District 4 students compete in districtwide Battle of the Books
Fifth graders from across Addison School District 4 recently gathered at Indian Trail Junior High for this year’s highly anticipated Battle of the Books competition. The event brought together teams of young readers to test their knowledge of a shared list of books in a fast-paced, quiz-style format designed to celebrate reading, collaboration, and critical thinking. Fullerton School (winning team shown here) earned first-place honors, with Army Trail School finishing second and Lake Park Elementary taking third.
Illinois celebrates World Trade Month
2024 exports reach all-time high and represent a 32 percent increase from pre-pandemic levels in 2019
This month, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is celebrating World Trade Month.
According to rankings by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Illinois continues to lead as the top exporting state in Midwest and the fourth largest exporting state in the U.S. In 2024, Illinois had another record-breaking year, with exports exceeding $81 billion, a 2.5 percent increase from 2023 and a 32 percent increase since 2019.
Illinois’ central location, diverse industries, skilled workforce, and top infrastructure are why over 2,600 international companies call the state home. This convenient geographic location and proximity to airports, railways, and shipping ports has long been a leading global gateway, helping companies move their products to over 200 countries around the world, in particular to Canada, Mexico, Australia, China and Germany, which are Illinois’ top export markets.
“Illinois continues to lead as a global trade powerhouse, breaking export records year after year thanks to our talented workforce and strong trade relationships,” said Gov. JB Pritzker. “With significant uncertainty caused by Trump’s reckless tariffs, Illinois is doubling down on strengthening our relationships with our foreign partners through trade missions, new agreements, and job-creating business deals. We will continue to fight for small businesses, farmers, and all Il-
linois companies who rely on strong supply chains and export business.”
In recent years, Illinois has prioritized strengthening relationships with foreign partners and companies in order to create jobs and boost Illinois businesses, which includes leading trade missions and entering into agreements.
Earlier this year Pritzker signed Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) with the United Kingdom and the State of Mexico. The Governor has also led delegations to Japan, Canada, and Mexico in recent years as part of his commitment to promoting Illinois’ business, education, and manufacturing sectors on the global stage.
Illinois also supports trade through DCEO’s Illinois State Trade and Export Promotion (ISTEP) Program, which offers eligible small business exporters technical and financial resources for international expansion initiatives, including exhibiting in foreign trade shows, marketing Illinois products to international buyers, achieving compliance and growing a localized e-commerce presence. This support helps businesses increase sales and create new jobs all while boosting Illinois’ international profile.
As the 18th largest economy in the world, valued at more than $1 trillion, Illinois plays a pivotal role on the global stage. Through a strong international network, including six regional foreign offices, DCEO’s Office of Trade and Investment has assisted with more than 1,600 company trade missions
White Pines Jim Geils Family Golf Nights to begin May 18
The Jim Geils Family Golf Nights are set to tee off beginning Sunday, May 18, at White Pines Golf Club, 500 W. Jefferson, Bensenville. Families can enjoy an affordable evening of golf after 4:30 p.m. on the third Sunday of each month. With tees moved up for a relaxed pace and an inexpensive meal deal available, the event—named in honor of former commissioner Jim Geils—offers a family-friendly atmosphere for players of all skill levels at family-friendly rates: $5 for juniors, $10 for adults 18 and older and $10 for cart rentals.
The summer family night
schedule includes Sunday, May 18; Sunday, June 15; Sunday, July 20; Sunday, Aug. 17; and Sunday, Sept. 21.
In February 2024, Bensenville Park District Board President Rich Johnson signed a proclamation dedicating the family golf nights to Geils, complete with a custom logo, marketing, signage, accessories, apparel, tee markers and flags. Geils served in various capacities on the board from 2013-2021 and passed away in 2023 at the age of 65.
For more information and registration details, visit WhitePinesGolf.com/FamilyGolf.
Your Hometown Newspaper
240 N. West Avenue
Elmhurst, IL 60126
Main Phone 630.834-8244 Fax 630-834-0900
The Independent is published every Thursday by Rock Valley Publishing, LLC, 240 N. West Avenue, Elmhurst, IL 60126.
to countries around the world in order to grow export salessupporting over 800,000 jobs in Illinois.
The department serves as an important representative abroad, arranges business opportunities in key foreign markets, and supports Illinois businesses looking to start or expand global sales.
Recently, Illinois hosted the 20th edition Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE) conference. ACE is the premier economic development, innovation, and entrepreneurial network of the Americas. Each year since 2014, ACE selects 50 global and regional leaders for a weeklong tour of selected states or regions to visit top innovation hubs, advanced research and technology centers, cutting-edge companies and business development organizations, and leading academic institutions.
ACE Illinois was led by the State’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the University of Illinois System, Intersect Illinois, the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and World Business Chicago. Throughout the week, participants toured the state’s innovative projects and attended panels with industry experts centered around Illinois’ key-growth industries including advanced manufacturing; life sciences; next generation agriculture, agriculture tech and food processing; quantum computing, AI and microelectronics; energy production and manufacturing; and transportation, distribution and logistics.
Addison Trail students recognized during inaugural Blazer Legacy Award presentation
Addison Trail has announced the recipients of the school’s inaugural Blazer Legacy Award. This recognition will be presented quarterly to students who go above and beyond and represent Blazer Pride. The following are suggested categories to honor recipients: Outstanding Achievement (Gold Coin): Recognizing an extraordinary accomplishment in academics, sports, or activities that is truly groundbreaking. Random Act of Kindness (Rose Gold Coin): Celebrating selfless, spontaneous actions intended to bring positivity, joy, or assistance to others, without expecting anything in return. Outstanding Service/ Leadership (Silver Coin): Honoring exceptional dedication to guiding, supporting and making a meaningful impact on a community, an organization, or a cause. Upstander (Bronze Coin): Awarding those who take action to support and defend others, particularly in situations of injustice, bullying, or wrongdoing. On April 24, the following students were celebrated during the inaugural Blazer Legacy Award presentation. Senior Luke Smith (pictured above, at right): Outstanding Achievement (Gold Coin). Freshman Nikolas Duarte (not pictured): Outstanding Achievement (Gold Coin). Iris Fausto (pictured above, at left): Upstander (Bronze Coin).
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The Independent is mailed to the 60101, 60106 and 60181 zip code areas for $45 yearly. Out-of-area mail subscriptions are $50 yearly. For home delivery information call 630-834-8244.
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out& about Jane Charmelo
Local Masonic lodge members demonstrate ‘Lombard Pride’ Volunteers help clean up around Terrace View Pond
Like other civic groups in Lombard, Masonic Lodge #1098 is committed to helping keep the Lilac Village clean and inviting, so members volunteered on Saturday, April 19, to focus on the area around Terrace View Pond, located near Elizabeth Street and Greenfield Avenue, and adjacent Park View Elementary School.
