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Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Preview Week

Bensenville

March 4-8

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THURSDAY, FEB. 22, 2024

Funny faces These three youngsters pose for the camera wearing props available for dress-up at the Bensenville Park District’s annual Sweetheart Ball held on Saturday, Feb 3 at White Pines. More photos on page 3.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Bensenville Independent

DuPage County provides nearly $1 million to local food pantries Bensenville-Wood Dale to receive more than $100,000

The DuPage County Board re- with vehicles, capital equipment, tablished the Local Food Pantry cently voted to allocate nearly $1 and technology purchases.

Infrastructure Investment Program million to 16 food pantries to assist In August 2023, the county es- to provide funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to food pantries.

These funds will assist with capital equipment purchases that help the pantries store, package, and deliver food or essential commodities.

Funds may also be used for information technology investments for data collection, reporting, or for issuing payments.

“These targeted investments will make it easier to get fresh food to the neediest residents in our county quickly, provide important resources to local pantries and strengthen our food distribution network

Inside:

Opinion....................4 Police ����������������������8 Speak Out.................5 Sports................20-24

for decades to come,” said Human Services Committee chair Greg Schwarze.

The following food pantries received funds through the program: • Bensenville Wood Dale Food Pantry—$109,251 • Downers Grove Area Fish, Inc.—$50,000 • Elmhurst Yorkfield Food Pantry – $25,000 • Glen House Food Pantry—$91,715 • HCS Family Services—$29,050 • ICNA Relief USA Programs—$79,500 • Interfaith Food Pantry, Inc.— $9,669

• Lisle Township Food Pantry—$108,491 • Loaves & Fishes Community Services—$31,407 • Milton Township Food Pantry—$75,000 • Neighborhood Food Pantries—$23,255 • People’s Resource Center—$145,565 • The Outreach House, Lombard—$25,588 • The Salvation Army Oakbrook Terrace—$13,104 • Wayne Township Food Pantry—$7,960 • West Suburban Community Pantry—$86,117

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Rock Valley Publishing

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Two charged with leading police on high-speed chases One alleged incident occurred in Lombard DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin, Lombard Chief of Police Tom Wirsing and Naperville Chief of Police Jason Arres have announced that law enforcement in DuPage County continues their efforts to arrest and charge anyone accused of attempting to flee from the police.

During the Presidents’ Day weekend, two defendants, one adult and one juvenile, appeared in court where Judge James McCluskey granted the state’s motion to detain the adult pre-trial and detain the juvenile until at least his next court appearance.

The most recent arrests include:

• A 17-year-old male juvenile from Gilberts is accused of leading Naperville police on a high-speed chase on Feb. 17, at approximately 1:11 a.m. It is alleged that after officers had boxed-in the juvenile’s vehicle, he repeatedly crashed his car into the officer’s squad cars parked in front of him and behind him until one of the squad cars was pushed out of the way and he was able to flee.

It is alleged that as the juvenile fled the scene, he crashed into a Naperville City Electric box. It is further alleged that the juvenile led police on a 115 mph-chase which ended in De Kalb County.

• Dexter Williams, 37, of Chicago is accused of leading police on a high-speed chase reaching speeds of approximately 100 mph on eastbound Roosevelt Road in Lombard before crashing his car into a light pole at Ogden Avenue and Western

Avenue in Chicago at approximately 1:09 a.m. Feb. 17.

After crashing his vehicle, Williams and two other individuals allegedly attempted to flee on foot before being takDexter Williams en into custody.

When searching Williams’ vehicle, authorities allegedly found four catalytic converters, a jack, a Sawzall and Sawzall blades.

Williams is charged with one count of receiving, possessing or selling a stolen motor vehicle or essential part (Class 2 felony), one count of aggravated fleeing and eluding (Class 4 felony), one count of possession of burglary tools

“

With the weather getting nicer and people out traveling more, law enforcement in DuPage County is determined to not have a repeat of the epidemic of fleeing and eluding we saw last year.”

— Bob Berlin DuPage County State’s Attorney

(Class 4 felony) and one dozen misdemeanor and petty traffic offenses including resisting or obstructing a police officer.

“Last year, DuPage County saw a significant increase in the numbers of people who attempted to flee from police instead of pulling over,” Berlin said. “With the weather getting nicer and people out traveling more, law enforcement in DuPage County is determined to not have a repeat of

the epidemic of fleeing and eluding we saw last year. I thank the Lombard and Naperville police departments for their efforts on these cases and for keeping our roads safe.”

“I thank all of the officers involved in this incident for their efforts in safely taking the suspect into custody,” Wirsing said. “I also thank State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his team for their work and legal guidance on this case.”

Pritzker commits another $182 million to migrant response; details to come this week

By Andrew Adams

Capitol News Illinois

The state and Cook County announced Feb. 15 a roughly $250 million plan to provide shelter, health care and other services for recently arrived migrants. But according to their own plan, there’s still a roughly $70 million funding gap for the rest of 2024.

That missing money could come from Chicago, although a proposal for additional funding has not been brought to Chicago’s city council.

At a news conference, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson did not indicate any plans for the city to fill the remaining budget gap, noting that a lack of federal intervention could be an “incredible burden for the city of Chicago.”

A source briefed on the matter told Capitol News Illinois Johnson had committed to providing the remaining funds at a Feb. 5 meeting between the mayor, governor and

Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle.

When he was asked about this on Feb. 15, Johnson said he was “not aware” of any deal between the three, also adding that “there is no disconnect” between his administration and Pritzker’s.

In a news release, the governor’s office said the state’s portion funding will come from the state’s fiscal year 2025 budget.

Gov. JB Pritzker, who committed the state to providing more than half of the needed funds, was expected to provide more detail about where the money is coming during his annual budget address that took place on Wednesday.

House Democrats’ chief budget negotiator, Rep. Jehan Gordon Booth, D-Peoria, and the head of a working group focused on recently arrived migrants, Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz, D-Glenview, told Capitol News Illinois in a joint state-

Coming events GPS program Feb. 27 The Glenbard Parent Series: (GPS) Navigating Healthy Families will present “Parenting Your Young Child Through Tantrums, Misbehavior and Meltdowns” with pediatric psychologist Ann-Louise Lockhart at noon and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 27, via Zoom. What should adults do when a young child feels upset, disappointed or frustrated? How can meltdowns and tantrums be avoided?

Lockhart says that giving in, overreacting, nagging or punishing can prolong the problem. She will share solutions and takeaways for caregivers. Go to glenbardgps.org for further information and the links to these webinars. To be placed on a reminder list for GPS events or submit a question in advance, contact Gilda Ross, Glenbard District 87 student and community projects coordinator, at gilda_ross@glenbard.org or 630942-7668.

Garden club meeting Feb. 23 Kim Hartmann will be the speaker at the monthly Lombard Garden Club meeting on Feb. 23, 1 p.m., at the Lombard Community Building, 433 E. St. Charles Road. Her topic is “Best Plants for 2024.” Kim has worked as a communication consultant, garden center manager and landscape designer for the last 35 years. Recently, she started her own independent consulting practice focused on horticulture communication, education and design. She has a degree in Horticulture and Communication from the University of Illinois. Kim is also Lake County Master Gardener and is responsible for managing the Speaker’s Bureau.

Please mark your calendars for Friday, Feb. 23, at 1 p.m. There is no charge and the public is welcome.

ment they will review the full details of the state’s portion of the spending plan next week.

“We will remain focused on continuing to bring stakeholders together to continue making smart and compassionate decisions for our state and all of our communities,” they said.

In December, following a Governor’s Office of Management and Budget forecast, the governor urged caution for this year’s budgeting process. That office projected a potential $891 million deficit for the upcoming fiscal year. But GOMB also predicted a $1.4 billion surplus for the current fiscal year, due to several one-time revenue streams.

In a statement, Pritzker indicated disappointment at the lack of a coordinated federal response to the influx of migrants.

“With thousands of asylum seekers continuing to come to Chicago in desperate need of support and

with Congress continuing to refuse to act—it is clear the state, county, and city will have to do more to keep people safe,” Pritzker said.

Pritzker has been outspoken in calling for more federal involvement, repeatedly calling on President Joe Biden and congressional leaders to designate a federal office to coordinate the nation’s migrant response and provide additional resources.

“As critical funding for this ongoing humanitarian crisis stalls in Congress, Cook County stands committed to the well-being of the region,” Preckwinkle said in a news release.

“We cannot wait for additional resources and Cook County is proud to stand alongside Governor Pritzker in this joint funding plan, ensuring that shelter capacity, healthcare and wraparound services remain accessible to those in need.”

A compromise deal in the U.S. Senate that was meant to help ad-

dress the increase in border crossings disintegrated last week after Republicans backed out of the agreement.

The state in November committed to a $160 million spending plan, although portions of that plan—such as a 2,000 bed shelter in Chicago— have yet to come to fruition.

The state also claims that it has spent $478 million through existing channels, such as through the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, over the past two years.

The influx of migrants coming from Texas has slowed in recent weeks, with Chicago’s shelter system being at its lowest capacity since last fall. As of Feb. 14, there were about 12,900 people staying in city shelters—down from a peak of around 15,000 a few weeks ago.

There were also no migrants at the city’s airports or at the “landing zone” facility, the location that the city instructs bus companies to drop people off.

brary will be held on Friday, Feb. 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. A second drive will be held Saturday, Feb. 24, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., hosted by Lombard Masonic Lodge #1098, in Hatfield Hall at First Church of Lombard, 220 S. Main St. At either drive, donors can receive a new license plate frame while supplies last. Call or text Camille from Versiti at 847305-9998. A photo ID is required.

cation and organizational skills, as well as experience with social media and Google Docs. Interns will be required to attend off-site meetings and events. If you’re interested, you can email your resume to Reptch42@ gmail.com.

Plum Library programs Movie Music Tribute to Black History Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 7 p.m. John LeGear will examine some of the many ways Black American writers, musicians and performers have enriched the art of movies over the past 80 years.

Join us for this lyrical, thought-provoking multi-media presentation.

Lombard: Then and Now with the Lombard Historical Society Friday, March 1, at 2 p.m. For children in grades 1-5. Learn about Lombard of the past and compare it to the Lombard you know today.

With photos and clothing from the past, the Lombard Historical Society will share how the earliest European settlers lived.

Register for these programs at helenplum.org or by calling 630627-0316.

Summer internships with Rep. Terra Costa Howard The office of state Rep. Terra Costa Howard is accepting applications for summer internships to work out of the district office in Lombard. Duties will include: constituent casework, policy research, engaging with constituents through canvassing, social media content creation, attending events and meetings with Rep. Costa Versiti blood drives Feb. 23, 24 Howard, and event planning. You’ll A blood drive at Helen Plum Li- need excellent writing, communi-

International Women’s Day Breakfast March 8 The Zonta Club of Oak Brook will be hosting an International Women’s Day Breakfast on Friday, March 8, at Maggiano’s in Oak Brook. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and the program begins at 8 a.m. Presenting at the breakfast will be Rachel Moody, program manager of the Magdalene House, who will speak about how they assist women who are recovering from trafficking. The cost of the breakfast is $30. For more information or for tickets, go to iwdboakbrook@gmail.com.

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Rock Valley Publishing

Page 3B

The IndependenT 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.

Display Advertising: 630.834-8355 Classified Advertising: 630.834-8244 News: 630.834-8244 General Information: 630.834-8244

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Pretty princesses

These two lovely young ladies are dressed for a night of dancing at the Bensenville Park District’s recent Sweetheart Ball held at White Pines.

A night out with his sweetheart

This little princess shares a smile with her favorite date at the Sweetheart Ball held at White Pines on Saturday, Feb. 3.

White Pines to hold Easter brunch March 31

Get photo with the Easter Bunny

A happy family

This family is all smiles for a photo at the Bensenville Park District’s Sweetheart Ball held on Saturday, Feb. 3 at White Pines.

The White Pines Golf Club’s Easter Brunch returns from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Easter Sunday, March 31.

Reservations are being taken now through March 25 for the event at 500 W. Jefferson St. Families will enjoy a brunch buffet with a cash bar.

For children, the highlight is a visit from the Easter Bunny, including the opportunity for kids to interact and have their photos taken with him. An egg hunt is also scheduled at 12:30 p.m. Photo albums will be posted to the park district website for download following the brunch.

Tickets for the White Pines Easter Brunch for adults ages 13 and older are $45, and kids ages 4-12 are $29. Those ages 3 and younger are free.

Call 630-766-0304 ext. 2 for reservations.

Administration: Dee Longfellow News Coordinator Debra Hamilton Advertising Director Pete Cruger Publisher

Advertising: Brenda Garcia

Subscriptions: 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.

Reprints: Content appearing in the Independent may not be reprinted without permission of the publisher or editor.

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Rock Valley Publishing

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Opinion

Slices of life

Everyone deserves a real, true-life love story Last week, we were in the “amore” season of the year.

Love. Kisses. Hearts. Roses.

Romantic cards. Candles. Champagne.

A box of chocolates.

On Feb. 14 we celebrated Valentine’s Day. Or, better put, some of us did.

For many years, the day had personal significance to me because I actually had a real-life Valentine. He even lived with me.

We ate meals together, slept in the same bed and made plans for the future. On Valentine’s Day we used to exchange cards and everything. I even received a dozen roses on more occasions than I can remember. We were the real deal.

For 33-plus years, my husband was my Valentine. That maybe sounds boring, but it wasn’t.

Now I observe the day of love from afar. I don’t anticipate roses or chocolates from my sweetie. But I do observe the day of love in another way: I live it vicariously through others.

This year, the couple worth watching is obvious.

They are known as Tay tay and Trav by their closest friends—as well as everyone who’s ever listened to a Taylor Swift album or watched a Kansas City Chiefs football game.

I’ve maybe done both so that makes me somewhat of an expert on the subject.

Travis and Taylor have taken their romance public—very public. Here’s why: they didn’t have a choice. They are both in the category of superstar and lots of people love watching, keeping tabs on, dreaming of and making judgements about their love story—or lack thereof.

At first, I was a bit skeptical myself. The world has made me a cynic. Or maybe the media have done that without any help from the rest of the world at large. Either way, I approached the T and T romance with a grain of salt and a fair amount of doubt as to the reality of it all.

By

JILL PERTLER

Slices of Life

But, I’ve been won over.

Not that it matters in the least.

What I think—what anyone thinks—is inconsequential. In the big scheme of things, it is about as important as which team won the big game on Super Bowl Sunday. (But you didn’t hear that from me!)

My favorite Valentine’s couple this year are a public lot. Maybe they chose that lot; maybe not. But either way, love, when real, is magical and miraculous and worth our reverence and gratitude.

Are Travis and Taylor “really” in love? Maybe, maybe not. I like to think so.

I guess it’s human nature to speculate. And hope. And I am truly hoping for them.

Love between any two people is absolutely wondrous. It is also filled with challenges. And those challenges, I think, multiply, when your success is based on a public persona.

But public or not, everyone (repeat that, everyone!) deserves a real, truelife love story. And as far as Travis and Taylor go, I’m rooting for them.

As far as the big game? I didn’t have a favorite, just a favorite couple.

I guess you can call me a hopeless romantic.

Because in the end—and the beginning and everywhere in between—love is all that matters, no matter how famous, or infamous your are. (And yes, that is a joke—the words, not the love.)

By U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi Last week, I joined Fox News’ Common Ground segment with Republican U.S. Rep. John James to discuss policy areas that still have room for cooperation despite the partisan divisions that so often tear Washington apart.

Over the course of our conversation, we addressed areas of shared, bipartisan concern, including the threats posed by Russia’s Jill Pertler is an award-winning newly revealed efforts to develop syndicated columnist, published anti-satellite technology to disrupt playwright and author. Don’t miss a slice; follow the Slices of Life page on communications and the need to secure our border.

Facebook.

We also touched on the importance of supporting our friends across the world by sending aid to key allies and security partners including Israel, ing.com Letter-writers will be limited to Ukraine, and Taiwan, while expanding one letter per month except for lo- humanitarian aid, including to cally elected officials, or individuals Palestinians.

In addition to those broader specifically associated with local village governments or entities such as areas of agreement, Congressman school districts, park districts or library James and I discussed our bipartisan Opportunity to Compete Act which districts.

No letters directed to a third party will help ensure that Americans who have developed the skills necessary will be accepted for publication.

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Finding room for bipartisan cooperation on national security

beneficial technologies without seeing those innovations seized through the CCP’s sophisticated intellectual property theft efforts or used against Americans.

On Feb. 14, I joined my colleague Congresswoman Haley Stevens of Michigan for a discussion on how to strengthen our economy and better out-compete the CCP through embracing research, innovation, and Addressing the economic and American workforce development. security threats posed by the Fundamentally, winning the Chinese Communist Party competition against the CCP is about On Feb. 12, as Ranking Member countering and containing their of the Select Committee on the economic and military aggression Strategic Competition Between while helping Americans and our the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), I joined with economy reach their full potential Chairman Mike Gallagher and several My Feb. 28 Zoom other members of our committee in town hall meeting traveling to Boston for bipartisan I always appreciate hearing from discussions on how to best counter the threats posed by the CCP’s attempts to my neighbors and constituents on the challenges facing our district and control the future of biotechnology. our country. I want to invite you to As the CCP’s economic threats join me for my next Zoom town hall to our economy and attempts to event on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 12:15 gather genetic information on p.m. Go on my website to RSVP Americans expand, it only becomes for my town hall—www.congress. more important for us to contain gov/member/raja-krishnamoorthi/ those efforts and prevent American K000391. I look forward to seeing private or public funds from fueling you there. the CCP’s initiatives. The American biotechnology sector is the world’s Raja Krishnamoorthi represents the strongest, bringing enormous 8th Congressional District of Illinois, economic and health benefits to Americans. It is essential that we help which includes part of Addison, Wood Dale and Bensenville. the industry grow, creating jobs and a piece of paper in the form of a fouryear degree. As we continue to work to strengthen and expand our middle class, it is essential that we expand apprenticeships and skills-based education while also guaranteeing that the workers benefitting from them can reach their full potential so our economy can do the same.

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

grants have come to those cities and states, who do Democrats blame?

They blame Republicans. What a joke. Democrats are destroying our country. *** The people leading our country are doing a bad job. If you don’t believe it, you need to pull your head out of the sandbox and play—p l a y—attention. It’s all about our future and your children’s future that’s at stake. Borders, nuclear bombs, communism, adversary and enemy takeover should be the buzz words. Don’t get tied up with a red herring the radical left brings up like Jan. 6, Russian collusion and people’s private lives in the bedroom. *** I watched the Lombard village board meeting on Feb. 15 when someone from District 87 spoke to explain the referendum. He said the buildings are structurally sound but they “struggle to support today’s curriculum” and that upgrades are needed. Gee, even with such a high graduation rate, how did these kids manage? He also said since 1971 the district had five referendums ranging from $1.5 million in 1976 to $35 million in 2014 and all passed. The district wants $183 million, or $4 a week for the owner of a $300,000 house; that’s $208 a year on your tax bill. But the total they want to spend is $312 million for a 10-year “master plan,” putting in $129 million from their own budget, I mean our taxpayer dollars. How do we even know where education is going over the next 10 years? What will be outdated before that? We are not Glen Ellyn, with the incomes to handle these tax increases—and don’t forget some of it is going toward two Glen Ellyn schools. Please, Lombard voters, after the library debacle and increase in our taxes, we need to put the brakes on these government bodies sticking their hands out and reaching into our pockets. Vote no. *** We American Democrats who want to preserve democracy need to admit we make mistakes to keep our party in power by badmouthing

Trump to get Biden. The radical left in our party want to push socialism into giveaways to get votes and cut off our nose to spite our face, as the saying goes. Stand up, fellow Democrats and show America what we can do to make it better for us Americans. Actions speak louder than words. There’s an election coming up in November this year.

Keep my vote. And the rest of us holding on by the skin of our teeth. *** Hello. This is Lombard calling. I have a concern about the old building where the Lom-Ling restaurant was. I am very disappointed that Lombard did not save part of that façade. It’s been there for years.

It’s a Lombard historical thing and I think part of it should have been saved as part of Lombard history, like they did with parts of the Lombard DuPage Theatre. I’m very disappointed in that. Thank you very much. Bye. *** Interesting to see the money-hungry school districts up in Arlington Heights may have chased the Bears back to Chicago. Now, what about District 87? How many people are they going to chase out of DuPage County? Don’t forget, vote no.

