Children and parents participate during the Stand Up to Hate play date
‘Stand
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Ferrai Pickett understands that building an inclusive community isn’t accidental: It’s intentional, and it starts with children.
Pickett brought her Stand Up to Hate play date to the Riverside Public Library on Saturday, June 6, to promote inclusion through education. The event was created and hosted by Pickett, who has 15 years of experience working in childcare as a private nanny, and offers a format kids enjoy that also shows parents how to continue the con-
DIVERSITY on page 6
Brook eld couple launches natural detergent business
Courtney Kayiza and Miloš Koćalo, mysti ed by unknown ingredients in commercial products, create Beba Bubbles
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
If you’re looking for a softer laundry detergent for your young family, look no further than Brookfield.
Residents Courtney Kayiza and Miloš Koćalo are the founders of Beba Bubbles, a homemade laundry detergent business for mulated to be gentle on the skin of babies.
“We were expecting our son, Luka, in January of this year. Upon his arrival, we were being more conscious — [Miloš] has always been this
Riverside agrees to 2-year electric aggregation pact
e village will lock in a rate of 11.35 cents per kWh for 100% green energy
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Riverside has locked in a new rate for its electric aggregation program that will last until October 2028.
Village trustees on June 4 ag reed to a two-year contract with MC Squared Energy for 100% green energy provided at a rate of 11.35 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). According to village officials, the average household in Riverside uses 8,500 kWh per year, meaning the new rate will have an average cost of $964 per year.
Riverside’s previous contract, for one year with MC Squared, had a rate of 10.9 cents per kWh for an average total cost of $926 per year. That contract will remain in effect until October, when the new rate — up about $40 on average per year — will take over for residents who do not opt out of the program.
The new contract is Riverside’s first to extend beyond one year since 2023, after it ended a three-year contract with MC Squared matching the variable ComEd price. From 2023 to 2024, it contracted with Dyne gy Energy Services before returning to MC Squared for one-year contracts since 2024.
Last year, the village experienced its biggest leap in energy prices since 2014, when MC Squared raised its rate from 8.09 cents per kWh to 10.90 cents per kWh.
Since 2012, Riverside has maintained its streak of using 100% green energy through renewable energy credits for its electric aggregation program. Residents and small businesses are automatically entered into the program each year and pay for electricity at a rate established by village of ficials.
“Anyone can opt out,” Village President Doug Pollock said. “If we go with 100% green energy, as we’ve done in the past, residents who don’t feel they can af ford that extra [fee] can opt out.”
Residents who opt out can contract privately with a retail electric supplier or receive their electricity from ComEd.
“[Residents] can opt out even after the contract begins. Legal has done a really
Riverside Township Hall
good job, in coordination with Sharon [Durling, president of Illinois Aggreg ation Consultants], of making sure that it’s maximum flexibility for our residents,” said Village Manager Jessica Frances.
During the June 4 meeting, trustees had the option to choose between 12- and 24-month bids from MC Squared at 0%, 50% and 100% green energy. Dyne gy offered similar bids as well as rates for a 36-month contract at the same green energy ratios
Across the board, Dynegy’s bids came in nearly one cent per kWh higher than
MC Squared’s. For 100% green energy, MC Squared offered rates of 11.25 cents per kWh for 12 months or the rate trustees selected of 11.35 cents per kWh for 24 months. Another option, Village Clerk Emily Stenzel said, would have been to contract with MC Squared for a price match with the ComEd rate in exchange for either 10% green energy or a $15,000 civic grant. T he grant would have been intended to fund Riverside’s sustainability initiatives but ultimately could have been used for any purpose had the board opted for it, Frances said.
Fred Smith, former RB teacher, dies at 92
Smith, who retired from teaching sociology in 1989, died on May 21
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Fred Smith, a North Riverside resident who taught at Riverside Brookfield High School for nearly 40 years, died on May 21. He was 92.
Smith worked as a sociology teacher at the high school from 1951 to 1989, when the course was a graduation requirement, said Jan Goldberg, a retired RB teacher who lives in Riverside. Goldberg described Smith as one of her mentors in RB’s humanities department, where she worked from 1976 to 2012 teaching American history and urban studies.
“The whole department was all male, and me, and all but one male was 15 to 20 years older than me,” Goldberg told the Landmark. “When I got there, Fred and another teacher, Brant Abrahamson, they were both right across the hall from me. They took me under their wing and helped me out with various things academically, discipline-wise; things that a young teacher needs help with.”
Goldberg, who worked alongside Smith for 13 years until his retirement, described him as one of the smartest men she had ever met.
During their careers at RB, Smith and Abrahamson wrote their own textbooks because they didn’t like the other available options, Goldberg said.
“They wrote their own. It was six separate units, and they sold them separately to high schools and colleges all over the country,” she said. “They had dozens and dozens of sources. They came up with a six-unit textbook that was divided into little pamphlets, so the kids didn’t have to lug around this really heavy thing.”
When Smith retired in 1989 and Abrahamson followed suit shortly after, Goldberg said she maintained their le gacy by teaching sociology, even after the school board removed it as a required class
She said Smith was “a terrific writer” and “an excellent union member” and leader “RB, back when I started, was not a closed
shop [where new employees must be union members], and the city of Chicago was very pro-union,” Goldberg said. “A very long strike happened in 1981. We had a couple of short strikes, but this was the big one: 13 school days. Fred was one of the negotiators … He and a few others got us a very good contract.”
Goldberg said Smith and Abrahamson remained friends for the rest of Smith’s life after their retirements, sharing weekly phone calls and occasional bike rides together Goldberg said Abrahamson wished her to speak to the Landmark on his behalf about Smith, who she described as his best friend.
Dave Josefik, who became Smith’s caretaker in his old age, said he knew him even before he became Smith’s student at RB through working at his family’s auto repair shop
“He was a good friend, and I wanted to make sure he was taken care of,” Josefik said. “He was a very, very good guy; very intelligent. He did a lot of research … the
amount of books he read was unbelievable.”
Magda Villaseñor, who lived next door to Smith, said she had learned from Josefik that Smith owned about 30,000 records.
“He always spoke about music. Always,” she said. “He joked, when we first befriended one another … that he was going to purchase my home as storage and his home as the one he would live in.”
Josefik said Smith lived at home until he needed to move into a care facility after experiencing a fall while climbing the stairs
“He had fallen, and he had a collapsed lung,” he said. “That’s what did him in, was that, and then he fell at the nursing home, and he had broken ribs. That tore him down. Each time he kept going down, he couldn’t pick himself back up at that age It’s a shame. He was a really sweet guy.”
Josefik said a service and burial for Smith are planned to take place around the end of August or start of September at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.
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.
chapter. Stronger future.
Landmark named third best weekly in Illinois
One of 44 awards garnered by NEWSWELL Chicago ags
By DAN HALEY Interim Editor
The Riverside-Brookfield Landmark was named the third best weekly in Illinois in the Illinois Press Association’s Best of the Press contest. Winners were announced June 4 at the annual event in East Peoria.
In the sweepstakes award which reflected all 11 of the Landmark’s honors, the Landmark placed third in the mid-circulation category
The Landmark won top recognition in the gover nment beat reporting category for Stella Brown’s coverage of an effort to bring a dispensary to Brookfield. Ongoing coverage of the Brookfield Shops was also recognized.
