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Village receives OSLAD grant to redevelop Lufkin Park Grant will provide $400,000 in funding; redevelopment plans include a walking trail, playground, spray pad and band shell

STAFF REPORT

The Village of Villa Park was recently awarded an Open Space Land Acquisition and Development (OSLAD) grant to redevelop Lufkin Park.

On July 8, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced $30.3 million in grants for 87 local park projects throughout the state. The grants will help communities acquire open space and develop and improve recreational facilities.

The Village of Villa Park was one of 15 DuPage County communities to be awarded an OSLAD grant last week. The village received a $400,000 grant to redevelop Lufkin Park, which is located at 1000 S. Ardmore Ave.

The public pool at Lufkin Park closed at the end of the 2017 season.

The pool and main pool building were demolished three years ago, in July 2019. The area where the pool and pool building stood has since been leveled and filled in with grass seed.

Greg Gola, the director of Villa Park’s Parks and Recreation Department, spoke briefly about the OSLAD grant during the Villa Park Village Board meeting on July 11. Gola stated that the process of announcing the recent grants was delayed for a year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He said the village already has assembled its plans to redevelop Lufkin Park, but he wasn’t sure of an exact timeline for the redevelop-

ment.

Gola mentioned that the park has been vacant since the demolition of the pool. He said the village would like to bring more amenities to the area. He described the upcoming work to redevelop the park as a twoyear project.

“If we can get started this year, we’re ready to go,” Gola said.

The village will allocate the funds to redevelop the park. The redevelopment will reportedly include a walking trail, a playground with a nature theme, a ninja course, a floating fishing pier, a spray pad and a

Graduation day Play at the plate at Willowbrook

Freshman Lindsey Rugg of the Willowbrook softball team is pictured while attempting to score a run during Friday’s game at Downers Grove South. Rugg tried to score from second base on a single by sophomore Katelyn Cox in the top of the second inning, the game tiedcelebrated at 2-2. Downers Grove South’swith catcher Willowbrook Highwhen School’s Class was of 2021 its commencement two tagged Rugg out at home for the third out of theon inning.

Themorning.

Mustangs separate ceremonies in theplate school’s main gymnasium Sunday Thewent enon to defeat the Warriors 7-3students. in the West Suburban Conference contest. Wiltire class includes over 470 About half ofGold those students attended the

band shell performance area. The redevelopment plans also include bathroom facilities and a picnic shelter overhang.

Gola noted during the recent village board meeting that the plans to redevelop Lufkin Park also call for expansion of the park’s pond. He said the larger pond will be stocked with fish.

A news release issued by the village stated that the village and the parks and recreation department aim to provide more recreational opportunities, both passive and active, to the residents of Villa Park. The

news release stated that the residential area directly east and north of Lufkin Park is currently void of any parkland or recreation amenities.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) administers the state’s OSLAD program. OSLAD grants can provide up to one half of a project’s funds.

The OSLAD program, which began in 1987, has invested over $433 million in more than 1,800 local park projects. The OSLAD program receives dedicated funding from a percentage of the state’s Real Estate Transfer Tax.

CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review

lowbrook rebounded from Friday’s loss to post an 11-2 win in Saturday’s game at Hinsdale Central. The Warriors bashed three home runs in the second inning of SatCHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa ParkSilver Review urday’s non-conference battle against the Red Devils of the West Suburban Conference.

Senior Knudtson, freshman Isabella Dugo and that sophomore ceremony that beganAnnemarie at 9 a.m. The others participated in the ceremony started Kayleigh the home Dennison (No. 5) is pictured in the at 11 a.m. Dennison The photoprovided shows members of runs. the Willowbrook Senior Choir performing background of the above photo. more aboutsee thePage Warriors, during the day’s first service.

ForFor more photos, 4. see page 14.

Arbor Day in Villa Park

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CHRIS FOX PHOTO Villa Park Review SUBMITTED PHOTO Villa Park 390271 Review

Memorial Day in Villa Park KATE KATE DRURY DRURY

The Village of Villa Park observed Arbor Day with a tree planting on Friday, April 30. Pictured (left to right) at the tree planting at the village’s Franklin Park, located at 218 N. Third Ave., are: Villa Park Village your local agent Trustee Christine Murphy, Justin Shlensky—chair of the Villa Park Environmental Concerns Commission, Margaret Schiefer—a member of the Villa Park Environmental Concerns Commission, Villa Park Village Trustee Cheryl Tucker, Park Village Trustee (and Contact me forVilla a Park Village President Albert Bulthuis, VillaCHRIS FOX PHOTOS Villa Park Pride Review Village President-Elect) Nick Cuzzone and Leslie Allison-Seei—chair of the Villa Park Community 630-514-9961 Earlier thisVeterans month, Illinois Gov.Wars JB Pritzker announced the awarding ofNational Open Space Land Acquisition Villa complementary Park of Foreign (VFW) Post 2801 of held its Memorial Day service on Monday mornCommission.

Arbor Day is observed on the last Friday each April.

The Arbor Day Foundation 630-514-9961 Development (OSLAD) grants several communities throughout the state.

The Village Villa Park ing Cortesi Veterans Memorial Park.

Post Commander Jim is pictured bowingof his head as kdrury@atproperties.com hasatrecognized Villaanalysis Park with to Tree City USA designation forBlankshain 36 straight years.

To receive that recognimarket received one of those grants—a $400,000 grant to redevelop Lufkin Park.

The park, located at 1000 S. Willowbrook High School students Lily Hendrickson and Anna Seelbach sound at the end ofcomthe kdrury@atproperties.com tion, a community must have a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, ataps comprehensive of your home!!

Ardmore Ave., has been vacant the last few was years.

The public pool at closed at the end of ceremony.

The post’s 2020 Memorial Day event canceled because of the the park COVID-19 pandemic.

This munity forestry program and anfor Arbor Day observance. the 2017 season. The pool and pool building were demolished in 2019.

The redevelopment plansdied. for year’s observance included a reading of the names of the Post 2801 members who have recently Lufkin Park include the installation of a walking trail, a playground, a ninja course, a floating fishing pier, That list included World War II veteran Charles “Sid” Bergh, who served as the master of ceremonies I would to help! a pad and a band shell performance area.

The village’s for redevelopment calldied for an ofspray the post’s annual Memorial Day service for several years. Aplans veteran of the U.S. Navy,also Bergh in expansion of the October 2020.

Hepark’s was 94pond. years old. Bergh was the post’s last surviving World War II veteran.

LOW INVENTORY!

Federal judge sets trial date for State Sen. Tom Cullerton--Page 4

2 • Thursday, July 21, 2022 - Rock Valley Publishing

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Rock Valley Publishing - Thursday, July 21, 2022 • 3

Pritzker announces new IDPH pick, further scales back COVID-19 orders

By Jerry Nowicki

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

Illinois will soon have a new Department of Public Health director and its first electric vehicles coordinator after Gov. JB Pritzker announced those appointments in recent days.

Dr. Sameer Vohra, a Springfield pediatrician, will still need approval from the state Senate to become the permanent replacement for former Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike, who retired as the state’s health director to lead Sinai Health System, a nonprofit safety net hospital.

Until then he will serve in an “acting” capacity.

Vohra is a general pediatrician who holds degrees in law and public policy, with a recent focus on improving health outcomes in central and southern Illinois, according to the governor’s office. He serves as an associate professor of pediatrics at the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, where he received his medical doctorate.

Vohra said in a news release he

was humbled by the announcement.

“Gov. Pritzker, along with the dedicated staff of IDPH, have served our state admirably during the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said. “I am honored to lead this agency into the future, continuing to keep us safe from emerging illnesses, supporting our public health workers, and promoting wellness in every community across Illinois.”

Vohra’s job, which will officially begin Aug. 1, comes with a salary of $185,673. At that time, he will replace Amaal Tokars, an Ezike deputy who has been filling the post since the former director’s departure.

She’ll remain an assistant director.

Vohra completed a residency in pediatrics and a Master of Arts in public policy at the University of Chicago, and has a juris doctorate from SIU School of Law, where he graduated first in his class. He completed his undergraduate studies at Northwestern University.

“Dr. Vohra is accomplished in every sense of the word,” Pritzker said in a statement announcing the ap-

pointment. “His experience and education transcend sectors and fields, bringing a well-rounded perspective to this agency. As a leader in state and national health policy, I have absolute confidence in Dr. Vohra’s ability to continue shaping a stronger IDPH for the 21st century.”

COVID-19 executive orders scaled back Pritzker’s announcement of a new IDPH director came as he continued to scale back the scope of his executive orders related to a COVID-19 disaster declaration that has been ongoing in 30-day periods since March 2020.

His latest executive order, issued July 12, decreased the level of testing required for unvaccinated health care workers.

Unvaccinated workers at skilled nursing facilities, homes for the developmentally disabled and other long-term care facilities will be required to test weekly only when COVID-19 transmission levels are at a moderate level, and twice weekly

at substantial or high levels as classified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Testing is not required where transmission levels are low, according to the governor’s order.

For hospitals and other facilities, weekly testing is required where transmission levels are high, while no testing is required in areas of lower transmission.

As of July 14, the COVID-19 transmission level, a metric based on new cases per 100,000 individuals over the previous seven days, was high in all of the state’s 102 counties, according to the CDC. The level was only considered “low” in 1.4 percent of the entire U.S. The latest executive order does not reissue vaccine mandates for emergency services personnel or higher education employees or students.

Mandates will remain in place at K-12 schools and day cares.

