VR 7.24.25

Villa Park R eview

Police promotions

The Villa Park Village Board meeting of July 14 featured the swearing-in of two members of the Villa Park Police Department who were recently promoted to new positions. Jim Svara was sworn in as a Deputy Chief during last week’s board meeting, while Eric Haimann was sworn in as a Sergeant. Svara joined the Villa Park Police Department in 2002. In the last 23 years, he has served as a patrol officer, a tactical officer, and a detective. He has also been a member of several specialized teams, including the DuPage County Major Crimes Task Force. Earlier this year, he graduated from Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and

Command. Haimann began his career with the Villa Park Police Department as a part-time officer. He was promoted to full-time status in 2012. He has served as a juvenile officer, a field training officer, an evidence technician, a criminal registration officer, and a rail safety officer. In 2021 he was selected to serve as a detective. Pictured left to right at last week’s board meeting are: village trustees Jorge Cordova, Deepasriya Kumar, Jack Kozar and Tina Konstatos; Villa Park Village President Kevin Patrick, Svara, Haimann, village trustees Cari Alfano and Khalid Sabri; and village clerk Rolf Laukant.

Villa Park’s new finance director provides details of past mismanagement

Village was three months behind on paying its health insurance premiums; budget provided to the board was different from the one submitted to DuPage County; police pension contribution of at least $2.6 million was not made

By Chris Fox VILLA PARK REVIEW

The Village of Villa Park’s finances were in disarray until new leadership arrived, according to a presentation at the July 14 village board meeting.

The village’s new finance director, Susan Mika, who has been on the job for less than two months, painted a picture of recent mismanagement and incompetence while speaking to board members during the meeting. Mika indicated that since she arrived in Villa Park, she’s learned that the village failed to make multiple health insurance payments, liability insurance payments, and Nicor Gas payments. The village also failed to pay other invoices, including some that dated back to 2024.

InsIde:

Additionally, Mika reported to the board that the village budget that had been presented to the board was not the same budget that was filed with DuPage County.

Mika also told board members that the village’s previous financial administration failed to properly budget a disbursement of at least $2.6 million that should have been directed

to the village’s police pension fund.

Mika spoke to the board during discussion of the village’s bill listings for the week of June 16 (in the amount of about $125,000), and for the week of June 23 (in the amount of about $627,000). Bill listings are typically included in the consent agenda of each board meeting.

Trustee Cari Alfano stated during the meeting that some of the village’s recent Nicor Gas payments were unusually high. She asked Mika if the village was making any late payments on those bills. Mika said that if she was remembering correctly, there was a month that was missed.

A short time later, Alfano asked Mika if the village was behind on any other bills.

“Yes,” said Mika. “It has been brought to our attention

that Blue Cross Blue Shield— which is our health insurance— payments were not made for three months. The same lies for our VSP [vision] and our dental insurance—benefits were not paid, as well as IRMA [Intergovernmental Risk Management Agency]—who is our liability insurance company—that was I think a few more months than just three months. These are invoices that have not been paid by prior administration.”

Mika said that the village’s payments for its employee benefits—health, dental and vision insurance—usually average well over $300,000 per month.

“All of those employee benefits weren’t paid, and they average about $325,000 to $350,000 a month, so being three months behind was just a little over $900,000, just shy of a million dollars that we were behind,” Mika stated.

Current and retired village employees learned they weren’t being covered; the “freeze” was lifted after the village’s emergency payment

“Since you’ve walked in, you’ve found out that our Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, our dental, our VSP [vision insurance], our IRMA, and our gas bills have been late.” said Alfano, who then asked Mika if the village was late on its ComEd payments.

“Not that has been brought to may attention or that I’ve seen,” responded Mika. “As I’m getting acclimated, and things are being brought to my attention, we’re addressing immediately, and rectifying immediately.”

Trustee Tina Konstatos, who stated that she

Lombard juvenile charged with attempted terrorism at Glendale Heights Islamic Center and unlawful possession of a firearm

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agentin-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI and Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, announced last week that a Lombard juvenile has been charged with plotting to commit an act of terror at a Glendale Heights Islamic Center.

The juvenile, a 16-year-old male, appeared at his detention hearing and was charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm (Class 4 felony) and one count of attempted terrorism (Class 1 felony).

Following his hearing, Judge Kishori Tank ordered he be detained until at least his next court appearance.

According to the petition, on July 4, the minor allegedly, “with the intent to commit the offense of terrorism, knowingly performed a substantial step toward the commission of that offense, in that he entered the Islamic Education Center, located at 1269 Goodrich Ave., Glendale Heights, DuPage County, and video recorded religious services to assist in preparation for detonating an explosive device at that location…”.

The petition further alleges

that on July 12, the minor “possessed a handgun which was of a size that could be concealed upon his person.”

“An attempted act of terrorism, as alleged in this case, achieves the same goals of spreading fear, dividing our communities and undermining the rule of law, as does an act of terrorism,” Berlin said. “The allegations against this juvenile are extremely serious and will not be tolerated in DuPage County. I am extremely proud to be part of a team of federal and local officials whose shared dedication to public safety and ability to work together toward a common goal prevented what could have been a horrible tragedy. I commend the Chicago Field Office of the FBI for their work on this case and for their continued efforts in keeping our citizens throughout the state safe. I also thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Lombard Police Department for their work and assistance on this case.”

“The FBI works tirelessly, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year, evaluating the threat landscape in order to detect and disrupt plans aimed at terrorizing our homeland,” said Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-

Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. “Thanks to local law enforcement and the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, we were able to successfully foil credible threats of a targeted attack in our community. The FBI is committed to utilizing every available tool in our arsenal against those who seek to harm the safety or security of anyone within our borders.”

“Through incredible law enforcement effort and coordination, a violent terrorist attack on American soil was thwarted,” said Andrew S. Boutros, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

“I commend the outstanding work by our Assistant U.S. Attorneys, the FBI, the Lombard Police Department, and our prosecutorial partners in the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, to diligently discover, thoroughly investigate, and completely foil this terror plot. The arrest in this case serves as an emphatic reminder that federal, state, and local law enforcement will aggressively pursue those who attempt to harm Americans through terrorist acts.”

The juvenile’s next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 4 for status in front of Judge Tank.

Prairie living brought to life

Laura Dubberke, education coordinator for the Lombard Historical Society, is eager to introduce children (and adults!) to pioneer life with the free “Hands on History” program on Thursdays from noon to 3 p.m. Here, she is seen (above left) making a candle the old-fashioned way, by dipping the wick in hot wax, after which it is dipped in cold water, then dipped in hot wax again, until it reaches the desired size. She is also shown (above right) holding a candle mold from the society’s collection, into which the hot wax would have been poured to create a candle. Dubberke said her basic focus is “kids in pioneer times,” and demonstrating how they would “use the materials that are around.” Upcoming crafts include rope making on July 24, pine cone animals on July 31 and a scavenger hunt on Aug. 7. Another free program is “Art @ the Peck” on Tuesdays from noon to 3 p.m. Upcoming crafts include a pine cone feeder on July 29 and pipe cleaner dragonflies on Aug. 5. Visit lombardhistory.org for more information.

Lombard firefighters request police assistance after hearing gunshots

Suspect reportedly died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound

Lombard firefighters and police officers responded to the 400 block of Arboretum Drive on Friday morning, July 18. According to the Village of Lombard, firefighters responding to a fire alarm “reported hearing shots fired and requested police assistance.”

Shortly before 8:45 a.m., the village issued an announcement on social media that the Lombard Police Department was actively re-

sponding to the scene, located near Finley Road and 22nd Street.

“The suspect is contained within the residence,” stated the village’s announcement.

“Residents in the area are asked to remain indoors and avoid the immediate area while emergency personnel remain on scene.”

At about 10 a.m., the village provided an update, stating that the suspect had committed suicide.

“The active incident on Arboretum Drive has concluded,” noted the update.

“The suspect has been confirmed deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. No other injuries have been reported. There is no threat to the public, and residents in the area may now safely leave their homes.”

Coming event

Genealogy program at Plum Library July 28

“Even More Unusual Places to Find Births and Naturalizations” July 28 at 7 p.m., join us for a roundtable discussion to share your research findings, hear success stories from other members, and seek solutions to brick walls. This program will be in-person and held in the Conference Room (2nd floor). Registration required. Visit www.helenplum.org/event/ genealogy-round-table-70008 to register.

Jane Charmelo PhoTos Rock Valley Publishing

Deputy Chief McCann to retire

Villa Park

Police Chief Todd Kubish announced last week the upcoming retirement of Deputy Chief Dan McCann (pictured), effective Aug. 29.

“Dan’s retirement signifies 30 years of dedication to the Village of Villa Park, during which he has amassed a remarkable legacy of accomplishments and held various positions,” stated Kubish. “Dan began his career with the department in 1995, serving as a patrol officer, tactical officer, detective, patrol sergeant, and currently as Deputy Chief. We extend our gratitude to Dan for his unwavering commitment and exceptional work ethic over the past 30 years. His presence at the police department will be missed.”

Firefighters respond to fire at two-story home in Villa Park Fire contained to the attic area

and exterior of the residence

The Villa Park Fire Department responded to a fire at a residence earlier this month.

On Saturday, July 5, at approximately 1:16 a.m., firefighters responded to a reported structure fire at 7 E. Jackson Street and observed a two-story, single-family home with fire visible from the rear of the residence.

“Firefighters from Villa Park mounted a quick response, extinguishing the majority of the exterior fire,” noted a news release from the Village of Villa Park.

“Mutual aid companies conducted a coordinated, detailed search for any extension of the fire that communicated to the interior of the home. They quickly deployed a hose line and launched an aggressive interior attack, targeting the fire that was located inside the attic space. Additional resources were utilized for searches and ventilation within the structure.”

Police Reports

The Villa Park Police Department recently reported the following arrests and citations. Readers are reminded that an arrest does not constitute a conviction, and that suspects are considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Persons charged with domestic battery are not named in order to protect the privacy of victims. Juveniles age 17 or younger are not named.

July 15

A complainant at a pharmacy in the 200 block of E. Roosevelt reported that a subject removed merchandise from display shelves and left without paying. The subject was issued a citation and a trespass warning.

July 14

Angel Enrique Gomez-Martinez, 21, of Villa Park, was charged with battery in the 700 block of W. Roy at 3:58 p.m.

A 28-year-old Chicago man was charged with two counts of domestic battery at a hotel in the 1-100 block of W. Roosevelt at 6:16 p.m.

A complainant at a business in the 1-100 block of E. St. Charles reported at 8:28 p.m. that subjects attempted to remove merchandise from display shelves and conceal the items. The subjects were issued trespass warnings.

A complainant at a gas station in the 100 block of W. North reported at 9:51 a.m. that a subject battered them.

A complainant at a business in the 1-100 block of E.

St. Charles reported that a subject was causing a disturbance. The subject was issued a trespass warning.

