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Ground-breaking held for 9-11 memorial

On Friday, April 5, residents, elected officials and other business and community leaders gathered at Fire House #2 on South York Road to break ground on a First Responders Memorial sculpture that is currently being constructed by local sculptor Jason Peot and will be placed at the site to commemorate the events Sept. 11, 2001.

Pictured are (from left): City Treasurer Dan Curran, County Board member

Cindy Cronin Cahill, Aldermen Noel Talluto (4th Ward), Marti Deuter (1st), Chris Jensen (3rd), Guido Nardini (6th), Mayor Scott Levin, State Sen. Suzy Glowiak-Hilton, Aldermen Jacob Hill (2nd), Mike Brennan (7th), Karen Sienko (2nd) Jennifer Veremis (1st) and City Clerk Jackie Haddad Tamer. In attendance but not pictured: Alderman Rex Irby (7th). See the full story and other photos inside on Page 2.

City, fire department break ground on First Responders Memorial

Goal is to have sculpture unveiled on Sept. 11, 2024

By Dee Longfellow FOR THE ELMHURST INDEPENDENT

It was an overcast, blustery day on the morning of Friday, April 5, but that didn’t keep around 65 people from turning out at Fire Station #2 on South York Road to attend the ground-breaking for a sculpture being created to commemorate the first responders, who came forward to answer the call on that fateful day of Sept. 11, 2001.

The memorial serves as a remembrance of

the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorists attacks that indeed changed the course of history in the United States, the world, and even Elmhurst.

A few days after the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center fell, several Elmhurst firefighters traveled to New York City, to assist with making life better, doing their part as first responders.

Elmhurst received an actual piece of rail

See MEMORIAL , Page 4

‘...valuing our customers and community first.’ Our Leadership Team:

Around 65 residents, elected officials, city staff, firefighters and other community leaders gathered at Fire Station #2 on Friday morning to celebrate the ground-breaking for the new First Responders Memorial currently under construction. It will be unveiled at this year’s 9-11 ceremony.

Correction: Update on Jackie Bjerga of CCIE

On Page 1 of last week’s Elmhurst Independent (April 4 edition), a story appeared about local individuals who had received Character Counts in Elmhurst awards.

One of the awardees was ABC-7 news reporter John Garcia, who had helped out a woman named Jackie Bjerga. The story erroneously printed that Jackie was fighting cancer when in fact, she has a congenital heart condition called Epstein’s Anomaly.

Correction

The correct information was provided Jackie’s mother-in-law, Laura Bjerga, who also shared that Jackie and her husband Kyle have fostered seven children over the past four or five years through an organization called “Safe Families.”

Her struggle has required several surgeries, some of which can only be performed at Mayo Clinic. Her insurance originally declined coverage for some of her procedures until Garcia showed up at her home with a camera crew. While live on the air, Garcia called the insurance company to ask why and broadcast it to the entire ABC Chicago Channel 7 viewership.

“Thank goodness she has never had cancer!” said Laura to the Independent.

The March 21 issue of the Elmhurst Independent contained an error in the police reports. Two police reports were combined without spacing. Dennis McNamara Jr., 44, of Chicago, was issued citations for improper lane usage, no seat belt, and damage to city property. He was not arrested for assault and resisting arrest. The Independent regrets the error.

Nancy Brook Mark Martinello Mike HimmesNicole RafieiDavid GaulJanice SpataroKen BartelsRich ReichertJoe Weigel

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DuPage County State’s Attorney nationally recognized as 2024 Champion for Kids

Fight Crime: Invest in Kids recently honored DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin with the organization’s 2024 Champion for Kids Award at its annual Day held in Springfield.

Among other notable accomplishments, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids lauded Berlin for his yearslong support of solutions that steer kids away from crime and toward successful lives.

Berlin, who sits on the organization’s Illinois Executive Committee, was one of only six recipients nationwide of the 2024 Champion for Kids Award.

Sean Noble, Illinois State director for Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, presented the award to Berlin in front of law enforcement colleagues, legislators and fellow Fight Crime: Invest in Kids members at the Illinois Capitol Building.

“I am truly honored and humbled to accept this award,” Berlin said.

“I am proud to be affiliated with such a fine organization that not only recognizes, but embraces, the significance and viability of crime prevention through proven investments in children’s well-being. Our mutual commitment to our children is vital to not only our communities, but also the quality of life enjoyed by our residents through reduced crime and increased public safety.

“I thank Fight Crime Invest in Kids for this recognition, and I look forward to continuing working with them to lead our children on a path to lifelong success and away from the criminal justice system.”

“State’s Attorney Berlin has long shown a deep respect for the research supporting our work: years

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin (middle) was recognized by the organization Fight Crime: Invest in Kids as one of six recipients nationwide of its 2024 Champion for Kids Award. The award was presented to Berlin at a recent ceremony in Springfield.

of studies connecting the dots between public safety and smart investments in children’s development,” said Noble. “As a result of his dedication and advocacy, many thousands of kids are benefiting statewide from better opportunities for learning and growth.”

• Memorial (Continued from page 2)

from Twin Towers which fell that day, and has been on display at Fire Station #2.

Local sculptor Jason Peot is creating this vibrant, moving, multi-faceted memorial to be placed near Fire Station #2. Peot, an Elmhurst resident, spoke to the Independent briefly at the ceremony.

“I found out about the project and they asked me if I’d like to work on it, or at least come up with an idea, they were talking to another artist as well,” he said. “I put together a proposal and it just kind of all happened.”

Peot is a professional sculptor as well as a professor at Harper College in Palatine, where he manages the entire art program. He also teaches sculpture and design.

Peot has a studio here in Elmhurst and his wife works for Elmhurst University. His works typically appear in galleries and museums, but he has occasionally done an outdoor installation and is particularly looking forward to this one—right here in Elmhurst.

Close to goal, but funds still needed

To complete the project, the Elm-

hurst Fire Department had to raise about $200,000, and contributions have been steadily coming in to make Friday’s event possible. They are still a little short of their target, so contributions are still being accepted. The goal is to have the sculpture in place by Sept. 11, 2024.

If you’d like to help support the fire department’s efforts, there are commemorative bricks available for $300 each.

Residents are invited to purchase a permanent engraved brick paver that will be placed in the First Responders Memorial Plaza. It’s an opportunity to honor a loved one or a special occasion by choosing up to three lines of type with a maximum 13 characters per line (including spacing, punctuation, special character, etc.).

There are also Sponsorship Levels, which offers the opportunity to be recognized by being listed in the First Responder Memorial Plaza. Sponsorship levels are Gold, $10,000; Silver, $3,500-$9,999; or Bronze, $950-$3,499.

For more information, visit the City’s web site or visit elmhurstfiredepartment.com/programs_services/first_responders_memorial.

Founded in 1996, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids is a bipartisan, nonprofit network of more than five thousand police chiefs, sheriffs and prosecutors nationwide with approximately 350 of these law enforcement leaders from Illinois. Together, they work to strengthen crime prevention and public safety through research-proven investments in children’s learning and development.

Fight Crime does not provide any of the services for which it advocates; instead, its members speakup for proven services supported by schools and community-based providers.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Elmhurst Independent

DuPage County launches texting option for 211 helpline

In addition to dialing or browsing for help, DuPage County residents seeking health and human services can now find assistance by texting the County’s free 211 information and referral line.

Residents can text their ZIP code to 898211 to connect with a county operator, who can provide referrals to assistance available near them. Texting service will be available between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday

through Friday.

In addition to the texting option, residents seeking help can still dial 2-1-1 or visit 211dupage.gov to find services near them 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“Texting 211 initiates a conversation with a live, specially trained operator who will efficiently connect you to the right resources,” said Human Services Chairman Greg Schwarze. “By expanding the 211

Helpline to include texting, we’re improving our ability to connect residents with resources and support, bridging the gap between struggle and solutions. We’re very excited about this new feature and the help it will provide our residents.”

Immediate referrals are available any time of day for services including clothing or personal items, disaster services, education, food, health and wellness, income support, legal

Elmhurst Children’s Theatre presents ‘Hello, Dolly!’ April 19-21

Performances take place at Blackhawk Middle School in Bensenville

Elmhurst Children’s Theatre (ECT) will present its spring musical production, “Hello, Dolly!” from April 19-21 at Blackhawk Middle School, 250 S. Church Road, Bensenville.

The Tony Award winning musical follows the incomparable Dolly Gallagher Levi, matchmaker ex -

Obituaries

Evelyn L. Boosey, 105

Evelyn L. Boosey, age 105, passed away peacefully

Saturday, March 30, 2024, in Barrington.

Evelyn was born Feb. 5, 1919, in Chicago IL and was raised in Chicago. She was introduced in 1940 and married John Boosey Jan. 31, 1942, and lived happily together for 63 years. During the war Jack and Evelyn lived in Baltimore as he worked for Glen L. Martin building B-26 bombers. After the war they moved to Milwaukee and then back to Chicago to be near family. They moved to Elmhurst to raise a family in 1957 and then retired to Ft. Lauderdale Florida in 1991. They enjoyed many friends while spending their children’s inheritance at the horse tracks.

Evelyn spread love everywhere she went and had such a pleasant demeanor. Many people called her “their best friend”. There was a certain strength about her that could not be shaken even through 50 days of hospice and her quiet strength, courage and faith just shined. In her mind it was just something else the human condition throws at you, but her spirit never budged a millimeter through it all.

She is survived by her sons Robert Boosey and Ronald (late Mary) Boosey, grandchildren Geoffrey (Stacey) Boosey, Jennifer (Greg) Markway, Michael Boosey and great grandchildren, Bea, Max and twins Josephine and Rose. She will be missed dearly by all who knew her.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband John, her siblings, Charles, Raymond, Bud and Maryanne.

Visitation was held April 6, at Davenport Funeral Home, 149 West Main Street (Lake Cook Road), Barrington, IL.

Fairytales can come true, it can happen to you, if you’re young at heart…

traordinaire, and her clients on an adventure through 1890s New York City as they experience the highs and lows of society living.

Performances are Friday, April 19, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, April 20, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, April 21, at 2 p.m. Tickets are on sale now. Visit ectshows.com for

more information.

Based on the Thornton Wilder play, “The Matchmaker,” and with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, audiences of all ages will enjoy the musical adventure, with classic numbers such as “Put On Your Sunday Clothes,” “Ribbons Down My Back,” “Before the Parade Passes By,” “Elegance” and “It Only Takes a Moment.”

aid, transportation, and more. DuPage County has compiled a database of more than 600 service providers

“ Texting 211 initiates a conversation with a live, specially trained operator who will efficiently connect you to the right resources.”

