Strand Theater could open in May
‘So many organizations around have been very encouraging,’ says eater Corp leader John Dumas
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
More than a year since John Dumas floated the idea of turning Brookfield’s historic but decrepit Theater Building back into a community theater, his group’s ef for ts to open one elsewhere in town are finally coming to fruition.
If everything goes right, Dumas said, the Strand T heater could open as soon as May 1, with a grand opening later that month.
He said the Brookfield Theater Corporation has a signed purchase contract
with the owner of the building at 8916 Fairview Ave., which is now operated as Rodriguez Auto Repair. It plans to close on the building around April 1, as long as the cur rent tenant agrees to vacate.
“We won’t close if he’s in there. That’s not going to work With the financing that we’re arranging, we can’t lease it out. You’re not allowed to be landlords under this kind of financing. It’s totally
Brook eld dispensary vote is pushed to Feb. 23
‘We’re trying to work so closely with the community,’ says the CEO of the petitioners’ consulting rm
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
The controversial case of a cannabis dispensary that was set to be approved or rejected by Brookfield’s village board on Feb. 9 has had its vote delayed to Feb. 23.
Instead of voting on whether the village should issue a special use permit to allow Prolific Dispensary to open at 9046 31st St., at the corner with Park Avenue, trustees ag reed to table the vote for two weeks at the request of the petitioners.
Previous meetings where Brookfield’s village board or planning and zoning commission dis-
DISPENSARY on pa ge 12
STELLA BROWN
8916 Fairview Av e., which houses Rodriguez Auto Re pair, could become the home of the Strand Theater as soon as May 1.
ossible La Grange Park road projec shouldn’t impact D95
Village recently made presentation to school board about March 17 public referendum
By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter
If voters give approval on March 17 of a village of La Grange Pa rk $10 million road b ond referendum, the project onc e started is n’ t expected to impact Brookfield-La Grange Pa rk School District 95. Village representatives made an infor mational presentation to the District 95 Board of Education Feb. 12 to lay out the project, which elicited little in response from the
board and Superintendent Ryan Evans.
“This doesn’t have an immediate impact,” Evans said. “There are always construction projects. Improvements do have to happen around buildings at some times.”
Fo r example, the village of Brookfield is re paving Maple Avenue, in front of S.E. Gross M iddle School, wh ich hasn’t b een problematic d ue to solid c ommunication b etween the village and the dist rict, Evans said.
According to the Feb. 12 presentation, the La Grange Park village board unanimously approved a proposition to issue $10 million in bonds to continue the 2016 Road Bond Fund. The referendum question reads:
“Shall the Village of La Grange Park, Cook County, Illinois, undertake road improvements in and for the Village, including street resurfacing and sidewalk re-
pair, all on property owned by the village or over which the Village has sufficient easements, and issue its g eneral obligation bonds to the amount of $10,000,000 for the pu rpose of paying the costs thereof, said bonds bearing interest as not to exceed the rate of 6.00% per annum?”
In 2016, La Grange Pa rk voters approved two referenda: $10 million fo r roads and $1.1 million for an ambulance and ladder truck.
T he 2026 referendum would re p lac e b oth sets of b ond s, scheduled to expire this year. Vi llage re presentatives noted that the b onds would c ontinue the same level of road f unding without a dding to the tax burden.
“Road improvements are always needed,” Evans said. “They are going to referendum to see if that will continu e. ”
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Riverside doubled number of compliant rentals in 2025
‘We’re focused on steady improvement,’ says the community development director
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
At the end of last year, 30 residential rental buildings were compliant with village code in Riverside, a marked increase from just 15 at the end of 2024. With 57 such rental buildings in town, that means more than half of them are now compliant as required by Riverside’s rental re gistration program.
“I think that’s meaningful progress. The units are inspected on a three-year cycle, so full compliance is going to take some time, but we’re focused on steady improvement,” said Anne Cyran, Riverside’s community development director
Cyran said many of the buildings that still do not comply with village code have more issues that could take time to fix than those that have already reached compliance.
“Generally, they are the larger buildings,” she told the Landmark of the buildings that remain noncompliant. “It’s harder to have complete compliance when you have so many units in a specific building, so I think that’s generally a factor.”
S he said the noncompliant buildings vary in c ondition, though they do not have i ssues seve re enough to war r ant instant action.
“The majority of issues that we encounter involve delayed maintenance. Obviously, if there’s a major l ife-safety c oncern, we would address that immediately, but the majority of issues are nonl ife-threatening i ssues that j ust need to be addressed to ensure a high quality-ofl ife for the tenants,” she said.
I nstead, Cyran said, most buildings that are not c ompliant with village code are p laced on a variable timeline for the owners to bring them i nto a ccord before fur ther action is taken. Cyran said more property owners of noncompliant buildings may begin to rece ive citations fo r re peated infractions going forward.
“We always begin with voluntary complianc e. Most property owners respond and voluntarily make the co rrections
e Tower Apartments, at Forest and East avenues, in downtown Riverside.
We ’ve used citations when re peated ef for ts do n’ t result in those improvements,” she said. “We expect, I think, a modest increase in citations as we reach the end of the voluntary c omplianc e timelines for some properties, but that’s a normal progr ession in any kind of progr am li ke thi s. ”
Wi th a g oal of reaching 60% c ompliance by the end of 2027, Cyran said her department’s staffers p ut the ef fo rt i nto g etting property owners to c omply before citations need to be i ssued. Such an
i nstance would result in further staf f time being devoted to the property as the c ase moves to the a djudication process, she said.
“We are going to work with property owners to the greatest extent possible to have voluntary compliance. In some cases, it may be helpful for us to have longer conversations with property owners about the specific issues that we’re seeing in the units and bring attention to those,” she said. “We want to make sure that folks have enough time and enough direction to ad-
dress those issues prior to reinspections.” L ooking forward, Cyran said her department’s g oal is to reach a high leve l of c ompliance across the b oard rather than taking pains to reach 100%.
“Our g oal is steady, measurable improvement. T he units cycle through inspections every three year s, and some properties require significant investment. I think we have a realistic b enchmark in the near- term,” she said. “The long-term g oal is sustained high c ompliance across the entire rental inventor y. ” PROVIDED
Milk & Manna brings a touch of Taiwan to Brookfield
Joan Ferencz opened the bubble tea shop an d bakery in January
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Brookfield is now home to its own onestop shop for bubble tea.
Fans ofthe drink can get their fix at Milk & Manna Boba and Cafe, which opened at 3738 Grand Blvd. on Jan. 5.
Owner Joan Ferencz said she opened Milk & Manna, which also sells baked goods, savory snacks and other drinks like coffee, to capitalize on the popularity of bubble tea.