According to the lodge’s Worshipful Master, Stephan Meyn, volunteering to help clean up trash in and around Lombard is not a new venture; the lodge has participated in the Adopt-A-Highway Program—on North Avenue from Route 53 to Grace Street—in the spring and fall for over three years, and now, this is the second year participating in the Lombard Pride Cleanup event (some of which was also held Saturday, April 26).
“We always get involved in the community,” Meyn said, adding that it is “a great opportunity to pitch in and help. It fits right in with our Adopt-A-Highway Program.”
“We worked around the park and school area, and we picked up trash,” he described, adding that there were about 15 volunteers, including around six members of the youth groups DeMolay (for boys and young men) and Job’s Daughters (for girls and young women).
Afterward, he continued, the lodge provided a boxed lunch for the volunteers.
Lodge member Chris Carter commented that “The combined effort with Lombard Lodge and [youth groups] is to help earn credit and learn more about community service.”
Meyn, a lifelong Lombard resident, said he feels “the satisfaction of doing something good; seeing your accomplishments.”
“Nothing makes me happier than to help out … a way we want to give back to everybody,” he commented.
Bikes for Books
Another local service the lodge recently conducted was Bikes for Books, Meyn said.
The program, which began in the fall of 2022, “started with the Grand Lodge of Illinois,” he explained, adding that since then, the program has been introduced in over
70 schools.
This is the first year Bikes for Books was held in Lombard, which took place at Pleasant Lane Elementary School. Meyn said the lodge chose Pleasant Lane since the Medinah Shriners have developed a relationship with the school through their bringing therapy dogs to visit.
In Bikes for Books, students are challenged to read as many books as possible— for the chance to win a new bicycle and helmet, Meyn said.
For each book read, the student gets a “raffle ticket” to be entered into the drawing to win a new bicycle, which Meyn said will then be tailored to that individual child.
According to the Springfield-based Illinois Masonic Children’s Assistance Program (IMCAP) website, IMCAP will reimburse a lodge up to $350 for the purchase of one bike for one school and up to $500 for bikes for two or more schools; the lodge is responsible for purchasing a bike(s) to meet the child’s height, weight, and ability; the lodge must purchase a quality pre-assembled new bike(s) and a helmet(s) for the child/children winning the bike drawing; and the lodge is responsible for the cost of the helmet.
This year’s winner was fifth-grade student Ellie Schindler.
About the Masons
According to the United Grand Lodge of England, the origins of the Freemasons are “the subject of intense speculation,” but it is thought that “they lie with the medieval stonemasons that built our castles and cathedrals.”
The first known Grand Lodge in the world was in 1717, when Anthony Sayer became the first Grand Master (www.ugle.org.uk/ discover-freemasonry/history-freemasonry).
The worldwide organization is a fraternity, not a religion, and in fact, is open to all men “of good character who believe in God,” irrespective of their individual religious beliefs.
The Masonic lodges take on their own focus, whether it be social, educational or philanthropic endeavors,
and encourage personal improvement through study.
The list of well-known Masons is lengthy. A few of them include actors “Red” Skelton, John Wayne and Ernest Borgnine; musicians Irving Berlin, Wolfgang Mozart and Duke Ellington; author and minister Norman Vincent Peale; Gens. Omar Bradley and Douglas MacArthur; and former presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Gerald Ford.
Meyn noted that the Lombard Masonic Lodge #1098 is now 151 years old. It is dedicated to charitable activities, fellowship and providing a positive impact through various events and programs for the betterment of the communities it serves. For more information, visit Lombard1098.com or find them on Facebook.
photoS courteSy of Stephan Meyn Rock Valley Publishing Volunteers from Lombard’s Masonic Lodge #1098 spent part of Saturday, April 19, cleaning up trash around Terrace View Pond and adjacent Park View Elementary School, as part of a community service effort, which also included youth from DeMolay and Job’s Daughters.
From left to right: Masonic Lodge #1098 Bro. Joe Goorsky, Bro. Kenneth Krochman and Worshipful Master Stephan Meyn with Pleasant Lane School fifth-grader Ellie Schindler, who won a new bike after participating in the Bikes for Books program.
Local business participates in LCPAAA fundraiser
The Lombard Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association (LCPAAA) would like to thank Soapy Roads: Small Batch Artisan Gift & Experience Shop for their generous participation and donation in a recent Clean and Fun fundraiser. Soapy Roads donated a percentage of their recent sales to the LCPAAA. Soapy Roads is located at 10 W. St. Charles
Road in downtown Lombard and offers eco-friendly, handcrafted soaps. Owner Brooke Bingaman started Soapy Roads of Lombard alongside her husband, Joe,
with the goal of providing clean and safe skincare and home care products that are made with integrity and a healthy dose of humor. Not only do they sell won-
Obituaries
NEAL CONROY, 79
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Neal Conroy, a beloved husband, father, grandfather, greatgrandfather, brother, and friend, who left us on April 26, 2025, at the age of 79.
by his devotion to family and his unwavering support for his loved ones. He brought joy to every gathering and shared laughter and wisdom that will resonate through generations. He was preceded in death by his sister, Crystal Conroy, and his brother, Tom Conroy.
evident in his hobbies and interests. Neal enjoyed spending his free time with family and friends, often embarking on adventures that included fishing and photography — two passions that allowed him to capture the beauty of the world around him.
Neal was born on January 29, 1946, in Buffalo, NY, and was a proud member of the U.S. Army, serving overseas starting in 1963. His life was marked by dedication, love, and a passion for connection. Neal was united in marriage to his beloved wife, Siggi Conroy, on February 10, 1967. Together, they spent 57 years, building their family founded on love and countless cherished memories.
Neal is survived by his wife, Siggi; his daughter, Stephanie Wolf; his sonin-law, Steven Wolf; and his grandchildren, Joshua, Amanda, and Sarah Wolf. He was also a proud greatgrandfather to Natalie Wolf and Amara Lawler.
Neal’s legacy is enriched
An accomplished individual, Neal attended Lane Tech College Prep High School before serving in the U.S. Army, later on receiving his GED, and went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts from DePaul University. His professional journey was marked by 55 years at International Harvester/NaviStar, where he ultimately held the position Management of Operations Account SystemsInformation Technology. Neal was known for his strong work ethic and his ability to inspire those around him.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Neal was an active member of his community, volunteering at the Morton Arboretum and the DuPage County Forest Preserves. He had a profound love for nature, which was
Neal’s kindness and generosity were felt by all who knew him. He had a remarkable ability to connect with people and was always willing to lend a helping hand. His love for life extended to every corner of his existence, and he will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.
A memorial gathering honoring Neal Conroy will be held on May 8, 2025, at Brust Funeral Home, located at 135 S. Main Street, Lombard, IL, from 3:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Service will be held at 4:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in Neal’s name to the Morton Arboretum (Attention: Tribute Gifts, 4100 IL-53, Lisle, IL 60532) and the DuPage County Forest Preserve (3 S 580 Naperville Rd, Wheaton, IL 60189), reflecting his love for nature
derful smelling, luxurious products, they provide live soap-making events to educate as many people as possible on the benefits of natural and eco friendly products and good hygiene habits. For more information visit them at www.soapyroads.us
The LCPAAA’s main function is to present and promote a positive image of law enforcement and the Lombard Police Department and to as-
sist them when requested. With an active membership of over 80 members, the LCPAAA can be found at various events in the community. Members have gone through the Police Department’s Citizens Police Academy and have joined together to foster volunteer help in support of the Police Department. For more information visit them at https://www.lombardcpaaa.org.
and community.
