Wilmington

Council tables hard liquor request for Berkot’s Super Foods

Published by admin on Tue, 05/28/2024 - 4:33pm

Like “Beauty and the Beast,” the liquor license issue in Wilmington is a tale as old as time.
At the May 21 Wilmington City Council meeting, Luke Kotara, owner of Berkot's Foods, and Kamlesh Patel, of Mobil Gas For Less station in the 200 block of East Baltmore St., petitioned the city council to approve licenses for the sale of hard liquor – in addition to beer and wine – at their respective businesses.
Kotara spoke of staying relevant in the grocery game, especially with a Jewel-Osco store about to open in Diamond.

What’s been the holding up Love’s Travel Center?

Published by admin on Tue, 05/14/2024 - 4:35pm

It’s been 1 1/2 years since the Wilmington City Council passed an annexation agreement to allow a Love’s Travel Center to be built at River Road and Route 53.
Since then not even a shovel full of dirt has been turned at the site.
But that soon may change according to City Administrator Jeannine Smith who reported on recent progress to City Council members during its May 7 meeting.

County approves solar farm just east of Wilmington

Published by admin on Tue, 05/07/2024 - 3:49pm

The Will County Board has approved a special use permit for a commercial solar energy facility in Florence Township in Wilmington. The owners of the property are Gary and Annette Kavanaugh, and the agent is Nikki Miller of Wildcat Solar Three LLC.
Wildcat Solar is a subsidiary of New Energy Equity, headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland. The corporation has completed more than 250 distributed solar projects in the U.S., including the approved Wildcat Solar Energy Farm, that will be constructed on the southeast corner of Route 53 and 216th Ave. just east of Kangley’s Curve.

Wilmington remains the home for Gemini Giant

Published by admin on Wed, 03/20/2024 - 4:06pm

The iconic Gemini Giant will stay on Route 66 in Wilmington after being auctioned off earlier today with a high bid of $275,000.

The Joliet Area Historical Museum placed the winning bid just before the 10 a.m. cutoff, and then announced that the 30-foot tall statue would be donated to the City of Wilmington. 

Ice jam causes river level to climb near I-55 highest in 137 years

Published by admin on Tue, 01/30/2024 - 5:17pm

It will take weeks to estimate the cost of damage caused by the highest flood to hit Wilmington since at least the 1930s.
The City of Wilmington is working with the Will County Emergency Management Agency to survey the damage caused by flooding that began shortly after 10 p.m. Thursday as ice piled up in the main channel, causing the water level to rise nearly three feet through the island parks and mill race.

The stories that kept Wilmington talking in 2022

Published by admin on Tue, 12/27/2022 - 4:51pm

It was a busy year in 2022, as pandemic restrictions were lifted and much of the world made a return back to normalcy. And, there was plenty to talk about around town.

Here, a look at some of the stories that made headlines in Wilmington over the past 12 months.

Loves Truck stop approved

One of the most controversial stories to make the news in 2022 came in November, when the City Council approved an annexation agreement to allow a Love’s Travel Center to be built at River Road and Route 53.

American flags are safe and sound

Published by admin on Tue, 07/05/2022 - 3:53pm

The flags along the Kankakee River bridge in Wilmington are back... sort of.

The flags were back over the 4th of July holiday. But as the weekend progressed, residents reported that they saw the flags appear on the bridge, only to see them gone again later.

The flags, however, appear to be safe and sound, removed due to weather concerns and not another act of vandalism.

Flags stripped from Kankakee River Bridge in Wilmington

Published by admin on Tue, 05/31/2022 - 4:11pm

The Wilmington Police Department is investigating the disappearance of the signature American flags that fly on the bridge over the Kankakee River. The Stars and Stripes went missing, either stolen or potentially tossed into the river, just prior to this year’s Memorial Day holiday.

Wilmington Police Chief Joe Mitchell said the department was called to the bridge on Sunday, May 29, one day after the members of the Wilmington Moose Lodge Riders had placed the 26 American flags along bridge’s walkway.

Wilmington to hold large item pickup May 12

Published by admin on Tue, 05/03/2022 - 5:29pm

City-wide spring clean-up will be held in Wilmington on Friday, May 13 during regular garbage pickup day. Items must be placed curbside by 6 a.m. for pick-up.

The annual program is for Wilmington residents living in single-family homes or duplexes currently receiving city collection services.

HSR work scheduled to begin April 18

Published by admin on Tue, 04/12/2022 - 4:38pm

The Illinois Department of Transportation is getting set for the next phase of the high speed rail (HSR) project.

IDOT is set to shut down Kankakee Street in Wilmington between Route 53 and Kankakee River Drive starting on April 18 to accommodate work for HSR.

The work is part of the effort to construct a second mainline track adjacent to the existing mainline track between Elwood and Braidwood.