A lso known as boba, the Ta i wanese, tea-based drink is known for featuring sweet and chewy tapioca p earls at the b ottom. Milk is often used to sweeten the drink, wh ich c an have many fl avor s, li ke mang o, coconut, co ff ee and black or green tea.
“It’s just so popular. Everybody likes boba, and I’m from China,” Ferencz told the Landmark. “When I first opened my boba shop, there [weren’t many], only Kung Fu Tea, maybe … Boba with dessert, they are a very good combination together.”
Ferencz said Milk & Manna is her third bubble tea shop. She previously opened Le C’s Patisserie & Tea House in Madison, Wisconsin, and Autea Sweets & Eats in Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood.
She said she sold her other restaurants in order to open Milk & Manna near her home in LaGrange Park, where her family has lived since 2023.
“I feel God sent me here. I didn’t try hard to find a location. I wanted to open one, but I was looking around, and someone introduced me to my landlord. Everything just went well,” she said. “The right thing comes at the right time.”
She said the area felt like a great fit for her two children, who attend S. E. Gross Middle School and Brook Park Elementary School. One ofher children, who has a learning disability and is autistic, didn like school until the family moved to the area, she said.
“She didn’t want to go to school unti we move d here, ” she said. “She reall enjoys school here, and I f eel OK now. do n’ t need to move anymore. I found the right location. ”
While the store has had some ir re gu lar hours to start, Fe rencz said she hopes to ke ep a c onsistent schedule going fo ward, opening from 9 a.m. to 6 p. m. Monday through F riday and 11 a.m. to 6 p. m. on Saturdays. S he said she’s still wo rk ing to finalize the store’s menu offe ings, too, to ensure everything tastes as g ood as possibl e.
The initial draw to this line of business, Ferencz said, was her propensity for baking
“I always wanted to open a bakery. I’m a baker. I can make pastries, bread, and I make birthday cakes, too,” she said. “It’s all made here from scratch.”
While Milk & Manna sources its coffee locally, Ferencz said the ingredients for its milk tea make a longer journey.
“All my tea is fresh brewed. They are not tea powders,” she said. “[They are] authentic from Taiwan. We have a Taiwanese supplier.”
So far, she said the Brookfield community has been supportive of the shop.
“I got a lot of people from church that will come. The schools are also very supportive, like S. E. Gross and RB,” she said.
“Our door was broken, so I had people come in, and one tried to fix it for us for free. [Business] owners from across the street, they will come over to give us information and talk to you.”
For the future, Ferencz said her goal isn’t to expand operations but to foster a com-
munity in Brookfield. To that end, Milk & Manna features a free play space for young children and Wi-Fi so customers can work from the store if they want.
“Money is not my goal. I feel it’s my ministry: I just want to serve the community, maybe help more families with us that have kids with disabilities,” she said. “This is the only shop I want to have, just one, and work until I retire.”
STELLA BROWN
Milk & Manna Boba and Cafe opened on Grand Boulevard in Januar y.
T150 YEARS IN THE MAKING
A heartfelt thank you to the Village of Riverside’s Sesquicentennial Sponsors
he Riverside150 Committee extends its sincere gratitude to the local businesses, community groups, and friends and neighbors who stepped up to make the Village’s 2025 Sesquicentennial a reality. Your commitment to Riverside strengthens our ties and keeps our spirit alive.
We would like to expressly recognize those whose generous donations enabled our year-round, free to the public, Sesquicentennial programs:
Forever Sponsors:
Flood Brothers & Riverside Bank
1875 Sesquicentennial Sponsors: Christopher B. Burke Engineering & Starbuds
1975 Centennial Sponsors: Clark Hill PLC, Filippini Law, Healthy Communities Foundation, Hitzeman Funeral Home, Knights of Columbus & Lions Club
2025 Era Sponsors:
Dig Right In, Illinois Aggregation Consultants, LIV Companies, McAdam Landscaping, Orland Dental, Riverside Plumbing & Erin Wieland
In-Kind Donors:
150 Club Donors:
Dolejs Realty, Sheila Gentile Group, Nicholas Jablonski, Metal Mites, Milad Nourahmadi & Dorothy Sikora.
Festival Sponsors:
Soiree Sponsors:
Centre Physical Therapy, Hitzeman Funeral Home, Jeff’s Auto on Quincy, Riverside Township, Rory & Partners Real Estate Experts, James Smigielski DDS, Starbuds & Wright Services Corporation
Auction & Drawing Donors:
Dig Right In, State Representative Lisa Hernandez, State Senator Mike Porfirio, Riverside Bank, Riverside Chamber of Commerce, Riverside Junior Women & Riverside Swim Club
Closing Ceremony Sponsors:
First American Bank, Hitzeman Funeral Home, Rosie’s Tailor Shop & Strobel Dentistry
Time Capsule Sponsors: Ivin’s Funeral Home, Northwood Oaks Investments & Riverside Garage
Aunt Diana’s Old Fashioned Fudge, Michael Corso Selections, District 96, District 208, Dulce Mami, Eris Brewery & Cider House Chicago, Higgins Glass, LaBarra, Minuteman Press , Riverside Foods, Riverside Public Library, RMarts, Something Borrowed Chicago, Kay Sordel, Floral Artist, Sweet Ride Bakery, Varyer, Vosges Haut-Chocolate, WasteNot Composting
ABIL Creations, Carey Corn, Chicago White Sox, Colorsmith Stained Glass Studio, Cristin Evans, The Frame Doctor, Gears2You, Alex Gallegos, Sheila Gentile, Melissa Hannon Watercolor, Higgins Glass Studios, The Linder Family, Loyola Center for Fitness, Cathy Jean Maloney, Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga, Morton Arboretum, Olmsted Society of Riverside, Joel Oppenheimer, Inc., Chicago, Parkview Events Chicago, The Raritan Group, Abby Regan, The Richards Family, M.R. Richards, Mary F. Richardson, W. Richardson, Riverside150, Riverside Foods, Riverside Friends of the Library, Riverside Public Library, Sikora Glass Studio, Sister Squared Florist, Brookfield, The Treehouse, Twenty Seven and a Half Photography, Erika Vazzana & Village of Riverside
Closing Ceremony:
Please join us on February 20 at 5:30 p.m. at the Riverside Public Library as we give thanks for an incredible year, share highlights from the Sesquicentennial Time Capsule, and announce the Sesquicentennial Legacy Project.
IN AMBER: Brook eld’s village logo is a hodge podge of ea rly 1960s iconography. A new logo and brand are on the way.
signed in 1962 by the village manage r, is aging into its 60s.
