Willowbrook High School’s flag football team competed against 15 other teams in last week’s multi-day event at the Warriors’ stadium in Villa Park. The Chicago Bears joined Nike to host the event, which included individual skill competitions and seven-on-seven games. Willowbrook went undefeated in the seven-on-seven tournament. After winning three straight games in pool play, the Warriors advanced to the championship bracket, where they posted three more wins, including a victory over Chicago’s Taft High School in the title contest. The Willowbrook team is pictured with its championship trophy, along with a check for $1,500 to support the school’s flag football program. The Illinois
High School Association (IHSA) held its inaugural state series in flag football last year. Willowbrook served as the host of the 2024 IHSA state event, which took place Oct. 18-19. The Warriors qualified for the state quarterfinals, but lost 13-8 to Whitney Young in a quarterfinal-round matchup on Oct. 18, 2024. One day later, Palatine’s Fremd High School beat Rockford’s Guilford High School 24-12 in the IHSA state-championship game. Willowbrook High School will host the 2025 IHSA state event in flag football this fall. This year’s quarterfinals will take place on Friday, Oct 17. The semifinals, third-place game and state-championship contest will take place on Saturday, Oct. 18.
With one center in Villa Park and more to come, we only hire experienced RBT therapists and pay them 40% above the average going rate. We help children ages 2-8 years old better than any other providers in the Chicago area. That is according to us and we would be
happy to debate that fact because we have been hiring everyone else’s best therapists.
As a parent of a child with autism, you have every right to ask the following important questions when evaluating any ABA therapy provider:
• Can you provide the resume or qualifications of the individual(s) who will be working directly with my child?
• Will you notify me immediately if my child begins working with a new or unfamiliar therapist?
• Are your BCBAs onsite regularly, or do they work remotely?
• What is your company’s policy and process for providing parent training?
• What has been your employee turnover the past six months?
These questions can offer valuable insight into the quality, consistency, and overall effectiveness of the therapy your child will receive.
220 E. Roosevelt Rd., Villa Park
Bensenville man sentenced to 30 years for 2023 murder
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced last week that a Bensenville man accused of shooting to death Victor Garcia of Des Plaines has been sentenced to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Kevin Krenc
Kevin Krenc, 32, appeared in court on July 10, and entered a plea of guilty to one count of first-degree murder. On Oct. 20, 2023, Krenc appeared in First Appearance Court, where the Court granted the state’s motion to deny him pre-trial release. He has been held in the DuPage County Jail since that time.
17-year-old
On Oct. 14, 2023, deputies with the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call in unincorporated Bensenville of an intoxicated man in need of assistance.
After contacting the man, deputies learned of a murder that had occurred earlier that day on Church Road, also in unincorporated Bensenville. Following an investigation into the matter, authorities learned that Garcia and several other individuals were at a party at Krenc’s residence on Church Road celebrating Krenc’s birthday.
During the party, tensions rose between several individuals at the party regarding allegations that, among other things, Garcia had stolen a pair of shoes from another person at the party and that Garcia
felt disrespected at these allegations. At some point in time, Krenc and several others were in the garage at the residence.
When Garcia entered the garage, Krenc pulled out a rifle he had hidden in the garage and shot Garcia five times, killing him.
After the murder, Krenc hid the weapon in an enclosed trailer parked on the driveway and then fled the scene. The DuPage County Sheriff’s Office identified Krenc as a suspect in the murder and took him into custody on Oct. 17, 2023, from his residence without incident.
When processing the scene, deputies from the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office located a rifle in a vent in the basement of the residence.
“For the unprovoked, senseless
killing of Victor Garcia, a father of three with a fourth child on the way at the time of his murder, Kevin Krenc will spend the next thirty years of his life away from society, where he will be unable to harm anyone,” Berlin said. “The fact that Mr. Krenc took responsibility for Victor’s murder I’m sure is of no consequence to Victor’s family and friends who must now move forward in their lives without the love and companionship he once provided. I commend DuPage County Sheriff Mendrick and his office for their outstanding work in quickly identifying Mr. Krenc as the man who killed Victor.”
Krenc will be required to serve 100 percent of his sentence before being eligible for parole.
Venezuelan migrant pleads guilty to Downers Grove
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced last week that a Colorado juvenile accused of robbing a woman at gunpoint in downtown Downers Grove has been sentenced to an indeterminate period of time in the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice (IDJJ) not to exceed his 21st birthday.
The juvenile, a 17-year-
old male Venezuelan migrant, with a last known address in Denver, Colorado, appeared in court on July 7, when Judge Kishori Tank accepted his plea of guilty to one count of armed robbery with a firearm (Class X felony) and handed down the sentence.
On May 19, the juvenile appeared at his detention hearing, where Judge Tank ordered that
he be detained. He has been held in custody at the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center in St. Charles since that time.
On April 22 at approximately 8:37 p.m., officers with the Downers Grove Police Department responded to a call of an armed robbery of a woman in the 4900 block of Forest Avenue. Through the course of their investigation, authorities
learned that the victim was walking by herself when she was approached by a group of four individuals.
One of the individuals, later determined to be the juvenile, displayed a handgun in his waistband and shouted “money, money” at the woman while another one of the individuals pulled at the woman’s purse. After the woman gave the
armed robbery
juvenile approximately $110, the group fled the scene.
The investigation led to the juvenile, who was found to be living in Colorado. On May 7, Judge Tank issued an arrest warrant for the juvenile. The juvenile waived extradition from Colorado and was brought back to DuPage County on May 16 to face charges.
Villa Park Police Department releases results from Fourth of July holiday safety campaigns
The Villa Park Police Department joined more than 200 state and local law enforcement agencies to take part in the recent Fourth of July “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” “Drive High, Get a DUI,” and “Click It or Ticket” safety campaigns, which ran from June 20 through July 7. The Villa Park Police Department issued four distracted driving citations, two speeding citations and one registration violation during the traffic safety campaigns. Additionally, police in Villa
Happy 104th birthday
On July 9, the Village of Addison said happy birthday to Addison resident Winnie Servedio, who celebrated her 104th birthday! Addison Mayor Tom Hundley and staff dropped by the village’s Senior Club meeting to join the celebration and honor her with an official proclamation wishing her a happy birthday from all of Addison.
Park made one traffic arrest and one warrant arrest during the enforcement campaigns.
The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over,” “Drive High, Get a DUI,” and “Click It or Ticket” campaigns are made possible by federal traffic safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT). The campaigns are complemented by IDOT’s “It’s Not a Game” media campaign, which emphasizes the serious consequences of impaired driving and other unsafe driving behaviors.
DuPage County Sheriff’s Office warns residents about phone scams
The DuPage County Sheriff’s Office is alerting residents to a recent significant increase in phone scams targeting our community.
“We have received multiple reports from individuals stating they received phone calls from someone claiming to be a former deputy with the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office,” noted last week’s announcement from the sheriff’s office. “The caller tells the
victim there is a warrant for their arrest due to missed jury duty or a court appearance. The scammer then demands thousands of dollars to ‘quash the warrant.’”
The DuPage County Sheriff’s Office will never call you to demand money or payment over the phone.
“We will never ask for payment to avoid arrest,” stated last week’s announcement.
If you receive a suspicious
call like this, hang up immediately. Do not provide personal or financial information. Report the call to your local police department.
If you live in unincorporated DuPage County, contact the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office directly at 630-4072400.
“Stay alert and help spread the word to protect others in our community,” added last week’s announcement.
Two subjects charged with aggravated street racing
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Naperville Chief of Police Jason Arres announced last week that following an extensive investigation, two male subjects have been charged with illegal street racing that allegedly caused a crash that sent two passengers in one of the vehicles to a hospital with serious injuries.
Jadon Ramirez, 18, of Bensenville, and Sahil Chauhan, 23, of Lisle, have each been charged with one count of aggravated street racing (Class 4 felony) and one count of aggravated reckless driving caus-
ing great bodily harm (Class 4 felony). On June 27, Ramirez appeared in First Appearance Court, where the Court granted the state’s motion to detain Ramirez pre-trial. Chauhan also appeared in First Appearance Court, where the Court denied the state’s motion to detain Chauhan pre-trial.
On April 26 at approximately 12:06 a.m., Naperville Police responded to a vehicle crash in front of the Courtyard Marriott, located at 1155 E. Diehl Road.
While investigating the crash, officers learned that a black 2006 Mercedes CLS500, allegedly driven by Ramirez, had been racing another vehicle when the Mercedes swerved and crashed into a tree, causing serious injuries to two of the vehicle’s four passengers, who had been ejected from the vehicle. One of the victims, a 17-year-old male, was unconscious at the scene and suffered internal brain bleeding, a punctured lung, broken ribs, a broken vertebrae and scapula. The second victim, an 18-year-old male, suffered a broken arm. Both victims were immediately transported to a local hospital for medical attention.
Slices of life
Why is it?
We live in a quirky, weird, sideways, upsidedown world where some things just don‘t make sense—or they make too much sense to be sensible. As humans we often perpetuate the nonsense. We accept things for what they are and go about our business without question.
But sometimes I wonder.
About small things. Big things. Random things, like: Why do cats have to race you up the stairs? They can come out of nowhere just to get one step ahead of you. Sometimes my cats pause to let me nearly catch up before bounding upwards to beat me. Again.
When shopping online why are we required to put certain items in our cart in order to see their price while other items have their prices posted prominently?
Guidelines for writing, submitting a letter to the editor
Rock Valley Publishing encourages our readers to reach out to the community by writing a letter to the editor.
Letters are limited to 400 words. If a letter exceeds 400 words, it will be sent back to the author to reduce the length of the letter.
Authors must include their first and last name, the city or village in which they reside, and a phone number and email address where they can be reached in case there are questions. Send letters to: news1@rvpublishing. com
Letter-writers will be limited to one letter per month except for locally elected officials, or individuals specifically associated with local village governments or entities such as school districts, park districts or library districts.
No letters directed to a third party will be accepted for publication.
We reserve the right to edit a letter for reasons of clarity, space restrictions and libel
By Jill Pertler Columnist
If it’s a seedless watermelon, what did it grow from?
Why do we call them red cabbage and red onions when it’s obvious they are purple? Red grapes are more burgundy than red. Purple potatoes are actually purple—score one for the spuds.
When the batteries on the TV remote go dead why do we continue to press the power button over and over hoping they will suddenly come to life? The same phenomenon occurs when our cell phone loses its charge.
Have you ever noticed that abbreviated is an awfully long word?
And big is not?
Other words are worth contemplating— phonetically speaking. Gynecologist is a doctor for women. Hysterectomy is a procedure performed solely on women. Hershey is word made up of two female pronouns coming together to make chocolate. I guess that last one makes perfect sense.
In the same vein, if words like “he” and “she” are pronouns, does that also make them anti-verbs?
Why do we call it the funny bone when bumping it is certainly no laughing matter?
When I am driving somewhere and get lost why do I turn the radio off, thinking it will help me find my destination?
Why do people drive
around in convertibles with the top down, but the windows up?
Do they call it falling asleep because of the falling dream that sometimes accompanies the going to sleep process? Is it true you would die if you landed (in your dream) or is that just one of those urban myths?
