VR 6.19.25

Villa Park R eview

Villa Park review

Meeting features critical comments from current trustees, former president

By Chris Fox VILLA PARK REVIEW

Last week’s Villa Park Village Board meeting included comments from two board members who criticized some of their fellow trustees without directly mentioning their names. The meeting also featured comments from former Villa Park Village President Nick Cuzzone, who criticized his successor and another board member.

About one month after leaving office, former president speaks during public comments segment

Cuzzone spent 10 years on the village board, including the last four years as village president. He departed from the board at the May 12 meeting, when Kevin Patrick was sworn in as Villa Park’s new village president. Patrick, who spent the previous six years as a village trustee, defeated a fellow trustee—Jorge Cordova—in the April 1 election to succeed Cuzzone, who did not seek a second term as village president.

Cuzzone joined other village residents to speak during the public comments segment of the June 9 village board meeting. He spoke about the board’s recent decision to remove Matthew Harline as Villa Park’s village manager. Board members voted 5-2 at a special May 28 meeting to remove Harline from his position, which he had held for nearly three years.

tioned that he was out of town during the special meeting of May 28. He stated that the board’s recent vote to remove Harline marked the second time in the last three and a half years that the board has removed the village manager. In December 2021, the board voted to fire Richard Keehner, who had spent more than 10 years as Villa Park’s village manager.

“This cost the village tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees, severance pay and search fees for a new manager,” said Cuzzone while referring to the board’s decision to terminate Keehner’s employment. Cuzzone stated that the board fired Keehner six months after giving him a raise. Cuzzone also stated that the board fired Keehner without giving him the opportunity to face the board to learn why he was being fired, and possibly work to rectify any perceived deficiencies.

Board appointed former chief of police as Villa Park’s new village manager

The board hired Harline in June 2022. His employment contract with the village ended last month, on May 12. He continued in his role after that date, and attended the board’s May 19 meeting.

The Villa Park Village Board held a meeting last week. Pictured left to right at the June 9 meeting are: village trustees Jorge Cordova, Tina Konstatos and Jack Kozar; Village President Kevin Patrick, Village Manager Michael Rivas, village trustees Deepasriya Kumar, Cari Alfano and Khalid Sabri; and Villa Park Village Clerk Rolf Laukant. Patrick, a former village trustee who won the April 1 election for village president, was sworn in as Villa Park’s village president on May 12. Konstatos, who was elected to a four-year term as a village trustee in the April 1 election, was also sworn in on May 12. Kozar and Kumar, who were both re-elected on April 1, began their new four-year terms on May 12. Sabri joined the board on May 19. Patrick appointed Sabri to serve on the board for the next two years. Patrick’s rise from village trustee to village president created a vacancy on the board. Rivas, Villa Park’s former chief of police, was sworn in as village manager during the June 9 meeting. Laukant, who was sworn in as village clerk on May 12, administered the swearing-in to Rivas at last week’s meeting. Board members voted 5 to 2 at their May 28 special meeting to remove Village Manager Matthew Harline from his position, and to appoint Rivas as the new village manager. Harline had been Villa Park’s village manager for nearly three years. Rivas resigned as Villa Park’s chief of police after his appointment as village manager. Deputy Chief Todd Kubish was sworn in as Villa Park’s new chief of police on May 29.

Graduation day at Willowbrook

Speaking during the segment for public comments on agenda items, Cuzzone men-

pointment, was sworn in during the June 9 board meeting.

Homecoming parade

After voting to remove Harline, the board voted during the same May 28 meeting to appoint Michael Rivas—Villa Park’s chief of police—as the new village manager. Rivas then resigned from his role as the village’s chief of police. Deputy Chief Todd Kubish was sworn in as Villa Park’s chief of police on May 29.

Cuzzone criticizes board’s decision to remove Harline and appoint his successor without a search

appointing Rivas. Cuzzone said that Rivas did a great job as the village’s chief of police, and added that he is disappointed Rivas left that position.

ward their own agenda,” said Cuzzone during last week’s meeting.

Trustee Alfano and Trustee Konstatos deliver prepared statements during trustees’ reports

Patrick joined village trustees Cari Alfano, Tina Konstatos, Jack Kozar and Khalid Sabri in voting during the May 28 special meeting to remove Harline from his position. Two trustees—Cordova and Deepasriya Kumar—voted against the resolution to remove Harline.

Rivas, who had already been serving as Villa Park’s village manager after his May 28 ap-

Freshman Lindsey Rugg of the Willowbrook softball team is pictured while attempting to score a run during Friday’s game at Downers Grove South. Rugg tried to score from second base on a single by sophomore Katelyn Cox in the top of the second inning, when the game was tied at 2-2. Downers Grove South’s catcher tagged Rugg out at home plate for the third out of the inning. The Mustangs went on to defeat the Warriors 7-3 in the West Suburban Gold Conference contest. Willowbrook rebounded from Friday’s loss to post an 11-2 win in Saturday’s Hinsdale Central. The Warriors bashed three home runs in the second urday’s non-conference battle against the Red Devils of the West Conference. Senior Annemarie Knudtson, freshman Isabella Dugo Kayleigh Dennison provided the home runs. Dennison (No. 5) is background of the above photo. For more about the Warriors, see page

Speaking at last week’s meeting, Cuzzone mentioned that Rivas submitted an application during the board’s 2022 search for a village manager. The board ultimately decided to hire Harline for the position.

Cuzzone also noted that the board would be replacing its village attorney—Melissa Wolf—who was on the dais at that time, but would be replaced later in the meeting. Cuzzone stated that Wolf had done a good job.

Arbor Day in Villa Park

“Although he was not perfect, he listened to the board when they requested changes,” said Cuzzone while speaking about Harline.

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

Willowbrook High School celebrated its homecoming last week. The week’s special activities included Friday afternoon’s homecoming parade, which took place in hot and sunny conditions. The parade procession began near Park Boulevard and Ardmore Avenue. Parade participants marched south on Ardmore before turning west onto Highridge Road and into the school’s north parking lot. Willowbrook’s marching band are pictured along the parade route. The also included several of the Warriors’ fall athletic teams, as well as members Villa Park Warriors Football and Cheer program.

Cuzzone criticizes Patrick and Trustee Kozar

Memorial Day in Villa

The Village of Villa Park observed Arbor Day with a tree planting on Friday, April

Cuzzone said that Trustee Jack Kozar had corrupted several board members and convinced them to vote to remove Harline, and to replace Wolf as the village’s attorney.

Two current village trustees—Alfano and Konstatos—criticized fellow board members during the June 9 meeting’s segment for trustees’ reports. Neither Alfano nor Konstatos stated which colleagues they were criticizing. The entire board—Patrick and all six village trustees—attended the meeting.

right) at the tree planting at the village’s Franklin Park, located at 218 N. Third Ave., are: Trustee Christine Murphy, Justin Shlensky—chair of the Villa Park Environmental Concerns sion, Margaret Schiefer—a member of the Villa Park Environmental Concerns Commission, Village Trustee Cheryl Tucker, Villa Park Village President Albert Bulthuis, Villa Park Village Village President-Elect) Nick Cuzzone and Leslie Allison-Seei—chair of the Villa Park Commission. Arbor Day is observed on the last Friday of each April. The National Arbor has recognized Villa Park with Tree City USA designation for 36 straight years. To receive tion, a community must have a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, a comprehensive munity forestry program and an Arbor Day observance.

Cuzzone said the decision to call the special meeting on May 28 was made with 48 hours notice. Cuzzone claimed that was a slap in the face of village residents, who should be outraged. He added that the board should have initiated a search for a new village manager instead of

“Trustee Kozar and President Patrick have become what we in Illinois have seen many times before in our politicians—political hacks who care only about moving for-

Alfano, who was elected to the board in 2023, stated that it was an honor and privilege to serve the village as a board member. She said Villa Park deserves trustees who are prepared, respectful, can control See MEETING, Page 8

630-514-9961 kdrury@atproperties.com

Villa Park Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2801 held its Memorial Day service ing at Cortesi Veterans Memorial Park. Post Commander Jim Blankshain is pictured bowing Willowbrook High School students Lily Hendrickson and Anna Seelbach sound taps ceremony. The post’s 2020 Memorial Day event was canceled because of the COVID-19 year’s observance included a reading of the names of the Post 2801 members who have That list included World War II veteran Charles “Sid” Bergh, who served as the master of the post’s annual Memorial Day service for several years. A veteran of the U.S. Navy, October 2020. He was 94 years old. Bergh was the post’s last surviving World War II veteran.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Villa Park Review

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Prairie Path 100+ Women

Who Care group makes another generous contribution

On May 12, a group of women gathered at Crazy Pour in Villa Park for the quarterly meeting of the Prairie Path 100+ Women Who Care. At that meeting, members of the group made presentations for three local non-for-profit organizations. Members then voted to select The Outreach House—a 501(c)(3) organization based in Lombard—to receive the group’s quarterly charitable contribution. The Outreach House provides compassionate and effective assistance to area individuals and families. The Outreach House’s services include a food pantry. The organization also provides clothing, diapers, and hygiene products to people in need, and helps to pay essential bills to prevent utility shutoffs. The photo shows group members presenting a check for $7,700 to The Outreach House’s executive director—Catherine Lynott. Pictured left to right are: Marti Seaton, Hester Bury, Lynott, Rae Rupp Srch, Sue Grzadziel, Patty Kane, Katherine Hirsch, Kathy Albright, Christine Wood and Kimberly Stoltz. Led by Wood, Hirsch and Stoltz, the Prairie Path 100+ Women Who Care group plans to continue meeting quarterly with its members to learn about local non-for-profit organizations. Each member contributes $100, which goes to one selected organization per meeting. After just three meetings, the group has presented three local charities a total of $21,000. With 77 current members, the group has a goal of reaching at least 100 members within its first year. The group plans to meet again on Monday, Aug. 11, at Crazy Pour, 105 E. North Ave., at 7 p.m. Any questions or inquiries can be sent to 100WomenPrairiePath@gmail.com. For more information about The Outreach House, visit its website at https://www.theoutreachhouse.org.

Villa Park’s Thursday Summer Concerts series continues tonight

Villa Park’s Thursday Summer Concerts series continues with the concert taking place tonight, June 19, at Cortesi Veterans Memorial Park, 318 E. Kenilworth Ave. Tonight’s concert begins at 6:30 p.m. Rosie & the Rivets will perform during tonight’s concert. The female-fronted band’s performance will include early rock-and-roll favorites.

Villa Park’s chief of police releases statement about immigration enforcement

Chief notes that ICE officials and other federal officers do not join village officers in responding to 911 calls

Villa Park Chief of Police Todd Kubish issued a statement last week about immigration enforcement.

“The [Villa Park] Police Department is aware of recent immigration enforcement activity in surrounding areas by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal law enforcement agencies that have taken place,” related Kubish in his June 13 statement. “Please be advised that Villa Park Officers follow the Illinois Trust Act and do not participate in immigration enforcement activities or investigations. Conversely, officers may not obstruct federal law enforcement agents in the performance of their duties.”

Kubish added that ICE officers do not join the Villa Park Police Department in responding to 911 calls in the village.

“It is very important to understand that ICE and local

police are not the same and do not have the same functions!” Kubish stated. “We understand that not everyone may be aware of this, and it could lead to hesitation among some members of our community to seek police assistance when it is needed. When 911 is called and our officers respond, ICE does not come along with us, and officers do not enquire about the immigration status of individuals. Our officers do not detain anyone based solely on their immigration status or provide any other assistance to immigration agents related to immigration investigations.”

Kubish closed his statement by advising anyone in need of police help to call 911.

“If you or someone you know needs police assistance, regardless of immigration status, please do not hesitate to call 911,” he stated.

One of two Chicago men charged with armed robbery at Addison gas station sentenced to 25 years

DuPage

County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced last week that Judge Brian Telander sentenced one of two Chicago men accused of robbing an Addison gas station at gunpoint to 25 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

officer (Class 4 felony).

Stephens is currently being held in custody at the DuPage County Jail since his appearance in First Appearance Court on Jan. 31, 2024, at which time the Court granted the State’s motion to detain him pre-trial.

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The 2025 Kiwanis Wednesday Summer Concerts will take place during the last four Wednesdays in July. Those concerts will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Rugaard Gazebo near the Illinois Prairie Path.

The concession stand will open at 6 p.m. before each concert. Concessions will in-

The Chicago-based band Murley will perform during the June 26 concert, which will also start at 6:30 p.m. at Cortesi Veterans Memorial Park. Murley has been a part of the Chicago music scene since 2025, performing at countless city festivals in the area.

clude hamburgers, hot dogs, brats, popcorn and soft drinks. Alcohol is prohibited.

The July 9 concert will feature the St. John’s Lombard Praise Team. Lake Effect will perform during the July 16 concert. Rick Lindy and the Wild Ones will headline the July 23 concert. Full Volume will provide the entertainment at the July 30 concert. For more information about the performing acts during the upcoming concerts in Villa Park, visit invillapark. com/1206/Summer-Concerts.

