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The

Winner’s

The winner’s share of Villa Park Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2801’s current Queen of Hearts contest is over $31,000— before taxes.

The contest’s next ticket drawing will be held at 8 p.m. this Friday, Sept. 1. The drawing will take place at the post, which is located at 39 E. St. Charles Road.

The post is open to the public. The Friday-night ticket drawing/reveal takes place in the post’s downstairs bar—the VFW Post 2801 Bunker.

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

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

Each Friday, the contest tickets that were sold during the week are spun in the rotating drum, and one ticket is selected. That ticket includes a number representing one of the spaces in which the card has not yet been revealed.

If the card on that space contains the Queen of Hearts, the owner of the selected ticket claims the winner’s share.

In the drawing of Friday, Aug. 25, the winner’s share was approximately $29,000, before taxes. The owner of the ticket that was pulled from the drum on Friday evening filled out No. 47 on that ticket. The card behind that space turned out to be the 8 of Diamonds. The owner of

Play at the plate Graduation day at Willowbrook

that ticket did win $25. The owner of the ticket that’s chosen from the drum each Friday wins at least $25.

Freshman Lindsey Rugg of the Willowbrook softball team is pictured while attempting to score a run during Friday’s game at Downers Grove South. Rugg tried to score from second base on a single by sophomore Katelyn Cox in the top of the second inning, when the game was tied at 2-2. Downers Grove South’s catcher tagged Rugg out at home plate for the third out of the inning. The Mustangs went on to defeat the Warriors 7-3 in the West Suburban Gold Conference contest. Wil-

InsIde:

The Queen of Hearts is still hiding behind one of the five covered spaces (25, 26, 39, 48 and 53) remaining on the contest board. She can’t hide much longer—she will show her face sometime in September.

Willowbrook High School’s Class of 2021 celebrated its commencement with two separate ceremonies in the school’s main gymnasium on Sunday morning. The entire class includes over 470 students. About half of those students attended the

Arbor Day in Villa Park

lowbrook rebounded from Friday’s loss to post an 11-2 win in Saturday’s game at Hinsdale Central. The Warriors bashed three home runs in the second inning of Sat urday’s non-conference battle against the Red Devils of the West Suburban Silver Conference. Senior Annemarie Knudtson, freshman Isabella Dugo and sophomore Kayleigh Dennison provided the home runs. Dennison (No. 5) is pictured in the background of the above photo. For more about the Warriors, see page 14.

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

Memorial Day in Villa Park

The drama and the jackpot continue to rise in Villa Park Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 2801’s Queen of Hearts contest. If there had been a winner in the drawing of Friday, Aug. 25, the grand prize would have been over $29,000, before taxes. The ticket selected in the Aug. 25 drawing included the No. 47. That space on the contest board revealed the 8 of Diamonds. Only five covered spaces (25, 26, 39, 48 and 53) remain on the contest board. The Queen of Hearts is hiding behind one of those spaces. If the Queen of Hearts is revealed in the drawing of this Friday, Sept. 1, the contest winner will receive at least $31,000, before taxes. The post is open to the public. A five-pack of tickets in the drawing costs $5. Tickets are on sale at the post, located at 39 E. St. Charles Road, during the week and up until a few minutes before the Friday-night drawing. Contestants do not need to be present at the drawing.

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

is observed on the last Friday of each April. The National Arbor Day Foundation has recognized Villa Park with Tree City USA designation for 36 straight years. To receive that recognition, a community must have a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, a comprehensive community forestry program and an Arbor Day observance.

was the post’s last surviving World War II veteran.

Bergh

CHRIS FOX PHOTOS Villa Park

STAFF REPORT

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

share is over $31,000, before taxes; next drawing takes place this Friday

New lawsuits filed against former DuPage County OB-GYN accused of misconduct Lombard woman files one of the new lawsuits

Staff report

Last January, seven women filed lawsuits against Dr. Vernon Cannon, a former OBGYN at the DuPage Medical Group—now Duly Health and Care—accusing Cannon of inappropriate behavior, and Duly Health and Care of negligence.

Most of the lawsuits in January accused Cannon of being intoxicated while performing exams, while one lawsuit alleged a patient had an inappropriate sexual encounter with Cannon, and another accused him of bizarre behavior after a stillbirth.

After these lawsuits were filed, Cannon’s Illinois Physician and Surgeon License was formally and permanently relinquished in March, and he is no longer licensed to practice medicine in Illinois. DuPage Medical Group became Duly Health and Care in September, 2021. Cannon left DuPage Medical Group, which had employed him for 13 years, in 2020.

Duly Health and Care is accused of negligently retaining Cannon when it knew, or should have known, that he had been credibly accused of being under the influence of alcohol while examining female patients.

Recently, five new misconduct lawsuits

against Cannon and his former employer have been filed—one of them by a woman from Lombard, Christina Deeke.

Attorneys at Hurley McKenna & Mertz, P.C., the law group representing the plaintiffs, were expected to file several additional cases against Cannon and Duly Health and Care, bringing the total number of lawsuits to over 50.

Deeke said at a press conference that she was a co-worker of Cannon’s and also one of his patients.

“I was his patient for a year because all the other doctors I went through within Duly had retired or left the practice,” she said, “so I stayed with the practice because they had my medical history.”

She said after learning about the accusations against Cannon in January, it prompted her to come forward.

“I don’t want this to happen to any other woman,” Deeke said. “It brings tears to my eyes as I currently still work in the medical profession. For women to take the trust to even go these days for their healthcare, to go for their mammogram, I feel betrayed.

“I do have trust issues now. I pulled all my cases out from Duly and I switched to a

completely different medical organization. When I go and see new doctors, I question … I question myself, I have the fear, the anxiety.”

Deeke said she has tattoos on her lower abdomen. During one exam in 2019, Deeke said she and Cannon had a conversation about tattoos, and Cannon allegedly proceeded to unbutton his shirt, take off his lab jacket and “proceeded to show me that he was fully tatted.”

“What medical personnel would be taking off their shirt and showing their patient all of their tattoos?” she said.

Evan Smola, a partner at Hurley McKenna & Mertz, P.C., added, “One of the things about Christina’s case that we find most disturbing is that there was a medical procedure performed during her final visit with Dr. Cannon, the results of which were read by him and reported to her on Sept. 17, 2019—which was the same day Northwestern (Medicine Central DuPage Hospital) nurses were reporting he was intoxicated at the hospital.

“So it falls into question every medical decision and piece of information that he has conveyed to Christina and others during this time when his partners at Duly should have known what was happening.”

Duly Health and Care director of external communications, Terri Hickey, released the following statement to the Daily Herald after the five new lawsuits were filed, denying the accusations:

“Duly takes allegations of physician misconduct extremely seriously, including those that have been raised concerning former DuPage Medical Group physician Vernon Cannon.

“The actions alleged are unacceptable and inconsistent with Duly’s mission to provide outstanding patient care and the ethical standards we expect our physicians to uphold. Duly vehemently denies that it knowingly allowed Dr. Cannon to engage in misconduct, and Dr. Cannon has not had any patient contact at Duly since he departed the practice in 2020.”

Robert Larsen, Cannon’s attorney, also issued a statement, denying the allegations:

“As a defendant in a medically related claim, Dr. Cannon is limited by HIPAA in what he can say in response. Suffice it to say, we deny these allegations, and intend to defend all of these claims. When we do, we believe the true facts will come out.”

Cannon has not been criminally charged.

Summit keeps mental health issues in the forefront

By Jane Charmelo Lombardian Staff reporter

A Mental Health Summit held on Aug. 9 in Glen Ellyn reinforced the need to keep the conversation going about topics related to mental health, according to State Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-48th District), one of the summit’s organizers.

She, along with state Sen. Laura Ellman (D-21st District) and state Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock (D-46th District), organized the event as a way to continue discussions following previous summits.

“We had a lot of outreach asking me to do it again,” Costa Howard said, adding that with the inclusion of some new voices, “It was a bit of a reconstruction [with] different perspectives.”

The summit, attended by over 40 people, included representatives from substance abuse recovery,

youth services and other areas of mental health, as well as county and municipal officials, law enforcement and school personnel, and community agencies, she outlined.

The representative said there were a variety of topics discussed, in small groups, and noted that

some of her interns were in attendance, who saw mental health in college students as an important topic.

The discussions included challenges to providing mental health services to youth, substance abuse and recovery, technology and mental health, and mental health services in the represented communities.

The range of topics also included “identifying and helping young people who are struggling with mental illness,” Costa Howard noted.

A new topic was initiated related to billing, insurance coverage and payments for mental health services, Costa Howard recalled, adding that this focus is “Something that is very real and needs to be discussed.”

The small groups spent time at

Small Business Administration announces loans available

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced that residents and businesses impacted by the fire at the Arden of Oakbrook apartment complex in Oakbrook Terrace on July 28 may be eligible for low-interest loans to assist with recovery efforts.

An SBA Disaster Loan Outreach Center will be established in DuPage County to assist residents and businesses impacted by the fire with the loan application process.

The center will be located at the Salvation Army Community Center-

Oakbrook Terrace, 1 S 415 Summit Ave, Villa Park.

The center will open at 11 a.m. Aug. 28 and will close on Sept. 11.

The hours of operation will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The center will be closed on Labor Day.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloanassistance.sba. gov/ela/s/

Loan information and application forms may also be obtained by

calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955, or (800) 877-8339 for the deaf and hard-ofhearing, or by emailing DisasterCustomerService@sba.gov. Additional information can be found at sba. gov/disaster. The filing deadline for Physical Damage applications is October 23, 2023, and for Economic Injury applications is May 23, 2024.

Residents seeking additional assistance and/or resources are reminded that they can utilize DuPage 211 by calling 211 or visiting 211DuPage. gov.

the various tables, “interacting with different people,” the representative described, and related that the attendees plan to report back to their respective organizations, to ensure the discussions will continue.

Costa Howard said she wanted to hear from those individuals in her district so she can bring back information to Springfield on the outcome of the summit.