The Landmark was also recognized for features, business reporting, obituaries, overall page design, its website and for special sections. The annual Answer Book community guide placed first in the state
The Forest Park Review, a sister paper, was named the state’s best small circulation weekly for the second year running
Overall, the four NEWSWELL Chicago flags — Landmark, Review, Wednesday Journal of Oak Park and River Forest and the Austin Weekly News — won 44 editorial awards in the IPA contest.
Wednesday Journal also won top honors in the advertising and marketing contest. That brought us the Sam Zito Award of Excellence Trophy which basically dwarfs the Kramer trophy
Max Reinsdorf, general manager of NEWSWELL Chicago, said the strong showing on both the editorial and advertising sections of the IPA contest reflected the hard work and talent of the staff. “We’re committed to creating strong, independent and always locally focused news for our communities. We have great people, rooted in these neighborhoods. It is gratifying to see that work appreciated at the state level,” he said.
Brook eld Chamber of Commerce Business Spotlight
Merrick Animal Hosptial - your trusted partner in all of your pet care needs
Merrick Animal Hospital
9115 Ogden Ave, Brookfield, IL 60513
(708) 485-6500 www.brookfieldvets.net
For nearly 90 years, Merrick Animal Hospital has been a trusted part of the Brookfield community, providing compassionate veterinary care to generations of pets and the families who love them. Since opening its doors in 1937, Merrick Animal Hospital has built a reputation for combining advanced medical expertise with a genuine commitment to animal wellness.
dedicated to helping pets live longer, healthier, and happier lives. Their experienced team offers a comprehensive range of services, including wellness exams, vaccinations, preventive care, diagnostics, dental care, surgery, pharmacy services, and ongoing health management for companion animals.
Located on Ogden Avenue, Merrick Animal Hospital is a full-service veterinary practice
What sets Merrick Animal Hospital apart is its commitment to individualized care. Every pet receives a thorough evaluation and treatment plan tailored to their specific needs. Utilizing advanced technology such as in-house laboratory testing, digital radiography, dental radiography, ultrasound, and therapeutic laser treatments, the team is equipped to provide accurate diagnoses and effective
care when it matters most.
Beyond medical services, Merrick Animal Hospital focuses on creating a positive experience for both pets and their owners. From nutritional counseling and parasite prevention to microchipping and pain management, the practice emphasizes preventive care and education to support lifelong health.
As a proud Community Champion Member of the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce, Merrick Animal Hospital continues its long-standing tradition of serving the community with professionalism, compassion, and dedication. Their commitment to both pets and people has made them a valued Brookfield institution for generations.
To learn more about Merrick Animal Hospital or schedule an appointment, visit www.brookfieldvets.com or stop by 9115 Ogden Avenue, Brookfield. Here’s to many more years of caring for Brookfield’s four-legged family members!
EMMA CULLNAN
Events
DIVERSIT
versation at home
“My mission is to teach children’s families how to be socially, emotionally and mentally equipped to handle the world,” she said. “I’veworked for majority white f amilies, and for the past five years, I’ve brought my African American children with me, so I’ve been able to see where the disconnect is happening in society.”
Pickett said the play date, which she hosts multiple times per year around the Chicagoland area, focuses on books, toys, music and food that teach children about the kinds ofdifferences people can have — from skin tone, sexual orientation or g ender identity to hair texture or the configuration of their family
concer ning her employment.
“[The writer] wanted me to know that I was enslaved, [the f amily] were my owners, and I was an infestation in their community,” she said. “The beautiful people that I was working for at the time were like, ‘We don’ t want this to just be about the letter. We need to respond.’ I called to action a community play date [with] balls, bubbles, snacks. We wanted all the kids to play to g ether to say the neighborhood doesn’t ag ree.”
Pickett said she has been intentional about educating her own children on the diversity ofthe world, which she uses as a model for the way she structures her pl ay date events
“[I focus on] teaching our children intentionally why another kid’s skin color is different from theirs. Intentionally teaching them why some people speak different languages. Intentionally teaching them about how colorful the world is, so when they do step outside oftheir social bubbl e, they are more equipped,” Pickett told the Landmark.
“Ferrai is one ofour patrons. She comes in the library with her children and the children from Riverside that she watches, so I’ve known her for a while,” said Nora Durbin, the manager ofthe library’s children and youth services. “She came to me a while back and told me about these Stand Up to Hate play dates that she has done before in the city and expressed an interest in bringing it to our community. I told her that we would be happy to help in whatever way.”
Pickett said she works to ensure that all facets ofhumanity are re presented in her events so that kids can learn about different groups before they have a chance to cause harm by accident through ignorance.
“I’m a field expert in being Black. I’m not, per se, a field expert in being Jewish,” she said. “I work personally one-on-one with a lot of LGBT+ organizations trying to amplify the voices ofthe marginalized. We’re living in times where we’re all being silenced, and unity is what brings us to g ether.”
Pickett said the event series first took shape earlier in her childcare career, when a white f amily she was nannying for received a hateful and racist letter
“[My daughter’s] library at home has an LGBT section. She has a Black section, an immigrant section. I want her library to be as diverse as the world,” Pickett said. “If I can do this in my home, why can’ t other people do this in their home? I know other people aren’t doing this in their home because I’ve been in these homes.” She said her ef for ts have also been inspired by seeing the effects ofracism on her daughter in a classroom setting where she was the only Black child.
“We were watching ‘Wicked’ one day, and when Elphaba walks on campus, and everybody moves away, and Glinda says, ‘You’ re green,’ [my daughter] was like, ‘Mama, I feel like that,’” she said. “A lot of people don’ t know that it’s a problem because their kids don’ t interact with kids outside ofthem until they g et to school age — maybe elementary school, maybe high school, but most definitely colle ge By then, there’s probably been some damage done.”
Despite the importance ofher work, Pickett said she most enjoys interacting with f amilies and seeing her influence on them. One example came on Saturday, when a white child won a raffle for a doll based on the Disney movie “Wish,” whose protagonist is biracial and wears box braids, she said.
“I got a text from her mom that was like, ‘I really enjoyed the event while I was there, but now I can see why you do what you’ … Her daughter immediately went to brush the doll’s hair, and she had to explain to her daughter, ‘You can’ t brush braids,’” Pickett said. “Oftentimes when it’s a birthday or Christmas, you’ re not always picking up a doll that doesn’t re present your f amily … When you open that door, and you buy a toy that does not look like your child, it opens a safe place for conversation.”
Apartment for Rent
Objections led against Sigcho-Lopez and Macias in 4th District
By BILL DWYER Contributing Reporter
Two of the three candidates who filed as independents in the 4th Congressional race have had their nominating petitions challenged.
Byron Sigcho-Lopez, the alderman of Chicago’s 25th Ward, and social activist Mayra Macias will face a petition challenge process involving hearings by the Illinois State Board of Elections that could take into the first week of August to resolve.
challenged on several grounds. The most common alle gations are that a candidate does not have enough valid signatures to qualify, due to a variety of reasons, including non-matching signatures, conflicting addresses, or the person signing not living at the address listed. Entire sheets of petitions can be invalidated if the person circulating the sheets is proven to be legally unqualified to circulate the petitions.
The specific reasons for the objections to Macias’ and Sigcho-Lopez’s petitions will not be publicly disclosed “prior to the initial meeting of the State Officers Electoral Board.”
