Landmark 050824

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RIVERSIDE-BROOKFIELD Special Section

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Vol. 39, No. 19

Also serving North Riverside

May 8, 2024

Disc golf headed to Riverside PAGE 6

PAGE 13

Gross Middle School names new principal PAGE 15

Krispies Sweet & Savory Shoppe opens in Brookfield

Grab cakes, scones, sandwiches and coffee to go

By HOPE BAKER

Twin Peaks

Contributing Reporter

BILL STONE

A new bakery is set to open next month in Brookfield.

The bakery will sell savory scones and breakfast sandwiches in the morning and wraps during lunch hours. For commuters hoping to get some caffeine on their way to the train, drip coffee is also on the menu.

“It’s pretty much going to be a grab-and-go with some outdoor seating,” Brazel said.

Twins Hayden amd Cooper Marrs, best friends and best competitors, look up to each other. They will go separate ways after graduation. See story on page 22.

See KRISPIES on page 9

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The Landmark, May 8, 2024

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The Landmark, May 8, 2024

Appellate judges hold court at RBHS

Riverside resident Judge David Navarro brings oral arguments to his alma mater

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

For about 90 minutes May 1, the Riverside Brookfield High School auditorium turned into a courtroom.

About 400 students watched as three justices of the Illinois Appellate Court, including Riverside resident David Navarro, heard oral arguments in an appeal of a murder conviction.

Navarro, who grew up in Riverside and graduated from RB in 1986, arranged for the oral argument to take place at his alma mater on Law Day, an annual effort to make the legal system more accessible to ordinary citizens.

After about 35 minutes of arguments by the lawyers, who were peppered by questions from the justices, Navarro, along with fellow justices Mary Mikva and Freddrenna Lyle, along with the lawyers on the case, answered students’ questions for about 45 minutes.

“It was a great experience,” Navarro said. “The students were engaged; the lawyers made a great presentation. We had some really great questions from the students. They really paid attention and really were focused on the presentation.

It was nice.”

One of the lawyers, public appellate defender Adrienne Sloan, who represented Antoine Reynolds, a man appealing his murder conviction for a 2011 shooting on the south side of Chicago, is also a Riverside resident.

Reynolds, who was convicted of murder largely on the basis of the testimony of two eyewitnesses, was appealing his conviction citing ineffective assistance of his lawyer. He claims that his trial attorney should have called an expert on eyewitness testimony to testify, because of credibility of the eyewitnesses was in question. The two eyewitnesses did not identify Reynolds as the shooter until more than three years after the shooting.

The oral argument before the justices was fairly technical, focusing on past precedents and the standards for proving ineffective assistance of counsel.

Reynolds, who was sentenced to 50 years in prison, originally drafted his own appeal, but then Sloan was assigned to represent him in the appeal. Sloan ar-

gued that if Reynold’s trial attorney had called an expert witness who would have testified about the occasional problems with eyewitness testimony, it could have changed the outcome of the trial and thus Reynolds should get a new a trial. A earlier appeal by Reynolds failed in 2021.

Cook County State’s Attorney Sara McGann argued that Reynold’s trial attorney did challenge the credibility of the eyewitnesses during the trial and simply made a strategic decision not to call an expert witness after considering doing so.

As is typical during appellate arguments, the justices peppered the lawyers with questions during the argument.

RB senior Oliver Schlesser said he found that interesting.

“It was interesting to see how they were interrupting the attorney,” Schlesser, an AP Government student, said.

After listening to the arguments and reading the briefs, the three-judge panel will make a decision that will then be published in an opinion. That process could take weeks or months.

The judges of the First Appellate Division usually hear cases in a courtroom at 160 N. LaSalle in downtown Chicago, but Navarro relished the opportunity to bring the argument to alma mater.

“It’s a chance to hold court in front of students or the public,” Navarro said.

“The public can always come down to the courthouse to watch the hearings, but the truth is most people will never, unless they have a direct interest in the case, come down to the courthouse.”

The question-and-answer period was wide ranging. Students wanted to know how to become a judge. The judges pointed out that most judges in Illinois are initially elected and first have careers as lawyers. They pointed out that any college major will suffice for law school.

Navarro, for example, was an English major at the University of Chicago before attending the University of Iowa College of Law. Lyle is a former Chicago alderwoman. Mikva was a theater major who tried to be actress for two years before giving up on that dream and going to Northwestern law school. She is the daughter of former congressman and federal appellate court judge Abner Mikva, was a clerk for

BOB SKOLNIK

RBHS alum Judge David Navarro arranged for an oral argument to take place on Law Day. then United States Supreme Court Justice William Brennan after law school.

“Clerking for a United States Supreme Court Justice is a big deal,” Navarro told the students.

Mikva advised anyone thinking of becoming a lawyer to major in whatever interests them the most.

One student asked Navarro what his best memories of RB were. Navarro said that he has fond memories of running cross country and track at RB, and noted that he is still friends with some of high school teammates.

Navarro’s parents, Reynaldo Navarro, 96, and Guadalupe Navarro, 93, who live in Riverside, attended the arguments and sat up front.

Navarro, who first became a judge in 2017 and was elevated to the Appellate Court in 2023, said that is important to let students see what judges and lawyers do.

“When I was at RB, I wanted to be a lawyer but I didn’t have any idea what a court hearing was, much less what an appellate argument was, so the chance to do a hearing like this so the students get a chance to see what our work is, and what the lawyers do, that’s a great opportunity,” Navarro said.

Schlesser agreed.

“This was very illuminating to see kind of the curtain revealed,” Schlesser said. “I was really grateful that we could have this experience.”

IN THIS ISSUE Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 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 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.

A one-year subscription costs $45 within Cook County and $65 outside the county. Advertising rates may be obtained by calling our office. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 0019-585). Postmaster send address corrections to Landmark, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302. © 2024 Growing Community Media NFP.

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The Landmark, May 8, 2024

BIG WEEK May 8-15

Opening Day Celebration Thursday, May 9, 6 p.m. - 9 p.m., Kiwanis Park Come out to Overholt Field at Kiwanis Park for the 2024 Little League Opening Day Celebration this Thursday. Don’t miss an afternoon of fun to kick off the baseball and softball season. There will be music and mingling, free hot dogs for the little leaguers, a great food race and Split the Pot! Don’t miss this opportunity to cheer for the littlest members of the Brookfield community. 8820 Brookfield Ave.

Cicada Party Monday, May 13, 4 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library The cicadas are coming. The cicadas are coming! Fly on over to the library for a cicada party, full of cicadathemed snacks while making art and talking about cicadas in anticipation of the record-breaking cicada year. And don’t you worry: The snacks will not include actual cicadas and, no, I don’t believe they taste like chicken… This party is for children grades 1-5.

3541 Park Ave.

Strife, 2024, Honeycomb cardboard, 101 x 36 x 48 inches

Evening Pajama Storytime

Susan Giles: Words to Grasp

Exhibition Dates: April 7 – May 11, 2024, Gallery Hours: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays 1 – 5 p.m., Riverside Arts Center Susan Giles uses motion-capture technology to record the moving hands of speakers as they express emotion. She then gives sculptural form to these emphatic gestures. The result is monumental ephemerality — fluid stillness suspended in space and time. Built with honeycombed layers of cardboard (the most ordinary stuff ), Giles’s recent site-specific sculptures swirl through large institutional spaces, unfurling and floating. They are weightless and uncanny, like ballet or baroque sculpture. The flying robes of Bernini’s twisting David come to mind. The organic drama of this experience is at odds with its technologically sophisticated, analytical beginnings. In the end, we’re suspended between sensations: the magical marvel of tour-de-force construction, and the quiet poetry of dispassionate observation — that emotion can be recorded, measured, and translated into data, like any other natural phenomenon. 32 East Quincy St.

A History of Chicagoland in Maps Tuesday, May 14, 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., Riverside Public Library Join Donald and Tanya Smith, owners of land surveying and map-making company Greeley-Howard-Norlin & Smith, for a trip through Chicagoland history as told by survey maps. Hear stories from the earliest development of the land, the Chicago Fire, Abe Lincoln, run-ins with the FBI and more. The Smiths will present many historical maps, including an 1891 real estate map of Riverside, along with antique surveying instruments. This event is presented by the Riverside Public Library and the Frederick Law Olmsted Society - Riverside. Registration is required via the library website or by calling 708-442-6366.

2400 S. Desplaines Ave.

Thursday, May 9, 6 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Riverside Public Library It’s time for a pj party! I mean, who wouldn’t want to find an excuse to wear their pajamas outside of the house? Wear your favorite pj’s and bring your listening ears and dancing feet to the Riverside Public Library to enjoy stories, songs and rhymes together.

This event is best for children 3-6 years old. Parents: You’re welcome to come in your pajamas too.

2400 S. Desplaines Ave.

Compiled by Grace Harty

Listing your event ■ If you would like your event to be featured here,

please send a photo and details by noon of the Wednesday before it needs to be published.

We can’t publish everything, but we’ll do our best to feature the week’s highlights.

Email calendar@wjinc.com.

The Landmark, May 8, 2024

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National Bike Month comes to Brookfield and Riverside Both villages proclaimed May as Bike Month in town

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Cyclists, get excited — National Bike Month is coming to Landmarkland.

Both Brookfield and Riverside have proclaimed the month of May to be Bike Month in their respective villages. Village President Michael Garvey read Brookfield’s proclamation at the village board’s April 22 meeting while Village President Douglas Pollock read Riverside’s at its board’s May 2 meeting.

“This is another [proclamation] is very near and dear to our hearts and symbolic of what Brookfield has become,” Garvey said at the meeting.

