Landmark 052224

STORY BY LUZANE DRAUGHON AND

Growing Green, page B1 GrowingGreen

MAXWELL STREET MARKET

Join us on select Sundays May 26 – October 27: 5/26, 6/30, 7/28, 9/1, 9/29 and 10/27 from 9AM– 2PM Location: Maxwell Street between Union and Halsted Streets Union Street between James M. Rochford and Liberty

RBHS expands dual enrollment o erings

e classes help students earn college credit while they explore careers

By BOB SKOLNIK

Contributing Reporter

Eleven Riverside Brookfield High School students took classes at Triton College this year that earned them college credit while they explored a potential career path.

Three enrolled in the c riminal j ustice pr ogr am, five took welding and three students took classes in the ce rt ified nurs ing assistant pr ogr am.

Next year, students will have more options to do this after the program expands to include programs in fire science, education and emergency medical technician. Seventeen students so far have signed up for dual enrollment programs next year

The dual enrollment program is part of an increased emphasis, mandated by the state, in developing career pathways. Students explore fields while earning college credit without having to pay tuition.

“I think it’s a wonderful start,” said Lorena Gasca, vice-president of the district’s school board, who also works as the director of career services at Triton.

Students in criminal justice program earned 12 hours of college credit, and in welding, they earned eight credits. Certified nursing assistance students earn 14 hours of college credit

Students typically go to T riton in the morning for classes and then return to RB for the rest of the school day. RB provide s transportation to and from T riton with a van or pays for the students to take cabs. Kylie Lindquist, assistant principal for curriculum and instruction, said that providing transportation has been the key to making the progr am work.

“I certainly think that the turning point was the transportation,” Lindquist said.

Senior Rosa Rendon was in the criminal justice program this year She said she loved it, and is now planning on majoring in criminal justice in college She said that she will go to a four-year college, but hasn’t yet decided which school to attend

“Before the whole program thing I really didn’t know anything about criminal justice,” Rendon said. “I was not interested in it, but now that I’m out of the program, [I know] it’s a career that I want to pursue in the future.”

Rendon found out about the dual enrollment options from a meeting held late in her junior year

“At the time, of course, I really didn’t know what I was going to do, pursue, so I was like ‘OK, why not just try it?’” Rendon said. “I just wanted to try something different.”

As part of the program, Rendon and fellow senior Fatina Amer spent Friday mornings for the past couple months hanging out at the Riverside and Brookfield police stations to observe and get a sense of what police work is like.

“I’m pretty much just there, watching,” Rendon said. “I’ve done ride alongs, I ride along with police officers — it’s just crazy. I’ve been introduced to this small world that I never really knew existed.”

S he said she was especially captiv ated by her c ourse in juvenile j ustice and now thinks that she wants to wo rk in the juvenile justice system.

“I like the concept of trying to get an individual back on his feet,” Rendon said.

Rendon added that she is uncertain about whether she wants to be a sworn police officer. She’s not sure she wants to carry a gun and wonders if she would be able to shoot someone if she had to

“I don’t know if I’m capable of doing that,” Rendon said. “I do like criminal justice, but I don’t know if I’m going to be able to fire a gun.”

As part of the program, students work with Brookfield resident Ericka Kouba, a career coordinator for the Des Plaines Valley Region, who helps coordinate the program between Triton and participating high schools.

Kouba taught a job readiness class to the criminal justice students, focusing on skills like how to interview and to act professionally. She emphasizes the importance of punctuality, appearance and how to get along in the work place. Rendon said that the entire experience has helped her mature and feel more confident.

Rendon said that she has become a more engaged student in all of her classes.

“I do try to engage more and participate more,” Rendon said. “It helped me on a personal level; it helped me getting out of my comfort zone and acknowledging what I can do better.”

RB expands dual credit program

In addition to dual enrollment classes with T riton, RB has been expanding its dual credit classes in which students can earn colle ge credit by completing high school classes at RB, rather than T riton. This year, 256 RB students earned colle ge credit through dual credit classes in the school’s career and technical education classes. RB classes offering dual credit are advanced digital design/graphic ar ts, advanced TV production, baking and pastry, business II, digital design, graphic arts, digital literacy I, drafting/cad technolo gy, electronics technolo gy, social media and digital marketing, TV arts production, advanced strength conditioning and mind and body fitness.

ika Hobbs Staff Reporters Trent Brown, Amaris E. Rodrigue z

Digital Manager Stacy Coleman

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Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza

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Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan

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Chair Judy Gre n Treasurer Nile Wendor f

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BIG WEEK May 22-29

New Exhibitions, Opening Receptions at the Riverside Ar ts Center

RAC Limited Edition Prints

Friday, May 24, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Selections from the Riverside Arts Center’s 2022 and 2023 Limited Edition Print

Portfolios will be on exhibit in the FlexSpace. Curated by Paul D’Amato. Twenty-three artists who have exhibited at the Arts Center were invited to respond conceptually and formally to the phrases The Shape of Things to Come and Past Perfect. Viewing hours are Thursdays-Saturdays 1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Social Chromaticism

Friday, May 24, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

The Riverside Arts Center’s Freeark Gallery is pleased to present Social Chromaticism, a solo exhibition of painting and assemblage by Kwamé Azure Gomez, guest curated by Chris D. Reeder. Gomez’s work invites us to consider the depths and impact of color beyond chromatic descriptors. Viewing hours are Thursdays-Saturdays 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

We want to hear from you

The Landmark is looking to invigorate its coverage of arts, food and enter tainment. We want to hear from you! Please take this short sur vey to help us learn what you want when you’re looking for things to do. Please submit your answers by May 26. https://forms.gle/yss7eCACoXW49jqNA

Brook eld Zoo Feeding & Playtime Adventures

Sessions start Monday, May 27, Brookfield Zoo

There are new feeding and playtime adventures at Brook eld Zoo starting next Monday. Sessions go until Sept. 2 but take the time to sign up now. Have the chance to feed the amingos and play with the macaws on the same day. After both adventures, you can continue the fun at the Rainforest Aviary Feeding Adventure. To register for adventures, visit brook eldzoo.org/wildconnections. 8400 31st St.

Policing in the 21st Century

Thursday, May 23, 7:00 p.m. LSF Brookfield Library

The League of Women Voters® of the La Grange Area will sponsor a program on Policing in the 21st Centur y. The featured speaker will be former Riverside Police Chief Tom Weitzel, who will be talking about current police issues and other related criminal justice issues. Audience questions are encouraged. The League of Women Voters® is a political organization that neither supports nor opposes candidates or parties and encourages informed and active participation in government. It in uences public policy through education and advocacy. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, email the LWV at league@ lagrangearealwv.org or visit the website at www. lagrangearealwv.org. 3541 Park Ave

Beachem’s Blissful Events

Grand Opening

Saturday, May 25, 2 p.m.

Beachem’s Blissful Events is an event space that caters to their clients’ needs. Beachem’s has packages that include all the decoration services — there is no par ty, gathering, or celebration that they say they cannot handle. In honor of their grand opening, the rst ve customers who book before Aug. 1 will receive half o on their “Do it with You and Do it For You” Package!  3736 Grand Blvd.

Chicago for Everyone

Friday, May 24, 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

The Riverside Arts Center is pleased to present Brian Wells’ exhibition of urban scene paintings at the Riverside Town Hall. Please join us for a reception with the artist on Friday, May 24 from 6-8 p.m. The Town Hall is a short block from the Riverside Arts Center. Light refreshments will be ser ved in RAC’s sculpture garden. Viewing hours are MondaysThursdays 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. and Fridays 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 27 Riverside Rd.

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.

Compiled by Grace Har ty

COURTESY OF CHICAGO BROOKFIELD ZOO

Brookfield doubles limit on outdoor liquor licenses

e village says it will save resources and time

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Brookfield has altered its village code to allow more outdoor liquor licenses in the village, a move that the village says will save staf f and trustees time that would have been used to approve excess licenses.

At the village board’s May 13 meeting, trustees approved the ordinance, which expanded the number of Class S licenses allowed in Brookfield from seven to 15. The ordinance also decreased the number of permitted Class S3 licenses from one to zero. These kinds of licenses, along with Class S1 and S2 licenses, are subsidiary liquor licenses that dictate who in the village can sell alcohol outside.

While Brookfield’s village code carefully controls the upper limit on the number of each class of liquor license in town, these limits can actually be passed. Historically, Brookfield has approved subsidiary outdoor liquor licenses beyond the limit by passing a unique ordinance for each one, requiring each application to go individually before the village board.

For example, under the new rule, the 16th Class S license issued this year would have to go before the board for specific approval while the first 15 can be issued without the same fanfare. In the same vein, all Class S3 licenses must now be approved by the board.

According to a memo, village staf f had identified at least 20 restaurants, bars or other establishments in town that possessed valid liquor licenses and could apply for outdoor licenses

“This [change] would allow us to provide that subsidiary Class S license that is more aligned with the number we see requested annually,” said Assistant Village Manager Stevie Ferrari at the meeting.

According to Brookfield’s village code, a Class S liquor license “is required for retail sale of alcoholic liquor on private property exterior to the re gularly licensed premises.” An establishment with out-

door seating on private property would be required to hold a Class S license to sell alcohol outside. The kind of establishment — one that primarily serves food or one that primarily sells alcohol, so a restaurant or a bar — changes the rules for where outdoor sections can be positioned relative to any residences that may be adjacent to the building.

According to that memo, village staf f have identified 15 establishments in Brookfield that serve liquor and either possess or could apply for a Class S liquor license. The new limit of 15 was likely chosen so all of these establishments could become licensed without taking up the village’s resources or time.

Class S1 licenses allow businesses to sell and dispense alcohol on any public rightof-way, meaning the difference between needing a Class S or S1 license is whether the outdoor seating area is on the establishment’s property or the village’s. Class S and S1 licenses both permit alcohol to be sold from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and legal holidays.

Class S2 licenses give the same permissions as Class S licenses, but they allow for much wider hours of alcohol sale, only forbidding it from 2 to 7 a.m. Monday through Saturday and 2 to 11 a.m. on Sunday Brookfield’s village code allows for it to give out three Class S1 licenses and one Class S2 license each year, which will not change with the passing of the ordinance. The village board will still be required to approve each Class S1 and S2 license once the limit for each kind has been reached.

Class S3 subsidiary licenses are specifically granted to holders of Class 8 liquor licenses, which authorize the sale of alcohol “to be consumed on the premises in conjunction with events of short durations,” like picnics, open houses, banquets and other special events where the sale and consumption of alcohol are not the primary goal.

