A podcast about the people and places of Kankakee County, IL. Hosted by, Jake LaMore.
Episodes
Monday Dec 26, 2022
Monday Dec 26, 2022
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends!
Our "Meet The Mayor" series continues on this episode of Kankakee Podcast with, Mark Hodge, who is currently the Mayor of Hopkins Park! Mayor Hodge and his family have deep roots in Hopkins Park. He's also lived a pretty interesting life outside of Kankakee County including his time as a United States Marine, followed by a lengthly career as a Corrections Officer in California.
Learn more about Mayor Hodge and Hopkins Park at https://www.hopkinspark-il.org/.
Thank you for your time, Mayor Hodge! It was an honor to have you on the podcast.
Much Love,
Jake LaMore
P.S. Fill out our survey for a chance to with a $50 Dairy Queen Gift Card, $50 Chicago Dough Gift Card, and a Kankakee Podcast hoodie: https://forms.gle/JTKEVN5dEUYHoq6f6
Thursday Dec 22, 2022
Thursday Dec 22, 2022
You may have heard or read the name, Project Sun, sometime in the past few years here in Kankakee County. What exactly is it though? It is a Strong Unified Network that is dedicated to strengthening the children's behavioral health system of care in Kankakee County. Project Sun Director, Deb Baron, and Parent Liaison, Rhonda Showers, join me on this episode of Kankakee Podcast to dive deep into what the organization's mission is.
Learn more at https://www.projectsunkankakee.org/.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProjectSunKankakee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/projectsun.k3/
Much Love,
Jake LaMore
P.S. Support Kankakee Podcast for as little as $1/month:
Monday Dec 19, 2022
Monday Dec 19, 2022
From 1883 to about 1915, Gougar’s Grove dominated the tourism industry in the Kankakee area. It was a beautifully wooded picnic area located about two miles upstream from Kankakee, just south of Baker’s Creek. Gougar’s Grove had several attractions to lure people in for miles around including a beach, shooting gallery, bowling alley, merry-go-round, dancing pavilion and more. The Grove was owned and operated by Captain William T. Gougar. Captain Cougar would shuttle people to his getaway grove on his steamboats, The Minnie Lillie and Margaret, starting at Schuyler Avenue and River Street in Kankakee. Jack Klasey of the Kankakee County Museum joins us on this episode of Kankakee Podcast to tell us all about Captain Billy and his Grove.
The 44th Annual Gallery of Trees is now open at the Kankakee County Museum until December 30th! Learn more at https://www.kankakeecountymuseum.com/.
Read Jack Klasey's weekly column in The Daily Journal:
https://muckrack.com/jack-klasey/articles
Also on this episode is our latest installment of KCC Success Stories! This one features the Professor of Education at Kankakee Community College, Jessica Friedericks.
Please join Kankakee Podcast in donating to the KCC Foundation: https://foundation.kcc.edu/give/
Every donation helps a KCC student succeed.
Much Love,
Jake LaMore
P.S. Support the podcast for as little as $1/month:
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Thursday Dec 15, 2022
Let's say a woman goes to CVS Pharmacy to pick up her prescription. She gives the pharmacy tech her insurance card to see what kind of coverage she can get on her medicine. After running her information, the total for a three month supply of her medication comes to around $142.00. Now, the next time she needs more medication, she decides to have the prescription filled at Main Street Pharmacy in Manteno. The owner and pharmacist, Eric Urbanowski, noticed how expensive that medication is through her insurance. He takes his time to look up and see what the cash price would be without going through her insurance. It turns out, her prescription would only cost her around $13.00 for a three month supply WITHOUT going through her health insurance coverage. So, Eric gives her the cash price for the medication and she's on her way with more money in her bank account. This is a daily accurance at Main Street Pharmacy.
How is a small locally owned pharmacy able to do this? Eric Urbanowski explains in full detail on this episode of Kankakee Podcast. I think you'll be fascinated with what Eric has to say. I found it to be truly mind blowing.
Learn more about Main Street Pharmacy at https://yourmainstreetpharmacy.com/.
Like them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourmainstreetpharmacy
Thank you for sharing this valuable information, Eric!
Much Love,
Jake LaMore
P.S. Support the podcast for as little as $1/month:
Monday Dec 12, 2022
Monday Dec 12, 2022
The first Dairy Queen store may not have opened in Kankakee County, but their famous soft serve was first taste tested by the public here. On August 4th, 1938, Sherb Noble had an all you can eat sale for this new innovative frozen treat for only ten cents at his ice cream parlor on West Avenue in Kankakee. The sale was a huge success and sold over sixteen hundred servings in just ninety minutes. By 1940, Sherb opened the first Dairy Queen store in Joliet, IL and eventually opened several locations in Kankakee County.
Today, the Noble Family still owns and operates nine Dairy Queen stores, five in Kankakee County and four in Kane County. Joe Rintelman, who married into the Noble Family, now oversees the operations of the stores and carries on the tradition. Joe was kind enough to join me on this episode of Kankakee Podcast to walk us through the iconic history of Sherb Noble and DQ.
