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VOL. 17 • NO. 1

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Police Reports...........4 Sports �������������������� 10 Church.....................7 Classifieds..............9

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THURSDAY, DEC. 24, 2020

Visiting Santa

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review

The Villa Park Parks and Recreation Department gave children an opportunity to have a drive-up visit with Santa Claus on Saturday afternoon outside of the Iowa Community Center. In past years, the parks and recreation department has provided a program that brings Santa to Villa Park homes for a preChristmas visit. Those visits aren’t practical this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Saturday, children and their families visited Santa at appointed times. Maintaining social-distancing requirements, the children approached Santa, who stood on a Villa Park Fire Department fire engine. Some of the children who visited Santa on Saturday provided him with a wish list for Christmas gifts. Using a candy cane to keep adequate distancing, Santa gave each of his visitors a coloring book and some candy canes.

One photo from the event shows Villa Park residents Ryan and Sarah Marx with their daughters—Addy (left, age 6) and Lily (right; age 9). More photos inside this issue.

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2 • Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 - Rock Valley Publishing

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Rock Valley Publishing - Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 • 3

Viewpoint

Holiday lessons from Dickens, Scrooge It has been suggested that Charles Dickens helped to create our idea of Christmas over 170 years ago with his story, A Christmas Carol. In researching this, it seems to me that this was never his primary aim. What Charles Dickens was trying to do was to shine a light on the various social injustices and wealth disparity that plagued Victorian society in the hope that the people from his day would make choices that would help to benefit their neighbors.

Dickens created a character,

Ebenezer Scrooge, whose heart is as cold as a winter’s night only to be transformed into the spirit of Christmas itself once shown that compassion and human connection is what ultimately matters and makes one truly happy in this world.

Our society is not that different from his and this year has made that ever so clear.

Human connection. That is what keeps going through my mind as I sit and reflect on this past year. The birthdays, weddings, and other gatherings

we have all missed out on this past year. I hope to never again take that for granted: our need to be with one another.

While Scrooge suffered one horrific night to make him realize his shortcomings, our own “long winter’s night” has lasted over 9 months, but this too shall pass. May we all realize our own shortcomings and transform for the better and never take another moment of human connection for granted.

Dr. Mike Mitchell Fenton High School

Mazzochi comments on SIC outcome State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi (R-Elmhurst) released the following statement after the House Special Investigating Committee’s unexpected final hearing: “One can only assume that my colleagues on the committee vigorously workout, because the hoops that Chairman Welch and his fellow Democrats are jumping through to justify the information in the emails we received from ComEd and the admitted federal deferred prosecution agreement are impressive. Actually beyond impressive and bordering on “hard to believe”.

“If you’ve read these emails, the conduct of the chairman defies belief.

Today he once again spent valuable committee time prescribing all of the reasons why a subpoena to acquire witness testimony might not work.

He’s apparently creating a justification for not doing anything. So the leader of this House ethics investigation is saying that an investigation is too hard and therefore we shouldn’t do it. Allow that notion to search for logic in your brain; too hard equals, we can’t and shouldn’t.

“If, as my colleague Rep. Manley claims, there is nothing untoward about the Speaker’s conduct in his relationship with ComEd, then why won’t he assist the committee in clearing his name? In fact, why wouldn’t he insist on it. Why wouldn’t his allies on the committee who see no untoward behavior want his name fully cleared? An investigative committee is charged with doing all it can to get information relevant to its duty, not shying away from it. It takes neither a lawyer or a soothsayer to connect the dots as to why that isn’t the case with this committee.

“This is why people continue to lose faith in the integrity of Illinois government. I don’t blame them for their frustration and their disillusionment. I’m feeling the same way.”

(This was received from the office of State Rep. Deanne Mazzochi.)

COVID-19 updates for DuPage County As of 8 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 19, there were 55,532 total cases among DuPage County residents, including 875 deaths. Since Saturday, there were 552 new cases and six deaths related to COVID-19.

Immanuel Lutheran presents The Nativity

This is the season when the beloved figurines depicting the Christmas manger scene are displayed - from glowing plastic lawn ornaments to pristine tabletop nativity sets. Surrounding the baby Jesus are Mary and Joseph, shepherds and wisemen. Maybe you know the story. Maybe you don’t. That’s something Immanuel Lutheran in Elmhurst wants to address with a simple walk around the block. “What many people don’t know is that every figure in the nativity scene is meaningful.

That’s why we’re raising nativity awareness through our Nativity Walk,” said Senior Pastor David Seabaugh. “After just one walk around the block, you’ll never see a nativity set the same way again.”

Immanuel’s Nativity Walk is a self-guided tour of the nativity figures and can be viewed day or night.

It starts at the corner of 3rd St. and Michigan in Elmhurst and runs through Tuesday, Jan 5.