July 13

A complainant at a restaurant in the 300 block of E. Kenilworth reported that a subject poured a drink on them. The subject was issued a citation for disorderly conduct.

A complainant at a business in the 300 block of W. North reported at 1:36 p.m. that a subject entered their unsecured vehicle and fell asleep.

A complainant in the 500 block of S. Monterey reported at 10:03 p.m. that a subject battered them.

July 12

Jose R. Rivas, 19, of Villa Park, was charged with transportation or possession of open alcohol by a driver and driving while license suspended or revoked near W. North and N. Lincoln at 11:44 p.m.

July 11

A complainant in the 500 block of N. 3rd reported an unknown suspect battered them.

July 10

Police said Alexis E.

According to the village’s news release, the fire was contained to the attic area and exterior of the home.

“At the time of the fire, all family members were present but managed to self-evacuate before the fire department arrived,” added the news release.

“Everyone who resides in

the home was accounted for and unharmed.”

The Villa Park Fire Department received assistance from firefighters from neighboring municipalities, including Lombard, Elmhurst, Oakbrook Terrace, Addison and York Center. The Villa Park Police Department also provided assistance.

Villa Park residents are invited to the village’s National Night Out event on Aug. 5

Free community event gives residents a chance to connect with members of the village’s police and fire departments

The Village of Villa Park invites residents to attend the village’s upcoming National Night Out event, which will take place from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 5, at Cortesi Veterans Memorial Park, 318 E. Kenilworth Ave.

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Ritchie, 55, of Villa Park, turned herself in on the above date for an original complaint and warrant and was held at the DuPage County Jail.

A 38-year-old homeless male was charged with two counts of domestic battery at a fitness center in the 300 block of W. North at 10:41 p.m.

A complainant in the 900 block of N. Villa reported that a subject is harassing them via phone.

A complainant at Willowbrook High School, 1250 S. Ardmore, reported at 8:14 p.m. that a subject battered them.

A complainant at a pub in the 300 block of W. St. Charles reported at 10:24 p.m. that a subject was causing a disturbance. The subject was issued a trespass warning.

July 9

A complainant in the 1-100 block of W. Terrace reported that a subject was causing a disturbance.

A complainant in the 1600 block of S. Michigan reported at 6:20 p.m. that a subject battered them.

Identity theft, fraud

According to information provided by the Villa Park Police Department, police reported two incidents of identity theft or fraud in the village between July 9 and July 15.

The free community event will give residents an opportunity to meet members of Villa Park’s police and fire departments. The evening will also include food, music, games, and face painting for children. Kids will also be able to get an up-close look at some emergency vehicles.

Obituaries

THOMAS WILLIAM CLEMENS, 59

Thomas William Clemens, aged 59, passed away in Villa Park, IL on June 28, 2025. Tom was born on August 13,1965 in Elmhurst, IL.

He was a lifelong resident of Villa Park where he met his companion of 21 years, Patricia Dayton and her sons Christopher (Ashley) and Kevin. As a veteran of the Illinois National Guard and an Air Force Reservist he displayed acts of patriotism his entire life. Tom worked for 38 years at Terrace Supply utilizing his talent for engineering and mechanical design as the lead repairman of industrial welders.

With a kind heart he cared for animals in his neighborhood and provided a comfortable home to several cats over his lifetime. An avid fan of music Tom attended as many live performances as he could manage.

Tom is predeceased by his father, Boyd D. Clemens. Tom is survived by his mother, Janice Clemens, nee Arvidson, his sister, Ruth (Matt) Erion, and a son, Daniel Mitchell. Gifts can be made in Tom’s name to Cat Guardians, Inc.

932 E. St. Charles Rd, Lombard IL 60148. Services Private. Funeral info: steuerlefh. com or (630) 832-4161.

NOLA ANN THIEME, 93

Nola Ann Thieme, nee Nix, age 93, of Villa Park, Illinois. Beloved wife of the late William E. Thieme; sweet mother of Michael, James (MaryJo), Norine (William) Urban, David (Tammy), Joseph (Cheryl), William (Chris) and Ann (John) LaBarge; dear daughter of the late Anna, nee Slove, and the late William Nix; loving grandmother of 26 and great-grandmother of 26; fond aunt and great aunt of many nieces and nephews. Visitation was held Tuesday July 22nd, from 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM at Steuerle Chapel, 15 W Park Blvd, Villa Park, IL. In State, Wednesday, July 23rd at 11:45 AM until time of Mass at 12:15 PM, at St. Alexander Catholic Church, 300 S Cornell Ave, Villa Park, IL 60181.

Interment Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery. Memorials to St. Alexander Catholic Church and Misericordia Home are appreciated. Funeral info: steuerlefh.com or (630) 832-4161.

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Slices of life

A grand visit

I just finished a two-week visit with the three grands.

(And two with the three ain’t bad.)

Their house is undergoing a refinement and they needed a place to stay.

Me, the effervescent grammy, with hand in the air: “Oh, pick me, pick me!!”

They needed a place to stay I needed them to stay with me. It was a win-win situation. It was also exhausting, and I’m not even their mom—who for sure was 100% more exhausted than me, especially since she is about 65% done growing grand baby number four.

It was a loud couple of weeks. But it was also a time filled with giggles and laughter and no one wanting to go to bed. Well, except their mom. And me.

But we aren’t counting grown-ups in this equation, because it isn’t about the grown-ups when there is a candy store in town. We have three of them – candy stores, not grands.

Well, we have three of those, too—until September when the grands will officially outnumber the candy stores.

Imagine a two-year-old entering a building filled with many variations of brightly colored candies in large clear glass cases located at eye level with scoopers and bags for the ready.

His eyes nearly bulged out of his head. I saw it firsthand. His smile rivaled a sunrise crossed with the most exciting

By J Ill Pertler Columnist

roller coaster ever invented, plus maybe a sparkler or two.

We handed him a bag and told him to fill it. With candy!

Life is good when you are a two-year-old at the candy store.

Sweetness aside, It was a time of blanket forts and dancing in the living room, sometimes at the same time. There was pretend play and an unwillingness to share stuffies, despite the fact that we have more of them than there are lakes in Minnesota.

Besides, it’s a well-known fact among four-year-olds that the monkey stuffie is twice as valuable as the unicorn stuffie, unless you pair it with the bunny stuffie or (even better) the dinosaur stuffie.

Stuffed animals (and blanket forts) in the living room weren’t the only plethora we experienced.

It was a time of collections – of many kinds. We collected rocks and shells. Oh, and leaves. And twigs. And so many, many ants (not to be confused with aunts, we didn’t collect any of those.)

We collected sand in the bed – even on days when we didn’t visit the beach. I’m not sure how to explain that, except for the fact that my grands excel at sand collection,

Letter to the editor

most especially between their toes.

We even collected one deer tick, found (thankfully) before he – or she – got the chance to be comfortable. After that, we practiced tick checks every night before showering to wash the day’s stickiness (and tickiness) away.

It was a time of loud “pooping” announcements, followed by raucous cheering. Remember the environment: two-year-old, potty trainer in the ready, discovering he could control pooping. You catch my drift.

Yeah, pooping! Let’s go! Great job! (Literally)

It was a time of wasted food because who wants to eat meals when you can eat candy? I think we all know that is a facetious question. I made meatloaf one night, but they only wanted bananas and tater tots. I guess two out of three ain’t bad. (Did I say that already?)

Thing is, they left most of the bananas uneaten. You’d think bananas grew on trees. Oh wait. Maybe they do. Grandchildren, however, do not. They are one in a million. Or maybe even one in a billion.

Life is good when you are a grammy spending time with grands. Almost like being in a candy store, only better.

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

American reality: We are all in this together

Let’s get real and personal. Ask yourself some basic questions: Have you ever asked your Hispanic gardener, your Muslim coffee server, your Indian, Pakistani, or Asian doctor, your Black waitress, Latino classmates, or any of your friends, family members, or anyone in your circle of friends, family or employment, now or in your past, whom may talk different, eat different, worship different?

Have you ever asked any of them if they signed documents that gives them the “right” to live in our country, pay taxes, marry and raise a family of more taxpayers, fight and die in our country’s wars, and support and obey the laws of our land?

Have you ever asked any of these people whom you may have grown up with, played

with, worked with, or in any way associated with, if they pay local, state, and federal taxes so that everyone’s kids can learn, have good healthcare, and contribute in many other ways to their communities, states, and nation for the betterment of everyone?

I would venture that you rubbed shoulders with one or more of these people many times throughout your life. Just like you, they have worked hard to get where they are, want the same basic needs that you do, and want the same things for their families. It has been as much their dream as yours to live in peace with others so they can realize the rights, responsibilities, and rewards America offers.

These people that you and I know are definitely not crimi-

My vote against President Trump’s disastrous budget bill

By U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi

On July 3, I voted against President Donald Trump’s socalled One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a catastrophic piece of legislation I call the Large Lousy Law. This bill forces millions off Medicaid, slashes funding for SNAP, rolls back investments in clean energy, and explodes the national debt to give massive tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy.

retired engineering professor, my brother is a doctor, and I have the honor of serving you in Congress. Without that safety net, our story might have ended very differently.

The passage of the Large Lousy Law is a setback— but not the end. I will keep fighting for working families and the programs that make opportunity possible in this country. The American Dream must remain within reach for everyone, not just the privileged few.

Standing up for Planned Parenthood of Illinois

It passed despite bipartisan opposition in both the House and Senate, a sign of just how extreme and unpopular its provisions truly are.

nals. In fact, in our melting pot of many diverse nationalities and cultures, we have blended into one glorious whole of Americans who only want to work in peace and enjoy the fruits of our freedom. We have married and had children with many of them. None that I know want a “free ride” on the backs of others. Most would be ashamed to ask for a single dollar they haven’t earned. You, and I, and all these people are true Americans in every sense of the word. We should not listen to the extremist minority in our land, but instead listen and learn from our own histories, and use our hearts and minds to show us the way. We are all in this together, and all of us are the majority our forefathers wanted us to be!

Larry Brown, Lombard

My vote came after a 14hour drive from Schaumburg to Washington, D.C., following the cancellation of my flight from O’Hare due to bad weather. During that journey, I hosted a pop-up Zoom town hall to explain my opposition to the bill and answer questions from constituents about the harm it will cause in Illinois and across the country.

The damage from this bill is staggering. Over 17 million Americans could lose health insurance in the next decade. The bill also cuts SNAP by nearly 20 percent, jeopardizing food assistance for 40 million Americans. It imposes new taxes on clean energy that could raise energy costs for Illinois families by $400 a year. And it adds $3.3 trillion to the national debt over the next decade.

This fight is personal for me. My family relied on food stamps and public housing for a time in my childhood. Those programs helped us survive and pursue the American Dream. Today, my father is a

Earlier this month, I visited a Planned Parenthood of Illinois clinic in downtown Chicago to meet with health care providers and advocates about the mounting threats to reproductive health care access.