Pritzker’s latest disaster declaration runs through July 24, and he noted in a June 30 interview with Capitol News Illinois he plans to continue

to issue the orders while ramping down their scope.

“We have significantly reduced the number of things that fall under our executive orders with regard to COVID,” he said. “In fact, if you look back every month, a little bit less, a little bit less, we’re ramping down things. Some of them are hugely important to keep people safe even now. And we’re not entirely out of the pandemic. So, we want to make sure that we’re helping people as we ramp down the executive orders.

Most importantly, what we’ve done has worked, we’ve kept thousands of people alive, who otherwise would have passed away.”

There were 1,342 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 as of July 12, up about 200-300 from the same time last month but still far off the pandemic highs of January, when more than 7,000 Illinoisans were hospitalized. COVID-19 patients occupied 150 intensive care unit beds, also far below pandemic highs when more than 1,200 ICU beds were occupied by COVID-19 patients.

WorkNet DuPage launches #ComeOnIn campaign WorkNet DuPage is inviting members of the public to #ComeOnIn to view its recently renovated career center at 2525 Cabot Drive, Lisle.

The newly renovated public space delivers a welcoming atmosphere for job seekers. Clients can take ad-

vantage of a new computer lab with state-of-the-art technology, additional workshop rooms, and updated conference settings. Also private office spaces are available for residents to conduct virtual, phone, or in-person job interviews in a quiet, professional setting with reliable high-speed internet.

“These renovations showcase the workNet DuPage Career Center as DuPage County’s premier employment and career services resource,” said DuPage County economic development committee chairwoman

Amy Chavez. “Our new space was designed with clients in mind, as were our new and expanded program offerings. We want job seekers to know workNet professionals can assist them with each step of their search.”

sume templates, job boards, career exploration tools, subscription-only company research databases, and printers.

Assistive devices and technology for job seekers with disabilities are also available.

Job seekers invited to use office space free WorkNet invites job seekers to make the center their temporary office space at no cost. The center’s facilities include workstations with easy access to resources such as re-

Testing location WorkNet’s DuPage Center was also recently designated a NorthStar testing location, where residents can #ComeOnIn and take online, self-guided, basic computer skill assessments to measure mastery of skills in 14 different areas, including Microsoft Word and Excel.

Residents are also welcome to take free practice exams for credentials such as Project Management Professional, Commercial Driver’s

Bond set at $1 million for woman accused of financial crimes 39-count indictment alleges theft of government property and financial institution fraud

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced that bond was set for a Hanover Park woman accused of illegally obtaining more than $80,000 in loans from the SBA Payment Protection Program (PPP).

Destiney Baker, 36, appeared at a bond hearing where Judge Susan Alvarado set bond at $1 million with 10 percent to apply. In all, Baker is charged with eight counts of theft of government property (Class 1 felony), two counts of continuing financial crimes enterprise (Class 1 felony), five counts of financial institution fraud (Class 2 felony), 12 counts of forgery (Class 3 felony) and 12 counts of issuing a forged document (Class 3 felony). On July 7, Judge Margaret O’Connell granted the state’s motion for a proof of funds hearing at which

Baker must prove that any funds used to post bond were not illegally obtained.

Through the course of their investigation involving four pending financial crimes cases against Baker, investigators learned that Baker had allegedly illegally applied for five government-sponsored PPP loans. It is alleged that in three of these loans Baker used her name with a false social security number and in the other two Baker used other people’s names, including the name of a deceased individual who is a victim in one of the other cases against Baker.

It is alleged that when applying for the PPP loans, Baker submitted false tax and bank documents to support a non-existent health-care business affected by COVID.

It is alleged that Baker was paid more than $80,000 from those loans.

Baker was taken into custody July 14 when authorities found her loading a moving truck in front of her home.

“It is alleged that at a time when legitimate businesses across the state of Illinois were in desperate need of assistance and struggling to stay afloat, Ms. Baker created a fictitious business in an attempt to defraud the government of tens of thousands of dollars,” Berlin said. “If these allegations are proven to be true, Ms. Baker attempted to line her pockets to the detriment of small businesses in Illinois. I thank the Hanover Park Police Department for their assistance in this case.”

Baker’s next court appearance is scheduled Aug. 1 for arraignment in front of Judge Margaret O’Connell.

License, and Cisco Certified Network Associate.

Other offerings available at the location include: • A job club led by the Career and Networking Center • Financial fitness classes led by H.O.M.E. DuPage • Digital literacy courses taught by People’s Resource Center • Health Department information sessions • Onsite recruitment meetings with employers • Skill Up DuPage orientations WorkNet DuPage is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is located near Pace bus route 714.

To learn more, visit worknetdupage.org or call 630-955-2030.

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4VP • Thursday, July 21, 2022 - Rock Valley Publishing

988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline now available

Villa Park reView Your Hometown Newspaper 240 N. West Avenue Elmhurst, IL. 60126 Main Phone 630.834-8244 Fax 630.834-0900 The Villa Park Review is published every Thursday by Rock Valley Publishing, LLC, 240 N. West Avenue, Elmhurst, IL. 60126.

Gov. JB Pritzker has announced that the Illinois Department of Human Services’ (IDHS) Division of Mental Health, in coordination with the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), is expanding Illinois’ mental health safety net by rolling out 988—a new, nationwide suicide prevention and mental health crisis line.

The code is now available.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which has existed since 2005, is now available nationwide

via a three-digit dialing code—988— making it easier for those in crisis to get the help they need.

Converting to this easy-to-remember number offers the public increased access to potentially lifesaving, trained crisis counselors.

State and federal funding have made it possible to increase staffing at Illinois’ six existing 988 call centers to ensure that calls are answered in-state.

“Thanks to the many incredible counselors answering the call to serve those in crisis, the expanded 988

Lifeline number will help save many lives,” said Pritzker. “To any Illinois resident who might be struggling, know that you are not alone. We are here to support you. You can receive help by dialing or texting 988.”

The 988 call and text line is a crucial first step toward ensuring SAMSHA’s three-part aspiration for our country: that over time, all Americans experiencing mental health crises have someone to call, someone to respond, and somewhere to go.

The new code is a first step toward transforming crisis care in America, a

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Administration: Chris Fox News Coordinator Debra Hamilton Advertising Director

SUBMITTED PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing

District 88 Board recognizes Willowbrook’s Science Olympiad team

Pete Cruger Publisher

Advertising: Brenda Garcia Kate McCarty

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

For home delivery information call 630.834-8244.

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

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

Postmaster: Please send address changes to: THE VILLA PARK REVIEW 240 N. West Avenue, Elmhurst, IL. 60126

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 11am-3pm

419968

The District 88 Board of Education honored several district students during the June 20 board meeting. The students were recognized for their state-level and national-level achievements during the spring season of the 2021-22 school year. The honored students included members of Willowbrook High School’s Science Olympiad team. The team competed in the Illinois Science Olympiad State Tournament in April. Two members of the team—Neeraja Kumar (left) and Ryan Riley (right) are pictured at the board meeting. Kumar and Riley are both members of Willowbrook’s Class of 2023. Illinois Science Olympiad is a non-profit organization devoted to improving the quality of science education, increasing student interest in science and providing recognition for outstanding achievement in science education by students and teachers.

St. Paul Lutheran Church plans community celebrations St. Paul Lutheran Church, located at 545 S. Ardmore Ave., Villa Park, invites the surrounding community to join in celebrating completion of its major renovation.

The celebration begins with three open houses, which will include tours.

The first open house will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 3, at 7 p.m. The second open house will begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 6, while the third open house will start at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 7.

The celebration continues with a fiesta that kicks off homecoming weekend at the church. The fiesta, which starts at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10, will feature tacos and fellowship.

A congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, St. Paul Lutheran Church has been rooted in its Villa Park neighborhood for over 80 years. Renovations began in April 2021 and have made the church campus more welcoming and accessible.

Improvements include an eleva-

tor, new restrooms, more parking, an additional entrance and more flexible spaces. These changes will support the church’s ongoing work in the community, including St. Paul Christian Day Care and the Hands and Feet Outreach, which provides basic household necessities, personal care items and baby items to DuPage County residents.

For more information about St. Paul Lutheran Church, its faith community, and its work in the wider community, visit its website at stpaulvp.org.

Knights of Columbus family barbecue this Saturday The Villa Park Knights of Columbus will be hosting a family-oriented barbecue from noon-6 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at St. Alexander Church, 300 S. Cornell, Villa Park.

The barbecue includes a raffle and family friendly activities to benefit local scout troops.

Food items available will be

smoked brisket, pulled pork, burgers, hot dogs, roasted corn on the cob, baked beans, cole slaw and chips.

The price for a hand-smoked beef brisket or pulled pork combo meal is $10; $7 for a burger combo; $5 for a hot dog combo.

The raffle includes raffling off prizes that includes a portable gas

Weber grill, Yeti cooler, sports tickets and more.

There also will be music and games.

Admission is free; proceeds benefit Scout Troops 199 and the Knights of Columbus.

For more information, go to Facebook and visit: @VillaParkKnights.

universal entry point to needed crisis services in line with access to other emergency medical services.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young adults ages 15-34 in Illinois and fourth leading cause of death for those ages 35-44. Overall, suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the state.

“This is good government doing the right thing for our citizens,” State Rep. Deb Conroy (D-Villa Park).

“988 is an important step for Illinois to improve the accessibility of mental health help for the people of Illinois.”

Obituaries

DAVID WEILAND, 71 David Weiland, age 71, was born in LaCrosse, Wis., on Jan. 2, 1951. He graduated from Aquinas High School in LaCrosse, Wis., in 1969 and received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1973. He then moved to the Chicago area in 1974 to start his career in engineering.

