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$1.00 Vol. 41, No. 21
27,
30 years in, the Chew Chew ’s still Riverside’s dinner spot
e upscale dinner restaurant started as a cafe in 1996
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
This year marks 30 years of business for the Chew Chew, Riverside’s upscale dinner establishment at 33 E. Burlington St.
For the occasion, the restaurant is dedicating the second half of the year, be ginning in July, to celebrating itself. But first, let’s look back at its history.
The restaurant opened in December 1996, but owner and executive chef Scott Zimmer said it mor phed into its existing form over the first 10 years of business. The original plan, he said, was to open a cafe in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood, until the property he had in mind got bought out from under him.
e Chew Chew, pictured on May 21, 2026, celebrates its 30th anniversar y of opening this year.
“It was maybe a blessing. I was left without a job and a business plan, without a location, and I started scratching my head,” Zimmer told the Landmark. “One of my old chefs that worked for me on a previous property lived in Riverside I took the long drive out from Wrigleyville, came into Riverside, drove around the neighborhood, w brary the look we get mind.” Chew with e — to
Potential Brook eld dispensary returns for 2nd go-round
e last petitioner hopes to bring a new cannabis partner to Ogden Avenue
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
The applicant behind the rejected proposal to bring a cannabis dispensary to the intersection of 31st Street and Park Avenue in Brookfield is back with a goal of bringing one to Ogden Avenue
Tanya Griffin, the CEO of Water + Trees, a development consulting fir m specializing in “high-risk industries” like cannabis and sexual wellness, told the Landmark she’s behind an effort to redevelop the vacant, dilapidated parcel at 9500-08 Ogden Ave. into a dispensary.
STELLA BROWN
May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Riverside adopts nighttime lighting r
It’s the village’s rst step towa
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Riverside of ficials have adopted a re port that sheds light on the state of the village’s nighttime lighting and how it contributes to light pollution.
The re port was prepared by consultant Ken Walczak, a board member of the DarkSky Inter national organization and a senior manager at Adler Planetarium, after he reviewed Riverside’s lighting at night from the ground and through the use of satellite imaging.
“This is a unique community when it comes to the nighttime environment and what you’ve done to maintain it, but like any environmental issue, you definitely have to keep your eyes open,” Walczak told village trustees at their May 21 meeting.
Walczak found that half of all of Riverside’s light emissions at night comes from a collective 37 properties out of the more than 3,000 parcels of land in the village, and 40% of the village’s light comes from single-family residential properties While many homes are well-lit, he wrote, some outliers contribute “high levels of landscape lighting” that can drown out starlight.
Municipal buildings account for another 11% of light emissions, Walczak said in the re port
But overall, he said, Riverside is in a great state compared to neighboring communities In the report, Walczak gave Riverside an average brightness score of 2.5. The lowest neighboring communities were LaGrange Park with 4.2 and Brookfield with 5.1. He said Chicago itself has an average brightness of 27.1, more than 10 times that of Riverside.
He gave of ficials examples of simple fixes to reduce light pollution, like swapping unshielded wall pack lights, which create outward glare, with shielded ones, which only illuminate what is directly beneath them. The re port included suggestions for how Riverside can become well-positioned to ear n DarkSky Community status through creating ordinances to enforce low nighttime lighting and educating residents on the importance of keeping the night dark “I would really recommend convening community meetings, feedback opportuni-
ties
want to just post something; y of main road accomplishment
DarkSky Communities in the world, and I think you’re ready to move on.”
Before the board voted to adopt the report, several of ficials gave their thanks to Trustee Cristin Evans, who they said played a vital role in pushing Riverside to consider reducing light pollution.
Evans told the Landmark the issue arose as part of her ef for ts in leading one of the village’s teams for the Cross-Community Climate Collaboration, or C4, initiative.
“The vast majority of Riversiders already use thoughtful lighting, and light pollution directly impacts our local flora and fauna, which is very important to Riversiders, especially migratory birds and pollinators that get disrupted by artificial glare,” she said. “There’s such an emphasis on preserving that environment so that
can the ficials he light-
ing. She described the experience as “a huge eye-opener.”
“I thought I had an idea of the lighting issues in the village, but a lot of it was very sur prising,” she said. “There are lights that are meant for one thing, and they’re focused on something else There are lights that are lighting up bushes There’s a lot of waste.”
Evans emphasized that DarkSky Community status is “not an award or a trophy” but a reco gnition of the village’s collective ef for ts to make Riverside a darker place at night.
“Success would rest in the hands of every resident,” she said. “We’ ll need strong local partnerships with schools, businesses and private entities. It’s not something the village can take on on its own.”
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PO LICE REPO RT S
Brook eld police investigate property damage, threats
On May 17, Brookfield police re ported to the 3500 block of Oak Avenue on a report of criminal property damage, but no one was ar rested
Around 10 a.m., an of ficer responded to the 3500 block, where they met with a resident complainant, who shared that his wife had told him their fence had been struck at some point in the night by an unknown vehicle. The man said his wife estimated it happened between 7 and 7:30 p.m. the night before on May 16.
ficer found two people who were aslee p, whom they identified from previous interactions
According to police, both people were uncooperat ive, and one of them appeared to be intoxicated. Brookfield Fire De par tment paramedics ar rived on the scene, though both men declined medical assistance and left the scene without fur ther incident.