“The bicycle is an economical, healthy, convenient and environmentally sound form of transportation and an excellent tool for recreation and enjoyment of Brookfield,” he added, reading from the proclamation.

To celebrate the month, both villages spotlighted residents’ cycling initiatives.

In Riverside, the village pointed to Ride Riverside, a new community cycling group that started last month. Ride Riverside hosts monthly slow roll rides for residents at 6 p.m. on the second Friday of the month at the Riverside train station; this month, the ride is May 10.

Last month, Riverside hosted a ribbon cutting for its new bike repair station next to Gears 2 You at the Riverside train station, which was donated by the Riverside Junior Women’s Charity and installed in March.

In Brookfield’s proclamation, the village shouted out Cycle Brookfield, known for organizing last year’s Cycle Brookfield Criterium, a day of professional bike racing that is returning this summer.

“Thank you again to President Garvey and the village trustees for allowing us to proclaim May 2024 as National Bike Month,” said Cycle Brookfield President Chris Valadez after Garvey read Brookfield’s proclamation. “As many of you are aware, Cycle Brookfield is a nonprofit trying to educate and promote safety for all things bike-related in the town.

The village has been a super partner for us over the years, so we are very grateful to have such a willing partnership with our village board.”

JEFF BOROWIAK

Women’s professional racers spin out of the first, tight turn from Grand Boulevard onto Prairie Avenue during the Cycle Brookfield/ Intelligentsia Cup Criterium on July 26, 2023, in Brookfield.

This month, Cycle Brookfield is promoting its online bike quiz, which residents can take at the organization’s website. The quiz has variations for adult and child bicyclists to brush up on biking behavior, techniques, mistakes and laws as well as for motorists to see how well they share the road.

“I take it once a year, and I’m surprised how often I fail some of the items there, but it’s a good refresher, so I encourage everyone to go to cyclebrookfield.com and take the bike quiz at least once,” Valadez said.

For National Bike Month, Cycle Brookfield is hosting three bike-related events.

On Friday, May 3, at 6:30 p.m., the organization its monthly slow roll social

ride; cyclists are invited to meet up at the Compassion Factory on Broadway Avenue for a 2.5 or 5-mile ride through Brookfield together.

On Saturday, May 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Cycle Brookfield will host its annual bike safety check up event, where residents can bring their bicycles by to check their tires, wash their frames and make other minor adjustments.

On Saturday, May 18, at 10 a.m., it will host a members-only “Oak-2-Oak” ride, from Imperial Oak Brewing on Ogden Avenue to the brewery’s location in Willow Springs and back. To attend, residents must sign up for an annual membership online, which runs as low as

$10 for students and seniors and $15 for other individuals.

National Bike Month is promoted by the League of American Bicyclists, a nationwide nonprofit grassroots organization dedicated to improving bicycle infrastructure and “strengthening communities through bicycling. The month was established in 1956 as a way to emphasize the benefits of cycling and encourage people to bike more often or try it for the first time.

As part of National Bike Month 2024, Sunday, May 5 will be the fourth National Ride A Bike Day. Bike to Work Week will take place May 13-19 with Friday, May 17 being named Bike to Work Day.

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The Landmark, May 8, 2024

Disc golf lands hole-in-1 in Riverside The 9-hole course will be installed along Fairbank Road later this month

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

After stirring up mixed reactions from Riverside residents last summer, a disc golf course will soon be coming to the wooded area of Indian Gardens south of Fairbank Road.

Parks and Recreation Director Ron Malchiodi confirmed in a voicemail to the Landmark April 26 that the course is expected to be installed later this month.

“We’re working with the contractor now, but we’re thinking mid-May, we’d begin the installation,” he said.

According to the most recent map, most of the baskets will be placed along the curvature of Fairbank Road while some will extend further south, just north of the baseball fields.

At a September 2023 village board meeting, Riverside trustees approved the purchase of

baskets, discs and poles for the course. In total, the project will cost no more than $12,000.

The plan for the course drew controversy from Riversiders who live near the site last August and September due to some inconsistent communication after the project quietly progressed for more than a year.

In August, the Landmark reported Malchiodi had sent a letter at the end of June including a preliminary map to neighborhood residents, where he wrote the course’s layout had not been confirmed. In July, John McGlennon, a parks and recreation board member, now chair, posted to a local Facebook group that the park and village boards had “approved provisions” for the course, suggesting to neighbors that the preliminary map was finalized.

Opponents of the plan pointed to safety issues due to the preliminary layout’s proximity to Fairbank Road. One resi-

COURTESY OF THE VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE

This map, included in the agenda packet for the April 18 Riverside village board meeting, shows the final layout for the village’s new disc golf course.

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dent, Melinda Pruett-Jones, who lives der for both aesthetics and durability.

In the months since then, the parks across the street from the site of the and recreation team has course, said at a July vilworked with residents to lage board meeting that find a layout that would there were “increasing include their feedback. A negative interactions bevillage memo included in tween vehicles, park usthe April 18 village board ers, pedestrians, cyclists, agenda packet provided skiers and dog owners a final update to trustees that are constantly using ahead of the course’s inthis space throughout the stallation. year.”

RON MALCHIODI The parks and recreShe also questioned the Parks and Recreation Director ation board and parks look and placements of and rec staff “have the baskets at the July looked into every aspect meeting, saying the basof this project and [have] kets’ metal posts with chains would impact the natural appear- completed extensive research,” Malchioance of the wooded area. At an August di wrote in the memo. “We solicited and board meeting, Trustee Elizabeth Kos, received feedback from the community, then chair of the parks and recreation including neighbors who live across board, said the disc golf structures will from the proposed course. We held walkbe removed seasonally; at a September throughs, took their specific feedback meeting, Malchiodi said the baskets and adjusted the layout of the course to would be painted in green or brown pow- their requests.”

“We’re working with the contractor now, but we’re thinking mid-may, we’d begin the installation.”

The Landmark, May 8, 2024

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Come ‘bird the burb’ in Riverside for Global Big Day Village teams will host outdoor events May 11 to celebrate the worldwide day of birdwatching

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Whether you’re an expert birdwatcher or just like to catch glimpses of the birds tweeting in your neighborhood, May 11 is your day.

At the May 2 Riverside village board meeting, Village President Douglas Pollock read a proclamation to establish May 11, 2024, in the village as Global Big Day, an annual day dedicated to celebrating birds and birdwatching.

In Riverside, the village is using Global Big Day as an opportunity for residents to “explore and embrace Riverside’s green spaces and the Des Plaines River.” That morning, three village teams and commissions will host bird- and nature-themed events around town, alongside representatives from Brookfield Zoo Chicago and University of Illinois Extension.

From 9 to 11 a.m., members of the Riverside C4 team will lead a guided birdwatch-

ing walk through Riverside’s Des Plaines River corridor, which Audubon Great Lakes designated in 2020 as an Important Bird Area. The walk will start in front of the Riverside Public Library, and interested attendees are encouraged to bring water, comfortable walking shoes and binoculars for birdwatching.

The parks and recreation department will lead a class on making bird houses, bird feeders, binoculars and bird masks from 10:30 a.m. to noon, ending with a scavenger hunt around the iconic Riverside Water Tower. The class is open to all ages, but a $5 online registration is required to attend.

Two events are taking place at Centennial Park. From 9:30 a.m. to noon, Riverside’s landscape advisory commission will give away native plants while representatives from U of I’s Conservation@Home program will hold a table with information on how to garden to support bird and how to identify birds.

From 10 a.m. to noon, Brookfield Zoo

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Chicago representatives will host a session of the zoo’s ZAP! Conservationists in Action program with exploration activities, bird-related arts and crafts, and cleanup tools to help make a better environment for birds.

Global Big Day is organized each year by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and coincides with World Migratory Bird Day on the second Saturday of May. FILE PHOTO Birdwatchers of all experience > edwardjones.com | Member Participants watch for birds during a guided tour onSIPC levels from around the world are encouraged to observe and World Migratory Bird Day, May 12, 2018, along the document as many bird species river in Riverside. as they can within the 24-hour period. Then, participants can and duration of the sighting; whether upload their findings to eBird, Cornell they saw them while traveling, while staLab’s digital birdwatching platform. tionary, incidentally or otherwise; the disUsers are prompted to specify the extance at which they saw them; how many act circumstances under which they saw people they were with; and how many birds, including the address or coordiedwardjones.com | Member birds> of each species they saw.SIPC nates of where they were; the date, time

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The Landmark, May 8, 2024

D96 plans to expand instructional coaching staff next year

‘We have seen that coaching has produced growth in student outcomes’ an administrator says

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Riverside Elementary School District 96 is expanding its new instructional coaching program.

At its April 17 school board meeting, the board of education unanimously approved hiring one additional one instructional coach, to bring the district’s total number to three. The district plans to add another instructional coach in the 2025-26 school year, bringing the number to four.

Instructional coaches are full-time employees, typically experienced teachers, who work with teachers to help them be more effective. D96 hired its first instructional coach in the 2021-22 school year, and then moved to two coaches the next year.

However, the position has had a lot of turnover. One, Sara Hickey, had to take over a second-grade class at Central School in February. The other is an interim employee.

D96 Director of Teaching and Learning Angela Dolezal told the school board that despite the turnover, she has seen positive results since the district started us-

ing instructional coaches.

“We have seen that coaching has produced growth in student outcomes,” Dolezal told the school when presenting the ask to the school board at a Committee of the Whole Meeting on April 3.

According to Dolezal coaching provides time and support for teachers to reflect, explore, talk about and practice new ways of educating students. The instructional coach observes the teacher and meets one and one with the teacher to talk about what worked in the classroom and what didn’t work. They may come up with new approaches or modify what the teacher is doing.

