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Vol. 38, No. 32

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Also serving North Riverside

March 8, 2023

Brookfield wins $600,000 state grant for Ehlert Park PAGE 3

@RBLandmark

Riverside police investigate fatal First Ave. crash PAGE 8

Riverside floodwall questions abound

Uncertainty remains over wall’s alignment, look and final cost

By BOB UPHUES Editor

How sweet it is!

After near miss last year, Nazareth girls win first ever basketball state title SEE BILL STONE’S STORY ON PAGE 15 © VISUAL IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

After a delay of more than two years, there’s movement on a project to build a floodwall along the east bank of the Des Plaines River in Riverside from the BNSF Railroad right-of-way north to Park Place and then east to Woodside Road.

But following a presentation on March 2 by the new U.S. Army Corps of Engineers team assigned to the project, elected officials were left wondering exactly where things stood.

See FLOODWALL on page 8

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The Landmark, March 8, 2023

The Landmark, March 8, 2023

State awards Brookfield $600,000 for Ehlert Park upgrade

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IN THIS ISSUE

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Editor Bob Uphues Staff Reporters Francia Garcia Hernandez, Amaris Rodriguez Digital Manager Stacy Coleman Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Sales and Marketing Representatives Marc Stopeck, Lourdes Nicholls, Kamil Brady Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner EMAIL jill@oakpark.com

Open space grant will help fund inclusive playground, other improvements 3

By BOB UPHUES Editor

The village of Brookfield has landed a $600,000 open space grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources that will help fund a major improvement to the southwest quadrant of Ehlert Park over the next couple of years.

On March 1, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced close to $60 million in grant funding for 118 park projects, including the one in Brookfield, to acquire and develop recreation spaces.

The grant will fund roughly half of a $1.26 million project that will include a new inclusive playground with a poured-in-place surface, a new picnic pavilion and baseball and soccer field upgrades.

“This section of Ehlert Park has not been touched in well over 20 years,” said Assistant Village Manager Stevie Ferrari, who submitted the grant application to the IDNR last fall when she was recreation director. “The inclusive playground is not something any of our parks provide currently, except for some accessible swings. By doing this, we’re able to equitably update village amenities for the community and provide more access for outdoor recreation.”

It may take some time before the project breaks ground at Ehlert Park, with work starting later in 2023 at the earliest, possibly in 2024. The village first must receive an executed grant agreement from the state, which could take months.

Last summer, the village got word the state

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Publisher Dan Haley Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS COURTESY VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE

Improvements proposed for the southwest quadrant of Ehlert Park in Brookfield include ball field upgrades, a new picnic pavilion and pathways, game tables, a renovated Kesman Memorial Garden and a new accessible playground with a poured-in-place surface and sensory elements to make it inclusive. was releasing $200,000 earmarked in the 2019 Illinois capital budget for the improvement of the Ehlert Park tennis courts. Work on those improvements was supposed to take place last fall but delays in getting the executed grant agreement pushed that work into 2023.

According to Ferrari, the Brookfield Village Board is expected to award a construction contract for the tennis court improvements at their March 13 meeting, with work starting once the weather permits.

The village board is also likely to seek requests for proposal from landscape architecture firms for the final design of the improvements for the southwest quadrant of Ehlert Park.

While the conceptual plan submitted with the grant application last fall won’t change,

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Kosey Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Ferrari said, some of the finer details such as playground equipment and landscaping may change.

In addition to the inclusive playground, pavilion and ball field improvement, the project will also include installation of accessible trail connections, ping pong and chessboard tables and landscaping.

The work also includes a renovation of the Kesman Memorial Garden, which was established in 1999. The footprint of the garden will change, Ferrari said, but the existing brick pavers will be preserved.

The garden will be relandscaped with native plant species.

“It’s a really exciting project,” Ferrari said. “Ehlert Park has been pieced out as far as work plans go.”

Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer

HOW TO REACH US ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-442-6739 ■ FAX 708-467-9066 E-MAIL buphues@rblandmark.com ONLINE www.RBLandmark.com The Landmark is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $1.00.

A one-year subscription costs $41 within Cook County and $51 outside the county. Advertising rates may be obtained by calling our office. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 0019-585). Postmaster send address corrections to Landmark, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302. © 2023 Growing Community Media NFP.

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The Landmark, March 8, 2023

March 8-15

BIG WEEK Tower Chorale presents Masterworks Concert The Tower Chorale presents its annual Masterworks Concert, featuring Anton Bruckner’s “Mass No. 2 in E-minor,” on March 11 at 7:30 p.m. and March 12 at 3 p.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 203 S. Kensington Ave., LaGrange.

Commissioned in 1866 by the Archbishop of Linz for the dedication of the Votive Chapel of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the “Mass in E-minor” was composed for performance in open air with chorus, winds and brass.

Tickets are $25 for adults/$22 students and seniors. Purchase them at towerchorale. org/bruckner-mass-in-e-minor.

And more Riverside Arts Center, 32 E. Quincy St., presents the 13th Annual Riverside-Brookfield High School Advanced Placement Art Exhibition through March 18 in the Freeark Gallery. Open ThursdaySaturday from 1 to 5 p.m.

There’s also “Mujer Quetzalcoatl” featuring the work of Alex Velazquez Brightbill, through March 30 in the lobby of the Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road in Riverside. Viewing hours are Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday ■

Riverside’s history and mysteries

Even before there was a “Riverside” as we know it, there were things and events happening on this strategically placed piece of ground and closely adjacent areas that JIM PETRZILKA affected two-thirds of North America.

On March 9 at 7 p.m. at the Riverside Public Library, 1 Burling Road, join Jim Petrzilka for his presentation “Riverside: The History and Mysteries,” sponsored by the Frederick Law Olmsted Society, as he explores how what is now a National Historic Site came to be Riverside.

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Join presenter Barbara Barrett as she celebrates the largely overlooked but important role of women in the history of the automobile during “Driving Forces: 100+ Years of Women Influencing, Buying, Designing and Driving ALICE HUYLER RAMSEY Automobiles” on March 13 at 7 p.m. in the Meeting Room of the Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library, 3541 Park Ave. The program will explore female automotive pioneers, including Alice Huyler Ramsey, the first woman to drive across the U.S.; Helene Rother, the first female designer at GM; Mary Barra, the first female CEO at GM; and many others.

Register to attend at brookfield.evanced.info/signup.

Movies with Marty: ‘Alphaville’

HCA hosts pancake breakfast

The Hollywood Citizens Association invites you to attend the organization’s annual Pancake Breakfast on March 11 from 8 to 11 a.m. at Hollywood House, 8434 Washington Ave. in Brookfield.

Tickets, $7 for adults and $5 for children 12-under, get you stack of pancakes, sausage, fruit and orange juice. Buy tickets at hollywoodcitizensassociation.org.

In addition, there will be a raffle including gifts and services from many local businesses.

There will also be a membership table for those wishing to join the HCA or renew their memberships.

Join film enthusiast Marty Blank for a Movies with Marty screening of French director Eddie Constantine and Jean-Luc Goddard’s 1965 film Anna Karina in Alphaville “Alphaville”starring Eddie Constantine and Anna Karina on March 11 at 1 p.m. at the Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield library, 3541 Park Ave. The film follows government agent Lemmy Caution, who is dispatched on a secret mission to a dystopian metropolis in a distant corner of the galaxy.

Register to attend at brookfield.evanced.info/signup.

from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

North Riverside Public Library, 2400 Desplaines Ave., presents Intro to Gmail on March 9 at 2 p.m., Family Game Night on March 10 at 3:30 p.m., Morning Munchkin Stories with Ms. Karen on March 13 at 10:30 a.m., Stretching & Meditation on March 13 at 6 p.m. and a Veterans Healthcare Program on March 15 at 11 a.m. Register for programs online at northriversidelibrary.org/eventsnew.

Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library, 3541 Park Ave., presents Fairytale Storytime on March ■

Women and automobile history

9 at 10:30 a.m., Yoga Storytime on March 10 at 1 p.m., Chair Yoga (virtual) on March 13 at 11 a.m., Cards & Coffee on March 14 at 10:30 a.m., Mixed Art Media St. Patrick’s Day Fun in the Maker Studio on March 15 at 6 p.m. and a Medicare Seminar on March 15 at 6:30 p.m. Call 708-4856917 or visit online at brookfield.evanced.info/ signup to register for programs.

Riverside Public Library, 1 Burling Road, presents Friday Storytimes (all ages) on March 10 at 9:30 and 10:15 a.m., Mindfulness Together meditation on March 10 at 11 a.m.; Family Playtime ■

on March 11 from 10 a.m. to noon; Mini-Movers Storytime (3-under with caregiver) on March 13 at 9:30 and 10:15 a.m.; Knitting, Crochet and Needlework Group on March 13 at 7 p.m.; Little Hands Activity Time (best for kids 1-4) on March 14 at 9:30 a.m. and Crafternoons (grades 6-12) on March 15 at 4 p.m. To register for programs, visit online at riversidelibrary.org/events.

The Brookfield Elks Lodge, 9022 31st St., hosts bingo the second Sunday of every month. Doors open at 1 p.m. and games start at 2 p.m. with cash payouts.

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The Landmark, March 8, 2023

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Brookfield eyes grant for improvements north of Congress Park station Aim is to prioritize pedestrian, bike access and improve safety

By BOB UPHUES Editor

While the village of Brookfield waits on the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railroad to move ahead with overhauling the south retaining wall of the Congress Park Metra station platform and entrance to the pedestrian tunnel, village officials intend to seek grant funding to make improvements north of the rail line.

On March 13, village trustees are expected to approve a resolution to submit an application to Cook County for a $188,000 grant to make hardscape and landscape improvements in the area between the north end of the tunnel and Southview Avenue, where commuters from north of the tracks walk to access the station.

Brookfield hopes to tap into the annual Invest in Cook program, which awards funding for projects that further the county’s long-range Connecting Cook County transportation plan.