– Greg Schwarze, Human Services Chairman

offering thousands of services for DuPage County residents. Anyone interested in being included in the list can visit 211dupage.gov for more information and to apply for inclusion.

211 is a confidential, information and referral service that connects residents to local health and social service resources. It is different from 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which provides free and confidential support for people in a mental health, suicidal or emotional crisis.

DuPage County launched 211 in November 2022, and to date, has connected more than 8,000 people to County social services.

City, county, state declare surplus in North York TIF District

Funds to be distributed to taxing bodies; D205 to receive 73 percent

Jerome J. Cermak

Jerome J. Cermak, formerly a longtime resident of Elmhurst, passed away on April 5, 2019. Interment was at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood.

Mr. Cermak is survived by his wife, Violet (nee Zigman); sons, Daniel (Patricia), Kenneth (Kathy) and Jeffrey; and five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Richard (Beth).

Mr. Cermak was a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He was employed with Production Steel of Illinois in Broadview and Boeing Aircraft in Seattle. His hobbies included model airplanes and remodeling his homes.

The ECT production of “Hello, Dolly!” is directed by Jeremy Nemec, music directed by Peter Bromann and choreographed by Ella Walker.

“Hello, Dolly!” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Tams-Witmark LLC.

Follow ECTShows on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe at bit. ly/ectnews to learn about upcoming productions, including ECT’s summer presentation of Annie Jr., running June 27-28 at Timothy Christian School in Elmhurst.

For additional information, including details about ECT’s summer camp offerings, visit https:// www.elmhurstchildrenstheatre. com.

By Dee Longfellow FOR THE ELMHURST INDEPENDENT

At the meeting of the Elmhurst City Council on Monday, April 1, a resolution was presented, declaring a surplus in the North York Street Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District.

In April of 2013, the city, DuPage and Cook counties and the state of Illinois entered into an intergovernmental agreement with Elmhurst School District 205 regarding the North York TIF District.

The agreement requires the declaration of an annual 10 percent surplus, beginning in the 11th year of the TIF District. Since the first levy

year was 2012, the Year 2022 represented the 11th levy year of the TIF District, collected in 2023 in the amount of $1,927,097.

Therefore, 10 percent of the collected tax increment totals $192,710 and shall be distributed on a pro rata basis to all concurrent taxing districts within the TIF District in according to Illinois TIF law. Top recipients are School District #205, $141,444 or 73.4 percent; City of Elmhurst, $14,014 or 7.27 percent; and Elmhurst Park District, $10,304 or 5.35 percent.

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, battery

April 2

A victim at a restaurant in the 900 block of N. York told police she was working at the drive-thru when an unknown female suspect exited a vehicle. The suspect reportedly punched the victim in the head. The reporting officer attempted to contact the suspect with no results.

Domestic battery, domestic incident, disorderly conduct, disturbance, dispute

April 3

Umer Rahman, 29, of Naperville, was issued citations for disorderly conduct and theft, and served with a trespass notice at a hotel in the 900 block of S. Riverside at 2 a.m. Police said officers observed two subjects chest to chest yelling at each other. Rahman allegedly took a pound cake from the hotel.

A victim in the 300 block of N. York reported a verbal argument turned physical when the suspect punched her on her side. The reporting officer made contact with the suspect, who denied hitting the victim. Due to conflicting statements and no visible injuries, no arrests were made.

Fleeing, eluding

According to information provided last week by the Elmhurst Police Department, police reported one incident of fleeing and eluding during which the driver of a vehicle fled the scene after being stopped for a traffic stop by police.

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

April 1

William Kulpaka, 53, of Oakbrook Terrace, was charged with DUI and failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident in the 800 block of S. Bryan at 10:48 p.m.

March 31

Brittney Dale, 35, of Chicago, was charged with DUI, driving while license suspended, improper lane usage, speeding, improper lighting, and no insurance after a traffic stop near Roosevelt and Route 83 at 2:12 a.m. Leroy Sneed, 48, of Chicago, was charged with DUI, improper bumpers, improper lighting and no insurance subsequent to a traffic stop near Second and Route 83 at 3:55 a.m.

March 30

Danny Jenkins, 40, of Melrose Park, was charged with DUI, possession of cannabis in a motor vehicle, no insurance and violating the median after a traffic stop near Route 83 and

CALL 800-222-TIPS

North at 12:29 a.m.

Emmanuel Tillman, 38, of Chicago, was charged with DUI, driving while license suspended, possession of open alcohol, possession of cannabis by a driver and parking on the roadway near St. Charles and Route 83 at 12:26 a.m.

March 28

Frank Richert, 41, of Lemont, was charged with DUI, leaving the scene of an accident, failure to report an accident, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, improper lane usage, possession of open alcohol and no insurance, while Marko Tatic, a passenger in the vehicle, was issued a citation for possession of open alcohol in the 100 block of E. Brush Hill at 7:25 p.m.

Identity theft, fraud, forgery

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

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: Vivian Gutierrez, 21, of Chicago, near North and Emory at 9:13 p.m. March 28; Daniel Regis, 32, of Chicago, in the 300 block of S. Route 33 at 8:17 a.m. March 29; and Megan Krull, 22, Elmhurst, near Vallette and Spring at 7:17 p.m. April 2.

Possession of drug paraphernalia

March 30

April Eiland, 47, of Forest Park, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia in the 900 block of S. York at 10:32 a.m.

Suspicious incident

April 1

A complainant in the 200 block of N. Highland told police he observed an unknown suspect pull on the door handle of a car that was parked in the driveway of a residence. The suspect then entered the back yard before leaving. The owner of the residence and vehicle was contacted and relayed no one should have been at the residence.

A suspect at Elmhurst Hospital was in the hospital’s café stealing items and acting aggressive with staff for the past few weeks. A trespass notice was completed and the suspect was advised that if he returned, he would be issued a citation.

A complainant in the 400 block of N. Berteau told police she was hired to clean out a house that was recently sold. While cleaning, the complainant located a Glock 26 9mm handgun with 11 rounds and 1 spent shell. The firearm was collected and placed into evidence.

A victim in the 500 block of S. Spring told police that she’s been receiving phone calls from an ex-boyfriend. The victim relayed she has an order of protection against the suspect, who is in violation of the order by contacting her. A reporting officer attempted to contact the suspect, with no results.

Warrant arrest

March

31

Police said that subsequent to a traffic stop near North and Route 83 at 3:42 p.m., Muhammad M. Malik, 18, of Jewell, Iowa, was found to have an active extraditable warrant out of Ames, Iowa. He also was charged with no valid driver’s license, tinted windows, being a fugitive from justice and no insurance.

March 29

Police said that subsequent to a traffic stop near Fair and St. Charles at 8:08 a.m., Alexander Hudson, 31, of Carol Stream, was found

to have an active warrant out of the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office. He also was issued citations for no front license plate and no seat belt.

Theft, retail theft, burglary, attempted theft or burglary, forgery, deceptive practice, obstruction, robbery

April 1

Oswaldo Alberto Pacheco-Coloma, 26, of Chicago, was charged with retail theft, no valid driver’s license and no insurance at a store in the 900 block of S. York at 8:38 p.m.

March 27

A victim at a company in the 800 block of N. Church reported his company fell victim to a ransomware attack that caused business operations to shut down for two days. The victim reported that some data was stolen when the business was hacked. The victim also contacted the FBI to report the incident.

March 14-March 15

A complainant at an auto repair shop told police that the suspect received service on his vehicle. The suspect paid using a credit card that had been reported stolen. The reporting officer attempted to contact the suspect, with no results.

Court grants state’s motion to deny pre-trial release for man charged with murder of his wife in Carol Stream Authorities: Suspect lived in Mexico, arrived in U.S. illegally

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Carol Stream Chief of Police Don Cummings have announced that Judge Joshua Dieden has granted the state’s motion to deny pre-trial release for a man charged with the murder of his wife, 26-year-old Maricela Simon Franco, following a domestic altercation at her apartment. Baltazar Perez-Estrada, 33, appeared in First Appearance Court and is charged with five counts of first degree murder.

On April 1 at approximately 11:30 a.m., Perez-Estrada entered the Carol Stream Police Department and informed authorities that he had allegedly stabbed his wife. Officers took Perez-Estrada into custody at this time and immediately opened an investigation.

Through the course of their investigation, authorities learned that Perez-Estrada and Franco were at the apartment together and got into a verbal altercation at approximately 10 p.m., the previous evening. It is alleged that the argument turned physical resulting in Perez-Estrada stabbing Franco dozens of times about her head, neck, body and hands, nearly decapitating her head. She was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Authorities also learned that Perez-Estrada had been residing in Mexico and illegally arrived in the United States approximately two weeks earlier. He was charged by the United States Government with alien inadmissibility

and given a future court date. The couple have two minor children, both of whom were present at the time of the alleged murder.

“First and foremost, I offer my sincerest condolences to Maricela’s surviving family and friends on their loss and wish them strength as they continue their lives without the love and support provided by Maricela,” Berlin said. “The extremely violent end to a young mother’s life is something that should touch us all. Domestic violence continues to be a scourge on society, claiming more than ten million victims a year in some form or fashion. In this case, the sad reality is, Maricela’s life has been reduced to a statistic of domestic violence due to the alleged actions of her husband, Baltazar Perez-Estrada. This brutal, senseless act of violence alleged against Mr. Perez-Estrada will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

“The men and women of the Carol Stream Police Department stand by the family and friends of Maricela Simon Franco as they mourn this tragic loss,” Cummings said. “Not only has this senseless and brutal act removed Maricela from their lives, but it has robbed two young children of their mother. As domestic violence continues to victimize so many, law enforcement within DuPage County stands ready to partner with available social service programs to provide a sustainable resolution to those in need.”

Perez-Estrada’s next court appearance is scheduled for April 25, for arraignment in front of Judge Mia McPherson.

Baltazar Perez-Estrada

Elmhurst University faculty presents recital on Sunday

Fifteen faculty members from the Elmhurst University Music Department will join together in a showcase recital on Sunday, April 14.

The Spring Faculty Recital will begin at 7 p.m. in the Buik Recital Hall inside the Irion Hall Music Building on the Elmhurst University campus.

The concert is free and open to the public.

