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Since moving to Mokena in 1977, the Fleischer's have been an active part of the Mokena community. Mayor Fleischer and Mrs. Fleischer sat down with Israel and talked about their lives before Mokena, how they came to Mokena and they impact they have both made since. We discuss Mayor Fleischer's political future and what changes he would like to see for Mokena.
Enjoy Israel's conversation with Mayor Frank and Laurie Fleischer.

The full video is available on our YouTube channel and on our website!

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Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!

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Since our Village was incorporated in 1880, it held elections to determine who the decision makers in town would be. The local elections for Village Mayor and Trustees, Village Clerk, School Boards, Park, Fire and Library boards, will be Tuesday April 1, 2025! And candidates are already circulating petitions.
This municipal elections cycle, Mokena's Front Porch Podcast is going to be a resource for this local elections and attempt to bring you conversations with each candidate, whoever is willing.
I also provide a current update of which seats are up for election and who has already pulled petitions to run for office!

This is going to be an ongoing series throughout the April 1, 2025 election. If you are a candidate and want to schedule a time to talk, or if you have a real question you would like us to ask the candidates, you can email them to mokenasfrontporch@gmail.com.

I am looking forward to getting to know the candidates and I think you will too!

A full video version is available on our YouTube channel by clicking here!
And check out the Local Elections tab on our website for all things Mokena elections.

Support the Show.

Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

Follow Us On Facebook At Mokena's Front Porch

Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!

Send us a text

Israel sits down with Joann Jeffers and Lana Graser of the Mokena Women's Club to learn more about this group and how they have been serving the people of Mokena since 1960! I hope you enjoy our conversation and please reach out to them if you would like to join what they are doing in Mokena!

Support the Show.

Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

Follow Us On Facebook At Mokena's Front Porch

Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!

Send us a text

Matt and Israel talk about the recent storm that came through town and did significant damage down Front Street as well as the collapse of a beloved historic barn, built by the Erickson family in the early 1900's.
We also discuss the building that sits on the south east corner of First and Mokena Street. Today the home of Audiologic and the newest addition to Front Street, Hustle & Heart, this site holds a long history as a center of town for generations. Matt shares some great stories of this site that has a long, and at times, troubling, past.
This episode is based on Matt's blog post from May 1, 2022 titled, Down on The Corner." You can find that episode here!
Be sure to check out our video on YouTube as well for additional pictures and videos. You can find that here!

Support the Show.

Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

Follow Us On Facebook At Mokena's Front Porch

Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!

Send us a text

The Brauns were a family of blacksmiths in Mokena, going all the way back to the 1880's, all the way into the 1950's! Al Braun was said to be one of the last working blacksmiths in the State. Al always welcomed neighborhood kids, who would enjoy all of the action going on in his shop.
Al Braun also served as a Village Trustee for 33 years and was very active in the community. Matt shares some of his story and how significant he was to the community. A blacksmith was not a luxury in the earlier days of Mokena, it was a necessity. As an all around repair man, horse shoer, wagon wheel repair man, and fabricator, the blacksmiths fire was the answer to many Mokenians problems.
Enjoy hearing some of Al Braun's long Mokena story.

Support the Show.

Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

Follow Us On Facebook At Mokena's Front Porch

Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!

Send us a text

Founded in 1839, the Marshall Cemetery is home to many of Mokena's founders, with names like Marshall, McGovney, and Jones. It is also the resting place of numerous war heros from the Civil War, and more. Matt gives us a walking tour as we cover only a few of the families buried here.

The setting is a quiet country road, a little busier than it was in the 1800's, but it still maintains a charm of yesteryear, where you can still feel a little of what it felt like back in the early days of Mokena. We hope you enjoy this walk through of the historic, Marshall Cemetery!

There is a full video of our walk on our YouTube Channel. You can find that by clicking here!

Support the Show.

Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

Follow Us On Facebook At Mokena's Front Porch

Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!

Send us a text

On a beautiful April evening, Matt and I (Israel) took a walk down Mokena's Front Street, talking history. This is the audio only version so you have to imagine standing at the South East corner of Wolf Road and Front Street and walk along with us!

Matt is a wealth of information when it comes to Mokena and this was a lot of fun! We plan to do more of these throughout the summer. I think this was a fun conversation and we hope you enjoy it too!

Be sure to follow our YouTube page and our website, www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

You can find the YouTube Link HERE.

Support the Show.

Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

Follow Us On Facebook At Mokena's Front Porch

Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!

Send us a text

Mayor Joe Werner cared deeply about Mokena and its people. He served as both Village Trustee and Mayor and made many lasting contributions to Mokena. He sadly passed away on Christmas Eve of 2023 after fighting brain cancer. I am honored that we get to share some of Mayor Joe’s story and all he did to make our Village a better place.

If you would like to share your thoughts or stories about Mayor Joe on our podcast, you can call and leave a message with your thoughts and memories at 872-255-9259. Be sure to leave your message by the 4th of July, 2024. At that time we will release an updated episode with those messages included in the episode. It will be a great community tribute to Mayor Joe Werner.

Please support The Veterans Garage! www.VeteransGarage.com
And the Mokena VFW! http://www.vfwpost725.org/home.html
Be sure to follow Matt’s Blog, Matt’s Old Mokena https://oldmokena.blogspot.com/

Support the Show.

Be sure to check out our website @ www.MokenasFrontPorch.com

Follow Us On Facebook At Mokena's Front Porch

Find Matt's Blog here: Matt's Old Mokena
Photo & Artwork Credit: Jennifer Medema & Leslie V. Moore Jr.

Do you have a question, comment or maybe an idea for an episode, you can email us at:
Podcast@MokenasFrontPorch.com

Local Shows We Recommend:

The South Side Pod
https://www.southsidepod.com

If you have a local Podcast you would like us to include, send us an email! We would love to share your show!