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The of ficer located cameras at a neighboring property and spoke to a resident, who said they would check the footage later for any activity they might have captured and provide it to the of ficer, who shared their contact infor mation.
Police did not take further action.
Threats over the phone
Brookfield police responded to a re port of threats on May 17, but no one was arrested
Around 10:10 p.m., an of ficer reached out to a complainant over the phone after dispatchers received a re port. The complainant advised a man had called her over the last several days to say she owed him money, though she told police she did not owe him money She told police the man had made vague threats to break her window while on the phone.
The of ficer explained the process to obtain an order of protection, also known as a restraining order, to the woman, which police said she acknowledged. Police did not take any further action.
Asleep in the laundr y room
Brookfield police responded to a request for a welfare check on May 13, but no one was ar rested
Around 11:45 p.m., an of ficer responded to the 8900 block of Burlington Avenue on the re port, in which an anonymous complainant said two individuals were lying on the floor unresponsively in the apar tment building’s laundry room. Upon ar riving at the scene, the of-
T he next day, one of the people called the police to inquire about the incident, and an of ficer explained that he had been found slee ping in the laundry room the previous night. Police did not take further action.
Ignoring stop signs
On May 16, Brookfield police responded to a resident complaint of traf fic issues, but no one was ar rested Around 8:35 a.m., an of ficer called back the complainant in reference to some traf fic issues the man had re ported observing. T he man said that while driving west on Washington Avenue, he had observed some vehicles failing to come to a complete stop before tur ning onto the street in front of him from various side streets T he man could not describe any of the vehicles or drivers in questions
T he of ficer said the man’s complaint would be documented and extra police presence in the area would ideally deter fur ther stop sign violations.
These items were obtained from the Brookfield Police De partment re ports dated May 11-18; they re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as the y seek the public’s help in making an arrest
— Compiled by Stella Brown
DISPENSARY
A planning and zoning meeting is scheduled for Thursday, May 28, at 7 p.m., where commissioners of the advisory group will vote on whether Brookfield should issue a special use permit to allow the cannabis store to open at the property, which is now owned by the village The commission’s vote is not binding, and the village board will have the final say at a future meeting this summer.
“If we can get the permits pulled and move quickly — we’ve got the architect engaged — we want to get this thing open by November,” Grif fin said. “We’ ll move as quickly as we all can to pull this together The GC is in place, the architect is in place, and we’re ready to go.”
Grif fin said she’s working with a new cannabis group for this second potential dispensary after the Laws family, who would have owned and operated Prolific Dispensary at 9046 31st St., lost access to $245,000 of funding in the form of an Illi-
nois social equity loan. The village board voted 4-3 to reject their special use permit application in February after several controversial meetings.
Grif fin declined to name the new group, but documents from the upcoming meeting show it to be IC Collective, a cannabis grower that provides products to dispensaries in Illinois but does not yet seem to operate any retail stores
“This new group is a formidable grower and manufacturer in Illinois,” she said.
“They want to come in and build the most spectacular flagship neighborhood dispensary for Brookfield and sur rounding communities … They are known for their exceptionally high-quality flower, pre-rolls and cartridges. We’re going to be giving Brookfield and the communities everyday low prices” due to the company’s vertical inte gration.
vard, which will butt up against the asphalt area immediately east of Imperial Oak Brewing.
“They’re very used to doing these large development projects, so they’re funding the entire project. We’ve got the architect involved,” she said. “We [Water + Trees] are going to build their first store for them and then stay with them.”
“This new group is a formidable grower and manufacturer in Illinois.”
TANYA GRIFFIN Water + Trees
Grif fin said IC plans to invest “a couple million dollars” into redeveloping the property at the cor ner of Dubois Boule-
Meeting documents say 18 parking spots and an additional accessible spot are planned for the property, exceeding the village code’s requirement of eight. The dispensary’s proposed hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, and 65% of orders are expected to come through online.
Grif fin said she worked with Brookfield’s staf f to select the new location for a possible dispensary after public outcry bogged down her previous ef for ts due to its proximity to a residential neighborhood and concer ns over parking capacity
“Brookfield has, in my opinion, an incredible economic development plan and community When it got shut down over on 31st Street, we immediately got back together and said, ‘How do we solve this problem? How do we bring Brookfield the best neighborhood dispensary we can?’” she said. “We ended up over on Ogden with some really cool plans I don’t know if we’re going to stop at the dispensar y. We want to come into Brookfield and do some really good community redevelopment.”
Before Grif fin dipped her toes into Brookfield’s waters, the village board in 2023 approved a cannabis dispensary to go in at 8863 Ogden Ave. that would have been operated by The 1937 Group The project ultimately stalled during construction, and village of ficials revoked the group’s special use per mit in March.