The grants cover 50% of the cost of a project, with Brookfield’s estimated to come in around $376,000. The area north of the Congress Park Metra station, used by pedestrians and bicyclists to access the train station daily also accommodates train and vehicle traffic and is called out in Brookfield’s Active Transportation Plan as a priority. “[The area sees] a lot of different modes of transportation and potential for conflicts,” Emily Egan, the village’s community development director, told elected officials during a discussion of the grant at the village board’s Feb. 27 committee of the whole meeting.

If successful, Brookfield would seek to complete the improvements in 2024.

The Active Transportation Plan, adopted by the village board in 2017, recommends prioritizing pedestrian and bike access in the area north of the train station and to beautify

the area, which includes a gravel drive heading south from Southview Avenue to a rail spur leading into the loading dock at Sweetener Supply at 9501 Southview Ave. South of the rail spur is a concrete sidewalk that snakes its way to the Congress Park station tunnel past a turf-covered storm water detention area. A preliminary improvement plan unveiled Feb. 27 calls for the gravel path to be paved with concrete and for pedestrian lighting to be installed.

It also calls for signage and pavement markings where the path meets the rail spur and for planters and benches to be placed in the landscaped area bordering the sidewalk and additional pedestrian lighting between the rail spur and the tunnel.

The Active Transportation Plan calls for erecting wayfinding signage to make it clearer to commuters that they can access the Metra station from the north through what could be taken as a private drive into the Sweetener Supply property.

Paving the gravel drive and improving signage at the rail spur could help ensure the safety of commuters crossing the grade-level tracks.

“We also believe that this public investment will spur further private investment in this area, and we maintain that this is a priority redevelopment area for the village,” Egan said.

The access path from Southview Avenue to the Congress Park tunnel appears to be owned by the Burlington Northern-Santa Fe Railroad, but the Landmark has not been able to confirm exactly who owns it.

Cook County property records seem to imply that the access area, including the gravel drive and part of the sidewalk, are on Sweetener Supply property, but the village does have a lease agreement with the railroad, last updated in 1958, for the entire length of the access pathway.

Brookfield first entered into a lease for the area north of the tracks in 1917, when there were few, if any structures, in that area. In 1958, the Brookfield village board approved the construction of a GW Sugar factory, and the railroad may have amended its lease with the village at that time,

PROVIDED

The village of Brookfield seeks a county grant to make hardscape and landscape improvements to the area north of the Congress Park train station, where pedestrians access it from the north. narrowing the easement to the narrow path that exists to this day.

Joe Gardella, CEO of Sweetener Supply, did not respond to a phone message left by the Landmark. Egan said she has received preliminary support for the village’s grant application from Sweetener Supply and other Southview Avenue businesses.

LaGrange Area League of Women Voters host school board candidate forums Voters interested in hearing directly from candidates running for seats on local school boards will have a couple of chances to do so in the coming week, courtesy of the League of Women Voters of the LaGrange Area.

The organization will host forums, both via Zoom, for those running for Lyons Township High School District 204 and LaGrangeBrookfield Elementary School District 102.

The LTHS forum will be on Monday, March

13 from 7 to 8 p.m. while the District 102 forum will be held Wednesday, March 15 from 7 to 8 p.m.

The formats of the forums will be similar, with candidates briefly presenting their backgrounds and qualifications for running, followed by questions submitted in advance from the public and asked by one of the League of Women Voters’ trained forum moderators.

Anyone wishing to submit a question for consideration can send an email to league@ lagrangearealwv.org. Be sure to include either SD102 or SD204 in the subject line of the email.

Both school districts serve the southwest quarter of Brookfield.

Advance registration is required to attend the virtual meeting by visiting my.lwv.org/illinois/la-grange-area and clicking the appro-

priate link. Those who register will receive an email containing information on how to join the Zoom meeting.

Those unable to attend the virtual meetings when they are held can watch recordings that will be published on the League of Women Voters of the LaGrange Area’s Facebook page and at the league’s Illinois Voter Guide website at illinoisvoterguide.org.

— Bob Uphues

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P O L I C E

The Landmark, March 8, 2023

R E P O R T S

Stolen car recovered, 2 charged in North Riverside An 18-year-old Skokie man and a juvenile face felony charges of possessing a stolen motor vehicle, and possibly other offenses, after they were arrested March 1 just after 1 p.m. inside a stolen 2014 Jeep Cherokee parked at the North Riverside Park Mall, 7501 Cermak Road.

The arrests are the latest examples of North Riverside police identifying stolen vehicles entering the mall property using license plater reader cameras. Police have recovered several stolen vehicles and have made multiple arrests as a result of data captured by the cameras and transmitted to officers on patrol.

Jonathan Curtis, who was behind the wheel of the Jeep when police swarmed the vehicle in the east parking lot, also was charged with aggravated unlawful use of a weapon after police reported recovering a loaded 9 mm handgun on his person during a pat down following his arrest.

The owner of the Jeep reportedly told police the vehicle was stolen after being left running and unlocked while the own-

er was running an errand on the north side of Chicago on the morning of Feb. 28.

Within minutes of the vehicle theft, Curtis and the juvenile reportedly used the victim’s credit card to purchase 10 gift cards totaling $1,600 from a Jewel-Osco.

The following day, they allegedly used those gift cards to purchase hundreds of dollars in merchandise in Chicago and at North Riverside Park Mall.

Police reported recovering gift cards on both Curtis and the juvenile and recovered newly purchased merchandise from the Jeep.

According to the police report, Curtis attempted to drive away from police as they approached in the mall parking lot, striking a parked SUV and the front end of a police squad car. Police reportedly smashed out the passenger side window of the Jeep and dragged Curtis out of the vehicle.

Police also charged Curtis, who as of March 6 remained in custody at Cook County Jail, with felony damage to government property.

Package stolen A 44-year-old Brookfield resident went to police on Feb. 27 to report that a package delivered to his home earlier in the month had been stolen.

The victim told police that the package was supposed to arrive on Feb. 9. When it didn’t he contacted UPS and was informed that they had indeed delivered the package, leaving it on the front step of his residence.

DUI, reckless driving ■ North Riverside police charged a 26-yearold Cicero woman with aggravated speeding, reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol after officers pursued her white Chevy Malibu as it sped eastbound on Cermak Road from 5th Avenue at speeds in excess 60 and 70 mph on March 5 at about 3:10 a.m.

According to police, the driver sped through red lights at First Avenue and Harlem Avenue before coming to a stop in the left traffic lane on Cermak Road near Kenilworth Avenue in Berwyn.

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She reportedly appeared intoxicated and was uncooperative with police while she was in custody, refusing sobriety tests. Police also cited her for failure to yield, disobeying a red light and operating a vehicle with expired registration.

Aggravated speeding A 39-year-old Chicago woman was charged

by North Riverside police with aggravated speeding on March 4 at around 12:40 a.m. after a police officer on patrol reported observing her white Jaguar traveling at 70 mph in a 35mph zone while northbound in the 2400 block of First Avenue.

The car, which had expired registration, also reportedly drove through a red light as it turned eastbound onto Cermak Road. Following a traffic stop, police also issued the driver citations for speeding, disobeying a red light and expired registration.

These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Riverside, North Riverside and Brookfield police departments, Feb. 27-March 5, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anybody named in these reports has only been charged with a crime.

These cases have not been adjudicated.

— Compiled by Bob Uphues Presented by

The Landmark, March 8, 2023

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RBHS board president looks to focus on goals, accountability Deanna Zalas wants focus on ‘culture of continuous improvement’

By BOB UPHUES

the next school board space to concentrate on meeting district goals.

That should be the focus of the board When Deanna Zalas ran for a seat on the that’s seated after the April 4 election, ZaRiverside-Brookfield High School District las said.

“I have no dramatic agenda for you,” 208 Board of Education back in 2019, she hadn’t expected to be its president, much Zalas said. “I firmly believe RB is an excelless its president in the midst of a pan- lent school, and going back to a culture of continuous improvement needs demic. to be the board’s job. What are But that’s what happened in we doing well, how do we do it 2021, when the school board better?” president at that time, Wes Zalas, a 50-year-old Riverside Smithing, lost his bid for reresident with twin boys attendelection. After a 6-1 vote, Zalas ing the school, is one of five stepped into the vacancy and candidates, and one of three the spotlight. incumbents, seeking four fourThe high school managed to year terms on the District 208 get through the end of that first Board of Education. pandemic school year and the Apart from incumbent Laura second in 2021-22 with a miniDEANNA ZALAS Hruska, who is running for her mum of public controversy. fifth term on the school board, While there were points of and Mike Welch, who is one of disagreement about the extent to which the school should open its doors two people seeking a two-year term, the to more students, the school board gener- RBHS school board does not have a wealth ally followed state and federal health guide- of experience.

Carolyn Lach, who was appointed to the lines.

“We didn’t debate matters that were not District 208 board last November and is ours to debate,” Zalas said. “We had people Welch’s opponent for the two-year terms, on both sides of the spectrum, but for the served previously on the Komarek Elemenmost part people want their kids to get the tary School District 94 Board of Education.

No other incumbent has served more best education possible in the safest possible environment. And that’s what we had than four years on the RBHS school board.

First-time candidates, says Zalas, often to respond to.”

At the same time, the school board bring enthusiasm and look to bring change. ratified a new contract with the teachers’ They quickly find out, however, that being union and got a long-term commitment a volunteer school board member means from Superintendent Kevin Skinkis who long hours and decisions on often unglamsigned a new four-year deal last July, giving orous matters, like heating systems, roofs Editor

and – at least for the past two years – navigating a pandemic.

“We are bound by statutes, we are bound by labor contracts, we are bound by our enrollment, we’re bound by our finances,” Zalas said. “We as a board can engage all of the partners and try to figure out how to put those pieces together, but we don’t have carte blanche.”

Zalas pointed to the school board’s adoption of a new mission statement in 2021 and then revising the district goals in 2022 as a roadmap for the incoming school board for the next four years.