Obtaining a Class S3 liquor license allows the holder to sell alcohol on any land owned or controlled by Brookfield, though all applications for this type of subsidiary license must now be approved through the passage of a drafted ordinance by the village board.

COMMON TAX SCAMS

By

The “Claim your tax refund online” scheme: Identity thieves know that the concept of free or overlooked money is tempting for people. So the IRS routinely sees email and text schemes playing off tax refunds and suggesting people have somehow missed getting their tax refund.

A variation hitting inboxes in recent weeks has a blue headline proclaiming people should “Claim your tax refund online.”

Again, there are telltale warning signs, including misspellings and urging people to click a link for help to “claim tax refund.” Here’s one example: “We cheked an error in the calculation of your tax from the last payment, amounting to $927 ;22. In order for us to return the excess payment, you need to create a E-Refund after which the funds will be credited to your specified bank. Please click below to claim your tax refund. If we are unable to complete within 3 days, all pending will be cancelled.”

The ‘’Help You Fix-It” text scheme: In another text scam seen in recent weeks, identity thieves come up with a name on a text message that tries to sound official, like “govirsaccnnt2023.”

They then send a variety of messages that say there’s a problem with a person’s tax return but, not to worry, the anonymous sender of the text message can help resolve the problem if they click on a link. Like others, there are many red flags on these text messages, including misspellings and factual inaccuracies:

“MSG ... IRS: You federal return was ban-by the IRS. Don’t worry, we’ll help you fix it. Click this link.”

Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.

Linda Sokol Francis, E.A.

RIVERSIDE ARTS WEEKEND JUNE

the improvements projects. They involve replacing the village’s oldest water mains with new ones and swapping a quarter of its water service pipes that contain lead with new copper pipes. The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency will provide funding for all four contracts in the form of interest-free, 30-year loans.

The first contract is with the La Grange Park-based Suburban General Construction to replace Brookfield’s oldest pipes. According to a village memo, of Brookfield’s 60 miles of water main pipe, about 31 miles are at least 100 years old. The work will involve installing about 6,000 feet of ductile iron pipe as well as replacing valves, fire hydrants and more. The contractor will also be responsible for removing and re placing sections of the curb, sidewalk and pavement, restoring any disturbed parkways, and replacing a small number of lead water service pipes.

Suburban General’s bid for the project was just shy of $5.1 million, coming in about $350,000 lower than the cost estimated by Hancock Engineering, the firm spearheading the improvements for Brookfield. Suburban General beat out three other contractors, whose bids ranged in price from $5.7 million to $6.6 million.

Brookfield awarded the three other contracts, each for one part of the village’s effort to replace its lead service pipes, to Five Star Energy Services, a construction company based in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Two other firms applied for two of the contracts while only one other applied for the third, but Five Star’s bids were the lowest in all three cases.

The three contracts are each worth different amounts between $2 million and $3 million; Brookfield will owe Five Star about $7.3 million across all three. Each of Five Star’s bids came in under the engineer’s estimated cost for that piece of the project, altogether estimated at about $10.1 million.

While it may seem strange that Brookfield and Five Star have entered into three separate contracts for what amounts to one project, Village Engineer Derek Treichel said at the village board meeting that the lead pipe replacement was split up to encourage competitive bidding.

“If we would have bid the $7.5 million project, that eliminates a lot of the smaller contractors, and we were worried that it might restrict competition. We wanted

some of these local plumbing contractors that are familiar with Brookfield and its water system to be able to be competitive, and they may only be able to take one job,” said Treichel, who is also the president of Hancock Engineering.

He added that village staf f staggered the three requests for bids by two days each to encourage contractors who missed out on the first or second contract to lower their subsequent bids, leading to more competition between contractors.

Replacement timeline

The statewide mandate requiring Brookfield to re place its lead pipes, known as the Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act, necessitates that the village submit a “complete and final” plan to replace lead pipes by April 2027. After that, Brookfield will have 17 years to replace them all, though it will be required to replace at least 6% of the pipes each year. At the village board meeting, Treichel, who is also the president of Hancock Engineering, explained why the village is starting the project now by replacing about 23% of the villages lead pipe s.

“The way we selected those streets [for lead pipe replacement] is we met with Public Works. We prepared a five-year capital improvements program, and what we’re trying to do with these lead water service replacement projects is get out in front of our street improvements project,” he said. “That way, after we pave the street, we won’t have to come back afterwards and dig up the street to make connections to the watermain, which, in most of the cases in Brookfield, is out in the street.”

Both the lead pipe replacement and street improvements projects will be completed in phases, so the first streets to get their pipes replaced will also be the first streets to be resurfaced.

But Brookfield’s upcoming street improvements aren’t the only reason the village is getting a head start on replacing these pipes — some funding from the EPA is available only this year.

“I anticipate this being the one and only year where we’re able to get a significant increase in lead service funds because a lot of the communities, the disadvantaged communities, that were awarded funds dropped out this year, because, starting next year, they may be able to get loan forgiveness,” Treichel said. “We’re able to scoop up an additional $5.5 million worth of funding this year towards lead water service replacement [for a] total of [$]7.55 million in

Brook eld resident, village sta rescue 12 ducklings from sewers

Two broods of baby ducks fell through manhole covers in di erent parts of town

ursday

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Brookfielders c ame to the rescue T hursd ay morning after two broods of ducklings f ell through manhole cove rs i nto the village ’s sewe rs

Nine ducklings f ell i nto a manhole on Arden Avenue j ust north of Washington Avenue wh i le three f ell i nto a different manhole near the i ntersection of Fairview Avenue and Maple Avenue.

Brookfield resident Angelica D ’Amic o Hayes rescued eight of the nine ducklings on Arden Avenue herself. In a direct message, she told the L andmark she sa a p ost in the Facebook group Brookfield C onnections T hursd ay morning about the ducklings and decided to head ov since she was in the area.

S he said she remove d the manhole cover herself and p ulled the ducklings out one by one

“They would h ide in [ the] sewe r system and then slowly p eek out again, I would quickly gr ab one at a time,” she wrote. “I realized most p eople we re their way to wo rk at that time and I ha t he day of f, so I had to at least tr y. ”

She said Brookfield public safety and public works staf f rescued the ninth duck ling on Arden Avenue; as far as she could tell, none of the ducks were injured.

Maple Avenue

“They had already p ulled two out. T hey had one last duckling in there, and it ke pt going i nto the sewe r line,” he said.

“The duckling went from that locatio n to the m iddle of the street — in the sewer, obviously — then it went to the west sewe r gr at e, ” he a dded. “It was on the other s ide of the street, and then I g uess it found another line, and it was b ouncing around to the different water lines in the intersection. ”

Janusz said publics wo rk staf f we re eventually able to gr ab the duckling when it approached a sewe r opening . N one of the ducklings in the second brood we re injured, either, he said. Al l of the ducklings we re released to thei r mother s, who we re b oth near by the manholes their brood fell into

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Both broods we re rescued around the same time T hursd ay b etween 8 and 9 a.m., said Vi llage Fo rester Vi c tor Janusz, who was on the way to help with the operation on Arden Avenue when he c ame across public wo rks staf f rescuing the other brood near Fairview Avenue and

Steven C Langworthy, CFP

Financial Advisor 9136 Broadway Brookfield, IL 60513

RB teachers earn raises in 2-year contract extension

All other contract issues remain the same

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

The teachers union at Riverside Brookfield High School and the school board have approved a two-year contract extension, and a modification of the existing contract that had been set to expire in 2025.

On May 14, the Riverside Brookfield High School District 208 Board of Education unanimously approved a memorandum of agreement that extends the contract and increases raises next year. Members of the Riverside Brookfield Education Association had already approved the agreement.

RBEA President Dan Bonarigo, a math teacher at RB, said that the contract extension was a product of the collaborative relationship between the RBEA and the school board.

“The RBEA and District 208 met on a number of occasions over a few months to refine the details of the contract extension,” Bonarigo said in an email. “The RBEA and District 208 have a collaborative working relationship and this extension is another example of that relationship. We are looking forward to working together now and into the future.”

Bonarigo declined to reveal the exact results of the union ratification vote.

Superintendent Kevin Skinkis and Assistant Superintendent Kristin Smetana handled the negotiations for the school board.

Fringe benefits will remain the same in the contract extension.

The agreement increases the raises that RB teachers will receive next year. Teachers with a bachelor’s degree will get a $3,600 raise next year. Teachers with a master’s degree and less than five years’ experience will get a $4,100 raise, while teachers with a master’s degree and five to 10 years of experience will get a $5,300 raise. Teachers with a master’s degree and more than 10 years of experience will get a $5,600 boost. Teachers had been scheduled to get raises ranging from $2,800 to $4,700 next year depending on experience and inflation under the contract that was signed in 2022.

Salary ranges from teachers with a bachelor’s degree will now range from $56,000 to $86,000. For teachers with a master’s degree, the salary range will be $64,000 to $139,500. For teachers with master’s plus 30 additional hours of graduate school credit, the salary range will be $66,000 to $144,000. For teachers with a master’s degree plus 45 more graduate hours the salary range will be $67,000 to $150,500. And the salary range for teachers with 60 graduate credit hours beyond a master’s degree will increase to $68,000 to $155,000.

“We were able to negotiate this extension so seamlessly and continue with the good work of the collective bargaining agreement,” said school board president Deanna Zalas.

The extension only changes the financial terms of the existing contract. All other contract language will remain in place until June 30, 2027.

In the two years added to the contract, teachers will receive flat dollar raises of $3,500 to $5,500, depending on experience and the rate of inflation.

Zalas said that it was beneficial to extend the contract for two years with the new financial ter ms.

“I think of the time savings,” Zalas said. “We’ve made some really g ood progr ess on the p eer evaluation and the division head initiative that are in thi s c ontract. We didn’t touch on any of that so we ’re building on that c ontinued j ust by extending the terms of this c ontract. ”

Stipends for athletic coaches will increase by 4% next year compared with the 1% increase that was in the old contract. Stipends for coaches will increase by 3% in the 2025-26 school year and by 2% in the 2026-27 school year

Stipends for club sponsors will also increase by 4% next year, up from the 2% that was in the old contract, and then increase by 3% in the 2025-26 school year and by 2% in the 2026-27 school year.