The third declared independent, Lyons Mayor Chris Getty, was not challenged. He will be on the November ballot, along with Democrat Patty Garcia, Republican Lupe Castillo and Working Class Party candidate Ed Hershey.
Would be candidates seeking to qualify for the general election ballot as independents or members of a new party were to submit a minimum of 10,816 valid voter signatures on their nominating petitions for 4th District sat. General political wisdom holds that candidates should gather double that number to assure that their petitions survive legal challenge.
Getty, who filed his petitions the morning of the first day petitions were accepted by the state, submitted approximately 18,000 signatures.
Nominating petitions may be for mally
What is publicly known is that one of the three objectors of record, Jeremy Rivera, of Albany Avenue in Chicago, is listed in State Board of Elections records as having done campaign work for Melrose Park State Rep. Norma Hernandez (D-77).
ISBE records show that between July 21 and Dec. 31, 2025, Rivera was paid $7,400 by the Hernandez campaign. A Jeremy Rivera listed as living at a different address was one of eight individuals who requested copies of both Macias and Sigcho-Lopez’s petitions in May.
The 4th Congressional District is overwhelmingly Democratic and majority Hispanic. In his four general election races, retiring Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garcia won by no less than 40 points.
B YRON SIGCHO-LOPEZ MAYRA MACIAS
Work begins on new Blythe Park playground
Project should be complete when school year begins Aug. 27
By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter
Work began Monday on the upgraded playground near Blythe Park Elementary School with placement of two types of fencing to deter youngsters, and others, from accessing the area while the job is in progress
The design from DLA Architects was approved by the Riverside School District 96 board of education last October and by the village of Riverside the subsequent month. The project is being executed by Shorewood-based D&J Landscaping. The design expands the previous park’s footprint and will accommodate up to 135 children ages 2-5 and 5-12.
At its Jan. 21 meeting, the school board approved D&J’s bid of $386,785 for the project.
“This project is a little unique, because the property is owned by the village, but the work is being done by the school district,” said Steve Wilder, new district director of finance and operations. “That is a great example of how two entities are working together It’s also a great example of a project that is going to benefit the entire community.”
Wilder and Zachary Pros, district director of facilities and maintenance, agreed that the project should be completed by Aug. 17, assuming the weather cooperates
“The goal was to get it done over the summer,” Wilder said. “We’ve got a great relationship with the village, and the goal was to get it done before the school year starts.”
The 2026-27 school year will begin Aug. 27, and both Wilder and Pros are confident that the job will be done by then due to D&J’s experience. Up to seven workers will be on site at a given time to complete the project.
“The winning bid for this work was won by a company that specializes in landscaping and this type of project,” Wilder said. “It doesn’t seem like a huge window, but they factor in the weather.”
Hauser projects also underway: Over at Hauser Junior High, a project to install approximately 200 new windows will start Friday. Krull Window Company of Oak Lawn has the contract and plans project completion by the start of next school year
“They are energy efficient (windows),” Kros said. “They are not double paned like the old ones.”
The single-pane windows could be opened, he said, though there is air conditioning at the school. Kros said Krull’s plan is to replace six windows per day.
A tuck-pointing project that started last summer is also in progress at Hauser.
Brook eld hosts rst farmers market of the year
Vendors and
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Countless community members flocked to Brookfield’s Village Hall on Saturday, June 6, to experience the village’s first far mers market of the season.
Instead of hosting cars like usual, the parking lot in front of village hall became home for vendors from near and far alike to hawk their wares, running the gamut from coffees, teas and sweet treats to plants, homemade art, jewelry and even commercial roofing services.
Gina Sharenow, the director of the farmers market, said work begins in January each year to have the market up and running for its first day in the beginning of June. The market runs from June through October each year.
“I’m getting the application out and following up with vendors. They have to get all their paperwork, and I’m keeping track of who’s going to be in. As we get closer, making sure everybody’s in place for what they’re supposed to do and working on the layout. I have to work with the village; I have to work with public works, the whole shebang,” she said.
Sharenow said this year’s preparation went unexpectedly smoothly in the lead up to Saturday’s market.
BACK TO NATURAL: e Brook eld Farmers Market opened for the season on June 6 with an assortment of vendors and a bike valet ser vice.
“Typically, opening day is the most hectic because we have so many new vendors for the season. Every week, I send a lot of emails to them,” she said. “It’s crazy to run the market, but today is my favorite day. Everyone is hugging. It’s summer. [I love] the community part of it.”
Sharenow and other representatives from the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce stationed a tent for recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP or food stamps, or who have an Illinois Link card to access state assistance.
She said the program allows SNAP recipients to expend their benefits to buy prepared food and match an equal amount to spend on produce or other goods from
vendors re presenting farms.
Representatives from Cycle Brookfield ran a bike valet near the front of the market for residents who decided to cycle — or even ride scooters or skateboards — rather than drive to the market, President Chris Valadez said. He said the ef fort is twofold to promote biking and get the word out to potential volunteers about the upcoming fourth annual Cycle Brookfield Criterium on Wednesday, July 22.
The market featured vendors like Jerry Loza, a veteran who sells hand-drawn art that he creates through an app on his phone. This year’s market is Loza’s second year as a vendor, he said.
“It’s convenient. I live in Berwyn,” he said. “The price is right; I love how it’s
STELLA BROWN
STELLA BROWN
priced. After coming here once, it’s such a great crowd, so friendly. Everything is just perfect. I love how it’s done here.”
Another vendor was the O.A.K. Farm and Kitchen, an organic and free-range farm based in Palos Heights.
“We’ve been in business three years now. We set out with the goal to be a real staple of our community. We do a couple of local far mers markets, and here at Brookfield is one of them,” said Oliver Kolb, one of the farm’s founders.
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He said they sell crops like lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, tomato, squash, zucchini and more as they grow throughout the summer and fall seasons.
A third vendor was Sarah Weissgerber, who operates LilyAnna’s Creations and crafts flower arrangements from sola wood.
“They’re hand painted, dipped, air-painted by me and then arranged. Some of the arrangements use 3D printing,” she said. “[The market] is fun. I like it.”
STELLA BROWN
MADE BY HAND: LilyAnna’s Creations is among the cra vendors at the market.
way, very conscious ofthe foods he eats, the different fabrics he wears. After meeting him and getting pregnant with our son, I started to become a lot more of that wa Kayiza said.
She said she initially felt a distaste towar commercial laundry detergent products worrying they would be harsh on her newborn’s skin “because there were a bunch of chemicals on the back that I couldn’t pronounce,” she said.
After seeing a woman online who made her own laundry detergent at home “at a fractio ofthe cost with way cleaner ingredients,” Kayiza said she was inspired to follow suit.
“I noticed that some ofthe ingredients [she used] were a bit harsh, and wanted to have good option for son’s skin,” she said. “I decided to take the base recipe that I saw online and substitute it fo a few other ingr ents that I felt we a lot safer for sensi tive skin after doin a lot of research.”
“‘I think we should sell this. is is really a great product.’ And we got to work.”
KAYIZA KO CA LO
Using just three ingredients — homemade coco nut oil-based soa that’s grated up, washing soda and oxygen bleach — Kayiza created the recipe that is the basis ofthe Beba Bubbles detergent powder she and husband Koćalo sell online and locally.
bunch of additives and stuff in it,” she said. “I made some more ofthe detergent I was using before, rewashed all his clothes ag ain, and, ever since then, his skin has been doing really great.”