Who makes up all the urban myths and why aren’t they ever rural truths?
Is it possible to eat charred chard? Or chilly chili? Shrimpy shrimp?
If words made sense, hamburger would be made of ham and a hot dog would be made of… Never mind. Shouldn’t a pair of pants be two of something?
Why is it always just one shoe (or boot) lying in the middle of the road, but we never see the person who is walking around with the other one?
Every few years we are required to renew our driver’s license. Anyone besides me keep the old ones around lying in the junk drawer—just because? Every so often I glance through them to see how much I used to weigh.
Why is it? I wish I could tell you. Some things deny explanation. It’s at the core of the human paradigm; we assume logic in an illogical world.
Sort of like my cat. Who won’t come when she’s called but will race me up the stairs every time. Go figure.
Jill Pertler is an awardwinning syndicated columnist, published playwright and author. Don’t miss a slice; follow the Slices of Life page on Facebook.
Coming event
Garden club to meet July 17
The Lombard Garden Club will host a program on “iPhone Photography” with speaker Erica Benson. The event takes place tonight, Thursday, July 17, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Erica is a professional photographer who has been a photojournalist for more than 20 years and teaches part time at the College of DuPage. She has also been an instructor of nature photography at the Morton Arboretum. Erica will demonstrate and guide us through using a cell phone to best photograph gardens and nature vistas, showing flowers and vegetable to the best advance. The program will be held at the First Church of Lombard in Hatfield Hall at 220 S. Main Street in Lombard. There is no charge and the public is welcome to attend. Check the club’s website at www.lombardgardenclub.org for details.
Opinion: Illinois must stop undervaluing conservation before it’s too late
By Eliot Clay
For the second year in a row, the State of Illinois has chosen to underfund the backbone of its conservation infrastructure. This year’s state budget once again provides only $4.5 million in operational funding for the state’s 97 Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs)—comparable to levels from the 1990s.
It represents a 48 percent cut from Fiscal Year 2024 and leaves each district with just enough to scrape together one staff salary and benefits, if that.
This isn’t just a budget issue. It’s a public health, environmental, and economic crisis in the making.
SWCDs are boots-on-theground conservation partners in every corner of Illinois.
Our mission is to connect farmers and landowners with the tools, science, and technical assistance needed to protect soil health and water quality while maintaining productive agriculture. These aren’t abstract goals. Our staff help farmers plant cover crops that prevent erosion, implement no-till practices that improve carbon retention, and design conservation systems that reduce nutrient runoff into our rivers. That work is now at risk of disappearing, especially in rural communities where SWCDs are often one of the only technical resources available for land and water
management. Some districts might be forced to lay off staff or shut down entirely. Others will reduce services, turning away farmers who are eager to meet environmental goals but can’t do it alone.
In the past month alone, we’ve seen stark reminders of what happens when conservation is neglected. In late May, communities south of Chicago were warned not to give tap water to infants due to high nitrate levels—likely the result of fertilizer runoff into the Kankakee River.
Just weeks earlier, Chicago experienced its worst dust storm in nearly a century, shutting down major highways and endangering lives. These are not isolated events; they are signs of a fragile ecological system under strain.
In response to last year’s devastating budget cuts, AISWCD launched a grassroots petition campaign to demonstrate public support for our work. Volunteers gathered thousands of signatures from farmers, families, and local leaders who understand the importance of what we do. We also introduced Senate Bill 2387, a bipartisan, tax-neutral proposal that would have created a dedicated revenue stream for SWCDs without costing Illinois taxpayers a dime. By the end of May, more than half the Senate had signed on as co-sponsors, with strong support from both Democrats and Republicans.
Despite that momentum, the Legislature adjourned without acting. It’s disappointing,
not just because of what it means for our organization, but because of what it signals about the state’s long-term vision. Illinois cannot afford to treat conservation as optional, especially at a time when climate volatility, rising input costs, and new federal standards are making sustainable farming both harder and more essential. We often say that Illinois’ greatest natural asset is its soil. That’s not just rhetoric— it’s reality. Our soil feeds families, fuels industry, and anchors an entire economy. But soil doesn’t protect itself. Without adequate conservation infrastructure, we risk losing the foundation of everything that makes Illinois strong.
AISWCD remains committed to finding a path forward. We will continue to work with the General Assembly, state agencies, and the governor’s office to create sustainable funding models that ensure every community has access to the tools they need to protect their land and water. But we can’t do it alone. We call on state leaders to listen to their constituents, revisit SWCD funding during the next legislative session, and recommit to investing in the long-term health of Illinois. Conservation isn’t just about protecting nature—it’s about protecting our people, our economy, and our future.
Eliot Clay is executive director of the Association of Illinois Soil & Water Conservation Districts. Learn more at https://aiswcd.org
I was at the Villa Park board meeting a few weeks ago; besides the disaster of a meeting that lasted until early Tuesday a.m., we always recite the Pledge of Allegiance before each meeting. I was standing next to a woman who would not put her hand on her heart; she refused to look at the flag or recite the pledge. I am a veteran and very ashamed, but understand I spent six years in our military to provide rights for people in this country. It turns out she was there to protest the village taking over the property by the train station, but she doesn’t want to acknowledge our country. You don’t get it both ways lady! * * *
To the responder of my previous “rant” regarding getting a discount at self check-outs (June 26 Speak Out). I’m glad that I was in error in assuming you may have been the original author of that, once again, absurd thought of being entitled to a discount because they choose to bag their own groceries rather than stand in line. Thank you for your input and clarification on this. However, I sense you may have the word “sarcasm” (a hostile word) confused with the term “satire” (of which I am a huge fan of in this tumultuous world we live in). This is a common grammatical mistake, so no determinations of demeaning your intentions are intended. On that subject, I stand by my original statements. As far as someone’s dog poop stinking up your garbage can, yes, it’s wrong for someone to trespass on your property, how-
ever well meaning, to deposit the ‘spoils’. One should be prepared to lug the load to another depository. That’s part of pet ownership. I’d be upset about this too.
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Business must be great. I called and spoke with one of the advertisers in your Business and Services Directory four times, and four times they failed to honor their appointment to visit my home. Why do these so called business owners spend (waste) money to advertise their business and then ignore their potential customers?
* * * I see that my query regarding people displaying Trump signage outside their homes year-round struck a nerve with someone. So happy to know he or she read it! The larger point I was making, though, was clearly either ignored or glossed over in favor of insults and accusations. What I noted was the unusual times we’re living in; a time when people feel compelled to wear their political preferences, in this case somewhat glaringly, all year long. Hardly the same thing as an old, hard-to-remove bumper sticker but I suppose they needed what they thought was a valid comparison and by using that it gave the writer something to mock. The writer goes on to call me: a bigot, intolerant and prejudiced before questioning why I wouldn’t just knock on the door of a MAGA-displaying neighbor to have a “civil” discussion. I think I just knocked, and given your very
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 630-629-TALK 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.
non-civil reply I’ll continue to see any MAGA display as a reason to steer clear. In other words, you’re not very good at this. Be well.
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Hard to believe that fireworks are illegal in Illinois. The amount of illegal fireworks set off in local neighborhoods is sickening. It’s amazing that Wisconsin and Indiana can advertise fireworks for sale in their state and encourage Illinoisans to bring back the contraband to their Illinois residence, where it is illegal to possess. I would like to see how many people were injured this weekend by setting off the illegal fireworks. Would Lombard and Villa Park police release the number of arrests that were made for possession of fireworks over the three-day weekend? I would venture to say the number is zero! I don’t understand why the local police departments do not care to enforce the laws on fireworks. I don’t want to hear about manpower or any other logistical issues. If they wanted it to stop, they would do something about it. So much for being good neighbors and respecting others’ property. Same old song next year.
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Once again, we have a shallow, assuming intellect in Speak Out looking to spew baseless assumptions regarding our president’s actions (“supreme leader has gotten us into the Middle East conflicts,” July 3 issue). Hey, Mr./ Ms. “Over and Out,” clip out this response from the paper and save it. Then let’s look down the road a year, maybe two if you prefer, and just see if our young generation gets caught in a draft. I very much doubt it. President Trump is not a war hawk. Our president cherishes peace. Prove me wrong. Peace through decisiveness and strength is a historical reality. I almost get nauseated by these constant rhetorical attacks, with no foundations and groundless talking points against our president. It is sadly apparent that no matter what good our
president does (and the list is growing quickly), the left (and yes, you are the left) will find the hyperbole to bombast any and every accomplishment(s) he has/will achieve. Thank God Kamala Harris did not win.
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If the Democrats fought as hard against Iran and our adversaries as they do against Trump and the Republicans, our country would be in much better shape and life would be better for all.
* * *
We need to listen to a real king—Martin Luther King— and not this fake king or this wannabe king Trump. We cannot be silent; human rights, civil liberties, basic human dignity, they all matter. When we become silent about things that matter our lives begin to end. Stop the fake king.
* * *
This is Lombard calling. Now that Courts Plus is closed, the park district needs to step up and build an indoor pool by the MMAC. We could really use it in our village. Thank you. Bye.
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This is for the parents out there in Villa Park, Lombard and the surrounding area. We just came back from St. Louis, Missouri, and they did the best thing possible. They started holding the parents responsible for their kids; doing these street takeovers and that, and also illegal fireworks July 4. According to the police captain over there they arrested over 400 kids under the age of 18 and outside at 1 o’clock in the morning. And they’re going to find the parents $200 per child and hold the parents responsible. Why can’t we do that in the state of Illinois? Why don’t they do that in the city of Chicago? If the parents don’t take control their kids, make the parents pay for their kids. It’s a fact and I’m a parent. I know, I knew where my kids were.
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This is to the person who took my son’s turtle many years ago many years ago, on the outskirts of Lombard
Coming events
Sip and Shop’ to benefit Lombard Service League
Join the members of Lombard Service League for a unique shopping opportunity on Friday evening, July 25. From 5-7 p.m. Kendra Scott Jewelry in Oakbrook Center will be hosting a “Sip and Shop” event. Twenty percent of the proceeds of all items purchased between 5 and 7 p.m. will be donated back to the club. Lombard Service League members will provide simple snacks and Kendra Scott will provide Champagne and sweets. Please join us for a fun evening of
Common park. That area is actually considered ours because the houses have a certain boundary that goes into the park and we were wondering how that turtle is doing. That turtle, which my son named Billy, was found on his uncle’s farm in Missouri and he was so thrilled to get that turtle. Then some frisbee players took it and they refused to give it back. The police said when we showed them the picture, you can’t tell one turtle from another. Oh yes you can, and that caused such pain to my son even though someone gave him a replacement turtle. I mean you cannot cause heartache to someone like that, but they did and he still remembers that to this day. So if those kids who took the turtle have kids of their own and that happens to their kids, they will know how my son feels, hopefully. And yes, you’ll have to answer to God for this because it was stealing. Please let us know if the turtle is okay. The turtle you gave us is still alive.
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The more I think about it, I’m all for Elon Musk starting a third political party. Federal spending and the national debt must be taken seriously. The national debt has doubled since 2015. It now stands at $37 trillion. While I give credit to Republicans for addressing the national debt, and cutting some spending this year with DOGE, they don’t go far enough. And Democrats won’t even acknowledge the national debt is out of control. They just go on spending like there’s no tomorrow.
