VPR011223

Play at the plate

The Brennan Trio contributes to Willowbrook’s art show

Graduation day at Willowbrook

Freshman Lindsey Rugg of the Willowbrook softball team is pictured while attempting to score a run during Friday’s game at Downers Grove South. Rugg tried to score from second base on a single by sophomore Katelyn Cox in the top of the second inning, when the game was tied at 2-2. Downers Grove South’s catcher tagged Rugg out at home plate for the third out of the inning. The Mustangs went on to defeat the Warriors 7-3 in the West Suburban Gold Conference contest. Wil-

About 15 years ago, Villa Park’s Funky Java Coffee House (located at 40 S. Villa Ave.) began a December tradition of displaying pieces created by Willowbrook High School art students. The December art show was canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it returned in 2022. The Brennan sisters of Villa Park provided live music during the opening reception for last month’s

Willowbrook High School’s Class of 2021 celebrated its commencement with two separate ceremonies in the school’s main gymnasium on Sunday morning. The entire class includes over 470 students. About half of those students attended the

InsIde:

art show at the coffee house. Pictured left to right are Maggie, Claire and Molly Brennan. Molly is a senior at Willowbrook, while Maggie is a sophomore. Claire is an eighth-grader at Jackson Middle School. The 2022 art show featured about 100 pieces of a variety of art mediums, including painting, ceramics, sculpture, graphic design and digital art.

lowbrook rebounded from Friday’s loss to post an 11-2 win in Saturday’s game at Hinsdale Central. The Warriors bashed three home runs in the second inning of Saturday’s non-conference battle against the Red Devils of the West Suburban Silver Conference. Senior Annemarie Knudtson, freshman Isabella Dugo and sophomore Kayleigh Dennison provided the home runs. Dennison (No. 5) is pictured in the background of the above photo. For more about the Warriors, see page 14.

Arbor Day in Villa Park

ceremony that began at 9 a.m. The others participated in the ceremony that started at 11 a.m. The photo shows members of the Willowbrook Senior Choir performing during the day’s first service. For more photos, see Page 4.

Memorial Day in Villa Park

The

year’s observance included a

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the post’s

judge sets trial date for State

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member of the Villa Park Environmental Concerns Commission, Villa Park Village Trustee Cheryl Tucker, Villa Park Village President Albert Bulthuis, Villa Park Village Trustee (and Village President-Elect) Nick Cuzzone and Leslie Allison-Seei—chair of the Villa Park Community Pride Commission. Arbor Day is observed on the last Friday of each April. The National Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Villa Park with Tree City USA designation for 36 straight years. To receive that recognition, a community must have a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, a comprehensive community forestry program and an Arbor Day observance. Federal

Sen. Tom Cullerton--Page

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review

Villa Park Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2801 held its Memorial Day service on Monday morning at Cortesi Veterans Memorial Park. Post Commander Jim Blankshain is pictured bowing his head as Willowbrook High School students Lily Hendrickson and Anna Seelbach sound taps at the end of the ceremony.

post’s 2020 Memorial Day event was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This

reading of the names of the Post 2801 members who have recently died.

list included World War II veteran Charles “Sid” Bergh, who served as the master of ceremonies of

annual Memorial Day service for several years. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Bergh died in

was 94 years old. Bergh was the post’s last surviving World War II veteran.

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review

Viewpoint

Slices of life

Happy New Year, happy today

The New Year—January as a month—is a time for reflection. To assess our progress in life: where we were, where we are and where we are going.

I’ve learned, in a hard way, that where I was—the past—and where I’m going—the future—don’t hold much mettle. The place to be is here, right now. It’s all I’ve got. It’s all any of us has.

It was in this thought that I recently changed my Facebook cover photo.

I’d had the same picture for two years. It was a nice photo.

I had the one before this one for maybe five years. I don’t really like changing my photo, because change is hard. Plus, each change only makes me look older.

As stated, the photo I recently swapped out was nice. (Because no one posts an ugly one.) It was of my husband and me, on a ride at Mickey’s favorite place. We were both smiling. I was looking back, probably at our kids who were riding in the Dumbo car behind ours. It was a really happy, in-the-moment shot.

I’d had the photo as my mainstay for two years mostly because it was a moment in time when my husband I were truly happy, and who doesn’t want remember that—much less project it upon the world at large?

It worked for me for two years, until one evening I looked at that picture and saw something I hadn’t really noticed or registered before. In the photo I was, quite literally, looking back.

Suddenly, the Dumbo ride from 2018 took on new meaning for me. In an instant, I saw it with new eyes. I was looking back. And I realized I no longer wanted to do that.

I no longer needed to do that.

My past was wonderful. I’ve had a magnificently fortunate life. And this is not to say that I can’t look back occasionally or even frequently, but it shouldn’t be my mainstay photomy mainstay stance in life. I hope I always look back at times and in some regards.

By JILL PERTLER Columnist

Just as I hope I always look forward to the future.

But I can’t properly prosper and grow and flourish in the looking backward. It can give me perspective and memories, but I don’t want it to be the focus of my life.

That evening, when I saw the photo as if for the first time, I realized it was time to turn my face forward and focus on the now.

Not behind, which is no more. Not ahead, which is yet to be. But now; what I have. The only time I have, really. Just. Right. Now.

How simple is that?

How hard is that?

Come January every year, we are challenged to see things anew. To set goals. Instead, I challenge us to live in the now. Not to worry about our failed marriage or failed job or why that friend never calls or next Wednesday or the upcoming dentist appointment or when we might be able to lose those 20 extra pounds or pay off the mortgage or get that new puppy or buy that new car or the price of gas or milk or any of the myriad things we can think of from the past or the future that could occupy our thoughts today.

Today focus on today. The best you can be today. The best you can do today. Right here, right now.

Tomorrow will come. And it will be today and then you can do it all over again with the next tomorrow that comes your way.

If you are lucky

All the best in 2023, but most especially all the best to you today.

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.

Fairness being added to Illinois’ justice system despite efforts to prevent progress

By Ben Ruddell ACLU OF ILLINOIS STAFF ATTORNEY

After years of work and deliberations— and a lastminute hiccup from a court ruling—Illinois is poised at last to implement the Pretrial Fairness Act, ending money bond across our state. This historic step eliminates the practice of jailing people accused of a crime simply because they cannot afford to pay a money bond.

Opponents of ending money bond spent millions during the election campaign on desperate television advertisements aimed at spreading misinformation and stoking fear and confusion about the new law. Despite those millions of ad dollars and widespread media coverage, voters rejected the lies. After the election, legislators expressed further support for the law, resisting calls to repeal or water it down, and instead enacting revisions designed to ensure its effective implementation.

Just days before the law’s effective date, a judge in Kankakee County added to the sense of confusion and chaos when he declared the law to be unconstitutional.