With that information being heard at the state level, legislators

can look at “how we as a state can work with them [organizations],” the representative said. The issues surrounding mental health she brings to Springfield “are the kinds of things that are important for us to hear,” she emphasized, also stating the event was not political, but instead, “a nonpartisan way of dealing with it [mental health].”

“We want to make sure we’re always plugged into our communities,” Costa Howard said.

An Aug. 9 Mental Health Summit was organized by (left to right) state Sen. Laura Ellman (D-21st District), state Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-42nd District) and state Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock (D-46th District), to continue discussions from past summits on topics related to mental health. Over 40 people attended from various agencies, including law enforcement and school personnel.

U.S.

for residents impacted by Arden of Oakbrook Apartment Complex fire

“ We had a lot of outreach asking me to do it again. i t was a bit of a reconstruction [with] different perspectives.”

– Terra Costa Howard State Rep. 48th District

Student accused of threatening principal at Glenbard North High School

DuPage County State’s Attorney

Robert Berlin and Carol Stream

Chief of Police William Holmer have announced that a student has been charged with one count of disorderly conduct, a Class 4 felony, for allegedly making a threatening remark directed at the principal of Glenbard North High School.

Zachary Kurzeja, 18, of Carol Stream, appeared at a bond hear-

ing where Judge Joshua Dieden set bond at $250,000 with 10 percent to apply.

It is alleged that on Aug. 24, Kurzeja was at the school when he commented to another individual at the school

Charleys Cheesesteak and Wings celebrates grand opening

This month, the Villa Park Chamber of Commerce celebrated the grand opening of Charleys Cheesesteak and Wings: 141 W North Ave, Villa Park. Charleys is owned by Dilip Patel and Mitul Thakkar. Village President Nick Cuzzone, the village’s Director of Economic Development, Patrick Burke, and members of the Villa Park police and fire departments attended the grand opening, along with chamber board directors and members of the community. Charleys hours are: 10 a.m.-midnight, Monday through Thursday; 10-a.m.-1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 630359-5940 or visit: https://order.charleys.com.

Villa Park reView

“Hey man, if you heard someone shot at principal at the head, don’t look at me.” Following an investigation into the matter, Kurzeja was taken into custody later that day without incident.

“With the school year just beginning, I want to remind everyone that my office takes any threat of violence aimed at a school very seriously and anyone suspected of

making such a threat will be investigated and charged accordingly,” Berlin said.”

“It’s imperative that our children have a safe learning environment free from threats of violence,” Holmer said. “We can’t afford to take these incidents lightly, and we will do everything we can to maintain the safety of the students and staff in our schools.”

Prevent rabies: be safe, never touch a bat

This is the time of year when bats are most active. The DuPage County Health Department (DCHD) is reminding residents to never touch or try to catch a bat or wild animal, especially in your home.

Rabies is a deadly virus that affects the brain and nervous system. Humans and other mammals can get rabies after being bitten by an infected animal.

Rabies can also be contracted when saliva from a rabid animal gets directly into the eyes, nose, mouth, or a wound.

Preventive treatment with rabies immune globulin and vaccine series must begin immediately. Without preventive treatment following potential exposure to a rabid animal, rabies is typically a fatal disease. If you have been bitten or exposed to a bat, seek immediate medical attention. If you wake up and find a bat in the room, it is considered an exposure, even if no bite marks are visible.

Bat bites may not be felt while sleeping. Take special considerations to report the exposure and consult with your healthcare provider, especially when a bat is found in the room with a previously unattended child, mentally disabled person, or intoxicated person.

Bats are the primary source of rabies in Illinois

You may not be able to tell by looking at a bat if it is rabid. The animal does not have to be aggressive or exhibit other symptoms to have rabies. Any wild mammal, such as a raccoon, skunk, fox, coyote, or bat, can have rabies and transmit it to humans.

Changes in any animal’s normal behavior, such as difficulty walking or an overall appearance of illness, can be early signs of rabies. A bat that is active during the day, found on the ground, and unable to fly is more likely to be rabid. Such bats should never be touched or handled. Several potential human exposures to rabies have been reported already in 2023, and preventive treatment has been recommended for 56 DuPage County residents to date in 2023, by their healthcare provider and/or public health officials. No bats have tested positive for rabies in DuPage County in 2023 to date, though five bats tested positive for rabies in DuPage County in 2022.

Rabies in humans is 100 percent preventable. Understanding your risk and knowing what to do after a rabies exposure can keep you, your loved ones, and your pets safe.

The following tips can help prevent the spread of rabies:

• Be a responsible pet owner. Keep vaccinations up to date for all pets.

• Seek immediate veterinary assistance if your pet is bitten by a wild animal or exposed to a bat.

• Call your local police department or your local animal control agency to remove stray animals from your neighborhood.

• Do not touch, feed, or attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter.

• Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not try to nurse sick animals to health. Call animal control or an animal rescue agency for assistance.

• Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly. “Love your own, leave other animals alone” is a good principle for children to learn to reduce the risk of exposure to rabid animals.

• Maintain homes and other buildings so bats cannot gain entry. Additional information on “Bats and Bat Exclusion” is available at Bats and Bat Exclusion (illinois.gov)

Your Hometown Newspaper 240 N. West Avenue Elmhurst, IL. 60126

Main Phone 630.834-8244 Fax 630.834-0900

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

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

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Zachary Kurzeja

SUBMITTED PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing

Slices of life For my friend Bobbie (who happens to have a really, really red peony)

What’s the difference, red or pink?

My friend has a beautiful flower growing in the garden in front of her house. It’s a red peony plant.

I’ve always loved flowers and peonies are some of my favorites. I’ve had white ones, light pink and even dark pink, but never red.

I admired my friend’s red peony. I told her so, year after year.

And then, last spring, I was at a greenhouse and they had peonies.

Red ones!

The little plastic tag in the pot said so. Karl Rosenfield variety. There was a photo and everything. Unmistakably, deeply red.

Twenty dollars later, the Karl Rosenfield bad boy was mine.

I brought him home to my garden and waited.

The first year he didn’t bloom. I wasn’t expecting that. He needed to plant his roots and have the chance to acclimate to his surroundings. Nonetheless, I fertilized, weeded and tended to Karl with the love and tenacity deserving of a soon-to-be brightred blooming peony plant.

This year, Karl emerged from the soil after an extra hard winter. I celebrated his tenacity. Spring came and he grew bigger; his leaves stretched outward. I applauded his development.

Meanwhile my friend’s red peony erupted into bloom and I anticipated my own red glory. My young Karl had two budspromises of flowers in the not-todistant future.

I waited.

And then, one day the blooms burst forward.

They were pink.

Not redish pink. Not pink with a red under or overtones.

Just pink.

I Googled Karl online; I’d saved his tags from my purchase. He is known as one of the best red peonies on the planet.

Except he wasn’t red.

I showed Karl to my friend – the one with the real red peony.

She agreed that Karl was (unfortunately) not red. He was pink

Not that pink is a bad thing. It’s just that I was expecting, I was hoping for - red. I thought I’d bought red. The photo next to his fledgling self at the green house showed a red flower.

The peony in my garden was

By JILL PERTLER Columnist

clearly not Karl. It could be a relative of Karl; perhaps his brother, Kyle.

My friend suggested returning the plant to the greenhouse. It was a possibility. Still is.

But what are they going to do with a two-year-old pink peony claiming to be red? They might give me a replacement, but what would happen to Kyle? Who would give him a place in their garden?

It was like he’d be a foster plant - without a home to call his own. And how would he feel about that? His mom giving him up and all?

He wasn’t red, but was that his fault?

And who says red is better than pink? Certainly not Kyle.

Kyle may not be Karl, but he has a right to grow and flourish and send his blossoms out to the world, like he was meant to do. Red, pink, green or blue—it doesn’t matter.

Kyle just wants to prosper, to live his life out until the sun no longer lingers on his leaves.

There are no right or wrong answers here, but I decided I couldn’t live with the thought of tossing Kyle out just because of the color of his petals - giving up a plant because it wasn’t exactly what I originally wanted. Giving up on Kyle simply because I was hoping for a different hue.

Giving up on any number of things in life when they don’t turn out quite as expected.

I really wanted a red peony in my garden. My neighbor has one and I love the look of hers. I tried to get one of my own, but mine turned out to be pink. And I guess that’s okay. I don’t sweat the small stuff anymore.

Well, unless it’s the color of flowers. Then, I definitely do. At least I did today. Kyle and I can both attest to that.

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

By Tim Drea and Pat Devaney ILLINOIS AFL-CIO

This has been a long, hot labor summer for workers across Illinois, and climate change cannot be blamed.

This Labor Day, we take time to remember the sacrifices made over many decades by the thousands of working men and women across Illinois. We thank our policymakers in Springfield and Chicago for consistently stepping up to support working families.

We must acknowledge that our gains have come with continued challenges.

After voters approved last year’s Workers Rights Amendment to enshrine worker protections in our constitution, Illinois has partnered with organized labor to improve wages and working conditions for tempo-

rary workers, created legal protections for freelancers, increased transparency in wage rates, and ensured the emerging clean energy industry has an equally strong, diverse workforce. Illinois has a new AFSCME contract to ensure the dedicated state employees in our agencies and facilities are appropriately compensated and protected.

We never take these advancements for granted. We see neighboring states attacking working families through misguided policies such as right-to-work or loosening child labor protections. We remain diligent and resilient, even in our victories.

We see some of these struggles right here.

Just this year, labor has found itself at the center of a number of worker strikes and actions to demand better. Nurses have hit the picket line at Chicago-area hospitals. Professors

and staff have followed suit at universities across the state. Cannabis dispensaries and a major shipping company have not been immune.

Even Hollywood is facing a new storyline. The workers who provide the backbone for the television, movie and streaming productions that we cannot get enough of have stood up to say paltry salaries and three cent residuals must improve. They have yet to persuade the mega-bucks producers, but we remain hopeful they will make progress soon.

This Labor Day, we encourage you to take a moment to think about the teachers, nurses, plumbers, set riggers, drillers, entertainment professionals and so many more men and women who sacrifice every day to make our lives better.