For those wondering, the name Beba Bubbles comes from the Serbian word for baby, reflecting Koćalo’s heritage, Kayiza said.
She said she noticed the difference on her son’s skin when she had to use a commercial detergent one time.
“I didn’t have enough detergent, so I ran to the store, and I used Dreft detergent. Fingers crossed, nothing bad would happen, but, unfortunately, [Luka] started to have patches on his skin and a lot of bumps on his chest. The only thing I could associate that with was using a detergent that had a
The business ofBeba Bubbles only began in April, Kayiza said, during her delayed mater nity leave from her full-time job.
“During that time, naturally, I had a lot of free time. When he would take a nap, I tried to get a bunch of cleaning down, which allowed me the time to really focus on making sure that his detergent was as great as it could be,” she said. “One day, I was sitting with Miloš. We were talking, and he was like, ‘I think we should sell this. This is a really great product,’ and we got to work.”
Since then, the couple has mainly sold
their product online through Shopify, though they’ve also made some headway through local word of mouth.
“We’ve been to a few events. Recently, we had an event at St. Nikola church, where we sold some products and got the word out a bunch,” she said. “We have partnered with a local laundry service company called Bubble Buddies. They now feature our detergent as their number one option for an all-natural laundry detergent option.”
Going forward, Kayiza said she hopes Beba Bubbles can be one step in helping people opt to use “cleaner and safer” products.
“We hope that Beba Bubbles will be an effective and accessible option so that people can have a cleaner laundry experience,” she said.
PROVIDED BY COURTNE Y KAYIZA
Cour tney Kayiza and Miloš Koćalo are the co-founders of Beba Bubbles.
PO LICE REPO RT S
Melrose Park man arrested for trespassing
Brookfield police arrested an 18-year-old Melrose Park man on May 27 after police were dispatched on a report of a domestic disturbance that was later reclassified as trespassing.
Around 11:16 p.m., an officer arrived at the 4000 block of Grove Avenue after dispatchers advised the complainant said a man was inside of his home and “aggressively” refusing to leave, according to police. Upon arrival, the officer observed the man standing on the front porch of the home with someone else. The officer separated them and spoke first with the man.
The man told police he had just gotten off of work and arrived to pick someone up when he saw the front door was open. The man said he rang the doorbell and someone else answered the door and began yelling at him, sparking an argument in which the man was asked to leave
Another officer met with the man and spoke in Spanish, and the man said he was there to pick someone up when he was invited into the home by someone else, which
made him angry due to the late hour. The two began arguing until the man was told to leave the house, at which point he said the other person pushed him out of the residence.
The officer also spoke with the other person, who said the man let himself into the residence in order to argue. The person said they calmly asked the man multiple times to leave. The person said they pushed the man back only when he tried to force his way further into the residence.
Officers also spoke with a woman who had been inside the residence, who corroborated the second person’s story of events with the man trying to push his way inside after being asked to leave
An officer spoke with the man again, and he denied there having been a physical altercation in the first place and that he tried to push the door open.
At 11:51 p.m., after hearing all of the statements, officers arrested the man for criminal trespass and transported him to the Brookfield Police Department. At 12:44
a.m. on May 28, the officer read the man his Miranda warning, and the man declined to answer further questions.
Police charged the man with one count of criminal trespass to a residence and set a June 23 court date before transporting him back to his vehicle, which had been legally parked near the residence.
Burglar alarms going o
Brookfield police responded to two separate instances of false burglar alarms going off on May 30. No one was arrested.
First, around 8 a.m., an officer responded to the 4400 block of Prairie Avenue on a report of an alarm. The officer made contact with a man at the residence, who said he was a plumber and that he had set the alarm off in error. The man said he had disarmed the alarm with the passcode just before the officer arrived. He showed the officer proof of having texted the resident about the alarm going off. The officer also called the resident and left a voicemail.
Earlier this year, the Wedneday Journal, Forest Park Review, Austin Weekly News, and RiversideBrookfield Landmark joined NEWSWELL, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening and sustaining local journalism.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR OUR COMMUNITY?
Why was this decison made? And what comes next?
Join us for a community conversation and Q&A session about what this means for the future of journalism in our neighborhoods with Max Reinsdorf, General Manager NEWSWELL Chicago Carolyn Newberry Schwartz, Oak Parker and NEWSWELL Chicago Events Committee Chair, Steve Edwards, former journalist, Oak Parker and GCM Board Member
With a forward from Wednesday Journal founder Dan Haley
Then, around 12:30 p.m., an officer responded to the 4400 block of Prairie Avenue due to a report of an alarm going off. Upon arriving, the officer spoke with a resident, who showed police the control panel of the alarm that appeared to be malfunctioning. Police found the back door to the apartment was unlocked, though they cleared all three levels of the home and did not find signs of a break-in or burglary.
These items were obtained from the Brookfield Police Department reports dated May 26 to June 1; they represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.
— Compiled by Stella Brown
WEDNESDAY
The heritage of Forest Park’s The Heritage
Chef Sieger Bayer competes on Top Chef, season 23
By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Eats Reporter
Once again, Forest Park has a connection to TV’s Top Chef. When Chef Sie ger Bayer left The Heritage restaurant in Forest Park in 2019, he didn’t know his trajectory would include season 23 of the show. This spring he competed through to the final third on the competition show.
Bayer grew up mostly in Lake Zurich. When he was contemplating what to do after high school, nothing caught his imagination. He considered being a jeweler, going into business law.
“My mom was like, ‘Well, why don’t you just go to culinary school? You love cooking at home,’” he said. “And I was like, ‘Well, sure.’”
He graduated from Kendall Colle ge and worked all over the city, then internation-
ally. After running several places, friends Mischa and Jacob DeHart suggested opening a spot to gether in Forest Park Th became The Heritage at 7403 Madison St. (now NRebozo).
“The Heritage utilized all of the relationships and partnerships that I built a cook, a sous, an executive sous, a chef de cuisine, an executive chef,” Bayer said. “The point was to have something super approachable, very seasonal. The goal was to bring all those far mers, makers, wine folks to Forest Park to give something yo would find in Bucktown or a Wicker Park
A lot of people thought of us as a special occasion restaurant, but for us, we were pricing it so you could go there fairly re gularly.”
After The Heritage, Bayer worked as chef du cuisine at The Publican. Fast forward a few more years and Bayer is cur-
rently co-owner of bar Berria in Lo gan Square. More on that later but first let’s talk about Top Chef.
“The want to go on Top Chef was always the belief that it was the pinnacle for culinary cooking shows,” he said. Though he’d appeared on Chopped and Beat Bobby Flay those were one-day commitments “I didn’t really know what to expect. It’s an experience that I wish I could explain, but unless you’ve lived it, it’s just so hard. You’ re put into these crazy challenges with very short amount of time and you need to run through the Rolodex of ideas in your head extremely quickly because sometimes you’ve got 5 or 10 minutes to come up with an idea. Then the next thing you know, they throw you a curve ball.”
Of the 15 initial chefs, Bayer made it to the top five. His exit in e pisode 12 was fraught. Let’s just say that he did not go gentle into that good night. Still, he said it was a good experience, and his fellow chefs became close.
“We’ re all still good friends and we all text and stuf f like that,” he said.
