle participation in events. Vehicles of all makes and models are welcome. The event is for fun, and no awards are planned. Spectators are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to enjoy the activities. Copyright © 2023 Shaw Local News Network Elk Grove 1: AJ Lopez hit a two-run RBI double while going 2 for 3 to earn Plainfield Central their 20th win of the year Coal City 1: The Coalers managed just four hits on the day Lincoln-Way Central 6: Cade Andrews (3 for 4 two runs) led the way for Lincoln-Way Central Oswego East 3: Colin Bettenhausen struck out five and allowed just two hits in five innings of relief on the mound for Lincoln-Way East Lockport 0: Daniel Lukancic went 2 for 3 with one RBI for West while Lockport managed just two hits as a team two RBIs) led the effort for Plainfield North and Cooper Eggert all hit home runs for Providence Patrick 2-2: The first game saw Zach Pomatto go 3 for 4 with one RBI for JCA Bolingbrook 0 (5 inn.): Bolingbrook managed just two hits on the day Coal City 0: Gabe McHugh went 2 of 2 for the Coalers Joliet Central 1: Joliet Central got a runner to third in the seventh but couldn’t get him home as they lost their 15th straight Andrew 5: Evalyn Prochaska went 3 for 4 with one RBI for Plainfield Central Naperville Central 1: Kelcie McGraw struck out 15 with four hits and one unearned run Joliet Central 0 (4 inn.): The Steelmen managed just one hit on the day Yorkville Christian 0: Jo Male tossed a no-hitter for GSW Joliet West goes 2-1 at Marengo Invitational: After dropping the first contest of the day 6-5 Joliet West snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 7-6 win over Cary-Grove Lincoln-Way East goes 2-0 at Loyola Round Robin: The Griffins defeated Loyola 7-0 and Libertyville 15-0 Joliet Central wins Southwest Prairie Conference Championship: It’s the second consecutive year the Steelmen have won the SPC title and Collin Kannenberg each scored goals for Lincoln-Way West Normal Community 7: Lemont won just 24 hours after beating Minooka on Friday Shaw Local News NetworkShaw Local News Network provides local news throughout northern Illinois Ind.— Hendricks County prosecutors criminally charged two former state prison employees with official misconduct Sandra Vargas was a correctional officer and Jacob Kauth was a correctional lieutenant at the Plainfield Correctional Facility when they developed a romantic relationship Vargas transferred to the night shift under Kauth’s supervision An internal Indiana Department of Corrections audit found that on March 18 May 9 and May 19 of 2024 that Vargas was paid for shifts she did not work “The DOC audit revealed Vargus submitted no time slips and video evidence revealed that Vargas did not enter the DOC facility on several of the dates in question,” read the court documents “Records indicated that Kauth approved overtime that Vargas did not work.” The investigation found the state paid Vargas $3,163 for hours she did not work The Indiana Department of Corrections fired both workers on June 18 A special agent with the Indiana Office of Inspector General interviewed both Vargas and Kauth in November 2024 Kauth said when he and Vargas moved in together “expenses went up” and he wanted to ease the “additional financial burden.” Vargas told the special agent that she did not need the extra money “Vargas said she returned some of the money to Kauth and used some of the money for joint groceries household items and pet supplies,” read court documents “Even though she knew she was receiving monies to which she was not entitled and for hours she did not actually work Vargas did not report the overpayments to DOC administration because she did not want to get Kauth in trouble.” Records show a judge issued warrants for their arrests on Thursday WRTV Investigates is working to reach them for comment “IDOC cannot comment on personnel matters,” said Annie Goeller Chief Communications Officer at the Indiana Department of Correction ExpandWill County Forest Preserve District Deputy Director and incoming Executive Director Tracy Chapman (from left) and current Executive Director Ralph Schultz at the annual volunteer banquet in April (Photo provided by Forest Preserve District of Will County) For the past four years, John Fuqua of Plainfield has led restoration efforts at Hammel Woods in Shorewood, focusing on thinning the canopy removing invasives and spreading native seeds For those efforts, which began in 2021, he was named the Forest Preserve District of Will County‘s 2024 Volunteer of the Year The award was announced during the annual volunteer banquet in April at Mistwood Golf Club in Romeoville Fuqua’s passion for the outdoors and ability to engage others stood out “It’s quite an honor,” Fuqua said after receiving his award and I’ve had great support from the staff and other