VPR062923

Departing Mariners

Memorial Day in Villa Park

630-514-9961

Nick Cuzzone and Leslie Allison-Seei—chair of the Villa Park Community Pride Commission. Arbor Day is observed on the last Friday of each April. The National Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Villa Park with Tree City USA designation for 36 straight years. To receive that recogni tion, a community must have a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, a comprehensive com munity forestry program and an Arbor Day observance.

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

kdrury@atproperties.com

The Villa Park Mariners recognized their six departing “senior” swimmers during Saturday’s meet against Hanover Park at Jefferson Pool. Pictured left to right at the end of the meet—Villa Park’s final home meet of the season—are: (front row) Grace Roscoe, Caitlin O’Connor, Harper Conboy and Gabby Knudtson; (back row) Alexander Dean and Simon Luedtke. All six of the pictured Mariners are members of Willowbrook High School’s Class of 2023. Roscoe, who has been with the Mariners for seven years, will attend the University of Wisconsin-Madison. O’Connor, who spent 11 years with the Mariners, and Knudtson, who’s been a Mariner for seven years, will both attend Illinois State University. Conboy, who has been a member of the Mariners for 10 years, and Luedtke, who’s been with the team for six years, will both attend College of DuPage. Dean, who’s been with the Mariners for 11 years, will attend the Milwaukee School of Engineering. Villa Park beat Hanover Park 372-205 in Saturday’s meet to improve its season record to 2-4. The Mariners will finish their eight-meet regular season with this week’s meet in Wood Dale and a meet in Roselle on July 8.

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review

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240 N. West Avenue Elmhurst, IL. 60126

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

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The Villa Park Review is mailed to the 60181 zip code areas for $45.00 yearly. Out-of-area mail subscriptions are $50.00 yearly. For home delivery information call 630.834-8244.

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THE VILLA PARK REVIEW

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Office Hours: Monday-Friday 11am-3pm

No injuries reported in fire at Villa Park apartment building

Flames from a barbecue grill reportedly started the fire; Red Cross assists in relocating 15 occupants

STAFF REPORT

The Villa Park Fire Department responded to a fire at an apartment building at 500 W. Division Street last week. No one was injured in the fire, which reportedly started after flames from a barbecue grill set the underside of the building’s soffit on fire.

Firefighters responded to the reported structure fire at about 7:40 p.m. on Thursday, June 22. Firefighters arrived at the scene about three and a-half minutes after receiving the initial report and encountered a

one-story, four-unit apartment building with heavy fire conditions in the attic.

According to Villa Park Fire Chief Steve Stapleton, firefighters deployed multiple hose lines and initiated an aggressive interior fire attack while mutual-aid truck crews ventilated the building’s roof.

“I’m so proud of our guys; they did a flawless job,” said Stapleton, who related that the fire was brought under control within 10 to 15 minutes of firefighters’ arrival at the scene. He said the fire was contained

Longtime St. Alexander educator to participate in annual Villa Park Independence Day Parade

St. Alexander Catholic Church in Villa Park is honored to celebrate Sister Joan Shields, Sister of Notre Dame deNamur, who will be participating in the annual Villa Park Independence Day Parade.

The parade steps off at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 4.

Sister Joan is a Chicago native whose Irish roots exhibits her wonderful sense of humor to everyone she meets.

She speaks with enthusiasm about the privilege and responsibility to give children a general and religious education.

She has made this commitment for many years—33 of which were

spent in Villa Park between St. John the Apostle School and St. Alexander School.

During this time, she served as principal at St. Alexander School for 29 years. She tirelessly created programs and retreats to prepare the students for all the Sacraments. She also worked diligently behind the scenes—some of which included preparing school Masses, May Crownings and Rainbow Children’s Grief Counseling.

Currently she is working with St. Alexander’s Faith Formation director, sharing her knowledge and experiences with the program.

Sister Joan has devoted her life developing strong Catholic leadership in all her students. St. Alexander’s is excited and privileged to have had her years of experience, commitment and devotion to education at for so long.

to the attic space above the building’s two southernmost units.

The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental in nature. According to Stapleton, the fire started when a barbecue grill flared up and caught the building’s soffit on fire. The fire then spread to the attic of the building.

“If you’re going to grill, grill away from your house, and have a fire extinguisher available,” said Stapleton.

There were multiple people at home at the apartment building at the time of the fire. The residents were able to evacuate before firefighters arrived. The building is located two blocks west of Addison Road, near Second Avenue, just south of the Metra Union Pacific West railroad

tracks.

The fire caused damage estimated at $75,000 and left the building uninhabitable. The Red Cross provided assistance in relocating 15 occupants, including multiple children.

Firefighters from neighboring communities, including Lombard, Addison, Elmhurst, Oakbrook Terrace and York Center provided assistance to the Villa Park Fire Department during the fire. The Villa Park Police Department also responded to the scene.

The Villa Park Fire Department’s Fire Investigation Unit (FIU) conducted the origin and cause investigation of the fire. The Villa Park Police Department’s evidence technician assisted in photographing the scene.

Villa Park’s Independence Day Parade begins at 10 a.m.

Villa Park Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2801 will hold its annual Independence Day Parade on Tuesday, July 4. This year’s parade theme is “Reflections.”

