Celebrating 33 years of the full Monti at RB
Passionate, demanding and fun, Dave Monti has retired
By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
Dave Monti is the kind of teacher that students remember. Monti is retiring this year after 33 years of teaching and doing a host of other things at Riverside Brookfield High School. His impact on students and the school is vast. While he has spent his career mostly teaching Biolog y and Zoolo gy, those who know him consider him to be one of the most dedicated and intense teachers ever to set foot in an RB classroom.
His range of energy and activity has been astounding: teacher, coach, club sponsor, head of Riverside Brookfield Educational Foundation, union leader, critic and concerned citizen.
W hether it was students who said that he introduced them to high school in freshman Biolo gy – and set them up for f uture success by teaching them how to study and wo rk hard – or seniors who took his Zoolo gy class –wh ich Monti created from scratch – they remember hi s infectious ener gy and p assion for his subject and hi s
See MONTI on page 7
ONE LAST LESSON: Dave Monti teaches his last Zoology class at RB on May 16.
care options help seniors y in their homes
By SUSAN MONTGOMERY ontributing Reporter
Cantata Adult Life Services in Brookfield is its centennial celebration with a ents throughout 2025. entennial c elebration will
the Brookfield Far mers’ Market throughout the season, featuring scones, other baked goods, prizes, and giveaways.
• A Midsummer Garden Party on June 21, hosted by Cantata and the Daughters of the British Empire.
See CANTATA on page 9
Riverside talks food truck parking restrictions
Outside of residents’ events, food trucks can only park in pr ivate lots 100 feet away from restaurants
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
As Riverside’s village board continues to nail down the role food trucks could have in the village’s economic landscape, trustees ag reed to staf f suggestions that those operating outside of residents’ private events must park in private parking lots at least 100 feet from restaurant entrances and 75 feet from residences.
After the board of April 3 asked village staf f to identify where in town independent food trucks could legally park without infringing on brick-and-mortar restaurants, Assistant Village Manager Ashley Monroe said at the board’s May 15 meeting that there were 10 private parking lots, all of them along or just of f Harlem Avenue, where a food truck could park
These locations include lots at the current Star Buds location, the Riverside Citgo at the cor ner of Longcommon Road, the Sherwin Williams on Burlington Street, the vacant lot eyed for a new Star Buds store on Burlington Street, a vacant lot of f Ogden Avenue and several others.
As the b oard discussed in April, there will be a $30 fee for food trucks contracted for private events in residential areas to pa rk in town, unless the truck pa rk s on private property for a closed event, Monroe said.
She said staf f recommended against allowing food trucks in Riverside’s central business district near the train station.
“Street parking is already limited in our downtown district, so if we were to allow a business-licensed food truck — we’re talking about somebody who can operate as they choose — it would be really difficult to accommodate without displacing other users of the street, conflicting with existing parking needs or encountering some of
is map highlights possible parking spots for independent food trucks in a lot o Harlem and O gden avenues. Riverside o cials identi ed other parking lots along Harlem Avenue that could also house food trucks.
these separation distances that we’re talking about implementing,” she said.
While Monroe had proposed allowing food trucks to street park along Harlem Avenue, some members of the village board said they felt it would be unfair to residents and business owners alike.
“I recall all of Harlem Avenue having a parking issue, just like you expressed that we had in our downtown district,” Trustee Alex Gallegos said. “I don’t see how we’re going to allow trucks to park there and take up parking that is essential to the growth of those businesses there.”
Trustee Cristin Evans said there would need to be a benefit to Riverside’s existing community to allow food trucks to park on the street.
“It can’t just be the village making accommodations for the food truck if there’s no payoff for the residents or the commu-
nity. There has to be some give and take there,” she said.
Trustee Elizabeth Kos said it would be “inequitable” to allow street parking in the Harlem Avenue business district but not downtown.
T he board appeared split on whether food trucks should be allowed to operat e in town without a limit on the number of times they can open. Evans proposed a limit of twice per week for each food truck to avoid having them draw business from Riverside ’s brick-and-mortar restaurants. Other trustees seemed not to support such a limit; Galle gos said a private business’s operations are driven by supply and demand rather than up to the village ’s control.
After seemingly reaching an impasse, the board ag reed to think more about the matter and discuss it again at a future meeting.
Nelligan
Circulation Manager Jill Wagner
EMAIL jill@oakpark.com
Operations Associate Susan Babin
Special Projec ts Manager Susan Walker
Senior Advisor Dan Haley BOARD OF DIREC TORS
Chair Eric Weinheimer Treasurer Nile Wendor f Deb Abrahamson, Mary Cahillane, Steve Edwards, Judy Gre n, Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson, Darnell Shields, Audra Wilson
HOW TO REACH US
ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302
PHONE 708-442-6739 ■ FAX 708-467-9066
E-MAIL dhaley@wjinc.com ONLINE www.RBLandmark.com
The Landmark is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $1.00. A one-year subscription costs $45 within Cook County and $65 outside the county. Adver tising rates may be obtained by calling our o ce. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 0019-585). Postmaster send address corrections to Landmark, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302. © 2025 Growing Community Media NFP.
PROPER TY TR ANSFERS
BROOKFIELD
RIVERSIDE
Riverside adopts climate action plan
e ‘Road to 2050’ plan includes some changes from an earlier dra
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Seve r al years’ wo r th of Rive rside ’s environmental ef for ts have c ulminated in the village ’s adoption of a for mal “Road to 2050” climate action and resilienc e p lan earlier this month.
At their May 1 meeting, village trustees voted to appr ove the p lan as pa rt of the c onsent agenda, meaning they did not discuss it on i ts own. T he b oard had previe we d a draft of the p lan at a meeting in March, where Melanie N utter, principal of N utter C onsulting, Rivers ide ’s c ontracted firm for the project, explained it c ontained more than 100 specific actions that would f all under a
list of 45 strat eg i es for the village to reduce i ts own impact on climate chang e and pr ep are Rive rside to endure the c onsequences of such change.
According to agenda documents, seve n actions we re a dded to the final ve rsio n of the p lan b ased on public f eedback rece ived after the village b oard previe we d the draft
T hose include reviewing Rive rside ’s idling vehicle p oli cy, wo rk ing with schools and c ommunity groups in town to encourage the reuse of school and sports supplie s, developing online examples of native p lant i nstallations, increasing the number of c ommunity ga rdens, creating an outlet for c ommunication to and feedback from the public about sustainabilit y, raising awareness about Rive rside ’s public watering schedule and encouraging natural lawn care pr ogr ams
is risk assessment matrix, developed by Nutter Consulting, ranks how severely and likely di erent impacts of climate change w ill a ect Riverside now and in the future, from 1 meaning negligible impact to 5 meaning extreme impact.
Riverside looks ahead for 2026 electrical aggregation
Trustees review the options before deciding at their next meeting
electricity used in town comes from renewable sources, according to Illinois Aggregation Consultants, which has served as the village’s contracted consultant for aggregation since 2012.