Tim Drea is president and Pat Devaney is secretary-treasurer of Illinois AFL-CIO in Springfield.

Statement from Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias on the recent rash of bomb threats targeting libraries

As the state’s librarian, I strongly condemn these threats of violence and intimidation that are unfortunately becoming all too common at libraries in Illinois and across our nation.

The bomb threats received by Illinois libraries during the past several days represent a troublesome and disturbing trend that has escalated

from banning books, to harassing and criminalizing librarians and now to endangering the lives of innocent people.

I wholeheartedly support our libraries, which are committed to serving our communities as safe, welcoming havens to learn and access ideas and especially our librarians who are dedicated public servants

devoted to treating people with dignity and respect.

Libraries and librarians protect our First Amendment right to free speech and our constitutional right to read. We must join together to stand up to fringe elements that resort to threats of violence and seek to destroy the fundamental freedoms that our nation was founded upon.

Guidelines for writing, submitting a letter to the editor

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Letter-writers will be limited to one letter per month except for locally elected officials, or individuals specifically associated with local village governments or entities such as school districts, park districts or library districts.

No letters directed to a third party will be accepted for publication.

We reserve the right to edit a letter for reasons of clarity, space restrictions and libel

A time to celebrate labor’s successes and acknowledge its challenges in Illinois

Yes, this is Villa Park calling. A tree branch fell and hit the power lines and caught on fire behind our houses, and I just wanted to thank the Villa Park police, the fire department and ComEd for coming out so fast and taking care of everything. They made a scary thing actually decent, and also again, thank your firefighters, thank your police officers. If you see the ComEd guys, thank them too, because they were here last night and this morning getting the power back on. Thank you, guys. Appreciate it. Bye.

* * *

Hello, why were the concerts discontinued by the big rock in Lombard Common park? We always used to love those concerts there so much and we miss that. Why won’t they bring them back? They were always really crowded with people. Thank you.

Editor’s note: Your comments were forwarded to the Village of Lombard, who sent the request for information to the Lombard Park District. Their response is as follows: “We still do offer Concerts in the Park. Years ago, they were held at Lombard Common. They were moved to Lilacia Park to highlight another beautiful park in Lombard. Now we offer a variety of movies and concerts. Hope you are able to join us next summer!”

* * *

Hello Lombard, I noticed and maybe it’s a trend everywhere, but we seem to be hiring a number of

police officers who are coming to us from the Chicago Police Department. Kind of curious what’s going on here. Any comments from the chief would be appreciated; a little insight, a little update. Thank you, and thank you for keeping us safe. Lock your doors at night.

Editor’s note: Your inquiry was forwarded to the Village of Lombard for a response, which is as follows: “The Lombard Police Department establishes its initial eligibility lists in accordance with the Lombard Board of Fire and Police Commissioners Rules and Regulations, which include new officers and lateral transfers from other law enforcement agencies. To be eligible to apply, lateral transfers are required to have two years of full-time, non-probationary, sworn law enforcement experience and must participate in a written exam and an oral interview process.

“Over the years, the Lombard Police Department has welcomed several lateral transfers, including officers from various neighboring jurisdictions such as the Chicago Police Department. The decision to accept lateral transfers is based on carefully evaluating each officer’s qualifications, experience, and dedication. Please rest assured that every member of the Lombard Police Department is committed to ensuring a safe and secure community for all residents.

“Your continued support is

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greatly appreciated. If you have additional questions or concerns, please contact us at (630) 8734400.”

* * *

Lombard calling. To the person(s) who keep calling about the library having its lights on, whether it is the new one or old one, don’t you think there is a security reason for keeping the interior well-lit? Why not just call the library directly and ask them about it?

* * *

Another good laugh watching a Lombard Plan Commission meeting. There were 110 signatures in favor of a particular project, and the chairperson pointed out that that is a majority of the Lombard residents in favor of it. Interesting math. Maybe they do need a good mathematician to count up how many meetings and how many votes it took on one project. Thank you.

* * *

Lombard calling. Last week, a family member and others on Facebook reported seeing a dead deer along Route 53 near Flowerfield. I have out-of-state family and friends who report seeing deer in their yard as a normal occurrence, like we would see a squirrel, so this saddens me that these and other wildlife are being flushed out of their habitats. I see a deer occasionally while driving on Geneva Road near Churchill Woods and am always mindful that one—or likely more—could run across the road at any time because I have seen it happen. When I-355 was built, it took away some of the wildlife habitat, so it should come as no surprise that these animals are migrating elsewhere to find a place to live in relative obscurity, protected by woods.

* * *

If truth and logic don’t fit the narrative in Washington, the politicians change the meaning of words or eliminate adjectives. An example is immigrant versus illegal immigrant. * * *

For at least 40 years, the mainstream media have highlighted homelessness and economic difficulty when there’s a Republican in the White House. The media bashed Ronald Reagan on homelessness. The media also pounded on George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush, portraying them as people who didn’t care about those who were struggling economically. When there’s a Democrat in the White House, it’s a totally different story. Are we supposed to believe the current sales pitch from Biden and his media friends about the state of the economy? Wake up, America!

* * *

I watched most of the so-called Republican presidential debate. When the moderator asked how many would support Trump as the nominee if he’s convicted on criminal charges, six of the eight candidates on stage raised their hands. That’s sad. I’ll never understand the hold Trump has on the Republican Party and his die-hard MAGA supporters who think he is some type of messiah and can do no wrong. I always hear people on the right whining about how bad Joe Biden is. If you insist on Trump being the nominee again, I guarantee you will get four more years of Biden. * * *

I agree with the caller who commented about no more incandescent light bulbs, gas stoves and dryers, etc., how this craziness with legislation will continue. I am all for technological advances—think eight-track tapes, cassettes, CDs, DVDs, and electric typewriters to word processors to computers for instance. But to take away our choices is communist, to me. I have a gas stove from 1994 that still works fine, only replacing the igniter a few times, and a clothes dryer that only needed a “tune-up” after 20 years. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We are so concerned about recycling and the environment, and the products of years ago were meant to last a long time and even be repaired, but these “advanced” electronics, appliances, etc., are cheaply made and not meant to last. So what does that do to our landfills?

* * *

I don’t expect Biden to pump his own gas or shop at the grocery store, but does someone on his staff tell him that the average American is struggling with high gas prices, high food prices, high mortgage rates, high credit card rates, high insurance rates and more? Or do they just tell him that everything is great?

* * *

I believe Biden and the Democrats have opened our nation’s borders up for the purpose of bolstering their political party. It’s truly amazing; I have not heard one Democrat complain about this policy. What does that tell you about the Democrat Party?

* * *

Yeah, just watching the news and I see President Biden on TV and all these people around them so happy about Biden economics and how great it’s working. Well, I think the Democrats have got something wrong. The stock market is down, inflation is high, food prices are high, gas prices are high, now insurance is going up on people’s houses. If Biden economics is working, we’re all going to be in

the poor house. Thank you Biden and all you Democrats who voted for him. And by the way, keep going after Trump because he’s the really, really bad guy here. He destroyed the United States. I doubt it. Thanks again. Don’t vote Democrat.

* * *

I am no longer a Democrat or Republican. I’m an American who wants the best candidate, not party, to lead this once-great nation. Party diehards continue to divide the American people with their rhetoric to gain more power. Unfortunately, too many people believe the ever-dividing comments. I am selfish. I want the best person to run this country, which helps my children, my grandchildren and my great-granddaughter. The country is on the wrong course and we are in need of a course correction. We cannot believe everything we hear from the media and politicians or the ideologues. They all have an agenda that may or may not be for the betterment of our republic and our lifestyle.

* * *

The Democrats are going to lose if they allow the radical left to control the party. Saying the border is secure and a biological man can be a biological woman is just a lot for us patriots who fought for freedom to swallow. We need to call B.S. what it is: B.S.

* * *

I read that a bill was passed requiring the teaching of Native American history in school. I remember learning about the history and role of our American Indians and the atrocities that were done to them—but also the atrocities they did to the “white man” and in a factual manner, and not putting any spin on the events that transpired; not just reading about the “first Thanksgiving,” etc. So we need legislation about what parts of history to teach? Maybe things have changed since I was in school in the 1960s, but history hasn’t changed. * * *

I had to comment on the cartoon in the paper about the Maui wildfires (referring to Aug. 24 issue). I noticed the words climate change were put in by the cartoonist in small letters. Is this the cartoonist’s way of suggesting climate change is the reason for these deadly fires? From everything I’ve read so far, officials on the island still don’t know what the exact cause of the fires is. I think it was irresponsible of the cartoonist to put climate change into the cartoon, but I’m not surprised. Every disaster these days is somehow related to climate change, and it seems the media never misses a chance to reinforce this narrative.

Coming event

GPS program on financial aid Sept. 7

The Glenbard Parent Series: (GPS) Navigating Healthy Families will present a financial aid workshop: “Discovering the Best College Fit at the Best Price” with Frank Palmasani at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, via Zoom. Palmasani, author of “Right College, Right Price” and creator of the Financial Fit online program, will detail how to find a great fit at a great price. He will highlight 30 steps parents and students

can take to pursue scholarships and financial aid that will save thousands of dollars and help pay for college without accumulating large amounts of debt. Go to glenbardgps.org for further information and the link to this webinar.

To be placed on a reminder list for GPS events or submit a question in advance, contact Gilda Ross, Glenbard District 87 student and community projects coordinator, at gilda_ross@glenbard.org or at 630942-7668.

JANE CHARMELO PHOTOS Rock Valley Publishing

Caring for the cats

Cat Guardians shelter for homeless cats volunteer Emily Foster, shown top right, with one of the shelter’s residents, says the no-kill shelter has roughly 35 cats and kittens, and while some of them are available for adoption, for others, “This is their home.” The cats have free rein at the facility, such as a place to lounge like this cat was doing, and plenty of places to hang out, such as the giant cat “tree” in their living quarters. Founder Kathy Blackwell said the shelter is run entirely by volunteers and relies solely on donations. She said it is a “miracle … we’ve been here for over three decades!” Blackwell commented that it is simply “a labor of love.” For more information on making a donation (monetary or supplies), adoption or volunteering, visit www.catguardians.org.