volunteers.” Hammel Woods in Shorewood is part of the Forest Preserve District of Will County The banquet also honored Espie and Don Nelson of Plainfield with a Lifetime Achievement Award for more than 4,000 hours of service since 2001 as stewards of Vermont Cemetery Preserve in Naperville They also have assisted with native plant sales and prescribed burns • Special Acts – Tony Blake, Romeoville • Outstanding Group – Target employees and families • Outstanding Family – Eli and Mallory Eisfeller, Manhattan • Outstanding Senior – Jim Evans, Channahon • Spirit of the District – Alex Vancina, New Lenox Restore Will County grants from The Nature Foundation of Will County were awarded to Fuqua ($500) and natural resource management crew leader Julie Bozzo ($2,000) Executive Director Ralph Schultz thanked volunteers for contributing 13,200 hours in 2024 “The amount of work and volunteerism you’ve put in really does make a difference,” he said The 7 Brew chain of drive-thru coffee shops now plans a Joliet location off Plainfield Road near the Louis Joliet Mall The City Council on Tuesday will consider a drive-thru permit for a 7 Brew at 2551 Plainfield Road The drive-thru would be part of a new building constructed on a vacant lot in the Millennium Square subdivision It would be the second new development in the area where a Speed Trek gas station and convenience store is near completion at 2665 Plainfield Road It also would be the second 7 Brew proposed in Joliet The developer made a formal request for a drive-thru at the Plainfield Road site last month The plan is for a 515-square-foot building with two drive-thru lanes “No ordering stations with speakers are proposed as employees will take orders directly in the queuing line with handheld devices,” according to a letter to the city from Toth & Associates the Missouri engineering firm working on the project Arkansas-based 7 Brew has 381 locations, including 13 in Illinois, according to its website. The nearest to Joliet is in Naperville. ExpandJoseph Czuba sits at a hearing at the Will County Courthouse on Monday was arraigned on charges of first-degree murder of 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume and and attempting to kill his mother Mahmoud Yousef looked at the man whom a jury convicted of the 2023 hate crime murder of his nephew’s 6-year-old son and challenged him to explain what made him do it during a sentencing hearing in Joliet on Friday Czuba also was convicted of a hate crime by attacking the mother and child on the basis of their Islamic faith prosecutors told the jury that Czuba was afraid the Oct Hamas-led attack on Israel “was going to come to his doorstep,” and he viewed Wadee and Shaheen as “infested rats.” Yousef wanted to know more about what drove him to stab Wadee 26 times with a knife a crime that Yousef said went beyond hatred He wanted to know what kind of news Czuba had been hearing or listening to We need that peace of mind,” Yousef told Will County Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak When Bertani-Tomczak offered Czuba the chance to say anything The judge sentenced Czuba to a total of 53 years in prison Czuba was sentenced to 30 years for Wadee’s murder 20 years for Shaheen’s attempted murder and three years for a hate crime Before Bertani-Tomczak issued her sentence, she denied a defense motion for a new trial or to overturn the jury’s verdict Yousef was the only person Friday who gave a victim impact statement in court but he was too emotional to speak in the courtroom “[Joseph Czuba] took care of this little boy so we needed him to come up and say something [Czuba] did not give his statement today,” he said One reporter asked Yousef if 53 years in prison was enough to send a message about hate crimes against Muslims but Yousef responded it “doesn’t matter what [the] numbers are.” He said he looked Czuba in the eye because he was “hoping for him to come up and say something,” and he wanted to know what “exactly made him flip the way he did.” walks outside the Will County Courthouse in Joliet after the sentencing Friday who was convicted of the 2023 hate crime murder of Wadee and the attempted murder of the child’s mother Will County Judge Amy Bertani-Tomczak sentenced Czuba to 53 years in prison Yousef said before the “fake news that came from high levels of this country,” Czuba was considered a “grandfather figure” in Wadee’s life “That’s what [Czuba] was reacting to: these unfounded claims – watching CNN around the clock the way that the media covered the conflict showing only one side of what was happening,” Rehab said During Shaheen’s testimony at Czuba’s trial she said Czuba told her that “your people” are killing “Jewish babies” in Israel and told her that “Muslims are not welcome here.” Prosecutors said in a court filing that Czuba’s ex-wife told