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That Ain't Jesus -- That's My Mayor!

Some residents of Rosemont, Il., are claiming that a tree in the middle of town has revealed the Second Coming. No, not that Second Coming. ...

Some residents of Rosemont, Il., are claiming that a tree in the middle of town has revealed the Second Coming.

No, not that Second Coming. The tree, they say, has revealed the face of Donald Stephens, the town's longtime -- but recently deceased -- mayor.

Yes, they believe the peeling bark of the sycamore shows an image of a face. At first, many Rosemonters thought it was Jesus Christ. But now they're convinced it's the visage of Stephens, who died in office in April after serving as mayor for a whopping 51 years.

"It's the way he used to cock his left eyebrow a lot. That's the thing that made me think it's him," village spokesman Gary Mack said.

Zach Patton -- Executive Editor. Zach joined GOVERNING as a staff writer in 2004. He received the 2011 Jesse H. Neal Award for Outstanding Journalism
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