Number of cases by town At press time, the DuPage Department of Health reported the following number of COVID-19 cases in our readership communities as follows: Addison 3,563, Bensenville 1,755, Elmhurst 2,812, Lombard 2,876, Oakbrook Terrace 169, Villa Park 1,723, Wood Dale 1,118.

And now for the good news Elmhurst Hospital reports that 54 inpatients with confirmed cases of COVID-19 were discharged as of Friday, Dec. 18. Since March 24, a total of 1,120 patients have been discharged.

Illinois, other states file lawsuit against Google, seek to join DOJ case

We protect it.

You live it.

The lawsuit claims Google has illegal monopoly over search engines, related advertising

By Raymon Troncoso CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS |

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul joined 37 other attorneys general Dec. 17 in filing a lawsuit against Google LLC, alleging the company illegally holds monopoly power.

The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and accuses Google of engaging in anticompetitive practices that led to customers having less choice, less online privacy and less protection for their private information. Alongside Illinois, 34 other states, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico are named as plaintiffs in the filing.

“Close to 90 percent of all internet searches done in the United States use Google. No competing search engine has more than 7 percent of

the market, and, over the past decade, no new entrant in the general search market in the United States has accounted for more than 1 percent of internet searches in a given year,” the lawsuit reads, establishing Google’s status as a monopoly power in the search engine market.

The suit alleges Google maintains its monopoly through lucrative contracts with Apple and other companies to be the default search engine on the vast majority of smart devices and mobile phones.

Google then leverages this by putting advertising customers and results that benefit the company at the top of Google’s search results, rather than “general” or “organic” results, described in the suit as results from non-affiliated third-party websites that would normally appear first according to Google’s algorithm, ab-

sent advertising partners.

As part of the suit, the coalition of attorneys general seek to join an existing case against Google from the U.S. Department of Justice that is currently pending in court.

A third anti-trust lawsuit was also filed against Google on Dec. 16 by a different group of 10 state attorneys general in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas The cases are fairly similar, but the coalition’s lawsuit seeks to expand the DOJ’s complaint to include Google’s acquisition and stockpiling of personal data as an additional source of Google’s monopoly power that has created barriers to other competitors.

Raoul joined another anti-trust lawsuit alongside 47 other attorneys general against Facebook earlier this month.

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4 • Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 - Rock Valley Publishing

Leaders optimistic with Moderna vaccine on horizon

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 Dec. 11 Brisleyde Blanco, 18, of Addison; Huriel Hernandez, 22, of Bensenville; and Brian Villanueva, 19, of Des Plaines, were charged with armed robbery with a firearm in the 1000 block of Argyle, Bensenville, at around 11:40 p.m.

116 S. Main

Dec. 10 Theft was reported in the 1000 block of N. Harvard at around 3:46 p.m. Police said an unknown suspect entered a home after asking to use the bathroom and stole cash.

Dec. 9 Juan S. Espinoza, 36, of Chicago, was charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance/other drug/any amount at a gas station in the 1-100 block of W. St. Charles May 8. The original complaint and arrest warrant were issued Dec. 9 A 30-year-old Villa Park man was charged with domestic battery/making physical contact and assault in the 400 block of N. Michigan at around St. Lombard, IL 60148 7 a.m.

By Sarah Mansur

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

Gov. JB Pritzker announced Dec. 18 that more than 17,000 doses of the first coronavirus vaccine have been administered to Illinois frontline health care workers outside of Chicago, up from 3,500 doses on Dec. 17.

Pritzker said Illinois hospitals could begin to receive shipments of a second COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the drug company Moderna, as early as this week. That announcement comes one day after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s advisory committee recommended the use of the Moderna vaccine in people ages 18 and older.

The FDA granted Emergency Use Authorization for the Moderna vaccine on Dec. 18.

The first vaccine, developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, received such authorization from the FDA the week before.

The Moderna vaccine was shown to be 94.1 percent effective after two doses four week apart, compared to the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine that

PROOF from the

LOMBARDIAN/VILLA PARK REVIEW

627-7010 Fax: 627-7027 Villa Park Dec. 12 Dec. 7 Criminal damage to property was A 21-year-old Villa Park man was reported in the 200 block of W. North charged with domestic battery/makat around 8:40 a.m. Police said an un- ing physical contact, and domestic known suspect used an unknown ob- battery which causes bodily harm ject to hit a front window of a business, in the 1600 block of S. Michigan at causing the window to shatter. around 3:47 a.m.

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At the end of the day Dec. 17, there were 4,690 people hospitalized with COVID-19 in Illinois, a decrease of 114 from the day prior. Approximately 25 percent of hospital beds remained open statewide.

There were 1,023 intensive care beds in use by COVID-19 patients as of Thursday night, Dec. 17, a decrease of 40 from the day prior. That left 20 percent of ICU beds open statewide.

COVID-19 patients occupied 589 ventilators, an increase of 14 from the day prior, leaving 72 percent of ventilators available statewide.

Two of the state’s 11 mitigation regions—Region 1, which encompasses the northern and western portion of the state, and Region 6, which covers portions of eastern and central Illinois—have met the conditions laid out by the Pritzker administration to return to Tier 2 mitigations, from Tier 3, which all 11 regions entered by Nov. 20. But the governor said that does not mean existing regulations will be rolled back in the near future.

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was found 95 percent effective after two doses three weeks apart.

“This is yet another very exciting development, and it reinforces and it brightens the light at the end of the tunnel for all of us who have been fighting through COVID-19,” Pritzker said.

News about the vaccines comes as the state’s coronavirus death toll surpassed 15,000 since March, rising to 15,015 among 886,805 cases and more than 12 million test results reported since the beginning of the pandemic.

On Dec. 18, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported 7,377 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Illinois, including 181 additional deaths.

Statewide, the rolling seven-day average case positivity rate was 8 percent, which decreased four-tenths of a percentage point from the day prior.

This is the fifth straight day that the rolling seven-day average case positivity rate has decreased, and it’s the lowest rate recorded since Nov. 1.

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Rock Valley Publishing - Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 • 5VP

Local Villa Park entertainer reView participating in fundraiser

Your Hometown Newspaper 240 N. West Avenue Elmhurst, IL. 60126

Main Phone 630.834-8244 Fax 630.834-0900

BTB Foundation raising money to help families fighting cancer

By Jane Charmelo

The Villa Park Review is published every Thursday by Rock Valley Publishing, LLC, 240 N. West Avenue, Elmhurst, IL. 60126.

VILLA PARK REVIEW STAFF REPORTER

G.M. Smith & Son Realtors hold annual food drive

G.M. Smith & Son Realtors of Villa Park held its annual holiday food drive, with Saturday being delivery day. Two work vans and four pickup trucks filled with over 130 boxes of food and personal products were delivered to two local food pantries: Disciples Food Pantry in Villa Park, and St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry at St. Pius in Lombard. Additionally, G.M. Smith & Son Realtors was able to give the pantries approximately $3,000 in donated checks and gift cards. G.M. Smith & Son Realtors has held the annual food drive since 2008, with the exception of one year that it held a coat drive for homeless veterans. The Villa Park Police Benevolent Association began holding its day-long food drive next to the Villa Park Jewel last year and held it again Dec. 18. The association was able to collect enormous donations both years. What it collected is added to what G.M. Smith & Son Realtors collected, and it’s all delivered together. From left to right: officer Kordell Kitching, detective Anthony Blake, officer Bart Banaszewski, officer Eric Haimann and detective D.J. Giammarino.

Jean Barbanente named District 88’s interim superintendent Board makes appointment following the death of Scott Helton; Barbanente has been with the district since 1995 STAFF REPORT

The District 88 Board of Education recently named assistant superintendent Jean Barbanente as the district’s interim superintendent through June 30, 2021.

Jean Barbanente The board announced the appointment at its Dec. 14 meeting.

Scott Helton, the district’s superintendent since 2012, died on Dec. 10.

Helton suffered a stroke in late October and was being treated at a rehabilitation facility.

Barbanente has been with Dis-

trict 88 for 25 years. She’s been an assistant superintendent for 14 years. The district’s two schools— Willowbrook High School and Addison Trail High School—serve a total of about 3,900 students.

“I have every confidence Jean will continue the tradition of excellence that has been established here at District 88,” said board president Donna Craft Cain. “Scott was a tremendous leader, human being and advocate for students, and he can never be replaced. But I know Jean will continue his legacy, and her extensive background, knowledge, skills and passion will help lead our district through this challenging time.”

Barbanente joined the district in 1995 as a member of the World

Language Department at Addison Trail, where she taught Italian and Spanish. In 2002, Barbanente became the Guidance Department Chair at Addison Trail. She was named an assistant superintendent in 2006. According to the district, Barbanente has provided leadership in the areas of teaching, learning, human resources, compliance, equity and Pupil Personnel Services (PPS) during her time as an assistant superintendent.

Barbanente received her doctorate in educational leadership from Aurora University in 2019. She earned her doctorate after successfully defending her dissertation, titled “Leadership in Difficult Times: Deep Equity, Race and the Journey Toward Equity Literacy.”

See ENTERTAINER, Page 8

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Subscriptions: The Villa Park Review is mailed to the 60181 zip code areas for $45.00 yearly. Out-of-area mail subscriptions are $50.00 yearly.

For home delivery information call 630.834-8244.

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

Requests should be directed to Independent@rvpublishing.com or 630.834-8244.

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SUBMITTED PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing

While there is nothing funny about cancer, Lombard’s native son and Villa Park resident—comedian and actor Matt Kissane—is offering his own brand of humor to help one non-profit organization raise money to help families facing hardship due to cancer and related illnesses.