police that Czuba regularly listened to conservative talk radio But the conservative talk radio that Czuba was apparently listening to did not come up in Connor’s testimony during trial Shaheen and Wadee were tenants at Czuba’s residence in Plainfield Township Connor said that before Shaheen and her son moved into the Czuba residence as tenants she and Czuba learned that Shaheen was a Muslim of Palestinian descent speaks to reporters outside the Will County Courthouse in Joliet after the sentencing Friday That knowledge had no effect on the decision to allow Shaheen and her child to stay at the residence Connor said she never saw Czuba express any hatred toward others based on their religion or ethnicity during their 30-year marriage I feel like Hanan needs to move,” according to Connor’s testimony That was three days after Hamas launched what is considered the largest-ever terrorist attack on Israel Connor said Czuba asked her whether she knew what happened in Israel Connor said her ex-husband told her that Shaheen’s friends could come to their residence and harm them Czuba wanted Shaheen and her child out of his residence because “Muslims are not welcome here,” according to testimony Wadee Alfayoumi, 6, was stabbed to death on Oct. 14, 2023, in Plainfield Township. Joseph Czuba, 73, was sentenced to 53 years in prison in connection with his death and related crimes. (Shaw Media File Photos) 2025Firefighters battled a blaze in Plainfield Township (WPVI) -- Firefighters battled a blaze in Plainfield Township Video shows flames engulfing a home on Colony Lane around 8:30 p.m Crews arrived to find heavy fire and called for a 2nd alarm PLAINFIELD – Following opposition from residents and staff some whose instructional coaching positions were on the chopping block the school board is now supporting a revised budget that includes a 2 % tax increase During a lengthy budget hearing meeting Tuesday, in which there were references that the budget has become tangled up with the politics of the upcoming mayoral election, the school board failed to approve a budget with a flat tax rate by a vote of 4-3 when at least five affirmative votes were needed a motion was made to approve a revised budget with a 2 % tax levy increase that also includes using $4.4 million in reserve funds and a $15,208 enrollment adjustment The revised budget would include a school tax increase of about $427 for the average assessed city home Board of Education President Hanae Wyatt and member W The motion passed with five affirmative votes and was met with applause from audience members many of whom spoke during the public comment section and asked that district literacy and instructional coaches not be cut said the 2 % tax increase is like what he had proposed in late March He said the district would stabilize all the staffing positions which means there would not be any reduction in staffing and it would take another look at any capital projects that can be deferred to future years More: Plainfield incorporates workforce housing amid high costs Keeping taxes flat was proposed earlier in April by Board of Education Vice President Victor Webb after the school board faced backlash for initially introducing a 2025-26 budget in March that called for a 36 % school tax increase The $336 million school budget proposed in March would have increased the city tax levy to an estimated $520,371 an $853 property tax increase on the average city home It would’ve been the first school tax increase in the city in six years That proposal drew criticism from Mayor Adrian Mapp who is running for reelection in the June 10 Democratic primary against Councilman Richard Wyatt the husband of Plainfield Board of Education President Hanae Wyatt Mapp argued the large tax increase would place a greater financial strain on homeowners while Councilman Wyatt shot back that district schools are struggling under a system that favors Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreements and charter schools at the expense of public education Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime please subscribe or activate your digital account today ExpandPlainfield North's Ilyana Barriball makes a move against Makayla Stengele of Plainfield East on Thursday in Plainfield PLAINFIELD – Heading into Thursday’s matchup between Plainfield North and Plainfield East, it would have been easy to assume the outcome. Plainfield North has been one of the best girls soccer teams in the area for years and entered the game at Plainfield East with just two losses this season. The Bengals, meanwhile, entered the match with a .500 record. Yet for the first 20 minutes during a gloomy day, the two teams were about as even as you could get. After that, however, Plainfield North showed why it’s one of the top teams in the area. Plainfield North scored