Early in his first job he met his soulmate, Carol Schrader, and they married in May 1977. He started as an engineer and continued to advance his career with increasing responsibilities, culminating in achieving the Electrical Department Manager role. After 10 years in that position, he stepped down from the manager role to do what he really loved, engineering.

He was blessed throughout his life with loving parents, siblings who both cared and inspired, a wife whose love and belief made life meaningful and joyous, and the two children who filled him with pride and humility. Given a lifetime filled with blessings, he tried to give back in a small way by mentoring young engineers, coaching various sports for kids, tutoring math for adults studying for their GED and volunteering at Habitat for Humanity to help deserving people obtain a house and home.

Beloved husband of Carol Weiland, nee Schrader; loving father of Michelle Weiland and Stephen Weiland; fond brother of Marie (the late Kent) Thurston, the late Richard (Mary Jane) Weiland, the late Lori Patros, and the late Sue Welch; uncle of many nieces and nephews.

Memorial Gathering, Thursday, July 21, from 3-8 p.m. Prayer service at 5 p.m. Memorials to Restore, Addison are appreciated. Funeral info: knollcrest.net or 630-932-1500.

BETTE WEIR, 97 Bette Weir, nee McIntyre, age 97, of Villa Park, Illinois. Beloved wife of the late Jerome Weir; loving mother of James, Tom, Mari, and loving motherin-law to Judy; devoted grandmother of Jerome (Julie Ann); great-grandmother of Karley and Kendall; and friend to many of all ages.

Bette was a devoted parishioner of St. A’s since 1950 and worked for the Villa Park Public Library for 26 years.

Services were held Tuesday July 19.

Interment was private. Funeral info: steuerlefh.com or 630-832-4161.

Rock Valley Publishing - Thursday, July 21, 2022 • 5VP

Mariners conclude regular season with a battle against Lombard STAFF REPORT

Waves edge Villa Park in the overall standings; Mariners will finish their season at this Saturday’s Blue Division ‘A’ Meet

The Villa Park Mariners finished their 2022 regular season with last week’s home meet against the Lombard Waves.

The visiting Waves outscored Villa Park 363-295 in the July 13 meet at Jefferson Pool. The Mariners won 27 of the meet’s 58 individual events in their competitive contest against Lombard. Villa Park swimmers prevailed in nine of the meet’s 20 relay races.

The Mariners finished their regular season with a record of 3-4.

Villa Park’s individual champions in last week’s meet against the Waves included Naomi Aldana, who won three events in the 13-14 girls level.

She earned her victories in the 100-meter individual medley (which she completed in 1 minute, 18.39 seconds), the 50-meter butterfly (which she finished in 33.07 seconds) and the 50-meter breaststroke (41.01).

Lydia Aldana also won three individual events for the Mariners in last week’s meet against the Waves.

Swimming in the 9-10 girls division, she delivered wins in the 100-meter individual medley (1:47.33), the 50-meter butterfly (52.80) and the 50-meter breaststroke (56.72).

The Villa Park swimmers who won two individual events in the meet against Lombard included Kyle

King, who won a pair of races in the 8-and-under boys level. He swam to first-place finishes in the 25-meter freestyle (30.27) and the 25-meter breaststroke (38.92).

Ruth Aldana of the Mariners swam to two wins in the 8-and-under girls level of last week’s meet. She won the 25-meter freestyle (23.52) and the 50-meter freestyle (51.80).

Elin Stempel of Villa Park provided a pair of wins in the 9-10 girls division during the July 13 meet against the Waves. She won the 100-meter freestyle (1:41.04) and the 50-meter backstroke (51.61).

Ryan Mueller of the Mariners won the 9-10 boys level’s 100-meter individual medley (2:00.55) and 50-meter butterfly (1:08.32) during last week’s meet against Lombard.

Villa Park’s Phoebe Aldana swam to two wins in the 11-12 girls level of the meet against the Waves. She earned her victories in the 100-meter individual medley (1:31.46) and the 50-meter butterfly (41.07).

Maisie Thompson of the Mariners earned two individual victories against Lombard. Competing in the 13-14 girls division, she won the 50-meter freestyle (34.51) and the 50-meter backstroke (41.09).

Ian Mueller posted a pair of firstplace finishes for the Mariners in their

regular-season finale against Lombard.

He won the 100-meter individual medley (1:29.16) and the 50-meter breaststroke (43.98) in the 13-14 boys level.

Villa Park’s other individual champions in the July 13 meet against the Waves included: Leighton Stempel (8-and-under girls; 25-meter backstroke-29.52), Mary Turner (15-18 girls; 100-meter individual medley-1:34.51), Grace Roscoe (15-18 girls; 50-meter breaststroke-43.31), Cillian Connolly (9-10 boys; 50-meter backstroke-1:07.11), Ryan King (11-

12 boys; 100-meter individual medley-1:58.51), Jurgen Carrola (13-14 boys; 50-meter backstroke-45.95) and Alexander Dean (15-18 boys; 50-meter backstroke-36.38).

The Mariners’ 9-10 girls foursome of Elin Stempel, Lydia Aldana, Ary Carrola and Colleen Pienkos won a pair of relay races against Lombard.

The four Villa Park swimmers won the 200-meter medley relay (3:26.76) and the 200-meter freestyle relay (3:05.35).

Villa Park’s 9-10 boys foursome of Cillian Connolly, Caleb Vaughan, Ryan

CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing

The Villa Park Mariners wrapped up their regular season with last week’s meet against the Lombard Waves at Jefferson Pool. The visiting Waves outscored the Mariners 363-295 in the team results. The Villa Park swimmers who won multiple individual events in the July 13 meet against Lombard included Lydia Aldana (bottom left), who won three events in the 9-10 girls level. She is pictured during her victory in the 100-meter individual medley. Another photo shows Ryan Mueller (left) of the Mariners, who claimed two wins in the 9-10 boys division. He’s pictured during his first-place performance in the 100-meter individual medley. One more photo shows Villa Park’s Elin Stempel (above), who won two individual events against Lombard. She is pictured during her winning effort in the 9-10 girls level’s 100-meter freestyle. Some Mariners finished the 2022 season by competing in Saturday’s DuPage Swim and Dive Conference Blue Division ‘B’ Meet in Hanover Park. Other Villa Park swimmers will conclude the season by participating in this Saturday’s Blue Division ‘A’ meet in Glendale Heights.

Mueller and Everett Vea also swam to two relay wins against the Waves. The four boys won the 200-meter medley relay (4:14.18) and the 200-meter freestyle relay (3:36.82).

The Mariners’ 8-and-under girls foursome of Leighton Stempel, Caitlin McQuillan, Ariana Knudtson and Ruth Aldana won the 100-meter medley relay (1:57.83).

Villa Park’s 11-12 girls quartet of Sophia Maffia, Lauren Chivilo, Phoebe Aldana and Soleil Capulong won the 200-meter medley relay (3:13.16).

Ryan King, Sean Daly, Nolan Raczkowski and Andrew Urton formed the Mariners’ winning team in the 11-12 boys level’s 200-meter medley relay (3:58.75).

Jurgen Carrola, Ian Mueller, Nick Van Dyke and Aiden Aristuk teamed up to provide the Mariners with a win in the 13-14 boys division’s 200-meter medley relay (3:02.00).

The Mariners’ 15-18 boys foursome of Alexander Dean, Scotty Fitzgerald, James Burns and Benjamin Dean won the 200-meter medley relay (2:19.75).

Villa Park swimmers won seven of the eight individual medley races during last week’s meet against the Waves. The Mariners prevailed in seven of the meet’s 10 medley relays.

Some Villa Park swimmers concluded the 2022 season by competing in Saturday’s DuPage Swim and Dive Conference Blue Division ‘B’ Meet in Hanover Park. Other Mariners will finish the season by swimming in this Saturday’s Blue Division ‘A’ Meet in Glendale Heights.

The Mariners will battle swimmers from three other teams (Glendale Heights, Hanover Park and Wood Dale/Addison) in this Saturday’s season finale.

Willowbrook baseball standout recognized

Max Vaisvila, who led Willowbrook High School’s baseball team to the West Suburban Gold Conference championship during the 2022 spring season, recently received all-state recognition from the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA).

Vaisvila, who is a member of Willowbrook’s Class of 2022, was named to the IHSBCA Class 4A All-State Team. He was recognized at the District 88 Board of Education’s June 20 meeting. Vaisvila (left) is pictured at the meeting with Willowbrook head baseball coach Vic Wisner (right). A left-handed pitcher, Vaisvila posted a 9-0 record during the Warriors’ 2022 season. He struck out 95 batters in 47 innings while posting an earnedrun average of 1.19. Vaisvila helped Willowbrook to an overall record of 25-5 during his senior season.

The Warriors posted a 15-3 record in West Suburban Gold Conference play to win sole possession of the conference title. Vaisvila, who earned academic allconference honors during the recent season, will SUBMITTED PHOTO Rock Valley Publishing continue his baseball and academic careers at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. “He challenges himself in the classroom,” said Wisner of Vaisvila during last month’s board meeting. “He’s an amazing, amazing baseball player.” Vaisvila plans to study business and real estate at Loras College.

6 • Thursday, July 21, 2022 - Rock Valley Publishing

Police Reports Area police departments recently reported the following arrests and citations. Readers are reminded that an arrest does not constitute a conviction, and that suspects are considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Persons charged with domestic battery are not named in order to protect the privacy of victims.