The BTB (Beat Tom and Bill) Foundation is now in its 19th year of fundraising after first organizing a charity golf outing, dinner and auction to help a friend whose wife was undergoing treatment for cancer.

That first outing raised $3,000 with 30 attendees, according to Tom Latourette. Since then, the all-volunteer organization he and his brother, Bill Latourette founded has raised over $1.3 million to benefit 102 families, including 16 this year (12 families and four scholarships).

In 2019 alone, there were some 300 golfers and over 500 dinner guests, he added, along with 100 volunteers.

Latourette explained that the idea behind the fundraiser is to compete with him and Bill at golf.

“My brother and I golf ahead of time,” he described, and the other golfers try to beat their score, but with a twist.

The golfers are “harangued” or challenged, whether it be by a polka band, having to tee off in clown shoes, or having to golf one hole sitting on a strategically place toilet!

The idea is, “They get distracted,” Latourette explained, adding, “Every hole has got stupid stuff like that!”

Instead of a golf outing this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 fundraiser has gone virtual, Kissane related, noting that he participated in previous BTB Foundation golf outings, and, “They have local entertainers like myself come out.”

Kissane said he is volunteering his comedic services, such as impersonations of Donald Trump and Chris Farley’s “Matt Foley,” and has participated on the golf course for several years: In 2017, as Chris Farley, “We went out there [on the golf course] and messed with the golfers!”

In 2018 he portrayed Donald Trump and in 2019, he was Robin to WGN personality Mike Toomey’s Batman. The entertainers try to rattle the golfers to put the “fun” in fundraising, Kissane described.

Kissane, a Montini Catholic High School graduate, is not only a comedian whose specialty is impersonating Matt Foley, Farley’s motivational speaker character who “lives in a van down by the river.”

He has appeared on WGN-TV, was

6 • Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 - Rock Valley Publishing

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SUBMITTED PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing

Willowbrook ‘Warrior Project’ adopts 10 families from York Township for Christmas Willowbrook High School leaders and staff recently hand-delivered loads of Christmas presents and gift cards to York Township Hall as part of its Student Council’s “Warrior Project.” This year the project adopted 10 families with a total of 27 children through York Township in Lombard. Every holiday season, York Township brings together families through its “Adopt a Family for Christmas” gift program with

the help of local individuals, companies and organizations, such as Willowbrook’s annual “Warrior Project.” From left to right: Willowbrook High School Principal Dan Krause, Assistant Principal Jamie Gourley, Student Council Sponsor Malcom Ross, Food Pantry Director Angela Tanner, helper Caroline Clendenin, Student Council Sponsor Ashley Anderson and York Township Supervisor John W. Valle.

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8VP • Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 - Rock Valley Publishing

I heard the infallible Dr. Fauci say in a soundbite that he won’t be seeing his adult daughters this Christmas for the first time since they were born, and encourages Americans to do the same, all because of COVID. Sorry, Dr. Fauci.

Your request went in one ear and out the other with me. I’ve been following your recommendations to social distance and wear a mask for months. I’ll be home for Christmas with my family, wearing a mask around them and social distancing. Why don’t you do the same and be with your daughters? *** If it makes me a Grinch or a Scrooge for saying this, so be it. You people who put these antlers on your cars and a red nose on the front are ridiculous.

You’re about as ridiculous as the people I see wearing face masks while driving alone. Bye. *** Democrats knew that mass mail-in voting would lead to mass fraud, but they pushed it anyway. Democrats never cared about integrity or the rule of law. They just wanted to take out Trump at any cost. They pushed the fraudulent Russian collusion nonsense, the ridiculous impeachment and now, in my opinion, a fraudulent election. *** So now we are again trying to bleed property owners over a barrel for the benefit of one of our public-school districts. Considering the effects of the current pandemic, a number of questions should be raised regarding funding requirements versus the expected near-term activities in all school districts. While teaching is not onsite and there is reduced need for non-certified assistant and maintenance personnel, will there be any related taxpayer relief? How about the high schools that are not having sports and extra-curricular programs? Are gym teachers being paid while not teaching gym classes? Are teachers with additional sports or club coaching duties being paid premiums without these activities? Are deans being paid without any discipline problems? The significant expense of the function of our high schools as a sports arena is gone for now. So, should we really have a tax increase or a tax decrease to support school districts right now? *** Maybe it’s just me, but I get the impression that local women Democratic officeholders only seem to care about the views of liberal women. Which explains their obsession about keeping Illinois’ very liberal abortion laws in place and purging religion from the public square. *** So, I get a notice that my Social Se-

trolled hoax by the globalists to destroy certain wage businesses and to prop up and empower loyal businesses to this political party. The harassment of the mask is also a neurotic and eccentric habit of the Democrat Party as they seek to be a one-party socialist state and are funded by our foreign enemies to be such, with their continuing medical martial law. Capitalism is under attack by the dark forces of a medical industrial complex and the un-Democrat socialists, internationalists. It seems masks do nothing to stop the spread.