Neal Conroy’s spirit will forever live on through the lives he touched, the memories he created, and the love he shared. He leaves behind a legacy of kindness, strength, and devotion that will continue to inspire all of us. Rest in peace, Neal.
DUANE C. SOLYOM, 74
Duane Charles Solyom, age 74, of Lombard, IL. Beloved husband of the late Ramona; dear son of the late Florence, nee Behrens, and the late Charles Solyom; dear brother the late Dale (Sheila), Bruce (Arlene), and Nancy; uncle of many nieces and nephews.
Memorial Gathering Friday May 9th, 9:00 A.M., until time of service at 11:00 A.M., at Trinity Lutheran Church, 1165 S Meyers Rd. Lombard, IL 60148. Interment private. Memorials to Trinity Lutheran School STEM Lab are appreciated. Funeral info: knollcrest.net or (630) 9321500.
Submitted Photo Rock Valley Publishing
Pictured from left to right: Gina Damore (LCPAAA Board member), Brooke Bingaman (Soapy Roads owner), Mark Olsen (LCPAAA member).
SUDOKU
Fun by the Numbers
Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!
CLUES ACROSS
1. Herring-like fish
5. Perform on stage
8. Soda
11. Small growth
13. In support of
14. Step taken when walking
15. Hollyhocks
16. Returned material authorization (abbr.)
17. Feel pain
18. San Diego ballplayer
20. Inches per minute (abbr.)
21. Fat from a pig’s abdomen
22. Create again
25. Honors once more
30. Thin coating of gold
31. Welsh river
32. Japanese novelist Mizumura
33. Husks of corn
38. Green vegetable
41. Showing guilt
43. Soldier
45. Photographers
48. Language spoken in Nigeria
49. Mimic
50. Expressed pleasure
55. Ancient Greek sophist
56. Beverage container
57. Night monkey genus
59. Lace bugs
60. Hogshead (abbr.)
61. Frameworks
62. Keyboard key
63. Greek goddess of the dawn
64. Influential Korean independence figure
CLUES DOWN
1. A place to unwind
2. Helped (archaic)
3. Razorbill genus
4. Bleached
5. Continent
6. Fruit preserved in syrup
7. Impediment to one’s freedom
8. Nocturnal rodents
9. Earthy pigment
10. Relieved oneself
12. Golf score
14. Tech hub __ Alto
19. Sportscaster Andrews
23. Records electric currents
24. Popular Hitchcock film
25. Revolutions per minute
26. NY Giants legend
27. Sports radio host Patrick
28. When you hope to get somewhere
29. French seaport
34. Thai river
35. Rocker’s accessory
36. Extra charge
37. Influential American president
39. Pain in the head
40. Great Plains people
41. Consumed
42. Soluble ribonucleic acid
44. Improves
45. Secret clique
46. Behind the stern of a ship
47. Dough made from corn flour
48. Fallow deer
51. Swiss river
52. Grayish white
53. Engrave
54. College’s Blue Devils
58. Midway between south and southeast
Former Gov. George Ryan dead at 91; remembered for corruption conviction, halting death penalty
Ryan imprisoned for bribery scheme while serving as Secretary of
By Hannah Meisel CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
Former Illinois Gov. George Ryan died Friday morning, May 2, at 91, more than two decades after leaving office for the last time and 12 years after his release from federal prison.
He died just one day after being put into hospice care in his native Kankakee.
Ryan, a Republican, served one term as governor from 1999 to 2003, and spent the last decade or so of his life speaking about and ultimately writing a book on his 2000 decision to put a moratorium on Illinois’ death penalty and then commuting the sentences of 167 death row inmates in the state’s prison system to life sentences.
“I can’t really believe that there’s ever gonna be a system devised where an innocent person couldn’t be executed,” Ryan told Capitol News Illinois in a 2020 interview.
“You gotta have a perfect law if you’re gonna have … death as a penalty. So I just figured the best way to do it was to do away with that opportunity.”
But Ryan’s time as governor—and his entire 35-year
career in politics—was ultimately overshadowed by his time as secretary of state in the 1990s. During his two terms leading that office, Ryan oversaw a license-forbribes scheme that led to the deaths of six children in a fiery vehicle explosion and 79 federal indictments, including his own.
Before that, Ryan served as lieutenant governor alongside Gov. Jim Thompson, whose law firm would later represent Ryan pro bono in his corruption case. He also spent two years as Illinois House speaker, capping a decade in the General Assembly.
A pharmacist by trade, Ryan began his political career in the late 1960s on the Kankakee County Board.
License-for-bribes conviction
The former governor spent nearly six years in prison and on home confinement after his 2006 conviction on corruption charges stemming from an investigation into a freak accident on a Milwaukee expressway in 1994.
The Willis family, who’d been driving from Chicago
to a vacation in Wisconsin, were engulfed in flames when their minivan exploded after a taillight fell off a semitrailer truck and punctured the van’s fuel tank. The explosion killed the six Willis children, while the Rev. Duane Willis and his wife Janet were badly burned.
An investigation into the crash revealed that other motorists had tried to warn the semi driver about the dangling vehicle part, but he didn’t understand English, even though federal law requires truck drivers be proficient in English to get a commercial license.
After Wisconsin authorities passed along the information to the Secretary of State’s office, an internal investigation found the truck driver may have paid a bribe to get his license. But Ryan squashed the probe and fired the investigators.
The feds, however, picked up the investigation while Ryan was running for governor, finding a systematic operation in which bribes paid for commercial driver’s licenses were funneled into Ryan’s campaign fund.
Even as secretary of state employees were being indicted in what came to be known as Operation Safe Roads, Ryan claimed to know nothing about the scheme and was elected governor over Democratic then-U.S. Rep. Glenn Poshard in 1998.
But as the investigation reached a fever pitch and the cloud of suspicion over Ryan grew, he chose to not run for a second term as governor in 2002. That paved the way for Democrat Rod Blagojevich’s victory over Republican Jim Ryan, who suffered from sharing a surname and party with the then-governor.
Ryan was indicted in 2004, convicted in 2006 after a lengthy trial and went to prison in 2007 following a monthslong appeals process, making him the third Illinois governor to serve time. Several years later, Blagojevich would follow.
Death penalty moratorium
Since his 2013 release from prison and subsequent stint on home confinement, Ryan dedicated the last years of his life returning to a subject he’d
become passionate about as governor: the death penalty.
Ryan parlayed his speaking engagements into a book, co-authored with a former Chicago Tribune reporter and published in 2020. The book, titled “Until I Could Be Sure: How I Stopped the Death Penalty in Illinois,” detailed the former governor’s debates and deliberations leading up to his decision to put a moratorium on the state’s death penalty in January 2000.