Illinois heat wave latest of several weather extremes in the state

Dangerously high heat follows drought conditions earlier this summer

By Andrew Adams CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

Illinois roasted in triple digit temperatures last week, forcing the state and schools to cancel some outdoor activities and modify class schedules.

Every county in Illinois was under an excessive heat warning Aug. 24, while some areas were expected to continue to be under advisory until at least into the evening of Aug. 25.

The heat index, a measure that combines air temperature with humidity, reached higher than 128 degrees in Galesburg Aug. 23. Chicago’s O’Hare airport recorded an air temperature of 98 degrees, the highest temperature for Aug. 23 since 1947, according to the National Weather Service. The heat index there peaked at 116, just two degrees shy of the record high that

came during Chicago’s infamous 1995 heat wave.

“Exposure to extreme heat can cause serious health complications, including heat exhaustion and heatstroke,” IDPH Director Sameer Vohra said in a news release. “With dangerously high temperatures and humidity in the forecast, I urge everyone to take precautions and protect themselves and their families from overheating and heat related illnesses.”

Vohra added that very young children, pregnant people, older adults and those with chronic health conditions should be particularly wary.

IDPH issued several guidelines to protect against heatstroke and heat exhaustion, including seeking air-conditioned areas like shopping malls or libraries during the day, wearing lightweight and light-colored fabrics and reducing strenuous

and outdoor activities, particularly between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

People experiencing body temperatures above 103 degrees, difficulty breathing, elevated heart rate, skin that is hot to the touch, dizziness, nausea or disorientation should call 911 immediately, IDPH advised.

The state’s emergency management agency also updated its website to point to a list of “cooling centers” around the state compiled by an interagency group, although as of Thursday afternoon the webpage does not list any cooling centers south of Urbana.

The state also canceled several upcoming outdoor events, including the Du Quoin State Fair parade which was scheduled Aug.25.

“With forecasts projecting a high of 100 degrees and heat indexes between 111 and 117 degrees, we feel

canceling the parade is in the best interest of our parade participants,” Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II said in a news release. “This is not to take away from people enjoying the fair safely, but to avoid a clustering of families along the parade route and parade participants in costumes and uniforms from overheating.”

The Department of Agriculture, which manages the fair in Du Quoin, also canceled the Illinois Product Farmers Market in Springfield Aug. 24 due to the heat.

Other state agencies also had to adjust to protect workers from the heat, including the Department of Transportation. A department spokesperson said that, in addition to monitoring for pavement buckling, state crews and some contractors have had to adjust their work schedules to avoid the hottest part

of the day.

Communities across Illinois were forced to alter school schedules to accommodate the heat.

Schools in Champaign-Urbana canceled class Aug. 24. Champaign’s school district reported “major failures” at two of their largest school campuses. In northern Illinois, Maple Park schools closed, citing “extremely challenging” circumstances for drivers and students on buses.

Beyond academics, schools have also canceled and modified plans for athletic events.

While the Illinois High School Association, which sets rules for high school athletics, does not track changes to athletic events during the regular season, IHSA spokesperson Matt Troha told Cap-

• Heat

(Continued from page 6)

itol News Illinois the heat has had a “significant impact” on IHSA sports.

IHSA requires schools to move practices and games indoors or cancel then if the “wet bulb globe” temperature exceeds 89.9 degrees. Wet bulb globe temperature combines air temperature, sun exposure, humidity and wind.

While the IHSA does not require schools to let them know of changes to athletic schedules, Troha noted that the association was anecdotally aware of many games being moved to later times of day or to different days.

Natural disasters bring federal aid

Before last week’s record heat, much of Illinois experienced severe drought conditions from May through July, with the peak of the drought coming in June.

This led to the federal Department of Agriculture to issue a series of disaster designations. The designations, which are centered on McDonough, McHenry and Mercer counties, are a follow-up to a previous set of disaster designations from earlier this season. The classification allows the USDA to provide emergency loans to farmers recovering from the droughts.

“While we are seeing improvement in drought conditions across the state, we know that crops and livestock have been impacted,” Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello II, said in a news release Wednesday announcing the designations.

Jeff Kirwan, a farmer in Mercer County and board member of the Illinois Farm Bureau, said the droughts have negatively impacted crops in Illinois.

“Especially in June, that’s the most stressful time for farmers,” Kirwan said. “We had a good crop, but then it didn’t rain.”

Kirwan later added that overall, he expects the corn and soybean crop to be around average, although some farmers in areas hit hardest by drought may struggle more.

“The emotion that goes with that was extremely unsettling, very stressful,” he said of the recent drought.

In addition to the heat wave and drought, Illinois has seen several damaging storms and the most tornadoes of any state so far this year.

A series of severe storms and flooding between June 29 and July 2 also drew the attention of the federal government, with President Joe Biden approving federal assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

This assistance will go to individuals and businesses in Cook County and can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs and low-interest loans to cover property losses.

“Residents and businesses, especially those on the west side of Chicago who were most brutally hit, are now able to access additional resources necessary to rebuild and revitalize, and I know Cook County will build back stronger than ever,” Gov. JB Pritzker said in a news release.

This Labor Day, remember: drive sober or get pulled over

Lombard Police Department stepping up traffic safety efforts

As we near the end of summer and the busy Labor Day weekend, the Lombard Police Department is partnering with the Illinois State Police and law enforcement across the state to stop impaired driving and help save lives.

“Our first priority is to keep people safe, so we’re asking everyone to plan ahead for a sober ride home if they’ll be drinking or using another impairing substance,” said Sgt. Tom Balsitis.

Important tips to remember:

• If hosting, make sure all guests designate a sober driver in advance, or arrange ride-sharing or another sober ride home. Also, serve lots of food and include non-alcoholic beverages at the party.

• If you do not have a designated driver, ask a sober friend for a ride home, call a cab, or stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober.

• Don’t let friends leave your sight

if you think they are about to drive impaired.

• Always buckle up—it is your best defense in a crash.

The high-visibility “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign runs from Aug. 18 through the early-morning hours of Sept. 5. During this period, motorists can expect to see roadside safety checks, more officers on the road and increased messaging about the dangers of impaired driving.

In addition to looking for drunk drivers, Lombard Police will be stepping up seat belt enforcement, particularly at night when seat belt usage rates are at their lowest. Speeders and distracted drivers should also be aware.

The Labor Day “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Drive High. Get a DUI.” enforcement efforts are made possible by federal highway safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Warriors start soccer season with a 5-0 victory

Willowbrook’s boys soccer team kicked off its 2023 season with a 5-0 win at Elmwood Park on Aug. 22. The Warriors fell to 1-1 following Saturday’s 5-0 loss to Oak Park and River Forest High School in a match played at Addison Trail’s Joe Novy

Tournament.

Junior Armando Martinez scored three of Willowbrook’s goals during last week’s win over Elmwood Park. Sophomore Adrian Gesicki provided one goal and one assist for the Warriors. Willowbrook junior Kam-

il Kurpacha also delivered one goal and one assist in the victory. Junior Vinni DaSilva contributed two assists against Elmwood Park, while

senior Lucas Bohm made one assist. The Warriors will continue to play in the Joe Novy Tournament this week.

Villa Park Police Department will conduct increased traffic patrols through Labor Day Weekend

The Villa Park Police Department is partnering with the Illinois State Police and law enforcement across the state to step up efforts to stop impaired driving and help save lives as we near the end of summer and the busy Labor Day Weekend.

No matter how you plan to celebrate summer’s end, make sure you do it safely.

“Our first priority is to keep people safe, so we’re asking everyone to plan ahead for a sober ride home if they’ll be drinking or using another impairing substance,” said Villa

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.

Aug. 19

James W. Hoskins, 56, of Argo, was charged with DUI near N. Addison and W. North at 12:49 a.m.

A 29-year-old Villa Park man was charged with domestic battery in the 300 block of W. North at 2:38 a.m.

A 15-year-old male juvenile from Elmhurst was charged with disorderly conduct/threat to a school at Willowbrook High School at 10:18 a.m.

A complainant at a hotel in the 1-100 block of W. Roosevelt reported at 11:16 a.m. that an unknown suspect removed a trailer with construction equipment from the parking lot of the motel.

Park Police Sgt. James Cihak. “Let’s make this a partnership between law enforcement and motorists. Help us protect the community and put an end to the dangers of impaired driving.”

The high-visibility “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement campaign began on Friday, Aug. 18, and will run through the early morning hours of Tuesday, Sept. 5. During this period, motorists can expect to see roadside safety checks, more officers on the road and increased messaging about the dangers of impaired

driving.

In addition to looking for drunk drivers, Villa Park Police will be stepping up seat belt enforcement, particularly at night, when seat belt usage rates are at their lowest. Speeders and distracted drivers should also be aware.

The current “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Drive High— Get a DUI” enforcement efforts are made possible by federal highway safety funds administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).

Man accused of firing handgun at another vehicle during alleged road rage incident

DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin and Illinois State Police Captain David Keltner announced that Judge Alex McGimpsey granted the state’s motion to deny bond for a Chicago man accused of firing a handgun from his car at another vehicle on I-290 during an alleged road rage incident.

Gregory Johnson, 42, appeared in Bond Court Sunday morning charged with one count of armed habitual criminal (Class X felony) and one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm (Class 1 felony).

Gregory Johnson

On Aug. 22 at approximately 2:45 p.m., Illinois State Police troopers were dispatched to I-290 and North Avenue in Elmhurst in response to a road rage incident where shots were fired.

A complainant at a hotel in the 1-100 block of W. Roosevelt reported at 11:23 a.m. that an unknown suspect removed their cell phone from their hotel room.

Aug. 18

A 45-eyar-old Downers Grove woman was charged with two counts of domestic battery at the Metra Train Station in the 300 block of N. Ardmore at 6:45 p.m.