I spoke about the devastating impact of President Trump’s budget, which slashes billions from Medicaid. The bill also threatens to close over one-third of Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide, cutting off cancer screenings, sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing, and basic care for millions, including 30,000 patients in Illinois who rely on Planned Parenthood as their primary provider.

The bill’s passage comes just days after the Supreme Court ruled that individual states can defund Planned Parenthood, and as the Trump administration illegally withholds Title X funding for family planning services. These coordinated attacks are dismantling access to essential health care across the country. Illinois has become a critical refuge, serving one in four Americans who must cross state lines for abortion care. While our state will remain a safe haven for reproductive

rights, no woman should have to flee her home to access basic health care. I will continue fighting to ensure every American, no matter their zip code, can make their own health care decisions with dignity and freedom.

Speaking out against political violence in America

Recently, I took to the House floor with a heavy heart to condemn the horrific acts of political violence that claimed the lives of Minnesota Speaker Emeritus Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and seriously injured State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette.

These were not random acts; they were targeted attacks. The shooter left behind notes naming other public officials, including me. This was a warning. Political violence is no longer theoretical; it is real, it is rising, and it poses a growing threat not just to public servants but to our democracy itself. We must face three hard truths. First, this violence is escalating. Second, it’s not just about individual victims. It destabilizes our institutions and threatens civic participation. And third, we must respond with unity and resolve. That means rejecting the violent rhetoric and conspiracy theories that fuel this hatred and recommitting to civil, democratic dialogue, together, as Republicans and Democrats. Melissa Hortman and John Hoffman deserve more than our thoughts. They deserve our action and our promise: never again.

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

Hi I just got my July 10 newspaper and I think I need a refund because there is no Sudoku and puzzle in there.

That’s why we pay for the paper. I mean there’s nothing else in here; I mean it’s only, what is it, 16 pages long. So okay, next week, two Sudokus and two puzzles. Otherwise, I’m canceling my subscription

This isn’t worth it. Bye.

Editor’s note: On Page 6 of the July 10 issue it stated that the Sudoku and puzzle would return in the July 17 paper. We are only able to publish one Sudoku and one crossword puzzle per issue.

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I attended the soft opening of the Prairie Food Cooperative last week and am glad to see we have choices. However, I thought the items, especially produce, were very expensive, even compared to Whole Foods and Jewel. I was of the thinking that if the food comes from local sources like growers, farmers, etc., food would be a bit cheaper because there are no long-haul transportation costs from places like California or Mexico, plus there is no “middle man” between the cooperative and the grower. I am all for supporting local farmers and growers, and for organic products, but please explain, for example, why what looked like a pint-size container of watermelon chunks was almost $8, or a whole watermelon was close to $9.

Editor’s note: Your comments were forwarded to The Prairie Food Cooperative for a response, which is as follows: “Thanks so much for coming to our soft opening—

and for taking the time to share your feedback! We’re glad to hear you’re excited about having more grocery options in town.

“About pricing: we understand that some items may feel more expensive, especially at first glance. While it might seem like local food should cost less (no shipping, no middlemen), small farms often face higher costs because they use sustainable, labor-intensive practices and pay fair wages. Co-ops like ours also prioritize paying farmers fairly—not squeezing them like big chains often do. What you’re seeing is the true cost of real food that supports people, not just profit.

“Also worth noting: comparing a small, mission-driven store like ours to a massive chain with national buying power is a bit like comparing apples to oranges. We’ll never get the same bulk discounts— but we also don’t cut corners on values, wages, or relationships.

“That said, our pricing strategy is still evolving—and yes, we caught a few errors during our soft opening that are being corrected. We also have many everyday staples that are priced the same or lower than big-box stores, and we’re committed to keeping things accessible:

-Bulk bins often offer major savings on pantry staples—no packaging, just what you need.

-SNAP/LINK accepted, and Link Match (coming soon) gives extra dollars for local produce

-Bi-weekly Sales: Our sales

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flyer has dozens of discounted items—many priced the same or lower than the chains

“We know price matters and we’re committed to finding the right balance between value, ethics, and quality.

Thanks again for supporting community-owned food—and for growing with us!

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Last week I was going west on North Avenue in Villa Park, near the little strip mall where Dollar Tree is. I had to do a double take when I saw a guy, definitely under 18, riding an e-scooter in the middle lane of eastbound traffic. I was dumbfounded that anyone, let alone a young person, would be operating an e-scooter on a street like North Avenue. I wanted to call the police but I was not hands-free at the time. Later I saw two pre-teen girls on e-scooters riding on the sidewalk off Main and Sunset, and I thought, now that is responsible riding. I personally see nothing wrong with young people riding on sidewalks (except in the downtown and other shopping areas) like we used to do on our bicycles, and which kids still do. Just be responsible and slow down, get out of the way, if you see someone walking, jogging or walking with a stroller.

* * *

I don’t know about anyone else, but I don’t like having to go out of my way to another town’s post office because Lombard’s post office is so incompetent. I have seen enough complaints in Speak Out and on social media, and experienced issues myself, to know that most of us agree it is poorly run and we are frustrated. Why not organize some kind of “campaign” to bring attention to the situation?

Good luck getting through to the Lombard phone number, for one, and no complaining to the USPS online or by toll-free number seems to do any good, either. Do we not have the right to a well-run post office, especially since the price of stamps just went up? The postmaster and her superiors need to know how frustrated, disgusted and inconvenienced Lombard residents have become. Even though she might have inherited this mess, there has been no improvement. I am not a good community organizer but I would be a good participant and carry a sign if there was to be a peaceful event by the post office. Or, maybe a petition to have a “town hall” to hear what we residents have to say?

* * *

Kudos to the July 3 Speak Out issue contributor calling out a previous issue’s (April 24) idiotic extravagance complaining about Trump’s/ Musk’s “to destroy the United States” by eroding the stock market through tariff implementations. Thanks for bringing this stupid rant back to the

surface. As we know, the market quickly recovered, signaling confidence in the economic policies of the president. I sometimes initially turn my head and question our president’s methods, but over time I learned to just trust the man and let him do what we elected him to do.

* * *

Here’s a quote from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents who were conducting an operation in one of that city’s parks: “They need to leave, and they need to leave right now. They need to leave, because this is unacceptable.” The mayor said that without a hint of irony. Millions of Americans would use her exact words in referring to the millions of individuals who have illegally entered our country.

* * *

I agree with a sweep to get rid of the criminals who are here illegally, though technically, all of the immigrants here illegally are criminals. However, I think an exception could be made for seasonal/ farm workers who do the jobs out in the fields it seems nobody else wants to do. Give them a special work visa, similar to student visas given to foreign students. I think it will benefit the crop growers and consumers who will otherwise bear the brunt of higher costs for produce. If these immigrants are willing to do those jobs, then put them on a special “payroll” and take out taxes, just like with any other job.

* * *

It was very nice to see our Villa Park board speaking politely this week. But we really need to start on time, not an hour late! And the FUN commission spoke for 25 minutes—that was 20 minutes way too long! Please President Patrick, control the meeting as you are in charge. And yes, a twice a year town hall would be great, but would have to be at the Community Center as a large crowd will be there.

* * *

The amount of propaganda and hate against our great president knows no bounds. In particular the newspaper industry doesn’t get enough attention for their fake headlines and constant attacks as the Chicago Sun Times and the Chicago Tribune are filled daily with anti-Trump anti-Republican bias and propaganda. These institutions need to be called out and I reckon this is why no one trusts them. And they have no credibility in this day and age. They are such obvious shills for the Democratic urban party.

* * *

Socialism breeds communism. That’s a fact. The weakness for communist takeover in our country is the Democratic establishment. The fact that the

Democrats endorsed the candidate named Zohran Mamdani, who is a socialist communist, for New York mayor, is a red flag. True Americans Democrats need to wake up before it’s too late. Our party’s namesake is at stake.

* * *

The other day I was at my local Walmart, and noticed a relatively young man, late 20s or so, shopping. Problem— he was wearing only a white T-shirt on top, and there was an obvious imprint of a firearm on his belt protruding through his shirt. I assumed he was a concealed carry license holder, as am I. But still, I kept my eyes open; couldn’t be sure. Bigger problem—it is against the law to not completely conceal one’s lawfully carried firearm? Any evident indication that one is carrying to the public is, again, in violation of state law. To our CCL carriers out there, please be careful. We know the rules and we don’t want to flaunt our right to carry. Wear the proper clothing for your carry. The saying “I don’t leave home without it” rings true to many of us. Take your right to carry seriously; be sensible, aware, train relentlessly and above all else, get firearms carry insurance, as even a justifiable shooting can result in years of litigation and possibly the ruination of assets, family and reputation.

* * * Lombard calling. I wanted to address the Robert Byrne letter from July 10. Almost everything in that article was easily discreditable; talking about the email from the Social Security Administration, praising the Trump bill; the head of the Social Security Administration is literally a Trump appointee who donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Trump’s campaign fund in 2019, and his wife has donated nearly $1 million to affiliated Trump Foundation organizations. There’s obvious corruption here, and I could easily discredit almost all the other points in the letter—but it’s really easy to Google this stuff and see that yes, tax cuts are going to go to more billionaires. And the other main point is there’s a lot of talk of waste and fraud but no evidence, and that’s the problem with the Republican administration. people just say over and over again corruption, corruption, corruption, and waste and fraud, and fraud and fraud, and there’s literally no evidence. There are no studies being conducted There’s no research being released. So please think critically as an American citizen. You have the right to free speech but the responsibility to actually challenge the information that’s being presented to you as not just mere propaganda.

* * *

Yeah, you’re right, I don’t

particularly care for most things that Trump has done. Keep drinking that orange Kool-Aid. You know the thing that makes America great, and it’s always made America great, has been our willingness to help out other people and other countries, and not this terrible, disgusting, disruptive, illegal, immoral behavior that he continues to engage in; the cruelty to so many people into so many groups. That’ll be his legacy and unfortunately we will be tarnished with it.

* * *

Oh a big thank you to Donald Trump and probably to Kristi Noem from Homeland Security. Rosie O’Donnell is out of the country, living in Ireland. I feel much safer and better already. Thank you.

* * *

I just received a letter from Commonwealth Edison saying last year I used 718 kwh’s in the average house use 1753 kwh. And then in the next suggestion they’re suggesting that I raise my thermostat by five to eight degrees. This is why people don’t want to cut back on the amount they use. If we ever have to conserve they won’t use the average amount and give everybody a percentage of that. I’d be expected to cut mine a ridiculously low amount to the same percentage of somebody that hasn’t. People are concerned about cutting back for this very reason. They shouldn’t be suggesting with such a low amount that I am using to cut it back even lower. They’re making people skeptical to cut it back in the first place.

* * *

This is a response to the caller who spoke in Speak Out about the Lombard Post Office. If you live in Lombard you know better; you do not mail anything from the Lombard Post Office. I live in Lombard I go to the Villa Park Post Office to mail my stuff because we had the experience when we first moved in here that they were getting our bills but not our checks. Thank you.

