Community Corner
The Most Shocking Stories of 2013
Brush up on some of the most-read Lemont Patch stories of 2013.
In a look back at the year's top stories, we pinpoint the ones that made jaws drop.
Police: Man Dead After Jumping From I-355 Bridge in Lemont
Lemont residents were aghast at the death of a man who reportedly jumped from the Interstate 355 bridge near downtown Lemont in August.Read more.
Fire at Lemont Citgo Refinery
No one was injured in a fire crews battled for hours at a Lemont Citgo refinery on Oct. 23.The fire started in the crude oil unit that night. The unit was immediately shut down, and firefighters from Lemont and surrounding suburbs fought the blaze for hours. No injuries were reported, no evacuations were required. All employees were safe.
Read more.
Lemont Plans $21 Million Sports Complex
Located on 26.3 acres on the former Tri Central Marine Terminal property, the sports complex is planned for a parcel of land roughly bounded by the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and Industrial Park Drive, from the end of Stephen Street north of the post office and continuing west under the Lemont Street bridge and beyond.
The proposed development features 190,230 square feet of outdoor turf —including four 360-by-225-foot fields for sports such as soccer, lacrosse and football.
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The project’s planned 122,000-square-foot indoor facility includes four 185-by-90-foot areas for field sports, and convertible spaces to accommodate two 94-by-50-foot IHSA basketball courts, five 60-by-30-foot volleyball courts and one 120-by-60-foot tennis court. The indoor facility also features areas for concessions, multi-purpose rooms, party rooms and storage.
The proposal has drawn significant opposition among Lemont residents, with group "Let Us Vote" drumming up 1,700 signatures on a petition to drive the proposal to referendum for voters to choose in March 2014. Mayor Brian Reaves admitted to having "tunnel vision" for the project—for which he initially expressed a desire to "fast-track." He has since told residents that he is exploring private financing options, "take the burden off of taxpayers.
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"There needs to be an economic vehicle that runs and brings people into Lemont," Reaves said.
Read more.Middle School Student Admits to Writing Oakwood Bomb Threat
The threat prompted heightened security at both Oakwood and River Valley schools Monday and Tuesday, including a building sweep by Lemont police and the Cook County Sheriff's K-9 Unit. A middle school student 'fessed up, to leaving the threat written outside Oakwood School on Sunday.The threat was one of many in District 113A in 2013—including four at Old Quarry since the beginning of the school year. The school implemented strict classroom sign-out procedures and staff bathroom checks as an attempt to curb the threats. A student admitted to the most recent threat, in early December. The culprit(s) of the others remains unknown. District administrators are still mulling disciplinary action.
Read more.
Need a dose of good news after that? Check out the Top Stories that Move You in 2013.
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