Aug. 16

Emilio Ruiz, 18, of Addison, was charged with criminal trespass to a vehicle and contributing to the delinquency of a minor near N. Route 83 and Lake at 2:19 a.m.

Aug. 15

Brian Kwiatkowski, 23, of Chicago, was charged with disorderly conduct for an alleged incident that occurred at a store in the 900 block of S. Route 83 on July 27.

A complainant at a hotel in the 1-100 block of W. Roosevelt reported that an unknown suspect removed

a vehicle from the parking lot. A few days later the vehicle was recovered in another city.

Aug. 14

A 26-year-old Villa Park man was charged with two counts of domestic battery in the 400 block of N. Gerard at 12:50 a.m.

A complainant in the 1500 block of S. Ardmore reported at 11:22 a.m. that a suspect entered the residence and damaged the main and rear entry doors.

Aug. 13

Jesus Salazar, 30, of Villa Park, was charged with battery/making physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature, obstructing justice and resisting arrest in the 500 block of W. Division St. at 10:46 p.m.

Fraud, identity theft

According to information provided by the Villa Park Police Department, police reported no incidents of residents being a victim of fraud or identity theft.

‘A Night for Nature’ fundraiser Sept. 14

Help the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County provide healthy habitats for native plants and animals and inspiring places for visitors by participating in “A Night for Nature” on Thursday, Sept. 14, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at St. James Farm in Warrenville.

Hosted by the Forest Preserve District and its nonprofit partner the Friends of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, the fundraiser’s goal is to raise $25,000 for habitat restoration and native wildlife in forest preserves where people connect to nature.

The evening includes fellowship; food and drinks; live music by Anderlik, Otto & Church; and wagon rides through restored natural areas.

Tickets, which are $100 per person for the 21-and-older event, can be purchased at dupageforestfriends.givingfuel.com/night-fornature-2023.

“A Night for Nature” also features a silent auction where guests can bid on donated products and services from local businesses and unique forest preserve experiences, including the following:

• Golf packages at DuPage golf preserves including one hour of personal instruction for one by a Forest Preserve District PGA staff member and one 18-hole round of golf for four with carts at The Preserve at Oak Meadows; one 18-hole round of golf for four with carts at Maple Meadows; and one 9-hole round for four with carts at Green Meadows

• Kayaking for 10 with a Forest Preserve District ranger at Herrick Lake

• A native pollinator kit containing 50 native plants to attract birds, butterflies, and other pollinators to your garden

• A four-hour hiking and nature excursion with a picnic shelter or meeting space at Fullersburg Woods

“‘A Night for Nature’ was started in 2018 as a way to encourage support for the District’s wild areas and projects that connect people to nature,” said Karyn Charvat, Friends board member and event committee chair. “It is an amazing opportunity to experience one of our beautiful preserves while contributing to a sustainable envi -

ronment that enhances the quality of life for all DuPage County residents.”

Forest Preserve District president Daniel Hebreard expressed his appreciation for the Friends’ ongoing fundraising support.

“We’re grateful to the Friends for its efforts to help further the Forest Preserve District’s mission to restore habitats and sustain wildlife while providing programs to connect people to nature,” he said.

The Friends of the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County thanks its community partners: G. Carl Ball Family Foundation; CNH Industrial; Dare Family Fund of DuPage Foundation; Mary J. Demmon Private Foundation; Domtar; DuPage Birding Club; Ecolab Foundation; Edward Jones financial advisor Mike Dyer; Exelon/ ComEd; Navistar, Inc.; Nicor; Rice Lake Square; V3 Companies, Ltd.; and Wheaton Bank & Trust. For information, call 630-9337200 or visit dupageforest.org, where you can also link to the district’s e-newsletter and Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok pages.

It is alleged that the victim, who was driving a grey Nissan Sentra, became involved in a road rage incident with Johnson, who was driving a gold Honda Odyssey minivan, that began when the victim brake-checked Johnson for tailgaiting him.

It is alleged that at one point during the incident, which lasted approximately four to five miles, Johnson pulled up alongside the victim and displayed a handgun. It is further alleged that upon seeing the gun, the victim attempted to get away from Johnson by exiting the expressway but Johnson followed him and rear-ended the victim. It is alleged that Johnson, covered his face with a ski mask, then appeared on the passenger side of the victim’s vehicle and fired approximately eight shots from his vehicle into the victim’s vehicle. Three bullet defects were located on the passenger side of the vehicle near the rear and two additional projectiles/fragments were recovered from the front passenger side floorboard and trunk area. Two shell casings were also recovered from the roadway where the shooting allegedly took place.

On Aug. 24, a Berkeley police officer conducted a traffic stop on Johnson’s Honda Odyssey. Johnson was taken into custody at that time.

“In this case, it is alleged that Mr. Johnson, who has multiple felony convictions, opened fire on another motorist after he and his victim became engaged in a five-mile road rage pursuit,” Berlin said. “The type of violent behavior alleged against Mr. Johnson placed numerous innocent motorists at risk and will most certainly not be tolerated in DuPage County. We are all extremely thankful that no one was injured, or worse, as a result of Mr. Johnson’s alleged actions.”

Johnson’s next court appearance is scheduled Sept. 25 for arraignment in front of Judge Mia McPherson.

Bond set at $1,000,000 for Cook County man charged with shooting at occupied vehicle

DuPage County State’s Attorney

Robert Berlin and Downers Grove Chief of Police

Michael DeVries announced that bond has been set for a Cook County man accused of firing a handgun several times at an occupied vehicle in Downers Grove.

Douglas Thigpen, 36, of Oak Park, appeared at a bond hearing where Judge Margaret O’Connell set bond at $1,000,000 with 10 percent to apply in accordance with a previously issued arrest warrant. Thigpen is charged with one count of aggravated discharge of a firearm-directed at a person or occupied vehicle (Class 1 felony).

On June 9 at approximately 5:46 a.m., law enforcement officers with the Downers Grove Police Department responded to a call of shots fired in the 5700 block of Walnut Avenue. Following an investigation into the

matter, it is alleged that the victim and Thigpen were involved in a verbal altercation and Thigpen got into his vehicle and drove away with the victim following in her vehicle. It is further alleged that Thigpen stopped his vehicle, got out and fired four shots from a Beretta 9 mm handgun at the victim’s vehicle while she was still in the driver’s seat of the car.

It is alleged that Thigpen then fled the scene. On Aug. 17, following an investigation into the matter, Judge Joshua Dieden issued a $1 million with 10 percent to apply arrest warrant for Thigpen. Thigpen turned himself in to authorities.

“Discharging a firearm, particularly at an occupied vehicle in a residential area, as alleged against Mr. Thigpen will not be tolerated in DuPage County and will be met with the full force and effect of the law,” Berlin said. “Thankfully, no one was injured as a result of Mr. Thigpen’s alleged actions.”

Thigpen’s next court appearance is scheduled Sept. 19 for arraignment in front of Judge O’Connell.

Douglas Thigpen

State looks to curb vehicle theft with grants to police task forces

Secretary of state’s office allocated $21 million to six agencies this spring

By Jerry Nowicki CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

Six interagency law enforcement task forces received grant funding this spring to combat car thefts through an initiative of Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ office.

Giannoulias was in Belleville last week to promote the initiative and highlight a $2.5 million grant to the Metro East Auto Theft Task Force, which brings together law enforcement agencies from Madison, Monroe and St. Clair counties.

“In 2022, a motor vehicle was stolen every single minute in the United States,” Giannoulias said. “Unfortunately, in Illinois, we have not been immune to the effects of auto theft. In fact, right here in (the) Metro East, over 1,300 automobiles were stolen last year alone.”

The Metro East task force was relaunched in 2019 after its state funding was cut in 2014 in the leadup to a two-year state budget impasse that led to drastic cuts across state government. The task force, based out of the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, has since received annual funding from the secretary of state’s office.

The grants were allocated by the Illinois Vehicle Hijacking and Motor Vehicle Theft Prevention and Insurance Verification Council . Lawmakers in Springfield created the group in 1991 under the authority of the Illinois Criminal Justice

Information Authority. According to the council’s website, between 1991 and 2014, the annual number of motor vehicle thefts in Illinois dropped 70 percent from 75,214 to 22,854.

In March 2015, ex-Gov. Bruce Rauner issued an executive order freezing state grants for that fiscal year, which meant the council had no money to distribute.

Capt. Matt Jany of the Metro East task force said Tuesday when funding was cut, “everybody real -

ized that there was actually a void and a need for this task force.”

In 2018, lawmakers gave the secretary of state authority over the council, and the General Assembly began allocating funding again in 2019.

In May 2022, lawmakers expanded the council’s scope to emphasize vehicular hijacking prevention, and the General Assembly allocated another $30 million to supplement the fund’s $21 million balance as part of a broader election-year budget package aimed at addressing crime Otherwise, the funding for the council’s grants primarily comes from an annual $1 assessment on car insurance policies.

The Metro East task force, Giannoulias said, recovered 547 stolen vehicles valued at over $8 million between July 2022 and June 30.

“Grant funding provided by our office makes it possible for law enforcement officers to combine proven investigative techniques with specialized technology to solve and prevent future vehicular crimes,” he said.

He said the Metro East task force has two vehicles equipped with license plate reader cameras to help locate stolen vehicles, and it uses drones to locate suspects who have fled on foot or vehicles that have been dumped in remote locations. Officers also track stolen vehicles

through electronic systems and GPS data within cars, he said.

“There is no single solution,” Giannoulias said. “But it is crucial to ensure that law enforcement officials in the Metro East have the funding and tools they need to combat these crimes.”

Other departments have received funding as well, including the Expressway Safety Enforcement Group, which received $10.2 million. It’s the first fiscal year in which funds for the enforcement group were approved through the council. A spokesperson for Giannoulias said the enforcement group was an initiative of the Illinois State Police.

In a March news release announcing the funding, ISP Director Brendan Kelly said the effort to patrol expressways “brings together the full force of patrol, investigations, license plate readers, air operations, and other assets.”