Despite the intense public scrutiny drawn by Grif fin’s last attempt to bring a dispensary to Brookfield, she said she’s expecting to see less opposition this time.
“I now understand that a lot of the resistance and where the community was voicing their adverse opinions was with putting it over on 31st Street,” she said. “I’m expecting less now that we have a really good relationship with Brookfield.”
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
CHEW CHEW
Cafe to ne dining
from page 1
Zimmer said the original concept got him the investment necessary to g et the Chew Chew of f the ground at its first location in the historic Arcade Building, but it only lasted a year before chang e was inevitable
“I think we had a home r un with the idea, quite honestly. I thought the train proximity, the food menu that we designed and the quality of the coffees that we were pouring were great,” he said. “It was very, very, very long days, g etting to the store at 6 in the morning, leaving the store at 10, 11 at night, but we just weren’ t g enerating enough dollars to maintain that concept in a location like Riverside.”
In the course of that year, Zimmer said he noticed a niche the Chew Chew could fill that was otherwise lacking in Riverside: a dinner restaurant.
“There was a complete void of any restaurant in Riverside that was doing that. Coffee was a convenience, and people enjoyed the novelty of being able to come get breakfast on the weekends in Riverside, but what people were really lacking was a dinner restaurant,” he said.
restaurant exploded. Within a very short period of time, we knew we had made the right transfor mation.”
T he blessing of the new success also became a curse in figuring out how to manage the restaurant’s growth and volume of customers, Zimmer said. T he original location sat only 55 people, with 30 or 40 more able to sit outside in the warmer months
“We were a very small, intimate place, so people learned to arrive early and make reservations,” he said.
T hen, trouble came knocking 10 years in, when the lease for the original location expired, and the landlord refused to give the Chew Chew a renewal at a fair rate, Zimmer said.
“When I was in my 20s, I thought a 10year lease was an eternity, and it turns out that it’s not. For restaurants that are serious about longevity, a 10-year lease turns out to be a bad thing,” he said.
While Zimmer and his staf f looked near and far for a new location, Lady Luck smiled upon the Chew Chew when the owner of a travel agency that formerly operated at 33 E. Burlington St was seeking to change industries due to the rise of self-booking travel online.
“I walked down to the bank, and they were on board. That was back when you could shake hands on a deal and get things done,” he said. “After months of exploring different opportunities outside of Riverside, it turned out that the best opportunity for us was to stay in Riverside.”
He approached village officials about obtaining a liquor license and said they approved it at a village board meeting the very next day, catalyzing the Chew Chew ’s change from a cafe to an upscale dinner restaurant.
“We converted our coffee bar area into more what is like a traditional bar where you can g et a cocktail and wine and a beer. We changed the menu around pretty quickly,” he said. “The
Now, the Chew Chew has operated in that spot for 20 years, and only 10 years ago, Zimmer opened up Sawmilly, a sandwich shop, next door, when another stroke of luck meant the parcel belonged to the same bank with which Zimmer had financed the Chew Chew
Lyons Mayor Chris Getty les as independent for 4th Congress
ree more independents have announced plans to run in November
By BILL DWYER
Contributing Reporter
Longtime Lyons mayor Christopher Getty has filed nominating petitions to run for Cong ress in the 4th district as an inde pendent candidate.
Getty, 43, announced his candidacy in mid-March at an annual fund raiser in Oak Brook. Since then his campaign has been busy with the demanding task of collecting at least 10,816 valid signatures on nominating petitions. On Ma he filed 1,967 petition sheets containing roughly 18,000 natures with the Illinois State Board of Elections (ISBE).
The 4th Cong ressional trict has been an Hispanic district since 1992, when was re-drawn to include eral geographically separate Hispanic enclaves on west and southwest sides the city and near suburbs Getty’s candidacy is cer to be seen as a threat to of only two Hispanic majority districts in the state
T he 4th Cong ressional contest has at tracted greater than usual attention, due largely to the controversial manner in which incumbent Cong. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia handled his retirement. Garcia withdrew his candidacy at the last moment but made no public announcement until after the filing period for the March 17 primary had passed, informing only his chie f of staf f, Patty Garcia, who is no relation. She was able to quickly gather the nominating signatures required and file just before the deadline, leaving her as the only candidate on the March 17 Democratic primary ballot.
the 4th Cong ressional contest “since outgoing Cong. Chuy Garcia’s late withdrawal from the March primary left his chief of staf f as the only name on the Democratic ballot.”