Juveniles age 17 or younger are not named.

Addison July 12 Kedrick S. Dennis, 42, of Lombard, was charged with two counts of DUI near Maple and Diversey at 3:03 a.m.

July 11 Reneyda Aguilar Hurtado, 49, of Addison, was charged with battery in the 200 block of W. Lake at 3:20 p.m.

Israel Sotelo, 27, of Chicago, was charged with possession of cannabis between 100 and 500 grams.

July 10 Valerio Morales-Tomas, 28, of Addison, was charged with DUI in the 100 block of S. Lincoln at 1:34 a.m.

July 9 Luiggi A. Valencia Chalen, 23, of Addison, was charged with DUI and unlawful use of cannabis by a driver in the 500 block of W. Lake at 3:13 a.m.

evidence that was gang related. a.m.

Gregory A. Mandrek, 38, of Streamwood, was charged with pos- July 7 session of a controlled substance at Police said Abdulsmad R. Ismail, 2 p.m.

40, of Downers Grove, was arrested on a failure to appear warrant out of July 4 DuPage County near N. Grace and E. A 36-year-old Addison man was North at 9:41 p.m. charged with two counts of domestic Retail theft was reported at a store battery in the 500 block of N. Green in the 900 block of S. Route 83 at Ridge at 11:23 p.m.

4:07 a.m. A complainant reported that an unknown suspect removed July 3 multiple items from display shelves Armando Alvarez Renteria, 32, of and left the store without paying.

Cicero, was charged with criminal A complainant at a restaurant in damage to property in the 300 block the 100 block of E. North reported of W. Fullerton at 8:10 p.m. at 5:31 p.m. that an unknown suspect David Varghese Babu, 32, of Elm- damaged their vehicle while it was hurst, was charged with two counts parked in the parking lot. of DUI, illegal lane usage and following too close near Lake and Lin- July 6 coln at 12:05 a.m.

A 20-year-old Villa Park woman was charged with domestic battery July 2 in the 500 block of N. Westmore at Cornelio J. Anaya, 30, of Addi- 12:18 a.m. son, was charged with two counts of A male juvenile was charged with threatening a public official and pos- aggravated battery in the 400 block session of a controlled substance in of W. Division at 11:49 p.m. the 800 block of W. College at 9 p.m.

July 5 June 30 Zacarie R. Johnson, 18, of ChiGustavo Alonso Samaniego, 25, of cago, was charged with aggravated Addison, was charged with DUI and unlawful use of cannabis by a driver in the 300 block of W. Dale at 8:56 a.m.

Tarahjiaun Jones-Boone, 20, of Elmhurst, was charged with possession of a controlled substance in the 700 block of E. Lake.

unlawful use of a weapon on person or in a vehicle and obstructing identification at a hotel in the 1-100 block of W. Roosevelt at 8:55 a.m. Romiell D. Nesbitt, 18, of Springfield, and Travon L. Duncan, 20, of Oak Park, were charged with obstruction identification at the hotel at 8:55 a.m. Additionally, police said Duncan was arrested on a failure to appear warrant out of another police department at the hotel at 8:55 a.m.

Police said Joseph A. Whelan, 28, of Villa Park, was arrested on an original complaint and warrant at a store in the 600 block of w. North at 11:48 p.m.

A 58-year-old Villa Park man was charged with two counts of domestic battery and two counts of battery.

July 4 Tomas Galenan-Gonzalez, 34, of Villa Park, was charged with two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer, two counts of DUI, possession of a controlled substance, aggravated DUI-license suspended or revoked, driving while license suspended or revoked and no insurance near S. Ardmore and E. Monroe at 10:22 p.m.

Police said Gregory B. Martin, 46, of Villa Park, was arrested on a failure to appear warrant out of DuPage County near S. Euclid and E. Wildwood at 4:08 p.m.

Police said Mauricio Riva, 34, of Villa Park was arrested on two failure to appear warrants out of DuPage County at 1:07 a.m. He also was issued citations no valid driver’s license and disobeying a stop sign near N. Addison and W. Vermont.

Jeffrey A. Smrz, 58, of Villa Park, was charged with aggravated assault/use of a deadly weapon in the 200 block of N. Michigan at 6:02 p.m.

A complainant in the 300 block of N. Yale reported at 10:08 a.m. that an unknown suspect damaged their vehicle while parked in a parking lot.

A complainant in the 500 block of W. Division reported that a suspect(s) battered them. The complainant does not want to press charges.

July 3 A 38-year-old Glen Ellyn man was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 300 block of E. Wildwood at 8:38 p.m.

Jesse White: Be aware of scams targeting Illinoisans

July 8 Daniel Christopher Pinkowski, 30, of Spring Grove, was charged with Villa Park DUI-drugs in the 1-100 block of W. July 9 Lake at 1:06 a.m.

Keyra C. Gutierrez, 20, of Chicago, was charged with fleeing or July 5 attempting to elude police, speeding Secretary of State Jesse White is Marisa E. Aguilar, 28, of Addison, 26-34 mph over the limit and diswas charged with possession of a obeying a traffic control device near reminding residents to be on alert for controlled substance and destroying N. Route 83 and W. North at 3:10 scams claiming to be from the Secretary of State’s office or from “Illinois DMV” seeking personal information to defraud Illinoisans.

White said there is a new round of fraudsters’ attempts to entice the public into falling victim to scam texts and emails.

“I have zero tolerance for scammers who prey on people in desperate times,” said White. “My office is committed to protecting Illinoisans from falling victim to these fraudulent schemes.”

The most recent scam is a text message claiming to be from “Illinois DMV.” The text message states, “Due to increased fuel prices, State of Illinois has initiated rebate payStolper Insurance Agency Inc You could be lowering your ments of $1.500 per vehicle. Check Brian D Stolper, President insurance bill by upping your 447 N York Street eligibility.” This is a scam; do not

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Visiting these fraudulent websites could place malware on the recipients’ devices or trick them into disclosing sensitive personal information. The Secretary of State’s Office never requests personal information, like a Social Security number, via email or text message.

“Delete the text or email,” said White. “Do not click on these texts or emails and do not provide any of your personal information to these fraudsters.”

White encourages people to take steps to protect their personal information: • Delete emails and texts that promise or offer access to driver’s licenses or state ID cards. Do not click on any links contained in such emails or text messages, as they may place malware on devices.

• Hang up on any calls, including robocalls, that ask individuals to take immediate action or provide personally identifiable information, such as a Social Security number or bank account number.

• Keep software up to date, including phone and computer operating systems and antivirus protection programs. Most phones, computers and antivirus software can be set to update automatically when new software versions are released.

White encourages the public to provide screenshots of fraudulent emails or texts by submitting them to ScamAlert@ilsos.gov. Individuals who have clicked on a link, have provided personal information or believe they have been a victim of identity theft, should call the Illinois Attorney General’s Identity Theft Hotline at 866-999-5630.

County provides $2.8 million in relief to hotel, tourism industry

DuPage County voted last week to provide $2.8 million to the DuPage Convention and Visitors Bureau (DVCB) to provide support to local hotels that have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The County Board will provide $2 million for a hotel relief program, $750,000 for a joint business

attraction and marketing program through DCVB and Choose DuPage, and $50,000 for a seven-county regional tourism program. All funds are provided through the federal American Relief Plan Act. “When people visit DuPage County, they shop at our small businesses and eat at our restaurants.

The tourism industry is a vital part

of DuPage County’s economy,” said economic development committee chairwoman Amy Chavez.

“This program will have a direct impact not only on our local hotels, but on our local businesses, helping to boost our local economy.”

For more information, call (630) 575-8070 or visit discoverdupage. com.

Rock Valley Publishing - Thursday, July 21, 2022 • 7

Rock Valley Publishing

Viewpoint

July 21, 2022 • 7

Slices of life

Wrong ride, right attitude

“Life is a lousy spectator sport.”

– John R. Powers When it comes to thrill-seeking, I’ve always embraced being one of the wimpiest of the wimpy. Why ride a roller coaster when you can watch all the fun from the sidelines?

Rhetorical question, to be sure.

Let’s just say I’ve been at peace with being a sidelines gal.

My family is the opposite of wimpy when it comes to thrills.

They think nothing of putting their life on the line if it means riding roller coaster that defies gravity by rolling and turning and spilling its riders upside down—in the dark.

My husband was the biggest thrill seeker of us all. When it came to lifedefying feats on rides named with words like “Wild Venom,” “Mission Death” and “Monster Intimidator,” he was like a kid in a candy store.

My kids all inherited his lack of judgment when tackling wild rides.

In other words, they love them.

Because I love what my family loves, exciting amusement park excursions have always been one of our favorite family activities.

We had our latest adventure earlier this year when we visited not one, but four, theme parks—all part of the great Mickey empire. This was our first trip without my husband, and I went in with an open heart, open mind, a smile on my face and a tissue or two in my pocket.

The first day of the trip was uneventful, thrill-wise. The biggest baddest ride in the park was closed down for maintenance. I said a prayer of thanks and explored animal adventures with my grand babies.

The second morning of our trip, I was feeling confidant. I was ready to stand in long lines. I was ready to practice patience. I was ready for the heat—to a degree. I was ready for the rides—to a degree. I was ready to go fast, take a sharp turn or two and maybe even climb and descend a hill with a quick drop. Just not anything crazy like going upside down in the dark. That feat of valor could be saved for another day—like maybe tomorrow, or maybe the day after that.

When you enter a busy amusement park on a busy morning, it’s imperative to have a plan. In order to minimize wait time and maximize ride time you need to know exactly where you want to go and you have to be willing to run to get there.

