Water Damage Restoration in Joliet, IL

(The following edited press release is from Mallory Hewlett of the Joliet Public Library.)

JOLIET — The Joliet Public Library was awarded NASA’s Universe of Learning Grant, and welcome the Discover Exoplanets: The Search for Alien World’s exhibition from December to February at the downtown Joliet Ottawa Street Branch.

The library will host 700 square feet of interactive display, providing an introduction to the search for life on other planets and tools NASA scientists use to search for exoplanets.

The grant also includes $1,000 for special programs, in-person training, a facilitation kit for the library to keep and access to NASA subject-matter experts.

“We are honored to be the only library in our state to host this amazing exhibit,” said Executive Director, Megan Millen. “We have had the opportunity to showcase different educational and interactive exhibitions. How exciting to have such a special exhibit come to Joliet, and for our community to experience it and get immersed in the world of space and science.”

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For this particular exhibit, NASA’s goals are for patrons to learn about different solar systems, their search for habitable planets, the scale of the Earth in space and different tools and instruments used for their findings.

During the exhibit’s stay, the library will host free programming for adults, kids, teens and tweens. Adult programming will feature different speakers, including Joliet’s own Dayna Ise, now the Director of the Mars Campaign Office with NASA.

The Library invites the public to join us for the Grand Opening Celebration of the exhibit on Wednesday, December 11 from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. On this special night, learn more about the wonder beyond our solar system through 30 minute presentations in a digital dome, given by JJC planetarium coordinator Caitlin Lee. Other stations will be available throughout the building, including activities for adults, kids, and teens.

Discover Exoplanets is made possible through NASA’s Universe of Learning. NASA's Universe of Learning materials are based upon work supported by NASA under award number NNX16AC65A to the Space Telescope Science Institute, working in partnership with Caltech/IPAC, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The Joliet Public Library is a resource for the Joliet community to read, explore, ask and discover. For more information, visit https://jolietlibrary.org/ or call 815-740-2660. Library hours are Monday-Thursday from 9:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m., Friday–Saturday from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1:00-5:00 p.m.

Will county — Early voting for the Nov. 5 general election is set to expand throughout Will County on Monday.

Although early voting has been available at select locations throughout Illinois, including at the Will County Clerk’s Office in Joliet, the number is set to increase significantly Monday.

Within Will County, 22 new early-voting locations will become available for residents to cast their ballots for president, federal and state representatives and Will County offices.

Effective Monday, early voting will be available at the city hall buildings in Braidwood, Naperville, Channahon, Elwood, Frankfort, Manhattan, Mokena, New Lenox, Plainfield and Romeoville; the Fountaindale Public Library in Bolingbrook; the Frankfort Public Library; the Joliet Park District; Governors State University (across from the Paul Bunyan statue); the Louis Sherman Community Center in Hopkins; the Prairie Activity and Rec Center in Plainfield; the University Park Public Library; the Naperville Public Library-95th Street; and the township buildings for Homer, Lockport, Washington and Troy townships.

Although most early voting locations are open to all Will County residents, the Troy Township location is available only to residents of the township.

Specific hours of operation and addresses for each location can be found on the Will County Clerk’s Office’s early-voting page. Early voting is available Monday through Friday at almost all early-voting locations, with some providing limited weekend hours.

The city of Naperville, the Foundtaindale Public Library, the Frankfort Public Library, the Joliet Park District, Governors State University, the Naperville Public Library, Lockport Township, the Prairie Activity and Rec Center, the University Park Library, Washington Township and the village of New Lenox all offer early voting on select weekend days.

Additionally, the Will County Clerk’s Office will begin offering early-voting hours for the weekends of Oct. 26 to 27 and Nov. 2 to 3.

Two additional early-voting sites will open later in October for a limited number of days. Early voting will be available between Oct. 28 and Nov. 2 at the Crete Township building, and on weekends only at the Spanish Community Center in Joliet starting Oct. 26.

The last day for online voter registration is Sunday. However, you can register to vote in person at the county clerk’s office and at certain early-voting sites.

Mail-in ballots

It also still is possible to request a mail-in ballot, which can be submitted in person at the Will County Clerk’s Office by 7 p.m. on election day or mailed with a postmark of Nov. 5 through the U.S. Postal Service.

These ballots also can be dropped at any Will County drop box location until the evening of Nov. 4.

These drop boxes are located at the Will County Office Building in Joliet, the Fountaindale Public Library, the Frankfort Public Library, the main building at Governors State University, the Joliet Public Library – Black Road Branch, the Naperville Public Library-95th Street, the Plainfield Public Library, the White Oak Library in Lockport, and the Wilmington Public Library.

Drop boxes are available at all these locations during the building’s hours of operation, which can be found on the Will County Clerk’s Office website.

"In 1991, the city initiated the ambitious Broadway Street Greenway project, aiming to enhance its northern gateway," Mayor D'Arcy said.

