A former Illinois food service director has been found guilty of diverting over $1.5 million worth of chicken wings. Vera Lidell, a cafeteria worker at Harvey School District 152 near Chicago, confessed to the crime and is set to spend 9 years in prison.
Lidell, 68, who had worked for the district for over a decade, was held at the Cook County jail while facing charges of theft and operating a criminal enterprise. On August 9, 2024, she pleaded guilty to both charges.
The district uncovered Lidell’s crime after its food service department overshot its 2023 budget by $300,000. Plus, it was only halfway through the school year. Afterward, the district’s business manager stumbled on the invoices for the chicken wings. The invoices raised eyebrows because the district doesn’t serve food with bones to its students.
Part of Lidell’s job was to place orders for student meal food items from Gordon Food Services, the district’s major food supplier. Lidell ended up ordering 11,000 cases of chicken wings from the supplier.
The theft took place between July 2020 and February 2022, especially from August to November 2021 during the pandemic. According to a proffer that was presented during Lidell’s 2023 bond hearing, “The massive fraud began at the height of COVID during a time when students were not allowed to be physically present in school.”
Although students attended school remotely during this period, the school district continued to prepare meals for them, which their parents were to pick up. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the cafeteria worker placed the orders but kept the chicken wings.
ALSO READ: How the Rate of BBQ Skyrocketed From $59.50 to $71.22
Vera Lidell’s Sentencing
The Cook County State Attorney’s Office brought the charges against Ms. Lidell in 2023. Lidell and prosecutors struck a deal in which she pleaded guilty to the charges in exchange for a lighter sentence.
One of Lidell’s attorneys, Patrick O’Brien, stated that his client felt remorse for her actions. “She feels incredibly distraught, terrible about what she did,” he said. After she pled guilty, Judge Michele Pitman of the Circuit Court of Cook County’s Sixth Municipal District sentenced her.
According to the sentencing document, she will spend nine years in prison under the Illinois Department of Corrections. According to court documents, the Harvey School District 152 hired Lidell as a consultant in 2020.
This was after she served the district as food director. So, while she was helping to onboard the new school director, she retained the power to make food orders. Even though her orders deviated from the district’s normal orders, Gordon Food Services didn’t spot any foul play.
What Is the Best Method for Cooking Wings?
America is big on chicken wings. According to The National Purchase Diary, over one billion servings of wings are consumed every year. In addition to consuming a large number of chicken wings, Americans cook them in so many ways.
There’s no best method for cooking chicken wings. You probably love your wings baked, crispy, spicy, saucy, or grilled. Whichever way you choose, you’ve made a great choice. However, many people love the crispy type.
This involves marinating, steaming, and then frying the wings. The method helps inject lots of flavor into the chicken and tenderize the meat. To end up with a super-crispy chicken, kitchen experts recommend leaving the chicken uncovered on a refrigerator rack for at least one hour.
Better still, you can leave them overnight. “The chilling process draws the moisture out of the wings and dries out the skin, which ensures a crispy skin when fried or baked,” says a renowned sous chef, Vincent Camillo.
According to recipe developer Khalil Hymore, the only appliance he trusts to deliver crispiness is the air fryer. Hymore revealed that “Cooking wings in a fryer always results in ultra-crispy skin while the inside remains moist and tender.”
Are Chicken Wings Good for You?
It is widely believed that chicken wings are a danger to health. On the contrary, they aren’t what many food opinions have portrayed them to be. Although the skin of the wings has some fat, there is more to the story than is usually told. Chicken wings are a great source of protein, lean protein. This is the healthier type of protein, which contains lower amounts of fat and cholesterol.
One piece of chicken wings contains about 6 grams of protein, which is great for muscle building and maintenance. The wings are also a good source of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins A and B, Iron, and calcium. They are also free of carbohydrates.
In addition, well-prepared wings contain properties that can fight off certain illnesses, including arthritis, diabetes, and gout. Just ensure that you consume them moderately.
Are Wings Fried or Baked?
People enjoy their chicken wings fried or baked. It’s all a matter of preference. For fried chicken wings, it’s the traditional way of preparing chicken wings. You’ll get a flavorful result in the end. Also, fried chicken wings are faster to prepare and pretty crispy.
The major drawback of fried wings is that the wings tend to be drier than the baked ones. This means they aren’t as juicy as many people would love them to be. Many people prefer baked chicken wings.
They are easier to prepare. Rub some baking powder and salt to ensure crispy, flavorful skin, then place them on a rack over a cooking sheet and bake. Baked wings are healthier and more juicy than fried wings. However, they are not a match for fried wings in terms of crispiness.
ALSO READ: Fast Food Prices of These Brands Have Skyrocketed the Most
What Is the Difference Between Buffalo Wings and Chicken Wings?
It is important to distinguish between buffalo wings and chicken wings, as the two are often mistaken for each other. First, let us begin with their similarities. Both are cooked chicken wings. Specifically, both are deep-fried, then covered, and further cooked with sauces.
The most obvious difference between the two is their size. Chicken wings are quite smaller and less fleshy than buffalo wings, which are bigger and come with more meat.
Another difference is the sauce in which they are served. Buffalo wings come in a dedicated sauce (buffalo sauce), while chicken wings, besides being served plain fried, can come in a variety of sauces, such as barbeque sauce.
You Might Also Like:
Disneyland Ride Malfunction Causes Panic As Guests Slam Into Doors
British Tourist Caught Vandalizing Houses in Pompeii
Baking Soda Water: The Surprising Health Trend That’s Got Everyone Talking
Travis Scott Taken into Custody in Paris Following Altercation with Bodyguard
Paramount Global Announces Major Layoffs, Set To Cut Off 15% of US Staff