“This was the first year of having measurable goals based on the mission statement,” Zalas said. “We need to augment those goals for the next year, make them more robust and ensure there’s accountability. Goals are only as good as the accountability you attach to it.”

Among those goals were ongoing training and engagement in diversity, equity and inclusion and, especially in light of the challenges the pandemic brought, providing opportunities to address the socialemotional needs of students.

Regarding equity, Zalas said, “It’s not a change you make overnight. It’s about increasing awareness to what it means to be equitable and then how do you chip away at, how do you build an organization that values equity?”

She acknowledged the high school’s efforts to provide students who may not be on a college track to access dual-enrollment programs that could lead to employment opportunities after graduation.

Asked if the school should expand those

offerings, she said the school board needed to dig into data to see exactly how to proceed.

“We do have dual-credit opportunities on the books [and] they are utilized,” Zalas said. “Understanding who is utilizing them, when and what the future opportunities are is really important.”

There has been a good deal of enrollment in career development classes, Zalas said.

“How do we then partner that interest with opportunities that are out there?” she asked. “I don’t think it’s a matter of diminishing the requirements or the rigor of RB’s academic catalog.

“But I do think those dual-credit arrangements are attractive to many people.

And as college becomes more expensive, their attractiveness only goes up.”

In terms of social-emotional needs, Zalas pointed to initiatives rolled out as students made their way back into classrooms to address mental health and learning loss.

“We used federal dollars to capture programs out of West 40, so we provided additional supports there, additional school social workers, reporting software to capture people’s social-emotional health in addition to their academic [performance] and attendance,” Zalas said.

While Zalas won election for the first time in 2019, she is no stranger to public service. After working for the CTA for 14 years, she for the last decade has been the director of the Cook County Department of Risk Management.

“I’m a big believer in public service jobs,” Zalas said.

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The Landmark, March 8, 2023

Riverside man among those indicted in Ohio for cryptocurrency fraud

Company allegedly profited by facilitating illegal Bitcoin transactions

Suriano is charged with one count each of conspiracy, money laundering, taxation and possession of criminal tools, five counts of tampering with records, eight counts each of money laundering and receiving stolen property and 33 counts of violating license requirements.

According to the 58-count indictment unBy BOB UPHUES sealed on March 1, the three men through the Editor company they managed, Bitcoin of America, A 69-year-old Riverside man was one of three operated cryptocurrency kiosks across northpeople indicted in Ohio last week for their al- east Ohio without a money transmission lileged involvement in a cryptocurrency fraud cense and by falsely representing their money conspiracy carried out between August 2022 transferring capabilities to Ohio regulators to avoid detection. and February 2023.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Agents from the U.S. Secret Service arrested Secret Service Cyber Fraud and William Suriano at his Riverside Money Laundering Task Force, home on March 1, according to Rivwhich also seized a total of 52 ATMs erside Public Safety Director Matin Cuyahoga and Lorain counties in thew Buckley, who said local police Ohio connected to the scheme. were present during the arrest and “The United States Secret Sertransported Suriano to DuPage vice has an integrated mission of County Jail, where he remains in protection and investigations that custody without bond pending a safeguard our nation’s financial inMarch 16 hearing date. frastructure,” said Acting Special Suriano’s arrest, along with those Agent in Charge of the Cleveland of Reza Mehraban, 75, of NaperField Office Blaine Forschen in a ville, and Sonny Meraban, 45, of WILLIAM SURIANO press release. “This effort is another Miami, was announced March 2 by example of how we achieve our misMichael O’Malley, the prosecutor sion through partnerships with local, state and for Cuyahoga County, Ohio.

A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted the regional allies such as the Cuyahoga County three men, along with the company S and P So- Prosecutor’s Office.”

The indictment states that the defendants illelutions, doing business as Bitcoin of America, gally facilitated the conversion of U.S. currency following an investigation involving more than two dozen local, state and federal agencies, in- into Bitcoin and transmitted that cryptocurrencluding the U. S. Department of the Treasury, cy into any designated cryptocurrency wallet.

For each transaction, the indictment alleges, the FBI, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the defendants collected and retained a transthe Federal Trade Commission, the Ohio Department of Taxation and the DuPage County mission fee, averaging about 20% of the total amount transferred and continued to do so afState’s Attorney’s Office.

“I would like to personally thank the United ter being notified that fee came from fraudulent States Secret Service for their incredible hard transfers.

The defendants deposited fees derived from work throughout the investigation of this case,” the illegal transfers into bank accounts in 32 said O’Malley in a press release. “I would also states, the indictment states, in none of which like to thank the additional 28 agencies that they were licensed to operate as a money transworked alongside our office and the Secret Service. Without the assistance from each and mitter.

Defendants are set for arraignment on March every one of these law enforcement agencies, 22 in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common these individuals would be continuing to profit Pleas. off of their illegal activities.”

FLOODWALL Need more info from page 1 “I would like more information on the process. Our residents are looking for more information on the process,” said Trustee Megan Claucherty, who was elected to the village board in 2021 at a time when the project had stalled and no new information was forthcoming from the Army Corps.

“We sit in a posture where this hasn’t been fully approved by our board and I don’t feel personally as if I have nearly enough information on the details,” she said.

Indeed, in many ways, it seems, nothing of substance has happened with the floodwall project, at least publicly, since Riverside trustees voted in December 2020 to give the Army Corps of Engineers the green light to design the wall.

Village Manager Jessica Frances on March 2 introduced Fele’cia Cummings, the Army Corps’ new project manager for the floodwall initiative, and her project team. The person who had headed up the project for the past five years, Jeff Zuercher, is no longer assigned to the Riverside project but attended the March 2 meeting.

According to Frances, Army Corps of Engineers staffing shortages had contributed to the pause on the Riverside floodwall. With the floodwall design at the 50% stage, Frances said, it was a good time to bring the matter back in front of the village board and introduce officials to the new team.

Definitive takeaways were few from the Army Corps’ presentation. One of the most noteworthy bits of information was that the Army Corps has set April 4 as the date for a new survey of the floodwall alignment, which will give officials and residents a much better idea of exactly how the proposed wall will be in relation to the riverbank south of Forest Avenue, and how high.

The Army Corps had done such a survey in late 2021, taking the time to drive wood stakes into the ground and marking elevations. However, because it was done during the winter, the village was unable to run a line to illustrate wall heights and nothing more came of it.

Another takeaway from the March 2 presentation was the revelation that the Army Corps possesses much more detailed engineering drawings than they’ve released to the public – ones that show the proposed wall alignment and how much such a wall would encroach on private properties.

The revelation came in response to a complaint on March 2 by Trustee Edward Hannon that the bird’s eye view plan included in the village board packet left him wondering what it was supposed to depict.

“I’m wildly confused what I’m supposed to take away from this,” Hannon said.

To further clarify, Yuki Galisanao, the geotechnical engineer assigned to the Army Corps’ Riverside team, pulled up the much more detailed “background” presentation slides, which also appeared to pinpoint the locations of two proposed pump stations, one north and one south of Forest Avenue.

The Landmark has requested copies of those newly disclosed slides from both the village and the Army Corps of Engineers but had not received them prior to the newspaper’s print deadline.

Galisanao also confirmed that the floodwall heights south of Forest Avenue would be anywhere from about 1 foot, where it ties into high ground at the railroad right-of-way, to between 7 and 8 feet closer to Forest Avenue.

She also said her team had initial conversations with the Army Corps’ real estate team to formulate a plan to acquire easements or property from West Avenue homeowners. Still on the table is the possibility of the Army Corps acquiring entire residential properties, which could also have an effect on the final location of the floodwall south of Forest Avenue.

The location of the floodwall north of Forest Avenue appears to be much more straightforward. Sheet piling, said Galisanao, would be driven into the existing embankment along Groveland Avenue and on public property north of Park Place to a correct height. Whatever remained visible above ground would be encased in concrete.

But exactly what the floodwall will end up looking like is still very much up in the air. In 2020, the village board, the Riverside Preservation Commission and the village’s engineering

The Landmark, March 8, 2023 firm spent much time coming up with acceptable solutions and assured residents the project would undergo review required by the National Historic Preservation Act. To date, that preservation review has not been done and the Army Corps confirmed that when it does submit plans for review to the Illinois State Historic Preservation Officer, they will be the least-costly option.

“There were a few options that [the village’s engineering] firm looked at that were much more enhanced and expensive that would not be within the least-cost proposal we would have for you at this point in time,” Zuercher told trustees on March 2.

While the state review may result in recommendations to beautify the floodwall beyond the least-costly option, that likely will come at a cost to Riverside, one that’s unknown at this time.

The unknown cost impact may be one of the more concerning aspects of the project at this point. The $7.2 million price tag placed on the project back in 2018 has not changed and does not account for increased costs for construction and property acquisition in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the Army Corps might be able to

VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE

The floodwall initiative gained steam following devastating flooding in Riverside in 2013 (above), which inundated properties along West, Groveland, Pine, Lincoln and Forest avenues. get additional federal funding for its share of the project, the non-federal share would remain at 20%. While the Metropolitan

Water Reclamation District of Greater Illinois pledged to cover 20% of the initial estimated budget, there’s no guarantee

9

they’ll contribute more funds, particularly for aesthetic improvements above and beyond what the Army Corps agrees to fund.

“So that’s an item for consideration for the village board as well,” Frances said.

Cummings said the Army Corps would initiate the state historic preservation review soon, although she did not have a firm date for it.

She did say they wanted to bring the Riverside Preservation Commission into the conversation as a “consulting party” and asked the village which other agencies they should loop into the conversation.

Trustee Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga, who was a member of the Preservation Commission when the village board gave the go-ahead for the design phase in December 2020, told Cummings that the National Park Service ought to be involved but that there were several others as well.

“There’s a full list of parties that need to be involved, and I think you need to do the due diligence and just notify all of them,” Marsh-Ozga said.