Two other candidates have secured places on the November g eneral election ballot with Garcia -- Re publican Lupe Castillo and Working Class Party candidate Ed Hershey Both have previously r un against Jesus Garcia and lost by hug e margins
Besides Getty, three other viduals have announced their intention to r un as inendents, including 25th rd Chicago alder man on Sigcho-Lope z, for mer Democratic Party operat ive activist Mayra Macias, veteran and activist Lindsay Church. As of 8 a.m. uesday, May 26, no other andidate had filed nominatpetitions with the ISBE to run as an inde pendent. Inde pendents and new andidates have a much higher bar those who win party primaries. Garcia needed just 697 valid signatures to qualify for the Democratic primary ballot; Castillo needed just 371 for the Re publican primary. Getty and three other announced inde pendents need a minimum of 10,816 valid signatures, and realistically thousands more to assure they can withstand any le g al objection to their signatures. Getty’s petitions will be considered le g ally valid unless there is a for mal objection filed against them before 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 2.
recent Illinois histor y.”
T he Getty campaign has also characterized itself as a “g rass roots movement,” saying it has attracted volunteers from “across working-class neighborhoods, immigrant communities, union households, churches, and small businesses.” However, while more than 100 individuals signed petitions as circulators, a review of the petition pages submitted by Getty shows a large number -- if not a majority -- were circulated by members of his inner circle, including f amily members, political allies on the Lyons village board and Village of Lyons employees, including Village Manager T homas Sheahan, Building Director John Pierce and more than 20 others.
T he early petition filing also gives Getty’s political opponents extra time to review his petition sheets, identify any alle ged invalid signatures, er rors or other le g al violations and lodge a for mal objection with the ISBE. Any objection, if filed against Getty or another inde pendent candidate, would be heard by an ISBE hearing of ficer, who forward a recommendation to the eight-member state board of elections
Several election law attor neys and political operat ives have already requested copies of Getty’s nominating petitions from the ISBE. T hey include Andrew Finko, who has done le g al work for declared 4th Cong ressional candidate Byron Sigcho-Lope z in 2022 and 2023. While Sigcho-Lope z has announced his candidacy, he has yet to file the required petitions
May is Mental Health Awareness Month a time to shed light on an important but often overlooked topic: the mental well-being of older adults. Many seniors face unique emotional challenges, including loneliness, grief, changes in health, or the stress of transitioning to a new lifestyle
Here are some simple, effective ways seniors can support their mental health every day:
Stay Connected: Reach out to family, friends, or neighbors regularly. Even a short conversation can lift your mood
Keep Moving: Gentle exercises like walking, stretching, or chair yoga can boost your energy and reduce stress.
Try Something New: Learning a hobby, craft, or game helps keep your mind sharp and gives you a sense of accomplishment
Stick to a Routine: Daily structure provides a sense of stability and purpose Get Outside: Fresh air and sunshine can naturally improve your mood
Rest Well: Good sleep supports emotional balance and clear thinking
Mental health matters at every age This May, take small steps each day to care for your mind you deserve it
That elicited outrage from numerous c amps who c alled Jesus Garcia’s b ehavior “undemocratic” and the sor t of old school p olitics unwor thy of a progressive Democrat.
Getty said his filing “for malizes the first competitive general election challenge” in
Getty, who has been the mayor of Lyons since 2009, is also the Lyon’s township committeeman, and has built a strong political org anization around those of fices. His early filing of such a voluminous set of nominating petitions can be considered a show of political and org anizational strength. His campaign referred to the petition ef fort as “one of the largest independent cong ressional petition drives in
Copies of Getty’s petitions were also requested by Jeremy Rivera, who has done campaign work for 77th District Stat e Re p. Nor ma Her nandez (D-Melrose Park), whose Illinois House district is in the 4th Cong ressional district; Ross Secler, an election lawyer and par tner at Bur t Odelson’s law fir m, Odelson, Mur phey, Frazier & McGrath, the attor ney for the Village of Lyons; Chris Jackowiak of COR Strate gies, which focuses on Re publican politics; and Per ry Abbasi, whose website describes him as an election attor ney and “opposition researcher.”
Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030
CHRIS GET TY
OPRF Community Foundation Supports Youth Behavioral & Mental Health
The Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation is committed to supporting, creating, and implementing solutions expressed in its landmark Community Voices report. Earlier this year the Foundation announced the recipients of its 2025-26 Community Grants, awarding $270,000 to 16 nonpro t organizations serving West Cook County. e grants provide ongoing support for the Foundation’s strategic priority of mental and behavioral health for youth and young adults, including increasing the mental health workforce pipeline.
2025-26 Community Grant Recipients
• A Greater Good Foundation
• Austin Coming Together
• BUILD
• Dominican University
• Family Service and Mental Health Center of Cicero
• Kinfolk CoLab
• Maywood Fine Arts Association
• New Moms
• Race Conscious Dialogues
• e Firehouse Dream
• Kehrein Center for the Arts Foundation
• Nehemiah Community Project
• rive Counseling Center
• Youth Crossroads
• Youth Educational Mentoring Basketball Association (Y.E.M.B.A.)
• Youth Outreach Services
Based on feedback from grantee recipients and members of the West Cook community, including mental health practitioners, the Foundation’s grants and programs committee reviewed and revised grantmaking processes through a framework called “trust-based philanthropy.” is approach emphasizes advancing equity, shi ing the power dynamic and building mutually accountable relationships. As a result, the Community Grants program now includes such practices as giving multi-year, unrestricted
funding; removing unnecessary steps in the application process; being transparent, open and honest; ensuring equity of voice; and o ering support beyond the check.
