Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The lawsuit, filed Tuesday, claims that Spiro Lempesis promised the player major league baseball connections in exchange for sex.
A former Concordia University baseball player claims he was forced to perform sex acts on his coach in exchange for the promise of connections with major league scouts, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday in Cook County Circuit Court. Anthony Collaro, who pitched for the Cougars from 2008-2011, alleges in the complaint that former Coach Spiro Lempesis videotaped between 20-30 sexual encounters. Concordia fired Lempesis in September 2010 over allegations of sexual misconduct. The university announced in October 2012 that it would conduct an independent investigation into the claims. Lempesis told Collaro that he planned to sell the tapes to a California-based pornography company, according to the complaint. He said he had secured …
Monday, April 22, 2013
John Johnson will retire Aug. 16 after 10 years at the university, located in River Forest. Concordia outlined his tenure and accomplishments in a news release Monday.
Editor's note: The following was provided by Concordia University. Concordia University Chicago President John F. Johnson announced he will retire Aug. 16, 2013. “It has been my great privilege to lead Concordia-Chicago,” Johnson said. “I have been personally blessed to serve at this university during an exceptional period of growth and change. The institution stands in a strong position to continue its mission of equipping students to serve and lead with integrity, creativity, competence, and compassion in a diverse, interconnected and increasingly urbanized church and world.” In an open letter to the university, located in River Forest, he also praised the “outstanding, dedicated, and talented faculty and staff members.” The …
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Works by Fiber Artists Coalition celebrates Women's History Month.
The fine art of quilting will be showcased starting later this month in the Ferguson Art Gallery at Concordia University in River Forest. The exhibition of work by the Fiber Arts Coalition will be at the school from Feb. 24 through March 17. The Ferguson Art Gallery is located in Kretzmann Hall at Concordia, 7400 Augusta St. On display is the work of the Fiber Artists Coalition, a group of Midwestern textile artists who have joined together to promote the art of quilting. Different from bed quilts, these works are created from stitching commercial and specially designed fabrics into organic, vibrant pieces of art. The artists utilize techniques such as painting, stamping, dyeing, batik and collage to create warmth and texture. Gallery …
41.897791
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Concordia University Chicago
7400 Augusta St, River Forest, IL
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Tuesday, February 12, 2013
A 17-year-old from Dolton was arrested on two felony drug-related charges.
A 17-year-old student from Dolton was charged with two drug-related felonies Feb. 6 after 16 marijuana-filled baggies were found in a lock box disguised as a Hebrew-English dictionary in his Concordia University dorm room, River Forest police said. Campus security received a tip that a student had cannabis and paraphernalia in his room at David Jonathon Hall and smelled marijuana when they opened the door of the suspect's room, River Forest Dep. Chief James O'Shea said. Lying open on the desk was an open lock box, disguised as the dictionary, containing 16.3 grams of marijuana in 18 separate baggies, O’Shea said. Several empty plastic baggies, packages of Bob Marley rolling papers, a digital scale and $227 in cash also were found in the …
41.897791
-87.810199
Concordia University Chicago
7400 Augusta St, River Forest, IL
/articles/marijuana-stashed-in-fake-hebrew-english-dictionary-found-in-concordia-dorm
1297349
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River Forest police reports, Feb. 4-10.
SUNDAY, FEB. 10 Charles Davis, 19, of Chicago, was charged with obstructing identification and disorderly conduct after a disturbance in the 500 block of River Oaks Avenue, police said. SATURDAY, FEB. 9 Wayne Kuhn, 23, of Rolling Meadows was charged with driving under the influence, battery and resisting a police officer following an incident in the west parking lot at Dominican University, police said. Around 2:20 a.m., campus security told police that a 2001 Honda Accord had been sliding around the lot, plowing into a snow bank. The driver, later identified as Kuhn, then backed up and nearly crashed into a River Forest squad car that had arrived on the scene. After Kuhn got out of the car, officers noticed he smelled of alcohol and had …
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Concordia University President John F. Johnson released a letter to students this week, detailing the results of an investigation into a former baseball coach.