For the 2024-2025 program, only 12% of eligible esidents and small businesses opted
recommended against pursuing it “It’s still at a premium [cost] to ComEd, but we have none of the benefits of green energy,” she said.
The company will also offer Riverside a 20% green energy contract matching ComEd’s price, which Sharon Durling, president of Illinois Aggregation Consultants, said is expected to rise from 6.5 to 9.5 cents per kWh for the year, starting in June.
In addition to the green energy contracts, MC Squared will offer another contract matching ComEd’s rate. Instead of buying renewable energy certificates on Riverside’s behalf, it would give Riverside a $15,000 grant for the year to use however the village likes. Stenzel suggested it could be used to further initiatives found in Riverside’s climate action and resilience plan, which trustees approved on May 1.
“Instead of putting monies toward renewable energy certificates, they’re giving that to the village,” Durling said.
“Some [other communities] have told me they’ve used it for recyclable bins. They ve little projects, and they just don’t ve the money for them.”
Durling told trustees the average home-
owner in Riverside will have overpaid for electricity by $83 from last October through the end of the current contract compared to the ComEd rate. Based on the predicted ComEd rate next year, that extra cost would likely rise to $120, or $10 per month, for the average household, she said.
She added that, according to state regulations, Riverside is not allowed to state the ComEd rate when it sends residents optout notices for the program, though it can direct residents to find the rate elsewhere.
Village President Doug Pollock suggested the board consider a more aggressive education campaign this year to tell residents how they can opt out of the program.
“What I hear from the community a lot is, ‘If this could only be an opt-in [program]. It should be an opt-in.’ Well, that’s not allowed by state law,” he said. “I’d like to think this community would understand the benefits of sustainable energy and all that, but, in fair ness, it should be made as easy as possible for people to make a choice.”
Pollock emphasized that the presentation gave village trustees more time than usual to consider how to proceed with Riverside’s electrical aggregation.
Saturday, July 26, 2025 • 11am-7pm
per person includes the Lunch Bu et at Sawa’s Old Warsaw, along with the fun- lled-round-trip accommodations to Perogi Fest in Whiting, Indiana. Do not wait as you’ll want to sign up now - so you don’t miss the bus!
MONTI A passionate teacher
from page 1
c oncer n for them as individuals
Former students of his might be surprised to learn that he didn’t immediately set out to be a teacher although it seemed like a natural career for him.
Near the end of his senior year at De La Salle High School in 1985, Monti was voted “most likely to become a teacher” by his senior classmates. But Monti initially planned to be a zoologist and researcher.
“I wanted to work with sharks and I wanted to work with whales,” Monti recalled during an interview in his classroom.
In the summer of 1989 Monti had just graduated from the University of Illinoi s with a de gree in Ecolo gy, Ethnolo gy and Evolution, which Monti said is just a fancy way of saying zoolo gy. He had secured a research internship helping top experts study killer whales of f the coast of Washington. But the internship didn’t begin until August so he was looking for a summer job. His father, a science teacher at De La Salle, told him that De La Salle was looking for a summer school teacher for Biolo gy and Algebra and since he was a colle ge graduate, he was qualified. Monti said why not, applied, got hired and taught summer school without any formal training in teaching
“Once I started teaching that summer of ‘89 I knew that this is what I wanted to do,” Monti said.
He had always enjoyed tutoring, wh ich he did throughout high school and c olle ge. W hen he was j ust a third gr ader who was learning the violin in school, one day at home he taught his sixthgr ade brother how to pl ay the violin, astounding his mother
Monti, who grew up in Cicero and then lived in Berwyn until moving to Brookfield in 2008, returned home after the nearly fivemonth whale research internship shor tly before Christmas in 1989 and immediately began taking classes to become ce rtified to teach. He also started substitute teaching, mostly at schools in Berwyn. He almost didn’t make it to RB.
In September 1990 while taking classes to earn his teaching certification Monti needed to spend 40 hours observing teachers for a class. Since he was living with his family in Berwyn at the time, he decided to do it at RB, which was just a short drive away But when he called the school the Friday
before his observation week to confirm that everything was still on, a secretary told him there was a problem and the science department couldn’t accommodate him. Monti said it didn’t have to be science. While the secretary was on the phone Bill Jirkovsky, then social studies department chairman, walked into the secretary’s office, got the gist of the conversation and spoke to the secretary and said he would handle it. So the following Monday Monti came to RB and observed seven teachers teach. He was wowed by the excellent teaching that he saw.
“I remember going home and telling my dad and saying, ‘Hey I want to student teach here and this is where I want to be,’” Monti said.
Monti soon began subbing at RB and student taught there in 1992. As usual with
Monti, even his student teaching was beyond the norm. Since he worked with two teachers Monti student taught six classes instead of the normal five Monti was hired to teach mostly Biology at RB in 1992 and has spent his entire career at the school. His two children, Aaron and Alyssa, graduated from RB.
In 2003 Monti created his Applied Zoolog y class. He takes his classes to Brookfield Zoo about 15 times a year. They also visit the Shedd Aquarium.
“Probably the most passionate teacher I’ve ever known,” said Tom Fuller, an RB English teacher who has taught at RB fo r 31 years. “He acce pts nothing less than the best from his kids. He has incredibly high expectations and his love of science is unmatched.”
S tudents who have taken a Monti class
ag re e.
“He’s really passionate about his job and what he teaches,” said newly graduated Emily Munoz, who took Zoology with Monti this year. “It’s really nice knowing that he cares about his job and the students and I’m lucky enough to have him as an educator. There’s a lot of teachers who don’t really care but he’s really on point with everything he does.”
Monti is a d emanding teacher with high expectations
“Sometimes you need that to put students on the right track and stuf f, but I’m good with that,” Munoz said. “He can be strict sometimes. He can definitely have a little edge on him.”
Isabel Oliver, also a new graduate, agreed.
MONTI continued on page 8
PROVIDED
SKIPPING CLASS: Dave Monti and alia Guilam o, an RB student, skip out of Monit’s classroom on his last day of teaching
continued from page 7
“Monti is a really good teacher,” said Oliver who also took Zoology with Monti this year. “I mean he does give tough love but he definitely cares about us and when he teaches what he does he’s about it and he gets so excited and you can see him light up.”
Dylan Zec, who Monti for Honors Biolo and Zoology this year and also pl four years on the chess team that Monti coaches. When Zec was unmoti struggling in his classes this year with a bad case of senioritis, Monti enthusiasm, encouragement coaxed Zec out of it.
“He managed of senioritis,” Zec said. “He’s a wonderful teacher. I think he’s hard but cares for every one of his students I’ve learned, especially through this year. He wants everyone to succeed and tries very hard to make sure that happens.”
When Zec’s father died during his freshman year, Monti went to his funeral, one of two of Zec’s teachers who did so.
“He’s made a massi and a bunch of other peoples, and I see as almost a father figure the same thing for a lot of Monti loves teaching.
“After my wife and thing I love most,” Monti said. He admitted he
“I work kids hard because I think that’s important,” Monti said.
If students complain, he challenges students to name a job lazy and successful.