Moving forward, the Foundation will facilitate a “community of practice,” a subset of interested mental health practitioners within the mental health grantee cohort, to further the goal of a robust workforce and provide peer learning and leadership opportunities.
“We are proud to provide focused support
Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation • 708-848-1560 • oprfcf.org
to organizations that are providing these vital mental health services in our region,” said Carrie Summy, president and CEO of the Foundation. “It’s important that we continuously re ect the community’s shared goals. e Foundation must actively listen and amplify the voices of those most vulnerable, and those working hard to make our community a place where everyone can thrive. is is the only way to ensure our work is truly collaborative, responsive and impactful.”
Learn more about the Community Grants Cohort and the Foundation’s grants strategy at oprfcf.org/grants-strategy.
Local journalism matters. That’s why we made a bold decision to protect its future.
The RB Landmark is now part of NEWSWELL, a nonpro t journalism organization that provides resources, technology, and long-term support to community newsrooms across the country. This partnership strengthens our foundation while keeping everything that matters the same. Our newsroom remains local. Our staff remains in place. Our commitment to this community is unchanged. With the added support of NEWSWELL, we are better positioned than ever to continue delivering the independent, communityfocused journalism our readers rely on.
Same mission. New chapter. Stronger future.
OPRFCF board member John Borrero speaks about the grant process
Sports
Bulldogs get best of Lions once again in softball regional nal
UEC East champions earn rst consecutive regional titles since 2008-12
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Senior shortstop Trinity Stevenson and her Riverside Brookfield High School softball teammates already had the challenge of playing rival Lyons Township on its home field for the Class 3A LT Re gional title Saturday. The Bulldogs also were fighting history and momentum as they trailed in the bottom of the fifth inning with Stevenson batting and two runners on base.
“We talked about it and were like, ‘You’ve got it. You need to just sit back,’ and any hit counted because it would have brought in a run,” Stevenson said. “I kind of took a deep breath, realized I was in that spot for a reason and needed to help the team get a win.”
Stevenson’s two-run single scored Ella Ryzewski and Brailyn Naylor and put the Bulldogs ahead for good in their 4-2 victory
for their first back-to-back re gional titles since 2008-12.
RBHS (26-4), the No. 2 seed in the Marist Sectional and Upstate Eight Conference East Division champions, plays No. 3 Downers Grove South (24-6) at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 27, in the sectional semifinals. The winner pl ays nationally ranked No. 1 Marist (33-1) or No. 4 St. Laurence (216) for the sectional title at 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 29.
“The feeling was great, even though we started out a little bumpy,” Stevenson said. “(The hit) felt amazing. The adrenaline rush when I got to second base and I saw Brailyn also went in (to score), it felt great to finally take the lead and just not have an end to the season yet.”
No way this was going to be li ke the Bulld og s’ 11-0, six-inning win over the Lions in last year ’s re gional final. No 8 LT HS (16-13) finished the season on a roll and pl ayed close in the Bulld og s’ 6- 3 re g ular- season victory at E hlert Pa rk March 21.
“Definitely a good comeback. We talk that we could score at any time and score a lot of r uns so we can’ t press,” RBHS coach Emma Jarrell said.
“It’s definitely hard to beat a team twice in a year, especially when it’s a big rival. It was very loud on the field. Both teams were super loud and you could hear the f ans. It was a really cool atmosphere.”
T he Lions had just pulled ahead 2-0 in the fifth when the Bulldogs struck with three in their half. Reese Milchhoefer started the RBHS fifth with a double. When Ryzewski bunted, the ball was thrown wildly to first base and Milchhoefer scored. Naylor then reached on an infield er ror, putting
r unners at second and first. One out later came Stevenson’s two-run single.
The Bulldogs added a run in the sixth after two outs on consecutive singles by Milchhoefer, Ryzewski and Naylor (RBI).
“This one was a lot more stressful. Compared to last year, it was just a more allteam game because we all had to work together to come back,” Milchhoefer said. “I was happy that I was able to contribute to the team, hype them up and help out. I was confident and I knew I had to at least get a hit. I didn’t think I’d get a double but it was very exciting.”
LTHS four-year senior standout Ava Jacklin reached base all four at-bats and junior Bella Luciano had two hits. Jacklin gave the Lions a 2-0 lead in the fifth. She was hit by a pitch and eventually scored when the throw got away as she was stealing third base. Luciano scored in the second on a passed ball after singles by her and senior Madeline Luciano.
Winning RBHS pitcher Amelia Pytel threw a four-hitter and struck out 11 with
two walks. Pytel retired 11 of the last 13 hitters she faced, other than twice hitting Jacklin with pitches. Freshman starter Sofia Kettaneh (4.0 innings) and senior Lucy Lee (2.0 innings) pitched for the Lions. Milchhoefer, Naylor and Alexis Busse (double) each had two hits.
