Mokena Chamber to Celebrate Autumn At Food and Wine Festival on Oct. 6

Food sampling from local restaurants and wine tasting will take place at Yunker Farm from noon to 6 p.m.

The Mokena Chamber is celebrating autumn with its ninth annual Mokena Food and Wine Festival on Saturday, Oct. 6, at Historic Yunker Farm. The festival is being held in association with the Mokena Park District and runs from noon to 6 p.m. at the farm at 10824 LaPorte Road in Mokena. Guests will be able to sample wines provided by Berkot’s Super Foods and food provided by participating restaurants including Tom Kelly’s Chophouse & Pub, Berkot’s, Chicago Blu Grill & Bar, Little Joe’s Famous Pizza, Pepper Mill Family Restaurant, Nancy’s Pizza, Eggcetera Café, Boston’s Gourmet Pizza and Smokey Barque. Music will be provided by the Illinois Philharmonic Quintet and the Chico Smorgallees Jazz Ensemble. You must be 21 and older to attend. …

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Talks to Lease Mokena Elementary Hit Standstill

Negotiations have broken down between D159 and the Mokena Park District regarding leasing space at Mokena Elementary School for the park district's preschool programs.

Mokena School District 159 has yet to finalize an agreement to lease out classroom space at Mokena Elementary School due to a breakdown in negotiations with the Mokena Park District. "We still haven't been able to finalize an agreement with regard to housing any of their pre-K programs here yet, but I don't think it's anything that we've totally given up on," D159 Supt. Steve Stein said. The idea of renting out classroom space at the school was proposed as an alternative to closing and leasing out Mokena Intermediate School last year. The park district was in talks with D159 to sign an addendum to the intergovernmental agreement between the two bodies—which currently allows for the sharing of facilities like gymnasiums and fields, but not …

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R.W.Voter

7:56 am on Thursday, September 13, 2012

To Cathy H, as long as I have been a resident here, there have been referendums for increased money for Mokena 159, and for a fire station that we don't need, as long as they keep asking for money to waste, I will vote no. Thank you   more ›

Last Chance to Punt, Pass and Kick with the Mokena Park District

The Mokena Community Park District is hosting an NFL Punt, Pass and Kick contest on July 4, starting at 1:30 p.m. at Main Park.

Football might be a fall sport, but that isn't stopping the NFL and Mokena Park District from teaming up for a July 4 Punt, Pass, and Kick contest at Mokena Main Park. The event is open to boys and girls ages 6–15. The competition will be broken up by age group, and girls and boys will not compete against one another. The competition will have participants punt, pass and then kick a football, with their total yardage of the three events added together to find a winner. Participants must wear only soft-soled gym shoes during the competition, and must bring a copy of their birth certificate to verify their age. Age is determined on the age of a participant as of Dec. 31 this year. The contest kicks off at 1:30 p.m. at Main Park, with …

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Park District's Website Overhauled

The Mokena Community Park District's website received a total revamp this week, with a brand new layout, links to every event and online registration now available.

The Mokena Community Park District's website looks a little bit different following a total facelift this week. The website, which now features photos, a full events calendar and more went live late this week. Gone is the old, mainly white page with a simple links bar in the middle, and in its place sits a highly interactive site full of information about all activities, classes, parks and more. On the homepage sits a scrolling photo box with pictures from around Mokena parks and facilities, next to an interactive upcoming events box which has fully click-able links to specific events pages. Along the top of the site sits the main navigation bar, which will allow residents to peruse several areas of the park district, including the ability…

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Burros Looking to Play at L-W East, Providence

After the Mokena Park District parted ways with the Mokena Burros, the youth football and cheer organization has found new places to play.