Monti also has fun and relates well to students and cares about them as people. He’s not afraid to make a spectacle of himself. Sometimes he would dress up in an RB jersey, tights and high socks and run around at Homecoming assemblies.
Monti was the sponsor of the newly created chess club and c oach of the newly for med chess team.
Following in the footsteps of his mentor, Michael Ko ch-Weser, a science teacher at RB who died last year, Monti also
funds to hire a few more teachers and reduce class sizes.
Out of the public eye he has not hesitated to speak up in faculty meetings or meetings with administrators. He has been an advocate for students, for the union and for
teaching 24 hours a day and I looked at her and said, ‘Yeah mom I am.’”
He will probably be an assistant chess coach at some other school and might do some chess officiating.
secutive year s.
As a union leader and just as a concerned teacher and resident of the district, Monti sometimes bumped heads with administrators.
He i mmediately became head wrestling c oach at RB and did that for eigh t year s. As with eve rything else he did that f ull bore, g etting on the mat with his wrestlers to d emonstrate technique and wrestling with them suffering black eyes, a hair line fracture and torn ca rt ilage in the process.
After his k ids we re bo rn he steppe d down as wrestling c oach to spend more time with his then young children but it wasn’t long before a student asked hi m to supervise students playing chess after school in the l ibrary because they we re told a teacher had to be there. Soon
“If he thought something was wrong he’s going to call you on it,” Fuller said.
Unlike many teachers Monti was never afraid to speak out.
Late last year Monti made a public comment at a school board meeting accusing the administration of violating state and school policies by not adequately warning students and staf f about fumes from a sealant applied on the East Gym floor in November. Monti said he got headaches from the fumes
In 2019 Monti twice made public comments at school board meetings calling on the school board to use some of its reserve
the c aliber of the school’s administrators matched that of the faculty
“This is a great school but it’s not as great as it should be and it’s not as great as it once was, and that breaks my heart because I was here when we were not too great and then we made all these changes,” Monti said.
He thinks that standards and expectations have diminished.
“In general, I think things are too lax,” Monti said. “I think expectations, we’ve lowered our expectations in a lot of different ways. And I think when you lower the bar kids don’t hit the bar.”
Retirement will be an adjustment for Monti who is 57.
“I’ll stay busy,” Monti said. “I have one gear and it’s on. I’m always on. My mom used to yell at me. She says you’re not
He is thinking of doing some teaching Brookfield Zoo or the Little d School House. He might even voluneterinarian’s office.
rk with little kids and get about nature and the outdoors,” said Monti.
ontinue to write, sing and music with his band Surly Dave allabies. T hey’ve already rethree albums. He might even venpublic to perform something that to date he has only done at the RBEF oundation telethon.
eat outlet for me,” Monti said. ritten too many happy song s. usually after something bad happens and I’m either sad or angry and then I
r the immediate future Monti will stay on as president of the board of the RREF but his time there is likely numbered. At his retirement dinner he urged other faculty members to step up and serve. who ser ve d one year on the RBEF and had Monti as a freshman at RB in the 1999-2000 school year, is c oncerned about the RBEF wh ich suf fered a hen long time b oard member andmark c olumnist Joanne osey died in 2023.
know how it will survive without him,” Castor said.
Graduation on May 23 was likely especially emotional for Monti. Not only was it his last, but three seniors whose parents Monti taught at RB are also graduating so it will be full circle moment.
Elizabeth Ko s, a Rive rside village b oard member, and her husband, Craig , had Monti when he was student teaching at RB and her son, Tom Ko s, had Monti for Zoolo gy this year. Monti p osed with Kos in her cap and gown when she gr aduated from RB in 1995 and Kos p lanned to g et a similar shot of Monti with her son Tom this year
“He was a really f un teacher,” Kos said. “He made class f un. It was super challenging but f un because it was i nteresting to learn about all the things because he’s so p assionate about eve rything he teaches. His enthusiasm is catching.”
MONTI
CANTATA
Century of servi from page 1
• A Brookfield Community Festival on Sept. 13, a day-long event featuring games, food, and entertainment for the community and surrounding area.
Founded in 1925 by the Daughters of the British Empire, the British Home, as it was long called, comprised one ing housing a long-term care a 10-acre lot donated by Chicago alist Samuel Insull. T he initial housed 36 residents.
Over the decades, C antata has to meet changing needs and now provide a wider range of care options, includ ing inde pendent living, assisted living, skilled rehab, long-term care support , and respite care on a campus with multiple buildings. ents are also older. All of its services and providers are licensed.
“If you rolled back 25 years, the length of stay for our clients years on campus,” says John Larson, CEO, who has worked at Cantata for “Now, it is one and a half to two years. The average age of residents living on campus is now 88 years. More people are staying in their homes longer.”
One of the reasons people are staying in their homes longer is the expense of moving into a long-term care, independent living, or assisted living facility. Canata’s market is primarily a middle-income audience. Yet this demo graphic group, often refer red to as the “forgotten middle,” has the challenge of being able to af ford living in a long-term care or assisted living facility.
“Middle income seniors often have too much income and assets to af ford Medicaid. Yet they do not have sufficient financial resources to af ford a private assisted living facility,” says Larson, adding that Cantata does not accept Medicaid.
More than a decade ago, Larson and Kevin Heraty, Cantata’s development director, envisioned this situation as it would only become more challenging as more and more baby boomers began to retire and a workforce shor tage would ensue.
“We knew we had enough care givers, yet we could see that there were not going to be enough when the baby boomers hit retirement age. So we reevaluated our existing model,” said Heraty.
In 2011, the Illinois Human Service Commission (HSC) received a directive from
at tends the 100th anniversar y BB Q and celebrat ion Wednesday May 21, 2025.
then Gov. Pat Quinn to identify strategies that “significantly expand community options” for individuals with special needs to live in community settings.
A year later, Cantata’s board of directors embraced a new strategic direction which included expanding services to include home- and community-based services. Along with that came the name change to Cantata to reflect the organization’s expanded service.
In 2013, C antata reached another milestone by serving more clients of f c amp us than those living on c ampus. Wi th the b oard of directors’ suppo rt , C antata developed a new model of private d uty care. “We have care give rs who see clients in neighborhoods, ” said Heraty. “S o that c ould be a cluster of clients livin g in an area. T he care give rs might see an individual client anywhere from two to five times a day for 15 minutes or so, to help them g et dressed in the morning and have breakfast, then c ome back at lunchtime and later in the day. Th at is far less time (and expense) than a t ypical
private d uty care give r who would spend four hours a day with a client. ”
This new model helps save clients’ money, while allowing them to live independently in their homes. Cantata is on the vanguard of of fering this model of service. Larson and Heraty have been invited to talk about this model at national conferences and through consulting with local governments across the nation.
Meanwhile, Cantata staf f continue to provide excellent care in a warm, friendly environment to their residents on its sprawling campus, located just north of the Brookfield Zoo.
During the kickoff celebration for the centennial, Cantata held an indoor barbeque (on a rainy day) in a large community room that was full of smiling seniors. Carol, an independent living resident, said, “I have a fabulous corner apar tment on the ground floor. I get to see everyone coming and going and I have a beautiful view from my windows. I have everything I need!”