“I was a little bit stressed out during the game but we were able to work together and get the win,” Pytel said. “I just kept the same mindset throughout the whole game and not let their scoring affect my pitching.”
Pytel threw her first no-hitter of the season with nine strikeouts and one walk in the 15-0, three-inning victory over Kenwood in the May 20 re gional semifinals. Sophomore Mia Melendez hit her 14th home run, one shy of the single-season school record.
LTHS beat Reavis 3-1 in the other regional semifinal behind RBI’s from Bella Luciano and senior Paxton Cutler and two runs by senior Maddy Pieroni, who tripled in the sixth after two walks.
STEVE JOHNSTON
Riverside-Brook eld’s Trinity Stevenson (7) holds up the Regional Championship plaque and celebrates with her teammates a er their victor y against Lyons Tow nship during the Class 4A Lyons Regional nal, May 23, in Wester n Springs.
STEVE JOHNSTON
Riverside-Brook eld’s Mia Melendez (13) connects and puts the ball in play against Lyons Township during the Class 4A Lyons Regional nal, May 23, in Western Springs
LTHS baseball comeback shares rst Silver title since 2019
Lions’ Sweigard, Pavlik, Nokic earn berths to 2A boys tennis state meet
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Senior second baseman Lon Roberts put the long wait for the Lyons Township High School baseball team in perspective.
“Our senior class was in fifth grade for our last conference champions,” Roberts said. “It’s something we talked about at the be ginning of the year.”
On their final day of West Suburban Conference Silver Division action, the Lions outlasted Downers Grove North 9-4 in eight innings, May 19, to share their first Silver title since 2019 with Hinsdale Central and Oak Park and River Forest with 12-5 league marks.
LTHS (22-10) were behind 4-0 at fourthplace Downers North (21-12, 11-7) until scoring twice in the fifth and sixth on senior Justin Heydorn’s two-run homer that tied the game and shifted the momentum. Consecutive one-out walks to Tommy Georgelos and Nick Hines followed by an outfield er ror initiated the five-run eighth, which included a two-run single by Heydor n.
“It’s means so much more to be competitive close games like that, especially for a comeback that’s so exciting,” Heydorn said. “You look up at our (home) scoreboard and see the last time we won was 2019. A good testament to all of the hard work this group has put into everything.”
LTHS finished the Silver beating Downers North twice Hinsdale Central (24-11) swept Proviso West and OPRF (27-8) swept York in their three-game series. The Lions edged Downers North 2-1, May 18, in Wester n Springs behind freshman winning pitcher Tommy Cavaliere (3 hits, 6 strikeouts in 5 innings) and junior reliever
Aidan Webster.
The following day, the Lions overcame Downers North starting pitcher Colin Doyle, whose pitch count resulted in his ing relieved. Doyle had 12 strikeouts with four-hitter in a 4-0 complete-game victory over LTHS May 13.
“The guys pulled through the last tw games against Downers. Fun to see that we’re back on track,” LTHS coach Ke Diete said. “If we get just one of those Hinsdale games (instead of going 1-2) it mak those g ames a little bit easier or maybe the championship outright, but for the most part I’m just happy we’re able to share it. They get the number on the board, as we say.”
Webster stepped up to relieve both victories over Downers North. They were his first pitching appearances since April 20 after being used most recently as a designated hitter. In the extra-inning win, Webster worked three scoreless innings to follow Owen Cypress (7 strikeouts in 5 innings), allowing one hit with two strikeouts Webster followed Cavaliere with two 1-2-3 innings
“It was just more keeping everything neutral, not letting the pressure get to me and just throwing strikes,” Webster said. “I could just trust my fastball getting over the plate.”
“Whatever they can of fer us, we’re going to find a way to squee ze the juice out of everything they’ve got,” Diete said. “We were kind of out of pitching from five games over six days the week before. Coach (Ryan Malloy) and I thought Webster should go in and he did great.”
In the Class 4A Brother Rice Sectional, LTHS plays in the Reavis Re gional as the No. 3 seed and Riverside Brookfield (20-10, 13-6 in Upstate Eight Conference East Division) is the No. 7 seed playing in the Whitney Young Re gional. Both re gional finals are Saturday, May 30.
In 3A, Nazareth Academy (25-9) is the No 2 seed in Lemont in the Nazareth Sectional after being in 4A the past two seasons
Lyons Township’s Lon Roberts (3) heads out of the box a er putting the ball in play against Glenbard West during a West Suburban Conference game, April 21, in Western Springs.
Boys tennis
Lyons Township senior Shay Sweigard is back for his four th Class 2A boys tennis state meet with a new and old outlook. Sweigard and freshman Nolan Pavlik (84) advanced by taking second in doubles at the Hinsdale Central Sectional as No. 3 seeds.
In singles, third-place LTHS sophomore and No. 3 seed Mateja Nokic (15-12) qualified for his second state trip with a top-four finish.
“I want to medal (top-six at state),” Sweigard said. “I’m feeling pretty good. I think it’s my best chance to do well.”