“He included all of the icono gr ap hy in that seal, all tied to events that took p lace in 1961 and ’ 62, so that seal is b asic ally froz en in amber,” he said.
At the same time, different depa rtments within Brookfield’s gove r nment have their own lo g os without much of a throughline, he said.
districts, wh ich R ife noted are all taxincrement finance districts, would be a g ood fit for Brookfield .
“For Chicag o, it makes sense. You’ve g ot the L oop. You’ve g ot the Mag Mile. You want to be able to identify those areas, but we ’re three square miles,”
Trustee Jennifer Hendricks said. “Having these sub-brands for these sub-dist ricts c onfuses and c omplicates the is -
wh at Brookfield is.’”
Trustee Nicole Gilhooley said she li ke d the idea of unique branding fo r each business district.
“They do have a different f eel, whether you’ re on 31st Street or on Grand Avenue or on Broadway, ” she said. “These do have a uniqueness to them. Maybe [ each district] d eserves a little bit of i ts ow n shoutout. ”
ohesion among the different areas of town under Brookfield’s new branding. Trustee Katie K aluzny suggested asking p otential vendors to create the subbranding so the village b oard c ould dec ide later whether to implement it Ultimately, the village b oard was suppo rt ive of the initiative Responses to the RFP are set to come before the board for selection at its A pril 13 meeting
FROZEN
Apartment for Rent
School of Rock Oak Park raises thousands for sta impacted by ICE crackdown
Leaders of an Oak Park music school have raised over $4,000 in community donations to support immigrant sta members
By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter
When two staf f members at an Oak Park music school abruptly stopped reporting for their shifts as the presence of immigration officers in the village grew, management at the school took notice.
School of Rock Oak Park soon learned that the two staf f members had stopped coming to work because they feared they’d be detained and deported as the Department of Homeland Security’s Operation Midway Blitz mass deportation ef fort began ramping up in Chicagoland last year. Now, the music school has organized an ongoing fundraiser to benefit the staf f members, who are remaining anonymous, and
their families, according to Amy Renzulli, the school’s owner.
The staffers didn’t ask for the fundraiser, and it took some convincing for them to accept the money, Renzulli said. Over its first two weeks, the fundraiser generated over $4,000 in community donations to support them.
“They’re proud, they have families, they want to work, they don’t want to have to rely on other people’s generosity, but they’re grateful,” Renzulli said
The school had also kept paying the staffers their wages, Renzulli said.
“We kept paying them while they were out,” she said. “It wasn’t that much money but it was something we could do.
Renzulli said the school had run fund-
raisers in the past to support staf f who’d lost their homes in fires and navigated serious health diagnoses, so leaning on the school’s community to help support staf f members missing work due to fear of deportation came naturally.
“I find that a lot of people are asking ‘what can I do’ and ‘how can I help,” she said. “I think I’ve tried to do what I can with the resources that I have. And when I say resources I really don’t mean money, I mean the community that we’ve built.”
In addition to the two staffers, the school, which provides music education and performance opportunities to children, teens and adults, has likely lost some students as fear of deportation intensified among area immigrants last
year, she said. The school, run for the last 13 years out of a solid concrete building on Lake Street that used to house a roofing company, adopted a buzz-in door lock system years ago, which Renzulli said she’s thankful for after seeing images of immigration agents entering childcare facilities and local businesses to detain people.
As the fundraiser continues, Renzulli said she wants the school to continue fostering a safe, welcoming community for all.
“When you’re here, harmonizing, singing with each other, those are good vibrations and it can counteract what’s happening outside,” she said. “This building is a fortress and it’s a shelter and it’s a place that I think is really important right now.”
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Happiness is a warm cup in wintertime
Local merchant Todd & Holland spills the tea
By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Eats Reporter
Todd & Holland Tea Merchants understand that this time ofthe year calls for something warm in your hands to get through the dregs of winter
Owner Laurie Jackson is happy to introduce people to tea, beyond the boxed teabag, at her Forest Park store at 7311 Madison St. The shelves are filled with black, oolong, green caffeinated teas and many herbals too.
“One thing we try to stress here is education and a lot of people focus on the tea ceremony,” Jackson said. “There are different types ofceremonies, but what they all have in common is that the point is to sit down, to stop, slow down, think very deliberately about what you’re doing, about your day, about whatever it is that you want to.”
She has nothing against a morning cup with the caffeine you need to achieve, but relaxing with a high-quality cup can be a ritual that brings more to the table.
Her shelves are full. A quick overview ofthe selection includes Jasmine pearls, Moroccan mint, champagne raspberry, orchid oolong, gunpowder pinhead extrafine, chamomile, rooibos and honeybush varieties. From around the world comes Assams, Ceylons, Darjeelings, senchas and more.
When tea-curious customers come in, the staff usually suggests a flavored tea to start off. Todd & Holland’s original spice tea blend, with a cinnamon and orange profile, is often a first pour.
“It was the tea that started the business. It outsells every single lot ofour teas,” Jackson said.
All true teas come from one plant, camelia sinensis. White, green, oolong, black and even matcha are all variations on that one leaf. The difference is made in how it’s processed and the amount of oxidation allowed. A vital thing to know is how to brew each.
“Green tea is brewed at a very low temperature, 170-185 degrees. Same thing with oolongs, and the blacks and the herbals are at 212 degrees. So if you put a green tea in 212 degrees boiling water, it tends to taste bitter. Green tea is a very fast stee p, like two minutes. Black tea will start to get a little bitter after five or six minutes. Herbal tea could be 10, 15 minutes and you’ll be fine. The longer you steep it, the more flavoring it
infuses,” Jackson said.
Many people come into the store to explore the health benefits oftea. Jackson said she and the staff are not equipped to dispense medical advice, but they do refer serious inquiries to Larrabee Herbs in Elmwood Park
“They have herbalists there. They’ll be able to say if you should focus on this herb or that herb. Then [Todd & Holland] can come and say, okay, this tea will meet those requirements,” Jackson said.
In addition to teas, herbal and non-caffeinated rooibos blends, the emporium also carries plain elements, such as peppermint, hibiscus and lemongrass. Those can be added to their other teas to boost the flavor in an individualized way.
But wait, what about a refreshing iced tea?
“A lot ofthe herbal teas, which are called tisanes, they are naturally caffeine. The same thing with the rooibos tea, which is red bush tea from South Africa. They all make for a nice cold brew You can just take the pouch, drop it in with cold water overnight, and then the next morning you’ll have a pitcher,” Jackson said.
She also mentioned that mocktails using teas have become popular, especially ones featuring their smoked teas. Desserts flavored with matcha have also taken off too
“Tea is so versatile, whether you’re drinking it, whether you’re baking with it, or whether you’re just serving it on the side. It’s a very, very versatile drink,” Jackson said.
RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR
RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR
RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR
structured for owner use,” Dumas said.
The nonprofit group has been fundraising through donations and investments from members of the community as well as seeking funding from local banks, including the First National Bank of Brookfield, which had agreed to let the Theater Corporation borrow money last October
According to the Strand Theater’s development plan, the total upfront cost to turn the building into a community theater for Brookfield is about $600,000, including the building’s $490,000 purchase price and about
$110,000 in additional construction costs
So far, two investors have pledged $60,000 through Semble, a community investment platform. Dumas said he and his group have been in talks with banks and private investors as well, though some of the funding could be less than guaranteed
“There are a lot of maybes, a lot of contingencies,” he said. “You get these partial commitments … We’re still in negotiations on a lot of it, but I think we have a hundred-and-some thousand [dollars] completely locked down.”
If anyone is interested in naming a building, or part of one, after themselves, now is your chance. For the small price of $450,000 — 75% of the total project cost — the group will name the entire building after a donor for at least 25 years. If you can’t spare that much, they’ll name the auditorium after you for $240,000 or the lobby for $120,000.
“We were working with some consultants,
and they brought that up,” Dumas said. “‘That’s something you should seriously consider, but it’s going to have to be worthwhile.’”
Despite some of the uncertainties, Dumas said the Theater Corp is already lining up shows for May and beyond. He said the group wants to book other theater troupes in the region so that the Brookfield-based Glaser Players aren’t the only ones using it. He said they’ve also spoken with multiple businesses and community groups in Brookfield and plan to feature other, simpler events, too, like a free film night for senior citizens
“We really don’t want it to be like, ‘We own it, and it’s ours.’ We would like it to be used more by the community, too. Community theater relies on the community to come to the shows and things. If you don’t get that connection to the community, you’re not going to succeed,” he said. “We’d like to see the place used every weekend and not to see
it dark We have plans for film festivals and different things that we can do in there to keep it going.”
Despite being the face of the project, Dumas emphasized that it has taken, and will continue to take, a village to get the Strand Theater up and running this spring.
“I think we’re up to 40-some people that are in our group now, and we’re g etting more emails all the time. People have really responded; it’s been shocking to us We know we did good crowds, but you never know how far some of this stuf f goes,” he said. “People aren’t going to be willing to put in 20, 30 hours a week on something like this. You got to divide up the jobs into small pieces, so it’s going to take a ton of people, but it’s going to be so rewarding and so good for the community and for Brookfield and the sur rounding areas, too.”w
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DISPENSARY
from page 1
cussed the case drew crowds of residents to the village’s meeting hall, which is usually only sparsely populated.
At a January meeting, several public commenters raised concerns that the presence ofthe dispensary, ifit is approved, could increase the amount oftraffic driving through nearby residential areas or “send the wrong message” to children who live nearby
Since that meeting, the petitioners said they have completed a traffic study to ensure the dispensary won’t cause an undue burden on the neighborhood.
“We did that just as a precaution. We want to say, ‘Hey, let’s vote.’ The danger was that it could be delayed again. We didn’t want it to get kicked down the road, so we had to be precautionary,” said Tanya Griffin, the CEO and founder of Water + Trees, a business advisory and asset management firm specializing in “high-risk startups,” including several dispensaries.
Water + Trees is representing the Laws family, who would own and operate Prolific Dispensary themselves.
Griffin, who lives in Colorado but is from LaGrange, said little will change concerning the petitioners’ materials heading into the meeting on Feb. 23, but the extra downtime garnered by the delayed vote gives them more time to “get everybody on the same page.”
“We’re trying to work with those individuals who don’t want it in their neighborhood. I wish I could help everyone understand that a vacant building, where they’re shooting out the windows, and there’s a bar next door, is not safe for the neighborhood,” she said. “If you look at the stats on alcohol versus cannabis and the dangers of
two things. If we allow all of this fearmongering and stigma to continue, we’re not doing a service to our kids in the community. We’ve got to educate.”
The building where Prolific could open has been vacant since 2019. The village board rejected a petition to allow a daycare to open there in 2023 due to concerns over parking and traffic that echo some residents’ feelings now.
G riffin said she f elt some ofthe resistance to the proposal is d ue to the building’s proximity to a residential neighborhood, as there was less o pposition from residents when Brookfield of ficials in 2023 approved a dispensary along Ogden Avenue, a project that has sinc e failed to materialize
“When we first met with the village, they were so happy to have us. I was a little blindsided that we had a couple trustees that didn’t want it in their backyard,” she said.
Griffin said she had a bit more warning about the community’s response, as her son and his family live in Brookfield.
“This is not a big community, so I knew that it was going to be a bit ofa circus, but we had a strong argument, and we’re really good [team] players, and it’s a lot of revenue to Brookfield,” she said. “If something is new to you, and you don’t really understand it, there’s a lot of fear around it. Cannabis can be scary, and I’m so empathetic to that.”
She said increased transparency is the way to push back against prejudices people may have about cannabis or those who use it
“Stop shaming these things. It is dangerous for our children. Whether it’s sex or drugs or any ofthese things, the danger is in the shame. It isn’t in the communication, in the education,” she said. “That’s a hill that is sometimes hard to climb … It’s very difficult to change people’s mindsets if they feel something emotionally.”
GOOGLE MAPS
Proli c Dispensary could come to the vaca nt building at 9046 31st St. if trustees approve its special use on Feb. 9.
to headlight outage
Brookfield police on Feb. 7 ticketed a 47-year-old LaGrange Park man for driving drunk after one of his car’s headlights were out.
Around 8:43 p.m., an officer on patrol witnessed a car heading east on 31st Street with only one headlight working. After following the vehicle, the officer saw it nearly strike the curb and swerve over the dividing line between lanes before slowing down while in both lanes and turning into the Cordial Inn parking lot, where the officer initiated a traffic stop.
While speaking with the driver, who provided a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance, the officer noticed the man had red, glossy eyes, smelled of alcohol and was slurring his words. The man told the officer he was coming from the Subway in LaGrange Park down the road. At first, he said he had not had any alcohol, but he later told the officer he had consumed one beer and then said he had drunk a couple beer s.
The officer asked the man to exit his car and take field sobriety tests, to which he ag reed. During the tests, the man showed multiple indicators of impairment. He also ag reed to take a preliminary breath test, which resulted in er ror codes after two separate attempts.