Editor's Note: On Oct. 25, Patch published an article, Sex Allegations Prompt Investigation Into Former Concordia Baseball Coach. This week, the president of Concordia University issued a letter to students detailing that investigation and its results. Background: Former Concordia baseball coach Spiro Lempesis was fired from his position at the university in September 2010 over allegations that he was involved in an incident of inappropriate sexual conduct while a coach at the school. On Oct. 24, 2012, the university released a letter to students letting them know it was launching a new investigation, led by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Collins. The investigation was prompted when the school learned that Lempesis was arrested in …
Monday, December 31, 2012
Attempted kidnappings, sex allegations against two prominent residents - and more.
Like last year, Oak Park and River Forest had its share of crime, with the latter seeing a prominent citizen arrested for sexual abuse and a former coach investigated for sex allegations. Students, parents and everyone in fact, was on alert as a man attempted to kidnap children in broad daylight. One man was arrested; another similar incident still is keeping the community on edge. River Forest foster parent and former publishing executive Robert Gaskill was formally indicted in February on felony sexual abuse charges. The two criminal complaints filed against Gaskill were superseded by the indictments, prosecutors said. Gaskill was charged with two felony counts of predatory sexual assault against a child after allegations surfaced …
Saturday, November 24, 2012
House walk and market to benefit the Children's Clinic of Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society.
Get out your pocketbooks for a good cause for the 14th Holiday Housewalk and Market sponsored by the Oak Park and River Forest Infant Welfare Society. The Sugar Plum Market, offering goods of more than 40 vendors, will be previewed from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29 at the Koehneke Center at Concordia University, 7400 Augusta St. in River Forest. The market will be open from 3 to 9 p.m., Friday Nov. 30 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday Dec. 1. Five holiday-decorated homes in Oak Park and River Forest will be highlighted during the house walk. Check-in on Nov. 30 will be from 3 to 7 p.m.; the walk will be from 5 to 9 p.m. Check-in on Dec. 1 will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; the walk from 1 to 5 p.m. Check-in and ticket pick up will be at the …
41.897791
-87.810199
Concordia University Chicago
7400 Augusta St, River Forest, IL
/articles/holiday-housewalk-and-market-to-be-staged-nov-29-to-dec-1
1297349
/locations/8199120
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Robert Gardner, 19, is charged with stealing a Concordia student's backpack from a university weight room.
River Forest police announced today that they arrested and charged Robert Gardner, 19, of the 5400 block of west Congress Parkway in Chicago, for stealing a Concordia University student's backpack from a university weight room. The theft was reported to River Forest police at about 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 23. The student told police that the previous evening, he had left his track and field backpack in the university weight room and when he returned, the bag was missing. Police said that based on their initial investigation, and an examination of available evidence, they were able to identify Gardner as the one responsible for the theft. Police said that they saw Gardner walking near the Oak Park Public Library on Lake Street on Oct. 24, …
41.897791
-87.810199
Concordia University Chicago
7400 Augusta St, River Forest, IL
/articles/man-charged-with-theft-from-concordia-university-weight-room
1297349
/locations/8066145
In a letter from Concordia University's president, the school is investigating possible "inappropriate sexual conduct" by coach Spiro Lempesis.
More than two years ago, Concordia University fired longtime baseball coach Spiro Lempesis over allegations that he was involved in an incident of inappropriate sexual conduct. On Wednesday, Oct. 24, university officials released a letter to students, faculty and local media announcing that they would conduct an independent investigation of the incident two years ago after the university recently learned that Lempesis had been arrested in a nearby county for alleged "inappropriate conduct with a high school-aged minor," John Johnson, Concordia's president wrote in the letter. No charges have been brought against Lempesis in this case. See the letter from Concordia University's president in pictures above. In the incident that Concordia is …
Barbara
12:29 pm on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
The suit involves intentional fraud and breach of contract. The young man was over the age of consent. With an average ERA of over 5.0, it's hard to believe any MLB scout would be interested. Lempesis is a very bad guy but I stand by my description of Collaro. more ›