Thank you. *** At last week’s board meeting for Lombard, one of the trustees reported that a new coffee shop was getting “negative” comments on social media—and not about their menu. I have seen some of them; he is right. He said he not only had a good experience but we need to welcome and embrace new businesses. I agree. Not just for more sales tax revenue a new business will bring, but because we are Lombard Strong and are better than that—at least most of us. I would like to know what they have against this business. Did these same people show up at board meetings to object to it? And how would they have even framed that without sounding like the racists they appear to be? We have enough coffee shops? Poor use of the space?

As the saying goes, you can’t put lipstick on a pig. Unfortunately, the

bard North so those students don’t have to go to Glenbard East even though West is closer? Think about that one. *** Okay, the barbed wire didn’t work. The wall didn’t work. The National Guard didn’t work. It’s time to get serious. We need to send the Proud Boys down to protect the border. *** According to the special prosecutor, there’s ample evidence that Biden allegedly committed crimes, but Biden is too old and feeble to be charged or convicted. At the same time, Biden and his team say he is mentally sharp. If he’s as mentally fit as they say he is, he should be charged. *** Is anyone else frustrated with the durability of LED light bulbs, and the honesty of the companies that manufacture them? The packages say these bulbs last eight, 10, 13 years and more. But I’m having to replace these bulbs more than ever, and they aren’t cheap. The claims about the durability of LED light bulbs are bogus. *** Trump’s MAGA followers who think he can do no wrong appear to be quite confident that their savior is going to be president again. Keep on drinking the Kool-Aid. An APNORC Research Center poll has Trump’s unfavorable ratings at 60 percent compared to 56 percent for Biden. Trump also faces 91 felony charges. Good luck turning those numbers around by November. *** Biden and the Democrats opened our borders to allow a flood of ilGPS program Feb. 29 legal immigration. Democrats deThe Glenbard Parent Series: (GPS) Navigating clared Democrat-run cities and Healthy Families will present “The Eyes Are Never states to be sanctuaries for illegal Quiet: Listening Behind the Behavior of Children” immigrants. Now that illegal immiwith Lori Desautels at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 29, via Zoom. Desautels is an assistant professor at Butler University’s College of Education and founder of the Educational Neuroscience Symposium. She is the author of “Eyes Are Never Quiet” and “Rewiring Our Perception of Discipline.” Her newest book is “In• Speak Out is a forum in which readers can express their opinion tentional Neuroplasticity: Moving Our Nervous Sysanonymously concerning local, state, national and international topics. tems and Educational System Toward Post-Traumatic Each call is limited to 200 words whether the caller calls 630-629Growth.” Go to glenbardgps.org for details and the TALK or emails their opinion to speakout@rvpublishing.com. link to this webinar. To be placed on a reminder list for • The views expressed by callers are their own.

• All calls are checked by four editors. If a consensus of editors GPS events or submit a question in advance, contact believes a particular call is deemed to be in poor taste, erroneous, Gilda Ross, Glenbard District 87 student and commuinaccurate, libelous, doesn’t make sense, or if claims stated in a call nity projects coordinator, at gilda_ross@glenbard.org cannot be verified, the call will not be published. or 630-942-7668.

Hi, Lombard calling. I couldn’t help but notice that some people were complaining and wondering when St. Charles Road and Grace Street will be paved. Perhaps they should be complaining about the increased traffic from trucks and other large vehicles using the area for shortcuts. And much like Deerfield, Illinois, there is a nationwide drive by communities to outlaw these distribution logistic centers and perhaps DuPage County should consider it. We do not want to be like Addison and be a home to a mass distribution center that increases trucks and lowers the quality of the neighborhood. We need to ban distribution centers like Deerfield, Illinois. *** After reading Superintendent Larson’s “spin” on why District 87 needs $183 million (Feb. 15), think about all the things the district has spent money on in the past. Say I spend big dough on a new kitchen.

Nothing wrong with the old one, but as “needs” go, new appliances are a functional priority. Then I also go for new cabinets, floor, sink/faucet, lighting, all of which is adequate, just old. In the meantime, my driveway is shot. My gutters are falling apart. But, I spent the money on that nice new kitchen, so where does that leave me?

Looking to borrow more money to fix the things that were really more important. The difference is, I have nobody to “give” me the money to make these repairs. District 87 taxpayers, you are being asked to “give” them the money. And overcrowding? When North was built, city planners dropped the ball on projecting future populations for the Carol Stream area. The district stated that back in the late 1990s; I heard it myself. When did the district ever consider expanding Glen-

Coming events

How Speak Out works

• With regard to calls of a political nature, it is not possible to have an equal balance of calls with liberal and conservative viewpoints during any given week. The editors of Speak Out don’t have control of who calls in, what their political leanings happen to be, and the topic(s) they want to discuss.

• If you have further questions about Speak Out, email: news1@ rvpublishing.com.

ESO concert March 9, 10 The Elmhurst Symphony Association (ESA), in partnership with The Apollo Chorus of Chicago, announces Majestic Bruckner, on Saturday, March 9, at 7 p.m. at Glenview Community Church, 1000 Elm St.,

Rock Valley Publishing

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minority of detractors is a vocal one, and it embarrasses me to be a Lombardian. If it is not hurting you or affecting your life in Lombard, as Doug Heffernan used to say on “King of Queens,” “Shut it!”

*** According to statista.com, the government is expected to collect a record of around $5 trillion in revenue this year. The government keeps collecting more revenue from us, but continues to spend more. They call all this spending, quote, “investments,” but you and I have to continue giving them more while we live on less as the price of just about everything keeps going up. How about if the politicians and the government stop “investing” and live within their means, just like you and I have to do? *** There was a story I noticed that was posted online about Abigail Disney, the grandniece of Walt Disney. She is one of over 250 millionaires and billionaires who signed an open letter, saying they were proud to pay more in taxes to address the dramatic rise of economic inequality. If Ms. Disney doesn’t feel she’s paying enough in taxes, I’ll put her in touch with my CPA and let her pay my income taxes for the rest of my life. *** This is regarding the Glenbard superintendent’s article in the paper about the District 87 referendum and facility needs (Feb. 15 issue). I appreciate the way the superintendent laid out and summed up why voters need to pass the referendum in the article, but here’s what I take issue with. He stated in the article the four Glenbard high schools range in age from 51 to 101 years old and have numerous capital improvement needs. He’s been the superintendent for over 10 years.

Why didn’t he and the district take action sooner to address the needs of these older buildings? Now that the cost of everything has gone way up, we the taxpayers will be on the hook for a lot more money if this passes. I personally hope it doesn’t pass.

Glenview; and on Sunday, March 10, at 4 p.m. at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, 149 W. Brush Hill Road, Elmhurst.

The concert features soloists Michelle Areyzaga, Tetyana Vakhnovska, Martin Luther Clark, and Bill McMurray. Audiences are invited to attend a pre-concert lecture by Assistant Conductor Eli Chen beginning at 2:45 p.m. on Sunday only. Tickets may be ordered online, by phone, or at the box office the day of the event. Senior and student ticket prices are available.

To purchase tickets for Saturday visit ApolloChorus. org. To purchase tickets for Sunday visit ElmhurstSymphony.org or call the ESA office (Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) at 630-941-0202.

Program on wills, estate planning Come to the Villa Park Public Library tonight, Feb. 22, at 7 p.m., for an evening of estate planning. Donna Craft Cain, an attorney with 35 years of experience, will discuss issues in estate planning including wills, trusts, durable power of attorney, health care power of attorney and living wills. Registration is required. For more information, visit the library’s website at www. vppl.info or call 630-834-1164.

Page 6

Rock Valley Publishing

out& about

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Jane Charmelo

March 1 seminar seeks to empower women

Self-defense to be taught at Sky Centers

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center reports that one in three women will experience some form of sexual assault in their lifetime, and the World Health Organization reports that worldwide, 30 percent of women have experienced physical or sexual violence by a partner.

These statistics are familiar to George Matejovsky, owner of Sky Centers Martial Arts in Lombard, who decided that providing self-defense resources and tools could empower women to protect themselves against becoming victims of a violent crime.

Last year, “Out and About” highlighted a similar self-defense seminar being held for women, and this year, Master Sky—as he is known around town—is offering another seminar on Friday, March 1. Master Sky said he has held hundreds of self-defense seminars during his career, including seven in the last year.

Both last year, and again this year, Master Sky said he decided to offer the seminars, most recently explaining, “Many women in the community reached out with deep concerns regarding new state laws passed in 2023, as well as wanting to learn self protection and develop self confidence. A few events have become popular with helping local fundraising as well.”

He has structured the seminars for women because “Women are not typically as strong, [so] I try to use physical techniques not necessarily specific to strength.”

“Mentally we teach confidence-builders as well as the situational-awareness state every woman should be in when out in public or areas of possible encounters.

“Physically we teach effective and easy-to-retain defensive skills that women of all sizes and ages can ef-

ficiently learn. Participants learn the key targets to strike a perpetrator as well as the various levels they can use based on their own personal physical abilities,” Master Sky outlined.

The instructor said that he teaches women to be aware of their “outside,” “middle” and “hot” zones as a way of helping prevent an assault.

He noted that he also focuses on one’s “sixth sense,” adding, “Everyone possesses it; it’s just unlocking it.”

Gina Damore, one of the previous seminar participants, commented that “Master Sky is an amazing instructor with a wealth of knowledge and passion for teaching and helping.

This is information and techniques every woman should know and be aware of, but hopefully never have to fully use.”

“You don’t need to be in shape or know martial arts to attend,” she continued. “Just wear comfy clothes and be ready for fun and education on self-defense.”

When asked what he wants women to gain from the seminar, Master Sky responded: “If a woman comes in and attends an event and during the event they take away one simple skill that may either prevent a violent interaction, or if they do encounter one they have both the confidence and basic skill set needed to defend themselves, then I have done my job.”

“If you get one thing that helps you become aware, that’s worth a thousand hours [of martial arts training],” he emphasized. “Women will leave the workshop feeling more confident and empowered, knowing that they have the skills they need to protect themselves and their loved ones.”

“Prevention is the best cure,” summed up Master Sky. The seminar will be held Friday,

See SEMINAR, Page 24

PhotoS courtesy of Master Sky Rock Valley Publishing

Sky Centers Martial Arts will hold another self-defense seminar for women on Friday, March 1, from 7-10 p.m. The seminar will focus on physical techniques, situational awareness and other measures women can take to help prevent becoming the victim of a violent crime.

District 44 kindergarten pre-registration District 44 will offer full-day kindergarten during the 2024-25 school year. Pre-registration for all kindergarten students will be held on Thursday, Feb. 29, from 5-8 p.m. and/or Friday, March 1, from 7:30-11:30 a.m. at all District 44 elementary schools.

Starting now, please pick up a kindergarten pre-registration packet at the front door of your neighborhood school (Door #14 in the north parking lot at Butterfield Elementary School).

When all forms are completed and necessary documents collected, call your school to schedule a packet drop-off appointment on one of the two available dates.

To be eligible for kindergarten this fall, a child must be five years old on or before Sept. 1, 2024. Parents are required to bring a certified birth certificate to the registration. Verification of residency in District 44 is also required. A total of three current verification documents must be presented at registration time.

One of the following items must be presented: tax bill, lease, mortgage papers or letter of residence.

Two of the following items must also be presented: utility bill (gas, water, electric), driver’s license, public aid, vehicle registration, receipt from moving van rental or homeowner’s/ renter’s insurance policy. (If you are living with family/friends, contact the school office for an additional proof of residency form.)

DuPagePads invites community to 18th annual Taste of Hope Tickets are now available for the 18th annual Taste of Hope on Thursday, Feb. 29.

As DuPagePads continues to assist record numbers of people experiencing homelessness by providing shelter, support, and a pathway to housing they invite caring people across our community to bring needed help and hope to Pads’ clients by participating in their signature evening of dining and philanthropy, the Taste of Hope.

Guests are invited to dine and delight while learning more about DuPagePads current work to end homelessness at Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace from 6-9 p.m.

Samplings of signature dishes from elite restaurants and caterers across the area will be provided with beer and wine from Alter Brewing and Aspen Lane Wine Company.

Co-chaired by DuPagePads board directors Tami Weir and Mary Morrissey of Naperville, the Taste of Hope also gives guests the oppor-

tunity to participate in fun raffles, wine pulls, and remarkable silent auction packages via mobile bidding.

A brief program also features updates on DuPagePads Interim Housing Center, mission successes, a personal testimony from a client in housing, and a live auction filled with fabulous trips and experiences.

For Taste of Hope details, online auction bidding, or a list of participating restaurants visit: https:// 2024TOH.givesmart.com “I am super excited for this year’s Taste of Hope and so grateful to our restaurant partners, sponsors and planning committee for making this event possible,” said April Redzic, president and CEO. “The Taste of Hope is so aptly named because it’s bringing hope, a warm meal, and safe place to sleep to the 200 adults and 105 children who are our Interim Housing guests, as well as the 329 people whom we’ve helped move into an apartment of their own

this year. Last year’s event raised the last private dollars we needed to get appliances and materials for our IHC kitchen construction, and this year’s event will help us renovate our rooms to make them cleaner and more functional for the families who are staying with us each night.”

Individual dinner tickets are available for $125 per person or tables of 10 for $1,000 per table with early bird pricing. Room capacity is limited to 500 guests.

Several DuPage businesses are committed to help to end homelessness in our community by sponsoring the Taste of Hope, including Villa Park Office Equipment and Huck Bouma.

Remaining sponsorship, advertising, restaurant, and auction item donation opportunities for local businesses and restaurants may be available on a limited basis. For more information, contact Carrie Flick by calling 630-480-4186 or CFlick@dupagepads.org.

With influx of state and federal funding, Illinois looks to add enough chargers to support 1 million EVs

By Cole Longcor CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

Illinois’ electric vehicle charging infrastructure is on pace to double this year, buoyed by an influx of state and federal dollars.

The investments are aimed at supporting both federal and state environmental goals. The Biden Administration set the goal of EVs making up half of all U.S. vehicle sales by 2030. Under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act—Gov. JB Pritzker’s marquee climate law that passed in 2021—Illinois aims to have one million EVs on the road by 2030.

These targets have spawned major infrastructure programs, which after years of planning and funding are seeing tangible results in Illinois.

State funding allocated in 2023 put Illinois on course to double the number of direct current, or DC, fast charging ports on state roads within a year, from 993 to 1,914. The increase brings the number of fast charging ports to over 25 percent of the 7,000 DC ports estimated to be needed to support the state’s EV goals.

In Illinois, several agencies are part of the effort to ensure EV charging infrastructure gets where it is needed, but the drive is coordinated by Megha Lakhchaura, the state electric vehicle coordinator at the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

“We expect that we will need 36,000 public charging ports to support one million EVs. Most of these will be level two chargers, but we will need close to 7,000 fast charging ports by 2030,” Lakhchaura said in an email statement. “We expect to have over 2,000 fast charging ports by the end of 2024 if the chargers are installed on time.”

There are almost 2,300 level two charging ports in Illinois which fully charge a vehicle in five to six hours.

The number of DC fast charging ports, which can charge a vehicle in under an hour, increased in the last month from 993 to 1,010 ports.

The development of EV infrastructure will build on expansions completed last year. The number of electric vehicles in Illinois rose 60 percent last year—by more than 30,000 EVs—compared to the national average increase of 50 percent.

As of January, the Illinois secretary of state reported there were 93,821 EVs licensed for state roads.

“We spent money last year to double the number of ports within a year. So, by the end when all of this comes into fruition when the installation happens, you’ll have just seen a doubling of the number of ports by just the state programs,” Lakhchaura said. “And we’re not done yet. We still have more money to go on this year.”

EV funding sources There are three main sources of EV infrastructure funding: the federal Charging and Fueling Infrastructure, or CFI, grant program; the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure, or NEVI program; and state funding from the Illinois Department of Transportation and the IEPA. “We have three baskets of investment to create this charging network in the state,” Lakhchaura said. “The idea is that everything complements each other, and we’re avoiding duplication or building at the same sites.”

Lakhchaura said building out EV charging infrastructure and educating the public on the advancements in EV technology is an important step toward moving Illinois toward its climate goals.

“We’re just right at the start of the learning curve on how to use these vehicles,” Lakhchaura said. “We can

get over this. It’s really about understanding this product and adapting to it and making these little changes like you do for anything you get in life.”

Federal charging and fueling infrastructure The Illinois Finance Authority, in their role as the Illinois Climate Bank, received almost $15 million from the federal CFI grant to develop community-based charging stations.

The grant will fund the construction of 881 charging stations. Only 36 of the 881 chargers will be DC fast chargers. While DC chargers are faster, they are more expensive. The focus of this track of the CFI program is developing community infrastructure to support local travel.

“In these cases, people are more likely to be topping up a battery or leaving a car parked long enough to get a full charge on a level two charger,” Illinois Department of Transportation spokesperson Paul Wappel said. “Level two chargers are significantly more cost-effective for these types of uses, which means we can install more chargers for the same amount of money.”

National electric vehicle infrastructure The state will continue to receive funds through NEVI to build DC fast chargers along alternative fuel corridors, networks of highways with infrastructure to support electric and hydrogen powered vehicles.

The program requires public charging stations be available at least every 50 miles along a corridor.

Chargers must be publicly accessible 24/7 and be set up with combined charging system connectors and con-

See EVS, Page 9

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Rock Valley Publishing

Page 7

Lombard resident one of two Montini Catholic students among the local winners of VFW’s Voice of Democracy essay contest Montini Catholic junior Conor Kaefer of Lombard and freshman Ryan Rucinski of Woodridge were recently awarded for putting pen to paper and recording their voices to enter the Voice of Democracy Patriotic Essay Competition sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

Each year, high school students are invited to compete in the essay contest. This year’s theme was: “What Are the Greatest Attributes of Our Democracy? Conor and Ryan were awarded with a monetary award for their exceptional work and were invited to attend a special banquet on Jan. 13 Conor Kaefer recognizing local winners.

“It was an honor to hear that I had won the local contest, especially because my older sister (Stephanie Kaefer) has also won in the past,” said Conor, who represented the VFW Lilac Post 5815.

He is inspired by honorable veterans, some family members, who he is proud to know.

“I know several Veterans of Foreign Wars members, and they have always been kind and supportive to me. They offered me this opportunity to participate in this contest, and I did so as a way of thanking them for their service to our country. In addition, my grandfather and several other family members are veterans, so I did this to honor and thank them,” Conor said.

Conor is a graduate of Sacred Heart School in Lombard and is the son of Frederick and Jeanne Kaefer. He is a member of the Broncos’ boys cross-country and track and field teams. Academically he is a Math Team and Robotics Team member—both teams are busy preparing for state competitions. He is a National Honor Society member, a Mu Alpha Theta member and enjoys participating in both the History and Spanish clubs. He also inspires fellow students spiritually as a member of the Peer Ministry Team. He is currently aspiring to pursue an engineering degree in college.

“The VFW is proud to sponsor this opportunity for students in our community and we always look forward to hearing students’ perspectives,” said Tom Zilla, chairman of Lombard’s VFW Lilac Post 5815.

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Page 8A

Rock Valley Publishing

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Man sentenced to 23 years for robbing Sprint store at gunpoint

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced last week that a former Calumet City man has been sentenced to 23 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections Denzel Furance (IDOC) for robbing at gunpoint approximately $40,000 worth of merchandise from a Wheaton Sprint store in late 2019.

Denzel Furance, 25, appeared at his sentencing hearing on Feb. 13, in front of Judge Michael Reidy, who handed down the sentence.

On July 18, 2023, Furance entered a plea of guilty to one count of armed robbery with a firearm, a Class X felony.

On Nov. 12, 2019, Furance appeared in bond court, where he was ordered to be held without bond. He

has remained in custody since that time at the DuPage County Jail. Because Furance was armed with a gun, he faced an automatic 15-year enhancement to his sentence. Furance faced a sentence of between 21 to 45 years in the IDOC. The state had requested a sentence of 40 years.

At approximately 8:08 p.m. on Nov. 8, 2019, Wheaton Police officers responded to a call of an armed robbery at the Sprint store located at 212 Danada Square West. Through their investigation, officers learned that at approximately 7:45 p.m. that evening, Furance entered the store armed with a semi-automatic weapon and wearing a mask, medical gloves and a hooded sweatshirt. Once inside the store, Furance ordered two employees at gunpoint to a back storage room, where a third employee was located, along with products and the store safe.

Furance then ordered one of the

victims at gunpoint to bind the wrists and ankles of the other two employees with duct tape. He then bound the wrists and ankles of the third victim with duct tape.

Furance then ordered the employees to open the safe containing electronic devices. Once the safe was opened, Furance stole approximately 58 items from the store, placing the items into garbage bags he had brought with him. He then covered the mouths and eyes of the three employees with duct tape and exited the store, inadvertently dropping some items on his way out.

Several minutes later, he returned to the store to retrieve the items he had previously dropped and then fled from the scene.

Furance was apprehended on Nov. 9, 2019, in Lansing, Illinois. The case against Furance’s co-defendant, Stephon Little, is currently pending with a next court date of Feb. 26.

“With their hands and feet bound and their eyes and mouths covered with duct tape, I cannot even begin to imagine the terror these innocent employees must have felt,” Berlin said.

“Violent gun crimes have no place in society and my office stands ready to bring the full force and effect of the law upon anyone who commits

Police Reports The Addison and Bensenville police departments recently reported the following arrests and citations. Persons who are charged with domestic battery are not named in order to protect the victim’s privacy.

Readers are reminded that an arrest does not constitute a conviction, and that suspects are considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Juveniles age 17-or-younger are not named.

Gun rights groups ask U.S. Supreme Court Feb.A 1322-year-old Addison man was charged with domestic battery in the to review Illinois’ assault weapons ban 400 block of Cherry Hill Court at 5:32 Two Illinois cases say law violates 2nd Amendment

By Peter Hancock CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

In a long-expected move, national gun rights organizations are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Illinois’ ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines.

In separate petitions filed Feb. 12, the Colorado-based National Association for Gun Rights and the Nevada-based Firearms Policy Coalition asked the nation’s high court to reverse a decision of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. That court ruled 2-1 in November not to issue a temporary injunction against the law, finding that rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution are not absolute.

The gun rights groups were among the lead plaintiffs in two of the many federal lawsuits that have been filed

beginning almost immediately after state lawmakers passed the ban in January 2023.

The ban came in reaction to numerous mass shootings around the country in which gunmen used high-power, rapid-fire rifles with large capacity magazines. Among those was a 2022 mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park that left seven people dead and dozens more injured and traumatized.

The National Association for Gun Rights backed a suit originally filed in the Northern District of Illinois challenging both the statewide ban and a local assault weapons ban enacted by the city of Naperville. In February 2023, a federal judge in that case refused to grant a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the law pending the outcome

of a trial in the case.

The Firearms Policy Coalition backed a separate suit in the Southern District of Illinois that also had support from the Illinois State Rifle Association and the Second Amendment Foundation. A judge there granted a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of the law, saying the ban likely violated the Second Amendment.

Both of those cases, along with others, were part of a consolidated appeal before a three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit, which ruled 2-1 in November not to block enforcement of the law.

Another petition seeking to overturn an assault weapons ban in Maryland was filed Feb, 9. The court has not yet announced whether it will hear any of the appeals.

Program helps students prepare for medical school, health care careers Improved access to medical school and improve student MCAT and USMLE performance

National University of Health Sciences, one of the nation’s premier institutions for health science education, has launched a one-year master’s program for students who wish to pursue highly-in-demand careers in healthcare. The on-campus Master of Science in Medical Science (MSMS) program, in partnership with Tiber Health, will help prepare students for medical school and other medical professional programs like chiropractic, naturopathic, pharmacy, optometry, and physician’s assistant, or for a career in public health or clinical research.

This additional academic training is designed to expand access to quality healthcare education programs by helping students increase their medical knowledge and improve performance

on the USMLE and MCAT Exams.

Access to medical school training is becoming increasingly important as the U.S. health care industry faces a growing doctor shortage, particularly in rural areas. Although 20 percent of Americans live in rural communities, just 11 percent of physicians practice in these areas, according to the Association of the American Medical Colleges (AAMC).

The profession also fails to reflect the increasingly diverse U.S. population. According to the AAMC, Black and Hispanic Americans make up nearly one-third of the U.S. population but only make up 10 percent of doctors and 12 percent of medical school students. Today, more than 83% of the MSMS student body across all Tiber

partner universities come from underrepresented backgrounds.

Students in National University of Health Sciences’ MSMS program will attend classes on-campus in a medical school environment among other students who are earning their master’s and doctorate degrees in various health care fields. “At National University of Health Sciences, our primary focus on well-being and community is quite unique,” said Kathryn Rioch EdD, MS, RDN, LDN, program director of the MSMS program. “Students will have access to resources only a health sciences university can provide.

They’ll experience cutting-edge digital technology such as an Anatomage table and utilize an extensive medical library.”

this type of brazen criminal conduct.

We are all thankful none of the employees were physically injured and it is my hope that with today’s sentence, the survivors of this crime will be able to continue their lives feeling safer knowing that the man who terrorized them has been sentenced to 23 years behind bars.”

p.m.

Feb. 12 Rodolfo P. Alba, 39, of Joliet, was charged with theft between $300 and $10,000 at 3:19 p.m.

Daisy Juarez, 26, of Chicago, was charged with DUI, driving while license expired for more than a year, and two counts improper lane usage in the 200 block of W. Lake at 1:56 a.m.

Feb. 11 A 27-year-old Addison man was charged with resisting a police officer and two counts of domestic battery in the 300 block of E. Fullerton at 2:53 a.m.

Feb. 10 Noe Aguirre-Vasquez, 50, of Addison, was charged with DUI, speeding and no insurance near North and State at 2:25 a.m.

Doni J. Palmer, 45, of Oak Park, was charged with DUI, unsafe movement of a parked vehicle and carrying a concealed firearm while under the influence near Lake and 8th at 3:21 a.m.

Cristina Ruiz, 37, of Chicago, was charged with DUI, driving too fast for conditions and no insurance at 11:21 p.m.

Bensenville Feb. 14, 5:31 p.m. Bensenville Police Department tactical officers assisted Villa Park police with taking a suspect into custody who was involved in a felony retail theft and aggravated fleeing and eluding incident. Officers conducted a buy/bust operation on stolen merchandise where the suspect was apprehended without incident.

BEP24001877 Feb. 14, 6:26 p.m. in the 200 block of Marion Street, a complainant reported a domestic with a known suspect.

During this incident the known suspect came back as a fugitive from justice out of Georgia. Officers arrested the suspect. The ASA denied charges and the suspect was released but advised that this is still an active parole violation. BEPC2400116 Feb. 13, 3:46 a.m. in the 400 block

of Industrial Drive, a complainant reported two semis were broken into by an unknown suspect. This incident is under investigation. BEPC2400113 and BEPC2400114 Feb. 12, 6:55 p.m. in the 800 block of Supreme Drive, a complainant reported their Iphone8 was stolen.

This incident is under investigation.

BEPC2400112 Feb. 12, 6:57 p.m.in the 400 block of Supreme Drive, a complainant reported an unknown suspect brandished a firearm at a taxicab driver. This incident is under investigation. BEPC2400111 Feb. 12, 12:28 a.m. in the 1000 block of W. Hillside Drive, a complainant reported a domestic with a known suspect. This incident is under investigation. BEPC2400109 Feb. 11, 2024, 4:39 AM, at 777 E. Grand Ave., the complainant reported a battery with an unknown suspect.

This incident is under investigation.

BEPC2400108 Feb. 11, 8:23 p.m. in the 1-100 block of Friendship Plaza, Addison, Clarnesha D. Blanchard, 21, of Chicago, was arrested on an original warrant out of Bensenville. BEPC2400004 Feb. 9, 1:42 p.m. in the 300 block of E. Green St., Christopher R. Cichelli, 31, of Cicero, was arrested in Hickory Hills on a Bensenville Police Department original warrant. He was transferred to Bensenville and transferred to the DuPage County Jail.

BEPC2400104 Feb. 9, 6:57 p.m. in the 100 block of N. Mason St., a complainant reported a domestic situation. This incident is under investigation. BEPC2400106 Feb. 8, 9:23 a.m. in the 800 block of E. Green St., a complainant reported an unknown suspect entered a lot of the business and cut seals of 15-20 trailers and looked inside. This incident is under investigation. BEPC2400102 Feb. 8, 6:17 a.m. in the 300 block of E. Green St., a 34-year-old woman turned herself in on a domestic battery charge. This case is under investigation. BEPC2400097 Feb. 7, 8:09 a.m. in the 600 block of S. York Road, a complainant reported their rear driver’s side window was broken on his vehicle. This incident is under investigation. BEPC2400098 Feb. 7, 10:17 a.m. in the 100 block of George Street, a complainant reported their car stolen by an unknown suspect. This incident is under investigation. BEPC2400099 Feb. 7, 12:02 p.m. in the 400 block of W. Irving Park Road, a complainant reported retail theft by an unknown suspect. This case is under investigation. BEPC2400100 Feb. 7, 2:01 p.m. in the 200 block George Street, complainants reported being threatened by a known suspect.

This incident is under investigation.

BEPC2400101

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

‘A Cup of Hope’ fundraiser March 3 Northern Illinois Food Bank and its Executive Women’s Council will host the ninth annual A Cup of Hope fundraiser on March 3, from 1:30-4 p.m. at Abbington Distinctive Banquets in Glen Ellyn. This year, the highly anticipated event will be a Parisian-themed tea party, presented by Cultivate Power.

The program will be emceed by Emmy award-winning journalist, Judy Hsu of ABC7 News and feature special guest, Jenny Riddle, in character as Jackie Kennedy Onassis. Riddle will bring to life a behind-the-scenes look at Jackie’s relationship with her mother, Janet Bouvier, and sister, Lee Radziwill. Proceeds will benefit Northern Illinois Food Bank’s meal programs and resources.

“Attending A Cup of Hope with friends and family is a great way to spend the afternoon. Guests will enjoy delicious food, drinks, a silent auction, raffle prizes, a host gift, and entertainment while learning about the important work the Food Bank is doing,” said Courtney Dutter, A Cup of Hope 2024 co-chair.

“A Cup of Hope is the Council’s largest fundraiser of the year. It allows us to not only financially support the Food Bank but to also showcase the amazing and innovative work they are doing,” said Noel Leatherbury, A Cup of Hope 2024 co-chair. “We would love for members of the community to come out and support A Cup of Hope and the Food Bank - every little bit counts.”

Premier event sponsors include Cultivate Power, CITGO, US. Foods, Wintrust Bank, Uline, Antunes, ArentFox Schiff, Nicor Gas, RSM US LLP and the Borman-Full Family.

“Northern Illinois Food Bank is serving an average of 540K neighbors every month. This is an increase of 80K neighbors over last year at this time, nearly double pre-pandemic. Our food is moving faster than it has in the last six years, and we are purchasing more food to meet the demand. Ensuring our neighbors have access to the nutritious and healthy food they need to thrive is a community-wide effort and we cannot do it alone,” said Julie Yurko, president and CEO at Northern Illinois Food Bank.

See fundraiser, Page 10

Rock Valley Publishing

Page 9

Gun rights groups ask U.S. Supreme Court to review Illinois’ assault weapons ban Two Illinois cases say law violates 2nd Amendment

By Peter Hancock Capitol News Illinois

In a long-expected move, national gun rights organizations are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Illinois’ ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines.

In separate petitions filed Feb. 12, the Colorado-based National Association for Gun Rights and the Nevada-based Firearms Policy Coalition asked the nation’s high court to reverse a decision of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. That court ruled 2-1 in November not to issue a temporary injunction against the law, finding that rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution are not absolute.

The gun rights groups were among the lead plaintiffs in two of the many federal lawsuits that have been filed beginning almost immediately after state lawmakers passed the ban in January 2023.

The ban came in reaction to numerous mass shootings around the

country in which gunmen used high-power, rapid-fire rifles with large capacity magazines. Among those was a 2022 mass shooting at a Fourth of July parade in Highland Park that left seven people dead and dozens more injured and traumatized.

The National Association for Gun Rights backed a suit originally filed in the Northern District of Illinois challenging both the statewide ban and a local assault weapons ban enacted by the city of Naperville. In February 2023, a federal judge in that case refused to grant a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the law pending the outcome of a trial in the case.

The Firearms Policy Coalition

backed a separate suit in the Southern District of Illinois that also had support from the Illinois State Rifle Association and the Second Amendment Foundation. A judge there granted a preliminary injunction to block enforcement of the law, saying the ban likely violated the Second Amendment.

Both of those cases, along with others, were part of a consolidated appeal before a three-judge panel of the 7th Circuit, which ruled 2-1 in November not to block enforcement of the law.

Another petition seeking to overturn an assault weapons ban in Maryland was filed Feb, 9. The court has not yet announced whether it will hear any of the appeals.

State police report fewer deaths on Illinois highways in 2023 Capitol News Illinois

is – the well-trained, professional, crime-fighting trooper,” ISP Director Brendan Kelly said in a news release. “Challenges remain, but we are headed in a good direction.”

ISP also confiscated more than 10,000 pounds of illegal drugs, and $4.5 million in what they call “illicit criminal currency.”

847-217-9604

(Continued from page 7) Celebrating years

65

1959-2023

Thursday, July 13, 2023 Page 1 LOMBARDIAN

20, 2021 Thursday, May 6, 27,2021

A Celebrating L O M B A RA DL ONMEBWA RS DP AN EP WE SRP AFPOE RR FLOORMLBO AM RB ADR DP EP OE OPPLLEE

62years

Vol. 651959-2021 No. 29 Vol. 63 No. 19 13, 2023 21 Thursday, May 2021 Thursday, May20, 6, 2021 22Thursday, July 27,

Sebastian’s Ale FREE and Whiskey House helps raise over $13,000 for Adopt A Solider Woman at annual charged with aggravated DUI VeteransScholarships presented in deadly crash at Glenbard East Suicide/PTSD Graduation day Awareness Local Scholarship Awards Night at Glenbard East fundraiser

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Crash killed one, severely injured another who subsequently died

The 2021 Lilac Queen

DuPage County State’s Attorney CHRIS FOX PHOTO Lombardian Robert Berlin CHRIS FOX PHOTO Lombardian Glenbard East High its Local 2021 Scholarship Awards Night last week. after the ceremony.

Pictured (left to right) are: (front row)SUBMITTED Emily DinaLombardian Jovaand DuPage PHOTO Emmie Sathy was School namedheld Lombard’s Lilac Queen during Saturday coronation continued a tradition that began 91 years ago. Ryan, Lombard’s first CHRIS FOX PHOTO More than 40coronation members of the school’s Class of 2021 scholarships Rocco Marcello, TinainDjordjevic andEmmie Sophia Heatley; row) Maddie Sebastian’s Ale and Whiskey House, 801 E. Roosevelt, Lombard—with support theQueen welfare of active members and isveterans theLombardian United afternoon’s ceremony in Lilacia Park.

She received wasCounty oneand of five Lilac novic, Lilac was crowned 1930.

Queen a senior(back at of Glenbard East Sheriff James during the May 13 celebration Biester Auditorium.

Scholarship donors Weltin, Lauren Huber andattend Kendall Crackel.

Glenbard East’s Classabout of 2021 willstucel- of Glenbard East High Class ofstaff/crew, 2021 of celebrated its commenceThis year’s graduating classVanderbilt at Glenbard East includes 560 the help of many generous individuals, businesses, event and States armed forces, their immediate families and the families Princesses to take the School’s stagein at the beginning the ceremony.

Sheusually soon High School.

She will University inimmediate Nashville, Tennessee.

Mendrick attend the $13,848 annual event, but safety mitigations limited attendance atThis this year’sveterans. ebrate its commencement with two are ceremonies this Saturday in Saturday’s the school’s stament with Saturday’s two separate ceremonies the Queen. school’s stadium. dents.

Several ofbe thefound graduates pictured at the end of first the incredible community—raised atsash its and recently held thirdinLilac annual deceased Presenting the check Sue Wackerlin (middle), founder accepted the crown, cape as this year’s year’s More photos can inside thisto issue.

Christine service. of the scholarship winners pictured outsideannounced of the dium.

Theare firstTammy ceremonyHendrickson will begin at 10 a.m.

Theand second service starts at 1(right), p.m.

The firstEight service began at The 10 a.m.

The are second started at 1 p.m. service.

Veterans Suicide/PTSD Awareness fundraiser. funds go toceremony support ofauditorium Adopt A Soldier, (left) Johanna Marks Brocious that bond has Adopt A Soldier—a 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to lift morale organized the event. beenwho set for Christine Brocious, 36, of Chicago Ridge.

Brocious is charged with one count of aggravated DUI causing death (Class 2 felony) and two counts of aggravated DUI causing great bodily harm 4 felony) stemming from Opinion ........................... 4 Police reports ................. 7 a(Class June 29 crash that claimed 2020 SCHILLER TEAM SALES: life of another motorist, About...................

6 Sports .......................11-12 .........................9-10 the Opinion ...........................Out 4 &Police reports ..............2-3 $140,000,000 & 276 CLOSED UNITS 25-year-old Jorgo Cukali and severely injured Jorgo’s Out & About................... 6 Sports ............................ 10 30-year-old sister, Nastika Cukali, who was a passenger in his vehicle. #1 REALTOR ® • #1 TEAM • #1 OFFICE Brocious appeared at a bond hearing where Judge Daniel Tim Schiller | 630.992.0582 | tim@theschillerteam.com Guerin set bond at $1.5 million *MRED, LLC, includes all closed sales in Lombard for all property types, all agents, and all offices, 1/1/2020-12/31/2020. with 10 percent to apply.

On June 29 at approximately 11:30 p.m., DuPage County Sheriff deputies responded to unincorporated Winfield at Mack and Winfield Roads for

THE NEWSPAPER! And they’re off INSIDE:

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Graduation Play at theday plate at Willowbrook

Freshman Lindsey Rugg of the Willowbrook softball team is pictured while attempting to score a run during Friday’s game at Downers Grove South. Rugg tried to score from second base on a single by sophomore Katelyn Cox in the top of the second inning, the game tiedcelebrated at 2-2. Downers Grove South’swith catcher Willowbrook Highwhen School’s Class was of 2021 its commencement two tagged Rugg out at home for the third out of theon inning.

Themorning.

Mustangs separate ceremonies in theplate school’s main gymnasium Sunday Thewent enon to defeat the Warriors 7-3students. in the West Suburban Conference contest. Wiltire class includes over 470 About half ofGold those students attended the

1

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IndependenceBensenville Day in Villa Park ndependent TAKE ONE

CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Villa Park Review

I

Villa Park Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2801 held its analso serving Wood dale nual Fourth of July Parade last week. TheCHRIS parade, which began at FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review VOL. conditions.

19 • NO. 30 WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM 10 a.m., took place loss in warm andan sunny The honor guard lowbrook rebounded from Friday’s to post 11-2 win in Saturday’s game at Naval Station Great Lakes off in the parade.

The honor Hinsdale Central.from The Warriors bashed three homeled runs the second inning of guard Satis shown (top left) while proceeding west on Central Boulevard near CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa ParkSilver Review Woman urday’s non-conference battle against the Red Devils of the West Suburban Harvard Other parade participants included Willowbrook Conference.

Senior Annemarie Knudtson, freshman Isabella Dugo and that sophomore ceremony that began at 9 Avenue. a.m. The others participated in the ceremony started charged with

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LOW INVENTORY! Don't let your dream home

Crash killed one, CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review PHOTO Villa Park 390271 Review severelySUBMITTED injured

Memorial Day in Villa Park KATE KATE DRURY DRURY

The Village of Villa Park observed Arbor Day with a tree planting on Friday, anotherApril who 30. Pictured (left to subsequently died right) at the tree planting at the village’s Franklin Park, located at 218 N. Third Ave., are: Villa Park Village your local agent DuPage Trustee Christine Murphy, Justin Shlensky—chair of the Villa Park Environmental Concerns CommisCounty sion, Margaret Schiefer—a member of the Villa Park Environmental Concerns Commission, Villa Park State’s AttorneyVilla Park Village Trustee (and Village Trustee Cheryl Tucker, Contact me forVilla a Park Village President Albert Bulthuis, Robert Berlin Village President-Elect) Nick Cuzzone and Leslie Allison-Seei—chair and of DuPage the Villa Park Community Pride 630-514-9961 County Villa complementary Park Veterans of Foreign Warson (VFW) Post 2801 of held itsApril.

Memorial Day service onDay Monday mornCommission.

Arbor Day is observed the last Friday each The National Arbor Foundation Sheriff James 630-514-9961 ing Cortesi Veterans Memorial Park.

Post Commander Jim is pictured bowingthat his recognihead as Mendrick kdrury@atproperties.com hasatrecognized Villaanalysis Park with Tree City USA designation forBlankshain 36 straight years.