T he officer ar rested the man for driving under the influence and transported him to the Brookfield Police Depa rtment for processing. At the station, the man told p olice he had d one shots in the morning wh i le b etting on horses at the Hawthorne Race C ourse in Cicero and had seve r al more shots later on, thoug h he c ould not recall the timeline of the day and where he was at that time. Th e man said he “ didn’t think” he was under the influence wh i le driving to the Co rdial I nn, where he was aiming to pl ay
slot machines, police said.
The man took a chemical breath test the station, which showed .174 blood alcohol content, before police charged him for having only one working headlight, improper lane usage, driving under the influence and having blood alcohol content above .08. Police provided the man with his citations and released him with a March 24 court date
Ticketed for driving without headlights
Brookfield police ticketed a 30-year-old Chicago woman on Feb. 2 for driving without headlights.
Around 9:13 p.m., an officer on patrol saw the vehicle heading east on Ogden Avenue with its headlights of f. The officer initiated a traffic stop at the intersection with Sunnyside Avenue, where the driver said she had never been issued a driver’s license.
The of ficer told the woman her car would need to be towed and transported her to the police station so she could wait while they completed paperwork and a ride. A court date was set for March 24, and police released the woman.
These items were obtained from the Brookfield Police Department re ports dated Feb. 2-9; they re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.
Compiled by Stella Brown
Opinion
LETTERS
Standing up to ageism
We were looking forward to a Valentine’s dinner. The reservation was at 4:30 p.m. The hostess, despite an empty front room, took us way back into a room near the kitchen. I inquired if we might sit in the front room and was told No. I then asked for the manager.
Fortunately George, a kindly person I know from prior visits, came out and had us seated in a small table in the front room. We had the best waiter ever: Christopher. As we sat there until about 6 p.m.
many tables around us were empty. This experience has played out in many establishments, i.e. being put in the back.
I never go along with it but have encountered this ageism to the extent that I believe it to be a mandate from the management concerning older customers. It makes going out painful and stressful.
I am starting a group called Egalite. If you care to join me: mar netrev@gmail.com.
Marne Trevisano Ri verside
Send letters to the editor
Ken Trainor, Riverside-Brookfield Landmark 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 E-mail: ktrainor@wjinc.com
Please include name, address and daytime phone number for verification.
pionship in football during the 2025-26 season, a long-awaited development tha t he thoroughly enjoyed and applauded. After gr aduating from c olle ge, he beg an his a ccounting career with a Chicago-based public a ccounting firm. He ser ve d as a lieutenant in the Ar my from 1951 to 1954, b ased primarily in Germany. His w ife Dorothy joined him in Germany where their first child was bo rn
Following military service in Europe, he returned to Chicag o, serving as the a ccountant for the Unive rsity of Chicago Press. He transitioned to the Bursar ’s Office in 1956, and was promoted seve ra l times. He was named Bursar in 1962 at age 35, managing an office of over 20 employees. He and Dorothy live d in Riverside where they raised four children. After retirement, he ser ve d on the Riverside Township Board of Trustees fo r more than 20 year s.
He was a ve ry p ositive person wh o cared de ep ly about people
Preceding Way ne in death was his belove d w ife, Dorothy M. (Ford) Gieseman. He is survive d by his four children, Karin Gieseman Waterbury (Ste p hen), Albe rt W., John C. (Romina) and Amy E. Gieseman; his gr andchildren, Aaro n (Selena), Joseph, and A manda A llietta and Andrea Gieseman. A lso preceding Way ne in death we re his two sister s, Helen M. Doenges and Marian C. Davi s. G ifts in honor of Way ne may be directed to Catholic C harities West Michig an or to Pillars C ommunity Health, 5220 E ast Ave., Countryside, IL 60525.
A Mass of Christian Burial was c elebrated in the Chapel of the Cathedral of St. Andrew, 215 S heldon Boulevard SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 on Fe b. 16.
OBITUARIES
Wayne Gieseman, 98
Long time Riverside Township trustee
Albert Wayne Gieseman, 98, of Grand Rapids, Michig an and Riverside, died on Feb. 12, 2026, surrounded by family. Born in Edwardsville, Illinois on March 19, 1927, he studied business, finance and accounting at Indiana University, graduating in 1949. He was active in the Accounting Club, the military collegiate honor society Scabbard & Blade, and was a member of Sigma Alpha
Epsilon fraternity. He subsequently earned an M.B.A. at the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
During his freshman year at Indiana University (1945), Indiana won its first Big Ten Conference football title, repeating that achievement in 1967. Indiana won its first ever National Cham-
S alvador De la Cerda, 88
Greyhound bus driver
Salvador De la Cerda, 88, of ons, died on 2026. Born on No 12, 1937 in Mexico, he was a Greyhound bus dri before retiring. Salvador was the husband of Guillermina (nee Ramire z); the father of Victor (Trina) De la Cerda, Efrain De la Cerda, Deanna (Randy) Delgado, Da-
vid (Audrell) De la Cerda and the late Salvador (Guadalupe) De la Cerda; the grandfather of Daniela, Angela, Michelle, Natalie, Luke, Laila, Angelo, Marissa, Amira and Lailani; great-grandfather of Ellie; brother of Daniel, Isaac, Manuela, Eva, Elizabeth, the late Enrique, late Manuel, late Louis, late Mercedes and late Carmella; and the uncle of many.
Visitation was held on Feb. 10 at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield. Funeral Mass was celebrated on Feb. 11 at St. Barbara Church, Brookfield. Cremation private.
Cathryn Hamilton, 71
Worked checkout at Jewel
Cathryn (“Cat hy ”) A. Hamilton, 71, a l ifelong resident of Cicero, die d on Fe b. 10, 2026. Born on Se pt. 16, 1954, she cherished spending time with f amily, whether it be at extended f amily gatherings or visiting relatives in Tennessee. She adored her nieces and nephews and was an avid dog lover and owner. She was quite good at freehand drawing and dedicated many happy hours to her ar twork. She had a fondness for butterflies and angels, reflecting her g entle spirit. Her faith was very important to her. For 22 years, she looked forward to seeing and talking to her re gular customers at the Jewel checkout and during the same period absolutely loved working with children in the after-school care progr am at Our Lady of Charity in Cicero.
Cathy was the d aughter of the late John and the late Betty Hamilton (nee Raleigh); sister of the late Ken (Pat), the late Richard, and the late David; aunt to ( Erin) Hamilton and Tracy (Kevin ) Bailey; great-aunt to Syd ney and Brooke Hamilton and Jackson, Andrew, and Addison Bailey; niece of Pat (late Dalton ee) Brown, Dennis Raleigh, the late osemary Raleigh, the late Marge “ Pat ” (late George) Zdarsk y, the late Joan (late irgil, late Eldon Sinram) Hamer, the late George (Gloria) Raleigh, the late
John (Linda) Raleigh, the late A nni e (late Hugh) Cu rr an, the late Elizabeth (late Hugh) Pa rker, and the late T homas (late E unice) Hamilton; and the c ousi n of many.