three goals in a nine-minute span to seize control, and Ilyana Barriball picked up a hat trick to secure a 4-0 Southwest Prairie Conference victory. Plainfield North (13-2), which improved to 5-0 in conference, came into the contest on a three-game winning streak. A 1-0 loss to St. Charles North in the second game of the year and a 2-0 defeat against Glenbard West are the only blemishes on the Tigers’ record. “I feel like we possessed the ball well and managed to find a groove,” Barriball said. “Staying undefeated in conference is really big for us. ... We have a pretty tough game against Oswego next week, so we have to be prepared for that. We have to keep playing and practicing hard heading into playoffs.” The Tigers also have been winning in style, outscoring opponents 39-8 with eight shutouts on the year. Thursday showed that North also is capable of shaking off a slow start to get the desired result. “We started figuring out how to connect and not pass to the other team,” coach Katie Monterosso said with a laugh. “That was one of the big problems along with some communication issues. Sometimes we just need to get into the game a little and figure some things out. Once we did we got the ball rolling.” The Bengals (7-8-2), on the other hand, have seen a solid start turn into a rough finish. Plainfield East began the season 6-3-1, but that run has been followed by a 1-5-1 stretch. While Caroline Dinnon (nine goals, 11 assists) and Kessiah Purnell (nine goals) have had great seasons, the defense has allowed 22 goals despite some solid goalkeeping from Nini Ramos. A 2-5-1 record in the SPC has East in the lower half of the table with the playoffs rapidly approaching. “I think we came out well, but then we had a little bit of a moment,” assistant coach Lisa Simon said. “The second half was a lot better. We just have to keep moving forward. We’re a young team. We have to keep building toward the playoffs and for the future.” The Tigers got on the board midway through the first half as Barriball snuck one in just past the outstretched hands of keeper Nini Ramos. Mady Czarnik added to the Plainfield North advantage with 13 minutes left in the opening half and Barriball made it a brace for herself just two minutes after that. Credit Plainfield East for not surrendering. The Bengals continued to attack in the second half, earning several chances while holding North without another goal for 22 minutes. After that, Barriball made it a hat trick on a nice shot from distance to increase the score to 4-0. ExpandPlainfield Community Consolidated School District 202's Board of Education has hired Stefan Bjes as District 202’s first director of safety and security (Photo provided by Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202) The Plainfield School District 202 Board has hired its first director of safety and security Stefan Bjes, who has more than two decades of law enforcement experience, will start the new role May 27, according to a news release from Plainfield School District 202 Bjes also will manage the campus safety drills and protocols at 31 campuses in District 202 and “lead the development and implementation of professional development opportunities for staff related to safety,” according to the release He served several area law enforcement agencies as a patrol officer and a police sergeant. His most recent role was assistant director of campus safety for patrol at North Central College in Naperville Bjes additionally served as a school resource officer for 11 years with the Addison Police Department He also founded Blue Line Spectrum Safety, which provides autism training for first responders He is an instructor for North East Multi Regional Training and Tri-River Police Training Region, as well as an approved instructor regarding autism and intellectual/developmental disabilities for the Basic CIT Course with the Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board Further, Bjes is a Team Adam consultant for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Romeoville 4: JT Augustyniak went 2 for 4 with a triple a single and three RBIs for the Wildcats during a Southwest Prairie Conference victory Thursday Crete-Monee 0 (4 inn.): Shea Glotzbach drove in four runs and tripled to lead Lemont to a nonconference win Homewood-Flossmoor 2: Jack Bauer struck out nine and allowed one hit through four innings on the mound to help the Griffins to a SouthWest Suburban Conference victory MJ Schley went 1 for 3 with a double and a run scored Jacob Newman and Tyler Hudik each drove in a run Joliet West 3: Caden Pierceall and Nick Ruenzi each doubled for the Cougars during a Southwest Prairie Conference win Cody Hogan and Reid Staub combined to drive in four runs Pablo Herrera struck out four in four innings pitched Bolingbrook 6: Pharrell Weekley and Thomas McDermott