Lee Provost

2 days ago | shawlocal.com | Lee Provost

KANKAKEE – Finding muscles along the main boating area of the Kankakee River is normally not a problem. Shirtless young men are most often not difficult to find. However, the search for an entirely different kind of muscle – this one known as mussels, the kind which live under the flowing river water – are now being pursued. The search for the endangered mussels is being headed by GZA GeoEnvironmental, a Norwood, Maine-based company which operates an office in Oak Brook.

2 days ago | shawlocal.com | Lee Provost

LIMESTONE – On a steamy, 95-plus-degree-day, Limestone Park District board member Mark Messerle approached Hawkins Park. The finishing touches on a $1.23 million upgrade had just been completed. The only thing awaiting the full opening of the park along Tower Road was waiting for the concrete apron to the 127-space asphalt parking lot to fully cure. As he approached a pair of fellow park board members, Messerle couldn’t pass up the moment. A joke was in order.

2 days ago | shawlocal.com | Lee Provost

BRADLEY – There are changes at the top of two key departments within the administration in the village of Bradley. At Monday’s Bradley Village Board meeting, Matt Castilla, 52, a 16-year village building department employee, and Jeff Meeker, 51, a two-year department of public works staffer, were promoted to the top positions within the departments. Meeker replaces Scott Williams, who retired earlier this month.

1 week ago | shawlocal.com | Lee Provost

KANKAKEE – The annual Kankakee Juneteenth Parade is set to begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, and participants will be the first to experience the newly improved Hobbie Avenue. The parade, estimated to have a duration of about 40 minutes, will travel along East Oak Street and then meet at Hobbie Avenue and proceed to Pioneer Park. Activities in the park will include various vendors, sports tournaments and a fireworks display at nightfall, sponsored by the city of Kankakee.

1 week ago | shawlocal.com | Lee Provost

KANKAKEE – The Salvation Army’s fundraising campaign which relies greatly on bell ringers outside of Kankakee County grocery stores came in woefully short. With a $250,000 goal, Lt. LaToya Surratt reported the entire campaign, which began Oct. 1, 2024, and concluded Jan. 31, generated $167,427, or about 67% of its goal. On their own, the bell ringers standing alongside their red kettles generated $53,521, or just over 53% of its targeted amount of $100,000.