According to the most recent estimated project timeline, the earliest construction might start on the floodwall, barring more delays or either party deciding to pull out, would be late 2025 or early 2026.

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The Landmark, March 8, 2023

First-time candidate a big fan of RBHS’s direction Novak seeks to continue ‘good experience’ sons had at high school

By BOB UPHUES Editor

Nicholas Novak is a relative newcomer to North Riverside, relocating his family there from Forest Park in 2016 when his son, Matt – who in 2021 would go on to kick a season-opening, last-second, 49-yard field goal to lift the RiversideBrookfield High School football team to a win over Morton -- reached middle school age.

At that time, Nicholas Novak had not yet contemplated running for elective office; he simply wanted his children to have access to Riverside schools.

When his son entered high school, Novak became involved in the RiversideBrookfield High School Booster Club.

“It’s been nothing but positive meeting

all these families from RB,” Novak said. “[My children] had such a good experience there. Academically they thrived, socially they thrived.”

With two sons already graduated from the school and a daughter in seventh grade soon to enroll at RBHS, Novak said he felt the time was right for him to run for a seat on the school board.

“It was time to get involved in the school side to make sure these kids and my daughter have the same success that my boys did,” Novak said.

Novak is one of five candidates seeking four fouryear terms on the District 208 Board of Education, running against incumbent school board President Deanna Zalas, incumbents Laura Hruska and William Durkin and fellow first-time candidate Keyon Duner.

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All of the candidates appear to be run- kids could go and half the kids couldn’t.

“I thought that was a nice option for ning independently.

“I enjoy the public service aspect of it, those families that wanted to stay home, the community involvement, playing a they could, and then for those who wanted positive role in our children’s lives, mak- to go the school, could go.”

Novak said he also supported the school ing sure that RB continues on the success path that they are on,” Novak said. “I enjoy board’s diversity, equity and inclusion goals and initiatives. working with people, I enjoy being part of “Those are important core values and a board.”

In Forest Park, Novak ran the Little I know RB has put that in their mission statement,” Novak said.

League organization, and “I just want to make sure he has plenty of experithat we do what we say, ence working with an and make sure we apply elected board as the suthose practices to treat perintendent of projects everybody with respect, and special events for the make sure everybody’s Wheaton Park District characteristics are inwhere he’s worked for 20 cluded. I believe strongly years. His brother, Dan, is in that.” the park district’s execuThat includes, Novak tive director. said, making sure the That the Novak brothteaching staff represents ers would end up working the diversity of students as park district leaders enrolled in a school that isn’t a surprise. Their faNICHOLAS NOVAK is now nearly 40 percent ther, Dave Novak, was the D208 school board candidate Hispanic. executive director of the “Making sure everyPark District of Forest body treats everybody Park for 23 years, retiring with respect is the main in 2007. thing,” he said.

It’s also not surprising Novak said that as a Novak might seek elecboard member his extive office. His brother Dan was elected Forest Park village com- perience working with facilities would be missioner in 2019, serving in that capacity a benefit when it came to buildings and for two years before moving out of Forest grounds matters at RBHS, adding he would be happy to be involved in any initiative by Park.

Nicholas Novak, who goes by “Nic,” is the school board to acquire additional land not looking to be a change agent on the for the landlocked district.

“I would love to see if there was any way school board, but he does see some areas to get more land,” Novak said. where RBHS can improve its offerings.

“I believe the education services are great,” Novak said. “I believe the AP courses that they have are great for kids who go to the college level. But I also want to make sure they have things for the kids that just want to go into the job field, and go right into trades or not go to college.”

Novak had two children attending RBHS during the COVID-19 pandemic and said he thought the school board and administration handled the situation well.

“Erring on the side of caution was probably the best move,” Novak said. “I was definitely in favor of them going back to school when they had that split where half the

“I enjoy the public service aspect of it, the community involvement, playing a positive role in our children’s lives.”

Read it online at www.rblandmark.com

The Landmark, March 8, 2023

Riverside police investigate fatal crash at First and Ridgewood

Impact demolishes digital display sign at Riverside-Brookfield High School

pair of brick columns.

The impact of the crash destroyed the sign and caused heavy damage to the vehicle.

Emergency personnel were able to remove Staszko from the car and they performed lifesaving measures, according to Buckley, before transporting him to Loyola University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 7:14 p.m.

By BOB UPHUES Staszko was the sole occupant of the Editor Chevy Nova. The other vehicle sustained miRiverside police continue to investigate nor damage. No one else was hurt.

Riverside police called the West Suburban a crash on March 5 around 6:40 p.m. that killed the driver of a vehicle which left the Major Crimes Task Force (WESTAF) crash roadway and crashed into the digital dis- investigation team to assist in its investigaplay sign, demolishing it, outside Riverside- tion, and police remained in the area proBrookfield High School at the corner of First cessing the scene for several hours.

Riverside-BrookAvenue and Ridgefield High School wood Road.

Superintendent It is unclear what Kevin Skinkis told led to 70-year-old the Landmark that Walter Staszko, of he expects the school Chicago, losing condistrict will have to trol of his vehicle, completely replace a black 1966 Chevy the digital display Nova, but Riverside sign and supports.

Public Safety DirecStaszko had owned tor Matthew Buckley the Chevy Nova, emsaid that speed does blazoned with the not appear to have name “Touch & Go been a factor.

II,” since he was a The Cook County PROVIDED teenager growing Medical Examiner’s Riverside Public Safety Director Matt up in Cicero, accordOffice was scheding to a 2018 article uled to conduct an Buckley said speed does not appear to have titled “Vintage Racautopsy on March 7, been a factor in the March 5 fatal crash er Reborn: The Reafter the Landmark’s outside Riverside-Brookfield High School. turn of Touch & Go print deadline. SoII” by Louis Kimery cial media messages posted in the wake of the crash indicate that on the Chevy Hardcore website.

Over time, Staszko made the Nova into a Staszko was driving to his home in the Garfield Ridge neighborhood in Chicago after drag-racing muscle car, which he raced in showcasing his classic hot rod at the World the 1970s and into the 1980s. After leaving of Wheels car show in Rosemont earlier in the race scene, the car went into storage for years until Staszko had it fully restored as a the day.

According to Buckley, Staszko was headed street vehicle.

“I was 12 years old when I first saw this southbound on First Avenue approaching Ridgewood Road when the Chevy first car competing at the drags,” Staszko told clipped the rear end of another southbound Kimery for his 2018 feature. “It brings back vehicle traveling in front of it before veering a lot of heartfelt emotions to see it again [reto the right and into the sign supported by a stored] after all these years.”

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12

The Landmark, March 8, 2023

THE LANDMARK VIEW

I

A step backward

t’s been a while – actually we can quantify how long, it’s been more than two years – since representatives from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have given a public update on just what’s going on with a proposed floodwall to protect properties along the Des Plaines River between Park Place and the BNSF Railroad line.

On March 2, elected officials got something of an eye-opener.

The Riverside project now has a new Army Corps team overseeing it, and their familiarity with everything village officials and residents have been through regarding this project over the past five years appeared lacking.

To be fair, it’s a complicated project with a number of moving parts. For one, Riverside is a National Historic Landmark for its landscape design and local officials want to make sure any new floodwall would not jeopardize that status.

As far back as December 2020, Riverside officials took pains to ensure the Army Corps would engage with state preservation officials to review the plans and get their signoff. With the help of the village’s engineer and the Riverside Historical Preservation Commission, elected officials also were able to come up with a design they believed the public would accept.

On March 2, the Army Corps said it had not yet done any of that preservation review. As for the local efforts at making the wall aesthetically acceptable, the Army Corps basically said they were going with the cheapest option and made no promises that any aesthetic improvements would be funded above already established levels.

It was also a bit galling to find out that there appear to be pretty detailed engineering plans showing a proposed alignment for the floodwall and locations for pump stations, plans that would more clearly show just how a floodwall would impact the backyards of single-family properties along West Avenue.

None of those plans had previously been disclosed publicly and only were revealed in response to Trustee Edward Hannon’s statement that information given to elected officials in advance of the March 2 meeting was woefully inadequate.

The Landmark has requested these plans – now entered into the public realm via the Army Corps at a village board meeting. We haven’t received them, but we argue the public is now entitled to them. We’ll see.

In the meantime, the Army Corps says they’re sending out a surveyor in early April to run the proposed alignment and give the village an opportunity to string a line along that path to get a sense of how high the floodwall would be as it winds up the riverbank. Of course, the Army Corps did this in 2021, too, and nothing ever came of it.

The upshot of the March 2 getting-to-know-you session is that Riverside residents and officials appear to have more questions than answers after five years of wrangling over this floodwall.

Opinion KOSEY CORNER

Movie musings as the Oscars approach

L

et’s all go to the movies and get some Raisinets! I don’t know if you remember that jingle, but with all the hype about the upcoming Oscars, I started to realize it has been quite a while since I went to the movies.

Probably the last time I was in a movie theater was when I took a grandchild to see a Disney movie, which was fine with me. I tend to like those kid movies and having a kid to take gives one an excuse to go to the theater. If you notice when you see those movies, there is always something that only adults catch.

So, looking at this year’s slate of nominees I am not familiar with most of the stars and less familiar with the movies.

As with every year there is controversy, what I’m most fascinated with are the fashions, which run from ridiculous to the sublime. Most of the wardrobes have me wondering how they can breathe, sit down or, more importantly, how they go to the bathroom. Oh, come on, you’ve wondered the same thing.

Of late I’ve caught some of the oldies on TV. Nothing like a good Bette Davis movie to make you

understand why she was a star. She certainly could be a nasty one or evoke your sympathy. I suppose by today’s standards the movies are corny, particularly when you look at the scenery and compare it to today’s special effects.

My favorite movie? Well, there are several that I will watch if they are on, but my favorite goes to “Dirty Dancing.”

It has my favorite line that I use whenever possible, “Nobody puts Baby in the corner.”