And if anything, I would be willing to bet all my money that wearing a mask increases flu and virus screens. *** I’m sure that we can remember curity benefit is going up a whopping reciting the Pledge of Allegiance $14. Out of that, about $5 will go to- when we were attending school. I ward the Medicare premium increase, leaving me with a whole $9 more, which probably won’t begin to cover increases in any one of my bills.

Saturday, Jan. 2 *** Library presents If Democrats had nothing to hide, slower-paced online workout they would support audits and full The Villa Park Public Library is transparency in examining the election pleased to present “Balletone: Balresults. Instead, they are fighting for let Fused Fitness Cardio Dance” The less transparency. They are acting like workout is 40 minutes in length and they have a lot to hide. is designed to be slower-paced. This *** class will be prerecorded and availLED Christmas lights are very able online via YouTube. Registraexpensive‒more than I expected. I tion is required, and the program link bought 20 sets at $20/set. Ten days lat- will be emailed out to all registrants. er only nine sets worked with all lights; For more information, visit the lithe other 11 sets either part or none. brary’s website at vppl.info or call The “big box” store that sold them will 630-834-1164. neither refund the money nor replace them as they are sold out. (I didn’t Wednesday, Jan. 6 want more anyway!) This should be Library offers Bullet illegal as they sold a bad product and Journaling 101 for teens refuse to refund or replace any ChristThe Villa Park Public Library is mas item(s). I have been a contractor presenting Bullet Journaling 101 with this store for many years; this is for teens ages 13 and older at 4 coming to an end. p.m. Registrants will receive some *** BuJo fundamentals (including mini I think Twitter, Facebook and You- notebooks, stencils, and DIY stickTube suppressed legitimate informa- er materials) as well as access to an tion in an effort to help Biden. Big-tech online presentation on Bullet Journcompanies and the mainstream media aling Basics and a tutorial on how to are a disgrace. make DIY stickers. Registration with *** a valid email address is required.

Many thanks to all the generous Information about how to access people who attended Lombard Park the online program will be sent via District’s new event‒Holly Jolly Jin- email shortly before the program begle on Saturday, Dec 12. The 285 toys gins. For more information, visit the that were collected were donated to library’s website at vppl.info or call the Lombard-Villa Park Food Pantry 630-834-1164. at First United Methodist Church of Lombard at 155 S. Main St. along with Library presents online an $80 cash donation. Did you know Saturday morning storytimes for every dollar donated to the Food The Villa Park Public Library will Pantry it turns into $8 dollars? Yes, present Marvelous Mornings online it’s true. That donation will buy $640 storytimes on Saturdays, Jan. 2 and worth of food for people in need! We Jan. 16 at 11 a.m. Young children have a great community that helps and their adults can enjoy stories, each other; thank you, thank you, songs, and activities including a craft thank you! project to enjoy together. Registra*** tion with a valid email address is reA friend of mine works as a nurse quired. Information about how to acat a well-known Chicago hospital. cess the online program will be sent They have been advised the hospital via email shortly before the program administration personnel are sched- begins. For more information, visit uled to receive the COVID-19 vaccine the library’s website at vppl.info or before the ICU COVID-19 nurses get call 630-834-1164. the vaccine. This is shocking that this is happening, but I can’t say that I’m Winter Reading Program surprised. returns to Library *** Journey beyond the covers of I’m in my 80s and the most immoral books with Dig Deeper, the Villa president this country has ever had is Park Public Library’s 2021 Winin the White House now. I’m talking ter Reading Program. The program about Donald Trump. will officially launch Online with *** Beanstack on Monday, Jan. 4. This After eight or nine months, I think is the same system the library used the conclusion can be said that this for Summer Reading 2020. Itis a whole COVID-19 is a Democrat-con- fun, free, easy-to-use app for iOS or

Library events

do. There’s a part in this pledge that says “and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.” President Trump has done a magnificent job of dividing our country in two during his four-year term as leader of our great country. This division was evidenced by the closeness of our recent election. I feel that President-elect Biden has a monumental task on his hands— that of trying to put our country back on track so we could once again say “one nation” indivisible. He may not be able to do it. It may take two or three more presidents down the line to accomplish this. How much more damage can Donald Trump do between now and Jan. 20, 2021? *** Well folks, I never thought I’d see

this; the second time in my lifetime a presidential election is trying to be stolen from us. As we all know, four years ago, the Democrats, the FBI, etc., all committed to the coup and tried overturning a legally elected president United States. We’re doing it again with the massive voter fraud in Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania is unbelievable.

In all of those states, somehow ballots keep mysteriously showing up.

What do you know; every single one of those balances for Joe Biden. This is unbelievable, folks. We’re literally watching our country be stolen from us. I never thought I’d live to see this.

