@riversidebrook eldlandmark
$1.00 Vol. 41, No. 15
Meet Kickout, Brook eld’s notorious teen rock band
A petition to let the play is nearing 1,100 signatures
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
To the naked eye, the five members of the Brookfield-based rock band seem like re gular teenage boys, cracking jokes and ribbing each other. But put an instrument in their hands, and the Riverside Brookfield High School students — Jake Loiacono, Aidan Diaz, Isaiah Griffin, Charlie and Mateo Dominguez — reach a shared flow state, they said.
“Community is the biggest thing me,” Griffin, 16, said. “The moment I started drums, and me and Mateo got to gether for our first mini gig thing that we played at some random cafe, it was like, ‘This is amazing. I want to keep doing this.’”
“When we jam, I feel like, as a we’re all so connected that goes really smoothly, and we sively work together,” Diaz added. “Everyone seems to love it when
ere have been 43 incidents in the past 11 months, says deputy police chief
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Brookfield officials may approve an ordinance to re gulate who can ride electric bicycles and other similar devices in town and where the bikes can be used.
Deputy Police Chief Terry Schreiber outlined the ordinance to the Board of Trustees at its April 13 committee of the whole meeting. The proposal would categorize e-bikes into three
STELLA BROWN
le , Kickout is comprised of members Isaiah Gri n, Aidan Diaz, Mateo Dominguez, Charlie Rodis (below) and Jake Loiacono
North Riverside Players
Proudly Presents
North Riverside Players Proudly Presents
Louisiana, where all the ladies in the neighborhood have eager assistant, Annelle, Truvy styles the hair of rst lady of Chinquapin, Clairee Belcher, local career woman M’Lynn, and her daughter Shelby, town, but the joy and excitement of her wedding myriad of health complications. As the women of they find comfort (and a fair amount of verbal another.
See How They Run
See How They Run
April 24, 25, 26 • May 1, 2, 3, 2026
By Robert Harling
Fridays and Saturdays 7:30pm • Sundays 2:30pm
Directed by Sam Buonomo
Scheck Village Commons, North Riverside
Directed
by
Karen Levin
For tickets, visit www.nrplayers.com or call the number below.
Truvy Jones runs a successful beauty salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana, where all the ladies in the neighborhood have a standing Saturday appointment. Along with her anxious and eager assistant, Annelle, Truvy styles the hair of many of the women about town: wealthy widow and former first lady of Chinquapin, Clairee Belcher, local curmudgeon Ouiser Boudreaux ("I'm not crazy, I've just been in a bad mood for forty years”), intelligent and compassionate career woman M’Lynn, and her daughter Shelby, the prettiest girl in town. Shelby’s engagement is the talk of the town, but the joy and excitement of her wedding quickly turn to concern as she faces a risky pregnancy and a myriad of health complications. As the women of Chinquapin make their ways over life’s many hurdles together, they find comfort (and a fair amount of verbal ribbing) in one another.
The swift action, impossibly hilarious situations and rib-tickling plot in this long-running London hit will leave audiences exhausted with laughter. In an English vicarage, the vicar and his wife (an American actress) are overwhelmed by a barrage of colorful guests, including an American G.I. stationed with the Air Force in England, a cockney maid who has seen too many American movies, an old dowager who “touches alcohol for the first time in her life,” a sedate Bishop aghast at all these goings-on, and four men in identical clergyman suits, one of whom is an escaped prisoner. April 24, 25, 25 May 1, 2, 3, 2026
Fridays
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Riverside talks outdoor dining
Trustees ag reed to limiting fences to 42 inches, for replacement by the end of 2027
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Owners of restaurants in Riverside tha feature outdoor dining could be required replace barriers taller than 42 inches end of next year, though officials are looking into ways to help alleviate the costs
Trustees initially seemed split on height to limit outdoor barriers to in their discussion on Thursday, April 16, where Community Development Director Cyran brought feedback on the issue from Riverside’s economic development and planning and zoning commissions.
The board had directed those advisory commissions to opine on the proposed new dining standards after its most recent cussion of them in March.
“The range [of barrier heights] mended in other communities is 36 to 42 inches, and staf f recommended height as a starting point for discussion,” Cyran said. “The PZC recommended that a 42- or 46-inch barrier may be acce
She said the board could include a provision giving itself the ability to appr taller barriers in areas “that may require additional privacy” like near high-traffic thoroughfares or by the BNSF railroad.
Cyran said she had measured existing barriers in town between meetings.
“La Estancia’s barrier is 49 inches tall. Breakfast Hacienda’s is 44 inches tall. Cubanito Express has a barrier that has a 42inch height along the length of it,” she said.
Officials also discussed allowing planters to function as barriers Cyran said other communities tend to regulate the height of the planters to lower than other barriers and allow plants to grow above the limit, providing some transparency and visual interest.
ultimately reached a consensus of 42 inches
“I think we need to go back to why we ‘re having these discussions. ... We want to have some minimum standards.”
JILL MATEO Village trustee
During discussion, some trustees seemed to prefer a higher limit, around 46 or 48 inches, while Village President Doug Pollock advocated for a 36-inch limit based on his experience as a city planner, though the board
“I think we need to go back to why we’re having these discussions. We currently don’t have outdoor dining standards; we want to have some minimum standards,” Trustee Jill Mateo said. “We want to make it inviting. We want people to go and say, ‘Wow, that looks really great.’ We should think hard about this and not just go with the maximum but [with] what really is shoulder level for somebody.”
Trustees also ag reed to limit the heights of planters acting as barriers to 24 inches, not counting fences featuring planter boxes, and to install a minimum transparency requirement of 30% so that barriers cannot be wholly opaque.
When the discussion turned to the timeline for replacing barriers, Pollock suggested business owners not be allowed to wait until the end of a barrier’s useful lifespan to replace it, though he said the village ought to shoulder some of the burden.
“I heard a suggestion from a trustee this week that maybe we budget for 2027 to reestablish our facade grant program or downtown building grant program and that we include grant opportunities for people to bring these things into compliance, so we pay for a good chunk of it,” Pollock said. “If we’re going to have money in 2027 to pay for a good part of that cost, then my feeling is, by the end of 2027, let’s bring this into conformance.”
Staf f and officials ag reed to have the economic development commission weigh in on reinstating the grant program. Staf f will draft an ordinance implementing the new outdoor dining re gulations for trustees to vote on at an upcoming village board meeting.
Babin
dhaley@newswellchicago.org
ww.RBLandmark.com
Diners enjoy an outdoor meal at e Chew Chew in downtown Riverside in 2020.
RB hosts esports tournament
e home team placed 2nd a er Elgin; head coach says ‘it was a lot of fun’
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
The Riverside Brookfield High School esports team hosted the second Upstate Eight Conference esports tournament on Saturday, April 18.
Seventy students from seven high schools in the conference flocked to the school to compete in video games ranging from Nintendo’s crossover fighting “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” and quirky racing “Mario Kart” to the football simulation “EA Sports FC 26” and similar titles.
Megan Welch, the coach for RB’s student team, said her players came second overall behind students from Elgin High School, though several her students walked away with a medal for perfor ming well in an individual game.
body’s getting a senior night, so we decided to do a little recognition.”
Welch said running the tournament was a family af fair for her home team, with many of her players helping to set up and take down the stations for playing games, directing people around the building and troubleshooting technical issues.
“I had a lot of wonderful parents donate a lot of food so there could be a coaches’ hospitality room, and also my players could eat,” she said. “I put a lot of the stuf f on the kids to do, so, Friday afternoon, IT brought down all the equipment. I was like, ‘Go for th and set up.’”
She said it was heartwarming to see her own students interact with each other, celebrating their own micro-achievements and improvements in gameplay even when they didn’t come first in their event. When it came down to one last match to determine whether one of her students came first or second in the g ame, she said she had another member of the team gi him a pep talk.
“We’re all passionate about it. We love it and I’m here for it.”
“It was a good day. We had a wildly convoluted point system for an overall winner of the conference,” she said. “Elgin has a really big team, so they can fill out their roster to capacity. We didn’t have somebody for every single game, so the points you got for different events depended on how many schools were doing that event.”
MEGAN WELCH Coach
“Now it’s the grand finals so whoever loses that one is second place, and whoe wins is first place,” she said.
“I go g et Declan, and I’m li ‘Go talk to Daniel. What going to do to give him a pe talk?’ … T hey chatted had a little break, and then he came back and was very deci sive on winning that.”
The tourney lasted from 10 a.m. to about 3 p.m., Welch said, including breaks between games and some downtime that she dedicated to celebrating all of the outgoing seniors with speeches and gift bags.
“All kinds of sports have senior nights if they have a home tournament. Sometime in their season, they’ll have a home meet and they’ll [recognize] the graduating seniors,” she said. “We only had one graduating senior on our team, but we thought, there’s a lot of seniors in the thing, and no-
Now that RB’s tournament is over, Welch said the team is preparing to play in the Illinois High School Association’s sectional tournament, which will determine which teams proceed to the state tour nament.
“We agonized for a long time about who was going to do what event because some of these kids are good at multiple things. T hey play Smash and Mario Kart; who is going to do solos and do crew?” she said. “They always tell me, ‘Don’t say that [we’ re going to win], bro. What if it doesn’t happen?’ But I don’ t know; I got a vibe. It’s a good feeling.”
She said the team truly belongs to the
students due to the small size of RB’s esports community, but at the same time, she’s enjoyed watching her students improve and progress over time
“We’ re all passionate about it. We love it, and I’m here for it. Ultimately, I can do as much recr uiting as I want, but it’s these kids who bring other kids here,” she said. “If they didn’t come, then there wouldn’ t be practice.”