Village of Villa Park receives grant from health department to offer free swim lessons to 30 children between the ages of 3 and 5

The Village of Villa Park has received a grant from the DuPage County Health Department through the Protect Swimmers PS10M initiative. This funding allows the village to offer eight free 30-minute swim lessons to 30 children between the ages of 3 and 5 at Jefferson Pool, 341 N. Harvard Ave.

The free lessons will take place during the week, from Monday to Thursday. Choose from one of three sessions: 10 to 10:30 a.m.; 10:35 to 11:05 a.m.; and 11:10 to 11:40 a.m. Spots are limited to the first 30 qualified applicants, Apply online at: https://ow.ly/NeB350W9eyT or visit invillapark. com/aquatics.

With a sentencing range of between 21 to 60 years, the State had asked for a sentence of 40 years. On March 13, Willie Carter, 25, entered a blind plea of guilty to one count of armed robbery with a firearm, a Class X felony.

Carter, who was out on parole for less than two months for armed robbery at the time of the offense, has been held in custody at the DuPage County Jail since his appearance in First Appearance Court on Jan. 31, 2024, at which time the Court granted the State’s motion to detain him pre-trial.

The next court date for Carter’s co-defendant, Anton Stephens, 25, is scheduled for July 22. Stephens is charged with three counts of armed robbery with a firearm (Class X felony), one count of unlawful use of a weapon by a felon (Class 3 felony) and one count of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police

It is alleged that on Jan. 30, 2024, at approximately 11:50 p.m., a Villa Park police officer observed a vehicle that was suspected of being involved in an armed robbery at a Villa Park gas station earlier that month traveling westbound on I-290 into DuPage County.

As the officer continued surveillance, it is alleged that the vehicle exited I-290 heading westbound on Lake Street into Addison and backed into a parking spot near the front door of the Speedway gas station located at 701 E. Lake Street in Addison.

It is alleged that two males, later identified as Carter and Stephens, exited the vehicle and entered the gas station store. It is further alleged that once in the store, one of the defendants began putting cigarettes in a garbage bag while the other pressed a gun to the side of a female clerk and ordered her to open the cash register, which she was unable to do as the register was in the process of rebooting.

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Willie Carter

Opinion

Slices of life

Let laughter ring

We are living in serious times. And, while I don’t want to demean or diminish the seriousness of all the seriousness, I have one piece of advice that I hope can benefit us all.

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself is laugh.

You read that right. In the midst of the dire, sobering, critical, drastic, desperate and extreme times in which we all live, we perhaps can benefit from something as basic and simple and liberating as laughter. From the belly. The kind that takes your breath away and makes tears flow down your cheeks (the ones on your face).

Life is serious. We are living in serious times. I believe both those things to be true. I am not advocating making light of the seriousness, nor am I suggesting we laugh at it. I’m simply proposing a short, minimal break from it all. A laugh break, if you will.

Yes, life is serious. But I also believe life is short and it is meant to be fun and in that I give you permission. Not that you need it from me, but it feels good to give it. I give you permission to laugh. And to be silly. To crack jokes. To giggle. Not at yourself, but at something beyond yourself. At something that is funny to you, whether that’s re-runs of The Office, a hilarious knock knock joke, funny cat videos, a clown slipping on a banana peel, someone pretending to pass gas (loudly) in a crowded elevator or the overall ugliness of your best friend’s big toe. Seek laughter. The reasons are simple: It feels good. And it does good. Laughter provides physical benefits to your body. It increases your intake of oxygen, which benefits internal organs. It helps you relax, which works to decrease blood pressure and provide possible heart benefits. It reduces stress while increasing energy levels - an oxymoron I’d love to live with.

If you’re still struggling, I’d like to give you a

By Jill Pertler Columnist

hands-on exercise to try for yourself at home. This object lesson is not my own. I came across a version of it online, and couldn’t hold back a smile (much less laughter.) Then I thought how much others could benefit from the silly laughter it evokes and knew I had to share it with you. In that vein, please do attempt the following while keeping a frown on your face:

Whisper “beep boop” to yourself while (optional) twirling around three times. If still feeling stress, repeat while hopping on one foot.

Plug your nose. Say “walla walla bing bang” in a high voice. Then say “halla halla fling flang” in a really deep voice.

Say “unicorn” in the angriest voice you can. Next, look in the mirror and in your best David Cassidy voice sing, “I think I love you!” Then say “pickles” three times as fast as you can while puckering your lips.

If you aren’t laughing yet, maybe you’ve lost your sense of humor. In order to find it you can try watching a few more funny cat videos or old reruns of The Carol Burnett Show. Or you can take a peek at your best friends big toe.

We are living in serious times. I guess when you think about it, most times, historically, have been serious times. In that, we aren’t alone or unique.

The same can be said for laughter. It’s likely humans have been laughing ever since the beginning of time - and since the beginning of seriousness.

Maybe they need each other.

LOL.

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

‘Trump Tariff Tour’ continues

By U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi

I continued my “Trump Tariff Tour” with a stop in Rockford, where I visited a warehouse for Milescraft, a secondgeneration, family-owned manufacturer of power tool accessories. During my visit, I spoke with Milescraft CEO Simon Karkosch and his employees about the harmful impacts President Donald Trump’s blanket tariffs are having on Illinois businesses and families. Milescraft, like many other small manufacturers, has already been forced to lay off employees due to dramatically rising costs caused by these tariffs.

that strengthen American manufacturing without sacrificing the workers and small businesses who drive our economy.

Accepting the 2024 Governmental leader of the Year Award

These blanket tariffs aren’t targeting bad actors or protecting American jobs. Instead, they’re raising prices, slashing margins, and threatening the very businesses and workers that keep our local economies going. For example, Illinois imports more than $82 billion worth of goods from Canada and Mexico, our two largest trading partners. President Trump’s tariffs risk destabilizing those relationships and driving up costs for consumers and producers alike. Yale University’s Budget Lab estimates that these tariffs have already raised consumer prices by 2.3 percent, costing the average household $3,800 per year.

I began this tour weeks ago, and at every stop on my tariff tour, from produce distributors in Chicago to farmers in Atlanta to brewers in Urbana, I’ve heard the same message: Illinoisans are paying the price for trade policies that don’t make economic sense. That’s why I’ll keep fighting for fair, smart trade policies

I was honored to recently receive the 2024 Governmental Leader of the Year Award from the DuPage Mayors and Managers Conference (DMMC). I’m especially grateful to Mayor Jeff Pruyn of Itasca and Mayor Rodney Craig of Hanover Park for their nomination, which reflects our years of partnership advocating for communities in our area. This award is a powerful reminder of what local and federal leaders can accomplish when we work together. I look forward to continuing that collaboration to serve our neighbors across DuPage County and our entire area.

Standing up for American values and security by welcoming the world’s top talent

On Sunday, June 1, I joined CBS’s Face the Nation to speak out against President Donald Trump’s sweeping restrictions on Chinese student visas. I made it clear that the only winners from this shortsighted policy are leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and the biggest losers are the United States and the students who came

here seeking a world-class education. Let me be clear: if a student has significant ties to the CCP or poses a national security threat, that person should not be in the United States. But that’s not what this policy does. Instead, it appears to indiscriminately target all students from China, including those from Hong Kong who fled authoritarian rule in search of opportunity and freedom.

This blanket approach is not only wrong and discriminatory—it plays directly into the CCP’s hands, ensuring top talent remains in China rather than coming here to innovate, collaborate, and contribute to our economy. Policies like this also risk sending a chilling message to students from other countries who are considering studying in the United States. At a time when we should be attracting global talent, we are turning it away.

We must absolutely counter aggression from the CCP and defend our national security, but punishing students and scholars who enrich our nation is not the answer. America should stand as a beacon of democracy, openness, and knowledge—not close its doors to those who share those values.

Stopping the smuggling of illegal weapons from China into the Chicago area

I recently launched a formal

investigation into illegal weapons and gun parts being trafficked into the Chicago area from China. These components, including parts that can convert semiautomatic firearms into fully automatic weapons, make already dangerous guns even deadlier. Smuggled in under false labels like “water pipes” or “stickers,” these shipments are slipping through the O’Hare International Airport Postal Processing Center despite the best efforts of Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

As Ranking Member of the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), I sent a letter to CBP Acting Commissioner Pete Flores requesting detailed information on current enforcement efforts, investigations, and seizure protocols. While Chicago and Illinois have some of the strongest, common-sense gun laws in the country, these illegal shipments undermine protections and fuel gun trafficking. In fact, CBP Chicago seized more than 1,500 Glock switches last year alone, underscoring just how widespread and serious this problem has become.

Raja Krishnamoorthi represents the 8th Congressional District of Illinois, which includes part of Addison, Wood Dale and Bensenville.

Democratic Party of DuPage County chair releases statement on No Kings Day protests

Editor’s note: The following statement is from the Chair of the Democratic Party of DuPage County, Reid McCollum, which he made after Saturday’s No Kings Day protests:

“Today, across DuPage County and the nation, patriotic Americans refused to cower in fear of retaliation and exercised their right to peacefully protest.

“More than 10,000 DuPage residents

joined rallies and marches in Bartlett, Elmhurst, Lisle, Naperville and Warrenville to send a clear message—we are united, and we will not stand for cosplay kings.

“The people are peacefully rising up against the authoritarianism and hateful, cruel and divisive policies and rhetoric of Trump and the GOP. We control our freedom and our destiny—not despots.”

Thank you to all our first responders.

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A few new Illinois taxes that didn’t make it—for now, anyway. A $1.50 tax on anything you have delivered to your house, from Amazon to groceries and meals. A tax on “services” such as car repairs and home maintenance such as plumbing. A mom-and-pop business tax on digital advertising. The $55 billion budget includes about $1 billion in new or increased taxes: higher taxes on vacation rentals such as Airbnb, new taxes on gaming, increased taxes on phone services and nicotine products, to name a few. With the exception of phone services, no one has to partake in any of the others, but the Democrats are always looking for a way to beef up the revenue so they can then find a way to spend it. When is it going to end? To those of you who voted for the Democrats, you must be wealthy enough to not even notice these tax increases but for those of us on a budget, we do.

* * *

To the person who responded (June 12) with a long rant about another caller (June 5) who suggested we should get a discount for using self-checkout—you called that person a “self-entitled snowflake”—do you not know a joke or sarcasm when you see one? Sounds like you are the one who needs to get a life, hum a mantra and as you said, “Suck it up, powder puff.”

* * *

With all the talk about the

Lombard Post Office; don’t leave outgoing mail in the mailbox for the carrier to take.

The other day I apparently had no incoming mail, so he or she didn’t even bother to look to see if I had anything outgoing; just bypassed my house although one look and the carrier would have seen a bright blue envelope sticking out of the mailbox. It was an important piece of mail, so I took it to the post office myself. Lesson learned.

* * *

Gov. Pritzker sure made a showing in Washington, D.C., testifying about immigration policies, and while he stood up to some of the questioning, in others he gave non-answer answers to simple “yes” or “no” questions, one of them being asked if he disavows the rioting, looting and destruction going on during the protests. Several times questioners had to repeatedly ask him to simply answer “yes” or “no” after he went into a diatribe of minutiae. One legislator from Illinois quoted Capitol News about the amount of money he was spending on illegal immigrants, and he totally sidestepped the question.

* * *

I just read Robert Byrne’s letter to the editor and I was impressed with how civilly he expressed concerns and asked for comments from the two elected officials that supposedly represent us. Where are they; unaccountable? Robert, I would love to buy you a beer.

We’ve all heard the com-

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mercial that “The whole town’s talking about the Webb boys,” well, now the whole town’s talking about the DOGE boys! The Supreme Court just gave them the OK to get all of our classified Social Security records. They can slow down, stop and even cancel our Social Security payments. We need to stop Trump and this madness!

* * *

If the United States wants to promote unity it would be more effective if we were more unified ourselves. The far left and news media don’t support our elected president and his cabinet. The propaganda pushers should be held accountable more for facts and opinions. Many people believe that if the news is in print it must be the truth. Remember the days of old when lying was punishable with soap in your mouth?

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Hey, I just started seeing some motorcycles, and boy, they were going really fast— in between lanes of traffic.

Oh, not that kind of seeing motorcycles, huh? Well I do see that a lot, I think. Bye bye.

* * *

This is Villa Park calling. I was just in line at Jewel on St. Charles Road and because there was only one cash register open, we began to think and a lot of us started talking. What’s the longest line we’ve been in? I’ll give you three choices: waiting for a train in Villa Park, waiting to check out at Jewel in Villa Park or going to the Lombard DMV. Which one do you think takes the longest to get out of because you’re waiting in line? Think about it.

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Kathleen Doran, we’ll miss you. You were a LADY— with capital letters. Your neighbors and friends will miss you. Thank you.

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I support Israel, yet I have mixed feelings about them going over and taking out Iran’s nuclear facilities and their ability to make nuclear weapons. It seems like a good idea because there’s

no telling what Iran and its proxies would do with a nuclear weapon. I just hope the Israelis do a thorough job. I heard a news report that said one nuclear facility deep underground wasn’t touched. I’m hoping and praying this doesn’t escalate into a wider Middle East conflict, or terrorist attacks here. I’m sure it will inevitably mean higher gasoline prices.