It really is sad. Hopefully, there are enough patriots that if this election is stolen, they stand up and do something about it. Thank you.

Android devices. Returning readers can easily join in the challenge from the Beanstack website or app, and new readers can sign up from the library’s website. Get ready to start tracking reading, collecting badges, and earning tickets for prize drawings this winter. The adult and youth programs offer fun for all ages. Both programs are free, easy, and open to everyone. For more information, visit the library’s website at vppl.info or call 630-834-1164.

Each kit will contain three activities that focus on sound, light, and air. The activities are intended for children ages 8 and older to do independently. Registration is required.

For more information, visit the library’s website at vppl.info or call 630-834-1164.

Library offers take-home science kits for kids In partnership with the Museum of Science & Industry Chicago, the Villa Park Public Library is offering MSI Science Minors: Science at Home take-home activity kits.

These kits are perfect for children who loved attending in-person science minors programs in the past or who just have a curious mind and enjoy some hands-on experiments.

• Entertainer

Library offers online ukulele classes The Villa Park Public Library is offering ukulele classes for everyone ages 14 and up. Classes will meet online via Zoom on Wednesdays, Jan. 6–Feb. 10 from 6 to 7 p.m. During this six-week course, students will learn to play some chords and songs. Registrants must attend all six classes. Visit perrysmusic.net for details about ukulele rentals. Registration with a valid email address is required.

For more information, visit the library’s website at vppl.info or call 630-834-1164.

(Continued from page 5)

once part of the Chicago Bulls’ Matadors dance squad, appeared on “The Mancow Show” on WPWR-TV and hosts “Live From Chicago It’s Matt Kissane.”

Kissane has appeared in several TV shows, including “APB” and “Chicago Med,” and was scheduled to appear on Dec. 19 in a half-hour comedy show, “TV Hams,” on WJYS (Channel 17) with fellow comedian Larry Grochowski.

He said he portrayed a “bad Santa.”

The comedian is no stranger to sharing his talents for charitable causes. For instance, he performed in 2016 and 2018 for events to benefit St. Jude’s Research Hospital; and just recently, was part of the COVID Comedy Jam to benefit Yellow Brick Road: The Holden Flynn Foundation, which raises money for research and awareness of congenital heart disease in children.

When asked why he has participated in the BTB Foundation’s “Beat Tom and Bill” golf outings, Kissane responded that he lost his father to cancer in 2013.

With this year’s virtual fundraiser, the comedian explained, for a $100 pledge, “They [donors] can hire me to do an impersonation,” one of which is a Matt Foley motivational

“Santa.”

That Santa, he continued, “kind of yells at you,” much in the fashion of Foley’s motivational “speeches,” and will admonish viewers to “be nice, not naughty!”

Additionally, Kissane said, he will read a story and relate how “poor Matt [Foley] … lives in a van down by the river.”

Another donation option, according to the BTB Foundation, is to pledge $100 to virtually hire polka artist Eddie Korosa Jr., who appeared in “Home Alone.”

“It’s always a big deal,” the comedian said of the Beat Tom and Bill events, so this year is especially crucial, with COVID-19 limiting in-person fundraisers.

Latourette said of Kissane, “He’s been great,” adding, “Our outing is known for craziness and wackiness, and Matt’s brand of humor fits right in!”

“I’ve had other family members who have been stricken with it [cancer] as well,” Kissane shared, adding, “I’m always willing to help out.”

Details on making a donation or becoming a sponsor are available at www.btbfoundation.org, including information on Latourette’s children’s books, sales of which also benefit the BTB Foundation.

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PUBLISHER’S NOTICE Allacreal lication does not knowingly FOR SALE BY OWNER Two Flat estate advertising in this newspaApartment buildingcept in Addison, IL fraudulent or deceptive adper is subject to the Fair Housing If interested, call 630-390-5855 Act which makes it illegal to advertising. Readers are cautioned vertise any preference, limitation to thoroughly investigate allonads, or discrimination based race, color, religion, sex, disability, faespecially those asking for money miliar/ status or national origin, in advance. or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimiDISCLAIMER NOTICE This pubnation. Familial status includes lication does not knowingly acchildren under the age of 18 living cept fraudulent or deceptive adwith parents or legal custodians, vertising. Readers are cautioned pregnant women and people seto thoroughly investigate all ads, Small,thoseclean, one especially asking for mon- bedroom CARE GIVER WANTED Looking curing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowey apartment. in advance. for part time caregiver.

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10 • Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 - Rock Valley Publishing

Timothy Christian green lights girls badminton team

SUBMITTED PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing

Victor Vazquez celebrates great season

By Mike Miazga CORRESPONDENT

Sophomore Victor Vazquez of Fenton’s boys cross country team was recognized during District 100’s November Board of Education meeting. In late October Victor ran 16:40 at the Sectional meet in Lincoln Park and would have qualified for the State Meet (IHSA canceled state meets due to COVID-19). Coach Patrick Fritsch and Coach Jay Ehrhardt joined Victor for a short video with the “state bound” banner before Fenton’s Board of Education meeting.