While the esports season may be coming to a close for this school year, Welch
emphasized that there are always ways to g et involved, whether you’ re a student at RB or an older member of the community
“There’s always room for more teachers and adults to be involved in a lot of different ways,” she said. “You don’ t have to know how to play the g ames. T he kids play the g ames. This is what I’ve always said: T hey just need somebody who’s going to be there for them, who’s going to be excited about it with them, who’s going to provide them a space.”
TODD BANNOR
TODD BANNOR
ESports tournament at Riverside Brook eld High School on April 18.
AI education key for local school board members
D208’s
Hruska: Rapid acceptance of AI tools ‘should give us concern ’
By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter
Whether you ag ree with it or not, artificial intelligence is here to stay, but its very presence is creating challenges for both education professionals and school boards.
The bottom line, according to Laura Hruska, a member of the Riverside-Brookfield High School District 208 board, is for school board members in the area to educate themselves about the technology in order to understand both its limitations and potential for misuse.
Read: AI isn’t to be feared, but to be understood.
“We have to know how to use it,” said Hruska, who is also a substitute teacher. “We have to learn how to use it. We have to identify what the misuse will be.”
the discernment to realize something is simply not true. An AI tool, she said, is a “super crawler … It’s a computer. It’s collecting and synthesizing by sheer number and power. (Information) can be correct or incor rect.”
That’s not limited to education, she said.
“I had a short conversation with one of our board members. He’s an attorney, he’s heard of some attorneys using AI and some of the case information is incorrect,” she said.
Of course, there are many other concerns, she said. Students could use AI to write a paper for them, which is prohibited. Kylie Lindquist, District 208 assistant principal for curriculum and instruction, noted recently that the RB student handbook is clear that unchecked use of AI for the purpose of plagiarism in doing an assignment that should be a student’s authentic work ould be treated in the same y as would cheating.
As part of her commitment to board member training, Hruska attended a West Cook Division meeting of the Illinois Association of School Boards on April 9 with a presentation titled, “AI: Board Member Roles and Responsibilities, What Every Board Member Should Know.”
The presentation was made by Dr. Jim Batson, an education technology consultant who is also the board president for Community High School District 128 in Vernon Hills. He is also a nationally Certified Education Technology Leader (CETL).
“He put up a slide that showed me how dangerous this could be,” Hruska said, placing emphasis on the word could. “It showed how rapidly it was accepted. If you look at the different technologies, it took Netflix years to get accepted.
“(AI) was accepted almost immediately. Anything embraced immediately should give us concern.”
Why? The potential for conflicting or outright false information, coupled with the likelihood that students may not have
Lindquist also said that District 208 is awaiting guidance re garding development of an AI policy from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) that should come this summer
Hruska is quick to point out that she can’ t speak for her entire board nor summarize its collective viewpoint on the subject. But knowledge is power, and usage creates knowledge. For example, Hruska said she is using AI to do information searches and to create lists
RB senior Charlie Rodis has his own concer ns about AI use among his peer s.
“I believe AI can be used as a tool to help students lear n, but I see far too often kids using it as a reliance, and not a way to either use it as a quick brainstorm or a launching pad for actual work, or just a way to fact check or g et a second opinion on something,” Rodis said.
“As a pure tool for learning, there is a time and place for it, but personally I’ve seen firsthand people use it as their mai n way of thinking. T hey use it as way to have something else think for them rather than having to rely on their own brain.”
LAURA HRUSKA
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Brook eld police arrest man on Cook County warrant
Brookfield police arrested a 26-year-old Chicago man on April 11 after learning there was a warrant out for his arrest.
Around 3:30 a.m., an officer responded to the intersection of Morton and Washington avenues on a report of a loud noise complaint. There, the officer saw three people seated inside a dormant vehicle. The officer approached the passenger side of the car and spoke with a woman, advising her of the report. The officer noticed the driver was bleeding from one of his index fingers; he said he had cut himself after picking up a bottle, and the officer observed a broken glass bottle on the ground nearby.
The officer took the man’s name and learned a warrant was out for his arrest from Cook County after running his name through the police database. The officer arrested the man at 3:51 a.m. for alle gedly violating the conditions of a previous release from custody and for driving under the influence.
The officer transported the man to the Brookfield Police Department, where he refused medical treatment for his finger, and the Berwyn Police Department, where he was turned over to booking personnel for processing.
Counterfeit bills
On April 13, Brookfield police took a report of a business owner, who said her employee had received two counterfeit $100 bills on Thursday, April 9, from two separate customers.
The officer asked the woman to forward video footage of the incident to the police department. The woman said she only wished to document the matter and turn the currency over to police.
The officer observed that both bills had the same serial number. They checked “investigative resources” to see if the same counterfeit currency was being circulated elsewhere but did not find evidence of
such. Police inventoried the counterfeit bills and sent them to the United Sta tes Secret Service office in Chicago.
Dispute with the mailman
Brookfield police managed a dispute between a woman and a mail car rier after receiving a complaint of threats on April 10.
After an officer responded to the 3800 block of McCormick, a woman told them she had been walking two dogs when a mail carrier approached her from behind while they were walking on the sidewalk. She said one of the dogs growled at the man, so he responded by grabbing pepper spray and told the woman to move out of his way. A short time later, the woman said the mail carrier approached her again and told her to stay out of his way due to his being a federal employee.
The officer spoke with the mail carrier, who confirmed the woman’s story but justified it to the officer by saying he was trained to respond like that and that the woman needed to move out of his way due to his needing to keep a time schedule.
The officer told the man his actions were not appropriate and that he cannot expect people to immediately move out of his way, nor can he act as an aggressor and claim self-defense. The woman said she would file a complaint with the post office.
These items were obtained from the Brookfield Police Department re ports dated April 7-13; they re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest
Compiled by Stella Brown
Share Food Share Love hosts open house
Neighbors were invited to tour the facilities on Sunday, April 19
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Residents ofBrookfield and beyond invited to tour the Share Food Share Lo food pantry’s facility, including its waiting room, main distribution center and room storage, to learn about its operations on Sunday, April 19.
Volunteers took turns leading attendees through a tour ofthe building at Brookfield Ave., answering questions and describing the process that neighbors in need go through when they attend distribution days on Tuesdays from 7-9 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to noon.
The tour began in the front room, where neighbors take numbered tickets from a deli-style ticket dispenser, with board member Michael Dieter. He explained the pantry’s 10-year history, from its birth in the basement of Faith Lutheran Church in 2015 to the creation of its Resource Hub connecting people with assistance outside of access to food — namely to healthcare and housing help — and its Families First program in recent years.
Take a tour
Dieter said about 40 people attended the event Sunday afternoon, which cost the pantry only $10 to put on, for the purchase of balloons and ice for refreshments. He said the pantry served more than 840 families last year while about 125 families made use of the Resource Hub.
After stopping in the waiting room, attendees walked through the grocery-style distribution room, which carries food, paper goods and miscellaneous items on shelves, with volunteers Jess Tamburello and Lynda Evans.
Tamburello said signs around the room describe how many ofeach item someone from a family of four or fewer people would be encouraged to take. Larger families have larger baseline numbers, she said, though ultimately there are no constraints on what someone may take due to the pantry’s focus on neighbor dignity and choice.
“I’ve been volunteering about three or four years now,” said Tamburello, whose husband, Joe, also volunteers. “Our kids are a little bit older, and I realized they don’t really need us to help them with
things … We needed to figure out what that give-back to the neighborhood was. I was like, ‘How have we not figured out that this is at the end of our street?’”
She said friendships she’s developed with the other volunteers are what’s kept her coming back to give her time on Tuesday nights.
Evans said about three-quarters ofthe pantry’s food is provided by the Greater Chicago Food Depository, of which SFSL has been an affiliate since 2010. The rest of its inventory, including all of its personal hygiene and home cleaning products, comes from grocery store partners in the area, donation drives run by the community and direct donations from individuals, she said.
The pantry’s focus on client choice decreases its food waste by about 40% compared to ifit was more stringent about who took what, Evans said. The pantry allows neighbors to take what they want or
know they’ll eat while leaving items they won’t for the next person and infor mally restricts quantities based on remaining inventory, she said.
Families First
Then, attendees had a chance to speak with the director of the Families First program, who asked to be anonymous due to privacy concer ns. She played an important role in creating the pantry’s Families First program last year that provides neighbors with items like diapers and formula for babies and tampons and pads for people who menstruate.
“We had these products in a very limited supply that people would donate … We’d havevery few, select sizes, and very few packages ofthem, and they would be tucked away in the back because we didn’t
Your Best Life This Spring with Lisa Capone
Asthedaysgrowlongerandtheair turnswarmer,springistheperfect timeforseniorstorefreshtheir routinesandrefocusonoverall wellness.Thisseasonbringsrenewed energy,bloomingsurroundings,and newopportunitiestostayactive, social,andengaged.Takinga proactiveapproachtowellnesscan supportyourwell-beingandhelpyou feelyourbestandenjoyallthatspring hastooffer.
