Herald News

About 40 protestors turn up in Plainfield in protest of new interim director

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:21:50 -0500

PLAINFIELD - At least he offered the people protesting against him a snack. Interim executive director Garrett Peck had doughnut holes and bottled water set out for the 40 protestors who marched around the Plainfield Park District offices Wednesday morning calling for his removal or resignation. “Garrett. Garrett. Say it ain’t so. Tell us when you’re going to go,” they chanted during a walk on the path around the building. “Obviously, I believe in freedom of speech and the public is welcome here,” Peck said of the refreshments that had been set on a table near the front doors as …

Will Courts website hacked and infected with virus

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:30:26 -0500

The Will County Courts website is suffering from a hack attack. The website was hacked last week and infected with a virus, according to Courts Administrator Kurt Sangmeister. Sangmeister said he was informed of the breach on Friday by the county’s information technology department. “We took it down, and we’re trying to fix it,” Sangmeister said on Wednesday. “Apparently, we have been hacked somehow and there was some malware on there and some code got embedded in the site.” The site, www.willcountycourts.com., offers basic information about the courthouse including directions, where to park, who the judges are and how to …

Oklahoma tragedy gives Joliet firefighters reminder during training

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:02:29 -0500

JOLIET — The training may have been scheduled for weeks, but Monday’s tragedy in Oklahoma gave local fire department supervisors a very recent reference for their tornado response drill. “It’s coincidental, but with the horrific images and stories we are hearing from Moore, Okla., it’s easy to visualize what we’d deal with (here),” Deputy Fire Chief Ray Randich said Tuesday. For the next two days, different shifts will continue practicing how they’d go into different subdivisions if a tornado blew through. Tuesday morning’s practice was held in the Silver Leaf subdivision, which Batallion Chief John Zagar noted is more isolated …

Joliet City Council wants new oversight of housing authority

Wed, 22 May 2013 10:00:39 -0500

The Joliet City Council could get new oversight over the city’s troubled housing authority if it moves forward with a proposal made Tuesday. The Housing Authority of Joliet in the past year fired its executive director, was put under tighter control by federal regulators and underwent a partial shake-up of its board as demanded by the mayor. The agency, which operates most federally subsidized housing in Joliet, also recently laid off employees because of cuts in federal funds. On Tuesday, Councilman Robert O’Dekirk suggested that the council create a committee to oversee the housing authority. He said council members hear …

State targets doctors’ licenses

Wed, 22 May 2013 08:01:20 -0500

It was shocking news in January when a woman sued a Frankfort doctor, accusing him of fondling her in an exam room. Kishor Nathmal Jain had provided medical care for children and adults in Frankfort, starting in 1980 at Hedges Clinic. Jain, 59, graduated from Grant Medical College in Bombay, India, in 1976 and was licensed to practice in Illinois in 1978. He completed a residency in pediatrics in 1980 at Michael Reese Hospital in Chicago and was board certified in pediatrics in 1981. Then, more than 20 years later, came a series of lawsuits and criminal charges. In 2002, …

Man pleads guilty to raping his roommate

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:42:29 -0500

A convicted bank robber accused of raping his roommate whom he found online was sentenced Tuesday to 32 years in prison for the assault. William R. Swiderski, 53, pleaded guilty to two felony charges of criminal sexual assault before Will County Judge Daniel Rozak. Rozak agreed to impose a 32-year sentence suggested by attorneys — 16 years on each count. Because of two prior bank robbery convictions, Swiderski was eligible for up to 30 years on each count, authorities said. In September 2011, Swiderski rented a house in the 1000 block of Moen Avenue in Rockdale and advertised for a …

Iconic Mokena figure helped shape fire department

Wed, 22 May 2013 02:43:20 -0500

Del Yunker was more than Mokena’s first fire chief. Those who knew him well said he was an “iconic” figure in town, an excellent leader and mentor, a man of integrity with a heart of gold, and also the “sausage guy” at the pancake breakfast. Mr. Yunker, a lifelong resident of Mokena, died at home May 13. He was 72. He was also a Lincoln-Way High School graduate and U.S. Army veteran who worked with his father at Clyde Yunker Plumbing for 23 years before becoming fire chief. He joined the fire department in 1964 and served as chief from …