Dolezal said that coaching improves teaching through reflective discussions about processes, increases organizational trust and results in shared decision making. It also decreases the isolation that teachers sometimes feel. Teachers rarely have fellow professionals observe their classroom and their teaching.

Coaching in District 96 is usually done in four-to-six-week cycles. The instructional coach will co-plan and sometime co-teach with the classroom teacher. They will typically set standards-based goals.

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The increase in instructional coaching will help next year when the district implements new English Language Arts and science curriculums. The increase in instructional coaches will also allow the district to save $28,600 it has been spending to have a consultant come in and help with professional learning in teaching math. The cost of the new position next year is estimated to be between $50,000 and $75,000.

School board members were easily convinced of the need for more instructional coaches.

“This seems to make a lot of sense,” said school board member Joel Marhoul.

School board president Wesley Muirheid also liked the idea.

“I’m big on coaching, I’m on board,”

Muirheid said.

The administration decided to only add one instructional coach this year and then add another one in the 202526 to gradually ramp up the program so that teachers are comfortable with it.

The three instructional coaches next year will be Hickey, current Hauser math teacher Melanie Arazy and current third Central third grade teacher Samantha Crowley.

Participation in instructional coaching will be voluntary. Teachers can request coaching and a school principal can suggest coaching. The coach teacher will move from its current one coach for 71 teachers this year to one coach for 47 teachers next year and one coach for 35 teachers in the 2025-26 school year.

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The Landmark, May 8, 2024

KRISPIES

Sweet Treats from page 1 Brazel previously co-owned Sips & Sweets Café, which was located at 1 Riverside Road, Riverside. After that business closed in December 2022, Brazel began making custom cakes and custom cookies for special events like birthdays and baby showers despite not having a brick-and-mortar bakery.

Brazel said that going forward, customers will now be able to place orders for custom cakes and cookies at her new bakery in Brookfield.

“I just started venturing into wedding cakes and cakes for wedding showers and I really like those because they’re elegant, classic and pretty,” she said. “But I also love making a ‘Spider-Man’ cake and then getting pictures of kids smiling, knowing it made their day.”

Some examples of unique cakes that Brazel has made for customers include a LEGO cake, a “Sesame Street” cake, a Chicago White Sox Cake and a cake shaped like Marge from “The Simpsons.”

However, the cake offerings at Krispies Sweet & Savory Shoppe will not be limited to just custom orders.

“I’m going to have pre-made cakes sitting in the freezer,” she said. “I want people to know that they can go to Krispies and pick up a cake after they get off work.

I’m hoping to be a staple in Brookfield.”

Krispies Sweet & Savory is located at 3730 Prairie Ave.

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The Landmark, May 8, 2024

D96 superintendent Martha Ryan-Toye to retire in 3 years The early decision will give her 5% annual raises in her final contract

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Martha Ryan-Toye, the superintendent of Riverside Elementary School District 96, has reported that she will be retiring in three years.

Last week, the Riverside Elementary School District 96 Board of Education unanimously approved a new three-year contract for Ryan-Toye and disclosed that she will retire when her new contract expires June 30, 2027.

“I think this is a well-deserved contract,” said school board president Wesley Muirheid before the vote to approve the contract.

Ryan-Toye, 60, came to District 96 in 2016 and has led the district with a steady hand. Her administrative team has mostly remained the same. Every principal in place when Ryan-Toye started is still in place. She has hired three district-level administrators: Director of Finance and Operations Jim Fitton, Director of Teaching and Learning Angela Dolezal and Director of Special Education and Student Services Nora Geraghty.

Ryan-Toye has accomplished much in her eight years at District 96. The district built additions at Ames, Blythe Park and Hollywood Schools, as well as a new multipurpose room at Central School.

To open space for the new multipurpose room at Central, the district purchased an office building on Harlem Avenue for its district office. New playgrounds were built at Ames and Hollywood School and are coming for Central and Hauser. The auditorium at Hauser has been upgraded. In the summer, the play and parking area behind the Hauser-Central campus will be transformed.

The district also has implemented full day kindergarten, which is now in its second year. This year, the district began serving hot lunches in all of its elementary schools. It also completed a new strategic plan.

Muirheid praised the stability that Ryan-Toye brought to the district.

“It’s been a world of improvement,” Muirheid said.

Ryan-Toye thanked the school board and the community after her new contract, which will take effect July 1, was approved.

FILE PHOTO

Martha Ryan-Toye “I just want to say thank you to this board and really to the whole community,” Ryan-Toye said. “It’s been eight years that’s gone by in a blink of an eye, three years more and I want to. clear about that I remain just very, very committed to the improvements that are already in place.”

Ryan-Toye’s new contract gives her 5% annual raises, larger than she has received in the past. It is common for school administrators to get larger rais-

es in their last contract. Doing so boosts pensions, which are based on the average of an educator’s four highest paid annual salaries. The Illinois Teacher Retirement System will only allow a maximum of 6% raises to count for pension purposes without requiring an additional contribution from the school district.

Ryan-Toye will be paid $231,802 next year. With the new raises, she will earn $243,392 during the 2025-26 fiscal year and make $255,562 in her final year.

During her final three years, RyanToye and the school board will begin a new strategic planning process. RyanToye said that she will remain focused on her guide star, making things better for all kids.

“I feel like we’ve had just had a lot of transparency and integrity and keeping students at the center of all of our work here,” Ryan-Toye said.

The Landmark, May 8, 2024

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Democrats flex muscle to kick off final month of session as revenues remain on track Forecasting agency says there’s ‘no April surprise’ as month’s haul meets expectations

By JERRY NOWICKI

May 24 this year, but they have until May 31 to extend session without requiring a higher vote threshold to pass a budget in time for the July 1 start of the fiscal year.

Capitol News Illinois

With about three weeks to go before the Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn its spring legislative session, supermajority Democrats showed their strength this week as fiscal forecasters noted state revenues remain on track.

April is typically a make-or-break month for state coffers, as income tax filings can often yield higher- or lower-than-expected returns, affecting the current budget just as lawmakers sit down to approve a spending plan for the year ahead.

But for fiscal year 2024, which ends June 30, revenues are generally on track with where Gov. JB Pritzker’s office predicted they would be in his February budget address. That means as budget negotiations enter the final stretch, any new state spending would largely rely on redistributing funds the governor proposed allocating elsewhere, rather than on new, unexpected revenues.

The Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability, which is the legislature’s fiscal forecasting agency, noted that April revenues finished $373 million ahead of last year’s output. But that’s partially due to the month having two more weekdays to process tax collections this year.

“While this is welcomed growth to State coffers, the overall increase seen this month is largely in line with the Commission’s latest forecast,” Revenue Manager Eric Noggle said in the commission’s monthly report. “In other words, there is no ‘April Surprise’ from final income tax payments contained in this month’s numbers that will significantly modify this year’s revenue outlook.”

COGFA’s current outlook anticipates the year to end with $52.6 billion in revenue.

That’s about $2 billion more than what lawmakers projected when they passed the fiscal year 2024 budget last May, and $374 million more than Pritzker estimated in February’s budget address.

But that doesn’t mean lawmakers will have a sudden multi-billion-dollar revenue

Elections bill’s hurried passage

CAPITOL NEWS ILLINOIS/PHOTO BY JERRY NOWICKI

Gov. JB Pritzker speaks at the Illinois Retail Merchants Association and Illinois Manufacturers’ Association business day in Springfield on Wednesday, May 1. surplus to spend. Pritzker accounted for excess revenues in his budget proposal in February and planned for $1.2 billion in supplemental spending.

Noggle, however, noted there’s still room for the needle to move, but it doesn’t appear likely.

“While some adjustments (both positive and negative) to individual revenue lines is possible, these potential changes may not necessitate an official revision, as it appears, at this time, that the bottom-line revenue totals will not see a significant modification,” Noggle wrote in the report.

Pritzker, meanwhile, said on Wednesday he was encouraged by the revenue performance.

“We’re always pleased, you know, to know that our revenues seem to be on track,” he said, later adding, “I feel pretty good about where we are.”

Pritzker also downplayed any concerns

that the state’s fiscal landscape was worsening after several years of revenue growth.

“People have made more of what I said in the State of the State (Address) than I think is appropriate,” he said. “You know, it’s a tight year. But this is not like, it’s not like we’re running a massive deficit and we need to panic about how we’re going to balance the budget.”

The governor’s office is projecting about $53 billion in revenue for the upcoming fiscal year 2025 when including several of Pritzker’s proposed tax law changes, such as increasing the tax that sportsbooks pay and extending a cap on corporate net operating losses that businesses can claim on taxes. Factoring in those changes, the estimate is right on par with COGFA’s latest projection.

Lawmakers are scheduled to adjourn on

This week also saw the first major muscle flex from the majority party in the final month of session. Democrats introduced a major elections bill Wednesday morning before clearing it through both chambers and sending it to the governor for his signature, all within 48 hours.

Rep. Jay Hoffman, D-Swansea, introduced Senate Bill 2412 making several changes to state election laws – most notably including a measure to protect incumbents. That change bars political parties from appointing a candidate to a legislative general election race if no candidate ran for the seat in the primary election.

Pritzker on Thursday described the measure as “actually an ethics bill,” while Republicans accused Democrats of ethical failings for moving the measure with little time for substantive debate or public input. The governor signed the bill Friday morning.

Republicans in both chambers voted “present” on the bill in protest, while a handful of Democrats voted against it or skipped voting altogether.

House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, noted at a news conference Wednesday that the GOP has grown accustomed to legislation moving with little public notice – but it usually happens closer to the General Assembly’s end-ofMay adjournment.

Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of newspapers, radio and TV stations statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.