While the Kankakee court’s ruling is a setback, let’s be clear: This latest desperate attempt by

recalcitrant system actors to resist this long overdue reform is not going to stop the end of money bond. Attorney General Kwame Raoul is acting swiftly to appeal the ruling to the Illinois Supreme Court, and well-established legal precedents make it very likely that the court will ultimately overturn the Kankakee court’s ruling and uphold the law’s constitutionality.

In the nearly two years since the Pretrial Fairness Act was passed, some prosecutors have been tireless in their attempts to undermine the new law in the legislature, in the media, and in the courts. These efforts have never been about justice or public safety; they are simply about preserving a system under which people are routinely jailed simply because they cannot afford to pay an arbitrary sum of money—not because their release would endanger others or create any risk that they would flee from prosecution.

Sadly, all the politics around the effort to defeat ending money bond obscures two critical points. First, the failed money bond system always has allowed people accused of crime to be released even if they pose a threat to others.

These people just had to have the resources to afford bail. So, when we hear about people accused of a crime being released from pretrial detention, that is not new. It has been part of the system for decades.

But the campaign against ending money bond has really been about denying justice to people accused of crimes, to treat them as guilty before any court has adjudicated the charge. For generations, thousands of people from Illinois’ most marginalized communities have been held pretrial—sometimes for lengthy periods of time—because they did not have the money to buy their freedom.

While they languished in a county jail—perhaps being innocent of the charges against them—these individuals lost their jobs, housing, and even the custody of their children. Where is the justice in this system?

Each day that implementation of the Pretrial Fairness Act is delayed continues to perpetuate these harms, undermining the safety and stability of our communities. That is right— this system actually undermines public safety.

When all is said and done, we expect that the law will be vindicated and money bond will be abolished in every county across Illinois, ringing in a new era of fairness in Illinois’ criminal court system. While the efforts to debase the law will not abate, we know that a system that is supposedly based on “justice” must treat people in a just fashion. That process is beginning in Illinois.

Ben Ruddell is a staff attorney for ACLU of Illinois in Chicago

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Lawmakers advance state government pay raises, Pritzker’s ‘closing fund’

Raises for constitutional officers needed signature before Monday’s inauguration

By Jerry Nowicki CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

Officials at the highest levels of state government appear set to receive substantial pay raises this month after the House and Senate passed a budget bill that would also advance a $400 million business incentive fund proposal pushed by Gov. JB Pritzker.

Under the bill, lawmaker salaries would increase to $85,000 annually, up from just over $73,345—a nearly 16 percent increase to their base salary. Lawmakers also receive per diem reimbursements and stipends for leadership positions. Additionally, the measure would add new leadership positions within any caucus that maintains a supermajority – which Democrats currently do—that are eligible for stipends.

The state’s constitutional officers are also slated to receive raises under the bill, creating a frantic timeline for lawmakers in the General Assembly to send the bill to the governor to sign before 11:30 a.m. Monday, when those officers were scheduled to be sworn in to their new terms.

Shortly after the measure was filed Friday night, Jan. 7, Democrats pushed the measure through the Illinois House over Republican objections. It received a Senate committee hearing late Sunday afternoon before being approved by the full chamber later in the evening, readying it for Pritzker’s signature.

Under the pay schedules outlined in the bill, salaries of the lieutenant governor, comptroller and treasurer would increase from $143,400 to $160,900; and the attorney general’s and secretary of state’s from $165,400 to $183,300.

Pritzker told the Associated Press Saturday that the idea for cabinet pay raises originated with him as an effort to retain top talent and make Illinois’ salaries commensurate with other large states. Lawmakers, he also told the outlet, maintain the authority to determine their own salaries.

Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, reiterated that the raises were meant to help Illinois attract “the best and the brightest.”

“I would love for all of us to be able to be millionaires and billionaires, I would love for all of us to be able to be wealthy,” Sims said. “That’s just not the case.”

The governor’s pay would increase to $205,700 from $181,670, although Pritzker, who has a net worth exceeding $3 billion, does not take a salary.

Top state agency directors and some of their deputies will also receive raises for their terms that begin anew this week. That includes a salary of at least $200,000 for Department of Children and Family Services director Marc Smith, up from $182,300.

Several other agency heads, including that of the Department of Corrections (to $200,000), Department of Agriculture (to $180,000) and the Department on Aging (to $165,000), would also see raises. The raises generally range from 10 to 15 percent, and the governor would have the authority to up those salaries under the measure. The agency salaries would also be subject to increase at the rate of inflation.

Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, faulted the measure for including the automatic raises, calling it “bad policy.” He noted that lawmakers already effectively received a 2.4 percent pay

Police release holiday enforcement numbers

The Villa Park Police Department partnered with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and law enforcement across the state for the holiday “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign. From Dec. 16 through Jan. 2, the Villa Park Police Department showed zero tolerance for impaired driving, arresting two offenders.

“We can’t stress this enough: Impaired driving is illegal, potentially deadly behavior, and it puts the driver, passengers and all road users at risk,” said Villa Park Sgt. James Cihak. “The ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign helps our law enforcement officers address this problem head on. If you use any impairing substance, do not get behind the wheel of a vehicle.”

The Villa Park Police Department

ramped up its usual enforcement efforts during the recent campaign. In addition to arresting two subjects for impaired driving, police arrested one subject for driving with a suspended license.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System, in 2020, a total of 11,654 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes involving an alcohol-impaired driver.

On average, more than 10,000 people were killed each year from 2016 to 2020, with one person killed in an alcohol-related crash every 45 minutes in 2020.

The holiday enforcement campaign was administered by IDOT with federal highway safety funds managed by NHTSA.

bump in July, as Democrats declined to negate the automatic cost-of-living increase laid out by state law.

“If I took a poll of my current district … and said, ‘How many folks in my district got a 20 percent pay raise in six months?’ there wouldn’t be a single hand,” Rose said. “And that’s all I gotta say about this.”

The wide-ranging spending bill also allows for the transfer of $850 million to the state’s “rainy day” fund to buoy its balance, currently at its highest-ever levels.

And it allows for the transfer of $400 million to a “large business attraction fund” backed by Pritzker. The governor has floated such a “closing fund” as one that would keep Illinois competitive with its neighbors in trying to lure new businesses, such as electric vehicle-related companies, to Illinois.

House Majority Leader Greg Harris said last week that the fund would need to be further defined in law before any of the money could be spent.

The measure was contained in Senate Bill 1720.

It was heard in a Senate appropria-

tions committee with an amendment to Senate Bill 969, which would contain a broader appropriations bill. Sims said the proposed supplemental spending plan for the current year includes an additional $520 million in general revenue fund appropriations, along with $3.6 billion in other state funds and $70.8 million in federal funds.