The faculty to be showcased include: Professor of Flute Marie Bennett, Professor of Trumpet Chris O’Hara, Professor of Trombone Tom Stark, Professor of Violin Edgar Gabriel, Professor of Viola Ben Weber, Professor of Guitar Steve Vazquez, Professors of Violin Eleanor Bartsch and Francois Henkins, Professor of Piano Soyoung Kee, Professor of Cello Amali Premawardhana, Professor of Oboe Julie Popplewell, Professor of Clarinet Andrea Di’Orio, Professor of Tuba Josh Wirt, Orchestra Director Taka Matsunaga and Professor of Piano Linda Camp, who will serve as accompanist for the recital.

A variety of solo repertoire and chamber music will be performed, including works by Beethoven, Paganini, Dvorak, and Vaughan Williams along with newer compositions by Lias, Rodriguez and Teichler.

A new composition by the music department’s newest faculty member and Professor of Music Theory and Composition—Josh Rodriguez— will also be performed.

This recital is an opportunity to hear some incredible musicians perform a vast array of musical styles and genres during a single recital

Faculty members from

free and open to the public, will start at 7 p.m. in

performance.

All of these faculty members have either national or international reputations as performers, soloists and clinicians.

Their performances include the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Lyric Opera Orchestra, the Picosa Contemporary Music Ensemble, the Kontras Quartet and the Alliance Brass Quintet. They have also

performed on international stages in 15 countries across Europe and Asia.

The Elmhurst University Music Department is pleased to present this concert open to the public and with free admission.

For further information, a map of the campus or more about future performances, visit www.elmhurst. edu/music.

Glowiak Hilton to host shred and recycling event in Hinsdale

Constituents are invited to join Redeemer Lutheran Church and State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton for a shred event on April 13 where they can properly recycle household items and dispose confidential documents.

“It’s vital that we prioritize the proper disposal of confidential documents and household items to protect our privacy and environment,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs).

Glowiak Hilton is partnering with Redeemer Lutheran Church, SCARCE, Union Church of Hinsdale and Unitarian Church of Hinsdale to provide residents with these services. The free event will be held Saturday, April 13 from 9 a.m. to noon, or until the shred truck is full at the Redeemer Lutheran Church located at 139 E. First St. in Hinsdale.

The event will have shredding ser-

“Join me on April 13 for our shred event, where we’ll provide the resources needed for safe and confidential disposal of unwanted materials.”

vices for confidential documents, as well as recycling for books, bicycles, walkers, canes, hearing aids, school supplies and more.

Glowiak Hilton hosts shred events multiple times throughout the year to provide an opportunity for residents to dispose of unneeded items in a safe and discreet way.

People with questions or concerns can contact Glowiak Hilton’s office at 630-785-3177 or by visiting her website.

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Help strengthen families and prevent child abuse in DuPage County

In April, the DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) acknowledges National Child Abuse Prevention Month, urging parents to contribute to a safer environment for children and families in DuPage County.

By ensuring individuals have the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to care for children, we can help promote the social and emotional well-being of children and youth and prevent child maltreatment within families and communities.

“As a community, we must protect our children from harm and create safe spaces where they can grow and flourish. By working together and staying vigilant, we can ensure every child’s well-being is our top priority,” said Adam Forker, executive di-

rector of the DuPage County Health Department.

Together, we can take action to prevent child abuse by:

• Promoting nurturing bonds between children, parents, and caregivers;

• Developing emotional and social skills in children;

• Supporting parenting through social connections to friends and family;

• Connecting families to community resources;

• Changing social norms to support parents and positive parenting; and

• Providing quality care and education in early life.

Through the Healthy Families DuPage program, DCHD’s highly trained Home Visitors utilize the

research-based Healthy Families America program model to support families. These dedicated professionals offer home visiting services designed to assist new and expectant parents in developing healthy and happy relationships with their children, which leads to healthy, long, and successful lives.

By providing invaluable support and connecting families to vital community resources, this prevention program aims to enhance child safety and promote family well-being. If you are expecting a baby or are a new parent, you may be eligible for the Healthy Families DuPage program.

If you or someone you know is interested in enrolling, call 630-682-7400 or visit the DCHD website to learn more.

who have sent a donation to help underwrite The Elmhurst Independent. For those of you who haven’t done so in the past year, but enjoy this newspaper and would like to help us pay for its operation, please send a donation in any amount to:

IF YOU THINK THE INDEPENDENT IS WORTH 50¢ an issue, it would be $26.00; 75¢ an issue - $39.00 or $1 an issue - $52.00

You won’t get an Elmhurst Independent tote bag, an Apple gift card, or a discount on an extended car warranty. But you will get the satisfaction of knowing that you have helped to support your favorite newspaper.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Elmhurst Independent

the Elmhurst University Music Department will hold a showcase recital on Sunday, April 14. The recital, which is

the Buik Recital Hall inside the Irion Hall Music Building.

Viewpoint

Slices of life

Pickleball— observations from a cucumber

I did it.

I dove into the jar, or better put, the pickleball court. The sport itself has nothing to do with pickle jars; it actually takes place on a mini-court, similar to the type used for tennis, just more manageable for those looking to avoid running, diving, dodging, lunging, jumping and backing up.

Especially backing up.

No one in pickleball wants to back up, because that can lead to loss of balance, which in turn can lead to falls. Falling is never a joke, but it’s especially not funny in pickleball, where falls can lead to twisted ankles, bumped bums and other injuries too serious to name here.

In pickleball (at least in my neighborhood) the serious ballers are ranked numerically from two to five, because starting out as a two sounds and feels so much better than a one.

A level five is a professional pickler, full of spit and vinegar— skilled to his or her greatest potential after many hours spent on the court and in the brine, so to speak. A level two is a cucumber, not yet wrinkled or salty, but possessing growth potential and promise yet to be recognized.

By my own admission, I started the game as a double zero. By day two or three, I was a negative one. I couldn’t even call myself a cucumber, much less a gherkin.

I hit a lot of shots that didn’t make their mark. In pickleball, this is known as a falafel. My falafels were awful, and they put my game in a pickle. You can’t score if you can’t land your serve. I was in danger of being pickled, before ever leaving the vine.

But I digress—in more ways than one.

What I really want to bring to light about the newest, biggest, bestest sport of the 21st century is rather, well, salacious—at least in its terminology.

Turns out the newest sport might have ties to the oldest sport - if you catch my drift.

Or maybe my mind’s just in the gutter.

Either way, follow me on this convoluted pickleball journey, and let’s have some fun.

Like most sports, pickleball starts with a warm-up, which consists of sharing dinks with your opponent. This is known (obviously) as dinking and consists of short lobs back and forth over the net.

By JILL PERTLER Columnist

Once regular dinks have been achieved, players may opt for an advanced version known as dinkling, which is simply diagonal dinkingnothing improper, it just sounds that way.

As does the next example.

When someone hits the ball hard in your direction, they are known as a banger and it’s said that you are getting banged—by the ball, of course, but it’s hard to not let your mind wander elsewhere.

I’ve been a widow for three years, and never thought I’d get banged on the pickleball court. But that happened just last week. And, I’ll answer the obvious question before you even get the chance to think it: I did not successfully return the bang. Maybe next time.

One can only hope.

I don’t know all the pickleball terminology yet; I’m still a newbie. But being a word lover, I’ve come up with a term of my own: The dilly.

This sweet term isn’t as tasty as the DQ delight, but instead is an extra special serve that that lands just inside the outside corner and is practically unreturnable, unless your player level is that of a 4.5 or above, at which point the return itself has its own name: the buster bar.

These picklicious meanderings may all seem fun and even a little bit silly, but there’s nothing silly about a sport that’s seen a more than 200 percent growth rate over the last three years, with 36.5 million pickleball players currently in the U.S. Pickleball’s immense popularity has made it the fastest growing sport in the country.

It’s getting people of all ages up and off the couch and into the court, and that’s a good thing. So at the end of the day—or match or game—I think we can all agree on one thing.

Pickleball is a big dill.

(Sorry, I couldn’t resist.)

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.

Evidence of success of Pretrial Fairness Act beginning to show after 6 months

By Patrice James ILLINOIS BLACK ADVOCACY INITIATIVE

Recently, we celebrated the six-month anniversary of the implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act.

There are few places where racial injustice was more apparent in Illinois’ criminal legal system than in the use of monetary bail. The Pretrial Fairness Act was aimed at correcting some of those inequities and eliminated our two-tiered system of justice that routinely and systematically disadvantaged people of color, particularly Black people.

Under the old money bond system, judges simply required people to pay money to be released from jail—a system that research shows did not make us safer. Bond amounts were often arbitrary, and not related to the safety of our communities or whether a person would appear in court if released. If the accused could pay that price, they went home, but if they couldn’t, they remained in jail. Unsurprisingly, most of the people forced to remain in jail because of unaffordable bonds were people of color.

Wealth-based detention served only to destabilize vulnerable individuals and communities and caused catastrophic results for Black

Illinoisians.

In 2019, in Illinois, Black people made up 51 percent of the jail population, almost quadruple the share of the state’s population. Much of this disparity occurred because of racism that infected the execution of our monetary bail system.

According to research, judges regularly require Black people to pay monetary bonds at levels that are significantly higher than white defendants charged with similar offenses, which means more Black people are held in jail. That result should be no surprise to anyone who has examined an American jail population.

The disparities in how judges set monetary bonds not only led to more Black people held in jail pretrial, but had other ripple effects. People held pretrial on an unaffordable bond face an impossible choice: enter a guilty plea to get out of jail, even if they are innocent, or remain in custody awaiting a trial date that might happen months or years away. Or worse, sometimes pretrial detention has life-ending consequences.

Between 2019 and 2022, 564 people in Illinois died while in custody. Almost half of those people were Black, and many of those people were held on unaffordable bail. All those people were loved ones—friends, family members, and neighbors—who will never return

home. Those who are trapped in jail awaiting trial also face the loss of jobs, housing, and even custody of a child, all losses burdened disproportionately by the Black community

In 2021, we started to put a stop to this harmful system, inspired by the millions of Americans protesting the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others. Instead of hiding from the call to action echoed in these marches, members of the Illinois Legislative Black Caucus, including Sen. Elgie Sims, Sen. Robert Peters, and Rep. Justin Slaughter, along with advocates from the Illinois Pretrial Justice Network, embraced it and fought to end a system of detention that prioritized wealth over public safety.

The act abolished money bonds, created a standard tied to safety for judges to determine whether to incarcerate or release a person pretrial, and ensured transparency and oversight in our pretrial system by requiring data collection. Lowincome Illinoisians no longer must purchase their own freedom while still presumed innocent, or worse, plead guilty, simply to avoid long periods of unnecessary incarceration.