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Jeff Tumpane promoted to principal at Gross Middle School Ryan Evans becomes deputy superintendent in D95

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Kuzniewski, the school board and administration decided that it made sense for Tumpane to replace Evans so it did not seek applications from anyone else.

“We felt very comfortable just moving Jeff into that position so there wasn’t a search done,” Kuzniewski said.

New leaders are coming to S.E. Gross Middle School.

Asst. Principal Jeff Tumpane was promoted and will take the helm July 1. He replaces Ryan Evans, who moves up to a one-year role as deputy superintendent New assistant principal daughter of retired in Brookfield-LaGrange Park District 95.

Central teacher It is expected he’ll take over for retiring Colberg, who attended Central School, superintendent Mark Kuzniewski in 2025.

Former Brookfield and Riverside resi- Hauser, and Riverside Brookfield High dent Lauren Colberg will move from Phila- School before heading to Bradley University, was selected for the delphia to become assistant Teach for America program principal at Gross. after graduation. In 2009, “I’m excited,” Tumpane She was placed as a seventhsaid about his new role. and eighth-grade literacy “It’s a great community. I teacher in Philadelphia. She think having the continuhas spent her entire career ity that we have makes that in Philadelphia working in transition smoother.” charter schools, first as an Tumpane, 40, came to Gross English teacher before spendas assistant principal 10 years ing six years as an assistant ago after Evans was promotprincipal, and, most recently, ed to principal. Before comas an instructional coach. ing to Gross, Tumpane, who Kuzniewski said Colgrew up in Lombard, was the JEFF TUMPANE berg’s experience and backdean of students at the Woodground makes her an excellawn campus of the University of Chicago charter school. After gradu- lent match with Tumpane.

“She brings a really solid background ating from St. Norbert College, Tumpane began his career in education at Nazareth in instruction and curriculum, which will Academy where he spent seven years as a be a nice contrast to Jeff who’s more culture, climate, student discipline, things religious-studies teacher and coach.

When Evans was selected to replace of that nature. So there will be a nice bal-

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ance,” Kuzniewski said. “And I think that there’s some desire in the future to really start looking at instructional practice at S.E. Gross and seeing how we can refine it to make it even better than it is now. And I think her lens of that will be helpful.”

Colberg is the daughter of retired Central School teacher Gale Tuene, who spent 35 years teaching fourth grade at Central. This past winter, Colberg decided that she wanted to move back to the Chicago area to be closer to family.

She started looking for job openings and spotted Gross’ opening one day before the application deadline. She sent in an application and was chosen from a field of 32 candidates.

Colberg said she is excited to be coming home. She first lived in Brookfield and went to kindergarten at Lincoln School before her family moved to Riverside in time for her to attend first grade at Central School.

“I’m just so pumped to be getting home,” Colberg said. “My school year here ends mid-June and then we move, and I start July 1.”

Colberg said she and her husband will stay at her parents’ house in Riverside this summer while they look for a house to buy. She wants her children to have the kind of neighborhood school experience that she had growing up in the Riverside. She said she was attracted to the family feel of District 95 and Gross.

“It is very apparent to me that Gross is

LAUREN COLBERG very much the heart of the community and that is something I am so excited about,” Colberg said.

The last time Colberg was inside S.E. Gross was 1999.

“I was wearing a volleyball jersey,” Colberg said, noting that she was on the Hauser volleyball team and they had a match at Gross.

Colberg visited Brook Park School last week and spoke to rising sixth graders about Gross.

“It was really neat to meet them,” Colberg said. “The onboarding so far with Jeff has been great. I mean he’s been really thoughtful and like making sure that even though I’m not local I’m set up to jump right in.”

Tumpane will be paid $115,000 next year. Colberg will make $95,000.

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Willow Springs’ Paula Struwing appointed to LT school board

I’m eager to learn the other side of it.”

She is a teacher at Proviso soStruwing noted that many in the Willow Springs community feel that the school board West High School has not been transparent with the commu-

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Lyons Township High School Board of Education unanimously chose Willow Springs resident Paula Struwing to fill the vacancy on the school board created after former school board president Dawn Aubert resigned from the board because she is moving out of state.

“We are grateful to have had so many qualified individuals who responded with a willingness to serve, and we are excited to welcome Paula Struwing to the District 204 Board of Education,” said new board president Jill Grech. “Paula’s background in education and her strong commitment and passion for our students, community, and public education is clearly evident, and we look forward to the experiences, talents and perspectives she will bring to the board table.”

Struwing’s election is significant in part because for the past 18 months the Lyons Township High School Board of Education has wrestled with the controversial topic of what to do with the 72-acre parcel of undeveloped land it owns in Willow Springs. Many residents from Willow Springs vehemently opposed LT’s effort to sell the land to an industrial developer last year and charged that the school board did not care about Willow Springs and the southern half of the district.

Struwing, who has lived in Willow Springs for four years, said that she would give the residents of Willow Springs a voice at the table. She noted that there has not been a Willow Springs resident on the LT school board for a long time. After her first meeting Monday, Struwing said that she wasn’t ready to say what she thought LT should do with the Willow Springs property.

“With me just coming in I have a lot to learn from this side,” Struwing said. “I’ve only been exposed to what’s in the news and I fully respect what’s going on in here and there’s a lot of things that can’t be said in the public at this particular point

nity about its plans for the land.

“Even though there may be a feeling of transparency from the board’s perspective I know that my community doesn’t necessarily feel that there’s been transparency and if that’s the way they feel that’s reality to my neighbors,” Struwing said.

Struwing said that many in Willow Springs have been angry with the LT school board and administration.

“I think a lot of it is perhaps a breakdown in communication and I’m hoping to be able to bridge that gap to the best of my ability,” Struwing said.

The school board had put decisions and next steps toward a decision about what to do with the land on hold until a new board member was selected. That matter was not discussed at Monday’s meeting.

Struwing works as a health and driver’s education teacher at Proviso West High School. Her son is a freshman at LT. Struwing worked at LT from 2007 until 2014, first as a temporary, one-year fill-in teaching health, and then for six years as a paraeducator. During that time, she also served as an assistant swimming coach.

“I know a lot of the teachers here in this district and I have a great deal of respect for a lot of them,” Struwing said.

Struwing has also taught and coached at Bartlett High School and Hubbard High School. She also spent three years as the head swim coach at the University Wisconsin Oshkosh. Struwing also had experience serving on a school board because she is a former member of the St. Cletus School Board of Education.

Struwing, a graduate of Elgin High School, was a college swimmer at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse specializing in the breaststroke and individual medley.

Eleven people applied to fill the vacancy.

One dropped out before the board interviewed applicants, one didn’t show up for a scheduled interview and one dropped out after being interviewed.

The Landmark, May 8, 2024

P O L I C E

R E P O R T S

Man arrested for DUI after 3-car crash

Riverside police arrested a man April 27 for driving drunk after his car swerved into oncoming traffic and crashed involving two other vehicles.

According to police, officers were dispatched to the scene at Harlem Avenue between the BNSF train tracks and East Quincy Street around 10:45 p.m. Two of the cars were occupied only by their drivers while the third, which was struck by the other two, had a driver and two child passengers.

No one was injured.

The driver of the struck car told police she was driving south on Harlem Avenue and had just crossed the railroad when an oncoming car crossed into her lane and struck her car head-on. Another car heading south struck her car from behind. That car’s driver said he witnessed the first collision but could not stop in time.

The northbound driver told police he had dropped his cell phone while driving and must have veered into the oncoming lane when he went to grab it. Officers reportedly found two open bottles of Rémy Martin cognac and a can of Twisted Tea in the car.

When asked, the man said he had done one shot around 7:30 a.m. The man volunteered to take a portable breath test, which showed .154 blood alcohol content.

The officer ran the man’s information, which revealed he had never been issued a valid Illinois driver’s license. Police arrested the man and transported him to the North Riverside Police Department for processing.

Police charged the man with several citations and the felony of aggravated driving under the influence before releasing him. A May 3 court date was set.

Compiled by Trent Brown

Car crash results in one driver in critical condition A driver was in critical condition after a car crash April 26 on 31st Street and South 1st Avenue in Riverside.

The accident is under investigation, according to Matthew Buckley, Riverside’s director of public safety, and a crash reconstruction team was working Friday to determine how the incident happened.

The crash, which occurred around 5:13

17

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Man arrested on felony charges after he crashes into the woods Riverside police arrested a man on three felony charges and other counts after he crashed into a wooded area as he tried to elude them.

Police spotted the man driving 14 mph over the speed limit just before 2 a.m. April 27 near South Harlem Avenue by Lindberg Road.

The man’s car couldn’t stay in its lane, so police flashed their lights at him at Ogden Avenue and Pershing Road. He did not stop and sped up.

Assisting Lyons police stopped the man.

Officers ran a search and learned the man was driving on a revoked license and had a warrant out of Kane County. He was taken to lockup, where he declined a breath test.

As police searched the car, they found a plastic bag of white powder they thought was cocaine, later measured at 40 grams, as well as a discarded Patrón tequila bottle outside and its cork inside the car.

The man was ticketed for driving under the influence, illegally transporting alcohol and speeding. He was charged resisting a peace officer, a misdemeanor.

Police said the assistant state’s attorney also approved felony charges of aggravated driving on a revoked license, unlawful delivery of a controlled substance and aggravated fleeing and eluding.

These items were obtained from the Riverside Police Department reports dated April 27; 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.

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The Landmark, May 8, 2024

We’re growing community, one story at a time.

Spring Support our

FUND DRIVE

Welcome to Growing Community Media’s Spring Fund Drive.