To receive market Christine announced Willowbrook High School students Hendrickson and a Anna Seelbach at the end ofcomthe kdrury@atproperties.com tion, a community must have a tree Lily board or department, tree-care ordinance, ataps comprehensive Brocious that bondsound has ofThe your home!!

Kate Drury for Christine Brocious, pandemic. This ceremony. post’s 2020 Memorial Day event was canceled becausebeenofsetthe COVID-19 munity forestry program and an Arbor Day observance.

36, of Chicago Ridge.

630.514.9961 LOCALof AGENT. LOCAL year’s observance included a reading of the names the Post 2801RESULTS. members who Brocious is charged withhave recently died. kdrury@atproperties.com one count DUI That list included World War II veteran Charles “Sid” Bergh, who served asof aggravated the master of ceremonies I would to help! causing death (Class 2 felony) LoveVillaPark.com of the post’s annual Memorial Day service for several years. A veteran of counts the ofU.S. Navy, Bergh died in and two aggravated DUI causing great bodily harm 438517 October 2020. He was 94 years old. Bergh was the post’s last surviving World War II veteran.

(Class 4 felony) stemming from

float away...

Federal judge sets trial date for State Sen. Tom Cullerton--Page 4

See CRASH, Page 4

InsIde:

High School’s band (left), along with Villa Park inVillage Kayleigh provided themarching home Dennison (No. 5) is pictured the at 11 a.m. Dennison The photo shows members of runs. the Willowbrook Senior Choir performing aggravated President Nick (above), who, like other14. parade parbackground of the above photo.

For more aboutsee the Warriors, seeDUI page during the day’s first service.

ForCuzzone more photos, Page 4. many ticipants, distributed candy to young in spectators. deadly crash 377325

is in

LOMBARDIAN

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a June 29 crash that claimed the life of another motorist, 25-year-old Jorgo Cukali and severely injured Jorgo’s 30-year-old sister, Nastika Cukali, who was a passenger in his vehicle.

Brocious appeared at a bond hearing where Judge Daniel Guerin set bond at $1.5 million with 10 percent to apply.

On June 29 at approximately 11:30 p.m., DuPage County Sheriff deputies responded to unincorporated Winfield at Mack and Winfield Roads for

See CRASH, Page 4

InsIde:

SUBMITTED PHOTO Bensenv

Police Reports..........6 Puzzles............8 & 14 Viewpoint...............10 Classifieds..............13

Village joins LibertyFest Parade

These parade-goers are ready to step off with this Bensenville Park District float, which ap the Wood Dale LibertyFest Parade. More photos inside.

These youngsters took part in the Kids Race portion of the 4 on the 4th race that takes place every year on 4th of July near Elmhurst University.

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icant progress this year.

“In 2024, you can see more authorizations and more money going out towards it. I can say that construction and installation take a while,” Lakhchaura said. “So, towards the end of the year, you’ll see dramatically more charging stations than what you can see today.”

More funding and resources will be needed to meet the goal of building 30,000 more chargers. Illinois will still have almost $100 million from NEVI for future use after phase one is completed.

Lakhchaura said the state will continue to apply for competitive funds like CFI. While Illinois plans to continue to invest in EV infrastructure, Lakhchaura said the state won’t fund every charger.

“In the near term, Illinois will focus on installing a significant number of public chargers in the next two years to create a basic public infrastructure for the state,” Lakhchaura said in an email statement. “Future rapid growth of vehicles will lead to private companies investing in public charging without the need for grants and rebates. However, charging will require more funding and support for at least the initial years to support EV growth.”

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State programs Meanwhile, Illinois is implementing its own programs to meet the goals set under CEJA. The IEPA will award $27 million dollars in grants to build DC fast charging stations at public locations including hotels, shopping centers and gas stations. The grants are expected to be announced this month.

“We haven’t issued the awards yet, “Lakhchaura said. “But what we’ve seen from the applications that we got is that they were spread all over the state.”

As part of CEJA, Illinois established a rebate program to incentivize the purchase of EVs. The program allows Illinois residents to collect a

rebate for the purchase of an all-electric passenger vehicle from a recognized dealer. The current rebate rate is $4,000 per vehicle. In fiscal year 2023, 7,669 rebate applications were filled with 4,872 rebates awarded.

The funding cycle for this year ended on Jan. 30 with over 5,500 applications being received and the maximum funds being allotted.

Illinois school districts and bus companies purchased 180 electric school buses last year through the federal Clean School Bus Program.

Lakhchaura said additional EV buses were purchased with funds from the Volkswagen settlement with a focus on communities that did not receive federal funds, such as Chicago.

The settlement was the conclusion of lawsuits filed against Volkswagen for violating Clean Air Act emissions standards by installing “defeat devices” in certain diesel models between 2009 and 2015. The established trust provided Illinois with over $1 million in funds for diesel emission reduction projects.

Time is another crucial factor in the expansion of EV charging, especially as the number of EVs on state roads must increase 10-fold for the state to meet its stated goal. Lakhchaura said she expects to see signif-

Postal Customer **ecrwss

tactless payment options.

Illinois will receive $148 million between 2022 and 2027 to build a network of EV chargers along highways, starting with the interstate system.

The state’s deployment plan was approved in September 2022. Wappel said final standards for the charging stations were set in February 2023.

Phase one of Illinois’ plan will use approximately $50 million to build chargers at 46 locations within eligible corridors.

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• EVs

arteries. Arrests were up 3 percent, gun recoveries up 12 percent, and vehicle recoveries were up 7 percent.

“Over the past several years, we have really demanded more of ourselves, making the tough decisions, executing, and empowering the most effective law enforcement tool there

415739

Fatal crashes on interstates and expressways in Illinois fell by 7 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year, and shootings were down more than 30 percent.

Illinois State Police report the declines came at the same time troopers were beefing up their enforcement on the state’s transportation

Page 10

Rock Valley Publishing

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Ex-Madigan aide sentenced to 30 months in prison for obstruction of justice attempt, perjury Judge tells Mapes his ‘loyalty was greatly misguided’ in lying to grand jury investigating former speaker

By Hannah Meisel

into his inner circle.

And on Feb. 12, U.S. District Judge John Kness agreed, telling Mapes he didn’t understand the longtime political operative’s actions before sentencing him to 30 months in prison for his August conviction on one count each of perjury and attempted obstruction of justice.

“Perhaps this was out of some sense of loyalty, but if that was the case, your loyalty was greatly misguided,” Kness said.

Mapes, who didn’t testify in his own defense during trial, chose to make a statement before the judge handed down his sentence, saying he was proud of the decades he put into public service in Illinois government.

But Mapes was also self-aware, having seen two governors and many other politicians indicted, convicted

Capitol News Illinois

For most of his adult working life, Tim Mapes only had one boss: former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.

And for the more than 25 years he served as Madigan’s chief of staff, Mapes was known for his extreme loyalty to the powerful speaker. His office décor in the state Capitol in Springfield featured a sign inspired by the 1939 classic film “The Wizard of Oz” that read: “Nobody gets in to see the wizard. Not nobody, not no how.”

But federal prosecutors say that instinct toward loyalty in his longtime role as gatekeeper to the speaker led Mapes to lie to a grand jury in 2021, a few months after Madigan left office amid a growing criminal probe

N

LOMBARDIA

Celebrating years

65

1959-2023

2023 March 30, Thursday, 1 LOMBARDIAN Page

Thursday, May

LOMB A Celebrating

62years

2021 20, 6, 27,2021

P EP OE OPPLLEE O MLBO AM RB AD R D R FPOE RR FL O R 60¢ 60¢ W S P AN PE WE S P A A RA DL ONMEB A R D 2021 6, 2021 2023 27, 30, May May20,

63 No. No. 14 Vol. Vol. 651959-2021

Thursday, 21 19 22

March Thursda Thursday,y,

FREE

1

1

1 • Thursday, June 29, 2023 - Rock Valley Publishing

1 • Thursday, June 29, 2023 - Rock Valley Publishing

Independent

VOL. 20 • NO. 28

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Villa Park Chief of Police Michael Rivas announced that bond has been set for a Florida man accused of leading Omar Castro police on a high-speed chase.

Omar Castro, 22, appeared at a bond hearing where Judge Michael Reidy set bond at $100,000.

Castro is charged with two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer (Class 4 felony) and multiple misdemeanor and petty traffic offenses including two counts of aggravated speeding in a construction zone, reckless driving and driving while license suspended, all Class A misdemeanors.

On Thursday, June 22 at approximately 8:28 p.m., an Elmhurst police officer responded to a call of a stolen motor vehicle near Route 83 and North Avenue. It is alleged that

Lombardian PHOTO PHOTO Lombardian

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when the officer located the vehicle, later determined to be driven by Castro, Castro put his car in reverse and proceeded southbound on Route 83. It is alleged that as the officer pursued, Castro reached speeds of approximately 107 mph in a 45-mph zone and disobeyed three traffic lights.

It is alleged that near 16th Street, Castro completed a U-turn and continued driving northbound on Route 83 reaching speeds of approximately 100 mph in a 35-mph construction zone, at which time the pursuing officer lost sight of the vehicle.

A short time later, the vehicle was located abandoned in a school parking lot. Officers responded to the school parking and at approximately 8:42 p.m., located Castro approximately one block away from the school. He was then taken into custody after a brief struggle with the officers.

Castro’s next court appearance is scheduled July 27 for arraignment in front of Judge Telander.

t

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lac Queen 21 Ligh

FOX FOX PHOTO Lombardian CHRIS CHRIS eight CHRIS FOX Dina Jovaprovided first Ryan, Weltin d its Emily Lombard’s net. row) Maddie ago. the continue (front row) Lombardian PHOTO Eastat FOX are: East above (back 91 years CHRIS rising celbegan at Glenbard Heatley; finish (left to right) will stuGlenbard e 560 11)tradition thatand Sophia aasenior (No. of 2021 Pictured sixth-plac a Classabout Tennessee.

Emmie isEast’s the Warriors. staceremony. first on Friday theWeltin Queen Aidan continued posting TinainDjordjevic East includes in Nashville, win over 1930. the school’s and Glenbard junior inplace Saturday’s week. after Marcello, coronation Glenbard Crackel. in their East University last end of at crowned Rocco matches the took at 1 p.m. last Night was Kendall this at Saturday classVanderbilt Saturday al, which novic, andattend with s Rams Awards of four for the Huber pictured ceremonies twograduating Lilac Queen service starts Invitation kills are season two Queen21during issue.

Lauren scholarship 9.

Scholarship Lilac She willent Hills with Lilac The second Weltin, page graduates of five This year’s by- winning received its 2023 its Local 2021 inside this School.

March thefound 10 a.m. n/Vernon held ofbe usually of 2021 was one of the commencem season opened School begin atsee its Lombard’s She soon High commence donors Several can Class willRams, Barringto game its She ebrate Park. l team named dents.

East High photos decisive first school’s about the acelebrated was Scholarship year’s 12-team the in Lilacia ceremony. volleybal first ceremony of this Glenbard more the Sathy stadium. force won the atThis thegame.

2021 of to year’s More . ForThe Auditorium. of Emmie ceremony dium. members school’s 40coronation Class attendance Biester the Queen.

East’s boys ok.

The ingame beginning third thanRams 1 p.m. service. s inLilac the auditorium thelimited atSaturday second and at School’s ofthis thecelebration Glenbard at WillowbroMore of the High stage year’s 13 started ceremonie start mitigations afternoon’s the but to beat East May outside the okthewon on safety takelead at and separate ceremony to cape asare pictured Glenbard went during two event, a 9-0 week’s match Park. Willowbro Rams sash Princesses The second winners Saturday’s The took a.m. the annual crown, with Villa at 10 the 15-1. attend Rams shows Glenbard toscholarship ment began of the match in accepted grew service the match The visiting firstEight service.

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East’s lead 25-14. One Glenbard ok 25-15, 22-25, Willowbro

.7 reports ................ ........... 4 Police .........9-10 .......................11-12 Opinion ................ .. 10 6 Sports ... ............. reports INSIDE: About................

Out &Police -10 ....2-4, 6-7 .........................9 Candidate profiles 8 Sports ...................

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DEE LONGFELLOW PHOTO Bensenville Independent

Celebrating all things Warhol

As many museums are celebrating Andy Warhol and his legacy of pop art, July 28. Pictured are (from left): Daley Wangler, Reilly Costello, Katy Costello, the Elmhurst Artists’ Guild hosted reception for its Inspired By Warhol exhibit, a whose works were on display in the exhibit, Allison Haas and Katie Fox. Info: juried exhibition based on the works of Andy Warhol on display through Friday, elmhurstartmuseum.org.

1 1 • Thursday, June 29, 2023 - Rock Valley Publishing

Villa Park

eview R Review

60¢¢¢¢ County sheriff investigating Juneteenth shooting incident 60 GolfOne killed, 23 wounded; deceased victim was father of two Driving multiple weapons into a large crowd tified as 31-year-old father of two returned immediately to the celebra- time again, gun violence is a public Lessons

STAFF REPORT

Range

No arrests have been made as of at around 12:30 a.m. during a gather- Reggie Meadows, died after sufferpress time in connection with a mass ing to commemorate Juneteenth held ing a gunshot wound to the abdomen. shooting at a the stripINDEPENDENCE mall in unincorpo- in the parking lot at the mall, located Deputy Chief Eric Swanson of the Call Pronear PARADE Shop rated DuPage County Willow- DAY near Honeysuckle Lane and Route DuPage County Sheriff’s Office said MarchJune Register with83. brook to early Sunday morning, Today the park district! in a news conference Sunday, June 18, the day designatedSign as Juneteenth. up at BvilleParks.org/Libertyfes Approximately 23 people were 18 that at least two other victims 766-0304 t The (630) DuPage County Sheriff’s wounded by gunfire. Victims were were in critical condition.

Office said an unknown number of taken to hospitals in DuPage, Cook “The motive behind this incident suspects fired multiple rounds from and Will counties. One man, iden- is unclear,” Swanson said. “This is JULY 4 SWIM still an active investigation.”

Noon-5 p.m. | July “We are working around the clock 4 Register WhitePinesGolf.com to bring those responsible to justice,” in advance by Bensenville Water Park calling 630-766-7015. akbROOk eRRace akbROOk errace eRRace the sheriff’s office said in a recent akbrOOk akbROOk eRRace 394390 396445 akbROOk eRRace 438525 396917 post on Twitter, urging anyone with information to call 630-407-2343.

VOL. 17 NO. 21 WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021 VOL.17 17••••NO. NO.23 20 WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM THURSDAY, MAY 6,2023 2021 VOL. 19 28 WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM THURSDAY, JUNE 29, WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2021 VOL. 17 NO. 24 WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021 The Juneteenth celebration started SUBMITTED PHOTO Addison Independent at around 6 p.m. Saturday, June 17.

According to the Daily Herald, DuPage County Sheriff’s deputies had been monitoring the celebration, but Joe Benedetti, known as “Joe the Barber,” recently retired after 50 years of serving the Addison responded to a 911 call of a fight that community. The owner of Joe’s Hair Styling Unisex at 611 W. Lake Street was honored by the Village had broken out nearby. of Addison at a Board meeting on Monday, June 5, where he received a Proclamation in honor of his While deputies were investigating 50 years in business. Nearly 100 community members attended the meeting to congratulate him. that call, they heard gunshots and

alsoserving servingOO O also also serving

‘Joe the Barber’ honored by Village

Postal Customer

**ecrwss

Graduation Play at theday plate at Willowbrook

Freshman Lindsey Rugg of the Willowbrook softball team is pictured while attempting to score a run during Friday’s game at Downers Grove South. Rugg tried to score from second base on a single by sophomore Katelyn Cox in the top of the second inning, the game tiedcelebrated at 2-2. Downers Grove South’swith catcher Willowbrook Highwhen School’s Class was of 2021 its commencement two tagged Rugg out at home for the third out of theon inning.

Themorning.

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‘Protect the boss’ Flanked by his attorneys, Mapes stood stoically receiving the news of his sentence, which was preceded by more than 30 minutes of near-monologue from the judge.

Kness wondered aloud if Mapes was operating under the old mafia logic of “omertà,” an Italian term for the mob honor code wherein members of organized crime outfits were pressured to solve disputes among themselves and to never cooperate with law enforcement. During trial, a retired FBI special agent testified

In Print and Online

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and sentenced to prison during his time in Springfield.

“I also recognize that many people in the state of Illinois have lost faith in their government,” Mapes said.

“And that breaks my heart.”

tion.

“Out of nowhere, there was a major gunfight for like 30 seconds,” eyewitness Bartosz Majerczyk told ABC 7 Eyewitness News. “I’d say, 60 plus rounds. You could tell it was two different groups of people shooting at each other.”

Another witness, who said she was at the celebration, told ABC 7 Eyewitness News “everybody started running” when the gunfire erupted.

“There was a man,” she said. “He fell on top of me. He had a gunshot wound to his leg. It was like something you can’t imagine.”

In a statement, Governor JB Pritzker said he is closely monitoring the shooting.

“Gathering for a holiday celebration should be a joyful occasion, not a time when gunfire erupts and families are forced to run for safety,” Gov. Pritzker said. “As I’ve said time and

health emergency in this country and I remain committed to banning these dangerous weapons and making our state safer for everyone.”

Meadows was described as a “devoted father whose life was tragically taken from us amidst a Juneteenth celebration” on a GoFundMe page set up to provide support to his two young children, RJ and Gabby.

Meadows was “a beacon of love and strength, who fell victim to a devastating crossfire incident that shattered the peace and joy of what should have been a day of celebration.

“Amidst the chaos, Reggie tragically lost his life, leaving an indelible mark of grief on his family and community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the other victims who were injured, as we mourn the loss of Reggie, a remarkable individual who touched the lives of many.”

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review

lowbrook rebounded from Friday’s loss to post an 11-2 win in Saturday’s game at Hinsdale Central. The Warriors bashed three home runs in the second inning of SatCHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa ParkSilver Review urday’s non-conference battle against the Red Devils of the West Suburban Conference.

Senior Knudtson, freshman Isabella Dugo and that sophomore ceremony that beganAnnemarie at 9 a.m. The others participated in the ceremony started Kayleigh the home Dennison (No. 5) is pictured in the at 11 a.m. Dennison The photoprovided shows members of runs. the Willowbrook Senior Choir performing background of the above photo. more aboutsee thePage Warriors, during the day’s first service.

ForFor more photos, 4. see page 14.

Arbor Day in Villa Park Departing Mariners LOW INVENTORY!

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The Village of Villa Park observed Arbor Day with a tree planting on Friday, April 30. Pictured (left to right) at the tree planting at the village’s Franklin Park, located at 218 N. Third Ave., are: Villa Park Village your local agent

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Federal judge sets trial date for State Sen. Tom Cullerton--Page 4

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The Lombardian, Villa Park Review, Addison Independent & Bensenville Independent Your hometown newspaper is now available in both print and online versions.

The printed newspaper is delivered by the post office every Thursday for only $45 for a full year. A digital eSubscription will also be available for only $35 per year and can be read on a computer, laptop, or tablet. The eSubscription is a PDF copy of the print version that will be available online every Thursday. A link to the online newspaper will be emailed to you every week.

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that Madigan ran his political organization almost like “the head of a mafia family.”

“I have to say the law of omertà had no place in that grand jury room,” Kness said. “And now you will pay a price for it.”

Prosecutors have frequently claimed that Mapes could have been a star witness in the government’s probe but chose to tank his own grand jury interview instead. “(Mapes) was evasive, he was non-responsive and he flat-out lied,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Julia Schwartz said in closing arguments last year. “He did it to protect the boss and stay in the foxhole.”

Both “protect the boss” and “stay in the foxhole” were nods to phrases heard throughout trial. Many witnesses who worked alongside Madigan testified “protect the boss” was a common refrain for those who worked under the speaker, and it was also heard on wiretapped calls played for the jury.

Kness said he took Mapes’ age, 69, into account in sentencing him but said the other factors in the case played a larger role, including the message a multi-year sentence would send to elected officials and the general public.

“The people of this state cry out for accountability,” Kness said. “A wise person I once knew said, ‘accountability is liberating.’ That may not mean much to you right now, but I think it might down the road.”

Mapes began working for the Illinois House in 1977, a couple years after his graduation from Western Illinois University. Madigan wouldn’t become speaker until 1983, but Mapes continued to climb the ranks within House staff until Madigan tapped him as chief of staff in 1992.

Mapes built upon his position as chief of staff, taking over as director of the Democratic Party of Illinois under Madigan’s chairmanship later that decade, and serving as clerk of the Illinois House for the last seven years of his career.

But all three roles ended abruptly in 2018 when, at the height of the #MeToo movement, a House staffer accused Mapes of sexual harassment and bullying. It was the third accusation made against a member of Madigan’s top deputies that year, and the speaker responded by demanding Mapes’ resignation.

In the summer of 2020, the prosecutors announced electric utility

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Commonwealth Edison had entered into a $200 million deferred prosecution agreement and agreed to cooperate with the feds’ investigation into an alleged bribery scheme aimed at currying favor with Madigan.

Several months later, Madigan’s close confidant and ComEd’s longtime top contract lobbyist Mike McClain was indicted for orchestrating the alleged bribes, along with the utility’s former CEO and two other ex-lobbyists. Emails and wiretapped phone calls shown at trial also established Mapes’ close relationship with McClain, though attorneys for Mapes attempted to minimize their friendship to the jury.

Against this backdrop, Mapes sat for the grand jury in March 2021 after having been put under an immunity order, meaning he wouldn’t be charged with any wrongdoing related to the criminal probe into Madigan’s inner circle. However, Mapes was warned multiple times that if he lied under oath, he’d be charged.

Two months later, he was.

On Feb. 12, Kness said Mapes’ case was “very sad,” and especially “aggravating” because Mapes was placed under immunity.

“Whatever compulsion you felt to protect Michael McClain and the former speaker of the House, Mr. Madigan, as far as I can tell was not reciprocated … and was not necessary,” the judge said. “You were immunized. You had no personal risk in going to the grand jury other than you didn’t tell the truth. And that’s what you did.”

McClain was convicted along with his three co-defendants in the ComEd bribery case in May, and also awaits trial alongside Madigan in October on related racketeering and bribery charges.

Mapes will report to prison on June 11, though a facility assignment was not immediate. Before Kness gaveled out Monday’s hearing, Mapes’ attorney asked that he be sent to a federal prison in Pensacola, Florida, as his family would be able to visit him on trips nearby.

Asked for comment as he emerged from the conference room he’d retreated to after the sentencing hearing, Mapes shook his head and gave a thumbs-down signal to reporters as he walked across the hall to a men’s bathroom. He later left the building with his wife, exiting quickly past cameras waiting in the courthouse lobby.

(Continued from page 9)

The Executive Women’s Council is made up of a group of 30 women working and living in Northern Illinois dedicated to solving hunger.

The council’s mission is to work in partnership with the food bank to enhance the child nutrition program, and to support the food bank by engaging more women to donate time, food and funds through

an annual fundraising event and other initiatives so that everyone in Northern Illinois can have the food they need to thrive.

To attend A Cup of Hope, visit: https://solvehungertoday.org/ events/. To learn more or to join the Executive Women’s Council, contact Anne Moore at amoore@ northernilfoodbank.org.

DuPage Foundation’s annual benefit raises over $550,000 DuPage Foundation recently celebrated an evening of community philanthropy at its Annual Benefit: Under the Sea at The Westin Chicago Lombard, with nearly 350 guests in attendance.

With support from donors, community partners, and sponsors, the event has grossed nearly $580,000 to date for DuPage Foundation operations and programs. This funding is critical in helping the Foundation carry out its work of raising the quality of life throughout DuPage County. Additional contributions toward the event were expected.

During the event, more than $160,000 was contributed through a paddle raise, thanks in part to a $50,000 matching challenge pro-

vided by Duly Health and Care, Earl and Kay Harbaugh of St. Charles, and Joe and Amy Weidenbach of Naperville.

“It was a spectacular night of celebration in which our community showed up in force to support our work,” said Mike Sitrick, DuPage Foundation president and CEO. “The generosity of our friends and partners exceeded expectations and reaffirmed the incredible spirit of giving that defines our community.

Together, we are building a stronger, more vibrant DuPage County through our collective impact.”

Guests enjoyed a feast inspired by the sea along with live music and dancing provided by Felix And Fingers Dueling Pianos, who also led a game of “Name That Tune.”

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Rock Valley Publishing

Page 11

451266

Worship Services Directory 451162

St. Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church 547 N. Main St., Lombard, IL 60148

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Lent and Easter Services 7 p.m.

Lentat Services “The Crucial Hours” at 7pm

Second Lenten“The Service Passion of JesusMarch 9, 2022 Rev. David Ernestin the Gospel “Satan Has to Sift All of You” ofAsked John” Jerusalem Lutheran, Morton Grove Matthew 27:15-26 Third Lenten Service

February 28, 2024 WHAT KIND OF KING 16, IS JESUS? March 2022 John Your 18:28-40 “What to Remember When are

Third Lenten Service Rev. Paul Spaude St. Matthews, Fourth Lenten Niles Service Fourth Lenten Service

Seized March with Remorse” 6, 2024 Matthew 27:3-4 WHOM DO WE FOLLOW? John 19:1-16a

Gather with us for weekend worship!

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pediatric practice at Greater Family Health’s Franklin Park location.

• Midwest Refuah Health Center (Chicago, Skokie, Evanston): Providing accessible, affordable, culturally sensitive primary, preventive and specialty medical, dental and behavioral healthcare to under-resourced, un/underinsured community members.

• Equal Hope (Lake County): Expanding outreach, education and support to facilitate access to primary care and timely preventive cancer screening.

• NAMI DuPage County (DuPage County): Supporting training and development of peer mental health specialists to increase access to mental health services.

• Shelter, Inc. (Palatine): Removing critical transportation barriers to community-based services for children and families at risk and in need, including healthcare, counseling, job training and support groups.

• People’s Resource Center (Wheaton): Creating a comprehensive PRC Wheaton Campus featuring an expanded food pantry and increased education and empowerment program space to better serve our neighbors and meet growing community needs.

• 360 Youth Services (Naperville): Providing youth experiencing homelessness with emergency housing, case management and trauma-informed services at a new resource center.

• ONE Northside (Chicago): Supporting gun violence prevention and response programming, including outreach, mentoring, mediation, advocacy and financial literacy.

See a complete list of the 2024 CIF partners: endeavorhealth.org/cif Learn more about Endeavor Health’s Community Impact: endeavorhealth.org/community.

March 23, 2022 March 13, 2024 “I Will Keep the Passover” THREE SCENES ON THE CROSS Good Shepherd, Downers Grove Matthew 26:18 John 19:16b-27

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Sunday School & Bible Study 9am Wednesday Service at 7pm Ladies Bible at 6:30pm Maundy Thursday Fellowship CommunionMondays 7 p.m., April 14 Saturday, Feb. 24 Game Night7 p.m., at 4pmApril 15 Good Friday Tenebrae Easter Sunrise

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Endeavor Health, Illinois’ third largest health system, is proud to announce over $10.2 million in new awards to 43 local organizations and partnerships in the Chicago area for the third year of its Community Investment Fund (CIF).

Through the CIF, Endeavor Health seeks to foster health, wellbeing and economic security in the communities it serves. This year’s awards will support organizations and initiatives focused on behavioral health, violence prevention, housing and food insecurity, access to care and workforce development.

To date, the CIF has provided more than $21.4 million to 47 local partnerships.

“Our Community Investment Fund has made a remarkable impact since its launch in 2022, touching over 211,000 lives and supporting a significant expansion of behavioral health counseling, bilingual health education and mobile medical services in our communities,” said Kristen Murtos, chief innovation and transformation officer at Endeavor Health. “At Endeavor Health, we are not just funders but conveners, bringing together diverse groups to cultivate collaboration and innovation. We are thrilled to grow and deepen the impact of our Community Investment Fund this year, marking a significant step forward in our commitment to enhancing health and wellness across the communities we serve.”

Endeavor Health’s 2024 partnerships include: • Connections for the Homeless (Evanston): Providing those experiencing homelessness wraparound care to heal and recover through a Medical Respite program.

• Greater Family Health (Franklin Park): Expanding healthcare access for the underserved, including a new

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A p u b l i c a t i o n o f R o c k Va l l e y P u b l i s h i n g L L C • 2 0 2 4

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Rock Valley Publishing

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Rock Valley Publishing

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HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

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Rock Valley Publishing

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

SUBMITTED PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing

Popular puppy yoga class held at Bensenville Park District

The recent puppy yoga class, which was held in the Exercise Room of the Deer Grove Leisure Center, 1000 W. Wood Street, Bensenville, was a sold-out event. Twenty people braved the frigid temperatures to take part in the event and were kept warm by the playful puppies.

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Endeavor Health is among the first healthcare providers in the nation to offer groundbreaking clinical grade Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) testing for a broad range of conditions.

Endeavor Health is partnering with GenomicMD, a CLIA-certified laboratory dedicated to personalizing healthcare through precision medicine and to providing patients and their physicians with assessment of lifetime genomic risk for cardiovascular, cardiometabolic disease, neurologic, oncologic, urologic and other common diseases.

PRS testing generates a personalized genetic risk assessment for complex conditions based on the combined impact of many genetic variants that alone have a minimal effect. “Knowing one’s PRS scores can help patients and their physicians take proactive steps to ensure early detection or avoid disease altogether through informed lifestyle changes, disease screening and prevention,” says Jianfeng Xu, DrPH, Endeavor Health Vice President of Translational Research, who is the lead scientist collaborating with GenomicMD on this program. “Self-reported family history alone provides an incomplete assessment of a patient’s inherited risk.

Our research indicates that PRS can identify considerably more individuals at increased risk for disease when compared to family history or rare pathogenic mutations alone.

This is a major advancement in the field of genomics and a powerful new tool to improve patient care.”

Endeavor Health primary care physicians and specialists will develop care paths for patients who may benefit from this testing and incorporate results into personalized patient management. Initially, PRS testing will be available at select Endeavor Health Medical Group offices, with plans to expand across the system.

Endeavor Health’s Genomic Health Ini-

tiative (GHI), one of the nation’s largest genetic biorepositories, will support the collaboration through the addition of more PRS panels. It is important to broaden the utility of PRS to underrepresented ethnicities, some of whom may be at higher risk for heart disease, cancer and other conditions.

“Our clinical grade, validated PRS panels will provide physicians and their patients with objective, accurate and potentially actionable risk assessments to consider earlier screening and diagnostic testing as well as further motivation for lifestyle changes,” says Jason Lobel, CEO and Co-Founder, GenomicMD. “Dr. Xu and Endeavor Health have spent more than a decade studying the clinical utility of PRS. Endeavor Health research indicates that PRS can identify two to four times more individuals at increased risk for disease when compared to family history alone. We will continue to utilize the latest scientific evidence to expand disease coverage as we elevate genomic testing’s role in risk stratification for every interested individual.”

Since 2014, Endeavor Health has been at the forefront of genetic testing with Advanced Primary Care – one of the nation’s largest clinical genomics programs integrated into primary care. To date, more than 50,000 patients have participated in the program to identify genetic risk factors for common disorders, resulting in early diagnosis, prevention strategies, and personalized treatment options to ensure optimal health for individual patients and their family members.

For more information and to determine eligibility for PRS testing, call 847-570GENE. PRS testing is not currently covered by insurance companies. The out-of-pocket cost for a Lifetime Genomics Risk Assessment panel is $250.

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Rock Valley Publishing

Page 15

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Get moving!The risks of an overly sedentary lifestyle

Health experts call it “sitting disease.” It refers to when people spend more of their time behind a desk or steering wheel of a car or planted in front of a television than they do engaging in physical activity.

According to the American Heart Association, sedentary jobs have increased by 83 percent since 1950, and technology has reduced many people’s need to get up and move. Inactivity is taking a considerable toll on public health.

A study from the University of Cambridge equated inactivity with being obese. The Mayo Clinic advises that research has linked sedentary behavior to a host of health concerns, and found those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to the risks of fatality linked to obesity and smoking. Increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol levels, and excess body fat all can be attributed to inactivity.

Mental health can be adversely affected by a sedentary lifestyle as well. Australian researchers surveyed more than 3,300 government employees and found men who sat for more than six hours a day at work were 90 percent more likely to feel moderate psychological distress, such as restlessness, nervousness or hopelessness, than those who sat for less than three hours a day.

In addition, a sedentary lifestyle can significantly increase a person’s

risk for various types of cancer. A German meta-analysis of 43 studies involving four million people indicated those who sit the most have higher propensities to develop colon cancer, endometrial cancer and lung cancer.

Johns Hopkins Medical Center says research shows that high levels of exercise at some point in the day can lessen some risk, but it’s not en-

tirely effective if most of the rest of the day a person is inactive. Risk for cardiovascular disease increases significantly for people who spend 10 hours or more sitting each day.

Various medical organizations recommend individuals get up and move at any opportunity to help reduce risks of inactivity. Erin Michos, M.D., M.H.S., associate director of

preventive cardiology at the Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease, advises people who are very sedentary to aim for 4,000 steps per day. Such individuals can then build up to a target of 10,000 steps daily.

The Mayo Clinic recommends these strategies to reduce the amount of time you spend sitting:

• Stand while talking on the phone or watching television; • Invest in a standing desk; • Get up from sitting every 30 minutes; and • Walk at lunch or during meetings.

Sedentary lifestyles can affect health in many negative ways. But there are various ways to get up and go over the course of a typical day

Five things to check off your health care list this year With everything going on in our lives, plus staying home more due to the pandemic, it may be easy to put off appointments for preventive screenings, check-ups and immunizations. But as you get older, these visits become even more important – and many of them come at no additional cost under your Medicare plan.

For example, did you know that Medicare covers an annual wellness visit at no extra cost to you? Flu and pneumonia vaccines are also fully covered.

And rest assured that, in light of the pandemic, clinics, doctor’s offices and pharmacies have health and safety protocols in place to help keep patients safe during their appointments.

Make it a priority to add the following appointments to your 2021 calendar. Your long-term health may thank you.

1. Annual wellness visit. There is no additional charge under Medicare for

your wellness visit.

2. Vaccinations. A COVID-19 vaccine might be available in your area.

These vaccines are an important step in slowing the spread of the disease.

For shingles, a vaccination is the best way to protect against the disease. Two doses are recommended for those 50 and older.

The flu shot usually becomes available in August. It’s important to receive your flu shot each year, particularly in a time of COVID-19.

Finally, a pneumococcal vaccine, which can help prevent pneumonia, is recommended for all adults 65 years and older. This can be paired with a flu shot.

3. Preventive screenings and specialists. Visits for heart health, diabetes and other chronic conditions may be crucial to your overall wellness. Connect with your doctor to find out which preventive screenings you may need, too. This might include a mammogram, a colo-

noscopy and more.

4. Dental exam. A dental exam is an important part of oral and overall health.

The American Dental Association recommends two dental visits a year.

5. Eye exam. You should consider having an eye exam every year. Not

only can it help with how well you can see, but it may also detect issues, like glaucoma.

If you need more help in deciding how to navigate these appointments, ask your doctor how to most efficiently and effectively schedule these visits.

stock photo Rock Valley Publishing

Checking off the items on your health-care list can help ensure that you stay as healthy as possible for all of the other to-dos on your calendar.

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Rock Valley Publishing

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

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Page 17

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Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

PUZZLE Page

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Rock Valley Publishing

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

BAND BETROTHED BOUQUET BRIDESMAID BUFFET CELEBRATION CENTERPIECES CEREMONY CHURCH COUPLE DANCING DINNER FESTIVITIES GUESTS HAPPINESS INVITATION LIMOUSINE MARRIAGE OFFICIANT RECEPTION RINGS SEATING VOW WEDDING

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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. Golf scores 5. Shock therapy 8. Ballplayer’s tool 11. Quench one’s thirst 13. Female relatives of American war vets (abbr.)

14. Every one of two or more things 15. Member of Muslim people 16. Play 17. Type of cheese 18. Type of lounge chair 20. __ King Cole, musician 21. Fellows 22. North, Central and South 25. In an early way 30. Foes 31. Georgia rockers 32. Cryptocurrency 33. Narrow path along a slope 38. Disallow 41. Joyousness 43. Inaccessible 45. Evoke emotions 47. Ancient kingdom near Dead Sea 49. Boston Celtic punk rockers (abbr.)

50. Sword 55. Actor Idris 56. Affirmative (slang) 57. Afflicted 59. One point north of northeast 60. Born of 61. Arabic name 62. Traumatic brain injury (abbr.)

63. Extremity 64. Post CLUES DOWN 1. Pacific Standard Time 2. Protruding ridge on nematodes 3. Indian king 4. Type of milk 5. One who brings home the bacon 6. More comprehensible

7. Connected with sense of touch 8. Red mineral 9. Breezed through 10. Therefore 12. Supplement with difficulty 14. Early kingdom of Syria 19. Satisfy 23. They confuse doctors (abbr.)

24. Brass instrument 25. Domesticated animal 26. Ribonucleic acid 27. Snakelike fish 28. Woman (French) 29. Economically-minded aircraft 34. When you hope to get somewhere 35. Tease

36. Actress Gretchen 37. Midway between northeast and east 39. Inoffensive 40. Yellowish cotton cloth 41. Consume 42. Does not tell the truth 44. Improved something 45. Spiritual leader 46. Abba __, Israeli politician 47. Fix 48. Evergreen tree genus 51. Swiss river 52. Prejudice 53. Major C. European river 54. Long, narrow strap 58. Male parent

Answers on page 27

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Rock Valley Publishing

Page 19

February is National Children’s Dental Health Month.

Did you know that dental-related ailments are responsible for the loss of more than 50 million school hours each year? That’s right. Thousands of children miss school every year because of some dentalrelated ailment. Fortunately, many of these ailments can be prevented through good oral care.

This National Children’s Dental Health Month, make your child’s smile a priority. Take them to the dentist regularly and teach them to care for their teeth properly.

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Sports

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Rock Valley Publishing

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Rams complete their season with loss to the Tigers Wheaton Warrenville South defeats Glenbard East in regional semifinal

The Glenbard East girls basketball team’s season ended with a 56-35 loss to Wheaton Warrenville South in last week’s semifinal contest at the IHSA Class 4A Bartlett Regional.

The Rams finished their season with an overall record of 22-9.

Glenbard East played its post-season opener when it squared off against Wheaton Warrenville South in Bartlett on Feb. 13. The Tigers led the Rams 14-9 at the end of the first quarter. Wheaton Warrenville South owned a 23-16 halftime lead.

The Tigers scored the last four points of the third quarter to build a 40-28 lead with eight minutes to play. Wheaton Warrenville South delivered a 14-2 run at the start of the fourth quarter to extend its lead to 54-30.

Glenbard East senior Catey Carney scored a team-leading 16 points in last week’s loss to the Tigers. Carney made six baskets, including one 3-point field goal, and sank three of four free-throw attempts in her final game as a Ram. Senior Gabby Walton provided 10 points for Glenbard East in the playoff battle against the Tigers. Senior Ciara Johnson added five points.

Junior Erin Brown and senior Nasq Musa supplied two points each.

Wheaton Warrenville South’s season ended with Friday’s 55-36 loss to Batavia in the regional final in Bartlett. Batavia advanced to this week’s sectional on its home court. Batavia, the top seed in the sectional, faced

St. Charles East in a sectional semifinal earlier this week. The winner of that game will meet Geneva or St. Charles North in tonight’s sectional final.

Their post-season opener ended in disappointment, but the Rams can be pleased with a successful 2023-24 campaign. Glenbard East went 17-1 in Upstate Eight Conference play and won a share of the conference championship. The Rams and Glenbard South shared the Upstate Eight title with identical 17-1 conference records.

Carney set the program’s alltime scoring record during Glenbard East’s 39-38 conference victory at Glenbard South on Jan. 13. Carney finished her four-year varsity career with 1,498 points. She broke the previous record set by Lauren Huber—a 2021 graduate—who scored 1,294 points as a Ram. Carney and Huber were teammates during the abbreviated 2021 season, which was shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Glenbard East coach Nicole Miller noted after last week’s season-ending loss the special achievement of this season’s team. In the 30 years that Miller has been at the school, no other team in program history has recorded as many wins in a season.

Miller gave special praise to the team’s seniors—especially the trio of Carney, Johnson and Walton—for their contributions to this season’s success.

“They really have set a standard,” said Miller, who noted that the 202324 Rams earned a plaque for winning a share of the Upstate Eight Conference championship. That plaque will be on display at the school for years to come.

“They’re leaving a legacy,” added Miller while discussing the team’s senior standouts. “They really devoted themselves to making Glenbard East competitive.”

Chris Fox photos Rock Valley Publishing

Glenbard East’s girls basketball team closed out its season with last week’s 56-35 loss to Wheaton Warrenville South in a semifinal game at the IHSA Class 4A Bartlett Regional. The Rams completed their 2023-24 season with an overall record of 22-9. Senior Catey Carney (No. 30 - top left) closed out her four-year varsity career by scoring 16 points for Glenbard East in the Feb. 13 battle against the Tigers. Senior Gabby Walton (No. 23) provided 10 points for the Rams. Walton is pictured (above) as she exited the game with less than one minute to play. Glenbard East won a share of the Upstate Eight Conference title this season. The Rams and Glenbard South shared the championship with identical 17-1 conference records.

Broncos begin post-season push with two dominant wins After rare shutout victory in playoff opener, Montini posts 69-14 win in regional final

Montini Catholic’s girls basketball team won an IHSA Class 3A regional title on its home court last week. The Broncos won the regional championship with a pair of wins against overmatched opponents.

Montini opened the Class 3A post-season with an 85-0 victory over Chicago’s Alcott College Prep High School in Lombard on Feb. 13. Two days later, the Broncos crushed Chicago’s Illinois Tool Works (ITW) David Speer Academy 69-14 in the regional final.

The Broncos improved their overall season record to 26-7 with their two home victories at the regional. Montini posted a 17-0 record on its home court this season.

Winning the regional title propelled the Broncos to this week’s Class 3A Glenbard South Sectional in Glen Ellyn. Earlier this week, Montini faced St. Francis in a sectional semifinal. A win over St. Francis would put the Broncos in tonight’s sectional final against either Trinity or Glenbard South.

The winner of the Glenbard South Sectional will advance to the Feb. 26 super-sectional at Concor-

dia University in River Forest. The champion of the super-sectional will earn a berth in the IHSA Class 3A state semifinals in Normal.

“Our practices have been really good,” said Montini coach Shannon Spanos following the Broncos’ Feb. 15 win in the regional final.

“The intensity in the practices has been good. We’ve got to continue to keep that up. Our goal since the summer was to get to state and win two games there. It’s definitely a one-game-at-a-time mentality.”

Montini led Alcott 36-0 after one quarter of last week’s mismatch. The Broncos’ lead grew to 66-0 by halftime.

Senior Alyssa Epps and junior Lauren Mellish scored 12 points each for Montini in the win over Alcott. Juniors Nikki Kerstein and Audrey Kinney added 11 points each for the Broncos. Senior Victoria Matulevicius and junior Lily Spanos provided eight points each.

The regional final against Speer Academy was another lop-sided contest. Montini held a 23-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Broncos’ lead rose to 39-2 by halftime and 59-4 by the end of the

third quarter. regional final. Matulevicius and points, while Kinney and junior Kerstein scored a team-leading Spanos supplied 10 points each. Shea Carver contributed seven 12 points for the Broncos in the Junior Peyton Farrell added eight points each.

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing

The Broncos pose after they received their regional plaque following their Feb. 15 victory.

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Rock Valley Publishing

Page 21

A pair of Broncos win individual state titles in Champaign Montini’s David Mayora wins 150-pound championship at the Class 2A meet; Allen Woo of the Broncos claims the title in the 106-pound division

Two Montini Catholic wrestlers won state championships in the IHSA Class 2A individual state meet, which concluded on Saturday at the State Farm Center in Champaign.

Senior David Mayora of the Broncos won the state title in the meet’s 150-pound weight class. Montini freshman Allen Woo captured the championship in the meet’s 106-pound level.

Four other Broncos earned top-three finishes in their respective weight divisions at the Class 2A individual state meet. A total of 12 Montini wrestlers competed at the meet, which began on Thursday, Feb. 15.

Each weight division at the Class 2A individual state meet included 16 competitors.

Mayora began the meet with a first-period pin of his opponent in a first-round match. Mayora then earned a 6-1 victory in the quarterfinal round.

He then delivered a 19-3 technical-fall win in the semifinal round.

Mayora edged IC Catholic Prep sophomore Brody Kelly 3-2 in the state meet’s 150-pound championship match.

Mayora improved his season record to 38-1 with his four victories in Champaign.

Woo started the state meet with a first-period pin of his opponent in the opening round. Woo posted a 7-2 win in a quarterfinal match. He earned a 5-1 victory in a semifinal battle.

Woo defeated Wauconda junior Gavin Rockey 7-4 in the state meet’s 106-pound championship contest.

Woo raised his season record to 21-3 with his four wins at the Class 2A individual state meet.

Montini junior Josh Vazquez finished second in the state meet’s 126-pound weight class. After posting three straight wins in Champaign, Vazquez suffered a 5-3 loss to Triad senior Colby Crouch in the championship match.

Vazquez held a season record of 42-5 at the end of the state meet.

Freshman Mikey Malizzio of the Broncos placed third in the state meet’s 113-pound level. Malizzio won his first two matches in Champaign before losing a 9-3 decision in the semifinal round. He then won a match in the consolation round before earning a 4-2 victory in the third-place match.

Malizzio’s season record stood at 34-6 after his five matches in Champaign.

Montini sophomore Kam Luif battled to a third-place finish in the state

meet’s 132-pound weight class. Luif lost his first match in Champaign. He then reeled off five straight wins, including a 7-2 victory in the third-place contest.

Luif’s season record stood at 38-8 after his third-place finish at the individual state meet.

Senior Harrison Konder of the Broncos placed third in the state meet’s 157-pound division. Konder won his first match in Champaign before losing his next contest. Konder then won four straight matches. He scored a 5-0 win in the third-place contest to move his season record to 16-3.

The Broncos’ season did not end in Champaign. Earlier this week, Montini

wrestled at the Class 2A dual-team sectional at Wauconda High School. Two teams from that sectional advanced to the IHSA dual-team state meet, which takes place this Friday and Saturday in Bloomington.

Binmahfooz wrestles in the Class 3A state meet Glenbard East senior Waleed Binmahfooz competed in the IHSA Class 3A individual state meet’s 106-pound weight level in Champaign. Binmahfooz began the meet with a loss in the opening round. He then suffered a loss in the consolation round.

Binmahfooz completed his senior season with a 38-11 record.

Two Blazers compete at the Class 3A state meet in Champaign Addison Trail senior Damian Valdez finished sixth in the Class 3A individual state meet’s 132-pound weight class. Valdez won his first two matches at the state meet in Champaign. He then lost his next three matches. York senior Zach Parisi pinned Valdez in the second period of the fifth-place match.

Valdez finished the season with a 34-13 record.

Senior Martin Duarte of the Blazers competed in the Class 3A state meet’s 157-pound level. Duarte lost both of his matches in Champaign. He completed the season with a record of 36-10.

Jim Izzo Photos Rock Valley Publishing

Two Montini Catholic wrestlers won championships at the IHSA Class 2A individual state wrestling meet, which concluded on Saturday evening at the State Farm Center in Champaign. Senior David Mayora (above left) of the Broncos won the title in the meet’s 150-pound level. Montini freshman Allen Woo (above right) captured the meet’s 106-pound championship. Mayora is pictured during his 3-2 victory over IC Catholic Prep sophomore Brody Kelly in the 150-pound division’s championship match. Woo is pictured moments after he defeated Wauconda junior Gavin Rockey in the 106-pound level’s first-place contest. Four other Montini wrestlers secured top-three finishes at the individual state meet. Earlier this week, the Broncos competed in the IHSA Class 2A dual-team sectional at Wauconda High School. Two teams from that sectional advanced to this week’s IHSA dual-team state meet in Bloomington.

Rams close out their regular season with a loss Chris Fox photo Rock Valley Publishing

Broncos win a regional title

Montini Catholic’s girls basketball team won an IHSA Class 3A regional championship on its home court last week. The Broncos posted a pair of dominant victories at the regional.

They beat Chicago’s Alcott Prep High School 85-0 in a regional semifinal on Feb. 13. Two days later, Montini defeated Chicago’s Illinois Tool Works (ITW) David Speer Academy 69-14 in the regional final. The Broncos improved their overall season record to 26-7 with their win in the regional final on Feb. 15. Montini advanced to this week’s Glenbard South Sectional. Two wins at the sectional would propel the Broncos to a super-sectional at Concordia University in River Forest on Feb. 26. The winner of that super-sectional will earn a berth in the IHSA Class 3A state semifinals in Normal. One photo from last week’s regional final shows Montini junior Nikki Kerstein (No. 3), who scored a teamhigh 12 points in the game.

Nee scores team-high 17 points in a conference loss to Bartlett

The Glenbard East boys basketball team concluded its regular season with last week’s 70-59 Upstate Eight Conference loss to Bartlett in Lombard.

The Rams finished their regular season with an overall record of 1417 and a conference mark of 12-6.

Bartlett led Glenbard East 17-9 after one quarter of the Feb. 13 contest in Lombard. The Rams took a brief 23-22 lead when sophomore Michael Nee sank a 3-point shot with about 2:15 left in the second quarter. Bartlett closed the quarter with a 7-2 run to take a 29-25 halftime lead.

The Hawks extended their lead 43-

30 in the third quarter, but Glenbard East delivered a 10-2 run to close the quarter to trim Bartlett’s lead to 4540 with eight minutes to play. Senior Ari Pierson of the Rams finished the quarter with a three-point play to cut the Hawks’ lead to five points.

Bartlett held a 62-51 lead with less than one minute left in the game.

Nee made a pair of 3-point shots in the closing 35 seconds. The second of those 3-point baskets reduced the Hawks’ lead to 64-57 with 24 seconds to play.

Bartlett made six free throws in the game’s final 20 seconds.

Nee, who connected on four

3-point shots and sank all five of his free-throw attempts during the game, scored a team-leading 17 points for the Rams. Sophomore Danny Snyder, who made two 3-point shots, contributed 14 points for Glenbard East. Senior Aleks Jajic provided 13 points. Junior Devin Kraft and Pierson added nine and six points, respectively.

The Rams opened IHSA Class 4A post-season action by facing Wheaton North in one of this week’s semifinal games at the Glenbard North Regional. The winner of that contest will face Glenbard North or Addison Trail in Friday’s regional final.

Page 22

Rock Valley Publishing

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Campbell earns top-five finish at IHSA state meet Junior standout ties for fifth in floor exercises to earn Willowbrook program’s first top-five finish at state meet in 29 years

Junior Naomi Campbell of the Willowbrook girls gymnastics team finished the season by earning a pair of top-10 finishes at the IHSA state meet.

Campbell qualified for the state meet in two events—the balance beam and floor exercises. She also qualified for the all-around competition at the state meet, which took place Friday and Saturday at Palatine High School.

The top 10 finishers, plus ties, in each event of Friday’s preliminaries advanced to Saturday’s finals.

Campbell’s performance on the balance beam during Friday’s action received a score of 9.2, which placed her in a tie for seventh among the 32 gymnasts competing in that event.

Campbell’s routine in floor exercises on Friday earned a score of 9.3, which produced a tie for eighth in that event. There were 34 gymnasts who competed in floor exercises during Friday’s preliminaries.

Campbell finished 24th in the state meet’s all-around standings with her score of 35.1. That total included her scores on the balance beam and in floor exercises, along with her scores of 8.75 on the vault and 7.85 on the uneven bars during Friday’s competition. A total of 33 gymnasts took part in the state meet’s all-around competition.

In Saturday’s finals, Campbell first competed on the balance beam.

She had one fall during her routine and received a 10th-place score of 8.35 for her performance.

About 20 minutes later, Campbell delivered a solid routine in floor exercises that received a score of 9.375. She earned a tie for fifth with that score. She also secured a medal and a spot on the podium during the awards ceremony. The top five finishers, plus ties, in each event at the state meet stepped onto the podium to accept their medals.

Campbell finished in a fifthplace tie in floor exercises with York senior Angela Stangarone.

According to the IHSA website, Campbell is the first member of the Willowbrook girls gymnastics program to earn a top-five finish at the state meet in 29 years. Chrissy Pupelis of the Warriors delivered a fourth-place finish in floor exercises at the 1995 state meet.

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Villa Park eview R eview R There’s no waiting for your home delivery.

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when the officer located the vehicle, later determined to be driven by Castro, Castro put his car in reverse and proceeded southbound on Route 83. It is alleged that as the officer pursued, Castro reached speeds of approximately 107 mph in a 45-mph zone and disobeyed three traffic lights.

It is alleged that near 16th Street, Castro completed a U-turn and continued driving northbound on Route 83 reaching speeds of approximately 100 mph in a 35-mph construction zone, at which time the pursuing officer lost sight of the vehicle.

A short time later, the vehicle was located abandoned in a school parking lot. Officers responded to the school parking and at approximately 8:42 p.m., located Castro approximately one block away from the school. He was then taken into custody after a brief struggle with the officers.

Castro’s next court appearance is scheduled July 27 for arraignment in front of Judge Telander.

VOL. 19 • NO. 28

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Celebrating all things Warhol

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Register in advance by calling 630-766-7015.

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DEE LONGFELLOW PHOTO Bensenville Independent

As many museums are celebrating Andy Warhol and his legacy of pop art, July 28. Pictured are (from left): Daley Wangler, Reilly Costello, Katy Costello, the Elmhurst Artists’ Guild hosted reception for its Inspired By Warhol exhibit, a whose works were on display in the exhibit, Allison Haas and Katie Fox. Info: juried exhibition based on the works of Andy Warhol on display through Friday, elmhurstartmuseum.org.

County sheriff investigating Juneteenth shooting incident One killed, 23 wounded; deceased victim was father of two

multiple weapons into a large crowd No arrests have been made as of at around 12:30 a.m. during a gather1 press time in connection with a mass ing to commemorate Juneteenth held shooting at a strip mall in unincorpo- ¢¢ ¢in the parking lot at the mall, located rated DuPage County near Willow- ¢near Honeysuckle Lane and Route brook early Sunday morning, June 83.

18, the day designated as Juneteenth.

Approximately 23 people were The DuPage County Sheriff’s wounded by gunfire. Victims were Office said an unknown number of taken to hospitals in DuPage, Cook suspects fired multiple rounds from and Will counties. One man, idenSTAFF REPORT

60 60

Open!

Police Reports..........4 information to call 630-407-2343.

The Juneteenth celebration started Viewpoint ................8 Classifieds..............10 JULY 4 at around 6 p.m. Saturday, June 17.

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Graduation Play at theday plate at Willowbrook

Freshman Lindsey Rugg of the Willowbrook softball team is pictured while attempting to score a run during Friday’s game at Downers Grove South. Rugg tried to score from second base on a single by sophomore Katelyn Cox in the top of the second inning, the game tiedcelebrated at 2-2. Downers Grove South’swith catcher Willowbrook Highwhen School’s Class was of 2021 its commencement two tagged Rugg out at home for the third out of theon inning.

Themorning.

Mustangs separate ceremonies in theplate school’s main gymnasium Sunday Thewent enon to defeat the Warriors 7-3students. in the West Suburban Conference contest. Wiltire class includes over 470 About half ofGold those students attended the

Noon-5 p.m. | July 4 Bensenville Water Park

According to the Daily Herald, DuP-

age in County Sheriff’s deputies had Register WhitePinesG advance byolf.com been630-766-7015. monitoring the celebration, but calling 395484

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Joe Benedetti, known as “Joe the Barber,” recently retired after 50 years of serving the Addison akbROOk eRRace akbROOk errace eRRace akbrOOk akbROOk eRRace akbROOk eRRace community. The owner of Joe’s Hair Styling Unisex at 611 W. Lake Street was honored by the Village of Addison at a Board meeting on Monday, June 5, where he received a Proclamation in honor of his VOL. 17 ••NO. NO. 21 WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM VOL. 17••attended NO.23 20 WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM 19 28 WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM 17 WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM 50 years in business. Nearly 100 communityVOL. members the meeting to congratulate him.

VOL. 17 NO. 24 WWW.THEINDEPENDENTNEWSPAPERS.COM

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tified as 31-year-old father of two Reggie Meadows, died after suffering a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

Deputy Chief Eric Swanson of the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office said in a news conference Sunday, June 18 that at least two other victims were in critical condition.

“The motive behind this incident is unclear,” Swanson said. “This is

Driving

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SUBMITTED PHOTO Addison Independent

‘Joe the Barber’ honored by Village

Golf Lessons

still an active investigation.”

Call theINDEPENDEN Pro Shop CE DAY PARADE “We are working around the clock to Register Today March with to bring to justice,” the those parkresponsible district! the sheriff’s office said in a recent Sign up at BvilleParks.org (630) /Libertyfest 766-0304 post on Twitter, urging anyone with Puzzles ....................9

394390 responded to a 911 call of396445 a fight that 438525 396917 had broken out nearby.

THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2021 THURSDAY, MAY 6,2023 2021 THURSDAY, 29, THURSDAY, MAY 27, 2021 While JUNE deputies were investigating THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2021 that call, they heard gunshots and

returned immediately to the celebration.

“Out of nowhere, there was a major gunfight for like 30 seconds,” eyewitness Bartosz Majerczyk told ABC 7 Eyewitness News. “I’d say, 60 plus rounds. You could tell it was two different groups of people shooting at each other.”

Another witness, who said she was at the celebration, told ABC 7 Eyewitness News “everybody started running” when the gunfire erupted.

“There was a man,” she said. “He fell on top of me. He had a gunshot wound to his leg. It was like something you can’t imagine.”

In a statement, Governor JB Pritzker said he is closely monitoring the shooting.

“Gathering for a holiday celebration should be a joyful occasion, not a time when gunfire erupts and families are forced to run for safety,” Gov. Pritzker said. “As I’ve said time and

time again, gun violence is a public health emergency in this country and I remain committed to banning these dangerous weapons and making our state safer for everyone.”

Meadows was described as a “devoted father whose life was tragically taken from us amidst a Juneteenth celebration” on a GoFundMe page set up to provide support to his two young children, RJ and Gabby.

Meadows was “a beacon of love and strength, who fell victim to a devastating crossfire incident that shattered the peace and joy of what should have been a day of celebration.

“Amidst the chaos, Reggie tragically lost his life, leaving an indelible mark of grief on his family and community. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the other victims who were injured, as we mourn the loss of Reggie, a remarkable individual who touched the lives of many.”

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review

lowbrook rebounded from Friday’s loss to post an 11-2 win in Saturday’s game at Hinsdale Central. The Warriors bashed three home runs in the second inning of SatCHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa ParkSilver Review urday’s non-conference battle against the Red Devils of the West Suburban Conference.

Senior Knudtson, freshman Isabella Dugo and that sophomore ceremony that beganAnnemarie at 9 a.m. The others participated in the ceremony started Kayleigh the home Dennison (No. 5) is pictured in the at 11 a.m. Dennison The photoprovided shows members of runs. the Willowbrook Senior Choir performing background of the above photo. more aboutsee thePage Warriors, during the day’s first service.

ForFor more photos, 4. see page 14.

Departing Mariners LOW INVENTORY!

CHRISFOX FOXPHOTO PHOTOVilla VillaPark ParkReview Review CHRIS SUBMITTED PHOTO Villa Park 390271 Review 377325

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Police Reports..........4 Puzzles ....................9 Viewpoint ................8 Classifieds..............10

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THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 2023

Florida man charged with leading police on high-speed chase

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Villa Park Chief of Police Michael Rivas announced that bond has been set for a Florida man accused of leading Omar Castro police on a high-speed chase.

Omar Castro, 22, appeared at a bond hearing where Judge Michael Reidy set bond at $100,000.

Castro is charged with two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer (Class 4 felony) and multiple misdemeanor and petty traffic offenses including two counts of aggravated speeding in a construction zone, reckless driving and driving while license suspended, all Class A misdemeanors.

On Thursday, June 22 at approximately 8:28 p.m., an Elmhurst police officer responded to a call of a stolen motor vehicle near Route 83 and North Avenue. It is alleged that

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VOL. 20 • NO. 28

chris Fox photos Rock Valley Publishing

Memorial Day in Villa Park

The Village of Villa Park observed Arbor Day with a tree planting on Friday, April 30. Pictured (left to right) at the tree planting at the village’s Franklin Park, located at 218 N. Third Ave., are: Villa Park Village your local agent

Trustee Christine Murphy, Justin Shlensky—chair of the Villa Park Environmental Concerns Commis..........6 14 PoliceReports Reports............4 ..........8 Classifieds................10 Sports.................... ....................17 16 sion, The Margaret Villa Park Mariners recognized six Villa departing swimmers during Saturday’s meet against Police Reports ..........8 Sports Police Schiefer—a membertheir of the Park “senior” Environmental Concerns Commission, Villa Park KATE DRURY Hanover Park at Jefferson Pool.Villa Pictured to right at the end of the meet—Villa final home meet of Village Trustee Cheryl Tucker, Parkleft Village President Albert Bulthuis, VillaPark’s Park Village Trustee (and Contact me for aRoscoe, DRURY Legal Notices ......... 15 Speak Classifieds..............13 Viewpoint ................6 Classifieds..........17-18 season—are: (front row) Grace Harper KATE Conboy Knudtson; (back Viewpoint ................6 Classifieds..............16 Puzzles ......................9 Out................8 the Village President-Elect) Nick Cuzzone andCaitlin LeslieO’Connor, Allison-Seei—chair of theand VillaGabby Park Community Pride 630-514-9961

complementary row) Alexander Dean and Simon Luedtke.

All ofFriday the pictured Mariners areNational members of Willowbrook High Villa Park Veterans of Foreign Warson (VFW) Post 2801 held its Memorial Day service onDay Monday mornCommission.

Arbor Day is observed thesix last of each April.

The Arbor Foundation 630-514-9961 School’s ClassVeterans of Villa 2023.

Roscoe, has been with the Mariners for years, willTo attend the University ing Cortesi Memorial Park.

Post Commander Jim is pictured bowing his recognihead of as kdrury@atproperties.com hasatrecognized Park withwho Tree City USA designation forBlankshain 36seven straight years. receive that market analysis Wisconsin-Madison.

O’Connor, 11or years with and the Mariners, and Knudtson, who’s a Mariner Willowbrook High School students Lily Hendrickson Anna Seelbach soundataps at been the end ofcomthe kdrury@atproperties.com tion, a community must have awho treespent board department, a tree-care ordinance, comprehensive of your home!! for sevenforestry years, will both attend Illinois State University.

Conboy,because who hasofbeen member of the Mariners ceremony.

The post’s 2020 Memorial Day event was canceled the a COVID-19 pandemic.

This munity program and an Arbor Day observance. for 10 years, and Luedtke, who’s been with forof six years, both attend College of DuPage. year’s observance included a reading of the team names the Postwill 2801 members who have recentlyDean, died. who’s been with theWorld Mariners 11 years,Charles will attend theBergh, Milwaukee Villa Park beat That list included War II veteran “Sid” who School served of asEngineering. the master of ceremonies I would to for help!

Hanover Park annual 372-205Memorial in Saturday’s to improve its season record to 2-4.

TheU.S. Mariners finish their of the post’s Daymeet service for several years. A veteran of the Navy,will Bergh died in eight-meet regular season with this Dale a meet in Roselle July 8.

October 2020.

He was 94 years old.week’s Berghmeet was in theWood post’s lastand surviving World Waron II veteran.

Federal judge sets trial date for State Sen. Tom Cullerton--Page 4

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Rock Valley Publishing 240 N. West Ave., Suite B Elmhurst, IL 60126 Phone: 630.834.8244

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The Lombardian, Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent and VillaPublished Park Review by

Junior Naomi Campbell of the Willowbrook girls gymnastics team advanced to the finals of two events at the IHSA state meet, which took place Friday and Saturday at Palatine High School. The top 10 finishers, plus ties, from each event of Friday’s preliminaries advanced to Saturday’s finals.

Campbell qualified for the finals in two events—the balance beam and floor exercises. She posted a 10th-place score of 8.35 on the balance beam during Saturday’s finals. Minutes later, Campbell delivered her performance in floor exercises. She received a score of 9.375 for that performance to finish in a tie for fifth place. One photo (above) shows Campbell during her floor exercises routine at Saturday’s finals.

Another photo (left) shows Campbell on the awards stand. Campbell is the first member of the Willowbrook girls gymnastics program to earn a top-five finish at the state meet in 29 years. Chrissy Pupelis of the Warriors earned a fourth-place finish in floor exercises at the 1995 state meet. In addition to earning a pair of top-10 finishes in Palatine, Campbell posted a 24th-place finish in Friday’s all-around competition with her total score of 35.1.

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Rock Valley Publishing

Warriors lose post-season opener

Page 23

Glenbard West overpowers Willowbrook in regional matchup in Glen Ellyn

Willowbrook girls basketball team closed out its 2023-24 season with a 67-38 loss to Glenbard West in an IHSA Class 4A regional semifinal at Glenbard West on Feb. 12.

The Warriors finished their season with an overall record of 13-19.

Playing on their home court, the

Hilltoppers built an 18-8 lead over Willowbrook after one quarter of last week’s regional semifinal, which served as the post-season opener for both teams. The Warriors cut Glenbard West’s lead to 32-26 by halftime.

The Hilltoppers dominated the

second half. They outscored Willowbrook 21-8 in the third quarter to take a 53-34 lead with eight minutes to play. The Warriors scored only four points in the final quarter.

Senior Elle Bruschuk closed out her Willowbrook basketball career by scoring a team-high 15 points in last week’s loss to Glenbard West.

Bruschuk made seven baskets, including one shot from 3-point range, during the game.

Junior Ayaani Gusman contributed seven points for the Warriors in their post-season loss to the Hilltoppers. Senior Kalina Henry added six points. Juniors Loralai McIntyre and Kendall Medinger supplied three points each. Senior Lillian Vish provided two points for Willowbrook, while senior Seyna Fall and sophomore Joely Maciejewski scored one point each.

Glenbard West advanced to the regional final against Geneva on Feb. 15. Geneva beat the Hilltoppers 45-32 to win the regional title

and advance to this week’s Batavia this week. The winner of that contest Sectional. Geneva faced St. Charles meets Batavia or St. Charles east in North in a sectional semifinal earlier tonight’s sectional final.

Senior Elle Bruschuk (No. 33) concluded her Willowbrook basketball career by scoring 15 points in the Feb. 12 contest in Glen Ellyn.

LEGAL NOTICES Chris Fox photos Rock Valley Publishing

Willowbrook’s girls basketball team completed its 2023-24 season with last week’s 67-38 loss to Glenbard West in a regional semifinal at the IHSA Class 4A Glenbard West Regional in Glen Ellyn. The Warriors finished their season with an overall record of 13-19. Junior Ayaani Gusman (No. 10) provided seven points for the Warriors.

Glenbard West’s season ended with a 45-32 loss to Geneva in the regional final on Feb. 15.

Kenny receives 88’s Best award for January Willowbrook High School senior Calli Kenny was named her school’s recipient of the 88’s Best award for the month of January.

Kenny, who is a Villa Park resident, was recognized during the District 88 Board of Education’s Jan. 22 meeting. She is pictured (right) at that meeting with Willowbrook Principal Dan submitted photo Rock Valley Publishing Krause (left).

The 88’s Best award recognizes students at Willowbrook and Addison Trail high schools for their achievements in and out of the classroom. Krause praised Kenny during the board meeting, describing her as a quiet, humble and fierce leader. Kenny has been named to Willowbrook’s Distinction Honor Roll during each semester of her time in high school. She is an Illinois State Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society, the National English Honor Society, the National Math Honor Society and Willowbrook’s social studies honor society—Civitas. Kenny is also one nation’s best high school girls volleyball players. During her senior season, she led Willowbrook’s girls volleyball team to a third-place finish in the 2023 IHSA Class 4A state tournament in November. The Warriors finished the season with a 40-2 record.

Kenny will continue her academic and volleyball careers at Marquette University in Milwaukee. She plans to study physical therapy and/or nutrition.

NOTICE CERTIFICATE NO. 79329 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on JANUARY 23, 2024 wherein the business firm of CHUCKS VIDEO, 5118 FAIRVIEW AVENUE APARTMENT 102, DOWNERS GROVE, IL 60515 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: Charles Lewandowski, 5118 Fairview Avenue Apartment 102, Downers Grove, IL 60515.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 23RD day of JANUARY, A.D. 2024.

Jean Kaczmarek DuPage County Clerk (Published in The Lombardian Feb. 8, 15 & 22, 2024) 450810

Request I filed is scheduled on: April 11, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. at 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL, DuPage County, in Courtroom #2007.

NOTICE CERTIFICATE NO. 79345 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on FEBRUARY 7, 2024, wherein the business firm of ABLE ALCHEMY, 810 HIGHVIEW AVENUE, GLEN ELLYN, IL 60137 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: Courtney O’Keeffe, 810 Highview Avenue, Glen Ellyn, IL 60137.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 7TH day of FEBRUARY, A.D. 2024.

Jean Kaczmarek DuPage County Clerk (Published in The Lombardian Feb. 15, 22 & 29, 2024) 450939

CURRENT LEGAL NAME: CARLOS MANUEL CAYETANO

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE EIGHTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT DU PAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS PUBLICATION NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE (ADULT NAME CHANGE) CURRENT LEGAL NAME: RONALDO ANTOLIN CABANADA Case Number: 2024 MR 64 My current name is: RONALDO ANTOLIN CABANADA. I wish my name to be changed to: RONALD ANTOLIN CABANADA. The court date for the

/s/ Ronaldo Antolin Cabanada Dated: 2/6/2024 Candice Adams Clerk of the Circuit Court 8085-939705 (Published in The Lombardian Feb. 15, 22 & 29, 2024) 450938 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE EIGHTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT DU PAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS PUBLICATION NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE (ADULT NAME CHANGE)

Case Number: 2024MR000088 My current name is: CARLOS MANUEL CAYETANO. I wish my name to be changed to: CARLOS MANUEL CAYETANO LEON. The court date for the Request I filed is scheduled on: April 1, 2024 at 9:00 a.m. at 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL, DuPage County, in Courtroom #2005. /s/ Carlos Cayetano Dated: 2/7/2024 Candice Adams Clerk of the Circuit Court 8085-939745 (Published in The Lombardian Feb. 15, 22 & 29, 2024) 450988 NOTICE CERTIFICATE NO. 79346 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on FEBRUARY 8, 2024, wherein the business firm of MHAli Consulting, 1263 HOBSON OAKS DRIVE, 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: Moinuddin H. Ali, 1263 Hobson Oaks Drive, Naperville, IL 60540.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 8TH day of FEBRUARY, A.D. 2024.

Jean Kaczmarek DuPage County Clerk (Published in The Lombardian Feb. 15, 22 & 29, 2024) 451049 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE EIGHTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT DU PAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS DOMESTIC RELATIONS PUBLICATION IN RE THE MARRIAGE OF VICKIE DEMETRIOUS SIMMONS AKINWUNMI, Petitioner vs.

SEGUN AKINWUNMI, Respondent Case Number: 2023DN000817

The requisite affidavit for publication having been filed, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO YOU, SEGUN AKINWUNMI, respondent, that a petition has been filed in the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court of DuPage County, Illinois, by the petitioner against you for a DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE and other relief; that summons duly issued against you as provided by law, and such petition is still pending.

NOW THEREFORE, unless you SEGUN AKINWUNMI, respondent, file your answer to the Petition or otherwise make your appearance therein, in the office of the Clerk of the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit Court at the Judicial Center, 505 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL on or before 4/15/2024, a default may be entered against you at any time after that date and a JUDGMENT OF DISSOLUTION OF MARRIAGE entered against you in accordance with the prayer of said petition.

Date: 2/5/2024 Vickie Demetrious Simmons Akinwunmi 922 College Blvd Addison, IL 60101 CANDICE ADAMS Clerk of the Circuit Court 8085-939674 (Published in The Lombardian Feb. 15, 22 & 29, 2024) 450922

Page 24

Rock Valley Publishing

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING TAX INCREMENT FINANCE JOINT REVIEW BOARD The Joint Review Board of the Village of Bensenville Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Districts Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eleven, and Twelve will conduct a meeting beginning at 3:00pm on Tuesday March 12, 2024 in the First Floor Conference Room at Bensenville Village Hall, 12 S. Center St., Bensenville, Illinois, 60106. The purpose of this meeting is to review the financial activity within the TIF Districts during the fiscal year 2022 in accordance with the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act, 65 ILCS 5/11 et seq.

AGENDA I. CALL TO ORDER II. INTRODUCTION OF JRB MEMBERS III. REVIEW OF MINUTES IV. PUBLIC COMMENT V. OVERVIEW OF TIF ACTIVITIES AND PROJECTS VI. COMMENTS & QUESTIONS VII. ADJOURNMENT Any individual with a disability requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any public meeting held under the authority of the Village of Bensenville should contact the Village Clerk, Village of Bensenville, 12 S. Center St., Bensenville, Illinois 60106, (630) 766-8200, at least three (3) days in advance of the meeting.

All interested parties may attend and will be heard at the Public Hearing. Written comments will be accepted by the Community & Economic Development Department through March 12 until 12:00 P.M. Office of the Village Clerk Village of Bensenville (Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Feb. 22, 2024) 451291 TO: OCCUPANT; CATALINA PEREZ; YAZMIN PEREZ; DUPAGE COUNTY CLERK; Village of Bensenville; INOCENCIO HERNANDEZ; JACINTO PEREZ; BRENDA HERNANDEZ; MARIO HERNANDEZ; FERNANDO PEREZ; AND ALL UNKNOWN OWNERS AND PARTIES INTERESTED. TAX DEED NO.: 2023TX000135 FILED: 12/06/2023 TAKE NOTICE County of DuPage Date Premises Sold 11/18/2021 Certificate No. 392 Sold for General Taxes of (year) 2020 Sold for Special Assessment of (Municipality) Not Applicable and special assessment number Not Applicable Warrant No. Not Applicable Inst. No. Not Applicable THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN SOLD FOR DELINQUENT TAXES Property located at 508 MARSHALL RD BENSENVILLE IL Legal Description or Property Index No. 03-11-301-007 This notice is to advise you that the above property has been sold for delinquent taxes and that the period of redemption from the sale will expire on 06/03/2024.

The amount to redeem is subject to increase at 6 month intervals from the date of sale and may be further increased if the

purchaser at the tax sale or his or her assignee pays any subsequently accruing taxes or special assessments to redeem the property from subsequent forfeitures or tax sales.

Check with the county clerk as to the exact amount you owe before redeeming.

This notice is also to advise you that a petition has been filed for a tax deed which will transfer title and the right to possession of this property if redemption is not made on or before 06/03/2024.

This matter is set for hearing in the Circuit Court of this county, in the Courtroom 2011, 505 N. County Farm Road Wheaton, Illinois 06/21/2024 at 9:30 a.m.

You may be present at this hearing but your right to redeem will already have expired at that time.

YOU ARE URGED TO REDEEM IMMEDIATELY TO PREVENT LOSS OF PROPERTY Redemption can be made at any time on or before 06/03/2024 by applying to the County Clerk of DuPage County, Illinois, at the Office of the County Clerk in Wheaton, Illinois.

This notice is also to advise you that a petition has been filed for a tax deed which will transfer title and the right to possession of this property if redemption is not made on or before 06/03/2024.

This matter is set for hearing in the Circuit Court of this county, in the Courtroom 2011, 505 N. County Farm Road Wheaton, Illinois 06/21/2024 at 9:30 a.m.

You may be present at this hearing but your right to redeem will already have expired at that time.

YOU ARE URGED TO REDEEM IMMEDIATELY TO PREVENT LOSS OF PROPERTY Redemption can be made at any time on or before 06/03/2024 by applying to the County Clerk of DuPage County, Illinois, at the Office of the County Clerk in Wheaton, Illinois.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE COUNTY CLERK ADDRESS: 421 N. County Farm Road Wheaton, IL 60187 TELEPHONE: (630) 407-5500

American Tax Lien, LLC, Purchaser or Assignee.

Dated this 2nd day of February, 2024.

(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Feb. 8, 15 & 22, 2024) 450778

American Tax Lien, LLC, Purchaser or Assignee.

Dated this 2nd day of February, 2024.

(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Feb. 8, 15 & 22, 2024) 450777 TO: OCCUPANT; CATALINA VELAZQUEZ; WALNUT CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION; DANIEL MARQUEZ; GABRIELA OCHOA; DUPAGE COUNTY CLERK; Village of Bensenville; IRYNA OVSIANIKOVA; MARIA MARQUEZ; AND ALL UNKNOWN OWNERS AND PARTIES INTERESTED. TAX DEED NO.: 2023TX000136 FILED: 12/06/2023 TAKE NOTICE County of DuPage Date Premises Sold 11/18/2021 Certificate No. 409 Sold for General Taxes of (year) 2020 Sold for Special Assessment of (Municipality) Not Applicable and special assessment number Not Applicable Warrant No. Not Applicable Inst. No. Not Applicable THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN SOLD FOR DELINQUENT TAXES Property located at 241 N WALNUT ST UNIT 2W BENSENVILLE IL Legal Description or Property Index No. 03-14-217-006 This notice is to advise you that the above property has been sold for delinquent taxes and that the period of redemption from the sale will expire on 06/03/2024.

The amount to redeem is subject to increase at 6 month intervals from the date of sale and may be further increased if the purchaser at the tax sale or his or her assignee pays any subsequently accruing taxes or special assessments to redeem the property from subsequent forfeitures or tax sales.

Check with the county clerk as to the exact amount you owe before redeeming.

Rock Valley Publishing Can Publish Your Legals

425134

LLC

Call 815-877-4044 or email your legals to Legals@rvpublishing.com

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE COUNTY CLERK ADDRESS: 421 N. County Farm Road Wheaton, IL 60187 TELEPHONE: (630) 407-5500

TO: OCCUPANT; DEBRA MAROZZA; DUPAGE COUNTY CLERK; Village of Villa Park; TABITHA HELMS A/K/A TABITHA MAROZZA; MARK WEBER; SAMANTHA EVANS; AND ALL UNKNOWN OWNERS AND PARTIES INTERESTED. TAX DEED NO.: 2023TX000142 FILED: 12/06/2023 TAKE NOTICE County of DuPage Date Premises Sold 11/18/2021 Certificate No. 996 Sold for General Taxes of (year) 2020 Sold for Special Assessment of (Municipality)Not Applicable and special assessment number Not Applicable Warrant No. Not Applicable Inst. No. Not Applicable THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN SOLD FOR DELINQUENT TAXES Property located at 237 N WISCONSIN VILLA PARK IL Legal Description or Property Index No. 06-04-405-006 This notice is to advise you that the above property has been sold for delinquent taxes and that the period of redemption from the sale will expire on 06/03/2024.

The amount to redeem is subject to increase at 6 month intervals from the date of sale and may be further increased if the purchaser at the tax sale or his or her assignee pays any subsequently accruing taxes or special assessments to redeem the property from subsequent forfeitures or tax sales.

Check with the county clerk as to the exact amount you owe before redeeming.

This notice is also to advise you that a petition has been filed for a tax deed which will transfer title and the right to possession of this property if redemption is not made on or before 06/03/2024.

This matter is set for hearing in the Circuit Court of this county, in the Courtroom 2011, 505 N. County Farm Road Wheaton, Illinois 06/21/2024 at 9:30 a.m.

You may be present at this hearing but your right to redeem will already have expired at that time.

YOU ARE URGED TO REDEEM IMMEDIATELY TO PREVENT LOSS OF PROPERTY Redemption can be made at any time on or before 06/03/2024 by applying to the County Clerk of DuPage County, Illinois, at the Office of the County Clerk in Wheaton,

Illinois.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE COUNTY CLERK ADDRESS: 421 N. County Farm Road Wheaton, IL 60187 TELEPHONE: (630) 407-5500 American Tax Lien, LLC, Purchaser or Assignee.

Dated this 2nd day of February, 2024.

(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Feb. 8, 15 & 22, 2024) 450779 TO: OCCUPANT; ROBIN MARTINEC; BRANDYWINE TOWNE HOUSES IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION; MOREQUITY, INC.; DUPAGE COUNTY CLERK; Village of Villa Park; SARAH MARTINEC; AND ALL UNKNOWN OWNERS AND PARTIES INTERESTED. TAX DEED NO.: 2023TX000145 FILED: 12/06/2023 TAKE NOTICE County of DuPage Date Premises Sold 11/18/2021 Certificate No. 1170 Sold for General Taxes of (year) 2020 Sold for Special Assessment of (Municipality) Not Applicable and special assessment number Not Applicable Warrant No. Not Applicable Inst. No. Not Applicable THIS PROPERTY HAS BEEN SOLD FOR DELINQUENT TAXES Property located at 17W702 KIRKLAND VILLA PARK IL Legal Description or Property Index No. 06-22-101-055 This notice is to advise you that the above property has been sold for delinquent taxes and that the period of redemption from the sale will expire on 06/03/2024.

The amount to redeem is subject to increase at 6 month intervals from the date of sale and may be further increased if the purchaser at the tax sale or his or her assignee pays any subsequently accruing taxes or special assessments to redeem the property from subsequent forfeitures or tax sales.