Vi sitation will be held on Fe b. 23 from 4 until 8 p. m. at C onboy-Westchester Funeral Home, 10501 W. Cermak Road , Westchester. Funeral Mass will be c ele brated at 11 a.m., Fe b. 24, at Mater Christi C hurch. I nterment at Queen of Heaven Cemeter y.
In lieu of fl ower s, d onations to f amily wishes appreciated.
Ar r angements we re handled by the O riginal Ku ratko Family, B rian D. Kuratko-Director
Ricky Hamilton, 75
U.S. Army veteran
Ricky was the son of the late John and the late Betty Hamilton (nee Raleigh); the brother of Cathy, the late Ken ( Pat), and the late David; uncle to Ken ( Erin) Hami lton and Tracy (Kevin) Bailey; great-uncle to Syd ney and Brooke Hamilton and Jackson, Andrew, and A ddison Bailey ; ne phew of Pat (late Dalton L ee) Brown, Dennis Raleigh, the late Rosemary Raleigh, the late Marge (late George) Zdarsk y, the late Joan (late Virgil, late Eldo n Sinram) Hamer, the late George (Gloria ) Raleigh, the late John (Linda) Raleigh , the late A nnie (late Hugh) Cu rr an, the late Elizabeth (late Hugh) Pa rker, and the late T homas (late E unice) Hamilton; and the cousin of many.
Interment, with military honors, will be held on Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, 20953 W. Hof f Road, Elwood. (Everyone is asked to meet at the cemetery visitor center at 12:45 p.m.)
In lieu of flowers, donations to family wishes appreciated.
peras Cove, TX), VFW Post 2868 (Brookfield), Kettle Moraine Chapter of Southeastern Wisconsin (Waterford), Croatian Cultural Club (Joliet), Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library sponsor (Brookfield), Brookfield Jazz Society (Brookfield) and the Museum of Science and Industry (Chicago).
John was the husband of the late Dolores J. K ritzer (nee Jo nvonich); the father of Marc K ritzer and Nicholas K ritzer; the brother of Emil (Nanc y) Kritze r, Annie (the late Way ne) Kw iatkowski and the late Gloria (the late Paul) Spolar; and the uncle of many nieces and ne phew s. Vi sitation will be held on Fe b. 18 from 3 to 8 p. m. and Fe b. 19 from 9:30 to 10:00 a.m. at Hitzeman Funeral Home Ltd. , 9445 31st St., Brookfield. Funeral Mass will be c elebrated at 10:30 a.m. at St. Barbara Catholic C hurch, Brookfield. I nterment at Resur rection Catholic Cemeter y in Justice
Diana J. (nee K aselau); the brother of Patricia (Kent) Ke be rn ik and Pamela (Glen) C ulley; and the uncle of Scott C ulley, Heather (Michael) Tierney and Re becca Culley.
Vi sitation will take p lace on Fe b. 18 from 9 a.m. until the 11 a.m. f uneral service at Ku ratko-Nosek Funeral Home 2447 S. Desplaines Ave., North Rive rside I nterment at Fair mount Wi llow Hills Memorial Pa rk , Wi llow Springs
Susan Lavelle, 76
Special Education teacher
Richard (“Ricky”) W. Hamilton, 75, a resident of Cicero and a U.S. Ar my veteran, died on Jan. 16, 2026. Bor n on July 28, 1950, he loved f amily parties and, along with his sister, Cathy, was often the last to leave. Over the years, he found enjoyment tinkering with model trains, collecting aluminum cans for extra cash, and spending ample time on his boat with the Curran f amily in Michig an. For tunately, he never followed through on his lofty, longstanding claim that he could successfully land a 747.
Ar r angements we re handled by the O riginal Ku ratko Family, B rian D. Kuratko-Director
John Kritzer, 94
Korean War veteran
John P. K ritze r, 94, of Brookfield, die d on Fe b. 12, 2026. A Ko rean Wa r Ar my Veteran, he was a member of S heet Metal Wo rkers Lo c al # 73 (Hillside), Paraly zed Veteran of America Vaughan Chapter (Westchester), 1st Cavalry Division Association (Cop
Reginald Overstreet, 80
Airlines freight and ground crew worker
Re ginald A. Overstreet, 80, of Arlington Heights, for merly of North Rivers ide, died on Fe b. 8, 2026 in Arlington Heights. Bor n on Ju ly 1, 1945 in Peoria, he was a U. S. Ar my veteran who wo rked in the freight and ground with the ai rl i nes
S usan B. Lavelle (nee Te ichman), 76, of Brookfield, died on Feb. 7, 2026. Born on Dec 19, 1949, she loved cooking and fishing. However her great passion in life was being a Special Education teacher
S ue was the w ife of the late Denni s Lavelle; sister of Ray mond Te ichman and sister-in-law of Ly nne (John) C hlada, Ju dy Lavelle and Tom (late C andy) Lavelle; and the aunt of Patrick (Sarah) C hlada, Kelly (Tullio) Cox, Kevin (Sarah) C hlada, K ira (Matt) S anchez, Maria (Nick) Lavelle, S ean Lavelle, Amber Te ic hman and Ray Te ichman.
Memorial visitation was held on Feb. 16 at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, followed by a Words of Remembrance Service. Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with the family at www. johnsonnosek.com.
Sports
RBHS boys basketball secures share of another UEC East title
Second straight co-title marks 23rd conference crown in 25 seasons
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
After being part of another boys basketball conference champion, Riverside Brookfield High School senior Cameron Mercer onl appreciates the achievement more. The thi year varsity player contributed to another Feb. 11 as the Bulldogs won 69-33 at West Chicago to secure the first-place tie with Glenbard East in the Upstate Eight Conferenc East Division at 11-1.
“I’ve just been blessed to win conferenc every year I’ve been on varsity and my (freshman junior varsity) year,” Mercer said. “It’ kind of normal to me but it’s always a gr feeling to win conference. I don’t think durin my sophomore I was as excited as my junior or senior year. This one especially, this year, is probably the hardest.”
Starting with 2002, the Bulldogs (22-7) have 23 conference championships over the past 25 seasons. This one follows titles from 2007-24 in the Metro Suburban Conference and Suburban Prairie Conference from 2002-2006. RBHS and Glenbard East also shared the 2025 UEC East crown. The Rams (26-3) achieved their share by beating Ridgewood
Riverside-Brook eld’s Liam Enright (30) lines up a shot against De La Salle during a nonconference game Fr iday, Feb. 13, 2026 in Riverside, IL.