From another favorite “Gone with the Wind” comes “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” and “I’ll think about it tomorrow.” Tom Cruise had a line from one of his early movies, but I can’t say it here. Ask me when you see me.

So good luck to the nominees. Keep putting out good movies. Maybe someday I’ll return to a theater, the popcorn always tastes good.

Once again, this column comes to you from Cantata, only now I’m in The Woodlands section. And, once again, I have nice accommodations. Still having rehab -- need to strengthen this body. Will keep you in the loop. I enjoy having breakfast brought to me. Love that oatmeal!

JOANNE KOSEY

LETTERS

‘Commonsense’ solutions to gun violence not so easy After 4.5 years in college, I graduated with a B.A. in political science, and a commission in the U. S. Army.

The next two years I was on active duty, the second year in Vietnam. I qualified “sharpshooter” with an M-1 Garand and an M-14. At various times in Vietnam, I carried an M-16 or a .45-caliber automatic.

I have taken familiarization courses with other firearms of that era. I am an NRA member. I have an Illinois FOID card, but I have never purchased a firearm in my life. I am likely more knowledgeable than the 90% of the population. Mike Perricone (“When and how will this insanity end,” Letters, Feb. 22) cites as

wanting “commonsense” solutions. I know enough to know that I don’t know enough to pontificate on a legislative answer to this “insanity.”

If the issues were nuclear reactor procedures or brain surgery regulation no one would be looking for “commonsense” solutions. However, since 90% of us have watched John Wayne and Bruce Willis movies, that 90% is prepared to accept the notion of an unspecified “commonsense” solution to a rather complex problem.

The first time this was tried, during the Clinton Administration, the definition of “assault rifles,” written by the well-meaning but ignorant, was so defective as to cause more problems than it solved.

In Illinois we have criminal statutes about fireSee LETTERS on page 13

The Landmark, March 8, 2023

13

OBITUARIES

Frank S. Nedvar, 72 Handyman Frank S. Nedvar, 72, of Brookfield, died Feb. 16, 2023 at Elmhurst Hospital.

Mr. Nedvar was born April 11, 1950 in Chicago and worked as a handyman.

He was the son of the late Frank and FRANK S. NEDVAR late Stella (nee Janusewski) Nedvar; the brother of Thomas (Sue) Nedvar, John Nedvar and the late Theresa Bottari; the uncle of David Nedvar and Kara Nedvar; and a friend to many.

Services have been held.

Memorial donations to BEDS Plus Care,

9601 Ogden Ave., LaGrange, 60525 are appreciated.

Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, Brookfield, handled arrangements.

Online condolences, memories and photographs may be shared at JohnsonNosek. com.

To run an obituary Please contact Bob Uphues by e-mail: buphues@rblandmark.com, before Monday at noon. Please include a photo if possible.

Richard Wagner, 73 Trucking safety manager

RICHARD WAGNER

Richard Wagner, 73, of North Riverside, died March 2, 2023 in LaGrange.

Mr. Wagner Richard was born Aug. 10, 1949 in Defiance, Ohio, and he worked as a safety manager for a trucking company.

He was the husband of Joanne (nee Uhlir); the father of Andrew P. (Tina) Wagner, Angela O’Leary-Koechle, Jeremie (Kari) Wagner and Bradley (Leslie) Owen; the grandfather of Mason (Juli) Koechle, Anthony Valenti, Andrew J. Wagner, Daniel (McKenna) O’Leary, Miranda Wagner, Grace Koechle, Jonah Wagner and Evalynn Wagner; the great-grandfather of Halston O’Leary; the brother of Robert (Karen)

Wagner, the late Donna (Vern) Sweinhagen, late Lester Wagner; and the brotherin-law of Cheryl (Howard) Kostoris and Frank (Barb) Uhlir.

Services have bene held. Cremation was private.

Kuratko-Nosek Funeral Home, North Riverside, handled arrangements.

Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared at KuratkoNosek.com.

LETTERS arms used in felonies so good and so severe that prosecutors are said to resort to plea bargains giving deserving felons a lesser sentence.

In theory our FOID card system should guarantee the constitutional right of most citizens to buy a firearm if they wish while preventing those who should not be allowed from doing so.

The FOID department is understaffed, backlogged, and underequipped. Try calling the phone number on the back of an FOID card and see if neither man nor machine answers the phone.

It has been said that every difficult problem has a solution that’s simple, easy and wrong. That describes “commonsense” solutions in a nutshell.

C.P. Hall

Brookfield

LTHS board candidate thrown under bus My compliments to you and Indivisible (Invisible?) LaGrange/LaGrange Park for the “expose” you did on Tim

Vlcek, a candidate for Lyons Township High School District 204 school board (“LTHS board candidate attended Awake Illinois workshop in Jan., News, March 1). It was brilliant, something you might expect out of Pravda.

As you wrote, Mr. Vleck is associated with “Awake Illinois” And as you put it (with my comments inserted in parentheses): “Awake Illinois is a Naperville-based organization that got its start opposing mask mandates (now apparently deemed worthless) in schools and describes itself as a “parental rights” group (why the quotation marks?)

It is a vocal critic of newer approaches of teaching about gender (72 varieties and counting), sexuality (Queer Theory) and race (Critical Race Theory) and other hot-button issues in schools (i.e., a parent’s rights to know the curriculum being taught to their children). It stands for traditional values and its critics (Critics? Who?) describe it as antiLGTBQ+.

Of course, the genesis of your article was largely derived from an anonymous email from the “Indivisible LaGrange/ LaGrange Park” … ”a left-leaning pro-Democratic Party group” (some might call it “woke” or Socialist or even worst).

“Candidate Tim Vlcek’s anti-teacher and anti-LGBTQIA social media posts reflect Awake’s values, and Indivisible vehemently and absolutely disavows these positions,” the

statement said in part. “Any candidate that espouses these positions — and/or any candidate that allows themselves to be aligned with candidates that spout these positions — is not fit to be on any school board.”

Hmmm? If the anonymous Indivisible LaGrange/LaGrange Park said so it must surely carry some weight. So much so that you should give this group a weekly opinion column like the Kosey Corner. They could call it the “Indivisible LaGrange/LaGrange Park Neighborhood Watch.

Here they could provide the names, addresses, places of work, even telephone numbers of all those who disagree with their political views.

Of course, the “Indivisibles” must maintain their anonymity, so they need a pseudonym, a nom de guerre, so to speak. I suggest they sign off as “Madam Defarge” as in Dickens’ “A Tale of Two Cities.”

Anyway Mr. Skolnik this was a very eye-opening article, not only on Mr. Vleck, but also on the evolution of the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark, and perhaps the current state of “journalism” in general. Thanks for hearing me out and I hope that like in Dickens novel you and I don’t meet in a cart somewhere on our way to the guillotine compliments of the Indivisible LaGrange/LaGrange Park.

Read it online at www.rblandmark.com

Bill Marszalec

North Riverside

14

The Landmark, March 8, 2023

North Riverside

Meet Your Candidates

Live and in person

Candidates for North Riverside Village Trustee

Deborah Czajka

Jose Del Angel

Joseph Maruska

Sandra Greicius

Nicholas Tricoci

Marybelle Mandel

Antonio Santucci

Wednesday, March 22 • 7pm North Riverside Village Commons • 2401 Desplaines Ave., North Riverside

PRESENTED BY:

Find complete election coverage at RBLandmark.com

Sports

The Landmark, March 8, 2023

15

Roadrunners complete historic task, win first state title Nazareth Academy knocks off undefeated Lincoln to claim Class 3A crown

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Senior and four-year starter Grace Carstensen experienced something new with only 30 seconds left in her final game for the Nazareth Academy girls basketball team for the IHSA Class 3A girls state championship on March 4 in Normal.

She fouled out.

“I think that’s my first time – ever – in high school,” Carstensen said.

Perhaps it happened for a reason.

Carstensen could step back soak up her greatest moment with the Roadrunners – the first state championship in program history.

Nazareth sealed the deal by beating previously undefeated Lincoln 63-52 after finishing second in Class 3A last year with most of the same players. They also finished second in 2018 and third in 2019.

Carstensen is the only senior starter for the Roadrunners (35-1), who finished undefeated against Illinois opponents, and the only senior on the roster. The 5-foot-11 guard will play basketball at DePaul.

“It was almost surreal [to win], being on the opposite side last year. I don’t even believe it. It’s one of the best feelings ever. You can’t beat that,” Carstensen said. “All of the hard work that I’ve put in and that the team has put in, especially this season, working towards not being on the other side, and

© VISUAL IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHY

Grace Carstensen, who scored 11 points for Nazareth, drives past a Lincoln defender during the second half of the Roadrunners’ 63-52 win in the IHSA Class 3A championship game in Normal on March 4. seeing it all come together is so meaningful.

Junior and third-year starter Olivia Austin led the Roadrunners’ inside dominance with one of her biggest double-doubles (23 points, 12 rebounds). Carstensen (three 3-pointers, 5 steals) and junior Mary Bridget Wilson each had 11 points, junior Amalia Dray had 10 points and junior Danielle Scully had eight points and five rebounds.

Head coach Eddie Stritzel has coached all four trophy teams and achieved his 400th high-school coaching victory this season.

“As everybody knows, we had a goal at the end of last year. I told them we have a great chance to win this year but we’re not going to let it get to us. We’re going to play loose and I’m going to coach loose,” Stritzel said.

“I couldn’t be any happier for this group of

girls.”

The Roadrunners especially were motivated by their 2022 state title loss to Carmel 43-39 after beating their East Suburban Catholic Conference rivals twice during the regular season.

“It was probably one of the most devastating moments of my basketball career, for [my teammates] as well. It just sticks with you,” Carstensen said.

The 6-foot Austin, a three-sport athlete, also was part of Nazareth’s first girls volleyball state championship in 2021 and its second-place finisher in November that lost to St. Francis 25-23, 25-23 in the final.