Being on the show can super-charge a chef ’s career, but for now Bayer is sticking with his current creation: bar Ber ria, a Lo g an Square pop-up that serves on the weekends.
“Bar Berria is a complete and utter creative outlet,” he said. “We change menus up pretty much every weekend. We have 24 seats. There’s three employees, myself
and two folks that were actually with me at the Heritage. We’re serving the food, we talk about the food after dinner, we’re able to hang out with guests and build a community.”
Along with his partner, Emily Abram, his aim for the past two years has been to “do weird things” not necessarily optimize moneymaking, according to Bayer.
“We have a full lot in Lo g an Square where we have raised bed gardens,” he said. “A lot of that turns into fermented and preserved products that we use throughout the year. Then we have chickens. They lay eggs for us, not enough to support a full restaurant, but we open up the coop and they’re able to run through the gardens and they take care of our bugs.”
Reservations are made through Tock. It’s BYOB, but with each menu the team gives wine suggestions
“I’ve always wanted to make bar Berria something that’s approachable and fun and an escape from everything else,” Bayer said. “I’ve gotten more joy from it than I’ve had from most things in my career If someone wants to come and talk to me about investing and partnering and stuf f like that, I’d love to hear it, but bar Berria is a unicorn situation that every chef wishes they had. Right now, I’m so happy.”
Bayer’s target is the human connection uniquely created through eating together. That’s what he showed on Top Chef, that he is human – and a damn good cook.
PAUL CHENEY/B RAVO
Chef Sieger Bayer and Top Chef judges
PROVIDED
Emily Abram and Sieger Bayer of bar Berria
June 2026
Dear North Riverside Water Customer:
The Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) rule requires all community water systems to provide reports to their customers on the quality of their drinking water. The Village of North Riverside, in conjunction with the City of Chicago and Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), is providing the required information pertaining to source water monitoring for the period of January 2025 through December 2025.
The Village of North Riverside has provided water that meets all the requirements of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) drinking water standards. The following reports are being provided to help you better understand the quality of the water you consume and use on a daily basis. Consumers with medical conditions may use the water quality analysis provided or request a City of Chicago complete water analysis, to consult with their family doctors. Others may learn ways to better protect their children from the effects of lead in our environment, or how to conserve water in our daily lives. A well-informed consumer is the best ally the Village has in providing clean, safe water to its customers.
Este informe contiene información muy importante sobre el agua que usted bebe. Tradúzcalo ó hable con alguien que lo entienda bien.
If there are any questions, or if additional information is needed, please contact Matt Kerke, Water Operator, at (708) 762-5892.
Sincerely,
Matt Kerke, Village of North Riverside Water Operator Water Supply:
The Village of North Riverside purchases Lake Michigan potable water from the City of Chicago via the Brookfield-North Riverside Water Commission. City of Chicago water treatment facilities chemically treat and filter the water from Lake Michigan. Once the Water Commission receives the potable water, the water is re-chlorinated to safeguard its quality. As a potable water supplier, the City of Chicago constantly monitors water quality and publishes laboratory results. Copies are public record and can be requested.
For more information, water quality reports can be obtained from the City of Chicago, the Brookfield-North Riverside Water Commission and the Water Department of the Village of North Riverside. Water Commission meetings are conducted every second Wednesday of each month at the Water Commission Offices located at 8636 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513. Information can be obtained by contacting Matt Kerke, Water Operator or Vince Ranieri, Director of Public Works. Copies of this report will not be mailed to each customer but are available by the Water Department at (708) 762-5892 or online at https://www.northriverside-il.org/570/Water-QualityReports .
Water Quality:
The Illinois EPA considers all surface water sources of community water supply to be susceptible to potential pollution problems. The very nature of surface water allows contaminants to migrate into the intake with no protection only dilution. This is the reason for mandatory treatment for all surface water supplies in Illinois. Chicago’s offshore intakes are located at a distance that shoreline impacts are not usually considered a factor on water quality. At certain times of the year, however, the potential for contamination exists due to wet-weather flows and river reversals. In addition, the placement of the crib structures may serve to attract waterfowl, gulls and terns that frequent the Great Lakes area, thereby concentrating fecal deposits at the intake and thus compromising the source water quality. Conversely, the shore intakes are highly susceptible to storm water runoff, marinas and shoreline point sources due to the influx of groundwater to the lake. Throughout history, there have been extraordinary steps taken to ensure a safe source of drinking water in the Chicagoland area. From the building of the offshore cribs and the introduction of interceptor sewers to the lock-and-dam system of Chicago’s waterways and the city’s Lakefront Zoning Ordinance. The city now looks to the recently created Department of the Water Management, Department of Environment and the MWRDGC to assure the safety of the city’s water supply. Also, water supply officials from Chicago are active members of the West Shore Water Producers Association. Coordination of water quality situations (i.e., spills, tanker leaks, exotic species, etc.) and general lake conditions are frequently discussed during the association’s quarterly meetings. Also, Lake Michigan has a variety of organizations and associations that are currently working to either maintain or improve water quality.
Finally, one of the best ways to ensure a safe source of drinking water is to develop a program designed to protect the source water against potential contamination on the local level. Since the predominant land use within Illinois’ boundary of Lake Michigan watershed is urban, a majority of the watershed protection activities in this document are aimed at this purpose. Citizens should be aware that everyday activities in an urban setting might have a negative impact on their source water. Efforts should be made to improve awareness of storm water drains and their direct link to the lake within the identified local
LEGAL NOTICE
VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT
Public Water Supply For The Monitoring Year 2025
source water area. A proven best management practice (BMP) for this purpose has been the identification and stenciling of storm water drains within a watershed. Stenciling along with an educational component is necessary to keep the lake a safe and reliable source of drinking water.
Village Testing:
The Village of North Riverside tests the water supply for chlorine content on a daily basis to maintain the optimum levels for the consumers’ needs. On a monthly basis, bacteriological samples are taken. On a yearly basis, samples are submitted for Total Trihalomethane (TTHM) Analysis. Samples are also provided for lead and copper monitoring on a schedule established by the IEPA. All testing and reports are performed according to the requirements of IEPA. A copy of the IEPA Water Quality Report for the Village of North Riverside and City of Chicago are included later in this report.
Violations:
The Village of North Riverside Water Supply met all the standards set by the EPA. No violations occurred during this period.
Educational Information:
1) Drinking water, including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least some small amounts of contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not necessarily indicate that water poses a health risk. More information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by calling the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426- 4791).
2) In Order to ensure tap water is safe to drink, EPA prescribes regulations which limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. FDA regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water which must provide the same protection for public health
3) Some people may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general population. Immunocompromised persons, such as persons with cancer undergoing chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be particularly at risk from infections. These people should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen the risk of infection by Cryptosporidium and other microbial contaminants are available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline (1-800-426-4791).
4) Lead can cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components associated with service lines and home plumbing. The Village of North Riverside is responsible for providing high quality drinking water and removing lead pipes but cannot control the variety of materials used in plumbing components in your home. You share the responsibility for protecting yourself and your family from the lead in your home plumbing. You can take responsibility by identifying and removing lead materials within your home plumbing and taking steps to reduce your family’s risk. Before drinking tap water, flush your pipes for several minutes by running your tap, taking a shower, doing laundry or a load of dishes. You can also use a filter certified by an American National Standards Institute accredited certifier to reduce lead in drinking water. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have your water tested, contact the Village of North Riverside at (708) 762-5892. Information on lead drinking water, testing methods, and steps you can take to minimize exposure is available at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.