both homered for the Panthers during a Southwest Prairie Conference win Rochelle 0 (5 inn.): Griffin Zweeres homered and drove in four runs for Morris during an Interstate 8 Conference victory Brett Bounds and Jack Wheeler combined to drive in four runs striking out seven in four innings pitched Plainfield North 6: Brendan Henderson and Chase Holtzman each had a home run but the Tigers fell in a Southwest Prairie Conference matchup Seneca 4: The Fighting Irish battled but came up short in Tri-County Conference action Gardner-South Wilmington 4: Ryan Millette scored two runs but the Panthers fell short in River Valley Conference play Manteno 2 (4 inn.): Tessa Shannon hit a grand slam to help Morris to a nonconference win Addy Hackett went 2 for 2 with a double and four RBIs Macie Ferguson went 1 for 2 with three RBIs Andrew 7: Jessica Pontrelli went 1 for 4 with a three-run homer and three RBIs to help Lemont to a nonconference victory Mardjetko allowed five hits and struck out four in a complete game Grant Park 3: Maddie Simms homered and drove in a run to lead the Panthers to a River Valley Conference win Crete-Monee 0 (4 inn.): Keeley Walsh went 3 for 4 with an RBI and three runs scored for the Wildcats in a nonconference victory Nina Egizio and Taryn Gilbert combined to drive in six runs Lexi Strohm struck out six in four innings pitched Homewood-Flossmoor 2 (5 inn.): Kaylea Armstrong Reese Cusack and Reese Forsythe each homered and the Warriors picked up a SouthWest Suburban Conference win Molly Finn and Armstrong combined to drive in four runs and Forsythe went 2 for 3 with three runs scored Lockport 2: Teagan Berkshire homered and drove in four runs for the Knights during a SouthWest Suburban Conference victory Bella Dimitrijevic struck out eight in five innings pitched Joliet West 2 (5 inn.): Alaina Grohar and Hope Hughes each homered but the Tigers fell in Southwest Prairie Conference action Romeoville 0: The Spartans lost in Southwest Prairie Conference play Stephen Hunt Invitational: Plainfield North took first place with 110.5 points Plainfield South took second with 93.5 points and Plainfield Central took fourth with 16 Quinn Davis won the 1,600-meter run (4:17.69) and Aidan Connelly won the 110 hurdles (15.67) Dylan Buturusis took first in the 800 (1:55.91) and Jackson Sperli won the 300 hurdles (41.38) Joe Owusu took first in the 100 (10.86) and the 200 (22.31) Isaiah Smith took first in the 400 (51.12) Stephen Hunt Invite: Plainfield North took first with 140 points and Plainfield Central took fourth with 32 Taylor McClain won the 100 (12.03) and the 200 (24.87) Marlie Czarniewski won the 1,600 (5:02.58) and Shyi Harris won the 100 hurdles (15.20) Bridget Kemp won the 3,200 (11:55.84) and Shania Davison the 300 hurdles (47.23) Oak Forest Invite: Lincoln-Way West took first with 135 points in a 15 team meet Alanah Smith won the 100 (12.21) and the 200 (25.24) Sophia Mikolajczak won the 3,200 (12:21.08) and Reese Geiger triumphed in the pole vault (3.20 meters) Reavis Relays: Oak Lawn took first place with 118.5 points and Romeoville took third with 103.5 in a seven-team meet andSophia Flowers won the 800 (2:26.15) and the 1,600 meter run (5:34.58) The 4x100 relay and 4x200 relay teams also triumphed Lockport 0: Konrad Swierczek had four kills 25-13 SouthWest Suburban Conference victory and Carter Geiger had three kills and four digs Plainfield North 0: The Cougars fought for a 25-22 Minooka 1: Ava Lambert scored all four goals for the Wildcats during a Southwest Prairie Conference win Kaitlyn Lambert and Riley Bathan each had an assist Evergreen Park 1: Lemont dominated and earned a South Suburban Conference victory Normal West 0: The Porters earned the shutout and got the win Joliet Central 1: Ari Arciniega had a goal but the Steelmen came up short in Southwest Prairie Conference action Lincoln-Way West 5: Dana Dykshorn and Ellie Trench had two goals each but the Warriors fell in nonconference play Reanne WeilReanne is a Prairie Ridge graduate who is currently studying Mass Communications (emphasizing on journalism) at Winona State University. She is also a current Northwest Herald sports intern. ExpandEastern Avenue in Plainfield will be closed to traffic at the CN railroad crossing on Friday (Provided by Illinois Department of Transportation) The Canadian National Railway will be completing repairs to the Eastern Avenue railroad crossing in Plainfield this weekend Eastern Avenue will be closed to traffic, at the crossing, beginning at 9 a.m. Friday through 1 p.m. Saturday, according to the Plainfield Police Department. ExpandThe Plainfield Fire Protection District responded to a house fire in the 25100 block of West Pauline Drive in Plainfield on Wednesday (Photo provided by Plainfield Fire Protection District) A house in Plainfield was damaged by fire