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Hey, how about that MAGA—money and greed always. Yippee. Thanks, America.
* * *
Other than campaign signs that should be removed after an election, I don’t care what kind of flags or signs people post on their own property. Or on their vehicle, for that matter. Just be prepared for someone to vandalize or steal the sign, or some wing nut to bash in your car windows, etc.
Look how someone stole a rainbow flag from a church in Lombard. That was a message of hate and intolerance. Actually, let me rephrase, because we shouldn’t just “tolerate” some people. It was a blatant demonstration of not being “accepting” of the way others live their lives—which affects neither you nor me—and the church’s right to express their free speech.
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Thanks to the letter writer who called out Sean Casten (July 10 issue). Unfortunately, I’m in Casten’s district, too. I suppose I could opt out of the emails he sends me, but I don’t because I often find them quite amusing. One of his latest email rants claims the budget bill that Trump signed will add $3.9 trillion to the national debt. All of a sudden, Casten is concerned about the national debt. He’s been in Congress since 2019. Democrats had control of the House from 2019 to 2023, and controlled both houses of Congress and the presidency from 2021 to 2023. What legislation to address federal spending and the national debt did Casten and his fellow radical leftist demagogues propose when they were in charge?
* * *
I have a suggestion for our own Governor Billionaire, the illegal immigrant apologist mayor in Chicago, lawmakers in Springfield and all the other bleeding-heart regressive leftists in this state who support sanctuary cities and are convinced that ICE is the second coming of the Third Reich: Why don’t all of you take in one or two people who are here illegally and have them live with you? That way, taxpayers like me who support enforcing federal immigration laws don’t have to subsidize your ridiculous policies that undermine these laws. For example, I’m sure Mr. Pritzker and his family would have no trouble at all housing a number of illegals since I’m sure they collectively own several homes and mansions.
shopping while helping to raise funds for local philanthropy projects. Lombard Service League is a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and the Illinois Federation of Women’s Clubs. The club is celebrating its 75th anniversary as a club this year. For more information about this event or about the club, call or text 630-9880625.
Genealogy program at Plum Library July 28
“Even More Unusual Places to Find Births and Naturalizations” July 28 at 7
p.m., join us for a roundtable discussion to share your research findings, hear success stories from other members, and seek solutions to brick walls. This program will be in-person and held in the Conference Room (2nd floor). Registration required. Visit www.helenplum.org/event/ genealogy-round-table-70008 to register.
‘The Secrets of Hidden Lake’ July 18 at LHS The Lombard Historical Society (LHS) with Tim Frakes Productions, INC is
pleased to invite you to an outdoor screening of our latest documentary-“The Secrets of Hidden Lake” on Friday, July 18, at 8 p.m. at the William J. Mueller Gazebo at 23 W. Maple St. in Lombard. Bring a blanket and sit under the stars and learn about the hidden history of Hidden Lake Forest Preserve.
For more information about this event, or the Lombard Historical Society, please visit lombardhistory. org, email info@lombardhistory.org, or phone 630629-1885
The co-op has arrived
The long-awaited community-owned, full-service Prairie Food Cooperative grocery store, located in the Eastgate Shopping Center, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony and soft opening on Wednesday, July 9, with lots of shoppers, as well as local and other officials in attendance, such as (right - left to right) Lombard Village President Anthony Puccio and District 42 State Rep. Terra Costa Howard. Jerry Nash, director of Marketing and Research, said he first envisioned opening the food cooperative around 2012, after experiencing a food cooperative in Champaign. His goal has been to support local farmers and producers, along with environmental sustainability. Since then, the co-op, at roughly 8,500 square feet, is now owned by over 2,400 community members. In one photo (above) are (left to right) board of directors members Quinn Coulson and Steph Norwood, Nash and former board of directors member Beth Peluse. Visit www.prairiefood.coop for more details.
Jane Charmelo PhoTos Rock Valley Publishing
SUSAN ESPOSITO
Susan Esposito, beloved mom, Nonna and greatgrandma, of Melrose Park, Ill., passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on July 9.
Visitation Thursday, July 17, from 3-8 p.m. at Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main St., Lombard, Ill. Private interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery. Donations may be made to the wishes of the family.
Info: www. brustfuneralhome.com or 888-629-0094.
RALPH C. GRAVROK, 82
Ralph C. Gravrok, age 82, of Elmhurst, went home to be with Jesus on June 29, 2025, at home with his family at his side.
Born on September 9, 1942, in Albany, Oregon, Ralph lived an independent life with humble expertise, thoughtful problem solving skills, quick clever responses that would make anyone smile. He would consistently prioritize others’ needs over personal gain in business and personal relationships. With an engineering background, Ralph owned and operated Witt Disintegrating in Addison for over 50 years.
Ralph was the dear brother of Winifred (the late Bill) Dicus; uncle of Charity and Stephanie; devoted adoptive uncle of Nick (Lydia) Kuhr, Kim (Geoff) White, Chris (Tonya) Kuhr and Rick (Ramona) Kuhr; beloved friend of the late Barbara Kuhr; and cousin, friend and relative of many.
A Celebration of Life will be held privately at a later date. Contact Nick & Lydia Kuhr at 630-576-9732 for details.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Ralph’s name to support FOCUS Ministries can be made online https:// www.focusministries1.org/ join-us/donate or via mail at PO Box 2014, Elmhurst, IL 60126.
Arrangements by Brust Villa Park Funeral Home, 305 S. Princeton Ave., Villa Park. Info: www.brustfuneralhome. com or 888-629-0094.
TERRENCE J. HEGARTY
Terrence John ‘Terry’ Hegarty passed away July 9th, 2025.
Terry was the son of the late Edward and Mary Frances Hegarty; brother of Maureen (Dan) Kruszynski, RoseAnn (Jim) Vonesh, Kathleen (Robert) Burdett, Edward (Cindy), Michael (Diane), Mary Pat (the
late Joe) Williams, Daniel (Kathy), the late Patrick (Catherine), Mary Rose (Gerard) Crimmins, and Christopher (Amy Nelson) Hegarty; uncle of Megan Vonesh, Jim (Kristina) Vonesh, Victoria Burdett, Diane (Brian) Bell, Natalie Burdett, Naomi Whitman, Aidan Hegarty, Logan Williams, Tristan Williams, Ryan Hegarty, Shannon (Robert) Weiner, Erica (Thurman) Fogleman, Stephanie (Jonah) McGinnis, Jared Crimmins and Christopher Crimmins; great uncle of Matthew, Caileigh, Grace and Sammy, Allison and Jimmy, and Kaylan, Lia, Myles, Neo and Audrey.
Terry had the longest eyelashes in the world. He was playful, and when he smiled, he lit up the room.
Terry is the second-toyoungest in the Hegarty family; he is one of eleven children. Terry was born with severe mental and physical disabilities.
Terry had lived at Misericordia (Miz) since January 8, 1984. He lived in an apartment with several other men close to his age.
Terry’s family sincerely appreciates the caregivers at Misericordia for the dedication and love shown to Terry for the 41 years that Misericordia was his home.
Funeral Services were held Monday, July 14, at Christ the King Catholic Church, 1501 S. Main St., Lombard. Interment was at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Hillside.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Terry’s name to Misericordia, 6300 N. Ridge Ave., Chicago, IL 60660-1017. Info: www. brustfuneralhome.com or 888-629-0094.
JOE JARUSESKI
Joe Jaruseski was welcomed into God’s heavenly kingdom on July 10th.
Joe was born on January 9, 1958, in Oglesby, Illinois, and spent his childhood in various parts of the United States before settling with his family in Danville, Illinois. After graduating from the University of Illinois, his first job brought him to the Chicago area, where he soon met his future wife, Carrie. They enjoyed
over 39 years of marriage, beginning on November 9, 1985 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lombard.
Joe was the loving father of Kate (Kurt Fowler), Betsy (Thomas Meeker), and Joey Jaruseski. He was also the beloved brother of Mike (Chris Jaruseski) and Jon Jaruseski.
He was a caring son-inlaw to Joyce and the late Wilbur Louthan. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Helen Jaruseski, and his twin sister, Patti Dunn. Joe was a treasured uncle, relative, and friend to many.
Deeply committed to his faith, Joe dedicated countless hours to St. John’s Lutheran Church
and School. He served in many capacities, including the Board of Education, Church Council, and as Congregational Chairman. His leadership played a key role in the construction of the new school.
Joe was a proud member of the Marching Illini Drumline and the Guardsmen Drum and Bugle Corps.
This was a passion he carried into adulthood as a snare drummer for the Firefighters Highland Guard of Naperville.
He also found joy in spending time with family, especially coaching soccer for the Lombard Park District, Lombard Firebirds, and Walther
Coming events
Grim
Readers book discussion
On Monday, July 28, at 7 p.m., join the Villa Park Public Library for the Grim Readers Book Club. July’s pick is “Something Wicked This Way Comes” by Ray Bradbury. Registration is required. To register and reserve a copy, visit the library’s website at www.vppl.info or call 630834-1164.
STEM-A-PALOOZA at DuPage County Fair July 24-27
SCARCE (School & Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education( will be back at the
DuPage County Fair with tadpoles, worms, environmental models, spin art and more— fun, hands-on activities and crafts that bring science, technology, engineering, and math to life in cool SCARCE style.
Stormwater Management will also host an interactive booth that’s fun for kids and adults.
Look for SCARCE in the air-conditioned building at the DuPage County Fairgrounds (2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton.)
Free entry with fair admission.
For DuPage County Fair details, visit https://dupagecountyfair.org/dupage-county-fair.
Christian Academy. When he wasn’t coaching, he was the number one fan of the various activities in which his children participated.
In his spare time, Joe was the proud president of his class at the Lombard Citizens Police Academy. He found joy in completing projects around the house, including gardening, woodworking, and creating a Christmas lights display that “you could see from space.”
He was an animal lover who would gladly share his chair with the family dog.
Joe lived the Scripture: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” - 2 Timothy 4:7. He felt so
French Day at Cantigny Park
Sunday, July 20: Bring the whole family for a day of French-inspired fun and cultural celebration: Voyage en France. Shop the French Market, discover En Plein Air artists at work, enjoy art-focused family activities, plus musical performances, Can-can and Ballet dancers throughout the park. Visit Cantigny.org for details.
‘Concerts in the Park’ Lexington Square Memorial Park, 555 Foxworth Blvd., Lombard, 6 p.m. Thursday, July 24, Edizon Dayao;
strongly for this verse that during his time in St. John’s leadership, he had pins created so that others could wear and live this message as well.
Funeral services Thursday, July 17, lying in state at 9 AM at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 215 S Lincoln Ave, Lombard, IL, followed by a service at 9:30 AM. Interment was followed at Forest Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. John’s School Debt Reduction Fund, Walther Christian Academy, or the Oak Park Animal Care League. Info: www. brustfuneralhome.com or 888-629-0094.
Thursday, Aug. 14, The Saddle Shoe Sisters. Call 630-629-2900 to reserve your space.
Versiti blood drive July 22
Beacon Hill, 2400 S. Finley Road, Lombard, is hosting a Versiti blood drive on Tuesday, July 22, from noon to 4 p.m. in DuPahze Hall. Appointments are appreciated but walk-ins are welcome. Call 800-7TO-GIVE or visit www.versiti.org/ IL to make an appointment. Donors will receive two free Kane County Cougars ticket vouchers and a baseball cap while supplies last. Bring a photo ID.
Police
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.
July 8
Michael T. Sobczak, 35, of Hanover Park, was charged with battery causing bodily harm on the above date for an incident that allegedly occurred on July 3.
A complainant at a pharmacy in the 200 block of E. Roosevelt reported that a subject removed merchandise from display shelves and left without paying.
July 7
George V. Cox, 53, of Villa Park, was charged on the above date for theft of labor services or use of property for an incident that allegedly occurred May 29, 2016.
A complainant at a pharmacy in the 200 block of E. Roosevelt reported that a subject removed merchandise from display shelves and left without paying.
A complainant in the 1400 block of S. Wayside reported that a subject is harassing them via telephone.
July 6
Lyrelle L. Williams, 25, of Berwyn, was charged with unlawful possession of weapons/firearm in a vehicle or concealed, aggravated assault/use of a deadly weapon
and two counts of disorderly conduct/breach of peace near Roosevelt and Ardmore at 9:08 p.m.
July 5
Chris G. Diaz, 46, of Chicago, was charged with battery in the 300 block of W. Division at 8:35 p.m.
Jesus Munoz, 38, of Itasca, was charged with retail theft—possessing displayed merchandise not exceeding $300—previous conviction at a store in the 1-100 block of E. St. Charles at 8:15 p.m.
A complainant in the 1-100 block of W. Madison reported that a subject battered them.
A complainant in the 200 block of S. Villa reported that a subject is harassing them via telephone.
July 3
A complainant at a store in the 1-100 block of S. Villa reported that a subject removed merchandise from display shelves and left without paying.
A complainant at a fitness center in the 200 block of W. Roosevelt reported that an unknown subject entered their vehicle and removed their purse. The complainant’s cards were later used to make unauthorized transactions.
July 2
Police said Darin W. Plummer, 27, of Hanover Park, turned himself in on an original complaint and warrant near W. North and N. Addison.
July 3
Stephanie A. Persenico, 35, of Villa Park, was charged with unlawful pos-
session of drug paraphernalia/failure to secure new registration and no insurance in the 400 block of N. Wisconsin at 9:17 a.m.
A complainant at a fitness center in the 200 block of W. Roosevelt reported their keys were removed from an unsecured locker.
July 2
Michael A. Etchoe, 39, of Villa Park, was charged with burglary/retail theft—possessing merchandise exceeding $300 at a store in the 1-100 block of E. St. Charles at 6:19 p.m.
Derrius M. Gipson, 24, of Bellwood, and Donnea S. Jackson, 28, of Maywood, were charged with retail theft—possessing displayed merchandise not exceeding $300 on the above date for an incident that allegedly occurred at a store in the 1-100 block of E. St. Charles on June 27.
A complainant in the 200 block of W. Adams reported several packages had been accepted in their name, but the complainant never received them.
A complainant in the 1-100 block of W. Terrace reported a subject battered them. The complainant did not wish to sign complaints.
July 1
Richard E. Sullivan, 40, of Lombard, was charged with battery causing bodily harm in the 1000 block of S. Grant.
A complainant in the 200 block of E. Maple reported being the victim of a theft.
June 30
A complainant in the 1000 block of S. Myrtle reported
that their handicap placard was stolen.
June 29
A 48-year-old Chicago man was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 300 block of W. North.
June 28
A 49-year-old Villa Park man was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 1-1-100 block of W. Adams.
A 40-year-old Villa Park woman was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 200 block of E. Park.
June 27
A complainant at a store in the 100 block of W. Roosevelt reported that a subject removed merchandise
from display shelves and left without paying. The subject was located and issued a citation for retail theft.
A complainant near N. Ardmore and Terrace reported that a subject damaged their vehicle. The subject was issued a citation for damaging the property of another.
A complainant at a store in the 1-100 block of E. St. Charles reported that a subject removed merchandise from display shelves and left without paying.
June 26
Police said Gabriel A. Carrillo, 31, of Villa Park, turned himself in on an original complaint and warrant on the above date for an incident that allegedly occurred June 1, and was held at the DuPage County Jail.
A complainant in the 900 block of N. Villa reported their vehicle was stolen.
June 25
Police said Jose S. Silva, 24, of Glendale Heights, turned himself in on an original complaint and warrant on the above date for an incident that allegedly took place on June 8. A complainant in the 500 block of W. St. Charles reported that a subject was threatening them via telephone.
Identity theft, fraud
According to information provided by the Villa Park Police Department, police reported two incidents of identity theft or fraud in the village between June 25 and July 8.
Former corrections deputy guilty of sexual misconduct with an inmate
DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced last week that Judge Joseph Bugos found a former DuPage County Deputy Sheriff assigned to the Corrections Bureau guilty of having inappropriate sexual contact with a female prisoner.
Judge Bugos returned his verdict in the case against Ricardo Hardy, 54, of Elgin, following a bench trial on June 11. Hardy, who was fired from his position on May 15, 2023, appeared in Bond Court on May 16, 2023, where bond was set at $300,000 with 10 percent to apply. He posted the necessary 10 percent, or $30,000 the same day and was re-
leased from custody.
In all, Bugos found Hardy guilty of five counts of custodial sexual misconduct and five counts of official misconduct, all Class 3 felonies.
On May 10, 2023, after receiving information that Hardy had engaged in sexual intercourse and other sexual acts with a female inmate on at least two occasions, the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office immediately contacted the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, which opened an investigation into the matter.
Following an investigation, authorities learned that beginning on March 13, 2023, through April 26, 2023, Hardy and the inmate
engaged in sexual intercourse and other sexual acts in the inmate’s cell, as well as a shower/bathroom area. The investigation also revealed that Hardy had arranged for $300 to be put in the inmate’s commissary account.
The DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office approved charges against Hardy on May 15, 2023, after which the court issued a $500,000 with 10 percent to apply arrest warrant for him. He was taken into custody the same day from his home without incident.
Hardy’s next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 14 for post-trial motions and return of the pre-sentence report.
“We’re thrilled to see the transformation taking shape!” The improvements at the park, located at 320 E. Wildwood Ave., just outside of the Villa Park Recreation Center, are scheduled to be completed by the end of July.
CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing
The Villa Park Parks and Recreation Department and the Village of Villa Park provided an update last week about construction progress at Lions Park. “The new playground has been installed, and our construction team is now turning their attention to the basketball and pickleball courts,” stated the recent update.
LHS presents Music on Maple Street: Stone & Snow July 25
The Lombard Historical Society (LHS) will present the alt folk trio Stone & Snow as part of the Music on Maple Concert series on at 7 p.m. Friday July 25.
Bring a chair, blanket, and even your own snacks. This is a free outdoor concert. Tickets are suggested and available on the website LombardHistory. org. For more information about this event, or the Lombard Historical Society, visit lombardhistory.org, email info@lombardhistory.org, or phone 630-629-1885.
Stone & Snow is known for their rich harmonies and evocative lyrics. Named “Best Folk/Soul Artist” at the 2022 Richmond International Film + Music Festival, Stone & Snow is a Cincinnati-based Americana pairing of songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, Karen Bridges and Clint Thomson, in collaboration with Eva Reyes-Smith on upright bass and backing vocals.
In 2012, Karen and Clint began a collaboration filled with close harmonies and thoughtful lyrics. They gave it a name that gives a nod to the mountain landscapes of the West—Stone & Snow. They have recorded and produced five studio albums to date.
Karen and Clint are passionate about elevating women in music.
Through hosting performances for women-led artists, their work collecting data on the gender balance in their local scene, and Karen’s involvement in the “Girls Rock!” franchise, Stone & Snow is invested in seeing more women grow and thrive in the music industry.
Karen Bridges and Clint Thomson began collaborating in 2012, blending their talents as songwriters and multi-instrumentalists into a signature sound that’s both fresh and timeless.
This concert will be in the William J. Mueller Gazebo at 23 W. Maple St. in Lombard.
This program was funded in part by the DuPage Community Foundation and is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council through federal funds provided by the National Endowment for the Arts.
About the DuPage Community Foundation
Established in 1986 to raise the quality of life throughout DuPage County, we help area residents and organizations realize their unique charitable goals, provide impactful support to our community’s not-for-profits, and foster key partnerships to address critical issues affecting DuPage County.
About the Illinois Arts Council
The Illinois Arts Council (IAC) was created as a state
agency by the Illinois General Assembly in 1965 through legislation sponsored by Senators Paul Simon, Thomas McGloon, and Alan Dixon. The agency is governed by up to 21 private citizens chosen for their demonstrated commitment to the arts and appointed by the Governor. Council members serve in a voluntary, non-paid capacity and are charged with developing the state’s public arts policy, fostering quality culturally diverse programs,
and approving grants expenditures.
A small professional staff with in-depth knowledge of the arts develops and administers the agency’s programs, provides technical assistance, and ensures the responsible and impactful distribution of all funds.
Resources to support the Illinois Arts Council are provided by the Governor and General Assembly of Illinois and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Illinois State Senate in 23rd District
Linda Polacek, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, mother of two and a community volunteer, has officially announced her candidacy for the Illinois State Senate in the 23rd District as a Republican.
She said she is running to stand up for families working hard to make ends meet and to hold the line on taxes in Springfield.
She will be attempting to unseat two-term incumbent Democratic Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton next year.
“I’m running because I believe families in our district need a strong voice in Springfield—someone who understands hard work, service, and what it means to give back,” said Polacek. “My life has been shaped by sacrifice, perseverance, and a commitment to community. That’s the kind of leadership I’ll bring to the State Senate.” Polacek currently serves as a Commissioner on the Board of the York Center Park District, where she works to ensure families have access to safe, well-maintained parks and quality recreation programs. In this role, she has been a hands-on leader, advocating for fiscal responsibility, community engagement, and services that truly meet the needs of local residents.
Polacek said her common-sense, pro-taxpayer approach stands in sharp contrast to that of her opponent, Glowiak Hilton, who this spring skipped the vote on a controversial $1.50 per-package delivery tax on everything from diapers to pizza—failing to stand up for taxpayers at a time when families and small businesses are already struggling with rising costs. Polacek called the move yet another example of how out of touch Springfield has become.
The daughter of a Mexican immigrant who worked blue-collar factory jobs to build a better life, Polacek brings a deep appreciation for the value of hard work and opportunity. Her background in office management and customer service, combined with her military service and grassroots involvement, gives her a real-world understanding of the challenges families face every day. She is also an active member of the Villa Park Women’s Club, where she helps raise funds for local causes, and she volunteers with the Willowbrook Parent Organization and the Willowbrook High School Music Boosters.
“I’ll bring the same values to Springfield that I’ve lived every day—service, accountability, and a deep respect for the people who call this community home,” Polacek said. “I’m running to be a voice for families who are working hard and deserve better from their state government.” Polacek lives in Lombard with her husband and their two children.
SUBMITTED PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing
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.