Salaries for paraprofessionals with a bachelor’s degree will increase by $3,600 next year, up from the previously agreed upon $2,800 or $3,000 depending upon inflation. In the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years, paraprofessionals with just a bachelor’s degree will get raises of either $3,500 or $3,700, depending on whether the Consumer Price Index increases by more or less than 3.75 percent.

Paraprofessionals with a master’s degree will get a raise of $4,100 next year, up from $3,300 or $3,500, and raises of $4,000 or $4,200 in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years.

Former D96 superintenden

David Bonnette dies at 83

He also served as an interim superintendent at RBHS

By BOB SKOLNIK

Contributing Reporter

David Bonnette, who served for 13 years as the superintendent of Riverside Elementary School District 96, and later came out of retirement to serve for two years as interim superintendent at Riverside Brookfield High School, died in Michigan last month. Bonnette was 83.

Bonnette died April 28 at his home in St. Joseph, Michigan. Bonnette, a native of Michigan, had moved to St. Joseph a few years ago after living in Riverside for more than two decades. Bonnette died with his wife Louise by his side, according to an obituary posted by a funeral home. No cause of death was given.

Bonnette was born in Holland, Michigan. He graduated from Hope College, then began working as a science teacher and taught for one year at Niles West High School before returning to Michigan. He earned a master’s degree from Eastern Michigan University and a doctorate in education from the University of Michigan. He became a superintendent in a small district in Michigan at 31. He came to Riverside Elementary School District 96 in 1992 and stayed until 2005, when he retired.

Bonnette seemed like a superintendent straight out of central casting: a big man, tall with a strong physical presence who typically wore a blue suit. He had a deep voice and a dignified, professional, yet friendly manner. He radiated authority and confidence but also gentleness

He built the orchestra program in District 96 and helped pass two referendums and a bond issue. The 2004 operating tax referendum put District 96 on solid financial footing, which has continued since then, with the district regularly operating in sur plus

In the 2004 referendum campaign, Bonnette was not above using scare tactics to secure “yes” votes, claiming that the district would have to close its two smallest schools, Blythe Park School and Hollywood School, and cut hours at L.J. Hauser Junior High School if

the referendum failed to pass.

After retiring from District 96, in 2005 Bonnette served for one year as an interim superintendent in River Forest District 90 and taught at Northeastern Illinois Uni

In 2009, he was called out of retirement one more time to take over as the interim superin tendent at Riverside Brookfield High School after the abrupt departure of for mer Superin tendent and Principal Jack Balder mann.

Bonnette was a steady hand at of RB. He recommended the hiring of former principal Pamela Bylsma as he and the school board chose her over the in-house candidate Troy Goble, who has gone on to serve as the principal of Stevenson High School, which typically is the highest rated non-selective enrollment public school in Illinois, according to the U.S. News & World report rankings. Bonnette also helped force out long time for mer football coach and athletic director Otto Zeman.

But Bonnette could not pass a referendum at RB. In 2011, Bonnette’s final year at RB, a referendum for an operating tax increase was overwhelmingly defeated with 76.66% of voters voting against increasing taxes.

After leaving RB in 2011 Bonnette found ways to help District 96. In 2014, he led searches that brought interim superintendents Patrick Patt and Griff Powell to District 96 to replace superintendent Bhava Sharma-Lewis. Bonnette also led the search that resulted in the selection of Merryl Brownlow as the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction.

And one year later in 2015, the District 96 school board tapped Bonnette and for mer Lyons Township High School District 204 Superintendent Dennis Kelly to lead the search for a new superintendent. They recommended hiring Martha Ryan-Toye, whom Bonnette had worked with in River Forest District 90 when Ryan-Toye was the special education director there.

Ryan-Toye stayed at District 96 and is now finishing her eighth year as superintendent. Bonnette kept in touch with Ryan-Toye and maintained a keen interest in what was going on in District 96.

“He would check in periodically,” RyanToye said. “He would send a note.”

Bonnette is survived by his wife Louise and his four children: Paul, Jean, Roy and Leslie.

Riverside updates several sections of its village code

Changes are related to stormwater drainage, radon control and other issues

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Riverside ’s village code has rece ived a swath of updates following approval from trustees at their May 16 village board meeting, bringing clarity and specifications that village staf f said in a memo would be “immediately useful.”

T he changes affect the sections of the village ’s code on business re gulations, building re gulations, and health and sanitation. Broadly, they will enable Riverside staf f to better penalize contractors who violate village protocols, request asbuilt plans to verify that construction plans have been followed, ensure best practices are followed when installing radon control systems, protect village trees from nearby construction and ensure stormwater r unof f does not overfl ow onto adjacent proper ties or public rightsof-way like the sidewalk or street.

Penalizing contractors

T he first change to Rive rside ’s village code allows the village to revo ke a c ontractor ’s b usiness license and b an them from c onducting business in town if they violate provisions of the code, with one exce ption.

T hose violations, said A ssistant Vi llage Manager A shley Monroe, include p eople abandoning a jobsit e, leavin g residents without a c ontractor, leavin g a jobsite open and d angerous for p eople and animals, failing to c all for i nspections, and leaving wo rk undone

T he new language specifies that a contractor will have their license revoked, and they will be banned from doing business in town for two years if they violate village code provisions on “three or more occasions during a 36-month period. ”

T he change also establishes an appeals process for contractors who have had their business license revoked. T he village manager will review appeal requests before deciding to affirm, modify or reverse the revocation. If the contractor isn’ t satisfied, they can request another appeal before Riverside ’s village board, which will render a final decision.

As-built plans

T he second change c omes to the section of the village code on building alteration. This pa rt of the code had only dictated that ce rt ificates of o ccupancy must be issued for newly built or altered buildings before they can be used .

Now, a dditions to the code have give n Rive rside and i ts staf f the ability to req uest as-built p lans, wh ich it c an use to ve rify whether appr oved c onstruction projects we re completed accuratel y.

“This opens the d oor for other t ypes of projects where we would c ommonly ask for [ as-built p lans] or need to: for gr ading, paving … or other t ypes of large rscale projects, we spell out exactly, fo r staf f, when it would be helpful to have [ them],” Monroe said.

T he new language in the code specifie s that property owners must provide asbuilt p lans to village staf f upon request, as they are “crucial for compliance ve rification, f uture maintenance and as a record of the approved construction. ”

For newly constructed homes and garage s, as-built plans must reflect the final conditions of the structure, including its layout, dimensions, utility connections and other relevant info rmation.

Fo r a dditions to homes, as-built p lans must show the existing structur e, the a ddition and any alterations that we re made during construction.

Fo r projects involving paving or gr ading — that is, reshaping the land i tself — as-built p lans must include the existing and finished gr ades, drainage patterns, measures to c ontrol erosion and other d etails in order to “document the final top og raphy of the site.”

Radon control

T he third change is the largest to the code itself, with the addition of an enti re section governing radon control systems.

“For the most pa rt , it observes the state code requirements for radon, but it a dds a provision that we ’d li ke to create a dedicated circuit to make sure those radon miti gation systems c ontinue to f unction,” Monroe said.

The new text says that a radon control

fies that they each must be powered by “a dedicated and labeled circuit.”

Tree protection

T he fourth change affects the section of the code on protecting public trees from near by c onstruction, allowing fo r enhanced protection through more flexible standards

T he code calls for a 72-inch-high chain link fence with big posts. Monroe said that they’re opening up the code to allow additional fencing methods and to permit not only public works but also the building de par tment to approve tree fencing.

Other f encing methods include “orange or brightly-colored p lastic or vinyl material” that is used in c onstruction wo rk and c an sometimes be c alled snow f encing or safety f encing. T hose kind s of temporary f ences, wh ich are now allowe d by the village code, must be 48 inches or taller

village m-

erty may be located relative to adjacent proper ties and the public right-of-w ay

“E ve ry single week, most days, we have c oncerns from residents about water management and stormwater management in town. W hen we r un i nto an i ssue where p eople are either unsure of where they c an drain, where to i nstall sump p ump s, the sump p ump discharging into the right-of-w ay,” Monroe said.

T he new section says any discharge of water must be directed so it d oes not fl ow onto adjoining properties or public rights-of-w ay S tormwater discharge “must be let onto a pervious surface” at least five f eet from the closest property line, and all water r unof f must stay 10 f eet aw ay from the right-of-w ay.

T he new language also specifies that final discharge locations must be appr oved by village staf f.

“We know lots are tight,” Monroe said. “There’s really different challenges in the community, but we’re hoping that this flexibility also provides more guidance.

Man arrested for driving drunk after speeding, weaving between lanes

A man was arrested May 13 in Lyons for driving dunk after a Riverside officer reported seeing him speeding.

According to police, the officer was near the intersection of South Harlem Avenue and Ogden Avenue when they heard multiple cars honking and saw the man’s car heading west on Ogden Avenue “at a high rate of speed.” The officer drove in that direction and caught up with the vehicle near the intersection with First Avenue. As the officer caught up, they saw the car crossing over the lane markers repeatedly

After stopping at the red light at the intersection, the car continued west, weaving around the lane markers, before speeding up to 50 mph in a 30-mph zone. At that time, the officer activated their emergency lights and the driver pulled the car over

The man provided the officer with his driver’s license and proof of insurance, which came back clear from the police database

The officer could smell alcohol on the man’s breath before seeing an open case of Corona beer in the backseat, police said. When asked, the man told the officer he was heading home from a friend’s restaurant. The man agreed to take field sobriety testing, but the officer noted he was “talkative and argumentative.”

During the tests, the officer noticed several indicators of the man’s drunkenness. The officer asked the man to take a portable breath test, but he declined. The officer placed the man under arrest. According to police, the man’s passenger was not inebriated but did not want possession of the car, so he was sent on his way.

Upon arrival at the station, police said the man became “argumentative and belligerent,” refusing to walk into the building and, at first, to take his seat to be read a warning about refusing to submit to a breath test. When police said they asked the man to remove the gum in his mouth, he became “more

and more belligerent and non-compliant” and refused to continue sitting. With assistance, officers handcuffed the man inside and removed his belt, shoes, socks and jewelry before placing him into a cell, where his shirt was removed.