Just before leaving office three years later, Ryan commuted the death sentences of 167 Illinois prisoners, which garnered international attention.
Ryan’s ascent to the governor’s office coincided with emerging DNA evidence technology and a wave of exonerations across the country, including in Illinois. The state would later become known as an outlier for false confessions and exonerations. But at the time, Ryan’s stance was controversial in a tough-oncrime era of politics.
In his 2020 interview with CNI, Ryan said the majority of his staff tried to dissuade him from making moves
State
on the death penalty, which wouldn’t be officially abolished in Illinois until 2011.
But Ryan said the uncertainty of decisions made under the death penalty system bothered him, especially in the wake of the exoneration of death row inmate Anthony Porter in February 1999, when Ryan was a month into his term as governor. Porter was freed after journalism students at Northwestern University uncovered evidence of his innocence.
“The whole system was just prone with error,” Ryan said.
“It’s just—you got error in every corner.”
Former Illinois House GOP Leader Jim Durkin, who in 2023 stepped down from the post Ryan held decades before, told CNI he’d gotten to know the former governor better in his later years through Ryan’s son Homer. Durkin said when he’d meet up with the Ryans in Kankakee while campaigning for fellow House Republicans, their lunches would often be punctuated by locals who’d wanted to say, “‘Hello, gover-
With 1 month left in session, lawmakers near deal on public transit reform
But hurdles remain as tensions rise between lawmakers and some regional transit officials
By Andrew Adams and Ben Szalinski CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS
Lawmakers apparently are close to a deal to resolve one of Springfield’s most hotly contested issues this session: transit reform.
Public transit agencies in Chicagoland—a region with roughly two-thirds of Illinois’ population—face a collective $770 million budget gap in the upcoming fiscal year. Heads of the agencies have turned to the state to fill that gap, but lawmakers have consistently said that reform of the agencies’ government and better oversight are required before addressing funding.
If lawmakers don’t reach a deal to reform the northeastern Illinois transit system and introduce new funding before their May 31 adjournment, transit officials say it will result in significant cuts, which would result in a “nightmare scenario,” according to Regional Transportation Authority spokesperson Tina Fassett Smith.
Sen. Don DeWitte, R-St. Charles, told reporters this week that lawmakers in the Senate “are very close to agreed language on governance,” meaning a deal is close.
DeWitte, a longtime former mayor of St. Charles and ranking Republican on the Senate’s Transportation committee, said the deal would leave in place the three “service boards” that operate transit in Chicago and the suburbs: the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra commuter rail service and Pace Suburban Bus
The agreement, according to DeWitte, would provide new oversight powers to a “newly empowered” RTA, the agency that currently handles some financial oversight for the region’s transit agencies.
DeWitte was on the 16-member board of directors for the RTA for five years before joining the Illinois Senate.
Several proposals for reform have been pitched in
recent months, with the plan outlined by DeWitte being similar to what he called the “labor bill” — a plan initially put forward by a coalition of organized labor groups and unions.
But the brief description has superficial similarities to a plan proposed by RTA chairman and former Republican state senator Kirk Dillard. That plan also would empower the RTA
A more aggressive reform plan, which would have dissolved the three service boards and consolidated them into one agency, was proposed by transit activists and environmentalists. That consolidation plan was formalized into bills presented by Chicago Democrats Sen. Ram Villivalam and Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado.
While DeWitte is familiar with the negotiations, others involved differ on how close lawmakers are to a deal.
Villivalam, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, said he and his colleagues are “continuing dis-
cussions” about the bill.
“As we head into the remaining weeks of our spring legislative session, I look forward to working toward a solution that provides safe, reliable, accessible, and integrated public transit to the northeastern Illinois region,” Villivalam said in a statement.
The House of Representatives might bring other hurdles to a transit reform deal as lawmakers barrel toward their expected adjournment.
Rep. Marty Moylan, D-Des Plaines, who chairs a House committee that would likely hear a transit reform bill, has said repeatedly that no bill will be called in his committee that doesn’t meet his standards, including addressing concerns about safety on trains and buses.
But he echoed DeWitte’s read on the situation that a proposal similar to organized labor’s pitch will win out.
“That seems to be the consensus of the General Assembly: Leave the boards in, have them do some reforms, and let’s move forward,” Moylan told Capitol News Illinois. “We’re making progress with some of the transit agencies. The RTA still doesn’t get it, but they will by the end.”
‘Irresponsible’ PR campaign
The RTA, to raise awareness and potentially influence negotiations in Springfield,
launched the “Save Transit Now” ad campaign earlier this month. That campaign features television and radio ads in English and Spanish as well as ads on billboards, digital signs, newspapers and social media.
The campaign encourages RTA riders to write emails to their lawmakers with the subject line “Save Transit Now: Support $1.5 billion and an empowered RTA” and a prewritten message.
This frustrated several lawmakers involved in transit negotiations.
“To cry broke with one hand and drop three-quarters of a million dollars on a PR campaign with the other is wrong, and frankly, it’s irresponsible,” Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, wrote in the Chicago Tribune.
Buckner chairs the informal “working group” responsible for negotiating transit issues in the House.
Moylan, meanwhile, said the agency was “wasting all kinds of money” on the campaign, which isn’t going to make the General Assembly change its policies.
“It’s not how it works,” Moylan said. “It may have worked years ago, but not now.”
Fassett Smith, the director of communications at the RTA, said the $750,000 price tag was an upper estimate of the cost and said it is the agen-
(Continued from page 13)
nor’—not ‘Hello, George’ … They loved him.”
“He made a mistake and he did his time,” Durkin said. “And he didn’t express or show any bitterness toward anyone involved in his case. Just wanted to get on with his life. That shows a strong man who takes responsibility.” Illinois Senate Minority Leader John Curran, R-Downers Grove, echoed Durkin’s accolades that Ryan was a “master of bridging the gap” both between Republicans and Democrats and between organized labor and management.
cies’ “obligation” to make sure transit riders were aware of the RTA’s dire financial straits.
Another potential wrinkle as lawmakers wrap up negotiations comes from Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who was in Springfield last week to meet with lawmakers about the city’s legislative priorities. Among them: transit funding.
“The city of Chicago deserves its fair share, and we’re going to continue to advocate for that, as I’ve already done,” Johnson said at a news conference.
Johnson has a strained relationship with lawmakers in Springfield after several perceived missteps since he took office, including dragging his feet in funding migrant aid last year, arriving late in legislative sessions to discuss budget matters, and publicly clashing with Gov. JB Pritzker and other lawmakers over hemp regulation earlier this year.
Johnson has repeatedly in recent months pointed out that Chicagoans make up the majority of ridership among the three transit agencies that make up the RTA. When asked Tuesday whether that means Chicagoans should also be funding a majority of public transportation in the region, Johnson didn’t rule it out.
“That’s a conclusion that one could draw,” Johnson said.