To learn more about Cantata, visit https://cantata.org/.
Healthy Minds Matter
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.
Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030.
ERICA BENSON
Nanc y, a Cantata Adult Life Services residen t,
RIVERSID E ARTS
WEEKEND
CLIMATE
At the meeting in March, N utter told the village b oard a list of priority actions would be created for inclusion in the final draft. There are 16 items on the list that Rive rside c an i mmediately wo rk toward p utting i nto practic e, includin g reducing the use of g as-powe red landscaping equipment, increasing pedest rian and bic ycle access to train and bu s stations, installing more electric vehicl e charging stations, creating c omposting pr ogr ams, auditing the ener gy use of village facilities, and imposing financia l incentives for residents to miti gate potential flood damage on their proper ty.
According to the p lan, “These priorit y projects we re selected b ased on ke y factors such as greenhouse g as reductio n p otential, resilience b enefit s, c ost, and timeframe.” T he p lan d etails estimated c osts, timeframes and performance indicators for each action so Rive rside staf f
c an budg et for them and wo rk toward implementing them.
In a memo to the village b oard, Assistant Vi llage Manager A shley Monroe emphasized that not eve ry facet of the p lan will result in immediate action.
“A p lan identifies c ritical info rm atio n and prioritizes the most important issues for our municipality to a ddress. It is a living document that will be u pdated eve ry five year s, ” she wrote
Oak Park teen launches running challenge to support disability charity
Noah
Campbell created the 47K challenge in honor of his siste r Ella, who has Down syndrome
By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter
Noah Campbell, 18, has made the most of his gap year after finishing high school .
Campbell, a class of 2024 graduate of Oak Park and River Forest High School and an incoming freshman at the University of North Carolina, has used the time since his graduation to create a fundraising project to support the kind of charities that brought his family to Oak Park in the first place. Campbell’s younger sister has Down syndrome and in her honor, he created the 47k Challenge, a project that encouraged local businesses and community members to donate to the Best Buddies organization in honor of him running a distance greater than a marathon along Chicago’s lakeshore.
Campbell raised about $2,500 for the charity that supports people with developmental disabilities and their families. It was one of the happiest moments of his life, he said.
“I really want to help Best Buddies keep growing and expand to more chapters across Illinois,” he said.
It was the resources available to families of children with Down syndrome like the Best Buddies program that brought his family to the village from Arizona when Campbell and his sister were young, he said.
“We really came to this community to find this better support for her,” he said.
“We just found this community because it’s really supported people with special needs, it has lots of great resources, like Oak Leyden especially, that were really helpful. This is just a fantastic place to live in and to raise a family.”
He said he and Ella are very close, and they enjoy spending time together singing Disney music and dancing to K-Pop.
School of Rock, Battistoni-Beam-Polivka Orthodontics and Tennis and Fitness Centre of Oak Park and River Forest were among the local businesses that supported the project.
Campbell came up with the distance of 47 kilometers as a reference to the number of chromosomes people with Down syndrome are born with. The distance equates to about 29.2 miles
It was only a few years ago that Campbell struggled to run a mile, he said. So the distance reminds him of the strength his sister has shown to conquer her daily challenges.
“I looked at my sister who was doing unimaginably hard things every day,” he said. “So it was like, ‘well, if she was doing this, I could do this.’”
Campbell hopes to grow the challenge into a yearly event raising money for the cause, inviting more people to participate alongside him.
“I definitely want to keep expanding this challenge. This is really something that I was really proud to help build,“ he said. “By helping expand this event, bring some more runners, maybe making this more of a citywide thing and helping to work with more local businesses, ideally I get help to expand the Best Buddies program to help it make this great impact.”
COURTESY OF NOAH CAMPBELL Noah Campbell (right) with his sister Ella
PO LICE REPO RT S
Brook eld police track down dangerous driver
Brookfield police arrested a 23-year-old Chicago man on May 15 after he fled a traffic stop in February.
On Feb. 5 around 8 a.m., an officer was on patrol, heading east on 31st Street past Prairie Avenue when they saw a westbound black Nissan speeding at 54 mph in the 30-mph zone. T he officer made a U-turn to catch up with and stop the car, but the car sped up and turned north into the alley between Prairie and Forest avenues. The of ficer managed to cut the car of f by turning north on Prairie Avenue and catching the car at the 3000 block of the street.
According to police, the driver exited his vehicle and told the officer he lived at one of the homes on the block before re-entering the car against the officer’s commands. The car then made a three-point turn and sped away, ignoring the stop sign at Prairie Avenue and 30th Street and the red light at Prairie Avenue and 31st Street before tur ning east onto 31st.
Brookfield police contacted the re gistered owner of the car, who said the man was authorized to drive it. She gave police his name and address in Chicago. The officer who witnessed the man’s driving identified him from a photo lineup, and his address on file matched the one given by the car owner. Police lear ned the man’s driver’s license had been revoked for previous car theft and fleeing police in a stolen vehicle.
The car owner told police the car had been returned to her possession. She said the only contact she had with the man was through Facebook Messenger, but he had removed her as a Facebook friend after fleeing police.
On Feb. 6, Brookfield police asked Chicago police to contact the man at his address, but they could not.
On May 2, Brookfield police tried to reach the man at his address by waiting outside for two hours, but no one appeared to be home. They tried again on May 8 and 9 to no avail.
On May 12, a Cook County judge granted police a felony arrest warrant for the man, who was taken into custody by Forest Park
police on May 15 after a traffic stop. While being transported to central lockup in Berwyn, the man told police he had fled them in February due to being nervous
Police processed the man on an aggravated charge for fleeing police and eluding ar rest before releasing him.
Taillights out
Riverside police arrested a man early the morning of May 20 for driving without taillights.
Around 3:10 a.m., an officer was on patrol on First Avenue near Zoo Woods when they saw a silver Jeep heading north without illuminated taillights while it was dark out. After pulling the car over near West 26th Street, the officer spoke with the driver, who said his car’s taillights worked but that he had forgotten to turn them on.
When asked by the officer, the man provided proof of insurance alongside an Illinois state ID card rather than a driver’s license. After running the man’s infor mation through the police database, the officer learned the man’s driver’s license had been suspended.
The officer arrested the man for driving with a suspended license. The officer had the man’s car towed and transported him to central lockup in Berwyn, where police booked and processed the man for driving without taillights and on a suspended license. Police released the man on pre-trial conditions with a July 18 cour t date.
These items we re obtained from the Riverside Po lice Department re ports date d May 20 and the Brookfield Po lice Department re ports dated May 12-19; th ey re present a portion of the incidents to wh ich police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only b een charged with a crim e and cases ha ve not yet b een adjudicated. We re port the ra ce of a suspect only wh en a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at la rge and police ha ve provided us with a detailed physical d escriptio n of the suspect as th ey seek the public’s h elp in making an arrest
Compiled by Trent Brown
OBITUARIES
Georgette Brokopp, 65
Nurse, gardener and cra er
Georgette Broko pp (nee Lozano), 65, of Brookfield, died on May 20, 2025. Georgette wo rked as a nurse spending her time crafting and tendin to her ga rden.