Because of his behavior, police documented the man as refusing to take a breath test, meaning his license will be suspended year. According to the police re planned to charge the man with driving under the influence, improper lane speeding and process him once he became “sober and compliant.” A June 7 was issued at that time

These items were obtained from the Riverside Police Department re ports May 13-14 and the Brookfield partment re ports dated May 13-20; th resent a portion of the incidents to police responded. Anyone named in these

re ports has only been char ged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of

Join us in celebrating two decades of authentic homemade Mexican cuisine and heartfelt hospitality in the heart of the Berwyn community! From our humble beginnings as a small, four-table establishment, La Lupita has grown into a beloved local icon, renowned for our dedication to delicious, authentic dishes. Lupita and her three kids are immensely proud of this incredible journey and grateful to all our patrons

who have supported us through the years. Through recessions, pandemics, inflation, and more, your support has given us the strength to continue providing the exceptional food and service you deserve. We invite you to stop by and experience our newly renovated space, enjoy our beautiful patio, and look forward to our upcoming rooftop addition.

CAN I GET ACCESS TO THE BEST CANCER CARE CLOSE TO HOME?”

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To learn more, go to ChicagolandCancerCare.com.

Local news reporting starts at street level

When a lifelong Riverside resident published her first book, set in her beloved Riverside to reflect the village’s deep impact on

captured

its residents, Landmark’s Trent Brown captured the story with the vibrancy, humor and focus that only a local publication can bring.

Authentic reporting. Fact-based. Close to the ground.

The kind of local reporting you can get only with the Landmark.

Help keep this reporting going.

Trent Brown, Landmark reporter

MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

WE ALL HAVE MENTAL HEALTH

Whether you are struggling with a temporary challenge or if you are living with a chronic condition, your mental health is just as important as your physical health.

50%

More than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

GROWING CRISIS AMONG YOUTH

America’s youth mental health crisis has been worsened by the COVID�19 pandemic.

Persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness INCREASED

69% between 2009 and 2021 for U.S. high school students

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE

The Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township �CMHB� and the River Forest Township Mental Health Committee invest in a continuum of mental health care that is responsive to our unique and evolving community needs. Together, we provided over $1.6M last year to help local organizations and schools offer prevention, early intervention, treatment, and quality-of-life services to Oak Park and River Forest residents. Our grants resulted in:

COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH BOARD OF OAK PARK TOWNSHIP

� Over 9,500 Oak Park residents accessing services

� Nearly 7,000 units of mental health treatment for Oak Park residents

� Over 300 educational presentations on mental health to Oak Park residents

� Over 1,000 Oak Park high school students trained in suicide prevention

In fiscal year 2024, CMHB provided over $1.4M in funding for mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disability services. To learn more about our work in this area, visit oakparktownship.org/CMHB.

RIVER FOREST TOWNSHIP MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE

� Over 18,000 hours of services provided to River Forest residents

� Nearly 50 hours of educational presentations on mental health to River Forest residents

� Over 250 River Forest high school students trained in suicide prevention

In fiscal year 2024, RFT provided over $215,000 in funding for mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disability services. To learn more about our work in this area, visit www.riverforesttownship.org/mental-health.

They’re back: 17-year cicadas return from underground

ese cicadas will continue emerging through early June

By LUZANE DRAUGHON AND TRENT BROWN Staff Reporters

Some cicadas come every summer, announcing their arrival with a high-pitched hum during Fourth of July parades, backyard barbecues and late-night bonfires.

This year, Brood XIII, a group of cicadas that only appears every 17 years, is returning to Riverside, Brookfield and other communities in norther n Illinois, souther n Wisconsin and northwest Indiana.

These cicadas live underground until their 17-year cycle is up. Many will emerge through May and early June, when the soil reaches 64 degrees at a depth of 8 inches. They’ll be around for about four to six weeks.

While scientists aren’t sure how the cicadas know when 17 years are up, the theory is that they have an “internal molecular clock” that tracks the life cycle and chemical changes of tree roots around them, according to The Morton Arboretum. Cicadas that emerge yearly normally come out in late July and August. Periodic cicadas have a black body, orange or red wings and red eyes. In forested areas, there will be about 1.5 million of these cicadas per acre, according to The Morton Arboretum. The more developed and populated Brookfield might see fewer cicadas than Riverside with its bountiful green space. New construction in both villages since periodic cicadas last emerged in 2007 could have disrupted the soil, too.

Most cicadas will fly at most a half of a mile in their lifetime, said Grant Jones, Oak Park’s forestry superintendent. Jones said

residents who lived in Oak Park the last time these cicadas emerged 17 years ago told him the area definitely had fewer emerge than in neighboring communities.

Cicadas are not harmful to humans, as they don’t bite or sting, but they can produce a lot of noise that residents are likely to notice this spring. The sound you hear is a mating call from male cicadas to attract female par tners.

“A lot of people are paying attention and kind of curious about cicadas,” Jones said. “People are usually not used to them being around.”

These insects won’t chow down on trees, but they will drill into smaller branches to lay eggs and continue their legacy This, unfortunately, can cause small branches to break off or die, Jones said. Trees with a trunk less than two inches in diameter and few branches are likely at the most risk.

“Their main purpose is to reproduce and get the next generation going,” Jones said.

These cicadas typically lay eggs in oak, maple, hickory, apple, birch, dogwood, linden, willow, elm, ginkgo and pear trees, according to The Morton Arboretum. They may also lay eggs in shrubs.

Residents wor ried about protecting their trees can do so by covering them with mesh netting that prevents cicadas from drilling into them. T he netting should have holes no larger than a fourth of an inch, Jones said. This type of netting can be found at hardware stores Some tree owners even use tulle to protect their plants, Jones said. Openings can be

secured with staples, string or zip ties

“I f your little finger fits through a hole, it ’s big enough to admit a cicada,” sai d T he Morton Arboretum.

The Village of Riverside recommends pushing off planting any new trees until cicada season is over, as younger trees are more susceptible to being damaged when female cicadas lay eggs due to their smaller size and lower number of branches. The village itself has also covered many public trees with mesh nets, which can be seen around town.

Sprays or insecticides won’t have an impact on cicadas, either. Exclusion through netting is the best way to keep plants healthy from cicadas, Jones said. But cicadas aren’t the only thing that can potentially damage plants

“As we get into the heat and, often times, dryness of the summer, that’s another good time to make sure that you’re watering your plants properly just to keep them healthy,” he said. “That way, if there is any damage, they’re not also being stressed by a lack of moisture.”

Others might want to wait to plant smaller trees until the cicadas are gone again.

When removing netting, residents should be sure to do so carefully, Jones said. Branches and leaves can get intertwined and damaged easily during this process.

One common question, Jones said, is if pets eating cicadas could be dangerous. Cicadas are not harmful or toxic to pets, he said, but if a pet eats too many, they might

get a stomachache

After the cicadas mate and lay eggs, they will die. According to The Morton Arboretum, “there will be dead cicadas everywhere,” so residents can expect to see them walking or driving around. As they decay, there may be an odor.

Despite the annoyances of dealing with cicadas, Riverside and Brookfield recommend that residents embrace their arrival. Online, Brookfield has promoted a cicada photography contest hosted by Visit Oak Park Winners in the three categories — Most Colorful Picture, Most Cicadas in One Picture and Best Action Shot — will each receive a $100 gift card. Participants must live in Brookfield, Riverside, Oak Park or another nearby community; the full list is available on Brookfield’s website.

Riverside is encouraging people to use this time to learn about cicadas.

“This cicada emergence offers a unique opportunity to witness one of nature’s incredible events,” the village said in a news release. “While it might be a bit inconvenient, it’s a chance to observe these fascinating insects up close. Educating children and community members about cicadas can foster a greater appreciation for our local ecosystem.”

COMING SOON: RARE CIC ADA DOUBLE BR OOD EVENT

Make Your Home Show Ready YOUR BEST LIFE with Lisa Capone

VS

ARE CICADAS THE SAME AS L OCUSTS?

They are different species of insects. Cicadas emerge as individuals. Locusts migrate in swarms.

Adult cicadas don’t eat much. Locusts consume crops and plants.

WHEN WILL CICADAS EMERGE?

June

Total time: 4-6 weeks

Emergence when the soil temperature hits 64 degrees (in the top 12” of soil)

WILL MY AREA BE AFFEC T ED?

SHOULD I SPRAY PESTICIDES TO CON T ROL CICADAS?

NO.

Pesticides will not work. Don’t waste your money.

to effectively (and safely) control cicadas.

There is no legal application for pesticide usage on periodical cicadas. Cicadas are an important food source for local wildlife. Spraying for cicadas will have a negative impact on the ecosystem.

Dogs also eat cicadas – don’t expose your pets to harmful pesticides.

IS TREE NETTING NECESSAR Y?

Netting is not recommended unless you have recently planted small trees. Waiting to plant small trees or choosing egg-laying cicadas.

from damage is to surround the trunks with screening to prevent egg-laying. If you’re not in an area with older mature of cicadas emerging.

FINAL THOUGH T:

PLEASE NOTE:

You’ve decided to move to a senior living community, now what? If you have a home to sell, get it show ready by following these easy steps.

• Declutter, Depersonalize & Deep Clean. Help home shoppers focus on the house and not who lives there. Remove framed photos, bulletin boards and personal items, and get rid of anything dirty, dusty or smelly.

• Go Neutral. Buyers often can’t see past your décor so paint over any bright colors. Stick with whites, light gray, beige, or greige shades, they make spaces seem larger and more welcoming.

• Light It Up. Make sure all lamps and light fixtures have working bulbs and rooms are bright and well lit.

• Fix It Up. Repair small and large issues to present a home that’s been well cared for. If a project is too large to do it yourself, hire a handyman.

Remember, you only have one chance to make a great first impression with potential home buyers.

Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030.

The emergence of two cicada broods is a rare event. While they are noisy, the insects are harmless and can be appreciated as a brief educational opportunity.

Cicada

Locust

Opinion

THE L ANDMARK VIEW

Brook eld was ready

It is going to be a productive summer in Brookfield when it comes to longneeded investments in the aging water infrastructure of the village.

While the village has planned well to re p lace a notable port i on of it s c entury-old water mains, it has also demonstrated unusual nimbleness in scooping up additional funding to accelerate the mandated re p lacement of about a quar ter of lead-based water service lines that connect those mains to homes and businesses

As certain other, and mostly less af fluent, communities back ed aw ay from a cce pting Illinois EPA’s 30-year interest-free loans for the service line re p lacements, Brookfield was eager to make that deal and lined up an additional $5. 5 million. And, based on smart and timely wo rk by the village ’s contracted engineering fir m, it was able to roll that money into a much expanded re p lacement ef fo rt this summer.

Vi llage President Michael Garve y credited both village staf f and Hancock Engineering with making the expansion possibl e.