I’d like to sincerely thank Joe and the entire Noble Family for signing on as one of our first sponsors of Kankakee Podcast. It’s a great honor to be supported by one of the most historic families in Kankakee County.
Learn more at http://noblestores.com/
Much Love,
Jake LaMore
P.S. Support the podcast for as little as $1/month: https://patron.podbean.com/kankakeepodcast
Monday Dec 05, 2022
Monday Dec 05, 2022
Picture being a very young kid and walking into a room to see your father with a belt strapped around his arm and a needle full of heroin sinking into his skin. That's the kind of life Kankakee area resident, Demarco Hampton, was born into. While that experience didn't lead Hampton to become a heroin user, it did guide him down a path of stealing and drug dealing. It wasn't until he had to serve hard time in prison for a crime he didn't commit that Demarco began to turn his life around. Now, Demarco spends his time sharing his story through his clothing line, Kopious Lifestyle, and mentoring young kids in the Kankakee area to help deter them from living the dark street life he lived. I'm very grateful for the what Demarco and several others are doing in the Kankakee area to work with young kids and teenagers in our area. It's so important not only for our kids future, but for our county's future as well. Demarco is also planning on releasing a new book soon. So be on the lookout for that!
Shop Kopious Lifestyle at https://www.thekopiouslifestyle.com/.
Thank you for sharing your story with us, Demarco. It was truly and honor and it inspired me to do better.
Much Love,
Jake LaMore
P.S. Support the podcast for as little as $1/month: https://patron.podbean.com/kankakeepodcast
Monday Nov 28, 2022
Monday Nov 28, 2022
Welcome to the first in a new series of episodes I'm starting up here at Kankakee Podcast called, "Meet The Mayor". I feel like it's important for all of us to get to know the current mayors of Kankakee County. The first one up is Kankakee Mayor, Chris Curtis! You'd never guess it, but Mayor Curtis once had long hair down to the middle of his back when he was a teenager. He also loves 80's hair metal and Coca-Cola. Listen to learn several more interesting stories about Mayor Curtis!
Plus, we have a new segment we are going to start doing on the podcast from time to time that we are calling, "KCC Success Stories." These segments will feature Kankakee Community College alumni and staff sharing their stories of how KCC set them up for success. The first story you’re going to hear today is actually from one of our Kankakee Podcast Patrons, Jesse Arseneau.
Help make a difference in a KCC student's life today by giving a gift to the KCC Foundation: https://foundation.kcc.edu/give/
Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to the City of Kankakee and beyond, Mayor!
Much Love,
Jake LaMore
P.S. Pledge $20/month to hear the extended version of this episode
along with several others: https://patron.podbean.com/kankakeepodcast
Monday Nov 21, 2022
Monday Nov 21, 2022
This is the second episode in a series on Kankakee Podcast where we meet with a Kankakee County resident who came to America as an immigrant. The first being episode 41 with Simon Topliss, released earlier this year back in April. Simon was born in the United Kingdom. For this second episode, we are traveling much farther to the east to Lebanon where Alex Habeeb was born and raised. Habeeb is widely known for being the owner of both Taco John's and Subway restaurants in Bradley and Bourbonnais. Outside of food, Alex has become a well respected soccer coach in the area after helping Momence High School resurrect their soccer program back in 2017.
It was incredibly inspiring to hear Alex's story of how he wound up in Kankakee County and how he views America. It personally gave me a new respect for my country and how we as natural born citizen take for granted just how lucky we are to live here.
I'm thankful that out of all the places Alex could have settled here in the United States that he chose Kankakee County. He has been a tremendous asset to our community.
Much Love,
Jake LaMore
P.S. Support the podcast for as little as $1/month: https://patron.podbean.com/kankakeepodcast
Monday Nov 14, 2022
Monday Nov 14, 2022
The 1837 Log Schoolhouse that was uncovered in Bourbonnais back in 2011 when a building was being demolished on Main Street, has finally been restored and will officially be unveiled to the public tomorrow, November 15th, 2022 at 2pm. Bourbonnais Grove Historical Society Board Director, Dr. Charles Balesi, joins me on this episode of Kankakee Podcast to walk us through the history of the log schoolhouse.
Details on the dedication ceremony happening tomorrow:
Bourbonnais Grove Historical Society Links:
https://bourbonnaishistory.org/
https://www.facebook.com/bourbonnaisgrove
Much Love,
Jake LaMore
P.S. Support the podcast for as little as $1/month:
Monday Nov 07, 2022
Monday Nov 07, 2022
Sarah Falk is no stranger to cancer. She has survived it not one, not two, but FOUR times. Sarah's hardships caused her anxiety to build up, until eventually one day, it exploded into severe panic attacks. On this episode of Kankakee Podcast, we learn how Sarah went from anxious to energized and how she helps others in Kankakee County do the same thing. Specifically, moms.
If you'd like to learn more or get in touch with Sarah, you can visit: https://www.sarahfenlonfalk.com/
Much Love,
Jake LaMore
P.S. Pledge $20/month to hear the extended/unedited version of this episode and other episodes: