EI021623

VOL. 21• NO. 9

District 205 Board unanimously approves new principal at York

Jessica Hurt named 2022 assistant principal of the year by IPA

Elmhurst District 205 School Board has announced its approval of Jessica Hurt as the next principal of York High School following an inclusive and thorough hiring process that included public input.

“All of the candidates for this position brought an enormous amount of experience, professionalism and talent with them,” said Dr. Keisha Campbell, District 205 superintendent. “Hurt’s strong track record of building systems and cultures that both drive student success and leave a lasting positive impact on the entire school community, coupled with being an articulate, knowledgeable, and confident leader regarding all aspects of curriculum and instruction have provided her with the skills and knowledge to successfully lead York High School. We are honored that Ms. Hurt chose to join District 205 and I look forward to working with her to create strong systems and relationships that drive student success at York.”

The District received 35 applications for the position and 13 were selected for initial screening, after which five candidates were identified as finalists.

Community input was incorporated into the hiring process through survey responses and focus groups.

See BOARD, Page 10

school with activities like making this paper chain

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.

Proposed spending plan kicks off monthslong budgeting process each year

By Jerry Nowicki

Gov. JB Pritzker’s second-term legislative agenda kicks off in earnest this week as he proposes his fifth annual state budget to lawmakers in the General Assembly.

But while a governor’s proposal usually provides the framework for the state’s annual spending plan, it rarely makes it through the General Assembly untouched by lawmakers who have their own spending pri -

orities.

The monthslong negotiating process involves dozens of budget hearings and behind-closed-doors meetings, eventually culminating in the budget’s passage—in normal years—sometime before the end of the legislative session.

This year, lawmakers are scheduled to adjourn on May 19.

Pritzker’s address to the State Legislature took place Wednesday. Here are some issues Pritzker like -

ly addressed on Wednesday:

Budget basics

While there are hundreds of funds in the state treasury with statutory requirements for how the money is spent, the most scrutinized is the General Revenue Fund, or GRF. That pool of money—which last year topped $50 billion for the first time—is the state’s main discretionary spending account, meaning lawmakers have the greatest authority to

move it around.

Generally, about 80 percent of GRF spending is allocated between pension payments (roughly 21 percent in the current fiscal year), K-12 education (21 percent), human services (19 percent) and health care (17 percent). The fund’s main revenue sources are personal and corporate income tax and sales tax, along with some federal revenues and other state sources.

Since each budget allocates money

ECT performs sketch comedy

Celebrating 15 years of laughs, on Tuesday, Jan. 31, Elmhurst Children’s Theatre (ECT) performed Unintentionally Hilarious, a sketch comedy written and directed by Tim Sozsko, originally presented in 2008. “What I love about sketch is if you’re into sketch comedy, there’s never just one way to do it,” Sozsko said. “In our cast, we have people interested in dance, singing, video games, languages, mysteries, politics, cops, sentient self-checkout registers, and of course, revenge. Sketch comedy allows for all those interests to come out in the show.”

collected over a future 12-month period, lawmakers generally base their spending proposals on economic estimates provided by the state’s two main forecasting agencies.

Those are the legislative Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, also known as COGFA, and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, also known as GOMB. Each provides

See SPENDING, Page 10

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Elmhurst resident Doug Peterson and performer Debbie Proska are about to flee from an unwelcome guest who stopped by the dinner table to offer a good scare. It’s just one scene from GreenMan Theatre’s upcoming murder-mystery dinner theatre, “Shooby Doo in That’s the Way the Cookie Murders!” running Feb. 24 – 25, and March 3 – 5 at Angelo’s Ristorante in Elmhurst. Visit greenmantheatre.org Please visit www.greenmantheatre.org to buy tickets online or call 630-464-2646 for more information.

Elmhurst

Elmhurst native and resident Doug Peterson has “nabbed” the role as Henry in GreenMan Theatre’s upcoming murder-mystery dinner theatre, “Shooby Doo in That’s the Way the Cookie Murders!” running Feb. 24 – 25, and March 3 – 5 at Angelo’s Ristorante in Elmhurst.

Doug has been a member of Greenman Theatre Troupe (GMTT) since its founding in 2003, but this will be his first role in a GreenMan production.

“I’m semi-retired and was looking for something to do since I can’t play golf in winter,” he joked. “I decided to give performing a shot again.”

Peterson helped get GMTT started with production support for many shows, including “The Fantasticks” in its inaugural season.

Peterson is a York High School

in GMTT’s new murder-mystery

graduate and Columbia College theater major who has acted in and produced numerous Chicago shows including “God” at Prop Thtr and “The Brownsville Raid” at Kuumba Workshop. Peterson was also the executive producer for Prop Thtr’s “Hizzoner: Daley the First,” which was later nominated for a Joseph Jefferson award. The “Jeffs” are awarded annually for Chicago area productions and celebrate the vitality of Chicago’s theatre community.

Doug Peterson has also served as past president of Elmhurst Children’s Theatre and has performed in select York High School productions “when there was an adult role that needed to be cast,” he said. He also sings part time in the jazz/rock band “GoodWood.”

“Shooby Doo in That’s the Way

the Cookie Murders!” features a familiar gang of intrepid mystery buffs and a dog who come to Elmhurst when they hear that Angelo’s restaurant is being haunted by a Cookie Elf who attacks anyone who orders dessert! In “Shooby Doo in That’s the Way the Cookie Murders!” Peterson’s character Henry and his wife are celebrating her recent master’s degree in psychology at Angelo’s when they are chased off by ghosts and goblins.

Peterson thinks attendees will love the play.

“It references a lot of Elmhurst places like Keebler Company, Wilder Mansion and Salt Creek,” he said.

Peterson also gave kudos to the play’s director Justin Vidovic.

“Justin hit it right on target with the performers he chose. He’s a good

director who knows how to get the best out of his actors.”

The show runs five performances over two weekends at Angelo’s Ristorante in Elmhurst at 247 N. York Rd. The production opens Friday, Feb. 24 with additional shows Saturday, Feb. 25, and March 3 - 5. Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings at 7 p.m. plus Sunday at 6. Tickets are $57 and include the show and an Italian dinner. Cash bar and a chance to mingle with the cast begins an hour before curtain. There is ample free parking available, but seating is limited. Tickets for the event must be purchased in advance. Please visit www.greenmantheatre.

org to buy tickets online or call 630464-2646 for more information. The dinner production is a popular event and performances sell out quickly.

Push for state child tax credit begins, could face uphill battle

Low- and middle-income families would get $700 per child

By Peter Hancock Capitol News illiNois

A group of Democratic lawmakers last week called for creating a state-level child tax credit that would give low- and middle-income families up to $700 per child each year in tax relief.

But whether Gov. JB Pritzker includes such a plan in his budget proposal, which was scheduled to be delivered Wednesday—and whether it receives the endorsement of top Democratic leaders in the General

Assembly—remains an open question.

Erion Malasi, director of policy and advocacy at the advocacy group Economic Security for Illinois, pegged the plan’s cost at somewhere between $700 million and $800 million annually.

State Sen. Mike Simmons, D-Chicago, said passage of such a measure would benefit about half of all children in Illinois.

“It puts money in the pockets of struggling moms and dads all across

the state,” he said during a Statehouse news conference. “And when we put money in the pockets of those working parents, we know that they can’t afford to save so they’re going to go out and spend that money on shoes for their kids, on health care that they’ve put off for too long, on food for their teenagers who love to eat.”

Illinois already offers an earned income tax credit, or EITC, which is available to people who meet certain income guidelines, even if they

have no children. A child tax credit would be an additional payment to parents. Like the EITC, the child tax credit would be refundable, meaning if the amount of the credit exceeds the filer’s total tax liability, the excess amount would be repaid to the taxpayer.

The language of the proposal is contained in Senate Bill 1444, which Simmons introduced last week. Under the legislation, individuals with

sUBMitteD pHoto Elmhurst Independent

resident on stage

Police beat

The Elmhurst Police Department recently reported the following arrests and citations. Persons charged with domestic battery are not named in order to protect the privacy of victims. Readers are reminded that an arrest does not constitute a conviction, and that subjects are considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Juveniles age 17-or-younger are not named.

Assault

Feb. 2-Feb. 3

Police said a reporting officer met with Elmhurst Hospital staff who stated the victim was sexually assaulted by a suspect. The victim did not wish to speak with police and was unsure if she wanted to sign complaints. This case is pending investigation.

Criminal trespassing

Feb. 8

A complainant in the 400 block of Ida Lane told police that an unknown suspect described as a black male was seen exiting a rental property through the garage. The complainant related no one is supposed to be on the property and wishes to sign complaints for criminal trespass.

Domestic battery, disorderly conduct, domestic incident, disturbance

Feb. 7

Steven Caruso, 67, of Melrose Park, was charged with disorderly conduct and theft from a place of worship in the 700 block of S. York at 5:53 a.m. According to police, a victim related that Caruso caused a disturbance while at the church and threatened the victim. It was also determined the suspect had allegedly stolen $20 from the church donation box.

Feb. 6

Police said unknown person(s) vandalized the stop sign on the south east corner of Kearsage and Cayuga at 7:26 a.m.

Feb. 5

A victim in the 600 block of W. Gladys told police at 4:07 p.m. he was involved in a verbal argument which turned physical when a suspect pushed him. Due to conflicting stories and no physical markings, no arrests were made.

Police said that subsequent to a call for a disturbance in the 100 block of N. Elm at 6:45 p.m., officers located the complainant who related he was involved in a verbal argument which turned physical when the suspect hit him. The reporting officer spoke with the suspect who denied hitting the complainant. No arrest was made due to conflicting statements and no evidence of physical contact.

Feb. 3

Duane Allen, 55, of Chicago, was charged with obstructing identification and disorderly conduct in the 300 block of W. Butterfield at 7:15 a.m. Police said Allen was observed urinating in the bushes at the above location.

Fleeing, eluding

According to information provided last week by the Elmhurst Police Department, police reported no incidents of fleeing and eluding during which the driver of a vehicle fled the scene after being stopped for a traffic stop by police.

CALL

Identity theft, fraud, forgery

According to information provided by the Elmhurst Police Department, police reported seven incidents of identity theft or fraud.

Obstructing

Feb. 6

Darius Mann, 30, of Oakbrook Terrace, was charged with obstructing identification, driving while license revoked and no insurance near Villa and Thomas at 12:59 a.m. Police said Mann provided a false name subsequent to a traffic stop.

Possession of cannabis in a vehicle

According to information provided last week by the Elmhurst Police Department, police reported three incidents of possession of cannabis by either the driver of a vehicle or a passenger: Jessica M. Carrillo, 23, of Villa Park, and Reymond Davis, 37, of Eau Claire, Wis. near Route 83 and North at 3:48 a.m. Feb. 2; Treve Vance, 28, of Joliet, in the 500 block of W. Lake at 8:45 p.m. Feb. 5; and

Suspicious circumstances

Feb. 8

A victim in the 300 block of E. Ridge told police at 8:54 p.m. that an unknown suspect(s) entered her residence while she was away. There were no signs of forced entry and the victim related she believes all doors were secure. Nothing appeared to be missing; however, several items were out of place.

Feb. 2

Police said that subsequent to a suspicious vehicle report near Cottage Hill and Church at 8:25 a.m., Elmhurst officers located a vehicle which was reported stolen out of Gurnee. Upon further investigation, the driver’s vehicle had the rear plate stolen and swapped with the plate out of Gurnee. The victim was advised to contact Chicago police to report his rear plate stolen.

Theft or burglary /retail theft/forgery/deceptive practice/obstruction/ robbery

Jan. 27

A victim relates unknown suspect(s) used a fraudulent credit card to purchase food from his restaurant at 4:23 p.m.

Jan. 10

Theft was reported in the 100 block of Chandler at 2:25 p.m. A victim related an unknown person(s) withdrew funds from his US Bank account. An investigation is pending.

DUI, DUI-drugs, transportation of open alcohol, possession of open alcohol, consumption of alcohol by a minor

Feb. 5

Dawid Jaskiewicz, 38, of Oak Lawn, was charged with DUI and transportation of open alcohol by a driver subsequent to a vehicle

parked in the roadway with the suspect allegedly asleep behind the wheel.

Theft of catalytic converters

According to information provided last week by the Elmhurst Police Department, police reported two incidents of catalytic converters being removed and stolen from a vehicle: at a business in the 400 block of W. Fullerton at 5:05 a.m. Feb. 27; and at an atrium at Willow Tree Court sometime between Feb. 23 and Feb. 25.

Willowbrook student accused of making threats at outplacement school

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Villa Park Chief of Police Michael Rivas announced that a male Willowbrook High School student who is outplaced for a portion of the school day to Menta Academy Midway in Chicago, has been charged with two counts of disorderly conduct (Class 4 felony) for allegedly making threatening statements directed at the school.

The juvenile, who lives in Villa Park, appeared at a detention hearing where Judge Demetrios Panoushis ordered that he be placed on home detention with electronic monitoring.

It is alleged that on Wednesday, Feb. 1 while at Willowbrook High School, the juvenile, who is 13 years old, told a teacher “I’m going to shoot them b*****s up.”

The teacher reported the incident to the Dean of Willowbrook High School. It is further alleged that when speaking to the Dean, the juvenile said, “I’m going to f*****g shoot them; not this school, everyone at my other school.”

Authorities at the school contacted the Villa Park Police Department who, following an investigation, contacted the office of the DuPage County State’s Attorney.

“Any threat of violence aimed at a school will immediately be investigated and if found credible, will be charged accordingly,” Berlin said. “Teachers can’t teach, and students can’t learn if they are in fear for their safety while at school.

“I thank authorities at Willowbrook High School for alerting law enforcement to this incident as well as the Villa Park Police Department for their efforts.”

“As soon as our Villa Park school resource officer was alerted to the threat, he gathered law enforcement resources to bring about a safe resolution to the alleged threat,” Police Chief Rivas said. “The law enforcement community in DuPage County is committed to assisting schools in creating safe spaces for teachers to teach and students to learn and thrive. We want to thank the swift action of our Villa Park school resource officer, Villa Park detectives and Villa Park officers.”

The juvenile’s next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 27 in front of Judge Panoushis.

Members of the public are reminded that those accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Two Chicago residents get three years for burglary, retail theft at Oak Brook Ulta store

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced last week that two of six Chicago residents currently stand accused of stealing nearly $15,000 worth of merchandise from an Ulta retail store in Oak Brook last November. The two suspects have each been sentenced to three years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Peaches P. Johnson, 30, and Roy Crane, 22, each entered a plea of guilty to one count of burglary (Class 2 felony) in front of Judge Daniel Guerin, who handed down the sentences.

The cases against Johnson’s and Crane’s co-defendants, Kamal J. Hoskins, 26, and Darnell Profit, 21, are currently pending in front of Judge Guerin. Hoskins’ next court appearance is scheduled for Monday, April 24, and Profit’s next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, March 8. They are each facing one count of burglary (Class 2 felony) and one count of retail theft (Class 3 felony). The two juveniles involved have each entered a plea of guilty.

On Nov. 12, 2021, at approximately 5:44 p.m., the Oak Brook Police Department received information from the Chicago Police Department that a vehicle suspected of being involved in illegal activity in Norridge was in front of the Ulta beauty store. Officers im-

mediately responded but by the time officers arrived, the vehicle had fled the scene.

It is alleged that five male subjects, all wearing hoodies and ski masks, ran into the store. It is alleged that at least three of the individuals pulled out garbage bags and that all five subjects worked in unison, clearing out the shelves of fragrances into the garbage bags. It is further alleged that the subjects then fled the scene. Through the course of their investigation into the burglary, the vehicle was located driving southbound on I-294 at which time the Hinsdale Police Department shut down the highway and took the suspects into custody. In all, it is alleged that the individuals stole 153 bottles of fragrance worth nearly $15,000.

“According to the National Retail Foundation, the epidemic of retail theft costs businesses $34.9 billion a year,” Berlin said.

“The quick apprehension of the defendants in this case and the significant consequences for their criminal conduct sends the message that in DuPage County we will do everything we can to protect our businesses and shoppers by holding violent offenders accountable and law enforcement will use all resources, including shutting down a highway, in order to catch anyone suspected of committing a violent crime.”

Elmhurst University preps for 56th annual Jazz Festival

Performers include Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band, John Pizzarelli Trio

Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band and the John Pizzarelli Trio will be among the featured performers at this year’s Elmhurst University Jazz Festival, one of the oldest and best-known collegiate festivals in the country.

The lineup of guest artists also includes award-winning jazz pianist Tamir Hendelman, noted jazz drummer and composer/arranger Dennis Mackrel, and acclaimed trumpet player Terell Stafford. They all will also serve as adjudicators at the Festival, which will be held from Thursday, Feb. 23, through Sunday, Feb. 26.

Most of this year’s sessions and featured performances will be offered both in person, in Hammerschmidt Memorial Chapel on the campus of Elmhurst University and via livestream.

Each year, the Elmhurst University Jazz Festival welcomes top college and university jazz bands from across the country to take part in four days of performances and education. The bands take turns performing for some of the greatest names in professional jazz today, who offer critiques and honors, and then give a performance of their own.

In addition to Elmhurst University, colleges and universities to be represented at the Jazz Festival include Calvin University, College of DuPage, Columbia College, Drake University, Harper College, Hillsdale College, Joliet Junior College, Purdue University, Roosevelt University, University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Kentucky, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Wayne State University.

More about the 56th annual Elmhurst University Jazz Festival

• The Festival kicks off at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, with the High School Invitational, made possible with the generous support of the Sylvia and William W. Gretsch Memorial Foundation.

• College and university band per-

formances begin on Friday, Feb. 24. That evening’s feature performance will be given by Hendelman, Mackrel and Stafford with the renowned Elmhurst University Jazz Band, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

• On Saturday, Feb. 25, a clinic and master class with Hendelman, Mackrel and Stafford begins another day of college performances, followed that evening with performances by the

Elmhurst University Jazz Band and Gordon Goodwin’s Big Phat Band. The Big Phat Band takes the big band tradition into the new millennium with a highly original sound featuring Goodwin’s compositions in a range of styles, including swing, Latin, blues, classical, rock and more.

• The Sunday, Feb. 26 program begins at 11:30 a.m. and concludes with a performance by the John Pizzarelli

Trio at approximately 4:30 p.m. CST. Pizzarelli’s jazz guitar interpretations of the Great American Songbook have been credited with renewing the popularity of jazz. He has recorded more than 20 albums and toured North America, South America, Asia and Europe. This performance will be in-person only.

For tickets and information, visit elmhurst.edu/jazzfestival.

ESO to present ‘To A New World’ concert

Alltop highlights famous compositions inspired by early America

The Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra (ESO) will present To A New World on Saturday, March 11, at 7 p.m. at ESO’s home venue, Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church. The program features classic works by Coleridge-Taylor, Dvoák, and Tchaikovsky and includes guest musicians, cellist Jean Hatmaker and violinist Isabel Chen, the 2021 Stanger Young Artist Competition award recipient. The popular pre-concert lecture with Ted Hatmaker is back for this concert and will begin at 5:45 p.m.

What’s interesting about this concert

• Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, a British descendant of freed African-American slaves, was greatly inspired by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s epic The Song of Hiawatha and chose to set the poem to music in what became one of the composer’s most wellknown pieces.

Coleridge-Taylor’s The Song of Hiawatha became so popular in Britain in the early 20th Century that it rivaled Handel’s Messiah and Men-

delssohn’s Elijah!

• This concert features Isabel Chen, winner of the 2021 Stanger Competition, in a performance of Czech composer Antonín Dvoák’s (pronounced de-VOR-zhahk) Violin Concerto. The Dvořák Violin Concerto received its first U.S. performance in Chicago, just down the road at the Auditorium

Theatre in 1891.

• Dvoák’s Symphony No. 9 From The New World was written while the composer worked and toured the United States in 1893 — it was completed in fact in Spillville, Iowa. Inspired by African-American spirituals like Swing Low, Sweet Chariot and Native American music, Dvoák commented: “The future music of [the United States] must be founded on what are called [Black] melodies… They are the folk songs of America and your composers must turn to them.”

What’s playing

The program includes: The Song of Hiawatha Overture, by Coleridge-Taylor; Violin Concerto I: Allegro ma non troppo by Dvoák; Pezzo capriccioso, by Tchaikovsky; and Symphony No. 9, From the New World, also by Dvoák.

Tickets and information

General admission tickets are $35 per person and reduced fare tickets for students and seniors are available online at ElmhurstSymphony.org/ event/to-a-new-world.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS Elmhurst Independent Gordon Goodwin

John Pizzarelli

SUBMITTED PHOTO Elmhurst Independent Jean Hatmaker

Viewpoint

Slices of life

Strong like …

A friend recently encouraged me to be “strong like bull.” I was a bit confused (not uncommon.) Somehow, I thought the phrase was “strong like bear.” Which, of course, lead me to the Google.

Turns out the phrase “strong like bull” is a pop culture reference from a handful of movies, TV shows and song lyrics. Bears may not have the media accessibility in reference to their strength that bulls do, but they’re not letting that stop them.

While bulls are indeed strong, an individual male grizzly has the strength of five humans. It’s unsure who’d win out in a headto-head match-up between these two formidable mammals, but their strength is of the brute force variety. Neither bears nor bulls are gentile or precise in their movements.

The phrase, “Like a bull in a china shop” exists for a reason. Bulls (and bears) are likely to destroy anything in their path. (And I’m not referencing the stock market.) I’m not sure I want that type of strength.

Sheer force is just one type of strength. There are other ways to be strong. Strong like…

A blade of grass. Grass starts out as a seed, underground in the dark. A little spark of hope alights inside it, causing it to break out of its seed casing and reach for the light. Grass is the strength of hope and faith.

I’d like that kind of strength.

A drop of water. When added together, single drops of water become ounces and cups and gallons and lakes and rivers and oceans. They nourish the planet— from blades of grass, to trees, to insects, to sparrows, to bulls, to bears, to humans. A drop of water is necessary for life. It illustrates the importance of coming together. One drop alone—while wholly water in its own right—can’t do much. But many drops united can accomplish what an individual drop can’t. It’s a nourishing, coming-together for the betterment of all strength. Water is the strength of unity. We can learn much from water.

The strength of water is cleansing and good.

A tree. Trees grow—long, solid, and steadfast. They are

By JILL PERTLER Columnist

patient, looking down over the same landscape for decades and sometimes even centuries. They communicate in ways we are only starting to understand—through their roots to ward off insect parasites. They share water and nutrients. They breathe in carbon dioxide and create oxygen for animals and humans. They provide shelter from the sun and homes to birds and other critters. They provide lumber for our homes. Trees tower over us, observing it all. They are the past, the present, and the future. They are the strength of perseverance, fortitude, and steadfastness.

It’s a strength worthy of wanting and waiting for.

The sun. Our sun provides light and warmth to the planet, its people and all other animals and organisms that call Mother Nature “home.” The sun defines our days and our years. We mark time by her revolutions. We plant crops according to her seasons. She helps feed us and nurture us. She impacts the ocean’s tides. The sun’s strength is an allencompassing one—surrounding us all in her light from the day we are born.

I aspire to a strength like the warmth of the sun.

There are plenty of ways to be strong. I’m glad for that. To be strong like bull or bear might be formidable, but perhaps one-dimensional. Real strength involves more than muscles and a killer instinct.

It is hope. It is faith. It is unity. It is perseverance, fortitude and steadfastness. It is allencompassing. And more. So much more.

Be strong—whatever that means for you.

Jill Pertler is an award-winning syndicated columnist, published playwright and author. Don’t miss a slice; follow the Slices of Life page on Facebook.

Teacher shortages:

Everything old is new again, or is it?

By Shereen Oca Beilstein and Meg Bates

Headlines about teacher shortages abound as schools recover from the pandemic. The challenges teachers faced during the pandemic significantly increased, and many experienced burn-out so intense they considered resigning. However, conversations about teacher shortages are nothing new— they predate the pandemic by decades. Although there is debate over the magnitude and severity of the issue, stakeholders generally agree on the importance of recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers. Addressing these shortages begs the question: Are the forces behind today’s teacher shortages the same as always? Or is something new happening in the wake of the pandemic?

To understand this issue, we recently surveyed 3,478 current and former educators in Illinois. Findings reveal a complex picture.

1. A majority of educators feel their salary is low.

school leadership.

Only one-third of former educators felt supported by school leadership, compared to two-thirds of current educators. School leadership clearly plays a critical role in promoting working conditions that retain educators, which ultimately supports student development.

3. COVID-19 safety was a concern for former educators.

More current educators reported feeling safe from COVID-19 in their schools than former educators, the majority of whom left during or after the pandemic. Given that safety was a concern of educators who left, checking in on the sense of safety for remaining educators might be a valuable practice for leadership going forward.

4. School policies must be transformed to align with the beliefs of educators of color.

supportive environments for earlycareer educators.

For early-career educators, less than half of those who were considering leaving felt accepted in their workplaces, compared to 85 percent of those who were considering staying. With nearly half of teachers leaving the profession within 5 years, creating supportive environments— through programs such as mentoring—could be one mechanism to decrease attrition.

So, are teacher shortages in the wake of the pandemic driven by new or old causes? It’s complicated.

Issues like low salaries and fraught relationships with leadership are tales as old as time. But improving teachers’ sense of safety and working to align school policies with the values of educators of color are issues that deserve a spotlight in the postpandemic period.

We want

to print your news! What’s going on at your club or organization? Seeking new members? Hosting a fundraiser?

Less than half of current and former educators agreed that their salary was appropriate, suggesting the importance of increasing educators’ salaries in general. But given that both current and former educators found their compensation to be lacking, pay might not be the main factor driving teacher shortages.

2. The biggest factor that motivates educators to leave—and to stay—is

For educators of color, only onefifth of those who were considering leaving their positions agreed that school policies aligned with their personal beliefs, compared to more than half of those who were considering staying. Supporting educators of color is important for many reasons, given the benefits for all students, especially students of color. But, as other scholars have asserted, this goal can be realized only if accompanied by structural changes to working conditions that have historically excluded these educators.

5. School leaders must cultivate

As states invest in policies to address teacher shortages, it’s important not to forget about the importance of school leadership. Schools must cultivate leaders who forge positive relationships with and promote feelings of safety among staff, align policies to the values of educators of color, and enhance novice educators’ support systems.

Real estate/business

DuPage County, SCARCE to host annual high school sustainable design challenge

DuPage County and SCARCE are now accepting project registrations from local high school students for the 17th annual Sustainable Design Challenge, which will be held in-person on Tuesday, April 18.

The Sustainable Design Challenge encourages students to construct building and landscape models using environmental and water-friendly design practices.

“Seeing the innovative building designs created by the students who participate in this annual challenge is inspiring,” said Stormwater Committee chair Jim Zay. “Every year, students incorporate different technologies to advance their proj -

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ZONING AND PLANNING COMMISSION/ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

CASE NUMBER 23 ZBA 01

Request for Variation

Notice is hereby given that the Elmhurst Zoning and Planning Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 7:00 p.m., in the Elmhurst City Hall, 209 N. York Street, Elmhurst, Illinois. The purpose of this hearing is to consider a request by Timmethy Mastrino, owner, for a rear yard setback Variation at the property commonly known as 757 S. Parkside Avenue, Elmhurst, Illinois for the purpose of constructing an addition.

Following is a legal description of the subject property:

LOT 22 IN BLOCK 6 IN H.O. STONE

AND CO’S BUTTERFIELD ROAD ADDITION TO ELMHURST, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF PART OF SECTION 13 AND 14, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 11, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED APRIL 5, 1927 AS DOCUMENT 232923, IN DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

PIN: 06-14-205-001

The common street address is 757 S. Parkside Avenue, Elmhurst, Illinois. The subject property is located within the R2 –Single Family Residence District.

If you have any questions regarding this case, please contact the Community Development Department at 630-530-3121.

NOTE: Any person who has a disability requiring a reasonable accommodation to participate in this meeting, should contact Emily Wagner, ADA Compliance Officer, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., City of Elmhurst, 209 N. York Street, Elmhurst, IL 60126, or call 630-530-8095 TDD, within a reasonable time before the meeting. Requests for a qualified interpreter require five (5) working days’ advance notice.

• Spending

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sophisticated economic projections laying out pessimistic, optimistic and middle-of-the-road looks at how state revenues may perform.

ects and bring new ideas to green building designs. I look forward to this event every year, and the students never disappoint.”

In addition to inspiring students to explore careers in sustainability, urban planning, architecture, and engineering, the competition promotes environmental and stormwater education within Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) curricula in local high schools.

SCARCE Founder and Executive Director Kay McKeen emphasizes the importance of STEM education both in the classroom and in

• Board

(Continued from front page)

In total, nearly 500 York parents, guardians, staff, students and community members provided feedback to create a profile of who the York High School principal should be.

Hurt brings 20 years of experience as a leader in education with a diverse portfolio which includes three administrative positions, 13 years as a social studies teacher, serving five years as department chair, as well as overseeing a group of more than 25 educators.

Hurt has spent the last 16 years at Hinsdale Central High School, where she began as a teacher of World Cultures, AP Government & Politics, Civics and Global Issues. She excelled from the Social Studies department chair to assistant principal for operations and, most recently, assistant principal for curriculum and instruction.

“The first words that come to mind when reflecting on Ms. Hurt’s leadership are caring, innovative, collaborative, and intelligent,” said Hinsdale Central principal William C. Walsh. “She is a valued member of our school community, who utilizes resources available to her, but she is also a genuine person who brings a high level of energy to the school culture. Ms. Hurt works collaboratively with the Parent Teacher Organization, community leaders and Hinsdale Central staff to develop programs that target students’ academic capacity and learning environment.”

“I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to be the next principal of York High School,” said Hurt. “I look forward to working closely with the York students, staff and community to implement effective methods of school improvement in academics and to continue building a strong school culture that both

real-life scenarios.

“The Sustainable Design Challenge provides a valuable experience for students who may be looking to study sustainability or a STEM field in college,” McKeen said.

“Students use these valuable skills through the development of their projects, but also through their interactions at the event, including speaking with professionals and viewing real-life applications of green practices on the County campus.”

All DuPage County high schools are encouraged to participate. Past

“ I look forward to working closely with the York students, staff and community to implement effective methods of school improvement in academics and to continue building a strong school culture that both honors and elevates the York High School history and defines what it means to be a York Duke.”

– Jessica Hurt, principal of York High School

honors and elevates the York High School history and defines what it means to be a York Duke.”