After just six months, we are starting to see evidence of the act’s success and its ability to advance

York students advance to finals of international math competition

For 14 straight hours in early March, a small group of York High School students came together to participate in an international online math competition. A combination of math smarts and creative thinking has added up to a spot in the finals for the team, whose submission was selected as one of the best solutions to the double whammy crises of affordable housing and homelessness with which local and national governments are currently grappling.

The students—Nick Cifelli, Timothy Flisk, Jeffrey Lu, Taylor Melind, and Steven Piotrowski of York High School—make up one of the nine finalist teams in MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge (M3 Challenge), a unique competition that drew nearly 3,000 11th and 12th graders in the U.S. and sixth form students in the United Kingdom (UK) this year. The team, whose work underwent intense scrutiny by judges in the first two rounds of assessment, has one last hurdle when they head to New York City on April 29 to present their findings to a panel of professional mathematicians for final validation.

Using mathematical modeling, students had to come up with solutions to real-world questions: How

do we solve the intertwined crises of homelessness and a shortage of affordable housing, especially given that they are often exacerbated by unforeseen circumstances such as natural disasters, humanitarian crises, and economic downturns? Can we predict long-term changes in the housing supply and unhoused population? If so, how can we use this information to devise real, long-term solutions for homelessness?

Now in its 19th year, M3 Challenge is a program of Philadelphia-based Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) and is sponsored by MathWorks. It spotlights applied mathematics as a powerful problem-solving tool and motivates students to consider further education and careers in applied math, computational and data sciences, and technical computing. Winning teams will be awarded a share of $100,000 in scholarships, with the champion team receiving $20,000.

A total of 643 teams submitted papers detailing their recommendations. Roughly 45 percent of those submissions included technical computing to support and enhance their solutions, and those coding skills make them eligible for additional scholarship prizes.

“The cost of housing in the U.S. and the U.K. has increased faster than people’s incomes, making rent or mortgage payments challenging for many,” said Dr. Karen Bliss, Senior Manager of Education and Outreach at SIAM. “This issue is often due to a shortage of available housing, which has reached crisis levels and has been associated with a significant increase in homelessness in many large cities.”

“Stable housing can ease homelessness and is often an important first step in helping people tackle other challenges like addiction, mental health issues, and unemployment, but increasing the housing supply is slow and requires significant financial investment,” Bliss explained. “There are also other complex issues to consider, such as land restrictions, population growth, financial constraints, and longevity of a housing structure.”

According to Elmhurst team coach and math teacher Ella Sak, the York students have been dedicated to developing their problem solving skills throughout the year. “I am proud to see them use these skills to solve a real-world problem in M3 Challenge,” she said.

Team member Taylor Melind said

Sharing a laugh

ECCI members Lori Tompkins and Ralph Pechanio share a conversation with a representative from TopGolf, who had a display table at the Economic Outlook Luncheon and Business Expo held Thursday, April 4, at the Hilton-Oak Brook Hills. See story on page 10.

• Fairness

(Continued from page 8)

racial justice and create more equitable practices in our courts.

The Pretrial Fairness Act, however, is not a standalone solution. We must follow it with legislation like the Pretrial Success Act, which builds on the progress made by ending money bond, by increasing access to health and human services for people awaiting trial in the community.

Protecting the Pretrial Fairness

Act is just the beginning of our state’s journey toward racial justice, but it is an essential first step.

We can continue to honor our commitment to safe, equitable communities by protecting the Pretrial Fairness Act and expanding the supportive solutions that have already made it successful.

Patrice James has spent her career in service of and with a deep love and respect for Black people

that she found M3 Challenge to be instrumental in expanding the team’s problem-solving capabilities beyond conventional boundaries. “M3 Challenge gave us the opportunity to utilize unconventional problem solving skills and techniques, typically used for abstract datasets and competition problems, for tangible, real-world situations. Through this challenge, we were able to develop our knowledge on one of society’s greatest problems and the possible solutions

A team of York High School students has advanced to the finals of MathWorks Math Modeling Challenge (M3 Challenge). The team of York students is one of nine teams that will compete in the upcoming finals, which will take place in New York City. Pictured left to right are: (top row) team members Nick Cifelli and Timothy

Jeffrey

for it,” she said.

In addition to York High School, the other finalist teams hail from schools in Alexandria, Virginia; Andover, Massachusetts; Basking Ridge, New Jersey; Gainesville, Florida; Livingston, New Jersey; Minneapolis, Minnesota; San Diego, California; and Watford, Hertfordshire.

For more information about M3 Challenge, visit https://m3challenge. siam.org/the-challenge/.

and its communities. She serves as the founding director of the Illinois Black Advocacy Initiative. Prior to joining IBAI, she was director of community justice at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law, a founding attorney of Still She Rises, Tulsa, and a public defender at the Bronx Defenders Office. Patrice is also the co-founder and board member of the Black Public Defender Association.

DEE LONGFELLOW PHOTOS Elmhurst Independent

Flisk. (middle row)

Lu and Taylor Melind. (right) Steven Piotrowski.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS Elmhurst Independent

Business & FinAnce

Typical economic indicators no longer apply, expert says Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago president addresses annual Economic Outlook Expo

By Dee Longfellow

About 350 people came to Hilton Oak Brook Hills to attend the annual Multi-Chamber Economic Outlook

Luncheon and Business Expo on Thursday, April 4. Guests viewed the exhibits on display prior to the luncheon seating, after which was the program featur-

ing Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President and CEO Austan D. Goolsbee.

In the past, the speaker usually gave a straight speech from the podi-

At the Economic Outlook Luncheon and Business Expo held Thursday, April 4 are (from left) Andrew Winton of Guaranteed Rate-John Noldan; Scott LaMorte of Community Bank of Elmhurst; and Eric Mesko of Mooney Lyons. Many of the attendees were financial experts at their respective companies.

um with a few slides showing bullet points of trends.

This year’s event was a little different in that Dr. Charles Cassidy, who works with workNET DuPage, Choose DuPage and other business incubators, sat with Goolsbee on the stage and asked questions in a “fireside chat” format.

Most attendees who spoke with the Independent liked the casual conversational presentation of the “chat” but others liked the old way, when bullet points appeared on a screen. All agreed, including Goolsbee, that Cassidy had “done his homework” and presented topics that made for a lively and informative discussion which even allowed time for questions from the audience.

Local response

For an overview of the program, the Independent talked to a few people who attended to gather their thoughts and take-aways from the program.

Scott LaMorte, vice president of New Business Development for Community Bank of Elmhurst (CBE), said he enjoyed the presentation under the new format, but indicated that nothing in the program particularly surprised him.

“Dr. Goolsbee’s commentary really seemed to reassure the Feds’ cautious approach to the economy,” he said. “I did take away the notion that the Feds are really looking at the economic picture holistically thorough a lot of economic indicators. Hopefully, that will be to our benefit in 2024.”

“ Rarely do you see a time when inflation goes up, interest rates go up, yet jobs are good, salaries are going up and unemployment rates are low.”

– John R. Quigley, president and CEO of the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry

Elmhurst, who wanted to remain anonymous, said he felt the speakers were underplaying some of the potential risk.

“If China is struggling with its economy, that doesn’t automatically mean it will reach us,” he said.

But overall, he agreed the program “offered an interesting perspective.”

“Housing is in a weird conundrum,” he said. “Part of the reason housing is high is because of interest rates. If a person sells a house with a 3 percent mortgage and buys a new one with a 6 percent mortgage rate, well, it almost creates a Catch-22 scenario. Lower interest rates spur the housing economy, but people aren’t as inclined to sell their homes because wherever they go, the interest rates will be higher.

“The other part is that he said housing inflation is one of the more important metrics to look at when

Feeling like you paid too much in taxes this year?

Learn about investment strategies that could potentially lower next year’s tax bill. Talk to a financial advisor today to learn how.

The Independent also spoke with a noted financial planner located in

See INDICATORS, Page 21

What should you do with your tax refund?

It’s almost that time of year when many people start receiving their tax refunds. If you get one, what will you do with it?

Here are a few suggestions:

First, you could contribute to your traditional or Roth IRA. You’ve got until April 15 to fully fund your IRA for the 2023 tax year, but if you’ve already done that, you can use the refund for 2024.

Another possibility is to use the refund to start or build an emergency fund. It’s a good idea to keep up to six months’ worth of living expenses in this fund, with the money placed in a liquid, lowrisk account.

You might also consider investing in a 529 education savings plan for a child or grandchild. A 529 plan offers tax benefits and can be used for college, qualified trade school expenses and some K-12 costs.

Finally, you could use your refund to pay down some debts. You might want to eliminate the smallest ones first or try to whittle down those with the highest interest rates.

Your tax refund can be a valuable asset — so use it wisely.

This content was provided by Edward Jones, member SIPC.

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CYBER BULLING SEXTING INSTAGRAM SNAPCHAT

How well do you cyberparent?

Thursday, April 18 at 7pm

Keep your kids cyber safe! Detective Rich Wistocki and Investigator Rachel Rieger (Ret.) will share how to best protect your children on electronic devices, social media, and gaming platforms.

Purchase your ticket today at timothychristian.com/speaker-series Open to the public.

Timothy Speaker Series

April 18 at 7pm

Timothy Christian Schools

Huizenga Auditorium

1061 South Prospect Ave, Elmhurst, IL

Community calendar

Spring quotes:

“Despite the forecast, live like it’s spring.”

Lilly Pulitzer

“Flowers don’t worry about how they’re going to bloom. They just open up and turn toward the light and that makes them beautiful.”

Sunday, April 14

Jim Carrey

• Beginning at 12:15 p.m., SHE

Single Mothers Support Group monthly event will be held at Elm-

hurst Christian Reformed Church, 149 W. Brush Hill Rd. We offer a complimentary lunch for all who attend, free childcare (ages infants -12 years), and support from other single mothers. Come hear our motivational speaker. Topic: “Tips on Parenting Teens”. RSVP to elmhurstcrc. org/she

• From 1-2:15 p.m., the Elmhurst Art Museum is offering a tour of the McCormick House. Learn about the special exhibit on display as well as its history and design.

Info: elmhurstartmuseum.org.

• At 7 p.m., Elmhurst University presents Holocaust survivor Eric Blaustein, who will present ‘Growing up in Germany: A Survivor Remember,” part of this year’s Holocaust Service of Remembrance. It will be held in the Frick Center, Founders Lounge on the campus. He will share his personal history, reflecting on his youth in Nazi Germany, surviving Buchenwald, and what it has meant for his life ever since. Admission is free but reservations are encouraged, at elmhurst.edu/cultural.