She was the wife of John the mother of Jonathan G. Brokopp.
Memorial visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 28 from 11 a.m. until time of service, 1 p.m. at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield. Online condolences, memories and tographs may be shared with the family at www.JohnsonNosek.com.
27 from 3 to 8 p.m. at Ivins/Moravecek Funeral Home 80 E. Burlington St., Riverside. Family and friends will meet at Assumption BVM Catholic Church, 208 N. 2nd Street Ashkum, IL 60911, on May 28 to celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m., followed by interment at Ashkum Catholic Cemetery. Funeral info at 708447-2261 or www.moravecek.com.
Yvonne Fielmann, 89
P.E. instructor, golfer
“up nor proud and f an, she li “Wait till next y Her f amily and she leen, Erin, and breaks on Marco once-in-a-lifetime lo high school an enduring partnershi ample of soulmates united Yvonne was the Fielmann; the mother of tie) Fielmann and andmother of Me olleen (Robert) Quilico, Erin (R
bigail, Brooks, and Declan; the sister
late Eugene) Byrne and the late Bruc (the late Patricia) Frisch; and the aunt of many nieces and ne sitation will be held on Saturda May 31 from 9 a.m. to time of service at 11 Hitzeman Funeral Home Ltd., 9445 31st St., Brookfield, IL 60513. Interment at oncordia Cemetery, Forest Park. ers, memorials are apprelzheimer’s Association, 225 N. loor 17, Chicago, IL 60601.
Iole Materazzo, 99
ssionaries member
ole Materazzo (nee Accica), 99, of Brookfield, died on May 25, 2025. Sh e was a proud member of the C omboni he wo rked in food servic e
Michael Taden, 73 Attorney
Michael L. Taden, 73, of Riverside, died on May 21, 2025. Michael was an attor ney for over 40 years.
He was the son of the late Patricia (nee Baron) and the late Weldon “Dick ” Taden; the husband of Donna Lurgio; and the brother of Richard (Jill) and Steven (Marci) Taden.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, May
Yvonne Terese Fielmann (nee 89, of Riverside, died on May 12, 2025. Born and raised with a spirit of and joy, she lived a life filled with passion, purpose, and love. From her early the softball field to her career as a physical education teacher to her business management style, she inspired through her energy and example. She was a proud graduate of Harrison High School and Nor ther n Illinois University. S he was rarely seen without a no in hand — or a New Yo rk Times crosswo rd p uzzle. Her c ompetitive s alive on the g olf c ourses of F lorida ’s Rooke ry and Hammock Bay or
“ Nina” (Phillip Po r ter) Materazzo, and Maria Luigia “Mari” G ibson; the gr andmother of Gian Luca (John) Cipolletta, Massimo (Teresa) Cipolletta, C harles G ibson II, and Francesco G ibson; greatgr andmother of K ristina Cipolletta, Mar ga ret “Greta” Cipolletta and E leanor “Ellen” Cipolletta; and the aunt of many nieces and ne phew s.
Vi sitation will be held on T hursd ay, May 29 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at Hitzeman Funeral Home Ltd., 9445 31st St., Brookfield, IL 60513, followe d by a f uneral Mass at 11 a.m. at St. Louise de Marillac C hurch, corner of 30th & Ray mond, LaGrange Pa rk E ntombment at Queen of en Cemeter y, Hillside
Family owned since 1885 David Moravecek - Owner
Additional Suburban Chapel Locations Available Specializing in Pre Need & Veteran Care
Sports
Bulldogs’ Torrens, Norman headed to 3A state meet
Lions earn six entries; RBHS, LTHS entries compete at girls state
By BILL STONE
Contributing Reporter
Whenever Riverside Brookfield High School senior Matthew Torrens needs a good track-related laugh, his friend pulls out the video of Torrens’ pole vault start as a freshman.
“It’s kind of just like long jump with a pole over the bar almost because you’re not going up,” Torrens said. “Freshman year, obviously, I didn’t have any success. Sophomore year was kind of the first time I bent the pole.”
Now committed to the event, Torrens has improved rapidly all the way to his first Class 3A state meet. He cleared 4.01 meters/13 feet-2 inches Friday to finish second at the 3A Lyons Township Sectional Friday and automatically qualify with a top-two finish.
Torrens, who cleared a personal-best 13-5¾ at the conference meet, hopes to challenge the 14-0 school record by 2024 graduate Will Kallas. To improve those chances, Torrens tried a longer pole for the first time in competition Friday to unsuccessfully attempt 13-8 after he was certain to qualify
“It kind of just gave me information for next time, what I’m going to need to adjust,” Torrens said. “I’m super-happy that I’m going to get this chance to go to state. It’s always been like a dream. When I finally hit 13-0 during indoors, I was like, ‘Yeah, this is going to be the year where I can really push it to go downstate,’ which is a big goal for me.”
Senior Brady Norman also qualified for the Bulldogs in the 3,200-meter run for the third straight year with a fourth-place, outdoorbest 9:21.64 that beat the 9:27.68 state-qualifying standard for the meet. Norman, who ran a school-record 9:17.65 indoors March 29, was 33rd at state last year (9:40.84) and 43rd in 2023 (10:04.01).
“A [personal record], sub-9:10, would be awesome,” he said. “I’ve been at that state meet and had some rough races in the past. I think things are trending upward.”
Norman also tried to qualify in the 1,600 for the first time but dropped out during the race.
“I was mentally cooked and my asthma just never got better,” Norman said. “I might have scratched at state anyway. I’m just going to rip that (3,200) to the best of my ability at state.”
“I was honestly telling myself I didn’t want to scratch the last high school throw of my career,” Ryan said. “It felt solid coming out of my hand but I was so shocked to hear the mark. I was overjoyed because I knew the distance that I needed and I got that.”
Disappointed with fifth in discus, Bockwell pulled out second in shot by three-quarters of an inch with his lifetime best by four inches.
“It was really, really close, but this will probably be the best night of my life for the longest time,” Bockwell said.
As seniors, Burda is running track for the first time this season and Waliewski the second.
Waliewski, nicknamed Mr. Track, has improved his 400 split from 59.9 in last year’s finale to sub-52 at the conference meet.
STEVE JOHNSTON
Riverside-Brook eld’s Matthew Torrens competes in the pole vault during the IHSA Class 3A Lyons Sectional, May 22.
The host Lions had the victorious 4 x 800 relay of seniors Charlie Ciesla, Tate Pavelka and Ethan Wuggazer and junior Tyler Gantt (8:04.37) among six state-qualifying entries.
Advancing with second-place finishes were seniors Mason Burda (400 in 50.93), Trevor Devries (6.95m/22-9¾ in long jump) and Brady Ryan (41.26m/135-4 in discus), sophomore Joey Bockwell (15.08m/49-5¾ in shot put) and the 4 x 400 of Burda, seniors Ray Waliewski and Ethan Wuggazer and junior Gustavo Mojarro (3:25.77).
