Story Round-Up: Features in The Herald-News, Aug. 20 through Sept. 2

A week of catch-up from vacation while trying to go forward into the new week, but it's also been a great week. As much as I love Raleigh and spending down time with family, I also love this job and am very happy to be back.

Yes, even when I'm working through the weekend and holiday. One new change since I've been gone: the covers for the Health section willl come from national news, the result of a compressed editorial staff and my supervisor's hope that I can take on some features for the news section. From time to time, I will write some shorter health-themed stories for the section and stories that are health-related (such as my People cover on Sunday) will appear in other sections.

So what's run, feature-wise, since I've been there and back?

Well, you can check out the health, faith, and arts and entertainment calendars. Three of them can be found at the link below. http://www.theherald-news.com/lifestyle/ Gotta Do It, runs each Sunday and often stays on the home page throughout the week.

Feature briefs for Tuesday (health), Thursday (faith), Friday (Arts and Entertainment), and Sunday (People) are also edited (texted and photos) by the lady of this blog, but only the stories have bylines.

Another option: I do post the briefs and calendars on Twitter during the week, so you're welcome to follow me at @Denise_Unland61.

And if you do peek at these stories, to quote our editor Kate Schott, "Thank you for reading The Herald-News." :)

Founder of New Lenox's ShareFest is a helper connecting other helpers (VIDEO EXTRA)

Gary Cheney said God and volunteers make ShareFest a success

The sheer volume of the projects Cheney organizes boggles the mind. 

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/08/18/founder-of-new-lenoxs-sharefest-is-a-helper-connecting-other-helpers/acxz7d0/


Minooka man builds a full life while fighting a rare cancer

Bill Allen didn’t let ACC interfere with his goals

“Unless you knew Bill on a personal level, you would have never known he had cancer,” Bill’s wife, Ashliegh Allen, wrote in an email.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/08/12/minooka-man-builds-a-full-life-while-fighting-a-rare-cancer/abks3vj/


Former Joliet resident has arranged music for popular entertainers (VIDEO EXTRA)

Arranger Fred Wayne has also played and taught music

“I’ve written for Frank Sinatra Jr. – who just passed away – and Dizzy Gillespie,” Wayne said. “I wrote for Clark Terry – I did over 50 arrangements for him.”

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/08/10/former-joliet-resident-has-arranged-music-for-popular-entertainers/a6bkhr7/

An Extraordinary Life: Family came first for Joliet woman

Gwen Dickerson-Johnson faithfully served her home family and her church family

“Gwen was like the Road Runner. She went all the time,” her sister Darlene Bradley said. “You could always find her at the church doing something. 

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/08/05/an-extraordinary-life-family-came-first-for-joliet-woman/afjtxdi/


Joliet attorney learns spiritual lessons from pool (VIDEO EXTRA)

Stephen Saporta found a loving God at the pool table

Joliet attorney Stephen Saporta isn’t proud of the first time Tom “Dr. Cue” Rossman, an ESPN and world master trick-shot champion, visited his house for dinner and a friendly game of pool.

“I was so competitive, I wanted to destroy him,” Saporta said.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/08/29/joliet-attorney-learns-spiritual-lessons-from-pool/awglhn3/


Three Joliet area novelists share insights on crime fiction (VIDEO EXTRA)

Val Bruech, Mike Markley and Sue Merrell discuss their crime novels

Draws might be the ethics of right and wrong, the thrill of the cat-and-mouse chase, the mystery of whodunit or the spurious connection to an actual murder.

http://www.theherald-news.com/2016/08/30/three-joliet-area-novelists-share-insights-on-crime-fiction/adjm263/