on Wednesday night about a fire in a single-family home in the 25100 block of West Pauline Drive in Plainfield according to the Plainfield Fire Protection District The first fire units arrived and found a fire in the home’s basement The family was home at the time but was able to escape safely and was not injured The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental Damage to the home is estimated to be approximately $75,000 The Plainfield was assisted on the scene by the Troy Fire Protection District and Joliet Fire Department. ExpandAs part of the 2019 Joliet Area Restaurant Week HopScotch & Vine in Plainfield is offering a free dessert or appetizer with purchase of regular priced entree HopScotch and Vine in Plainfield will host its first of five “Lonely at the Top” events on Thursday Nick Giannasi, president and chief executive officer of Unbroken Family Counseling, will discuss “Lonely at the Top: The Science of Decision Making” at 6 p.m., HopScotch and Vine located at 24047 W Lockport St. in Plainfield The event is designed for all leaders, including “parents, business owners and managers who face high-stakes decisions on a regular basis,” according to a news release announcing the event The ”Lonely at the Top” events will provide “psychological insights into leadership and critical thinking, science-backed strategies to enhance decision-making and practical tools for navigating uncertainty with confidence,” according to the release On Thursday, Giannasi, will provide a broad look at making decisions in leadership roles in different environments – personal, work, family and community Unbroken Family Counseling was established in 2015 and offers telehealth and in-person counseling at locations in Plainfield, North Plainfield, Geneva, Evanston and Downers Grove Tickets to the event are $27 and include food For tickets and information, visit unbrokenfamilycounseling.com. Sebby Saracino (2) of Spotswood scores the game tying run in the bottom of the fifth inning during the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group 2 baseball semifinal between Spotswood and Delran at Spotswood High School in Spotswood .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Cosentino | For NJ Advance MediaSebby Saracino hit a two-run double to highlight a five-run fourth inning as Spotswood defeated South Plainfield 8-4 at the E4M Invitational in Spotswood John Lubin and Leo Carone had RBI singles in the fourth as the Chargers (11-6) broke open a close game in six innings for the win and Will Buchan closed the game out with a scoreless seven The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! 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All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices The Plainfield grand list saw a slight increase from 2023 to 2024 The 2024 net grand list totaled $1,485,807,306 This equates to an increase of about 0.31% Real estate increased slightly from the 2023 to the 2024 net grand lists Its valuation increased from $1,205,233,054 to $1,210,419,534 or 0.43% Personal property values also increased from the 2023 to the 2024 net grand list Unlike real estate and personal property valuations motor vehicle values decreased from the 2023 to the 2024 net grand lists Its valuation decreased from $134,746,510 to $116,086,860 Here are Plainfield’s top 10 taxpayers for the 2024 net grand list The Lowe’s distribution center is the top taxpayer in Plainfield Greenleaf Power is a national company that produces green energy from biomass fuel Their plant has operated in Plainfield since 2013 While it is listed as Connecticut Light and Power the company does business as Eversource Energy and owns cables 137 Lathrop Road + Other Parcels $22,663,180 assessed value This land once had the town’s dog racing track This is a 525,259-square-foot building that houses Morgan Truck The Connecticut Water Company $13,390,660 assessed value in real estate Connecticut Water Company is a public water utility that serves more than 107,000 customers in 60 Connecticut towns The company also provides wastewater services to 3,000 customers in the town of Southbury This is another entity associated with Greenleaf Power ORL is a real estate company that owns the building housing the Plainfield Emergency Care Center for the William W. Backus Hospital Comcast is a telecommunications company that provides cable television and Internet service Yankee Gas Services is a natural gas company owned by Eversource joined the 2024 grand list’s top 10 taxpayers after being ranked 16th in the 2023 grand list was the 10th highest taxpayer in the 2023 grand list but fell to the 12 spot among the 2024 grand list’s top taxpayers Attorney Alina Habba reported today that a Union County man was charged with possessing images of child explicit contact and enticing a minor to