As the days grow longer and the air turns warmer, spring is the perfect time for seniors to refresh their routines and refocus on overall wellness This season brings renewed energ y, blooming surroundings, and new opportuni ties to stay active, social, and engaged. Taking a proactive approach to wellness can support your well-being and help you feel your best and enjoy all that spring has to offer
Spendtimeoutdoorstoenjoy freshair,sunshine,andthebeauty oftheseason
Spend time outdoors to enjoy fresh air, sunshine, and the beauty of the season
Stayactivewithlightexerciselike walking,stretching,oryogato supportstrength,andmobility
Stay active wi th lig ht exercise like walking, stretching, or yoga to support strength, and mobili ty
Incorporatefresh,seasonalfoods likeleafygreens,berries,and vegetablestonourishyourbody
Incorporate fresh, seasonal foods like leafy greens, berries, and vegetables to nourish your body
Declutterandrefreshyourliving spacetocreateacalm,organized, andupliftingenvironment
Declutter and refresh your living space to create a calm, organized, and uplifting environment
Reconnectsociallybyjoining activities,events,orsimply spendingtimewithfriendsand neighbors
Reconnect socially by joining activi ties, events, or simply spending time wi th friends and neig hbors
Stayontopofwellnessby schedulingcheck-ups,reviewing medications,andsettingnew healthgoals
Stay on top of wellness by scheduling check-ups, reviewing medications, and setting new health goals
Byembracingthesesimplehabits,you canmakethemostoftheseason whilesupportingyourhealthand vitality.Springisatimeofrenewal— makingittheperfectopportunityto reset,refresh,andcontinueliving yourbestlifeeveryday.
By embracing these simple habi ts, you can make the most of the season while supporting your health and vi tali ty. Spring is a time of renewal making i t the perfect opportuni ty to reset, refresh, and continue living your best life ever y day.
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Visit Cantata org for more senior living advice or call 708) 387-1030.
STELLA BROWN
Brook eld’s Share Food Share Love food pantry hosted an open house on Sund ay, April 19.
Sponsored by Riverside Township
Sponsored by Riverside Township
Sponsored by Riverside Township
Sponsored by Riverside Township
Sponsored by Riverside Township
Sponsored by Riverside Township
Saturday, May 2nd 9:00 am –Noon
Sponsored by Riverside Township
E-BIKES
Safety concerns
found the restriction unnecessary due to their low speeds compared to class one and two e-bikes, which would be allowed on multiuse paths.
Saturday, May 2nd 9:00 am –Noon
Saturday, May
Saturday, May 2nd 9:00 am –Noon
Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot 40 Forest Avenue, Riverside
2nd 9:00 am –Noon
Saturday, May 2nd 9:00 am –Noon
Saturday, May 2nd 9:00 am –Noon
Saturday, May 2nd 9:00 am –Noon
from page 1
He said the police department would work with local schools, should trustees vote to adopt the ordinance on April 27, to educate students on what they can ride and where.
Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot
Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot
Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot
This FREE event is only for Riverside Township residents and only for personal, confidential documents. No business shredding, magazines, or junk mail. Each household is restricted to no more than 3 boxes of paper.
Saturday, May 2nd 9:00 am –Noon
Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot 40 Forest Avenue, Riverside
40 Forest Avenue, Riverside
40 Forest Avenue, Riverside
40 Forest Avenue, Riverside
Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot 40 Forest Avenue, Riverside
Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot 40 Forest Avenue, Riverside
Saturday, May 2nd 9:00 am –Noon
Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot 40 Forest Avenue, Riverside
categories based on their mechanisms and top speeds and bar them from sidewalks. It also addresses the allowable age ofriders. It is similar to an ordinance Riverside officials passed in December.
This FREE event is only for Riverside Township residents and only for personal, confidential documents. No business shredding, magazines, or junk mail. Each household is restricted to no more than 3 boxes of paper.
This FREE event is only for Riverside Township residents and only for personal, confidential documents. No business shredding, magazines, or junk mail. Each household is restricted to no more than 3 boxes of paper.
This FREE event is only for Riverside Township residents and only for personal, confidential documents. No business shredding, magazines, or junk mail. Each household is restricted to no more than 3 boxes of paper.
Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot 40 Forest Avenue, Riverside
This FREE event is only for Riverside Township residents and only for personal, confidential documents No business shredding, magazines, or junk mail. Each household is restricted to no more than 3 boxes of paper.
This FREE event is only for Riverside Township residents and only for personal, confidential documents. No business shredding, magazines, or junk mail. Each household is restricted to no more than 3 boxes of paper.
This FREE event is only for Riverside Township residents and only for personal, confidential documents No business shredding, magazines, or junk mail. Each household is restricted to no more than 3 boxes of paper.
This FREE event is only for Riverside Township residents and only for personal, confidential documents No business shredding, magazines, or junk mail. Each household is restricted to no more than 3 boxes of paper.
This FREE event is only for Riverside Township residents and only for personal, confidential documents. No business shredding, magazines, or junk mail. Each household is restricted to no more than 3 boxes of paper.
Your documents will be securely destroyed on site by American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.
Your documents will be securely destroyed on site by American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.
Your documents will be securely destroyed on site by American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.
Your documents will be securely destroyed on site by American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.
“Since last year, about 11 months or so, we have 43 different complaints ofe-bikes in conflicts with cars, pedestrians, juveniles, destruction ofproperty, all ofthose types of calls,” Schreiber said. “For a semi-seasonal type ofdevice, that’s a significantly high call volume. The complaints and issues are definitely out there.”
“[We want to] explain to them not only what you can do and what you can’t do, but why the ‘can’t do’ exists and some examples of the dangers that it presents by doing those things,” he said. “We’ll direct [officers], when they’re out there and they see kids riding around to just stop them and talk to them.”
He said enforcement ofthe ordinance would be on a case-by-case basis and largely involve giving warnings in cases ofmisconduct, only escalating to an arrest if necessary
Your documents will be securely destroyed on site by American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.
Your documents will be securely destroyed on site by American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.
As always, this will be a drive-up event. No need to get out of your car; place the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and then simply pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle and shred them for you.
As always, this will be a drive-up event. No need to get out of your car; place the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle and shred them for you.
Your documents will be securely destroyed on site by American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.
Your documents will be securely destroyed on site by American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.
As always, this will be a drive-up event. No need to get out of the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle and shred them for you.
As always, this will be a drive-up event. No need to get out of lace the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle and shred them for you.
As always, this will be a drive-up event. No need to get out of the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle and shred them for you.
As always, this will be a drive-up event. No need to get out of documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle and shred them for you.
In an email to the Landmark, Schreiber said several people, including minors, were injured in some ofthe 43 e-bike-related incidents
Your documents will be securely destroyed on site by American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.
Please bring a non-perishable, unexpired food item to donate to the Riverside Township Food Pantry!
As always, this will be a drive-up event. No need to get out of the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle and shred them for you.
Please bring a non-perishable, unexpired food item to donate to the Riverside Township Food Pantry!
, this will be a drive-up event. No need to get out of the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle and shred them for you.
Please bring a non-perishable, unexpired food item to donate to the Riverside Township Food Pantry!
Please bring a non-perishable, unexpired food item to donate to the Riverside Township Food Pantry!
Please bring a non-perishable, unexpired food item to donate to the Riverside Township Food Pantry!
For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 or visit our website: www.riversidetownship.org
For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 or visit our website: www.riversidetownship.org
Please bring a non-perishable, unexpired food item to donate to the Riverside Township Food Pantry!
For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 or visit our website: www.riversidetownship.org
As always, this will be a drive-up event. No need to get out of your car; place the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and then simply pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle and shred them for you.
For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 or visit our website: www.riversidetownship.org
For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 or visit our website: www.riversidetownship.org
Please bring a non-perishable, unexpired food item to donate to the Riverside Township Food Pantry!
For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 or visit our website: www.riversidetownship.org
Please bring a non-perishable, unexpired food item to donate to the Riverside Township Food Pantry!
For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 or visit our website: www.riversidetownship.org
For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 or visit our website: www.riversidetownship.org
By Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.
HOW TO NOTIFY THE IRS OF A CHANGE OF ADDRESS
Please bring a non-perishable, unexpired food item to donate to the Riverside Township Food Pantry!
Tax return: Use your new address when you file.
Written statement: Send the IRS a signed written statement with your full name; old and new addresses; and Social Security number (SSN), ITIN, or EIN and mail your signed statement to the address where you filed your last return.
For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 or visit our website: www.riversidetownship.org
Authorized representatives filing a form or written statement to change an address for a taxpayer must attach a copy of their power of attorney or Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative. Unauthorized third parties can’t change a taxpayer’s address.
The three categories are: class one e-bikes, which use a motor to assist pedaling riders in accelerating up to 20 mph; class two e-bikes, which can move up to 20 mph with only the motor; and class three e-bikes, which can accelerate up to 28 mph using a pedal-assist motor like class one.
“Essentially, class one and two are prohibited on sidewalks, and class three is prohibited on sidewalks or multi-use paths” like park walkways, Schreiber said. “They can be operated on streets. They can be operated on bike lanes. Where the most conflict is operating these on sidewalks.”
due to repeated issues
Members ofthe board generally seemed supportive ofthe measures to keep more people safe from running into an electric bike on the sidewalk.
Oral notification: Tell the IRS in person or by telephone. Have ready your full name; old and new addresses; and (SSN), ITIN, or EIN.
If you filed a joint return and are still residing with the same spouse, both you and your spouse should provide your names, SSNs, new address and signatures on the form or statement. If you filed a joint return and you now have separate addresses, each of you should notify us of your new, separate addresses.
Changes of address through the U.S. Postal Service: (USPS) may update your address of record on file with us based on what they retain in their National Change of Address (NCOA) database.
However, even when you notify the USPS, not all post offices forward government checks, so you should still notify the IRS. It can generally take four to six weeks after receipt for a change of address request to fully process.
The ordinance would also carve out categories for electric scooters, which can only reach a top speed of10 mph, and moto bikes, which can exceed 20 mph speeds with only the use ofthe motor and have higher wattage motors than e-bikes
Class three e-bikes would be restricted to operators aged 16 and up while e-scooters would be restricted to those 18 or older
Moto bikes will be entirely prohibited on all public property.
“There are no speed restrictions on them. There are no safety restrictions on them. Essentially, look at them like mini motorcycles operating on sidewalks, operating on the street,” Schreiber said. “This is probably the most hazardous level.”
Initially, Schreiber suggested banning e-scooters from multi-use paths as well as sidewalks, but members ofthe village board
“We should keep in mind there are real benefits to this technology and the growth ofe-bikes … People are still riding, but they’re getting a boost, so maybe they’re comfortable riding further,” Trustee Kyle Whitehead said. “They’re working on state legislation right now that’s in committee that would cover a lot of what we’re proposing here, but I’m supportive ofthe police department suggesting we take action, because we can’t be certain what’s going to happen in Springfield.”
Trustee Nicole Gilhooley raised the point that some e-bikers might need to use a sidewalk temporarily for safety reasons, like when cresting a hill without sightlines.
“It comes down to a level ofdiscretion. Nothing’s an absolute. No one’s looking at it from the perspective of, ifit touches the sidewalk, [it’s an] ordinance violation,” Schreiber said.
Linda Sokol Francis, E.A.
KICKOUT
Noise ordinance
from page 1
The band for med last summer out of connections they made in their rock band class at school and in the six-man band club, the members said. They named musical acts like Led Zeppelin, Smashing Pumpkins, the Beatles, Braid, or, in Rodis’s words, “basically any emo band from the ‘90s Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, scene” as their inspirations, alongside their families, whose support has been instrumental, they said.
“We were asked to play the Fourth of July parade through six-man band. We were meant to be there to represent [the club],” Rodis said. “After the parade, the guy came up to us asking to play at his block party after, and that’s what star ted the band.”
This year, Kickout gained notoriety in Brookfield’s digital spaces after police were
SHARE FOOD
Built by volunteers
from page 7
have somewhere in the pantry,” she said. “If you knew we had those things, then you could ask for them … but if you didn know to ask, there wasn’t the opportunity.”
Since its implementation in July, the director said the program has proven its own necessity again and again due to the compounding ne gative effects for a family who cannot af ford to access these products
“There’s data that shows if you sit in a diaper for too long, that can lead to rashes or other issues with the child, even if it unintentional, which then leads to medical bills … and the same thing with women. If you use pads for too long, that leads to [urinary-tract infections] and other feminine issues,” she said. “Our internal data very much supports all of those statistics.”
She said the pantry gives away about 2,500 individual menstrual pads each month, not to mention the other products available through the program.
called on some of them during a jam in the parking lot at S.E. Gross Middle School after hours, breaking up the performance.
“It was one or two officers,” Dominguez said. “They said it was a noise complaint. They were fine with us playing, but they told us to stop. We didn’t really care, but now every time that we play there, more people complain.”
The most recent time they tried to play at Gross, officers didn’t just ask them to move on but took their information, Grif fin said.
“The Brookfield police have probably been the biggest supporters,” Loiacono said. “They really hate having to kick us out. They watch us [play].”
Aimee Silvestri, Loiacono’s mother, posted about the band being kicked out — hence the band’s name — in the Brookfield Connections group on Facebook, garnering hundreds of interactions. Since then, Silvestri has created a Change.org petition that’s garnered nearly 1,100 signatures asking officials at Gross and BrookfieldLaGrange Park School District 95 to let the band play on their property, as only a cou-
ple of them have enough space to practice and play at home.
“The first time, the police told them, ‘I don’t care if you play, but you need to get permission from the school,’” she told the Landmark. “I made the petition to show the school, and then the school told us, ‘You have to ask the village,’ so now I emailed the village.”
In an emailed statement, D95 Superintendent Ryan Evans expressed support for the group’s interest in music but said “unscheduled use of District property for amplified performances is not permitted.”
“S.E. Gross is located in a mixed residential and business area, and the district has a responsibility to ensure that use of its proper ty does not disrupt neighborin g homes, businesses, or scheduled school and rental activities,” Evans said in the statement. “While we are aware of the petition, District decisions must be guided by established procedures, safety considerations, and the impact on our immediate community.”
T he support from the signatures, the
majority of which are local, is still reassuring, the boys said.
“It’s such a good feeling. It supports all of us in what we want to do with music. It’s so nice knowing when we play, we’re not pissing a bunch of people of f,” Loiacono said. “It’s the greatest thing ever.”
“It didn’t even re gister in my head that, not only do this amount of people re gister that we exist but care about this, at all,” Rodis added. “I remember you guys randomly came up to me saying we had this petition. I look at it, and it’s already at a few hundred signatures. I was like, ‘What?!’”
While Diaz and Rodis are set to graduate this year and head to the University of Iowa and the Colle ge of DuPage, respectively, all five members of Kickout ag reed they want to keep making music together as long as possibl e.
“This whole summer, all I’m going to do is play with these guys. Every time I’m back on break, I bet you it’s gonna be my favorite part,” Diaz said.
Pantry volunteers posed for a photo at the end of the open house
“Pretty much every person who experiences menstruation is going to use those products,” she said.
In an email to the Landmark, she said the pantry gave away 25,476 individual menstrual products and 9,516 diapers since the
program started through the end of March
End it out
Finally, volunteer Joe Tamburello, who manages the pantry’s volunteer staf f,
walked attendees through its storage room in the back, where shelves upon shelves of food from the GCFD and direct donations sit and wait for their tur n at distribution.
“We basically go through everything. We check the dates, make sure everything’s
safe to repurpose and send back out,” he
“This right now is organized chaos; I like to say that, but if you caught us two or three months ago, it would have been over the top. All those crates would have been full of stuf f,” he added, pointing to the tops of shelves and other empty spaces.
As the volunteer coordinator, Tamburello said he keeps records of service hours volunteers who need them and tracks who volunteers are and how recently they ed a shift in a database, from which the data helps the pantry apply for grants. He said there are more than 500 names on the list now, though that includes anyone from weekly volunteers to people who wed up just once.
He said interacting directly with neighbors in need, some of whom then tur n around and volunteer their own time at pantry, is the most gratifying part of work
“Two months into us volunteering, my wife and I, it was a Tuesday night, and we re about ready to wrap up. Another family comes through; it was an older gentleman and his wife. The two of them were making their last rounds, about ready to leave the pantry, and I look over at the gentleman, and he’s teary-eyed and emotional,” Tamburello said. “He goes, ‘This is the first time I’m going home to a full fridge in six months.’ That kind of stuf f keeps me coming back. It really does.”
STELLA BROWN
OBITUARIES
Ted Lams, 82
School pr incipal
Ernest Theodore “Ted” Lams II, 82, died on April 13, 2026. Born to Rev. Edgar and Dorcas Lams (nee Gade), of Christ Lutheran Church, Oak Park, Ted was a gifted and talented musician who served as church organist. He taught school for 50 years, 40 of those serving as school principal, teacher, bus driver, and coach. He mentored many of his peers and students. He believed God’s greatest gift to him was his f amily. He will be missed by all.
Ted was the husband of Nancy Lams (nee Mueller); the father of Todd (Carolyn) Lams, Natalie (George) Lazarz, and Erich (Jenny) Lams; the grandfather of Erica (Eric) Davis, Julia (Alex) Herman-
sen, Steven (Brittany) Lams, Ashley (Jacob) Lutsch, Morgan, Jacob, Amanda, and Matthew Lams, and Valerie Kleier; greatgrandfather of Wyatt Davis, T heo Hermansen, and Tate Davis; brother of John (Lenore) Lams, Fred (Becky) Lams, and Julie (Peter) Preus; uncle of many nieces and nephews; and cousin of many.
Lying in State took place on April 20 and April 21 until the 11 a.m. service at St. Paul Lutheran Church, corner of Park and Grant, Brookfield. Interment at Woodlawn Cemetery in Forest Park
Memorials appreciated to St. Paul Lutheran Church & School, 9035 Grant Ave., Brookfield, IL 60513.
Ar rangements were handled by Hitzeman Funeral Home Ltd., 9445 31st Street, Brookfield, IL 60513.
Kay Sherman, 96
Loved reading and quilting
Ruth Katherine “Kay” Sherman (nee Horne) 96, of Cortland, New York, died peacefully on April 18, 2026, at the Groton
Community Health Care Center, Groton, NY, with her daughter by her side Kay was born in Brookfield on Jan. 10, 1930, daughter of the late George and Ruth Proctor Horne. She went through the Riverside school system, starting in Hollywood and graduated valedictoria n from Riverside-Brookfield High School. After spending a year at the University of Colorado at Boulder, she returned to work for the Sherman-Klove tool company in Oak Park before marrying Dave Sher man in 1950. She found joy in many hobbies. She was a spirited line dancer during her years in F lorida. As an avid lifetime reader, she recalled her favorite moments as a chil d involved climbing a crabapple tree with a book and a pillow to spend her afternoons. She also valued thrift shoppin g with her daughter Sue in F lorida and Chicagoland. Her creative spirit was also evident in her passion for quilting Kay is survived by her son, Dwight Sher man, and his wife, Janet; her daughter, Sue Sher man-Broyles and her husband Steve; and her daughter-in-law Sue
Sherman; her grandchildren, Ashley Piper and her husband Josh, Ryan Sherman and his wife Tia, Spencer Sherman, Kevin Sherman and his wife Carly, Sydney Neal and her husband Step hen, Christopher Broyles and his wife Lauren, Kelly Lyson and her husband Peter, and Cortland Broyles; her 15 great-grandchildren; and her brother-in-law, Philip Franks. Kay was preceded in death by her husband, David Sherman, in 1996; her son, William Sherman in 2019; her brother, Denny Horne; and her sister, F ritzi Franks
Private graveside services will be held at the Bronswood Cemetery in Hinsdale.
To run an obituary
Please contact Ken Trainor by e-mail: ktrainor@newswellchicago.org, before Monday at noon. Please include a photo if possible.
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Sports
Bulldogs, Lions continue strong starts in baseball
RBHS (10-5) and LTHS (12-2) scheduled to play Wednesday at Ehlert Park
By BILL STONE
Contributing Reporter
Riverside Brookfield High School senior center fielder Marco Villardito is turning more at bats into significantly more production this baseball season.
“Last year I was a little down on how I played. I expected a lot more, but it fueled me to have a better year this year,” Villardito said. “Last year I felt like I was under a lot of stress because of limited at bats You do n’ t get in a groove as playing every day and seeing a bunch of pitchers, staying loose.”
Villardito is among many contributors to another strong start by the Bulldogs (10-5, 6-2 in Upstate Eight Conference East Division), including an eight-game winning streak after two shutout losses. In twogame series against UEC East opponents, RBHS has swept West Chicago and Elmwood Park then was swept by Ridgewood as part of a 1-3 stretch entering this week.
“We had a little bit of a rocky start, but after that we got into a groove and we got going,” said RBHS junior right fielder/first baseman Nick Baca, a varsity newcomer.
“I think we’ve been doing a lot better as a team, developing team chemistry. I’ve had a lot of fun playing with my teammates and just being with my friends every day.”
Villardito (.457 batting average, 1.118 OPS, 9 runs batted in, 15 runs) and Baca (.424, 2 home runs, 13 RBIs, 1.483 OPS) are top hitters along with seniors Ben Biskupic (.350), Connor Dominick (.289, 10 RBIs), Eli Costello (.294, 14 RBIs, team-high 17 runs) and Damian Noa (.250, 5 RBIs) and sophomore Jack MacLennan (.400, 14 RBIs, 1.187 OPS).
Leading the pitchers are seniors Ronnie
Murray (3-2, 1.66 earned-run average, strikeouts in 22.1 innings), Noa (2-0, 1.34 ERA, 20 strikeouts in 15.2 innings) and Aidan Polich (1-2, 9 strikeouts in 10.2 innings) and sophomore William Harbeck (2-0, 14 strikeouts in 12 innings).
Villardito smiled when told he already has almost as many hits (16) as plate pearances in 2025 (17). He often pla third base or shortstop, depending on who pitched.
“It’s been really exciting. I’ve been putting in a lot of work in the offseason, wanting this to be a very good year for me and the team,” he said. “I’ve been getting on a lot, lots of balls in play, and just keeping rallies going and finding barrels.”
The Bulldogs’ winning streak included an 11-0, five-inning victory over Montini, April 11. Last year, RBHS had a similar early-season win over St. Rita.
“[Montini is] obviously a very good team and people probably saw us as underdogs. That was pretty much the peak of our season so far,” Baca said.
LTHS baseball
Lyons Township senior Lou Ratcliffe is known for bringing an infectious, positive attitude. After five hits in his first seven games, he has turned his mindset into a hitting tear. He was 2 for 5 with three runs batted in Monday as the Lions roared past Glenbard West 14-2.
Ratcliffe now is hitting .419 for LTHS (122, 3-1 in West Suburban Conference Silver Division) with a team-high 12 RBIs, 13 runs scored, and he leads re gulars with eight extra-base hits (2 home runs, 6 doubles) and a 1.343 OPS.
“That’s the thing I kind of try to strive for is extra-base hits. Throughout my baseball
Riverside-Brook eld’s Marco Villardito (10) makes contact against Argo dur ing a nonconference game, March 23, in Summit.
career I’ve always been more of an extrabase hitter,” he said. “I had a little rough patch in the middle of the season and I kind of came back from that, which was awesome. Definitely the bats as a whole have been doing pretty well.”
The Lions have won three straight since a tough 3-2 loss to Montini Catholic, April 14. In their opening Silver series, they beat Oak Park and River Forest 9-2, April 9, and 5-2, April 7, after losing their April 6 opener 5-3.
T he Lions’ other top hitters include Brady Koren (.414, 6 RBIs, 13 r uns), Blake Ragsdale (.364, 12 r uns), Lon Roberts (.351, 8 RBIs), Nick Hines (.344, 8 RBIs) and Tommy Georgelos (.310, 15 RBIs, 2 HRs).
Georgelos homered and Justin Heydorn doubled twice Monday
Senior pro pitching prospect Jack Slightom is 3-0 with a 0.00 earned-run average
and 28 strikeouts in 14.1 innings. Freshman Tommy Cavaliere (2-0, 1.14 ERA, 18 strikeouts) and Charlie Danaher (1-0, 1.58 ERA, 16 strikeouts) have worked 12.1 and 17.2 innings. Hines (1-1, 11 strikeouts in 7.1 innings), Evan Gardner (1-0, 0.00 ERA) and Owen Cypress (1-1, 2.52) also have made multiple appearances
“Pitching was a question mark coming in but they’ve done really well,” LTHS coach Kevin Diete said. “We’ re playing really well and able to score r uns and just have to keep it going. Obviously our playof f r un will the difficult with the sectional we’re in.”
Led by Ragsdale (10) and Hines (8), the Lions also have 63 stolen bases and can play small ball. Georgelos’ suicide squee ze bunt scored Hines for the winning r un in the 4-3 eight-inning victory over Hanover Central, April 15.
STEVE JOHNSTON
Melendez, RBHS softball nd winning formula
Bulldogs o to 13-2 start; Lions make the most of pitching depth
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Riverside Brookfield High School sophomore Mia Melendez had a varsity softball season to remember in 2025.
“A little bit [surprising] because I was a little nervous going into the first game,” Melendez said. “After the first game, my first home run, I kind of carried the momentum into other games and I had confidence. I’ve just been building of f of it and still am.”
The returning first-team All-Upstate Eight Conference East Division player and the Bulldogs (13-2, 4-1 in UEC East) continue to progress. The Bulldogs are in the thick of the conference race and had won eight straight before losing 5-4 at Sandburg, Monday. Last season, the Bulldogs won their first re gional title since 2022 and finished 24-10 behind a 16-4 finish.
“I feel like we’re all coming together and have a great bond and that really helps us on the field,” she said. “Especially considering last year I walked into this year with the same confidence the same mentality. Right now it’s paying of f and working for me.”
Melendez has a .463 batting average with eight home runs, five doubles, 17 runs batted in and a 1.785 OPS. Last season, she was the lone first-team All-UEC East freshman after hitting .458 with team highs of eight homers, 60 RBIs and a 1.443 OPS.
In UEC play, RBHS beat Fenton 12-0, April 9, Glenbard East 5-0, April 13, Elmwood Park 8-2, April 14, and Glenbard South 9-1, Thursday, after losing their opener with West Chicago 7-4, April 7. Glenbard East beat West Chicago 12-10 Thursday.
“We played well both of the Glenbard games. It was really cold [against West Chicago] and we weren’ t playing our best and bounced back so that was nice,” RBHS coach Emma Jarrell said.
“We were super-young last year and we’re still young, but they’ve rolled all of the success into this year. They’re more
confident, loud, having fun. That’s been ally good to see.”
In her fourth varsity season, senior Trinity Stevenson (.440, 17 RBIs, 1.212 OPS), another all-UEC returnee, is enjoying another prolific offensive season after hitting .455 with 32 RBIs in 2025.
Other offensive standouts include sophomores Kate Hamilton (.389, 10 RBIs) and Brailyn Naylor (.368), junior Alexis Busse (.357, 8 RBIs), seniors Reese Milchhoefer and Abby Weinert and junior Sophia Runquist (7 RBIs each) and freshman Ella zewski (.364).
Sophomore pitcher Amelia Pytel is 7-2 with two saves, a 1.71 earned-run average and 79 strikeouts in 57.1 innings. Milchhoefer is 4-0 with a 1.42 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 24.2 innings.
“We’ve started with the same amount of energy and drive that we had at the end of last season,” Stevenson said. “I feel li I’ve gained so much confidence [hitting]. I fixed my swing in the offseason to get it more powerful. More power is coming out of my swing than just contact. I feel happy about it.”
Riverside-Brook eld’s Mia Melendez (13) connects for a hit against Lyons Tow nship during a nonconference game, March 21, in Brook eld.
Against Glenbard South, Melendez collected two home runs and six RBIs.
“She smoked the ball,” Jarrell said. “One of them was clear into the baseball field so it definitely it was like 250 [feet]. It was crazy.”
LTHS softball
Seven years ago, Lyons Township freshman Sofia Kettaneh enrolled in coaching lessons at the Willowbrook Sports Performance Center.
“[My father] signed me up, not knowing he was a pitching coach,” said Kettaneh, who has been pitching ever since and is already a key varsity contributor for the Lions (6-6, 1-2 in West Suburban Conference Silver Division) as part of a five-pitcher staf f.
“At first I was kind of nervous [on varsity] but now I’m kind of getting used to it and excited to see how the season goes,” Kettaneh said. “I’ve been pleased with
working with all of the upper classmates, working with all of my teammates.”
The Lions began last week with success against two rivals, beating Hinsdale Central 6-4 April 13 and Nazareth 8-5 Thursday They lost to Oak Park and River Forest 6-5 Friday and York 9-4 Monday.
Top hitters have been junior Mary Sandman (.441, 10 RBIs) and seniors Maddy Pieroni (.375, 7 RBIs), Ava Jacklin (.282, 2 HRs, 9 RBIs) and Lyla Replin (.280, 6 RBIs).
Starting ssophomore catcher Alice Bruckner was lost to a broken ankle during practice March 23.
Kettaneh (17 strikeouts in 25.1 innings) and senior Lucy Lee (13 strikeouts in 20.1 innings) lead the pitching staf f along with juniors Caylee Wagner (11.2 innings), Alyssa Mosqueda from Brookfield (12 innings) and Mia Olszowka.
Lee was promoted to varsity a couple of weeks into freshman year because of her
accuracy. Improved velocity and confidence have increased over the years.
“I’ve been to like 10 different coaches so I have to thank all of them for that,” Lee said. “But especially being on varsity freshman year, I got the experience and I know Sofia’s going to get the same experience. She’s in my shoes (as a freshman).”
The Lions nearly rallied against OPRF with a three-run seventh. The game ended with the tying run on third. After leading Hinsdale Central 4-0, the Lions broke a 4-4 tie in the fifth inning with RBI singles by Danica Bezanis and Replin.
“With them being our rivals, for sure [a great win]. T he girls were excited about [beating Nazareth], too,” LTHS coach Kelsey Warren said. “The pitching has been good. I feel like from last year’s bats, it’s becoming more contagious. T hey often g et hits after rather than just one hit an inning.”
STEVE JOHNSTON
RBHS boys water polo turning experience into victories
Bulldogs on pace for higher win total; Lions learning from tough schedule
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Junior Emerson Lacey and his many returning Riverside Brookfield High School boys water polo teammates remember the joy of winning last season’s sectional opener over Solorio.
“That game was like peak performance from everyone and it felt good to get a win in sectionals because we hadn’t won much,” Lacey said.
“That just proved that we were growing so much and were a much better team. It just boosted our spirits a bit, proved that we were good.”
After the Bulldogs (4-8) beat Warren 1311 April 14, they not only had won three straight but already equaled their win total for 2025.
They’ve won four of six after an 0-6 start. The other victories are 11-2 over Rolling Meadows March 21, 17-7 over Hinsdale South April 8 and 10-3 over Maine East April 10.
“Definitely this year is our best year. It’s our biggest team so far,” senior Henry Manning said. “We all know each other. That’s a big step into how well we perform in the water. I definitely could see from the beginning we had room to improve and we’ve grown into it well.”
That’s saying a lot, considering RBHS graduated leading scorer Avi Ponnappan and goalie Martynas Bieliasukas, who set documented program records for saves in a season and one match.
Lacey (9 goals, 2 assists) leads the Bulldogs’ scoring. Other offensive leaders are junior Marcello George and sophomore Ryan Meshke (6 goals each) and Manning, juniors AJ Douglas and Victor DiForti (3 goals each). George and DiForti have three assists.
“They’ve grown so much in game awareness, which is really lovely to see because it’s harder to teach the game sense. And playing tougher competition definitely helps,” RBHS assistant coach Tatum Bruno said.
“I’ve been really pleased with the amount of people willing to step up and shoot, make those assists, extra passes so other people can score. I’s nice to see multiple guys step up and become those role players
Riverside-Brook eld’s Martynas Bieliauskas (1) gets up to block a shot by Morton during a West Suburban Conference game, April 9 2025, in Riverside.
they needed to be.”
The Warren victory is perhaps the sweetest, considering RBHS trailed 6-1 early.
“We were driving, scoring on drives, putting away all our shots,” sophomore goalie Enzo George said. “That was a really good team win. I felt like it really showed how we’ve really improved lately.”
Bruno said several players have progressed further from playing offseason water polo. Enzo George (28 saves) did so, along with help from RBHS girls coach and for mer colle ge goalie Amy Frey in making the transition from being last year’s junior varsity goalie.
“(Enzo has) done a really good job stepping up to fill a really big role,” Bruno said. “He’s really put in a good amount of work He’s already trying to get better.”
LTHS boys water polo
Senior Ben Kozak and Lyons Township boys water polo teammates always come to matches well prepared.
“One of the things we’re most proud of is how conditioned we are,” said Kozak, a team captain with seniors Wesley Musgrove and Tommy Stamer.
“No matter how hard of a team we’re playing we tire them out. We make sure they have to work no matter what.”
Playing a tough schedule as usual, the Lions (10-6) are ranked No. 6 by Illpolo.com with five victories over top-15 opponents. All losses are to higherrated teams – three to No. 1 Stevenson (21-2 record) and once to No. 2 York (10-2 April 11), No. 5 Whitney Young (9-8 in OT March 28) after winning their first meeting 11-4 March 14 and No. 4 New Trier by just one goal (7-6 March 27).
“(New Trier) ended up beating Stevenson (12-11 March 28),” Kozak said. “I think a big thing is just matchups. There’s really no team we can’t compete against and that (result) was so important to show that.”
As returning starters or lineup re gulars from last year’s 16-12 team,
the captains and juniors Joaquin Fabrara of Brookfield, Collin McNeil and Vedran Petrovic are joined by senior Brice Hurley, junior Leo Obley, sophomore Tucker Offerbacher and freshmen Leo Frank and Tim Kozak, Ben’s brother.
Musg rove has a team-high 50 goals with 16 assists. Other offensive standouts include Ben Kozak (17 goals, team-high 38 assists), Stamer (15 goals, 8 assists), Fabrara (17 goals, 3 assists), Obloy (19 goals, 2 assists) and Tim Kozak (20 goals, 7 assists), McNeil and Offerbacher (8 goals each) and Frank (9 assists). Goalie Petkovic has 122 saves and 11 assists.
“We’ve had a lot of great experience so far. We’re trying to focus on saying active (offensively) and continuing to move, playing four quarters,” LTHS coach Doug Eichstaedt said.
“I think one of our strengths is we are a well- balanced team but we need to playing like that more often. Defensively we’ve been pretty solid.”
Defensive standouts include Ben Kozak (team-high 41 steals), who usually guards the opponents’ top player, McNeil and Hurley.
“If we can keep teams around 10 goals, we should have a pretty good chance of being in the game at the end. It’s just a matter of whether our offense is clicking,” Eichstaedt said.
STEVE JOHNSTON Lyons Township’s Joaquin Fabrara (9) works for position against Oak Park and River Forest’s Mateo Mendoza (4) during a West Suburban Conference match, April 30, 2025 in Western Springs
STEVE JOHNSTON
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
HSBC Bank USA, National Association as Trustee for Renaissance Home Equity Loan Asset-Backed Certificates, Series 2007-3 Plaintiff vs. Unknown Heirs and Legatees of Dorothy M. McGlory a/k/a Dorothy M. Mcglory a/k/a Dorothy McGlory; Carmen. L. Graves; Daphne Graves; Brandon Heard; Shawn Heard a/k/a Robert Shawnell Heard; Reginald E. McGlory, Individually and as Executor of the Estate of Dorothy M. McGlory a/k/a Dorothy M. Mcglory a/k/a Dorothy McGlory; Estate of Dorothy M. McGlory a/k/a Dorothy M. Mcglory a/k/a Dorothy McGlory; Unknown Owners and Non Record Claimants Defendant 24 CH 1157 CALENDAR 58
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on May 27, 2026, at the hour 11:00 a.m., Intercounty’s office, 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, IL 60602, sell, in person, to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-08-315-029-0000. Commonly known as 114 Washington Boulevard, Oak Park, IL 60302. The real estate is: single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection(g-1) of Section 189.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: At sale, the bidder must have 10% (or 25% if so ordered in the Judgment of Foreclosure) down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. The property is sold AS IS subject to all liens or encumbrances. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the circuit court case record, property tax record and the title record to verify all information before bidding. IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER THE ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(c) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.
For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, The Wirbicki Law Group LLC, 33 West Monroe Street, Suite 1540, Chicago, Illinois 60603. (312) 360-9455. W23-0512 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES
CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3285454
NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS
Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for:
2026 Village Hall Permeable Paver Parking Lot
The project scope is reconstruction of portions of the existing parking lot with permeable subbase granular material, permeable pavers, Portland Cement concrete pavement, curb and gutter removal and replacement, driveway apron removal and replacement, pipe underdrains, sidewalk removal and replacement, and all associated site restoration.
The bidding documents are available for download starting April 17, 2026, at:
www.vrf.us/bids
Bids must be submitted by May 13, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at:
Public Works Department, 2nd Floor
Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305
The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work.
No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening.
The Village of River Forest reserves the right, in receiving these bids, to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids.
Published in Wednesday Journal April 22, 2026
NOVENAS
PRAYER TO ST. JUDE May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, loved & preserved throughout the world now & forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, pray for us. St. Jude worker of miracles, pray for us. St. Jude helper of the hopeless, pray for us. Say this prayer 9 times a day for 9 days. By the 8th day your prayer will be answered. It has never been known to fail. Publication must be promised. Thank you Jesus. Thank You St. Jude. GLK
The Villages of Elmwood Park and River Forest
Public Information Meeting Notice North Avenue Streetscape Project
NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS
Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for:
Franklin Avenue from Madison Street to Washington Boulevard 2026 Proposed Watermain Plans
The project scope is the full replacement of watermain and upsizing to 8” PVC, replacing water services to the bee box or replacing lead service lines to the meter inside of the house, minor storm sewer work, and pavement patching.
The bidding documents are available for download starting Wednesday, April 22, 2026, at: www.vrf.us/bids
Bids must be submitted by Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 10:00 am at:
Public Works Department, 2nd Floor, Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305
The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work
No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening.
The Village of River Forest reserves the right in receiving these bids to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids.
Published in Wednesday Journal April 22, 2026
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M26001576 on April 17, 2026 Under the Assumed Business Name of ATWOOD STUDIOS with the business located at: 9214 BROADWAY AVE, BROOKFIELD, IL 60513. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: JUSTIN LYSONS ATWOOD 9214 BROADWAY AVE BROKFIELD, IL 60513, USA.
Published in RB Landmark April 22, 29, May 6, 2026
Riverside Township Budget and Appropriation Ordinance and Public Hearing
The Villages of Elmwood Park and River Forest will hold a Public Information Meeting concerning the proposed streetscape improvements of North Avenue from Thatcher Avenue to Harlem Avenue.
The Public Information Meeting will be held at Kyte Hall at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, 1530 Jackson Ave, River Forest, IL 60305 on May 13th, 2026, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. All interested persons are invited to attend. Persons with disabilities planning to attend should contact the person listed below by May 6th.
To allow for all potential federal and state funding sources, the public information meeting is being held in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements and the Illinois Department of Transportation’s public involvement policy.
All persons interested in the project are invited to attend the meeting to express their views and comments on the project. The meeting will also serve to involve and obtain the views of the public for purposes of Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. Information will be available on known historic resources that may be affected by the proposed project and the historic resources protection process. IDOT requests comments from the public on effects to historic resources to assist in consultation with the Illinois State Historic Preservation Officer.
The meeting will be conducted on an informal basis. Representatives of the Village of Elmwood Park and the Village of River Forest will be available from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Representatives will answer individual questions and record comments offered by those in attendance. Verbatim comments will not be recorded. Information will be provided about the proposed improvements and anticipated schedule. Preliminary reports, engineering drawings, maps, and aerial photography, will be available for review and inspection at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church.
For more information, contact Matt Huffman, Project Manager, mhuffman@cbbel.com , (847) 823-0500.
Published in Wednesday Journal April 22, May 6, 2026
Notice is hereby given to the legal voters of Riverside Township that the Township Board has drafted a Tentative Budget and Appropriation Ordinance for the 2026 - 2027 fiscal year. Copies of said Budget and Ordinance are available for inspection during regular business hours, Monday through Thursday, 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Friday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, in the Township Office at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL 60546. A Public Hearing on the Budget and Ordinance will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at 6:45 pm in Room 4 of the Riverside Town Hall, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, IL.
Jay Reyes Clerk, Riverside Township April 14, 2026
Published in RB Landmark April 22, 2026
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, May 14th for Project: 26-3, 2026 Sidewalk Improvements Program. Bids will be received and accepted, and bid results posted via the online electronic bid service listed below. In general, this contract includes removal and replacement of public sidewalk, parkway and carrage walks, combination curb and gutter, driveways, and PCC basecourse; pavement adjacent to curbs, adjustment of drainage structures, buffalo boxes and all appurtenant work thereto. Sidewalk sequencing during the work and adherence to the completion date is of emphasis for this project as outlined in the plans and proposal forms. Plans and proposal forms may be obtained via the electronic service starting on Thursday, April 23rd, at 10:00 a.m. Plans and proposal forms can be found at https://www.oak-park. us/your-government/budgetpurchasing/requests-proposals or at www.questcdn.com
under login using QuestCDN number 10171332 for a nonrefundable charge of $64.00. 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.
This project is financed with local Village funds and federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds and thus is subject to all federal rules, regulations and guidelines, including Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, Section 3, and Equal Opportunity requirements. Locally funded phases of the project are subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq. Please note, this Contract will be subject to the requirments set forth in IDOT Circular Letter 2023-30 “BUILD AMERICA / BUY AMERICAN ACT (BABA) – FINAL RULE.” This law requires certain materials to be manufactured and produced in America.
THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Bill McKenna Village Engineer
Published in Wednesday Journal, April 22, 2026
Submit events and see full calendar at rblandmark.com/events
AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. 2026 QUARTER 1
April 22, 2026
THE AUSTIN COMMUNITY PUBLISHED ITS FIRST QUALITY-OF-LIFE PLAN CALLED AUSTIN FORWARD. TOGETHER. (AFT) IN 2018. THIS QUARTERLY PUBLICATION DESCRIBES HOW AUSTIN COMING TOGETHER (ACT) IS SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY TO IMPLEMENT AFT AND OTHER EFFORTS.
CENTRAL AVENUE ACTIVATED
The Central Avenue plan has brought major momentum to Austin
Since 2010, Austin Coming Together (ACT) has facilitated collaboration to improve education and economic development outcomes in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood.
Today, we serve a network of 50+ organizations committed to improving the quality of life in the Austin community. Our strategic plan is called Thrive 2025 and outlines how we will mobilize our resources to achieve four impact goals by the year 2025: Quality Early Learning, Safe Neighborhoods, Living Wage Careers, and Stable Housing Markets.
ACT BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
Officers
CHAIR
Larry Williams
Broker, State Farm Insurance
VICE CHAIRMAN
Bradly Johnson
CEO, BUILD Inc.
SECRETARY
Jerrod Williams
Law Clerk, Illinois Appellate Court
ACT STAFF
Leadership
Darnell Shields
Executive Director
Research & Evaluation
Andrew Born*
Senior Director of Community Impact
Mia Almond Research Associate
TREASURER
LaDarius Curtis
Director of Community Engagement, Greater Chicago Food Depository
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Darnell Shields
Austin Coming Together
Directors
Sharon Morgan
Director of Graduate Support & Community Outreach, Catalyst Schools
Reverend Reginald E. Bachus
Pastor, Friendship Baptist Church
Naysha Alcala
Data & Systems Analyst
Operations
Deirdre Bates Director of Operations
Dearra Williams Executive Liaison
Londen Mance Office Administrator
Alfred Jackson Community Liaison/ receptionist
Marsha Williams Office Clerk
Strategic Initiatives
Sandra Diaz*
Service Delivery Enhancement Manager, Hub @Aspire Center
Emone Moore Engagement Specialist
ACT MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS
A House in Austin
Academy of Scholastic Achievement
Austin Childcare
Providers Network
Austin Community Family
Center
Austin Weekly News
Be Strong Families
Beat the Streets Chicago
Bethel New Life
Beyond Hunger
BUILD Inc.
By The Hand Club For Kids
Cara
Catholic Charities
Chicago Austin Youth Travel Adventures
Chicago Community Loan Fund
City of Refuge
Defy Ventures Illinois
Erikson Institute
Friends of the Children
Friendship Community Development Corp. of
Austin
Greater West Town
Community Development
Project
Housing Forward i.c. stars
IFF
Institute for Nonviolence
Chicago
Jane Addams Resource
Tenisha Jones
Executive Management Professional
Reginald Little
Business Development Specialist, Great Lakes Credit Union
Deborah Williams-Thurmond
Founder & CEO, D.W. Provision Consulting Services
Ruth Kimble
Founder & CEO, Austin Childcare Providers Network
Dollie Sherman Engagement Specialist
Ethan Ramsay* Planning and Investment Manager, Austin Forward Together
Grace Cooper Lead Organizer
Natalie Goodin
Special Projects Manager
Arewa EKUA Community Organizer
Corporation
Kids First Chicago
KRA Westside American
Job Center
Learning Edge Tutoring (fka Cluster Tutoring)
Legal Aid Chicago (fka LAF)
Manufacturing
Renaissance
Mary Shyrese Daycare
Maryville Academy
Mercy Housing Lakefront
New Moms
Max Komnenich
Associate Principal, Lamar Johnson Collaborative In Memoriam
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Jack Macnamara
1937–2020
FOUNDING BOARD CHAIR
Mildred Wiley 1955–2019
La’Shawna Bundy
Community Land Trust Coordinator
Mary White Community Resource Coordinator
Krystal Cano Community Resource Coordinator
Ariel Bland Community Resource Coordinator
OAI, Inc.
Oak Park Regional Housing Center
Open Books
PCC Community Wellness Center
Project Exploration
Renaissance Social Services, Inc.
Sarah’s Inn
South Austin
Neighborhood Association
St. Joseph Services
St. Leonard’s Ministries
Marketing & Development
Robbie Gorman* Director of Development
Jon Widell
Marketing and Development Specialist
Sydni Hatley
Marketing and Development Specialist
Stone Community Development Corporation
The Catalyst Schools
The Journey Forward
The North Avenue
District, Inc.
Towers of Excellence
UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work
VOCEL
Westside Health Authority
West Side Forward
Worldvision
*Also part of the ACT Leadership Team
Youth Guidance
District, Inc.
Towers of Excellence
UIC Jane Addams College of Social Work
VOCEL
Westside Health Authority
West Side Forward
Worldvision
Youth Guidance
Hope is on the Horizon: Central Avenue is at the Center
By Darnell Shields Executive Director, Austin Coming Together
As we move further into 2026, we have been reflecting on both the progress Austin has made and the work still ahead. The Central Avenue Action Plan offers great inspiration for what this corridor could become. It sees Central Avenue as a main corridor connecting transit, schools, parks, business areas, and other important neighborhood spaces. It also outlines the partners and pathways for safer streets, stronger quality of life, and more investment in a communityled development. Below are a few examples of how that vision is already starting to take shape.
CULTURAL ANCHORS AND PHYSICAL SPACES
One of the clearest signs of progress is the growing strength of the corridor’s physical and cultural anchors. Kehrein Center for the Arts continues to be an important gathering place for performances, events, and community connection. Other nearby investments, including the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation, PCC Wellness expansion, Habitat Housing, the Green Line renovation, and Frank Lloyd Wright Walser House.
Recent investments in public art from The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and others are intended to help the corridor feel more welcoming while celebrating local culture. These efforts reflect the plan’s focus on strengthening key assets, highlighting Austin’s culture, and making Central a place where opportunity and identity grow side by side.
PUBLIC SAFETY AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITY
The plan also makes clear that a stronger corridor depends on a safer and more inviting public realm. The Institute for Nonviolence Chicago, part of the SC2 initiative, is a key partner in that work through community violence intervention and efforts to address the root causes of violence in Chicago. Their work helps create the conditions for residents to gather, for community events like farmers markets to grow, and for investment to take hold along the corridor.
SOUL CITY AND CORRIDOR IDENTITY
The Soul City Corridor expansion to a District spanning north to south from Division St. to Madison St. is another strong example of how the broader vision is taking shape. . Led by Austin African
American Business Networking Association, whose Executive Director Malcolm Crawford, was awarded the Mildred Wiley Community Fire Award at the 2025 ACT Membership Awards, has been a crucial partner in developing this. It has been designed to bring hope and investment in local businesses, with the initiative acting as a gateway to Chicago and expanded exposure highlighting black culture, art, food and music. This plan incorporates safety through design, aiming to reduce crime along the corridor around Central Avenue.
POLICY, TRANSIT, AND THE WORK AHEAD
The plan also recognizes that progress will depend on more than physical projects alone. It will take public investment, strong partnerships, and leadership that can help move community priorities forward. With the anticipated changes in political
representation resulting from the recent election for IL State Rep and US Congress, their offices will need to appropriately support districts where development is a major focal point, specifically addressing prosperity on the Westside, looking to align with investments in infrastructure and community safety, there is room for even more progress and growth in the community.
Additionally, a recent bill was passed, signed into law in December 2025, that requires the CTA to rebuild the Blue Line station at Central Avenue, which has been abandoned since 1973, as part of a $1.5 billion transit reform package that will add another viable public transit option in the community. There are already signs of progress along Central Avenue. The work is still unfolding, but these developments reflect several of the priorities laid out in the Central Avenue Action Plan.. n
Developments and major investment projects: A peek into a number of recent major investment projects reigniting the corridor
Organizing a plan for Central Avenue has not only created a renewed energy in the community, it’s influence has attracted real investment to reignite the corridor..
ASPIRE CENTER FOR WORKFORCE INNOVATION ($44 MILLION)
Breaking ground in 2023, and opening its doors to the community in June 2025, this transformative development project, in partnership with Austin Coming Together and Westside Health Authority, has been a major milestone in the transformation of the Central Avenue corridor. This redevelopment of the former Emmet Elementary (a school closed in 2013) sits on the corner on Madison and Central is a workforce development hub for Austin with a manufacturing training center, bank branch, legal services, and community space. The Anchor Tenants in the building are: Austin Coming Together, Westside Health Authority, Jane Addams Resource Corporation, and BMO..
$44 MILLION
PCC WELLNESS EXPANSION ($20 MILLION)
PCC Wellness took what used to be five vacant lots in Austin and turned it into what is now the over 30,000 sq ft PCC Community Wellness Center’s Family Health Center. A state-of-the-art health facility that offers affordable primary care, and expands PCC’s behavioral health and substance use treatment options. The expansion has a particular focus around diabetes and nutrition education, and a growing behavioral team aimed at comprehensive care they can now offer to thousands more community residents. The expansion includes partnerships with Thresholds Health and Windy City Harvest.
$20 MILLION
When we make a commitment to a neighborhood, it’s not just the start. It’s where we are going to go for the distance…we’re going to be here for years and years to come.
JENNIFER PARKS, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HABITAT FOR HUMANITY CHICAGO
HABITAT HOUSING (2.8 MILLION)
GREEN LINE’S AUSTIN STATION RENOVATION ($25 MILLION)
In April of 2025, Habitat for Humanity broke ground on a multi-year project to spur the development of more a ordable housing in Austin. Their e orts will result in seven new homes in Central Austin. Habitat’s work with Austin Coming Together began in 2023 when they began seeking out working with organizations in the community invested in seeking to bring a ordable housing to the neighborhood.
This project, started in 2025, has aimed at improving accessibility at the Green Line’s Austin station. The station which originally opened in 1899, has not been upgraded since 1962. The renovation Includes a new elevator, escalator, and ramp, in addition to a platform extension and reconstruction of the stairs.
$2.8 MILLION $25 MILLION
With the release of the AFT Highlighted Agenda, ACT is going “on the road!” Our team will be on tour and available to co-host discussions about the new phase of Austin’s AFT quality-of-life plan and its vision and strategy, with block clubs, churches, community organizations, coalitions, etc. Other ways we’ll ensure to update the community on the progress of implementing the Highlighted Agenda are through newspaper sections like this, emails, and social media.
Plan Leaders
Community
Narrative
TASK FORCE CHAIRS
Kenneth Varner
Healthy Schools Campaign
Dearra Williams
Austin Coming Together
Reesheda Nicole Berry
The Kindred Civic Arts Forum
STRATEGY LEADS
Cindy Gray Schneider
Spaces-n-Places
Maria Sorrell
Community Resident
Megan Hinchy
Ann & Robert H. Lurie
Children’s Hospital of Chicago
Andraya Yousfi
By the Hand Club for Kids
Jai Jones United Way and Community Resident
Adrienne Otkins Community Resident
Michael Romain The Culture
Keli Stewart Front Porch Arts Center
Imani Lewis Civic Researcher
Kenn Cook Westside Historical Collective
Economic Development
TASK FORCE CHAIR
Roxanne Charles West Side Forward
STRATEGY LEADS
Emily Peters Jane Addams Resource Corporation
Tina Augustus Community Resident
Melissa O’Dell Defy Ventures
Fanya Buford-Berry Community Resident
Baxter Swilley Community Stakeholder
Ed Coleman Austin Chamber of Commerce
Nikea Banks
Community Resident
Education
TASK FORCE CHAIR
Charles Anderson
Michele Clark High School
STRATEGY LEADS
Pam Price Director of Parent University
Ruth Kimble
Austin Childcare Providers Network
Cata Truss Community Resident
Housing
TASK FORCE CHAIRS
Athena Williams Oak Park Regional Housing Center
Allison McGowan Community Resident
STRATEGY LEADS
Shirley Fields Community Resident
Rosie Dawson Westside Health Authority
Public Safety
TASK FORCE CHAIRS
Langston Harris Project Exploration
Deondre Rutues
Rutues Center for Business & People Development
STRATEGY LEADS
Edwina Hamilton BUILD Inc.
Jose Abonce The Policing Project
Ruby Taylor Taproots, Inc.
Youth Empowerment
TASK FORCE CHAIR
Kenya Hawkins Community Stakeholder
STRATEGY LEADS
Aisha Oliver Root2Fruit
Helen Slade Territory NFP
Dollie Sherman Austin Coming Together
Chris Thomas YourPassion1st
Civic Engagement
TASK FORCE CHAIR
Deborah Williams-Thurmond
D.W. Provision Consulting Services
New Aspirations on the Corridor
By Jonathan Widell Marketing & Development Specialist, Austin Coming Together
Since the release of Austin’s Central Avenue Action Plan in late 2024, there has been meaningful progress along the corridor. The plan laid out a vision for Central as the spine of the community, connecting business districts, transit, schools, parks and major neighborhood assets.
At Madison and Central, the Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation has become one of the early anchors of that vision, bringing new activity and attention to a key corner. The center’s grand opening on Juneteenth (6/19) was one of the clearest examples. The day included a ribbon cutting, tours, food trucks, wellness activities and a community celebration that drew hundreds of residents, families and partners to the Aspire Center.
In the months that followed, the corner continued to see activity through events tied to Aspire’s partners, including grand opening and community focused events. Together,
those events brought a steadier flow of people to Madison and Central and offered an early sense of how Aspire can contribute to the corridor beyond the services provided inside.
At the same time, ACT and its partners have been working to better understand what that activity may mean over time. Through corporate and philanthropic partnerships, Aspire is part of a broader effort to study how projects like this interact with nearby economic activity. Using privacy-protected spending data, the partnership is helping surface more timely and nuanced information about how activity shifts around major investments.
The plan provides a framework for guiding investment, partnership and long-term growth. As development continues to take shape, ACT remains focused on stewarding both the plan and the momentum already beginning to build around it. Looking ahead, the work is to keep building from what is here: supporting new businesses, strengthening partnerships and helping new relationships take root along the corridor.
By leveraging the Central Avenue Action plan and the opening of the Aspire Center, we have an opportunity to champion our local economy by inspiring more people to shop local and continue supporting the amazing small businesses around Madison and Central.
ETHAN RAMSAY, CENTRAL AVENUE
ACTION PLAN LEAD
Aspire Center for Workforce Innovation Grand Opening