The general revenue spending was largely made possible by better-than-expected tax revenues which have continued to surpass state agencies’ budget estimates throughout the fiscal year.

SB 969 still needs approval from both chambers of the General Assembly. The last day for substantial action until new lawmakers are sworn in for the 103rd General Assembly was Tuesday.

Other measures that still were to be considered include a ban on high-powered weapons and a broad bill that requires insurance coverage of abortion and gender-affirming care medications, along with elements aimed at growing Illinois’ reproductive health care workforce.

Fire department Lieutenant honored

Lieutenant Ron Brezezowski of the Villa Park Fire Department was honored at a recent Villa Park Village Board meeting. Brezezowski received an award for his life-saving actions while he was on vacation and attending his daughter’s soccer tournament. While out to dinner with his daughter outside of St. Louis, Brezezowski recognized that one of the girls on the soccer team was choking. He immediately sprang into action. Brezezowski performed the Heimlich maneuver and was able to clear the obstruction. Brezezowski is shown while he was recognized at the recent village board meeting. Pictured in the background

Villa Park Interim Fire Chief Steve Stapleton.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing

is

Warriors start 2023 with two conference wins Team moves to 10-8 overall, 5-2 in WSGC action

STAFF REPORT

The Willowbrook girls basketball team began the new year with a pair of West Suburban Gold Conference victories.

Playing their first game of 2023, the Warriors earned a 53-28 conference victory over Leyden on Friday in Villa Park. One day later, Willowbrook defeated Proviso East 39-29 in a conference game in Maywood.

The Warriors improved to 10-8 overall and 5-2 in conference play with last week’s wins over Leyden and Proviso East.

Willowbrook’s season continues with this Saturday’s game against Plainfield North at the 33rd Annual Coach Kipp Hoopfest at Montini Catholic High School.

Willowbrook led Leyden 21-6 through one quarter of Friday’s conference game. The Eagles trimmed the Warriors’ lead to 28-17 by halftime. Willowbrook extended its lead to 40-24 by the end of the third quarter.

Junior Elle Bruschuk provided a team-leading 15 points for the Warriors in Friday’s win over Leyden.

Bruschuk, who scored nine of her points in the first quarter, pulled down a team-high 11 rebounds during the game. She also handed out a team-leading seven assists.

Senior Yazmin Setaram made three 3-point shots and scored 13 points in Willowbrook’s win over the Eagles. Senior Sara Stout contributed 10 points and nine rebounds. Senior Rimon Kari, who made a pair of shots from 3-point range, supplied 10 points. Senior Nina Nytko added five points.

Willowbrook led Proviso East 12-8 after one quarter of Saturday’s conference game. The Warriors held a 21-15 halftime lead. Willowbrook’s lead grew to 30-19 by the end of the third quarter.

Nytko made three 3-point shots and scored a team-high 14 points for the Warriors in Saturday’s win over the Pirates. Kari provided eight points, while Bruschuk delivered six points and 10 rebounds. Stout scored four points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Setaram added four points, while junior Kalina Henry scored three points.

Willowbrook’s girls basketball team kicked off the new year by winning a pair of West Suburban Gold Conference games over the weekend. The Warriors defeated Leyden 53-28 in Friday’s conference game in Villa Park. Willowbrook then beat Proviso East 39-29 in Saturday’s conference contest in Maywood.

The Warriors moved to 10-8 overall and 5-2 in conference action following Saturday’s victory. One photo from Friday’s win over the Eagles shows junior Elle Bruschuk (No. 33 - above left), who scored 15 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the game. Another photo from Friday’s game shows senior Yazmin Setaram (No. 4 - above right), who sank three 3-point shots and provided 13 points.

An up and down weekend for the Warriors

Willowbrook’s boys basketball team played a pair of road games over the weekend. The Warriors suffered a 70-67 overtime loss in Friday night’s West Suburban Gold Conference game at Leyden. One day later, Willowbrook earned a 70-60 non-conference win at Proviso West. The Warriors improved their overall season record to 4-11 with Saturday’s win. Senior Noah Campbell (No. 25 - above) scored 18 points for Willowbrook in Friday’s loss to the Eagles. He provided 23 points in Saturday’s win. Senior Isaac Sobieszczyk (No. 15 - right) delivered 12 points and eight rebounds in Friday’s game. He scored 13 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in Saturday’s victory over Proviso West. The Warriors are pictured during their final game of 2022—a 65-61 win over Morton at the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic on Dec. 29.

STAFF REPORT

The Willowbrook boys basketball team fell to 3-11 overall and 0-3 in West Suburban Gold Conference play following Friday night’s 70-67 overtime loss at Leyden.

The Warriors bounced back from Friday’s loss to post a 70-60 non-conference win at Proviso West on Saturday afternoon in Hillside. Willowbrook, which moved to 4-11 overall with the win, has won three of its last five games. The Warriors closed 2022 by winning their last two games at the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic, which concluded on Dec. 29.

Willowbrook’s season continues with this Friday’s conference home game against Proviso East.

The Warriors trailed Leyden 1612 through one quarter of Friday’s conference battle. The Eagles extended their lead to 34-25 by halftime. Leyden held a 39-25 lead early in the third quarter, but Willowbrook unleashed a 19-6 run to close the quarter, cutting the Eagles’ lead to 45-44. The two teams were deadlocked at 59-59 at the end of regula-

tion. Willowbrook missed a shot just before the buzzer sounded at the end of the fourth quarter.

The Warriors led by as many as six points early in the four-minute overtime period, but Leyden rallied to pull out the victory.

Senior Noah Campbell scored a team-leading 18 points for Willowbrook in Friday’s overtime loss. Campbell made a pair of shots from 3-point range. He also pulled down seven rebounds.

Senior Jaylin Brown, who also made a pair of 3-point baskets, provided 14 points for the Warriors in Friday’s game. Senior Isaac Sobieszczyk supplied 12 points and eight rebounds. Senior Luke Davis added nine points. Senior Jimmy Degnan, who connected on two shots from 3-point range, contributed eight points. Senior Joey Tumilty added six points.

The Warriors led Proviso West 15-14 after one quarter of Saturday afternoon’s contest. Willowbrook outscored the Panthers 21-10 in the second quarter to take a 36-24 halftime lead. The Warriors owned a 53-

42 advantage at the end of the third quarter.

Campbell poured in a team-leading 23 points in Saturday’s victory. He made 10 baskets, including one shot from behind the 3-point line, and converted two of three free-throw attempts. Campbell also snared eight rebounds in the win.

Davis, who made two baskets from 3-point range, supplied 14 points. He also contributed seven rebounds. Sobieszczyk scored 13 points and piled up a team-high 17 rebounds. Degnan and Tumilty delivered 10 and six points, respectively. Brown added four points.

