VPR121522

Play at the plate

Willowbrook students’ artwork returns to Funky Java

Graduation day at Willowbrook

Annual December show at Villa Park coffee house was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic

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

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-

InsIde:

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.

The coffee house, which is located at 40 S. Villa Ave., began hosting a December art show for Willowbrook students about 15 years ago. The annual tradition continued each year until through 2019. The 2020 and 2021 shows were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic before the tradition was resumed.

“This is our art show that kind of culminates the first semester,” said Willowbrook art department head John Epple at the opening reception. Epple noted that the creations of Willowbrook art students are displayed at a large in-school show each spring. The December show at Funky Java, however, has its own distinct attraction.

coffee house started out as a coffee mug show. He contacted Funky Java owner Larry Poggi, who welcomed the students’ pieces.

Memorial Day in Villa Park

Franklin Park, located at 218 N. Third Ave., are: Villa Park Village Trustee Christine Murphy, Justin Shlensky—chair of the Villa Park Environmental Concerns Commission, Margaret Schiefer—a 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.

The opening reception for the 2022 show took place on Dec. 7. About 100 pieces of a multitude of art mediums—including painting, ceramics, sculpture, graphic design and digital art—were on display at the coffee house through Monday, Dec. 12.

judge sets trial date for State

“We love to get our artwork outside of the high school,” explained Epple. “It’s so nice to have Willowbrook graduates, parents of graduates and community members see what’s happening at our school.”

“It was a fun way to have my ceramics class get mugs out in the coffee house,” stated Epple. “At the end of that one, we realized it could be something bigger. It exploded from there. Larry’s been awesome, as always. He’s so accommodating.”

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. The post’s 2020 Memorial Day event was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s observance included a reading of the names of the Post 2801 members who have recently died. That list included World War II veteran Charles “Sid” Bergh, who served as the master of ceremonies of the post’s annual Memorial Day service for several years. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Bergh died in October 2020. He was 94 years old. Bergh was the post’s last surviving World War II veteran.

Epple said the art show at the

There are no ribbons awarded at this year’s art show, but Poggi did display a ballot box for patrons to cast votes for their favorite piece. The creator of that piece will receive a Funky Java gift card.

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

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review

STAFF REPORT

Villa Park’s Funky Java Coffee House continued a tradition

last week by displaying an array of pieces created by Willowbrook High School art students.

It’s been about 15 years since Villa Park’s Funky Java Coffee House began a December tradition of displaying the creations of Willowbrook High School art students. The annual art show was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it returned this year, with the opening reception taking place on Dec. 7. District 88 Superintendent Jean Barbanente and Willowbrook Principal Dan Krause attended the

opening reception at the coffee house, which is located at 40 S. Villa Ave. One photo (above left) from the reception shows freshman Jordyn Turnquist standing next to her digital art creation—“Vegas.” Another photo (above right) shows two more freshmen—twin sisters (left to right) Vivian and Lily Zachar—who both created pieces for the art show.

CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Villa Park Review

Man charged with attempted murder of Lombard police officer

Another suspect shot, killed in tobacco shop robbery attempt

By Chris Fox FOR THE INDEPENDENT

A Lombard police officer and a suspect in an armed robbery exchanged gunfire last week.

The Lombard officer was shot in the leg, while the suspect died from his injuries.

Anthony Brown

Another suspect in the armed robbery was taken into custody and charged with multiple felonies, including one count of attempted first degree murder, one count of aggravated battery, one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm at an officer and one count of armed robbery with a firearm.

According to information provided by the Village of Lombard, on Dec. 8, at about 4:05 p.m., officers with the Lombard Police Department responded to a call of an armed robbery in progress at the Pipes and Tobacco store located at 54 W. Roosevelt Road, just west of Main Street. Upon their arrival, officers encountered two individuals, later identified as Anthony Brown

and Pierre Thompson, running from the business.

As Thompson approached two officers in their vehicle, he allegedly opened fire as the officers began to exit the vehicle. One of the officers was shot in the leg.

An officer returned gunfire, striking Thompson.

Brown was taken into custody within seconds of the shooting. Thompson and the injured officer were transported to a local hospital. Thompson was pronounced dead at the hospital. The officer, a 33-yearold, six-year veteran of the Lombard Police Department, is expected to survive his injury. He underwent surgery after the shooting and was recovering at the hospital at press time.

Numerous area agencies, including the Villa Park Police Department, lent assistance in responding to the incident.

An investigation of the incident reportedly revealed that Brown and Thompson both wore masks as they entered the Pipes and Tobacco business, located at 54 W. Roosevelt Rd. The suspects allegedly brandished a handgun and ordered an employee to open the cash register.

REAL ID deadline extended to May 2025

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White announced today that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended the federal REAL ID deadline an additional two years, from May 3, 2023, to May 7, 2025. With this extension, current standard Illinois driver’s licenses or ID cards will continue to be accepted at airports for domestic air travel until May 7, 2025.

Illinoisans interested in applying for a REAL ID are encouraged to visit REALID.ilsos.gov and use the interactive document checklist. This checklist is designed to help ensure REAL ID applicants gather all the documents required by the federal

government to obtain a REAL ID before visiting a Driver Services facility. First-time REAL ID applicants are required by DHS to visit a Driver Services facility in person.

Not everyone needs a REAL ID, and in Illinois, the Secretary of State’s Office gives Illinoisans a choice. Illinoisans who do not fly domestically do not necessarily need a REAL ID. Additionally, a valid U.S. passport is a compliant REAL ID document; therefore, those with valid U.S. passports do not necessarily need a REAL ID.

As of Dec. 1, 2022, the Illinois Secretary of State’s office has issued more than 3 million REAL IDs.

It is further alleged that after taking money from the cash register, Brown and Thompson brought the employee to the back of the store, where they encountered the owner of the store.

Brown and Thompson reportedly hit the store owner on the head with the gun before stealing the victims’

wallets and cell phones. Brown and Thompson reportedly also took about $600 from a file cabinet before fleeing from the store.

Brown, 31, appeared in bond court, where Judge James Orel granted the state’s motion to deny bond. Brown’s next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 27, for

arraignment in front of Judge John Kinsella. If found guilty, he faces a penalty of between 41-125 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

The shooting is under investigation by the Metropolitan Emergency Response and Investigations Team (MERIT).

A Lombard police officer exchanged gunfire with a suspect in an armed robbery last week. The suspect, Pierre Thompson, died from his injuries. The Lombard officer, who was shot in the leg, underwent surgery and is expected to survive. This image—a screenshot of officer body camera footage provided by the Lombard Police Department—reportedly shows Thompson discharging a weapon at police. The image was altered to partially obscure the subject. A second suspect, Anthony Brown, was taken into custody within seconds of the shooting. Brown has been charged with multiple felonies, including one count of attempted first degree murder.

LOMBARD POLICE DEPT. PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing

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Bond denied for one of two Cook County men charged with robbing woman in Villa Park Walmart parking lot at gunpoint Suspects taken into custody following high-speed chase

Robert Berlin and Villa Park Chief of Police Michael Rivas have announced that bond has been denied for one of two Cook County men accused of robbing an elderly woman at gunpoint in a Villa Park Walmart parking lot and then leading police on a high-speed chase.

Jarquez Jones

Jarquez Jones, 18, of Maywood, appeared at a bond hearing where Judge Brian Telander granted the state’s motion to deny bond. The bond hearing for Jones’ alleged accomplice, Sincere Harrington, 19, of Chicago, was scheduled Monday.

Both men have been charged with one count of armed robbery with a firearm (Class X felony) and one count of aggravated fleeing and eluding (Class 4 felony). Herrington is currently out on bond/probation on unlawful use of a weapon charges out of Cook County.

On Dec. 5, at approximately 12:48 p.m., officers with the Villa Park Police Department responded to a call of a person in a car with a gun near Route 83 and Riverside Drive. As officers arrived at the scene, they observed the suspected vehicle allegedly drive over the grass and exit the Walmart parking lot southbound on Route 83.

Officers activated their lights and sirens and initiated pursuit. Following the pursuit, which allegedly reached speeds of approximately 90 mph on I-290 and required the assistance of a Chicago Police Department helicopter, Herrington and Jones abandoned the vehicle and were taken into custody in Chicago.