“We’ re star ting a lot earlier than anyone else, or even earlier than we are required to do, because it is such an important issue,” he said. “But by bein g ready and having the engineering and the foresight, we set ourselves up fo r this funding.”

Re p lacing these lead water connectors is imperative and mandated by the state over a specific number of year s. But credit is due to Brookfield, its elected and appointed of ficials fo r, over time, grow ing into the well manage d village it has become

Remembering David Bonnette

It is not often that a school leader plays distinctly positive roles at not just the elementary schools or the high schools in one community but in both.

David Bonnette, who died last week at the age of 83 at his home in Michig an, was such a person.

He led the District 96 elementary schools in Riverside for 13 years. Those were years of accomplishment and steady growth, both in educational and extracurricular programs but also, through a successful tax referendum, in setting up the district for long-term financial calm.

Through those year s, Bonnette, a Rive rside resident, built a lot of trust in the community. Always a steady presenc e, he was a professional educator with a warm presenc e.

It was due to that trust that the school board at Riverside Brookfield High School called Bonnette out of retirement when it had a sudden and upending opening for a superintendent. Again he was steady, forward looking and, sur prisingly, served a full two years in an interim capacity.

A lasting outcome of Bonnette’s work in both districts was the direct role he played in finding and promoting, with school board approval, the next generation of leadership, which built of f of his work. That is a fine le gacy

OBITUARIES

Barbara Drai, 77

Govern libr

Barbara Julia Drai, 77 of Brookfield, died on May 17, 2024. A government librarian, she was the wife of George Drai; the mother of Jenny Drai and Michael (Nicole) Drai; the grandmother of Corinne, Charles, Maxwell and Francesca Drai; the sister of Joseph (Gale) and Cathy (Jerre); and the aunt of many nieces and nephews. Services and interment are pri

In lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated to: St. Thomas Hospice, 119 E. Ogden Ave., Hinsdale, IL 60521 or Greater Chicago Food Depository, 4100 W. Ann Lurie Place, Chicago, IL 60632

Arrangements were handled by Hitzeman Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 9445 31st St., Brookfield, IL 60513. 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, c/o the Barbara Drai Family. We will gladly forward it on to the family.

Charles Brom, 88

Advertising executive

Charles J. Brom III, 88, of Riverside, died on May 15, 2024. He was a retired advertising executive and U.S. Ar my veteran.

Charles was the husband of Diane nee Lenzi; the father of Charles IV (Cindy), John (Kathleen), Kenneth (Melinda) Brom and Susan (Raymond) Trantina; Nonno of Charles V, William, Claire, Luke, Mark, Nicole, Madeline, Sarah and Julia Brom and Andrew, Thomas and Matthew Trantina; the brother of Pamela (John) Kollman; and the uncle of many. He was preceded

in death by his grandson, Gregory Brom, and his sister, Barbara Kowalski. Visitation was held on May 17 at Ivins/ ecek Funeral Home, 80 E. Burlington St., Riverside. Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on May 18 at St. Paul VI Parish/St. Mary Church in Riverside, folby interment and military honors Queen of Heaven Cemetery. Funeral info: 708-447-2261 or www.moravecek.com.

Edward F. Kelly, 83

Loved reading and music

Edward F. Kelly, 83, of La Grang e, fo rof North Rive rside, died on May 14, 2024. Born on Au g. 26, 1940, he was aduate of St. Mary School in Riveride, St. Ignatius C olle ge Prep, and the Unive rsity of Detroit. T he for mer b oard president of Saint Labre Condo Association, he love d reading, all g enres of music and spending time with his children and 12 gr andchildren.

Edward was the friend and for mer spouse of Marie (nee Hurley) Kelly; the father of C olleen (Robert) Bartik, David (Jeanne) Kelly, Alicia (Daniel) S hereck, Mary (Bruce) Neve rs and Eileen ( Pablo) Venturini; the gr andfather of Kathleen and Daniel Bartik, Brendan, Ryan ( fiancée E lla Sperry), and A idan Kelly, Mar ga ret, Kathleen Mary and B ridget S hereck, Michael and Sophie Neve rs, and Evan and Nora Venturini; and the brother of Bernard Peter (Fran) Kelly. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bernard Kelly and Catherine “ Sis” Kelly (nee Maher).

Services we re held on May 21 at St . Mary C hurch, Rive rside, followe d by inter ment at Queen of Heaven Cemeter y. In lieu of fl ower s, memorials are appreciated to the Sisters of C harit y, BVM, 1100 Carmel Dr ive, Dubuque, IA 52003 (www.bv msister s. org)

Ar r angements we re handled by the O riginal Ku ratko Family – B rian D. Kuratko, funeral director.

Mobile DMV comes to Riverside next month

Village sta encourage residents to register online before space runs out

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

If you need to renew your driver’s license, upgrade it to a Real ID or do anything else that would normally require you to trek to an Illinois Secretary of State office — on the West Side of Chicago, up in Melrose Park or out in Lombard — now is the time to register online for the state’s Mobile DMV, which is coming to Riverside next month for the first time ever

The mobile DMV will set up shop at the Quincy Community Center, 43 E. Quincy Street, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 26 as part of a collaboration between Riverside and Illinois State Senator Mike Porfirio, whose district includes the village Re presentatives from the Illinois Secretary of State’s office will be at the mobile DMV to assist community members with basic vehicle re gistration services and re gular identification services. These ser-

vices include renewing vehicle stickers, applying for or renewing driver’s licenses or state ID cards, upgrading IDs to Real IDs, re gistering to vote and re gistering to be an organ donor

Interested residents can secure their re gistration online by visiting Riverside’s website or by emailing Village Clerk Ethan Sowl at esowl@riverside.il.us. Those with questions should reach out to Sowl. A list of accepted documents can be found on the Illinois Secretary of State’s website, www.ilsos.gov.

“There is limited capacity. From my experience seeing these in other towns, you need to sign up, and sign up early, as they usually fill up all their available time,” Village President Douglas Pollock said when he announced the mobile DMV at Riverside’s May 16 village board meeting. “I want to thank village staff, [Parks and Recreation] Director Ron Malchiodi and Clerk Sowl for working on coordinating this event. While the event is only four hours, there is a significant coordination with the state that was done to provide this service.”

“This is a really great service that we’re able to bring right here into town,” Pollock added. “For that one day, if you get signed up early enough, you will have the opportunity to conduct your motor vehicle business right here.”

Sports

LTHS boys water polo rides wave of seniors to state title

LT girls capture third in state for second time in three seasons

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Luke Jackson and his fellow seniors on the Lyons Township High School boys water polo team are used to state trophies. Saturday’s final victory resulted in the only one missing. The Lions gained their first state championship since 2015 and third overall by defeating Stevenson 10-7 at Stevenson.

“It’s just such a great feeling after four years of coming up short again and again and again,” Jackson said. “A state trophy’s still good, third place, second place, that feels great, but first place, it’s just an unmatchable feeling.”

The fourth straight trophy for the Lions (27-3) follows finishing third the past two years and losing to Stevenson in the 2021 final. LTHS beat Whitney Young 12-7 in Saturday’s semifinals after an uplifting 10-9 overtime victory over New Trier in the May 16 quarterfinals.

Four-year starting senior goalie Charlie Vlk is the only player from all four teams.

“It’s an insane feeling. It’s one of best feelings I’ve ever felt in my life,” Vlk said. “We worked so hard for this all four years. We became a brotherhood and to end it off like that, nothing more you could ask for. Definitely the perfect ending.”

Jackson (72 goals, 25 assists), seniors Brendan Whelton (64 goals, 23 assists), Finn Vahey (42 goals, 35 assists) and Michael Wall (34 goals, 6 assists) and junior Sami Rabah (44 goals, 45 assists) were this season’s leading scorers. Vlk entered state with a .631 save percentage

Jackson (3 goals, 2 assists), Rabah (3 goals), Whelton and senior Sam Garvin (2 goals each) and sophomores Declan Vahey (5 assists) and Ben Kozak (assist) led the offense against Stevenson.

“We have a really strong group of seniors and just throughout the year they provided great leadership, setting a great example and continuing to work hard,” LTHS coach Doug Eichstaedt said.

“They just kind of kept everyone together, moving toward the same goal and this is what happens. Just really, really happy for them. They all worked so hard their whole high school career. To be able to finish it off like this is really special.”

The Lions had edged Stevenson 6-5 at Stevenson in their March 9 season opener

On Saturday, LTHS opened a 4-0 lead in the second period. The Patriots (24-9-1) closed within two goals three times, the last at 9-7 with 4:35 still left. But the Lions’ defense – a key ingredient to their success – held the Patriots scoreless over their last four 30-second possessions with two Vlk saves and one shot wide

The overtime victory over New Trier 10-9 followed losing both of their regular-season meetings but the second one 5-4

“ is triumph not only highlights their perseverance and excellence, but also brings immense pride to our school and community,” said head coach Doug Eichstaedt.

in OT

but forced OT at 8-8.

The Trevians (26-6-1) had won the teams’ last five meetings, including the 2023 and 2022 state semifinals

“We wanted to get past [New Trier] and once we got past that one game, we knew we were going to go far,” Whelton said. “I’m super-excited. This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment. [Third is] a good feeling but this year, my last year, best one ever.”

LTHS girls water polo

Even with a younger lineup, the LTHS girls continued their same old successful ways Saturday. The Lions (27-6) finished third in state by beating Naperville North 12-7 after losing to eventual champion Stevenson 12-4 in the semifinals.

It’s the second third-place finish in three seasons for the Lions, who had just three seniors, Estelle Wright, Tess Filipak and Ellie Baum, and third-year starting junior Maya Mladjan and sophomore Bella Recker among four returning starters from their 2023 sectional finalist.

“A lot of people were underestimating us this season. We kind of underestimated ourselves a little bit because of how many talented players [graduated] but we definitely got our glory in coming back here,” Filipak said. “The

ing really hard. Seeing the pay-

Mladjan (122 goals, 40 assists), Recker (85 goals, 39 assists), Filipak (40 goals, 61 assists) and Wright (48 goals, 98 assists) were the team’s leading scorers. Junior goalie Delaney Judkins had 285 saves and a .626 save percentage.

Mladjan was part of the 2022 third-place state team along with older sister Emilia, Filipak and Wright. Maya Mladjan missed last year’s sectional final loss because of a concussion suffered in the previous match.

“[2022] was memorable because (Emilia) was with me,” Mladjan said. “Coming back from last year, not winning the sectional, and making third in state really does hold a special place in my hear t.”