Sunday Worship starts at 10:00 am and is followed by a Message. Sunday Bible Study starts at 11:30 am
(630) 889-1090
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! Saturdays 5:30pm Sundays 9:30am
Come aboard on our Vacation Bible School adventure as we “Set Sail” on July 21-24 from 5:30pm - 8:00pm For children ages 5-10 Dinner provided
St. Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church 547 N. Main St., Lombard, IL 60148 630-627-2435
Lent and Easter Services at 7 p.m.
“The Crucial Hours”
Sunday Worship at 10:15 am Sunday School & Bible Study 9 am Wednesday Service at 7pm
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 March 16, 2022
Adult Bible Study Wednesdays after Service Saturday, July 26, Game Night at 4 pm Everyone is Welcome!
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
Rev. Tom Nicholson “They Bound Him” Resurrection, Aurora John 18:12
Sixth Lenten Service April 6, 2022
Rev. Phil Schupmann “The Semblance of Legality” Resurrection, Aurora Luke 22:66
Maundy Thursday Communion 7 p.m., April 14
Good Friday Tenebrae 7 p.m., April 15
Easter Sunrise 6:30 a.m., April 17
Easter Breakfast 8 a.m., April 17
Easter
- FRIDAY & FIRST SATURDAY: 8:30 AM
ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT - PRAYER CHAPEL MONDAY - THURSDAY 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION ( ENGLISH & ESPAÑOL)
SATURDAY: 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM OR BY APPOINTMENT Parish Office: 1025 E. Madison Street • (630) 627-4526 • www.stpiuslombard.org
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 Adoration:
DuPage County recognizes small agency grant recipients
The DuPage County Board recently held a reception to recognize small nonprofits that received financial assistance from the county.
County Board Chair Deborah Conroy and Human Services Committee Chairman Greg Schwarze presented a check to Lynn Dugan of Repeat Boutique, who represented all the organizations.
On May 20, the county’s Human Services Committee approved $711,336 in grants through the County’s Small Agency Grant Program. These grants provided up to $30,000 each for 32 county agencies that provide programs and services in the areas of economic development (including job readiness and literacy); education and mentoring; housing and shelter; behavioral health services; substance use disorder treatment; or food assistance.
The agencies awarded had to be a 501(c)(3) organization in good standing, have annual revenue under $300,000 and complete an application detailing the specific activities and outcomes to be supported by county funds.
The county provided funds to the following organizations:
• Accelerate Climate Solutions, $30,000
• Burr Ridge Community Park Foundation, $10,000
• Chinese American Women in Action, $26,500
• Community Access Naperville Inc., $15,000
• CREO DuPage Ltd., $15,000
• D41 Kids Foundation, $7,500
• Darien Lions Club Foundation, $30,000
• DoodleBug Workshop Vocational Training Center,
$30,000
• Elmhurst Walk-In Assistance Network, $30,000
• Glen Ellyn Youth and Family Counseling Service, $30,000
• Restorative Resources Foundation of DuPage, $5,000
• Ride Assist Naperville, $15,000
• Serenade Love Your Neighbor, NFP, $10,000
• St. Sophia’s Forgotten Felines – $17,500
• The Awakenings Project, $6,350
• The Baton Pass, $30,000
• The Center Coracles, $26,880
• The GardenWorks Project, $5,000
• The Harambee Initiative, Inc., $29,800
• United Community Concerns Association, $29,000
• Westmont Lions Foundation, $30,000
• You Matter Inc. NFP, $30,000
• Youth 4 Excellence Inc., $30,000
Funding for the program came from investment earnings from the American Rescue Plan Act. Funds were distributed equally among the six County Board districts.
from left to right: DuPage County Board Human Services Committee Vice-Chair Paula Deacon Garcia; DuPage County Board Human Services Committee Chairman Greg Schwarze; Lynn Dugan, director of Repeat Boutique; and DuPage County Board Chair Deborah Conroy.
Bible Giveaway to the Lombard Community
St. Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church is giving away a FREE Bible to anyone in the Lombard community who is interested in the Bible. Stop by on July 19 from 10am thru 2pm and pick-up your FREE copy.
If you have questions about the Bible - what it means or how to get started reading, just ask! We’ll be happy to answer any questions you have. 474330
St. Timothy is located at 547 N. Main St. in Lombard IL Enter the parking lot and walk up to the table to receive your copy. Rain date TBD. (limit one per person / while supplies last) www.sainttimothy.org
Pictured
SUBMITTED PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing
Victorian Garden Tea Party to be held July 26
The Lombard Historical Society (LHS) will be hosting a Victorian Garden Tea Party on Saturday, July 26 from 2:30-4 p.m. at the William J. Mueller Gazebo at 23 W. Maple St. in Lombard..
Enjoy summery refreshments, Victorian inspired games and crafts at this traditional Victorian occasion. This event is best suited for adults ages 8 and up. Tickets are $8 for 12 and under, $15 for members, and $18 for non-members. Tickets are re-
quired and available on the website: LombardHistory.org.
For more information about this event, or the Lombard Historical Society, please visit lombardhistory.org, email info@lombardhistory.org, or phone 630-629-1885.
Join the LHS for a delightful, family-friendly afternoon filled with tea, treats, and timeless charm. Experience the lovely garden, enjoy traditional tea party refreshments and there will even be a sundae bar. Try your hand at
floral arranging, decorating a fan, creating your own paper tea cup, or take a swing at the Victorian sport of croquet.
The Victorian Cottage will be open for self-guided tours.
Saunter over and meet some new friends. Call a friend you haven’t seen in a while, a new neighbor, or your darling granddaughter, and join us at the Victorian Cottage for a charming garden part. Come dressed in your garden party best. Don’t forget your sun hat!
Casten introduces package of legislation to reform American democracy
Seeks to increase the size of the House and Senate, and rebalance the Supreme Court’s power
U.S. Rep. Sean Casten of the 6th Congressional District recently introduced a package of legislation to reform American democracy by increasing the size of the United States Senate and House of Representatives, as well as restoring the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction to better align with Article III of the US Constitution.
The legislation—two bills and a constitutional amendment—would:
• Establish 12 at-large senators to be elected through a national popular vote.
• Add approximately 230 additional Members of the House (if it had been implemented after the 2020 census).
• Rebalance the power of
the Supreme Court by creating a 13-judge multi-circuit panel to hear cases where the United States or a federal agency is a party.
Prior to Casten introducing similar legislation in 2023, there had been no attempts in Congress to expand the Senate or reinstate the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court. The last time the House was expanded was in 1911. After an inability to settle disputes over reapportionment after the 1920 Census, the size of the House was arbitrarily locked in place at 435 in 1929.
“The fundamental promise of our democracy is to fulfill the will of the people,” said Casten, whose district in-
cludes parts of Lombard and Oakbrook Terrace. “In modern times, we have failed to meet that promise. There is a growing list of issues—from climate action to gun control to health care to voting rights—where the federal government has consistently ignored the priorities of the majority of Americans, and often acted in direct contradiction. This failure not only breeds cynicism but ultimately risks the very survival of our government. We must act against the counter-majoritarian institutions of our political system and seek to reestablish the government as a stalwart for the people.
CASTEN, Page 17
2025, (Fiscal Year 2025-2026) has been on file and conveniently available to public inspection in the
Center at 255 West Vermont Street, Villa Park, between 8:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. beginning on the 17th day of July, 2025, and ending on the 16th day of September, 2025. The tentative budget will also be available for public inspection on the School District’s website at https;//www.d45.org/.
Dated this 17 th day of July 2025.
Board of Education School District 45, DuPage County DuPage County, Illinois
Allen Legutki, Secretary
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent, Villa Park Review & the Lombardian July 17, 2025) 474371
PUBLIC NOTICE: DESTRUCTION Of DISTRICT RECORDS
The Addison School District 4 hereby gives notice of its intent to destroy administrative, financial, and other non-student records dated 1977-2024, in accordance with state and federal records retention policies. Records scheduled for destruction are no longer deemed necessary for district operations or compliance purposes.
Destruction will begin after July 30, 2025. Individuals or agencies who believe they may have a reason to access these records before disposal must submit a written request to the Human Resources Department at nkazanecki@asd4.org by July 18, 2025.
For further information, contact Nicole Kazanecki at nkazanecki@ asd4.org
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review June 26, July 3, 10, & 17, 2025) 473764
SUBMITTED PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing
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Lombard Bank & Trust and Glen Ellyn Bank & Trust are branches of Wheaton Bank & Trust Company, N.A. 1. Total Access Checking Bonus Information. Offer valid for accounts opened 2/1/24 – 11/5/25. Offer not available to existing or closed checking account customers of Wintrust Financial Corporation (‘WTFC’) & its subsidiaries or employees, and Macatawa Bank locations. Limit 1 bonus payment per customer, regardless of number of accounts opened; may only be received from 1 WTFC location. Offer combinable with any WTFC savings offer. Bonus payment subject to IRS 1099-INT reporting & may be considered income for tax purposes. 2. Total Access Checking Bonus Qualifications. (i) Open new Total Access Checking account; (ii) mention offer during in-branch account opening, visit URL provided, or enter Echecking300 when applying online; (iii) have direct deposits totaling at least $500 per month made to the new account for 2 consecutive calendar months after the calendar month the new account was opened (‘Qualification Period’); & (iv) enroll in online banking & e-statements within the Qualification Period. Your account opening date is the business day that we open your account. If your account is opened on a non-business day (weekends and federal holidays), your account opening date is the next business day. Direct deposit is a payment made by a government agency, employer, or other third-party organization via electronic deposit, but does not include teller/ATM/mobile or remote deposits, wire transfers, digital banking/telephone transfers between accounts at WTFC, external transfers from accounts at other financial institutions, peer-to-peer network payments like Zelle® or Venmo, or debit card transfers & deposits. New account must be open & have a balance greater than $0 to receive bonus payment. Balance determined as of end of each business day as funds currently in the account including deposits & withdrawals made in the business day. For eligible customers, bonus is deposited into the new account within 30 calendar days after the Qualification Period. A listing of WTFC locations can be found here: wintrust.com/locations. 3. ATM Fees. No WTFC transaction
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. Resorts
5. One point south of southwest
9. Musical performances
11. Matched
13. Four-footed animal part
15. Express severe disapproval of
16. Type of leaf
17. Preparatory
19. Walk heavily
21. Succulent plants
22. Rectangle of grass
23. Lump in yarn
25. Too
26. Foot (Latin)
27. Afflicts
29. Smoothed
31. Mind (Greek)
33. Tampa ballclub
34. Semitic language
36. Sheltered sides
38. Ocean
39. Electronic point of sale
41. Thrust a knife into 43. 12th month (abbr.)
44. Ringworm
46. Father of Aoris (Greek myth.)
48. Fighting back
52. Cease to exist
53. Insects in adult stage
54. Freestanding sculpture
56. Caps
57. Repents
58. Brown and Wallace are two
59. Moved quickly
CLUES DOWN
1. Goes bad
2. Yard structure
3. They __
4. Marine invertebrate
5. European river
6. Office supplies firm
7. Physically abused
8. Service stations in Australia
9. Kills
10. Liquid body substances
11. Particular to a given individual
12. Brave or noble act
14. Sicilian city
15. Conqueror
18. Elected officials
20. Type of “pig”
24. Drop of viscous substance
26. Monetary unit of Spain
28. Guarantees
30. Coloring materials
32. Reddish browns
34. Square measure
35. Will not
37. Canned fish
38. Appeared
40. Six (Spanish)
42. Took off
43. Negligible amount
45. Posts in a Greek temple
47. Witnesses
49. Phil __, former CIA
50. Places to park
51. Guns
55. Dance to pop music
Pritzker warns 330,000 Illinoisans could lose Medicaid under Trump’s budget plan
By Peter Hancock Capitol news illinois
The U.S. House gave final passage July 3 to a budget bill that will cut federal Medicaid spending by an estimated $1 trillion over 10 years.
