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.
S&T Provisions first opened in 1960 in Mt. Greenwood in Chicago. The business sells pizza set-ups, meatball mix, sausage, pasta and more.
Joliet police officers found 22-year-old Eric Liacone near Herkimer Street and Columbia Street.
CUT 158 owner Bill Dimitroulas informed Joliet's City Council he was aware of Joliet Patch's news coverage and the social media comments.
Joliet's first police chief hired from outside the department since the 1990s, Evans took over the Joliet Police Department in March 2022.
Ron Tirapelli Ford is in Shorewood at 4335 W. Jefferson St. It's at the Interstate 55 exit for Joliet and Shorewood.
New this year is a holiday show. Rosie & The Rivets will take the stage Saturday from 5-7:30 p.m. to perform Jingle Bell Rocks.
Barrio Burrito Bar has opened its first location in Illinois on Tuesday, choosing the growing village of Shorewood as its first destination.
Two Joliet police officers saw the black Chevy Blazer with tinted windows going southbound on North Chicago Street near Ohio Street.
Joliet taxpayers are paying more this year to help subsidize several of Dimitroulas' downtown restaurants, including CUT 158 Chophouse.
Christopher McClinton joined the Joliet police force in September 2022. The following summer, he was in a deadly shooting.
Joliet police put Jesse Moreno in Will County's Jail on charges of aggravated domestic battery and domestic battery. He's from Texas.
Denise O'Malley shot her husband in 2020 as he watched a Chicago Bears game in their home. After firing three gunshots, he was hit twice.
The 25-year-old bicyclist was transported to an area hospital and later pronounced dead.
When Joliet criminal defendants don't want to stand trial, some of them hire downtown Joliet criminal defense lawyer Chuck Bretz.
Joliet police detective Cris Gombosi just obtained an arrest warrant for the felony arrest of Alexia Payton, who lives at the shelter.
The 68-year-old was reported missing from a senior facility.
On occasion, Joliet police officers are sent to the Calderon Liquors store at 741 Collins Street.
Kendall County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the home of Nancy Sales back on June 25, 2022, for a well-being check.
Jared Haberman, 42, has been freed from the Will County Jail because burglary is not one of the detainable crimes under the SAFE-T-Act.
Before leaving the Stang Kelly Wine & Liquors, Demetrius Greene allegedly exposed his genitalia to the male employee, Joliet police noted.