* * *

Thank you to the person who called out the state representatives and senators for the pay raises they’ve been receiving since 2023 (Speak Out June 12). I know I’ve had to find ways to cut back on my expenses over the last few years, and do extra work to make ends meet, as the price of everything has gone up, and my taxes continue to go up. What sacrifices have these state representatives and senators made, or the governor, for that matter? None that I know of. The state budget keeps going up, and they keep getting raises. What do we get? We get to pay for

their excesses. This is wishful thinking on my part, but I’d like to see one of these state representatives and senators explain to us in this newspaper why they think they deserve what amounts to around a 25 percent raise since 2023. * * *

I have to give credit to the regressive leftists. They sure are great at grandstanding, yelling, screaming and making fools of themselves. One such unhinged fool is this California Senator, Alex Padilla, who thankfully was removed from the room after he interrupted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at a press conference. Take a look at the video and watch how he keeps lunging forward while being held back. I also watched all the whiny leftists on the news making fools of themselves at these silly anti-Donald Trump No Kings Day events. Maybe I would have attended myself if they had included Illinois own kings, JB Pritzker and Mike Madigan, the latter who’s going to prison.

11th annual Love Your Neighbor Day seeks applicants

Apply to receive assistance with work outside the home Sept. 20

The Christian Church of Villa Park will again be working with a number of churches in Villa Park and Lombard to host the 11th annual Love Your Neighbor Day on Saturday, Sept. 20. Applications are being accepted now from homeowners in the Villa Park/Lombard area who are having difficulty keeping up with work outside their homes because of financial, physical or other limitations and who could benefit from a group of people volunteering at their home for a day.

The work that can be done includes yard work and small exterior repairs.

Coming events

Art at the Peck

Looking for a fun and creative way to spend your summer afternoons? Come get crafty at Art @ the Peck, happening every Tuesday now to Aug. 5, noon to 3 p.m. Each week, we’ll dive into handson art projects inspired by the historic Peck Homestead, the beauty of nature, and the adventures of pioneer life. Whether you’re a curious kid, a creative teen or a crafty adult, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Visit lombardhistory.org for more information.

Village-wide garage sale June 20-21

Lombard’s village-wide garage sale is this Friday and Saturday, June 20-21, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. For information on locations, visit https://bit.ly/4kJr0RH or find information on Facebook.

The work will be done by small groups of volunteers from churches and the community at no cost to the homeowners.

Last year 150 volunteers came together on Love Your Neighbor Day to provide assistance to 34 homeowners in Lombard and Villa Park. The number of homeowner applicants that will be accepted will depend on the number of volunteers. Volunteer sign-up sheets are also available now. Church groups, families, and friends can sign up to work together as a group. Volunteers aged 11 to 17 are welcome with

Or, contact organizer Gina Damore by phone or text at 847-217-9604.

Plum Library programs

The Hills are Alive with Heather Braoudakis Monday, June 23, at 2 p.m. Heather Braoudakis will entertain us with timeless Rodgers and Hammerstein classics from The King and I, Carousel, The Sound of Music, and more. Register at helenplum.org or by calling (630) 627-0316.

Genealogy Club: Even More Unusual Places to Find Births and Naturalizations Monday, June 23, at 7 p.m. Widen your search for birth dates, locations, and naturalizations using various underutilized resources such as banking records, employment registers, disease registers, and more. Register at helenplum.org or by calling (630) 627-0316.

parents or youth group or scout leaders.

Homeowner applications and volunteer sign-up sheets can be obtained by sending an e-mail to loveyourneighbor15@yahoo.com, or by leaving a message at 630/833-7262. Information and photos from previous years can be seen on the Love Your Neighbor Day Facebook page. The deadline for submitting homeowner applications is Aug. 17, but homeowners are encouraged to submit applications early. Any questions can be directed to loveyourneighbor15@yahoo.com.

Rep. Costa Howard collecting business clothing

The office of state Rep. Terra Costa Howard is collecting women’s business clothes now through June 30 to support Poised for Success, a Lombard-based nonprofit that provides businesswear at no charge to women who are transitioning back to work; new and like-new dresses, suits, jackets, shoes, coats, and jewelry. Petite and plus sizes are especially welcome.

To schedule a drop-off time or porch pick-up, you can email reptch42@gmail.com or call 630-812-9292. For more information on Poised For Success, visit poisedforsuccess. org.

Vacation Bible School at Presbyterian church Join us for surprising ad-

ventures at Vacation Bible School this summer. Community Presbyterian Church of Lombard (1111 E. Madison) welcomes ages 4 to 5th grade to participate in our “True North-trusting Jesus in a wild world” program. We will meet on Monday, June 23, to Friday, June 27, from 6-8:30 p.m.

There will be live Bible stories, experiments, super snacks, music with Pastor David and more. Register: at cpclombard.org or 630-6270306.

Juneteenth celebration

Juneteenth Celebration June 19th at Old Town Park, 111 Third St., Bloomingdale, from 6-8 p.m. Hosted by state Rep Diane Blair-Sherlock and the NAACP. Special speakers, music, food vendors and more.

Montini Catholic recognizes its St. John Baptist De La Salle Award recipients

Montini Catholic High School proudly congratulates the St. John Baptist De La Salle Award recipients from the school’s Class of 2025. The awards were announced during the Lasallian college preparatory high school’s Celebration of Excellence ceremony. The honor is presented each year to senior students who have demonstrated a spirit of service and dedication to the students, faculty and staff of Montini Catholic. This year’s St. John Baptist De La Salle Award re -

Community Congregation Church keeps legacy going

Community Congregation Church has been a part of Villa Park for 113 years. On Sunday, May 18, the last service was held at Calvary Church, 136 E. Highland Ave., Villa Park. Members of Community Congregation Church’s final wish and prayer was to continue their legacy by gifting $513,000 to 17 groups and organizations in Villa Park to help them to continue their mission to serve the people of Villa Park and the surrounding areas. In one photo (above) are (left to right) Villa Park VFW #2801 officers with Church Moderator Sandy Hensel (third from left with Tammy Clarke, Villa Park resident in the background). In another photo (right), Hensel is pictured with Tri-Town YMCA CEO Sarah O’Donnell (second from left) and her family.

cipients (pictured left to right) are: (front row) Daniel Sherman, Matthew Silveyra, Olivia Weiland (Villa Park), Santino Florio, Nolan Ferris, Liliana Cruz, Bryanna Bell, Max Bell, Hannah Bushati and Annika Bartell; (back row) Sienna Skarda, Collins Whitfield, Jaxon Lane, Sophia Fountain, Julia Gergen (Lombard), Isabel Evenson (Villa Park), Joshua Brunke (Lombard) and John Barrett (Villa Park).

Submitted photoS Rock Valley Publishing

Submitted photo Rock Valley Publishing

‘This issue isn’t going away’: Illinois lawmakers delay pension reform again

By Ben Szalinski Capitol news illinois

Public employees hired since 2011 must continue to wait for pension reform after Illinois lawmakers declined to take up the issue during the spring session.

Lawmakers and labor unions have both expressed concern that benefits for Tier 2 employees—those who entered the public sector after 2011—are inadequate and that some workers in that category are in line to receive benefits out of compliance with federal law.

Tier 2 benefits are less generous than those received by Tier 1 employees, who also had to work only five years to become vested compared to 10 years for Tier 2, but the state constitution prohibits diminishing benefits for people to whom they have already been guaranteed.

But problems have arisen from Tier 2, according to a coalition of labor unions seeking reforms, including that the lower level of benefits makes public sector jobs less attractive and hurts recruitment and retention.

‘Safe Harbor’ test

Illinois lawmakers have learned in recent years that Tier 2 benefits for some employees fail the “Safe Harbor” Social Security test, which requires that pension benefits be at least equal to Social Security benefits. If a pension system fails to meet that requirement, the employer must make up the difference.

Officials from pension systems have said falling short of Safe Harbor would be costly, though exactly how much so is unclear.

Despite more than a year of legislative hearings about pension reform and pushes to get it done in previous sessions, lawmakers left Springfield at the end of May without taking up the issue.

“This issue isn’t going away,” the We Are One Illinois coalition of labor unions said in a statement. “Public employees are leaving their professions and our state because they can’t rely on a pension that ensures dignity in retirement. Public employee shortages have been reported all across Illinois, impacting

critical services for our residents. Delaying a fix only makes the problem more costly and damaging.”

The coalition said it was “inexcusable” that a proposal they introduced in the House during the final week of session did not receive a committee hearing.

Reforms that fell flat

Reforms filed in late May in Senate Bill 1937 would have accomplished several of the unions’ goals had they passed. Cost of living adjustments would increase 3 percent annually, and people would have been able to retire as early as age 62 if they had maxed out on their pension. Age 67 is the standard retirement age under Tier 2. Many police officers and firefighters would be able to retire at 52 rather than 55 following 20 years of service under the proposal.

To address the Safe Harbor issue, the bill called for increasing the limit on earnings for people entering the pension system between Jan. 1, 2011, and Jan. 1, 2027, to be equal to the Social Security wage base for that year. Be-

ginning in 2027, the earnings limit could be no more than the Social Security wage base.

The final average salary calculation would also be redefined for Tier 2 employees. The current maximum salary for Tier 2 employees is more than $40,000 below the Social Security salary base and has increased at half the rate of inflation.

It’s not clear how much addressing the Safe Harbor problem or broader pension reform will cost, but prior estimates last year by the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability found it could cost $5 billion over the next two decades to tie earnings to the Social Security wage base and improve the annual cost of living adjustment. Lowering the retirement age could also cost about $3 billion over that span.

The bill also would have set a schedule to fully fund pensions by 2049, rather than reach 90% funding by 2045 as required by current law.

Why it stalled

The bill quickly fizzled out when it was introduced, how-

ever, despite garnering more than 40 House Democratic cosponsors. The governor’s office said the bill’s late introduction left little time for a full analysis, which in turn contributed to the bill’s demise.

“While we were provided with a short summary of their ideas, the governor’s office cannot and will not conduct any policy due diligence based on only a few bullets,”

Alex Gough, a spokesperson for Gov. JB Pritzker, said in a statement. “When it comes to the long-term fiscal health of the state and meeting our pension obligations, the governor welcomes these discussions but will not make major financial decisions that impact taxpayers without the opportunity and time to review the details.”

The union coalition argued the governor’s office was part of discussions throughout the process.

“For more than a year, our coalition has engaged in good faith with lawmakers to address this critical issue,” the We Are One Illinois coalition said.

“Throughout, we communicated consistently with the governor’s office and legislative leaders to develop a comprehensive, fiscally responsible solution that met their legislative criteria.”

Funding provided

Despite the reform’s failure, lawmakers sought to address the problem with Safe Harbor in the budget. Part of the budget package created a new Tier 2 reserve fund that can be accessed if there are violations of the Safe Harbor law. Lawmakers appropriated $75 million for the fund this year, in line with Pritzker’s proposal.

Other pension reform was passed for Chicago police officers and firefighters. Lawmakers unanimously passed House Bill 3657 that aligns calculations of Tier 2 benefits for Chicago first responders with those in the rest of the state.

Chicago officials warned the plan will cost the city billions, however.

Both the budget and Chicago pension bill still need the governor’s signature.

Illinois’ $55.2B budget ‘incomplete,’ Civic Federation president says

By Ben Szalinski

Democrats monitoring Congress for actions that could force changes to budget

Capitol news illinois

Illinois’ latest budget misses the mark in several key areas, according to one independent nonprofit fiscal analyst.

State lawmakers sent Gov. JB Pritzker a $55.2 billion budget on May 31 that raises $1 billion in new revenue and increases spending by more than $2 billion in fiscal year 2026 compared to the current year.

But the head of one of Chicago’s top nonpartisan government research organizations said lawmakers made too many short-term decisions to balance the budget in fiscal year 2026 that could make future fiscal years more challenging.

“It’s an incomplete budget,” Civic Federation President Joe Ferguson told Capitol News Illinois. “It does not add in any meaningful way to discuss any structural issues the state has. It’s a maintenance budget.”

Ferguson said a key reason for that is at least $271 million in fund sweeps used to balance the general revenue fund. Fund sweeps occur when lawmakers dip into lesser-known and underutilized

funds outside the main general fund to use as a source of revenue for the fiscal year. This year’s budget also pauses several transfers to keep certain dollars available in the general fund for use this year.

For example, the budget calls for pausing the final transfer of motor fuel sales tax revenue to the road fund. The move would free up $171 million of general fund spending in FY26, but delays putting that money toward road construction projects.

“It’s not balanced on gimmicks,” House Speaker Chris Welch, D-Hillside, told Capitol News Illinois for the latest episode of the “Illinois Lawmakers” program. “It’s balanced based on revenues and expenditures, and it’s based on what we know. We passed a budget based on what we knew at the time, and we weren’t going to pass the budget with cuts alone.”

The FY26 budget would also suspend the monthly transfer to the “rainy day” fund for one year, freeing up $45 million for general fund use.