Patch Staff

|Updated Wed, Oct 23, 2024 at 4:34 pm CT

JOLIET — Mayor Terry D'Arcy led Wednesday's press conference to re-dedicate the Route 66 Park at the Broadway Street Greenway. The Route 66 Park is considered a major tourist stop and there are now new signs at the entrances and on the nearby Rich & Creamy Ice Cream stand building.

The improvements also feature several new interpretive signs detailing Joliet’s history and enhanced landscaping. Notable selfie opportunities include a giant neon Route 66 shield and a large “Greetings from Joliet” postcard.

“By the early 2000s, the city successfully transitioned the land just north of Ruby to Ingalls into a 7-acre linear park that included this ice cream stand, which many of you may remember as Kreamy Delight," Mayor D'Arcy told everyone.

The Route 66 Park also features a 1/3-mile paved path meandering through the Greenway and a playground. In 2007, the city received a state tourism grant to add Route 66-themed elements, officially branding this site as Route 66 Park.

Larry Walsh Jr., Joliet's State Representative for the District 86, joined Mayor D'Arcy at the podium for Wednesday's Joliet press conference.

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Walsh said that improving Joliet's image has been a key goal of his for some time so "that people know there is a lot of good things here, a lot of history here, going back to when we were steel and stone. You talked about the Steelman. That's Joliet Township High School. My father was a graduate from both schools, Township and East, that history is abundant," Walsh told the crowd.

"In 2018, with the celebration of the Route 66 1ooth birthday, the State of Illinois and the General Assembly created the Illinois Route 66 Commission, or centennial commission, that is basically set up to promote and market the celebration of 100 years of Route 66 working with the city of Joliet ... we've been able to give municipalities across the state, multiple dollars, millions of dollars actually, to make improvements and enhance the byway of Route 66 for this celebration that coming in two years."

Route 66 Park will also feature an 8-foot-tall Steelman statue.

“When we were considering what unique feature to include at the park, we kept returning to the iconic Steelman,"City Planner Jayne Bernhard announced. "I’ll admit, I am a Steelwoman myself—Class of 2000. We approached Joliet Township High School about replicating a giant Steelman for the park, and the JTHS board and administration enthusiastically agreed.”

Local sculptors Angelica Cristal, Jeff Benedick, and Kyle Hoover are fabricating the 8-foot-tall Steelman from stainless steel. The installation of this statue has faced production delays, so a special dedication event is scheduled for April 2025.

According to the city of Joliet's press release of the event:

Enhancements to Route 66 Park were funded by a Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Route 66 Grant. Heritage Corridor Destinations, the region’s convention and visitors bureau, manages the grant awards for this program locally.

The 7-acre linear park spans approximately 2,000 feet along the east side of Broadway Street, from just south of Ross Street to Ingalls Avenue. In addition to Route 66 Park and Rich & Creamy, the Greenway features a 1/3-mile paved path lined with benches and receptacles, as well as an arboretum showcasing a variety of plant species identified with tags.

Route 66 Park at the Broadway Street Greenway is open year-round, while the Rich & Creamy Ice Cream stand stays open from April through October.

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El Guero has been super slow to open its first Joliet grocery store, despite significant sales tax incentives from the city of Joliet.

Patch Staff

|Updated Fri, Oct 18, 2024 at 3:38 pm CT

JOLIET — One of the slowest redevelopment projects in Joliet over the past several years, the addition of the El Guero grocery store at the former Certified Foods Warehouse along East Jackson Street, is apparently on the verge of actually opening for business.

Although contractors have been all done with the extensive remodeling of the building since early summer, the El Guero at 118 East Jackson Street has remained empty for the past several months.

For years, east side residents implored their city of Joliet officials to bring another grocery store to their side of town after both Certified Foods went out of business in the spring of 2017. The Certified Foods on Richards Street was remodeled into a facility to treat people overcoming substance abuse addictions.

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"Honestly, hiring can take time. They're almost there, which has been their biggest delay," Martinez said. "They are targeting to open by the end of this month. It will be a soft launch. They just want to get open and do a soft launch now."

Martinez believes that people on the city's east side will flock to the El Guero and use it regularly once it opens for business. It's been seven and a half years since the Certified Foods left.

"It's been empty for years," Martinez noted. "I think whatever El Guero has done in terms of the beautification and the inside improvements to the store, it's something that's sorely needed on that site, and it will be for one less eyesore for the east side.

"I think it will have a draw. It's near Collins Street. It will be an enhancement to that."

The city of Joliet sales tax incentives rebate agreement with El Guero does not provide the Chicago area grocery store company with any funds until the grocery store is open. The only incentives the city has done so far is waiving of the building permits for the construction, Martinez noted.

Joliet will mark the seventh grocery store for El Guero, according to Martinez. The company's closest location is the El Guero on Theodore Street, across from the old Crest Hill City Hall.

Martinez expects the Joliet El Guero will feature a bakery and butcher shop. El Guero will offer a wide range of Latin American products. The city of Joliet has already approved a liquor license allowing El Guero to sell packaged liquor here.

"I think this is one of those projects to spur more development and investment in that area," Martinez said. "And kind of set the standards for beautification."