The parade will begin at 10 a.m. The parade route is about 2 miles long. The parade begins on Central Boulevard, just west of Ardmore Avenue, and proceeds west on Central to Harvard Avenue, south on Harvard to Madison Street, east on Madison to Summit Avenue, north on Summit to Park Boulevard, and west on Park to Ardmore for dispersal.

The Queen of Hearts is still hiding in VFW Post 2801’s Queen of Hearts contest

Next drawing takes place this Friday

The winner’s share of Villa Park Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)

Post 2801’s current Queen of Hearts contest stands at over $10,000—after

Kickoff to summer

Villa Park’s Parks and Recreation Department held its annual Summer Festival on Saturday in the Ardmore Business District at Ardmore Avenue and Park Boulevard. The festival to celebrate the beginning of summer took place in warm and sunny conditions. The event included food, beverages, live music and several attractions for children. Villa Park’s Neymar Morales, age 5, is pictured while sliding down one of the festival’s attractions for kids—the Toxic Rush inflatable slide.

taxes. The winner’s share is certain to rise before the 8 p.m. drawing this Friday, June 30. The drawing will take place at the post, which is located at 39 E. St. Charles Road.

A five-pack of tickets in the Queen of Hearts drawing costs $5. Contestants do not need to be present at the Friday-night drawing. Tickets are on sale at the post throughout the week, up until a few minutes before the ticket drawing.

The contest features a board of 54 spaces that represent a full deck of cards, including two jokers. Each card on the board is numbered and concealed. The ticket drum is cleared after each week’s drawing.

Each Friday, the contest tickets

See CONTEST, Page 8

Trinity Christian Nursery School has open enrollment for upcoming term

Trinity Christian Nursery School, located within Trinity Lutheran Church of Villa Park (300 Ardmore Ave.), has open enrollment going on now for the upcoming term.

Each day includes playtime, group time, Bible stories, snack and learning centers. The school also has a new director, who will be starting in a few weeks.

Please contact the school’s director for registration at: registrartcns@ gmail.com or call 630-833-1080 to learn more about the school.

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing

Sister Joan Shields

Lizzadro Museum current, upcoming programs

As a special exhibition now on display through Sept. 30, Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art presents “Stone Carvers of Earth and Imagination.” Illinois stone sculptors Walter S. Arnold and Theodore Strandt present artworks in alabaster, limestone, marble, and steatite featuring animals, gargoyles, dwarfs, and The Addams Family “Thing Outside the Box.” Regular Museum admission, hours apply.

Museum summer programs

On Saturday, July 15 at 1:30 p.m., the Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art presents a 90-minute lecture activity called “Mysterious Geodes,” for ages 7 through adult. Geodes are

spherical hollow nodules that usually contain crystals. Learn more about the theories on how geodes form and where they are found. After the presentation, please join in as we crack our own geodes! Bring your own rock hammer and an old sock to collect the pieces. Each participant gets two crack open geodes. Fee: $10 per person. Reservations required – Register at lizzadromuseum.org.

On Sunday, July 16 at 2 p.m., the Lizzadro Museum presents a 45-minute program on The Restoration of Staglieno Monumental Cemetery.

Sculptor Walter S. Arnold introduces the extraordinary marble sculptures of Staglieno Cemetery in Genoa, Italy, the largest outdoor sculpture mu-

seum in Europe. Learn the tools and techniques used by marble carvers to transform massive blocks of stone into these dramatic and symbolic memorials. Unfortunately, neglect, pollution, and weather have taken a terrible toll on these irreplaceable works of art. Arnold and his wife founded a not-for-profit organization called “American Friends of Italian Monumental Sculpture,” to preserve these treasures. He will explain the restoration methods being used to save them from the ravages of time. Recommended for students and adults. Regular museum admission applies. Reservations are recommended at lizzadromuseum.org.

Saturday, July 22 at 2 p.m., Liz-

Lexington Square acquired; to become The Roosevelt at Salt Creek

Plans include

On Wednesday, June 21, a Chicago-based real estate investment and asset management firm known as Focus Healthcare Partners LLC announced its acquisition of Lexington Square Senior Living in Elmhurst. The senior living community will be rebranded as The Roosevelt at Salt Creek and converted from an entrance-fee buy-in model to a rental community offering independent living and assisted living. Life Care Services, the nation’s third-largest senior living provider, will manage the community and help facilitate the

transformation.

The rental model at The Roosevelt at Salt Creek has no entry or buy-in fees, nor a commitment of retirement assets as with some senior living communities. The cost of an apartment, dining options, all activities, fitness, and other services are included in the monthly lease.

The transformation will include building out common areas with a new design and broadening programming options for residents to create a state-of-the-art senior living rental option for older adults in the

Elmhurst area. The Roosevelt at Salt Creek plans to offer many enhanced amenities, including an indoor pool, cinema, art studio, game room and sports lounge, among other areas that enhance resident participation, engagement and socialization.

About Life Care Service Life Care Service (LCS), based in Des Moines, Iowa, provides management services to approximately 150 communities, serving more than 42,000 residents and currently manages 10 communities in Illinois.

zadro Museum presents a 60-minute program called “Rocks on the Beach: Geology 101 in Sandals.” Beachcombing for rocks along the shores of Lake Michigan is not only fun, but also serves as a study into the geologic story of the Great Lakes region.