Willowbrook head coach Chris Perkins became the program’s alltime leader in victories with Saturday’s win. A 2004 Willowbrook graduate and a standout player with the Warriors, Perkins earned his 153rd victory as the program’s head coach with Saturday’s triumph. John Hamann, who coached the Warriors for 12 seasons (through the 1983-84 campaign), earned 152 wins. Perkins began coaching the Warriors in the 2011-12 season.

CHRIS FOX FILE PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing

CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing

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

Addison

Jan. 1

Leobardo Leon Catalan, 61, of Glendale Heights, was charged with two counts of DUI near Army Trail and Highview at 11:24 p.m.

David Gibson, 48, of Chicago, was charged with DUI and police said Gibson had a failure to appear warrant for driving while license suspended near Lake and Lombard

at 4:47 a.m.

Joseph E. Mc Kinnis, 31, of Addison, was charged with DUI near North and Chestnut at 3:10 a.m.

Doroteo Samaniego Morga, 46, of Addison, was charged with aggravated DUI and no driver’s license in the 1-100 block of N. Addison at 3:35 p.m.

Luis F. Soriano-Calderon, 19, of Chicago, was charged with DUI near Fullerton and Church at 5:47 a.m.

Dec. 31

Mushub Arab, 21, of Glendale Heights, was charged with two counts of DUI near Oak and Chestnut at 4:07 a.m.

Luis A. Garcia Lopez, 20, of Villa Park, was charged two counts of DUI near Dale and Hale at 2:38 a.m.

Dec. 30

A 59-year-old Addison man was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 600 block of W. Diversey at 9:20 p.m.

Dec. 28

Bryan Cuazitl Tlahuetl, 20, of Addison, was charged with two counts of DUI near Westwood Trail and 8th at 12:29 a.m.

Jose Gomez-Lopez, 22, of Addison, was charged with criminal damage to property in the 600 block of S. Iowa at 6:01 p.m.

A 32-year-old Addison man was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 600 block of N. Lincoln at 9:09 p.m.

Villa Park Dec. 31

Taregh Berenji, 28, of Batavia, was charged with aggravated assault/use of a deadly weapon and disorderly conduct/breach of the peace at a shopping center in the

200 block of W. North at 5:09 p.m.

Police said Jeremiah M. Jackson, 21, of Chicago, was arrested on an original complaint and warrant in the 1-100 block of W. Roosevelt for criminal damage to property for an alleged incident that occurred March 11, 2022.

Dec. 29

Zalatiel Avelar-Bahena, 66, of Addison, was charged with two counts of DUI, driving too fast for conditions or failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident in the 900 block of N. Addison at 11:16 p.m.

Police said Maria Ramos Robles, 37, of Villa Park, was arrested on two Failure to Appear warrants out of DuPage County in the 200 block of W. St. Charles at 1:53 p.m.

Retail theft was reported at a store in the 900 block of S. Route 83 at 3:09 p.m. A complainant reported that an unknown suspect(s) removed items from display shelves and left the store without paying.

A complainant in the 1400 block of S. Villa reported at 5:30 p.m. that an unknown suspect removed construction horses they had on their driveway.

Dec. 27

Jade E. Almodovar, 18, of Chicago, was charged with possession of a controlled substance/other drug/ any amount, resisting or obstructing a police officer, criminal trespass to vehicles and unlawful possession of cannabis by a passenger near Summit and Roosevelt at 7:31 p.m.

Elio W. Esquivel, 22, of Chicago, was charged with receiving, possessing or selling a stolen vehicle, resisting or obstructing a police officer, unlawful possession of cannabis by a driver and driving while license suspended near Summit and Roosevelt at 7:31 p.m.

LEGAL NOTICES

Dec. 26

Corina M. Kachiroubas, 28, of Villa Park, was charged with DUI, improper lane usage, no insurance and operating a vehicle when registration was suspended for no insurance in the 200 block of E. Roosevelt at 11:49 p.m.

Police said Jose A. Santiago, 22, of Villa Park, was arrested on a Failure to Appear warrant out of DuPage County

A complainant at a restaurant in the 600 block of W. North reported at 4:48 p.m. that subjects were causing a disturbance in the drive-thru line. Officers spoke with subjects, and they were issued no-trespass notices.

A 41-year-old Villa Park man was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 400 block of S. Yale at 6:28 p.m.

A complainant in the 400 block of W. Division reported at 10:10 p.m. they located shell casings in the parking lot.

Dec. 25

A 34-year-old Bellwood man was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 300 block of E. Elm at 8:14 p.m.

Dec. 22

A complainant at a fitness center in the 300 block of W. North reported at 1:52 p.m. that an unknown suspect shattered a rear-passenger window of a vehicle parked in the lot and removed multiple belonging from inside the vehicle.

Fraud, identity theft

According to information provided last week by the Villa Park Police Department, police reported one incident of residents being a victim of fraud or identity theft.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE 18TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT DUPAGE COUNTY - WHEATON, ILLINOIS RESIDENTIAL Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC PLAINTIFF Vs. Monica J. Komperda; et. al. DEFENDANTS No. 2022FC000510

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE OF REAL ESTATE

Improved with Residential COMMONLY KNOWN AS: 208 S. Myrtle Avenue Villa Park, IL 60181

shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney.

Stolper Insurance Agency Inc

Brian D Stolper, President

447 N York Street Elmhurst, IL 60126

Bus: 630-832-0182

Get great rates and a good neighbor. Call me today.

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®

Individual premiums and budgets will vary by customer. All applicants subject to State Farm® underwriting requirements.

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 10/05/2022, James Mendrick, the Sheriff of DuPage County, Illinois will on February 14, 2023 at the hour of 10:00 AM at Dupage County Sheriff’s Office 501 North County Farm Road Wheaton, IL 60187, or in a place otherwise designated at the time of sale, County of DuPage and State of Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described real estate: LOT 22 IN CALHOUN’S ADDITION TO VILLA PARK, BEING A SUBDIVISION IN THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 10, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 11, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED JUNE 17, 1910 AS DOCUMENT 100980, IN DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS. PIN 06-10-114-011

Sale terms: 10% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the auction; The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

If the property is a condominium and the foreclosure takes place after 1/1/2007, purchasers other than the mortgagees will be required to pay any assessment and legal fees due under The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4).

If the property is located in a common interest community, purchasers other than mortgagees will be required to pay any assessment and legal fees due under the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser shall receive a Certificate of Sale, which will entitle the purchaser to a Deed to the real estate after Confirmation of the sale. The successful purchaser has the sole responsibility/expense of evicting any tenants or other individuals presently in possession of the subject premises.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and Plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the Court file to verify all information.

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.

For information: Examine the court file or contact Plaintiff’s attorney: Codilis & Associates, P.C., 15W030 North Frontage Road, Suite 100, Burr Ridge, IL 60527, (630) 794-9876. Please refer to file number 14-22-05262.