By

JILL PERTLER Columnist

On that morning of the second day, my boys had it all figured out and sprinted to a ride that featured Aerosmith and music and some sort of roller coaster. I thought I remembered riding said coaster in the past so I confidently joined them in line (huffing and puffing after our run).

The wait was 45 minutes. No biggie!! Minutes (hours, even) in park time waiting lines—or queues as they are known to us insiders—are not the same as time outside the park.

Time outside the park—it is linear.

Time inside the park? It doesn’t really exist, except for opening in the morning, closing at night and parade times throughout the day. Otherwise, time is a non-entity.

Back to our first ride of the second morning: we were 43 minutes into the queue when we heard a woman directly in front of us lamenting because she was afraid of spinning upside down.

Me (thinking I knew the ride): “This doesn’t go upside down!”

Two teen boys in front of us laughed and quickly replied, “Yes it does!”

I looked at my own boys, dumbfounded. They just smiled, almost daring me to back out at this point. I was 43 minutes invested for goodness sakes, and all in. I boarded that ride and didn’t look back (or forward, for that matter) Yes, we did go upside down. More than once. More than twice. (Yikes!)

Yes, I did close my eyes practically the whole time. But I did it! And, I survived.

My life has changed in the last year and a half, and that means I’ve changed as well. I used to be OK standing on the sidelines. I’ve since decided life might be better spent as a participant, rather than a spectator.

You only get the chance to do this once. I’m going to make the most of it. Bring on the roller coasters!

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

Conroy measure would prohibit FOIDs for minors until age 24 Would apply to those who are a threat to harm themselves, others

Minors who attempt or cause physical harm to themselves or others would be unable to receive approval for a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card (FOID) until age 24 under a proposal introduced Friday by state Rep. Deb Conroy, D-Elmhurst.

“The horrific Highland Park parade shooting was carried out by a young individual who had raised red flags with his behavior in recent years and should have never possessed nor had easy access to a weapon of war,” she said. “If you have a clear history of violent behavior and recklessly endangering others, you should not receive easy access to guns just because you turned 18. We have to better consider past incidents and understand that too many of these individuals do not possess the maturity nor

responsibility to handle a weapon.”

Conroy’s House Bill 5766 outlines that minors who attempt or cause physical self-harm or harm to another are subject to denial or revocation of a FOID card. Until age 24, such individuals are presumed to be a person whose mental condition is of such a nature that it poses a clear and present danger. Additionally, the proposal provides that a physician, clinical psychologist, qualified examiner, law enforcement official, school administrator or other person aware of a minor’s violent incident shall report the incident to the Department of Human Services.

21, reportedly had a history of making threats to his family and had previously tried to take his own life in 2019.

The 18-year-old Uvalde shooter similarly had a reported history of making violent threats to others. The 18-year-old Buffalo shooter also reportedly threatened a school shooting last year.

All three individuals legally obtained their firearms used in their mass killings.

“Time and again, we are witnessing tragedies carried out by individuals who were outwardly expressing a desire for violence,” Conroy said.

“We have to tighten our laws, and Measure may thwart incidents this would be a good step forward that more properly accounts for menlike Highland Park shooting The Highland Park shooter, who is tal maturity.”

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8 • Thursday, July 21, 2022 - Rock Valley Publishing

ALL ABOARD THE

Forest preserve district fall tree and shrub sale Aug. 1

Explore Elmhurst Express!

Ride

FRIDAYS & SATURDAYS NOON - MIDNIGHT

Find the perfect native tree or shrub for your yard by shopping the DuPage Forest Preserve District’s Fall Native Tree and Shrub Sale.

Online ordering begins Aug. 1, and trees and shrubs can be picked up Friday, Sept.

23 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 24, from 9 a.m. to noon at St. James Farm in Warrenville.

Gardeners must order trees and shrubs in advance; they will not be able to shop at St. James Farm. Orders will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last and are subject to nursery availability.

The sale will feature 41 different species of native trees and shrubs all grown locally from seed within 100 miles of DuPage County. A list of plants for sale can be found at dupageforest.org/fall-tree-shrub-sale.

Fall is the best time to plant native trees and shrubs. It gives them an extra growing season before the stress of summer, and there’s no need to worry about young natives trees surviving winter because they go dormant — the plant equivalent of hibernation.

Native trees and shrubs are good garden additions because they are better equipped to handle Illinois weather conditions and don’t require fertilizer, pesticides, herbicides or watering once established.

They provide greater soil stability and food and habitat for native wildlife, including pollinators. Native oaks are especially important because they are a keystone species, meaning many other plants and animals rely on them for food and shelter.

All proceeds from the Fall Tree and Shrub Sale go to support educational programming at the forest preserve district.

The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County has been connecting people to nature for more than 100 years. More than 6.2 million people visit its 60 forest preserves, 166 miles of trails, six education centers and scores of programs each year.

For information, call 630-933-7200 or visit dupageforest.org, where you can also link to the district’s e-newsletter, blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok pages.

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Rock Valley Publishing - Thursday, July 21, 2022 • 9

IC Catholic Prep girls basketball team excited about summer progress Geiger, McDonough lead the way for Knights

CORRESPONDENT

IC Catholic Prep girls basketball coach Todd Fisher was more than pleased with how his squad progressed during the recently completed summer season “It was a lot of fun,” he said. “We went hard in June and now we will take the month of July off. We did some open gyms, held our grade-school camp, and had a great turnout. It was a very competitive month. We went over a lot of things. There was a lot of learning.

We implemented some new things.

We look forward to getting everything going again when the season starts.”

The Knights had no formal game activity in the form of league games, tournaments, or shootouts. “The kids are very busy in the summer,” Fisher noted. “Nancy (IC Catholic Prep girls volleyball coach Kerrigan) has her volleyball stuff in July and cross-country ramps up. Quite a few kids do travel softball. June was very busy. We just wanted to implement some new things and let the kids get a lot of shots off and work on their games. The progress we saw was good. Our last talk with the kids was to tell them to take some time off and think back to how we ended last year. We saw that hunger to keep going. It’s still there today. The kids are looking forward to getting going again.”

Two key centerpieces for the

Knights are returning all-conference performers Allie Geiger and Kelsey McDonough. Geiger was a third-team all-state selection. “Those two girls will have very good junior years,” Fisher said. “Kelsey worked on her 3-point shot and has been very consistent. Allie has worked on her overall game. Those two kids really stand out and some of our younger kids have stood out.”

Others having strong summers for the Knights include the likes of sophomore guard Grazi Narsisi, junior Mae Bigane and sophomore Maura Grogan. “We had a lot of other kids who looked good,” Fisher said. “The kids were very competitive from the incoming freshmen to the kids who earned postseason accolades last year. It was great. If you look at who we graduated it was Claire Wagner and Fran Cook was our other starter.

If you look at who we have coming back, the nucleus is there. We have a young nucleus with Kelsey and Allie both being juniors. Mae is a junior and Maura and Grazi are sophomores. We’ll see where we end up come October and November, but there is a very good nucleus and it’s a group that has had success with other sports such as volleyball, soccer, and cross country. These are kids who are used to winning and used to success.

They are ultra-competitive.”

Another key performer returning for the Knights is junior multi-sport athlete Analisa Raffaelli. “Analisa

Pritzker pushes for assault weapons ban, federal action Bill pending in General Assembly would prohibit further sales

By Peter Hancock CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

In the wake of a July 4 mass shooting in Highland Park that left seven people dead and dozens more injured, Gov. JB Pritzker is calling for a ban at both the state and national levels on military-style assault rifles and high-capacity magazines.

The governor made those calls on national cable television and at the White House in recent days.

“While I support an assault weapon and high-capacity magazine ban at the state level, we urgently need federal regulation on the weapons of war and high-capacity magazines that are used only for mass murder,” Pritzker said in a statement. “Illinois is not an island, and even with some of the strictest gun laws in the nation, our state is only as safe as the state with the weakest laws—many of which border Illinois.”

The weapon used in the Highland Park shooting has been identified as a Smith and Wesson M&P 15, a semi-automatic rifle that holds

30-round magazines of 5.56mm ammunition. The alleged shooter, Robert Crimo III, reportedly used three such magazines during his attack on a Fourth of July parade, firing off more than 80 shots in a matter of just a few minutes.

Although the letters “M&P” stand for “Military & Police,” it and others like it have been widely available to civilians at sporting goods stores throughout the country.

The weapon used in Highland Park is also similar to guns used in other recent mass shootings, including the May 24 shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, that left 19 children and two teachers dead, and the May 14 shooting at a Buffalo, New York, grocery store that killed 10 people.

All those weapons are modeled after the Colt AR-15, a semi-automatic version of a rifle originally designed for the military.

On July 11, Pritzker and Highland

See BAN, Page 13

does travel softball, but she looked Suburban Conference before switchvery good when she was with us this ing over to the Girls Catholic Athletsummer.” This also will be IC Cath- ic Conference (GCAC). olic Prep’s final season in the Metro “Our schedule is not super-differ-

ent than last year,” Fisher said. “We are adding some different non-conference games. We are looking forward to the season.”

Fall Baseball and Softball Registrations ELMHURST, IL., June 29th, 2022 Register Now to be a part of the Western Suburbs best Fall Baseball and Softball program!

Elmhurst Youth Baseball and EYB Cougars Softball House League Registration – Now Open

Our Fall Baseball and Softball Leagues are a non-competitive league focused on training and player development. It will be a 5 or 6 week program scheduled to take place in September and concluding in October with all practices and games taking place on the weekend.