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With your active help, when we reach that goal, we’ll have completed our most successful year yet in total dollars raised and, happily, in the total number of readers supporting our journalism.

Every dollar from our readers goes into the newsroom to pay our hard-working reporters and designers to tell stories that unite and empower our communities. Each story we share serves as a building block in the foundation of stronger, more connected neighborhoods across the Greater West Side – from Austin and Garfield Park, into Oak Park, Forest Park and Riverside and Brookfield.

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Opinion THE LANDMARK VIEW

The Landmark, May 8, 2024

OBITUARIES

Coaching the teachers

Riverside’s District 96 public elementary schools will expand its instructional coaching program each of the next two school years. An enthusiastic school board unanimously voted on April 17 to grow the program from two to four coaches.

The concept is simple and laudable. Pay more attention to individual teachers and the work they do in their classrooms. Spend time in their classrooms and then engage them in conversation about what the teacher coach sees as working well or falling short. This is not a one-and-done approach. Right now, the coaching process happens over four-to-six weeks. It involves observation, co-teaching and goal setting.

Interestingly, this program is voluntary. Teachers can ask for the coaching. A principal can suggest coaching. This seems like genius to us. Our observation is a significant number of teachers see their classrooms as personal fiefdoms.

They won’t respond well to mandatory coaching. But we take the point, too, that teaching alone in a classroom can also feel isolating.

That there is this middle place of volunteering to be coached – and that, in this program, the coaches are all veteran teachers in the district – is a wise course.

Graduating up Not every school district is a candidate for a full round of internal promotions. But we’re confident District 95, the elementary district serving Brookfield and LaGrange Park, has a strong history of solid, rooted leadership that makes the newly announced internal promotions good choices.

With the retirement of Supt. Mark Kuzniewski a year away, the school board first promoted S.E. Gross Principal Ryan Evans to a one-year tutorial post as deputy superintendent. Now Jeff Tumpane has been promoted from assistant principal at Gross to the full-time gig leading the school.

A good outcome at each level.

It ain’t pickleball Riverside will move forward with the installation this spring of a 9-hole disc golf course. The recreational opportunity will be placed in a wooded area of Indian Gardens and will largely hug the curve of Fairbank Road.

While there were immediate neighbors who expressed some worries last year when this topic was first raised, we want to give credit to Riverside’s parks and recreation leaders who actively engaged with the neighbors about their concerns. Specific adjustments on placement of the odd little disc baskets were made. And the apparatuses will be removed when disc golf season ends – whenever the heck that is. Finally said baskets will be painted either green or brown to blend into nature. We hope, for the sake of disc golf aficionados, that they are visible enough to aim at.

We have observed actual people playing disc golf in two different communities. While there was laughing involved it was not uproarious. We close by noting that in the orbit of parks and recs sensations disc golf is no pickleball.

19

Michael Ahlstrom, 82 Priest at St. Barbara Rev. Michael Patrick Ahlstrom, 82, died on May 3, 2024. born on April 7, 1942 to Martin and Mary (Murphy) Ahlstrom, Fr. Mike held a number of posts throughout the greater Chicago area, dedicating 55 years of service to the community. He was an associate pastor at St. Bernadette Parish, Evergreen Park (1969-1975), St. Gertrude Parish, Franklin Park (19751981), Mary Seat of Wisdom Parish, Park Ridge (1981-1987), and Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish (1987-1989). He was pastor of St. Colette Parish, Rolling Meadows (1989-2003). From 2003 to 2012, he was an adjunct spiritual director at Mundelein Seminary and lived at St. Barbara Parish (Now Holy Guardian Angels) in Brookfield, from 2003 until 2023. He served as vicar for the Permanent Diaconate Community for the Archdiocese of Chicago from 2003 to 2013 and continued to serve as vicar emeritus.

After retirement, Fr. Mike served as administrator of St. Benedict Parish in Blue Island (2013), St. Nicholas Parish in Evanston (2015-2016), Divine Infant of Jesus Parish in Westchester (2017-2018), and special mentor to the pastor of Our Lady of Mercy in Chicago (2014). He also served as associate director of the Office for Divine Worship, instructor and chairman of the board of the Liturgical Insti-

tute in Mundelein; instructor in medical ethics at Little Company of Mary School of Nursing; priest presenter for Engaged Encounter and Marriage Encounter; pastor in residence and Liturgy instructor at Mundelein Seminary; board member of Chicago Studies; instructor in the deacon formation and lay ministry programs; a member of the Annual Catholic Appeal board; and a member of Catholic Charities’ Parish Outreach Committee.

Mike was the uncle of Joe HernandezKolski and Christina (Jerry) Pinilla and great-uncle of Alexander Pinilla. He was a loyal friend and classmate of the Mundelein Seminary Class of 1969 and leaves behind many cherished Murphy cousins.

Visitation services will be held on Tuesday, May 14 from 3 to 7 p.m. with a Vigil Liturgy at 7 p.m. and on Wednesday, May 15 from 10 a.m. to time of Mass, 11 a.m. at St. Barbara Church, Holy Guardian Angels Parish, 4000 Prairie Ave., Brookfield, IL 60513.

Burial will be held on Thursday, May 16, at Calvary Cemetery in Evanston at 2 p.m. All who wish to attend, please meet at the cemetery at the main circle of f the entrance on Chicago Avenue.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Priests Retirement and Mutual Aid Association, 1400 S. Wolf Road, Hillside, IL 60162, 708-449-8026 PRMAA@ archchicago.org.

Arrangements were handled by Hitzeman Funeral Home Ltd., 9445 31st St. Brookfield, IL 60513.

Edna Lorr, 90 Librarian Occupation: Librarian / Public Library Edna M. Lorr, 90, of Brookfield, formerly of Riverside, died on April, 29, 2024. She worked as a public librarian.

Edna was predeceased by her siblings and their spouses George (Beatrice) Lorr Jr. and Patricia (Richard) Torp. She was the aunt of many nieces and nephews.

A graveside committal service will take See OBITUARIES on page 20

20

The Landmark, May 8, 2024

OBITUARIES continued from page 19 place on Wednesday, May 1, 2 p.m. at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Hillside.

Memorials are appreciated to the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, 716 Mt. Airyshire Blvd., Suite 100, Columbus, OH 43235.

Arrangements were handled by Hitzeman Funeral Home Ltd. Information 708-485-2000 or www.HitzemanFuneral.com If you wish to send a sympathy card to the family, please feel free to send it to Hitzeman Funeral Home, 9445 31st St., Brookfield, IL 60513, c/o the Edna Lorr family. We will gladly forward it on to the family.

and the aunt of many nieces and nephews.

Interment Private.

A Celebration of Life will be scheduled at a future date.

Arrangements were handled by Hitzeman Funeral Home and Cremation Services. Information 708-485-2000 or www.

HitzemanFuneral.com If you wish to send a sympathy card to the Family, please feel free to send it to Hitzeman Funeral Home, 9445 31st Street, Brookfield, IL 60513, c/o the Beth Lehnhardt Family. We will gladly forward it on to the family.

Beth Lehnhardt, 79

Dorothy Kraus, 92

Human Resources

Loved to laugh

Beth A. Lehnhardt, 79, of Brookfield, died on May 3, 2024. She worked in human resources for a book publisher.

Beth was the mother of Lori (Mike Worthington) Lehnhardt; the sister of Lewis (the late Patsy) Lehnhardt, John (Kathy) Lehnhardt and the late Fred Lehnhardt Jr.;

Dorothy Mae Kraus (nee Kubert), 92, of Brookfield, a former longtime resident of Riverside, died on April 26, 2024. Born on July 29, 1931, she loved gardening, cooking and collecting cookbooks, camping and traveling and visiting all 50 states. She loved being a mom and grandmother, but

To run an obituary Please contact Erika Hobbs by e-mail: erika@growingcommunitymedia.org, before Monday at noon. Please include a photo if possible.

most of all loved to laugh.

Dorothy was the wife of the late Edwin Joseph Kraus; the mother of James (Jo Ann), Carol, Paul, Thomas (Beth Ann) Kraus, Susan Breska, Robert (Amy) Kraus and the late William and the late Steven Kraus; the daughter of the late Mary “Marie” (nee Nykl) and Otto Kubert; the grandmother of Kimberly Braxton, Christine (Ben) Davis, Stacy (Brett) Lindahl, Brett and Neil Breska, Matthew Kraus, Zachary Kraus, Ashley (Tommy) Oliver, Nicholas (Caitlin), Kevin, Paul (Emily), Morgan and Andrew Kraus; the great-grandmother of 11; sister of the late Richard and Caroline

Kubert; and the aunt of JoAnn Kemp and Helen (late Raul) Trujillo.

Visitation was held at Conboy-Westchester Funeral Home 10501 W. Cermak Road (2 blocks west of Mannheim Road), Westchester on April 30; a funeral Mass was celebrated on May 1 St. Mary Church (St. Paul VI Parish) in Riverside, followed by interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjudge.org, in Dorothy’s memory.

Arrangements were handled by the Original Kuratko Family, Brian D. Kuratko-Director.

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he competition at Beyond Hunger’s Healthy Chef Challenge heats up on May 30 at Goose Island Barrel House. Three chefs from across Chicagoland will battle to make a gourmet entree using items commonly found in our food pantry. A panel of celebrity judges will determine which chef reigns supreme!

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Healthy Chef Challenge 2023 Participating Chefs (Left to Right) Arshiya Farheen & Yvonne Ivy (Victor of Variety Winner)

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General Admission Tickets are $75 or you can opt for a VIP ticket ($150) which includes early admission, meet & greet

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2023 Participating Judges Sam Yousif, Emily Hallock, Liz Abunaw and Phil Vettel.