I3210076

(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Jan. 5, 12 & 19, 2023)

DuPAGE DESTINATIONS

Addison-Villa Park-Bensenville happenings

Addison Park District

Ladies night wine and golf

On select Wednesdays through the winter months (next date is Jan. 25) from 7:30-9 p.m., ladies are invited to get together with friends at the Golf Dome, next to Links & Tees golf course at 900 W. Lake St. in Addison. While the course is closed for the season, the Golf Dome remains open. Enjoy 90 minutes of practice time, short game practice with a certified coach, light snacks, a glass of wine or bottled water. Pre-registration is not required, but participation is on a first-come, first-served basis and there is a limit of 20 participants. The fee is $40. Info: addisonparks.org.

Villa Park Parks and Rec

Adult programs

Active adults 18-and-over are invited to the Iowa Community Center for Pizza & Puzzles

on Friday, Jan. 6 from 10 a.m. to noon. Enjoy working an old-fashioned 300-piece jigsaw puzzle with friends and win prizes for your efforts. Pizza and soda pop will be served at 12 noon. Fee is $10 payable at the door.

Then come out for “Let’s Do Lunch” from 12-1:30 p.m. on Thursdays, when we support local businesses while socializing. Lunch will be pre-ordered from a set menu that is catered in from local restaurants. The restaurant choice each month will be chosen the month prior. Lunch must be paid for at least one week in advance with your order. Once the order is placed, there are no refunds. You have the option to take lunch home to enjoy or stay at the Iowa Community Center to enjoy food and conversation with your friends. Fee: $14 per lunch, payable one week in advance with your order.

Little Chefs cooking program under way

Is your child ready to explore cooking and baking ingredients? Well, the Bensenville Park

District is offering Little Chefs for children ages 3-5 that introduce them to these basics during the winter months.

Each Tuesday beginning Jan. 10, Little Chefs participants will learn different, basic kitchen skills involved in becoming a chef. They will learn new skills with easy, do-it-athome recipes introduced each class.

Little Chefs runs Jan. 10-31, Feb. 14-March 7, March 21-April 11 and April 25-May 16.

The fee, which covers the cost of materials and instruction, is $45 for residents and $60 for non-residents each session. Register at the Deer Grove Leisure Center, 1000 W. Wood St., at least one week prior to the start of each session. Please inform the staff of any food allergies upon registration for Little Chefs.

Messy Mondays for kids

Time to get messy with art materials! Messy Mondays at the Bensenville Park District allows children ages 3-5 and their parents to experiment with a variety of art materials, including finger paints, stamps, modeling clay, scissors, glue and more.

Three four-week sessions are offered in winter-spring 2023: Feb. 13, March 20 and April 24.

The fee is $45 for residents and $60 for non-residents, which covers the cost of ma-

terials and instruction. Register at the Deer Grove Leisure Center, 1000 W. Wood Street, at least one week prior to the start of each session.

Bensenville Park District Hand & Foot game

On Fridays in January from 12:30-4 p.m., the Bensenville Park District invites residents to enjoy Hand & Foot, a card game for 4-8 players at a table. The object is to get rid of the cards from your hand pile, then your foot pile. Group members will help newcomers learn the game. Come early as partners and tables are determined at the beginning. No registration needed. Info: bvilleparks.org.

Wood Dale Public Library

Take and make a craft

On Monday, Jan. 16, the Wood Dale Public Library invites crafters to stop by to take a craft kit home to make a romantic topiary to display for Valentin’s Day. Pick up your gift and then follow along at home with the YouTube video or the written instructions given. The library is located at 520 N. Wood Dale Road. and is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, closed Sundays. Info: wooddalelibrary.org.

Can’t-miss events throughout DuPage County

Editor’s note: Our next DuPage Destinations section will be published Thursday, Jan. 26. If you have information on an event in DuPage County taking place after Jan. 26 that you would like us to consider listing here, please email that information to: news1@rvpublishing.com.

Ongoing

North Suburban Carvers meetings

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

Now through Feb. 21

Brews and Painting, Itasca

Jan. 3, 17 and 31, and Feb. 14 and 21, at Church Street Brewing Company, 1480 Industrial Drive C, save the dates and plan a fun evening in the taproom with your friends. This isn’t an art class but experience some tricks on making your painting a work of art. Visit the website for more details about each individual date. https://www.paintnite.com/venue-owners/church-street-brewing-company.

Now through Feb. 25

Polar Plaza Ice Skating Rink, Glen Ellyn

From noon-9 p.m. daily in the Crescent Parking Lot, 551 Crescent Blvd., the Polar Plaza synthetic ice-skating rink and curling lanes in downtown Glen Ellyn is now available during the winter season. The Polar Plaza occupies a portion of the Village of Glen Ellyn Crescent parking lot, just west of Main Street. For more information, visit: https://gepark. org/polar-plaza/.

Now through March 25

Stories of DuPage: Reading Between the Lines Exhibit, Wheaton

Tuesdays through Fridays, 10:30 a.m.-4 p.m., and Saturdays, noon-4 p.m. at the DuPage County Historical Museum, 102 E. Wesley St., several DuPage County residents have penned nationally regarded novels and other fictional works, such as “Anna and the King of Siam” and the “Little Orphan Annie” comic strip. Stories of DuPage explores the lives and careers of these authors, examining how their DuPage roots shaped the stories they told. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. For more information, visit: https://dupagemuseum.org/collections-exhibits/

• Events

Saturday, Jan. 14

(Continued from page 8)

Fat Tire Bike Race and Tour, Lemont

Starting at 10 a.m. at The Forge: Lemont Quarries, 1001 Main St., The Forge Fat Tire Bike Race and Tour, in partnership with The Bike Hub, returns for its second year. Winter cycling enthusiasts will experience the (hopefully) snow covered trails throughout the Forge and adjoining trails. A long and short course option will be available so riders of all abilities can choose the event best for them. Participants should be prepared to race in any course conditions, with bikes that are equipped with at least 3.5-inch-wide tires. E-bikes are not allowed. For more information, visit: https://forgeparks.com/events-races/ races/fat-tire-race/.

Frozen Fest, Glen Ellyn

From 10 a.m.-noon, the Glen Ellyn Park District presents your favorite characters from the movie Frozen at Polar Plaza in downtown Glen Ellyn (just west of Main Street). Enjoy some hot cocoa, coffee, cookies, and a photo opportunity with the characters. Learn to skate lessons will be provided by Center Ice of DuPage for registered participants 4 years of age and older. Bring your own ice skates from home. Frozen Fest is free, but registration is required for both adults and children. This is not a drop-off activity; all children must be accompanied by an adult. To register, visit gepark.org. Note:

Event may be full. Check the online registration system for the most current status or to add yourself to the waiting list.

