You Vote: What Was Mokena's Biggest Story of 2011?

With less than a week left of 2011, here are our candidates for the most important Mokena story of the year.

Vote in our poll for the most important story and suggest stories we missed in the comments section below.

NOTE: Rather than tackle all of the issues has faced over the year in one fell swoop, we broke the district's troubles down into three categories. Be sure to read all the options before voting for "the schools" as the year's biggest story.

Mokena 159 referendum fails a third time

Despite and , supporters of a Mokena 159 school referendum were unable to get voters behind their cause . The April 2011 referendum vote might have been the last hurrah for the issue that so divided the town in 2010, as .

Teen gets 40 years for killing sister

Keith Randulich, of Mokena, will be 58 years old when he is released from prison for the 2009 murder of his 4-year-old sister. , the sister he described as his best friend asked, "Why are you killing me?" Randulich, who was 19 at the time of his sentencing in April, .

Superintendent Karen Perry ousted

Mokena 159 Superintendent Karen Perry, one of the driving forces behind the district's three referenum bids, was by Mokena Elementary School Principal Steve Stein. Stein, originally named interim superintendent, was . Perry is still in Mokena 159, acting as Stein's assistant but receiving her superintendent salary. State records for the 2009-10 school year listed Perry’s salary as $140,728.51.

Motorcycle deaths

Mokena man Shane Kreke, 37, was coming back from helping his brother on a catering job in June when a driver crashed into the motorcycle Kreke was driving and fled the scene. . A week before the hit-and-run that led to Kreke's death, James “Rocky” Siciliano, 52, also of Mokena, that cut short his life of motorcycles and charity.

Teacher contract negotiations continue into new year

Mokena 159 school board meetings in the fall angry that the school year started without a new teacher contract. Although the teachers union originally , eventually the district confirmed . There is still no contract, but threats of strike have been allayed after

Snowmageddon (with Snow Shark)

The Blizzard of 2011, aka the Snowmageddon or the Snowpocalypse, , , , , and, most importantly, brought into existence . Take a look at to remember the storm you'll tell your kids about when they whine about shoveling the drive.