“It’s absolutely a mistake,” Ferguson said, calling that decision “troubling.”

The “rainy day” fund should continue to grow over time, he said, especially “knowing that we are going to need to go to some last-case resorts in all likelihood when we understand the federal impact and when we approach the transit issues as well, and this was not the moment to go to that well.”

The fund is still expected to grow from interest income and cannabis revenue in FY26.

Lawmakers used some of the fund sweeps to give the governor authority over a new $100 million “emergency” fund to plug unforeseen budget shortfalls.

Pritzker argued at a news conference after the budget passed that the state’s “structural” deficit—or the gap between ongoing spending and baseline revenues—has improved since he took office in 2019.

“We’re diminishing the one-time expenditures that we have to make,” Pritzker said. “So we’ve gotten, really, much closer than ever before to balancing that structural deficit.”

Relying on fund sweeps will only make budgeting

more challenging if a crisis arrives, Ferguson said.

“Everyone acknowledges that it is all but certain that there are additional things that are going to need to be attended to in the coming months,” Ferguson said.

An eye on Congress

New action from Congress that punches holes in state budgets, coupled with the state’s public transportation fiscal cliff, could be a wakeup call for lawmakers, Ferguson said.

The U.S. House has already passed a domestic policy plan that would shift more cost of government programs to states, cut Medicaid funding and phase out clean energy tax credits. The Senate is expected to make changes to the legislation, but President Donald Trump wants to sign the bill into law by July 4.

While many components may not hit Illinois’ budget this year, state lawmakers are watching for any changes that could require them to return to Springfield and adjust the FY26 budget.

“We have told the caucus to stand on the ready,” Welch said. State lawmakers boosted

spending in the FY26 budget for safety net hospitals and federally qualified health centers, but the state wouldn’t be able to absorb major federal cuts to Medicaid.

House Republican Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, was less worried Congress will cut Medicaid and other key benefits.

“After conversations with the Illinois delegation, I don’t feel that there’s going to be See BUDGET, Page 9

“We got some room in there to be able to respond, but it’s hard to prepare when you don’t know exactly what’s coming down the pipe,” House budget leader Rep. Kam Buckner, D-Chicago, said during a news conference with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.

Police Reports

The Villa Park Police Department 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.

June 10

Sarah A. Brant, 47, of Villa Park, was charged with battery causing bodily harm in the 100 block of S. Villa.

Andrew J. McPherson, 33, of Elgin, was charged with retail theft at a store in the 1-100 block of E. North on the above date for an incident that allegedly occurred Sept. 15, 2024.

June 9

A complainant in the 1-100 block of S. Villa reported that a subject was inside their building without permission. The subject was issued a trespass warning.

A complainant in the 300 block of W. Washington reported two juvenile subjects spray-painted their garage door.

• Robbery

June 7

A complainant at a restaurant in the 200 block of E. North reported that a subject is harassing them through electronic communication.

A complainant in the 100 block of E. Roosevelt reported that a subject is harassing them via phone.

A complainant at a store in the 1-100 block of S. Villa reported that a subject keeps entering the store and disturbing others. The complainant wants the subject to be issued a trespass warning if they enter the store again.

June 6

A complainant in the 300 block of W. Washington reported two juvenile subjects spray-painted the garage and front door of the complainant’s home and damaged their mailbox.

June 5

Aimpnchok U. Alymzhanova, 21, of Schaumburg, was charged with identity theft and two counts of forgery, while Aziret Emilbekov, 21, of Chicago, was charged with two counts of theft in the 1-100 block of W. Leslie at 3:30 p.m.

A complainant at a store in the 600 block of N. Addison reported at 8:48 p.m. that a subject removed merchandise

(Continued from page 3)

It is alleged that at one point, a male customer entered the store while the robbery was in progress and that one of the defendants pointed a gun at his head and told him to get on the floor, which he did. It is alleged that one of the defendants then stole the man’s wallet. It is alleged that Carter and Stephens then exited the store with one of the men carrying the bag of cigarettes and fled the scene in their vehicle eastbound on Lake Street.

It is further alleged that a Villa Park Police officer deployed spike strips in the eastbound lanes of Lake Street, which the

defendants avoided by driving east in the westbound lanes of Lake Street.

It is further alleged that a high-speed pursuit that involved approximately 20 police vehicles from multiple jurisdictions and reached speeds in excess of 100 mph ensued as the defendants fled.

After the successful deployment of spike strips on I-290 and Mannheim Road, the defendants’ vehicle crashed into a marked police car, at which time both men fled on foot, only to be taken into custody within blocks of the crash. When searching the defen-

from display shelves and left without paying. The subject was issued a trespass warning.

A 32-year-old Villa Park man was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 300 block of S. Princeton.

A complainant at a store in the 1-100 block of S. Villa reported at 6:11 a.m. that a subject was causing a disturbance. The subject was asked to leave the store.

A complainant at a business in the 1400 block of S. Ardmore reported that a subject was causing a disturbance. The subject was issued a trespass warning.

June 4

Megan E. Gunderson, 38, of Addison, was charged with retail theft at a store in the 1-100 block of E. St. Charles at 3:28 p.m.

A complainant at a business in the 100 block of S. Villa reported at 8:15 a.m. that a subject has been entering the building after business hours. The subject was issued a trespass warning.

Identity theft, fraud

According to information provided by the Villa Park Police Department, police reported one incident of identity theft or fraud in the village between June 2 and June 10.

dants’ vehicle, officers allegedly recovered a loaded Glock 22 pistol with an extended magazine.

“Mr. Carter’s 25-year sentence in the Illinois Department of Corrections sends a loud and clear message that robbing at gunpoint an innocent person who was working the midnight shift trying to make an honest living will not be tolerated in DuPage County,” Berlin said.

“There is no place in civilized society for Mr. Carter’s behavior and today’s sentence ensures Mr. Carter will be unable to prey upon society for a significant amount of time.”

Village’s 2025 Summer Festival takes place this Saturday, June 21

The Village of Villa Park’s Summer Festival is an annual gathering of the community coming together to enjoy music, food, libations, entertainment, local vendors and each other. The one-day event serves as a kick-off to summer.

Villa Park’s Parks and Recreation Department organizes

the Summer Festival to give back to the Villa Park community in one of the best ways possible—a giant street party. This year’s Summer Festival will take place from 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. this Saturday, June 21, in the Ardmore Business District (Ardmore Avenue and Park Boulevard, just south of

the Illinois Prairie Path).

The festival will feature live entertainment throughout the day. There will be entertainment for children until 5 p.m. There will also be a beer garden, provided in cooperation with the Villa Park Chamber of Commerce and the Villa Park Lions Club.

Villa Park Historical Society Ice Cream Social to be held July 3

The Villa Park Historical Society will host its annual Ice Cream Social on Thursday, July 3, from 7-9 p.m.

The Ice Cream Social is free and will take place at the Villa Park Historical Museum (VPHM). Enjoy free ice cream, a DJ, the model train group Chicagoland T-track n-scale; lots of fun for all ages.

• Meeting

(Continued from front page)

their emotions, and make diffcult decisions.

“Lately, there seems to be a lot of communication that kills trust on this board, and that stifles trust in each other,” said Alfano. “Toxic communication, interrupting other trustees, interrupting staff, and the former and current president during meetings when we have agreed to a set of processes and norms and procedures.”

Alfano continued in her criticism.

“Trustees labeling themselves as experts of a topic, insinuating others have no idea what they are talking about, if they can get a word in at all,” she said.

Alfano stated that board members might need to do some soul-searching to check that they are on the board for the right reasons.

“Moving forward, my ask of everybody here on the board is to come prepared, leave the personal attacks off of Facebook, and leave them at home. We are adults, and we should be able to communicate with each other and follow behavior that executives of any organization should display. Come prepared to engage in respectful debate, stop texting garbage to each other, focus on the big picture, display integrity, and be a model of what Villa Park should look like when engaging with each other.”

Konstatos, a newcomer to the board, criticizes colleagues’ social media posts

Konstatos, who was elected to a four-year term on the board on April 1, and was sworn in on May 12, stated during her comments that she wanted to “address a few social media posts by two trustees that are not factual.”

Konstatos said that prior to May 12, the previous board held several executive sessions to discuss Harline’s performance. She said the previous board wrote a performance improvement plan that was designed to improve Harline’s behavior and job performance. She added that the plan warned that Harline could be terminated if his job performance didn’t improve.”

Konstatos said that the trustees she was accusing of making non-factual posts on social media attended those meetings, were involved in the writing of the performance improvement plan, and voted to issue that plan, which contained language warning Harline of possible termination.

went on to read a portion of a social media post that appears on the “Deepasriya Kumar for Village of Villa Park” Facebook page.

“The fact that two trustees who were onboarded less than two weeks ago made these decisions based on who knows what full information is disheartening,” stated the post on Kumar’s Facebook page. Konstatos read that portion during her comments.

“This is not only offensive and insulting. It is demeaning,” added Konstatos. “My vote counts the same just as much as any other trustee up here. “I was elected by the people of Villa Park. There’s not a training period, or a probationary period, before my vote counts. To imply otherwise, by another trustee, and now tonight, the former president [Cuzzone], is simply disingenuous and belittling.”

Konstatos criticizes behavior of unnamed board colleague during recent executive sessions

Konstatos stated her decision to remove Harline was duly, properly and legally made. She suggested releasing audio and transcripts from executive session of meetings, but added that she did not want to violate privacy or employment laws.

“But how do I defend my vote? How do I defend my well-reasoned decision?” Konstatos asked. She went on to criticize a trustee’s actions during the board’s two previous executive sessions.

“In the last two executive sessions, one trustee constantly interrupted, would not follow Robert’s Rules, and talked over others without being recognized,” said Konstatos, who claimed that the trustee’s behavior resulted in multiple recesses and a breakdown of communication.

“We cannot conduct meetings like this,” said Konstatos. “I’m a mother of six and a grandmother of five, and I know what it’s like when a child has a temper tantrum. As adults, we cannot tolerate this behavior in executive session.”

Kozar briefly addresses Cuzzone’s comments

The board’s four other trustees spoke briefly during the meeting’s segment for trustees’ reports. Kozar referred to Cuzzone’s comments earlier in the meeting.

ment,” Kozar concluded his comment by stating, “Thank you, Nick, for not endorsing me.”

Village president says he is focused on moving the village forward

Patrick spoke during the president’s report segment of the meeting and stated that the board had engaged in important and necessary conversations regarding the leadership of the village.

“Throughout this process, there were moments when productive discussion became difficult,” Patrick said. He stated that seeing comments shared publicly about matters intended to remain in executive session was disappointing.

“The purpose of executive session is to allow for sensitive, candid discussions that protect the integrity of the board’s work, and the legal interests of our village,” said Patrick. “My focus, and the focus of this board, must remain on moving Villa Park forward. We have the opportunity with the appointment of our new village manager, Mike Rivas, to bring fresh leadership, renewed stability, and a sharper focus on accountability to the daily operations of our village government. Now is the time to turn the page.”

Board members cast votes after emerging from executive session

Board members went into executive session later in the meeting. They returned to open session more than three hours later and voted on a few resolutions. Patrick did not cast votes during those resolutions. In one matter, board members voted 5-1 to approve an employment separation and release agreement with Harline. Kozar voted against that resolution.

Visit the VPHM website (vphistoricalsociety.com) or Facebook page for more information.

The popular Villa Park Historical Society Ice Cream Social is a fun way to celebrate the 4th of July in Villa Park. Walk, ride your bike or scooter over, and listen to a DJ and enjoy an ice cream treat at the VPHM Arcade (the archways on the west end of the building).

“One of the trustees posted on social media, disparaging the two new members of this board [Konstatos and Sabri] for not having enough experience to vote on terminating the employment of the manager [Harline],” added Konstatos, who

“I just want to thank Nick Cuzzone for not endorsing me in the last election,” said Kozar, who was elected to a second term as a village trustee on April 1. “In the last two elections, the candidates that he endorsed were not elected. They lost.”

After saying that “An endorsement is a trust of judg-

Board members voted 4-2 to remove Melissa Wolf and her law firm—Storino, Ramello and Durkin—as the village’s attorney. Kumar and Cordova voted against the resolution. Kumar noted that she valued working with Wolf, describing her as a great attorney and very fair. Wolf was not on the dais when the board returned from executive session. Matthew Welch of Montana and Welch was on the dais as the village’s attorney after the meeting returned to open session. Board members voted unanimously to approve a compensation package for Montana and Welch. Board members also voted unanimously to approve an employment agreement with Rivas in his current role as village manager. The board will hold its first evaluation of Rivas in December of this year. The board’s further evaluations of Rivas will take place annually, each December. The next Villa Park Village Board meeting will take place on June 23.

JAMES GAVIN, 70

Obituary ISP backs bill expanding its mission to investigate internet crimes against children

James “Jim” Gavin, age 70, of Lombard, passed away suddenly on June 8, 2025.