71-57 Friday.
“It’s a great accomplishment. It’s like a great marathon,” RBHS coach Mike Reingru-
ber said. “To win a conference title, you have 12 games and we’re getting everybody’s best shots. There’s very little room for error and
luckily we were able to take care of business.”
This one was truly earned. They lost the first meeting at Glenbard East 70-58 Dec. 19 in ombard but won the rematch at home 69-64 b. 3. In between, the Bulldogs rallied 53-46 er third-place Glenbard South (19-9, 7-5) an. 22 after starting the game missing their first 15 shots in falling behind 17-3.
“The guys laser focused. After losing to Glenbard (East), we really didn’t have room for error at all,” Reingruber said. “Every ame was a conference championship for us.” Mercer (17 points) and Colin Cimino and Liam Enright (15 points each) paced the victory over West Chicago. Mercer and Cimino also had six rebounds.
The Bulldogs also beat Elgin 67-38 on Senior y in their UEC crossover Saturday and lost to De La Salle 61-47 Friday. While Mercer (16 points) and Ben Biskupic (13 points, rebounds) reached double figures Saturday, senior reserves Walker Burns, Peter Laube, Charlie Sloan and Aaron Guzman also scored. Mercer (16 points, 9 rebounds), Cimino (14 points, 5 rebounds), Noah VanTholen (7 points) and Biskupic (7 rebounds) were top players against De La Salle (13-16).
RBHS led the Meteors at halftime 29-25 before being outscored 14-7 in the third quarter It was just the Bulldogs’ second loss in their last 16 games
“We played a good first half and then second half didn’t make shots and threw the ball all over the gym,” Reingruber said.
Bulldogs’ Gonzalez, O’Connor Lombardo qualify for 2A state
LTHS all-stater Powell returns to 3A state as 138 title contender
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Riverside Brookfield High School junior boys wrestler Tony Lombardo has been around the Class 2A team and individual state meets, but never beyond being an al-
ternate. Now it’s time to participate.
Lombardo joined seniors Izaiah Gonzalez and Nick O’Connor as the Bulldogs’ 2A individual state qualifiers with top-four finishes at the Hinsdale South Sectional Saturday. All three make their individual state debuts.
“It’s funny. I went to team state. I’ve been to the building before (for state championships. Now I can finally experience it myself,” said Lombardo (27-6), who finished fourth at 138 pounds after losing 20-8. “I earned this. I feel pretty good. I get to go
down with two of my closer friends on the team. I’m just very excited.”
Gonzalez (31-3) won the 132-pound title with an 18-0 technical fall after a 5-4 semifinal victory. O’Connor (31-6) finished third at 175 with a pin in 3:44.
“Everyone that made it downstate is capable of getting a (top-six, all-state) medal,” RBHS coach Nick Curby said.
A senior transfer from Bremen, Gonzalez came one backdraw victory from state as a sophomore and 20-6 last season but 0-2 at the same sectional as RBHS
“Going from 0-2 to winning sectionals, it’s a big step. I’ve been working for this and I believe I deserve this,” Gonzalez said. “I’m aiming for that always, No. 1. That’s what I need (at state). That’s what I want. That’s what I’ve been working for.”
As 2025 sectional qualifiers, O’Connor was 2-2 and Lombardo was 1-2. In their matches to reach state, Lombardo had a pin in 1:23 and O’Connor won by technical fall 20-2.
See BULLDOGS on pa ge 17
STEVE JOHNSTON
Woods, LTHS boys basketball keep hands in WSC Silver race
RBHS, LTHS girls basketball teams
busy with Class 4A regional action
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
After again finding his hot shooting hand, Lyons Township High School junior boys basketball guard Nate Woods made the defensive touch of the g ame F riday. With 6.2 seconds left, the Lions led Downers Grove North by one point but the Trojans were inbounding on their of fensive sidelines for a potential g amewinning shot.
“I was told not to let them get the ball in
BULLDOGS from page 16
“I was sad after my (12-6 semifinal) loss bu I had to get it out of my head with a goldfis mentality,” O’Connor said. “I’d like to say I’ be able to beat me from last year. Throughout my wrestling career, I think I can beat ever version of my past self.”
RBHS seniors Aiden Veltman (17-15 at 150), Jayden Tulian (12-15 at 126) and Miles R sell-Barnes (21-19 at 113) came one backdra victory from state berths. Sophomore Riley Cavaliere (19-16 at 106) was 1-2 and senior Ger ald Evans (24-14 at 175) and sophomore Elija Rembis (7-24 at 157) were 0-2.
In their matches to reach state, Veltman lost by technical fall 19-3 and Tulian and RussellBarnes were pinned.
“You’ve got to be thankful for what you get, Curby said. “They left everything on the mat, which is all you expect or ask for. A couple of more guys were right there (to qualify). I ca be more proud as a coach.”
Top-three regional finishers advance to sectionals. Russell-Barnes and Rembis b finished fourth at regionals but advanced as alternates. Meanwhile, RBHS senior Joe Alberts (15-14 at 215) qualified with third at regionals but withdrew because of injury
the corner, which is where they drew up the play for,” Woods said.
Woods deflected that inbounds p ass to re ga in p ossession for the Lions in thei r 49-46 home victory over Downers Grove North to remain tied for first in the West Suburban Conference Sil ve r Division.
R iding a nine-game winning streak, LT HS (20-6, 10-1 in Sil ve r) will clinch at least a tie T uesd ay with a victory at Hinsdale C entral (11-17, 5-5). T he Lions led 47-46 when the Trojans (18-12, 3-7) inbounded. As the p ass went toward the near corner, Woods deflected the b all, wh ich deflected of f the i ntended DGN pl ayer ’s hand out of bound s.
“They were not happy about it, but it was the right call. I saw it hit of f the other guy,” Woods said.
Now the Lions’ b all, Timmy S loan inb ounded down c ourt to Grant Smith, wh o
was fouled and made two free throw s. T he Trojans missed a last-second three defended by Owen Ca rroll. Smith (18 points) and Woods and Tommy Blyth (10 points each) reached d ouble figure s. S loan had six assists
After a three p ut the Trojans ahead 46-44, Smith hit a free throw and Blyth scored of f a screen-and-roll pl ay with S loan with 22.4 seconds left to p ut the Lions ahead to stay.
“Timmy made a good pass and I made a layup. Probably my biggest (basket this season),” Blyth said.
LTHS led 20-8 in the second quarter and 33-27 entering the fourth quarter. The Trojans scored on their first seven possessions of the fourth quarter in leading 43-39 with 2:47 left.
“Any win in the West Suburban Silver is a great win,” LTHS coach Tom Sloan
said. “We told the guys beforehand this was going to be a do gfight. I’m just glad we ended up making a couple of more plays at the end.”