All three Republican members of the Illinois congressional delegation voted in favor of the bill, despite a last-minute plea from Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker who warned the bill will result more than 330,000 Illinoisans losing Medicaid coverage and have a devastating effect on some rural hospitals.
“As those who are entrusted with protecting the health of all your constituents, I urge you to oppose these harmful Medicaid provisions and work to protect healthcare access for rural Illinois families, workers, and veterans,” Pritzker wrote in the letter addressed to GOP Reps. Mike Bost, Darin LaHood and Mary Miller.
The cuts would translate to about $48 billion in Illinois over that period, or about 20 percent of what the state would otherwise receive, according to an analysis by KFF, a nonpartisan health pol-
icy research organization.
That would be one of the largest percentage reductions in any state in the nation, according to KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research organization formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation. Louisiana and Virginia would each see cuts of about 21 percent, KFF said.
The state-level analysis is based largely on Congressional Budget Office estimates showing the bill would reduce federal Medicaid spending by $1 trillion nationwide over the next decade.
The KFF analysis does not include estimates of the number of people who would lose Medicaid coverage under the bill, noting how that will depend on how individual states respond to the policy changes contained in the bill. But overall, it estimates the number of uninsured Americans will grow by 11.8 million.
The bill, which includes many of President Donald Trump’s domestic policy priorities—including tax cuts and increased spending on border security—passed the Senate on Tuesday by a vote of 51-50, with Vice Presi-
dent J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. Both senators from Illinois, Democrats Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, voted no.
The final vote in the House was 218-214.
“The One Big, Beautiful Bill is a once-in-a-generation victory for the American people,” Miller said in a statement after the House vote. “It delivers on President Trump’s America First agenda with bold, decisive, and immediate action. This is the most pro-worker, pro-family, pro-America legislation I have voted for during my time in Congress, and I was proud to help get it across the finish line for the hardworking Americans across my district.”
Medicaid and the health care marketplace
Medicaid, which is jointly funded by states and the federal government, provides health coverage for lower-income individuals and families. It was established in 1965 alongside Medicare, the federally funded health coverage program for people over 65.
Today, according to the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services, the program covers about 3.4 million people in Illinois, or a fourth of the state’s population. At a total cost of $33.7 billion a year, it is one of the largest single categories of expenditures in the state’s budget. It pays for about 40 percent of all childbirths in the state, according to KFF, as well as 69 percent of all nursing home care.
But questions about its future loomed over the Illinois General Assembly during the just-completed legislative session as both Congress and the General Assembly were crafting their respective budgets for their upcoming fiscal years.
“This was a difficult year because of the unprecedented changes and cuts that are looming on the horizon in Washington,” state Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, said on the floor of the Illinois House during debate over a Medicaid bill on the final day of the session.
Speaking with reporters at an unrelated event, Pritzker predicted “hundreds of thou-
sands” of people in Illinois will lose Medicaid coverage if the Senate bill is signed into law.
“This is shameful, if you ask me, and it’s going to be very hard to recover,” Pritzker said. “The state of Illinois can’t cover the cost—no state in the country can cover the cost of reinstating that health insurance that is today paid for mostly by the federal government, partly by state government.”
Policy changes under the bill
According to KFF, most of the reductions in Medicaid spending would result from just a few policy changes contained in the bill
Those include imposing a work requirement on adults enrolled in Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare.” That law expanded eligibility for Medicaid to working-age adults with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. About 772,000 people in Illinois are enrolled under that program.
The bill also calls for requiring people enrolled
through the ACA expansion to verify their continued eligibility for Medicaid twice a year instead of annually. That is expected to filter out enrollees whose incomes rise above the eligibility limit as well as those who simply fail to complete the verification process.
Another provision would limit the ability of states to finance their share of the cost of Medicaid by levying taxes on health care providers. Illinois imposes such taxes on hospitals, nursing facilities and managed care organizations that administer the program. Revenue from those taxes is used to draw down federal matching funds that are then used to fund higher reimbursement rates to health care providers.
The final version of the bill does not, however, include a provision penalizing states like Illinois that also provide state-funded health care to noncitizens who do not have lawful status to be in the United States.
That provision, which was included in the earlier House version, was not included in the Senate bill, according to KFF.
Ziemer named to IHSBCA Class 4A
All-State Team
Glenbard East baseball standout
Josh Ziemer was recently named to the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA) Class 4A AllState Team for the 2025 season. Ziemer, who will soon begin his senior year at Glenbard East, helped the Rams to an overall record of 24-9 during their 2025 campaign. Primarily a third baseman for Glenbard East, Ziemer (No. 20) connected for 45 hits during the season, posting a .529 batting average. He hit two home runs and drove in 27 runs. Ziemer lashed 19 doubles and scored 40 runs while striking out only nine times. Before earning All-State recognition, Ziemer was selected as the Upstate Eight Conference’s East Division Player of the Year. The Rams went 17-1 in Upstate Eight Conference play during the 2025 season to win a share of the conference title. South Elgin also posted a 17-1 conference record. Ziemer and the other players who were selected to the IHSBCA’s AllState teams will be recognized before the upcoming Chicago White Sox game at Rate Field on July 29. The Rams finished their season with a 9-8 loss to Glenbard West in an IHSA Class 4A regional final in Glen Ellyn on May 31. Ziemer went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs during the seasonending loss.
Guiding the Waves
Above: Dahlia Leighton, the head coach of the Lombard Waves swim team, is pictured (left) while encouraging swimmers in the 8-and-under girls level’s 100-yard freestyle relay during the team’s July 2 meet against Villa Park. Lombard’s Katherine Van Kampen (far right) is preparing to enter the water to swim the second leg of the relay. Avery Norman (center) of the Waves swam the fourth leg of the relay, which also included Claire Wedel and Parker Bergman. The four girls won the relay race, finishing more than 19 seconds ahead of the second-place foursome. Another photo (below) from the July 2 meet shows (left to right) Leighton with assistant coaches Ariel Hoda and Claudia Schwantner. All three coaches swam with the Waves. Leighton graduated from Glenbard East High School in 2022. Schwantner is a member of Glenbard East’s Class of 2023. Hoda graduated from Willowbrook High School in 2024. Some members of the Waves closed out the 2025 season by swimming in the DuPage Swim and Dive Conference’s White Division ‘B’ Meet in Itasca on Saturday, July 12. Other Waves will conclude the season by competing in the White Division ‘A’ Meet, which will take place at Paradise Bay Water Park in Lombard this Saturday, July 19. This Saturday’s meet will include swimmers from Lombard and five other teams—Bartlett, Bloomingdale, Itasca, Roselle and Woodridge.
Chris Fox File photos Rock Valley Publishing
Chris Fox photos Rock Valley Publishing
• Casten
(Continued from page 12) litical advantages.”
“The Equal Voices Act will increase the size of the House to be in line with the growing population of the United States. Not only will this bill create smaller districts to allow Members to be more responsive to the needs of their constituents, but it will also rebalance inflated representation between districts and allow for greater diversity that is more representative of our great nation. On top of that, it will grow and equalize the Electoral College, better aligning outcomes with the national popular vote.
“The current judicial sys-
tem allows biased parties to game the system, seeking out judges who allow them to further policy objectives instead of blindly seeking justice. This distorts the actual and perceived fairness and independence of the Court and must be remedied. The Constitution gives Congress the power to address the structural concerns of the Supreme Court, and we must do so. It’s time for Congress to restore the Court’s jurisdiction to align with Article III of the Constitution and eliminate the current elements that allow the Court to be gamed for po-
Lombard resident from Montini’s Class of 2025 earns scholarship
Julia Gergen of Montini Catholic High School’s Class of 2025 is this year’s recipient of the school’s Jean Diane Colletti Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship is one of several that have been named and endowed by Montini Catholic alumni, parents and friends in order to provide financial assistance to graduates pursuing higher learning in college. Dr. Vince Colletti, DDS, a 2005 Montini graduate and the son of Jean Diane Colletti, announced the award at the school’s annual Academic Awards Banquet on May 1. Gergen (left) and Colletti (right) are pictured at that event. Gergen, who is a Lombard resident, excelled academically in her four years at Montini. She is an Illinois State Scholar and a College Board Advanced Placement Scholar. She was a member of multiple honor societies, including the National Honor Society. Gergen was also a member of Montini’s math team, and she served her fellow students as a Peer Minister through Montini’s Campus Ministry program. Athletically, Gergen was a valued member of Montini’s girls track and field team. Before attending Montini, she attended St. Pius X Parish School in Lombard. Gergen, who is a St. Pius X parishioner, will attend the University of Notre Dame. She plans on majoring in biological sciences on a pre-med track. “Julia has been an outstanding student,” said Montini Principal Chris Tiritilli. “Her academic and athletic career here at Montini has been quite extensive and impressive. She is never seen without a smile on her face. She has been a role model to her fellow students. She truly deserves this recognition and we know she will do great things at Notre Dame!”
in the 2022 election, growing to 689 total seats.
House Reform— Equal Voices Act
• This bill directs that after the first census following enactment, the size of each Congressional District be limited to approximately 500,000 people.
• States with populations which do not neatly fit into 500,000-person districts may opt to create multi-member districts using ranked choice voting.
• This would bring the size of House districts in line with U.S. population growth since the last expansion of the House in 1911 and reduce disparities in district size across states.
• If this method of apportionment had been implemented after the 2020 census, a congressional district would have added 228 new members
Montini graduate interns at school’s athletic department
Brighid Barratt, a 2023 Montini Catholic High School graduate, is interning at the school’s athletic department this summer. Barratt (right) is pictured with Athletic Department
Assistant Keeley Dooley (left), who is a member of Montini’s Class of 1989. Barratt, the first-ever recipient of the school’s John L. Duffy Memorial Scholarship, is currently a student at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. She is majoring in sport leadership and management. Barratt has also worked as an intern for Miami University’s football program. Before attending Montini, she attended Sacred Heart School in Lombard.
• By increasing the size of the House, this would also expand and rebalance the Electoral College, bringing outcomes more in line with the popular vote.
Senate Reform— Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
• This is a constitutional amendment to establish 12 at-large senators to be elected through national popular vote.
• All voters eligible to vote in presidential elections will be eligible to vote for these senators.
• This would also establish 12 at-large Electors who shall cast their votes in the Electoral College for the winner of the national popular vote.
Supreme Court Reform— Restoring Judicial Separation of Powers Act
• Restructures the jurisdic-
tion of the Supreme Court of the United States to align with Article III of the Constitution.