Photos courtesy of Matt Kosterman

This content is made possible by our sponsor and is independent of GCM’s editorial staff.

Sports

The Landmark, May 8, 2024

21

RBHS baseball makes memories in Milwaukee Bulldogs gain ‘awesome’ Major League-like experience at Brewers’ stadium

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Senior infielder Joey Garvey always planned to rejoin the Riverside Brookfield High School baseball lineup this season.

He will always treasure his first start last on May 1.

“It still hasn’t really set in,” Garvey said.

“My first game back fully, it didn’t feel real, but it was really fun.”

Yes, Garvey and the Bulldogs truly were at American Family Field in Milwaukee, home of Major League Baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers, to play Libertyville.

Despite the 11-4 loss, the Bulldogs (12-12) created great memories.

Second baseman/shortstop Garvey had two of the Bulldogs’ six hits, including a run-scoring single. Cooper Marrs (double) and Ben Pondel also had runs batted in. “[I’ll remember] just walking into the stadium for the first time and then probably that second base hit I had that scored a couple of runs,” said Garvey, who had been sidelined by a knee injury since the boys basketball season.

“I knew I was going to come back at some point. I was just going to take it slow, seeing how my body was feeling, but I was happy to make it back for that game.”

The game delivered several memorable moments. RBHS coach Mark Ori and Libertyville coach Matt Thompson helped by agreeing beforehand to use as many play-

PROVIDED

All 25 RB baseball players played in last week’s game at American Family Field in Milwaukee, home of the Brewers. ers as possible.

Seniors were prioritized, but everyone on both teams played, all 25 Bulldogs. That included five RBHS pitchers and others used as pinch-hitters or pinch-runners.

“That was a plus. Got good feedback from parents, a lot of support,” Ori said. “[But] it’s hard to do. The outcome, obviously, not what we wanted, but overall it’s once-in-alifetime for most people, playing in a big league stadium.”

Assistant coach Ryan Grieve estimated

100-plus RBHS fans attended, including parents, grandparents and non-varsity baseball players and students. The Bulldogs used the downstairs batting cages and traveled through the back tunnels.

The stadium’s retractable roof closed during the game.

However, players were not allowed to wear cleats and occasionally slid with their gym shoes. Before pitching a scoreless seventh, senior Kevin Cronin began adapting in the right-field bullpen. He fol-

lowed two walks with two strikeouts.

“It was something really unique for RB baseball. I think it was a good experience.

Definitely something we’ll never forget,” Cronin said.

“Honestly, running up the steps, running onto the field, feeling like a big leaguer, it was everything you could ask for. It was just surreal. Honestly, the views. You’d turn around, look in the outfield. Wow.” Many players had seen the stadium as fans. It was the first visit for junior Jaden Despe, who has played in a comparably large stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

“It was an awesome experience to be able to play, a dream as a kid playing at an MLB stadium,” Despe said. “It was so much bigger than any of our fields that we’ve played on. You could just feel how big the field is, being so far from everyone. One of my struggles was it was hard for me to see the ball. I don’t know if it was because of the stands or the lighting.”

The Bulldogs enjoyed another great moment on Monday. They clinched the outright Metro Suburban Conference title by beating second-place Ridgewood 9-2 in eight innings.

Ethan Smith had a three-run double and Zachary Ryzewski a two-run single in the eight-run eighth for RBHS (5-0 in MSC). Starting pitcher Marrs struck out 12 in six innings.

Mladjan, LTHS water polo teams vie for state berths Top-seeded Lions, RBHS girls advance to respective sectional semifinals

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Junior Maya Mladjan missed last year’s season-ending loss for the Lyons Township High School girls water polo team in the sec-

tional final. The 2023 second-team all-stater was sidelined by a concussion during the final seconds of the Lions’ semifinal victory.

“It did frustrate me, but it is what it is,” Mladjan said. “It happened. I’ve learned to look past it.”

After experiencing growing pains with a young lineup, the Lions are going for their third sectional title in the past four seasons and a berth to the eight-team state finals next week at Stevenson High School.

The Lions (23-5), seeded No. 1 in the

LTHS Sectional, play No. 4 Richards in Friday’s semifinals in Western Springs. The winner meets No. 2 Mother McAuley or No. 3 Goode STEM Academy at 11:15 a.m. on See WATER POLO on page 22

22

The Landmark, May 8, 2024

S P O R T S

Life on Marrs

RBHS senior twins leave strong sports legacy, together and apart

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

At first glance, Riverside Brookfield High School seniors Cooper and Hayden Marrs barely pass as brothers.

“Definitely we get that a lot,” Cooper said. “I don’t know. I try to laugh it off.”

The 6-foot-3 blonde Cooper and 5-8 brown-haired Hayden certainly don’t look like twins.

“It’s always like a shocker to people when we tell them we’re twins, especially the height difference.

It’s both funny and motivating,” Hayden said. “I think our personalities is more of a shocker. Not only do we look different but our different personalities makes it even more of a surprise that we are twins.”

However, put them on a sports field, especially together, and their talents bond and mutual respect shines through. Together and apart, the twins have played big roles for the Bulldogs in several sports as they prepare to go their separate ways.

Cooper will play baseball at NCAA Division III Denison HAYDEN MARRS University (Granville, Ohio).

Hayden will continue track and field at Division I University of St. Thomas (St. Paul, Minn.) although he considered Denison.

“I’m sure he’s probably ready to get me off his back a little bit,” Cooper said, laughing. “It’s pretty crazy having someone there to compete with and have fun with, train with, whatever sport.”

As youngsters, the Marrs brothers remember countless hours as teammates in recreational and youth leagues for baseball, soccer and basketball.

Club swimming came around 11 or 12 years old.

“It’s someone I can both compete with and break down the day with,” Hayden said. “It’s kind of nice.

He’s my best friend and best competitor, I would say.”

They’ve been RBHS teammates in cross country and swimming all four years and track as freshmen.

Cooper then switched to baseball. Still in track, Hayden also splits time playing water polo during the spring.

“He’s definitely one of the hardest workers I know. I look up to him the most of any athlete I know,” Cooper said.

“I think we’re very different people. It works in

our relationship, though. When we were younger, those differences came out a little more, but as we’ve gotten older, we’ve gotten a lot closer, especially in athletics.”

Perhaps fittingly, they shared their greatest high school triumph — helping the Bulldogs capture the 2022 Class 2A state championship in boys cross country — the school’s first state title in that sport.

“It was really fun making that a family affair because what better person to do it with than my brother?” Hayden said.

Cooper finished fifth for his second of three straight top-25 all-state finishes in 2A or 3A. Hayden was 160th as the team’s No. 7 finisher.

“That was by far the best because I think we played such integral parts,” Cooper said. “We’ve had so many moments together. The state championship was definitely the best.”

As swimmers, they achieved their first state berths in February. As track freshmen, they went to state on different relays and Cooper in the 1,600-meter run.

Hayden returned to state last season with the 4 x 800 and 4 x 400 relays.

In baseball, Cooper has been All-Metro Suburban Conference his first two seasons. As a senior, the third baseman/pitcher has a .337 batting average with three homers and 16 runs batted in.

He has a 3-0 pitching record with 32 strikeouts in 24.2 innings even after spraining the wrist of his right throwCOOPER MARRS ing arm during the offseason.

“He’s physically intimidating — a tall, big frame, but he also has an ability to turn any doubts in his mind off, which gives him a competitive edge,” Hayden said.

Hayden is back running this spring. He barely competed during cross country while recovering from stress fractures in both legs.

Cooper appreciates Hayden’s tips regarding food and exercise science.

“That’s one of the biggest things I lean on,” Cooper said. “Hayden is a natural leader in any sport he does and he always gives the best advice. For me especially, he’s almost like a guard rail. He’s always there saying the right thing to me, knowing what will make you tick.”

Away from sports, the twins share and welcome each other’s friends. Being away from each other will be the next challenge.

“I was ready to try life without him [at St. Thomas] but obviously stay in touch,” Hayden said.

“We break down each other’s competitions for the day, but other than that we sort of joke around. We’re just hanging out but we definitely talk [sports].”

WATER POLO from page 21 Saturday for the sectional title.

Going for a ninth consecutive state finals trip, the LTHS boys (21-3) also are the No. 1 seed in their LT Sectional. They play No. 4 Curie in Friday’s semifinals with the winner playing No. 2 St. Rita or No. 3 Brother Rice in the 10 a.m. sectional final Saturday.

In 2023, the LTHS girls lost to state runner-up McAuley 13-11 in the sectional final. This season, they have beaten the Mighty Macs all three meetings, including 16-5, April 18, on Senior Night for just three varsity players — Estelle Wright, Tess Filipiak and Ellie Baum.

The Lions have won 11 of their last 12. Their last two losses are by one goal.

“The team’s definitely improved [this season] and I’m excited to see where we come,” Mladjan said.

So has Mladjan, who has a team-best 99 goals with 36 assists and 58 steals. Other standouts include sophomore Bella Recker (69 goals, 29 assists), Wright (38 goals, team-high 84 assists and 99 steals), Filipiak (31 goals, 46 assists), sophomore Bebe Wright (26 goals, 18 assists, 62 steals) and junior goalie Delaney Judkins (238 saves, .667 save percentage).

Mladjan plays center defense and center hole, the primary offensive position occupied mostly last season by all-state sister Emilia, now playing at Michigan.

“I’ve been on the side and now I’m more in the center,” Mladjan said. “Recently [coach Megan Jacobs] has been putting me more in center [hole] through posting up or just putting me in the position. I feel like I’m just grasping the position and definitely in the future I hope to improve.”