* * *

I loved the Speak Out call (July 17 issue) that told all the bleeding heart leftists to take in one or two illegals and house and feed them themselves instead of having taxpayers fund them to stay here. Having them cross the border illegally and then staying here is a slap in the face to those who make the effort to enter and live in this country legally. Why have borders if we’re not going to enforce them?

* * *

Now the regressive leftists are whining about funding being cut to NPR and PBS. I’ve got a solution. Have these stations lobby all the big-time Hollywood actors and actresses and get their funding covered that way. Then they can broadcast all the leftist-slanted programs they want!

Lombard Fire Department responds to house fire on W. Edgewood Road Red Cross issues advice to stay safe during extreme heat

On Saturday, July 19, at approximately 5:10 a.m., the Lombard Fire Department was dispatched to the 500 block of W. Edgewood Road for a reported house fire.

Engine 45 arrived first on scene and reported heavy smoke coming from the eaves of the home. Incident command was established, and it was confirmed that the homeowner had safely exited the residence.

Lombard Fire Department

crews arrived on scene at 5:16 a.m. and quickly deployed multiple hose lines to begin extinguishing the fire. While firefighters worked inside the home to contain the flames, a truck crew used ladders to access the roof and cut openings to help release smoke and heat.

Firefighters conducted a full search of the home and confirmed that no one else was inside. The fire was brought under control at 5:30

a.m.

ComEd performed a remote electrical shut-off, and Nicor safely secured the gas service to the residence. There were no reported injuries to civilians or firefighters. However, the home was left uninhabitable due to extensive damage, which is estimated to exceed $80,000. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Lombard Fire Investigation Unit.

Lombard firefighters received mutual aid assistance from the Elmhurst, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace, and Villa Park fire departments, as well as the York Center Fire Protection District. The DuPage County Sheriff’s Office provided traffic and crowd control during the incident.

For more information or inquiries, contact Deputy Chief George Hyland at 630620-5736.

Helen Plum Library celebrates summer reading with concert to support Outreach House Aug. 3

The Helen Plum Memorial Library, 411 S. Main St., has partnered with Music & Potlucks, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, to present a special summer reading concert to support The Outreach House on at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug.3.

The event features folk singer songwriter Mark Dvorak performing on guitar, 5-string banjo and 12-string guitar.

Dvorak has won awards

for journalism and children’s music and received the 2013 FARM Lantern Bearer Award from Folk Alliance International. In 2008 he was honored with the Woodstock Folk Festival Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2012 WFMT 98.7 FM Midnight Special host Rich Warren named him “Chicago’s official troubadour.”

“At this stage of the game,” said the singer, “I feel like I’m doing my best work.”

The Outreach House is located at 700 Springer Drive and serves families in York Township, Glendale Heights and Addison through four different programs—its Food Pantry, First Things First (infant needs), Walk-in Assistance (emergency expenses) and the Clothes Closet.

Those attending should bring one or more grocery bags of non-perishable food items, toiletries and in-season clothing items.

“We’ve presented over 225 events,” said Music and Potlucks Co-Director Stephanie Schrodt of River Forest. “Our mission is to present programs that gather our community together and at the same time provide some assistance to our neighbors in need. We’re thrilled to be partnering with the Helen Plum community.”

To learn more, contact the Helen Plum Memorial Library at 630-627-0316 or log on at www.helenplum.org.

College of DuPage employees form union with AFSCME

Taking the next step in their union organizing campaign that kicked off in March, some 600 employees of the College of DuPage last week filed a majority interest petition with the Illinois Labor Relations Board.

Upon verifying that the petition includes the signatures of a majority of employees, the board will officially certify the union as part of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31.

The new union—College of DuPage Staff United/ AFSCME—will represent “classified” staff (including administrative, clerical, IT and similar employees) whose work supports COD students and faculty.

In the public letter that announced their organizing campaign, COD employees wrote, “We are forming our union because we are proud of the work we do to see our students and community thrive … [I]t’s time for staff to have our own voice.”

Coming events

‘Sip and Shop’ to benefit Lombard Service League Join the members of Lombard Service League for a unique shopping opportunity on July 25. From 5-7 p.m. Kendra Scott Jewelry in Oak Brook Shopping Mall will be hosting a “Sip and Shop” event. Twenty percent of the proceeds of all items purchased between 5 and 7 p.m. will be donated back to the club. Lombard Service League members will provide simple snacks and Kendra Scott will provide Champagne and sweets. Please join us for a fun evening of shopping while helping to raise funds for local philanthropy projects. Lombard

Service League is a member of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and the Illinois Federation of Women’s Clubs. The club is celebrating its 75th anniversary as a club this year. For more information about this event or about the club, call or text 630-9880625.

STEM-A-PALOOZA at DuPage County Fair July 24-27

SCARCE (School & Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education( will be back at the DuPage County Fair with tadpoles, worms, environmental models, spin art and more—fun, hands-on activities and crafts that bring sci-

“With funding for higher education under assault by extremists in Washington DC, it’s crucial for higher ed employees to have a union—a strong, united voice to advocate for themselves, their families, students and communities,” AFSCME Council 31 executive director Roberta Lynch said.

AFSCME represents thousands of workers on college campuses throughout Illinois, including at City Colleges of Chicago, the University of Illinois in

ence, technology, engineering, and math to life in cool SCARCE style.

Stormwater Management will also host an interactive booth that’s fun for kids and adults.

Look for SCARCE in the air-conditioned building at the DuPage County Fairgrounds (2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton.)

Free entry with fair admission.

For DuPage County Fair details, visit https://dupagecountyfair.org/dupage-county-fair.

Plum Library programs Community Concert Partnership with Mark Dvorak Sunday, Aug. 3,

Recently there have been dangerously high temperatures across the region. The American Red Cross urges everyone to take three critical actions to stay safe during such times:

• Stay hydrated by drinking a cup of water every hour, even if you don’t feel thirsty. Avoid sugary, caffeinated and alcoholic drinks.

• Stay cool by spending time in air-conditioned places. If your home is too hot, go to a mall, library or cooling center

• Stay connected by checking on others and asking for help if you need it. Make sure pets have access to fresh water and shade.

“Knowing what to do to protect yourself and loved ones from extreme heat can save lives,” said Tony Lasher, Division Disaster Director. “We’re asking everyone to check on friends and neighbors, especially older adults, people with chronic conditions, outdoor workers and athletes. You could make all the difference by sending a text, making a call or knocking on their door.”

What you should do

Remind everyone to drink water, even if they don’t feel thirsty. Aim for a cup of water every hour and encourage people to avoid sugary, caffeinated or alcoholic drinks. Babies should be breast-fed or bottlefed often. Fewer wet diapers or darker urine can be signs of dehydration.

Encourage athletes and outdoor workers to take breaks in the shade. They should drink a cup of water every 20 minutes and take frequent water breaks.

Help those without air conditioning find a safe place to go like a mall, library or cooling center. They can also take cool showers or baths to help cool off. Remind people to wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothes in light colors.

Urbana-Champaign, Eastern Illinois University, Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Northern Illinois University, Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

About 50 College of DuPage custodial workers are already represented by AFSCME.

at 2 p.m. Join us for a special community event with beloved musician Mark Dvorak. Bring in-date food items, toiletries or diapers/ baby products to support The Outreach House, and enjoy a memorable performance by Mark.

Around the World in 60 Minutes Monday, Aug. 4, at 1 p.m. Heather Braoudakis returns to Helen Plum with a new music program to delight. Join Heather as she sings songs from around the world and classics such as “I Left My Heart in San Francisco,” “Road to Morocco” and “The Girl from Ipanema.” Register for these programs at helenplum.org or by calling (630) 627-0316.

Never leave a child or pet alone inside a parked car, and make sure pets have access to fresh water and shade.

Heat illness signs

Anyone can become ill during extreme heat if their body can’t cool down properly. It’s critical to act fast as some types of heat illness can be deadly.

Heat cramps are signaled by heavy sweating and muscle pain. Take action by stopping what you’re doing, resting in a cool place and slowly sipping water. Don’t drink if you feel sick, and get medical help if cramps last over an hour or you have heart problems.

Heat exhaustion is signaled by heavy sweating, weakness, cool and clammy skin, muscle cramps, dizziness, fainting, nausea or vomiting. Take action by stopping what you’re doing, resting in a cool place and slowly sipping water. Don’t drink if you feel sick. Loosen your clothes and place a cool wet cloth on your body. Get medical help if you don’t feel better, vomit or have heart problems.

Heat stroke is a deadly condition signaled by high body temperature, rapid heartbeat, confusion, headache, dizziness, fainting, nausea or vomiting. Call 911. Move to a cooler place, remove extra clothing and use a wet cloth or a cool bath to cool down. Don’t drink anything.

If the power goes out

When a heat wave and a power outage happen at the same time, it can be even more dangerous. Stay in air conditioning either at home or at a mall, library or cooling center. Keep an ice-filled cooler stocked with food, water and medicine, so that they don’t spoil. More information is available online at www.redcross. org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-ofemergencies/power-outage.html.

Finally, download the free Red Cross First Aid app so you’ll know what to do if emergency help is delayed and the free Emergency app for real-time weather alerts and heat safety information. Content is available in English and Spanish with an easy-to-find language selector. Find both apps in smartphone app stores by searching for the American Red Cross or going to redcross.org/apps.

Pritzker signs executive order responding to impact of tariffs on Illinois

Requires state agencies to draft plans to mitigate effects of tariffs on their responsibilities

By Ben Szalinski Capitol news illinois

Gov. JB Pritzker signed an executive order July 14 requiring Illinois agencies to draft recommendations to respond to tariffs being implemented by President Donald Trump.

The order requires seven state agencies to “consider the specific impacts that the U.S. tariffs have had on Illinois and provide draft recommendations of measures to mitigate the impact of these tariffs” within the next 100 days, which would be Oct. 22.

Pritzker said in a statement

that tariffs amount to a tax increase on consumers and contribute to economic uncertainty.

“This Executive Order ensures we have a clear-eyed view of the impact the Trump Slump will cause from higher prices at the grocery store to uncertainty in our farms and factories,” Pritzker said. “We’re working with other states to stand up for working people and protect our economies when we can.”

The order cites large tariffs Trump has unilaterally implemented on most countries, including some of Illinois’ largest trading partners, saying the

tariffs have raised prices for consumers and businesses and led to supply chain disruptions. The order says tariffs as well as retaliatory tariffs countries have imposed on the United States are hurting “vital sectors of the Illinois economy.”

After previously pushing off implementation of some tariffs until Aug. 1 to allow time for negotiations, Trump announced last week many countries will see tariffs take effect. His latest policy includes 35 percent tariffs on Canada, 30 percent on Mexico and the European Union, and between 25 percent

and 40 percent on many Asian countries. The president previously imposed 145 percent tariffs on goods from China in the spring, but many of his latest rates are lower than they would have been earlier this year.

Illinois imports more goods from Canada than any other country.

