Local

Two-thirds of the way into the season, Illinois is enjoying its sixth warmest winter since 1895, according to State Climatologist Jim Angel of the Illinois State Water Survey.

Opening statements and witness testimony began Tuesday in the double murder trial of Keith Mackowiak, who is accused of killing an elderly Seneca couple in 2007. Mackowiak is charged with murdering Aloysius Twardowski, 84, and his wife, Catherine Twardowski, 87, of rural Seneca, on July 11, 2007.

Seven local schools have been awarded the 2011 Academic Excellence Award. From Coal City Unit 1 School District, its elementary, intermediate and middle schools received the recognition, as did Nettle Creek Elementary School, Walnut Trails Elementary School of Minooka Community Consolidated School District 201, and two schools from Channahon School District 17 — Channahon Junior High and Three Rivers School.

Channahon Police Chief Jeff Wold submitted the department’s annual report to the village board Monday and put a few of the numbers in perspective — including statistics on accidents and response times.

Two disposal facilities operated by Waste Management of Illinois, Inc. generated $4.7 million in revenue for Will County and local taxing bodies in 2011.

During its regular meeting Monday, the council unanimously approved a new fuel dispensing system for the city fuel pumps at the Public Works Department on River Road. The new system will cost $16,015 and will be split between the city, Morris Fire and Ambulance District and the Grundy County Sheriff's Department.

Morris resident Bronco Bojovic suspended his campaign seeking the seat in the 16th Congressional District in order to take care of his family. Last week, Bojovic's mother suffered a massive heart attack.

A trial day has been set for Christopher Vaughn, the man who allegedly killed his family in 2007 after stopping in Channahon while traveling during a family vacation.

Congressman Don Manzullo, who currently represents the 16th Congressional District, gained a major conservative supporter Monday when the Illinois Tea Party endorsed him for re-election to Congress, according to his office.

Bronco Bojovic, a Morris man, has suspended his campaign to challenge the winner of the Don Manzullo-Adam Kinzinger primary for the congressional seat in the 16th District. Bojovic's decision comes in the wake of his mother having suffered a heart attack late Tuesday evening.

"We are appealing to all O Negative blood donors to visit one of our centers or community blood drives immediately so that others may get the treatment they need," said Ann McKanna, vice president of marketing and new business development for Heartland Blood Centers.

The students and staff at Immaculate Conception School in Morris have found their representative for this year's Grundy County Spelling Bee. Sixth-grader Jacinda Smith will compete at the Grundy County Administration Building Saturday, Feb. 18.

After months of discussion, a draft host agreement that could lead to the expansion of Envirotech Landfill was recommended for approval by the Finance and Administration Committee and will now go to the full Morris City Council.

Eighth-graders at Channahon Junior High learned some rather adult lessons this past week in career development and financial management. This is the second year Channahon School District 17 and Junior Achievement have teamed up to give the insight to the students. Both the school and the organization say it’s been a win-win all the way around.

Minooka Community High School board members began sharing thoughts and ideas Thursday night on how the district can develop a $2 million deficit-reduction plan. Projections put the district with a $3 million deficit by 2012.

A young boy from Diamond and his family, hit hard during the past year by the economy, had a very special Christmas thanks to this "Santa," who wants to remain anonymous. “It’s not about me,” the Grundy County businessman said. “It’s about making sure kids have something on Christmas.”

The superintendents and several of the districts' board members are coming together to form an additional website as a part of the Morris Community School Shared Services Committee. The new site will serve as a means of communication for the district employees as well as a place for the public to receive information.

With the hope that they "melted" the audience members' hearts, first-graders from White Oak Elementary School in Morris told a story, sang several winter songs, recited poems and told a few jokes on stage Thursday, Feb. 2, at their school. The show, called "The Snowman Parade," was made up of first-graders from Kelly Auwerda and Laura Marizza's classes.

The high school students at Gardner-South Wilmington High School played out a scenario Wednesday that was just a dramatization, but the reality is this actually happens. That was the message for GSW's Road to Reality Wednesday, Feb. 1. Distracted driving and accidents related to it are 100 percent preventable.

Chuck Szoke, executive director at the Channahon Park District, was the recipient of the Professional Recognition Award at the Illinois Park and Recreation Association (IPRA) annual conference. Only one individual is awarded the IPRA Professional Recognition Award each year.