The boys have won 15 of their last 16, losing 5-4 in overtime, April 27, against New Trier, the team they probably would meet should they reach the state quarterfinals. They’ve allowed five goals or fewer in 15 games.

“I always felt we could play well this year,” said senior Charlie Vlk, who has 144 saves this season as the Lions’ lone goalie.

“Our defense especially has done extremely well. It’s kind of a hand-in-hand thing. Without [our defenders], it’s harder for me to make saves. As long as we work together, that’s when our defense is really good.”

Seniors Luke Jackson (55 goals, 18 assists) and Brendan Whelton (51 goals, 18 assists) are the Lions’ leading scorers, followed by junior Sami Rabah (38 goals, 39 assists) and seniors Finn Vahey (36 goals, 28 assists), Michael Wall (25 goals, 5 assists), Sam Garvin (24 goals, 4 assists) and Michael Avakian (15 goals, 11 assists).

RBHS water polo The RBHS girls (4-14), seeded No. 5 in the Fenwick Sectional, advanced to Friday’s 7:30 p.m. semifinals against top-seeded York by beating No. 4 Elk Grove 19-8 Saturday with their highest goal total of the season.

The sectional final is at 1 p.m. Saturday against No. 2 Fenwick or No. 3 Oak Park and River Forest.

In the LT Sectional, the No. 7 RBHS boys (3-19) lost to No. 2 St. Rita 18-9 in the quarterfinals Saturday.

Senior and 2023 all-sectional Alex Jacobs had 94 goals and 14 assists, followed by juniors Avi Ponnappan (37 goals, 12 assists) and Martynas Bieliauskas (13 goals, 7 assists), who also made 86 saves as the part-time goalie.

The Landmark, May 8, 2024 23

PUBLIC NOTICES

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Deadline: Monday at 5 p.m.

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PUBLIC NOTICES

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PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING On Friday, May 24th at 9:00 a.m. a meeting conducted by Brookfield-LaGrange Park School District 95 will be taking place at S.E. Gross Middle School, 3524 Maple Ave. in Brookfield, in the 2nd Floor Conference room. The purpose of this meeting will be to discuss the District’s plans for providing special education services to students (who reside within the boundaries of Brookfield-LaGrange Park School District #95), with disabilities who attend private and home-schools for the 20242025 school year. If you have further questions pertaining to this meeting, please contact Dean Pappas, Director of Student Services, at 708-5888863 or dpappas@district95.org

INVITATION TO BID LANDSCAPING

PUBLIC NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD

Published in RB Landmark May 8, 2024

EQUAL HOUSING

The Board of Education of Oak Park Elementary School District #97 will receive sealed LANDSCAPING SERVICES bids at the Administrative Office located at 260 West Madison Street – Oak Park, IL, (60302), until 3:00 p.m. on Friday May 24, 2024.

A MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING WILL BE HELD ON FRIDAY, May 17, 2024 AT 1:00 P.M. AT THE DISTRICT OFFICE, 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 Bids mailed or delivered shall be marked to the attention of: Mr. John Pahlman Oak Park School District 97 260 Madison Street Oak Park, Illinois 60302

All real estate advertising in this

The front of the envelope should be clearly marked “LANDSCAPE SERVICES”. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Mr. John Pahlman at (708) 524-3125 or jpahlman@op97.org

newspaper is subject to the Fair

Bid Due Date: Friday, May 24, 2024. at 3:00 P.M.

OPPORTUNITY

Housing Act, which makes it illegal to

status or national origin, or intention to

Only those bids complying with the provision and specification of the bid will be considered. The Board of Education reserves the right to waive any informalities, qualification or irregularities and/or reject any or all bids, when in its opinion, such action will serve the best interest of the Board of Education of Oak Park Elementary School District 97.

make any such preferences, limitations

Published in Wednesday Journal May 8, 2024

advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial

or discrimination.

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

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

Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals.

To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

PUBLIC NOTICES RIVERSIDE BROOKFIELD TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 208 TIMELY AND MEANINGFUL CONSULTATION FOR PARENTS AND ADMINISTRATORS OF PRIVATE AND HOME SCHOOLED CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES In accordance with the requirements of Section 612(a) (10) of the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act of 2004 (“IDEA 2004”), Riverside Brookfield High School will conduct a Timely and Meaningful Consultation on Friday, May 17, 2024, at 10:00 AM at Riverside Brookfield High School, 160 Ridgewood Road, Riverside, Il 60546 The purpose of this meeting is to discuss how students with disabilities, who attend private schools or are homeschooled within the district boundaries, will be served by District 208 during the 2024-25 school year.

Parents and private school administrators who would like to attend should contact Kevin Baldus, Director of Special Education, at baldusk@rbhs208.net Published in RB Landmark May 8, 15, 2024

Notice of Public Hearing Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission May 23, 2024, at 7:00 PM NOTICE is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Planning and Zoning Commission of the Village of Brookfield on Thursday, May 23, 2024, at 7:00 PM in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois to consider an application from Li Dong for a Special Use Permit to operate a Massage Establishment use at 9211 Broadway Avenue (PIN 15-34-307026-1003).

Legal Description: UNIT NUMBER 9211 IN 9207-9213 BROADWAY CONDOMINIUM, AS DELINEATED ON A PLAT OF SURVEY OF THIS FOLLOWING DESCRIBED TRACT OF LAND: LOT B IN MRAZ SUBDIVISION OF LOTS 1 AND 2 IN BLOCK 1 IN PORTIA MANOR, BEING FREDERICK H. BARTLETT’S SUBDIVISION IN THE SOUTHWEST ¼ OF SECTION 34, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS ATTACHED AS EXHIBIT “A” TO THE DECLARATION OF CONDOMINIUM RECORDED MARCH 17, 2009 AS DOCUMENT NUMBER 0907645123; TOGETHER WITH ITS UNDIVIDED PERCENTAFE INTEREST IN THE COMMON ELEMENTS. The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/ or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the meeting to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Kate Portillo, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513 and at kportillo@brookfieldil.gov. Oral or written public testimony may be given during the public hearing.

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

Please reference PZC Case 24-09.

Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice, except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation in order to participate in any meeting may contact the Village of Brookfield at (708) 4857344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (south) entrance of Village Hall.

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

Published in RB Landmark May 8, 2024

24

The Landmark, May 8, 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 NG MI O C

ON SO W NE

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205 Bloomingbank Rd, Riverside $1,350,000

273 Maplewood Rd, Riverside $1,175,000

4408 S Talman Ave, Chicago $319,000

1530 Morgan Ave, LaGrange Park $379,000

2321 Scoville Ave, Berwyn $380,000

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3122 Wisconsin, Berwyn $650,000

622 Robinhood Ln, LaGrange Park $2,600/mo

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EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

May 8, 2024

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

B1

AT HOME ON THE GREATER WEST SIDE A GCM GUIDE TO HOMEOWNERSHIP

FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ

Two Inherent homes on the 600 block of North Ridgeway Avenue are available for first-time buyers under the city’s Building Better Neighborhood and Affordable Homes program.

In West Humboldt Park, vacant lots are turned into affordable homes

The Better Neighborhoods and Affordable Homes program offers qualified buyers up to $100K in down payment assistance

By DELANEY NELSON and FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ

T

Contributing Reporters

wo brand-new modern single-family homes sit across the street from a West Humboldt Park elementary school and health center at the intersection of North Ridgeway Avenue and West Huron Street. They boast new windows, a beautiful facade, new fences and landscaping, a sign of the high-quality modern finishes and amenities found inside.

See VACANT LOTS on page B2

FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ

(Above) Inherent L3C CEO Tim Swanson (middle) poses with Heather Hayes, director of construction operations and Sonia Del Real, vice president of sales and economic development on April 30, 2024. (Left) The kitchen at one of the West Humboldt Park homes.

B2

May 8, 2024

AT HOME ON THE GREATER WEST SIDE

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

VACANT LOTS

Continued from page B1 The homes have sustainable and smart home features, boasting energy-efficient construction, all-electric connections and high-end Google smart home devices such as thermostats, security cameras, WiFi routers, keyless locks and speakers. They are even ready to install an electric vehicle charging station if their future homeowner chooses to.

These West Side homes stand as a beacon of opportunity – proof of what can be built on thousands of vacant lots citywide.

“We are not just building homes, we’re really focused on making sure that we’re building home ownership,” said Sonia Del Real, vice president of sales and economic development for Inherent LC3, the West Side company that manufactured and installed these modular homes.

About a mile from the homes, a crew of local construction workers assembles the homes that will soon be installed on the West Side and other

CREDIT: PROVIDED, INHERENT L3C

Vacant lots in West Humboldt Park will become new single-family homes for first-time homebuyers.

CREDIT: PROVIDED, INHERENT L3C

Homebuyers can select from several facade designs with different porch, fence, window and landscape options.

neighborhoods in the city. Rather than building on-site, Inherent LC3 assembles the modules of the home at their West Side warehouse, a process that takes 10 to 12 weeks. Once the two modules are finished – one for each story –they are transported to the parcel where they are set and finished.

“A neighbor could leave for work at eight o’clock in the morning, they come back and there’s a whole house,” Del Real said.

In total, a new home could be ready in 15 weeks. Unlike traditional construction, construction crews are not restrained by weather, allowing for efficiencies and faster construction times, Del Real said.

Inherent LC3 will bring 24 properties to the neighborhood, turning vacant lots into affordable homes. The lots were owned by the city and transferred under a land redevelopment agreement that requires new construction on these lots to remain affordable.

The company has also built homes for lots owned by the Cook County Land Bank and created a micro-home prototype last year that was proposed as a solution to temporarily house migrants.