EGC ready for 27th ‘Afternoon in the Garden’ Walk, boutique

The 27th Elmhurst Garden Club (EGC) “An Afternoon in the Garden” Garden Walk and Boutique Faire featuring six glorious private gardens and one special birthday celebration public garden will be held Sunday, July 9 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tickets will be sold online only at the web site: elmhurstgardenclub.org. From now until midnight on Saturday, July 8, tickets will be $18 per person. After that date, tickets will be $23 each.

The featured public garden this year is the Wilder Park Conservatory, which will hold its 100th Birthday Celebration with refreshments at 10 a.m. at the Conservatory. The Boutique Faire in Wilder Park, featuring a garden plants sale, accessories, horticultural experts, and more is free and open to the public.

Proceeds from the EGC Walk will fund scholarships awarded to college/ university students majoring in Horticulture, Environmental Studies, and other related sciences. Since 1996 more than $210,000 in EGC Scholarship Funds have been awarded to deserving students. Further information available at elmhurstgardenclub.org.

Discover how sedimentary limestone containing fossils indicate that the Midwest was once a tropical ocean; and the igneous and metamorphic rocks show the movement of glaciers during the Ice Age. Join Dave Dolak for this presentation to better appreciate your next stroll along the beaches of Lake Michigan. Recommended for students and adults. Regular museum admission applies. Reservations are recommended at lizzadromuseum.org.

Formerly located in Elmhurst’s Wilder Park, Lizzadro Museum of Lapidary Art is now at 1220 Kensington Road in Oak Brook. For more information, call (630) 833-1616 or visit lizzadromuseum.org.

LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE

CERTIFICATE NO. 79112 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on JUNE 5, 2023 wherein the business firm of MARQUEZ JANITORIAL SERVICES, 441 W. PARK AVENUE, ADDISON, IL 60101, 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:

Maria D DeCasas, 441 W. Park Avenue, Addison, IL 60101.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 5TH day of JUNE, A.D. 2023.

Jean Kaczmarek

DuPage County Clerk

(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review June 15, 22 & 29, 2023) 439200

Police Reports

Area police departments recently reported the following arrests and citations. Readers are reminded that an arrest does not constitute a conviction, and that suspects are considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Persons charged with domestic battery are not named in order to protect the privacy of victims. Juveniles age 17 or younger are not named.

Addison

June 19

Donato N. Lopez-Arce, 48, of Midlothian, was charged with failure to reduce speed and two counts of DUI near Lake and Marcus at 2:38 p.m.

June 18

Jorge Soto Zamura, 35, of Addison, was charged with two counts of DUI, speeding and DUI-drugs near Armitage and Wisconsin at 12:58 a.m.

A 38-year-old Addison woman was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 2100 block of W. Concord at 9:33 p.m.

June 17

Martin Francisco, 30, of Bensenville, was charged with DUI in the 300 block of W. Fullerton at 2:04 p.m.

Mariano A. Reyes Ovalle, 38, of Addison, was charged with DUI near Mill and Byron at 8:41 p.m.

A 21-year-old Addison man was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 600 block of S. Wisconsin at 6:21 a.m.

June 16

Marco A. Amador-Colindres, 25, of Addison, was charged with battery and assault in the 600 block of N. Swift at 8:46 p.m.

Heber D. Colindres Martinez, 33, of Addison, was charged with aggravated battery of a government official or employee, battery and two counts of assault in the 600 block of Swift at 8:57 p.m.

June 15

Paul N. Dobrino, 56, of Addison, was charged with violation of an order of protection at 5:08 p.m.

Joel C. Lopez-Garcia, 33, of Addison, was charged with DUI and expired license in the 300 block of W. Natoma at 9:26 p.m.

Villa Park

June 17

A 68-year-old Villa Park man was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 200 block of E. Division at 6:56 p.m.

A complainant in the 1400 block of S. Villa reported at 8:43 p.m. that a suspect was harassing them via phone.

June 16

Salvador Martinez-Chavez, 46, of Villa Park, was charged with DUI, crossing a lane boundary unsafely, failure to dim headlights and improper lane usage near N. Wisconsin and W. Plymouth at 10:56 p.m. Alejandro Robledo-Quinonez, 49, of Lombard, was charged with DUI near W. St. Charles and N. Yale at 1:46 p.m.

Joshua M. Ssennobe, 30, of Chicago, was charged with possession

Lombardian

A LOMBARD NEWSPAPER FOR LOMBARD PEOPLE

of a fraudulent driver’s license or permit, criminal trespass to a vehicle and no valid driver’s license near N. Wisconsin and W. St. Charles at 5:29 p.m.

A complainant in the 400 block of W. Division reported at 8:12 a.m. that an unknown suspect removed items from the complainant’s room.

A complainant at a fitness center in the 300 block of W. North reported at 12:06 p.m. that an unknown suspect battered them in the parking lot.

June 15

Police said Urbano Carrillo-Pascual, 22, of Addison, was arrested on a failure to appear warrant out of DuPage County in the 400 block of W. Division at 10:08 p.m.

June 14

Deonte M. Whaley, 21, of Alsip, was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon/no FCCA or FOID card near N. Villa and E. St. Charles at 3:45 p.m.

June 13

Edyta Siemieniuk, 46, of Franklin Park, was charged with battery/making physical or an insulting or provoking nature in the 500 block of N. Yale

A complainant in the 500 block

of N. Westmore reported that an unknown suspect removed a wallet from an unsecured vehicle parked in the parking lot.

