Good morning, Joliet.

Peggy McQuarters of Shadow Lakes volunteers with Stars For Our Troops to transform retired American flags into commemorative stars for local veterans, military personnel, and first responders, and she hosts Star Parties at Shadow Lakes Community Center that have produced enough material for over 5,000 stars (a tribute to patriotism).

Will County Animal Protection Services is waiving adoption fees for dogs 6 months (or older) during National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month to boost adoptions.

Residents can join Barktoberfest today at Soundgrowler Brewing Company in Tinley Park from 5 to 8 p.m. for pet trivia, raffles, and exclusive apparel.

The Joliet City Council voted 9-0 to extend poet laureate Uxmar Torres’s contract until December 2027, raising his pay to $5,000 while he leads open mic events (including Poetry Under the Stars and City Square Poetry sessions) to inspire local community growth.

The Joliet Area Historical Museum is hosting spooky self-guided tours of Old Joliet Prison from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday to Saturday through October — visitors receive branded flashlights and illuminated panels to explore its 150-year history while proceeds benefit the museum.

The Herald-News preview highlighted last week’s IHSA prep football Week 8 matchups across the area, with games on Oct.

2 from Joliet Central to Lincoln-Way offering key tests for playoff hopes — a turning point for several programs.

Autobahn Country Club unveiled its new half-mile North Track with higher elevations and steeper banks on Oct.

7 + club members experienced a more challenging drive that marked the first step in the Drive for ‘35’ project designed to boost excitement while keeping a family-friendly spirit.

Plainfield North's boys soccer team rallied from a 1-1 draw to win 4-3 in a penalty shootout against Minooka on Thursday, Oct.

8 in Plainfield. The Tigers saw key players score penalties and goalkeeper Kye MacPhail make a crucial save as they prepared for postseason play.

Eighteen Chicago Catholic League football teams have secured playoff spots as Week 8 begins; Nazareth (3-4) and St. Francis (3-4) joined the ranks after winning their third games, while Joliet Catholic (5-2) remains a strong contender.

Updated standings show the competition as the season advances.

On Thursday, local volleyball and boys soccer teams secured wins in the Herald-News Roundup.

Minooka girls volleyball defeated Plainfield Central 25-23, 25-15 with six kills by Charlotte Matejka + boys soccer matches including Providence vs St. Ignatius ended in shutouts for home teams.

The Illinois Media Poll for Week 8 shows Loyola (8A) and IC Catholic Prep (3A) at the top while Joliet Catholic (6A) has risen to No. 5; Providence (5A) and Brother Rice (7A) also hold high rankings as the IHSA season continues.

The IHSA playoffs now include 384 teams, and local football teams are set to tighten their playoff seeding in the final two weeks of the regular season — teams such as Lincoln-Way East, Morris and Wilmington aim for byes and top seeds per analyst Steve Soucie.