• Allows for any party to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to be heard and determined by a district court of three-judges.
• Creates a 13-judge multi-circuit panel to hear cases that the United States or a Federal agency is a party, cases concerning constitutional or statutory interpretation of Federal law, or cases clarifying the functions or actions of an executive order.
• This panel will consist of one judge randomly selected from each circuit court of appeals (minus the federal circuit) and one chief judge randomly selected from the same circuit courts of appeals.
• Each judge of the multi-circuit panel shall serve during the period beginning at 10 a.m.. ET on the first Monday in October and ending at 9:59 a.m. ET on the first Mon-
day in October of the following year.
• A supermajority of not less than 70 percent of judges shall be required to affirm any decision which holds that any Act of Congress is unconstitutional, unlawful, or otherwise invalid.
• Actions before a court of the United States seeking injunctive relief restraining the enforcement of any Federal statute, regulation or order against a nonparty will be transferred to the U.S. Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia Circuit.
The courts shall have the power to consolidate several cases concerning the same matter.
• The SCOTUS, U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and Multi-circuit panel will have to issue a written explanation supporting decisions which shall be published on the respective websites and must be signed by the judge or judges.
Leading the Mariners
The Villa Park Mariners swim team’s coaches—Harper Conboy, Grace Roscoe and Gabby Molinaro—are pictured (left to right, seated) during a recent regular-season meet. Conboy and Roscoe graduated from Willowbrook High School in 2023. They both swam with the Mariners for several years. Molinaro graduated from Fenton High School in 2020. Some members of the Mariners finished the 2025 season by competing in the DuPage Swim and Dive Conference’s Red Division ‘B’ Meet in Bloomingdale on Saturday, July 12. Other Mariners will complete the season by swimming in the Red Division ‘A’ Meet, which will take place in Wood Dale this Saturday, July 19. In addition to Villa Park, the Red Division includes five other teams—Butterfield, Carol Stream, Glendale Heights, Hanover Park and Wood Dale/Addison.
Chris Fox photo Rock Valley Publishing
submitted photo Rock Valley Publishing
Illinois hospitals fear massive cuts under Trump domestic policy law
By Peter Hancock CaPitOL NEWS iLLiNOiS
Hospital officials in Illinois say they will have to make some difficult decisions in the next few years that could involve laying off staff, cutting back services and even closing some facilities entirely.
That’s the expected result of federal funding cuts built into the recently passed domestic policy bill that President Donald Trump signed into law July 4, a law that will cut federal spending on Medicaid by more than $1 trillion over the next 10 years.
A.J. Wilhelmi, CEO of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association said in an interview with Capitol News Illinois that the financial pressures will fall heaviest on hospitals that serve rural areas, where a larger share of the population is covered by Medicaid.
“The hospitals in these communities are already on the brink, based on some of the increases in labor, drug and supply costs coming out of COVID, a continuation of claim denials by payers and relatively flat reimbursement
rates,” Wilhelmi said. “So, all of that is creating significant pressures. And when you add these Medicaid cuts to an already challenging situation, we know that there are several hospitals that close because of these changes.”
Enrollment, reimbursement reductions
The new law contains provisions that are expected to reduce the number of people enrolled in Medicaid, particularly in states like Illinois that expanded eligibility for the program under the Affordable Care Act, the 2010 law commonly known as Obamacare.
Those include work requirements for people who enrolled through the expansion as well as requirements that they verify their continued eligibility for the program twice a year instead of annually.
But the law also includes changes in aspects of the program that most people outside the health care industry never see. Those mechanisms, known as provider taxes and directed payments, affect the
way states finance their share of the cost of Medicaid and the way they direct additional payments to certain health care providers such as hospitals.
Like many states, Illinois levies special taxes on certain health care providers, including hospitals. The money those taxes generate is used to draw down additional federal matching funds, then is paid back to the providers in the form of directed payments to increase their overall reimbursement rate and to reward them if they meet certain performance or quality standards.
Currently, IHA estimates the hospital tax generates about $2 billion a year in revenue. This past session, lawmakers passed a bill to increase the assessment in order to fund a 54 percent increase in hospital payments, subject to federal approval of the state’s plan. But state law-
makers passed that bill before Congress passed Trump’s domestic policy bill, dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.”
Prior to passage of the new federal law, the tax rate states could levy was effectively capped at 6 percent of a hospital’s net patient revenue. But under the new law, for states like Illinois that expanded Medicaid under the ACA, that cap will gradually be lowered by half a percentage point each year starting in 2028 until it reaches 3.5 percent in 2032.
In addition, Wilhelmi said, the new law imposes a cap on the directed payments that expansion states like Illinois can send to hospitals so that the total does not exceed the maximum allowed under Medicare—the federal health insurance program for seniors, which has a lower reimbursement rate than Medicaid.
“And that will result in a
significant reduction in Medicaid reimbursements for hospitals,” Wilhelmi said. “It means literally hundreds of millions of dollars in less reimbursement to hospitals.”
$48 billion impact over 10 years
According to the nonpartisan health policy research organization KFF, federal Medicaid spending in Illinois is expected to be reduced by about $48 billion over 10 years under the new legislation. That includes an estimated $6.73 billion in spending cuts in rural parts of the state.
Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker has been harshly critical of the new law, and particularly the Medicaid cuts contained in it.
“Donald Trump isn’t just cutting health care—he’s also closing hospitals in Illinois and across the country with his latest scheme,” Pritzker said in one social media post while
the bill was moving through Congress. “Hard-working Illinoisans will spend more time in overcrowded waiting rooms and lose access to life-saving care.”
Wilhelmi, meanwhile, said there is still time before the cuts begin to take effect, and he is urging state officials to begin work immediately to develop strategies to adapt to the changes.
“I think the state will need to work with stakeholders like IHA and our hospitals, other provider groups, to identify creative options to ensure that the Medicaid program can continue to be that lifeline for vulnerable patients and communities,” he said. “And that will include identifying options to fortify those programs and services, as well as identify working with our congressional delegation on ways to mitigate or further delay these changes.”
Housing funding cut in Illinois budget as homelessness increases
By Ben Szalinski CaPitOL NEWS iLLiNOiS
The number of homeless people in Illinois is rising, but the state’s spending on homeless prevention and other housing programs is headed in the other direction.
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Facing a tight budget year with constrained spending and limited natural revenue growth, the $55.1 billion fiscal year 2026 budget that took effect July 1 reduces total funding for housing programs by more than $14 million, including Pritzker’s signature initiative designed to eliminate homelessness in Illinois.
“Last year homelessness increased 116 percent in the state of Illinois,” Doug Kenshol, co-founder of the Illinois Shelter Alliance, told Capitol News Illinois. “To be in the midst of this crisis and then have the state cut funding was beyond disappointing.”
Discretionary spending rose by less than 1 percent in the FY26 budget, according to the governor’s office, despite total spending increasing by $2 billion. That minimal spending growth led lawmakers to reduce several programs.
“Is it enough? No, it isn’t … we know that homelessness is an existential crisis, and the state of Illinois takes this seriously,” Sen. Adriane Johnson, D-Buffalo Grove, who serves on a state homeless prevention task force, told Capitol News Illinois. “We have a really bold vision for ending homelessness and we’re going to continue down that path.”
Spending reductions
Pritzker first established a task force by executive order in 2021 that would create a plan for “Home Illinois” to reduce homelessness in the state
to “functional zero”—where homelessness is temporary and people without housing can quickly obtain housing resources. The executive order did not set a date for the state to reach functional zero, and funding for the Home Illinois is declining by $26.6 million in FY26.
Pritzker’s administration had previously targeted housing programs for substantial increases in recent years. The FY26 budget appropriated $263.7 million for Home Illinois, down from $290.3 million in FY25.
That was a $90 million increase from FY24, when the program received $200.3 million in its first year after Pritzker signed legislation in 2023 codifying the task force and
Home Illinois program.
Among the decreased spending in Home Illinois is a $25 million reduction to the CourtBased Rental Assistance Program that provides financial aid to people facing evictions. Other programs saw steady or increased funding, including shelters, which rose to fund Chicago’s One System Initiative that integrates migrants into the city’s typical shelter system.
Spending on housing programs is also down overall, according to the advocacy group Housing Action Illinois. While some housing programs saw increases that offset reductions to Home Illinois, total spending on housing programs is down by $14.6 million in the
FY26 budget, to $354 million. Pritzker’s proposed budget had called for a $7.6 million decrease.
“FY26 is largely a maintenance year for the state budget,” an Illinois Department of Human Services spokesperson said in a statement. “We remain as committed as ever to advancing strategies that prevent and end homelessness across Illinois.”
Johnson said the spending reduction is “temporary” and the state is still working toward long-term goals that would require more funding.
“The state is trying to do the best it can with limited resources,” Housing Action Illinois Policy Director Bob Palmer said in an interview.
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LEGAL NOTICE/PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Meeting of the Community Development Commission of the Village of Bensenville, DuPage and Cook Counties, will be held on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at 6:30 P.M, at which a Public Hearing will be held to review case No. 2025 –15 to consider a request for:
Special Use Permit, Motor Vehicle Repair and/or Service Municipal Code 10 – 7 – 2 – 1
At 600 Devon Avenue Unit B is an existing I-2 General Industrial District. The Public Hearing will be held in the Village Board Room at Village Hall, 12. S. Center Street, Bensenville.
The Legal Description is as follows:
PARCEL 1: LOT 2 (EXCEPTING FROM SAID LOT 2 THAT PART DESCRIBED AS BEGINNING AT THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF LOT 2 AFORESAID; THENCE SOUTHALONG THE WEST LINE THEREOF 11.48 FEET; THENCE NORTHEASTERLY TO A POINT ON THE NORTH LINE OF SAID LOT 2 THAT IS 10.66 FEET EAST OF THE POINT OF BEGINNING; THENCE WEST ALONG SAID NORTH LINE 10.66 FEET TO THE PLACE OF BEGINNING) IN BELL FUELS RESUBDIVISION, BEGIN A RESUBDIVISION IN THE EAST ½ OF THE NORTHEAST ¼ OF SECTION 2, TOWNSHIP 40 NORTH, RANGE 11, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT OF SAID BELL FUELS RESUBDIVISION RECORDED OCTOBER 29, 1997 AS DOCUMENT R97-164754, IN DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
PARCEL 2: LOTS 1M AND 1E IN DEVON-ELLIS RESUBDIVISION NO. 1, BEING A RESUBDIVISION IN THE WEST ½ OF THE NORTHEAST ¼ AND THE ESAT ½ OF THE NORTHWEST ¼ OF SECTION 2, TOWNSHIP 40 NORTH, RANGE 11, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED SEPTEMBER 12, 1989 AS DOCUMENT R89-113563, IN DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
PARCEL 3: NON-EXCLUSIVE EASEMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF PARCEL 2 AS CREATED BY VACATION OF “EASEMENT FOR INGRESS AND EGRESS” AND DECLARATION OF EASEMENTS RECORDED JUNE 1, 1995 AS DOCUMENT R95-66368 AND CONSENT RE-
CORDED DECEMBER 06, 2011 AS DOCUMENT R2011-148862 FOR INGRESS AND EGRESS OVER THE SOUTH 15 FEET OF LOT 1 IN BELL FUELS RESUBDIVISION RECORDED AS DOCUMENT R97-164754 AND THE NORTH 15 FEET LOTS 2, 3, 4 AND 5 IN DEVON-ELLIS RESUBDIVISION NO. 1 RECORDED AS DOCUMENT R89113563, IN DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Commonly known as 600-700 Devon, Bensenville, Illinois 60106.