PROGRAMS 2024

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JUNIOR KICKERS

SKILLS SCHOOL STARTS EARLY APRIL

Tuesday, April 16

Beginning at 7 p.m., historian Douglas Brinkley will deliver the annual Rudolf G. Schade Lecture on History, Ethics and Law in Hammerschmidt Chapel on the campus of Elmhurst University. A book signing to follow. Admission is $15 for the general public, free for university students, faculty, staff and alumni. Tickets are available at elmhurst. edu/cultural.

Thursday, April 18

The Elmhurst Art Museum will host Muses: An Evening of Jazz, a curated night of jazz, poetry, and nostalgia that explores inspirations behind the exhibit A Love Supreme Enjoy signature cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and live music. Headlining the night will be a performance by Grammy-nominated musician Corey Wilkes. Others include the poet Marvin Tate, South Side Home Movies Project, and the Elmhurst University Faculty Jazz Combo. Tickets are $20 for members, $30 for non-members. Visit elmhurstartmuseum.org for tickets and information.

a threat to internal security after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Emphasis will be on life in the camps and the process of reintegration after the war, including the migration of many former internees to Chicago. For tickets and information: elmhursthistorymuseum.org.

• At 5 p.m., Music@Bethel presents Elmhurst’s own renowned flutist Mary Stolper who will perform a wide variety of music from J.S. Bach, Joseph Schwantner, Kenji Bunch, Benjamin Godard and many others, accompanied by Bethel’s own Jeffrey Panko. A wine reception will follow. Tickets are $25, free for students, available at Eventbrite or at the door. Bethel Church is located at 315 E. St. Chas. Rd., is fully accessible and offers ample parking. Info: 630-279-4040.

Saturday, May 4

PROGRAMS 2024

JUNIOR KICKERS

• Practice 1x a week

JUNIOR KICKERS

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, April 19-21

At 7 p.m., the Elmhurst Symphony Orchestra presents La Mer at the Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church (ECRC) on Brush Hill Rd. in Elmhurst. A pre-concert lecture by assistant conductor Eli Chen begins at 5:45 p.m. The concert will include two pieces by Claude Debussy, and Cello Concert No. 1 in A minor by Camille Saint-Saens, when cellist Alexander Hersh joins Dr. Stephen Alltop and the ESO. For tickets and info, visit elmhurstsymphony.org.

SKILLS SCHOOL STARTS EARLY APRIL

• Sundays 3 vs 3

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• Practice 1x a week

• Practice 1x a week

• Grades K-4

PROGRAMS 2024

SKILLS SCHOOL APRIL

• Sundays 3 vs 3

• Fridays or Saturdays

• Fridays or Saturdays

SKILLS SCHOOL STARTS EARLY APRIL

• Fridays or Saturdays

• Fridays or Saturdays

SKILLS SCHOOL STARTS EARLY APRIL

• Fridays or Saturdays

• 8 week session

• Fridays or Saturdays

SKILLS SCHOOL EARLY APRIL STARTS THRU EARLY MAY APRIL APRIL

• Grades PreK-4

• Sundays 3 vs 3

• Practice 1x a week

• Grades K-4

• Grades K-4

• Sundays 3 vs 3

• Practice 1x a week

• Grades K-4

• Sundays 3 vs 3

JUNIOR KICKERS

• Grades K-4

• Practice 1x a week

• Sundays 3 vs 3

• Grades K-4

Elmhurst Children’s Theatre will present its Spring Musical, Hello, Dolly! running at Blackhawk Middle School in Bensenville. All ages will enjoy classic numbers such as Put On Your Sunday Clothes, Ribbons Down My Back, Before the Parade Passes By, and others.

Saturday, May 4

Sunday, May 5

- LOCATED IN ELMHURSTJUNIOR KICKERS

• Practice 1x a week

• Sundays 3 vs 3

2024-25 TRYOUTS

• Grades K-4

• Boys & Girls

• Born in 2018-2006

Curtain times are Friday, 7 p.m.; Saturday, April 20 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; and Sunday, April 21 at 2 p.m. For info: visit ectshows.com.

Sunday, April 21

• Fridays or Saturdays

For more information

elmhurstsoccer.com

SKILLS SCHOOL EARLY APRIL STARTS THRU EARLY MAY APRIL APRIL

For more information

elmhurstsoccer.com

• Register online

2024-25 TRYOUTS

2024-25 TRYOUTS

2024-25 TRYOUTS

JUNIOR KICKERS STARTS

• Born in 2018-2006

• Boys & Girls

2024-25 TRYOUTS

• Born in 2018-2006

• Register online

• Boys & Girls

• From 2-3 p.m., the Elmhurst History Museum presents “From the Camps to Chicago: The Internment of Japanese Americans.” Join E. Taylor Atkins, award winning author and Distinguished Teaching Professor of History at Northern Illinois University for this presentation focusing on the forcible internment of Japanese immigrants and their American-born offspring (Nisei), who were deemed

The 27th annual Art in Wilder Park will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days inside Elmhurst’s Wilder Park. More than 100 artists, kids court, food vendors, music and more. Produced by EAM, Elmhurst Park District and RGL Marketing for the Arts, Inc. Free admission. Info: RGLmarketingforthearts.com /artin-wilder-park.

Sunday, May 5

From 12-1 p.m., at the Elmhurst History Museum, curator Sarah Cox will offer a Gallery Talk about the highlights of the Victory at Home: 1941-1945 exhibit. Includes exclusive access to museum galleries. Free and open to the public. Info: elmhursthistory.org.

2024-25 TRYOUTS

• Boys & Girls

• Born in 2018-2006

• Register online

• Boys & Girls

• Born in 2018-2006

• Register online

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• Register online

• Born in 2018-2006

• Register online

• Ages PreK-14 432698

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2024-25 TRYOUTS

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• Ages PreK-14 432698

St. Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church

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

Lent and Easter Services at 7 p.m.

Sunday Worship at 10:15 am Sunday School & Bible Study 9 am Wednesday Service at 7pm

“The Crucial Hours”

Second Lenten Service March 9, 2022

Ladies Bible Fellowship Mondays at 6:30 pm Saturday, April 27 Game Night at 4 pm

Rev. David Ernest “Satan Has Asked to Sift All of You” Jerusalem Lutheran, Morton Grove Matthew 27:15-26

Third Lenten Service

Everyone is Welcome!

March 16, 2022

Rev. Paul Spaude “What to Remember When Your are St. Matthews, Niles Seized with Remorse” Matthew 27:3-4

All services are live streamed. Watch on our website or on Facebook. sainttimothy.org 453344

Fourth Lenten Service March 23, 2022

Rev. Jonathan Bergemann “I Will Keep the Passover”

Saturday: 4 PM (Vigil)

Daily Masses:

Monday—Friday: 6:15 and 8:15 AM

Sunday Worship at 9:45 AM

Come worship with us!

300 East Belden Avenue, Elmhurst, IL 60126 www.ODMFellowship.Org 452638

Sport S

IC Catholic Prep’s Smith wins two Illinois Top Times indoor track titles

Knights also earn medal in 800 relay; Parker sixth in long jump

York girls soccer team off to 6-0 start

By Mike Miazga CORRESPONDENT

IC Catholic Prep junior Evan Smith had a meet for the ages at the recent Illinois Top Times event, which acts as the unofficial, de facto indoor boys and girls track and field state championships.

In the meet held at Illinois Wesleyan, Smith won titles in the 60-meter dash and 200-meter dash. Smith ran 6.97 in the 60 to win it and went 22.39 in the 200. Smith also anchored ICCP’s medal-winning third-place 800 relay team that also included KJ Parker, Jordan Hall and Elijah Eason. That quartet ran 1:33.99 to earn their medals. Parker finished sixth in the long jump with a mark of 21-1 1/2, while Hall was 12th in the long jump.

“Evan had quite a day for himself,” ICCP coach Bob Cronin said. “I’m very proud of all of our qualifiers, but Evan’s day was special. To win two individual indoor state championship events and a third place in a relay is an incredible accomplishment. We are looking forward to continuing success as the season progresses to outdoor competition.”

On the girls side, IC Catholic Prep junior Kiely Kemph took 14th in the 400 with a time of 1:03.44. In the 3,200 race, sophomore Gracie Gildea took 13th with a personal-record time of 12:40.01.

IC Catholic Prep girls soccer

Through late last week, the IC Catholic Prep girls soccer team was 0-2-1 overall and 0-1-1 in Girls Catholic Athletic Conference White

Division play. Allie Geiger was leading the team in goals with one, while goalie Evelyn Flores has one shutout to her credit.

“We are playing better as a unit,” Knights coach Antonio Godinez said. “The group of seniors is picking up their play.”

IC Catholic Prep softball

The IC Catholic Prep softball team was 8-0 overall through late last week and 2-0 in Girls Catholic Athletic Conference White Division play. The Knights went 5-0 over spring break in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Through those first eight games, Analisa Raffaelli was leading the team in batting average (.676) and on-base percentage (.711). AJ Dwyer was the team leader in home runs with three, while Raffaelli had a team-high 24 stolen bases. Dwyer was tops in RBI with 16 through the first eight games, while Raffaelli also was leading the team in doubles (5) and triples (2).

“Analisa has started off the season hitting the ball well and running the bases well, which we see with her number of stolen bases,” ICCP coach Frank Reaber said. “Her defense has been stellar, as well.” Dwyer also was cited for strong early-season play. “AJ Is hitting for power,” Reaber said. “Every at-bat, she drives the ball hard.”

ICCP’s 8-0 mark includes several hotly contested games. “ Overall, the team is playing well as seen by our record. We’ve had a number of close games and have gone to extra innings a few times,” Reaber noted.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Elmhurst Independent IC Catholic Prep junior Evan Smith won two titles at the recent Illinois Top Times event, which acts as the unofficial/de facto indoor boys and girls high school track and field state championships. Smith won the 60-meter and 200-meter titles and anchored ICCP’s medal-winning third-place 800 relay team that included KJ Parker, Jordan Hall and Elijah Eason.

York baseball team off to hot 7-1 start

Fleming cracks two home runs against Addison Trail

By Mike Miazga CORRESPONDENT

The wins keep rolling in for the York baseball team. The Dukes recorded four recent victories where they piled up a combined 57 runs. In a 9-8 non-conference win against Maine South, York jumped out to a quick 7-1 lead and held off a late Hawks rally that tied the game in the top of the seventh. York scored the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh. The Dukes had nine hits and took advantage of seven Maine South errors.