“He was a bold leader who wasn’t afraid to reach across the aisle and bring people together for the greater good,” Curran said. “His investments in infrastructure, technology, and education to help create a brighter future for Illinois will long be remembered.”
• Ryan
FUN RUN FUN RUN FUN RUN
Our Story Our Story
The inaugural Dan Gibbons Twilight Trot, a 5K fun run, will take place May 31, 2025 at 6:30 pm. This event, a sister run to our beloved Turkey Trot, aims to address hunger and basic needs year-round, with a focus on the summer months.
“We recognize that hunger and basic needs don’t disappear after the holiday season,” says Dan Gibbons.
“We want to give a mid-year boost to these four vital Elmhurst nonprofit organizations”. (See below)
“We’re calling on the entire community to join us,” Gibbons said.
“Every step taken and every dollar raised will make a real difference in the lives of our neighbors in need.”
Race Day: Saturday, May 31, 2025
Start Time: 6:30 pm
Start Line: Arlington Avenue & South Street
The Rams are rolling
The Glenbard East softball team reeled off four Upstate Eight Conference wins in a four-day span last week to raise its conference record to 11-1. The Rams finished their successful week with two decisive non-conference victories at Saturday’s tournament at Rolling Meadows High School. Those two wins pushed Glenbard East’s overall season record to 14-2. The Rams opened the week with a 19-0 fourinning conference win over East Aurora on April 28 in Lombard. One day later, Glenbard East posted a 3-0 conference home win over Elmwood Park. Sophomore Claire Bolda (right - No. 23) pitched a one-hit shutout to lead Glenbard East to its April 29 win over the visiting Tigers. Bolda allowed one hit and no walks in seven innings in the circle. She piled up 15 strikeouts. Elmwood Park picked up its only hit of the game with a two-out single in the top of the fifth inning. Senior Melissa Saldana went 1-for-3 and drove in one run for the Rams. Saldana’s single in the bottom of the third inning gave Glenbard East a 1-0 lead. The Rams added single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. Saldana is pictured (above left) after she fielded a groundball in front of sophomore shortstop Lilly Carver (No. 22) and made a throw to first base. One more photo from the game shows senior Madison Krillies (above right - No. 66) of the Rams playing first base. Glenbard East’s week continued with a 7-2 conference win at West Aurora on April 30. Bolda delivered another completegame performance, recording 16 strikeouts over seven innings in the Rams’ triumph over the Blackhawks. Sophomore Ally Amrhein belted a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to give Glenbard East a 2-0 lead. The Rams picked up two more runs in the first inning to grab a quick 4-0 edge. Bolda and sophomore Althea Fitzgerald provided two hits each in the win. The Rams moved to 11-1 in conference action following their 20-2 wipeout of Elgin in a threeinning road contest on May 1. Saldana went 3-for-3 with two homers and eight RBIs. Glenbard East opened Saturday’s event with a 9-2 win over Evanston. In their second game of the day, the Rams walloped Rolling Meadows 17-0 in four innings.
Rams win two of three matches
Glenbard East’s boys volleyball team won two of three matches last week. The Rams began their week with a 22-25, 25-16, 25-20 Upstate Eight Conference victory over Riverside Brookfield on April 29 in Lombard. One day later, the Rams beat Naperville Central 25-23, 2516 in a non-conference match in Naperville. Playing its third match in as many days, Glenbard East lost a threegame non-conference battle to St. Charles North on May 1. The Rams won the opening game of that match, but St. Charles North rallied for a 17-25, 25-17, 25-20 win. Sophomore Gloire Emena bashed 14 kills and made nine digs for the Rams in last week’s win over Riverside Brookfield. Junior Gabe Polyak provided 12 kills and seven digs for the Rams, who improved their conference record to 2-0 with their victory over the visiting Bulldogs. Senior Max McDermott contributed 21 assists and six digs for Glenbard East. Junior Charlie Cooper supplied 18 assists and seven digs. Junior Nate Lynch and senior Ryan Ghannem connected for five and four kills, respectively. Senior Cooper Wooldridge added three kills, three blocks and two digs. Junior Jake Hayes made 10 digs. Emena hit eight kills in last week’s win at Naperville Central. Polyak bashed six kills. McDermott provided a team-leading 15 assists. McDermott (top left - No. 9) piled up 15 assists and eight digs in the Rams’ three-game loss to St. Charles North. Polyak (top right - No. 3) hit nine kills and made five digs in the May 1 contest. Emena provided seven kills and nine digs. Lynch (left - No. 12) and Ghannem pounded six kills each. Hayes (pictured below) made 14 digs, while Cooper handed out 12 assists.
CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing
CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing
High-scoring week for Rams
Glenbard East’s girls soccer team won three straight matches in a five-day span to raise its overall season record to 5-7-2. The Rams routed Ridgewood 10-0 in an Upstate Eight Conference match at Ridgewood on April 29. Glenbard East’s week continued with a 6-0 non-conference victory at Glenbard North on May 1. The Rams’ winning streak continued with Saturday’s 3-1 conference win over Elmwood Park in Lombard. Glenbard East sophomore Sam Anderson (above left - No. 3) scored four of her team’s goals in last week’s win over Ridgewood. Senior Brissa Sarabia netted three goals, while sophomore Jessica Gilleran (above right - No. 10) supplied two goals. Junior Nora Opila provided one goal and three assists. Sophomore Teagan Murphy contributed two assists. Sarabia, Murphy, Opila, Gilleran, senior Cleo Glenzinski (right - No. 4) and junior Lily Tripp scored one goal each during the Rams’ triumph at Glenbard North. Glenzinski and Opila scored goals in the first half of Saturday’s home match against Elmwood Park. Glenbard East led the visiting Tigers 2-1 at halftime. Opila scored the only goal of the second half with about 10 seconds left in the match. The Rams raised their conference record to 2-0-1 with Saturday’s win. Glenbard East’s schedule this week includes conference matches against Riverside Brookfield, West Chicago and Fenton. Anderson, Gilleran and Glenzinski are pictured during Saturday’s victory over Elmwood Park.
Warriors beat Broncos
The Willowbrook and Montini Catholic girls soccer teams squared off in last week’s match in Villa Park. The Warriors defeated the visiting Broncos 2-0 in the April 30 contest. Willowbrook secured its second win of the season with its victory over Montini and moved its overall 2025 season record to 2-11-1. The Broncos’ record dropped to 5-7 following their loss to the Warriors. Senior Emily Barth (right - No. 6) gave Willowbrook a 1-0 lead over Montini when she headed the ball into the net off of a corner kick by senior Liz Tretina with about 31 minutes remaining in the first half. Senior Halie Ahrens (middle - No. 22) extended the Warriors’ lead to 2-0 when she scored on a penalty kick with about 24 minutes left in the second half. One more photo from the match shows (left to right) Montini senior Annalee DeFeo and Willowbrook freshman Alina Blain (far right - No. 14).