Games are scheduled for each Saturday with practice prior to each game. If there is a rain-out then the game/practice may be rescheduled for Sunday.

The EYB Cougars softball program is open to girls ages 4 to 14.

Fall ball allows for players to begin practicing and playing in Divisions that they may qualify for in the following Spring season or to continue their development in the Divisions they currently compete.

Registration for the Fall ball season opens today!

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By Mike Miazga

10 • Thursday, July 21, 2022 - Rock Valley Publishing

DuPage County remains at High Community Level for COVID-19 The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) July 15 reported 33,066 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 59 deaths since July 8.

According to the CDC, 50 counties are now rated at High Community Level for COVID-19, an area that includes most of the counties in northern Illinois as well as counties around Peoria, Champaign, Springfield and Quincy. An additional 44 counties in Illinois are now rated at Medium Community Level.

Currently, the IDPH is reporting

a total of 3,496,014 cases, including 34,257 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of the pandemic.

As of July 14, 1,424 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 152 patients were in the ICU and 42 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 260 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans.

“With 94 counties now rated at Medium or High Community Level for COVID-19, we are seeing a slow

but steady increase in case counts,” said IDPH Acting Director Amaal Tokars. “We remind Illinoisans that the most important step they can take to protect themselves and their loved ones is to make sure they are up-to-date with vaccines and booster shots. This is especially important for people who are vulnerable to serious medical outcomes. It is recommended that you wear your mask in indoor public places and avoid indoor crowded spaces at this time. If needed, contact a healthcare provider promptly to discuss what treatment is right for you.”

Tokars is also urging parents and guardians to take the steps necessary to get children vaccinated, especially small children under 5 for whom COVID-19 vaccines were recommended by the CDC on June 18.

Tokars said that IDPH is supporting an education and outreach campaign by the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to educate healthcare providers and parents about the effectiveness and safety of the newly authorized vaccines for children under 5.

The counties listed at High Com-

munity Level are Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Lake, McHenry, Will, Boone, Bureau, LaSalle, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago in northern Illinois; Adams, Cass, Champaign, Christian, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Fulton, Knox, Livingston, Logan, Marshall, McDonough, Menard, Peoria, Pike, Putnam, Sangamon, Schuyler, Tazewell, Vermillion and Warren in central Illinois; and Alexander, Bond, Calhoun, Franklin, Jackson, Jersey, Madison, Marion, Perry, Pulaski, Union, Wabash and Williamson in Southern Illinois.

First Black woman on state Supreme Court sworn in Republican justice succeeds Rita Garman

By Peter Hancock CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

Lisa Holder White was recently sworn in as the first Black woman to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court.

Holder White, who previously served on the 4th District Court of Appeals, was chosen to succeed one of her mentors in the legal profession, retiring Justice Rita B. Garman, who broke many barriers herself as a woman in what was then a male-dominated profession.

“It is truly a historic day for the Land of Lincoln,” Garman said, introducing Holder White. “But even while breaking barriers in the judi-

cial system and serving as an inspiration to others, she has remained humble, true to her roots, and dedicated to ensuring that all those who come before the courts are treated with dignity and with respect.”

The installation ceremony took place at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, a place that Holder White said holds special meaning for her.

“Just last week, while in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, I had the opportunity to see one of the approximately 12 existing copies of the Emancipation

Proclamation signed by President Lincoln,” she said. “Being sworn in as a justice on the Supreme Court of Illinois in the museum dedicated to our 16th President, the man who freed the slaves, my ancestors, is of special significance to me. My heritage is a heritage that once involved minds and bodies that were shackled, and doors that were so, so long closed.”

Holder White, 54, a Republican, was named to the seat in May soon after Garman, also a Republican, announced her retirement. She will serve until Dec. 2, 2024, after a replacement is chosen in the Novem-

ber 2024 election. Holder White previously told Lee Enterprises that she plans to run for a full 10-year term.

A native of Decatur, Holder White earned a bachelor’s degree from Lewis University in Romeoville in 1990 and a law degree from the University of Illinois College of Law in Urbana-Champaign in 1993.

She was named an associate judge in the 6th Judicial Circuit in 2001, making her the first Black judge in that circuit.

She was appointed to the 4th District Court of Appeals in 2013 to

succeed the late Justice John T. McCullough, who died the previous October, making her the first Black judge in the appellate district. She was elected to that seat in 2014.\ Holder White previously served on and chaired the Illinois Supreme Court Judicial Conference Committee on Education, which is charged with planning and providing continuing judicial education for Illinois judges. She also has taught at the biennial Education Conference, which all Illinois state court judges are required to attend, and previously served as an instructor for the state’s “new judge school.”

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CLUES ACROSS 1. Eurasian shrubs 7. Strikes and rebounds 13. Group of advisers 14. Modern necessity 16. Top lawyer in the land 17. Philadelphia university 19. Of I 20. Functions as a laser 22. Basketball phenomenon Jeremy 23. Famed island 25. Parent-teacher groups 26. Distributes 28. Self-immolation by fire ritual 29. Ad __ 30. Circulation problem (abbr.)

31. Brother or sister 33. A famous “Squad” 34. Stage actor Anthony 36. Violent seizure of property 38. Saclike cavities 40. Sound units 41. Counts on 43. Dad 44. Woman (French) 45. A digital tape recording of sound 47. Polish Baltic peninsula 48. Recipe measurement 51. Requests out of dire need 53. Precious stone weight unit 55. The immaterial part of a person 56. Anoint 58. Golf score 59. Supernatural 60. Northwest Territories 61. Can be made suitable 64. A professor’s helper 65. Having a toothlike edge 67. Got atop a horse 69. Judged 70. Static balance between opposing forces CLUES DOWN 1. Flowing 2. Computer department

3. Lasts 4. DiFranco and Samsonyan are two 5. __ de sac 6. Merchant 7. Hosts film festival 8. State of agitation of fuss 9. A way to praise 10. Opaque gems 11. McKinley is one 12. Smallest interval in classical Western music 13. Famed designer Lauren 15. Occupies 18. Small island (British) 21. Misuse of the sacred 24. Covers with a thin sheet 26. Most valuable player 27. Title of respect 30. Investigated discreetly 32. Belonging to the bottom layer

35. Black tropical American cuckoo 37. Music genre 38. Indicates one is in mourning 39. Secured forever 42. Bodily cavity 43. A dog is one 46. Chose to do something 47. Annoy persistently 49. Large hotel rooms 50. Beg 52. Docket 54. Subway dwelling rodent 55. Sources 57. Mild Dutch cheese 59. Spanish city 62. Consumed 63. Ballplayer’s tool 66. Midway between north and east 68. Atomic #3 Answers on pages 13 and 15

12VP • Thursday, July 21, 2022 - Rock Valley Publishing

OK, if they’re going to criminalize women’s health care and outlaw contraception, then they’d better criminalize and make a law against Viagra.

That’ll show them. *** The Consumer Price Index increased 9.1 percent in June compared to last year. That number marks the biggest yearly increase since December of 1981. Illinois has the second highest property taxes in the nation, continues to lose population and businesses, and has $140 billion in unfunded pension debt. Who would want to live in Chicago, let alone have a business there, because of the high crime rate and all the shootings? But hey, let’s look at the bright side. At least we can still get abortions on demand and smoke pot here. *** Since Governor Billionaire is so gung-ho about making Illinois the

abortion mecca of the Midwest, I think he should spend some of his inherited fortune to cover traveling and lodging expenses for anyone out of state who wants an abortion here—and then pay for the abortions so taxpayers like me won’t have to pay for them. *** Uh, oh. Looks like a new bogeyman COVID-19 variant is here. I’ve been noticing more people wearing masks outside or when driving alone in their cars lately. And sure enough, Dr. Fauci is back in the news. Some things never change. Don’t be surprised if Pritzker has us masking up again indoors. *** The National Education Association had made a proposal to replace the word “mother” in contracts with “birthing parent,” and “father” to “non-birthing parent.” Apparently, part of the justification involved redefining “maternity” leave to be more inclu-

Local theater company to present outdoor productions of Shakespeare comedy Matinee performances of “Much Ado About Nothing” to take place July 30, July 31, Aug. 6 and Aug. 7 at the Rugaard Gazebo STAFF REPORT

In collaboration with the Villa Park Parks and Recreation Department, local theater company Saint Genesius Productions will present free outdoor productions of William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” this summer.

The upcoming matinee performances will take place at the Rugaard Gazebo, beginning at 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, July 30 and July 31, and Aug. 6 and Aug. 7.

The gazebo is located along the Illinois Prairie Path, just west of Ardmore Avenue.

Founded in 2011 by Villa Park families, Saint Genesius Productions is a nonprofit committed to building leadership and community through theater arts.

Community members from Villa Park and surrounding suburbs are working to bring one of Shakespeare’s best-known comedies to the public square.

The production’s cast is comprised of actors between the ages of 10 and 26.

Each performance is anticipated to run two and a half hours, including an intermission.

Set within this production’s backdrop of 1920s silent film-era Hollywood, the story finds the fiery lady Beatrice and rakish rogue Benedick at odds during a week of revelry, spurred on by the engagement of their two young companions, Hero and Claudio. When the meddling of well-meaning friends and the cruel designs of a disaffected prince turn comedy into tragedy, unlikely lovers must struggle to find the truth.

The production to be presented in Villa Park includes original music, lively choreography and slapstick fight scenes.