Noah Hughes went 3-for-4 with a run scored, while Austin Grzywa also went 3-for-4 with a run scored,

a double and an RBI. Rayn Lisowski stole two bases, had a hit and drove in two runs. Chris Danko drew two walks. Danko pitched the first five innings, allowing only five hits and one earned run. He fanned four and walked none. Jack Bodach pitched the final 2/3 of an inning and struck out one. He was credited with the victory.

The Dukes then scored a 23-11 win in six-innings against Addison Trail in a West Suburban Conference crossover game. The two teams combined for 34 runs on 32 hits while making eight errors. York led 11-2 after three innings.

Drew Gami went 3-for-5 with two

runs scored and four RBI. Marco Giorno went 2-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBI. Josh Fleming went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, two home runs and four RBI. Noah Jones went 3-for-3 with two runs scored, two walks and four RBI. Hughes went 2-for-4 with four runs scored, two walks and an RBI. Grzywa went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI. Ten different York players enjoyed at least one hit.

York also pounded out 10 doubles with Jones hitting three. Gami had two doubles, while Luke Pieczynski, Giorno, Hughes, Nico Ruggieri and TJ Silkaitis each had one double.

Hughes was the winning pitcher. He

pitched three innings, allowing one earned run and struck out five. Ben Dizillo pitched 1 2/3 innings and struck out three.

York kicked off West Suburban Conference Silver Division action with a 14-4 win over Proviso West.

York scored eight runs in the fourth inning and four more in the sixth inning to record the slaughter-rule win. The Dukes had nine hits.

Hughes had two hits and scored two runs. Danko had a hit, a run scored, drew two walks and drove in three runs. Paul Reedy had a double and Danko tripled, while Gami stole

Dukes have not allowed a goal this season; Quinn, Meyers leading offensive attack

By Mike Miazga CORRESPONDENT

How impressive has the York girls soccer team’s hot start this spring been? Not only are the Dukes 6-0 to start the 2024 season, but they have yet to give up a goal.

The Dukes moved to 6-0 and opened West Suburban Conference Silver Division play with a 4-0 win over Downers Grove North. In the North win, Michaela Quinn had two goals and one assist, while Jordan Ebner had a goal and an assist. Hannah Meyers had one goal, while Sophia Musial had two assists. Reilly Costello made five saves in goal to record the shutout. The Dukes were also recent 3-0 West Suburban Conference crossover winners against Downers Grove South.

Through late last week, in those first six games, Michaela Quinn had eight goals and seven assists. She’s tied for the team lead in goals with Hannah Meyers, while also second on the team in assists. Meyers also has four assists. Musial has five goals and a team-high eight assists, while Tatum Mailander had two goals and four assists.

In those first six games, York has outscored opponents a staggering 290. “The girls have continued to work well as a group in training and in games,” York coach Stevan Dobric said. Dobric has also been impressed with York’s continued improvement on defense. “Defensively, the team has done a very good job of limiting opportunities in the final third and providing service for attacking transitions,” he explained.

Dobric lauded Quinn, Meyers and Musial for their efforts offensively. “Michaela, Hannah and Sophia have been an attacking threat going forward and have been creating chances for each other every game,” he said.

Stella Kohl also has been a key piece to the Dukes puzzle through six games. “Stella has done a great job of controlling the midfield and disrupting play for opponents,” Dobric said.

York played Oak Park-River Forest in a WSC Silver game earlier this week and heads to Lombard to face Montini in a non-conference game.

York girls lacrosse team wins first three matches

IC Catholic Prep graduate

Dukes’ boys lacrosse team off to 3-2 start

Leslie headed to Le Moyne

By Mike Miazga CORRESPONDENT

Will play volleyball for Division II school

By Mike Miazga

CORRESPONDENT

four goals, five ground balls, 14 draw controls and two assists.

Recent IC Catholic Prep graduate Bella Leslie wanted to head east for college.

Her landing spot ended up being at NCAA Division II Le Moyne College where the former Knights volleyball and soccer standout will continue her volleyball career at the Syracuse, New York school as a libero.

The York girls lacrosse team started the 2024 season with a 3-0 mark with non-conference victories over Crystal Lake Central, Lockport and Montini. In a 17-7 blowout of Crystal Lake Central, sophomore Elizabeth Specht had six goals, six ground balls and three assists. Sophomore Hayden Daniel had four goals, four assists and 11 draw controls, while sophomore Morgan Navarre had three goals, five assists and four ground balls. Junior Bricelyn Daniel had two goals, while sophomore Kayla Mirante had two goals. Junior Sarah Marek had one assist. Sophomores Lola Finke and Hallas Jasani split time on goal and combined to make two saves.

In a 17-14 win against Lockport, Specht had six goals, six ground balls and two assists. Navarre had five goals, two assists and three ground balls. Hayden Daniel had

Bricelyn Daniel had a goal and three assists. Mirante had a goal and an assist, while Marek had one assist. Finke and Jasani combined to make six saves.

I feel like I would be so bored without it because it has been such a big part of my life.”

Leslie said she has plenty of memories from IC Catholic Prep’s coach Nancy Kerrigan’s program.

“I loved playing there,” she said.

In a 10-6 win over Montini, Hayden Daniel had four goals, four ground balls, 10 draw controls and one assist. Specht had three goals, two assists and three ground balls. Mirante had two goals and an assist. Carly Palermo had two assists. Bricelyn Daniel had a goal and an assist. Margaret Rennick had three ground balls. Finke and Jasani split time and combined for four saves in goal.

in points last year as a ninth grader. She’s joined on the key returners list by Navarre (middie), Bricelyn Daniel (middie), Hayden Daniel (middie), Mirante (attack) and Rennick (defender). Specht is a returning allstate, all-sectional and all-conference pick, while Bricelyn Daniel is a returning all-sectional and all-conference selection. Hayden Daniel also earned all-conference honors a year ago. Bricelyn Daniel is committed to Division I Rider University in New Jersey for lacrosse.

rounding into forms. “Our offense is really solid,” he said. “We are a very fast time off the draw and with attacking our opponents. We pride ourselves on moving the ball quick and our shooting has been very good.”

York boys lacrosse

“All of the schools I was looking at were on the East Coast,” Leslie told the Independent last week. “I visited Le Moyne and really liked it. It reminded me of high school because it was a small school, and in a smaller school you will know a lot more faces than if I would have gone to a bigger school. The campus there is really pretty. It sits on a big hill and the scenery around it is great. Everything is pretty close together. They have very nice facilities. The volleyball program has good workout facilities and a nice locker room. I liked how modern it was.”

“I probably enjoyed school volleyball more than club because I love my team and the coaching staff was very supportive on and off the court. It made it a really good environment to be in. Coach (Kerrigan) was great. I have known her for a while. When I was little, I did all the little kids camps, and her daughter was in my brother’s grade at IC.”

York is coming off a 2023 season where it went 12-7 overall and 2-2 in West Suburban Conference play. The Dukes advanced to a sectional title match where they lost to Hersey.

Specht, a middie, led the team

“ I’m really excited to be able to play volleyball in college. It gives me something to do. I feel like I would be so bored without it because it has been such a big part of my life.”

Team chemistry also will be a strong suit for York, Walz noted. “Last year we struggled to find our identity,” he said. “However, I feel like we are making huge strides and our chemistry and bond as a team gets better every day.”

The York boys lacrosse team is 3-2 through its first five games this season. The Dukes are led by 2023 team MVP Jack Kevin (goalie). “Jack is an outstanding goalie,” York coach Tom Coyne said. “Kevin is recognized as one of the best goalies in the state and has led York’s defensive improvement.”

Walz said the WSC will be challenging. “We have some really good teams in our conference such as Oak Park-River Forest, Hinsdale Central, Downers Grove North and LT (Lyons Township),” he said.

Returning all-state attack Blake Rieger also is back. “Blake is the catalyst of our offense and has taken on more of the scoring responsibility this season,” Coyne noted.

York graduated 10 talented players from last year, Coyne noted, and start three ninth-graders this spring. “We are a young and improving team,” he said.

Leslie said she will miss plenty about IC Catholic Prep. “I will miss how close knit of a community it was,” she said. “I knew everybody at the school. It will be weird going on campus and not knowing all the faces. I’ll miss those close connections with the coaches and teachers. It will be weird for the first year or so.”

“We are super-fast and aggressive,” York coach Ryan Walz said. “We have a lot of very talented midfielders and attacks. Our defense is getting better every week. Our defense is all new starters except Maggie Rennick. The defense is very new and lacks experience, but we are making big strides recently. They just need more practice and game experience.”

– Bella Leslie

Walz likes how the offense is

“We will need to get past these teams to get to another sectional championship like last year. We were so young and still are inexperienced, but in time we know we can achieve our goals.”

“We will need to continue to improve this spring because we play one of the most competitive schedules in Illinois. We play every team in the top-10 rankings in Illinois this year.”

Timothy Christian girls soccer team off to 2-1 start

By Mike Miazga CORRESPONDENT

Leslie plans on studying nursing at Le Moyne. “They have a good nursing program,” she said. “As far as what kind of a nurse I want to be, I’m not quite sure yet.”

The Timothy Christian girls soccer team gained some nice momentum in a recent non-conference win against Lisle. The Trojans were down 2-1 at halftime and came back to record a 3-2 win. The victory bumped Timo-

Leslie played volleyball and girls soccer at IC Catholic Prep all four years. She was a center-midfielder on the Knights soccer team.

Friday, April 12 2-4 p.m.

Friday Features: Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

thy to 2-1 on the young season. Hope Huizenga had two goals, while Mia Schilf had a key assist in the win.

Through those first three games, Huizenga was leading the team with three goals, while Mackenzie Laslo had one goal. Sami Drye, Schilf, Ella Becvar and Huizenga each had an

Elmhurst Public Library programs

Leslie’s volleyball journey started in the fifth grade, the first year she could play the sport at IC Grade School. She’s been playing club volleyball since seventh grade, most recently with the Chicago Elite group that practices out of Scores in Willow Springs and Montini High School in Lombard.

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“I’m really excited to be able to play volleyball in college,” she said. “It gives me something to do.

Saturday, April 13 10 a.m.-noon Canasta

•

Stopka

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Sunday, April 14 2-3 p.m.

Huizenga scores 2 goals in win over Lisle

They lost to West Chicago on think an own goal in the last five minutes. That was against the state champs in the sectional finals. That’s a hell of a season if you ask me.”

Flappers and Fedoras!

Songs of the Roaring 20s

Tuesday, April 16 2-3 p.m.

