Will County News

Braidwood, Illinois will celebrate the holiday season with "Old Fashioned Christmas" activities sponsored by the Braidwood Chamber of Commerce and Fossil Ridge Library on December 3, 2011. The Tree Lighting Ceremony will be December 3rd at 4:50 p.m. at City Hall.  Immediately after the tree lighting, the parade will begin and head from City Hall to the library. There will be festivities at the library after the parade for the kids and the kid at heart!

Manhattan, Illinois will welcome the holiday season December 2nd and 3rd with "Christmas on State Street"! 2010 Christmas Tree lighting in Manhattan, Illinois 2011 "Christmas on State Street": Friday December 2, 2011 --The Lincoln-Way Central Madrigal Singers will perform at 7:30 p.m. at the Manhattan Park District Program Center Saturday December 3, 2011 --Craft Fair at Wilson Creek School, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. --Gingerbread House Contest at Wilson Creek School, 9a.m. drop-off, 11 a.m. judging --See Santa , 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Manhattan Park District Program Center, Games and meet with Santa --Chili Cook Off, Wilson Creek School, 9--10 a.m. drop-off, 11 a.m. judging --Parade of Lights, 5:30 p.m. --Christmas Tree Lighting, Times Square, immediately after the parade Here is a video of last year's Christmas Tree Lighting:

A rally organized by Moveon.org was held in front of the Bank of America branch on Jefferson Street in Joliet today.  On Moveon.org's website, the event was described as a memorial for homes foreclosed upon by Bank of America.  This event coincides with many "Occupy Wall Street" rallies being held throughout Chicago and the nation November 5, 2011.   Memorial For Foreclosed Homes outside of a Bank of America Branch in Joliet Moveon.org organized rally outside of Bank of America in Joliet Rally to "Make Wall Street Pay" on Jefferson Street in Joliet

The Illinois Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting tonight, October 25, 2011 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Jacob Henry Mansion at 15 South Richards Street in Joliet. The meeting will be a chance for citizens to meet with IDOT officials in an open-house format to discuss the Chicago to St. Louis high speed rail service.  According to IDOT, there will be no formal presentation, so the public is invited to attend anytime between 4 and 7 p.m..

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie is sponsoring a free screening of documentary "Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time"on Saturday, October 15th, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. at the historic Mar Theatre in Wilmington, Illinois. Here are some images of the Mar Theatre, located just off Route 53--old Route 66--at 121 S. Main Street in Wilmington, Illinois: Built in 1937 at the cost of $50,000, the Mar maintains its original ticket booth, main stage, and marquee. Aldo Leopold is considered a father of the conservation movement.  His collection of essays in "The Sand County Almanac" has sold millions of copies and in the essays Leopold describes his idea of a land ethic, the responsible relationship between people and the land.  For more information on Leopold and a preview of the film, view the trailer from "Green Fire: Aldo Leopold and a Land Ethic for Our Time": Having grown up in Will County and witnessed the rapid building of warehouses, ...

The group STAND--Shut This Airport Nightmare Down--is holding a "Footprint Harvest Fest" this Sunday, October 9, in rural Will County.  The event will be held from 3 pm to 7 pm at the Verduin farm at 1851 W. Church Road, Beecher, Illinois. STAND states it is reaching out to individuals, groups, and elected officials to "help prevent this politically-driven project from becoming a reality." The keynote speaker at the Footprint Harvest Fest will be Jon Stewart, the main organizer of the successful campaign to stop a 3rd runway at Heathrow Airport in London. STAND members say they are fighting to stop the State of Illinois from using eminent domain to gain control of land in the footprint of the proposed Peotone Airport.  Anthony Rudis--a 100 year old owner of property in the footprint--may be in attendance.   Regarding the state's plan to use eminent domain to take his land, Rudis stated: "This land is not for sale, I do not want them on my property and...

2013 MANHATTAN CIVIL WAR DAYS The Manhattan Park District's Round Barn Farm Park will host Manhattan Days of Old and a Civil War reenactment Saturday, June 23rd and Sunday, June 24th, 20, 2012 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day.  Admission is 5:00 per adult and $2.00 for children age 12 and under. Events will include: 150 infantry, calvary and artillery re-enactors portraying the Battle of Shilo, music, displays regarding Civil War medicine, kids' activities, and handmade soaps for purchase. 2010 Manhattan Days of Old: Civil War Reenactors discuss the use of the cannon during the Civil War at the Manhattan Park District "Days of Old" at the Baker-Koren Round Barn Farm Park. Musicians played Civil-War era music: More from the 2010 Manhattan Days of Old here .