“I’d say we were all equally motivated because we all had the taste of what it was like [losing in the final],” Austin said. “I’m

super lucky, of course, and I feel like every time we get back, it’s equally exciting. Especially for basketball, everyone knew this trip was business and we were just focused the entire time.”

The Roadrunners led Lincoln (36-1) at halftime 31-25 and opened the third quarter with a 13-0 run for a 44-25 advantage.

Carstensen nailed a 3-pointer to open the half and the other four starters scored baskets during the run. The Railsplitters got as close as 59-50 with 1:20 left.

Even with tight officiating, Nazareth gave another superlative defensive effort, limiting Lincoln junior all-stater Kloe Proebe to 19 points on four field goals. Proebe was averaging 28.4 points and scored a state-finals record 45 points in their 76-56 semifinal victory over Deerfield on March 3. Dray, Scully and Wilson finished with four fouls.

“We have what we call our offensive ‘lemon,’ so we were screaming to squeeze her all of the time,” Scully said.

Carstensen led Nazareth in scoring (11.8 ppg) and 3-pointers (90), but Dray (11.3 ppg), Austin (8.7), Scully (7.5) and Sakalas (7.0) also were consistent scorers.

Carstensen credited her two key thirdquarter steals in the finals to the up-top work of Dray and Wilson in the Roadrunners’ swarming 2-3 zone defense.

The Roadrunners held 26 opponents to fewer than 40 points.

“I’ve been very fortunate to be in basketball my whole life, and I don’t know if I’ve seen a better defensive team than we’ve had all year,” Stritzel said.

Other team members are juniors June Foley, Mackenzie Kulovic, Audrey Moster and Katie Wilson, sophomores Grace Gray, Josie Wagner and freshmen Jane Manecke and Lyla Shelton.

LTHS boys battle but come up short, again, against Hinsdale Central

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Senior Nik Polonowski and his Lyons Township High School boys basketball

teammates were determined to finally beat Hinsdale Central in the IHSA Class 4A Hinsdale Central Sectional semifinal March 1.

The Lions played arguably their best half all season for a 9-point advantage at

halftime.

“Stuff was flowing,” Polonowski said.

“We were hitting shots. We were getting to the basket. We were dishing the ball really well, but on top of everything, we were

having fun. When we play like that, collectively together, it’s a scary sight.”

The Lions sustained the effort, but they See LT BASKEBALL on page 16

16

S P O R T S

The Landmark, March 8, 2023

LTHS gymnasts seek third straight top 3 state trophy Lions start 2023 on high note, taking Hinsdale Central invite

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Junior all-arounder Will Taylor and his Lyons Township High School boys gymnastics teammates are hoping to continue program history by returning to the eight-team state meet.

The Lions have their sights on making history all of their own.

They’re going for an unprecedented third consecutive top-three state trophy after taking third in 2022 (149.70 points) and capturing the program’s first state championship in 2021 (157.20).

“We lost a lot of great seniors, but we still have a really great team this year,” Taylor said. “There are still so many great teams in the state, and we’ll certainly have to work hard to get to state. I think the team is willing to put in the work to get there. There’s plenty of competition in the gym, which some people don’t like, but I think it’s good because it motivates everyone.”

The Lions have earned four state trophies and five state berths over the last five compet-

LT BASKETBALL Polonowski scores 20 from page 15 couldn’t continue the offensive success.

That ultimately led to their third loss to the Red Devils this season 46-40 in front of packed gym of roughly 3,300 that officially sold out three days earlier.

“I thought our effort was tremendous throughout the game. Unfortunately, in the second half, we made too many mistakes,” LTHS coach Tom Sloan said. “Hinsdale played very well, and they knocked down some tough shots, too. They got the offensive glass the second half [7 offensive rebounds] and that was really kind of a big factor.”

Polonowski led the Lions (26-6) with 20 points, followed by seniors Graham Smith (9 points, 3 rebounds), Matt DeSimone (5 points), Jackson Niego (4 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists), Connor Carroll (4 rebounds, 3 assists) and senior Carter Reid

ed seasons with back-to-back trophies in 2017 (second) and 2018 (third). There was no 2020 state series because of COVID-19.

Individual state qualifiers Taylor, junior Ryan Evans and sophomore Nick Giordano (floor, high bar) and junior Brian Kloes and sophomore Sean McCabe return from last year’s state lineup as well as standout junior all-arounder Matt Adler, who missed state along with graduated top all-arounder Alec Paras to compete at the USA Gymnastics club nationals the same weekend. Taylor and Evans also were part of the 2021 state championship lineup.

The Lions opened the 2023 season on March 4 by winning Hinsdale Central’s Mark Wanner Invitational (143.90 points) by nearly 10 points over the host Red Devils. In 2022, their winning 163.60 was the program’s highest meet score ever.

“We’re building on the tradition and been focusing a lot on that. Our last dual loss was 2017. They’re motivated to keep that going,” LTHS coach Sam Zeman said. “Everybody had a part in it [in 2022]. They all know they’re going to be contributing this year as

well, including our new guys. They’re all a huge part.”

Five program or varsity newcomers also should contribute in seniors Ryan Johnson and Calum Rogers, junior Nick Peterson, sophomore Devon Mackenzie and freshmen T.J. Carr and Ryan Renderman.

Among program newcomers, Johnson is six years removed from club gymnastics while Mackenzie has no previous training but already looks strong on floor exercise. A 2022 junior varsity gymnast, Rogers is coming off qualifying for individual sectionals in wrestling.

Adler is coming off qualifying for the IHSA state diving meet for the second year in a row.

On March 4, Adler won horizontal bar (9.3), vault (9.6) and pommel horse (9.0). he was also second in all-around (54.10) and still rings (8.3) and third on floor exercise (9.4) and parallel bars (8.5).

Taylor was fourth on horse (7.4) and horizontal bar (7.8) and fifth in all-around (46.60).

Giordano, Evans, Mackenzie, Peterson and Johnson added top-10 event finishes. “[Our key is] going to be the team unity and

that competition they use to build each other up from within. The more they improve themselves, the more it’s going to make others better,” Zeman said.

At last year’s individual state preliminaries, Taylor tied for 23rd on parallel bars (8.5), tied for 28th on pommel horse (6.85), tied for 29th on still rings (8.0), tied for 31st on floor exercise (8.65) and tied for 36th on high bar (8.05). Junior Ryan Evans was 24th on rings (8.2) and sophomore Nick Giordano was 39th on high bar (6.05 and tied for 46th on floor (8.25).

This year’s club nationals May 9-14 in Oklahoma City again conflict with the IHSA state weekend. There is the possibility that Adler could participate in both as other gymnasts have done in the past.

“I think as long as [Adler] comes back for the state meet, we still have a pretty good potential to get a trophy,” Taylor said. “[But] everyone has to really pull their weight. I have plenty I still can improve on, more that I want to show off as the season goes on. A lot of my teammates are doing way better than last year. We still have a positive outlook.”

and junior Brady Chambers (4 rebounds each).

Polonowski was among the Lions physically and emotionally spent afterwards, often guarding senior and Michigan baseball recruit Dan Oosterbaan (19 points, 7 rebounds), the Red Devils’ all-time leading scorer whose 13 second-half points fueled their comeback.

“I was pretty gassed. I didn’t get out of my bed much the next day. I was pretty sore,” Polonowski said. “I like to give it all I’ve got. If you’re not giving 100 percent, I feel like that’s almost disrespectful to the other guys and the coaches. Play hard, have fun is my mentality.”

Behind nine points from Polonowski and Smith, the Lions owned a 27-18 halftime advantage, but the game’s fortunes changed as the Red Devils (31-4) switched from man-to-man to a 1-3-1 zone defense.

The Lions scored just three points in the third quarter on 1-for-5 shooting with four turnovers on nine possessions. The quarter began with Oosterbaan scoring after rebounding his missed shot twice and ended with Chase Collignon’s buzzer

beater for a 33-30 Hinsdale Central lead.

“We were completely prepared (for the 1-3-1 zone),” Sloan said. “We got a couple of good looks that we didn’t knock down and then we coughed it up a couple of times and that was right when they got it going.”

The Lions didn’t get their second second-half field goal until Polonowski’s driving layup with 5:36 left, yet still only trailed 35-32. Polonowski made his three 3-pointers in the final 2:16, but Hinsdale Central held on by making 6 of 8 free throws.

“Nik’s a warrior, just like everyone in the locker room,” Sloan said. “There’s a tremendous chemistry with the group and Nik is one of the leaders. He was not going to go down without giving it his best shot.”

Polonowski (Penn) and Niego (Illinois Wesleyan) will play college basketball.

Smith will play football at Yale.

“We have been in the program since we were third grade. I’ve been doing kids camps with varsity guys and been around Coach Sloan for years,” Polonowski said.

“I made lifelong best friends along the way. I’m so grateful basketball brought those guys into my life. I’m so grateful we had that atmosphere within practice, games, going out to eat after. I was just playing the spot I love with my best friends out there.”

The Lions lost half of their games to Hinsdale Central, including 49-41 on Jan. 20 in Hinsdale and 57-55 on Feb. 11 in LaGrange, and split their West Suburban Conference Silver games with Downers Grove North and Glenbard West.

Hinsdale Central lost to Downers North 53-43 in the March 3 sectional final. The Trojans (32-3) defeated Kenwood 67-47 at the Illinois-Chicago Supersectional on March 6 for their 19th consecutive win and a state semifinal berth.

The Lions beat higher-rated Curie for the second straight year 49-46 in the LT Regional final Feb. 24.

“I’ll put our league up against anybody,” Sloan said. “The kids just set us up for a really nice ride. I’ve been really blessed and fortunate to have the opportunity to work with them at practice every day.”

The Landmark, March 8, 2023 17 Growing Community Media

Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.

HELP WANTED

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI

HELP WANTED

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

HELP WANTED

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Human Resources Generalist in the Human Resources Department. This position will perform a variety of professional and technical functions in support human resource management including orientation, hiring, employee testing, classification analysis, compensation analysis and benefits administration.

Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www. oak-park.us/jobs. Position opened until filled.

PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Parking Enforcement Officer in the Police Department Field Services Division. This position will perform a variety of duties and responsibilities involved in the enforcement of Village parking regulations; and to provide general information and assistance to the public. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Administrative Assistant in the Public Health Department. This position provides a variety of responsible administrative and analytical functions; records and monitors department budget and fiscal requirements of grant-funded programs; oversight of Accounts Payable process; prepares reports and serves as a resource for computerized office applications. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/ jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

IT OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of IT Operations Specialist. The ideal candidate is responsible for the effective operation of information technology services and support across the organization. The IT Operations Specialist serves as a technical expert for the implementation, maintenance and support of systems and networks. The IT Operations Specialist plans and carries out various complex assignments and develops new methods and approaches in a wide variety of IT specialties. Evaluates new and enhanced approaches to deliver IT services; test and optimize the functionality of systems, networks, and data; and define technical requirements. The IT Operations Specialist is responsible for providing various forms of computer-related technical assistance and improving the efficiency of the work of the staff through the use of technology. Interested and qualified applicants can visit our website at http://www.oakpark.us/ for more details.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago will be accepting applications for the following classification(s): Associate Structural Engineer (Original) Additional information regarding salary, job description, requirements, etc. can be found on the District’s website at www.districtjobs.org or call 312-751-5100.

An Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D

VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Riverside Department of Public Works is seeking energetic, responsible, and motivated applicants who enjoy working outdoors. This is a part-time, seasonal position lasting from approximately May through September. Applicants will be expected to work up to 40 hrs. per week or as scheduled by staff. Primary tasks will include, but not limited to: cutting grass, maintaining athletic fields, general facilities maintenance, flushing hydrants, reading water meters, installing water meters, cleaning/televising sewers, assisting full-time employees, and other duties as assigned.

Applicants must be 18 years old, possess a valid Illinois driver’s license and high school diploma or equivalent. Applicants will be subject to a criminal background check, pre-employment physical and drug/ alcohol screening.

Applications can be downloaded from the Village website at www. riverside.il.us or picked up at the Riverside Village Hall located at 27 Riverside Rd, Riverside, IL 60546.

Completed applications should be submitted to the Riverside Village Hall or the Riverside Public Works Department, 3860 Columbus Blvd, Riverside, IL 60546. Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled. Pay rate is $18/hr.

FARMERS’ MARKET MANAGER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Farmers’ Market Manager in the Health Department. This position manages the strategic planning and operation of the Oak Park Farmers’ Market; develops sustainable food strategies; and provides health and nutrition education, programming and promotion for the Village. During the Market season, this position would manage the internal staff and contractors needed to operate the Market, provides staff level support to the Farmers’ Market Commission, and manages vendor relations.

The Market season runs from May through October, with the Market itself held outdoors each Saturday.

During this time, the work week for this position is Tuesday through Saturday. Year-round, this position will provide nutrition education programming for the community in collaboration with the Health Education and Nursing divisions. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at https://www.oakpark.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. Open until filled.

The Village of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

River Forest Public Schools

River Forest Public Schools District 90 currently seeking three paraprofessionals/ teacher aides to start immediately for the following roles: • Special Education Teacher Aide - Full-time • Special Education Teacher Aide - Part-time, 1:30pm - 3:15pm, Monday - Friday •Early Childhood Special Education Teacher Aide Part-time, 11:30am - 3:10pm, Monday - Friday Qualifications: a) Current Illinois Paraprofessional License, Professional Educator License or Substitute License, b) Successful teacher assistant experience is preferred in regular education or special education.

Job Duties: The instructional assistant in Special Education will work with both general education and special education staff members to support learning for identified child(ren) with special needs. Responsibilities include instructing students in small groups and one-on-

one settings. This will also encompass helping students to develop positive interpersonal relationships with peers and adults: utilizing and modeling school behavior management programs: and assist in communications between students, teachers and parents as requested.

As an equal opportunity employer, it is the policy of the River Forest Public Schools, District 90, to not discriminate against any employee or any applicant for employment. District 90 values a talented and diverse workforce, and will attempt to recruit and hire minority employees.

Application Procedure: Interested candidates should complete the online application available at district90.org



River Forest Public Schools

River Forest Public Schools, D90 is seeking a temporary Summer School Nurse for Willard Elementary School.

• Start Date: June 20th – July 21st (No school July 4th) Hours: 8:15am-3:15pm Qualifications: (a) Registered Nurse License, (b) CPR certified; (c) experience working with children is preferred Job Duties: The summer school nurse will provide direct professional nursing services, first aid, illness and emergency care to students and staff in response to the nursing assessment and in accordance with professional standards, school policy and procedures, and state and local mandates. He/she will administer or supervise the administration and proper storage of medication with

appropriate documentation. The nurse will review and evaluate records of students with medical conditions; maintain communication with parents and staff regarding children’s medical issues in accordance with procedural protocols as specified by the Illinois Department of Public Health. He/she will also perform other duties as assigned by the school principal.

Application Procedure: Interested candidates should complete the online application available at district90.org

   

18 The Landmark, March 8, 2023

CLASSIFIED BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG MARKETPLACE

ESTATE SALE

HOME SERVICES

CEMENT

Estate Sale-Everything must go

3/10/23 and 3/11/23 8AM-2PM 1137 Clarence Oak Park CASH ONLY All furniture, china, crystal, housewares, small electrics, lamps, artwork, picture frames, costumes, clothes, shoes, CDs,DVDs, books.

CEMENT

MAGANA

C O N C R E T E C O N S T RU C T I O N “QUALITY IS OUR FOUNDATION” ESTABLISHED IN 1987

CARS WANTED

COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL RESIDENTIAL

708.442.7720 CLASSICS WANTED CLASSICS WANTED Restored or Unrestored

or Unrestored Cars &Restored Vintage Motorcycles Domestic / Cars & Vintage Motorcycles Import Cars: Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette,Cars: Ferrari’s, Domestic / Import Jaguars, Muscle Cars, Mustang & Mopars Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, $$ Top $$ all makes, Etc.

Ferrari’s, James Jaguars,• 630-201-8122 Muscle Cars, Collector Mustang & Mopars

$$ Top $$ allWANTED makes, Etc. WANTED TO BUY CLASSICS Collector James Restored or Unrestored Cars630-201-8122 & Vintage Motorcycles Domestic / Import Cars:

WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, flags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead, plastic – other misc. toys.

Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400

Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari’s, Jaguars, Cars, R E N TAMuscle LS Mustang & Mopars

FOR RENT $$OFFICE/RETAIL Top $$ all makes, Etc. OAK PARK OFFICE CONDO FOR SALE OR LEASE Collector James

Great downtown location.

900 sq ft 2 private and lge main office space List price 149,900 Lease 1,875 per mo.

Call Diane Marchetti 708.828.0000 @properties Christie’s International RE

630-201-8122

SUBURBAN RENTALS STUDIOS, 1, 2 & 3 BR Best Selection & Service

OAK PARK & FOREST PARK

708-386-7355

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'5,9(:$<6 )281'$7,216 3$7,26 67(36 &85% *877(56 6,'(:$/.6 612: 3/2:,1* 67$03(' &2/25(' $**5(*$7( &21&5(7( FREE ESTIMATES LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED

ELECTRICAL

ELECTRICAL

A&A ELECTRIC

Ceiling Fans Let an American Veteran do your work Installed We install plugs for battery-operated vehicles We fix any electrical problem and do small jobs We install Surge Protectors • Home Re-wiring • New Plugs & Switches Added • New circuit breaker boxes • Code violations corrected Service upgrades,100-200 amp • Garage & A/C lines installed Fast Emergency Service | Residential • Commercial • Industrial Free Home Evaluations | Lic. • Bonded • Ins. • Low Rates • Free Est.

708-409-0988 • 708-738-3848 Sr. Discounts • 30 Yrs. Exp. Servicing Oak Park • All surrounding suburbs • Chicago area

BRICKWORK RITEWAY BRICK RESTORATION

Residential & Commercial

Tuckpointing / Masonry Work

~ Specializing in Chimneys - Rebuild - Repaired New Liner Installation Lintel Repairs & Stone Veneer 40 yrs. experience Fully insured

(including Workmans Comp)

708-354-2501 Ritewaybrickglobal.net

FLOORS KLIS FLOORING INC.

New hardwood flooring installation & pergo. Sanding, re-finishing, staining. Low prices, insured.

Call: 773-671-4996 • www. klisflooring.com

HANDYMAN Mike’s Home Repair Drywall H Painting H Tile Plumbing H Electric H Floors Windows H Doors H Siding Ask Us What We Don’t Do

708-296-2060 PAINTING

CLASSIC PAINTING Fast & Neat Painting/Taping/Plaster Repair Low Cost • 708.749.0011

PROFESSIONAL CLEANING Maggie Professional Cleaning with 20 years experience, good references. Homes, Apartments, Condos and more.

Call or text for free estimates 773-584-8366

PETS While you’re away, your pets are okay . . . at home

cat calls

Oak Park’s Original Pet Care Service – Since 1986

Daily dog exercising Complete pet care in your home House sitting • Plant care Bonded References

708-524-1030

WOODWORK Terry's

Woodwork Restoration On-site refinishing of wood

and fiberglass since 1977.

Includes doors, woodwork, windows, staircases and new woodwork etc. All work done by hand. NO sanders. Your unfinished project my specialty!

References available.

Contact Terry Seamans at 630-379-7148 or terryseamans@yahoo.com

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE SUMMONS (Family Law) CITACIÓN (Derecho familiar) CASE NUMBER (NÚMERO DE CASO): HF22130927 NOTICE TO RESPONDENT (Name): AVISO AL DEMANDADO (Nombre): ANGELO C GALLARDO You have been sued. Read the information below and on the next page.

Lo han demandado. Lea la información a continuación y en la página siguiente.