Leslie said pandemic life hasn’t been overly exciting, though her club volleyball team has started practicing again. “We have been practicing two or three times a week,” she said. “We are going to be starting tournaments again. Before that I haven’t been doing anything because senior soccer season and the club volleyball season were cancelled. We were supposed to go to a few club volleyball qualifiers in Grand Rapids and Louisville. This summer, we have some tournaments planned over the next few weekends. They are little tournaments with all of the local clubs. Nothing large and really local. Other than that, I have been trying to work out a lot and stay in shape. I’ve been running a lot, so I got into that. I try and run every day.”

been cancelled due to the pandemic. “I will probably leave Aug. 10-11 because it’s a far drive,” she said. “We had Zoom call with the team recently and they said they should have an answer about our season in the next 7-10 days. They talked about three scenarios and what could happen like if we start the season and someone gets sick and we have to stop and go. That’s one of the reasons why they are looking at moving the season to the spring. Right now the plan is to have a season, but we won’t know until the next 7-10 days.”

assist, while Emily White made 11 saves in goal through those first three games.

“The team has improved at everything since the start of the season,” Timothy coach Nate Drye said. “We are constantly improving our ability to possess the ball. We have gotten better at getting the ball and moving it onto the next person. The more possession we have, the more we can build our attack. The girls are connecting better every day.” D rye has been particularly pleased with the efforts of Huizenga, Schilf and

Lauren Wiegers. “Hope has been the leader of our team since the start,” he said. “She plays the entire game with tremendous effort. She is a tireless worker who has also scored very timely goals for us. Lauren plays the defensive-mid spot for us and has covered our defense well. She has also been a great distributor of the ball.” Schilf, Drye explained, plays the 8 position (central midfielder) for the Trojans. “Mia has been key for our ball possession,” he said. “She

has great poise on the ball and continuously makes the right pass.”

U12 baseball action

Timothy has games scheduled this week against St. Edward, Woodstock Marian Central Catholic (Thursday at home; 4:30 p.m. start in the Timothy stadium) and Chesterton Academy out of Lisle on Saturday at home (10 a.m. start) in the Timothy stadium. “We are getting better every day and are excited to see where the team ends up at the end of the year,” Drye said.

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Leslie said she is scheduled to report to Le Moyne in the Aug. 1215 timeframe, but noted preseason volleyball activities already have

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(Continued from page 18)

Tuesday, April 16 7-8 p.m.

The Eastland Disaster

huge rah-rah person. I’m a little bit more of an individual players’ coach. I will pull kids to the side at practice and games and teach them.”

• Baseball

(Continued from page 16)

Stopka will teach Spanish at York. He taught Spanish and one math class at St. Pat’s. “My philosophy is I am more of a players’ coach,” he said. “I have been a big Liverpool soccer supporter ever since 2015 when Jurgen Klopp came over and he’s known as a players’ coach. He’s kind of my coaching idol. I want to related to the players and form bonds with them. am more light-hearted and smiling. I like to have fun and joke with the kids. The goal is understanding where each player can be successful and the provide the best way possible to convey the knowledge they need at the position they play. I am not big

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American mahjong: open play

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Stopka noted York has been doing conditioning drills and said the plan as of earlier last week was to start summer camp pending District 205 approval. “I have probably been able to meet 60 to 70 percent of the players so far,” he said. “If it does get approved that would be the start of our contact days with four days a week for three weeks straight. And even though the IHSA waived the blackout dates before the school year, we won’t take advantage of that. I’m pretty sure families have plans to do things before school starts. I’m the new guy and I’m not going to say you can’t go with your family. Go do it and enjoy it. This is a crazy and

ble and transparent and communicate with everybody.”

two bases. York took advantage of eight walks and four West errors. Longeran was the winning pitcher. He went the first four innings, allowing three hits and one earned run while striking out four. Jacob Perry pitched the final two innings and struck out five.

York then moved to 7-1 after an 11-1 six-inning win over Downers Grove South in a WSC crossover game. York had 13 hits. Gami, out of the leadoff spot, went 4-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, an RBI and drew a walk. Danko went 2-for3 with a run scored and four RBI.

But if all systems are a go, Leslie can’t wait to take her skills as a libero to the next level with the Dolphins. “I feel like being a libero you have to be really quick and that is typically what I am good at. I have really good reaction time,” she said. “I like diving on the floor and saving balls. It’s a really good feeling when you make a save. The position fits my personality, too. You have to be the loudest one on the court. I have a loud personality. You have to be pretty loud if you want to be a libero. I think I match that description.” proudly presents YORK HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER OF THE WEEK GIGI BARR YORK GIRLS

Owen Chael had a big day as well, going 3-for-4 with a run scored, a home run and four RBI. Nick Allen drew two walks.

Danko was the winning pitcher He struck out four in two innings. Hughes struck out six in three innings of work and Silkaitis fanned three in an inning. York pitchers combined to allow only five hits, no earned runs and struck out 13 Mustang batters.

As far as the future, Stopka wants York competing at a high level on a consistent basis. “The short-term goal is to restock and build up the team,” he said. “A large portion of last year’s team was seniors, especially the starting 11. We have to make sure the now juniors are up to the speed of the varsity level and are ready to contribute. We want to keep that pipeline going with the younger groups of players. We want to make sure we are not only competitive, but that we are competing for regionals, sectionals and supersectionals. It starts for me with this junior class that is coming in. We want them ready to go and setting the standard for these other classes that come in so they can also contribute right off

Fleming hit two home runs and drove in four runs to help the York baseball team to a 23-11 West Suburban Conference crossover victory against Addison Trail.

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.

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Elmhurst Independent

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

DuPage County Health Department urges residents to stay up to date with MMR vaccine to prevent measles

The DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) is reminding all residents to ensure they are up to date with their measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine to protect against measles due to recent cases in Chicago.

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection and remains a significant public health concern. The good news is that measles is almost entirely preventable through vaccination.

MMR vaccines are safe and highly effective, with two doses being 97 percent effective against measles (one dose is 93 percent effective).

When more than 95 percent of people in a community are vaccinated most people are protected through community immunity (herd immunity).

“We strongly encourage all residents to check their vaccination status and ensure they are protected and

have received the recommended doses of the MMR vaccine,” said Adam Forker, executive director, DuPage County Health Department. “Vaccination not only safeguards individual health but also helps to safeguard the health of our entire community by preventing outbreaks of measles.”

Measles can spread rapidly among individuals who are not vaccinated, particularly in settings where people gather closely, such as schools, childcare facilities, and public events. By staying up to date with vaccinations, residents can reduce the risk of measles transmission and protect themselves and others from the potentially severe complications of the disease.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health’s School Vaccination Dashboard, during the 2022-2023 school year, over 96 percent of school-aged children in DuPage County were protected against

measles. DCHD emphasizes the importance of timely vaccination for individuals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) schedule for MMR vaccination states children should receive their first dose of the MMR vaccine between ages 12-15 months and a second dose between ages 4-6 years.

Teenagers and adults with no evidence of immunity should get vaccinated as soon as possible. Many older adults have immunity against measles, since the majority of people born in the U.S. before 1957 are likely to have been infected naturally and therefore are presumed to be protected against measles, mumps, and rubella.

If you don’t have presumptive immunity and are unsure whether you’ve been vaccinated, you should first try to find your vaccination records. If you do not have written doc-

umentation of MMR vaccine, you should get vaccinated.

The MMR vaccine is safe, and there is no harm in getting another dose if you may already be immune to measles, mumps, or rubella. MMR vaccine is available at most clinics, medical provider’s offices, and pharmacies.

DCHD provides the MMR vac-

cine to eligible children through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program for children who do not have insurance, with insurance that does not cover immunizations, or children who are Medicaid eligible.

For more information about measles or the MMR vaccine, residents can visit the CDC website at www. cdc.gov/measles/index.html.

Cost of teaching degree followed by low pay, benefits, seen as obstacles

By Peter Hancock CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

Illinois continues to suffer from a shortage of teachers and other education professionals, although recent efforts by the state to ease the strain have made an impact.

That’s according to the latest annual survey of school officials from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools, which has been conducting the survey every year since 2017.

“This matters,” IARSS executive director Gary Tipsord said in an interview. “This is an issue that people care about. They think it is important, and they think it’s critical enough that it needs to be addressed.”

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This year ’s survey found more than 90 percent of schools responding reported having a “serious” or “very serious” teacher shortage problem.

That percentage has changed very little in the last several years, although the question has been asked in slightly different ways in earlier surveys. In 2021, for example, 88 percent of those responding said they had a “problem” with teacher shortages, a percentage that was unchanged from 2019.

Tipsord said the answers school officials give to that question reflect their broad perception of what’s happening in the labor market— their sense of whether colleges and universities are producing enough prospective teachers; their ability to hire qualified candidates to fill vacant positions; and whether the pool of candidates they pick from is larger or smaller than it was in the past.

But Tipsord said more fundamental changes need to be made to address the long-term issues facing the teaching profession.

“There are certain things that have been done to soften that immediacy of the burden today,” he said. “But I think if you talk to people in the field … there’s still a broad concern that unless we put some concrete things in place, this issue is going to remain pervasive for a longer period of time.”

Respondents to the survey reported filling a total of 3,694 teacher positions this year using “alternative measures,” such as hiring substitutes or retired educators, combining classes, and increasing class sizes, among other short-term

remedies, according to the report.

Overall, however, the report found that the supply of teachers is not keeping pace with the demand, and that there are not enough new teachers coming into the profession to replace those who are leaving.

The survey also found that teacher shortages are not distributed evenly throughout the state. They are most severe in urban districts and in more rural parts of the state, along with vocational centers around Illinois. The specialties with the most severe shortages were special education and career and technical education. Shortages were also reported in key categories of support personnel, including school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and nurses.

When asked to identify causes of teacher shortages, 54 percent of the school leaders responding cited burnout from working conditions as a cause of their teacher shortage. Another 49 percent cited the availability of better pay in other professions.

Tipsord said those findings point to a fundamental challenge facing the teaching profession – the cost and benefit of pursuing the career. He said when students in high school and college weigh the cost of earning a college degree against the salary they will earn after graduation and the retirement benefits they can accrue, the idea of pursuing a teaching degree becomes less attractive, especially when compared to other career options.

“I think across all areas of industry—education just being one—but in every area of industry today, because of the ability to live and work in two different places at the same time, your workforce views career differently,” he said. “They have the opportunity to look at career differently.”

The report concludes with several recommendations for long-term ways to address the teacher shortage. They include continuing to increase funding for public schools, creating new ways for school support staff to become classroom teachers, and focusing administrative support and financial resources on acute shortage areas.

“As we have said year after year, our shortages are the result of generations of factors that we cannot resolve immediately,” Tipsord said in a statement.