Winning Warriors
The Willowbrook softball team earned a pair of West Suburban Gold Conference wins last week to improve to 12-7 overall and 4-0 in conference play. The Warriors traveled to Hinsdale South and defeated the Hornets 13-3 in a six-inning conference game on April 30. Two days later, Willowbrook routed Proviso East 19-0 in a four-inning contest in Villa Park. Senior Sonia Ruchala went 3-for-3 and drove in five runs for the Warriors in last week’s win at Hinsdale South. Ruchala scored four runs for Willowbrook, which piled up seven runs during the top of the fifth inning. Junior Marli Smrz went 3-for4 and scored three runs in the Warriors’ win over the Hornets. Senior Isabel Bates went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Sophomore Aleena McNamara went 2-for-4 and drove in one run. Sophomore Liz Pettinger went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Ruchala went 3-for-3 with a home run and drove in three runs in Friday’s dominant victory over Proviso East. Marli Smrz went 3-for-3 with one RBI. Juniors Allie Coppersmith, Adrianna Weaser and Delaney Smrz supplied two hits each. Bates is pictured while firing a pitch during Friday’s game. She didn’t give up any hits in two innings in the circle. Bates recorded four strikeouts and walked one batter. Willowbrook junior Kyleigh Miazga pitched the final two innings of Friday’s game against the Pirates. Miazga did not allow any hits or walks. She struck out four batters.
CHris Fox pHoto Rock Valley Publishing
After-school programs continue push for state aid
$50 million appropriated for current year was never released, advocates argue
By Peter Hancock Capitol news illinois
Advocates for after-school programs that provide tutoring, recreation and other services made their case again April 29 for a $50 million state appropriation to restore programs in some schools where funding has run out and to expand them into more schools.
“There are decades of research that supports that after-school programs improve school day performance, grades and attendance, helps reduce violence, and also supports working class families,”
Rep. Aaron Ortiz, D-Chicago, told a House budget committee.
Ortiz is the lead sponsor of House Bill 3082, which calls for $50 million to be distributed by the Illinois State Board of Education through a competitive grant program to entities that seek to provide tutoring and other enrichment services in high-poverty schools, where 40 percent or more of the students come from low-income households.
That’s the same amount of money advocates asked for, and lawmakers provided, in the current fiscal year’s budget. But 10 months into the fiscal year, those advocates say that money still has not been distributed.
“What we’ve been hearing is that the governor’s office has been waiting for legislative intent,” Susan Stanton, executive director of the advocacy group ACT Now, told the committee. “We’ve kind of heard things back and forth from both the governor’s office and ISBE and legislators. And we’ve yet to get a clear answer on why the money wasn’t released.”
The after-school programs have traditionally received federal funding through the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program, which distributes money for programs in high-poverty areas throughout the country.
Stanton, whose organization represents more than 2,000 after-school programs, said that Illinois typically re-
ceives about $56 million a year through that program.
In the following months, she told the committee, a large number of after-school programs ended up losing their funding and going out of business.
In an email statement, however, ISBE said it rectified the miscalculation by allocating federal pandemic funds to after-school programs in that year.
The reason organizations were not renewed in that cycle, the spokesperson said, is because they’d reach the maximum of one renewal that was allowed under the federal program.
“The large-scale rolling-off of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants has led to 27,000 students losing programs and 2,000 staff members losing their jobs,” Stanton said. “Funding appropriated by this committee and the General Assembly would provide a lifeline to these students and bring back stability to the communities that need it most in Illinois.”
A milestone victory
Vic Wisner earned his 300th win as Willowbrook’s head baseball coach last week. Wisner reached the milestone when the Warriors beat Proviso East 9-0 in a West Suburban Gold Conference game in Villa Park on April 28. Wisner, a 1985 Willowbrook graduate, has been the school’s head baseball coach since the 2011 season. He is pictured (right) with his son, senior catcher Troy Wisner (left), after last week’s notable victory. The Warriors went on to sweep their three-game conference series against Proviso East. Willowbrook earned a 12-2 win over the Pirates at Proviso East on April 29. The Warriors completed the three-game sweep with a Friday’s 13-0 five-inning win in Villa Park. Willowbrook also picked up a non-conference victory last week, defeating Saint Ignatius 8-7 in Chicago on April 30. The Warriors improved to 18-6 overall and 11-2 in conference play with Friday’s victory over Proviso East. Willowbrook’s schedule this week includes a three-game conference series against Morton, along with this Saturday’s non-conference home contest against Lyons Township.
The ISBE spokesperson said organizations whose grants concluded at the end of FY24 did have the opportunity to apply for new grants. ISBE released a $10 million 21st Century Community Learning Center grant competition in June 2024, and a spokesperson said districts could also apply for a separate after-school program grants for non-school districts that received an $8 million appropriation.
Stanton said even with full federal funding, there is more need for after-school programs in Illinois than those funds would cover, and the additional state funds would make after-school programming more accessible
throughout the state.
Stanton said during an interview after the April 29 committee hearing that she remains hopeful the $50 million included in the current budget will eventually be distributed.
In the meantime, she said, her organization is pushing for funding in next year’s budget.
The governor’s office has said previously that the money was included in this year’s appropriations bill without any clear instructions about how to distribute it and that the administration has been consulting with legislative leaders about what their specific intent was for the money.
“We understand the urgency surrounding after-school programming and remain
committed to ensuring that these resources are allocated in a way that best serves students and families across Illinois,” Pritzker’s press secretary Alex Gough said in an email statement. “Per the last budget agreement, we are awaiting direction from the General Assembly as to where this funding will be distributed.”
The April 29 hearing was a “subject matter” discussion only, meaning the committee took no formal action on the bill. A final decision about whether the state will again allocate money for after-school programs will be made when lawmakers pass the final omnibus appropriations bill at the end of May.
Taking the oath of office
Outgoing Lombard Village Clerk Liz Brezinski on Thursday, May 1, swore in former District Two Trustee Anthony Puccio as the new village president, along with new Village Clerk Ranya Elkhatib and new District Four Trustee Patrick Egan. Also sworn in were incumbent Trustees Brian LaVaque (District One), Bernie Dudek (District Three) and Bob Bachner (District Six). LaVaque said he was “very humbled to be serving the community for another term.” Dudek said that since he was first elected four years ago, “It’s been an amazing ride.” Egan said, “It’s an honor to stand here as your village trustee.” Bachner said, “I’m just very happy to have another four years.” Elkhatib said, “I am honored and grateful to be here.” Puccio welcomed the returning and new board members, adding, “I’m ready to get going.” Pictured are (back row, left to right) District Five Trustee Dan Militello, LaVaque, Bachner, Egan, (front row, left to right) Dudek, Puccio and Elkhatib.
joe pearson photo Rock Valley Publishing
jane Charmelo photos Rock Valley Publishing
On May Day, thousands march for immigrant, labor, women and LGBTQ+ rights
Rally in Chicago draws 175 organizations and protesters from across Illinois
By Sonya Dymova and Medill Illinois News Bureau
Michelle Nolasco, a 20-year-old DePaul University student from Orland Park, Illinois, held a sign that read: “I was supposed to be at school … Instead, I am here, fighting for mi familia y mi gente,” meaning “my family and my people.”