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Badminton moved to winter schedule; no status change on resumption of high school sports amid pandemic

One change coming out of the most recent Illinois High School Association December Board of Directors meeting is the movement of girls badminton from a spring sport to a winter sport.

The board voted to move girls badminton from a spring sport to a winter sport within the modified 2020-2021 modified sports calendar.

“Given its status as a low-risk sport, we believe we can safely conduct badminton in the winter as soon as the current mitigations are lifted,” IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson said. “The feedback we have heard from our schools is that this is an optimal time to conduct badminton as they look at balancing sports and facilities throughout the remainder of the school year.”

As a result of that news, Timothy Christian athletic director Jack LeGrand told the Independent that the school will together a badminton team and will compete once high school sports are able to resume amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Timothy Christian has never had a team, but our student-athletes have expressed interest in playing, if allowed,” LeGrand said.

The IHSA board also permitted the allowance of contact days for out-of-season IHSA sports (2020-2021 fall, spring and summer sports) as soon as the Illinois Department of Public Health and Governor Pritzker’s office lift the current Tier 3 mitigations. Contact days, the IHSA Noted, will

Answers PUZZLE 1

PUZZLE 2

be restricted to six hours per student-athlete per sport each week, and can include practices, drills and intra-squad scrimmages allowable under IDPH guidance. Competition against any other high school, conducted in-state or out of state, is prohibited, the IHSA cautioned.

“The board felt it was important for the physical and mental health of our student-athletes to resume contact days for all out-of-season sports as soon as IDPH deems it safe,” Anderson said. “Winter sports are not included as we anticipate all low-risk sports will be able to begin their seasons at the same time. Basketball remains the outlier in the equation. We hope to be able to conduct basketball during the winter season, but if we cannot, basketball will be provided the same contact day opportunity as we determine where the basketball seasons fit best in the remainder of the school year.”

The IHSA said its board plans to meet with representatives from IDPH and the governor’s office prior to January to develop a timeline for the resumption of winter sports.

Following that meeting, the board, the IHSA added, will call a special meeting to finalize scheduling for the winter, spring and summer sports seasons.

“The board reiterated they plan to do everything in their power to provide a season for every IHSA sport in 2020-21,” Anderson said.

“There have been no cancellations of any sports or discussions about canceling any sports thus far. The board appreciates the patience and flexibility of the IHSA membership and remains optimistic, especially as vaccines begin to be administered, that we will return to conducting IHSA sports early in 2021.”

The IHSA’s update comes as news of the COVID-19 vaccine’s arrival, distribution and administration brings hope that there may be hope at the end of the pandemic tunnel, yet the state recently endured an alarming stretch where deaths attributed to the virus tallied in the 100s each day.

Rock Valley Publishing - Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 • 11VP

Special visit

CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing

The COVID-19 pandemic prevented the Villa Park Parks and Recreation Department from holding its regular holiday program that allows Santa Claus to visit the homes of children shortly before Christmas. In past years, Santa visited the Villa Park homes of children whose families took part in the program. The department improvised this year and scheduled Saturday’s event with Santa outside of the Iowa Community Center. Children visited at appointed times and met with Santa, who stood on a Villa Park Fire Department fire engine.

Using a large candy cane, Santa distributed a coloring book and some much smaller candy canes to each of his visitors. The photo above shows Santa giving the items to 8-year-old Avery Schwanderlik of Villa Park. Another photo (top right) shows Santa with Avery and her parents—Beth and David. One more photo (right) shows Valerie Heidkamp (age 5) with her parents—Martin and Jaclyn—during that Villa Park family’s visit with Santa.

Illinois pushes for digital equity with new broadband investments

By Raymon Troncoso CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

The governor’s office and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity are awarding $500,000 through existing and new state programs as part of a “Digital Equity Package.”

The Illinois Office of Broadband, which is based in the DCEO, is spearheading the targeted investment program.

The package gives modest grants to community-based and regional actors to address gaps in household access to computing devices, hotspot connectivity and digital literacy skills.

While Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration has also launched the $400 million Connect Illinois program—funded through 2019’s Rebuild Illinois capital infrastructure program—with the goal of expanding broadband capacity statewide by 2024, these significantly smaller grants are aimed at addressing inequalities and gaps in coverage that may not be solved simply by the growth of the state’s broadband network.

“High speed broadband internet is an absolute necessity for economic progress and educational attainment, but too many of our towns and counties and communities have been left out of the digital revolution, especially downstate,” Pritzker said in a release.

“It’s time for that to change. To accomplish our goals, we need resources and expertise.”