Jim was the beloved fiancée of Karyl Adams. He was preceded in death by his wife, Nichole Rae. He was the dear dad of James (Delane) Gavin, Meghan (Eric Haselow) Gavin, Shane (Hannah) Gavin, Conor Gavin and Derek (Adriana Rivera) Gavin; Poppy of Jamison Gavin, Vanessa Gavin, Hayden Forte, Monroe Haselow, Hailey Gavin, Nova Gavin and Georgia Gavin; brother of Mike (Nancy) Gavin, Tom Gavin, Maureen (the late Dennis) Danielson, Bob (Val) Gavin, Steve (Carie) Gavin and Michelle Perry.

Jim was a 1972 graduate of Glenbard East High School. He was the definition of a family man, a pro-master grill chef and a Green Bay Packers Fan (so much so that he owned a share of the team). He loved camping and would often go on incredible trips across the country in his camper. Jim loved music and going to concerts with Karyl.

Anyone who knew Jim

• Budget

knows that he could strike up a conversation with anyone and he couldn’t go anywhere without making a new friend.

Jim was the hardest worker at everything that he did. He spent many years repairing countless cars with his partner, Dean, at their shop, Westchester Auto Repair.

Jim loved his family dearly and ended every call with “I love you.”

Funeral Services were held Saturday, June 14, with prayers from Brust Funeral Home to Mass at Christ the King Church, 1501 S. Main Street, Lombard.

Donations in Jim’s name to National Park Foundation, Attn: Gift Processing, P.O. Box 17394, Baltimore, MD 21298-9450, https://www. nationalparks.org/, would be appreciated. Info: www.brustfuneralhome.com or 888-6290094.

Director says ‘Alicia’s Law’ would ensure agency’s sustained commitment

By Jade Aubrey and UIS Public Affairs Reporting

While Illinois State Police has long investigated child sex crimes, a new measure would explicitly name addressing internet crimes against children as a core mission of its criminal division.

House Bill 2586, also called Alicia’s Law, would add to the current 13 missions of the Illinois State Police Department of Criminal Investigations. It passed both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly unanimously in late May.

The bill is named after Alicia Kozak, a survivor of and advocate against online crimes against children, who was at the center of the first nationally known case of child grooming and abduction in 2002. At age 13, Kozak was abducted from her home after months of online grooming by a 38-year-old man, who took her across state lines and chained her in a base-

Coming event

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any concerns with cuts that are important in our Medicaid budget,” McCombie told Capitol News Illinois.

Last-minute budgeting

Democrats unveiled a more than 3,300-page spending plan about 24 hours before it passed the General Assembly, while the $1 billion tax plan was filed about five hours before lawmakers took a vote.

Ferguson, the Civic Federation president, criticized the legislative process that gives lawmakers and the public little time to review the budget’s contents.

“It was chaotic, nontransparent—nontransparent even to the legislators that had to vote on it—and not really the way that we want to go about this business, especially at a sensitive time,” he said.

A group of conservative lawmakers also contended the process was illegal in a lawsuit filed recently in Sangamon County. The Illinois Freedom Caucus argues that the budget amendments were not read on three separate days in each chamber of the General Assembly, which they say violates the state constitution.

The constitution states a bill “shall be read by title on three different days in each

house,” but does not specify that each amendment to a bill receive the same.

Each of the bills were read on three separate days this spring in both chambers, even though the substantial amendment containing the budget was filed in the final hours.

For example, the bill lawmakers used to raise $1 billion of revenue was originally filed to establish an Emmitt Till commemorative day. The bill met the three readings requirement in both chambers before the Emmitt Till Day provision was removed in the final hours of session in favor of the tax plan.

The constitution also states that it’s up to the House speaker and Senate president to “certify that the procedural requirements for passage have been met.”

In applying what’s known as the “enrolled bill doctrine,” the Supreme Court has consistently declined to infringe on the legislature’s authority to certify its own bills, due to separation of powers concerns. It has also consistently upheld broad authority for the General Assembly to gut the original contents of a bill and amend it with a new subject, making the lawsuit a long shot.

ment, where she was sexually assaulted and tortured for four days. The perpetrator livestreamed Kozak’s abuse, which was quickly reported to the FBI by a viewer, aiding in Kozak’s release.

“I’ve spent the last 25 years sharing my story and presenting to audiences about online safety and advocating for critical change. And through my work, I’ve heard so many heartbreaking ‘if only’ stories, ‘if only we had known sooner’ or ‘if only we could have stopped it,’” Kozak said in an interview.

“Now, with Alicia’s Law in Illinois, Illinois children are safer.”

If signed by the governor, Illinois will be the 13th state to adopt a variation of Alicia’s Law. In most states that have passed a version of the law, it allows states to create a task force to investigate internet crimes against children. Illinois already has such a

School Supply Drive

State Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock is collecting school supplies for local schools. Suggested supplies include, loose leaf paper, notebooks, pencils, clipboards, markers, erasers, glue sticks, folders, crayons, however all donations are welcome. Donations can be dropped off at her district office at 28 S. Villa Ave., Villa Park, through June 30.

NUHS Whole Health Center - Lombard offers a wide variety of integrative medicine services including:

• Acupuncture

• Massage Therapy

• Chiropractic care

• Nutritional counseling

• Diagnostic lab tests & X-Ray

• Physical Therapy & rehab

• Work & sports physicals

task force that was created in 2004, although it’s currently under the attorney general’s office.

Illinois’ task force coordinates the AG’s office with state law enforcement officials to investigate and prosecute child exploitation cases.

During an October 2021 news conference, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said his office managed over 5,100 cyber tips the year prior, an increase of over 2,000 since 2018. Raoul said he expected that number to continue to grow, in part due to increased reporting and awareness by social media and apps.

Illinois State Police Director Brendan Kelly said although ISP has become “much more engaged” in cases involving internet crimes against children in recent years, he said he believes it needs to be explicitly stated in statute that investigating those types of cases is one of ISP’s

core duties.

Through talks with Kozak about the issue, Kelly said ISP drafted the bill and spearheaded efforts to get it passed during this year’s legislative session.

“We believe that this is something that is critical, this is important and that is essential to what our values are as the Illinois State Police,” Kelly said. “Making sure that this is a legal, permanent function of our agency is something that I think needed to be done because we want to make sure that these efforts are sustained over time.”

Kozak agreed.

“Before the law, investigating crimes against children in Illinois wasn’t really a legal obligation, it was something Illinois state police would choose to do when resources allowed,” Kozak said. “And now, with Alicia’s Law, it’s a permanent responsibility, it’s no longer optional.”

Giannoulias warns about the rise in DMV text scams

Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is warning Illinoisans to keep on the lookout for text message scams claiming to be from the “Illinois State Department of Motor Vehicles” that threaten to suspend vehicle registration and driving privileges.

The text messages are phishing attempts designed to trick residents into giving up personal or financial

information. Recipients should not respond or open any links found in unsolicited texts and emails.

and others from falling victim to fraud schemes.”

The office only sends text messages to remind residents about scheduled DMV appointments. It does not send text messages regarding driver’s license or vehicle registration status.

“Phishing scams are unfortunately an increasingly prevalent threat in our modern society, seeking to cheat Illinoisans out of their personal information and hardearned money,” Giannoulias said. “Please remain vigilant to avoid these scams and report them to protect yourself

Illinoisans are encouraged to report scam attempts to the Federal Trade Commission by visiting reportfraud. ftc.gov.

Worship Services Directory

Berean Bible Students Church 535 East Maple Street Lombard, IL 60148 (630) 889-1090 www.bbschurch.org

Worship God and learn more about Him with us.

535 East Maple Street Lombard, IL 60148

Sunday Worship starts at 10:00 am and is followed by a Message. Sunday Bible Study starts at 11:30 am

(630) 889-1090 www.bbschurch.org

For more information you can reach us at 630-889-1090 or visit our website at www.bbschurch.org.

630-832-8457

Worship with Us!

St. Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church

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

Lent and Easter Services at 7 p.m.

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

“The Crucial Hours”

Second Lenten Service March 9, 2022

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

Third Lenten Service

Adult Bible Study Wednesdays after Service Saturday, June 28, Game Night at 4 pm Everyone is Welcome!

March 16, 2022

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

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

Fourth Lenten Service March 23, 2022

Rev. Jonathan Bergemann “I Will Keep the Passover” Good Shepherd, Downers Grove Matthew 26:18

Fifth Lenten Service March 30, 2022

Welcome to ST. PIUS X CATHOLIC COMMUNITY Diocese of Joliet

Rev. Tom Nicholson “They Bound Him” Resurrection, Aurora John 18:12

SUNDAY MASS SCHEDULE

SATURDAY: 5:00 PM (VIGIL MASS) 7:00 PM (ESPAÑOL)

Sixth Lenten Service April 6, 2022

Rev. Phil Schupmann “The Semblance of Legality” Resurrection, Aurora Luke 22:66

SUNDAY: 8:00 AM & 10:00 AM

WEEKDAY MASS SCHEDULE

MONDAY - FRIDAY & FIRST SATURDAY: 8:30 AM

Maundy Thursday Communion 7 p.m., April 14

ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT - PRAYER CHAPEL

MONDAY - THURSDAY 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Good Friday Tenebrae 7 p.m., April 15

SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION ( ENGLISH & ESPAÑOL)

SATURDAY: 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM OR BY APPOINTMENT

Easter Sunrise 6:30 a.m., April 17

Parish Office: 1025 E. Madison Street • (630) 627-4526 • www.stpiuslombard.org

Easter Breakfast 8 a.m., April 17

Easter Festival 10:15 a.m., April 17

Weekend Masses: Saturday: 4 PM (Vigil) Sunday: 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30 AM and 6 PM

Weekend Masses: Saturday: 4 PM (Vigil) Sunday: 7:30, 9:30 & 11:30 AM and 6 PM

Daily Masses: Monday Friday: 6:15 and 8:15 AM Saturday: 8:15 AM

Daily Masses: Monday—Friday: 6:15 and 8:15 AM Saturday: 8:15 AM

Confessions: Saturday: 3-3:45PM

Confessions: Saturday: 3-3:45PM

PUZZLE Page

Sudoku

Fun by the Numbers

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

CLUES ACROSS

1. Type of bread

5. Range of mountains

10. Ended

12. Musical forms with a recurring theme

14. On the nature of being

16. Law enforcement agency

18. Australian flightless bird

19. Subway rodent

20. More dried-up

22. A beaver might build one

23. Suggestive of the supernatural

25. Art __, around 1920

26. American rocker Snider

27. Not or

28. Earliest human: __-Magnon Man

30. Firearm

31. Tough outer skin of fruit

33. Alternative form of a gene

35. Low shrub some call “fat pork”

37. Plants in the chamomile tribe

38. Revolutionary War era

spy

40. Portion of a book

41. Hoover’s office

42. Title of respect

44. Tax collector

45. Cool!

48. Real estate

50. Boy’s name

52. Airborne (abbr.)

53. Strongly recommends

55. Hit lightly

56. Bar bill

57. Atomic #54

58. Devotes again

63. Fish sauce

65. French stock market

66. Things that consist of two elements or parts

67. Tense

CLUES DOWN

1. Retired game show host

Sajak

2. Equal (prefix)

3. Israeli city __ Aviv

4. Loved

5. A type of analyst

6. Ad __

7. Gasteyer and de Armas are two

8. Ran without moving

9. Opposite of yes

10. Diffuse clouds of gas

11. Mentioning one by one

13. Instruments used to dilate

15. Freshwater fish

17. Remotely-manned flying objects

18. Doctor of Education

21. Renews

23. Not the start

24. Pitching stat

27. Small water buffaloes

29. Ceramic jars

32. I (German)

34. Something to toss on a fire

35. The process of flowing in

36. A series of acts at a night club

39. Egg of a louse

40. Inquire too closely

43. Travelers

44. Drink

46. Behave in a way that degrades

47. Electronic music style

49. Northern Ireland city

51. Upset

54. Stiff structure resembling a hair

59. Father

60. North Atlantic fish

61. 8th month (abbr.)

62. Make an effort

64. Commercial

Ex-Speaker Madigan sentenced to 7½ years in prison for bribery, corruption

By Hannah Meisel

Capitol news illinois

The number of years former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan spent in Springfield has often been used as shorthand to explain his outsized impact on state government and politics. His political career spanned 50 years in the General Assembly, 23 years chairing the Democratic Party of Illinois, and 36 years as House speaker—the longest tenure of any state or federal legislative leader in U.S. history.

But last Friday, a new term was added to the former speaker’s list of legacy-defining terms when U.S. District Judge John Blakey sentenced Madigan to 90 months, or 7½ years, in federal prison.

The sentence, which also includes three years’ probation after his prison term and a $2.5 million fine, follows a jury’s split verdict in February. After a marathon two weeks of deliberation, jurors convicted him on 10 of 23 corruption charges, including bribery, but acquitted him on seven and deadlocked over another six.

As Friday afternoon’s hearing passed the three-hour mark, Madigan accepted Blakey’s invitation to make a statement to the court. After taking a drink of water, putting on his glasses and blowing his nose as he approached

the bench, the former speaker addressed the judge for less than two minutes, reading from a prepared script.