engage in prostitution and produce explicit images of minors was charged by complaint with one count of possession of explicit images of minors and two counts of enticement of a minor He made his initial appearance today before U.S Hammer in Newark federal court and was detained According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court: a history teacher at Barack Obama Charter School in Plainfield communicated with a minor victim using a mobile payment application through which Wilder advised he would pay the minor victim to engage in explicit activity Law enforcement subsequently lawfully searched Wilder’s cell phone and found a video depicting explicit images of minors and explicit conversations between Wilder and other individuals who identified themselves as minors ExpandPlainfield Central's Cole Sisti (16) is tagged out at the plate during baseball game between Romeoville at Plainfield Central Tuesday PLAINFIELD – There was a moment in Tuesday’s baseball game where it looked like Romeoville’s finely crafted eight-run lead might be in jeopardy things might have broken down for the Spartans But this year’s version of the Spartans is built a bit differently. Instead of folding after a rough inning, they tacked on a pair of insurance runs to fend off Plainfield Central for an 11-7 victory. “We were talking earlier that nothing is given to us,” Romeoville coach Michael Skroch said. “We have to earn everything. We feel like we have a little bit of a chip on our shoulder, us being Romeoville, and not having a history of winning baseball. “We have to go earn it and earn that respect and that definitely carried over to the end of this game.” Romeoville (12-9, 4-1 SPC East) hasn’t posted a winning season in at least 20 years but the Spartans seem to have the components in place to make a real run at doing that this season. “It’s experience,” Skroch said of his team’s notable turnaround. “Karlos Otero and Nolan Holgado are four-year starters. These guys have been here, and they’ve been battle tested.” The Spartans showed that mettle early. After scratching out a run without the benefit of a hit in the first inning, Romeoville tacked on three more runs in the third to take what looked to be a commanding 4-0 lead. That lead looked substantial because of the work done by Romeoville starter Ryan Uscila. Uscila struck out six over four-plus innings of work before getting touched up for a solo home run by Plainfield Central’s JT Augustyniak. But Romeoville didn’t let the homer snowball into something worse as the bullpen left the bases loaded. Then they carried that momentum into the top of the sixth, where the Spartans tacked on four more runs, including what turned out to be a pivotal bases-clearing double from Richard Conley to give Romeoville a 9-1 lead. It was part of a three-hit, four-RBI day for Conley. That looked like it would be more than enough for the Spartans, but things came a bit unglued for Romeoville in the bottom half of the sixth. A collection of hits, walks and errors allowed Plainfield Central (18-4, 4-1) to send 10 men to the plate and score six runs to narrow the margin to 9-7. “It was a little bit worrying, but I know our guys, and I know how we can clutch up in these types of moments,” Conley said. “We never really hang our heads down, and we are always looking to add on.” Romeoville did just that in the seventh with Conley playing a part again with an infield single that scored a run and a bases-loaded walk accounting for the other. And that persistence and ability to answer back is something the Spartans still are getting used to. “We’re fighting a little bit that it is new,” Skroch said. “It is new that we’re in spots that we’re supposed to win. “And we are in spots that we haven’t said this before, but possibly winning a conference championship is more of a reality than it has ever been if we play our game. So we have to learn to handle that pressure, and so we are really focusing on one game at a time.” The Union County Board of County Commissioners in partnership with the City of Plainfield and Assemblywoman Linda S invite residents to attend Government Day on Saturday “Government Day is about breaking down barriers,” said Union County Commissioner Lourdes Leon people don’t know where to go for help — we’re changing that and showing up for our communities in a big way.” This free community event will bring together a wide array of government services and support programs in one convenient location Attendees will have the opportunity to meet with local and access in-person assistance on issues ranging from healthcare and taxes to public transit “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to coordinate this Government Access Day in collaboration with the City of Plainfield and Union County,” said Assemblywoman Linda S “Bringing