5) Please visit https://lead-service-line-inventory-3-novotny. hub.arcgis.com/ to view our most recent water service line inventory. Additional information can also be found at https://www.northriverside-il.org/662/Lead-Service-LineReplacement. Lead and Copper sampling results may be found online at https://www.northriverside-il.org/570/Water-QualityReports
6) Infants and children who drink water containing lead in excess of the action level could experience delays in their physical or mental development. Children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. Adults who drink this water over many years could develop kidney problems or high blood pressure.
7) Copper is an essential nutrient, but some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over a relatively short amount of time could experience gastrointestinal distress. Some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over many years could suffer liver of kidney damage. People with Wilson’s Disease should consult their personal doctor.
8) The Village of North Riverside recommends their customers follow the water conservation recommendations of the IEPA on sprinkling restrictions and restrict sprinkling to the hours between 6:00 am to 12:00 noon and 4:00 pm to 10:00 pm during the period of May 15 to September 15.
Sources of Contamination; The sources of drinking water (both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds, reservoirs, springs, and wells. As water travels over the surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring minerals and, in some cases, radioactive material, and can pick up substances resulting
Chicago Regulated Contaminants Detected in 2025 (collected in 2025 unless noted) Microbial Contaminants
Coliform Bacteria 5% of monthly samples are positive
Lead and Copper
Definitions:
Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow. Action Level Goal (AGL): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below, which there is no known or expected risk to health. AGL’s allow for a margin of safety.
Water Quality Test Results
Definitions: The following tables contain scientific terms and measures, some of which may require explanation.
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water MCL’s are set as close to the Maximum Contaminant Level Goal as feasible using the best available treatment technology
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG): The level of a contaminant in drinking water below, which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLG’s allow for a margin of safety. mg/l or ppm: milligrams per litre or parts per million or one ounce in 7,350 gallons of water. ug/1 or ppb: micrograms per litre or parts per billion or one ounce in 7,350,000 gallons of water, na: not applicable.
Avg: Regulatory compliance with some MCL’s are based on running annual average of monthly samples.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The highest level of disinfectant allowed in drinking water.
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of disinfectant in drinking water below, which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLG’s allow for a margin of safety.
Disinfectants & Disinfection By-Products
Inorganic Contaminants (Collection Date: 2023)
Discharge of drilling wastes; Discharge from refineries; Erosion of natural deposits. Sampled. 2025
Erosion of natural deposits; Water additive which promotes strong teeth; Discharge from Fertilizer and aluminum factories. Sampled: 2025
from fertilizer use; leaching form septic tanks, sewage; Erosion of natural deposits. Sampled: 2025 RegulatedHighest
• Note: The state requires monitoring of certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Therefore, some of this data may be more than one year old Not all sample results may have been used for calculating the Highest Level because some maybe part of an evaluation to determine where compliance sampling should occur in the future
from the presence of animals or from human activity. Contaminants that may be present in source water include:
• Microbial Contaminants, such as viruses and bacteria, which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.
• Inorganic Contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can be naturally-occurring or result from urban storm water runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or farming.
• Pesticides and Herbicides, which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture, urban storm water runoff and residential uses.
• Radioactive Contaminants, which can be naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining activities.
In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA prescribes regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug Administration regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled water, which must provide the same protection for public health.
• Organic Chemical Contaminants, including synthetic and volatile organic chemicals, which are byproducts of industrial processes and petroleum production, and can come from gas stations, urban storm water runoff, and septic systems.
LEGAL NOTICE
Chicago Regulated Contaminants Detected in 2025 (collected in 2025 (unless noted)
Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL): The highest level of disinfectant allowed in drinking water. Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal (MRDLG): The level of disinfectant in drinking water below, which there is no known or expected risk to health. MRDLG’s allow for a margin of safety.
RegulatedHighest Level Range of Levels Unit of Measurement MCLGMCLViolationLikely Source of Contaminant
Disinfectants & Disinfection By-Products
Chlorine1
By-Product of drinking
Date: 2025 TTHM’s (Total Trihalomethane) 3413-34.2 ppm No goal for total 80 No By-Product of drinking water chlorination. Collection Date: 2025
Not all sample results may have been used for calculating the Highest Level Detected because some results may be part of an evaluation to determine where compliance sampling should occur in the future
• Note: The state requires monitoring of certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Therefore, some of this data may be more than one year old Not all sample results may have been used for calculating the Highest Level because some maybe part of an evaluation to determine where compliance sampling should occur in the future
15 No Erosion of natural deposits. Collection Date: 2020
• Note: The state requires monitoring of certain contaminants less than once per year because the concentrations of these contaminants do not change frequently. Therefore, some of this data may be more than one year old Not all sample results may have been used for calculating the Highest Level because some maybe part of an evaluation to determine where compliance sampling should occur in the future
Turbidity - Regulated at the Water Treatment Plant - Information Statement: Turbidity is a measurement of the cloudiness of the water caused by suspended particles. We monitor it because it is a good indicator of water quality and the effectiveness of our filtration system and disinfectants.
VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT Public Water Supply For The Monitoring Year 2025 TurbidityLimit (Treatment
North Riverside Regulated Contaminants Detected in 2025 (collected in 2025 unless noted)
Lead and Copper
Definitions:
Action Level (AL): The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements which a water system must follow.
Level Goal (ALG): The level of a contaminant below which there is no known or expected risk to health. ALGs allow for a margin of safety.
The most recent lead and copper sampling results may be found at https://www.northriverside-il.org/Archive.aspx?AMID=46 or by contacting the Water Department at (708) 762-5892.
The percentage of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) removal was measured each month and the system met all TOC removal requirements set, unless a TOC violation is noted in the violations section.
Water Quality Test Results
Definition The following tables contain scientific terms and measures, some of which may require explanation
Ave: Regulatory compliance with some MCLs are based on running annual average of monthly samples
Level 1 Assessment: A Level 1 assessment is a study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system.
Level 2 Assessment: A Level 2 assessment is a very detailed study of the water system to identify potential problems and determine (if possible) why an E. coli MCL violation has occurred and/or why total coliform bacteria have been found in our water system on multiple occasions.
Maximum Contaminant Level or MCL: The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment technology.
Maximum Contaminant Level Goal or MCLG: The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs allow for a margin of safety.
Maximum residual disinfectant level or MRDL: The highest level of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.
na: not applicable.
mrem: millirems per year (a measure of radiation absorbed by the body)
ppb: micrograms per liter or parts per billion - or one ounce in 7,350,000 gallons of water.
ppm: milligrams per liter or parts per million - or one ounce in 7,350 gallons of water.
Treatment Technique or TT: A required process intended to reduce the level of a contaminant in drinking water
Disinfectants & Disinfection ByProducts
Corrosion of household plumbing systems; Erosion of natural deposits. Erosion of natural deposits; Leaching from wood preservatives; Corrosion of household plumbing systems.
