Will County News

Will County Forest Preserve Programs, from the Forest Preserve: Forest Preserve District Offers Bird, Boat, Farm and Photo Classes PLAINFIELD –  This year’s final two sessions of “ Lake Renwick Bird Viewing ” tours will be held from  10 to 11 a.m.  on  Wednesday, Aug. 12 , and  8 a.m. to noon  on  Saturday, Aug. 15 , at the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Lake Renwick Heron Rookery Nature Preserve, located on Renwick Road, 0.5 mile east of Route 30. On  Aug. 16  the preserve, which was closed except for the tours as the birds were nesting, will reopen for general use from  8 a.m.  to sunset through  Feb. 28 . Registration is not required for the bird viewings; the program is for ages 7 and older. NAPERVILLE  – A “ Riverview Farmstead Tour ” is scheduled for  6 to 8 p.m.  on  Thursday, Aug. 13 , at the Forest Preserve District of Will County’s Riverview Farmstead, located on Book Road, south of Hassert Boulevard/111 th  Street. Discover how three generations of the Clow

At the July 16, 2015 Will County Board meeting, the board voted to extend issuing overweight truck permits for Arsenal Road.  The Board heard from people in the trucking and grain exporting industries who described their businesses and their use of Arsenal Road:

A silent prayer walk in memory of Sandra Bland was held today at her church, DuPage African Methodist Episcopal Church in Lisle, Illinois. After the prayer walk, Senior Pastor Rev. Dr. James Miller was asked his thoughts on the fact that officials have already said Bland committed suicide.  Miller said: "When you say what has happened before an investigation has been completed, you are tainting the investigation.  If you want to know Sandra Bland's character and personality, I invite you to her webpage and you will see she was strong willed and outspoken, but a Christian woman who was seeking reconciliation for this present age.  I'll leave you to your own conclusions." Members of the church collected signatures in support of a petition asking the U.S. Justice Department to conduct an independent investigation into Bland's death. "We're asking everyone who will to write Attorney Lynch, the Attorney General of the United States of America...t

At the July 16, 2015 Lincoln-Way School Board Meeting, the Board voted to stop consideration of two proposed deficit-reduction options: a tax referendum and cutting classes or extracurriculars.  The only proposed option remaining is closing a school. Superintendent Tingley presented options for attendance boundaries and school closures.  The Board asked for more information on bus travel times for each of the options.  The Board also discussed the possibility of bringing in an outside consultant to analyze the situation. The Board will discuss which school to consider for closure at the next meeting. Video of public comment from a father of a Lincoln-Way student and a Lincoln-Way teacher: New Lenox Mayor Tim Baldermann on supporting all Lincoln-Way Schools: The Lincoln-Way Board of Education discusses budget reduction options:

Taking action on deficit reduction options is on the agenda for the July 16, 2015 meeting of the Lincoln-Way School Board.  The meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m. in the Lincoln-Way Central Fine Arts Center. Lincoln-Way was placed on the State of Illinois Financial Watch list in March of 2015.  The School Board must turn in a budget reduction plan to the State by September 2015. Deficit reduction options that have been discussed include closing a high school, a tax referendum, and cutting classes and extra-curriculars.  Check out the July 16, 2015 Lincoln-Way School Board Meeting Agenda and information on the district's financial situation:

The Plainfield Police Department has posted a statement and pictures on its Facebook page regarding a recent police call in Plainfield. Statement on the Plainfield Police Facebook page: "Are these weapons and gear real or fake? After looking at them for a few minutes you may be able to realize that all this gear is related to Airsoft activities but imagine being a police officer and coming upon a group carrying these items and you have to decide in a second or two whether they are real or fake? Members of our department faced this exact scenario this past Friday when they were dispatched to a call reporting people running around near a residential area carryi ng rifles and other weapons. When they arrived, officers made contact with two (2) of the offenders relatively quickly. While they were still trying to determine if the weapons were real or not a third offender began to approach the officers in a tactical manner, partially hidden by nearby brush, with his weapon point