Returning from last year’s relays are Ciesla and Pavelka in the 4 x 800 and Wuggazer and Mojarro from the 4 x 400.
Wuggazer, the twin brother of cross country all-stater Ben Wuggazer, joined the distance group this season.
“I’ve got the first event and the last event [on those relays]. I’m here for the whole state meet at this point,” Ethan Wuggazer said.
“It’s an awesome experience definitely.”
The 4 x 800 feels capable of breaking 8:00 to reach its 12-team finals. LTHS ran 8:03.35 at the conference meet with Ciesla and Pavelka
both running personal-best 1:58 splits
“I’ve really enjoyed working with this team particularly this year because we’ve got four guys that are evenly matched so we’re really pushing each other,” Pavelka said. “I think we can all make a big leap at state.”
Devries is happy to be leaping again. After just missing state as a sophomore with a third-place 21-4 at sectionals, Devries has continually battled injuries, including a left tibia injury that sidelined him most of this indoor season. Sectionals was just his third 2025 outdoor meet, but Devries achieved a lifetimebest 23-8 at the conference meet.
“[State] means so much, the work I’ve put in the past four years and dealing with injuries,” Devries said. “I was at this point two years ago. It feels really awesome to come out and finally get that mark that I wanted, healthy and all good.”
In throws, Ryan and Bockwell qualified for state both with their final attempts Ryan achieved his second-best distance ever with what might have been his highschool finale
“I worked my butt off all summer in order for this year and to qualify, it means everything to me,” Waliewski said. “This year I’ve been on every varsity roster from the start on. That’s not just a surprise to the coaches and my teammates but to me as well. I just kind of compete when I get on the track.”
As a team, the Lions (116 points) finished second to Kenwood (146) but scored about a dozen more points than projected.
Girls track and eld
RBHS senior Jorie Eggers was 35th in the 400 (1:01.25) at the 3A state meet preliminaries Friday after qualifying with a school-record 58.63 at sectionals.
LTHS senior Leigh Ferrell (3.20m/10-6 in pole vault) and junior Sarah Wiggins (300 low hurdles in 51.34) were 30th. Senior high jumper Vesta Samoulis missed the opening height of 1.55m/5-1.
Competing in 2A were Fenwick sophomore Juliana Gamboa of Riverside (13th in 3,200, personal-best 11:25.09), who also was part of the Friars’ 4 x 400 (25th, 4:13.97), and Nazareth Academy sophomore Claire Sigmund (18th in 400, 1:00.11) and freshman Delilah Apel (41st in long jump, 4.57m/15-0).
“(The season) was definitely difficult at times but overall it was just so much fun,” Gamboa said. “(I learned) definitely just to train hard every day really matters and to enjoy these amazing meets.”
RBHS baseball, softball teams go after 4A regional titles
LTHS baseball comes one win from Silver crown; seniors fuel LTHS so ball
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Riverside Brookfield High School senior Jaden Despe will play baseball at the Milwaukee School of Engineering and major in biomedical engineering.
“My dream job would be to make machines or equipment to help athletes and performance,” said Despe, who is currently thinking about his baseball present with the Bulldogs (19-13), who are the No. 7 seed in the Class 4A Reavis Sectional. The Bulldogs seek their first regional title since 2022.
“It feels pretty surreal that these past four years have been amazing and we’ve played with each other forever,” Despe said. “It’s pretty crazy this is going to be our last run. We’re just trying to make the most out of it and make some memories for the future.”
In its first year in the Upstate Eight Conference’s East Division, RBHS was second to Glenbard East at 11-5. Two big wins were 7-3 over ranked West Aurora April 24 and 7-6 over Glenbard South May 13 on a game-ending RBI single from junior Michael Kallas.
“Michael doesn’t play a lot and came up in a big moment and hit a walkoff single in a very important game. It was good to see him succeed,” Despe said. “[West Aurora] was a very fun game. Everyone was up and had a lot
of energy. That’s what made it most memorable.”
Sean Campbell (.453 batting average, 26 runs batted in) and Ethan Smith (.381, 2 home runs, 14 RBIs, 36 runs) and Despe (.278, 30 RBIs) continue to be top hitters.
LTHS baseball
Seeded No. 3 in the Reavis Sectional, the Lions (21-10-1) came as close as possible to sharing their first West Suburban Conference Silver Division title since 2019.
In their winner-take-all league finale Friday, the Lions lost 5-3 at Oak Park and River Forest, which shared the title with Downers Grove North at 13-5. LTHS and York tie for third at 12-6.
“That’s kind of what our hope is all-yearround, looking to challenge these guys,” LTHS coach Kevin Diete said. “It’s a nice game to be challenged with going into the playoffs. [OPRF] just came out hitting the ball pretty well. It’s not like we made any costly errors. They just hit the ball well and we didn’t.”
After field-related cancellations, the game was moved to OPRF with the Lions batting as the home team. The Lions took a 1-0 lead in the first but the Huskies (25-10) then scored two runs in the second and three in the third
Dom Pisciotti (2 RBIs) and E.J. Kuhlman (double) led the Lions’ six hits. Sophomore Kuhlman has been leading off and playing center field after an injury to junior Tommy Georgelos in mid-May. Sophomore Blake Ragsdale, who only has been hitting, returned to shortstop in Saturday’s 7-6 victory
over Providence.
RBHS softball
The Bulldogs (22-9), the No. 4 seed in the Marist Sectional, enter the postseason with a seven-game winning streak and 14-1 record after an 8-8 start. They finished third in the UEC East at 13-5 with their second game against Ridgewood not rescheduled
“Ever since the first few games, we’ve clicked and really done well,” senior third baseman Ellie Megall said. “I think everyone’s kind of found their groove and their role within the team and just blended really well together.”
Mia Melendez, one of three key freshmen, has team bests of 10 home runs and RBIs in. Megall, Trinity Stevenson, Brailyn Naylor and Ella Jurgens also are regulars with an OPS above 1.000.
LTHS softball
Senior Isabella Evans not only is an allconference pitcher/first baseman over four varsity seasons but has been to the state meet twice with the LTHS girls golf team.
“I feel like I have a lot more pressure on me when it comes to playing golf. I feel like everyone is always staring at me and no one else,” Evans said. “With softball, since I have played for so many years (since age 7), I have overcome the pressure from pitching.”
Evans and fellow senior outfielders Maddie McLane and Lucy Dreher hope to help the Lions (10-18, 5-7 in Silver) as the No. 12 seed in
the Marist Sectional.
McLane and Dreher are in their second varsity seasons and have bonded through softball and generally playing right and center field, respectively
Honored on Senior Day May 3, Dreher recalled being promoted to varsity as a freshman and pinch-running in the 2022 sectional final loss to Marist. LTHS also won regionals in 2023 and lost in the sectional semifinals to York.
McLane recalled her first high-school home run against rival Hinsdale Central as a sophomore on the junior varsity.