Recently awarded the 2022 Assistant Principal of the Year for the DuPage Region by the Illinois Principals Association, Hurt graduated magna cum laude from Illinois State University, where she earned a bachelor of science, social science & secondary education. She later received a Masters in educational leadership from Aurora University, an Educational Specialist degree in educational administration-superintendent from Northern Illinois University and is currently completing a Doctorate (Ph.D.) in educational leadership and policy studies from Northern Illinois University, with anticipated completion in 2023.

competitors include students from Wheaton Warrenville South, Wheaton North, Naperville North, Glenbard South, Glenbard East, Addison Trail, College Preparatory School of America, Neuqua Valley, York Community, Willowbrook, Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South, Hinsdale Central, Hinsdale South, Metea Valley, Waubonsie Valley, Montini Catholic, St. Francis, Wheaton Academy, and Lake Park high schools.

Registration will be open through Monday, April 3.

To participate, visit scarce.org/ sustainable-design.

Lezza named Casa Italia Man of the Year

Revenue projections

Illinois is coming off a record-high $50.3 billion in base revenue for the fiscal year that ended June 30—about $8 billion more than had been anticipated when the Fiscal Year 2022 budget was initially approved in the spring of 2021.

Following that strong performance, lawmakers budgeted for an 8 percent decrease in the current fiscal year that began July 1. But in the seven months that have already passed in FY 2023, revenues are outpacing even last year’s strong performance by $2.3 billion, according to COGFA’s January report.

The strong revenue performance led COGFA to up its projections by $4.9 billion in a November forecast revision. The agency now anticipates revenue receipts will top last year’s totals by $259 million.

GOMB, meanwhile, was more conservative, projecting revenues to spike by about $3.6 billion over initial estimates. That was the basis for a supplemental spending plan that included $2.7 billion in debt repayment and savings measures approved in the January lame duck session.

Edward S. Lezza Jr.

Edward S. Lezza Jr. has been the 2023 Casa Italia Man of the Year. Ed’s family owns and manages Lezza Spumoni and Desserts on Spring Road in Elmhurst. He began learning the business at the family bakery as a child. For nearly 30 years, he served at the bakery working his way up to director of operations and logistics. Ed currently serves as a member of the Italian American Police Association, Polish American Police Association, Italian American Executives of Transportation, Chicago Italian American Charitable Organization, Knights of Columbus, and Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans.

As the economic forecasting agencies mull the likelihood of a recession, we’ll be watching to see if Pritzker plans for a downturn in revenue or if the current-year projections for a surplus are updated in either direction.

Spending growth

In his second inaugural address last month, Pritzker telegraphed a few areas where he’d like to see increased state investment: child care, preschool and higher education.

“I propose we go all in for our children and make preschool available to every family throughout the state,” he said in his speech. “And let’s not stop there. Let’s provide more economic security for families by eliminating child care deserts and expanding child care options.”

On higher education, Pritzker said he’d like to make college tuition “free for every working-class family.”

Details on those plans are lacking, so one thing to watch will be whether the governor proposes spending amounts or any specifics as to how such plans would be implemented.

The governor’s K-12 education funding proposal is worth watching as well. The state’s school funding formula, revamped in 2017, calls for an added $350 million each year until all districts reach a point of funding adequacy.

Eileen Franz, City Planner (Published in The Elmhurst Independent Feb. 16, 2023)

Let’s go Lego

ICGS Kindergarten students have fun with Legos as they celebrate the 100th day of school on Friday, Feb. 3.

Coming events

Monday, Feb. 20

From 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., the Elmhurst History Museum is hosting President’s Day School’s Out Day Camp in the Education Center for kids in grades 2-5. Drop the kids off for activities led by museum staff. Participants will tour the museum, make crafts, play games, and learn about President’s Day. Admission is $40 per child. Reservations are required at elmhursthistory.org/320/ Programs. Participants should bring lunch and a snack. Limit: 20 participants. More info at elmhursthistory.org or call 630-833-1457.

Saturday, Feb. 25

From 1-3 p.m., the Elmhurst History Museum presents “Cultural Connections Through Coffee” at Brewpoint Craft, 617 N. York St. Brewpoint’s head roaster Haley Sliwa and founder and CEO Melissa Villanueva will talk about coffee and its relationship to cultures across the world. Afterwards, enjoy coffee samples and pastries (while supplies last) and enjoy live music performed by Luciano Antonio, Brazilian guitarist from the Old Town School of Folk Music. Fee: $10/person. Limit: 40 participants. Reservations required at elmhursthistory.org/320/Programs. More info at elmhursthistory.org or call 630-833-1457.

Library joins state-wide salute to author

The Elmhurst Public Library is joining libraries across the state of Illinois to host the entertaining and hilarious New York Times best-selling science author, Mary Roach on Wednesday, March 1 at 7 p.m. Mary is the author of Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers; Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal and Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. Her most recent book, Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law, debuted Sept. 2021. At this event, Roach will discuss her frank approach to science, the importance of humor, and explore the weird, wonderful world in which we live. The Washington Post has dubbed Roach as “America’s funniest science writer.”

This free event is presented in partnership with Illinois Libraries Present, a collaborative effort designed to bring virtual events with bestselling, esteemed and diverse speakers to library patrons across the state. Register at elmlib.author or call (630) 279-8696.

Coming event

Wednesday, March 1

• This day is the deadline to submit nominations for the 2023 Exemplary Youth Service Awards, sponsored by the Elmhurst Youth Commission.

• At 7 p.m., the Elmhurst Public Library will host New York Times best-selling science author Mary Roach, who will discuss her latest book, Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law. This free event is presented in partnership with Illinois Libraries Present. Register at elmlib.author or call (630) 279-8696.

Mary Roach, author of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law, is coming to the Elmhurst Public Library on Wednesday, March 1 from 7-8 p.m. to present “The Weird and Wonderful World of Mary Roach.” Register at elmlib.author or call (630) 279-8696.

Eyelid inflammation, known as Blepharitis, is a decidedly uncomfortable condition in which the edges of the lids become thickened, red, and encrusted with flecks of debris. The cause can be attributed to clogged oil-producing glands that normally serve to lubricate the eye. Without this lubrication tears evaporate too quickly leaving the eye feeling dry, irritated and gritty. Blepharitis can be a leading cause of styes in the eye. By scheduling an appointment at SKOWRON EYECARE patients with this “minor” eyelid inflammation can avoid potentially serious problems such as: loss or inward growth of eyelashes, turning inward or outward out of the eyelid and corneal erosion. Warm compresses, eyelid scrubs, artificial tears, and antibiotic eye ointment can help relieve the inflammation.

P.S. The face-reddening skin disease known as Rosacea is frequently the cause of inflammation of the eyelids. For more information and pictures, check out our website at www.skowroneyecare.com. At Skowron Eyecare, your vision is our mission.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Elmhurst Independent

JEN SISKA PHOTO Elmhurst Independent

Puzzle page

ALPHABETICAL BINDING

BOOKS

BORROW CAMPUS

CARD

CATALOG

CHECKOUT COMPUTERS

GENRE

LEARNING

LIBRARIAN

LIBRARY

MEETING

MEMBER

PERIODICALS

QUIET REFERENCE

RESEARCH

RETURN

SCHOOL

STUDY

SUDOKU

Fun by the Numbers

Like puzzles? Then you’ll love sudoku. This mind-bending puzzle will have you hooked from the moment you square off, so sharpen your pencil and put your sudoku savvy to the test! Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box. Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box. You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes. The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

CLUES ACROSS

1. River in Tuscany

5. A way to represent

8. Rocker’s guitar

12. Civil Rights group

14. Brew

15. Scratch

16. W. Asian country

18. The Eye Network

19. Clarified butter

20. Part of the Cascade Range

21. Downwind 22. A way to steer 23. Loop 26. Not ingested 30. Swampy coniferous forest

31. Musician 32. Signing 33. Containing iron 34. Part of a theorem or proof 39. Veterans battleground (slang)

42. Of enormous proportions 44. Italian city 46. Come before 47. Balm 49. Undergarments 50. Male parent 51. Ropes 56. Ear part

57. Investment vehicle

58. Dictator

59. Cain and __

60. A type of code

61. Border river along India and Nepal

62. It’s what’s for dinner

63. Consume

64. Christian __, designer

CLUES DOWN

1. Cuckoos

2. Skin issue

3. City in central Japan

4. Sorrels

5. Twinned diamond

6. Canadian province

7. Monetary units

8. Head honcho

9. Goddess of wisdom

10. Part of a play

11. Get rid of

13. Applicant

17. Bowling alleys have many

24. Explosive

25. “The Say Hey Kid”

26. Ultrahigh frequency

27. No (Scottish)

28. Make a mistake

29. Credit card term

35. Keyboard key

36. Woman (French)

37. In the middle of

38. Score perfectly

40. Coat a metal with an oxide coat

41. Deadly disease

42. A place to dock a boat (abbr.)

43. Belch

44. Member of U.S. Navy

45. “In __”: separate from others

47. Examine extensively

48. Adjust

49. Tattle

52. Actor Pitt

53. Gulls

54. Within

55. Exceptionally talented performer Answers

Lombard Apartments

Gutters

Painting

CUSTOM

Handyman

https://homepaintingillino.wixsite.com/website PAINTERS. FULL-SERVICE.