Outdoor events may be canceled in case of rain or other unfavorable conditions. For updates, visit gepark.org/ hotline on the day of the event.

Saturday,

Jan. 14 through Sunday, Jan. 15

Kegel Midwest Collegiate Classic bowling, Addison

Presented by the Illinois State BPA at the Stardust Bowl of Addison, 37 E. Lorraine Ave., the tournament format and schedule retain its traditional Tier 1 format, featuring five team games on Saturday and 20 Baker games on Sunday. The scholarship prize fund will pay two first-place scholarship prizes of $1,000 each to the varsity champions, and four additional scholarships per varsity division. (Additional prize amounts will be pro-rated on the number of entries received in each division). All scholarships prizes will be awarded through USBC’s SMART scholarship program. For more information, visit: https://bowlillinois.com/ isbpa-midwest-collegiate-classic.

Saturday, Jan. 14 through Monday, Jan. 16

Chicago Midwinter Classic hockey tournament, Bensenville and Geneva

At The Edge Ice Arena, 735 E. Jefferson, Bensenville, and at the Fox

Valley Ice Arena, 1996 S. Kirk Road, Geneva—presented by MYHockey Tournaments, mark your calendars for the Chicago Midwinter Classic. This tournament features a broad geographic range of teams from around the United States and Canada. Playing levels include Co-ed 9U through 18U: AA, A, B and House; high school varsity and junior varsity; and AAU sanctioned full-ice 8U (mites). For more information, visit: https://myhockeytournaments.com/locations/chicago/ chicago-midwinter-classic.

Sunday, Jan. 15

Healing salves in the 1890s: Camphor ice, West Chicago

From 11:30-11:50 a.m. at Kline Creek Farm, learn about camphor ice, a popular 1890s ointment for healing chapped skin made with camphor oil, beeswax and lard, and take home a sample made on the farm’s wood-burning stove. Ages 12 and up; under 18 with an adult. $10 per person. Register online at: www.dupageforest.org or call 630-876-5900.

Hot Club of Cowtown, Glen Ellyn

Starting at 4 p.m. at the McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage, Hot Club of Cowtown is back by popular demand and paired up with Tyler Hilton who played the role of Elvis in the blockbuster biopic Walk the Line Sun Studios legendary catalogue made its mark in the history of

rock music featuring the early albums of Elvis Presley. Hilton has teamed up with Hot Club of Cowtown to bring Elvis’ hits from Sun Studios to the MAC Stage. Ticket prices range from $35-$50. For more information, visit: https://www.atthemac.org/events/ hot-club-of-cowtown-tyler-hilton/.

Friday, Jan. 20

Mad Fore Plaid Mini Golf Tournament, Wheaton

From 6:30-10 p.m. presented by the DuPage County Historical Museum and the Wheaton Public Library, 225 N. Cross St., Get decked out in your favorite plaid and enjoy 18 themed holes of wacky fun at Wheaton Public Library. This 21-and-over event includes 18 holes of mini golf, cash bar (one drink included with registration), appetizers, live entertainment, and awards. Golfers will be paired in foursomes for a shotgun-start style scramble. Price: $45 per person or $160 per foursome. https://wheatonparkdistrict.com/events.

Saturday, Jan. 21

Wedding showcase, Naperville

From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster, planning a wedding? Don’t let it overwhelm you! Naper Settlement’s Wedding Showcase is a great place for busy couples to find out how to make their special day one to remember. Couples will have one-on-one personal consultations with the best in the wedding business including photographers, florists, ministers, musicians, bakers, caterers, and more. Admission is free. For more information, visit: www.napersettlement. org/232/Wedding-Showcase.

Wednesday, Jan. 25

Women of Natural History, Lombard

Presented by the Lombard Historical Society from 7-8 p.m., meet some of the women that have made contributions to our understanding of natural history, from Queen Hatshepsut (1458 B.C.E.) to today’s Jane Goodall. Many women were informally educated or self-taught, and seldom given the credit they deserved in their lifetimes. This is a hybrid presentation so that you can decide if you would like to see Kim in person (which we would highly recommend!), or receive the Zoom link to enjoy from home. Kim White, the presenter of the program, has had a lifelong interest in the natural world. She spent 19 years associated with Brookfield Zoo’s Education De-

partment as both a volunteer and employee teaching school groups. She is a master naturalist, volunteered as a co-steward for the DuPage County Forest Preserve, and is the education coordinator for the DuPage Monarch Project.

She started her own business, ‘The Natural Naturalist,’ in 2016, offering programs for Schools, Libraries, Garden Clubs, and private events. Register online at: www.lombardhistory. org/new-events-1/2023/1/25/women-naturalists.

Saturday, Feb. 4 and Saturday, Feb. 11

Victorian Valentines, Wheaton

From 1-3:30 p.m. both Saturdays at the DuPage County Historical Museum, 102 E. Wesley St., Valentines of the Victorian era were treasured keepsakes, incorporating feathers, beads, and bits of fabric. Create your own Victorian-style valentines in a fun, afternoon workshop. Admission: Free, but there is a suggested donation of $3 per participant. For more information, https:// dupagemuseum.org/events/victorian-valentines.

Sunday, Feb. 5

The Great Midwest Train Show, Wheaton

From 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 Manchester Road, for over 40 years, the nation’s largest monthly model train show. See over 500 tables of new and used model trains, accessories, parts, and more for sale, as well as free giveaways to attendees and a DCC train layout for kids to operate. For tickets and information, visit: www. trainshow.com.

Bridal Bash, Wheaton

From 1-5 p.m. at Arrowhead Golf Club, 26W151 Butterfield Road, experience the elegance of Arrowhead Golf Club all with viewing stunning decor options and mingling with a variety of recommended wedding professionals. General admission: $15. Tickets are $20 at the door.

Sunday, Feb. 26

81st Illinois Plastic Kit and Toy Show, Wheaton

From 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 West Manchester Road, buy, sell, trade or just browse. Admission: $7. For more information, visit: https://www. facebook.com/Illinois-Plastic-Kitand-Toy-Show-1052168418157988/ or call 630-969-1847.

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

1.

63.

can watch them on our website or on Facebook. sainttimothy.org

CLUES DOWN

Fiddler crabs

14.

19.

They respond when someone is sick

44.

45. A kind of sorcery 46. River in South Africa

Grant will help pay for trees, shrubs Birders, FPDDC hope to attract birds

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County and the DuPage Birding Club jointly announced that the club awarded a $2,000 grant to the 501(c)(3) Friends of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County to fund the planting of nearly 100 native tree saplings and shrubs near McKee Marsh at Blackwell Forest Preserve in Warrenville.

The grant will advance a restoration project already begun at the

site, which included the removal of nonnative buckthorn and honeysuckle shrubs. Newly planted native trees and shrubs will increase the habitat’s biodiversity, provide needed vegetative structure, and restore resources for native and migratory birds that nest and forage in the woodland’s understory.

In addition to funding the purchase, DuPage Birding Club members planted the saplings and shrubs

at the site in November. Members will also tend to and water the new plants through the fall and install small fencing to protect the new plants from animal browse.

“The woodland understory is extremely important to bird species such as the ovenbird, veery and wood thrush,” said DuPage Birding Club president Natalie McFaul. “Restoring this small woodland area will improve bird habitat. It will also provide the Forest Preserve District with insight about how birds use the newly restored habitat and information that can be used to guide its future management of DuPage forest preserve woodlands.”

The restoration project and grant are an example of an ongoing partnership between the Forest Preserve District and the DuPage Birding Club.

“DuPage Birding Club members are ideal partners for this project because they are knowledgeable about the avian species that live and nest in our forest preserves,” said Forest Preserve District chief partnership and philanthropy officer Jeannine Kannegiesser. “They understand birds’ needs and are actively engaged in monitoring bird species and stewarding bird habitat in our natural areas.”

The Forest Preserve District indicated it will take several years for the saplings and shrubs to reach maturity before the habitat provides the conditions required by understory-nesting birds.

DuPage Birding Club and Forest Preserve District volunteers will monitor bird species’ presence and use of the area in the years following the project.

“We look forward to seeing the understory flourish with new plant growth and learning about how the birds will use the restored area at the preserve,” said Forest Preserve District stewardship program coordinator Cindy Hedges. “The Forest Preserve District will use the data collected by the volunteers to help evaluate the project’s success.”

The DuPage Birding Club promotes and supports birdwatching and birding in DuPage County. With over 400 members, the club runs more than 80 field trips a year, hosts regional and national speakers at regular meetings, and offers educational opportunities for its members and the public. The club also provides grants and donations to groups and individuals involved in avian research, conservation, and education. Learn more at dupagebirding.org.

While I am not about to become a leftist liberal, I am becoming ashamed of my Republican Party. With this Speaker of the House debacle, how can Republicans secure any real credibility and show strength in numbers to unite, or re-unite this party? While the Democrats delight in continuing to deflect blame for all our woes onto Donald Trump, I feel like he has left a stain on the integrity of the Republican Party. I will give the Democrats one thing: At least they rally around their own, even if it is destructive and counterproductive to our nation. Our current president is a perfect example.

* * *

Just a friendly reminder that our southern border is wide open. Drugs and illegals pouring across. The results: fentanyl deaths at record highs, cartels control much of the border and more downward pressure on blue collar wages. Why is this happening, you wonder? To help the Democratic Party, of course! Wake up America!

* * *

A Dec. 29 caller wrongly claimed I denigrated downstate Illinois by comparing the southern half of our state with West Virginia. I did nothing of the sort. However, I did point out the risk posed by a simplistic view of secession. West Virginia took that risk, and the price is still being paid out. If you are going to criticize someone else’s words, you need to get those words right instead of changing the meaning to fit your narrative. Thank you.

* * *

As you know, the price of everything has gone up. The only thing that hasn’t gone up is the freeze on homes. Is that going to happen or is that going to remain low? Thank you.

* * *

I heard the governor of Colorado is

going to be sending migrants to New York and Chicago. The Colorado governor is a Democrat. Since these migrants are coming from a Democratic governor, I wonder if the mayors of New York and Chicago will complain as much as they did when the Republican governor from Texas sent them to New York and Chicago.

* * *

Good morning. It’s Jan. 1. A little gloomy out. Hopefully that doesn’t portend the balance of the year. FYI, the Dec. 31 New York Post has a long article on the Pritzkers. Whether you’re pro or con, the article will probably reinforce both sides. But hey, JB wants to be president.

* * *

I see the President of the United States is finally going to visit the southern border to take a first-hand look at the chaos he and his administration have created with their terrible border policies. That’s nice of him. Is Vice President Giggles going to accompany him? Maybe not. She might be too busy welcoming the illegal migrants that were bused to her house in Washington.

* * *

I remember some Speak Out callers have complained about dogs being allowed inside the Yorktown Mall. I agree with them, and I’m a dog lover. They have a dog lounge on the second floor. I happened to be walking past the lounge one night and I noticed a woman with her dog walking into the lounge. She was on her phone, and didn’t see that her dog was lifting its leg on the door. If you’re going to bring your dog to the mall, pay attention to what your dog is doing. The mall better be cleaning the main floors every day. I’m sure this isn’t the first time a dog has lifted its leg at the mall, or worse.

Post 2801 presents district awards

Villa Park Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2801 and its auxiliary hosted a banquet on Saturday to honor the 19th District’s winners in the 2022-23 Voice of Democracy competition. The competition was open to high school students. Contestants wrote an essay responding to the 2022-23 theme question: “Why is the Veteran Important?” In addition to writing their response to that question, contestants made an audio recording (3 to 5 minutes) of their essay. Saturday’s banquet honored the competition’s post-level winners from 13 area posts (including Post 2801) in District 19. Five of those 13 winners received top-five recognition in the district level. Aiden Hoogstra, a junior at Timothy Christian High School in Elmhurst, was Post 2801 and its auxiliary’s winner in the Voice of Democracy Competition. He received District 19’s third-place award, and a check for $250, at Saturday’s banquet. Hoogstra (left) is pictured with Judy Sytsma (right), who is an eighth-grade teacher at Timothy Christian Middle School. Post 2801 and its auxiliary nominated Sytsma for the VFW Teacher of the Year Award. Sytsma taught Hoogstra when he was in grade school. Andrew Kula, a senior at Lemont High School, received District 19’s first-place award in the Voice of Democracy competition during Saturday’s event. Kula advanced to the district level after winning Lemont VFW Post 5819’s contest. Kula won a flag set and $500 for winning the district competition. He advanced to the Voice of Democracy’s upcoming state contest in Springfield. The winner at the state level will move on to the national competition in Washington, D.C.

Coach sets a new record for wins

Willowbrook boys basketball coach Chris Perkins set a new program record for victories when the Warriors defeated Proviso West 70-60 in Hillside on Saturday. The win marked Perkins’ 153rd victory as Willowbrook’s varsity head coach. The late John Hamann, who coached the Warriors for 12 seasons, through the 1983-84 campaign, guided the program to 152 wins.

Perkins, who is pictured earlier this season, is a 2004 Willowbrook graduate. A standout basketball player with the Warriors, he helped the team win an IHSA Class 4A regional title during his senior season. Perkins began his tenure as Willowbrook’s head coach in the 2011-12 season. He guided the Warriors to an IHSA Class 4A regional championship in 2018.

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing

CHRIS FOX FILE PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing

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v v v v v v

House advances assault weapon ban, Senate conducting ‘extensive review’

Pritzker expresses support, watches debate from House chamber

By Peter Hancock CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

A bill that would ban the sale and manufacture of assault weapons in Illinois advanced out of the state House on Jan. 5 and now awaits action in the Senate.

The bill was prompted in large part by the July 4 mass shooting in Highland Park during an Independence Day parade which left seven people dead and dozens more injured or traumatized.

Among those who traveled directly

from Highland Park was Ashbey Beasley, who told a House committee Jan. 5 that her 6-year-old son was traumatized by witnessing the parade shooting and is now undergoing therapy.

“I don’t believe in stripping things away from people,” Beasley said, noting that she holds a Firearm Owner Identification card. “But I do know what it feels like to run away from an AR-15. I do know what it’s like to run into a crowd of people running from an AR-15.”

The bill was the subject of extensive

committee hearings in December and negotiations over details of the measure continued until right before its passage in the House. It will still need approval in the Senate and from Gov. JB Pritzker to become law.

Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, issued a statement Jan. 6, saying senators are giving both the assault weapons ban and another House-approved abortion-related bill “extensive review and careful evaluation” last weekend, as the Senate left Springfield until Sunday evening.

While changes to the legislation are possible, under the version passed by the House it would become illegal for anyone other than certain law enforcement officers, members of the U.S. military or the Illinois National Guard to knowingly manufacture, deliver, sell or purchase an assault weapon, assault weapon attachment, .50 caliber rifle or .50 caliber cartridge beginning 300 days after Pritzker’s signature on the measure.

However, firearms used for hunting that are explicitly allowed by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources would not fall under the ban.

The bill provides a long list of specific weapons that would qualify as assault weapons, based largely on the federal assault weapons ban that was in effect from 1994 until 2014.

“These are weapons that belong on a battlefield, not at parades, or parks, or schools or churches,” House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, a chief sponsor of the bill, told his colleagues during a hearing Jan. 6.

The bill would also ban large-capacity magazines capable of holding more than 12 rounds of ammunition. And it would ban assault weapon attachments, or devices that make other guns resemble assault weapons, as well as “switches”—devices that increase a semi-automatic weapon’s rate of fire, effectively turning them into fully automatic weapons.

People who already own a weapon that would be banned under the bill would be allowed to keep them, but they would be required to file an affidavit with the Illinois State Police within 180 days after the bill becomes law, providing the weapon’s serial number in order to receive a special endorsement on their Firearm Owner’s Identification card.

Also beginning 300 days after becoming law, it would be illegal for anyone who owns such a weapon to sell or transfer it to anyone other than an heir, an out-of-state resident or a federally licensed firearms dealer. They would

also be required to notify state police within 10 days of that sale or gift.

One of the last-minute changes made to the bill was a provision that would allow Illinois gun manufacturers to continue producing the weapons but would limit their sales to only law enforcement or out-of-state purchasers in jurisdictions where the weapons are still permitted.

The final version of the measure was stripped of provisions that would have prohibited individuals between ages 18 and 21 from purchasing a firearm, even with a parent’s consent.

The latest version also removed a provision requiring hunters younger than 21 to be under the supervision of someone over 21 with a valid FOID card. That means if the bill becomes law, those individuals will have the same rights and protections they have under current law.

“We talked a lot about that within our caucus, with negotiations,” Rep. Bob Morgan, D-Deerfield, the bill’s chief sponsor in the House, told reporters. “We heard a lot of feedback about the under-21 (issue). And what we heard most commonly was a lot of

Obituary

David Goldberg, 71

David Goldberg, of Villa Park, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 3, at the age of 71. David was the loving husband of Lois nee Borelli; beloved father of Jeremy (Kristyn) Haster and Jennifer (Lonnie) Christenbury; caring stepfather of Michael (Lacey)

concerns with regards to hunting. That was a really important element.”

Even those changes, however, were not enough to satisfy ardent gun rights advocates who argued that the measure would still violate the Second Amendment’s guarantee of the right to keep and bear arms.

“Part of me wants you to pass this bill,” Illinois State Rifle Association lobbyist Ed Sullivan told the committee. “From what I read, it’s less constitutional than it was before. Takes away more rights than it did before. Makes it easier to strike down.”

Sullivan argued that many of the weapons listed in the bill as assault weapons are commonly used by hunters and sportsmen, a fact that he said would make the ban vulnerable to being overturned under recent U.S. Supreme Court standards.

Still, the bill passed out of the committee on a 9-4 vote, sending it to the House floor for a debate that lasted nearly two hours, with supporters arguing it would reduce gun-related deaths in Illinois and opponents arguing it would have little or no effect and would likely be ruled unconstitutional.

Wilson and Keith Wilson; adored grandfather of Chase, Caiden, Ava, Lily, Joslyn, Riley, Wyatt and Alyssa; cherished brother of Howard Goldberg. David is preceded in death by his loving parents Morton and Harriet. Funeral services will be held private. Information provided by the family.

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE 18TH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT DUPAGE COUNTY - WHEATON, ILLINOIS RESIDENTIAL Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC PLAINTIFF vs. Monica J. Komperda; et. al. DEFENDANTS No. 2022FC000510

NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE OF REAL ESTATE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 10/05/2022, James Mendrick, the Sheriff of DuPage County, Illinois will on February 14, 2023 at the hour of 10:00 AM at Dupage County Sheriff’s Office 501 North County Farm Road Wheaton, IL 60187, or in a place otherwise designated at the time of sale, County of DuPage and State of Illinois, sell at public auction to the highest bidder for cash, as set forth below, the following described real estate:

PIN 06-10-114-011

Improved with Residential COMMONLY KNOWN AS: 208 S. Myrtle Avenue Villa Park, IL 60181

Sale terms: 10% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the auction; The balance, including the Judicial sale fee for Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

If the property is a condominium and the fore-

closure takes place after 1/1/2007, purchasers other than the mortgagees will be required to pay any assessment and legal fees due under The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4).

If the property is located in a common interest community, purchasers other than mortgagees will be required to pay any assessment and legal fees due under the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee or the Mortgagee’s attorney. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser shall receive a Certificate of Sale, which will entitle the purchaser to a Deed to the real estate after Confirmation of the sale. The successful purchaser has the sole responsibility/expense of evicting any tenants or other individuals presently in possession of the subject premises.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and Plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the Court file to verify all information.

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.

For information: Examine the court file or contact Plaintiff’s attorney: Codilis & Associates, P.C., 15W030 North Frontage Road, Suite 100, Burr Ridge, IL 60527, (630) 794-9876. Please refer to file number 14-22-05262. I3210076

(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Jan. 5, 12 & 19, 2023) 430789