Two West Humboldt Park homes have been sold and two are currently on the market, Del Real said. More houses are underway and will be installed on North Lawndale Avenue in the proj-

AT HOME ON THE GREATER WEST SIDE

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

May 8, 2024

B3

How a $418 million lawsuit settlement could affect West Side homeowners and Realtors®

By DELANEY NELSON Special Projects Reporter

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powerful group of real estate agents agreed to settle a lawsuit that alleged the group’s commission rules forced homeowners to pay higher fees when they sold their houses.

A federal judge granted preliminary approval to the settlement terms in March, and as part of it, the group, National Association of Realtors®, is expected to pay $418 million in damages.

Key changes to the process of buying or selling a home will be made, as well, to account for more transparency and encourage market competition.

Before the settlement, broker commissions were typically paid by sellers. The seller’s agent usually agreed to split the commission with the buyer’s agent. These commissions typically range from 5% to 6% of the total cost of the home — an industry-wide standard that is much higher than in other countries.

But buyers are not always made aware of the full cost of purchasing a home, particularly when it comes to the broker’s commission. The same goes for sellers. Homeowners sued the NAR, alleging the organization fixed broker commissions at high rates and discouraged clients from seeking better terms, which cost them more money.

The lawsuit also argued that the trade group

violated antitrust laws by mandating that the seller’s agent make an offer of payment to the buyer’s agent. As it stands, the settlement will end the practice of sharing commission rates on the Multiple Listing Service (which is only accessible to agents) and theoretically make the process of negotiating compensation more transparent.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR WEST SIDE BUYERS, SELLERS Beginning in late July 2024, agents will require prospective homebuyers to sign an agreement that discloses their broker’s commission — how much the buyer will compensate their agent if they go through with the purchase — and who will pay it. A contract must be signed before a Realtor® can represent a client and show them properties.

Agreeing on the terms before viewing properties provides clarity for buyers on what services they can expect from their agent, experts say. It also guarantees buyer’s agents will get paid for their work.

For some, the process won’t change much.

Commissions were technically always negotiable, even before the proposed settlement.

Many Realtors® already used buyer-agent agreements, although they were not previously required in Illinois.

There is now no option for agents to show a

house to a buyer without a agent will say, “Great, that written agreement, said Miworks for us!” Or say no, bechelle Flores, a Chicago-area cause the compensation is outRealtor® who represents both side the amount they agreed buyers and sellers. upon with their buyer client.

The agreement will state The main widespread effect how much the buyer is willing of the settlement will likely be to pay the agent to represent lower commission fees for sellthem, with the understanding ers, as agents try to compete that when they want to view a for business. house, the agent will first try Flores said one potential to negotiate for the agreeddownside of the settlement is upon compensation on the that it could put lower-income listing side, Flores said. buyers or those who don’t have Michelle Flores “But in the event that I a lot of cash at a disadvantage.

National Association of don’t receive compensation “If sellers are adamant about Hispanic Real Estate Professionals from the listing side, the buyer not paying a buyer agent comis responsible to pay the buymission, then who’s going to er’s agent,” she said. pay the buyer agent?” she said. “Buyers who On the seller’s side, the settlement bans ad- don’t have the funds will fall in that category of vertising a commission for the buyer’s agent on not being able to buy — we already know which the MLS, the online listing platform that only real demographic is going to suffer.”

Flores also said this might make the home-buyestate agents have access to.

“Instead of me offering compensation on the ing process take longer or seem more daunting MLS to the buyer’s agent, the buyer’s agent has to prospective homeowners.

Realtors® say the details of how the settlement to come to me and say, ‘Hey, Michelle, I see a listing. I have a potential buyer, I would like to will play out haven’t been determined. And alshow that listing to the potential buyer. Are you though a federal judge granted preliminary approval to the settlement in March, the final apoffering compensation?’” Flores said.

She would respond with the compensation for proval hearing won’t be until late November of that particular unit, she said. Then, the buyer’s this year. It is widely expected to be approved.

viding up to $100,000 in a forgivable grant for downpayment assistance, closing costs and appraisal gaps to eligible first-time homebuyers. The grant amount varies based on buyers’ income and neighborhood residency.

Homebuyers complete the traditional homebuying process and an additional process to obtain the BNAH grant. The program requires buyers to live on-site for 10 years after purchasing. It is available for single-family homes and multifamily buildings with up to four units. Yet, all properties must have been developed on cityowned land, said Destiny Durham, program manager for the city’s Department of Housing.

FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ

Soon-to-be West Humboldt Park homes are built by local workers, including West and South Side residents, women and returning citizens at Inherent’s West Side production facility.

ect’s first phase, with more homes coming to West Huron Street and West Ohio Street in the future.

Once completed, the homes will be available to first-time homebuyers who qualify for financial assistance from the city’s Better Neighborhoods and Affordable Houses program.

This city program aims to promote affordable housing by pro-

In addition to the city’s homebuying assistance program, Inherent LC3 provides homeownership assistance services for five years, including quarterly maintenance and energy efficiency checks.

“We feel that the first five years or we know that the first five years are critical in homeownership or for home or sustainable homeownership, “ Del Real said.

Through a partnership with Northwestern Mutual, the company offers death and disability insurance subject to underwriting at no additional cost. For the first five years, buyers also obtain free services from security company ADT. Homebuyers can select between a two-bathroom, three-bedroom home without a basement and a one-bathroom, two-bedroom home with a basement developed by Inherent LC3. The homes have a kitchen, on-site laundry, a living space and an enclosed backyard.

When possible, buyers can select from several facade design options and customize some of the kitchen, bathroom and flooring finishes. The hallways are wide enough for wheelchair access, increasing accessibility for aging families.

“We don’t want to call these starter homes. We want people to stay in them for a long time and pass them on, that’s how you build generational wealth,” Del Real said.

B4

May 8, 2024

AT HOME ON THE GREATER WEST SIDE

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

How community land trusts combat rising home prices and fighting displacement

By DELANEY NELSON Special Projects Reporter

A

mid rising costs and gentrification, some organizations have found a creative way to obtain homeownership and to combat the displacement of longtime residents: community land trusts.

The goal of this shared ownership model is to provide affordable home prices, and in the process, keep people in their own neighborhoods.

A land trust, typically a nonprofit organization, buys the land on which a house sits, then sells the house at a discounted price to a community member while retaining ownership of the land underneath the home. In exchange, the buyer will sell the home at a discounted, affordable price if they decide to leave.

“It’s essentially a vehicle to increase community control over what happens in the real estate market, and also to preserve the affordability of housing in a rapidly gentrifying market context,” said Geoff Smith, executive director of the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University.

Black southern farmers are credited with starting the first community land trust, or CLT, in the United States during the Civil Rights Movement. Now, there are about 230 community land trusts throughout the country.

Research from the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy showed that land trust properties had substantially lower foreclosure rates in the aftermath of the 2008 housing crisis than conventional properties. This allowed community members to ride out price increases in their neighborhoods.

Lower-earning homeowners were disproportionately hit by subprime lending and the high unemployment rates that followed the housing crisis. Because CLTs kept homeowners from obtaining subprime loans in the first place, they were buffered from the impact of the economic recession, according to Lincoln Institute researchers.

Julio Pensamiento, Here to Stay Community Land Trust board member, said land trusts are an opportunity to give homes back to the community, rather than having them fall into the hands of predatory developers.

“It’s essentially to provide somebody a second chance, instead of the alternative, which would be to sell your home, foreclose, whatever

it may be, and then move elsewhere,” he said.

“We want to be able to keep those legacy families here operating in our neighborhoods.”

WHERE TO FIND THEM IN CHICAGO

Here to Stay is one of three CLTs operating in the Chicagoland area. The nonprofit, which serves low- to moderate-income households across Hermosa, Avondale, Logan Square and Humboldt Park, has acquired seven homes since incorporating in 2019. It has sold three homes, with two more sales expected within the next month, said program director Kristin Horne.

The Northwest Side land trust was born in response to community members’ need for affordable housing. It can curb displacement, allowing residents with varying income levels to live in neighborhoods such as Logan Square and Hermosa. “(People) were afraid of being displaced, pushed out of the community entirely. They wanted homeownership so that they were able to have permanent roots in the community,” Horne said. “We know we can’t stop gentrifica-

tion outright — but we can at least slow it down.”

The goal is long-term affordability, made possible through a 99-year ground lease. During that period, the organization retains the rights to the land and controls its use. Major renovations that would change the home’s value must be approved by the trust. That keeps properties from being flipped for profit, Pensamiento said.

Here to Stay also requires the homeowner to live on the property.

Wealth accumulation — a main benefit of homeownership — looks different in a community land trust. Depending on the agreed-upon terms and resale formula, a homeowner will collect a share of the home value appreciation rather than its entirety. They will also earn home equity, although at a limited rate compared to the amount generated by conventional property value appreciation.

CLTs have the potential to promote sustainable homeownership and community stability by lowering housing costs and providing housing support. But the model may not fit all neighborhoods, said Smith, who is also a member of the Illinois Community Land Trust Task Force.

In a neighborhood like Logan Square, which

has become highly inaccessible to people with modest incomes, the community land trust creates an opportunity for affordable homeownership — and an amount of wealth accumulation.

Questions remain about whether the CLT model provides the same benefits in neighborhoods like Austin that are relatively more affordable and have more available housing for sale.

“It’s not a one-shoe-fits-all. We’re not saying there should be a million land trusts and this is the only way to promote affordability,” Pensamiento said.

Aside from promoting affordability, community land trusts can be a vehicle for long-term residents to stay in the neighborhoods they have called home, preserving some of the neighborhood’s identity and culture, Pensamiento said.

“Being able to push folks out right and uproot families and uproot cultures is something that we want to put a stop to.”

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