Order’s requirements

Under Pritzker’s executive order, state agencies must examine the impact of tariffs on certain sectors of the economy or the agency’s operations.

The departments of Com-

DuPage County wins three national awards

DuPage County received three Achievement Awards from the National Association of Counties (NACo). The awards honor innovative, effective county government programs that strengthen services for residents.

“DuPage County strives for excellence and seeks to be a leader at the state and national levels. We are grateful to receive this recognition from NACo and thrilled to share these programs with counties across the nation,” said County Board Chair Deborah Conroy.

Each year, NACo’s Achievement Awards recognize outstanding programming in 18 categories aligned with the vast, comprehensive services counties provide. The categories include children and youth, criminal justice and public safety, libraries, management, information technology, health, civic engagement and more.

Launched in 1970, the

program is designed to celebrate innovation in county government. Each nominated program is judged on its own merits and not against other applications.

“The Achievement Awards shine a spotlight on the hard work and innovation happening in county governments across the nation,” said NACo President James Gore.

“This year’s winners highlight the dedication and creativity of county leaders and our teams to building thriving communities and providing the best possible services to our residents.”

DuPage County won awards for the following programs:

DuPage County Hinsdale Lake Terrace Rideshare Access Program

Recognizing the economic and transportation access disadvantages faced by residents of the Hinsdale Lake

Coming events

Free sewing classes for middle-school students

First United Methodist Church of Lombard is excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for middle school students this summer—free sewing classes July 29, 30, 31 and Aug. 5, 6 and 7; 9:30-11:45 a.m. at First UMC Lombard, 155 S. Main St. Students will learn: hand sewing techniques, how to control and thread a sewing machine, basic sewing skills and complete the class by sewing their own sleep shorts. Spots are limited. Only the first five students to enroll will be accepted into this session. We hope to offer a second class later in the summer. Cost: free to enroll. Students will receive the sewing pattern but will need to purchase their own fabric, thread, and elastic. Email MediaRelations@firstUMCLombard.org with: Student’s

name, age, parents’ phone number and email address. Sandy will follow up to confirm your spot.

Feel Good Hair back-toschool drive

Feel Good Hair, 1275 S. Main St., Lombard is holding a back-to-school drive through Aug. 2, to be donated to People’s Resource Center. Character backpacks (K-5) and durable backpacks for grades 6-12, colored pencils, compasses/protractors, headphones (earbuds or over-ear), erasers, postit notes, glue sticks, highlighters, index cards, kids markers, two-pocket folders, kids scissors, crayons, pencils, pencil bags, pens (black, blue and red), dry erase markers, rulers, scientific calculators and spiral/ composition notebooks. Call 630-705-0141 for more information.

Terrace community in southeast DuPage County, DuPage County government approached Pace Suburban Bus and partnered with Uber to provide mobility services for the community.

The Hinsdale Lake Terrace Rideshare Access Program began in January 2025, built out of conversations with residents regarding mobility and economic needs. The program offers vouchers to residents for a ride anywhere within a local service area for medical services, grocery, employment, and other purposes.

Stormwater Management’s Water Quality Improvement Program grant

DuPage County Stormwater Management recognizes the financial burden a property owner may face undertaking a project that improves regional water quality. Stormwater Management’s WQIP is a competitive grant that provides financial assistance to projects providing a regional water quality benefit to local

waterways.

The grant funds up to 25 percent of eligible construction costs for water quality improvement projects. DuPage County initiated the grant program in 2000 and awarded approximately $6.6 million to 112 projects to date.

18th Judicial Circuit Court Guardianship Help Desk

The 18th Judicial Circuit Court Guardianship Help Desk was designed to provide caretakers and families with an opportunity to speak with an experienced attorney about their specific case, at the crucial court date on which they may be granted guardianship.

Every Tuesday the court devotes the call to Self-Represented Litigants and the Help Desk staffs at least two volunteer attorneys who answer questions about the court process, review all paperwork and make sure everything is to establish guardianship or help complete necessary paperwork, prior to the litigants presenting their case to a judge that same day.

merce and Economic Opportunity and Employment Security will evaluate challenges reported by businesses, employment trends since tariffs have been implemented, and industries most affected by tariffs.

The Department of Human Services will evaluate trends in food donations and supply chain challenges for food assistance programs, as well as the purchasing power of food banks and their ability to meet demand.

The Department of Transportation and the Capitol Development Board will assess

Obituary

LORIANN E. DAVIS, 60

Loriann “Lori” E. Davis, age 60, of Lombard passed away at home surrounded by family and friends on July 18th, 2025.

Lori was the loving wife of Don for over 25 years; mother of Allyson (Quin) Knepper and Amanda (Joe) Schlagel; caring grandmother of Layla, McKayla, Ellie, and Genevieve; adored daughter of the late Edward and Helen Michaelson; sister of Linda Hansen and Gregg Michaelson; and an aunt. Lori was a cherished lifelong friend of many. We can’t forget, she also was a puppy mom of Kirby and Bailey.

Lori worked as an Executive Assistant for the majority of her career. She was a loyal Chicago sports fan, despite the many-many losses. Lori was an avid camper, traveling

the impact of tariffs on construction costs, and the ability to purchase construction materials and complete projects within their timelines.

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security will evaluate any impacts to stockpiles and the ability to obtain supplies, including staying prepared for emergencies within budget constraints.

Pritzker’s executive order was part of actions taken by seven Democratic governors to understand the impact of tariffs on their states.

to many different states across the country. Her perfect day would have been at the pool with a good book or attending a local craft fair. Lori was a presence in any room with her big smile and laugh. She had a big heart as well as an endless big bowl of candy to share. She was resilient to the very end. Lori will be missed dearly by her family and friends. Memorial Gathering will be held on Saturday, July 26th from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Brust Funeral Home, 135 S. Main Street, Lombard, IL 60148.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the West Suburban Humane Society, 1901 W Ogden Ave., Downers Grove, IL 60515, or at www.wshs-dg.org/get-involved/donate. Info: www.brustfuneralhome.com or 888-629-0094.

experience in bill collection, asked if the village had received notices that some payments were past due. Mika said at least one vendor sent letters and emails and made phone calls to the village’s previous administration.

Mika added that the village is supposed to submit a report to IRMA each year that provides some basic information, including employee headcounts. Mika said this year’s report was due by the end of March, but was not submitted.

Mika stated she had a relationship with an IRMA management member, who notified her that Villa Park had not submitted this report to IRMA. Mika said she then quickly completed and submitted that report within one week of hearing from the IRMA official. She added that the village was subject to a fine of $50 per day for the first 30 days after the due date, and $100 per day beyond that.

Mika told board members that the village is engaged in conversations with IRMA to waive the fine, which is approximately $5,000 to $10,000.

Mika said the village did not incur any penalties from being late on its health/vision/dental insurance payments.

Konstatos asked Mika if any employees’ medical bills had been denied. Mika responded the village had heard from current and retired employees, who related that they received calls from their doctor’s office informing them they weren’t being covered by their carrier.

Mika said that once she learned that the village was behind on paying its health insurance premiums, she directed staff members to make an immediate payment. Once that payment was made, the “freeze” was off, and those claims were paid.

“We have sent out a mass email to our employees letting them know that this happened, and if you get a call from your doctor’s office, to let them know to resubmit the claim, and that they [Blue Cross Blue Shield] will honor it,” Mika said.

Konstatos asked Mika if she reached out to previous village employees to ask them why several payments were not made on time. Mika said she did not reach out to them. She said that by the time she learned the payments were past due, the village’s interim finance director and previous village manager had already left their positions.

Mika also said that letters, emails and phone calls about bills that were past due were “clearly ignored” by the pre-

vious administration.

New finance director is working on a revised budget

Konstatos asked Mika how such an oversight could happen.

“I can’t answer that,” replied Mika, who later added, “After you miss one month, it’s one thing. But after a second month, there should be something that should be flagging.”

Mika told board members during the July 14 meeting that she is working on a revised budget to bring to the board’s attention. She noted that before she began working in Villa Park, board members had been asking for months for a copy of the village budget.

Police pension payment reportedly came in, but was not properly transferred

Mika said that she has been working with the Villa Park Police Department to sort out some of that department’s concerns about the budget, including the transfer of at least $2.6 million to the village’s police pension fund. Mika told board members that it was clear that the village’s interim finance director did not transfer that money to the police pension fund.

“He budgeted the money coming in. However, he did not budget the expense going out,” said Mika, who added that she is continuing to work with the police department to comb through its budget.

“Maybe we are missing something; there are a lot of things that are miscoded,” said Mika, who stated that some figures in the budget were entered in the wrong line item.

“At the end of the day, we’re short,” she said. “Basically, we shorted the budget by that dollar amount [for the police pension fund].”

Another item that Mika said she is working to reconcile is the discrepancy between the budget given to the village board and the budget that was filed with DuPage County. Mika said there is almost a $200,000 discrepancy between the two budgets.

Alfano asks if there is a need for a forensic audit

Alfano stated that she had been asking for the village budget since January, and that she was ridiculed and humiliated for doing so.

“This is why I was asking,” said Alfano after Mika detailed several problems with the village’s finances.

Alfano asked Mika if there was a need for a forensic audit of the village’s budget. Mika said she was conflicted on that question. She said that she has faith in any auditor.

“When they see a red flag, they are required to dig deep-

er,” said Mika, who related that she is looking at the village’s 2023 audit. The audit for 2024 is ongoing. She noted that auditors working on the village’s 2024 audit are finding discrepancies “because things were miscoded; put in place willy-nilly.” Mika said that if the auditors conducting the 2024 audit finish their work and find things they are not comfortable with, a forensic audit could be warranted.

“I don’t know if you want to call it laziness,” said Mika in referring to the financial issues she had uncovered in the weeks she’s been on the job in Villa Park. “To see this kind of work, for me it’s embarrassing that I have to come to my supervisor, or even the board, and say, hey, I found this, I found that, because it’s a reflection on all of us as finance professionals.”

Board members say mismanagement affirms their recent decision to remove Matthew Harline as village manager Konstatos referred to the board’s recent decision to remove Village Manager Matthew Harline from office, and appoint Chief of Police Michael Rivas as Villa Park’s new village manager. Board members voted 5 to 2 during their May 28 special meeting to remove Harline from office. Later in that meeting, board members voted 6 to 1 to appoint Rivas as the new village manager. Rivas then resigned as the chief of police. On May 29, Deputy Chief Todd Kubish was sworn in as the village’s new chief of police.

Board members didn’t provide specific details as to why they voted to remove Harline from office during the May 28 special meeting. Harline spent nearly three years as Villa Park’s village manager.

Four former village board members spoke during that meeting’s public comments segment. Former trustee Robert Wagner suggested the board craft a one-year agreement with Harline to give him a chance to address the issues the board had with him.

Another former trustee, Christine Murphy, asked the board during the May 28 meeting to vote against the resolution to appoint Rivas as the village manager.