Jones was found in a garbage bin and Herrington was taken into custody following a brief foot pursuit. When processing the scene, officers found two guns, a .45 caliber Glock 30 and a 9 mm Glock 17, approximately 100 yards of where the defendants’ vehicle came to rest. The Glock 17 was altered to allow it to fire as a fully automatic weapon. It

is alleged prior to the car chase, the defendants drove up to an elderly woman in the parking lot of the Walmart as she was loading her car with groceries. It is alleged that the driver of the vehicle pointed a gun at the woman and stole her purse.

“It is alleged that in the middle of the afternoon in a crowded parking lot these defendants robbed an elderly woman at gunpoint,” Berlin said. “We are now in the heart of the holiday shopping season and the quick apprehension of the defendants in this case highlights DuPage County’s commitment to our businesses and their patrons that we will most certainly not tolerate this type of violent behavior. We will use every tool and resource available to us, including helicopters, if necessary, to protect our citizens and bring the accused to justice.

“I commend the Villa Park Police Department for their heads-up work on this case as well as the Chicago and Cicero police departments for their assistance and outstanding efforts in bringing the suspects into

custody.”

“Let this case be a shining example that law enforcement will do all we can to bring alleged offenders of violent crimes to justice” Rivas said. “The facts of this case are despicable and horrifying with an elderly woman allegedly held at gunpoint for her personal property. We are professional and objective; but we can’t help to have the utmost empathy for the victim who could anyone’s elderly mother or grandmother. The Villa Park Police Department would like to offer a sincere thank you to DuPage State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office. We would also like to give thanks to the Chicago Police Department who were instrumental in the alleged offender’s capture. The Villa Park police dayshift and detectives should also be commended for their hard work and long hours in bringing this violent crime to a successful resolution.”

Jones’ next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 21 for arraignment in front of Judge Telander.

Chicago juveniles charged with stealing car from Villa Park auto repair shop

DuPage County State’s Attorney

Robert Berlin and Villa Park Chief of Police Michael Rivas have announced that Judge Anthony Coco has ordered that two Chicago juveniles accused of stealing a vehicle from a Villa Park auto repair shop will be released to the custody of their parent or guardian. The juveniles have each been charged with one count of possession of a stolen vehicle (Class 2 felony).

On Dec. 3, a patrol officer with the Villa Park Police Department observed a crashed vehicle in the parking lot of Anthony’s Collision Center, Inc. on North Avenue. As the officer investigated the crashed vehicle, the Chicago Police Department called out to the Villa Park Police Department about a 2021 Kia SUV allegedly stolen out of Villa Park that had just been stopped on

Obituary

PATRICK JOSEPH “PJ” O’CONNOR III, 86

Patrick Joseph “PJ” O’Connor III, age 86, formerly of Villa Park, IL. Beloved husband of 63 years to MaryAnn O’Connor, nee Morman; loving father of Noreen (Carson) Peyatt, Kelly (Steven) Meadows, Coleen (Patrick) Carroll, Patrick (Michelle), Timothy (Nicole), Kevin (Susan), Erin, Shaun, Shannon (Matthew) Ferris, Courtney, and Ryan (Dahlia). Dear son of the late Mae, nee Janik, and the late Patrick J. O’Connor Jr; devoted grandfather of 30; great-grandfather of 10; fond “brother” of Dr. Roderick Malone; uncle of many nieces and nephews.

A graduate of Marmion Military Academy (R ‘54) and Loyola University (‘58), PJ spent over 40 years in the insurance industry and

Chicago’s westside.

It is alleged that while fleeing a Bellwood police officer, the juveniles and other unidentified individuals traveled together in a stolen vehicle to Anthony’s Collision Center and that once there, all of the occupants exited the stolen vehicle. It is further alleged that one of the individuals broke into another vehicle on the lot and crashed that vehicle into the vehicle in which the suspects had arrived.

It is further alleged that all the individuals then entered the 2021 KIA SUV and fled the scene. It is alleged that the vehicle was stopped on Chicago’s westside and that the juveniles were detained following a brief foot pursuit.

“The allegations that these juveniles traveled to DuPage County, entered a vehicle from an auto re-

pair shop, crashed that vehicle at the scene and then stole another vehicle show a complete disregard for the property of others as well as public safety and they will be held accountable,” Berlin said. “I thank the Villa Park Police Department for their work on this case as well as the Chicago Police Department for their efforts in detaining the juvenile suspects.”

“Police Departments in DuPage County will remain vigilant to protect the lives and property of all who live and work here,” Rivas said.

“We are not shocked by the ages of the alleged juveniles charged in this case. Stolen vehicles typically lead to more serious violent crime. We will do all we can to have a positive

resolution to this serious crime.

“We would like to thank DuPage County State’s Attorney Bob Berlin and his Office as well as the Chicago Police Department for their actions and assistance in this case. We would especially like to thank the actions of the Villa Park midnight shift officers and detectives for their initial, and follow up, investigation of this incident.”

One juvenile’s next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 19, while the other juvenile’s next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 9.

An investigation into the matter continues. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Villa Park Investigations Division (630) 5926110.

was co-owner of Stop-N-Chat, Inc., (Westmont) for over 35 years. He was a parishioner of St. Alexander Parish for over 60 years and proud supporter of Catholic education sending all his children to St. Alexander Grade School and Montini Catholic High School.

Visitation Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022 from 3-8 PM at Steuerle Chapel, 350 S. Ardmore Ave Villa Park, IL. Visitation Friday Dec. 16, 2022, from 9:30-10:15 AM at St. Alexander Church followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 10:15 AM. Inurnment Queen of Heaven Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to Montini Catholic High School Scholarship Fund or The Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, Chicago (Fr. Scott) are appreciated. Funeral info: steuerlefh.com or (630) 832-4161.

The Villa Park Environmental Concerns Commission, in partnership with the Villa Park Public Library, will host today’s presentation by Suzanna Strangmeier on home energy efficiency programs available through ComEd. The presentation takes place tonight, Thursday, Dec. 15, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Villa Park Public Library, 305 S. Ardmore Ave.

Tonight’s presentation will highlight rebates, discounts and various on-line tools available to ComEd customers.

ComEd customers have saved more than $6.4 Billion on their bills as a result of the energy efficiency program that ComEd launched in 2008, with nearly 460,000 families and businesses participating in 2021.

The ComEd Energy Efficiency program offers various rebates, discounts and online tools designed to

help you reduce energy usage and save money on your monthly bill. The presentation will provide information about some of the programs, including details on how to participate in a free home energy assessment that includes free and discounted products for your home. Assessments can be in-home or virtual, so you can select the option most convenient to you.

Strangmeier, who started working full-time in ComEd’s external affairs group in 2018, engages in community outreach to strengthen ComEd and community partnerships to advance reliable, clean energy.

All attendees of tonight’s presentation will receive a free four-pack of LED light bulbs and a free weatherizing kit. Anyone interested in attending the program should register at https://villapark.librarycalendar. com/event/home-energy-efficiency.

DuPage County State’s Attorney

Home energy efficiency program takes place tonight at the Villa Park Public Library

Warriors earn conference wins over Proviso East and Morton

Willowbrook improves to 2-2 in West Suburban Gold action

STAFF REPORT

The Willowbrook girls basketball team won a pair of West Suburban Gold Conference home games last week. The Warriors defeated Proviso East 60-35 on Dec. 6. Willowbrook crushed Morton 51-29 on Friday. The two victories in Villa Park moved the Warriors to 3-6 overall and 2-2 in conference play.

Willowbrook led Proviso East 9-3 after one quarter and 34-14 at halftime. The Warriors’ lead stood at 4524 at the end of the third quarter.

Junior Elle Bruschuk scored a team-leading 18 points for Willowbrook in last week’s win over the Pirates. Bruschuk made six field goals and sank six of nine free-throw attempts.

Senior Yazmin Setaram provided 14 points for the Warriors in last week’s victory over Proviso East. Setaram made four 3-point shots during the first half. She added two free throws in the second half.

Senior Sara Stout added nine points for the Warriors, while senior Rimon Kari provided seven points. Sophomore Halie Ahrens scored six points. Juniors Tia Kelly and Kalina Henry contributed four and two points, respectively.

Bruschuk poured in 21 points in Friday’s victory over Morton. She made ten baskets and drained one of two shots from the free-throw line.

Setaram, who sank a pair of 3-point shots, scored 10 points in Friday’s win. Ahrens and senior Nina Nytko both scored six points. Kari supplied five points.

The Warriors led Morton 10-8 after one quarter. Willowbrook’s lead grew to 22-10 at halftime and 42-20 at the end of the third quarter.