PAINTERS. FULL-SERVICE. INSIDE. OUTSIDE. HOME. BUSINESS. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. CALL GREG: (630)234-1471.

https://homepaintingillino.wixsite.com/website PAINTERS. FULL-SERVICE. PAINTERS. FULL-SERVICE. INSIDE. OUTSIDE. HOME. BUSINESS. SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. CALL GREG: (630)234-1471.

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 1-900669-9777. The toll-free tele phone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.

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.

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.

Coming events

Sunday, Feb. 26

• This is the deadline for ordering seedlings from the First Congregational United Church of Christ, which will host its ninth annual Organic Seedlings Sale. Seedlings can be ordered at the website: first-congregational-store.square.site/greengarden-store. Seedlings will be available for pick up at the church’s Green Garden Fair on Saturday, May 13 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. The church is located at 235 S. Kenilworth.

• The Elmhurst League of Women Voters will host an in-person candidate’s forum at Elmhurst City Hall,

• Battle

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income below $50,000 and married couples filing jointly with incomes below $75,000 would be eligible for a $700-per-child tax credit.

For tax filers with incomes above those limits, the amount of the credit would be reduced by $24 for each $1,000 of additional income.

Simmons was joined at the news conference by other supporters of the idea, including Sen. Robert Peters, also a Chicago Democrat, whose district, he said, includes some of the wealthiest, and some of the poorest, ZIP codes in Illinois.

“No ZIP code should have that level of inequality,” he said. “This is a step for us to move away from income inequality and to something that says equity and equality itself is a necessary part of life.”

But the idea comes at a precarious time for Illinois, and it could face resistance due to its estimated annual price tag.

Although the state has been running multi-billion dollar surpluses in each of the last two years, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget has projected that state finances could start running deficits as soon as Fiscal Year 2025.

Meanwhile, Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza has cautioned lawmakers not to use the current surpluses to enact new, permanent programs that would obligate the state to fund long into the future.

“What I would be opposed to is seeing new funding items—unless you can really sell that this is an extreme necessity for the state at this time—we want to stay away from funding new programs that are going to have to be funded year to year,” she told Capitol News Illinois during an interview in January.

Answers

PUZZLE 1

209 N. York Rd. City Council candidates will begin at 1 p.m. followed by candidates for Elmhurst Park Board, then those running for Elmhurst School District 205 Board of Education. Free and open to the public. Questions for the candidates can be submitted to: lwvelmhurstvotersservice@gmail.com.

Saturday, March 11

Beginning at 7 p.m., the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra (ESO) presents

To A New World at Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church, including classic works by Coleridge-Taylor, Dvoák, and Tchaikovsky and featuring cellist Jean Hatmaker, and violinist Isabel Chen, the 2021 Stanger

Young Artist winner. Pre-concert lecture with Ted Hatmaker begins at 5:45 p.m. For tickets, visit ElmhurstSymphony.org/event/to-a-newworld.

Wednesday, April 4

Consolidated Election. Don’t forget to vote.

Elmhurst History Museum’s exhibit

On display now through Sunday, May 14, In Pursuit of Happiness: Immigrants in Our Communities is the current exhibit at the Elmhurst History Museum which explores the journeys of area immigrants and their descendants.

Worship Services Directory

St. Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church

547 N. Main St. Lombard, IL 60148 (630) 627-2435

Sunday Worship at 10:15 am

PUZZLE 2

Gather with us for Weekend Worship Saturdays at 5:00 p.m. Sundays at 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Education Hour between services at 9:45 a.m. Mid-week Worship during Lent Wednesdays, February 22 - March 29 12:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

Sunday School & Bible Study 9am Wednesday Service at 7pm

Adult Bible Study Wednesdays after Service

Ladies Bible Fellowship Thursdays 6:30pm February 25 Game Night at 4pm

Everyone is Welcome!

All services are live streamed. You can watch them on our website or on Facebook. sainttimothy.org

Handicapped accessible and hearing loop enabled

142 E. Third St. Elmhurst, IL ImmanuelElmhurst.org 630-832-1649 432760

Historic Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church of Elmhurst

Please join us for worship!

Sundays: 9am Adult Education and Sunday School 10am Traditional Divine Service

Ash Wednesday Evening Service: February 22 at 7:00pm

Wednesday Evening Lent Services: March 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 at 7:00pm

Supper will be served before midweek Lent Services at 6:00pm ✥ Fully handicapped-accessible

Bible Study, Sunday School, Handbell Choir

123 E. St. Charles Road, Elmhurst, IL 60126 630/834-1411 www.RedeemerLCMS.com

Facebook: RedeemerofElmhurst • Youtube: RedeemerLCMS.com

Be

301805

CROSSWORD

Sport S

IC Catholic Prep boys basketball team drains 30 free throws in win against Wheaton Academy Knights 22-8 heading into final week of regular season

By Mike Miazga CORRESPONDENT

The IC Catholic Prep boys basketball team feasted at the foul line in a recent Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division win over Wheaton Academy. In the 64-57 win over the Warriors at home, the Knights shot 30-for-36 from the free throw line, including a critical 17-for-21 showing in the fourth quarter. The victory avenged a recent loss to Wheaton Academy on the road in West Chicago.

“One of the officials kept coming up to me saying we are shooting real good from the free throw line,” ICCP coach TJ Tyrrell said. “I said, don’t jinx it. We kept it going. We avenged the loss two weeks ago against Wheaton Academy and got them at home.”

Jake Gallagher, who was originally questionable to play in the game due to his knee bothering him, Tyrrell noted, hit 13 of 14 throws (93 percent) and finished with 15 points. “We weren’t sure Jake could play and he came up big,” Tyrrell said.

Matthew Karsten shot 6-for-6 from the line, while Kal Kilgast was 4-for-5 and Dominik Ciegotura shot 4-for-6. “It was a nice group effort

led by Jake,” Tyrrell said. “Jake is the guy we want the ball in his hands late. He took the initiative to get open and they had to foul him since we led late. We did a good job holding off Wheaton Academy’s fourth quarter comeback.”

Ciegotura finished with another double-double with 13 points and 15 rebounds.

“We didn’t shoot well from the outside,” Tyrrell pointed out. “It was free throws and grinding it out. We had a little bit different game plan than when we played them the last time. They hurt us in the transition game and scoring points off turnovers. We had a heavy emphasis on getting back on defense. Our guys did a great job executing the game plan. They did a very nice job.”

Blue win over Aurora Christian. “We had a very good week,” Tyrrell said. “We went on the road and beat Aurora Christian, which is having a nice season. We beat them for the second time. We did a good job controlling the tempo of the game.”