Former trustee Jack Corkery stated during the May 28 meeting that the decision to remove Harline was a “disaster” and said the board would be making “an enormous mistake” by removing him from his position.

Former trustee Cheryl Tucker spoke during the special meeting on May 28 and said she wondered why board members believed it would be a good idea to remove him.

Before he was removed from his position, Harline

hired Mika as Villa Park’s new finance director. The village’s previous finance director, Chuck Howard, recently retired. Board members and Mika did not mention Howard by name during their discussion at the July 14 meeting.

“Some of us up here took some heat for the decision we made, and at the time we were making the decision, we couldn’t say why we were making the decision,” said Konstatos during last week’s meeting. Konstatos was one of the five board members who voted to remove Harline from office.

Konstatos asked Mika during the July 14 meeting if she expected other financial discrepancies from the past administration to pop up. Mika said that she did expect to learn about additional issues, based on the pattern that she was seeing. She said there were several invoices brought to her attention, including unpaid invoices from 2024. Mika said those invoices weren’t for huge amounts.

“What is a big deal is how old they are,” said Mika of the invoices.

“It’s an embarrassment as a village,” added Konstatos.

Finance director says board and administration will soon need to make some decisions regarding village’s finances

Responding to a question from Trustee Jorge Cordova about the village’s financial reserves, Mika referred to the spending that had to take place with the construction of the Villa Park Recreation Center, which opened earlier this year, and the failure to direct money to the police pension fund.

“That’s a huge elephant in the room that’s going to dip into our spending abilities,” said Mika, who later added that “within the next month, we’re going to have to make some decisions.”

Responding to a question about her background, Mika shared that she’s in her 27th year in finance. She stated she worked as a staff accountant in DuPage County, then went on to work for the DuPage County Forest Preserve before working in the finance departments of area municipalities, including Yorkville and Bolingbrook.

Kozar lists litany of financial problems and criticizes Harline and former village president Nick Cuzzone

Trustee Jack Kozar spoke after Mika’s presentation to the board and referred to the village’s financial problems, Villa Park’s previous village president (Nick Cuzzone) and village manager (Harline), and recent criticism that had been directed at the board.

“So we got audits that are

late, budgets that aren’t published,” said Kozar, who also mentioned unpaid bills and the discrepancy in the budget given to the board and the one filed with DuPage County.

“We have a previous president, Cuzzone, and a previous manager, Harline, who were asleep at the wheel, or as it was said, they were lazy or didn’t care, or maybe had too many vodka tonics,” Kozar added.

“But we had a bunch of detractors that had a fit that we were replacing the manager and some of the staff. What we talked about just now validates part of the reason why we had to make the decisions that we made, and it affirmed those decisions. And unfortunately, this is not the end of it.”

Villa Park Village President Kevin Patrick, who has been in that office since May

12, thanked Mika and Rivas for their recent work. Trustee Khalid Sabri referred to the different budgets submitted to the board and to DuPage County.

“To me that’s totally unethical,” said Sabri. “I think we need to look into that a little more deeply.”

Trustee Deepasriya Kumar asked Mika about a potential budget shortfall next year. Mika said that her initial thought process was to mirror what was budgeted this year. She said salaries and benefits typically account for about 70 percent of village expenditures. The remaining 30 percent of expenditures are directed toward projects and maintenance items.

“I would think there are going to have to be some hard decisions,” said Mika as she concluded her discussion with board members.

Two Chicago women on pre-trial release face new burglary/aggravated fleeing and eluding charges

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Oak Brook Chief of Police Brian Strockis announced last week that two Chicago women, both on pre-trial release for previous offenses, have each been charged with stealing merchandise from an Oak Brook women’s clothing store and leading police on a high-speed chase.

Shawanda Outlaw, 28, appeared in court on July 15 and was charged with one count of burglary (Class 2 felony), one count of retail theft (Class 3 felony) and two counts of aggravated fleeing and eluding a police officer (Class 4 felony). The court denied the state’s motion to detain Outlaw pre-trial.

Following the hearing, the state filed motions to revoke Outlaw’s pre-trial release on her pending cases that allege she stole merchandise from the Naperville Nike and Ulta Beauty stores on three separate occasions. Judge Mia McPherson and Judge Daniel Guerin granted those motions on July 16.

Outlaw’s co-defendant, Destiny Jackson, 27, also appeared in court on July 15, and was charged with the same offenses. At her hearing, Judge Joshua Dieden granted the state’s motion to detain her pre-trial. Jackson, who is currently on parole for a 2023 retail theft and aggravated battery to a police officer, is also on pre-trial release in a Will County retail theft case.

On Monday, July 14, at approximately 12:30 p.m., a loss prevention officer at Alo Yoga, located at 68 Oakbrook Center, contacted the Oak Brook Police Department to report a burglary/retail theft that had

occurred at the store. After officers spoke with the loss prevention officer and reviewed security footage, it is alleged that Jackson and Outlaw entered the Alo Yoga store, selected 18 items of clothing with a total retail value of approximately $1,674, and proceeded to a fitting room. It is alleged that once in the fitting room, the pair layered the selected clothing about their bodies and exited the store without paying for the merchandise.

An Oak Brook police officer located the defendants in a blue Nissan, activated her emergency lights and siren and attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the Nissan. It is alleged that instead of pulling over, the driver of the Nissan, later identified as Jackson, fled at a high rate of speed northbound onto Route 83. It is further alleged that during the pursuit, Jackson swerved in and out of traffic, drove on the shoulder of the road on multiple occasions and drove into oncoming traffic on Brush Hill Road near Elmhurst Hospital to avoid slower motorists.

It is further alleged that during the pursuit, the officer reached speeds of approximately 82 mph and was not gaining ground on Jackson. It is alleged that Jackson ultimately made her way to eastbound I-290, where the Nissan was boxed in near I-290 and California Avenue with the assistance of Chicago Police Department officers, who were in the area at the time. Both defendants were taken into custody at that time.

The next court appearance for Outlaw is scheduled for Aug. 26. The next court appearance for Jackson is scheduled for Aug. 11.

Worship Services Directory

Berean Bible Students Church

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

Worship God and learn more about Him with us.

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

(630) 889-1090

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

Worship with Us!

St.

Timothy Evangelical Lutheran Church 547 N. Main St., Lombard, IL 60148 630-627-2435

Lent and Easter Services at 7 p.m.

“The Crucial Hours”

Second Lenten Service March 9, 2022

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

Third Lenten Service March 16, 2022

Sunday Worship at 10:15 am Sunday School & Bible Study 9 am Wednesday Service at 7pm Adult Bible Study Wednesdays after Service Saturday, July 26, Game Night at 4 pm Everyone is Welcome!

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

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

Fourth Lenten Service March 23, 2022

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

Fifth Lenten Service March 30, 2022

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

Sixth Lenten Service April 6, 2022

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

Maundy Thursday Communion 7 p.m., April 14

Good Friday Tenebrae 7 p.m., April 15

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

Easter Breakfast 8 a.m., April 17

Easter Festival 10:15

to

X CATHOLIC

Diocese of Joliet SUNDAY MASS SCHEDULE SATURDAY: 5:00 PM (VIGIL MASS) 7:00 PM (ESPAÑOL) SUNDAY: 8:00 AM & 10:00 AM WEEKDAY MASS SCHEDULE MONDAY - FRIDAY & FIRST SATURDAY: 8:30 AM ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT - PRAYER CHAPEL MONDAY - THURSDAY 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION ( ENGLISH & ESPAÑOL) SATURDAY: 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM OR BY APPOINTMENT Parish Office: 1025 E. Madison Street • (630) 627-4526 • www.stpiuslombard.org 600 S. Villa Ave. addison, il 60101 (630) 832-3328 www.messiahbaptistchurch.org

sUNDAY SCHOOL AT 9:30AM

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE 10:30AM WEDNESDAY BIBLE STUDY 7PM

NURSERY, CHILDREN’S CLASS AND YOUTH CLASS AVAILABLE ON SUNDAYS 10:30 WORSHIP SERVICE IS LIVESTREAMED AND CAN BE VIEWED ON YOUTUBE OR FACEBOOK

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

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

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

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

Confessions: Saturday: 3-3:45PM

Confessions: Saturday: 3-3:45PM

Adoration:

Adoration: Parish Center Eucharist Chapel 24/7

DuPAGE DESTINATIONS

Can’t-miss events in and around the area

Editor’s note: If you have information on an event in Addison, Bensenville, Elmhurst, Lombard and Villa Park taking place that you would like us to consider listing here, please email that information to: news1@rvpublishing.com

Ongoing

North Suburban Carvers meetings

The North Suburban Carvers meet on the first and third Mondays of each month at the Wood Dale Public Library from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Anyone interested in carving, power carving, wood burning or special finishing techniques is welcome. North Suburban Carvers is a non-profit organization that promotes carving in the Chicago area. For more

information, visit: northsurburbancarvers.com .org/calendar.aspx

Friday, July 25 Fourth Fridays concert series

Elmhurst

Presented by the Elmhurst History Museum, join the museum for its first Fourth Fridays Concert Series at the museum’s new outdoor performance space, starting at 7 p.m. From June through September, experience an eclectic line up of concerts, from jazz and blues to bluegrass and salsa and Cumbia music, on the fourth Friday of each month. Free to attend. Chairs, blankets, coolers welcome. Morry Sochat and The Special 20’s, a blues band, will be perform-

ing on July 25. For more information.

Sunday, July 27

Stationery Mini-Market with local artists

Elmhurst

Free from noon-5 p.m. at 569 N. York St., welcome to the Stationery Mini-Market at Papel Arcano. Papel Arcano is turning the shop floor into a paper-lover’s paradise. Browse pop-up tables from indie illustrators, local artists, sticker designers, and journaling supply crafters—plus all the pens and washi you already love on our shelves. Whether you’re a bullet journal enthusiast, a planner addict, brand new to stationery, or just love pretty paper, this event is for you. What to expect: Six-plus

local artists selling stationery, prints, stickers, and ephemera; all attendees can opt-in to raffles for Papel Arcano goodies; support small makers, meet your future pen pals, and stock up before planner season kicks off on Stationery Store Day in August. Admission is free, but RSVPs are appreciated so artists can plan accordingly. For more information, call 630-426-1401 or email papelarcano@gmail. com.

Friday, Aug. 1

Family bingo and pizza Villa Park

From 6-7:30 p.m. at the Villa Park Recreation Center, 320 E. Wildwood, bring the family out for this exciting way to explore the new Rec. Center! You’ll enjoy pizza, soft drinks, and desserts while playing a few games of bingo for prizes. Price: $13 per person; children under 1 are free. Register each family member who’ll be attending. For more information, visit: www.invillapark.com.

Saturday, Aug. 9

Live at White Pines

Bensenville

The Live at White Pines

summer concert series continues with a dynamic, can’tmiss performance by Together, Chicagoland’s premier English/Spanish showband, from 6 to 10 p.m. at the Pavilion at White Pines, located at 500 W. Jefferson St. in Bensenville.

