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Monee Budget Book Seeks to Make Finances Easier to Understand
By Karen Haave An innovative Budget Book created by Monee Finance Director Darryl Bulliner is making complicated village finances much easier to read and understand. Chuck Rakis, village trustee for finance, announced the book earlier this year, noting it “will provide a format that is optimized for online viewing.” “The book will provide a narrative…

Memorial Day Ceremony Held at Historic Union Cemetery
By Karen Haave Memorial Day 2023 marked a renewed interest in an historic Will County cemetery, with a poignant ceremony and an inaugural non-profit group to help preserve it. Union Cemetery, at the corner of 80th Avenue and Monee-Manhattan Road, was established in 1857 and granted Historic Landmark status on October 12, 2002. It is…

Monee Get a Grocery Store Someday? Maybe
By Karen Haave According to a report during the village board meeting, Monee will be getting a grocery store. Someday. Having a grocery store in town has been a major mayoral election issue for decades. It would almost seem that whoever accomplishes it, can look forward to being mayor for life. “Spoiler alert, this is…

Dixie Gets a Visit from Project Fire Buddies
By Karen Haave A little girl from Peotone is on Cloud 9 after a visit from some new special friends. Dixie Barclay recently won an adaptive bicycle through Friendship Circle’s Great Bike Giveaway. The happy three-year-old, who likes to sing and dance, was born with Spina Bifida. She has been through a lot in her…

Bobcats Punched their ticket to State
By Dennis Bowling Beecher senior Abby Sippel has done very well in the classroom and on the softball field. Yet, a real rarity occurred for Sippel, who is the best second baseman in this area on May 29. In the top of the second frame, Sippel did make a rare fielding error. In the bottom…

Peotone Legion Memorial Day Program Honors Heroes
By Andrea Arens A beautiful, warm day was the backdrop for the Peotone Legion Post 392 parade and ceremony. A generous crowd was in attendance, and the Frankfort Brass Band, led by Peotone High School Band Director Kate Perry, played multiple patriotic tunes. Peotone American Legion’s Memorial Day guest speaker was Senior Master Sergeant Robert…

LaMore Realty’s Impactful Service on the Manteno Community
By: Madeleine Willis Manteno native, Gina LaMore owns and manages LaMore Realty, a local brokerage that avidly buys and sells homes in the Kankakee County community. In the year 2022, realtors of LaMore sold 108 properties and bought 76 properties. The total volume of their transactions totals in at $45.6 million. This past April, Gina…

Monee Cops Raised Dough Fulls on Rooftop
By Karen Haave Monee Police officers have proved, once again, that they are willing to give up sleep, or even a day off, to raise money for the Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Illinois. This time it was $5,409.37 in the rainy early morning Cop on a Rooftop 2023 at Dunkin’, 5757 W.…