June 12

A 16-year-old male juvenile at a store in the 1-100 block of S. Villa was charged with retail theft, possession of tobacco by a minor and a curfew violation at 2:47 a.m.

A complainant in the 300 block of E. Oak reported an unknown suspect removed a package containing a cell phone from the front porch of their home.

June 11

A complaint in the 300 block of S. Oakland reported that a juvenile suspect battered them. No charges are to be filed.

A complainant in the 300 block of E. Elm reported a subject was causing a disturbance outside of the home. Officers spoke with the subject, who was served a no-trespass notice.

Fraud, identity theft

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

Woman charged with cruelty to animals

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For an eSubscription, visit rockvalleyenews.com or call 627-7010.

The Lombardian

Eyrina Bueno

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick announced that a Roselle woman is facing 21 misdemeanor charges of cruelty to animals and violation of owner’s duties following an investigation into the welfare of 12 dogs in her care.

Eyrina Bueno, 34, was taken into

custody Friday, June 16, and was later released on a $30,000 personal recognizance arrest warrant issued by Judge Joshua Dieden.

Bueno is charged with 14 counts of animal cruelty, a Class A misdemeanor and three counts of violation of owner’s duties, a Class B misdemeanor.

On Thursday, May 18, Bueno was charged with one count of cruelty to animals and three counts of violation of owner’s duties regarding the wel-

See WOMAN, Page 11

Mariners post a victory in final home meet of the season

Villa Park beats Hanover Park at Jefferson Pool; Mariners will finish their regular season with meets in Wood Dale and Roselle

STAFF REPORT

The Villa Park Mariners competed in their final home meet of the 2023 season on Saturday. The Mariners defeated the Hanover Park Sailfish 372-205 in Saturday’s meet at Jefferson Pool.

The Mariners opened last week’s action with a 360-262 loss at Bartlett on June 21.

Villa Park improved its season record to 2-4 with Saturday’s win over the Sailfish.

Villa Park’s Kyle King won three individual events during Saturday’s meet. Swimming in the 8-and-under boys level, he won the 25-meter freestyle (in 29.45 seconds), the 25-meter butterfly (in 38.26 seconds) and the 25-meter breaststroke (in 36.91 seconds).

Lydia Aldana also provided the Mariners with three individual wins on Saturday. Competing in the 9-10 girls division, she delivered firstplace finishes in the 100-meter individual medley (1 minute, 50.20 seconds), the 50-meter butterfly (54.31) and the 50-meter breaststroke (53.57).

Maddie Lynch of Villa Park won two races on Saturday. She earned her victories in the 50-meter freestyle (55.10) and the 25-meter breaststroke (34.35) in the 8-and-under girls level.

Phoebe Aldana swam to a pair of victories for the Mariners on Saturday. She won the 100-meter freestyle (1:16.80) and the 50-meter butterfly (39.46) in the 11-12 girls division.

Villa Park’s Naomi Aldana posted two first-place efforts against the Sailfish. She won the 100-meter individual medley (1:21.44) and the 50-meter butterfly (34.09) in the 1314 girls level.

Grace Roscoe of the Mariners sailed to two wins in the 15-18 girls division during Saturday’s meet at Jefferson Pool. She won the 100-meter individual medley (1:29.63) and the 50-meter breaststroke (42.95).

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

8-and-under girls: Penelope Kuhl (25-meter backstroke; 34.19);

8-and-under boys: Logan Turner (50-meter freestyle; 1:43.75) and Tre Tarsitano (25-meter backstroke; 39.32);

9-10 girls: Ariana Knudtson (50-meter backstroke; 1:18.70);

9-10 boys: Owen Mohr (50-meter freestyle; 55.27), Cillian Connolly (100-meter freestyle; 2:01.98), Caleb Vaughan (50-meter butterfly; 1:11.30) and Kyle VanKoughnet (50-meter backstroke; 1:12.87);

11-12 girls: Belle Knudtson (100-meter individual medley; 1:56.39), Sophia Maffia (50-meter backstroke; 52.99) and Brooke Turner (50-meter breaststroke; 51.36);

11-12 boys: Sean Daly (50-meter breaststroke; 57.54);

13-14 girls: Claire Brennan (50-meter freestyle; 40.24), Lilly Buscher (50-meter backstroke; 43.75) and Olivia Daly (50-meter breaststroke; 49.28);

13-14 boys: Ian Mueller (50-meter backstroke; 41.14);

15-18 girls: Tia Kelly (50-meter freestyle; 34.04) and Annabelle Thompson (50-meter backstroke; 41.40);

15-18 boys: Alexander Dean (50-meter backstroke; 35.74) and Simon Luedtke (50-meter breaststroke; 40.08).

The Mariners’ winning relay teams during Saturday’s meet against Hanover Park included the 11-12 girls foursome of Sophia Maffia, Brooke Turner, Phoebe Aldana and Belle Knudtson. The four Mariners won the 200-meter medley relay (3:05.20) and the 200-meter freestyle relay (2:41.73).

Villa Park’s 13-14 girls foursome of Lilly Buscher, Olivia Daly, Naomi Aldana and Claire Brennan also won two relay events on Saturday. The four swimmers won the 200-meter medley relay (2:49.34) and the 200-meter freestyle relay (2:28.76).

The Mariners’ 15-18 girls quartet of Gabby Knudtson, Grace Roscoe, Harper Conboy and Annabelle Thompson swam to a pair of relay victories against the Sailfish, winning the 200-meter medley relay (2:52.52) and the 200-meter freestyle relay (2:30.87).