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The Umbrella Sky Project returns to Elmhurst City Centre

The public is invited to the Umbrella Sky Opening Day Party on April 27

The City of Elmhurst’s Public Arts Commission and Elmhurst City Centre have partnered to bring The Umbrella Sky Project back to the city in 2024.

“We are thrilled to be bringing one of the most famous and beautiful art installations in the world back to Elmhurst City Centre,” noted a release from Elmhurst City Centre.

According to that release, The Umbrella Sky Project was created by Impact.Plan in 2012, and began in Águeda, Portugal, with a dream to bring color and fantasy to cities across the world.

In the last decade, Impact.Plan has expanded The Umbrella Sky Project to over 170 international installations and have brought explosions of creativity and bursts of color to the streets of France, Japan, Spain, Norway, and more. Elmhurst is the sixth city in the USA to host the stunning display.

According to Elmhurst City Centre, Elmhurst’s 2024 displays will return to the same three locations as last year with new and unique displays. Over 300 brightly colored umbrellas will fill Schiller Court, at York and Schiller streets, beginning April 20. Another round of umbrellas, in a new color palette, will replace the first set in early July and remain in place through the Rock the Block Party in mid-September. Color Rain, a vibrant collection of multi-colored ribbons, will adorn the structure at 110 S. Cottage Hill near Elmhurst’s Art Museum, Public Library and Wilder Park. While striking and photogenic when the ribbons are still, the wind greatly enhances the beauty of this display. Color Rain will turn colors in mid-July and the new display will be in place through September.

The world premiere of Layers will be displayed at the North York

The Umbrella Sky Project is returning to Elmhurst this year. This year’s displays will return to the same three locations as last year. Beginning on April 20, more than 300 colored umbrellas will fill Schiller Court at York and Schiller streets. Starting in late April, waves of fabric will hang overhead at the North York Stage at 254 N. York. Additionally, a display of multi-colored ribbons will adorn the structure at 110 S. Cottage Hill. The public is invited to the Umbrella Sky Opening Day Party, which will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. at the City Centre Fountain Plaza at York and Schiller streets.

Stage at 254 N. York. Waves of fabric will hang overhead beginning in late April. Like the other installations, a second display will be installed in mid-July and remain in place through September. The

North York Stage is home to the Wednesday Nights Live Music Series held every Wednesday evening from June 5 through August 7.

The public is invited to the Umbrella Sky Opening Day Party on

Saturday, April 27, from 4 to 7 p.m.

The party, which will celebrate the official opening of Umbrella Sky Elmhurst 2024, will be held at the corner of York and Schiller streets at the City Centre Fountain Plaza.

The party will feature live music from the Sam Fazio Band. Beer and wine will be sold to be enjoyed on the street.

For more information, visit elmhurstcitycentre.com.

Court upholds law limiting where child sex offenders can live

Kane County man was ordered to move after first being told he could buy home

By Peter Hancock CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

The Illinois Supreme Court has ruled that a state law restricting where previously convicted child sex offenders can live is constitutional, although it left open the possibility that it was improperly applied to one individual.

In a 6-0 decision, the court found the residency restriction “does not infringe upon a child sex offender’s fundamental rights” and that there was a “rational basis” for the state to restrict where a person convicted of such a crime can live.

“The legislature has a legitimate interest in protecting children from neighboring child sex offenders and sexual predators,” the court said in an opinion written by Justice David Overstreet.

“The Residency Restriction bears a reasonable relationship to furthering the State’s public interest in protecting children by creating a buffer

between a child day care home and the home of a child sex offender to protect children from the harm for which child sex offenders have been convicted.”

The case involved Martin Kopf, a Kane County resident, now in his 50s, who was convicted in 2003 of aggravated criminal sexual abuse for an incident involving a 15-year-old boy. According to a published report of the incident, Kopf was a high school basketball coach at the time and sexually abused a member of his team during a sleepover at which he allegedly served the boy alcohol.

Kopf served three years’ probation and reportedly has not reoffended since that incident. But he is permanently required to register as a sex offender, which, among other things, entails legal restrictions on where he is allowed to live.

In 2018, Kopf and his wife bought a home in the village of Hampshire, in Kane County. But before doing

so, they checked with both the Illinois State Police and the Hampshire Police Department to make sure it complied with his residency restrictions. Records indicate both agencies told him that it did.

Three months after moving in, however, they were told a day care facility was located within 500 feet of their home—a violation of the state’s residency restrictions—and, as a result, they would have to move.

Kopf, who represented himself in court proceedings, challenged the law as unconstitutional, and in 2021, Kane County Circuit Judge Kevin Busch agreed. Busch wrote the law was both unconstitutional “on its face,” meaning it would violate constitutional rights under any circumstances, and “as applied” to Kopf.

But in an opinion released March 21, the Illinois high court disagreed, overturning Busch’s ruling that the law was facially unconstitutional, and saying there was no factual evi-

dence in the record to support a finding that it was unconstitutional “as applied” in Kopf’s case.

The court therefore sent the case back to Kane County for the sole purpose of determining whether there was evidence to find the law unconstitutional “as applied” to Kopf.

Courts generally use one of two standards in deciding whether a law is constitutional. In cases involving a “fundamental right,” the standard of “strict scrutiny” applies, meaning the government has to show the law serves a compelling state interest and that it is narrowly tailored to achieve that interest.

But in cases involving rights that are less than fundamental, courts use a “rational basis test,” meaning the government only has to show a rational connection between the law’s means and its goals.

Citing language first coined by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ben-

jamin Cardozo in a famous 1937 opinion, the state’s high court said the right to live where one pleases is not “fundamental” because it “is not ‘deeply rooted in this Nation’s history and tradition’ or ‘implicit in the concept of ordered liberty’ such that ‘neither liberty nor justice would exist if [it] were sacrificed.’”

Therefore, the court said, the state only needed to show a rational basis for residency restrictions.

Kane County Judge Busch said the restrictions failed the rational basis test, citing studies that have shown there is little or no evidence to suggest such restrictions reduce the chance of someone reoffending.

But in its March 21 ruling, the Supreme Court reversed that decision, saying such studies don’t matter because the legislature’s judgment in drafting a statute “may be based on rational speculation unsupported by evidence or empirical data and are not subject to judicial factfinding.”

SUBMITTED PHOTOS Elmhurst Independent

• Indicators

(Continued from page 10)

you talk about inflation getting under control, so if they were to lower interest rates, people would potentially be more inclined to sell their houses, if they could secure a lower interest rate on the next one. But if they lower the interest rates, that’s going to spike the demand for housing. How do you get housing inflation under control in that scenario?”

John R. Quigley, president and CEO of the Elmhurst Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ECCI), had this to say:

“I thought it was really important that he noted nearly every economist in the U.S. predicted a recession in

2023, even though 2022 wasn’t too bad, when the 2023 GDP growth exceeded the norms, especially in the last quarter,” Quigley said. “Well, so much for all those expert opinions. It related to the post-COVID economy in which normal financial formulas such as supply and demand, rising interest rates, etc. In a post-COVID economy, that all goes out the window.

“Rarely do you see a time when inflation goes up, interest rates go up, yet jobs are good, salaries are going up and unemployment rates are low,” he continued. “In historical perspectives, one of those can happen, but not all—but that’s what we’re seeing, especially in

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Wednesday, April 17 6-7 p.m.

Protect Your Piggy Bank

Staff from Weiss Financial Ratings provides a deep dive into the functionality of the database and teaches us how to create an account, set up a watchlist for your bank, insurance company, stocks and mutual funds, how to create research tools and run a Medigap report. Live in-person. Registration required.

Wednesday, April 17 7-8 p.m.

Rain Barrels, Rain Gardens, and Water Issues Conservation Foundation representative Jim Kleinwachter explains how to conserve water and what we can do to keep water local and clean. Then, learn about rain gardens, but-

LEGAL NOTICE

terfly gardens, and how to use native plants to solve common yard problems and create an eco-friendly yard. Live in-person and on Zoom. Registration required.

Thursday, April 18 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Genealogy: Midwest Archives and Repositories

The Midwest is blessed with a series of top-notch repositories, museums, and archives. Genealogist Tina Beaird highlights some materials available and the best places to research your Midwestern ancestors. Live in-person and on Zoom. Registration required.

Friday, April 19 2-4 p.m.

Friday Features: War Horse

Enjoy an afternoon at the movies. Find each week’s featured film at elmlib.org/Friday. No registration required.

Chicago. The fact that housing interest rates are up for home loans, that usually means home prices go down—but out here [in the western suburbs], they’ve gone up. It’s going to cost more to get a mortgage. Home sales are strong; if mortgage rates are up, that should slow them, but they’re all growing.”

In another example, Quigley noted that when interest rates are high, businesses tend to hunker down and ride it out, but businesses are still investing and expanding despite higher interest rates.

He also commented on the speakers’ mention of a boom in entrepreneurship, which started around 201617 even before the pandemic. Many of the people who had to work from home during COVID-19 decided to start their own businesses.

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

NEW LOCATION ~ 101 ANNIVERSARY

Monday, April 15th-Tuesday, April 30th

Factory and Warehouse Hours: Monday to Friday 7 am to 1 pm and by appointment

Dear Esteemed Clients

We are still in business after 101 years, We welcome you all to our grand re-opening as we moved into my nephew and Godson’s “State of the Art” furniture manufacturing factory at 2150 Madison Street, Bellwood. It’s good to be back in Bellwood! If you want thousands of items made they can certainly do it for you with extreme precision. If you need refinishing, repairs, or reupholstering we are still here to serve you! We also continue our amazing and highly recommended restoration of church pews in any of your places of worship. We have sold all of our carved wood upholstered living room sets and bedroom sets. However we still have our original complete dining room sets as well as living room coffee and end table sets at liquidation pricing along with our Capdimonte ceterpieces and giftware. Our main goal is to liquidate the balance of our inventory and focus on refinishing, repairs, reupholstery and complete furniture restoration.

We truly hope to see you soon and say hello! All our best from the new expanded Montalbano family!

Best,

THE MONTALBANO FAMILY

P.S. We are located 3 blocks east of 25th Avenue and 2 blocks south of Washington Blvd.

The entrance to the parking lot is by the large rock sign

“Welcome to Bellwood”

MONTALBANO, INC.

2150 Madison Street

Bellwood, IL 60104 USA

Phone: (708) 409-5100

website: www.montalbanofurniture.com

e-mail: info@montalbanofurniture.com

• Furniture

• Refinishing

• Reupholstering

• Repairs

• Restored Antiques