Sweigard came closest to all-state in 2024 by tying for seventh in doubles Last season, he retur ned to state singles and was among the top 16 after going 2-2 in singles in 2023.
“(This year for state) I just thought doubles was a better chance to do well just because there are so many good kids in singles,” Sweigard said.
Sweigard and Pavlik first united for Hersey’s prestigious Tom Pitchford Invitational May 1-2. T hey finished four th at No 1 doubles and beat No 4-5 seed New T rier.
“Shay was really looking forward to (Pitchford) so I’m happy I had him as a par tner,” Pavlik said. “I didn’t know who I’d be playing with or where I’d be playing when I came into the season. I’m just really glad I was able to play doubles with a good player. Hopefully we’ ll go far.”
This is a new state experience for Nokic, who finished 1-2 in doubles last season with graduated Fred Chen. Nokic won his statequalifying quarterfinal match 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.
“(My season has) been going pretty good, way better than last year I’m playing singles, which I prefer,” Nokic said. “Last year I lost in the first round so I want to try and get more main-draw wins. (The goal) is to win more matches than I lose.”
Riverside Brookfield’s unseeded doubles team of seniors Mathias Kubon and Charlie DeButch was 1-1 and one victory from state, losing to the No. 2 seed 6-0, 6-0 in the quar terfinals. Senior Elias Nolan and the doubles team of juniors Linden Leander and Humza Ahmad were 0-1.
LTHS senior and No 6 singles seed Manny Gonzale z and the No 5-seeded doubles team of seniors Rohan Nagle and Jackson Albee were 1-1 and one win from state T hey respectively lost in the quarterfinals 6-2, 7-6 (4) and 6-3, 6-1.
STEVE JOHNSTON
LTHS girls soccer works OT to achieve regional, Silver titles
Lions win 13th straight regional; Bulldogs lose 2A regional nal in OT
By BILL STONE AND LILY KOCOUREK
Contributing Reporters
After two varsity seasons with the Ly Township High School girls soccer team, senior forward Zibby Michaelson took year of f from high school play to focus her club team and college recruiting.
“Playing (again) my senior year is amazing,” Michaelson said. “Playing club for was super important and I didn’t want leave the program my junior y ear. We ha such a good team. I think the girls are a aspect, too. We have each other’s backs and I think that’s what makes us so good.”
Saturday felt like the good old days Michaelson and the Lions, but not without a lot of stress. They finally scored tw goals in the first five minutes of overtime to fight of f Downers Grove North 2-0 and win the Class 3A LT Re gional title for their 13th consecutive re gional championship.
LTHS (16-2-3), the No. 2 seed in the Downers Grove South Sectional, played No Oak Park and River Forest (9-7-2) Tuesd The winner plays No. 1 Hinsdale Central (15-6-1) or No. 6 St. Laurence (11-7-3) for the sectional title Friday, May 29, and berth the Dominican University Super-Sectional, June 2.
The Lions are trying to win sectionals for the first time since 2024 after winning their first West Suburban Conference Silver Division since 2023, when Division I Mercer recruit Michaelson and senior midfielder Carolina Capizzi were freshman starters.
The Lions finished Silver play 6-0 after beating OPRF 4-1, May 12, and Glenbard West 2-1, May 14, on a goal in the final minute of overtime by sophomore Lauren Salvino assisted by Michaelson.
“That’s probably one of my favorite parts of the whole season, probably of my high school career,” Salvino said. “We put in a lot of ef fort and that was one we deserved to get. It was fun to win that in double overtime and especially to win that for my team.”
Since the 5-0 loss, April 24, to top-rated Naperville Central, LTHS has won nine straight, starting with consecutive wins over area-rated Oswe go, Benet and Hinsdale Central.
“It’s been a great season. Against the
Lyons Township’s Zibby Michaelson (15) sends the ball up eld against Downers Grove North during a West Suburban Conference game Tuesday, April 21 in Western Springs.
competition we play, it’s been fantastic,” LTHS coach Bill Lanspeary said after the 9-0 re gional semifinal win over Kenwood May 20.
Downers North (6-14-2) proved much stingier than the Lions’ 3-0 victory April 21.
Freshman Abby McKenna scored first of f a cross by Salvino. Michaelson added her team-high 16th goal after stealing the ball from a defender.
“The first 80 minutes I think was a little bit frustrating for our side because we had chances Downers did a good job defensively,” Michaelson said. “We all stepped up together in the overtime. Once you get frustrated, it gets hard but we kept our composure and got it done.”
Against Glenbard West, Michaelson kept her composure after saying she put too
many shots at the goalkeeper. Salvino converted the beautiful pass.
“I just remember seeing Lauren making the run and tur ning and chipping over the top and she just ran onto it,” Michaelson said. “It was just a great moment for our team to have that assist to Lauren’s amazing poise and control with like a minute left.”
RBHS girls soccer
The Riverside Brookfield girls soccer team’s season came down to one final battle and 2-1 overtime loss to Wheaton Academy for the 2A Wheaton Academy Regional championship Saturday mor ning.
T he No 5-seeded Bulldogs (9-10-1) trailed and faced even more adversity early in the second half when senior star ting defender Abby Ford went down with a sprained
ankle within the first five minutes all talked about how we have to play each other no matter the outcome of ame,” senior defender Audrey Raymond said. “We fought so hard to get back the g ame, so it’s something I will alys be proud of.” hen came the moment the Bulldogs searching for. With just 51 seconds re gulation, Raymond found the back net to tie the g ame and force over-
the kick was going in, I was trying hardest to put any pressure on the ball to get it into the net.” Raymond said.
3 Wheaton Academy (13-5-5) evenwon by finding the g ame-winner opening portion of over time on a way, catching RBHS with just one defender against three forwards. The Bullcontinued to push with Ford retur nthe field during the second over time. RBHS coach Ivek Halic said the response his team reflected the resilience d all season long.
mazing,” Halic said. “They never their heads. They fought through it. It was a hell of a battle.”
Ford, the emotional ending marked the close of a special season with a closeknit team.
“I wanted to be fully in the moment for what could be my last g ame. I broke down, even before the g ame, knowing it could be the final bus ride all to gether as a team, I was upset,” Ford said.
“This group has made my last year playing soccer very special. Some of the best soccer years and friendships were made to gether at RB.”
RBHS senior goalkee per Maya Tennicott came up with a key first-half save while defenders Ford and Me g an Tumpach helped hold the War riors scoreless for much of the opening half. Wheaton Academy finally broke through with just 17 seconds remaining before halftime.
The defense tightened after halftime. Senior Sofia Sanche z created chances on several free kicks, including the goal. Junior Ruby Boyle also ste pped up in a major way. In the re gional semifinals, RBHS defeated Hancock 2-0 in over time May 18 on goals by freshman Lea Becker assisted by Boyle and senior Michelle Panduro.
STEVE JOHNSTON
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M26001669 on May 15, 2026 Under the Assumed Business Name of DASHA’S PET SITTING SERVICE with the business located at: 3811 HARRISON AVE, BROOKFIELD, IL 60513. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: DAGMAR MARIE OTT 3811 HARRISON AVE BROOKFIELD, IL 60513, USA.
Published in RB Landmark May 27, June 3, 10, 2026
LEGAL NOTICE
The Village of Oak Park will receive bids from qualified general contractors to renovate the break room, kitchen, work room, dispatch office and restroom at the South Fire Station #3 located at 900 S. East Ave. in Oak Park, IL. Bids will be accepted at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. until 10:00 a.m. local time on Tuesday, June 18th, 2026.
Village of Oak Park
2026 South Fire Station #3 Renovation Bid Number: 26-112
Issuance Date: 5/27/2026
There will be a pre-bid meeting at the South Fire Station #3, located at 900 S. East Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 on Thursday, June 4th, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours. The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue proposal documents and specifications only to those contractors deemed qualified.
THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK
Published in Wednesday Journal May 27, 2026
RIVERSIDE TOWNSHIP MENTAL HEALTH BOARD
27 RIVERSIDE ROAD, RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS 60546 May 22, 2026
In accordance with the Open Meetings Act, this is to advise you that the Riverside Township Mental Health Board will hold the meetings below at the listed locations:
Mental Health Board Meeting Notices
Community Engagement Committee
Outreach Meeting
Tuesday, June 2nd @ 6:30p.m.
Riverside Township Hall –Community Resource Center - 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois
Nominating Committee Meeting
Tuesday, June 2nd @ 7:30p.m.
Riverside Township Hall –Community Resource Center, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois
If you have any questions, please contact Board President, Adam Wilt, at awilt.rtmhb@gmail.com or call Adam at 708-804-4400.
Published in RB Landmark May 27, 2026
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION U.S. BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE OF WATERFALL VICTORIA III-NB GRANTOR TRUST Plaintiff vs. UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF THERESE D. TENCA; SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT; THOMAS TENCA; TERRANCE TENC–ê; PHILLIP TENCA; GERALD NORDGREN AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR THERESE D. TENCA; DONNA STEFFEN AKA DONNA M. STEFFEN; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendant 25 CH 7387 CALENDAR 57 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on June 22, 2026, at the hour 11:00 a.m., Intercounty’s office, 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, IL 60602, sell, in person, to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-17-126-033-0000. Commonly known as 837 S. HARVEY AVE., OAK PARK, IL 60304. The real estate is: single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a common interest community unit, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection(g-1) of Section 189.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: At sale, the bidder must have 10% (or 25% if so ordered in the Judgment of Foreclosure) down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. The property is sold AS IS subject to all liens or encumbrances. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the circuit court case record, property tax record and the title record to verify all information before bidding. IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER THE ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(c) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Diaz Anselmo & Associates P.A., 1771 West Diehl Road, Suite 120, Naperville, IL 60563. (630) 453-6960. 1422-216348 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3287034
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