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Arlington Heights honors local artist Tamron Casseur and promotes two police leaders
Summary
The Village presented its 2025 Cultural Arts Award to Tamron Casseur, proclaimed Feb. 17 as 'Stranger Things Day' for Jake Connolly, and promoted Valerie Andrews to deputy police chief and Joseph Murphy to police commander.
Arlington Heights
At its Feb. 17 meeting the Village Board presented the 2025 Cultural Arts Award to Tamron Casseur, director of music and liturgy at Saint James, read a proclamation recognizing local actor Jake Connolly, and swore in two police promotions.
Arts Commission chair Mary Seats Pagano introduced the award noting Casseur’s music education and work with professional organizations. In his acceptance remarks Casseur thanked the mayor, trustees, family and colleagues and emphasized the role of music and the arts in community building: "Our mission with Sacred Sounds is uniting communities through music, truth, and beauty," he said.
Mayor James Joseph Tonali read a proclamation recognizing Feb. 17, 2026, as "Stranger Things Day" in Arlington Heights in honor of Jake Connolly’s national work. Connolly thanked the community, referenced Greenbrier and Thomas schools and said he looks forward to attending Buffalo Grove High School next year.
Chief Nick Pecora introduced two promotions in the police department. Valerie Andrews was promoted from police commander to deputy police chief; her record includes service since 2011, degrees and courses at Northern Illinois University and Northwestern University Center for Public Safety, and prior roles in patrol and investigations. After being sworn in, Andrews said she appreciated the trust placed in her and expressed excitement about the assignment. Sergeant Joseph (Joe) Murphy was promoted to police commander; Pecora summarized his 20+ years in law enforcement and prior investigative and supervisory roles, and Murphy offered brief remarks of thanks.
What’s next: the promotions create a vacancy for police commander that the department will staff; the award and proclamation are ceremonial recognitions recorded in the meeting minutes.