Villa Park’s other victorious relay teams during Saturday’s meet against Hanover Park included:

8-and-under girls: Penelope Kuhl, Brooke Borkowski, Nora Steverson and Maddie Lynch (100-meter freestyle relay; 2:22.77);

8-and-under boys: Tre Tarsitano, Logan Turner, Alec Downs and Kyle King (100-meter freestyle relay; 2:32.64);

9-10 girls: Ruth Aldana, Ariana Knudtson, Zoe Watley and Lydia Aldana (200-meter freestyle relay; 3:41.24);

9-10 boys: Cillian Connolly, Malcolm Childress, Jackson Alfano and Caleb Vaughan (200-meter freestyle relay; 3:55.10);

11-12 boys: Chris Spears, Sean Daly, Ryan Mueller and Alex Carson (200-meter medley relay; 3:56.40); Sean Daly, Gabriel Clark, Alex Carson and Ryan Mueller (200-meter freestyle relay; 3:25.52);

13-14 boys: Ryan King, Zeke Little, Ian Mueller and Manny Brisbois (200-meter medley relay; 2:58.75); Manny Brisbois, Spencer Kaina, Ryan King and Ian Mueller (200-meter freestyle relay; 2:36.14);

15-18 boys: Matthew Fitzgerald, Alexander Dean, Simon Luedtke and Kyle Kolp (200-meter medley relay; 2:39.83).

Villa Park’s three-time individual champions during the June 21 meet at Bartlett included Kyle King, who won the 25-yard freestyle (28.04), the 25-yard butterfly (37.96) and the 25-yard breaststroke (34.23) in the 8-and-under boys division.

Leighton Stempel of the Mariners also won three individual events in last week’s meet at Bartlett. Swimming in the 8-and-under girls level, she won the 50-yard freestyle

(43.71), the 25-yard butterfly (23.95) and the 25-yard breaststroke (25.23).

Villa Park’s Elin Stempel swam to three individual wins against Bartlett. She won the 50-yard freestyle (34.03), the 100-yard individual medley (1:28.37) and the 50-yard backstroke (38.70) in the 9-10 girls division.

The Mariners’ other three-time individual champions against Bartlett included Phoebe Aldana, who won the 11-12 girls level’s 100-yard individual medley (1:18.51), 50-yard butterfly (35.00) and 50-yard breaststroke (41.15).

Naomi Aldana of Villa Park swam to three wins during the June 21 meet at Bartlett. Competing in the 13-14 girls level, she won the 50-yard freestyle (27.54), the 100-yard individual medley (1:12.75) and the 50-yard

butterfly (31.47).

Jurgen Carrola of the Mariners delivered three individual wins in the 13-14 boys level of last week’s meet at Bartlett. He won the 100yard individual medley (1:26.07), the 50-yard butterfly (39.00) and the 50-yard backstroke (38.20).

Villa Park’s Kennedy Grobe won two individual titles in Bartlett. She won the 25-yard freestyle (22.94) and the 25-yard backstroke (28.73) in the 8-and-under girls division.

The Mariners’ 8-and-under girls foursome of Kennedy Grobe, Maddie Lynch, Leighton Stempel and Penelope Kuhl won two relay races against Bartlett. The four Mariners won the 100-yard medley relay (1:42.17) and the 100-yard freestyle relay (1:30.06).

Villa Park’s 9-10 girls foursome

of Elin Stempel, Lydia Aldana, Ary Carrola and Ruth Aldana also won two relay races in Bartlett. The four girls swam to victories in the 200yard medley relay (2:49.37) and the 200-yard freestyle relay (2:33.03).

Villa Park’s eight-meet regular season continued with the team’s seventh meet of the season—this week’s meet against Wood Dale/Addison in Wood Dale. The Mariners will finish their regular season with a meet at Roselle on July 8.

Some Mariners will wrap up their 2023 season by competing in the DuPage Swim and Dive Conference’s Red Division ‘B’ Meet on July 15.

Other Mariners will complete the season by swimming in the conference’s Red Division ‘A’ Meet on July 22.

The Villa Park Mariners earned a 372205 victory over the Hanover Park Sailfish in Saturday’s meet at Jefferson Pool. Villa Park’s Kyle King swam to three individual victories and participated in one relay win on Saturday. He is pictured above during his win in the 25-meter breaststroke in the 8-and-under boys level. Lydia Aldana provided the Mariners with three individual wins in the 9-10 girls division on Saturday. She also swam on a winning relay team. She is shown (left) while anchoring a victory in the 200-meter freestyle relay. Another photo (bottom left) from Saturday’s meet shows Villa Park’s Claire Brennan, who earned one individual win and contributed to two relay wins in the 13-14 girls level.

CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing

Don Jessen

Don Figarelli

Alexa Knierem-Scimeca

Maria Reyes SUBMITTED PHOTOC Rock Valley Publishing

I am 80 and my wife is 78. Upon returning from a doctor’s visit we stopped at a bakery. We ordered items and were going to pay for them. The cashier said the items had already been paid for, and I asked who. The cashier said it was that pretty black lady. We ran to the parking lot as she rode away. She was shouting out her window to have a nice day. The lady does not know what she did for us by her act of kindness. Thank you, pretty black lady. * * *

For once I agree with Gov. Pritzker. He denounced book bans as being a form of censorship. If state librarian Alexi Giannoulias is being truthful, he says it is not about being forced to carry certain books, but about not removing materials that are “already in circulation.” And even if a book “espouses” racism, sexual identity, or political or extreme right-wing religious beliefs, I think people should be allowed to read such materials—Karl Marx, Hitler’s “Mein Kampf” or maybe works by Holocaust deniers and “flat-Earthers”—to learn about the philosophies and tenets, so as to form an educated opinion. Or do the book banners only want us to have one point of view? Trust in the process that the “experts” in schools and libraries can determine what is “age appropriate,” for children, but to not allow challenging viewpoints—at least for adults—is, indeed, censorship.

OK, Big Brother is creeping in on us. I read that Mount Prospect is going to require that construction of new homes include the special hook-ups for electric vehicles. I get electrical, plumbing and building standards, and so forth, but this is taking government control to another level.

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Those who proclaim the magnificent strides and the accomplishments of President Biden must be delusional. Look at our country. I know there are die-hard Democrats and Republicans; name calling and false accusations are the tools of the politicians, which is regurgitated by their demented followers. Words like traitor or Nazi do nothing but antagonize and hurt. Our nation is on the wrong course. Citizens of this once-great nation must do the job of a course correction because fervent politicians and their subordinates wallow in promoting division and turmoil. They are about themselves and not the United States.

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We had a transgender activist posing topless at a White House pride event. What’s going to happen at the next party on the White House lawn? And we have the president saying God save the queen after a gun control speech. So anyway, take care. What’s going to

be next?

Bond set for Florida man charged with leading police on high-speed chase

DuPage County State’s Attorney

Robert Berlin and Villa Park Chief of Police Michael Rivas announced that bond has been set for a Florida man accused of leading police on a high-speed chase.

Omar Castro

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A caller in Speak Out asked, and I quote, “What’s the big deal about all-gender bathrooms? I have them in my house; you do too.” (June 15 issue). I hope the caller is saying this tongue in cheek, but I think they’re serious. It’s one thing to have family members of either gender use bathrooms in the privacy of their own homes. It’s quite another to allow businesses and public institutions to have multi-occupancy gender neutral restrooms. In my opinion, having these restrooms opens the door to the possibility of women being assaulted while in the restroom, especially if a woman is in there alone. It’s sad that we’ve thrown common sense out the window for the sake of promoting diversity and inclusivity.

* * *

I see more people out biking now that it’s summertime. I also see many of them blow through stop signs at busy intersections. If you’re using the road while riding your bike, you need to obey stop signs, too, or at least slow down.

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Many who served in Donald Trump’s cabinet when he was president have turned against him or no longer support him. This includes Mike Pence, Bill Barr, Mike Pompeo, Kayleigh McEnany, Steve Bannon, Rex Tillerson, Nikki Haley, H.R. McMaster, John Kelly, James Mattis, Betsy DeVos and more. Trump now calls them losers or as dumb as a rock. Typical Trump. Anyone who disagrees with him or turns against him is the problem, never him.

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Over the Father’s Day weekend, 14 were killed and 75 shot in Chicago. Over the Memorial Day weekend, there were 11 killed and 53 shot. The weekend after that, there were 10 killed and 46 shot. Add it all up, and you have a grand total of 35 killed and 174 shot over these three weekends. Then we had the shooting in Willowbrook with one dead and 23 shot. Illinois and the city of Chicago have some of the strictest gun laws in the country, but the bloodshed seems to be getting worse. The issues go much deeper than having more gun laws on the books, and until those issues are addressed, the killings and shootings won’t be reduced.

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Frightening news: On June 21, Greta Thunberg tweeted an ominous warning. “A top climate scientist is warning that climate change will wipe out all of humanity unless we stop using fuels over the next five years,” she stated. Oh, wait, she made the tweet on June 21, 2018. That’s five years ago. One more silly and alarmist warning from a climate-change zealot.

Omar Castro, 22, appeared at a bond hearing where Judge Michael Reidy set bond at $100,000 with 10 percent to apply.

Castro is charged with two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer (Class 4 felony) and multiple misdemeanor and petty traffic offenses including two counts of aggravated speeding in a construction zone, reckless driving and driving while license suspended, all Class A misdemeanors.

On June 22 at approximately 8:28 p.m., an Elmhurst police officer responded to a call of a stolen motor vehicle near Route 83 and North Avenue. It is alleged that when the officer located the vehicle, later determined to be driven by Castro, Castro put his car in reverse and proceeded southbound on Route 83. It is alleged that as the officer pursued, Castro reached speeds of approximately 107 mph in a 45-mph zone and disobeyed three traffic lights.

It is alleged that near 16th Street,

Castro completed a U-turn and continued driving northbound on Route 83 reaching speeds of approximately 100 mph in a 35-mph construction zone, at which time the pursuing officer lost sight of the vehicle.

A short time later, the vehicle was located abandoned in a school parking lot. Officers responded to the school parking and at approximately 8:42 p.m., located Castro approximately one block away from the school. He was then taken into custody after a brief struggle with the officers.

“The type of behavior alleged against Mr. Castro is extremely dangerous and poses a threat not only to the driver, but also puts the police officers involved and motoring public at great risk,” Berlin said. “Thankfully, no innocent motorists or bystanders were injured or worse as a result of Mr. Castro’s alleged actions. I thank the Villa Park and Elmhurst police departments not only for their efforts on this case, which led to the quick apprehension of the suspect, but also for their ongoing efforts in keeping our roadways safe.”

