Eight months after her daughter's fatal heroin overdose, Joretta Hill contacted Amber Thompson's family to let them know they were not alone Joretta Hill never had any doubt she would make the phone call. She had to. The Thompsons were just starting to live her nightmare. They were grieving the death of their daughter, who died of a heroin overdose. Hill knew a lot of the world would be ready to write her off as an addict who got what she deserved. [continues 1661 words]
Roberto Flores scans the menu. Pan Roasted Veal Chop $40 Smoked Chicken & Rock Shrimp Pasta $26 Flores checks the money in his pocket again. 14 OZ. New York Steak $33 Coffee Rubbed Filet Of Beef $38 Flores looks down the table. It's filled with educators -- superintendents in pinstripes and administrators in business attire at an education conference. None seem fazed by the prices. Back in the day -- back when he was doing wrong -- Flores would have bought dinner for everyone at the table. He would have pulled up in a limo, flashed hundreds around the table. The suits' eyes would have been on him. [continues 3304 words]
Pushing Awareness: County Wants To Nip Drug Scourge Before It Can Get A Foothold YORKVILLE -- When anecdotal reports about methamphetamine use started showing up in Kendall County, Janet Stutz was among the people who wanted to find out more information. With a group of local legislators and law-enforcement officials, Stutz, the principal at Bednarcik Junior High in the Oswego School District, organized meetings to educate themselves about the highly addictive stimulant which often is manufactured in dangerous home laboratories. At those meetings, Stutz was stunned to see a map of where meth labs were being uncovered. Usually thought of as a downstate, rural phenomenon, the map was a beeline toward Kendall County. [continues 320 words]
ST. CHARLES TOWNSHIP - A Kane County jail guard has been fired for lying about drug use, authorities said. Last week, the sheriff's disciplinary commission agreed with the department's recommendation that eight-year veteran Thomas Simmons had lied on his initial application and during an internal investigation about smoking part of a marijuana cigarette while off duty. Simmons also was accused of stealing a jail guard uniform. "We can't have our employees using drugs; it's the same for the people we're watching," Undersheriff Mike Anderson said. "And our whole careers are based on integrity. If you're a proven liar, you can't work here." [continues 284 words]