together a variety of state agencies to directly engage with the community on Saturday is an exciting step toward making government more accessible and responsive to the people we serve It’s a privilege to work alongside local leaders to ensure that residents have the resources and support they need to thrive.” Government Day will include representatives from: “We are proud to host Government Day here in Plainfield—a city that believes government should work for the people not the other way around,” said Mayor Adrian O Mapp. “Plainfield is a community rooted in connection When residents can speak directly to those who represent and serve them it strengthens trust and ensures that no one is left behind This event brings essential services directly to our residents eliminating red tape and building stronger connections between the community and those who serve it It’s a clear example of how collaboration between local and state partners can transform how we support and uplift our residents I’m grateful to our partners for standing with us to put people first.” the event will be moved to the parking deck at Assemblyman Gerald B Government Day is open to all residents of Plainfield and surrounding communities. No registration is required. For more information, contact Raine Cuseglio at aswcarter@njleg.org Contact Us Organizational Chart The Plainfield High School boys basketball team will be honored in the city next week for winning the NJSIAA Group 4 championship last month A parade is scheduled to step off at 6 p.m “The community celebration will honor the team's dedication resilience and excellence both on and off the court along with the unifying and uplifting spirit the team's success has brought to the city,” says a city statement The Cardinals won the state title March 16 by beating Montgomery 65-48 in a game before 6,700 fans at Rutgers' Jersey Mike's Arena The victory was led by Courier News Player of the Year Micah Gordon who scored 24 points and NaJai Hines who added 18 points Plainfield finished the season 29-3 and collected division county and sectional titles on the way to the Group 4 crown The parade will feature a 30-minute procession with a marching band cheerleaders and a parade float with the team members The parade will travel from Stelle Avenue down Park Avenue to East 7th Street and continue to Watchung Avenue before ending at City Hall PLAINFIELD – The Board of Education has reversed course after introducing a budget last month that called for a 36% school tax increase Board of Education Vice President Victor Webb proposed a new budget for the 2025-26 school year last week that keeps the tax rate flat but warned a school tax hike is likely in the city’s future The school board passed the new proposal by a narrow 5-4 vote on April 15 The $336 million school budget proposal last month would’ve increased the city tax levy to an estimated $520,371 The proposal drew strong criticism from residents and became a battlefield in the Democratic mayoral primary between incumbent Adrian Mapp and Councilman Richard Wyatt whose wife is school board president In a Facebook post, Mapp said that budget "will place an even greater financial strain on homeowners" and is "a shocking abdication of the Board of Education's duty to be responsible stewards of public funds." Wyatt responded, in his own Facebook post by saying Plainfield schools "are struggling under a broken system that favors Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreements and charter schools at the expense of public education." suggesting the school district is missing out on the city’s PILOT revenue More: Plainfield residents may see slight city tax rate savings in 2025 Board of Education President Hanae Wyatt also noted the revised budget doesn’t close the door on potential school tax hikes in the future "This option does not come without strain,” she said “It means we must heavily rely on our district's savings our reserve accounts that are intended for emergencies and long-term planning and cuts will be inevitable.” said he's concerned the district won't have a firm way to rebuild its reserve funds and that long-term ramifications could include reduced services and staff A public hearing on the school budget is scheduled for April 29 The development at the corner of Route 30 and Interstate 55 will soon house Longhorn Steakhouse The restaurant will break ground in June and open in late 2026 "We're really excited for anything to happen at The Boulevard's," Plainfield Mayor John Argoudelis said The development is primarily in Plainfield but straddles the border with Joliet and the city approved the deal with Longhorn Steakhouse and RELATED: Cooper's Hawk Opening On The Horizon In Plainfield Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. 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