The Illinois Statewide Auto Theft Task Force received $3.4 million. That unit was established in 2019 and is based out of the south Chicago suburb of Thornton. The task force has a heavy Secretary of State Police presence, giving it statewide authority, according to Giannoulias’ spokesperson Henry Haupt.

That unit recovered 1,400 stolen vehicles valued at $33 million over the 12-month period ending in July, which marked an 84 percent

increase from the previous year, according to Haupt. The task force’s work led to 426 auto theft-related criminal charges over the same period.

Another $1.8 million was allocated to the Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force, which is based in Joliet and focused mainly in Will, Kankakee and Grundy counties. It also covers Kendall County and recently expanded into Iroquois County. The unit was launched in the early 1990s but it also lost funding amid the budget impasse.

The Greater Peoria Auto Crimes Task Force received $2.1 million, a new allocation for the fiscal year according to Giannoulias’ office. It is run through the Peoria Police Department in partnership with the SOS Police, which gives the unit statewide jurisdiction.

An SOS spokesperson said Peoria previously had a unit called the State and Local Auto Theft Enforcement Task Force, but it lost funding amid the budget impasse.

The Chicago Major Auto Theft Investigations, run through the Chicago Police Department, received $1.5 million. Crime statistics from CPD show motor vehicle thefts in that city from January through mid-August are up 104 percent from one year ago. CPD has logged 19,062 motor vehicle thefts through Aug. 14, up from 9,346 over the same period in 2022.

code for Facebook page #beds4glenbardeast23

“ There is no single solution. But it is crucial to ensure that law enforcement officials in the Metro East have the funding and tools they need to combat these crimes.”

– Alexi Giannoulias Secretary of State

PRIVATE GAMING ROOM

HDAILY DINE IN ONLY SPECIALS H

SUNDAYS

50¢ Boneless Wings LIMIT 12 (with side purchase)

$5 Sausage & Peppers ‘Wich (with side purchase)

$9 Pasta Marinara (add $2 for Vodka, Meat, Carbonara or Alfredo)

$10 Bacon Wrapped Pickle Spears

$10 Vegan Pasta Marinara

$4 Mimosa - $6 Tito’s Bloody Mary

$4.50 Miller Lite or $6 Import 22 oz. Drafts

$17 Bottles of Woodbridge House Wine

TUESDAYS

$2 Beef/Pulled Pork Taco

$3 Chicken - Fish - Pork Belly - Steak

$4 Vegan Tacos - Impossible Meat - Chicken - Pork

$4 Cilantro Lime Rice or Seasoned Black Beans

$10 BACON Nachos

$4 Modelo Draft

$6 Don Julio Margaritas

$7 Don Julio Frozen Margaritas

$20 Any Mexican Beer Buckets

WEDNESDAYS

FREE Bar Bingo/Kids eat free

10 and Under - Ask server for more details

$5 Gourmet Cheeseburger (with side purchase)

$10 BACON Wrapped Mushrooms

$8 Impossible Burger (with side purchase)

$5 U Call Its $8 and Under Wine/Liquor ONLY

THURSDAYS

$5 Pulled Pork ‘Wich (with side purchase)

$10 BACON Wrapped Mozzarella Sticks

$8 Vegan Chicken Parmesan ‘Wich (with side purchase)

$4 Drafts $8 and Under

Half Price Bottles of Wine $25 or More

1/2 Off any $20 or More Bourbon, Scotch or Whiskey

FRIDAYS

$5 Pepper & Egg ‘Wich (with side purchase)

$15 Fish & Chips (1/2 Pound Alaskan White Fish)

$10 Bacon Stuffed Avocado

$8 Vegan Burrito (with side purchase)

$5 Stella Draft

$5 Crown or Titos

$25 High Noon Buckets

SATURDAYS/UFC

$5 1/2 Lb BLT ‘Wich (with side purchase)

$10 BACON Croquettes

$8 Vegan Buffalo Chicken ‘Wich (with side purchase)

$5 Sam Seasonal Draft

$5 Proper Twelve Shot

$5 Absolut or Jameson

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Tuesday-Friday 3pm-6pm

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$2 Grilled Chicken - Meatball - Pulled Pork

$3 Burger - Fish - Pork Belly

$4 Vegan Chicken or Impossible Slider

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$4 Well Gin, Rum, Tequila, Vodka & Whiskey

$4 House Wine (Woodbridge)

$5 Blue Moon Drafts

$15 Domestic Buckets - $20 Import Buckets

$8 Jefferson Old Fashioned

Rams kick off season by crushing Larkin 42-0 Glenbard East will battle South Elgin this Friday in Lombard

The Glenbard East football team began its 2023 season with Friday night’s decisive 42-0 Upstate Eight Conference win over Larkin in Elgin.

The Rams will square off against conference rival South Elgin this Friday in Lombard. South Elgin opened its season with a dominant 57-14 home victory over West Chicago.

Glenbard East scored six first-half touchdowns to take a 42-0 halftime lead in its season opener. The advan-

tage of at least 40 points triggered a running clock for the entire second half.

The Rams scored two touchdowns in the first quarter of Friday’s win over the Royals. They added four more touchdowns in the second quarter.

Senior Matt Larson scored Glenbard East’s first touchdown of the night on a 3-yard run. Senior Ryan Snell then converted the first of his

six extra-point kicks of the game to give the Rams a 7-0 lead.

An interception and a 29-yard return from senior Eric McClain set up Glenbard East’s second touchdown of the game—a 5-yard run by Larson. Snell’s extra-point kick raised the Rams’ lead to 14-0 with about five minutes left in the opening quarter.

Senior quarterback Blake Salvino threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to

junior Amonte Cook in the first minute of the second quarter. Less than two minutes later, after senior Daniel Zlatanov tipped a Larkin punt, Salvino fired a 12-yard touchdown pass to junior Chris Renford.

Glenbard East scored its fifth touchdown of the night on Salvino’s 7-yard pass to Cook with about three minutes remaining in the first half.

An interception by senior Aaron Dotson led to the Rams’ final touch-

down of the game—a 25-yard pass from Salvino to Cook with less than one minute left in the first half.

Salvino completed 11 of 12 passes for 200 yards and four touchdowns during Friday’s victory. Cook hauled in six receptions for 102 yards and three touchdowns. McClain made three receptions for 75 yards.

Larson rushed eight times for a team-leading 38 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Broncos win season opener, pounding Westinghouse 56-12

Asay scores three touchdowns for Montini; Marre delivers two TDs

The Montini Catholic football team kicked off its 2023 season with Friday’s convincing 56-12 win over Chicago’s Westinghouse College Prep High School in Lombard.

The Broncos built a 42-12 halftime lead over the visiting Warriors. Montini added two more touchdowns in the third quarter. The Broncos’ final touchdown of the night produced a running clock for the rest of the game.

“It was a great effort,” said Montini coach Mike Bukovsky after Friday night’s victory. “We had a great off-season, and it was nice to get off on the right foot. These guys are a hard-working group.”

Westinghouse took an early 6-0 lead in Friday’s season opener, but Montini evened the score when junior quarterback Gaetano Carbonara connected with senior George Asay on a 60-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter. Senior Cole Stumbaugh then drilled the first of his eight extra-point kicks of the night to give the Broncos a 7-6 lead.

Asay scored his second touchdown of the game later in the first quarter, when he ran nine yards into the end zone. Stumbaugh’s extra-point kick boosted the Broncos’ lead to 14-6.

Montini senior Alex Marre turned a short pass play into a 32-yard touchdown reception with about one minute left in the opening quarter.

Westinghouse scored a touchdown early in the second quarter to trim the Broncos’ lead to 21-12.

Marre’s second touchdown of the game—a 22-yard scoring run— helped the Broncos push their lead to 28-12 in the second quarter. Asay’s third touchdown of the night—a 5-yard run later in the quarter—led to a 35-12 Montini cushion. Junior Max Bell then intercepted a Westinghouse pass and sprinted 25 yards for a touchdown. Stumbaugh’s extra-point kick increased the Broncos’ lead to 42-12 late in the first half.

Junior Jeremiah Peterson scored Montini’s seventh touchdown of the night on a 1-yard run with 8:33 left in the third quarter.

He delivered the short burst into the end zone immediately after he broke a 27-yard run.

Montini sophomore Santino Tenuta scored the final touchdown of the game on a 2-yard run with 3:52 remaining in the third quarter.

“I like the look of our offense,” stated Bukovsky. “We had some good balance, and I liked the speed we played at.”

The Broncos’ season continues with this Friday’s game at Hillcrest (1-0) High School in Country Club Hills. The Hawks opened their season with a 14-12 win over Elk Grove. Montini will tangle with Nazareth Academy in a Sept. 8 contest in Lombard.

The Montini Catholic football team opened its season with Friday’s 56-12 victory over Chicago’s Westinghouse College Prep High School in Lombard. The Broncos led the visiting Warriors 42-12 at halftime. One photo from the game shows Montini junior Sean Hubeny (No. 12) after he made an interception in the second quarter. The Broncos will try to improve to 2-0 when they face the Hawks of Hillcrest High School this Friday in Country Club Hills.

Rams finish seventh at Metea Valley Kickoff Classic Meyer and Sommesi earn all-tournament recognition

Glenbard East’s girls volleyball team began its 2023 season with a 25-21, 25-12 loss at Metea Valley on Aug. 23. The Rams then won three of five matches and placed seventh in the 12-team Metea Valley Kickoff Classic, which took place on Friday and Saturday.

Glenbard East senior Sophia Sommesi provided four kills, five digs and two blocks in last week’s season opener at Metea Valley. Senior Hannah Meyer delivered eight assists and two digs. Senior Lauren Bradley

contributed eight digs and two assists.

Freshman Belle McDermott bashed five kills.

Senior Stephany Sulari made three blocks.

Junior Grace Johnson supplied two digs.