The digital equity investment is split between three programs using $500,000 in state dollars alongside $250,000 in non-state funds.

Broadband Regional Engagement for Adoption and Digital Equity grants, part of the Broadband READY program, will award organizations up to $50,000 to identify inequities in digital access and develop scalable solutions.

The DCEO splits Illinois into 10 economic development regions. The Broadband READY grants will be awarded according to how organizations plan to solve pressing digital needs in their regions. Two such areas of need are telehealth and remote learning, fields where shortcomings in broadband access has been a detriment

to downstate and rural counties in the age of COVID-19.

The state is providing $250,000 in grants with another $100,000 being put forward by the Illinois Innovation Network, which is a group of public universities and community colleges that works with government agencies businesses, and community organizations to improve the state economy.

The program will act as a primer for regions to establish a framework for future broadband projects so they can compete for heftier grants offered by Connect Illinois or federal programs tied to digital infrastructure.

The Digital Navigator Collaboration is another project of the Office of Broadband that will spend $100,000 on “digital navigators” that offer consultation for communities that struggle with home connectivity, managing devices and other digital skills.

Digital navigators will be volunteers or staff from social service agencies, libraries and health care centers that can offer remote and in-person guidance to members of their community. Qualified applicants will receive training on

how to assist residents.

“We’d like to develop this into a full statewide network,” Office of Broadband Director Matt Schmit said. “Almost like a one-stop shop. Instead of folks calling the Office of Broadband and trying to get a hold of me, getting what I would hope to be helpful information and guidance, we’ve got a network of folks around the state that are able to make those connections.”

Illinois Connected Communities, a pre-existing grant program, will be awarding a second round of funding as part of the Digital Equity Package—$150,000 will come from the state with another $150,000 in funding matched by philanthropic and nonstate entities. The program offers community organizations up to $15,000 in grants centered around three aspects of broadband: access, adoption, and utilization.

These grants offer funding for data gathering and organizing so communities can discover shortcomings, non-governmental partners and sources of non-state funds for projects. The first round of grants went to 12 orga-

nizations in July, including four school districts, two municipal governments and other organizations.

Ronda Sauget, executive director of the Leadership Council of Southwestern Illinois, said because of the modest grant her organization received, it was able to identify gaps in broadband coverage and problems with connectivity that local internet service providers weren’t addressing and found funding opportunities to address them.

“We have a Hispanic community in Fairmont City that has over 600 students that go to the local school district. The local school district came to us and said, ‘We have real connectivity issues.’” Sauget said.

The Leadership Council and Fairmont City were able to find a non-profit organization, PCs for People, to provide low-cost hotspots and computers to families as a stopgap measure to solve connectivity issues while the city and organization work on a permanent fix.

Applications for grants can be found under “Grant Opportunities” at https:// www2.illinois.gov/dceo.

12 • Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020 - Rock Valley Publishing

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Served on corn tortilla with chihuahua cheese, Pico de Gallo & shredded lettuce.

Tres Little Village Tacos

. . . . . . . . . . 12 $

Steak, chicken, pork carnitas, tilapia, beef or vegetable.

Served on corn tortilla with cilantro & onion.

Giant Burrito . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14 Steak, chicken, carnitas, beef or vegetable on a large flour tortilla with Chihuahua cheese, refried beans, Pico de Gallo shredded lettuce.

The Gordo, The ultimate steak burrito! . . . $16 Half lb of steak, 3 oz of ground beef (it makes it juicier), just a touch of beans, loads of Chihuahua cheese, cilantro, onion, sour cream and fire roasted jalapeno salsa.

Burrito Suizo

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . add $3

(add ranchero sauce and melted chihuahua cheese to your burrito)

Quesadillas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $14 Steak, chicken, pork carnitas, beef or vegetable stuffed into a large flour tortilla with Chihuahua cheese, served with sour cream, Pico de Gallo and guacamole on the side.

Make your Tacos, Burrito or Quesadilla a meal and add a side of beans and rice - Add $4

This legit feeds 4 as an appetizer and anyone as a meal.

Tres Enchiladas

. . . . . . . . . . . . $14

Chicken, beef or steak rolled in corn tortillas topped with Spicy red sauce and melted cheese. Served with beans, rice, Pico de Gallo, sour cream and guacamole.

Chicken Fajitas . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$18 9 oz of chicken with red, yellow & green peppers, rice, beans and guacamole.

Steak Fajitas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$21 9 oz of steak with red, yellow & green peppers, rice, beans and guacamole.

Pollo Asado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19 Chicken breast seasoned and grilled. Served with rice, beans, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, Pico de Gallo and warm tortillas.

Carne Asada 9 oz. steak . . . . . . . $22 9 oz. Skirt steak seasoned and grilled. Served with rice, beans, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, Pico de Gallo and warm tortillas.

386226

Tres Gringos Tacos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $12