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Vol. 39, No. 18

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May 1, 2024

Former Nazareth QB McCarthy gets NFL call PAGE 12

Also serving North Riverside

@RBLandmark

New finance director for Riverside PAGE 3

Riverside welcomes new finance director

Groovin’

Brookfield’s Chamber of Commerce struts its stuff STORY BY TRENT BROWN, PAGE 7

Yvette Zavala, who took over as interim finance director in February, was promoted this month

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

TRENT BROWN

Trustee Nicole Gilhooley (middle, in red) held her Dancing with the Chamber trophy after being called the victor while other contestants, backup dancers and the emcees clapped for her.

Riverside has filled its open position for a new finance director after a five-month vacancy.

Yvette Zavala took on the role earlier this month after serving as the village’s interim finance director since February.

“I’ve been in finance for a very long time.

I’ve basically done it all,” Zavala said in a phone interview Friday. “I’ve been in banking. I’ve been in tax. I’ve been in governmental, then I went back to private sector, See DIRECTOR on page 3

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The Landmark, May 1, 2024

The Landmark, May 1, 2024

DIRECTOR Promotion

IN THIS ISSUE

from page 1 and now I’m back to governmental.”

Zavala’s experience in finance and accounting includes about two years of municipal work at Cicero and as well as stints at the Consolidated Emergency Response Center of Cook County, a joint police dispatch center serving Cicero and Stickney, and the IRS. After joining the village in August 2023 as an accounting manager, Zavala said she took on some of the finance director’s responsibilities in December after former Finance Director Karin Johns left the position.

“It was very unexpected that the previous finance director left,” Zavala said. “I volunteered, not to be interim at that point. We weren’t at that decision yet. I just volunteered to take on more responsibility, just to help. I don’t like to see anyone struggle, not that they were, but I just know my capabilities, and I was like, ‘Hey, I can really, really be of some help.’”

Zavala was formally promoted to interim finance director two months later. Despite holding that position, Zavala said she had to apply online to be Riverside’s new finance director “just like everybody else” when the job was posted to its website in March.

“We did solicit for applications and resumes, and we did receive 30,” Village Manager Jessica Frances said in a phone interview Thursday. “Upon review of those, Yvette stood out amongst all the other candidates based on her qualifications, certifications and experience.”

Those qualifications include holding a master’s degree in business administration and being a certified public accountant in the Illinois CPA Society; Frances said Zavala, has been certified as an accountant for about 15 years. Frances said Zavala is also bilingual, “which is huge, given the changing demographic in Riverside.”

Despite the number of applications that Riverside received, Frances said the village’s decision to hire internally was intentional.

“In evaluating the timeliness of getting someone into that position — because we are in our audit process as well — and efficiency, I felt it served the village best to basically promote from within,” she said. “Our recruitment process can sometimes be very long and protracted, but we also feel very strongly about [promoting from] within if we have candidates that can do the work and also assume those roles.”

In her new role, Zavala makes $134,000 per year. Frances said the salary range for Riverside’s finance director is $133,697.72$183,837.17.

Finding the fun in finance When Zavala spoke with the Landmark about her new role, it was clear from the tone of her voice that she was enthusiastic.

“For me, I’m a big math person, numbers person, so the numbers and the financial statements are like a big puzzle to me.

The puzzle fits, it’s all put together when the math adds up,” she said. “Plus, I like using that information to help others make informed decisions. So, helping out other departments, like ‘Hey, what’s this budget look like? What’s the forecast,’ you know? Using that information to help everybody around me make informed decisions about their department … I just

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Editor Erika Hobbs Staff Reporters Trent Brown, Amaris Rodriguez Digital Manager Stacy Coleman Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza Sales and Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Ben Stumpe Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner EMAIL jill@oakpark.com PROVIDED BY YVETTE ZAVALA

Yvette Zavala was promoted to be Riverside’s finance director in April. like it.”

Before coming to work for Riverside, Zavala left her role at Cicero to rejoin the private sector to see what options were available to her, but she eventually decided it wasn’t the right fit.

“I missed governmental accounting, like being in the public service sector, so I knew I wanted to get back into it. I looked at Riverside before, but they were never hiring, and I just looked, you know, just out of the blue, and they were hiring, and I was like, ‘Oh my God, I need to apply right now!’” she said. “That was the only job I applied for, and I was like, I really want to come back to governmental.”

Frances said Riverside is well off with Zavala handling its finances.

“She’s very meticulous,” Frances said. “Finding someone with her experience and knowledge is very difficult to find, so we’re really fortunate.”

Now that she’s with the village, Zavala said she hopes to work positively with residents and help lead Riverside to new heights.

“I’m very like a people-person, very customer service-oriented, and I just want to take the resident experience to a new level when they come in and interact with us. I just want everyone to leave having a positive experience and wanting to come back and talk to us and work with us, or knowing, like, if they have a problem, they could call us, and we’re there to help,” she said. “I also like looking for new revenue sources, either it be brands or some kind of outside funding we could get. I would really like to explore that avenue as well and take the village in a new direction.”

Publisher Dan Haley Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 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 erika@growingcommunitymedia.org 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.

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The Landmark, May 1, 2024

First Saturday Storytime Saturday, May 4, 10 a.m. , Riverside Public Library Is your week busy and you can’t make it to storytime during the week? Have no fear- head to the Riverside Library on the first Saturday of the month for an all-ages storytime. Let your child immerse themselves in childfriendly stories with other kids in the community.

2400 S. Desplaines Ave.

Beginners Chinese Calligraphy for Teens Wednesday, May 8, 4 p.m., Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library Dive into a new culture practice at the library. This is your chance to learn basic calligraphy strokes and test your knowledge by writing a few Chinese characters.

How cool is that? Not many can admit that they know Chinese Calligraphy! Register for classes and events online at www.lsfbrookfieldlibrary.org, by phone at 708-485-6917 or in person at the library. Walk-ins welcome, where applicable. 3541 Park Ave.

COMPOST… Nature’s Climate Champion!

Tuesday, May 7, 7 p.m., Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library Compost is nature’s way of recycling; it’s quite a sustainable solution. You can celebrate International Composting Awareness Week with the Brookfield Conservation Commission at the Library. Discuss the benefits of composting with local experts and cover various composting methods, from DIY to hired services.

Do the planet a favor… after all, it was just Earth Day… 3541 Park Ave

Monday Mystery Games Mondays, 5 p.m., Galloping Ghost Arcade Ease your Monday blahs with a new game at Brookfield’s popular arcade. New drops each week. 9415 Ogden Ave.

BIG WEEK May 1-8

Makerspace DIY Kits The Spot, Riverside Public Library, Appointments available May 1 - 31 Creating with technology can be intimidating. That’s why the Riverside Library created The Spot DIY Kits.

For just the cost of materials, kits come with everything you need, along with easy-to-follow step-bystep instructions. The May project is wooden flowers you can make using the library’s Glowforge. Each kit holds enough to make two flowers at a cost of $2 per kit, with a limit of two kits per person. Make an appointment either by calling 708-442-6366 or by submitting an appointment request form at // riversidelibrary.org/spot. 2400 S. Desplaines Ave.

Dressing the Stars with Film Historian Annette Bochenek

The Buzz on Cicadas Monday, May 6, 7 p.m., Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library What’s all the buzz about? Learn everything there is to know about cicadas, including their impact on the ecosystem, then dive into their astonishing world that bustles right beneath our feet. This presentation will be led by Brookfield resident, conservation commissioner and Forest Preserve Steward Wyatt Widmer. 3541 Park Ave.

Brookfield Women’s Club Monthly Meeting Wednesday, May 8, 7 to 8 p.m., Zubar Are you looking to meet like-minded women who make a positive impact on local organizations and communities? With philanthropy, social gatherings and community leadership as their foundation, Brookfield Women’s Club strives to be an integral support for local nonprofit organizations and surrounding communities. Curious to know more? Join the next meeting. You don’t need to be an active member to check out a meeting. For more information: www.brookfieldwomensclub. com/member. 8436 Brookfield Ave., Brookfield

Cinco De Mayo Sunday, May 5, 12 - 2 p.m.

North Riverside Mall is hosting a fun, culturally rich Cinco De Mayo celebration featuring: mariachi singer Luis Alfredo, folkloric dancers from La Academia, a Mexican dance academy and a juegetas workshop with artists Miriam Salgado and Alejandro Camacho for kids under 14. For more information: https:// northriversideparkmall.com/cinco-demayo-5. 7501 W. Cermak Rd.

Wednesday, May 8, 7 p.m. , Riverside Public Library Film stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age channeled glamor and influenced fashion, thanks to the talented costume designers working in the studio system.

ANNETTE BOCHENEK Join Film Historian Annette Bochenek as she presents about classic Hollywood’s top costume designers, iconic costumes and the legacy of these designs today. The program will include a multimedia presentation consisting of photos, video clips and captivating stories. Registration is required at www.riversidelibrary.org or by calling 708-442-6366. 2400 S. Desplaines Ave.

Cinco de Mayo & Chef Pepe’s Birthday Sunday, May 5, La Barra Riverside Celebrate Mexico’s beloved holiday and say feliz cumpleaños to Chef Pepe in this special evening featuring authentic Mexican taquiza (a kind of buffet), music and Modelo (or your choice of bebida).

For reservations:www.labarrariverside.com/ or 708887-7700. 2 E. Burlington St. at Longcommon Road

Compiled by Grace Harty

The Landmark, May 1, 2024

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Riverside approves refurbishing aging firetruck The village will save more than $700,000 by not buying new

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Riverside is getting a nearly new firetruck — at a fraction of the cost of a factory-fresh one.

At its April 18 meeting, the Riverside village board approved the refurbishment of one of the village’s firetrucks, a move that will allow the village to use the truck for another decade while saving at least $700,000 compared to buying a new truck.

At the meeting, Director of Public Safety Matt Buckley said the truck is what’s known to firefighters as a “quint,” meaning it has five key capabilities to put out fires.

“It’s got the main ladder. It’s got pumping capability and a water tank with over 500-gallon tank capacity. It’s got [a] firefighting hose, and it’s got ground ladders,” he said. “It has all the essential things we utilize for firefighting, but the biggest part and the most important part is that 100-foot ladder that’s on top of that vehicle.”

The truck, which was manufactured in 2001, is due to be refurbished or retired because of its age. Buckley said most firetrucks last 2-30 years; however, the truck’s refurbishment had originally been planned for next year, he said.

“A few months ago, I was in front of the board talking about this very item. My hope was that I was going to have a year to plan this and put this on our 2025 [capital improvement plan],” Buckley said at the meeting. “Unfortunately, this vehicle was involved in an accident at our Station #2 and as a result had to be brought to the manufacturer.”

The office of the manufacturer, Seagrave, is located in Clintonville, Wisconsin, more than 200 miles north of Riverside. Because the firetruck is already there, Buckley said the manufacturers were able to inspect the vehicle and identify it as “an excellent candidate for a refurbishment.”

The refurbishment will run the village about $383,000, although trustees approved

allocating $400,000 for contingencies.

In comparison, Buckley said that the purchase of a new firetruck from Seagrave, which is included in the village’s planned budget for 2027, would cost about $1.75 million today. A new firetruck from another manufacturer would run between $1.1 million and $2 million, he said.

While Riverside did not explicitly budget for the truck’s refurbishment in 2024, Buckley said Finance Director Yvette Zavala had confirmed the village would be able to afford it.

“I think it’s very prudent of us to look at this refurbishment where we’re going to get about another 10-15 years of service life out of this vehicle,” he said.

During refurbishment, the manufacturers will “go through the entire vehicle and, basically — I don’t want to say make it new, but they make it almost new again,” Buckley said. “The only thing that’s probably going to stay on there that isn’t going to get touched are the tires.”

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According to a village memo, the firetruck’s refurbishment was brought before the village board for trustees to discuss whether the village should pursue it, with the option of taking action at the board’s discretion. Only one board member spoke up before the board unanimously approved a resolution to have the truck refurbished this year.

“This is a no-brainer,” Trustee Jill Mateo said.

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can be daunting. The search for a storefront was as much about finding the right amount of space to house the library of huge books as creating a comfortable place to casually browse through those books. The 8 corners district is perfect. Parking is easy, there’s great food and plenty of walkable activities. We have felt so welcome and embraced by the town and the other small businesses.

▪ May 8th we are hosting an open any style. Our knowledgable staff assists you every step of the way from finding your style, determining how to measure for success and deciding if you want to DIY or find an installer.

house 10-7. The chamber ribbon cutting will take place at 4:30pm.

There will be bites, drinks and specials. We want to welcome the community into the library. Come by and see Chicagoland’s largest selection of wallpaper books and samples.

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The Landmark, May 1, 2024

RBHS teachers’ contracts could be extended one year Negotiations are underway about the contract that ends in 2025

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Union officials and administrators at Riverside Brookfield High School are negotiating over whether to extend the teachers’ contract that is set to expire in about a year.

Superintendent Kevin Skinkis and Asst. Supt, Kristin Smetana have held about five meetings with Riverside Brookfield Education Association presidents Dan Bonarigo and Jessica Mauritzen since March after the school board and the RBEA entered into a memorandum of understanding about the talks. Skinkis disclosed the talks at the April 23 school board meeting when he said both sides are trying to determine whether a contract extension can be focused strictly on economic items. Skinkis said that an extension would change only the economic terms of the contract and pay. It would not deal with contract language.

The current, three-year contract expires at the end of the 2024-25 school year. In an email, Skinkis said that it was his idea to explore negotiating a contract extension more than a year before the current contract expires.

“I presented the idea of discussing a contract extension to both the Board and the RBEA,” Skinkis said in an

FILE

email. “Both sides had an interest.”

The memorandum of understanding approved by the school board on March 12 states that the contract extension negotiations will terminate May 8 unless the parties agree otherwise. More negotiating sessions are scheduled.

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“We are scheduled to conduct a few more meetings in the upcoming weeks to see if we can land on some ground for an extension,” Skinkis told the Landmark.

Neither Bonarigo or Mauritzen replied to requests for comment by deadline.

Among the reasons Skinkis presented the idea of discussing a contract extension early is that RB is completing its first year under a new organizational model that features division heads instead of instructional coaches.

“The new Divisional model, Peer Evaluation, and additional collaboration opportunities through committees have been positive for all sides,” Skinkis said in the email.

School board members have not been involved in the negotiations.

“The superintendent has briefed me, as well as the full Board,” said RB school board president Deanna Zalas in a text message. “We have not been in direct contact with the RBEA.” Under the current contract, teachers with master’s degrees will receive raises of $3,300 to $4,500 next year assuming that inflation is less than 4.5%. Teachers with a bachelor’s degree are scheduled to receive $2,800 raises next year.

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The Landmark, May 1, 2024

Can you guess who won Brookfield’s Dancing with the Chamber?

10 chamber members competed, but only 1 could win...

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Trustee Nicole Gilhooley, who represented Brookfield and its board of trustees, was called as the victor of the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce’s second annual Dancing with the Chamber competition April 27. She beat out nine other business owners and chamber members with her American tango performance to “Cell Block Tango” from the musical “Chicago.”

A crowd of more than 400 people filled nearly every seat in Riverside-Brookfield High School’s auditorium over the weekend to cheer on the competitors.

Aside from Gilhooley, who is the village board’s liaison to the chamber, those competing included Marco Granja of State Farm Insurance; Alberto Jaquez, an RB dean of students; Mary Misch of Tischler Finer Foods; Wendy Moore of Daisy’s Treats & Bakery; Dan Parcel of More Than Hair, Ltd.; Phil Richard of First National Bank of Brookfield; Rev. Karl Sokol of Compassion United Methodist Church; Christopher Valadez of Cycle Brookfield; and Aracely “Maria” Verduzco of Loca Mocha Café.

Their performances were choreographed once again

by Brookfield resident Teresa Swanson, who owns Sway Dance Chicago, while three of Sway’s professional dancers — Alejandro Cruz, Sophia Papadopoulos and Aynsley Parker — filled in as each competitor’s dancing partner.

The show’s three emcees were Anne Clark, Brian Sharenow and Amy Weinert, the Chamber of Commerce’s administrator, president and treasurer, respectively. Swanson judged the competitors alongside Chuck Hitzeman, the owner of Hitzeman Funeral Home, and Héctor Freytas, RB’s principal, who both competed in Dancing with the Chamber’s first go.

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Ready for round two While the first Dancing with the Chamber took place in October 2022, Swanson said the Chamber of Commerce did not opt to skip the event last year.

“We decided just to try a different time of year,” she said in a phone interview Thursday. “I think we just kinda wanted to try to see if it was a little easier to schedule for business owners, or, you know, just to try the spring as the event time to see if that made a difference to the participants and for ticket purchasers, too.”

Aside from the time of year the event was held, Swanson said she and the other organizers didn’t change much about this year’s Dancing with the Chamber after the success of the first one. The only other big change was to the judging panel, with FreyTRENT BROWN tas and Hitzeman replacing Parks & Recreation Commissioner Mary Vys- Trustee Nicole Gilhooley (left) wowed the judges with her American tango kocil and former Riverside-Brookfield performance of “Cell Block Tango” Landmark Editor Bob Uphues. he could compete again.

“The other two judges are were acGilhooley said she enjoyed training for Dancing with the tually participants last year, so they have kind of some Chamber despite her lack of dancing experience, especialexperience with how it works and the work that goes ly the dress rehearsal one week out from the event. into it,” Swanson said.

“To be on the stage and see the lights and experience Of the contestants who agreed to this year’s competition, what it’s like to be backstage, we got to do that during our Swanson said “there’s kind of a specific personality type.”

“Even though they’re all very different, they’re all very rehearsal last Sunday, so that was really good practice,” willing, and they’re all very energetic, and they’re all she said. “I feel like I’ve had enough lessons for the show, great,” she said. “This is always really easy and fun for me and it’s been time well spent for sure.”

With only a day to go before her performance — and because I enjoy it so much, and they’re all so into it. Their with most of the other contestants’ performances under energy is amazing.”

Despite the contestants’ enthusiasm, Swanson said they wraps — Gilhooley said she was looking forward to see it each only got about six hours of training across three all come together.

“One of the coolest things was to be back in the dressmonths of weekly, half-hour lessons. ing room with the other female dancers and just to see “It’s not a lot of time at all, so we do a lot of work,” she said. “‘Dancing with the Stars,’ when you watch those people’s costumers and just talk about it together, because shows, they have intensive training for, you know, a long we have been trying to keep it somewhat separate,” Giltime every day, so they get a lot more time with those danc- hooley said about the dress rehearsal. “The other part is, ers than I get. But for only having that amount of time, I just love how people are saying, ‘Oh, I can’t wait to come see the dance’ … I just love the whole of it, right? It’s not they do an incredible job.” just the dance itself, it’s how it’s all bringing us together, which I think is really exciting.”

Get the winner’s perspective She added that she hopes the event spotlights the busiIn a phone interview with the Landmark Friday — just nesses that were represented by dancers.

Gilhooley added that she doesn’t see a reason for Dancone day before she took the stage to win Dancing with the Chamber — Gilhooley said her immediate reaction to being ing with the Chamber to not get a third installment.

“Every single person I have talked to that participated asked to compete was nervousness, but she agreed anyway. in the first one and that went to watch it only has amaz“I love our Chamber of Commerce. I think they do an ing things to say about it: how fun it was, how entertainexceptional job connecting with the community, and I ing. And it’s not even just about who won or who didn’t think one thing that drives them is just wanting to know win, it was just, what a fun time it was and how great the their community,” she said. “That helped my nerves a bit, emcees were, and all of that,” she said. “You’re not just to know that people I would be dancing with and around going there to cheer on strangers. You’re going to there to would be people that I know.” cheer on business owners that you know and community She said another factor that got her to agree to compete members, because many of our business owners also live was hearing from Hitzeman about how much he enjoyed here … I don’t see why it shouldn’t continue.” competing the first time around, so much that he wished

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The Landmark, May 1, 2024

Brookfield celebrates Arbor Day with Gross School tree planting 6th graders learned about the history of Arbor Day and helped village foresters with the planting

Municipalities across the country celebrated Arbor Day Friday, and Brookfield was no exception.

This year, the village recognized the holiday dedicated to planting trees by hosting a public tree planting of its own Friday morning at S. E. Gross Middle School.

At the event, Village Forester Victor Janusz taught about 30 students from Katelyn Ralphson’s sixth grade ELA class about the history of Arbor Day, which originated in

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter 1872 in the United States.

Janusz called on students to explain why they think trees are important and awarded a hat or bracelet to students who came up with original answers. Some of the reasons they gave included that trees filter carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen, provide habitats for animals and make people feel happier. Janusz also taught the class about how to plant and care for a tree.

Five of the students TRENT BROWN each read a treeGross School students raised their hands to share reasons themed poem they had why trees are important.Village Forester Victor Janusz written in front of the (right) handed out bracelets and a hat to the students who rest of the class. Then, the whole class got could name a unique reason.

TRENT BROWN

Students waited in line and took turns shoveling dirt from the pile onto the tree’s base while Village Forester Victor Janusz (middle) observed. Once each student took a turn, village forestry staff finished shoveling the dirt onto the tree. their hands dirty, taking turns shoveling dirt from a pile onto the base of the new tree. Once they were done, village forestry staff finished the job.

Janusz said the tree is a triumph elm, which can also be called a “Morton Glossy.”

Triumph elms are hybrid cultivars from Morton Arboretum that are bred to be resistant to Dutch elm disease and elm yellows, which can devastate nonresistant elm tree populations.

After helping to plant the tree, students received gift bags that each contained an Arbor Day pencil, a pamphlet and poster about how to care for trees, a pinwheel and a bag of wildflower seeds, alongside a bag of dirt and a small planter for the seeds. The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago also provided 20 oak tree saplings that residents attending the tree planting could take home to plant themselves.

Extra gift bags were given to students

in other classes while leftover saplings were raffled to students who weren’t present at the tree planting.

The observance of an annual Arbor Day tree planting is one of the requirements for Brookfield to maintain its status as a Tree City USA community, a designation granted to municipalities by the national nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation. The other requirements to become or stay a Tree City USA community include maintaining a tree board, having a tree care ordinance, dedicating at least $2 per capita to an annual forestry budget and proclaiming the last Friday in April as Arbor Day each year.

Village President Michael Garvey read Brookfield’s proclamation for this year at the village board’s April 22 meeting.

With all of the requirements in place, Brookfield was named a Tree City USA community for 2024, marking the 43rd consecutive year it has kept the status.

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The Landmark, May 1, 2024

P O L I C E

9

R E P O R T S

Woman with drugs arrested after police find her sleeping in stolen car A woman was arrested April 19 in Riverside after a police officer on patrol found her asleep in an idling car that had been stolen.

At about 4:15 a.m., the officer saw the car parked next to the Riverside train station; upon running the car’s license plates, the officer found them to be stolen plates from Oak Lawn. The officer saw the driver asleep in the car, but she “startled awake” after the officer knocked on the passenger door, according to police. When the officer opened the unlocked door, the woman said she had been taking a nap before turning the car off and placing her purse in her lap.

When the officer asked if the car was hers, the woman said it was, but she was unable to provide any identification.

When the officer asked for her name, the woman said, “No,” and began mumbling before exiting the vehicle and fleeing on foot northwest toward the commuter parking lot, which is enclosed by fences. Police said the woman tried to scale the fence but could not get over it; the officer drew their taser and pointed it at the woman, who then got down from the fence. The woman was then arrested.

Before taking her back to the station, the officer checked the car’s vehicle identification number and ran it, which revealed it had been stolen from Westchester.

After the woman was booked and placed in a cell for questioning, the officer returned to canvas the area. According to police, the officer found the keys

to the stolen vehicle, the woman’s purse and a butane lighter. Inside the purse, the officer found two glass pipes, one of which police said was “used to smoke methamphetamine” and another that police said was “used to smoke crack cocaine.” The officer also found two plastic bags with white powder residue, a plastic vape and $15 in cash.

A supplemental police report said officers who inventoried the stolen car discovered several drivers’ licenses, stolen license plates, burglary tools, stolen clothing, electronics, a glass pipe and more inside.

The woman was charged with possessing a stolen motor vehicle, resisting arrest, possessing drug paraphernalia and driving on a revoked license.

Driving under the influence without tail lights A man was arrested April 25 in Berwyn after a Riverside officer saw him driving without operational tail lights.

Officers followed him and pulled him over near Maple Avenue. While talking with the driver, the officer smelled alcohol on his breath and saw he had bloodshot, glassy eyes, police said. The man provided proof of insurance but did not provide a driver’s license. The man also told the officer he had drunk two beers that night. When the officer ran the name on the man’s insurance, it revealed the man had a revoked license.

The man agreed to take a field sobriety testing, police said. During the horizontal gaze test, the officer asked the man to follow their finger with only his eyes, but the man moved his head too. According to police, the man “was very adamant that he was moving his eyes, which he was not.”

After the officer gave instructions on the walk-and-turn test, the man said he could not perform it due to having been “shot in the back.” When the officer moved onto the one-leg stand test, the man said the same thing before saying he

could take the walk-and-turn test. When the officer mentioned the man’s inconsistent responses, he started doing jumping jacks to show the officer he could take the walk-and-turn test, police said.

When the officer resumed explaining the test, the man started on his own and did it improperly. When the officer further explained the test, the man was leaning on his car; when the officer asked the man to step away from the car and continued explaining, the man said he could not take the test due to having been shot.

The man declined a portable breath test, and the officer placed him under arrest.

The man was charged with aggravated driving under the influence, which is a felony, and driving under the influence.

He was also charged with driving with a revoked license and without tail lights.

A May 2 court date was set.

These items were obtained from the Riverside Police Department reports dated April 19-25 and the Brookfield Police Department reports dated April 22-29; they represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report 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 Trent Brown

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10

Opinion

The Landmark, May 1, 2024

OBITUARIES

THE LANDMARK VIEW

O

Things we like

n this first day of May, here are four things underway in Riverside and Brookfield which make us feel enthusiastic about our neighborhoods.

Nothing but fun

The Brookfield Chamber came back strong with its second Dancing with the Chamber event, April 27. Perhaps the ultimate in a small-town, feel-good event, this dance competition packed the house in the auditorium at RB High School as 10 locals took the stage.

While all in on positivity, this was also a legitimate competition, with professional choreographers and costumers working with contestants over weeks to put on a good show.

In the end, there can be just one winner and it was Nicole Gilhooley, the Brookfield village trustee and board liaison to the Chamber. She performed a tango to a piece from the fabulous musical Chicago.

Our Trent Brown was interviewing Gilhooley the day before the competition and asked her about Dancing with the Chamber. She enthused about why she loves the local group for its work connecting the village. And she said that strong sense of connection eased her nerves about performing.

Good for all 10 dancers. They represented a range of local businesses, including a bank, a church, retailers and restaurants, as well as Gilhooley from village government and Alberto Jaquez, a dean at RB. Can’t wait for next year.

A valued life Betty LeClere died on April 21. She was 79. Since 1998 she owned Betty’s Flowers & Gifts on Broadway. It was a successful and beloved business because Betty was the ultimate con-

nector. Very active in the Brookfield Chamber, past president of the Brookfield-Riverside Rotary, she knew people and drew them close — in the flower business often in moments of joy and of grief.

She lived in Brookfield, worked in Brookfield and raised her family here. That connection was recognized last year when the village honored her with a proclamation and designated the 9100 block of Broadway as Honorary Betty LeClere Avenue.

A well-lived life.

Promote from within Riverside’s village government conducted the search and then Village Manager Jessica Frances made the call to promote from within and named Yvette Zavala as the village’s permanent finance director.

Seems to be a strong choice, given Zavala’s wide career in finance, her enthusiasm for how well-managed finances translate to public service, and her determination to be a problem-solving resource for her village hall colleagues.

That Zavala comes to the permanent post with almost a year of experience in Riverside is always a plus as audits and budgets are a learned experience.

Rebuilding a firetruck Our head regularly snaps as we watch communities we cover budget more than $1 million and up toward $2 million to buy a firetruck. And then wait more than a year to get delivery.

Riverside’s decision to spend not quite $400,000 to refurbish, and not replace, its “quint” seems prudent and efficient. The truck is almost 25 years old but will return to Brookfield in almost new condition. That’s a win.

Betty LeClere, 79 Owner of Betty’s Flowers and Gifts Betty M. LeClere (nee Heavrin), 79, of Brookfield, died on April 21, 2024. Born on April 19, 1945, she was the owner and operator of Betty’s Flowers and Gifts for over 25 years.

Betty was the wife of the late Paul D. LeClere; the mother of David P. (Dawn) LeClere Sr. and April (Michael) Tralewski; Grammy of Kaylee LeClere, Emily Tralewski, Davey LeClere Jr., and Michael Tralewski Jr.; sister of Shirley LeClere, Robert (Sandy) Heavrin, Darlene (Larry) Petkus, the late Lester (late Lenora) Heavrin, and the late Carol (late John) Kuta.

Visitation was held on April 25 at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield. Funeral service took place on Friday, 10 a.m. at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, followed by interment at St. John Lutheran Cemetery in Hodgkins. Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with the family at www.johnsowww.johnsonnosek.com.

Annette Penrod, 82 Office administrator Annette Marie Penrod (nee Novotny), 82 of Brookfield, died on April 24, 2024. Born on Dec. 5, 1941, she worked as an office administrator for a warehousing company.

Annette was the mother of John (Amy) Penrod, Steve (Shelly) Penrod, Darrel Penrod, Jim (Lisa) Penrod and Mike (Lisa) Penrod; the grandmother of Steven (Amanda) Penrod, Jason Penrod, Dustin (Haley) Penrod, Justin Pen-

rod, Darrel (Kadie) Penrod, Miranda Baugh, Nicole (Nick) Kollintzas, Christy Penrod, Matt Penrod, Ryan (Liz) Penrod, Jake Penrod, and Ally Penrod; and the great-grandmother of Marcus Zalapa, Mariah Zalapa, Nick Penrod, Noah Penrod, Jaxon Penrod and James Kollintzas.

Visitation was held on April 28 at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield. The funeral Mass was celebrated at 10:30 a.m., April 29, at St. Barbara Church in Brookfield, followed by interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.

Memorials to the Hinsdale Humane Society, 21 Salt Creek Lane, Hinsdale, IL 60521 would be appreciated.

Kenneth Skisak, 69 Warehouse manager Kenneth Skisak, 69, of Brookfield, formerly of LaGrange Park, died on April 24, 2024.

He was full of life and a bright light in any room. He loved his children and grandchildren more than anything else. He worked hard his whole life as a warehouse manager, then as a delivery driver in later years. He took time to laugh and enjoy the simple things in life like catching up on old reruns and watching a thunderstorm from the garage. His relationship with God was an inspiration and helped others strengthen their faith. Bringing peace on earth was his lifelong goal.

Ken was the father of Lindsay (Justin) Pezen, Haley (Matthew) Jurjovec, and Dan Skisak; the grandfather of Theodore Pezen, Sonja Pezen and Wesley Jurjovec; the brother of Larry (Linda) Skisak, Chris Skisak and Barbara (Gary) Jacklin; and the uncle of many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Frank Skisak and Rose Marie Skisak (nee Spale).

A memorial gathering will be held on Thursday, May 2, 2024 from 9:30 a.m. until

The Landmark, May 1, 2024

OBITUARIES the time of service, 11:30 a.m., at Hitzeman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 9445 31st St., Brookfield, IL 60513. Interment is private.

In lieu of flowers, his family asks that you take time out of your day to step back and breathe in the fresh air, help a neighbor, and see the good in all that’s around us.

If you wish to send a Sympathy Card to the family, please feel free to send it to Hitzeman Funeral Home, c/o the Kenneth Skisak family. We will gladly forward it on.

Arvydas Algminas, 90 Art instructor Arvydas Algminas, 90, of Brookfield, formerly of Riverside, died on April 23, 2024 in Brookfield. Born on Sept. 9, 1933 in Klaipeda, Lithuania, he was a U.S. Army Veteran and an art instructor at the American Academy of Art. Arvydus was the husband of Diana (nee Radys), the brother of Leo (Dalia) Algminas; the uncle of Audra (Brian) Ebling, and Kristina (Joe) McGann; and the greatuncle of Everett Ebling, August Ebling and Dalia McGann.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 1 from 9 a.m. until the funeral service, 10 a.m. at Kuratko-Nosek Funeral Home, 2447 S. Desplaines Ave., North Riverside, followed at 12 p.m. by interment at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood.

Family and friends are asked to meet directly at the cemetery Public Information Center by 11:45 a.m.

Thinking about a career in local government?

Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with the family at www.

KuratkoNosek.com.

Nancy Melanson, 78 Special education teacher, hospice volunteer Nancy Ann Melanson (nee Reinhard), 78, of Riverside, died on April 20, 2024 at her home.

Married on June 22, 1968, she was a special education teacher at Brook Park School for many years, a Eucharistic minister to the sick and a hospice volunteer with St. Thomas.

Nancy was the wife of the late Richard J.; the mother of Kristin (Jim) Burns and the late Brendan; the grandmother of Liam, Unna and Cecilee Burns; the sister of Eileen and Liz; and the sister-in-law of Barbara and Edward Melanson and Paula Shea.

A memorial gathering will be held on Saturday, May 11 at St. Mary Church, 126 Herrick Road, Riverside at 10 a.m., followed by Mass at 11 a.m.

The family respectfully requests no flowers. Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude’s Research Hospital or Advent Health-Foundation for St. Thomas Hospice.

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12

Sports

The Landmark, May 1, 2024

Former Nazareth QB McCarthy gets NFL call from Vikings Michigan’s NCAA championship quarterback taken 10th overall

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Nazareth Academy’s offensive coordinator Casey Moran knew of quarterback JJ McCarthy as an eighth-grader and then taught him in freshman math class. Moran quickly saw McCarthy’s attributes were adding up to a memorable football future.

“He’s always been mature beyond his years, but seeing him grow and mature in the spotlight and keep his humility is really special,” Moran said.

On Thursday night, he was among the 80plus Nazareth students, administration, faculty, parents, alumni and friends at the McCook Athletic and Recreation Center (MAX) who watched and celebrated as the former Nazareth standout was selected 10th overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the National Football League draft.

McCarthy was a member of Nazareth’s Class 7A state championship team in 2018 and 7A state runner-up in 2019. With COVID-19 restrictions affecting the Illinois high school football season, McCarthy played for IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida as a senior.

On Jan. 8, McCarthy was the quarterback for the University of Michigan’s NCAA championship team — as a junior.

“It’s exciting to see all of the people who are out here to support him,” Moran said. “He’s a great young man and great football player.

ERIC BRONSON / UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY

JJ McCarthy during the Wolverines’ CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game game against the University of Alabama Crimson Tide at Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA on January 1, 2024.

I think he’s going to do great things. You have to have that talent, but on top of that his work ethic, his intelligence is second to none. His willingness to study and continue to improve is the thing that takes him over the top.”

Nazareth head coach Tim Racki was on hand for the Wolverines’ 34-13 national championship victory over Washington and for McCarthy’s draft watch party in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

After the news of the Vikings trading up, Racki said there was anticipation of McCar-

thy being drafted.

Then the phone rang.

“It was above and beyond what I expected.

It was incredible. It was definitely a memory I won’t soon forget,” Racki said.

“I’d been hoping all along he’d go to the Vikings. I found out that was the preference, too. I was in good company. I’m a big fan of their coach [Kevin O’Connell]. He’s got a great offensive mind. Their receiving corps is good. They have a great defense.”

The draft party was at the home of a

family friend. The numerous well-wishers were distributed among three areas of the spacious house.

Racki was among those nearby when McCarthy received the call. Almost immediately after, McCarthy went downstairs to celebrate with Michigan teammates.

“That speaks volumes about the type of teammate he is,” Racki said.

“I had a lot of great alone time with him. We talked about memories and talked about the future. It was an incredible moment being able to catch up with him and his family in an intimate setting.”

Nazareth organized a similar watch party when 2016 graduate Julian Love of the Seattle Seahawks was drafted by the New York Giants. Racki attended Love’s draft watch party in Chicago.

McCarthy grew up minutes from Nazareth in La Grange Park and attended Park Junior High School.

“This is unbelievable and to go in the top 10, like a dream come true for JJ, his family and for Nazareth. Just amazing,” Nazareth President Deborah Tracy said.

“He’s just a great hometown hero. Everyone who knows him is behind him because he and his family are just amazing.

We know he’s a great quarterback, but we would not be this excited if he wasn’t just an outstanding young man. That’s what represents our school the best.”

Bulldogs’ Murphy makes pitch for a great finish RB baseball gets help from a snowboarder

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Riverside Brookfield High School pitcher Wyatt Murphy has no aspirations of playing college or professional baseball — which has helped him approach his senior season with excitement and freedom, like

snowboarding, one of his favorite pastimes.

“I’m enjoying [baseball] more, definitely,” Murphy said. “I’m getting the bittersweet feeling of it going away, but just kind of playing more loose because it’s my last year.”

Following his last outing Thursday at Ehlert Park, Murphy didn’t even realize he

delivered four no-hit innings in the Bulldogs’ 12-1 five-inning Metro Suburban Conference victory over Elmwood Park.

RBHS (11-9, 4-0 in MSC) has won four straight and six of its last seven, heading into a busy week, including Friday’s 2 p.m. game against Libertyville at America Family Field, the home sta-

dium of the Milwaukee Brewers. Admission is free.

Cooper Marrs was 4 for 4 Thursday with a home run, triple and four runs batted in.

Sean Campbell was 3 for 3 with two RBIs, and Tohma Tucker had an RBI double.

Murphy had five strikeouts. One unearned run came in the third after one walk,

S P O R T S

The Landmark, May 1, 2024

13

Krueger finds new spot as Bulldogs’starting goalie

By BILL STONE Riverside Brookfield High School senior Annabel Krueger already has proven her athletic talents in girls volleyball and gymnastics. For her final year, Krueger started considering a spring sport.

Senior girls soccer standout Hazel Hall had the answer.

“We didn’t have a goalie. We needed one. I love Anna, too, so I wanted to have a friend on the team,” Hall said.

“I obviously had known she played many sports before, so I knew she was athletic. And she’s very smart so she’s a quick learner.”

During morning announcements about girls soccer at the start of the school year, Hall asked Krueger about becoming the new varsity goalie. The 5-foot-9 Krueger agreed and has put in the work to make herself a good one.

The Bulldogs (10-4-1, 3-1 in Metro Suburban Conference) have eight shutouts, including one streak of three in a row.

They’re 5-0-1 over their last six games with three shutouts.

“The defense is amazing. I get credit for all of the shutouts but it’s really them.

They don’t let the other teams get a lot of shots on me,” Krueger said.

“It’s like a sisterhood. Everyone’s really accepting. Everyone’s really nice to me. They always tell me I’m doing a good job or pick me up. They tell me to shake it off. They’re really supportive so that’s been a big help.”

On Thursday, the Bulldogs moved into

a first-place tie in the MSC with a 4-2 victory at Elmwood Park that avenged their 2-1 overtime loss on April 4.

Hall scored twice and junior Ella Caputo and senior Niamh Larson also scored with two assists by Larson and one from senior Maddie Bisiules.

Defensive standouts include senior Cassidy Erb, junior Lucy Drenth, sophomores Abigail Ford and Audrey Raymond and senior defensive midfielder Kate Newberry. “[Krueger is] doing wonderful, adapting really well, kind of progressing game by game. She makes some incredible saves,” RBHS coach Ivek Halic said.

“She’s just an athlete, just that work ethic. She goes with the flow but so determined. It’s something you can’t teach.”

Hall’s second goal in the 70th minute, Thursday, was after a rebound that deflected off her face and rolled into the net. With her mouth bleeding, Hall wanted to go back into the game.

“I have prom tomorrow [was Hall’s reaction],” RBHS assistant coach Kevin Gawne noted.

This past fall, Krueger was a 2023 AllMSC volleyball player. As a gymnast, she was a 2023 individual sectional qualifier as a junior.

She spent the winter offseason preparing for goalie.

“I kind of thought, ‘Yeah, this could be a fun idea,’ but I didn’t know if it’s actually going to happen,” Krueger said. “But then as we trained more and more, it started becoming a reality.”

Halic welcomed Krueger and began

working with her, along with assistant coach Carlos Hernandez. She played goalie twice with the RBFC club team.

She also received goaltending pointers from friend Ben Bieliauskas, a 2022 RBHS graduate.

“It worked out actually perfectly. She’s done amazing,” Hall said. “You wouldn’t even know she started this season from how she’s been playing. It’s insane that she started this season.”

one hit batter, a wild pitch and a run-scoring ground out. Robert Drake threw a 1-2-3 fifth with two called strikeouts to end the game.

“I had a few flukes and walks. Not the best start for me, but it was all right,” Murphy said.

Murphy has a 4-1 record, 1.39 earnedrun average and 45 strikeouts in 35.1 innings with a five-inning no-hitter against Westmont on April 18. He’s most pleased about his one loss — five strikeouts and five hits allowed over four innings with no earned runs in the 12-3 loss to twotime defending Class 3A state champion Nazareth Academy on March 26.

“It’s definitely the best game I’ve had either in a while or ever,” Murphy said.

Pride in his pitching is a trait he’s developed from older brother Owen, who is pitching professionally with the Rome (Georgia) Emperors, the Atlanta Braves’ high Class A affiliate.

“It was insane motivation for me with baseball and just stuff outside of school, just seeing him succeed and the amount of work he put in made me want to put more work in,” Murphy said. “[Owen] kind of motivated me to continue baseball, high-school-wise, but it motivated me to kind of look into my own interests. It made me look into myself more. I know I really don’t want to do baseball as a job. I started learning guitar, looking into engineering, started

building stuff.”

Another of Murphy’s interests is to build spaceships. He plans to study aerospace engineering at Arizona State or Colorado State.

“I’ve always loved snowboarding, so I’ve always wanted to go out west, just be in the mountains,” he said.

Unfortunately for Murphy, a snowboarding injury to his left shoulder affected his pitching last season. While it was his nonthrowing shoulder, the separation and partial tear affected his mechanics.

“I was still probably throwing the same speed but way off to the left, way off to the right,” Murphy said.

“He didn’t really start throwing his

best until his last couple of starts,” RBHS coach Mark Ori said.

“He’s throwing harder. He just looks a lot stronger this year. Since game one, he’s just had a little extra, a little go on his fastball. He looks polished. He could [play in college].”

Marrs (.371, 3 HR, 14 RBIs) and Campbell (.351, 1 HR, 10 RBI) remain among the Bulldogs’ top hitters, with Gino Pigoni (.385, 13 RBI) and Jaden Despe (.306, 12 RBI).

Marrs (3-0, 1.07 ERA, 20 strikeouts in 18.2 innings) also has been pitching strong after battling an offseason wrist injury. Drake is 2-0 with 24 strikeouts in 18.2 innings.

Contributing Reporter

STEVE JOHNSTON

Riverside-Brookfield’s Annabel Krueger (1) watches the action around the goal during a nonconference game against Nazareth Friday, March 15, 2024 in Brookfield.

14 The Landmark, May 1, 2024 Let the sun shine in...

Hours: 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M. MON-FRI • Deadline: Monday at 5 p.m.

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

Your right to know...In print • Online NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNIT YMEDIA.ORG

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICE On Monday, May 06, 2024 at 8:30 a.m., Oak Park Elementary School District 97 will be conducting a “timely and meaningful consultation” meeting to discuss plans for providing special education services to students with disabilities who attend private/parochial schools and who are home-schooled within the district for the 2024-2025 school year. The meeting will be held at our Central Office located at 260 Madison Street.

If you are a parent/guardian of a home-schooled student who has been or may be identified with a disability, and you reside within the boundaries of Oak Park Elementary School District 97, you are urged to attend. If you have further questions about this meeting, please contact District 97’s Department of Student Services at 708-524-3030.

Published in Wednesday Journal April 17, 24, May 1, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on 20 May 2024, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of the Village Hall, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois, the Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing to consider a conditional use permit to allow a drive thru facility for a muffler shop.

LOT 5 AND THE SOUTH 28 FEET OF LOT 4 IN BLOCK 18 OF THE RAILROAD ADDITION TO HARLEM IN THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER ODF SET/ON 12, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. Commonly known as 157 Des Plaines Ave., Forest Park, IL PIN# 15-12-415-015-0000 The applicant is Joe Salem.

Signed: Marsha East, Chair Planning and Zoning Commission Published in Forest Park Review May 1, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE

LEGAL NOTICE

The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 15, 2024 for the following: Village of Oak Park Variable Frequency Drive Installation Project Number: 24-124

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 23, 2024 for Project: 24-12, North Pumping Station Generator Addition. Bids will be received and accepted, and bid results posted via the online electronic bid service listed below. This project consists of the addition of an exterior standby natural gas generator on top of a concrete equipment pad, new natural gas service to the North Pump Station, as well as various site improvements consisting of a new privacy fence, sidewalk, concrete retaining wall, and hardscaping.

Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oakpark.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal May 1, 2024

Plans and proposal forms may be obtained via the electronic service starting on Thursday, May 2, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. Plans and proposal forms can be found at https://www.oak-park.us/yourgovernment/budget-purchasing/ requests-proposals or at www. questcdn.com under login using QuestCDN number 8997091 for a non-refundable 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.

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

THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Bill McKenna Village Engineer Published in Wednesday Journal May 1, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS CALENDAR NUMBER: 08-24-Z HEARING DATE: May 22, 2024 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60304 APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicants, Mirth Hoyt and Andres Padua, seeking a variance requests for an increase in the maximum impervious surface area of the lot to 62%, where the maximum impervious surface area allowed is 60% per Section 4.3 (Table 4-1: Residential Districts Dimensional Standards) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance to permit a two-story addition to the singlefamily residence located at the premises commonly known as 246 Iowa Street, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-05-316-028-0000 (“Subject

Property”), in the R-3-50 SingleFamily Zoning District.

A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a cross-examination form or by emailing Zoning@ oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.

CALENDAR NUMBER: 06-24-Z HEARING DATE: May 22, 2024 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302 APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on a special use permit application filed by the Applicant, Mastec, Mathew Fitzgibbon, on behalf of AT&T Mobility, to install wireless telecommunications antennas pursuant to Section 8.3 (Table 8-1: Use Matrix) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance at the property located at 408 S. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-07-418-0010000 and 16-07-418-005 (“Subject Property”) in the NC Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District.

In addition, the Applicant seeks a variance from Section 8.4 (V) (Wireless Telecommunications Antennas and Towers) (3) (Height) (b) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance (“Zoning Ordinance”), which prohibits antennas from increasing the overall existing height of the structure by more than seven feet above the roof, to authorize the installa-

tion of 12 antennas, four (4) antennas per sector (typical of three (3) sectors) at a height of sixty-five feet (65’) to the top of antennas located on the 56 foot tall roof of 408 S. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Numbers 1607-418-001-0000 and 16-07-418005-0000 (“Subject Property”) in the NC Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District.

A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a crossexamination form or by emailing Zoning@oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.

The public hearing may be adjourned by the ZBA to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Published in Wednesday Journal, May 1, 2024

The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Published in Wednesday Journal, May 1, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS CALENDAR NUMBER: 07-24-Z HEARING DATE: May 22, 2024 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302 APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicant, Catherine Bendowitz, seeking a variance from Section 9.3 (A)(5)(c) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance requiring a four (4) foot setback from the rear lot line to construct a new two-car, 20’ x 20’ garage featuring a rear yard setback of 2.5 feet at the northeast corner of the structure.

The variance would permit the demolition of the existing one-car garage featuring a 1.57-foot rear yard setback at the northeast corner of the structure and replaced with a standard two-car garage at the premises commonly known as 1018 N. Harvey Avenue,

Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-05-115-004-0000.

A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a crossexamination form or by emailing Zoning@oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.

The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Published in Wednesday Journal, May 1, 2024

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The Landmark, May 1, 2024 15

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

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Let the sun shine in!

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The Landmark, May 1, 2024

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

W NE

G TIN S I L

W NE

8223 30th St, North Riverside $425,000

G TIN S I L

8600 State Rd, Burbank $428,000

7915 Massasoit Ave, Burbank $279,000

1530 Morgan Ave, LaGrange Park $379,000 NT ME TY T S R VE PE IN PRO

205 Bloomingbank Rd, Riverside $1,350,000

273 Maplewood Rd, Riverside $1,175,000

482 Uvedale Rd, Riverside $825,000

302-306 River Oaks Dr, Calumet City $300,000

2321 Scoville Ave, Berwyn $380,000

S

T EN Y M ST RT VE PE IN PRO

3122 Wisconsin, Berwyn $650,000

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