The Rams posted a pair of victories over Oswego East at the Metea Valley Kickoff Classic. In the first meeting between the two teams, Glenbard East prevailed 21-25, 25-19, 25-22. The Rams, who also secured a 25-19, 25-23 victory over Whitney Young at the tournament, faced Oswego East in the event’s seventh-place match. Glenbard East earned a

25-14, 25-19 win in that contest. The Rams suffered their two tournament losses to Yorkville and Metea Valley. Yorkville defeated Glenbard East 25-13, 25-16. Metea Valley edged the Rams 25-17, 26-24.

Bradley amassed 32 digs, five aces and five assists during Glenbard East’s five matches at Metea Valley’s tournament. Johnson piled up 29 kills, 30 digs and five assists during the event. Meyer handed out 91 assists, made 24 digs, pounded six kills and served four aces.

Sommesi delivered 52 kills, 40 digs, seven aces, five blocks and four assists during the tournament. Sulari contributed eight kills and four blocks, while senior Gabby Walton tallied six kills and three blocks.

Meyer and Sommesi were both named to the event’s all-tournament team.

Earlier this week, the Rams began their Upstate Eight Conference season with a match at Larkin. This Friday and Saturday, Glenbard East will play at the Conant Invitational in Hoffman Estates.

Chris Fox photo Rock Valley Publishing

Jury convicts Madigan’s longtime chief of staff on perjury, obstruction of justice charges

Mapes was charged with lying to grand jury investigating Madigan and his inner circle

By Hannah Meisel CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS

A federal jury has convicted the once-top aide to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, finding Tim Mapes guilty on charges of perjury and attempted obstruction of justice for lying to a grand jury investigating Madigan and his inner circle.

The jury of six men and six women reached its verdict in a little more than five hours. Mapes, who spent more than 25 years as Madigan’s chief of staff, sat stone-faced between his attorneys at the defense table while Judge John Kness read the verdict Aug. 24.

As the basis for the perjury charge, prosecutors alleged Mapes lied in response to seven questions in front of the grand jury and cited his answers

to 14 questions for the obstruction of justice charge. Though the feds only had to prove Mapes lied in one of his answers for each charge, the jury concluded he’d lied in all of them. The obstruction of justice charge carries a maximum of 20 years in prison.

Judge Kness set Mapes’ sentencing date for Jan. 10, 2024. Quickly afterward, Mapes exited the Dirksen Federal Courthouse flanked by his lawyers and his older son, who had been in the courtroom each day of trial. Members of the jury also declined to speak with reporters as they left the courthouse in small groups Aug. 24.

In a statement late in the day on Aug. 24, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Morris Pasqual said Mapes’ conviction “should stand as a clear message to

witnesses” who are called to appear in front of a grand jury.

“Perjury and obstruction of justice are serious offenses that strike at the heart of the truth-seeking mission of the grand jury,” Pasqual said.

In the nearly three weeks of trial, the jury heard the entire two-plus hour recording of Mapes’ March 2021 grand jury testimony—proceedings normally kept totally secret. They also listened to hours of wiretapped calls that seemed to contradict what Mapes said in front of the grand jury.

About six weeks before his grand jury testimony, Mapes sat for an FBI interview in February 2021. During the trial, prosecutors hinted at the fact that Mapes ended the interview

See CHARGES, Page 18

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Lombard police blotter

The Lombard Police Department recently reported the following arrests and citations. Persons charged with domestic battery are not named in order to protect the privacy of victims.

Readers are reminded that an arrest does not constitute a conviction, and that subjects are considered innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. Juveniles age 17 or younger are not named.

Assault, battery

Aug. 20

Dominique Milton, 29, of DeKalb, was charged with aggravated battery, possession of a controlled substance, DUI, endangering the life of a child and resisting a police officer near School and Roosevelt at 11:09 p.m.

Aug. 17

An employee at Navigation, Inc., 951 N. Main, advised that he was involved in an altercation with a subject. The employee advised that he was in the process of firing the subject when the subject grabbed him. The subject was advised not to return to the company.

Child endangerment

Aug. 17

Mohamed Sharif, 34, of Darien, was charged with child endangerment in the 2300 block of S. Highland at 10:24 a.m.

Criminal damage to property, criminal trespassing

Aug. 19

A verbal altercation occurred involving a subject and a victim. A witness advised the subject broke the mirror on the witness’ vehicle after the witness asked the subject if she was OK.

Aug. 16

A complainant in the 300 block of S. Fairfield reported he reviewed a surveillance camera recording and observed an unknown person with a flashlight in his backyard at around 11 p.m. Aug. 15.

A Lombard Park District employee reported damage to a baseball field storage box in the 100 block of W. Madison at 1:26 p.m.

Domestic battery, disorderly conduct, domestic incident, disturbance

Aug. 19

A 25-year-old Chicago man was charged with domestic battery, aggravated battery and resisting a police officer in the 200 block of E. 22nd at 9:50 p.m.

Aug. 17

Bruce Beadling, 36, of Waukegan, was charged with disorderly conduct in the 200 block of E. 22nd at 10:04 p.m.

Aug. 16

An employee at Journey’s, 144 Yorktown, advised at 6:50 p.m. that they heard someone screaming in the front of the store but did not wish to file a report.

A complainant at Embassy Suites,

707 E. Butterfield, advised at 9:41 p.m. of hearing a woman scream from the bar area. The area was checked and no one in distress was found.

DUI, DUI-drugs, transportation of open alcohol, possession of open alcohol, consumption of alcohol by a minor, selling alcohol to a minor

Aug. 20

Tyshay T. Griggs, 25 of Glen Ellyn, was charged with DUI, illegal use of lights on a vehicle and driving with unsafe tires in the 1100 block of S. Main at 2 a.m.

Aug. 19

Armando Alanis Jr., 25, of Roselle, was charged with DUI and possession of a controlled substance in the 300 block of N. La Londe at 2:45 a.m.

Fleeing, eluding

According to information provided last week by the Lombard Police Department, police reported two incidents of fleeing and eluding during which the driver of a vehicle fled the scene after being stopped for a traffic stop by police.

Harassment, threats

Aug. 15

A complainant in the 300 block of N. Cimarron reported receiving a threatening voicemail from a subject.

Identity theft, fraud, forgery

According to information provided by the Lombard Police Department, police reported seven incidents of identity theft or fraud in which a victim’s identity was fraudulently used either to make charges on a credit card, open a business, bank or credit account, fraudulently deposit checks, receive unemployment benefits—or a victim was convinced by a subject to deposit money into an account, send a check, or to buy gift cards.

Leaving scene of an accident

Aug. 18

Juan Carlos Llanos-Davalos, 23, of Lombard, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, failure to report an accident, failure to give information after an accident and making an improper turn near Finley and Roosevelt at 8:27 p.m.

Possession of a controlled substance

Aug. 15

Erik Nunez, 20, of Aurora, was charged with possession of a controlled substance and speeding in the 100 block of Yorktown at 4:30 p.m.

Suspicious incident

Aug. 16

A complainant in the 1100 block of S. Finley reported she received a phone call from alleged federal agents who directed her to transfer funds, which she declined to do.

Theft, burglary, attempted theft or burglary, forgery, deceptive practice, obstruction, robbery

Aug. 20

A complainant in the 800 block of

W. Foxworth reported that someone broke into his truck and removed several power tools sometime between Aug. 18 and Aug. 20.

Aug. 19

A complainant at International Village in the 1300 block of S. Finley reported at 12:09 p.m. that a subject stole her package from the mail room.

Aug. 15

A complainant in the 200 block of N. Troy advised of posting a fireplace/dresser for sale. A subject sent her $1,500 and advised her to pay the movers. After sending $500, the complainant’s bank advised her the subject’s check was not valid.

Aug. 14

A complainant in the 800 block of W. Foxworth reported that her residence was entered and damaged, and that she discovered property missing.

Retail theft

Aug. 17

Brendan Scheel, 29, of Wheaton, was charged with retail theft at RA Sushi Bar, 310 Yorktown, at 1:52 p.m.

Aug. 16

Julissa Rangel, 19, and two juveniles, all from Chicago, were charged with retail theft at JCPenney, 175 Yorktown, at 4:59 p.m.

Warrant arrest

Aug. 20

Police said Carlos F. Miranda, 34, of Mount Prospect, was transported to DuPage County Jail on a failure to appear warrant in the 800 block of E. Washington at 8:40 a.m.

Aug. 18

Police said Marvin Garcia-Garcia, 30, of Villa Park, was served with two failure to appear warrants near Vista and Berkshire at 8:05 a.m.

Police said Amy Rohrschneider,

42, of Bloomington, Illinois, was transported to the Lombard Police Department on two failure to appear warrants following a traffic stop near Highland and Swift at 4:20 p.m.

Aug. 17

Police said that Marshawn Knight, 25, of Lombard, surrendered on a DuPage County failure to appear warrant at 3:13 p.m.

Aug. 16

Police said Charles Lee, 22, of Hammond, Indiana, and Joshua Montague, 20, of Oswego, were processed on warrants and released on bond. Police said Christopher Vura, 39, of Lombard, turned himself in on three failure to appear warrants at 9:51 p.m.

Aug. 15

Police said Matthew Dominiguez, 41, of Chicago, was served an original warrant by the Lombard Police Department.