Petitioner’s name is: Nombre del demandante: MERCEDITA M. GALLARDO You have 30 calendar days after this Summons and Petition are served on you to file a Response (form FL-120) at the court and have a copy served on the petitioner. A letter, phone call, or court appearance will not protect you.

If you do not file your Response on time, the court may make orders affecting your marriage or domestic partnership, your property, and custody of your children. You may be ordered to pay support and attorney fees and costs.

For legal advice, contact a lawyer immediately. Get help finding a lawyer at the California Courts Online SelfHelp Center (www.courts.ca.gov/ selfhelp), at the California Legal Services website (www.lawhelpca.org), or by contacting your local county bar association.

Tiene 30 días de calendario después

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

de haber recibido la entrega legal de esta Citación y Petición para presentar una Respuesta (formulario FL-120) ante la corte y efectuar la entrega legal de una copia al demandante. Una carta o llamada telefónica o una audiencia de la corte no basta para protegerlo.

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: Y23010237 on February 27, 2023 Under the Assumed Business Name of DOUG MCGOLDRICK PHOTOGRAPHY with the business located at: 1034 WISCONSIN AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60304. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: DOUG MCGOLDRICK 1034 WISCONSIN AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60304.

Si no presenta su Respuesta a tiempo, la corte puede dar órdenes que afecten su matrimonio o pareja de hecho, sus bienes y la custodia de sus hijos. La corte también le puede ordenar que pague manutención, y honorarios y costos legales.

Para asesoramiento legal, póngase en contacto de inmediato con un abogado. Puede obtener información para encontrar un abogado en el Centro de Ayuda de las Cortes de California (www.sucorte.ca.gov), en el sitio web de los Servicios Legales de California (www.lawhelpca.org) o poniéndose en contacto con el colegio de abogados de su condado.

NOTICE—RESTRAINING ORDERS ARE ON PAGE 2: These restraining orders are effective against both spouses or domestic partners until the petition is dismissed, a judgment is entered, or the court makes further orders. They are enforceable anywhere in California by any law enforcement officer who has received or seen a copy of them.

AVISO—LAS ÓRDENES DE RESTRICCIÓN SE ENCUENTRAN EN LA PÁGINA 2: Las órdenes de restricción están en vigencia en cuanto a ambos cónyuges o miembros de la pareja de hecho hasta que se despida la petición, se emita un fallo o la corte dé otras órdenes. Cualquier agencia del orden público que haya recibido o visto una copia de estas órdenes puede hacerlas acatar en cualquier lugar de California.

FEE WAIVER: If you cannot pay the filing fee, ask the clerk for a fee waiver form. The court may order you to pay back all or part of the fees and costs that the court waived for you or the other party.

EXENCIÓN DE CUOTAS: Si no puede pagar la cuota de presentación, pida al secretario un formulario de exención de cuotas. La corte puede ordenar que usted pague, ya sea en parte o por completo, las cuotas y costos de la corte previamente exentos a petición de usted o de la otra parte.

1. The name and address of the court are (El nombre y dirección de la corte son): SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA, 24405 AMADOR STREET, HAYWARD, CA 94544 - FAMILY LAW DIVISION 2. The name, address, and telephone number of the petitioner’s attorney, or the petitioner without an attorney, are: (El nombre, dirección y número de teléfono del abogado del demandante, o del demandante si no tiene abogado, son): SATNESH S. PRASAD, 607 LONGWOOD AVE., HAYWARD, CA 94541 Date (Fecha): OCT 21, 2022 CHAD FINKE, Clerk, by (Secretario, por) SARAH GOUVEIA, Deputy (Asistente) [SEAL] Published in the Wednesday Journal March 1, 8, 15, 22, 2023

Published in Wednesday Journal March 1, 8, 15, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD Notice of Public Hearing Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission March 23, 2023 at 7:00 PM NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, March 23, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the Lower Level of Village Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois for the purpose of considering a request for variations from §62-75 Bulk, yard and space requirements and §62290 Required parking spaces of the Village Code for property located at 4512 Grove Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513 (PINs 18-03-422-0320000 and 18-03-422-033-0000).

Legal Description: Lot 2 (Except the North 30 Feet and Except the South 30 Feet Thereof) in Block 2, in Pinkert’s State Road Addition, Being a Subdivision of the East ½ of the Southeast ¼ of Section 3, Township 38 North, Range 12, East of the Third Principal Meridian, In Cook County, Illinois.

The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/ or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Kate Portillo, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, kportillo@brookfieldil.gov, or 708-485-1113. Oral or written testimony may be given during the public hearing.

The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours.

Please reference PZC Case 23-05.

Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall.

By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman.

Published in RB Landmark March 8, 2023

The Landmark, March 8, 2023 19

CLASSIFIED BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

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: Y23010231 on February 23, 2023 Under the Assumed Business Name of BTE MOBILE NOTARY SERVICES with the business located at: 5927 W. CHICAGO AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60651. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: ERIN WILLIAMS 5927 W. CHICAGO AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60651

LEGAL NOTICE INVITATION TO BID

Published in Wednesday Journal March 8, 15, 22, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE of PUBLIC HEARING (PEID) Notice is hereby given to all residents and property owners in the Village of Forest Park, Illinois and all users of the water system that a Public Hearing will be held at Forest Park Village Hall on Monday March 20,2023 at 4:00 P.M. The Village plans to construct the lead service line replacement project.

This Public Notice is to provide an opportunity for the public to provide comments on the Village’s proposed construction. A project summary and Preliminary Environmental Impacts Determination (PEID) document provided by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) is available for review at Village Hall, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130. The document contains information including the project costs, location, user rate impacts and potential environment impacts.

This Notice is to provide access to the documents and to satisfy Section 662.330 of the Illinois Procedures for Issuing Loans from the Public Water Supply Program from the Illinois EPA. These documents will be on file at the Village Hall after the Public Hearing to allow for public comment.

Written comments can be submitted up to 10-days following the public hearing to the Village or directly to Chad Rice at the Illinois EPA, Infrastructure Financial Assistance Section, P.O. Box 19276, Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276.

Vanessa Moritz, Village Clerk Forest Park 517 Des Plaines Avenue Forest Park, Illinois 60130 Published in Forest Park Review March 8, 2023

The Park District of Oak Park will accept sealed bids for Apparel Services. The bid specifications will be available on the Park District’s website as of 10:00AM CST on Wednesday, March 8, 2023. Copies of the bidding specifications are available via the Park District of Oak Park website at: http://www.pdop.org/bids-and-rfps/ Bids must be placed in a sealed envelope marked “Apparel Services” and must be delivered on or before 2:30PM CST on Wednesday, March 22, 2023 to the John Hedges Administrative Center. Immediately thereafter, bids will be opened and read.

For further information, contact Maureen McCarthy at Maureen.McCarthy@pdop.org.

By: Maureen McCarthy Park District of Oak Park, 218 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL, 60302 Published in Wednesday Journal March 8, 2023

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PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park --Office of the Village Engineer, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302-will receive electronic proposals until 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 30, 2023 for Project: 23-1, Sewer and Water Improvements. Bids will be received and accepted, and bid results posted via the online electronic bid service listed below.

In general, the improvements consist of water main replacement, fire hydrants, valves, water service replacements, sewer replacement, HMA pavement, curb & gutter removal and replacement, PCC sidewalk removal and replacement, pavement markings, and all appurtenant work thereto.

at 10:00 a.m. Plans and proposal forms can be found at https://www. oak-park.us/your-government/ budget-purchasing/requestsproposals or at www.questcdn.com under login using QuestCDN number 8302906 for a non-refundable charge of $30.00. The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue plans and specifications only to those contractors deemed qualified. No bid documents will be issued after 4:00 p.m. on the working day preceding the date of bid opening.

Plans and proposal forms may be obtained via the electronic service starting on Thursday, March 9, 2023

THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Bill McKenna Village Engineer

The work to be performed pursuant to this proposal is subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq.

Published in Wednesday Journal, March 8, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE A Public Notice is hereby given that the Village of Oak Park Community Development Citizens Advisory Committee (CDCAC) will be meeting for applicant presentations, a funding recommendations determination meeting and a public comment for the upcoming Program Year (PY) 2023 project proposals submitted to the Village for federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) grant funds. PY 2023 will run from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024. All meetings will be held at Village Hall—123 Madison—room 101 and are as follows: Presentations, 5:30 -9:00pm on April 18, April 20 and April 25; Meeting to determine funding recommendations and receive public comments on proposed funding recommendations, 6:00pm on May 9, 2023. All meetings are open to the public and reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities and non-English speaking persons as needed.

Meeting specifics are subject to change; please send a message to grants@oak-park.us to confirm details.

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

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Published in Wednesday Journal March 8, 2023

to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination.

The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law.

This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do

Let the sun shine in...Public Notice: Your right to know In print • Online

not apply to service animals.

To complain of discrimination,

Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year

call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.

• OakPark.com • RBLandmark.com • ForestParkReview.com • AustinWeeklyNews.com • VFPress.news

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The Landmark, March 8, 2023

2 1 E . B U R L I N GTO N R OA D, R I V E R S I D E | 70 8 . 4 47.72 07 NG MI O C

ON SO W NE

G TIN S I L

W NE

G TIN S I L

258 Nuttall Rd, Riverside

308 Nuttall Rd, Riverside $500,000

465 Northgate Ct, Riverside $450,000

320 Nuttall Rd, Riverside $1,100,000

1510 Franklin Ave, River Forest $750,000

2558 5th Ave, North Riverside $500,000

1519 William St, River Forest $697,000

1568 Aberdeen Ct, Naperville $319,000

35 West Ave, #2S, Riverside $189,000

4332 N Bernard St, Chicago $630,000 T LO T N CA VA

1516 S Wabash Ave, #902, Chicago $475,000

225 S Sangamon St #706, Chicago $485,000

380 Herrick Rd, Riverside $459,999

302 River Oaks Dr, Calumet City $300,000

4534 Arthur Ave, Brookfield $169,900

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