Ciegotura finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds to go with three assists. “Dom was awesome for us,” Tyrrell said. Tyrrell also had high praise for the play of senior Dean O’Brien. He had 15 points against Aurora Christian and shot 4-for-4 from the foul line. Dean O’Brien has been rock-solid for us all year,” the coach said. “He’s a senior having a great season. It’s good to see that from Dean. He works hard and is one of the team captains voted on by his

U12 baseball action

Tyrrell pointed out the Knights were in an 11-2 hole in the first quarter, but only trailed 13-6 heading into the second quarter. “We outscored them in every other quarter,” he said. “A big part of that was Kal Kilgast getting us going in the first quarter and attacking the rim and finshing strong. He was a big help for us.” Kilgast led the Knights with 16 points against Wheaton Academy.

ICCP also enjoyed a 46-40 MSC

teammates.”

The two wins moved ICCP to 22-8 overall and 8-3 in conference. The Knights are 14-2 at home this season, “which is refreshing to see,” Tyrrell said.

Earlier this week, the Knights wrapped up conference play with a game against Chicago Christian where seniors AJ Walsh, Ciegotura, O’Brien and Kilgast were honored. The win against Wheaton Academy locked up second place for the Knights in the Metro Suburban Blue.

“It’s nice to see us be able to take second place in a tough conference,” Tyrrell said. “We had wins against every team other than losing twice to Riverside-Brookfield, who clinched first.”

IC Catholic Prep earned the No. 1 seed in its sub-sectional and will head to the Lisle regional. The Knights will open against the winner of No. 6 Montini and No. 7 Westmont. “The seeding came out and we were a little nervous going into seeding,” Tyrrell said. “We had the best record, and the next-best was Northridge Prep with 19 wins. We beat Northridge head-to-head, but Wheaton was 1111 and at the time had beaten us. It worked out in our favor with getting the No. 1 seed. If ICCP wins it would play either No. 2 Northridge or No. 3 Wheaton Academy for the regional title. “Our hard work is paying off,” Tyrrell said. “We have to keep focused and stay confident. We want to finish strong.”

IC Catholic Prep qualifies six for state wrestling

York sends record-tying five wrestlers to state

By Mike Miazga CORRESPONDENT

Six IC Catholic Prep wrestlers will finish their seasons on the big stage.

The Knights qualified six wrestlers for the Class 1A state meet out of the recent Class 1A Coal City sectional.

Saul Trejo won the 120-pound title to earn a state berth, while Omar Samayoa was the 126-pound sectional titlist. Isaiah Gonzalez won the heavyweight title. Bryson Spaulding finished second at 138, while Joey Gliatta was third at 152 pounds and Foley Calcagno was third at 182 pounds.

The Knights also won the Class 1A Walther Christian regional title in Melrose Park with 252 points. Trejo (120), Samayoa (126), KC Kekstadt (132), Spaulding (138), Gliatta (152), Calcagno (182), Vinny Gonzalez (220) and Isaiah Gonzalez

By Mike Miazga CORRESPONDENT

(285) each won regional titles.

York wrestling

The York wrestling team will be well-represented at this weekend’s IHSA Class 3A state wrestling finals in Champaign.

The Dukes qualified five wrestlers for state out of the Class 3A Conant sectional in Hoffman Estates.

Sean Berger won the 132-pound title to earn a state finals berth, while Evan Grazzini was second at 182 pounds. Danny DeCristofaro was third at 170 pounds, while Sean VanSleet also took third at 126 pounds. Zach Parisi rounded out the York qualifiers. He took fourth at 120 pounds.

Earlier, the Dukes won the Oak Park-River Forest regional team title. Parisi (120), Berger (132), Frank Nitti (145), DeCristofaro (170), Grazzini (182), Austin Bagdasarian (220) and Dominic Begora (heavyweight)

each won regional titles.

York girls bowling

The York girls bowling team finished fourth at the recent Hinsdale Central sectional and earned a berth in this weekend’s state finals near Rockford.

York finished with a 5,087. Addison Trail was third at 5,206, Willowbrook second at 5,381 and Leyden won the sectional at 5,442.

Senior JJ Bolden led the way for York with a 1,256 series. Senior Grace Libert added a 1,096. Senior Abby Nacyk had a 972 series, while Paige Bolt, a senior, had an 893, while junior Julia Clink rolled an 870 series.

Earlier, York was third at the Hinsdale South regional with a 5,159 series. Bolden rolled a 1,304 series, while Nacyk had a 1,040 series. Libert rolled a 973 series. Bolt was at 963 and Clink had an 879 series.

aled in.”

Barr was the recipient of the 2019-2020 York Val Cothern junior female athlete of the year award. Barr went over the 1,000-career kill threshold last fall for the Dukes girls volleyball team and still has a season to add to that total.

York tied a program record by qualifying five wrestlers for this weekend’s IHSA Class 3A state finals meet in Champaign. Berger won the 132-pound title, while Grazzini was second at 182 pounds. DeCristofaro was third at 170 and VanSleet was third at 126. Parisi took fourth at 120.

Another productive week resulted in quite the reward for the Timothy Christian girls basketball team. The Trojans defeated Riverside-Brookfield and IC Catholic Prep to finish 6-2 in Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division action and claim a three-way share of the league title with St. Francis and Au-rora Central Catholic. Timo-thy also lost to a strong Peo-tone team in a non-conference game. The Trojans finished the regular season with a 17-8 mark.

Trojans coach Jill Grone-wold noted it was the pro-gram’s first conference title since the year before the COVID-19 pandemic started (also a shared situation). “Our defense has been very stabi-lizing for us,” she said. “That’s a really good thing. Our zone has been working very efficiently for us. Our high-low game has been very good. Grace Roland has been playing very steady for us. Couple that with consistent outside shooting and we have been getting pretty solid per-formances the last two weeks. We have been pretty di-

Timothy, the No. 2 seed in one sub-sectional of its own Class 2A sectional, opened re-gional play at home earlier this week against Chicago Ac-ero-Garcia, a No. 10 seed. If Timothy wins that game, it will most likely face cross-town foe IC Catholic Prep for a fourth time Friday at the Ward Athletic Center on the Timothy campus for the re-gional title (Timothy is 3-0 against ICCP this sea-son). The fact Timothy and IC

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Elmhurst Independent

Anthony Bucolo fires a pitch during a recent U12 baseball game.

Timothy Christian girls basketball team wins share of conference title

proudly presents

IC Catholic Prep girls basketball team wraps up regular season

Knights part of Class 2A Timothy Christian regional this week

By Mike Miazga

CORRESPONDENT

The IC Catholic Prep girls basketball team concluded its regular season after a 60-35 non-conference loss to Chicago Latin School. The loss put the Knights at 14-16 overall heading into this week’s IHSA postseason start. Against Latin, Maura Grogan led ICCP with eight points and six rebounds.

“We didn’t take care of the ball in the first half,” Knights coach Todd Fisher said. “We turned the ball over a lot. Latin was able to capitalize on points off turnovers.”

Shooting also hampered the Knights in the game. “We came out of halftime, and we shot very poorly,” Fisher said.

“The first three quarters we shot poorly and then in the fourth quar-

(Continued from page 16)

Catholic Prep are in the same fourteam regional has been met with a firestorm of criticism from multiple enti-ties over how the sectional seeding process transpired with some teams not turning in a ballot and others ranking a top-tier team flagrantly be-low where they should have been.

Seeding lunacy aside, Groenewold is pleased with where her team is at heading into the regional. “We have had a couple of injuries and nursed through some sick-nesses,” she said. “Last week we had an easy week sched-ule-wise. That could be good or bad, but it played out to where we could rest a little bit. The kids are dialed in and we’re pleased with their ef-forts. They are working hard in practice. If we advance out of the regional we could see teams such as Chicago Butler and Phillips and they are not easy teams either. Hopefully, we keep doing what we are doing.”

Groenewold added having the ability to host both the re-gional and sectional is a nice bonus. “It’s nice to have things out here,” she said.