This free community event promises an evening of live entertainment, dancing, food, and fun. All ages are welcome. Food and beverages are available for purchase.

For more information, visit BvilleParks.org or call 630-766-0304. For more information, visit WhitePinesGolf.com or follow @GolfWhitePines on social media.

Now though Aug. 14

Rock ‘N Wheels

Addison

The Village of Addison continues its 14th season of Rock ‘N Wheels every Thursday through the summer, from 6 to 10 p.m. on the Village Green. Rock ‘N Wheels includes live music, food and beverages from Addison restaurants, attractions available for children, and more. Here is the remaining schedule of performers: July 24: Soul Asylum

July 31: American English Aug, 7: The Buckinghams Aug, 14: Lateralus For more information, visit: ItHapppensInAddison.com.

Now through Aug. 23

Cruise Nights

Lombard

Lombard’s Cruise Nights and summer concerts take place on Saturdays through Aug. 23, from 6-10 p.m., with live music from 6-9 p.m.

The first nine events will be held on S. Park Ave and will include a live concert and classic car show. Guests are welcome to set up chairs beginning at 5 p.m., and parking is available in the nearby Metra commuter lots. Here is the remaining schedule of bands: July 26: Kaleidoscope Eyes; Aug. 2: Anchors Away; Aug. 9: Heartache Tonight; Aug. 16: Blooze Brothers; Aug. 23: Hi Infidelity. Updates and weather-related delays or cancellations will be shared on the Village of Lombard’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

Now through Sept. 3

Music in the Park Bensenville

Bensenville’s Music in the Park summer concert series in 2025 is being held on Wednesdays at the Village Hall Lawn and running through Aug. 20. The weekly event includes a classic car show cruise night at 6 p.m. along Green and Center streets, followed by live music from 7:30-9:30 p.m. Here is the remaining schedule of bands: July 30—The Country Night (new and classic country)

Aug. 6— EZFM (Yacht rock hits)

Aug. 13— Kashmir (The Led Zeppelin Concert)

Aug. 20—Rocks Off (Rolling Stones hits)

Aug. 27—Simply Elton (Tribute to Sir Elton John)

Sept. 3— ARRA (classic rock)

See more DuPage Coming Events on page 16

PUZZLE Page

Sudoku

Fun by the Numbers

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

CLUES ACROSS

1. Pacific Standard Time

4. Extracts through heating and melting

10. Express delight

11. More curvy

12. Expression of uncertainty

14. Indicates before 15. Daughter of Hera and Zeus

16. Southwestern CA city

18. Unified

22. Less attractive

23. Base of jellies

24. A large and noisy party

26. He was traded for Luka

27. Wolverine genus

28. “Happy Days” actress Moran

30. Root of taro plant

31. Student environmental group (abbr.)

34. Silk garments

36. Unique power

37. Ray Liotta cop film

39. Leak slowly through

40. Notion

41. Atomic #55

42. Fixed in one place

48. About heat

50. Type of baseball pitch

51. Seedless raisin

52. Large wading birds

53. Similar

54. Time zone

55. Atomic #34

56. Program

58. Old world, new

59. Contrary belief

60. “To the __ degree”

CLUES

DOWN

1. Plain-woven fabric

2. Classed

3. Suppositions

4. Midway between south and west

5. Tropical American trees

6. Leveled

7. Published false statement

8. Adolescent

9. Junior’s father

12. Aurochs

13. Not low

17. Boxing’s GOAT

19. Short musical composition

20. Small immature herrings

21. Eavesdropper

25. Parcels of land

29. Anger

31. Irritations

32. Hindu holy man

33. Wicker basket for fish

35. Natural object

38. Transporting in a vehicle

41. A dog is one

43. Smaller portion

44. Sew

45. Belonging to a thing

46. Horsley and Greenwood are two

47. Scottish language

49. Producer

56. Exclamation of surprise

57. Russian river

Answers

Sports

Waves conclude season by swimming in White Division ‘A’ Meet

Lombard’s Avery Norman delivers three individual wins and contributes to pair of relay victories

The Lombard Waves closed out their 2025 season by competing in Saturday’s DuPage Swim and Dive Conference White Division ‘A’ Meet at Paradise Bay Water Park.

The Waves squared off against swimmers from five other teams in Saturday’s meet. The Itasca Dolphins won the meet’s team title with their total of 1,524 points. Bloomingdale (1,230) finished second, while Woodridge (1,023) earned third. Roselle (847) landed in fourth place, while Bartlett (820) and Lombard (666) placed fifth and sixth, respectively.

Lombard’s Avery Norman won the Waves’ only individual titles during Saturday’s meet. She swam to three firstplace finishes in the meet’s 8-and-under girls level. After winning the 50-yard freestyle in a first-place time of 32.11 seconds, she added victories in the 25-yard backstroke, which she completed in 18.73 seconds, and the 25-yard breaststroke, which she finished in 20.50 seconds.

In addition to winning three individual races on Saturday, Avery Norman joined Katherine Van Kampen, Parker Bergman and Claire Wedel on a pair of first-place relay teams.

The four Waves won the first event of the meet, completing the 100-yard medley relay in a victorious time of 1 minute, 24.73 seconds. Later in the meet, the same four girls won the 100-yard freestyle relay in a first-place time of 1 minute, 17.74 seconds.

Honored Broncos

Lombard Waves ended their season by hosting Saturday’s

and Dive Conference White Division ‘A’ Meet at Paradise Bay Water Park. Lombard’s foursome of (above - left to right) Claire Wedel, Katherine Van Kampen, Parker Bergman and Avery Norman won two relay races in the meet’s 8-and-under girls level. The four Waves won the 100-yard medley relay at the start of the meet. They are pictured later in the meet, after they won the 100-yard freestyle relay. One photo from before the freestyle relay shows (top left - left to right) Avery and Katherine. Another photo shows Claire (below left) before she swam the first leg of the freestyle relay. Katherine (below - far left) swam the second leg, while Parker (below right) swam the third leg. Avery swam a strong anchor leg to help the Waves to the win. After swimming on two first-place relay teams, Avery earned three individual victories in the meet. She is pictured (bottom right) during her triumph in the 50-yard freestyle. She went on to post wins in the 25-yard backstroke and the 25-yard breaststroke.

submitted photo Rock Valley Publishing

The members of Montini Catholic High School’s Class of 2025 who were honored at the school’s recent Celebration of Excellence Awards ceremony included Lily Spanos (left) and Izzie Evenson (right). Spanos received the Gold Medal for her contributions to Montini’s Student Government team, while Evenson received the Silver Medal. They are pictured with Montini Assistant Principal (and Student Government moderator) Alexxis Gora (center) at the ceremony. Spanos was a fouryear member of Montini’s varsity girls basketball team. She finished her senior season by helping the Broncos win the IHSA Class 3A state championship earlier this year. Spanos was also a member of Montini’s girls golf team. She was the president of Montini’s Student Government during her senior year. A Glen Ellyn resident, Spanos will attend Dickinson College in Pennsylvania. Evenson, who is a resident of Villa Park, was a four-year standout member of Montini’s varsity girls volleyball team. As a freshman, she helped the Broncos win the IHSA Class 2A state championship in the fall of 2021. Evenson was the vice president of Montini’s Student Government during her senior year. She will attend the College of Charleston in South Carolina.

Chris Fox photos Rock Valley Publishing

The

DuPage Swim

Mariners wrap up season at Red Division ‘A’ Meet

Lydia Aldana sails to four individual titles; Caleb Vaughan delivers three individual victories for Mariners

The Villa Park Mariners completed their 2025 season by competing in Saturday’s DuPage Swim and Dive Conference Red Division ‘A’ Meet in Wood Dale.

The Mariners battled against swimmers from five other teams—Butterfield, Carol Stream, Glendale Heights, Hanover Park and Wood Dale/Addison in Saturday’s meet.

Villa Park’s Lydia Aldana won four individual races during Saturday’s meet. Swimming in the 11-12 girls division, she earned her first victory of the day in the 50yard freestyle, which she completed in 29.34 seconds. After posting a win in the 100-yard individual medley, which she completed in 1 minute, 15.95 seconds, she added first-place efforts in the 50-yard backstroke (36.70) and the 50-yard

breaststroke (37.72).

Caleb Vaughan of the Mariners won three individual events during Saturday’s season-ending meet. Competing in the 11-12 boys level, he won the 100-yard individual medley (1:22.60) to earn his first victory of the day. He went on to win the 50-yard

butterfly (37.83) and the 50yard breaststroke (42.37).

Naomi Aldana of Villa Park won two individual titles in the 15-18 girls division of Saturday’s conference meet. She earned her wins in the 100-yard individual medley

See MARINERS, Page 15

The Lombardian, Villa Park Review, Addison Independent & Bensenville Independent

In Print and Online Every Thursday

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

The Villa Park Mariners finished their 2025 season on Saturday,

they participated in the DuPage

in Wood Dale. Lydia Aldana

the 11-12 girls level of Saturday’s meet. Villa Park’s Caleb Vaughan (above) swam to three individual victories in the meet’s 11-12 boys division.

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

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Naomi Aldana (right) of the Mariners raced to two individual wins in the competition’s 15-18 girls level. All five of Villa Park’s Aldana siblings earned at least one individual victory on Saturday. Ethan Aldana (8-and-under boys), Ruth Aldana (11-12 girls) and Phoebe Aldana (13-14 girls) each swam to one individual win.

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Lombardian Villa Park Review

Addison Independent Bensenville Independent

Two members of Montini Catholic High School’s girls track and field team— Ashlynn Lindt (above left) and Brooke D’Amico (above right)—earned Girls Catholic Athletic Conference (GCAC) All-Conference honors during the 2025 spring outdoor season. Lindt and D’Amico are Lombard residents. Lindt, who was a junior during the 2025 season, finished second in the 3,200-meter run at the GCAC Outdoor Championships in May. Later that month, she qualified for the IHSA Class 2A girls state meet in the 3,200-meter run. She earned a 20th-place finish in that event at the state meet, which took place at Eastern Illinois University. D’Amico, who was a sophomore during the recently completed season, placed fourth in the triple jump at the GCAC Outdoor Championships, which took place at Loyola Academy in Wilmette.

Chris Fox File photos Rock Valley Publishing

July 19, when

Swim and Dive Conference’s Red Division ‘A’ Meet

(top left) of the Mariners won four individual titles in

Illinois bet on solar to meet its climate goals; Trump has the industry in his crosshairs

Advocates push state to expand renewables incentives

By Andrew Adams Capitol news illinois

President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans earlier this month curtailed federal tax incentives for the solar energy industry and for individuals and companies that purchase solar panels.

The move sent shockwaves through the industry nationwide, pulling key incentives for major projects and residential rooftop solar alike.

But in Illinois, members of the industry say state policy gives a bit of cover. While they have seen a wave of business before Biden-era tax breaks sunset, solar companies are left with uncertainty in the longterm.