“I feel like being in class is not as important as being here,” Nolasco, a child of undocumented immigrants from Mexico, said Thursday, May 1.
She was among thousands who gathered in Union Park to mark May Day with speeches and signs before marching through downtown to Grant Park later in the afternoon, where speakers—including Mayor Brandon Johnson—addressed the rally.
May Day—also known as International Workers’ Day— is a global holiday commemorating the labor rights movement, in which Chicago played a pivotal role.
Across the nation and the world, hundreds of thousands demonstrated Thursday to champion workers’ rights as well as to denounce the Trump administration’s widespread crackdowns on immigration, its economic policies and disruptive global tariffs.
Immigration has become a major focus of May Day rallies in the U.S. since 2006, when roughly one million people—nearly half a million in Chicago alone—marched as part of a nationwide movement against tough, proposed, federal anti-immigration reforms. The legislation, called the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act, would have criminalized living in the U.S. without legal permission, making it a felony.
Nearly 20 years after those first rallies, the crowd in Chicago erupted Thursday into chants of “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here!” Some said the struggle was all too familiar.
“I was one of the main conveners of the 2006 mega march on March 10 and then on May 1 of 2006, and having to fight against it all over again is obviously a deja vu,” said Omar Lopez, 80, a member of the Central Committee of the Consejo de Resistencia en Defensa del Inmigrante, the body that made the initial call for people to take to the streets.
Since President Donald Trump was sworn into office in January, his administration has launched immigration
raids across the country, urged others to self-deport, canceled foreign students’ visas, and even deported legal residents without due process. “We will close the border. We will stop the invasion of illegals into our country,” Trump said during his campaign.
From April 21-26, federal and local authorities arrested 1,120 Floridians in an effort dubbed “Operation Tidal Wave,” according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Earlier that month, the administration sent over 200 migrants to a notorious maximum-security prison in El Salvador in a wave of arbitrary arrests and deportations that 20 United Nations human rights experts deemed “contrary to international law.”
“This is a life-and-death question for the labor movement and for the whole working class, not just for those that are immigrants: It has to do with the unity of the working class and our ability to fight for our own interests,” said David Rosenfeld, a Chicago-based railroad worker who is a member of the Socialist Workers Party and the SMART Transportation Division. “That’s why I’m particularly proud of my union, the SMART Transportation union, which has been standing up for our member, Kilmar Abrego García.”
García, a first-year apprentice with the union no criminal convictions who was living in Maryland, was deported to his with native El Salvador despite a 2019 court order shielding him from being sent there due to the risk of persecution by local gangs that had terrorized his family. The Trump administration called the deportation “an administrative error” but contended García was a member of the MS-13 gang, an allegation a federal judge questioned and the man’s wife and lawyer denied. Officials later added domestic abuse to the list of allegations, actions his wife acknowledged but explained, adding that “Kilmar is a loving partner and father.”
A federal judge, an appeals court and the Supreme Court have all ordered the government to facilitate García’s return to the country, but the administration has argued in court that it had no means of doing so.
Although immigration became a focus of the event, it was not the only one.
“We have groups that have other grievances against what’s coming out of Wash-
ington, and they’re also using this as a vehicle to express their grievances,” Lopez said. “Now, we see a broader coalition than we did in 2006.”
Some organizations were planning to organize their own May Day events but decided to follow the lead of the Central Committee.
“We were going to put on a May Day march that was specifically geared towards wom en and fem-identifying work ers,” said Jill Manrique, an executive director at Chicago Jobs With Justice. “But when we found out that this was happening, we joined up—we didn’t want to split solidarity.”
According to Lopez, this year’s coalition included 175 organizations—from unions to faith-based groups—from across Illinois, including DuP age and McHenry counties and cities like Elgin, Rockford and Aurora. Unlike the recent “Hands Off!” campaign that spanned more than 30 cities throughout the state, the May Day rallies were held only in Chicago and Evanston. Still, many from outside the city joined the Union Park event.
One protester who would give only his first name for fear of retribution, Ashton—a young trans man from Ottawa, Ill.—drove a couple of hours to the event.
“It’s absolutely insane that we need to do this,” he said. “I keep seeing people saying, you know, if a child needs to be an activist, we’ve already failed them, and this is absolutely freaking true.”
Some organizations arranged transportation to bring people from outside the city.
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cause I don’t know how to sum up everything that upsets me,” she said. “Women’s rights is obviously close to home, but I also have a trans child, and so his (Trump’s) attack on trans
“My kid exists,” she added. “He’s trying to erase them, but no, they’re a human, and they
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“The eight buses that our organization is bringing are coming mainly from the Southwest suburbs like Bolingbrook, Plainfield, Romeoville, Joliet, Naperville and Lockport,” said Margarita Morelos, a co-founder of Casa Aguascalientes Chicago, a non-profit working to empower the Hispanic community. “But other organizations are having buses coming from other places, like the North Side and the West Side of Chicago.”
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The diversity of the organizations, locations and people represented in the rally was reflected in the thousands of handmade signs, which addressed a variety of issues, ranging from LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights to the rights of health care and education workers, as well as U.S. foreign policy toward Israel and Russia.
“The basic message is that we are resisting, we are de-
DuPage Woodworkers make wooden toys for underprivileged kids
On April 26, 25 members of the DuPage Woodworkers organization gathered at the Woodcraft store in Downers Grove to make wooden toys
for underprivileged kids. Working on a kind of assembly line, they sanded, routed, nailed and glued up cars, SUVs, school buses
and trucks. They nailed and glued the felt-lined doll beds that will, at the holidays, come with a doll and a blanket.
The pig has company: giraffes, turtles and ducks, all with wheels for scooting along the floor.
“We work with about 10 non-profit groups to distribute our toys to kids who generally don’t have a lot during the holidays,” said George Rodgers, of Western Springs, toys committee chair and president of DPWW. “Many of our members make toys all year around, in their own workshops, and as a group twice a year. We produce between 2,500 and 3,000 toys. The vehicles come without a finish so kids can color them any way they’d like.”
The organization purchases wood and felt for the doll beds, along with axles and wheels for the cars and trucks. Many members contribute their own wood, along with their time and woodworking skills. One member stops where houses are being built and asks the workers to save the cut offs to use for toys.
DuPage Woodworkers is open to anyone interested in wood and holds monthly meetings with speakers on a
LEGAL NOTICES
variety of topics. Its meeting schedule is at dupagewoodworkers.org and guests are welcome.
Meetings generally are
on the third Monday of the month at 7 p.m. at St. James the Apostle
MECHANIC’S LIEN NOTICE
This notice is to enforce a Mechanic’s Lien pursuant to Chapter 770 ILCS 45/1 et seq, and 90/1 et seq., against: Bartlomiej Siwicki and First Community Credit Union for the following vehicle, 2022 Jayco Jay Flight 32BH VIN number 1UJBJ0BT7N1TR0349, for the amount owed of $19,385.27. A sale will be held at New Wave Motors, 865 Fairway Dr., Bensenville, IL 60106 after May 26, 2025, unless redeemed by owner within 30 days of the date of the first publication of this notice.
