I was born in Joliet and grew up across from Nowell Park on the city's far east-side where I delivered the Joliet Herald-News. I attended grade school at St. Mary Nativity on Broadway. Some of my favorite memories growing up revolve around St, Joseph's Park where I played Little League baseball and had several Catholic Youth Organization basketball games.
At 13, our family moved to Plainfield. By the time I was 16, I knew I wanted to be a journalist. As a teen, I made a few extra bucks as a sports stringer for The Plainfield Enterprise taking photos and covering Plainfield's high school football and basketball games.
I graduated with a journalism degree from Eastern Illinois University. I have had a strong passion and commitment for public service journalism ever since. I am grateful to have covered so many different places throughout the greater Midwest.
After college, I worked for The South Bend Tribune, the Daily Herald in Arlington Heights, Green Bay Press-Gazette, Omaha World-Herald and on the statewide investigative team for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin, where I was based at The Post-Crescent in Appleton for five years.
I'm thrilled to be joining Patch as the Joliet Editor at this point in time when more and more people prefer to access their local news through web-only platforms and mobile devices.
Joliet and Will County always seem to have a lot of news going on, and I will do my best to bring you a superior news product.
Allied Landscaping of Joliet donated its services and labor to the city of Joliet to create the new neighborhood park near Center and Moran.
The bridge was closed May 14 for emergency repairs to replace equipment and electrical components.
Joliet police arrested 50-year-old Allen Hoard on June 8 and he has remained in the Will County detention under the SAFE-T-Act.
Bays told Joliet Patch he is rigorously screening all applicants for Bays Tower because he wants to make sure he only accepts good people.
“Joliet City Center Restaurant Week is a celebration of the vibrant culinary scene right in the heart of our city," Vicki Sanchez declared.
Your guide to fireworks, parades and other July 4 celebrations in and around Channahon.
She exhibited hostility towards the officers, including cursing, verbal abuse, and making racially charged comments, Joliet police noted.
Your guide to fireworks, parades and other July 4 celebrations in and around Joliet.
Her son informed the officers that he went to assist his mother, who was caught in a wrestling-style armbar by Joseph Rowland, police said.
He handed over a clear plastic bag containing several packaged baggies, believed to contain cocaine and heroin, Joliet police revealed.
Donnellan was called slow, stupid, incompetent, a joke and an embarrassment, even though she performed satisfactorily, her lawsuit noted.
Chester Weger, who worked as a dishwasher at the lodge, initially confessed to beating the women to death with a frozen tree branch.
Marty Johnson, 35, admitted he had inappropriate pictures of children on his phone, the Will County State's Attorney's Office outlined.
The results indicated Lenin Canales-Zelaya had a blood alcohol concentration exceeding the legal limit of 0.08, Joliet police advised.
Robert Lee Weathers, 64, continued to resist by pulling away from the officers and threatened to kill the officers, Joliet police advised.
Mutual aid came from Lockport, New Lenox, Manhattan, Rockdale and Homer.
The intersection of North Midland Avenue and Campbell Street will be closed.
This year, bicycle riders can choose four different routes cycling across Kendall County: 20 miles, 30 miles, 50 miles and a 70-mile route.
Practically everyone in Joliet is sharing out the Joliet Police Department Facebook post. Are you going to also?
The Forest Preserve property tax rate will decrease about 27 percent this year, reducing the amount Will County residents pay.