Others fear Trump’s actions will drive up prices by slowing the pace of renewables entering the market as fossil fuels exit for economic reasons.

The spending plan that Trump signed into law on July 4 will end several decades-old tax incentive programs between now and 2027. Those programs, which offer credits for rooftop solar systems and investment in large-scale projects, were expanded under the Inflation Reduction Act, a major initiative of former President Joe Biden.

Trump followed the bill signing with a July 7 executive order aimed at quickly ending any subsidies for “expensive and unreliable energy sources like wind and solar.”

Between the spending bill and the executive order, the federal government will also stop offering a tax credit for the manufacture of wind power components and instead offer a similar subsidy to the coal used in steel production.

The new law also denies incentives to any projects that are owned by certain foreign entities or use a significant amount of supplies from those entities, like the Chinese government

• Mariners

and its affiliated businesses.

This is particularly difficult for battery storage and solar projects, which often rely on minerals and components mined in or manufactured in China.

This leaves many consumer advocates and energy experts looking to Illinois to further insulate the industry, which is a key part of how the state plans to replace fossil fuel-generated electricity with carbon-free sources by 2045 as required by state law.

Energy price increase

The bill will likely result in higher energy prices across the country, according to an analysis from the REPEAT Project, a joint research effort by Stanford Professor Jesse Jenkins’ Princeton Lab and Evolved Energy Research.

A separate analysis from think tank Energy Innovation, whose CEO was a senior Biden advisor involved in drafting climate change-related legislation, links the cost increases to a reduction in the number of renewable power plants that will be built under the new law.

This will affect electricity capacity markets directly as well as increase the wholesale price of natural gas due to the power sector’s increased reliance on it. Federal data indicates natural gas is currently used for about 17.3 percent of all electricity generation in Illinois.

Estimates of the scale of the electric bill cost increase for a typical household vary. REPEAT pegs the increase at $280 per household per year by 2035 nationwide. Energy Innovation’s model suggests $170 annual increase by 2035 and $180 in Illinois.

A spokesperson for the Citizens Utility Board, a consumer advocacy group in Illinois, echoed the sentiment and said ending the tax credit programs “is a gut punch to consumers

(Continued from page 14)

(1:08.77) and the 50-yard butterfly (28.22).

The Mariners’ other individual champions in Saturday’s meet included:

8-and-under girls: Margot Tarsitano (50-yard freestyle; 53.84)

8-and-under boys: Ethan Aldana (25-yard butterfly; 24.04)

11-12 girls: Ruth Aldana (50-yard butterfly; 33.48)

13-14 girls: Phoebe Aldana (100-yard individual medley; 1:13.61)

Villa Park’s 8-and-under boys foursome of Benjamin

and our economy.”

Solar industry ‘uncertainty’

Jon Carson, the managing partner at Trajectory Energy Partners, said the law is another part of the “solar coaster”—an industry euphemism about the ups and downs of solar tax credits. This part of the coaster, Carson said, will result in less investment.

“This change in law and the uncertainty from the president’s executive order, it just means that less projects are going to get built in the short term,” Carson said.

Carson, a longtime campaign and White House staffer under former President Barack Obama, founded Trajectory Energy Partners in 2017.

“We fundamentally believe that this is a real bump in the road for solar, it’s a bump in the road for individual projects, but that ultimately the United States needs more power, and it’s going to come from wind, solar and battery storage,” he said, referencing three technologies Trump is against.

Others in the industry have raised flags that the “bump in the road” may be more obtrusive for some companies.

The investment tax credit that’s ending under the new law offers a credit of 30 percent of project costs, with an optional 10 percent on top of that if a project meets certain labor standards. A similar tax credit exists for both residential and commercial projects.

Brian Haug, president of Oak Brook-based Continental Energy Solutions, said the credit is a “critical” part of Continental’s business model.

“The investment tax credit is a perfect tool that we use to make these projects financially interesting for larger companies,” Haug said.

Continental works on microgrids, rooftop solar and battery

storage projects for commercial and industrial customers and claims to be the largest solar installer in the state.

Solar installation companies, customers and individuals still have time qualify for tax credits at the higher, Biden-era rates. Eligible projects must commence construction within the next 12 months or be placed in service by the end of 2027, almost a decade ahead of what was outlined in the IRA.

The rapid sunset has resulted in a short-term boom in requests for solar projects, according to Windfree Solar CEO Eric Heineman, whose Chicago-based company installs solar for commercial and residential projects.

“We don’t know how it’s going to impact us in the long term. What we know in the short term is that we know we have buyers who have been dragging their feet, they’ve got proposals for years with us, and now they’re just coming out of the woodwork,” Heineman said. “They’re signing up left and right.”

But even for projects started today, there’s not a guarantee they will receive any tax benefits from the federal government. Trump’s executive order signaled that his administration could revise guidance on what counts as the “beginning of construction.”

Illinois’ renewable haven Illinois has increasingly subsidized the solar industry in recent years, most notably through the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, or CEJA. That state law significantly expanded programs like Illinois Shines and Illinois Solar for All, which provide incentives to individuals and solar developers.

At a campaign stop while the Trump-backed spending plan was being considered in Congress earlier this month, Gov.

JB Pritzker said Illinois’ policy wouldn’t be affected by the feds’ repeal of Inflation Reduction Act tax credits.

“We put that bill together before the IRA was passed at the federal level, and so we anticipated that we needed to incentivize clean energy, and we did,” Pritzker said on July 2.

Industry experts credit the state’s policies generally, and CEJA specifically, for positioning the Illinois solar industry well as Trump’s policies threaten solar broadly.

Heineman, who was former Gov. Pat Quinn’s director of sustainability, pointed to the state’s solar renewable energy credit, or SREC, programs as a driving factor.

“Our sales are our revenue. Sales are driven by SRECs. If we don’t have revenue, we go out of business,” Heineman said. “Illinois is more insulated than any other state in the country.”

Heineman estimated that a typical solar project takes three years to pay for itself with current incentives. After the federal credit is repealed, it might take five years. Without state incentives, though, it could be as much as 10 years.

Battery credits

Some of the same lawmakers who were involved in passing CEJA are now pushing for a follow-up bill to offer incentives to the battery storage industry. That bill, a version of which was considered in the spring legislative session, could also include regulations of data centers, which are a major contributing factor to decreasing grid reliability and increasing energy prices.

Some environmental groups are using the federal spending plan as leverage to further push state lawmakers into supporting the initiative.

Illinois Environmental Council senior policy manager

Cate Caldwell said the state has “long led” on environmental issues and that lawmakers should act in their shortened October legislative session.

“While this federal budget threatens to reverse that progress, Illinois can instead double down on its climate commitments and invest in real, bold climate solutions that modernize our grid, ensure energy-hungry data centers act as good neighbors, and deliver cost savings to hardworking families across the state,” she said in a statement.

Hiccups in Illinois’ climate record

Despite the overall positive sentiments from the renewable energy industry and environmental lobby, the state has failed to live up to the promises it made in the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, according to a report from the state’s auditor general.

That audit report, released last week, found that the state’s Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity failed to properly implement requirements for at least four jobs or workforce programs outlined in CEJA, including ones aimed at finding jobs for people returning from prison and to help communities disproportionately affected by climate change and pollution.

In the report, the Department acknowledged its errors and noted that it had hired someone to manage one of the programs in an interim capacity.

A DCEO spokesperson said the department has made “substantial progress on key initiatives” since the audit was conducted, including approving grant recipients in many of the programs listed in the report and launching community-hubs for people seeking jobs in the renewable sector.

State ends fiscal year with record revenue

Steverson, Kingston Kuhl, Ethan Aldana and Brycen Newell won a pair of relay races on Saturday.

The four Mariners won the 100-yard medley relay (2:02.57) at the beginning of the meet. A short time later, they turned in a first-place effort in the 100-yard freestyle relay (1:34.32).

The Mariners’ 11-12 boys quartet of Cillian Connolly, Caleb Vaughan, Liam Grobe and Malcolm Childress swam to a victory in the 200-yard medley relay (2:50.40) during Saturday’s conference meet.

By Ben Szalinski Capitol news illinois

Despite uncertainty over the economy and federal funding during the second half of fiscal year 2025, the year closed on June 30 with the state setting a new record for annual revenue.

Numbers compiled by the independent Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability show FY25 concluded with $54 billion in revenue, the most the state has ever received in a fiscal year. The state also brought in $717

million more in revenue than lawmakers originally budgeted for when they passed a $53.3 billion budget in May 2024.

All told, the final revenue numbers track closely with projections made in May by both COGFA and the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget that formed the basis of the FY26 budget. In other words, June revenues produced no surprises, and lawmakers aren’t sitting on any substantial surplus as the new fiscal year begins.

The record revenues also don’t alleviate any uncertainty for the current or future fiscal years as Congress considers drastic reductions to the social safety net and aid to states.

Causes of revenue growth

Strong personal income tax growth drove the revenue increase in FY25, largely thanks to a “true up” conducted by the Department of Revenue that reallocated business related income tax revenue into the personal in-

come tax category. Personal income tax revenue was 10 percent higher than in FY24, but corporate income taxes declined by 9.5 percent.

Some other revenue sources also saw minimal growth. Sales tax revenue grew by less than 1 percent, though COGFA noted it increased by nearly 3 percent in the second half of FY25 after a weak start last summer as gas prices dropped and people cut back on large purchases amid growing economic uncertainty.

DuPage events

Now through Sept. 5

2025 Summer Concerts

Oakbrook Terrace

The City of Oakbrook Terrace presents its summer concert series, which is held Friday nights at Terrace View Park, 1 Parkview Plaza. The free concerts feature two bands and start at 7 p.m. Here is the remaining

Answers

schedule: July. 25: Poison ‘D Crue and the Lounge Puppets; Aug. 1: Sealed with a Kiss and Kashmir; Aug. 8: Ronnie Rice and Jade 50; Aug. 15: Beyond the Blond and The Disco Circus; Aug. 22: Full Volume and Arra; Aug. 29: Members Only and Infinity; Sept. 5: Heart to Heart Breaker and Anchors

Away.

Now through Sept. 7

Hokusai Outdoor Art Gallery

Elmhurst

Recurring daily and presented free by the Elmhurst City Centre, in conjunction with the 2025 exhibition

“Hokusai and Ukiyo-e: The Floating World,” the College of Du-Page, McAninch Arts Center, and Cleve Carney Museum of Art are collab

art style. Each work of art, created by local artist Rich Lo, will be displayed in eight large windows located at 107 N.

Park Avenue and St. Charles Road, get your farm fresh goods, enjoy local vendors and live entertainment, and gather with your community at Farm-

Coming event

Support the buSineSSeS that Support you!

Helen Plum Library, 411 S. Main St., Lombard, is hostingday, Aug. 6, from 2:30-7 p.m. in the Plum Meeting Rooms.

State law requires dental exams on all Illinois children in or entering Kindergarten, 2nd grade, 6th grade and 9th grade. Call today and schedule your child’s appointment.

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