Saint Genesius Productions is offering this free set of performances in conjunction with the Village of Villa Park. Suggested donations of $10 per person will help fund the company’s long-running youth and community theater programs. While the COVID-19 pandemic has not been kind to local arts initiatives across the country, both Villa Park and Saint Genesius Productions have remained steadfast in their commitment to bringing arts and entertainment to a community that is filled with talented kids, teens and young adults.

sive. While I have no problem with renaming it as “parental” leave, or even “guardian” leave as the case may be, the idea of reducing a woman having a baby to being called a birthing parent is so far woke it borders on outrageous.

According to the Washington Times, the proposal did not come up for a vote at the NEA’s recent meeting. But seriously, people, is this where our society is headed? *** When COVID-19 emerged, fastfood restaurants resorted to drivethrough-only service in order to stay open. That was understandable for safety’s sake. As restrictions eased up, social distancing and wearing masks offered a way for dining rooms to open up again. Now, however, the scene is trending back to drive-through service only—and in a few places I have witnessed, not being open at all because of the lack of employees. Even in places where the dining room is open, the lack of enough employees forces them to focus on drive-through customers, leaving dine-in or take-out customers waiting longer just to get their order taken. These places admit there are just not enough employees; that they are not coming back to work.

There is no reason if someone really needs or wants a job they can’t find one, and while it may not be glamorous work, the pay and incentives are getting more competitive and in some cases, even more than I make an hour. This has become a sad reality in our society. *** The police advise etching in the vehicle VIN number on a catalytic converter to discourage theft, but the problem is, by the time the thief notices, it has already been removed. How about changing the metal they are made of,

or having auto manufacturers automatically install a security device? Or holding the catalytic converter buyers accountable to get proof of where the catalytic converter came from? This has gotten out of control. *** First lady Jill Biden made a comment that the Hispanic community is “as unique as breakfast tacos” and mispronounced “bodega” while addressing Latinos. Uh-oh. Has she caught “Biden syndrome?” I hope it’s not contagious. *** It’s amusing how Biden and Harris tout the recent drop in gas prices. I just paid $5.29 a gallon. It’s better than $5.59 a gallon, but are we supposed to be satisfied with paying more than $5 for a gallon of gas? *** When I grew up in the ’70s and ’80s, I knew a couple of girls who could be described as tomboys. They liked sports and they didn’t wear dresses or makeup. It was perfectly normal. I shudder to think of how some today’s leftists might have dealt with those girls. They probably would have encouraged those young girls to take testosterone, undergo surgery and identify themselves as males. *** It’s the middle of July, and it’s hot outside. Six months from now, it will be the middle of January, and it will be cold outside. All of the “climate change” zealots will probably be offended by this obvious observation.

They want to constantly scare people about “an existential emergency” and the threat of “an unlivable planet.”

These zealots should be challenged and mocked. *** One of the main reasons inflation is so high is because Biden and the Dem-

ocrats pushed massive spending with the American Rescue Act. Inflation would be even worse if Biden’s socalled “Build Back Better” disaster had passed. And who was in favor of that?

Democrats like our two senators— Durbin and Duckworth. Democrats are incompetent. *** I’ve noticed that gas prices are well below $5 and the national average is $4.69, yet here in DuPage County and the Chicago area we are still paying well into the mid-$5 range. Is there any discussion and dialogue about lowering our gas costs? Gas prices in DuPage County have consistently always been well above the average. *** This week’s truism. Some politicians’ creed: If you don’t do anything, you can’t be blamed for anything. *** I agree; free Britney. Bring her home get her out of the hands of those Russians. And then when she gets home, fire her from the basketball team and take away her Olympian medals, because she is a real dope. Really, you try and bring drugs into another country?

Duh. *** I have rarely seen media reports about the many crisis pregnancy centers, pro-life advocacy organizations and even churches that have been burned, looted and vandalized by pro-abortion extremist groups such as Jane’s Revenge across the country since Roe v. Wade was overturned— and even before it was overturned.

Why is that? Where is the outrage and 24/7 coverage from CNN, MSNBC, the New York Times, the Washington Post and the mainstream media?

Where is Merrick Garland and the Justice Department? Isn’t this domestic terrorism?

‘Bark in the Park’ previews Guinness World Records attempt at largest dog wedding ceremony An Oct. 2 bid to shatter the Guinness World Records mark for the largest dog wedding ceremony kicks off later this month with a sneak preview event at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneva.

On Tuesday, July 26, the Kane County Cougars host the Lake Country DockHounds, an Oconomowoc, Wis. rival in the American Association of Professional Baseball. Alongside the contest will be a variety of “Bark in the Park” activities, an annual event in which fans are encouraged to bring their canines.

A little over two months later, the Kane County Cougars Baseball Foundation and Robust Promotions aim to marry 1,000 dogs, or 500 canine couples, on Sunday, Oct. 2 at the ballpark in Geneva. Dubbed “Diamonds in the Ruff,” achieving only half that goal would shatter the 15-year-old record of 178 couples that was originally set in Littleton, Colo.

The motivation behind both light-hearted events is a serious mission: to raise money and awareness for non-profit organizations, including a national group that pairs service dogs with military veterans who struggle with mental health and die by suicide at alarming rates.

Organizers aim to raise $100,000 for K9s For Warriors and 12 other service animal organizations and local pet

adoption groups. Determined to end veteran suicide, K9s For Warriors is the nation’s largest provider of trained service dogs to military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury and/ or military sexual trauma. On a daily basis, nearly 20 veterans take their own lives, and since 2001 there have been four times as many veterans who have died by suicide than the number of U.S. military personnel who died in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Dr. Bob Froehlich, Cougars owner and CEO, said both “Bark in the Park” and “Diamonds in the Ruff” are a perfect match for the organization.

“We are a bit quirky and always push the marketing envelope, so hosting a massive dog wedding is a natural,” Froehlich said. “Our foundation gives back to the community over $1 million annually in cash and in-kind donations. One of our biggest areas of focus has always been veterans and active military. In many ways, our organization was made for this event.”

Leslie Allison-Seei and her husband, Greg Seei, own Robust Promotions, a Villa Park-based firm with extensive professional promotional-and-marketing expertise. They coordinated a dog wedding ceremony last September in Villa Park that joined 80 canine couples in tongue-in-cheek matrimony.

The event sparked extensive media

attention throughout the Chicago-area market, as well as coverage in national outlets, including People and The New York Times.

In January, Allison-Seei approached Froelich about the Kane County Cougars Baseball Foundation helping take another shot at the record, this time without the Delta variant of COVID-19 hindering participation, as was the case last fall.

“We want to have an event that helps save lives, human and canine, and also brings people a lot of joy while breaking a Guinness World Record,” said Allison-Seei. “But the biggest motivation is having a positive impact on the lives of brave men and women who have served our country.”

Stephanie Vogt, community relations manager at K9s For Warriors, said service dogs help veterans “return to a life of dignity and independence.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this awesome attempt,” Vogt added. “Diamonds in the Ruff will allow us to continue changing veterans’ lives for the better and give new purpose to rescue dogs.”

Those who are unable to participate in person can also play an active role in the initiative. Organizers are holding a “Voice Your Vows” contest, in which dog owners upload a brief video at voiceyourvows.com of their dog “barking, singing, howling or talking.”

Opinion

Illinois must increase early childhood investments now if we want to recover and rebuild

By We, the Village Coalition Illinois has a chicken-or-the-egg problem when it comes to increasing access and enrollment in our early childhood programs: Providers and schools cannot open more quality slots or extend services to families without more funding.

Yet, some state policymakers are identifying lower enrollment as rationale for not increasing state funds to programs. If Illinois is ever going to truly recover from the impacts of the pandemic and rebuild to become the best state in the nation to raise young children, we must start increasing our investments now.

Far too many children, especially in communities of concentrated poverty, do not have access to the high-quality early childhood programs research has shown help children arrive at school ready to succeed. Findings from the bipartisan Illinois Commission on Equitable Early Childhood Education and Care Funding make it clear that there is an urgent need for investment. Prior to the pandemic, there were nearly 1 million children under age 5 in Illinois; and among the state’s lowest-income families only half (160,000 young children) were

receiving early childhood education and care services.

Additionally, the Illinois early childhood workforce remains grossly undercompensated and starved for resources. The Funding Commission estimated additional billions of dollars are needed over time to equitably fund an early childhood education and care system. Though the state used federal relief dollars for early childhood programs to ensure doors could stay open, one-time lifelines do not sustain. It is imperative that as we re-engage families in programs to support their children’s health and development—and so parents can go to work—we must also invest in the workforce providing these programs.

One cannot happen without the other.

This dynamic is our present reality statewide, where enrollments are depressed, largely due to pandemic factors. Many programs have closed classrooms and waitlists because of staff shortages. Reducing or even maintaining current funding of early childhood education and care now, based on an assumption these programs aren’t in demand, is the wrong solution. Our economy will not recover from the pandemic if we cannot attract or retain the workforce

behind the workforce.

The Illinois General Assembly must invest in our state’s early childhood system today. This includes: • A $54 million increase for the Early Childhood Block Grant in the Illinois State Board of Education; • A $1.7 million increase for Evidence- based Home Visiting (Parents Too Soon, Healthy Families) in the Illinois Department of Human Services; • A $41.1 million increase for the Child Care Assistance Program in the Illinois Department of Human Services; • A $10.9 million increase to Early Intervention in the Illinois Department of Human Services.

We must increase funding in each of these areas to ensure businesses are open and that families and communities have the supports they need to thrive now and in the future.

