Stephanie Markham

Reporter at Kankakee Daily Journal

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Articles

Rescue dog turned cover model

1 week ago | shawlocal.com | Stephanie Markham

It is Sheba’s time for the spotlight. The 12-year-old Labrador and Chow Chow mix, who was adopted from Iroquois County Animal Rescue by Momence resident Tracy Ahrens, was selected to be on the cover of the Spring 2025 issue of FIDO Friendly magazine. FIDO Friendly is a quarterly dog travel and lifestyle magazine. The current issue is available online and in print at fidofriendly.com. Ahrens has taken photos of her pets in festive outfits for holidays for years.
Ironclad, Houston bound

1 week ago | shawlocal.com | Stephanie Markham

BRADLEY — Leviathan, the 115-pound robot, is ready for battle. In a few days, all the hard work, dedication and brainpower the BBCHS Ironclad Robotics team melded into its latest build will be put to the test at the 2025 FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Championship in Houston, Texas. The international competition will pit Bradley-Bourbonnais against 600 of the best robotics teams from around the world.
Dist. 111 forensic audit on YEP spending moves to next phase

1 week ago | shawlocal.com | Stephanie Markham

KANKAKEE – The forensic audit currently looking into Kankakee School District 111’s spending on its former Youth Empowerment Program has progressed onto the next phase, but is not yet completed. Harrison Neal, assistant superintendent of business services, said the forensic audit of the district’s spending of grant funds from the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority has moved onto phase three.
Dist. 111 looking to move transition program out of Meadowview

2 weeks ago | shawlocal.com | Stephanie Markham

KANKAKEE – Kankakee School District 111 has narrowed down its options for relocating the transition program for adult students with disabilities out of the Meadowview Center due to facility issues with the former Embrace Consignment Store location. Two possibilities are currently on the table. One option is to move the program into a pod of classrooms within the Avis Huff Student Support Services Center, which is home to the district’s alternative school.
Change in Manteno extends to school board

2 weeks ago | shawlocal.com | Stephanie Markham

MANTENO – It will be a time for change in the village of Manteno following Tuesday’s election, and that change will extend to the Manteno District 5 School Board, where an incumbent was unseated. Jim Hanley, a school board member for about five years, who is also the Manteno Public Works superintendent, lost his seat to first-time candidate Mary Crowe, a retired teacher. Crowe handily earned the most votes of the three candidates vying for two spots on the seven-member board.
Kankakee School Board to seat 2 new members, 3 incumbents

2 weeks ago | shawlocal.com | Stephanie Markham

KANKAKEE — The seven-member Kankakee School Board will have two new members and retain three incumbents following the outcome of Tuesday’s consolidated election. Two first-time candidates, Susan Green Lopez and Kathy Yancy Smith, are slated to join the Kankakee School District 111 board. Lopez, the daughter of former longtime Kankakee superintendent Kay Green, earned the most votes of all six candidates running for four available four-year terms.
Curriculum audit begins for Kankakee Dist. 111

3 weeks ago | shawlocal.com | Stephanie Markham

KANKAKEE – A curriculum and instruction audit is now in progress for Kankakee School District 111. The Kankakee School Board approved a contract this past month with Curriculum Management Solutions Inc., of Iowa, to complete the district-wide audit of curriculum and instructional practices for a total cost of $130,332. The company was one of four vendors that submitted proposals.
Kankakee County school board races called

3 weeks ago | shawlocal.com | Stephanie Markham

Preliminary results from the Kankakee County Clerk’s Office show which school boards across Kankakee County will gain new members and which will see incumbents maintaining or losing their seats following Tuesday night’s consolidated election. See the outcomes of contested races listed below. In Kankakee School District 111, three incumbents and one newcomer emerged victorious in the race for four four-year terms.
District 111 dismissing noncertified teachers after school year

3 weeks ago | shawlocal.com | Stephanie Markham

KANKAKEE – A long list of permanent substitutes and instructors will be dismissed and not rehired after the current school year ends as part of Kankakee School District 111 Superintendent Teresa Lance’s initiative to require certified teachers across the district. The District 111 board approved two resolutions this month authorizing the nonrenewal of a total of 50nontenured teachers other than final-year probationary teachers.
Welcome home, Uncle Willy

4 weeks ago | shawlocal.com | Stephanie Markham

The words stamped across bright orange shirts and sweatshirts worn in solidarity with Willy VanWassenhove, a Kankakee County farmer who was seriously injured in a September accident, seemed to perfectly sum up the spirit that led the 46-year-old to finally return home Saturday – “Willy Strong.” After six intense months which involved 15 surgeries, the amputation of his right leg above the knee and physical therapy at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, VanWassenhove received a warm...