New Lenox Police Play Santa by Taking 31 Needy Kids Christmas Shopping

The NLPD takes on the role of Santa's helpers by assisting needy kids looking to spread a little Christmas cheer.

New Lenox Police Play Santa by Taking Needy Kids Christmas Shopping

The NLPD takes on the role of Santa's helpers by assisting needy kids looking to spread a little Christmas cheer.

The spirit of Christmas for 31 New Lenox kids arrived not wrapped in red and green—it came dressed in the navy blue uniforms worn by the New Lenox Police Department.  The NLPD partnered with MorningStar Mission, Joliet, to take the kids shopping for presents. Almost one-to-one attention was given the kids who spent Dec. 1 with their newfound friends from the NLPD. Police Chief Bob Sterba said MorningStar Mission had acquired donations of $100 gift cards and distributed them to youngsters whose family's budgets have been devastated by a persistent economic drought. "We took them to Kmart to go shopping," he said, but the ride was made special. Read: Enter Patch's "Deck the House Contest" for a Chance to win $100,000 Like the sleigh that …

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Mary Lee Hendrick

9:39 am on Sunday, December 9, 2012

I saw the police cars there yesterday, the 8th - what was that all about?   more ›

A Little Change Makes a Big Difference: Trinity Lutheran Donates to MorningStar

Trinity Lutheran Church in New Lenox collected coffee mugs and loose change to donate to the Joliet homeless shelter. Parishioners turned in more than 200 mugs and $800 in change.

Trinity Lutheran Church in New Lenox made a little bit of change go a long way this month. Organized by member Kim Blecke, the church collected coffee mugs and loose change—small, everyday items—and donated them to the MorningStar Mission homeless shelter in Joliet. In total, the church collected 204 mugs and $1,419.16. Members of Trinity Lutheran volunteer twice a month at MorningStar to serve meals to the homeless. Blecke filled in a few months ago, and while she was there she was impressed that non-disposable items are used. "I thought, 'Gee, they use coffee mugs and I bet you they get broken,'" Blecke said. "You can close the cabinet door with coffee mugs and they multiply in the dark." She took that small household item and decided to…

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Well Water Debated; MorningStar Mission Annexed

The resale shop and other stores located in the strip center, off West Circle Drive and Route 30, were brought into village territory.

The village boundaries of New Lenox continue to expand, with the most recent addition being the MorningStar Mission resale shop and adjacent businesses. The property is located at 2571 E. Lincoln Hwy, just across Route 30 from the retail center with Target and Lowe's, and is 3.51 acres total. MorningStar will build a temporary parking lot behind the building to hold 63 cars, in part because of the impact of Route 30 construction. The site, which would be re-zoned to a commercial property when annexed, could be re-developed in the future. At a previous board meeting, the owners said there's no immediate plans to change what's on the property, but it will happen at some point. Because MorningStar is next to residential properties, certain …

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Village Board: MorningStar Talks Development; Youth Football Honored

Get a recap of all the action from the Nov. 28 Village Board meeting, including a big check for the township food pantry and an extension for the site plan in the Walmart development.

Plans are on track for New Lenox to annex the strip center containing MorningStar Mission into the village. During a public hearing Monday night, Marilyn Farmer of MorningStar and her attorney answered questions for the Village Board. Planning Administrator Robin Ellis said annexation was originally scheduled to happen a couple years ago, but road improvements in the area concerned the owners. The property is located at 2571 E. Lincoln Hwy, just across Route 30 from the retail center with Target and Lowe's. Jim Homco, a resident who lives just to the north of MorningStar, expressed concern with lighting and screening. MorningStar would build a temporary parking lot behind the building to hold 63 cars, in part because of the impact of Route…

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