Editor’s note: We, the Village Coalition is a statewide group of advocates, nonprofit organizations, child care providers, school districts, parents and others who have come together to fight for the well-being of Illinois’ youngest children. We, the Village Coalition is powering the Right To Care Campaign.

Planned Parenthood announces Illinois-Wisconsin partnership in Waukegan

By Peter Hancock

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

Planned Parenthood affiliates in Illinois and Wisconsin said July 14 they have formed a partnership to expand services at an abortion clinic in Waukegan to help serve residents of Wisconsin, where abortion services are now banned.

That announcement came three weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion nationwide. Once the court rendered that decision, a Wisconsin law dating back to 1849 that criminalizes abortion automatically went back into effect.

“We opened the Waukegan Health Center in 2020 in anticipation of this moment,” Jennifer Welch, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Illinois, said during a virtual news conference. “We expected that Wis-

LEGAL NOTICES NOTICE CERTIFICATE NO. 78753 was filed in the office of the County Clerk of DuPage County on JULY 13, 2022 wherein the business firm of C&B LOGISTICS, 161 S. ELLIS STREET, BENSENVILLE, IL 60106 was registered; that the true or real name or names of the person or persons owning the business, with their respective post office address(es), is/are as follows: Esequiel Carrera, 161 S. Ellis Street, Bensenville, IL 60106.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Official Seal at my office in Wheaton, Illinois, this 13TH day of JULY, A.D. 2022.

Jean Kaczmarek DuPage County Clerk (Published in the Addison Independent, Bensenville Independent & Villa Park Review July 21, 28 & Aug. 4, 2022) 421680

consin would cease access to abortion care as soon as Roe fell, so we were prepared to give Wisconsin patients the care they needed.”

Under the arrangement, patients can still go to one of four clinics in Wisconsin to receive care before and after the procedure. But several Wisconsin clinicians, nurses and other staff travel to the Waukegan clinic to expand capacity at that health center and other clinics in Illinois through telehealth.

Tanya Atkinson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin, said her organization had anticipated the overturning of Roe v.

Wade for years and had been working for the past several months to build partnerships with providers in other states.

“Despite the devastating impact of this criminal abortion ban, we are grateful to have health care options for our patients right next door in Illinois,” she said. “Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is working on many fronts to provide patients with information, support, financial resources and access to abortion services and to follow-up care.”

Atkinson noted that even before Roe v. Wade was overturned, Wisconsin imposed strict regulations on abortion.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, an organization that supports abortion rights, even after the original Roe v. Wade decision, Wisconsin imposed a number of restrictions on the procedure.

Those included a 24-hour waiting period and state-directed counseling that included information designed to discourage a patient from having an abortion, a prohibition against the

use of telemedicine to administer abortion medications; and a requirement for parental consent to perform an abortion on a minor, among others.

Illinois, by contrast, imposes virtually no legal restrictions on access to abortion services.

A 2019 law known as the Reproductive Health Act declares access to abortion services a “fundamental right” under Illinois law. And last year, lawmakers repealed what was known as the Parental Notice of Abortion Act, requiring parents of minors seeking abortions to be notified before the procedure could be performed.

Because of that, many Wisconsin residents seeking abortions went to out-of-state providers, including those in Illinois. But Kristen Schultz, chief strategy and operations officer at the Illinois affiliate, said that since Roe v. Wade was overturned on June 24, there has been a 10-fold increase in the number of Wisconsin residents coming to Illinois for abortion services.

Earlier last week, Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee about the increased demand for abortion services that Illinois is seeing from residents of other states where the procedure is now either banned or heavily restricted.

“We are not just an oasis of reproductive care, but an island,” she said, according to her prepared remarks.

“Here’s what that looks like: It looks like disenfranchised yet determined patients coming from every surrounding state, but also from as far away as Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida.”

• Ban

Rock Valley Publishing - Thursday, July 21, 2022 • 13

(Continued from page 9) Park Mayor Nancy Rotering were at violence that affects the entire state, the White House for an event with and constituents all over Illinois President Joe Biden marking the re- have been reaching out to their state cent signing of the Safer Communi- representatives and state senators, ties Act, the first significant federal telling them how important this bill law addressing gun violence in near- is,” Hirschauer said during a phone interview. ly 30 years.

Gun rights advocates, on the other “We had a number of conversations immediately after the attack hand, argue that eliminating one type in Highland Park and I’ve been im- of gun from society will not address pressed with the way they’ve han- the underlying causes of gun viodled things. It’s been extraordinary,” lence.

“We certainly understand the Biden said. “And as the three of us have discussed, we have more to do.” emotional response of anti-gun polLater in the day, Pritzker appeared iticians in light of the evil and vioon CNN’s “State of the Union,” and lence the world witnessed in Highhe repeated his call for additional land Park … just like the equivalent of 47 Highland Park shootings that measures to control gun violence.

“I think that there are probably have taken place in the city of Chithree things that need to be looked cago year to date,” Richard Pearson, at here: One is changing some of the director of the Illinois State Rifle Asverbiage in the law on red flags so sociation, said in an email. “Evil and that something could have been filed violence do not lie in an inanimate that would have prevented the FOID object but in the hearts of people. At card from being issued. That’s one,” some point politicians must tackle he said. “Two is that we need to ban the “Why” of violence instead of the assault weapons, not just in the state easy way out by trying to ban inaniof Illinois, but nationally. And then mate objects.”

Lawmakers had planned to conthird, high-capacity magazines.”

A bill pending in the General As- vene a special session this summer, sembly would make it a felony to primarily to respond to the U.S. buy or sell assault-style rifles and Supreme Court’s decision strikhigh-capacity magazines. House Bill ing down a constitutional right to 5522, by Rep. Maura Hirschauer, abortion. Before the Highland Park D-Batavia, would also require ex- shooting, however, those plans were isting owners of such weapons to put on hold and no special session register them with the Illinois State has yet been scheduled.

Republican gubernatorial candiPolice, and it would prohibit those owners from selling them in-state to date Darren Bailey also called for a anyone but a federally licensed fire- special session last week to repeal a criminal justice reform bill passed in arms dealer.

Hirschauer, a first-term lawmak- January 2021 and convene a mental er and organizer of a local chapter health task force consisting of “docof Moms Demand Action for Gun tors, first responders, patients, home Sense in America, introduced the caregivers, parents, teachers, and bill in January, but it was never con- churches.”

The Pritzker campaign, in turn, sidered in a substantive committee.

Since the July 4 mass shooting in blasted Bailey for voting against gun Highland Park, however, 50 more safety bills and state budgets that inlawmakers, all Democrats, have creased mental health funding.

The next scheduled meeting of the signed on as cosponsors.

“I think that my colleagues have General Assembly is Nov. 15 when been moved by the tragedy in High- the regular fall veto session conland Park, but also moved by the gun venes.

Answers PUZZLE 1

PUZZLE 2

CROSSWORD

14 • Thursday, July 21, 2022 - Rock Valley Publishing

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Rock Valley Publishing - Thursday, July 21, 2022 • 15

Bond denied for Cook County man on parole charged with armed habitual criminal, illegal possession of loaded gun

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert B. Berlin and Lombard Chief of Police Roy Newton have announced that bond has been set for a Cook County man accused of illegally possessing a loaded firearm with an extended magazine and approximately 43 grams of methamphetamine.

Brian Miller, 31, of Evanston, appeared at a bond hearing where Judge Ann Celine O’Hallaren Walsh denied bond. In all, Miller has been charged with one count of armed habitual criminal (Class X felony), one count of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon (Class 3 felony), one count of possession of methamphetamine (Class 1 felony) and two counts of misdemeanor resisting a police officer.

On July 11 at approximately 7:30 a.m., Lombard police responded to

a call of a domestic dispute on Crescent Boulevard. Upon arrival, the officer was met by the victim at the door.

It is alleged that while the officer was at the door, the door began to close at which time the officer pushed the door open. It is alleged that once inside, the officer located Miller who immediately resisted the officer. It is further alleged that after a brief struggle, Miller was arrested.

It is further alleged that the officer located a loaded handgun with an extended magazine on a couch in the bedroom. It is further alleged that the officer located illegal narcotics, later determined to be methamphetamine in an opened backpack.

“It is alleged that Mr. Miller, a convicted felon currently on parole, was illegally in possession of a handgun with an extended mag-

Miller’s next court appearance is azine, as well as more than forty with direct charges concerning the grams of methamphetamine,” Ber- weapon and the significant amount scheduled Aug. 8 for arraignment in front of Judge O’Hallaren Walsh. lin said. “The law is very clear, as of drugs.” a convicted felon Mr. Miller is prohibited from ever owning a firearm again and there is absolutely no justification that would allow him to do so, as alleged in this case. I thank the Lombard Police Department for their heads-up work on this case that allegedly took a dangerous weapon out of the hands of a convicted felon.”

“This was great work by our responding officers to recognize an immediate entry to assist a victim of a domestic issue” Newton said. “This offender put our officers in immediate danger by having a loaded weapon available and resisting the commands and arrest of the officers. I thank State’s Attorney Berlin’s office for proceeding

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16 • Thursday, July 21, 2022 - Rock Valley Publishing

It Might be Time for Memory Care Driving & Mobility

WA RN I N G S I GN S

Don’t ignore fender benders, new dents or nicks. Request a ride to assess your loved one’s driving skills. To avoid risk of falls and fractures, see if your loved one is more unsteady when walking, has recently fallen or has difficulty with stairs.

When you have concerns about an aging loved one living alone, assisted living is always a smart consideration. When symptoms are amplified by a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or any other memory loss diagnosis, the safety, security and quality of life dedicated memory care programming provides is critical.

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