Willowbrook’s schedule this week includes Friday’s conference game at Downers Grove South and Saturday’s non-conference home game against Nazareth Academy.

Warriors open season with home meet against the Hornets

STAFF REPORT

The Willowbrook girls gymnastics team competed in its first meet of the 2022-23 season last week. The Warriors faced Hinsdale South in a West Suburban Gold Conference dual meet in Villa Park on Dec. 8. The visiting Hornets edged Willowbrook 133.1 to 131.95 in the team results.

Senior Sarah Ball of the Warriors won the meet’s individual title on the vault with her score of 9.25. Ball produced second-place scores in floor exercises (8.7) and the uneven bars (8.0) and tied for third on the balance beam (8.6). Ball finished second in the all-around standings with her total of

34.55.

Hinsdale South sophomore Anya Patel, who won individual titles on the balance beam (9.45), in floor exercises (9.15) and on the uneven bars (8.5), captured the all-around title with her score of 36.0. Patel placed second on the vault with her score of 8.9.

Willowbrook sophomore Naomi Campbell finished fourth in the meet’s all-around standings with her total of 33.15. Campbell tied for third on the vault (8.7). She also tied for third on the balance beam (8.6). Campbell landed in fourth place in floor exercises (8.6). She placed sixth on the uneven bars (7.25).

Junior Mia McBride of the Warriors finished second on the balance beam (8.8), tied for third on the vault (8.7) and placed fifth in floor exercises (8.55).

CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing

Willowbrook’s girls gymnastics team kicked off its season with last week’s home meet against West Suburban Gold Conference rival Hinsdale South. The Hornets outscored the Warriors 133.1 to 131.95 in the team standings of the Dec. 8 meet. Willowbrook coach Andy Isaacson expects the talented Warriors to improve as the season progresses. “It was our first meet,” said Isaacson. “We’re in pretty good shape. If we start the season around 132 [in the team total], we can get up to 138 or 139.” Senior Sarah Ball of the Warriors finished second in the meet’s all-around standings with her score of 34.55. Ball earned first-place honors on the vault. She is pictured above during her second-place performance in floor exercises. Sophomore Naomi Campbell of the Warriors is pictured at right while delivering a fourth-place effort in floor exercises, which was Willowbrook’s final event of the meet. Campbell placed fourth in the meet’s all-around standings.

Senior Hanna Mitrick of Willowbrook posted a fifth-place score of 31.0 in the meet’s all-around standings. Her all-around total included seventh-place scores of 8.0 on the balance beam and 7.15 on the uneven bars. Mitrick tied for eighth on the vault (8.5) and placed ninth in floor exercises (7.35).

Willowbrook senior Molly Morris tied for fifth on the vault (8.65) and earned eighth-place finishes in floor exercises (7.4) and on the uneven bars (7.0). Morris placed ninth on the balance beam (7.2).

The Warriors’ season continues with tonight’s conference meet at Leyden. Willowbrook will compete in this Saturday’s invitational at Addison Trail.

CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing

Willowbrook’s girls basketball team earned decisive West Suburban Gold Conference home victories over Proviso East and Morton last week. The Warriors defeated Proviso East 60-35 on Dec. 6. Willowbrook beat Morton 51-29 on Friday. The Warriors improved to 3-6 overall and 2-2 in conference play with last week’s pair of wins in Villa Park. Junior Elle Bruschuk (No. 33) is pictured while scoring a basket during Friday’s win over Morton. Bruschuk scored a team-high 21 points in the game. Senior Yazmin Setaram (No. 4) is also shown during Friday’s game. She provided 10 points in the victory.

Police Reports

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

Editor’s note: There were no reports submitted by the Addison Police Department last week.

Villa Park Dec. 3

A complainant in the 700 block of N. Addison reported at 6:24 p.m. that a suspect kicked their door causing damage. The suspect was transported to an area hospital. While enroute to hospital, the suspect allegedly committed battery to a fireman. No charges are to be filed.

Dec. 2

Police said Gladys Loya, 25, of Bensenville, was arrested on an original complaint and warrant for retail theft and possession of displayed merchandise at a store in the 1-100 block of E. North for an alleged incident that occurred Oct. 31.

Dec. 1

Michael J. Mrachek, 43, of McHenry, was charged with DUI, stopping, parking or standing on a roadway and no insurance near E. North and N. Villa at 11:32 p.m.

Retail theft was reported at a tobacco store in the 100 block of W. Roosevelt at 5:04 p.m. A complainant reported that an unknown suspect removed a large bag of vape and tobacco products from the store

and left the store without paying.

Nov. 30

Residential burglary was reported in the 600 block of W. Ridge at 8:38 p.m. A complainant reported that an unknown suspect entered their home through a window and removed firearms.

Nov. 29

Police said Nicholas P. Whelan, 30, of Villa Park, was arrested on a two failure to appear warrants out of DuPage County at a store in the 600 block of N. Addison at 4:50 p.m.

Retail theft was reported at a store in the 900 block of S. Route 83 at 12:53 p.m. A complainant reported that an unknown suspect removed bottles of alcohol from display shelves and left the store without paying.

Nov. 28

Police said Mohammad A. Al Qaisieh, 28, of Villa Park, was arrested on a failure to appear warrant out of DuPage County near Route 83 and Roosevelt at 8:17 p.m. He also was issued citations for driving while Reginay M. Cross, 18, of Chicago, was charged with aggravated battery, battery—making contact of an insulting or provoking nature and criminal trespass to a building at a store in the 900 block of S. Route 83 at 9:51 a.m.

A complainant in the 1600 block of Michigan reported at 6:32 p.m. that an unknown suspect broke windows with an unknown object on the north side of the building.

A complainant at a restaurant in the 300 block of W. North reported at 1:18 a.m. that an unknown suspect battered them.

Retail theft was reported at a bookstore in the 1-100 block of S. Villa at 2:33 p.m. A complainant reported

that an unknown suspect removed a box of vinyls from a display shelf and left the store without paying.

Nov. 27

Retail theft was reported at a store in the 900 block of S. Route 83 at 7:10 p.m. A complainant reported that suspects removed items from the display shelves and left the store without paying.

Nov. 22

A 30-year-old Chicago man was charged with two counts of domestic battery at an entertainment center in the 700 block of W. North for an incident that occurred Nov. 6.

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.

Bensenville

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

Dec. 7, 3:06 p.m. in the 1000

block of S. Thorndale Ave., a complainant reported an unknown suspect removed their company trailer from the lot. This case is under investigation. BEPC2201082

Dec. 06, 4:22 p.m. in the 100 block of Pamela Drive, a complainant reported fraud through their checking account after making a donation through the mail. This case is under investigation. BEPC2201080

Dec. 05, 9:51 a.m. in the 100 block of Grace St., a complainant reported their vehicle missing. This case is under investigation. BEPC2201076

Dec. 05, 11:58 a.m. in the 100 block of Bridget Ct., Fairo A. Carrillo-Carrillo, 44, was arrested for failure to appear warrant out of jurisdiction. BEPC2201077

Dec. 05, 7:07 p.m. in the 1000 block of Argyle Street, a complainant reported receiving threatening text message from an unknown number. This case is under investigation. BEP2201078

Dec. 05, 7:38 p.m. near Devon Avenue and Delta Lane, Jacob T. Fernandez, 25, of Chicago, was arrested for in-jurisdiction warrant, identity theft and other traffic violations. BEPC2201079

Dec. 3, 1:08 a.m. in the 400 block of Supreme Drive, a complainant reported a domestic situation with a known suspect. This case is under investigation. BEP2201071

Dec. 3, 4:19 a.m. near Tower Lane and Mark Street, a suspect was initially arrested for possession of a

stolen vehicle but it was determined it was a civil matter between owner and bank. This case is under investigation. BEPC2201072

Dec. 3, 11:48 a.m. in the 600 block of S. Church Road, a complainant reported online fraud by an unknown suspect. This case is under investigation. BEPC2201073

Dec. 3, 3:42 p.m. in the 1000 block of Argyle Street, a 28-year-old Bensenville woman was arrested for domestic battery. BEPC2201074

Dec. 2, 7:34 p.m. in the 600 block of Redmond Court, a complainant reported a domestic situation with a known suspect. This case is under investigation. BEPC2201069

Dec. 1, 10:55 a.m. near Irving Park Road and York, officers were alerted by the license plate reader system of a stolen trailer. The vehicle was stopped and the trailer was recovered. BEPC2201066

Dec. 1, 5:43 p.m. in the 100 block of Twin Oaks, a victim reports check fraud, in that their check payment to ComEd was intercepted and the check altered. The check was then cashed by an unknown suspect. This incident is under investigation. BEP2201067

Dec. 1, 6:17 p.m. in the 100 block of Grace Street, Jerry Eliondo, 53, was found to have an active warrant out of DuPage County. He was placed in custody, brought to station for processing, then transferred to the DuPage County Jail. BEP2201068

Pritzker signs changes to SAFE-T Act’s cash bail provisions

By Jerry Nowicki CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

Gov. JB Pritzker last week signed a follow-up measure to the SAFE-T Act criminal justice reform—the third such amendment since the law’s initial passage in January 2021.