Water additive to control microbes. By-Product of drinking water disinfection North Riverside Regulated
By-product of drinking
LEGAL NOTICE
VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE CONSUMER CONFIDENCE REPORT
Public Water Supply For The Monitoring Year 2025
SOURCE WATER ASSESSMENT SUMMARY
Source Water Location
The City of Chicago utilizes Lake Michigan as its source water via two water treatment plants. The Jardine Water Purification Plant serves the northern areas of the City and suburbs, while the Sawyer Water Purification Plant serves the southern areas of the City and suburbs. Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake that is entirely contained within the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin, and is the second largest Great lake by volume with 1,180 cubic miles of water and third largest by area.
Source Water Assessment Summary
The Illinois EPA implemented a Source Water Assessment Program (SWAP) to assist with watershed protection of public drinking water supplies. The SWAP inventories potential sources of contamination and determined the susceptibility of the source water to contamination. The Illinois EPA has completed the Source Water Assessment Program for our supply. Susceptibility to Contamination
The Illinois EPA considers all surface water sources of community water supply to be susceptible to potential pollution problems. The very nature of surface water allows contaminants to migrate into the intake with no protection only dilution. This is the reason for mandatory treatment of all surface water supplies in Illinois. Chicago’s offshore intakes are located at a distance that shoreline impacts are not usually considered a factor on water quality. At certain times of the year, however, the potential for contamination exists due to wet-weather flows and river reversals. In addition, the placement of the crib structures may serve to attract waterfowl, gulls and terns that frequent the Great Lakes area, thereby concentrating fecal deposits at the intake and thus compromising the source water quality. Conversely, the shore intakes are highly susceptible to storm water runoff, marinas and shoreline point sources due to the influx of groundwater to the lake. Further information on our community water supply’s Source Water Assessment Program is available by calling DWM at 312-742-2406 or by going online at http://dataservices.epa.illinois.gov/swap/factsheet.aspx 2025 VOLUNTARY MONITORING
The City of Chicago has continued monitoring for Cryptosporidium, Giardia and E. coli in its source water as part of its water quality program. No Cryptosporidium or Giardia was detected in source water samples collected in 2024. Treatment processes have been optimized to provide effective barriers for removal of Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts in the source water, effectively removing these organisms in the treatment process. By maintaining low turbidity through the removal of particles from the water, the possibility of Cryptosporidium and Giardia organisms getting into the drinking water system is greatly reduced. In 2023, CDWM has also continued monitoring for hexavalent chromium, also known as chromium-6. USEPA has not yet established a standard for chromium-6, a contaminant of concern which has both natural and industrial sources. Please address any questions or concerns to DWM’s Water Quality Division at 312-744-8190. Data reports on the monitoring program for chromium-6 are posted on the City’s website which can be accessed at the following address below: https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/water/supp_info/water_quality_resultsandreports/city_of_chicago_emergincontaminantstudy.html
For more information, please contact Patrick Schwer At 312-744-8190
Chicago Department of Water Management 1000 East Ohio Street Chicago, IL 60611
This notice is being sent to you by:The City of Chicago Department of Water Management Water System ID# IL0316000
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Our beautiful 6-story building provides quality, a ordable, independent housing for seniors. We o er 75 studio and onebedroom apartments. Amenities include an award winning interior landscaped atrium, central meeting room, library, laundry facilities, computer learning center, internet access, electronic key entry system, parking, onsite management, and 24/7 emergency maintenance service. e Oaks is funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development through HUD’s Multifamily Housing Program. Monthly rent is based on the resident’s income, with individuals paying approximately 30% of their monthly income toward rent.
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For more information, please visit us at www.oakparkha.org or contact us at 708-386-5812.
OBITUARIES
Bill Hession, 65 Walking encyclopedia
William “Bill” Anthony Hession, 65, died peacefully on May 29, 2026, at home in Brookfield. Born in Evergreen Park on June 13, 1960, he was the beloved eldest son of the late Joan (née Cliff) and the late William Hession. He was the husband of Nancy LaBreacht, his partner and best friend for nearly 40 years. Together they built a beautiful life in Brookfield, where they raised their family – his greatest joy. He was a devoted father to Liam, Lucas, and Miles, celebrating their accomplishments and encouraging their dreams. That included travel all around the U.S., through Europe, and most especially their last family trip, to Japan. He worked as an options clerk for 40 years at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, where he was known amongst his colleagues as a knowledgeable, hardworking mentor.
An alumnus of Northern Illinois University, he remained a student his whole life and was a walking encyclopedia – able to share interests ranging from Joe Strummer to Marcus Aurelius, with a particular proclivity for the works of Oscar Wilde. He was the brother of Nancy (Mark) Swanson, Katie Hession, and Daniel (Ann-Marie) Hession; the son-in-law of the late George and Dorothy LaBreacht; the brother-in-law of Pam King (the late Mike King) and the late Cindy LaBreacht; the uncle of Anders (Teresa) Swanson, Patrick Swanson, Ellen Swanson, Michael O’Malley, Charlotte Hession, Stella Hession, Michael (Christina) King, Brian (Erin) King, Megan (Fabi) Rodezno, Chris (Maddie) Davidson, and
and interest for his loved ones. Their successes were his own, as were their tragedies. He carried all of us with him. His loss will be felt immensely.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to WaterStep 625 Myrtle Street, Louisville, KY 40208, www.waterstep.org, would be appreciated. Online condolences, memories and photographs may be shared with the family at www.JohnsonNosek.com.
Susan Vabro, 62
A treasury of w isdom
Susan Lynn Vabro, 62, of North Riverside, died on June 4, 2026, after facing, with incredible strength, triple ne gainflammatory breast cancer. Bor n Feb. 26, 1964, she was a graduate of rside Brookfield High School, Class 1982. She built a life rooted in family, ommunity, kindness, and quiet devotion. She had a way of making people eel cared for — through her words, her wisdom, her cooking, her humor, and ountless little traditions she made special.
he worked at Komarek Public School as a teacher’s aide and at the North Riverside Public Library as a page. She also served as vice president of the Mater Christi School Board and as a Girl Scout Leader.
She found joy in quilting, crafting, and creating things with her hands. Her attention to detail showed in everything she made. She was an amazing cook and the neighborhood Halloween candy basket lady. Her favorite place was Camp Sokol in New Buffalo, Michig an, a place that held deep meaning for her and her family.
She had an astonishing depth of knowledge and was teaching, explaining, remembering, and sharing what she knew right up until the end. Her family will forever treasure her wisdom, her stories, her sense of humor, and the way she always seemed to know something about everything.
Susan was the wife of Richard F. Vabro Jr., who always called her his “Bride,” for 42 years; the mother of Kelly, Joshua (Ashley), and Chelsea (Brink), and the proud Babi of Easton; the daughter of the late Harold James and Charlene Hall; and the sister of Michael (Gail). Visitation will be held at Woodlawn Funeral Home, 7750 W. Cermak Road, Forest Park, IL 60130, on June 12 from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m., June 13, at Mater Christi Church in North Riverside, with interment to follow at Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery & Mausoleums, 1400 S. Wolf Road, Hillside.
Sports
Strong Nazareth baseball season ends in supersectional
Riverside’s McKay helps Roadrunners win 10th sectional in 15 seasons
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Senior Connor McKay of Riverside pitched well on Saturday helping the Nazareth Academy baseball team win the Class 3A Nazareth Sectional with just two hits. The Roadrunners received another good outing Monday from sophomore pitcher Jimmy O’Connor but two infield hits weren’ t enough as they lost to St. Rita 2-0 in the Class 3A Crestwood Sectional at Ozinga Park after capturing their 10th sectional title in the past 15 seasons by beating De La Salle 3-1.