ANGLER

BAIT

BARB

BOBBER

BOTTOM FEEDER

BRAID

BUCKTAIL

BUNKER CHUMMING

CREEL LIMIT

CRIMP

DRAG

FISHING

FLY

GAFF

HOOK

JIGGED LINE

LURE

REEL

ROD

SINKER SPOOL

Answers to all puzzles are found on page 18

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. Russian painter

6. Very fast jet

9. Phillipine municipality

13. Intestinal

14. Small freshwater fish

15. Algerian coastal city

16. Vomit

17. Famed astronomer

18. Ghanaian currency

19. Improved the condition of

21. Int’l association of interpreters

22. Infections

23. Dish made with lentils

24. Thou

25. Former CIA

28. Unit used to compare power levels

29. Members of Pueblo people

31. Myanmar monetary units

33. Polished

36. Signed a contract

38. Nothing

39. Once-ubiquitous department store

41. Neural structures

44. Thick piece of something

45. Slang for trucks with trailers

46. Longing

48. Senior officer

49. Levels of frequency

51. Bird’s beak

52. Move rapidly downwards

54. Koran chapters

56. Streteches out

60. Top of the human body

61. A Chinese temple and Indian town are two

62. Fertility god

63. Sea eagle

64. Dry

65. Zodiac sign

66. “Horizon Call of the Mountain” character

67. Have the ability to

68. Take somewhere

CLUES DOWN

1. “Iron Man” actress Leslie

2. Wings

3. Adjust the spacing

4. They’re usually locked

5. Atomic #43

6. Wise individuals

7. Horse mackerel

8. Pearl Jam’s debut album

9. Confines

10. Colorless crystalline compound

11. Unsatisfactorily

12. Plant of the parsley family

14. Determines time

17. Causes the birth of

20. Small ornament on a watch chain

21. Richly decorated cloth tapestry

23. Vito Corleone was one

25. Igbo musical instrument

26. Put in harmony

27. Japanese alcoholic drinks

29. Tinseltown

30. Closes tightly

32. Songs sung to one’s lover

34. One thousandth of an inch

35. Small drink of whiskey

37. Political divisions in ancient Greece

40. Helps little firms

42. Baby’s eating accessory

43. Very long periods of time

47. Small block of wood

49. Town in Surrey, England

50. Enquiry

52. Murdered

53. Bura-__: Chadic language

55. Crater on Mars

56. Mammal genus

57. Sock

58. Make

59. Stony waste matter

61. Partner to cheese

65. Pound

Broncos open 2023 season with a win

The Montini Catholic girls volleyball team began its 2023 season with last week’s 25-15, 25-9 home victory over Chicago’s Resurrection College Prep High School. One photo from the Aug. 22 match shows Montini senior Ella Herrmann (above - No. 1). Another photo shows junior Jamie Loftus (right - No. 5) hitting a serve for the Broncos. Montini’s schedule this week includes a contest at Plainfield North, a home match against Lincoln-Way East and this Saturday’s four-team tournament at Lyons Township.

Full extension

Junior goalkeeper Cooper Wooldridge of the Glenbard East boys soccer team is pictured while making a diving save during the second half of Saturday’s Upstate Eight Conference match against Elgin. The visiting Maroons edged the Rams 1-0 in Saturday’s battle in Lombard. Elgin scored the only goal of the match with 4:55 to play in the second half. Glenbard East fell to 0-2 overall and 0-1 in conference action following the loss. The Rams opened their season with a 2-0 non-conference loss to Glenbard North in Lombard on Aug. 22. The Panthers scored both of their goals in the second half. “From where we were on Tuesday [against Glenbard North] to where we are today, we made some good progress as a unit,” said Glenbard East coach Josh Adler after Saturday’s loss. “We did a really good job throughout the match [against Elgin]. We had some opportunities. We lost a little bit of the attack in the final 20 minutes. That put a lot of pressure on us in the back half of the field.” Adler noted the solid play of Wooldridge, junior midfielder Gerardo Figueroa, senior midfielder Josue Roman and junior defender Josh Romicher while he spoke about Saturday’s performance. The Rams’ season continues with this week’s conference match against Larkin in Elgin, along with this Saturday’s non-conference contest at Wheaton Warrenville South.

Halftime performance

Montini Catholic High School’s dance team—the Broncettes—performed at halftime of the school’s season-opening varsity football game against Chicago’s Westinghouse College Prep High School on Friday night. Senior Claudia Sipchen of the Broncettes is pictured during Friday’s performance, which also included participants in the team’s recent Dance Upon a Star summer camp. The three-day camp (from July 24-26) concluded with performances for family and friends in the school’s gymnasium.

Chris Fox photos Rock Valley Publishing

Chris Fox photo Rock Valley Publishing

Chris Fox photo Rock Valley Publishing

Warriors suffer disappointing loss in their season opener

Willowbrook’s 12-0 lead evaporates in the fourth quarter; Notre Dame pulls out a 15-12 victory

The Willowbrook football team began its 2023 season with Friday’s tough 15-12 non-conference loss at Notre Dame College Prep in Niles.

The Warriors led the Dons 12-0 at the end of the third quarter. Notre Dame scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to take a 15-12 lead.

Willowbrook drove inside the Dons’ 25-yard line in the game’s closing moments. The Warriors’ drive ended with an incomplete pass on a fourthdown play with about 30 seconds on the clock.

Willowbrook will play its first home game of the season this Friday, when it meets Glenbard North (0-1) in a non-conference clash in Villa Park. The Panthers began their season with a 17-12 home loss to Moline.

The Warriors will start their West Suburban Gold Conference season with a Sept. 8 game at District 88 rival Addison Trail.

Willowbrook took a 6-0 lead over Notre Dame on a defensive touchdown in the second quarter. Junior Jordan Pate of the Warriors jumped into the passing lane to make an interception and raced 62 yards into the end zone with 9:33 left in the second quarter. Willowbrook missed the ensuing extra-point kick.

The Warriors scored their second touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run by senior quarterback Arthur Palicki with 3:32 left in the third quarter. Palicki’s touchdown run capped a 40-yard drive that began after a short Notre Dame punt. Palicki threw an incomplete pass on the twopoint conversion attempt, leaving the

• Charges

Warriors with a 12-0 lead.

Willowbrook punted the ball to the Dons early in the fourth quarter. Notre Dame began its ensuing drive at the Warriors’ 49-yard line. The Dons scored two plays later. Moments after a 12-yard run, Notre Dame delivered a trick play that resulted in a 37-yard touchdown pass. The Dons’ quarterback threw a lateral pass to a receiver, who threw downfield to a teammate who caught the ball near the 10-yard line and raced into the end zone.

The Dons made the extra-point kick to cut the Warriors’ lead to 12-7 with 10:21 left in the game.

Willowbrook’s next offensive drive lasted only three plays. The Warriors subsequently punted the ball to the Dons, who took possession of the ball at their own 29-yard line. Notre Dame marched down the field and took a 13-12 lead on a 4-yard touchdown run with 4:15 remaining in the game. The Dons ran the ball across the goal line on the two-point conversion play to extend their lead to 15-12.

The Warriors began their next offensive series on their own 25-yard line. Palicki led Willowbrook into Notre Dame territory with some productive runs and a couple of completed passes. The Warriors faced a fourth-and-seven play from the Dons’ 23-yard line with about 40 seconds remaining. Palicki rolled to his right on the play and threw a pass, which fell incomplete.

Notre Dame’s offense then executed one kneel-down play to run out the clock.

(Continued from page 13)

after agents broached the subject of Madigan and his close confidant Mike McClain. The FBI was interested in whether McClain, a longtime influential lobbyist in Springfield with whom Mapes also shared a friendship, acted as an “agent” of Madigan.

Shortly after Mapes’ FBI interview, he was subpoenaed for testimony in front of the grand jury, but roughly 10 days later, asserted his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. In response, prosecutors requested the court put Mapes under an immunity order, meaning that in exchange for his truthful testimony, Mapes couldn’t be charged in the investigation.

However, the immunity order also meant that if Mapes lied while under oath, he could be charged. It was under those circumstances that Mapes entered the grand jury room in late March of 2021, where during those two hours of testimony, he was reminded three times of the stakes of lying under oath.

“For whatever reason in his heart and his mind, (Mapes) chose loyalty over the truth,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane MacArthur said during closing arguments Wednesday.

Prosecutors used evidence and witnesses to establish for the jury an image of Mapes as both extremely

Winning Warriors

Willowbrook’s girls volleyball team started its 2023 season with last week’s 25-8, 25-16 victory at Bartlett. Senior Calli Kenny, who will play volleyball at the collegiate level for Marquette University’s women’s team, provided four kills, four digs, three assists and an ace in the Warriors’ Aug. 22 win over Bartlett. Kenny (No. 9) and some of her teammates are pictured during their introductions at Willowbrook’s Silver and Blue Community Night event in the school’s stadium on Aug. 18. Pictured left to right are: senior Elle Bruschuk (No. 12), junior Wendalynn Pollak (No. 11), junior Lily Javier (No. 10), Calli Kenny, junior Anna Marinier (No. 8), senior Keri Ostrowski (No. 7) and junior Hannah Kenny (No. 6). Hannah Kenny, who is Calli’s sister, recently committed to play collegiate volleyball at the University of Louisville. She contributed five kills, six assists, three digs and three aces in last week’s win over the Hawks. Senior Elisa Chivilo piled up nine digs and four assists, while Marinier supplied two kills and three digs. Bruschuk added two kills and two digs. Ostrowski made four digs, while Javier connected for two kills. The Warriors were supposed to play a home match against East Aurora on Aug. 24, but the contest was canceled; East Aurora did not have classes that day because of the extreme heat in the area. Willowbrook’s schedule this week includes road matches at Fenwick and Lyons Township. The Warriors will also play in their own Willowbrook Invite this Friday and Saturday.

Answers

meticulous and detail-oriented and extremely loyal to Madigan – both things Mapes was known for during his decades in Springfield.

In addition to serving as Madigan’s chief of staff, Mapes also worked for 20 years as executive director of the Democratic Party of Illinois under Madigan’s chairmanship, and for the last seven years of his career, he was clerk of the Illinois House, keeping legislative session days moving in the manner the speaker wanted.

But all that came to an end on June 6, 2018, when Mapes was forced to resign from all three of his roles after being publicly accused of sexual harassment and bullying.

Mapes’ attorney, Andrew Porter, sought to poke holes in the government’s theory of motive during his closing arguments.

“Three years after (his forced resignation), why would Tim Mapes, who’s been immunized, why would he fall on the sword for a guy who kicked him to the curb three years before?” Porter asked the jury.

Sherri Garrett, the former Illinois House Clerk’s Office employee who accused Mapes of harassment in 2018, issued a post-verdict statement saying she hoped others who experienced the same “toxic work environment” under Mapes “feel some relief today, as I know I do.”

ChRiS FOx PhOtO Rock Valley Publishing

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