Against Naperville North (32-3), Filipak, Wright and Recker each had three goals, Mladjan had two goals and three assists, sophomore Avery Watanabe had two assists and Baum added her seventh goal.

The Lions avenged a 9-8 loss April 23, their only defeat in their final 13 re gular-season matches. They beat York 10-6 in Friday’s quarterfinals after splitting their two re gularseason meetings.

“The older players have been kind of putting [state] in their heads since the beginning of the season so it’s been a goal to make state since practice No. 1,” LTHS coach Megan Jacobs said. “We didn’t know how far we’d go so third place is great.”

BILL STONE

RBHS seniors head to another Class 3A state track meet

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Riverside Brookfield High School’s all-senior 4 x 400-meter relay lineup of Hayden Marrs, Will Kallas, Evan McMullen and Jack O’Brien will be graduating with boys track and field honors.

Instead of being at the school’s graduation ceremony this Friday, they’re returning to the Class 3A state meet at Eastern Illinois University. They qualified by winning the Lyons Township Sectional May 16 in a school-record 3:24.39.

“Hopefully my mom [school board president Deanna Zalas] will be able to bring our diplomas down and our caps and gowns,” Marrs said. “We’ll do a little ceremony, just for the five of us [along with Luke Smithing].”

The Bulldogs earned five state berths and second-place host Lions four automatically with top-two finishes or by achieving state cuts at the meet.

O’Brien (800 in 1:58.85) and LTHS senior Nick Strayer (1,600 in 4:28.02) and the 4 x 800 with Strayer, senior John Barrette and juniors Charles Ciesla and Tate Pavelka (8:05.49) also were sectional champions.

Kallas (4.01 meters/13 feet-1 3/4 inches in pole vault), RBHS junior Brady Norman (3,200 in lifetime-best 9:29.94) and the Lions’ 4 x 400 with senior Jack McMahon, sophomore Gustavo Mojar ro, senior Adrian Llerenas and Strayer (3:24.97) were second. Third-place LTHS junior Ben Wuggazer (3,200 in 9:33.15) and fourth-place Smithing (300 intermediate hurdles in 40.78) beat 9:33.35 and 41.10 state cuts with lifetime bests.

The Bulldogs’ 4 x 400 broke the school record of 3:24.70 from 1982.

“I feel like when the pressure comes on, RB responds very well. We have great coaches who don’t let us shy away from the moment,” O’Brien said.

Marrs, Kallas and O’Brien were part of last year’s state 4 x 400 with graduated Zack Gaynor. The lone downstate 2023 senior also had an impromptu graduation ceremony at the Charleston stadium with cap and gown.

“Honestly, it beats sitting in an auditorium for three hours,” Marrs said. “As long as seniors keep qualifying, I think it’s a great tradition.”

McMullen is starting a new tradition. The for mer alternate will be competing for the first time at state

“It just means a lot,” McMullen said. “Sophomore year, I had no idea I’d ever be a 400 runner. Freshman year I thought I was a (1,600 and 3,200) runner. It’s crazy how it’s changed.”

Kallas began training pole vault off-season at RISE in Joliet and now holds the 14-0 school record. At sectionals, he needed his third and final attempt to clear his opening height of 12-8.

“If I didn’t make that third one, I wouldn’t have gone [to state]. A lot of pressure,” Kallas said.

Norman and Smithing are state returnees in their events. Smithing last qualified in 2022. Norman beat his previous best of 9:33.72 from indoors and came 2.24 seconds from winning. After a lifetime-best fourth-place 15.45

Riverside-Brook eld’s Jack O’Brien leads the pack in the 800 Meters during the Class 3A Lyons Sectional ursday, May 16, 2024 in Wester n Springs.

in the 110 high hurdles, just .14 from qualifying, Smithing ran faster than his 41.48 sectional title time of 2022 for the first time.

“I was covering my eyes because I didn’t want to see the time. I was worried I wasn’t going to make the cut but then someone told me I got it,” Smithing said. “I came in pretty cocky last year and was pretty lazy in practice. Since I messed up, I was able to realize I had to push myself every practice if I was going to make [state]. It all just built up to this.”

Wuggazer advanced barely by beating his previous best of 9:41.04 indoors.

“I was worried. I didn’t think I was going to hit (qualifying),” Wuggazer said. “I just sprinted at the final and I got it, but it was way too close.”

Strayer seeks his first individual top-nine, all-state honors after being the lone returnee from last year’s fifth-place 4 x 800. His 4:15.29 from April 6 ranks No. 15 in Illinois for 1,600s this outdoor season.

“It’s been a good season so far but it all comes down to this,” said Strayer, who also is the lone state returnee from the 4 x 400, which ran a season best using this lineup for the first time.

Llernas competed at state in 2023 with the 4 x 100. McMahon was an alter nate for two relays.

“It felt relieving. I’m glad we made it,” Llernas said. “It just kind of made sense that we all ran together. We were kind of the dream team.”

LTHS girls track and eld

LTHS senior twins Kristina and Madison Findley will continue running track races and cross country together at Lewis University. They competed together for the Lions one last time Friday at the 3A state prelims with seniors Shannon Cranny and Anna Bylsma in the 4 x 800. Their 14th-place 9:27.45 missed the 12-team finals by just .88.

Other LTHS state competitors were seniors Julianne Melby (17th, 11:16.88) and Lauren Bohringer (29th, 12:07.12) in the 3,200, junior Leigh Ferrell (26th in pole vault, 3.10m/10-2), the 4 x 400 (31st, seniors Sam Girgis, Kristina Findley, Katie Garrity, Natasha Lumb in 4:11.08) and the 4 x 200 (43rd, junior Jordyn Hof fenberg, sophomore Gwen Smith and freshmen Mia Toulios and Lucy Laux in 1:48.72).

STEVE JOHNSTON

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the Village of Oak Park, on behalf of Housing Forward, is applying for the final round of CDBG-CV funds in the amount of $2,000,000 to help support Housing Forward’s rehabilitation of the former Write Inn Hotel, a fixed-site transitional housing shelter purchased by the organization in December, 2023 with funding provided by Cook County.

On March 27th, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to directly address the impacts of COVID-19. As part of the CARES Act, Congress appropriated $5 billion to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for allocation to cities and states through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. The State of Illinois has been allocated $70,753,404 of these CARES

Act CDBG funds (CDBG-CV funds). CDBG-CV funds must be utilized to prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19.

The grant application is available for public review and comment during business hours MondayFriday, effective May 23 to May 31, 2024 at the Oak Park Village Hall, Neighborhood Services Department, 123 Madison; on the Village Grants webpage; and at the Public Library, Main Branch, 834 Lake Street.

Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities and non-English speaking persons, as needed.

Any comments concerning this grant application can be submitted in writing to Vanessa Matheny, Grants Manager, at grants@oak-park.us, as well as at the CDBG-CV Application Public Hearing to be held at Village Hall room 101 from 3:305:00 p.m. on May 31, 2024.

Published in Wednesday Journal, May 22, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICE

The River Forest Park District has placed its 2024-2025 Combined Budget and Appropriation Ordinance on file for public inspection. Said Ordinance may be examined on the River Forest Park District website. A public hearing on said Ordinance will be held at 6:00pm on Monday, June 24, 2024, at the Depot, 401 Thatcher Avenue, River Forest, Illinois.

Michael J. Sletten, Secretary River Forest Park District

Published in Wednesday Journal May 22, 2024

PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF THE PROPOSED APPROPRIATION FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION AND OF HOLDING A PUBLIC HEARING THEREIN

Notice is hereby given that copies of the Proposed Appropriation for the Village of North Riverside for the Fiscal Year commencing May 1, 2024, to April 30, 2025, are available for public inspection during normal business hours at the Village Commons, 2401 South Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, Illinois or on the Village’s website at: www.northriverside-il.org.

Notice is hereby given that a Public Appropriation Hearing shall be held by the Mayor and the Board of Trustees for the Village of North Riverside:

Date:

Monday, June 3, 2024

Time: 6:00 PM Place: Village Commons 2401 South Des Plaines Avenue North Riverside, Illinois

All interested persons may attend the meeting and shall have the right to present oral and written comments and suggestions regarding the proposed appropriation. After the public hearing and before final action is taken on the proposed annual appropriation ordinance, the Mayor and Board of Trustees may revise, alter, increase, or decrease any line item contained in the proposed annual appropriation ordinance.

Final action on the proposed annual appropriation ordinance will occur on June 17, 2024.

KATHY RANIERI VILLAGE CLERK NORTH RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS

Published in RBLandmark May 22, 2024

Growing Green 2024

LO CA L • AC TIONABLE • HOPE

Growing Green 2024

Forest Park Bank makes it possible.

Growing Green 2024

Takeout without:

How Oak Park’s restaurants – and customers – are handling the Styrofoam ban

Need a plastic fork,too?

you have to ask for one

ABy HOPE BAKER Contributing reporter

ban on polystyrene, commonly known by the brand name Styrofoam, went into effect in Oak Park on Jan. 1. The ban established that businesses cannot sell or distribute disposable food containers that partially incorporate or are entirely composed of polystyrene foam packaging.

According to Dan Yopchick, the village’s chief communications officer, implementing the ban has gone smoothly so far.

“From our perspective, the rece ption from business owners has been positive,” he said. “I haven’t heard anything ne gative or any pushback against it.”

The ban does not apply to food establishments with an annual gross income less than $500,000 per location until Jan. 1, 2025.

Yopchick said that when eliminating the use of polystyrene was being discussed by the Village Board, concerns were mainly related to smaller establishments with low-

been working closely with food establishments to educate them about the new policy. They have also provided downloadable signage and talked with businesses about the seven exceptions in which single-use plastic food ware is allowed.

According to Engage Oak Park, drinking straws are still permitted as well as single-use plastic food ware that is necessary to address safety concerns, comes in a vending machine or is pre-packaged by a manufacturer

Not-for-profit corporations and federal, state or local government agencies that provide food to needy individuals are exempt from the new policy.

“Staf f, led by our Environmental Health division within the Health Department, is responsive to questions and I personally have not heard of any issues with enforcement,” Yopchick said.

Rob Guenthner, owner of Kettlestrings Restaurant Group and President of the Oak Park Chamber of Commerce, said his businesses are not impacted by the ban on polystyrene.

request from customers.

According to Yopchick, village staf f has

had any impact on us use Styrofoam before,”

“At all of our places in e used compostable takeout for a long time.”