“I’m truly sorry for putting the people of the state of Illinois through this,” he began, noting that he “tried my best” to serve the people of Illinois. “I am not perfect.”

Later, when explaining how he was weighing Madigan’s continued insistence in his innocence, Blakey repeated Madigan’s words.

“The defendant says he’s sorry for putting the people of Illinois through this,” the judge said. “I guess that’s as close as we’ll get to remorse.”

Blakey spent a long time audibly weighing what he called “a tale of two different Mike Madigans,” calling the former speaker “a dedicated public servant” and “a good and decent person.”

“He had no reason to commit these crimes,” the judge said. “But he chose to do so.”

Blakey took particular umbrage with Madigan’s performance on the witness stand in January after he made the stunning decision to testify in his own defense. In siding with the government’s argument that the former speaker’s sentence should take into account his perjury on the witness stand, Blakey cited several examples of times Madigan’s statements conflicted with either evidence,

the sworn testimony of others, or even his own testimony.

“The defendant’s testimony was littered with obstruction of justice and it was hard to watch,” Blakey said. “To put it bluntly, it was a nauseating display. … You lied, sir. You lied. You did not have to.”

Madigan, who was described by many witnesses throughout his four-month trial as difficult to read—and who attempted to explain the familial origins of his reserved personality as a defense while on the witness stand—was characteristically stoic as Blakey handed down his sentence.

After conferring with his attorney, he hugged and kissed his adult children in the front row of the courtroom gallery. A few minutes later, he and his entourage of lawyers and family quickly made their way out of the Dirksen Federal Courthouse, trailed by cameras.

True to form, the former speaker also made no statement to reporters, though he smiled slightly before getting on the elevator down to the courthouse lobby. Across the street, a man yelled to Madigan and his group, “You going to jail, buddy?”

the court he would seek a bond pending his appeal, which would allow him to remain free pending resolution of the appeal.

Prosecutors had urged a 12 ½-year sentence and a $1.5 million fine, while Madigan’s lawyers asked for five years’ probation, the first on home detention. After hearing arguments from attorneys earlier last week, Blakey calculated the sentencing guidelines for Madigan’s convictions and other factors would dictate a prison term of 105 years, but the judge was under no obligation to follow that directive.

‘I’m not a target of anything’

One of the last times the famously media-averse Madigan ever deigned to answer questions from journalists was in the fall of 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic afforded the speaker an even larger buffer than usual from those outside his closed circle of staff and advisors.

FBI raids on two different Democratic state senators and the arrest of a member of Madigan’s own House Democratic leadership team on a charge that he bribed another Democratic senator, who happened to be cooperating with the feds

Despite his name showing up on subpoenas for some of those search warrants, Madigan made a bold declaration that he was not in the feds’ crosshairs.

“No, I’m not a target of anything,” he told a gaggle of reporters in a crowded and noisy hallway of the state Capitol in Springfield in late October 2019.

But it wasn’t until March 2022 — more than a year after Madigan resigned from his biggest public roles after pressure from within the Democratic power structures he’d built over decades — that the former speaker was indicted.

Madigan was ordered to report to a yet-to-be-named federal prison on Oct. 13.

Madigan’s attorneys told

The previous several months had yielded near-weekly developments in the public’s understanding of an unfolding federal corruption probe, including revelations about FBI searches executed on the homes of close Madigan allies. The intrigue only intensified after the indictment and midday

Within the year, however, Madigan would be proven wrong as prosecutors filed the first in a series of bombshell charges alleging the longtime speaker had been the beneficiary of a yearslong bribery scheme from electric utility Commonwealth Edison. Prosecutors alleged ComEd officials agreed to hire Madigan allies, including a handful on no-work contracts, to grease the wheels at key times when the company was pushing for big and ultimately lucrative legislation in Springfield.

In that July 2020 filing, Madigan’s status as a target of the feds’ widespread corruption investigation was marked by a new moniker: “Public Official A.”

Receiving top billing among the original 22 counts in the indictment, which was later bumped to 23, was racketeering. Prosecutors accused Madigan of using his positions as House speaker, chair of the state’s Democratic Party and as partner in his real estate law firm as a “criminal enterprise” meant to maintain and increase his power while enriching his allies.

The indictment rehashed what had been already made public in July 2020 and again several months later when four former ComEd executives and lobbyists were charged with orchestrating the utility’s bribery scheme aimed at Madigan.

But it also revealed that former Chicago Ald. Danny Solis had worn a wire on the speaker and alleged the speaker had agreed to get him appointed to a lucrative state board position in exchange for introductions to real estate developers to woo them as potential clients of Madigan’s firm.

See madigan, Page 13

After 150 years, Mary Lincoln’s

‘madness’ still haunts American psyche

In new book, Mrs. Lincoln’s own words offer insight into her sometimes tortured mind

By Peter Hancock Capitol news illinois

On May 19, 1875, a Cook County jury handed down a verdict in a case concerning the health and welfare of Mary Lincoln, widow of the former president who had been assassinated a decade earlier.

After listening to only a single day of testimony, the 12 men on the jury signed the standard verdict form stating simply that they “are satisfied that said Mary Lincoln is insane, and is a fit person to be sent to a State Hospital for the Insane …”

The case had been brought to court by her surviving son, Robert Todd Lincoln, then just 31 years old and a successful practicing attorney in Chicago. At his request, the court ordered her committed to the Bellevue Place Sanitarium in Batavia, west of Chicago, and named him conservator of her estate for a period of one year, based on the finding that she was at the time incapable of managing her own affairs.

But Mrs. Lincoln would not spend a full year in the facility. With the help of two of her closest and only remaining friends, James and Myra Bradwell, of Chicago—and against the strong protests of Robert Lincoln— Mary Lincoln would be released after only four months to the custody of her sister in Springfield, Elizabeth Edwards.

The subject of Mary Lincoln’s mental health has long been the subject of public debate. Was she, in fact, a danger to herself and others, and was her son tru-

• Madigan

ly acting in her best interests? Or was Robert Lincoln, as his mother would sometimes allege, scheming to shove her aside in order to take over her money and property?

Now, 150 years after her commitment, a newly rediscovered collection of correspondence between Mrs. Lincoln and her friends and family—letters long assumed to have been lost or destroyed—shed new light on the nature of her illness as well as the nature of her relationships with the few friends and family she had left by that time.

“The Dark Days of Abraham Lincoln’s Widow, As Revealed by Her Own Letters,” was compiled by historian Jason Emerson and was recently released by Southern Illinois University Press

“People have always wondered if these missing letters, if they showed that, in fact, she was perfectly sane, that her son Robert did actually railroad her, bribe the judge and jury because he wanted to steal her money,” Emerson said in a podcast interview with Capitol News Illinois. “And they do not show that at all. They show that Mary thought that’s what was happening—which, in my opinion, and the opinions of psychiatrists I’ve consulted—that was one of her delusions, that everyone was trying to steal her money, not just Robert.”

The book was actually first compiled a century ago by Myra Helmer Pritchard, granddaughter of James and Myra Bradwell,

(Continued from page 12)

A final charge added later in 2022 alleged a tacit bribery agreement between Madigan and telecommunications giant AT&T Illinois like the ComEd scheme, albeit smaller—involving one no-work contractor hired in the months before AT&T-backed legislation passed in Springfield.

On the witness stand, Madigan repeatedly claimed that he was ignorant of the fact that the collective $1.3 million his allies earned from their ComEd contracts was for performing no work. Instead, the former speaker and his lawyers framed those contracts as the result of mere job recommendations, which they argued was a component of Madigan’s job as speaker. Madigan’s attorneys, along with some of the government’s own witnesses, argued the ComEd-backed legislation passed after years of strategic and expensive lobbying efforts, and not because the

and they were scheduled for publication in 1927, first in installments in the magazine “Liberty,” and then as a book.

Before the publication, however, Pritchard, as a courtesy, offered to show them to Mary Harlan Lincoln, widow of Robert Lincoln, who had just died the year before. Although she was initially agreeable to the project and even offered to add additional information, after reading the manuscript, Mary Harlan Lincoln withdrew her consent and launched a series of legal efforts to suppress their publication.

Pritchard eventually agreed to hand over the material and never publish them in any form, in exchange for a payment of $22,500.

Emerson’s book recompiles that material and presents it as it was intended to be published in 1927, including Pritchard’s comments on the letters. But it also includes Emerson’s own annotations and footnotes that provide context, as well as clarifications and corrections to some of Pritchard’s commentaries.

The letters reveal her to be lonely, occasionally depressed and at times desperate for companionship. But on their surface, do not necessarily portray someone of an unsound mind, especially considering the traumas she had endured through much of her life.

“Pray for me that I may be able to leave such a place as this,” she wrote to Myra Bradwell on Aug. 3, 1875. “Let me

speaker’s allies had gotten jobs and contracts with the utility.

But after a slew of witnesses, including a ComEd execturned-FBI cooperator and one of the former contractors, in addition to secretly recorded videos and wiretapped phone calls shown at trial, the jury was ultimately convinced on most ComEd-related charges. Madigan was convicted on seven of those charges, including four counts of bribery and conspiracy, though he was acquitted on two charges related to an effort to get his ally appointed to the utility’s board

The so-called “ComEd Four” were convicted in their own trial in 2023 and are scheduled to be sentenced this summer. They include Madigan’s formerly close friend and longtime Springfield lobbyist Mike McClain, who was also the speaker’s codefendant in the most recent trial.

see Judge Bradwell. I beg you to come on Friday morning. I should like to see Dr. Evarts. I feel I must have some further conversation with him. Write me, your heartbroken friend, frequently, daily. But come to me. Will you kindly bring out some samples of black alpaca a best quality without luster and without cotton. Also some samples of heavier black woolen goods.”

The book is Emerson’s second work on the subject of the lost letters, which he uncovered in 2005. He found them locked away in a trunk that had once belonged to one of Robert Lincoln’s personal attorneys, Frederick Towers.

Using those letters and a wealth of other material, Emerson wrote his first book on the subject, “The Madness of Mary Lincoln,” in 2007.

In that book, Emerson cites a modern psychiatric expert who theorized that Mary Lincoln suffered from what would likely be diagnosed today as bipolar disorder

“And he told me that today, Mary would be committed involuntarily for probably about seven days,” he said. “Doctors would look at her. They’d give her medication, and she’d be fine today, as long as she took the medication.”

“But back then, they didn’t have that,” Emerson said. “But if you look at her whole life, it’s very clear the incidence of bipolar disorder, or what used to be called manic depressive illness, where she’s high and she’s low, and she’s wonderfully loving and horribly mean. Her spending could be considered a manic action. She was depressed a

Coming event

History museum concerts

lot. So it’s clear throughout her whole life.”

After her release, Mary Todd Lincoln lived a relatively quiet life, although she remained plagued by both psychiatric and physical ailments. She died in 1882 at the age of 63. She is buried next to her husband at the Lincoln Tomb in Springfield, along with three of their sons: Edward, William and Thomas. Robert Lincoln went on to lead a distinguished career of his own. In addition to his legal career, he served as secretary of war under President James Garfield and continued in that post under President Chester A. Arthur after Garfield’s assassination. He also served as minister to Great Britain in the Benjamin Harrison administration. He died in 1926 at age 82.

The Elmhurst History Museum will present a free kids conconcert by Jim Gill on Sunday, June 22, at 2 p.m. Bourbon Aristocracy (Bluegrass) at Family Farm Fest, Sunday, July 13, 1-4 p.m. and Highland Park Pops Big Band, Friday, June 27, 7 p.m. (Jazz & Big Band Music). Guests are invited to bring their own chairs and/ or blankets. Coolers and refreshments are also welcome. All concerts are free to attend, and no reservation is required. All ages welcome. Visit elmhursthistory.org for more information.

But after roughly 65 hours of deliberations over two weeks beginning in late January, the jury deadlocked on all six charges that named both the former speaker and McClain, including the feds’ marquee racketeering allegation.

The jury also deadlocked on the single count alleging Madigan’s participation in the alleged bribery scheme with AT&T, forcing Blakey to declare a mistrial on that count.

It was the second time in five months that charges alleging a bribe between AT&T and Madigan resulted in a hung jury; weeks before Madigan’s trial began, former AT&T Illinois President Paul La Schiazza’s bribery case ended in a mistrial on all five counts against him. He faces retrial in January 2026.

Charges involving Solis, the former Chicago alderman, ended in a mix of convictions, acquittals and deadlock from the jury.

Despite victories, major higher education policy bills stall in General Assembly Funding overhaul, community

By Peter Hancock Capitol news illinois

Gov. JB Pritzker got some of what he requested from the General Assembly in the area of higher education, but some of his biggest requests fell short.

Pritzker’s wins include a $10 million increase in needbased student financial aid and passage of a direct admission program to make it easier for eligible Illinois high school and community college students to apply to public universities.

But lawmakers did not approve the overall funding increase that Pritzker requested at the start of the session, settling on a 1 percent bump in their operational budgets instead of the 3 percent the governor proposed, Pritzker’s office, however, has said there are contingencies to provide an additional 2 percent in the event of significant cuts in federal funding.

They also did not pass other major higher education policy initiatives, including Pritzker’s plan to allow community colleges to offer four-year bachelor’s degrees in certain high-demand career fields, and a long-sought overhaul in the way Illinois funds its public universities.

“You don’t get everything done in one year,” Pritzker

said during a post-session news conference when asked about several of his initiatives that failed to pass this year.

“Sometimes they (lawmakers) spend two years, four years, six years, trying to get something big done.”

Community college proposal

In his State of the State address in February, Pritzker called for allowing community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees as a way of expanding access to those programs, especially for older, nontraditional students who may not live close to a four-year university.

“With lower tuition rates and a greater presence across the state—especially in rural areas—community colleges provide the flexibility and affordability students need,” Pritzker told the General Assembly. “This is a consumer-driven, student-centered proposal that will help fill the needs of regional employers in high-need sectors and create a pathway to stable, quality jobs for more Illinoisans.”

In the legislature, however, the proposal ran into stiff opposition from several sources, including universities that said the plan lacked sufficient safeguards to pre-

college baccalaureates not brought up for votes

vent community colleges from offering duplicative programs that would siphon prospective students away from their campuses.

Amid that opposition, House Bill 3717, which was carried by Rep. Tracy KatzMuhl, D-Northbrook, failed to advance out of a key committee before a mid-session deadline in March. And even after amendments were negotiated that led to universities dropping their opposition and the bill was reassigned to a different committee, it still failed to gain enough traction to advance to the House floor.

That was mainly due to opposition from the Legislative Black Caucus, whose members said it still posed a threat to the three universities in Illinois that serve primarily Black and Latino students—Chicago State University; Governors State University, and Northeastern Illinois University—which are all located in the Chicago metropolitan area alongside multiple community colleges.

“Chicago State is hemorrhaging,” Rep. Curtis Tarver, D-Chicago, said during a May 23 House Executive Committee hearing. “And you all, as an administration, are handing them Band-Aids

and they need stitches. And then you come in and you provide a bill that’s going to be even worse for them, with 11 community colleges within 25 miles of them. And I’m saying as we sit here that the Black Caucus has an issue with the bill.”

Funding overhaul

Another proposal that failed to advance called for establishing a new formula for funding public universities.

House Bill 1581 and its companion Senate Bill 13, known as the Adequate and Equitable Public University Funding Act, called for establishing a funding structure like the Evidence-Based Funding formula used for K-12 education.

That formula would use objective standards to determine an adequate level of funding for each university. The bills then called for adding as much as $1.7 billion in new funding for universities over the next 10-15 years, with most of the funding going toward schools furthest away from their adequacy target.

The proposal grew out of a commission formed in 2021 within the Illinois Board of Higher Education. That commission worked for nearly three years to develop a proposal and issued its report and

recommendations to the General Assembly in March 2024.

Under the proposed formula, Western Illinois University in Macomb would have earned top priority for new funding because it is currently funded at only 46 percent of its adequacy target. Northeastern Illinois University and Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, at 47 percent of adequacy, would have been next in line.

But the state’s flagship institution, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, currently at 89 percent of adequacy, would rank at the bottom of the priority list. For that reason, the U of I System opposed the plan.

“The University of Illinois System is absolutely dedicated to expanding equitable access, enhancing student success and promoting statewide economic growth,” Nick Jones, executive vice president and vice president of academic affairs for the U of I System, told a Senate committee in April. “The proposed legislation penalizes institutions that provide the most support for underrepresented and rural students while failing to ensure long-term access.”

Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, D-Westchester, who sponsored the Senate bill and was a cochair

of the study commission, said she was disappointed it did not pass this year, but vowed working for a more equitable funding formula.

“While it is far past time to pass an equitable funding model, I am reminded that many of the comprehensive plans I’ve passed have taken years of research, input and negotiations,” she said in an email statement. “This legislation is no different.”

Robin Steans, president of the education advocacy group Advance Illinois, who also served on the commission, said in a separate statement that she expects lawmakers to continue discussing the bill over the summer. Action could come during the fall veto session or early in the 2026 regular session, she said.

“Eventual adoption of the Adequate & Equitable Funding bill represents a significant change, one that requires new investment by our state in what remains the surest path to greater mobility and opportunity for Illinois families,” she said.

“The questions and comments made during legislative committee meetings indicate that Illinois lawmakers get that, and powerful testimony from the state’s university leaders drove home the urgency of this issue.”

Sports

Broncos’ season ends with super-sectional loss

St. Laurence halts Montini’s post-season surge; Broncos post 9-17 season record; Vikings wind up claiming Class 3A fourth-place trophy in Peoria

The Montini Catholic softball team’s 2025 season ended with last week’s 6-2 loss to St. Laurence in an IHSA Class 3A super-sectional game at Benedictine University in Lisle.

The Broncos, who won regional and sectional titles to advance to the June 9 super-sectional, finished their season with a 19-17 record.

The Vikings of St. Laurence earned a trip to the IHSA Class 3A state semifinals in Peoria when they defeated Montini in Lisle. St. Laurence suffered a 5-2 loss to Providence Catholic in one of Friday’s Class 3A semifinal contests.

Providence Catholic lost 3-2 to Glenwood in eight innings in Saturday’s Class 3A state-championship game.

Prairie Ridge defeated St. Laurence 12-0 in five innings in Saturday’s Class 3A third-place matchup, leaving the Vikings to settle for the fourth-place trophy.

The super-sectional loss to St. Laurence ended the Broncos’ string of four straight post-season victories.

Montini opened the playoffs by winning two games to claim the DePaul College Prep Regional title in Chicago. The Broncos then won a sectional title on their home field, pounding Fenwick in a sectional semifinal and thrashing St. Francis in the sectional final one day later.

“I’m really proud of these girls and the way we fought this year,” said Montini coach Amy Bukovsky after last week’s loss to the Vikings.

“We didn’t start the year off necessarily the best, but we’ve grown so much in the last few weeks. I’m just extremely proud of them and what they’ve been able to accomplish.”

Montini was the home team in last week’s super-sectional battle against St. Laurence. The Broncos took an early 1-0 lead after they scored one run in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore Bridget Ryan of Montini singled to drive in her team’s first run of the game.

Ryan’s hit drove in senior Kat Filkowski, who reached base on an error.

The Vikings evened the score at 1-1 with a solo home run in the top of the second inning. Montini scored one

run in the bottom of the second inning to take a 2-1 lead. Montini sophomore Cedona Barrett singled to lead off the bottom of the second inning. She advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by senior Liliana Aumann. After moving to third base on a groundout by sophomore Alex Kalins, Barrett scored on a wild pitch to give the Broncos their 2-1 advantage.

The Vikings scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead. St. Laurence added one run in the top of the fifth inning and two more runs in the top of the seventh inning.

St. Laurence connected for eight hits in the super-sectional, while the Broncos lashed six hits. Each team committed four errors during the game.

Montini freshman pitcher Cameron Fox allowed two earned runs and eight hits in seven innings in the circle during last week’s super-sectional.

Fox issued two walks and recorded two strikeouts in the contest.

St. Laurence’s super-sectional win marked its third victory over the Broncos during the 2025 season. St. Laurence defeated Montini in a pair of Girls Catholic Athletic Conference (GCAC) Red Division games during the season. The Vikings beat Montini 16-0 in a four-inning contest in Burbank on April 8. St. Laurence defeated the Broncos 13-6 in Lombard on May 1.

“We knew coming in that they [the Vikings] were a great team,” said Bukovsky after last week’s loss. “We faced them twice this year, and we knew it was going to take a full seven innings of softball to win. I’m proud of us for fighting all the way to the end.”

After the season-ending loss, the Broncos walked beyond the Benedictine field’s left-field fence for their last post-game talk of the season.

“The dedication and commitment and the passion that the girls have shown in the last few weeks has been amazing,” said Bukovsky after the emotional post-game discussion with the team.

“We are unbelievably proud of them, and we just wanted to make sure that they feel the same way about themselves.”

The Montini Catholic softball team’s season ended with last week’s 6-2 loss to

Fox photos Rock Valley Publishing

3A super-sectional contest at Benedictine University in Lisle. The Broncos, who won regional and sectional

pionships before losing to the Vikings in the super-sectional game, finished their season with a 19-17 record. After winning the super-sectional title, St. Laurence advanced to the IHSA Class 3A state semifinals in Peoria. The Vikings lost both of their games in Peoria and wound up claiming the fourth-place trophy. One

from the June 9 super-sectional matchup in Lisle shows Montini freshman pitcher

(below left) shows sophomore

week

of the

Chris

St. Laurence in an IHSA Class

cham-

photo (below right)

Cameron Fox. Another photo

Aubry Raffen

Broncos playing first base. One more photo (above) from last

shows Montini head coach Amy Bukovsky speaking to the Broncos after the team’s season-ending loss.

The Lombard Waves competed in their first home meet of the season last week, when they faced the Bloomingdale Barracudas at Paradise Bay Water Park. The visiting Barracudas defeated the Waves 404-220. Lombard’s individual champions in the June 11 meet against Bloomingdale included Evan McNulty, who won two races in the 11-12 boys division. He is pictured (top left) during his victory in the 100-yard individual medley. Lombard’s Parker Bergman, who swam on two winning 8-and-under girls relay teams during the meet, is pictured (above) during her individual victory in the 25-yard freestyle. One more photo from the meet shows Emily Olsen of the Waves, who is pictured (left) during her first-place swim in the 15-18 girls division’s 100-yard individual medley.

Waves open home season with meet against Bloomingdale Visiting

The Lombard Waves competed in their first home meet of the 2025 season last week, when they faced the Bloomingdale Barracudas at Paradise Bay Water Park on June 11. The visiting Barracudas outscored the Waves 404-220 in the meet’s overall team standings.

Barracudas prevail in meet’s overall standings

8-and-under boys level. He prevailed in the 25-yard butterfly (26.78) and the 25-yard breaststroke (34.57).

9-10 boys: Jimmy Cali (50-yard freestyle; 37.75) and Pete Stone (100-yard individual medley; 2:12.82)

11-12 boys: Cooper Wedel (50-yard backstroke; 44.31)

The Lombard swimmers who won individual championships in the meet included Avery Norman, who won two races in the 8-and-under girls level.

Lombard’s Evan McNulty raced to two victories in the 11-12 boys division during his team’s meet against Bloomingdale. He earned his wins in the 100-yard individual medley, which he finished in 1 minute, 39.22 seconds, and the 50-yard butterfly (47.78).

15-18 girls: Emily Olsen (100-yard individual medley; 1:15.19) and Alyssa Wiemerslage (50-yard breaststroke; 40.65)

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Lombard’s other individual champions in the meet against Bloomingdale included:

15-18 boys: Ben Wagner (100-yard freestyle; 55.75), Benjamin Bates (50-yard backstroke; 30.94) and Adriano Bifero (50-yard breaststroke; 32.25)

der boys foursome of Joey Hitzker, Samson Norman, Jack Allen and William Balgemann teamed up to win the 100-yard freestyle relay during the June 11 meet. The four Waves completed the race in 1:50.97. Joshua Massengale, Javier Garavito, Lucas Jackson and Evan McNulty formed a winning relay team for the Waves in the 11-12 boys level’s 200-yard medley relay. The foursome completed the relay in 3:10.15.

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She delivered first-place swims in the 50-yard freestyle, which she finished in 36.82 seconds, and the 25yard butterfly, which she completed in 17.60 seconds.

8-and-under girls: Parker Bergman (25-yard freestyle; 20.47) and Amelia Ali (25yard backstroke; 26.06)

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William Balgemann of the Waves won two individual events in the June 11 meet’s

8-and-under boys: Samson Norman (25-yard freestyle; 24.62)

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Lombard’s winning relay teams in the June 11 meet included the 8-and-under girls foursome of Amelia Catt, Claire Wedel, Avery Norman and Parker Bergman. The four Waves won the 100yard medley relay in a firstplace time of 1:48.04. Later in the meet, Parker Bergman and Amelia Catt joined Sally Fagan and Katherine Van Kampen to win the 100-yard freestyle relay in 1:36.81.

Lombard’s 8-and-un-

Lombard’s 15-18 boys foursome of Adriano Bifero, Weslee Pounders, Benjamin Bates and Ben Wagner won the 200-yard freestyle relay. The four Waves finished the relay in 1:42.12.

Lombard’s season in the DuPage Swim and Dive Conference continues with this week’s meets against Bartlett and Hanover Park. The Waves will face the Sailfish of Hanover Park this Saturday, June 21, at Paradise Bay Water Park.

Chris Fox photos Rock Valley Publishing

Mariners battle Bartlett Barracudas at Jefferson Pool

Villa Park’s Aldana siblings accumulate 13 individual victories in the meet

The Villa Park Mariners faced the Bartlett Barracudas in Saturday’s meet at Jefferson Pool. The visiting Barracudas outscored the Mariners 407-224 in the meet’s team standings.

Villa Park’s Lydia Aldana won four individual events in the 11-12 girls division during Saturday’s meet. She earned her first victory of the day in the 50-meter freestyle race, which she completed in 33.27 seconds. After winning the 100-meter individual medley in 1 minute, 26.44 seconds, she prevailed in the 50-meter backstroke (40.74) and the 50-meter breaststroke (43.41).

Three of the Mariners’ Aldana siblings were three-time individual champions during Saturday’s meet against Bartlett. Ethan Aldana won three events in the 8-and-under boys level. He claimed his victories in the 25-meter freestyle (25.68), the 50-meter freestyle (57.04) and the 25-meter butterfly (44.96).

Phoebe Aldana of Villa Park swam to three wins in the 13-14 girls division on Saturday. She delivered her victories in the 100-meter individual medley (1:22.36),

the 50-meter backstroke (38.81) and the 50-meter breaststroke (42.82).

Naomi Aldana provided the Mariners with three victories in the 15-18 girls level on Saturday. She swam to first-place finishes in the 100-meter individual medley (1:17.93), the 50-meter butterfly (32.44) and the 50-meter backstroke (35.68).

Villa Park’s Penelope Kuhl won two individual events on Saturday. Competing in the 9-10 girls level, she won the 100-meter individual medley (1:44.82) and the 100-meter freestyle (1:29.26).

Caleb Vaughan of the Mariners raced to two victories on Saturday. Swimming in the 11-12 boys division, he won the 50-meter freestyle (35.38) and the 50-meter butterfly (45.23).

Villa Park’s other individual champions in Saturday’s meet included:

8-and-under boys: Brycen Newell (25-meter backstroke; 40.63)

9-10 girls: Maddie Lynch (50-meter breaststroke; 55.33)

9-10 boys: Logan Turner (50-meter butterfly; 59.56)

15-18 girls: Claire Bren-

Villa Park Mariners faced the Bartlett Barracudas in Saturday’s meet at Jefferson Pool. Bartlett outscored the Mariners 407-224 in the meet’s overall standings. The Villa Park swimmers who won multiple individual events included Phoebe Aldana, who won three races in the 13-14 girls division. She is pictured (above) during her victory in the 50-meter backstroke. Caleb Vaughan of the Mariners swam to two wins in the 11-12 boys division on Saturday. He is pictured (top left) during his first-place effort in the 50-meter butterfly.

nan (100-meter freestyle; 1:21.24)

The Mariners won three relay events during Saturday’s meet against Bartlett. Villa Park’s 8-and-under foursome of Emily Hasler, Hensley Hanlon-Eberman, Abby Wilson and Margot Tarsitano swam to a victory in the 100-meter freestyle relay (2:15.18).

Villa Park’s 9-10 girls foursome of Brooke Borkowski, Nora Steverson, Maddie Lynch and Maryann Drogos turned in a first-place performance in the 200-meter medley relay (4:42.46).

The Mariners’ 11-12 girls quartet of Ariana Knudtson, Lydia Aldana, Penelope Kuhl and Ruth Aldana swam to a victory in the 200-meter medley relay (3:03.91).

Three days before battling Bartlett, the Mariners defeated the Hanover Park Sailfish 331-213 in a June 11 meet in Hanover Park.

Villa Park’s DuPage Swim and Dive Conference season continues with this week’s meets against Wood Dale/ Addison and Butterfield. The Mariners will face Butterfield this Saturday, June 21, at Jefferson Pool.

Registration for this year’s 4 on the 4th is going strong

Registration for the 20th anniversary Elmhurst Running Club 4 on the 4th is going at record pace, and the upcoming Fourth of July event could sell out.

“We limit the field to 1,500 to assure a safe and fun race for all participants,” said race director Bob Richards of the Elmhurst Running Club.

“And so far this year, we are way ahead of last year when we had more than 1,400 registrants.”

Runners can sign up for the 4-mile run or the Kids (ages 5-12) 1-kilometer run at 4on4th.run. The 4-mile run starts at 7:15

a.m. The Kids 1K run begins at 8:20 a.m. Both races start and finish on Prospect Avenue, just south of the Elmhurst University gate along Wilder Park.

Eighty percent of proceeds after race expenses go to local charities. The event has donated close to $100,000 over the years, Richards said.

Early packet pickup will be available on Saturday, June 28; Wednesday, July 2; and Thursday, July 3, (until 4 p.m.) at Fleet Feet, 124 E. Schiller Street, Elmhurst. For complete race information, visit 4on4th.run.

In Print and Online

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Your hometown newspaper is available in both print and online versions.

The printed newspaper is delivered by the post office every Thursday for only $45 for a full year, in town; out of town $59. A digital eSubscription isalso available for only $30 per year and can be read on a computer, laptop, or tablet.

To order an online eSubscription or print home delivery by mail, please call

or mail the coupon below.

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Chris Fox photos Rock Valley Publishing

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Complimentary small batch beer and beverages courtesy of Marz Community Brewing Company. Advanced tickets required. Space is limited. Image credit: Doug Fogelson, Solo No. 3, 2024, color photogram

Man found guilty of shooting pregnant woman in the back as she fled from him in her car

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin has announced that a jury found Lawrence Grant, 41, formerly of Chicago, guilty of shooting a woman who was eight-months pregnant while she was traveling on Route 83 in early 2022. The jury returned its verdict May 23 following a four daylong trial and approximately 2 1/2 hours of deliberations. In all, the jury found Grant guilty of one count of attempted murder (Class X felony), one count of aggravated battery with a firearm (Class X felony) and two counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm (Class 1 felony).

On Feb. 4, 2022, Grant appeared in Bond Court where bond was set bond at $2 million with 10 percent to apply. He has remained in custody at the DuPage County Jail since that time.

On Jan. 28, 2022, at approximately 7 p.m., officers with the Willowbrook Police Department responded to the scene of a crashed vehicle on Route 83. Upon their arrival, officers found the victim, a pregnant woman, suffering from a gunshot wound to her back. The victim was immediately transported to a local hospital where the baby was delivered while the victim was in surgery. Both

the baby and mother survived and have subsequently recovered. It is alleged that prior to the crash, Grant, the victim and another individual were involved in a verbal altercation that eventually turned physical in a nearby grocery store located in the 6300 block of Kingery Highway.

It is further alleged that after the altercation, all three individuals left the store in different vehicles with the victim traveling southbound on Route 83. It is alleged that Grant followed the victim in his vehicle and shot at her, striking the vehicle several times and the victim in her back, causing the vehicle to

LEGAL NOTICES

104 South Franklin Road

Bloomington, IN 47404

Telephone: 812-332-9451

Fax Number: 812-331-5321

Attorney for Plaintiff

LERON, SOLOMON BROS LLC, and FORWARD A2B INC.

SUMMONS - SERVICE BY PUBLICATION

NOTICE OF SUIT

The State of Indiana to the Defendant(s) above named, and any other person who may be concerned:

You are hereby notified that Solomon Bros LLC is being sued by Kristie Lofland, in Marion Superior Court, State of Indiana. The title of the case as shown by the complaint is Kristie Lofland vs. Dieuson Leron, Solomon Bros LLC, and Forward A2B Inc., Cause No. 49D112410-CT-046278.

The nature of the suit is a civil action wherein Plaintiff has filed a Complaint for Damages demanding judgment for personal injuries and damages as a result of an incident which occurred on July 25, 2024.

This summons by publication and notice is specifically directed to the defendant, Solomon Bros LLC, whose whereabouts are unknown.

You must answer or otherwise respond to the complaint in writing, by you or your attorney, on or before the day of July 24, 2025 (the same being within thirty (30) days after the publication of the third Notice of Suit, the last such notice of this action), and in case you fail to do so, judgment by default may be entered against you for the relief demanded by the Plaintiffs in the complaint.

If you have a claim for relief against the Plaintiff arising out of this occurrence that is the subject matter of the Plaintiff’s claims, you must assert it in your written answer.

The name and address of the attorneys representing Plaintiff: Ken Nunn Law Office, 104 Franklin Road, Bloomington, Indiana 47404.

KEN NUNN LAW OFFICE

BY: /s/ Bradford J. Smith

Bradford J. Smith, #22783-47

KEN NUNN LAW OFFICE

104 South Franklin Road

Bloomington, IN 47404

Phone: (812) 332-9451

Fax: (812) 331-5321

E-mail: brads@kennunn.com

ATTEST:

Clerk of the Marion Superior Court

/s/ Katherine E. Sweeney Bell (SEAL)

Bradford J. Smith, #22783-47

(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review June 12, 19 & 26, 2025) 473127

NOTICE

CERTIFICATE NO. 79717 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on MAY 29, 2025 wherein the business firm of GLOSS’EM NAILS, 4126 CHESAPEAKE DR APT 2C, AURORA, IL 60504 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: Marina Kurttay, 4126 Chesapeake Dr Apt 2C, Aurora, IL 60504.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 29TH day of MAY, A.D. 2026.

Jean Kaczmarek

DuPage County Clerk (Published in The Lombardian June 12, 19 & 26, 2025) 473028

NOTICE

CERTIFICATE NO. 79723 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on JUNE 2, 2025, wherein the business firm of HIJABUNISA BY AKH, 117 HARDING COURT, GLENDALE HEIGHTS, IL 60139 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:

Aisha Asrar, 117 Harding Court, Glendale Heights, IL 60139.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 2ND day of JUNE, A.D. 2025.

Jean Kaczmarek DuPage County Clerk (Published in The Lombardian June 12, 19 & 26, 2025) 473045

NOTICE

CERTIFICATE NO. 79731 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on JUNE 11, 2025 wherein the business firm of CROWN BAKING CO., 6680 POWELL ST.,

crash.

At approximately 10:30 p.m., Grant was located at the University of Chicago Hospital where he was admitted on an unrelated matter. The vehicle in which Grant was allegedly traveling was found destroyed by fire approximately one block from the University of Chicago Hospital. Grant was immediately taken into custody following his discharge from the hospital. Grant’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 20 for return of the pre-sentence report. He faces a penalty of between 31 years to life in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

DOWNERS GROVE, IL 60516 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:

Deborah McClelland, 6680 Powell St., Downers Grove, IL 60516.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 11TH day of JUNE, A.D. 2025.

Jean Kaczmarek DuPage County Clerk (Published in The Lombardian June 19 & 26, July 3, 2025) 473318

NOTICE

CERTIFICATE NO. 79722 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on JUNE 2, 2025, wherein the business firm of PEARL LAKE PRESS, 340 S. LEWIS AVE., LOMBARD, IL 60148 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:

Deborah Gruchalski, 340 S. Lewis Ave., Lombard, IL 60148. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 2ND day of JUNE, A.D. 2025.

Jean Kaczmarek

DuPage County Clerk

(Published in The Lombardian June 5, 12 & 19, 2025) 472916

NOTICE

CERTIFICATE NO. 79733 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on JUNE 12, 2025 wherein the business firm of XIMENA’S FAMILY CHILD CARE, 568 S. PARK RD., LOMBARD, IL 60148, LOMBARD, IL 60148 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: Jose M Escobar, 568 S. Park Rd., Lombard, IL 60148; Faviola X. Escobar, 568 S. Park Rd., Lombard, IL 60148. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 12TH day of JUNE, A.D. 2025 Jean Kaczmarek DuPage County Clerk

(Published in The Lombardian June 19 & 26, July 3, 2025) 473432

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

THE VILLAGE OF BENSENVILLE, DuPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS, will receive sealed bids for the 2025 VARIOUS NATIVE VEGETATION MAINTENANCE PROJECTS until Eleven A.M. (11:00 A.M.) (prevailing time), July 8, 2025 at the office of the Municipal Clerk in the Village Hall, 12 South Center Street, in the Village of Bensenville, Illinois, at which time and place all bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

The contract documents, including plans and specifications, are on file at the office of the Engineer, Engineering Resource Associates, Inc. (ERA), 3S701 West Ave, Suite 150, Warrenville, Illinois 60555, 630.393.3060. A digital copy of the documents may be obtained from ERA by calling 630.393.3060 or emailing epande@eraconsultants. com

A bid bond, certified check, bank draft or irrevocable letter of credit on a solvent bank, payable to the Village of Bensenville, or cash in an amount of not less than ten percent (10%) of the amount of the bid shall be submitted with each bid.

The successful bidder will be required to furnish a satisfactory performance bond in the amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract sum as a security for the faithful performance of the Contract and also a Payment Bond in the amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the Contract Sum as a security for the payment of all persons performing labor on the Project under the Contract and furnishing materials in connection of the Contract. The successful bidder shall also furnish a Certificate of Insurance. No bid shall be withdrawn after opening of bids without the consent of said Municipality for a period of sixty (60) days after the scheduled time of opening bids.

The Village of Bensenville reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive any informalities in bidding and to accept the bid deemed most advantageous to it, all in accordance with the standard specifications.

Ken Nunn Law Office

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CLASSIFIED IN-COLUMN ADS cannot be credited or refunded after the ad has been placed. Ads canceled before deadline will be removed from the paper as a service to our customers, but no credit or refund will be issued to your account.

DISCLAIMER NOTICE This publication does not knowingly accept fraudulent or deceptive advertising. Readers are cautioned to thoroughly investigate all ads, especially those asking for money in advance.

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