The changes approved by lawmakers in the fall veto session center on the law’s provisions which will end the use of cash bail beginning in January.

The cash bail system, which in most cases allows offenders to post a dollar amount to be released from custody pretrial, will be replaced by one in which a judge weighs the individual’s risk to the community and potential for fleeing prosecution in determining whether pretrial release will be revoked.

Its opponents have argued that the list of circumstances in which pretrial detention is specifically allowed is too limiting for judges.

Advocates, however, say that a presumption of pretrial release included in the law for lesser, nonviolent offenses will allow the courts to give more thorough hearings to those whose freedom is on the line prior to conviction.

“I’m pleased that the General Assembly has passed clarifications that uphold the principle we fought to protect: to bring an end to a system where wealthy violent offenders can buy their way out of jail, while less fortunate nonviolent offenders wait in jail for trial,” Pritzker said in a statement. “Advocates and lawmakers came together

and put in hours of work to strengthen and clarify this law, uphold our commitment to equity, and keep people safe.”

In many cases, the changes were more substantial than “clarifications,” as the measure, contained in House Bill 1095, expanded the list of offenses in which a judge can deny pretrial release.

The change made it so all forcible felonies can lead to pretrial detention regardless of whether the defendant would be eligible for probation if a judge deems them a danger to the community.

It also specified that the changes take effect for those charged after Dec. 31, 2022, but those on the old bail system can petition the court to be placed into the new cash-free system on staggered timelines depending on the severity of their charges.

Members of House and Senate working groups worked for months on the changes with state’s attorney and law enforcement groups, but Republicans said during floor debate that they were not included in the process.

Many concerns cited by opponents in the recent election season were addressed, however.

For example, the follow-up bill specifies that police maintain the authority to arrest trespassers.

While it maintains language instructing officers to issue a citation in lieu of custodial arrest for cases below Class A misdemeanors, it also specifies

that police maintain discretion to make an arrest if the person is a threat to the community or they continue to break the law.

“We understand that public safety is not a static issue,” House Deputy Majority Leader Jehan Gordon-Booth, D-Peoria, said in a statement. “This legislation strengthens the underlying SAFE-T Act with valuable feedback from survivors, law enforcement, prosecutors and other public safety advocates. If we want to make our communities safer, we have to work together. This update is a step in the right direction.”

The measure clarifies judicial authority to revoke pretrial release if the defendant violates electronic monitoring conditions and specifically states penalties may be imposed for intentional tampering with monitoring devices.

The SAFE-T Act specifies that defendants have a right to a public defender from their first appearance in court, a change that is expected to increase justice system workloads. The measure creates a grant program to aid public defenders with increased caseloads, but allocation of funding for the program would be up to future General Assemblies.

Asked at an unrelated news conference how he would gauge the effectiveness of the bill once it takes effect, Pritzker said he’d be looking to the Illinois Supreme Court and state’s attorneys to outline unforeseen challenges.

Viewpoint

Slices of life

Learning for life

There’s one thing (of many) that I love about life: you are never done learning. If you are open to new practices, habits and ideas there is so much more to explore and discover. Big things, little things and everything in between. The day you stop learning is the day you stop living.

I believe this to my core. I also believe we can help one another, by passing on what we’ve learned. Here are some of the things I know now, but wish I’d discovered sooner:

Loading and unloading the dishwasher is hardly a preferred task. But, it can be made so much easier by paying attention to one detail: the silverware. I’ve always thrown my forks, knives and spoons in with reckless abandon.

Forks consorted with knives and spoons neighbored willy nilly with whatever cutlery just happened to be in their vicinity. In a word: naive.

I recently discovered the joy of loading spoons alongside spoons, forks alongside forks. It takes no extra time on the loading end, but it saves countless seconds when unloading.

All the knives come out together in one fell swoop and are transferred quickly and easily to the silverware drawer. The order it’s brought to my life has had immeasurable repercussions.

Kitchen garbage. We all have it. I’ve found kitchen garbage practices are regional. In the north, we hide our garbage container— most often under the sink. This isn’t so in my southern experience. Here, the garbage sits in the open. Because I grew up in the north, I prefer the hidden alternative. However, there is more to garbage than meets the eye.

If you are like me, you use the plastic garbage can liners. They get full fast, even when you use a piece of frozen pizza cardboard to press them down with all your might. (And we’ve all done that.) If you have a seemingly full bag and pull it out, you’ll find you can load it up with at least 50 percent more household garbage. You get rid of more while using fewer bags. I can practically hear Mother Earth applauding. It’s a win for us all.

OK, so here’s a serious one. Put the utilities in both your names, or at the very least make sure your spouse is a “designated decision maker” for the account. Vehicles also. Trust me on this one. I

By JILL PERTLER Columnist

learned it the hard way.

Talking to your plants isn’t crazy. Not in the least bit. It benefits them and probably you. Kind words said to plants is proven to help them grow faster and better. Think of all the good that kind words can do in general, to plants, pets and people.

Speak kindly always—and not just to plants.

The word “homemade” has come to sound complicated but here’s a big secret: it’s not! Homemade is as simple as putting two four letter words together to make an eight letter word.

Homemade usually involves simple ingredients, easy steps and not a whole lot of time. Our busy, over-scheduled world has made homemade seem foreign and alien, while flash fried fish-stuff and chicken gizmos seem ordinary.

It should be the other way around.

Homemade—go for it. You’ll be happy and proud that you did.

Drink lots of water. Every day. Water is universal to us all. It comprises 60 percent of our bodies and about 70 percent of the earth’s surface. Coincidence? I think not. Water is essential to all that is. It removes toxins from our bodies. It purifies the planet. It hydrates animals, humans, trees, grass and birds. It serves as home for fish and countless other creatures.

Without water we would cease to exist. Literally.

Every living thing has value. Even rocks. I’m not going to try to explain this. If something is on this earth, it has value, even if we don’t appreciate that value while swatting mosquitoes or flies.

Last thought (but perhaps the most important): The trees, soil, rocks, rivers and oceans have been around a lot longer than me. Perhaps I should respect that.

Perhaps we all should. Let’s try that.

And let’s never stop learning.

Jill Pertler is an award-winning syndicated columnist, published playwright and author. She invites readers to follow the Slices of Life page on Facebook.

Trump’s

call to terminate provisions of the U.S. Constitution

By U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi

Former President Donald Trump took the extraordinary and unprecedented step of suggesting that provisions of the United States Constitution should be “terminated” as part of his ongoing attempts to overturn the 2020 election, writing, “Do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution. Our great ‘Founders’ did not want, and would not condone, False & Fraudulent Elections!”

In response, I called upon all my colleagues from both parties to join me in denouncing President Trump’s attack on our Constitution. Much to my relief, much of the response from lawmakers and Americans from across the political spectrum has been a complete repudiation of this abandonment of American legal and constitutional precedent, as well as our broader commitment to the rule of law.

I’m glad that the vast majority of America shares my recognition

that our Constitution is a document consecrated in the blood of generations of Americans who gave their last full measure of devotion to build and sustain a nation committed to the freedom of its people. Those American heroes made their sacrifice recognizing that our nation is more important than the ambitions of any one party or individual.

Next month, I’ll be taking my oath of office for the fourth time, swearing to defend the Constitution with my colleagues from both parties, just as Donald Trump did when he took office. The former president’s recent comments serve as another reminder that our commitment to the Constitution and the nation it created must be rooted in principle, and not self-interest.

House passage of Respect for Marriage Act

On Dec. 8, the House passed the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act, which codifies the rights of same-sex and interracial couples to marry found in the Supreme Court decisions of both Obergefell v. Hodges and Loving v. Virginia. As a vice chair of the House LBGTQ+ Equality Caucus, I was proud to help enshrine marriage equality in law as part of our broader work toward becoming a more inclusive nation.

This legislation is now headed to President Joe Biden’s desk, where he will sign this historic and monumental achievement for human

rights into law.

Last week, the House also passed the bipartisan annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the bipartisan Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA), two key pieces of legislation that will strengthen America’s national security. As a proud member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, I understand firsthand how important these bills are for keeping our nation safe, and I’m glad that several pieces of legislation I authored to strengthen our defense and intelligence capabilities were included in the package.

The provisions I spearheaded will improve the oversight of military aid sent to Ukraine, combat the Chinese Communist Party’s investments in international port infrastructure, provide supplies necessary to address the global food crisis exacerbated by Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, and better prepare workers to support our intelligence community.

The NDAA and IAA now head to the Senate, where I hope to see swift passage of these crucial American defense bills.

Why was Illinois’ population undercounted in the 2020 Census?

I recently wrote a letter to U.S.

SUDOKU

Fun by the Numbers

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

Worship Services Directory

St. Alexander Parish

300 S Cornell Avenue, Villa Park, IL 630-833-7730 www.stalexanderparish.org

Confessions: Tuesdays at 5:00pm-6:00pm and Saturdays 4:00-4:45pm

Christmas Eve Masses: 4:00pm, 6:30pm and Midnight

Christmas Day Masses: 8:30am, 10:30am and 6:00pm in Espanol

Visitation Parish

779 S. York Street Elmhurst, IL 60126 630-834-6700

Christmas Eve

3:00pm and 4:30pm Midnight (Carols and Blessing of Crib at 11:30pm)

Christmas Day 7:30am, 9:30am, 11:30am

Solemnity of Mary Saturday, December 31 (Daily Mass at 8:15am) Vigil of Sunday 4:00pm Sunday, January 1 7:30, 9:30, 11:30am and 6pm 430131

St. Timothy Evangelical

Lutheran Church

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

Christmas Eve Candlelight Service 7pm Christmas Day Festival Service 10:15 am New Year’e Eve Service 7pm Sunday Worship at 10:15 am

Everyone is Welcome!

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

CORRECTED ANNUAL STATEMENT OF AFFAIRS

FOLLETT SCHOOL

SOLUTIONCS, LLC $10,820

LLN CONSULTING GROUP $10,800

ROBBINS SCHWARTZ $10,735

SOIL ENGINEERING AND TESTING CONSUL $9,400

DONE DEAL PROMOTIONS LLC $9,053

GALLAGHER STUDENT HEALTH & SPECIAL $9,000

ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION

OF SCHOOL BOAR $8,790

WOOD DALE PARK DISTRICT $8,777

ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF EMPL SECURIT $8,727

COLLEY ELEVATOR CO $8,433

BRAIN POP LLC $8,336

717,641 605,383 564 121,055 0 0 15,082,9651,626,602 381,5901,004,678 533,666 112,212 0 0 Other

367,931 641,416 285,135 318,706 822,042

5,738,9642,474,759 221,157 359,379 356,852 807,058 943,097 0 0 5,746,4882,474,759 221,157 359,379 356,852 807,058 943,097 0 0

A SPECIAL ELECTRIC SERVICE & SUPPLY $8,121

LEARNPLATFORM INC $7,813

ACCELERATE LEARNING INC. $7,636

SENASE JUDITH $7,500

OTUS, LLC $7,387

FOLLETT CONTENT

SOLUTIONC, LLC $7,317 KANSAS PAYMENT CENTER $6,542

GROSS PAYMENT FOR CERTIFIED PERSONNEL

Salary Range: Less Than $25,000 MCCARTHY, KIMBERLY G; LOXAS, TERESAMARIE L; ELLIOTT, JESSICA; HEPNER, JESSICA A; PEARLMAN, BRIAN M; KOOKEN, CAROL D; SCHMELTER, SYDNI R; ARZETA, DIANA N; CASTRO, VERONICA; MARCOTTE, JENNIFER M; DELUCA, CONNIE S; ORTIZ, JENNIFER M; ECK, SHARON K; ROMERO, LOURDES; ST MARIE, EVE; GAROFALO, MARIA E.; PYDE, MELINDA L; COOPERMAN, ABIGAIL P; UNDERWOOD, ERIN B; DAVIS, ERICA; FELIX, ALMA Y; SAWICKA, WIESLAWA; BALZANO, JESSICA L; KOTLIK, MARIA G; BALICKI, LINDA J; BARABBA, ANNA M; ACORD, LISA K Salary Range: $25,000 - $39,999 SMURAWSKI, AMANDA C; PARRY, MACKENZIE LL Salary Range: $40,000 - $59,999 BUENO, CLARISA; JOHNSON, SARAH A; BRAASCH, SAMANTHA S; SPITALLI, JESSICA A; GALLE, ARIANA F; PARKS, MARGARET R; NALBORCZYK, DARIA A; O’BRIEN, LAUREN D; KOVATCHIS, ALYSSA C; VILLA, MELISSA; BENDING, BRITTANY A; JENKINS, ALISON M; THOMS, WILLIAM S; ESPOSITO, VINCENT G; ELSEY, MARY J; TENORIO, SABRYNA M; MATOS ORTIZ, SILMA; DE CASAS, KARINA A; ROMAN, ERIKA Y; ASSENATO, DANIELA A; HRADEK, EMILY L; REXROAD, CARLY R; MICHELSEN, MEGAN E; GERSHMAN, KAREN S; WARD, HOLLY C; HERNANDEZ, RUTHANN M; KOESTER, BONNIE L; BIDLINGMEYER, DAVID; KRZYSIK, EVELIA; WEST, DAN; GARBACZ, ASHLEY; MARKHAM-GONZALEZ, MARIE; SUBACH, KIRSTIN; BROWN, ALYSSA E; RUDZINSKI, JOLANTA; SPEIDEN, ANDREW H; KARI, GLORIA F Salary Range: $60,000 - $89,999 WILLIAMS, ALLISON; GALARZA, JOSE; SERRANO, MELISSA; CAMPBELL, SARAH; MAYNARD-ROBBINS, TAMARA J; SCHAYER-KANE, RACHELE; TOKARCZYK, HOPE; AZABACHE, LILIANA E; OLIVELLA, CIRA I; RAFFERTY, STACI; BARTON, MICHELLE; DIAZ, CRISTINA; THUNEMAN, ERIC J; MONTANO, CRISTINA; GONZALEZ, ANA M; MEINER, STACY M; HOVEY, STEPHEN P; RIVERA, LORENA; KWILOS, KRISTINE; WEICHENHAIN, RACHEL ELIZABETH; RENELLI, DULCE L; WELTER, JENNIFER; MARKS, KELLY M; GRUBEN, AMY; SCHMIT, JILLIAN L; HIRSIG, KELLY A; DIAZ, DEBRA A; ALLEN, JENNIFER; LADA, JOANNA M; GARCIA, NANCY; FINN, WENDY N; BRUCE, CHRISTOPHER; STAMATAKOS, JACQUELINE A; MARTINEZ, NICOLE; EHRHARDT, JULIE A; WILLHOIT,

FREDRIC K; PAPANICOLAOU, ELENI; TIRITILLI-HROMADA, DELLMARIE; DIPALERMO, JAMES J; LA RUE, JENNIFER L; KING, ERIN M; FALCONE, AMY L Salary Range: $90,000 and Over DI FIGLIO, REGINA; ZIMMERMANN, LORI; ALLAIRE, TIMOTHY B; KRAUSE, JOSEPH P; SHERMAK, TIMOTHY L; HENNER WOODS, KIM A; VILLALOBOS, ELVIA; BUTTIMER, ALAN M; WILT, STEVEN; KUDRNA, MERRI BETH; CORBETT, JOHN W

GROSS PAYMENT FOR NONCERTIFIED PERSONNEL

Salary Range: Less Than $25,000 HANSEN, ROBIN L; IGELMAN, MARIA L; DERRICKSON, JORDYN A; OLAGUE, XOCHITL J; HARA, PATRICIA; SILVA, VANESSA R; MEENAN, PATRICIA; ORTIZ, MADELINE; SCHALKE, DEBRA A; PLANE, WILLIAM E; MORGAN JR, JAMES L; MARIN, JANICE G; KOTTRA, MAYRA; KOSINSKI-BANGO, DEBRA; THOMKA, MARGARET A; FERGUSON, FRANCHESCA S; HENDRICKS, CAROL R; RAMIREZ SANCHEZ, ITZEL; MARKS, JANET P; RUBRIGHT, JANET M; MIZELL, THOMAS S; MATUSZAK, LIANE; GERACI, JENNA M; PODRAZA, JAMES E; GRENTZ COSSIO, MATTHEW K; NINCIC, NICOLE M; HOFFMAN, LAURA A; MAENTANIS, SUSAN; PATTON, ROBIN M; RAYOS, ROSANNE K; JOHNSON, AUDREY L; ODONNELL, MICHELLE; DICARO, RENEE M; BOTTALICO, GRACE; DE LUCA, TINA P; GUTIERREZ, LUIS M; BAJOREK, ANNA; FREEMAN, KARYN L; AREVALO, ADRIANA; BURGOS TORRES, DAVID; PITA, SANDRA S; AUSTIN, LILY E; GARCIA, DIANA; PIECH, ANNA M; GARCIA, ALBERT; CADEMARTORI, JAMIE M; CARTENO, PEDRO; MERKLE, LINDA; MITCHHART, REBECCA J; VANEK, KERRY E.; CAPULIAN MARTINEZ, ELIDA R; MORONG, DAWNE; GAGLIO, EMILIA; DE LA LUZ ALVAREZ, YARELI L; CIHAK, SYDNEY M; VILLANUEVA, CLAUDIA D; GANAS, CHRISTINE; ARTNER, JOSEPH; WINDSOR, NICOLE M; ANTA, MANUELA; LOPEZ-BRAVO, LEOPOLDO; MILLER, ROANNA Z; PASTERZ, LINDA; KAYA, ELIZABETH; PETO, JOSHUA S; OVERLIN, TRACY L; PLACENCIO, XAVIER J Salary Range: $25,000 - $39,999 HELMKE, SUSAN M; CHANTOS, SHEILA; WIGGIN, JANE E; CORTES-TREVINO, DOLORES; JONES, PAMELA; RAGNANESE, AMY A; ZUAZNABAR, ANNETTE I; CANO, LETICIA; KRZYWDA, ALDONA; LAKOMEK, ALEJANDRA; FLORES, MARGARITA; ZAPAL, MARZANNA; JESKE, MARY; SCHERER, MARY J; FLORES, AURORA L; TINNES, LAURA M; CHENEY, P

JOY; SANTILLAN, MANUEL; HURTADO-BARRAZA, IVAN; ROSENWINKEL, MICHELLE D; GALVEZ, PATRICIA Salary Range: $40,000 - $59,999 MOSS, STEPHEN; TERRAZAS, JACQUELYN; HERRERA, XIOMARA J; SCHIDDELL, DORETTA A; DE LA TORRE, JORGE L; JACOBO, ELIAS; VALADEZ, FERNANDO; RIANO, JAIME A; AMARO, VIRGINIA; MARTIN, LISA A; RIVERA, ANA L; OLAGUE, CATALINO A; COOK, DANIEL BARRETT; MERCADO, DELIA XSalary Range: $60,000 and Over VELARDE, MARCO A; PARENTI, DEBBI A; FEELEY, CHRISTINA M; WANG, SIWEI; WAWCZAK, PAMELA M; GONZALEZ, GUSTAVO; CYRIER, GREG D Payments over $2,500, excluding wages and salaries.

Person, Firm, Aggregate or Corporation Amount EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT COOPERATIVE $1,829,813 UNITED STATES TREASURY $1,499,718 NDSEC $1,468,937 TEACHER’S RETIREMENT FUND $825,444 ILL DEPT OF REVENUE $442,451 ARBOR MANAGEMENT, INC $387,964 ILL MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT FUND $382,741 ITASCA BANK & TRUST CO $318,126 TSA CONSULTING GROUP INC $261,867 TRAFERAHOLDINGS, LLC $248,636 HEARTLAND BUSINESS SYSTEMS INC $221,798 SEPTRAN INC $217,675 ENGIE RESOURCES $177,706

CENTRAL STATES BUS SALES, INC $167,154 TEACHER’S HEALTH INSURANCE SECURITY $124,761 SSCIP $112,435 GUARDIAN DENTAL INSURANCE $89,354

CONTROL TECHNOLOGY & SOLUTIONS, LLC $83,536 COMCAST BUSINESS $77,942 MARKLUND $77,918

CITIZENS TAXI DISPATCH INC $77,671

CANON FINANCIAL SERVICES INC $77,082

CITY OF WOOD DALE $76,611

BENCHMARK EDUCATION LLC $75,488

SELF $74,027

WDEA $71,415

GIANT STEPS $70,357

BROESCH MECHANICAL SERVICES INC $68,310

FRIENDLY FORD $63,218

LITTLE FRIENDS $54,963

UNIVERSAL TAXI DISPATCH INC $54,086

INTERSTATE BILLING SERVICE $50,566

CUSTOM EDUCATION SOLUTIONS $50,319

AMAZON.COM $48,046

SECTION 125 $46,050

CAMELOT THERAPEUTIC SCHOOLS, LLC 03 $41,963

RAMROD DISTRIBUTORS, INC $38,850

FERGUSON FACILITIES SUPPLY $38,820

AMERICAN EXPRESS $36,251

STR PARTNERS LLC $35,416

BMO FINANCIAL GROUP $35,402

PARIDAD INC. $35,000

SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES $34,445

JEANINE SCHULTZ SCHOOL $34,427

HEINEMANN PUBLISHING $33,814

FRANK COONEY CO $31,032

HIMES, PETRARCA & FESTER ATTORNEYS $27,780

FRONTLINE TECHNOLOGIES LLC $25,508

VANGUARD ENERGY SERVICES, LLC $24,408

THOMPSON ELECTRONICS COMPANY $22,396

GUARDIAN $22,333

CDW COMPUTER CENTERS $21,085

ENERGY PERFORMANCE LIGHTING $20,979

MILIEU DESIGN LLC $19,300

GRAINGER $18,858

STAPLES INC. $18,839

GUARDIAN ADDITIONAL LIFE INS $18,790

AXESS TRANSPORTATION $18,440

DAWN AUGUST $16,500

UNIQUE PRODUCTS $16,139

GUARDIAN VISION INSURANCE $16,138

EVANS, MARSHALL AND PEASE, PC $16,000

WORTHINGTON DIRECT $15,846

FORECAST5 ANALYTICS INC $14,426

TREND CARPETS INC $14,150

FOX VALLEY FIRE AND SAFETY $13,948

NICOR GAS $13,922

FLOOD BROTHERS $13,068

PROVEN BUSINESS SYSTEMS $12,807

NEWSELA INC. $12,740

GARELLI PAVEMENT SERVICE, INC. $11,514

SOUMAR MASONRY RESTURATION, INC. $11,440

FRANZEN PLUMBING INC. $11,435

RUNCO OFFICE SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT $11,211

MIDWEST TRANSIT EQUIPMENT $11,154

NWEA NORTHWEST EVAL ASSOC $11,125

UNITED INDUSTRIAL CONSTRUCTION INC. $11,030

SPRINT $6,539

JOSTENS,INC. $6,202 BITFORMS INC. $6,125

ORIGO EDUCATION INC $6,038 CALL ONE $6,028

CHAMBERLAIN EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANTS $6,000

PEERLESS NETWORK $5,773

DNSFILTER INC. $5,648

INFINITE CONNECTIONS.INC $5,500

BARNES & NOBLE $5,431

KEY BENEFIT CONCEPTS LLC $5,400

QUINLAN & FABISH MUSIC CO. $5,074

ACCESS ONE INC. $5,016

NEW PRECISION

TECHNOLOGY, LLC $4,890

INTEGRATED SYSTEMS

CORPORATION $4,800

FACILISERV INC $4,787

KELVIN EDUCATION INC. $4,662

QUADIENT FINANCE USA, INC $4,660

ROESCH FORD $4,589

IMPACT NETWORKING LLC. $4,560 BUSTOUTS INC $4,466

HOME DEPOT $4,428

CHICAGO BACKFLOW INC $4,340

LEGISLATIVE EDUCATION NETWORK OF DU $4,309

BLOOMINGDALE SCHOOL DISTRICT #13 $4,279

MOBILE MINI INC. $4,238

CONVERGED TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS, $4,128 HINZ COMPANY

ONE80-BROKERS’RISK $4,112 INDUSTRIAL DOOR COMPANY $3,930 DC CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION $3,850

LAKESHORE EQUIPMENT COMPANY $3,840

SAVVAS LEARNING COMPANY LLC. $3,686

GOPHER SPORTS $3,557 KING TRANSMISSION $3,450 SCHOOL SPECIALTY,LLC. $3,389 SCHOLASTIC $3,215

SALINAS EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, LLC. $3,180

WENTWORTH TIRE SERVICE $3,074

ADVANTAGE TRAILER AND HITCHES INC. $3,053

SAM’S CLUB DIRECT-GE FINANCE $2,998

VERIZON WIRELESS $2,880

MUSIC & ARTS $2,861

AMAZING PEOPLE INC. $2,850

WEVIDEO INC. $2,776

IASA $2,565

DEPAUL UNIVERSITY $2,510

MALMARK, INC. $2,505 (Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Dec. 15, 2022)

Warriors fall to Naperville Central in overtime

Willowbrook stages fourth-quarter rally to extend the game; Redhawks make three free throws in the last second of overtime

STAFF REPORT

Playing its first home game of the season, the Willowbrook boys basketball team lost 70-68 in overtime

to Naperville Central in last week’s non-conference battle in Villa Park.

The visiting Redhawks held the lead for most of the Dec. 7 contest,

but Willowbrook rallied to send the game into overtime. The two teams were tied at 63-63 at the end of the fourth quarter.

The Warriors held a 68-67 advantage in the closing seconds of the four-minute overtime period. The Redhawks missed a shot from 3-point range with less than one second to play, but the Warriors were called for a foul on the play. Naperville Central converted three free throws with two-tenths of a second on the clock to take the lead.

The Warriors threw the ball out of bounds on the subsequent inbounds pass.

Willowbrook fell to 1-5 with the loss to Naperville Central. The Warriors have lost two straight games by two-point margins. They opened their West Suburban Gold Conference season with a 69-67 loss at Morton on Dec. 2.

Naperville Central led the Warriors 18-16 after one quarter and 3532 at halftime.

The Redhawks held a 53-39 lead with two minutes left in the third quarter, but two straight 3-point baskets from Willowbrook senior Luke Davis cut the lead to 53-45. Naperville Central’s lead stood at 56-48 at the end of the third quarter.

throws with 1:35 left in the overtime period. The Redhawks took a 67-65 lead by making a 3-point shot with 32 seconds to play. Willowbrook regained the lead when Campbell drained a 3-point shot with about 20 seconds on the clock.

Naperville Central senior Simon Krugliakovas fired a 3-point shot from the right wing in the final seconds of the overtime period. An official called a foul to send Krugliakovas to the line with two-tenths of a second to play. He made all three free throws and finished the contest with a team-leading 25 points.

Campbell and Davis scored 18 points each for the Warriors. Campbell made three 3-point shots and sank seven of eight free-throw at-

tempts. He also grabbed 10 rebounds and handed out seven assists. Davis, who also connected on three shots from 3-point range, made three of four shots from the foul line. Davis pulled down nine rebounds.

Sobieszczyk provided 15 points and 11 rebounds. Royal, who buried four shots from 3-point territory, contributed 14 points. Senior Jimmy Degnan delivered three points by converting a 3-point shot in the second quarter.

The Warriors’ schedule this week features three home games, including Friday’s conference clash against Downers Grove South. Willowbrook will face Libertyville in Saturday’s non-conference matchup in Villa Park.

Willowbrook’s boys basketball team played its first home game of the season last week. The Warriors faced Naperville Central in a non-conference matchup on Dec. 7. The visiting Redhawks defeated the Warriors 70-68 in overtime. Willowbrook’s record dropped to 1-5. Seniors Noah Campbell (No. 25 - above) and Luke Davis (No. 5 - below) scored 18 points each for the Warriors. Senior Isaac Sobieszczyk (No. 15 - right) contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds. The Warriors are playing three home games this week, including Friday’s West Suburban Gold Conference battle against Downers Grove South.

The Redhawks led the Warriors 60-51 with less than five minutes to play in the fourth quarter. Senior Tyler Royal drained a 3-point shot to cut the lead to 60-54 with 4:20 left in the quarter. Senior Noah Campbell made a pair of free throws to trim the lead to 63-61 with two minutes left in regulation. Senior Isaac Sobieszczyk of the Warriors scored an inside basket to even the score at 63-63 with about 45 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.

Davis gave the Warriors a 65-64 lead when he made one of two free

Thanks to our Villa Park officials for hosting the monthly “coffee with the Board.” It is a great chance for us to talk with our elected officials in a friendly, informal way.

* * *

Your best Christmas gift? Spend time with people.

* * *

In a week where the top news story should have been how Elon Musk released “Twitter Files” that reveal how his predecessors at Twitter engaged in censorship and blacklisting certain tweets and individual accounts of conservatives, along comes Donald Trump. Making it all about himself, like he always does, he comes out and calls for the termination of the Constitution to overturn the 2020 election and reinstate him as president. Trump has always been a loose cannon. Now he’s just unhinged. If Republicans are dumb enough make Trump the nominee in 2024, then they deserve to get their you-know-whats handed to them.

* * *

Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Day, has come and gone with hardly a word about the thousands of Americans who died that day in 1941. In years past, it was memorialized more than 9/11, but we forget. We need our leaders to continue to get us together to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. History forgotten is history repeated.

* * *

What a sad day to be an American when we trade an arms dealer guilty as all heck for a basketball player who broke the law by carrying illegal substances, and then we leave military personnel who are presumably innocent in jail. What a sad day to be a U.S. person.

* * *

Why lock your front door at home if you leave the back door and windows wide open? Why does this country have borders and laws if you let everyone in? Common sense doesn’t live here.

* * *

I remember Joe Biden in his inaugural address saying he wanted to bring America together and unite the nation. He’s done nothing to bring the nation together. In fact, it seems to me this country is even more polarized and divided now. I used to think Jimmy Carter was the worst president in my lifetime. Not anymore. It’s Joe Biden hands down.

* * *

As for crime in DuPage County, criminals should be forewarned: Do not shoplift at Yorktown stores or drive impaired in Lombard. And as the recent shooting on Roosevelt Road shows, you will be caught and dealt with. As “they” say, play stupid games, win stupid prizes. I am backing the blue in Lombard and all of DuPage County.

CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing

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Restore Hyper Wellness donates to York Township

Recently, Kathy McCormick from Restore Hyper Wellness (shown here with York Township Supervisor John W. Valle) brought a car full of nonperishable food items and paper products to York Township Hall for families in need. Items were collected during the month of November from members and employees of the Oakbrook Terrace location.

Concert at Willowbrook

CERTIFICATE NO. 78892 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on NOVEMBER 29, 2022 wherein the business firm of THERE FOR YOU HOME TECHNOLOGIES, 46 W. ADAMS STREET, VILLA PARK, IL 60181 was registered; that the true or real name or names of the person or persons owning the business, with their respective post office address(es), is/are as follows:

Jeffrey G. Werner, 46 W. Adams Street, Villa Park, IL 60181.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 29TH day of NOVEMBER, A.D. 2022.

Jean Kaczmarek

DuPage County Clerk (Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Dec. 8, 15 & 22, 2022) 429561

STATE OF ILLINOIS

CIRCUIT COURT

DUPAGE COUNTY

PUBLICATION NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE (ADULT)

Request of: Mia Ashley Sosa

•

Provisions

(Continued

Census Bureau Director Robert Santos continuing my investigation into the Census Bureau’s undercounting of Illinois over the last decade in its annual American Community Survey (ACS) data, as well as the 2020 Decennial Census, which led to our state receiving less federal funding than it should have. When the 2020 Census results revealed that the ACS had been undercounting Illinois’ population for years by drastically overreporting the decline in its population, I opened my investigation and began discussions with the Census Bureau staff on correcting the annual population count issues.

In May, with the release of another Census Bureau study designed to verify the accuracy of the 2020 Census, the Post-Enumeration Survey (PES), we learned that the failures of the previous Census Bureau results had been far more flawed than anyone had realized.

Rather than losing population

Answers

from page 7)

over the previous decade, our state’s population actually grew to more than 13 million, the highest level in our state’s history. My letter builds on the questions I raised with the Census Bureau in the spring as I’ve begun to press the agency to better audit its previous undercounting and incorporating the methodology of the PES study into future population estimates to ensure Illinoisans are properly counted and receive our fair share of the $1.5 trillion in federal funding which will be allocated to states based on Census Bureau population data.

In my latest letter, I have asked Census Director Santos to lay out the Bureau’s course of action for implementing its new approach before Dec. 19.