“I just enjoy the team and being around my teammates. They’re really fun to be around,” said Dreher, who is considering playing at Carthage McLane, headed to Illinois, also was a reserve on the Lions’ outstanding girls basketball team.
“I don’t play much in basketball. This is a little bit more special because softball is my No. 1 sport,” McLane said. “It’s pretty much the same stuff for Senior Day but they’re both super special and awesome programs.”
For softball, Evans was injured for her sophomore season and the start of this season. Evans believes her softball and golf experiences have complemented each other
“Having both sports really helps with my hand-eye coordination, but sometimes it messes me up since the swings are a little different,” Evans responded
“I have enjoyed being a leader and captain on softball. We have such a great culture on this team and I am just happy to be able to play.”
LTHS girls water polo bonds to take second in state
Second-best state nish for Lions; LTHS
tennis takes three entries to state
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Early Saturday, Lyons Township girls water polo coach Megan Jacobs promised her players she would take a celebratory postgame jump into the pool if the Lions simply reached the state championship match.
That night, Jacobs and her assistants took the plunge after the Lions nearly pulled of f their greatest upset in program history.
As huge underdogs, the Lions lost to undefeated, No. 1-ranked and two-time defending champion Stevenson 6-5 for the title at the Patriots’ home pool in Lincolnshire after leading 4-2 entering the fourth quarter.
It’s the second-highest finish for the Lions (24-5-1), the 2010 state champions who also finished third last season and in 2022 and fourth in 2015.
“Right now, it’s very bittersweet. I’m
very happy that we won second place. It’s the first time in 15 years that LT has gone to a final,” said LTHS senior Maya Mladjan, the Brookfield resident who will play at Michig an with older sister Emilia. “I’m super proud of the team. I’m proud of myself. I know I have a big future ahead but I’m going to be sad because of that bond that’s been built with the rest of my girls and coaches.”
The Lions rode a whirlwind path to the finals, outlasting fourth-place York 14-11 in overtime in the semifinals earlier Saturday and beating St. Ignatius 5-4 in Thursday’s
quarterfinals. When the Lions played at Stevenson (36-0) back on March 15, the Patriots won 18-9.
“It’s crazy how much we grew from game one to game three (at state), let alone the beginning of the season to the end of the season, losing by nine (to Stevenson, then) losing by one,” Jacobs said.
“Our team grew a lot. The chemistry is much better. We have an amazing goalie (senior Delaney Judkins) that’s helped us in every game at state. We have some great seniors (like) Maya. And Bella (Recker), Avery (Watanabe) with the lob shot, Mad-
Mortonson, LTHS soccer battle back for another regional title
All-state senior plays role in three goals; RBHS loses in regional semis
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Senior Caroline Mortonson appreciates and pays back the friendship from teammates when she was a freshman starting on varsity for the Lyons Township High School girls soccer team.
“I had the most amazing group of seniors who drove me everywhere, really picked me up,” Mortonson said. “When I missed the (penalty kick) to lose our game in the playoffs, they took me to get food after so I try to do that to the people here. We have a car pool with both of the freshmen because they live right by me.”
Reserve midfielder Lauren Salvino, one of those freshmen, helped the Lions’ postseason ride continue Friday. Salvino scored their first two goals – both off of dangerous crosses by Mortonson – as the Lions rallied for a 3-1 victory over Fenwick in the Class 3A Reavis Regional final.
The Lions (10-9-1), the No. 5 seed in the Downers Grove South Sectional, played No. 1 Hinsdale Central (18-5) in Tuesday’s sectional semifinals
Mortonson, a two-time all-state forward/ midfielder, has been part of four regional champions and last year’s sectional titlist.
“This is definitely the most competitive (re-
die (Wieczorkiewicz) as a freshman stepping up.”
Mladjan scored the first two goals against Stevenson. Goals by juniors Recker and Watanabe with her lob opened a 4-2 lead just 20 seconds into the third quarter. After being kept scoreless for two quarters, the Patriots stormed back in the fourth. They tied the game with 4:52 left, pulled ahead 5-4 just 42 seconds later and went up 6-4 with 1:19 left. Wieczorkiewicz scored with 35 seconds to go
“We were pretty emotional all over the place, especially for me because I was sad we didn’t get first place, but at the same time second was amazing,” said Judkins, who made 16 saves.
“The fact that we tried so hard for all of the games leading up to this was the biggest accomplishment. I honestly did not think
gional final),” Mortonson said. “We’ve gone down first in a lot of games and worked our way back. We didn’t put our head down but kept working hard and it paid off.”
The Lions, who have won five of their last six games, captured their 12th straight regional title but first among those by defeating a higher seeded
“It’s something this group should really be proud of because we’ve had some ups and downs this season but they’ve stuck together,” LTHS coach Bill Lanspeary said. “It’s great to see that work pay off with the regional championship.”
No. 4 Fenwick (11-9-1) scored first 21:17 before halftime but Salvino answered only 1:15 later after Mortonson’s left-corner cross was blocked by a defender but left uncleared in the crease
Salvino put the Lions ahead 13:09 before halftime when Mortonson’s right-corner cross was initially stopped by the goalie but leaked through the crease. Mortonson added a 24-yard scoring blast with 32:26 to play
“Both of (my goals) actually were from Caroline’s amazing crosses,” said Salvino, whose freshman teammate is long-time friend Emma Thimm. “The goals themselves are just getting to the ball first, wanting to win for the team.”
Mortonson certainly has helped. The Miami (Ohio) recruit has a team-best 15 goals and nine assists, followed by injured junior Carolina Capzzi (7 goals, 9 assists), who hasn’t played since May 9, Salvino (5 goals) and six players with three goals.
Despite incomplete scoring records, Mortonson certainly is among the top-10, if not
we were going to win that first half and we did. I was so proud of my teammates.”
Mladjan said she’ll remember the team’s organized egg hunts and late-night event at the south campus with “no rules” water polo using a greased water melon.
Recker and junior Bebe Wright ag reed the Lions’ team bond was their strength. They added the final link at the hotel between Saturday’s games.
Those bonds truly were tested. Against York, LTHS led 8-4 in the third quarter but York (22-6) forced overtime at 10-10 after scoring with 44 seconds left in re gulation. Wieczorkiewicz, Wright, Mladjan and Watanabe then scored the first four overtime goals.
The Lions rallied to beat St. Ignatius on Watanabe’s goal with 25 seconds left after Recker tied the game 4-4 with 3:06 left.
top five, in LTHS history.
“She’s kind of an unassuming kid. She doesn’t have an ego, works hard, and is extremely likeable,” Lanspeary responded “She’s not your typical vocal senior leader. She just quietly works hard and gets the job done. I think because of her ability but not having an ego, players are naturally drawn to her and feed off her subtle confidence and work ethic.”
Primarily as offensive juggernaut as a freshman forward, Mortonson has expanded her game off the ball and in creating opportunities.
“I’m proud of growing as a player and person through the teams,” Mortonson said. “Through all of the years I’ve stepped into different roles of more of a leader and outspoken person on the team, which I feel is important on and off the field. I feel like my confidence on the field has improved. When I made mistakes (as a freshman), I would always get down on myself. I realized it’s OK to make mistake. You just have to get the next one.”