Check with the county clerk as to the exact amount you owe before redeeming.

This notice is also to advise you that a petition has been filed for a tax deed which will transfer title and the right to possession of this property if redemption is not made on or before 06/03/2024.

This matter is set for hearing in the Circuit Court of this county, in the Courtroom 2011, 505 N. County Farm Road Wheaton, Illinois 06/21/2024 at 9:30 a.m.

You may be present at this hearing but your right to redeem will already have expired at that time.

YOU ARE URGED TO REDEEM IMMEDIATELY TO PREVENT LOSS OF PROPERTY Redemption can be made at any time on or before 06/03/2024 by applying to the County Clerk of DuPage County, Illinois, at the Office of the County Clerk in Wheaton, Illinois.

Warriors wrap up regular season with loss to the Hornets

Willowbrook is hosting IHSA Class 4A regional this week

The Willowbrook boys basketball team completed its regular season with a 91-78 West Suburban Gold Conference loss at Hinsdale South on Feb. 13.

The Warriors fell to 9-22 overall and 4-12 in conference play following last week’s loss to the Hornets.

Willowbrook led Hinsdale South 21-18 after one quarter of the game.

The two teams were tied at 42-42 at halftime. Hinsdale South owned a 62-59 lead at the end of the third quarter.

Senior Noah Boyd scored a team-leading 32 points for the Warriors in last week’s conference battle at Hinsdale South. Boyd made three shots from 3-point range and sank all five of his free-throw attempts during the game.

Sophomore Otis Powell piled up 26 points for Willowbrook in its regular-season finale. Powell made 10 of 12 shots from the field and drained six of eight attempts from the freethrow line.

Junior Jaden Royal added eight points for the Warriors. Junior Filip Palutkiewicz contributed five points.

Junior Anthony Porter scored three points, while senior Andrew Ciesinski and sophomore Jaylen Griffin provided two points each.

Hinsdale South junior Jack Weigus poured in 44 points to lead his team to last week’s conference win over the Warriors.

Willowbrook began the IHSA Class 4A post-season earlier this week with a game on its home court.

The Warriors, who are hosting a regional, faced West Chicago in a quarterfinal matchup on Feb. 19.

The winner of that game played Lake Park in a Feb. 21 semifinal. The regional’s other semifinal on Feb. 21 featured a matchup between Geneva and Wheaton Warrenville South.

The regional final in Villa Park will take place this Friday, Feb. 23.

The regional champion advances to next week’s Addison Trail Sectional.

• Seminar

(Continued from page 6) March 1, from 7-10 p.m. at Sky Centers, 112 W. St. Charles Road, Lombard.

The cost is $40, and registration American Tax Lien, LLC, is due by Feb. 29. The event is open Purchaser or Assignee. to the first 50 participants. Call 630629-2790 or visit www.skycenters.

Dated this 2nd day of February, 2024. com for more information.

Wine and appetizers will be served, (Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park sponsored by Damore, a Realtor with Review Feb. 8, 15 & 22, 2024) Keller Williams Premiere Properties 450780 in Glen Ellyn; and Broker Associate Kathy Volpe of RE/MAX Suburban.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE COUNTY CLERK ADDRESS: 421 N. County Farm Road Wheaton, IL 60187 TELEPHONE: (630) 407-5500

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

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EMPLOYMENT

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PUBLISHER’S NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familiar/ status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1-900-669-9777. The toll-free tele phone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

Page 25

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Free Estimates ~ Call 630-853-3059

448785

395580

mynorconcrete.com

Electrical

CODE ELECTRIC • Troubleshooting • Upgrade Service • Car Chargers • Remodeling 630-834-2939/630-337-9963 (cell) Licensed - karl@codeelectric.net

447946

Gutters

Announcements

Burial Needs

CLASSIFIED IN-COLUMN ADS cannot be credited or refunded after the ad has been placed.

Ads canceled before deadline will be removed from the paper as a service to our customers, but no credit or refund will be issued to your account.

7 CEMETERY PLOTS Willing to sell as a group or individually. Located at Roselawn Memory Gardens 3045 WI-67, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. This is a private sale.

Contact Randy, the seller at randy@slpublishers.com.

DISCLAIMER NOTICE This publication does not knowingly accept fraudulent or deceptive advertising. Readers are cautioned to thoroughly investigate all ads, especially those asking for money in advance.

Vans, Mini Vans FOR SALE: 2006 E250 FORD CARGO VAN, $3,000 or best offer and 2002 CHEVY ASTRO VAN, $4,000 or best offer. Call Al at 630-853-3059.

Handyman

vvvvvv

CALL Elmhurst (630) 834-8244 or Lombard (630) 627-7010 TO PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD!

For details on placing your Help Wanted ad in our Classified Section call

630-834-8244 or (Lombard) 630-627-7010

(Elmhurst)

422800

FIND YOUR NEXT JOB IN THE CLASSIFIEDS

379666

Page 26

Rock Valley Publishing

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

DuPAGE DESTINATIONS

Your Dining & Entertainment Guide to the Western Suburbs The Moreci Family Invites You to Experience

the Finest Selection of Italian Cuisine. Roberto’s Ristorante Features One-of-a-Kind Gourmet Specialties Custom Created by Experienced Chefs Inquire about our private party luncheons for Memorials, Corporate Meetings, Graduations, Confirmations, Weddings & Baptisms Try Our

Celebrating Our 62 Year Anniversary Stadium Pizza Carry-Out & Delivery Only

483 SPRING ROAD ELMHURST www.robertosristorante.com

Roberto’s Pizzeria

Call for Details.

Call us for Carry Out or Delivery Service

Established in 1962 FAST DELIVERY AND CARRY OUT SERVICE

DOWNLOAD THE ROBERTO’S APP Order online and receive Royalty points

Feb. 22-Feb. 25 57th annual Elmhurst University Jazz Festival Elmhurst The Elmhurst University Jazz Festival returns for its 57th year, both in-person and livestreamed online at Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel. The university is located at 190 Prospect Ave. Guests include: The Legendary Count Basie Orchestra on Feb. 23 and the Maria Schneider Orchestra on Feb. 24. For tickets and more information, visit: https://www.elmhurst.edu/about/ special-events/february-jazz-festival.

483 SPRING ROAD, ELMHURST • 630-279-8474 • www.robertosristorante.com Open 7 Days A Week M-Th. 11am-10pm • Fri. 11am-11pm • Sat. 12pm-11pm • Sun. 12pm-10pm

1 OFF

1 OFF

$ 50

$ 00

On Full Slab of Ribs

On 14”, 16” or 18” Pizza

Pick Up or Delivery Only • One Coupon Per Visit Please Mention Coupon When Ordering Not valid with any other coupons, offers, or including Royalty reward points Not Valid In Dining Room Expires Feb. 29, 2024

Pick Up or Delivery Only • One Coupon Per Visit Please Mention Coupon When Ordering Not valid with any other coupons, offers, or including Royalty reward points Not Valid In Dining Room Expires Feb. 29, 2024

1 OFF

$ 00

FREE

2 Liter of Soda

with $25 Purchase or More

Pick Up or Delivery Only • One Coupon Per Visit Please Mention Coupon When Ordering Not valid with any other coupons, offers, or including Royalty reward points Not Valid In Dining Room Expires Feb. 29, 2024

On 14”, 16” or 18” Pizza

Pick Up or Delivery Only • One Coupon Per Visit Please Mention Coupon When Ordering Not valid with any other coupons, offers, or including Royalty reward points Not Valid In Dining Room Expires Feb. 29, 2024

Editor’s note: If you have information on an event in DuPage County taking place that you would like us to consider listing here, please email that information to: news1@rvpublishing. com.

Ongoing Train Saturdays DuPage County Historical Museum Wheaton The DuPage Society of Model Engineers operates the model railroad at the museum, 102 E. Wesley St., on the third and fifth Saturday of the month. The layout covers more than 2,000 feet of track and highlights some of DuPage County’s landmarks in a landscape full of surprises.

Your family will love watching the trains run. See if you can spot Superman and the Batmobile.

For more information, visit: https://dupagemuseum.org/calendar/category/train-saturdays.

North Suburban Carvers meetings The North Suburban Carvers meet on the first and third Mondays of each month at the Wood Dale Public Library from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Anyone interested in carving, power carving, wood burning or special finishing techniques is welcome. North Suburban Carvers is a non-profit organization that promotes carving in the Chicago area. For more information, visit: northsurburbancarvers.com. .org/calendar.aspx.

Reservations 630.279-8486 Pizzeria 630.279.8474

Let our Family cater to your Family!!

Can’t-miss events in and around DuPage County

449403

Saturday, Feb. 24 Chocolate Walk Town Square 130 W Vallette | Elmhurst Roberto’s Ristorante Wheaton Roberto’s Ristorante Roberto’s Ristorante Roberto’s Ristorante & Pizzeria & Pizzeria & Pizzeria & Pizzeria FromMamaMariasElmhurst.com 1-3 p.m., shopping is sweet at Town Square Wheaton. Register for free and receive tastings of local-made artisan chocolates inside various TSW shops and restaurants—along with steamy hot cocoa to keep you warm as you shop and stroll. For tickets and MONDAY SPECIAL information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/373551848600915.

130 W Vallette | Elmhurst 50% OFF ANY MamaMariasElmhurst.com Saturday, Feb. 24-Sunday, NO 3RD PARTY Feb. 25 THIN CRUST Lego Trains APP FEES! 630-832-0555 The Morton Arboretum PIZZA DOES NOT NO 3RD PARTY Lisle Our Drivers 130 W Vallette | Elmhurst INCLUDE TOPPINGS APP FEES! We Deliver From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Arboretum, 4100 Route 83, Explore a sprawlEXCLUDES HOLIDAYS Scan to call!

Our Drivers MamaMariasElmhurst.com PICKUP | DINE IN | DELIVERY ing display of imaginative landscapes built of LEGO® bricks featuring We Deliver NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER Scan to call! trains running through LEGO city streets, between skyscrapers, and OFFER OR SPECIAL. OPEN 7 DAYS | DELIVERY orsmall CARRYOUT OPEN 7 DAYS | DELIVERY or CARRYOUT into dreamlike scenes populated by mythological creatures. Fun for kids and fascinating for adults, this miniature world is sure to inspire and delight. $ This event is free for Arboretum members and included with admission for NO 3RD PARTY Family Owned and Operated Arboretum guests, subject to availability. For more information, visit: https:// of FEES! any $15 pizza purchase APP mortonarb.org/explore/activities/events/lego-trains.

PICK UP YOUR PHONE OR ORDER ONLINE 18” THIN CRUST with any $15 pizza purchase

427953

630-832-0555

630-832-0555 FREE 6 Pack $ 1 OFF RC Cola

XL PIZZA

630-834-4374

3 TOPPING PIZZA ONLY $23.95

Delivery Charge $3.95. We Deliver Within 4.5 Miles Please allow 15 Minute Window for Timed Orders

Does not include Tax or Gratuity. May not combine with any other offer or promotion.

MangiaNapoliElmhurst.com

DINING | CARRY-OUT | DELIVERY CATERING | BANQUETS

940 N. York

ELMHURST

Our Drivers

Wepurchase Deliver $15 pizza Scanany to call!

Pick up or delivery. With this coupon Pick up or delivery. With this coupon only. Not valid with other offers. only. Not valid with other offers.

Expires 12/21/23 Pick up or delivery. With this coupon only. Expires Not valid with other 12/21/23

Pickoffers. upororCoupon delivery.

With thisroom. coupon not valid in dining OPEN 7 DAYS | DELIVERY CARRYOUT Expires 2/29/24.

PICKUP OR DELIVERY ONLY

$ FREE

1ORDER OFF

BREADSTICKS any GARLIC $15 pizza purchase WITH ANY 14”,

only. Not valid with other offers.

Expires 12/21/23

FREE 6 Pack of RC Cola

Does not include Tax or Gratuity. May not combine with any other offer or promotion.

Expires 12/21/23

Sunday, Feb. 25 with any $15 pizza purchase The life and music of George Michael

Arts Center at College of DuPage Pick up orMcAninch delivery. With this coupon Glen Ellyn only. Not valid7-9 with other offers.

From p.m. at the center, 425 Fawell Blvd., Capturing the performance Expires 12/21/23 and sound of one of the biggest international stars of our time, this show will

have you singing and dancing along in your seat to blockbuster hits including “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go,” “Freedom,” “Faith,” “Careless Whisper,” “Father Figure,” and many more. For tickets and more information, visit: www.atthemac.org/events/george-michael.

with any $15 pizza purchase

HOURS 16” OR 18” PIZZA Monday - Thursday 10 a.m.-10 p.m.

Pick up orPURCHASE delivery. With this couponPick up or delivery. With this coupon only. Not valid with other Friday - Saturday 10 a.m.-11 p.m. • Sunday 12 p.m.- 10 p.m.

Pickoffers. up or delivery.

With this room. coupon Coupon not valid in dining OR DELIVERY ONLY offers. only.PICKUP Not valid with other PRICES & COUPONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

FREE 6 Pack of RC Cola

Expireswith 2/29/24. only. Not valid other offers.

449404

IT’S MANGIA TIME!

1 OFF

See EVENTS, Page 27

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Page 27

(Continued from page 26)

Vegan in the ’Burbs Market Downers Grove From noon-3 p.m. at Alter Brewing Company, 2300 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 213, Cruelty Free You and Me will be here for another afternoon of feel-good sipping and shopping. Peruse a variety of vegan goods while you get to know fellow beer lovers.

In addition, the event is kid-friendly.

Admission: Free. For more informa-

tion, visit: https://crueltyfreeyouand- and In the Cards each paired with me.org/vegan-in-the-burbs. cheese by My Southernish. For more information and to purchase Thursday, Feb. 29 tickets, visit: www.facebook.com/ Beer and Cheese Pairing events/397141506315534.

Roselle Starting at 6:30 p.m. at Pollyan- Friday, March 1 na Brewing Company, 245 E. Main Magic show St., enjoy a flight of Pollyanna’s 5 Wheaton favorite beers; Lite Thinking, The Starting at 6 p.m. and presented by Full Lemonty, Eleanor, Lexical Gap the Wheaton Park District, 1777 S. Blanchard St., come watch a thrilling and entertaining magic show by Gary Kantor. Gary’s magic has been enjoyed by over 400,000 audience members. The show is packed with vanishing acts, mind-reading tricks, and a variety of hilarious feats that will have everyone rolling on the Willowbrook’s Jacquelyn Porro floor with laughter. The show is apth earns a 26 -place finish in propriate for all ages, even adults.

Rockford Magic tricks will also be available to Senior Jacquelyn Porro of Wil- purchase from Gary after the show. lowbrook competed as an individu- Tickets: $10. For more information, al at the state meet. Porro advanced visit: https://wheatonparkdistrict. to Saturday’s finals and wound up com/events/3-1-magic-show. th placing 26 in the meet’s individual standings with her 12-game total of Saturday, March 2 2,410.

St. Patrick’s Day parade Porro opened the state meet with a Forest Park 198 in her first game of Friday’s play.

The 28th annual Forest Park St. She finished Friday’s action with Patrick’s Day Parade is one of the scores of 209, 238, 226, 194 and 206 best in the western suburbs. Over 65 over her next five games for a sixgame total of 1,271. Porro stood in ninth place in the meet’s individual standings at the end of Friday’s play. Answers Porro began Saturday’s action with a 237 in her first game. She add- PUZZLE 1 ed scores of 212, 154, 150, 185 and 201 over her next five games for a six-game total of 1,139, and her twoday score of 2,410.

Blazers finish 23rd at the state meet Addison Trail’s girls bowling team finished 23rd in the team standings of Friday’s play at the state meet in Rockford. The Blazers’ season ended after they posted a total pin count of 5,013 on Friday.

Junior Amelia Leslie delivered Addison Trail’s best six-game total on Friday with her score of 1,054.

She bowled her best game of the day when she rolled a 206 in her fourth game.

Junior Angie Ayala fired a sixgame score of 1,022 for the Blazers on Friday. She turned in her best game of the day with a 201 in her opening game.

Addison Trail freshman Alessandra Pizzoferrato shot a six-game total of 1,011 on Friday. She produced her best game of the day with a 181 in her final game.

Junior Val Pizzoferrato’s six-game score of 967 for the Blazers on Friday included a 183 in her sixth and final game. Addison Trail junior Grace Cannizzo bowled a six-game score of 959 on Friday that included a 182 in her first game.

Rams finish 20th at IHSA state meet

The Glenbard East girls bowling team competed at the IHSA state bowling meet on Friday. The Rams were one of 24 teams to take part in Friday’s action at the state meet at the Cherry Bowl in Rockford.

Glenbard East needed to place among the top 12 teams in Friday’s play to advance to Saturday’s finals.

The Rams placed 20th in Friday’s competition with their total pin count of 5,237.

Junior Jenna Pitts of Glenbard East advanced to Saturday’s action as an individual. The top 30 scorers from Friday who weren’t members of top-12 teams advanced to Saturday’s individual competition.

Pitts bowled a six-game total of 1,217 on Friday. She opened the state meet with a 210 in her first game. She then rolled scores of 193, 211, 203, 184 and 216 in her next five games.

Freshman Zoey Poling of the Rams compiled a six-game total of 1,060 on Friday. She bowled her best game of the day—a 224—in her fifth game.

Senior Alexis Clayton produced a six-game score of 1,033 for Glenbard East during Friday’s competition in Rockford. She delivered her best game of the day in her second game, when she rolled a 201.

Freshman Jenna Pope competed in five games for the Rams on Friday. She produced her best score—a 184—in her first game of the day.

Senior Nicole McCombs of Glenbard East also bowled five games on Friday. She turned in her best game of the day with a 178 in her second game.

Senior Julianna Vasicek of the Rams competed in two games on Friday. She posted a 174 in her second game of the day.

Pitts rolled a six-game total of 1,072 on Saturday. She began the day with a 193 in her first game and turned in scores of 166, 169, 209, 182 and 153 in her next five games.

She finished 48th in the state meet’s individual standings with her twoday total of 2,289.

entries include bagpipers, marching bands, Irish dancers, local business entries, Medinah Shriner parade units, police and fire departments, and much more. The parade kicks off at 1 p.m. from Madison and Van Buren and travels east on Madison to Elgin. For more information, visit: www.exploreforestpark.com/event/ st-patricks-day-parade-2.

soil, plant accessories, and all the plant themed clothing, jewelry, art, home decor, sweets, and more. For more information, visit: www.facebook.com/events/877725213834411

PUZZLE 2

CROSSWORD

Saturday, March 9 St. Patrick’s Day parade Elmhurst The City of Elmhurst presents its annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. It begins at the intersection of Wilson Wednesday, March 6Street and Spring Road and conSaturday, March 9 tinues north on Spring Road. The 2024 Tyr Pro Swim Series parade kicks off at noon. For more Westmont The 2024 TYR Pro Swim Series information, visit: www.elmhurststChicago, presented by USA Swim- patsparade.com. ming, will take place at the FMC St. Patrick’s Day parade Natatorium at Ty Warner Park, 275 Naperville Plaza Drive. For tickets and more inStarting at 10 a.m., the West Subformation, visit: www.usaswimming. org/event/2024/03/06/default-calen- urban Irish St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a family event enjoyed by all ages dar/tyr-pro-swim-series-westmont. and celebrates Irish heritage and culture.

Thursday, March 7 The parade attracts over 3,000 Plant Market participants and over 15,000 specLombard From 4-9 p.m. at Noon Whistle tators The parade route will extend Brewing-Lombard, 800 E. Roosevelt across Aurora Avenue from Main Road, calling all plant lovers! Shop Street down to Porter and finish at from 17 local small business owners Naperville Central High School. while you sip the best brews and en- For more information, visit: www. joy the best eats around. Plants, pots, wsirish.org.

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• Events

Rock Valley Publishing

Page 28

Rock Valley Publishing

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

What We Do Grief Support Resources

Every person must cope with loss of a loved on his or her own terms.

The emotional upheaval these trying times can cause is sometimes so overwhelming that even the support of friends and family may not help relieve the amount of sadness and grief you feel.

Well over sixty years, Pedersen Ryberg has provided meaningful and proven options with total respect in keeping with traditional values - whether a traditional funeral, traditional cremation, flameless cremation, or memorial service. We strive to maintain family wishes with uncompromised quality and value, and guide families in creating a way to remember loved ones.

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449369

435 North York Street • Elmhurst, Illinois 60126