Guenthner added that although his busiimpacted by the single-use food ware ordinance, implementing the new rules has ended up being easy. e still get a fair amount of people askerware, but it’s certainly ,” he said.

Kettlestrings Restaurant Group includes rn at 800 S. Oak Park e., Kettlestrings Grove at 105 S. Marion St. and Betty’s Pizza and Pasta at 1103 which are in Oak Park, as well Starship Restaurant & Catering at Forest Park

“The concern I hear from other people about the Styrofoam ban is that places that use Styrofoam tend to be lower-cost establishments that do a lot of carry-out and at r price point, so moving from Styrofoam to something else is probably going to for those folks,” Guen-

He said he has also heard that some business owners feel like certain products, ver better in Styrofoam because soup stays warm and is easy to rning one’s hand when s packaged in Styrofoam.

“But I think the benefits will still ultimately outweigh the inconvenience and the slight increased cost,” Guenthner said.

Growing Green 2024

Pollinators: They need you. You need them.

Climate change is real. So

is

As we move through spring toward the arrival of summer, the colors of the landscape will come to life as many plants begin to flower. All this would not be possible without the dutiful work of our pollinators. Without this generally unnoticed effort, agricultural economies, food supply, and the surrounding landscapes would collapse. Did you know somewhere between 75% and 95% of all flowering plants on earth need help with pollination?

To give a sense of scale, that’s over 180,000 plant species, 1,200 crops, and it adds over $200 billion a year to the global economy. Honeybees alone contribute $1 billion to $5 billion in agricultural productivity in the United States. Safe to say, these birds, bats, bees, butterflies, beetles and other small mammals are vitally important to the world. So, what else do they do? In addition to our food, they support healthy ecosystems that clean the air, stabilize soils to prevent erosion, sequester carbon, and support other wildlife.

How can you help? Providing a habitat that supports them is the key. Research has shown that local pollinators prefer local, native plantings. Making this small change makes a difference—so I encourage you, if you’ve not already done so, to make 2024 the year to grow your role in this collective effort.

Aclimate anxiet y. Climate cafes may help

By JACK HELBIG Contributing Reporter

2021 survey of young people ages 16 to 25 in 10 countries published in the British medical journal The Lancet found that 59% of those who responded said they were “very or extremely” worried about climate change while 84% said they were at least “moderately” worried.

More than half said they experienced strong, ne gative emotions about it, whether sad, anxious, angry, powerless, helpless or guilty. Another threefourths of respondents said they were frightened about the future.

So, how do you address concerns about the climate without triggering paralyzing anxiety?

Climate cafes may provide a solution.

Jess Pepper, the person credited with holding that first climate cafe, told the Guardian newspaper in 2021 that she hosted her first cafe in in Dunkeld and Birnam, Scotland, because, “It just dawned on me that people needed to be speaking with each other, and not just in a one-of f kind of session.”

The result was both political and therapeutic. Climate cafes provide a forum where information is shared, but in a way that is not overwhelming. Too often these days what you want is a glass of water, and instead you get a blast from a firehose.

“It just dawned on me that people needed to be speaking with each other, and not just in a one-o kind of session.”

Begun in Scotland in 2015, climate cafes provide informal get togethers in which attendees intentionally discuss topics many find too inconvenient or troubling to discuss in larger, more for mal venues. Some climate cafes meet re gularly. Some meet online. Others just pop up for a couple of sessions and then disappear again.

JESS PEPPER

One participant in a climate cafe told a reporter at the Guardian that she had “shed a lot of tears, and gotten in touch with some powerful feelings” that came from sharing her anxieties with like-minded people.

All politics is local, and you can’t get much more local than a group of people getting together to discuss the issues. Participants in climate cafes have reported they feel relief from anxiety and numb helplessness.

One of Chicago’s first climate cafes, held last December at the Pe gg y Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park, was organized by a Chicago-based psychotherapist

and clinical social worker, Libby Bachhuber. Her climate cafe also was part of an ongoing program of climate cafes associated with the Climate Psychology Alliance North America.

The Climate Psychology Alliance’s online answer to the question “What is a Climate Café?” sounds as much like a group therapy session with snacks than a political action committee: “a gathering of people meeting with facilitators to share their responses to the climate crisis,” “a confidential, warm, friendly, hospitable occasion –involving cake, hot drinks, maybe a glass of wine or beer,” “the focus… thoughts and feelings about climate change, rather than what we ’re doing about climate change.”

Bachhuber’s climate cafe at the Pe gg y Notebaert Nature Museum definitely had a group therapy feel. As she told a Tribune reporter in a December 28, 2023 article: “Unless we can process our internal responses to climate change, we are not going to be able to respond appropriately to it.”

The Chicago-based Climate Psychology Alliance, North America, hosts a virtual climate care the fourth Tuesday of each month, 6 to 7:30 pm Central (https://www. climat ep syc holo gy.us/climate-cafes/climate-cafe).

Those interested in the inter national climate cafe movement can also visit the Climate Cafe Network Hub (https://www.climate.cafe/).

Scott McAdam Jr.

Growing Green 2024

The climate is changing: How will local residents be impacted in

By ELIZABETH SHORT

Contributing reporter

As wildfires, severe storms, droughts, and flooding impact daily lives of Americans in all 50 states as a result of climate change, some media outlets have upheld the Great Lake region as a potential climate refuge.

Yet the region is not exempt from the changing climate currently impacting and uprooting lives all over the world.

Consider the facts.

In the last decade, Lake Michigan rose more than six feet in less than eight years and then fell three feet in three years. In February, Chicago-area residents flocked outside as temperatures reached 74 degrees, making it the warmest February on record. Last summer, temperatures in Chicago reached 100 degrees, a rarity in the city. In early July, Chicago-area residents witnessed a cluster of severe storms cause flash flooding and power outages, including on the West Side. It also forced the cancellation of the NASCAR Chicago Street Race.

Yet at the same time, Illinois was experiencing a drought (April 1 through June 30 brought the 11th-driest period on record in Illinois), a disaster that cost billions of dollars. This drought, which re-intensified at the end of the summer, impacted Illinois farms and dropped river levels

“In the coming decades, Chicago will experience warmer and wetter winters and hotter and drier summers due to climate change. These temperature and humidity shifts will also lead to changes in weather and increased frequency of severe, dangerous, and financially damaging storms,” said Jelena Collins, founder of the Climate Youth Coalition and 2022 OPRF graduate studying climate science and physics at McGill University.

Extreme temperatures and floods disproportionately impact poorer and minority communities, as experts say climate change exacerbates problems for under-invested communities, like those on the West Side, including Austin.

“Nearly every climate model has projected an intense increase in precipitation in the Midwest, leading to greater risks of flood-

ing, stress on infrastructure, and, conversely, more intense dry seasons,” Collins said.

“These dry seasons are damaging to agriculture, increase respiratory hazards, and again place undue strain on infrastructure.”

This begs the question: In coming years, how can Illinoisans expect to be further impacted by climate change?

And what should we do to pre pare?

Illinois Extension, University of Illinois network of educators and experts working to sustainably protect the health and wellbeing of Illinois residents, reported that the primary impacts of climate change in the region will be an amplified risk of high temperatures and heavy precipitation.

These changes can also create public health hazards and expand mosquito and tick populations, as well as corresponding diseases. To prevent these bites, the CDC recommends using insect-repellent, wearing loose and long clothes, treating clothes with 0.5% permethrin, and checking for ticks after being outdoors.

Higher temperatures and heavier rainfall can impact air quality, affecting people with healthy lungs and exacerbating issues for people with seasonal allergies or asthma. Climate change also impacts residents’ mental health. The Mental Health and Climate Change Alliance has collected resources for individuals experiencing climate distress.

Above all, Collins stressed the importance of flood preparation. “I think residents of Chicago would be wise to prepare for flooding in the immediate years to come,” she said. “This could mean updating their basements or housing foundations, but also having emergency equipment on hand in case of severe rainstor ms.”

To prepare houses for floods, the Natural Resources Defense Council recommends buying flood insurance, elevating your boiler, and reconsidering your landscaping to help water seep into the ground.

In emergency flood situations, Illinois Extension recommends that households prepare for extreme weather by gathering supplies including a first aid kit, water, canned food, and medications Additional resources for emergency situations can be found on its Extreme Weather Preparedness site

Latest News

from the

7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday ● May 18 - October 26 ●

Olmsted Society

www.oak-park.us/

Stewards of the land and Olmsted’s Plan

Walking Tours of Riverside return May 26 and continue on the last Sunday of the month through October. 2-4 PM. Riverside train station. $25 per person (discounts for seniors and Olmsted Society members). Visitors will enjoy stories about homes, people, landscape and history. See website for details.

Walking Tour: North Sunday, May 26, 2024 2:00 pm

Workday: Big Ball Park Saturday, June 1, 2024 9:00 am

THANKS TO

Workday: Big Ball Park Saturday, June 29, 2024 9:00 am

Walking Tour: South Sunday, June 30, 2024 2:00 pm

FWith programs and lm festivals

By JESSIC A MACKINNON Contributing reporter

rom its humble beginning in 2010 as an informal community meeting organized by green pioneers Sally Stovall and her partner Dick Alton, One Earth Collective has grown to encompass a plethora ofdiverse programs dedicated to increasing awareness ofthe impact of climate change and inspiring action regarding the environment and social justice

T he initial group, wh ich quickly ga i ned traction in progr essive Oak Pa rk , focused on developing local green block pa rt i es offering info rm ation on p lanting milkweed , essential for the survival of monarch butterflie s, as ell as omposting and hemicalfree lawn care

In 2017, the organization launched a summer pilot pr on Chicago’s west side. The pr eventually became ration with youth development pr side nonprofits, offers cooking instruction, a speaker series and field trips. Young people involved in the pr an urban

The broad-based One Earth Collecti “mothership” now comprises One Earth Local, for One Earth Youth developing young sustainability leaders; and the highly popular One Earth Film Festival, widely

Organic Lawn Care Since 2007

Compost tea soil feedings

Natural techniques for pest control

Biochar & microbiological soil amendments

Yard Drainage Solutions

Sustainable Landscaping

Native Pollinator Gardens

Vegetable Gardens

We

By HECTOR CERVANTES

Contributing reporter

Illinois is gearing up for Invasive Species

Awareness Month this May, a critical period spotlighting the ongoing battle against ecological intruder s.