Raja Krishnamoorthi represents Illinois’ 8th Congressional District, which includes parts of Addison, Wood Dale, Elmhurst, Bensenville, Villa Park and Lombard.

2022MR000484

Case Number

There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from Mia Ashley Sosa to the new name of Riley Knight Sosa.

The court date will be held on 12/29/22 at 9:00 a.m., at 505 N. County Farm Rd., Wheaton, DuPage County, in Courtroom #2007.

/s/Mia Sosa Mia A. Sosa

(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review Dec. 1, 8 & 15, 2022) 429466

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing

Willowbrook High School held a jazz concert in the school’s auditorium on Dec. 8. The concert featured performances by Willowbrook’s jazz band and vocal jazz ensemble. The vocal jazz ensemble performed five songs. One photo of members of the ensemble shows junior Lauren Maher (foreground), with (left to right) senior Sarah Kosanda, sophomore Gillian Falco, senior Samantha Tantilla and senior Amelia Tortorici in the background.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing

A

Gift GuideHoliday

Second edition

5 reasons to shop small versus big

The importance of small businesses to the economy cannot be overstated. Though national chains often garner publicity, local businesses are equally, if not exceedingly, worthy of attention.

What defines a small business as “small” varies significantly, but these businesses are generally privately owned and generate far less revenue than big corporations. General consensus also defines small businesses as companies with fewer than 500 paid employees, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Here’s a deep look at why small businesses are so vital, and why consumers should direct more of their purchasing power to smaller companies rather than the big box retailers and other national chains.

Autonomy and diversity

The layout and offerings at national chains will be identical whether you live in the mountains or at the beach. Big box stores follow a consistent marketing strategy and look the same regardless of where they are located. That familiarity can come at the cost of variety. On the other hand, an independent business offers the products and services that are reflective of the customers and the community they serve.

Local hiring strategy

Certain big box retailers will hire

local residents, but hiring policies may push for promoting from within the organization. This could mean relocating an employee rather than bringing in someone from the community who may be more in tune with local sensibilities.

Small businesses may be more inclined to hire residents they know and keep hiring centralized to the local area. That keeps more resources and money in the community.

Adaptability and change

Local businesses can move more quickly to respond to economic factors that require change. Since they are focused more on the needs of their customers rather than stockholders, changes can be implemented rapidly without having to go through red tape, meetings and updates to corporate policies. Changes also can be customized to the local community at large.

Investing in the town

According to the financial resource Financial Slot, shopping at locally owned businesses rather than big box retailers keeps more money in the community. Local property taxes and other taxes paid by the businesses go right back into the community. This helps raise overall value for homeowners and can even reduce their taxes. The funding helps keep police, fire and school departments functioning properly.

Turnover is greater

While no one wants to see a small business fail, that fate is sometimes unavoidable. However, that turnover helps teach communities what was done poorly and helps others learn from those mistakes. It also means fresh businesses will come in and replace the old, driving new growth, opportunity and competition that keep prices competitive.

(METRO CREATIVE)

Cantigny presents ‘A Christmas Carol’ radio play

Holiday classic to be performed live as a 1940s-style radio program

Cantigny Park presents something familiar but new for the holidays—an adaptation of “A Christmas Carol,” performed as a 1940s radio play before a live audience.

Tickets are $2 and are on sale now at Cantigny.org for two performances: Saturday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 18, at 11 a.m. Parking for the one-hour inside the Cantigny Park Visitors Center is free for ticketholders.

The set for Cantigny’s version of “A Christmas Carol,” adapted and directed by Christopher Corrigan, is a vintage radio station. Audiences will enjoy a behind-the- scenes perspective as they watch a talented five-member cast cycle through multiple characters. To the side, an old-time radio sound artist will create realistic auditory effects to support the action on stage. The show is inspired by Chicago’s Theatre of the Air, a real radio program introduced by Colonel Robert McCormick on WGN in 1940.

While the setting is a bit different, the main character’s journey is familiar. Ebeneezer Scrooge is a Chicago citizen in the 1940s and publisher of the Chicago Daily News. Guided by three memorable spirits, he will need to learn the true meaning of Christmas and “goodwill to all” if he is to save himself from an unforgiving future.

More information is online at Cantigny.org.

Christmas at Vis

Matthew J Miceli

Financial Advisor

112a S York Rd

Elmhurst, IL 60126-3432 630-530-2422

ARCHIVE PHOTO Elmhurst Independent

Eighth grade members of Visitation’s Concert Band are seen here with band director Pat McMurray back in 2019.

Happy Holidays

Montini Catholic holds annual Golden Gobbler Food Drive

Students of Montini Catholic wrapped up this year’s 26th Anniversary Golden Gobbler Food Drive recently by helping to sort baskets of donated food to be delivered to food pantries in the Lombard area. Starting on Nov. 8, Broncos were invited to bring in canned and boxed food items. Along with filling a large number of baskets, the students collected more than $1,100 in gift cards to add to their food gifts to needy families.

“Now that Gobbler has come to a close, which we consider ‘part 1’ of our Season of Giving, our Adopt-a-Family, ‘part 2,’ is just getting started,” said Campus Minister Mike Blanchette. “Some of the food collected during Gobbler is allocated for families that are ‘adopted’ by Montini Catholic during the Christmas season.”

During the month of December, homerooms will be busy shopping, donating, sorting and wrapping loads of Christmas cheer for area families during the next several weeks. Montini’s Peer Ministers are spearheading the drive and will

also be hosting a ‘Candy Gram’ drive with money going to supplement the Adopt-A-Family donations.

Montini’s traditional ‘Catholic Charities Adopt a Family’ service program encourages students to donate toys and gifts to families facing hardship during the holiday season or throughout the year. During the beginning of December, students donate money through their homerooms - with each homeroom receiving a family to shop for. The students receive wish lists informing them of the number of family members, their gender, ages, and sizes.

“Most of the wish lists include simple items many of us take for granted like gloves, boots, and warm hats,” said Blanchette. “Our students really make a difference by lifting the spirits of families in need at the holiday time. “Each year Golden Gobbler and Adopt-a-Family remind us of what is important in life and there’s no better time than the holidays to reflect on and share our many blessings.”

(from left) Montini juniors Isabella Gatto and Elizabeth Beirne share big smiles while working for Montini Catholic’s 26th Anniversary Golden Gobbler Food Drive. Besides filling a large number of baskets, the students collected more than $1,100 in gift cards to add to their food gifts to needy families.

(from left) Montini seniors Katherine Gertsen and Lillian Townsend helped sort baskets of donations to be delivered to food pantries in the local area as part of Montini’s 26th Anniversary Golden Gobbler Food Drive. It’s part 1 of Montini’s season of giving, while part 2 is Adopting A Family for the holidays.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS The Independent

Mariella Herrmann helps sor t baskets for Montini Catholic 26th Anniversary Golden Gobbler Food Drive for this year. Montini’s Peer Ministers were spearheading this year’s drive.

Hospital Foundation hosts annual Reindeer Route Housewalk

The Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Foundation held its 46th annual Reindeer Route Housewalk on Friday, Dec. 2. The event featured five Elmhurst homes decorated for the holidays by local florists and one neighborhood block with exterior decorations in Elmhurst. A portion of proceeds from the 2022 Rein-

deer Route Housewalk will fund the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Teen Volunteer Health Profession Scholarship program, in addition to other programs and services, such as nursing and staff development. For more information about the EMH Foundation, visit www.emhfoundation.org or call (331) 221-0388.

Carolers were out in force sharing their musical gifts with the crowd gathered around the Christmas tree at the Spring Road Business Association’s holiday tree-lighting.

The Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Foundation’s annual Reindeer Route Housewalk featured five Elmhurst homes decorated for the holidays by local florists. The EMH Foundation offers many giving opportunities and special events designed to support the hospital’s programs and facilities. For more information, visit www.emhfoundation.org.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS The Independent

Guests chat in the foyer in one of the five Elmhurst homes decorated for the holidays by local florists and featured in the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Foundation’s 46th annual Reindeer Route Housewalk. A portion of proceeds will fund the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Teen Volunteer Health Profession Scholarship program, in addition to other programs and services, such as nursing and staff development.

ARCHIVE PHOTO Elmhurst Independent

program back in 2019.

ARCHIVE PHOTO The Independent

comes Santa Claus aboard an Addison Fire Protection District fire engine, which brought him to the Addison festivities at the Village Green and the Addison Historical Museum.