The Lions then won 73-48 at Oak Park and River Forest Saturday behind huge games from Smith (32 points, 6 rebounds) and Woods (22 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists). Silver co-leader York (26-4, 10-1) finished Tuesday with DGN. The Lions won their second meeting against York 56-49 Feb. 3 as Woods had 26 points behind a single-game, schoolrecord eight threes.
Four LT HS pl ayers had made seven –Niklas Polonowski (2023), Ja rr yd Heath (2012), Tom Sit kowski (2004) and Peter Ca rroll (1998).
“I did know (the record). It was c ool, ” Woods said. “That was a big win for us. It was nice to get them back, going to thei r p lac e. ”
STEVE JOHNSTON
the 4-2 semifinal defeat to Marmion senior Zach Stewart (21-3) serves as motivation and a learning tool. Stewart won the 138 state title in 2024 and was second at 144 in 2025. This was the first meeting between the state’s 1-2 anked wrestlers at 138.
“It’s going to be a fun match (if we meet at state),” said Powell, who finished third Saturday with a 19-3 technical fall. “I’m going for that state title. That was the goal from the beginning. Little minor mistakes. I’d rather lose w than down in the state finals.”
LTHS seniors Jimmy Hillmann of Brookfield (35-15 at 285) and Luca Ligammari (14-23 106) were 2-2, senior Cornell Fennessee (31at 165) was 1-2 and sophomore Jesse NunezGarcia (30-17 at 150) was 0-2.
Nationally, Stewart and Powell are ranked No. 10 and 23, respectively. Powell missed state by one sectional victory as a freshman and has to withdraw from sectionals as a sophomore because of injury.
“Last year, getting down was part of it, getting on the medal stand, but obviously his oal now is to get to the top of it,” LTHS coach riff Powell said.
In his first healthy season as a junior, Russell-Barnes came one victory from state. After warmups Friday, Russell-Barnes found out he was competing while battling an illness that kept him from practicing.
“Just grateful to even make it this far. I got a lot better and I learned a lot from my wrestling,” Russell-Barnes said. “I was really excited (to compete) but I also was kind of like
Riverside-Brook eld’s Tony Lombardo tries to escape from Evergreen Park’s Michael Chatman during a 138-pound semi nal bout at the Class 2A Hinsdale South Sectional Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026 in Darien, IL.
this is going to be tough because I was also unprepared.”
LTHS boys wrestling
After taking an all-state sixth at 132 last
season, Lyons Township senior Grif f Powell is favored to contend for the 3A title at 138. He got a sneak peek at a possible opponent Saturday.
Although Powell (41-4) suffered his first loss this season to an in-state wrestler, he hopes
Because of an upcoming injury forfeit , Ligammari actually c ame one victor y from state. Hillmann finished with a disappointing loss by pin but also would have needed to be at third-place Downer s Grove North senior C olin Murphy (38-5) to advanc e.
“I feel like I fought hard,” said Hillmann, who will play football at St. Xavier. “A lot of the things that have made me good at football are because I wrestled. I feel wrestling has definitely changed my life.”
Landmark, February 18, 2026
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M26001329 on February 3, 2026 Under the Assumed Business Name of PIZZA DOM with the business located at: 905 S. LOMBARD AVE. UNIT 2, OAK PARK, IL 60304. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: DOMINIC VALLONE 617 WILLOW GLEN ST. ADDISON, IL 60101, USA
Published in Wednesday Journal February 11, 18, 25, 2026
LEGAL NOTICE
The Village of Oak Park will receive bids for Microsoft Office 365 Licenses. The full bid document, “26IT-0001 Information Technology,” is available on the Village website www.oak-park.us. Bids will be accepted until February 27, 2026 4PM Central.
Published in Wednesday Journal February 18, 2026
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK PLAN COMMISSION
DOCKET NUMBER: PC 2503 (Zoning Ordinance Text Amendment)
HEARING DATE: March 5, 2026
TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the agenda permits
LOCATION OF HEARING: Room
201 - Council Chambers, Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street Oak Park, Illinois 60302
PETITIONER: Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302
REQUEST: The Petitioner, Village of Oak Park, seeks a text amendment to the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance as follows: 1) amending Article 8 (“Uses”) – Table 8-1 (“Use Matrix”) of the Zoning Ordinance by adding “Cocktail Lounge” as a permitted (P) use in the HS –Harrison Street Zoning District, DT – Downtown Zoning Districts, and the NC – Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District; 2) amending Article 2 (“Definitions & Rules of Measurement”), Section 2.3 (“Definitions”) of the Zoning Ordinance by adding a definition for “Cocktail Lounge” as follow: “An establishment that serves alcoholic beverages for on premise consumption and serves appetizers, snacks, or pre-packaged food items for consumption on the premises in a manner that is incidental to the
sale of alcoholic beverages. Live entertainment and music may be provided as an ancillary use to the cocktail lounge. A Cocktail Lounge shall not exceed 2,000 square feet, excluding the square footage devoted to a kitchen. A cocktail lounge includes a speakeasy or similar lounge.”; 3) amending Article 8 (“Uses”), Section 8.3 (“Use Restrictions”), Subsection (A) (1) by adding “(l) Cocktail Lounge is allowed at grade level or on the ground floor within the first 50 feet of the street line;” and 5) amending Article 10 (“OffStreet Parking & Loading”) – Table 10-2 (“Off-Street Vehicle and Bicycle Parking Requirements”) of the Zoning Ordinance by adding “Cocktail Lounge” under “USE” and requiring “1 per 500sf GFA” for vehicle parking spaces & “1 per 1500sf GFA” for bicycle spaces.
A copy of the proposed text amendment is on file and available for inspection at the Village Hall, Development Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Plan Commission may continue the hearing to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.
ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE INVITED TO BE HEARD OAK PARK PLAN COMMISSION Oak Park, Illinois 60302
Published in Wednesday Journal, February 18, 2026
PUBLIC NOTICE
In accordance with the Open Meetings Act, this is to advise you that the Riverside Township Mental Health Board will hold the meetings below at the listed locations:
Mental Health Board Meeting Notices
“The Kids Are Not Alright” Saturday, February 21st @ 1:00 PM
Riverside Township Hall –2nd Floor, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois
RTMHB Budget Committee Wednesday, February 25th @ 6:30 PM
Riverside Township Hall –Community Resource Center, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois
If you have any questions, please contact Board President, Adam Wilt, at awilt.rtmhb@gmail.com or call Adam at 708-804-4400.
Published in RB Landmark February 18, 2026
Submit events and see full calendar at rblandmark.com/events