“It definitely doesn’t hurt us and we have a nice venue, let’s face it (laughs). Jack (Timo-thy athletic director LeGrand) does a really nice job with all that stuff. It’s nice having an AD willing to do that for your team.”

In the win 58-39 win against ICCP, Roland ex-ploded for 32 points.

Maddie Drye added 17 points and Sami Drye had six points. Mili Martens dished out six assists. In a 6740 win over Riverside-Brookfield on sen-ior night, Maddie Drye scored 27 points, while Roland added 23 points. Sami Drye had five points. Maddie Drye scored 14 points in a 49-37 loss to Aurora Central Catholic. Ro-land had 13 points, while Martens finished with six points.

ter we shot pretty well. We didn’t take care of the ball in this game, and we didn’t knock down a lot of shots in close that we should have made. Latin is a good team. They were able to frustrate us for a good part of the first half and then in the second half we calmed down. We couldn’t knock down shots until the fourth quarter.”

The Knights are in the midst of the Class 2A Timothy Christian regional this week. ICCP, the No. 5 seed in one sub-sectional of the Timothy Christian sectional, opened postseason action Tuesday against No. 8 seed Chicago Cristo Rey Jesuit.

If the Knights won that game, they likely will head to a fourth meeting this season with crosstown foe Timothy Christian Friday at the Ward Athletic Center on the Timothy campus.

Timothy is the No. 2 seed in the sub-sectional that had a lot of controversy over how it was seeded, rife with reports of teams not turning in seeding and ranking a team much lower than it should have been on ballots. Timothy opened play against No. 10 seed Chicago Acero-Garcia Tuesday at home. “Barring a disaster, we should play Timothy for a fourth time,” said Fisher, whose team finished 0-8 in Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division play.

Fisher liked where his team was

headed at the conclusion of the regular season. “The Latin game probably was not the best game to end the year with,” he said. “Not to be cliché, but everyone is 0-0 in the postseason. We’re moving forward with everything we have done. We had a good practice (last weekend) and we’ll plan on having a good practice (this past Monday), play on Tuesday and go from there. We play hard from tip to end. We are scrappy and we get our shots

off. It comes down to us knocking down shots. We showed the kids last week our stats with the games we won against the games we lost. It’s probably no surprise that when we shoot well, we win. When we shoot poorly and don’t take care of the basketball, we lose. We have had some good games down the stretch, and we haven’t been able to win. I am confident going into the postseason and the kids are excited about it, too.”

• USA Football League Excellence Award Winner

• Set Game Schedule at Beginning of Season

• Only Local Opponents! Arlington Heights, Bartlett, Bloomingdale, Carol Stream, Downers Grove, Elk Grove, Glen Ellyn, Hinsdale, Lemont, Lombard, Naperville, Oswego, Palatine, Park Ridge, Wheaton & more!

Advocacy groups push for expansive paid family, medical leave in Illinois

26-week leave policy would make Illinois

By Hannah Meisel CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

A coalition of advocacy and labor groups is pushing for a state law to give Illinois workers 26 weeks of paid leave if they need to recover from an illness, domestic or sexual violence, or take care of a sick family member or new child.

The same groups just celebrated a legislative victory last month with the passage of five days of paid leave—negotiations that took four years but were ultimately agreed to by the state’s most influential business groups and even garnered some Republican votes.

After a quick rebrand to the Illinois Time To Care Coalition, advocates are pushing for a more ambitious leave policy, which would make Illinois the 12th state with mandatory paid family and medical leave. The United States is the only industrialized nation without a national paid parental leave law, while dozens of developing countries also have such policies.

“No one should have to choose a paycheck over their health and the health of their family,” said Wendy Pollack, Women’s Law and Policy Initiative director at the Chicago-based Shriver Center on Poverty Law.

The coalition’s initial proposal— encapsulated in Senate Bill 1234 and House Bill 1530—would cover all employers in Illinois and all

employees who earn at least $1,600 annually. Paid leave would also apply to contract workers.

The benefits to workers would be paid out of a newly created special state fund. The law would require employers to pay 0.73 percent of the wages for their employees and contractors into the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Fund, similar to the state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund. An additional fee of up to 0.05 percent could be imposed through administrative rules for administering the program.

Those who need paid leave would need to provide documentation of pregnancy, adoption or guardianship of a new child, their own injury or illness, or that of a sick family member. The leave policy would also cover military-related time off and time needed to recover from sexual assault or domestic violence.

Those workers, if approved for leave, would receive 90 percent of their average weekly wages for their leave period, up to a maximum of $1,200 per week. Eventually that maximum would be adjusted to 90 percent of the average weekly wage in Illinois

Those potential payouts are in line with the policies of the 11 other states with paid leave laws, although no other state’s law is quite as permissive as the proposal being

the

12th state

pushed in Illinois. For example, although Massachusetts allows for up to 26 weeks of total paid leave in one year, it provides for only 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents and those caring for a sick family member, and 20 weeks for those who can’t work due to a long-term illness.

But advocates pushing for paid leave in Illinois are aiming for loftier goals than the programs in other states.

Christina Green, who now works for Chicago-based advocacy organization Women Employed, was only eligible for two weeks of leave when she gave birth to her son in 2020. She would only have had access to 12 weeks of paid maternity leave at the private school she worked at if she had been employed for seven or more years.

Instead of returning to work after those two weeks, Green said she drained her savings in order to take the 12 weeks she anticipated needing. And even then, Green said it wasn’t enough.

“It actually took me around 20 weeks to fully heal,” Green said. “Unfortunately, I had no other options but to return to work … I literally budgeted down to the last dollar.”

Angelica Arreguin, a single mom and temp agency worker who organizes with the Chicago Workers Collaborative, shared through an

with

paid leave laws

The advocacy groups behind the proposal point to a permanent decrease in earnings for women who take time off to care for children or aging parents – an issue set to become more prominent as Baby Boomers age into needing more medical care over the next decade or so.

The coalition is also selling paid leave as a boon for businesses, especially in a labor market where many employers have found it difficult to find or re-hire workers in the wake of COVID-19.

House sponsor state Rep. Sonya Harper, D-Chicago, said lack of a safety net is preventing many women from re-entering the workforce.

“If women in Illinois participated in the labor force at the same rate as women in countries with paid leave, there would be an estimated 124,000 additional workers in the state and 4.4 billion more wages,” she said.

interpreter that she was fired by her former employer when she couldn’t return to her job because her “injury did not heal on their schedule.”

“And if there comes a day that my children become ill and I need to leave work for a month, I expect to be fired instead of being allowed to return,” Arreguin said.

Advocates say paid parental leave would help ease the racial inequities suffered by women like Arreguin and Green, who is Black.

Athlete of the Month Athlete of the Month Jacob Gunther

Jacob Gunther is the captain of the varsity bowling team. Jacob ended the Chicago Catholic league with a high average of 228! He also had the highest 3 game series at 771. The next closest bowler was 18 pins away from him in average. Jacob helped the varsity bowling team to a 2nd place finish in the North Conference! He also won the TONY LAWLESS award and was All-Conference for the North Conference.

Jacob placed 2nd at regionals and went to state as an individual for a 3rd time! (Sophomore year was canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions.) Jacob finished 19th in the state as an individual bowler and has earned a scholarship to the University of St. Francis for bowling.

Recognized by

But business groups aren’t engaging with the proposal yet. Rob Karr, President and CEO of the influential Illinois Retail Merchants Association, turned the focus back to last month’s legislative agreement on five days of paid leave.

“Our focus is on the proper implementation of the historic paid leave bill that just passed the General Assembly and has yet to even be signed into law by the governor,” Karr said in a statement.

“ If women in Illinois participated in the labor force at the same rate as women in countries with paid leave, there would be an estimated 124,000 additional workers in the state and 4.4 billion more wages.”

– Rep. Sonya Harper