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review May 8, 15 & 22, 2025) 471456
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
XEROGRAPHIC COPY PAPER May 8, 2025
The Board of Education, School District 45, DuPage County, 255 West Vermont Street, Villa Park, Illinois 60181, is accepting bids for:
XEROGRAPHIC COPY PAPER
until 10:00 A.M. (CST), Thursday, May 22, 2025, and invites you to bid. The bid opening will be on Thursday, May 22, 2025 starting at 10:00 A.M. (CST).
Contract documents are on file and may be examined at any time on/or after Thursday, May 8, 2025. Any questions or requests for clarifications concerning the bid documents or specifications must be submitted in writing no later than Thursday, May 15, 2025, and directed to:
School District 45,
DuPage County
255 West Vermont Street Villa Park, Illinois 60181
Attention: Jeff Eagan or jeagan@d45.org
All bids shall be submitted to: School District 45, DuPage County 255 West Vermont Street Villa Park, Illinois 60181
Attention: Jeff Eagan, Assistant Superintendent for Finance/ CSBO
Xerographic Copy Paper Bid Opening Thursday, May 22, 2025 at 10:00 A.M. (CST)
No bids may be withdrawn for a period of 60 days after the bid opening date.
The Board of Education reserves the right to waive any immaterial variances or irregularities or reject any or all proposals when, in its opinion, such action will serve the best interest of the Board of Education, School District 45, DuPage County.
By authorization of the Board of Education: Jeff Eagan Assistant Superintendent for Finance/CSBO
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent, Villa Park Review and the Lombardian May 8, 2025) 471533
NOTICE
CERTIFICATE NO. 79688 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on APRIL 21, 2025, wherein the business firm of CHICAGOLAND RESCUE SERVICES, 90 OLESEN DRIVE APT 301, NAPERVILLE, IL 60540 was
registered; that the true or real name or names of the person or persons owning the business, with their respective post office address(es), is/are as follows: Kristian H. Leigh, 90 Olesen Drive Apt 301, Naperville, IL 60540.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 21ST day of APRIL, A.D. 2025. Jean Kaczmarek DuPage County Clerk (Published in The Lombardian May 1, 8 & 15, 2025) 470941
NOTICE
CERTIFICATE NO. 79695 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on APRIL 29, 2025 wherein the business firm of LA BELLA DONNA VINTAGE CREATIONS, 553 PHEASANT TRAIL, ST. CHARLES, IL 60174 was registered; that the true or real name or names of the person or persons owning the business, with their respective post office address(es), is/are as follows: Ann Maloy, 553 Pheasant Trail, St. Charles, IL 60174.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 29TH day of APRIL, A.D. 2025. Jean Kaczmarek DuPage County Clerk (Published in The Lombardian May 8, 15 & 22, 2025) 471410
VILLAGE OF LOMBARD NOTICE TO BIDDERS FOR 2025 RM PROG 37 – Manhole Rehabilitation
Time and Place of oPening Bids Notice is hereby given that the Village of Lombard, Illinois, act-
ing through the Department of Public Works, will receive bids via online electronic bidding only through Quest Construction Data Network (QuestCDN) until May 23, 2025 at 11:00 AM, local time for the 2025 RM Prog 37 –Manhole Rehabilitation. Paper bids will not be accepted and will be returned to the bidder unopened. Bids will be publicly read at the Public Works Facility, 1051 S. Hammerschmidt Avenue, Lombard, Illinois immediately after bids are due.
Bid proposals for this Project will be considered to determine the lowest responsible bidder. Judgment on the award of the contract shall be based not only on cost, but also on past performance, experience, and ability to perform the work. The Village of Lombard reserves the right to accept the proposal deemed to be in its own best interest based on all of the above considerations and other considerations the law allows in determining the definition of ‘responsible bidder’. Bids will be acted upon by the President and Board of Trustees.
descriPTion of
Work
This project “Manhole Rehabilitation (FY25)” consists of rehabilitation of 131 sanitary manholes and related work including patching and grouting, and related work as further described in the Contract Documents. Locations and the project areas are provided as an exhibit and are included with these specifications. The CONTRACTOR shall perform work at locations shown on the exhibit or as otherwise directed by the OWNER
availaBiliTy of conTracT documenTs Prospective Bidders must purchase contract documents through Quest Construction
Data Network (QUESTCDN). This can be done via a link on the Village of Lombard website ( www.VillageofLombard.org ) or on the QUESTCDN website (www.questcdn.com). QUESTCDN is a web-based platform for construction project advertisements, bid documents, and plan holder lists. Prospective bidders will need the seven-digit QUESTCDN project number 9674635 to locate the job on the QUESTCDN website search page.
There is a $22.00 non-refundable cost for downloading the contract documents in a pdf format. An online bidding cost of $20.00 will be charged to those contractors who choose to submit an electronic bid through QuestCDN. Bids will not be accepted from any prospective bidder who has not purchased contract documents through QuestCDN. Only online bids through QuestCDN will be accepted.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, plans and specifications may be examined at the following locations:
1) QUESTCDN. The Village electronically posts Plans, Advertisements, Plan Holders Lists, and Addenda to QUESTCDN. For any additional services or assistance contact QUESTCDN at 952-233-1632 or info@questcdn.com.
2) Subscribers to Dodge Data & Analytics may view the documents through their service agreement. For any additional services, data subscribers should contact Dodge Data & Analytics, Telephone: 877-7849556. Web: www.construction. com
3) Subscribers to constructconnect may view the doc-
uments through their service agreement. For any additional services, constructconnect data subscribers should contact constructconnect, Telephone: 877-422-6865. Web: www.constructconnect.com
However, an examination of said plans and specifications at any of these locations or online shall not relieve the prospective bidders from the contract document purchase requirement set forth above.
Bid Security
All bid proposals must be accompanied by a bid bond payable to the Village of Lombard for five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid as provided in the General Requirements. Bidders will need to upload a copy of their bid bond or elect to use Surety2000. No proposals or bids will be considered unless accompanied by such a bond. rejecTion of Bids
The Village reserves the right to defer the award of the contract for a period not to exceed sixty (60) calendar days after the date bids are received, and to accept or reject any or all proposals, and to waive technicalities.
A pre-bid meeting will not be held. Any question(s) must be submitted to the Project Manager huizingab@villageoflombard. org by no later than May 16, 2025 at 3:00 PM. Questions submitted after the deadline shall not be acknowledged. The potential bidder must submit a prequalification form (as supplied in Appendix F of the bid document) by May 16, 2025, at 3:00 PM.
(Published in The Lombardian May 8,
SUBMITTED PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing Woodworker Ron Coliander works on a giraffe.