Patti Staley, Director of Horticulture and Conservatory Operations at the Park District of Oak Park, delves deep into the topic of invasive species in garden environments and offers insights on effective management strat egies.

Staley said that this month provides an opportunity for increased education and action on the dangers of invasive species in the garden.

According to Staley, invasive species are plants or animals from different environments or parts of the world that do not belong where they are locally found. These invasive species are typically not native to the ecosystem they inhabit and can cause harm to the ecosystem.

“It’s important to distinguish between invasive and non-native or exotic species. Many people use the term ‘invasive’ loosely, it’s a strong word that shouldn’t be used lightly,” Staley said. “Terminology is crucial for understanding. It’s not just invasive; some plants can be aggressive without causing harm to our ecosystem,”

In Illinois, some common invasive species include garlic mustard, honeysuckle, buckthor n, burning bush, and certain shrubs and trees.

Studies indicate that garlic mustard exhibits allelopathic traits, whereby it emits substances that hinder the growth of competing plant species.

In terms of animals, emerald ash borer, a green buprestid or jewel beetle native to north-eastern Asia and Asian carp are also significant concerns. Asian carp refers to a group of invasive fish species native to Asia, including the silver, bighead, black, and grass carp, which have rapidly proliferated in waterways across North America, posing significant ecological and economic threats.

“Invasive species, as shocking as they may be, are introduced into environments, ecosystems and even your own backyard by humans, whether done purposefully or inadvertently,” Staley said.

Staley, who used to work in the landscape industry, said they sometimes planted invasive plants without the knowledge that they were har mful

Growing Green 2024

Is your pret ty garden hiding a danger?

Unlocking the battle against invasive species in the garden with tips and tricks

“Science is always evolving and changing and our ecosystems are adapting, and what we know now, we didn’t know back then, and what we knew then, we won’t know now,” Staley said. “Paying attention to science and keeping updated on species, and we talk about climate change and how that will impact invasives, it’s not black and white.”

Weather, including climate change, plays a huge role in the spread of invasive species.

“I’ve observed how climate change impacts plants, whether invasive or not, and we saw those effects this spring with the early war m-up,” Staley said.

According to Staley, invasive species can choke out native species, pushing them to the brink of extinction.

“Education is crucial; understanding what plants you have in your garden and replacing invasive species with native or nonaggressive plants is essential,” Staley said.

Staley suggested that once the invasive species has been identified and removed, one should ideally opt to grow a native plant or a plant without ag gressive tendencies.

Staley added that there are some great nonnative perennials that can be planted that can extend the growing season that

be mixed in with native plants. A perennial plant is a plant that lives more than two years.

When asked about the significance of public awareness and education in addressing the spread of invasive species, as well as the role of gardens and conservatories in this ef fort, Staley emphasized the crucial importance of public awareness and education.

“Organizations like garden locations and conservatories can play a significant role in educating the community about invasive species and what individuals can do to help prevent their spread,” Staley said.

Staley acknowledges the wealth of resources available for combating invasives, citing the remarkable ef for ts of organizations like the Kane County Forest Preserve Staley highlights their impactful cleanup initiatives along the Fox River and the multitude of volunteer groups involved.

As for this warm winter: Could warmer temperatures and climate change lead to an increase in invasive species in the garden?

Perhaps.

“With a prolonged growing season, there are increased chances for plants to propagate over an extended timeframe,” Staley said.

Spotted Lantern y

Insects: Spotted

can

ONE EARTH Hopeful climate

from page B7

vironmental film festival.

One Earth Film Festival, which was launched in 2012 by local sustainability leader Ana Garcia Doyle, has garnered international reco gnition. The first festival, which primarily featured films by local filmmakers, attracted 500 attendees; last year the festival reached 4,500 virtual and in-person viewers. This year’s festival, which ended April 23, was held in venues throughout the Chicago area, including the Chicago Cultural Center and Pe gg y Notebaert Nature Museum as well as the Oak Park Public Library and Unity Temple, and showcased submissions from filmmakers around the world.

In 2013, the organization debuted the One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest, launched by for mer River Forest resident Sue Crothers Gee. T he progr am has grown significantly in the past do zen years; last year it received more than 400 entries from young filmmakers throughout the country and as far away as Australia, Taiwan, Brazil and Mexico.

T he contest is open to youth as young as third graders to post-graduate colle ge students. With the support of the Manaaki Foundation, winning filmmakers receive cash awards between $100 (third graders) to $1,000 (colle ge students). In an ingenious “pay-it-forward” initiative, winners also receive matching grants that they, in turn, award to nonprofits dedicated to projects that align with the themes of

Growing Green 2024

their films. In addition, several nonprofits, including the Sierra Club, Jane Goodall Institute, and Wild Ones West Cook, offer $500 Environmental Action Awards.

“The Young Filmmakers Contest encourages young people to create films that propose solutions and inspire action to combat the impact of global climate chang e,” said Lisa Biehle Files, who joined the YFC team in 2016. “And the matching grant progr am gives them the agency to make an impact that ripples throughout the sustainability movement.”

Winning YFC films are shown throughout the annual One Earth Film Festival. Beyond the contest, young people are supported by connecting them with professional filmmakers and providing them with opportunities to strengthen their skills

Files was pleased to see that, in general, this year’s films were more hopeful than last year’s submissions, which included film titles like Code Red, The Apocalypse, and Our Generation, a film exploring the environmental challenges faced by the younger generation due to the actions of previous generations. She attributes some of this to the waning of COVID, which was so isolating and depressing for many young people.

“Some of the films submitted in 2022 were kind of dark and filled with dread. But, in the past year, they seemed to be more optimistic about the future,” Files said.

The deadline for submitting films for the 2024 One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest is June 25. Winning films will premier on September 22 at the Gene Siskel Film Center and will be shown during the 2025 One Earth Film Festival. For more information, contact https://www.oneearthfilmfest.org/ contest-details.

The Village of Brookfield recently adopted its first five-year Sustainability Plan, which sets ambitious goals and creates opportunities for residents, businesses, local partners, and village o cials to act on sustainability e orts in Brookfield.

Visit our new Brookfield Sustainability Resources webpage to check out the plan, read about current initiatives, find local resources, and learn about opportunities to get involved. Scan and visit the website!

Growing Green

How the city is addressing Chicago’s environmental injustice issues

An inter view with the Chicago Department of Public Health

By DEBORAH BAYLISS Contributing Reporter

The release last year of the Chicago Cumulative Impact Assessment found that Austin, East Garfield Park, West Garfield Park and North Lawndale communities are among the areas disproportionately impacted by higher heat-related illnesses, industry pollution, increased amounts of ground level ozone and particulate matter, flooding, lack of green space, higher density of buildings and pavement — and historic disinvestment. All of these environmental conditions intersect to play a role in the life-expectancy gap between Black and white Chicagoans. Studies show on average, Black Chicagoans live 8.8 years less than whites do.

Austin Weekly News spoke with Grace V. Johnson Adams, a spokesperson with the Chicago Department of Public Health to see which actions are being considered and put in place to deal with the environmental injustice

According to the federal Environmental Protection Agency, environmental justice is achieved when all residents have the same de gree of protections from environmental and health hazards.

AWN: Since the release of the assessment, which actionable measures have been put in place so far to address the study’s findings?

CDPH: Several actions have been taken already since the release of the Cumulative Impact Assessment in September 2023 to address the findings. For example, one Environmental Justice Action Plan tactic called for at least 5,000 trees to be planted per year in targeted communities using tree canopy data, and 78% of trees planted in 2023 in the arterial tree planting program were in priority areas. Additional measures began before or during the As-

sessment process and have continued since then, such as the development and implementation of a data collection strateg y to inform and report on the effectiveness of community engagement activities. There are other measures that have not yet begun, but will be completed per the Environmental Justice Action Plan.

CDPH and community partners, including Little Village Environmental Justice Organization, Center for Neighborhood Technology, and the UIC School of Public Health’s Environmental and Occupational Health Science, are co-leading a community air monitoring network strategy, with a focus on environmental justice neighborhoods. A planning award for co-developing this strategy is provided by The Partnership for Healthy Cities and funding from the Chicago Recovery Plan will be used to implement a co-developed and sustainable community air monitoring network and create a unified public-facing platform for air quality data. Once operational, the air monitoring network will address the identified data gap of local air quality in Chicago from the CIA.

AWN: What is the Environmental Justice Action Plan?

CDPH: The Interdepartmental Environmental Justice Working Group was for med in March 2023 by the Department of Environment and the Department of Public Health to ensure that all city departments are working together to promote environmental justice by identifying and addressing inequities. Out of this group came the Environmental Justice Action Plan, which includes dozens of specific, actionable policy changes that can be implemented in partnership with more than 10 city departments The city committed to publishing an annual report based on progress made toward the Environmental Justice Action Plan, beginning in December 2023. The first version of the report was released December 22.

e resulting Chicago EJ Index map shows that the areas of greatest concern for pollution burdens and vulnerability to its e ects are located on the South and West Sides of the city. ese EJ Neighborhoods are o en bisected by major highways and have high concentrations of industry, including community areas such as Austin, East Gar eld Park, Englewood, Humboldt Park, Lower West Side, McKinley Park, New City, North Lawndale, Roseland, South Deering, South Lawndale, West Englewood and West Gar eld Park.

es, strategies, policies being considered to address heat zones, and the other environmental issues residents on Chicago’s West Side are facing?

CDPH: The cumulative impact ordinance is cur rently being drafted and is expected to be introduced to City Council this year. Additionally, work through the Defusing Disasters Working Group, which encompasses researchers, public health officials, policy advisors, emergency management teams and community partners, will leverage data and local knowledge to identify those most vulnerable to extreme heat in Chicago’s communities. Last summer, researchers and local community members be g an collecting the data needed to characterize heat vulnerabilities through Chicago’s Heat Watch 2023 initiative as part of the National Oceanic

Watch Campaign, which aims to help cities across the U.S. identify specific neighborhoods where heat-mitigating interventions could save lives. Now, the Defusing Disasters Working Group is creating heat vulnerability tools that function at both the community and clinical levels. The community-level tool will be used operationally by the City of Chicago’s Office of Emergency Management and Communication and CDPH in both emergency prevention/response and long-term mitigation contexts. The clinical tool will be used at the doctor-patient level to identify and protect at-risk individuals. Actions remain in progress, and as additional information becomes available, CDPH and DOE will continue to share these updates with Chicago residents, especially those in community areas.”

Growing Green 2024