Mortonson is extra-emotional about this season. This will probably be the last playing alongside sophomore sister Claire Mortonson, another key contributor Friday as a defensive midfielder.
“I have three younger sisters. I’m really close with all of them. It’s so fun playing with (Clarie), just everything, getting ready together, going to the games, leaving the games,” Mortonson said. “Probably my favorite memories are when we have big wins. There’s just good energy on the field and the feeling of winning as a team when everyone plays their
“In the beginning of the season, we were getting used to each other. You could definitely tell as our games went on we got better and better,” Wright said. “At the end, we really came together. I think we gave everything we had.”
Boys tennis
After being a defensive standout for the Lyons Township boys soccer team, senior Fred Chen used a similar mentality in getting to his first Class 2A boys tennis state tournament. Chen and freshman doubles partner Mateja Nokic are among the Lions’ three state entries after top-four finishes at the Hinsdale Central Sectional.
“I re gret not working as hard as possible throughout my high school tennis career, but at least I had this opportunity to qualify
role is so fun. Or big games like sectional championships are definitely my favorite because it’s what you’ve finally worked for.”
RB soccer
Despite enduring a nine-match losing streak in April, the Bulldogs refused to quit
The season ended with a 3-0 loss to No. 7 seed Morton in the 3A Morton Regional semifinals May 20, but No. 10 RBHS (6-14-1) emerged from the streak with a 3-3-1 record over its last seven games.
“The last month especially, you could really see everything we’ve worked on finally coming together. We finally got to end on a good note,” said senior Lucy Drenth. “We lost a ton of starters (from 2024). Not a ton of us had played together before We didn’t always get the results that we wanted, but I still think we had a lot of games that we should be very proud of.”
The Bulldogs graduate seven players and five regional starters – co-captains Drenth and Raleigh Jesswein, leading scorer Ella Caputo (7 goals, 7 assists), Katie Doyle and Abbi Jurkovic, as well as injured starter Isa Hernandez and Taryn Schultz.
RBHS previously lost to Morton 5-0 March 25 and 2-0 April 5.
“Looking back on this season, overall it was successful just in the way that we progressed. We really progressed,” Jesswein said. “We didn’t win any of these games (with Morton) but we really showed the improvement we had one and of f the field. Everyone should be proud of the work they put in and we should be proud of each other.”
for state,” Chen responded. “It took a lot of help from my teammate (Nokic), who has a very fast serve and fast ground strokes. It makes my job of being scrappy and more of a defensive player easier.”
Also advancing for the Lions were junior Shay Sweigard (17-7), who was fourth in singles, and the doubles team of juniors Rohan Nagale and Jackson Albee (9-9), who took third place 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 over Chen and Mateja (8-8).
This is the third straight state trip for Sweigard and second in singles along with freshman year.
RBHS doubles teams of Linden Leander and Humza Ahmad and Charles DeButch and Mathias Kubon, singles player Jake Corollo and the Lions’ Manny Gonzalez reached the round of 16. DeButch and Kubon won a play-in match.
LEGAL NOTICE
The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 for the following:
Village of Oak Park
Water Utility Customer Portal
Bid Number: 25-120
Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oakpark.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.
Published in Wednesday Journal May 28, 2025
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination.
The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law.
This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.
Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals.
To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.
GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA
NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Monday 16 June 2025, at 7:00 P.M. in the Council Chambers of the Village Hall, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois, the Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing to consider a conditional use permit and site plan review to allow the construction of a self-serve vacuum facility in the B-2 Community Shopping District on the following described properties(s):
Parcel 1:
Lot 15 (except that part described as follows: beginning at the Southeast corner of said Lot; thence South 89 Degrees 11 Minutes 56 Seconds West (assumed) 5.00 feet along the Southerly line of said Lot; thence North 44 Degrees 11 Minutes 47 Seconds East 7.07 feet to the Easterly line of said Lot, said Easterly line being also the Westerly right of way of Harlem Avenue; thence South 00 Degrees 48 Minutes 23 Seconds East 5.00 Feet along said right of way to the point of beginning) in Block 1 in South Addition to Harlem, being a Subdivision of the East 1/2 of the West 1/2 of the South East 1/4 of Section 13, Township 39 North, Range 12 East of the Third Principal Meridian, in Cook County, Illinois.
Parcel 2:
Lot 16 in Block 1 in South Addition to Harlem in Section 13, Township 39 North, Range 12 East of the Third Principal Meridian, in Cook County, Illinois.
Commonly known as 7201 Lexington Street, Forest Park, IL PINs: 15-13-407-026-0000, 1513-407-034-0000
The applicant is Lex 7201, LLC dba Crystal Car Wash
Signed: Marsha
East, Chair
Planning and Zoning Commission
Published in Forest Park Review May 28, 2025
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed Proposals will be accepted for:
2025 Village Hall Permeable Paver Parking Lot Design Engineering Services
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, 2025, to April 30, 2026, 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 16, 2025 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 July 14, 2025.
SANDRA LID VILLAGE CLERK NORTH RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS
Published in RB Landmark May 28, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICE
OAK PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT
97 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING JUNE 10, 2025 AT 7:00 PM
The Board of Education of Oak Park Elementary School District
97 will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at 7:00 pm. The purpose of said hearing will be: To receive public comment on a proposed waiver application to allow District 97 to limit physical education with a licensed physical education teacher to 50 minutes every other day for students in sixth through eighth grades.
Published in Wednesday Journal May 28, 2025
The Village of River Forest is requesting proposals for professional engineering consultant services (“Consultant Services”) which include, but are not limited to, the completion of required hydrologic & hydraulic (H & H) analysis, pre-final & final design, preparation of construction drawings & specifications, construction cost estimates, identification & procurement of all required permits, license agreements & grants. The Village has been awarded Green Infrastructure Partnership Grant Funding from MWRD. Respondents must be able to demonstrate previous experience with similar projects described herein. Submittals should include the firm’s qualifications, project team, resumes, project approach, and recently completed related engineering work (high value will be placed on experience assisting municipalities with design engineering for improvements similar in scope).
The RFP is available for download starting Friday, May 16, 2025, at: www.vrf.us/bids
Proposals must be submitted by Wednesday, June 4, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. to:
Village of River Forest Attention: Jack Bielak P.E., CFM Director of Public Works & Engineering 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305
Proposals will be considered based on the criteria set forth in the RFP.
No Proposal shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled deadline.
The Village of River Forest reserves the right in receiving these Proposals to waive technicalities and reject any or all Proposals.
Published in Wednesday Journal May 28, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICE
The River Forest Park District has placed its 2025-2026 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 7:00pm on Monday, June 16, 2024, at the Depot, 401 Thatcher Avenue, River Forest, Illinois.
Michael J. Sletten, Secretary River Forest Park District
Published in Wednesday Journal May 28, 2025
Submit events and see full calendar at rblandmark.com/events
