News

The road to reconstruction

Published by admin on Tue, 09/04/2018 - 7:19pm

    Local leaders in business and government have spent much of the past nine months generating a blueprint for an inviting downtown, one that businesses want to locate in and where citizens and guests look forward to visit.
    Charged with the duty of spearheading plans for the reconstruction of South Broadway, the committee’s work began more than one year ago to interview and suggest an engineering firm to design, as well as see the project through to fruition.

Former mayor disputes TIF plan

Published by admin on Tue, 09/04/2018 - 6:28pm

Braidwood’s previous mayor has raised some concerns over a plan to sell city owned properties and utilize tax funds inside the city’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) III district.

The city of Braidwood recently rid itself of dozens of city-owned lots in the Townes of Braidwood, which also sits inside TIF III.

Earlier in August, city administrator Don Labriola announced the sale of the remaining 46 subdivision lots. That sale means that all 58 previously city-owned lots will now go back on the tax rolls, bringing in more tax dollars once homes are built on them.

City eyes $3 million in intersection work

Published by admin on Tue, 09/04/2018 - 6:27pm

    The city of Wilmington has nearly $3 million at its disposal for Route 53 intersection improvements, and city officials last week learned where all those dollars are sitting and what needs to be done so they can be used.

City presents barber’s family with memorial plaque

Published by admin on Tue, 09/04/2018 - 6:27pm

Braidwood’s long-time barber may have passed away, but his legacy lives on.

On Aug. 28, members of the Braidwood City Council made a special tribute to Joseph “Muzzy” Muzzarelli, who passed away in June.

Muzzy began working as a barber in Braidwood in 1959, and opened his own Main Street barber shop in 1962.

Muzzy’s children have since taken over the business, and earlier this summer the city placed a bench in front of his shop for folks to stop, rest and chat.

On Aug. 28, the council presented Muzzy’s family with a special plaque to honor their father.

Council shoots down business proposal

Published by admin on Tue, 09/04/2018 - 6:25pm

A vacant property at Main and Walker Streets in Braidwood will stay vacant, at least for now.

Last week, the City Council shut down a proposal by local builder Tony Altiery to build a commercial building at the site, amid heated objections from local residents.

Altiery brought his plans to build a 2,200-square foot, one-story office building at the site, along with a 17-space parking lot.

Custer Fire secures dispatch service

Published by admin on Tue, 09/04/2018 - 6:23pm

Custer Park is one step closer to operating its own services out of the fire station along Route 113.

Late last month, the Custer Park Fire Department secured dispatching services through the Will County Sheriff’s Department’s new Laraway Communications Center.

Custer Fire Protection District Board of Trustees President Ron Pruss said that while a full vote on accepting Custer Park has yet to happen in front of a majority Board of Directors, the Executive Board extended the department a year-by-year contract until the full vote makes its way through.

Transportation fix? Don’t count on it

Published by admin on Tue, 09/04/2018 - 6:21pm

Congress gets set to head back to work following the August recess, and representatives will duke it out when it comes to getting their issue pushed to the top of the list.

One issue that isn’t likely to see much action is transportation — bad news for drivers fed up with crumbling roads and backed up lanes in Will and Grundy counties.

Earlier this month, U.S. Congressman Adam Kinzinger, R-16, said there was little good news when it comes to federal funds allocated for work to improve the area’s roadways, particularly the Interstate 55 and Interstate 80 corridors.

New SRO officer keeps the peace at RCES

Published by admin on Tue, 09/04/2018 - 6:19pm

Reed-Custer’s School Resource Officer (SRO) Vern Reed will get some company on campus this year.

The school district and the city of Braidwood reached an agreement starting with the 2018-2019 school year, hiring a second SRO and adding an additional level of safety for students.

Earlier this summer, Officer Todd Flint was sworn in as a member of the Braidwood Police Department. Flint’s assignment is overseeing security at Reed-Custer Elementary School.

Candidate petition packets available Sept. 18

Published by admin on Tue, 09/04/2018 - 5:07pm

    Do you want a more pro-active Board of Education, a more fiscally responsible Park Board of Commissioners or a City Council that’s focused on improving and maintaining city properties? You can help make those changes happen by running for a local office in the Tuesday, April 2, 2019 Consolidated Election.

Student numbers continue to fall

Published by admin on Tue, 09/04/2018 - 5:05pm

    The number of students attending Wilmington schools dropped by 33 between last school year and this year, continuing the trend that has been present for most of the last decade.
    The student population of School District 209-U on Aug. 23, the sixth day of school, was 1,322, which is 33 students fewer than the sixth day of school in the 2017-2018 attendance year, when the district educated 1,355 students. This year’s total includes 50 students who are being educated outside the district.