“The law enforcement community and citizens in DuPage County will not tolerate the dangerous alleged actions committed by the defendant in a stolen vehicle,” Rivas said. “Time and again we have observed subjects in a stolen vehicle go on to commit future acts of vio-

Annual ‘Thin Mint Sprint’ Sept. 16

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois (GSNI) will host its 19th annual Thin Mint Sprint fundraising 5K fun run/ walk on Saturday, Sept. 16, from 8:30 a.m. to noon in partnership with the Fox River Grove Memorial Library Running Club. The race route will begin and end at Lions Park in Fox River Grove and take participants through scenic streets and neighborhoods along the Fox River for a timed run, ending with a post-race party. Registration is $35 per person now July 31; $40 per person from Aug. 1–Sept. 15; and $45 per person on race day, Sept. 16. Registration fee includes Thin Mint Sprint T-shirt, chipped-timing bib, medal, fun patch, box of official Girl Scout Thin Mints® Cookies and extra swag

items. Race packet pick-up will be available the week of Sept. 3. Register online at www.girlscoutsni.org/ tms.

All funds raised through the 19th annual Thin Mint Sprint will support GSNI's financial assistance programs ensuring increased access for more local Girl Scout memberships, activities, and leadership experiences.

Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois serves 16 counties including parts or all of Boone, Carroll, Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kendall, Lake, LaSalle, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.girlscoutsni.org or call 844-GSNI-4-ME (844-4764463).

How Speak Out works

• Speak Out is a forum in which readers can express their opinion anonymously concerning local, state, national and international topics. Each call is limited to 200 words whether the caller calls 630-629TALK or emails their opinion to speakout@rvpublishing.com.

• The views expressed by callers are their own.

• All calls are checked by four editors. If a consensus of editors believes a particular call is deemed to be in poor taste, erroneous, inaccurate, libelous, doesn’t make sense, or if claims stated in a call cannot be verified, the call will not be published.

• With regard to calls of a political nature, it is not possible to have an equal balance of calls with liberal and conservative viewpoints during any given week. The editors of Speak Out don’t have control of who calls in, what their political leanings happen to be, and the topic(s) they want to discuss.

• If you have further questions about Speak Out, email: news1@ rvpublishing.com.

lence. That is why if a stolen vehicle is observed, we will do all we can to take that subject into custody as safely, and swiftly, as possible.

“When an offender drives away from the police at a high rate of speed there is a complete disregard for the lives of those around them. The Villa Park Police Department is committed to going after, and arresting, all who jeopardize the safety and welfare of this community and surrounding communities. We are all in this together to maintain a safe way of life for all.”

Castro’s next court appearance is scheduled July 27 for arraignment in front of Judge Telander.

Villa Park resident among 2023 St. John Baptist De La Salle award recipients

Montini Catholic awarded 18 recent graduates from its Class of 2023 with its St. John Baptist De La Salle Award during the school’s annual Founders Day ceremony. The award is presented to senior students who have demonstrated a spirit of service and dedication to their fellow students, faculty and staff of Montini Catholic. Among this year’s St. John Baptist De La Salle Award recipients is Villa Park resident Christian Clarke (above).

• Contest

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that were sold during the week are spun in the rotating drum, and one ticket is selected. That ticket includes a number representing one of the spaces in which the card has not yet been revealed. If the card on that space contains the Queen of Hearts, the owner of the selected ticket claims the winner’s share.

The Queen of Hearts is still hiding behind one of 14 covered spaces remaining on the contest board.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing

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!

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.

Burial Needs

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Windows

PUBLISHER’S NOTICE All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familiar/ status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. Familial status includes children under the age of 18 living with parents or legal custodians, pregnant women and people securing custody of children under 18. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD toll-free at 1-900-669-9777. The toll-free tele phone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-9279275. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

Painting

For details on placing your Help Wanted ad in our Classified Section call

(Elmhurst) 630-834-8244

(Lombard) 630-627-7010

Lombard Apartments

APARTMENT FOR RENT

First floor, 2 bedroom, 1 bath, large storage & private washer/dryer, new

Other For Rent

Faith United Methodist Church (FUMC) Lombard is Renting Tables for Community Outdoor Garage Sale, Saturday, August 5, 2023

Cost per table is $30. Hours of operation will be 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Location of sale will be at 815 South Finley Rd., Lombard 60148. First come, first serve table location on the very spacious lawn. All items must be removed at the end of the sale. Refreshments will be available for purchase. Interested sellers contact Jean at 630-877-6011 for further details.

2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 ROADSTER, CONVERTIBLE, 88,000 miles, all black, gorgeous. A must see! Non-smoking, garage kept. $14,300 obo. 708-9068555.

ACA to celebrate hometown icons in Warhol-themed art display

Ribbon-cutting ceremony set for July 8

The Addison Center for the Arts (ACA) has announced the unveiling of its Pop Art Hometown Heroes display, a vibrant and captivating Warhol-themed art installation paying homage to the remarkable individuals who are figures worthy of civic pride. As part of a county-wide art project, photographs of Addison’s chosen icons were reimagined into striking Andy Warhol-style portraits by artist Geoff Bevington and prominently displayed on the front windows of the Addison Center for the Arts.

The public is cordially invited to join us in commemorating the completion of this special art installation at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, July 8, at 12 noon. The event will take place at the Addison Center for the Arts, located at 213 N. Lombard Road, Addison. For more infor-

• Woman

mation, please contact the Addison Center for the Arts at 630-458-4500.

Addison’s carefully selected icons embody the spirit of the community, and their contributions have left an indelible mark on the town’s cultural landscape. The honorees are as follows:

Don Jessen

A devoted volunteer, Don Jessen has been actively involved in numerous community organizations including the Addison Jaycees, Addison Police Fire Merit Review Board, Community Council, Illinois Association of Park Districts Board, National Associations of Parks, and Addison Parks and Recreation Foundation, among others. With unwavering dedication, Don has served the residents of Addison for many years and his commitment to enhancing

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fare of a 5-year-old female American bulldog named Climax in her care.

On Wednesday, May 24, Bueno posted $2,000 bond on that case and was released from custody. A search warrant issued in the case regarding Climax resulted in today’s additional charges.

In addition, at a preliminary hearing, Judge Jill Otte granted the state’s petition for forfeiture of 12 companion animals in Bueno’s possession.

On Sunday, March 19, Climax suffered a burst mammary tumor. It is alleged that Bueno did not bring Climax, who was unable to walk due to actively suffering from emaciation to a veterinarian until 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 21 for medical attention.

The veterinarian advised Bueno that the most humane care for Climax would be euthanasia due to her suffering from the burst mammary tumor, multiple untreated tumors, starvation, malnutrition, severe muscle loss and severe arthritis.

Following an investigation into Climax’s condition, Bueno was charged with one count of cruelty to animals and three counts of violation of owner’s duties.

On Thursday, May 25, authorities executed a search warrant at Bueno’s residence. Following the search, authorities seized one adult Doberman, four American bulldog

puppies and seven adult American bulldogs, all of which were allegedly living in inhumane conditions.

The adult dogs ranged in age from two to nine years old while the puppies were approximately two months old.

Additionally, it is alleged that all 12 dogs were in inadequate medical condition with some suffering punctures in the face, moderate to severe moth-eaten alopecia (hair loss), heartworm, worn-down teeth, respiratory distress, skin infections, bladder stones and bacterial infections.

It is further alleged that someone other than a medical professional had cropped the ears of at least one of the puppies.

“The conditions under which these dogs were allegedly living are just heartbreaking,” Berlin said.

“It is alleged that the abuse, neglect and lack of care Mrs. Bueno administered to Climax and the 12 dogs in this case, caused extreme pain and suffering that no companion animal should ever be subjected to. While Climax succumbed to her condition, we are all grateful that the dozen dogs seized from Mrs. Bueno’s possession are now at DuPage County Animal Care and Control and are receiving the medical attention they need and deserve.”

Bueno’s next court appearance is scheduled Wednesday, July 19 for status in front of Judge Otte.

the community is truly remarkable.

Don Figarelli

Known as “The Don of Sports,” Don Figarelli is not only the producer and host of the popular Addison Sports Special show on AddisonTV but also a formidable athlete in his own right. Competing in the Illinois Senior Games, Don consistently achieves top placements in various sports, including swimming, basketball (free-throw shooting), tennis, golf, bowling, and track. His enduring passion for sports and unwavering competitive spirit make him an inspiration to all.

Alexa Knierem-Scimeca

An accomplished American Olympic skater, Alexa Knierem-Scimeca has achieved remarkable success alongside her partner Brandon Frazier. In 2022, they secured a silver

medal in the World Championship, the Winter Olympics, and Grand Prix Final. With two U.S. National Championship titles and three Grand Prix Gold Medals, Alexa’s impressive skating career stands as a testament to her unwavering determination and exceptional talent.

Maria Reyes

Previously an esteemed Addison police officer, Maria Reyes serves as a role model for all through her exemplary dedication to her community. She has held the position of Addison Fire Protection District Fire Commissioner, Addison Women’s Club Treasurer, and St. Philip the Apostle School Board member. Maria’s journey from a humble upbringing to immigrating to the United States as a child exemplifies the American Dream.

She is committed to giving back to

her community and inspiring young children to pursue their dreams.

The ribbon cutting ceremony will mark the culmination of the Addison Pop Art Challenge, a collaborative effort celebrating the unique cultural heritage and achievements of Addison’s distinguished residents. This extraordinary display of Warhol-inspired artwork is a testament to the town’s vibrant artistic spirit and commitment to honoring its local heroes.

Everyone is encouraged to deepen their appreciation of Andy Warhol and Pop Art by attending “Andy Warhol Portfolios: A Life in Pop” at the Cleve Carney Museum of Art. Learn more about this important cultural milestone at the College of DuPage by visiting their website and reserving your tickets for the museum exhibit at theccma/ warhol.org.

The Lombardian is now available in both print and online versions.

The printed newspaper is delivered by the Lombard Post Office every Thursday for only $45 for a full year. A digital eSubscription will also be available for only $35 per year and can be read on a computer, laptop, or tablet. The eSubscription is a PDF copy of the print version that will be available online every Thursday. A link to the online newspaper will be emailed to you every week.

To order an online eSubscription or print home delivery by mail, please call 630.834-8244 or mail the coupon below.

___ Yes. Please send the print version of the Lombardian by mail at the special rate of $45 for a full year.

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