Devon and Ellis LLC of 1100 Landmeier Road, Elk Grove Village, Illinois 60007 is the owner of the subject property and Hiab USA, Inc of 12233 Williams Road, Perrysburg, Ohio 43551 is the applicant for the subject property.
Any individual with a disability requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any public meeting held under the authority of the Village of Bensenville should contact the Village Clerk, Village of Bensenville, 12 S. Center St., Bensenville, IL 60106, (630) 766-8200, at least three (3) days in advance of the meeting.
Applicant’s application and supporting documentation may be examined by any interested parties in the office of the Community and Economic Development Department, Monday through Friday, in the Village Hall, 12 South Center Street, Bensenville, IL 60106. All interested parties may attend the Public Hearing and be heard. Written comments mailed to the Village Hall, and online comments submitted on the Village website, will be accepted by the Community and Economic Development Department through August 5, 2025 until 5:00 PM.
Office of the Village Clerk Village of Bensenville
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review July 17, 2025) 474463
LEGAL NOTICE/PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Meeting of the Community Development Commission of the Village of Bensenville, DuPage and Cook Counties, will be held on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at 6:30 P.M, at which a Public Hearing will be held to review case No. 2025 –16 to consider a request for:
Variation, Fence or Wall Location
Municipal Code 10 – 10 – 7 – 9
Variation, Mechanical Equipment
Location
Municipal Code 10 – 7 – 4C – 13a
Variation, Mechanical Equipment Screening
Municipal Code 10 – 7 – 4C – 13b
Variation, Screening Requirements Municipal Code 10 – 9 – 7B
At 1050 IL Rt 83 / 1050 Busse Road is an existing I-2 General Industrial District. The Public Hearing will be held in the Village Board Room at Village Hall, 12. S. Center Street, Bensenville.
The Legal Description is as follows:
A PORTION OF THE NORTHEAST ¼ OF SECTION 3, TOWNSHIP 40 NORTH, RANGE 11 EAST, 3RD P.M. VILLAGE OF BENSENVILLE, DUPAGE
LEGAL NOTICES
COUNTY,
STATE OF ILLINOIS.
Commonly known as 1050 IL Rt 83, Bensenville, Illinois 60106.
1050 Busse and Mark LLC of 1100 Landmeier Road, Elk Grove Village, Illinois 60007 is the owner of the subject property and Core States Energy of 4240 East Jurupa Street, Suite 402, Ontario, California 91761 is the applicant for the subject property.
Any individual with a disability requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any public meeting held under the authority of the Village of Bensenville should contact the Village Clerk, Village of Bensenville, 12 S. Center St., Bensenville, IL 60106, (630) 766-8200, at least three (3) days in advance of the meeting.
Applicant’s application and supporting documentation may be examined by any interested parties in the office of the Community and Economic Development Department, Monday through Friday, in the Village Hall, 12 South Center Street, Bensenville, IL 60106. All interested parties may attend the Public Hearing and be heard. Written comments mailed to the Village Hall, and online comments submitted on the Village website, will be accepted by the Community and Economic Development Department through August 5, 2025 until 5:00 PM.
Office of the Village Clerk Village of Bensenville
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review July 17, 2025) 474464
LEGAL NOTICE/PUBLIC
NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Meeting of the Community Development Commission of the Village of Bensenville, DuPage and Cook Counties, will be held on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at 6:30 P.M, at which a Public Hearing will be held to review case No. 2025 –17 to consider a request for:
At 1280 North IL Rt 83 is an existing C-2 Commercial District. The Public Hearing will be held in the Village Board Room at Village Hall, 12. S. Center Street, Bensenville.
The Legal Description is as follows: LOT 55 IN BRANIGAR’S MOHAWK TERRACE, BEING A SUBDIVISION IN SECTION 3, TOWNSHIP 40 NORTH, RANGE 11, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED AS DOCUMENT NUMBER 786620, IN DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Commonly known as 1280 N. IL Rt 83, Bensenville, IL 60106.
On Time Messenger of 1280 N. IL Rt 83, Bensenville, IL 60106 is the owner of the subject property and Aubrey Sign Company of 1847 Suncast Lane, Batavia, IL 60510 is the applicant for the subject property.
Any individual with a disability
requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any public meeting held under the authority of the Village of Bensenville should contact the Village Clerk, Village of Bensenville, 12 S. Center St., Bensenville, IL 60106, (630) 766-8200, at least three (3) days in advance of the meeting.
Applicant’s application and supporting documentation may be examined by any interested parties in the office of the Community and Economic Development Department, Monday through Friday, in the Village Hall, 12 South Center Street, Bensenville, IL 60106. All interested parties may attend the Public Hearing and be heard. Written comments mailed to the Village Hall, and online comments submitted on the Village website, will be accepted by the Community and Economic Development Department through August 5, 2025 until 5:00 PM.
Office of the Village Clerk Village of Bensenville
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review July 17, 2025) 474465
LEGAL NOTICE/PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Meeting of the Community Development Commission of the Village of Bensenville, DuPage and Cook Counties, will be held on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at 6:30 P.M, at which a Public Hearing will be held to review case No. 2025 –18 to consider a request for:
Special Use Permit, Professional Office Municipal Code Section 10 – 7 – 2 – 1
At 611 N IL Route 83 in an existing I-2 General Industrial District. The Public Hearing will be held in the Village Board Room at Village Hall, 12 S. Center Street, Bensenville.
The Legal Description is as follows:
THE SOUTH 257.99 FEET OF THE WEST 263.00 FEET OF LOT 8 (AS MEASURED ALONG THE WEST AND SOUTH LINES THEREOF) IN O’HARE METROPOLITAN INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT, A SUBDIVISION OF PART OF SECTION 11, TOWNSHIP 40 NORTH, RANGE 11 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED JULY 20, 1970 AS DOCUMENT R70-24289 IN DUPAGE COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Commonly known as 611 N IL Route 83, Bensenville, IL 60106. Multi Trans Services, Inc. of P.O. Box 2756, Glenview, IL 60025 is the owner and Perfect Express Corp., Peace International Corp., International Express Corp., and American Logistics International Corp. of 831 Foster Avenue, Bensenville, IL 60106 are the applicants for the subject property.
Any individual with a disability requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any public meeting held under the authority of the Village of Bensenville should contact the Village Clerk, Village of Bensenville, 12 S. Center St., Bensenville, IL 60106, (630) 766-8200, at least three (3) days in
advance of the meeting.
Applicant’s application and supporting documentation may be examined by any interested parties in the office of the Community and Economic Development Department, Monday through Friday, in the Village Hall, 12 South Center Street, Bensenville, IL 60106. All interested parties may attend the Public Hearing and be heard. Written comments mailed to the Village Hall, and online comments submitted on the Village website, will be accepted by the Community and Economic Development Department through August 5, 2025 until 5:00 PM.
Office of the Village Clerk Village of Bensenville
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review July 17, 2025) 474466
LEGAL NOTICE/PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Meeting of the Community Development Commission of the Village of Bensenville, DuPage and Cook Counties, will be held on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at 6:30 P.M, at which a Public Hearing will be held to review case No. 2025 –19 to consider a request for:
Fence in the Front Yard Variation Municipal Code 10 – 7 – 4C – 7
At 185 May Street is an existing R-3 Single-Unit Dwelling District. The Public Hearing will be held in the Village Board Room at Village Hall, 12. S. Center Street, Bensenville.
The Legal Description is as follows: LOT 11 AND THE NORTH ½ OF LOT 10 IN BAUCKE’S RESUBDIVISION OF LOTS 10 AND 11 IN BRETTMANN’S ADDITION TO BENSENVILLE, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF PART OF THE SOUTHWEST ¼ OF SECTION 13 AND PART OF THE SOUTHEAST ¼ OF SECTION 14, TOWNSHIP 40 NORTH, RANGE 11, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT OF SAID BAUCKE’S RESUBDIVISION.
Commonly known as 185 May Street, Bensenville, Illinois.
Victoria Camacho of 185 May Street, Bensenville, Illinois 60106 is the owner and applicant for the subject property.
Any individual with a disability requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any public meeting held under the authority of the Village of Bensenville should contact the Village Clerk, Village of Bensenville, 12 S. Center St., Bensenville, IL 60106, (630) 766-8200, at least three (3) days in advance of the meeting.
Applicant’s application and supporting documentation may be examined by any interested parties in the office of the Community and Economic Development Department, Monday through Friday, in the Village Hall, 12 South Center Street, Bensenville, IL 60106. All interested parties may attend the Public Hearing and be heard. Written comments mailed to the Village Hall, and online comments submitted on the Village website, will be
accepted by the Community and Economic Development Department through August 5, 2025 until 5:00 PM.
Office of the Village Clerk Village of Bensenville
(Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review July 17, 2025) 474467
LEGAL NOTICE/PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Meeting of the Community Development Commission of the Village of Bensenville, DuPage and Cook Counties, will be held on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at 6:30 P.M, at which a Public Hearing will be held to review case No. 2025 –20 to consider a request for:
Garage Location Variation
Municipal Code 10 – 7 – 4C – 9a – 1
Paved Parking Area Variation
Municipal Code 10 – 8 – 8G – 4
At 245 May Street is an existing R-3 Single-Unit Dwelling District.
The Public Hearing will be held in the Village Board Room at Village Hall, 12. S. Center Street, Bensenville.
The Legal Description is as follows:
LOT 11 AND THE NORTH ½ OF LOT 10 IN BAUCKE’S RESUBDIVISION OF LOTS 10 AND 11 IN BRETTMANN’S ADDITION TO BENSENVILLE, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF PART OF THE SOUTHWEST ¼ OF SECTION 13 AND PART OF THE SOUTHEAST ¼ OF SECTION 14, TOWNSHIP 40 NORTH, RANGE 11, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT OF SAID BAUCKE’S RESUBDIVISION.
Commonly known as 245 May Street, Bensenville, Illinois.
Joshua Yee of 245 May Street, Bensenville, Illinois 60106 is the owner and applicant for the subject property.
Any individual with a disability requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any public meeting held under the authority of the Village of Bensenville should contact the Village Clerk, Village of Bensenville, 12 S. Center St., Bensenville, IL 60106, (630) 766-8200, at least three (3) days in advance of the meeting.
Applicant’s application and supporting documentation may be examined by any interested parties in the office of the Community and Economic Development Department, Monday through Friday, in the Village Hall, 12 South Center Street, Bensenville, IL 60106. All interested parties may attend the Public Hearing and be heard. Written comments mailed to the Village Hall, and online comments submitted on the Village website, will be accepted by the Community and Economic Development Department through August 5, 2025 until 5:00 PM.
Office of the Village Clerk Village of Bensenville
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