Following the loss of their field and a barrage of rumors and miscommunication, the Mokena Burros are moving forward with new places to play football in 2012. At a Burros Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday, athletic director Sal Della Fave said both Lincoln-Way East and Providence Catholic High School have offered their varsity fields to the youth football organization. Earlier this year, the Mokena Park District decided it would not rent football fields to the Burros. The two organizations discussed an agreement but nothing ever materialized. Early in March, the Burros announced an agreement with the Meijer Corporation to use a vacant development at Route 30 and Wolf Road. Some parents said they were told that’s where games would be …

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Record-Setting Mokena Business and Health Expo This Saturday

Mark your calendars for the Community Business Expo and Health Fair put on by the Mokena Chamber of Commerce.

A new location, a record number of exhibitors and a park district art show at the same time will set apart this weekend's Mokena Chamber of Commerce Community Expo and Health Fair. The yearly, free event will bring together 70 exhibitors, a record for the showcase of Mokena businesses and health experts. A face painter will be on hand for the kids from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and local historian Matt Galik will be signing his recently published book of Mokena history, Mokena: Images of America. Since the chamber started hosting its own expo in 2006 (before that it held a joint expo with the Frankfort Chamber of Commerce), it has been held at Mokena Elementary School. See photos of the 2011 Business Expo and Health Fair. This year, the expo …

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Football Anger 'Scary,' Hurting Kids, Park President Says

After an incident where he said he was accosted by a Mokena Burros official about the new Mokena Jr. Griffins youth football program, park district President Dennis Bagdon said a few angry people are taking attention away from the kids.

Mokena Park District President Dennis Bagdon said he's worried an incident last week where he said he was accosted by a Mokena Burros official is taking attention from where it should be—on the kids playing youth football. He confirmed an account given by the SouthtownStar, which described an unnamed Burros board member yelling profanities at the president of the park district that, starting this summer, will rent fields to both groups. "It's getting to the point where it's almost getting scary. I felt threatened last week," Bagdon told Patch on Tuesday. "It was inches away from physical violence." He did not identify the official, but said the topic was the Mokena Jr. Griffins, a new youth football program coming to town. For nearly 50 …

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Here Are Our Halloween Hollow Photos, Send Us Yours

A sampling of the fun early Friday night at Halloween Hollow in Main Park.

Here's how to submit your photo:

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patrick markham

3:16 pm on Sunday, October 16, 2011

What a great day for the community, Bravo to Dennis Bagdon and his park board. This is a great example of drawing a community together. The smiles, the cameras popping, the rides and symphony of laughter WOW and how bout those "TUNES" ... OUTSTANDING , Mr Bagdon.. heartfelt thanks for making it possible.   more ›

Know 'Kena

New Principals and Naming Fish: Weekly Mokena News Quiz and Daily Trivia Answers, Aug. 20

Hey! Hey! Hey! Want some trivia?

What Mokena Park District festival was last weekend? A. Taste of Mokena B. Founder Days C. Farm and Barn Fest D. Woodstock Check out our photo gallery from the festival, whatever it's called Where was new Mokena Elementary School Principal Chris Clavenna an assistant principal before taking the MES job? A. Mokena Elementary School B. Lincoln-Way North C. Lincoln-Way Central D. Mokena Intermediate School Find out that and more about new Principal Chris Clavenna in Patch's Q&A with her Which early rock star died 34 years ago this week? A. Jerry Lee Lewis B. Elvis Presley C. Carl Perkins D. Trick question. He isn't dead. Read our thoughts on the legacy of this rock royal What's the name of Mokena Elementary School kindergarten teacher Kathy …

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Sports Photo Gallery: Riding a Big Wave to 30-Over Summer Basketball Title at Oaks Rec Center

Big Wave defeated Big Ballers in the 30-over men's league championship basketball game at the Mokena Park District's Oaks Recreation Center.

You don't get old, you just get better, right? Big Wave proved that point in the men's 30-over championship basketball game in the Mokena Park District summer league. Big Wave defeated Big Ballers 53-38 Tuesday night at The Oaks Recreation Center. The title was the sixth for the Big Wave and came after the two teams battled through a tight first quarter of play. Big Wave finally pulled away, using the same formula that worked during their undefeated regular season, balanced scoring and teamwork. Check out the action.

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