“It didn’t go how we wanted to, but it happens. That’s the game of baseball,” said McKay, who will play at Northern Illinois. “It’s a lot of emotions but if you look at our season, it was really good. I love all of these boys. I’m so proud of what they’ve done.”
“Sometimes things go your way and sometimes they don’t,” Nazareth coach Lee Milano said. “Real proud in the big pictur Obviously you’ve got one of the best pl ers in the nation in back-to-back years and proud of a team (with our younger pl ers). I’m proud of the way they’ve been silient. We had a bump in the road toward the end of the season and they bounced back.”
Thome and centerfielder Kam Alikhan were the lone seniors from the 2023 championship lineup. Alikhan moved from right field after Fauske graduated. “This is such a special group of guys that we’re playing with. We’ve become so close and I’ve loved these past four years so grateful for everything that happened,” Thome said. “The younger guys were there but I feel like the seniors and the upperclassmen really helped out, just kind of leading them the way and giving them the tips. I was a freshman once playing here and it was crazy, the biggest environment I ever played in so those guys (then) really helped me kind of stay in the game and within myself.”
Nazareth’s pitcher Jimmy O’Connor (28) delivers a pitch against St. Rita vs St. Rita during the Class 3A Ozinga Field Super- Sectional championship, June 8, in Crestwood
after Thome walked.
“(Rewers was) just attacking the zone, coming in there. Two different speeds on the slider, which I haven’t really seen that much of,” Thome said. “That’s a great team hitting-wise and pitching. You’ve got to give them props.”
The Roadrunners (29-10) hoped to return to the state finals since back-to-back 3A state titles in 2023 and 2022. They lost in the 4A sectional the past two seasons.
This year’s team started four sophomores and a freshman Monday against St. Rita (28-12) and had won 10 straight after a 1-5 stretch in early May.
Shortstop Landon Thome, a Florida State recruit, was named the Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year after 2025 graduate and MLB draftee Jaden Fauske received the honor last year.
Nazareth, which batted as the home team, was shut out by No. 2 St. Rita pitcher Will Rewers, who had 10 strikeouts in a complete-game performance.
The Roadrunners’ hits came from freshman Todd Dulaney Jr. beating out an infield grounder to shortstop with two outs in the third and sophomore Gavin Hartigan reaching on an infield popup that fell just behind the pitcher’s mound in the sixth. Thome and Bobby Labuda walked and Nick Petrecca was hit by a pitch. Dulaney was the only runner to reach second
O’Connor (6-3) allowed just two hits over the first four innings with three strikeouts and four walks and nearly kept the game scoreless. After Julio Gutier re z began the Mustangs’ fourth with a double and advanced on a fly out, O’Connor walked Ryan Jones, who stole second uncontested. Gutier re z scored on a controversial balk with Jones taking third. After another walk, O’Connor threw out Jones trying to score on an infield grounder. Reliever Eddie Donnelly pitched a 1-2-3 fifth and Christian Drye worked the last two innings. The Mustangs scored in the seventh on a wild pitch after two singles and a double steal.
“Our game is playing defense and pitching. I thought we did good job of that,” Mi-
lano said. “You’ve got to score runs to win so I guess that (first run) didn’t matter.”
Against De La Salle, McKay allowed just four hits in six innings with a season-high 10 strikeouts. Donnelly and Drye (save) combined for a scoreless seventh. Both teams scored in the first yet the Roadrunners were no-hit through five innings. They broke through in the sixth behind doubles by Thome, who scored from third on an infield ground out by Marco Fiore, and Alikhan, who stole third and continued home when the throw was wild.
McKay joined Thome, Alikhan and Hartigan on the All-East Suburban Catholic Conference team. Thome was named ESCC Offensive Player of the Year.
McKay emerged this season as the Roadrunners’ top starting pitcher with a 7-2 record. Saturday was among his best outings. “It was an honor (this season),” he said. “I worked so hard to get to that point but I also relied on my teammates backing me up. It was awesome.”
STEVE JOHNSTON
CONNOR MCKAY
Tennis all-state wait over for Lions’ Sweigard, Pavlik
Four-year quali er nishes third in 2A doubles with state newcomer
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Lyons Township High School senior Shay Sweigard finally achieved his Class 2A all-state boys tennis goal, May 30, with the help of a freshman. Sweigard and Nolan Pavlik finished third in doubles with a 5-1 overall record in achieving their top-six medals as No. 5-8 seeds.
“I was pretty happy with it. We did almost beat the team that won so it was a little frustrating to know that we could have won it,” Sweigard said. “As a freshman who has not played in a lot of high-level matches, (Pavlik) played really well. I was surprised how he handled the pressure of state as a freshman. It was pretty impressive.”
Sweigard previously came one consolation victory from all-state in 2024, tying for seventh in doubles. He was top 16 in state singles last season and 2-2 as a freshman.
“I enjoy doubles way more than singles,”
Sweigard said. “It’s just more fun having a partner.”
Sweigard and Pavlik (13-5) clicked immediately after debuting at Hersey’s prestigious Tom Pitchford Invitational May 1-2 and finishing fourth at No. 1 doubles.
“I’m just really happy to be able to play in the tournament with a great partner. Overall, it was a really fun experience,” Pavlik said. “We played really solid. Especially with those tough matches, I thought we played really well together.”
At state, the Lions took third by beating New Trier’s No. 5-8 seeded seniors Dane Bozic and James Scallan 6-3, 6-4 after losing in the semifinals to New Trier’s eventual championship team of No. 5-8 seeds sophomore Jayden Dussias and junior Brennan Plunkett 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-4.
“We were up a break in both sets and just couldn’t hold our serve,” Sweigard said.
In the Lions’ other three-setter, they outlasted Barrington’s No. 3-4 seeded seniors Hadi Dossani and Sohan Yousfi 7-5, 5-7, 6-3
Lyons Tow nship’s Shay Sweigard during the WSC Silver Conference Tournament, May 15, in Wester n Springs.
in the quarterfinals.
At the Pitchford, Sweigard and Pavlik beat a New Trier duo with one player from both state pairs. Dusiass and Plunkett beat Hinsdale Central’s top-seeded seniors Kyle McCain and Nicholas Marringa 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 for the state championship.
“I am really good friends with the (Hinsdale Central) guys. It would have been a litird (playing them) in the state final,” gard, who will play at Wisconsin.
“I’ll just remember playing really well and getting third.”
HS sophomore Mateja Nokic (15-14) state in singles after qualifying for state in doubles as a freshman.
“(Sweigard) was a great coach and mentor throughout the entire tournament, ich was really helpful (at state),” Pavlik very motivating. It just shows able to accomplish but also makes me very hopeful for the years to come.”
LTHS boys volleyball
The Lions’ hopes for a sixth straight regional title were stopped by West Suburban Conference Silver Division rival York 25-14, 27-25 in the St. Laurence Re gional final, May 28. Senior Brody Lee-Caracci led the Lions (22-16) this season in kills (318) and service aces (24) with 56 blocks. Other leaders were seniors Brady Schlichter (304
digs, 2.28 serve-receive rating) and Jack Hartman (83 blocks).
Lewis recruit Lee-Caracci was named first team IVCA all-state and Schlichter was second team all-state. Lee-Caracci and Hartman were All-WSC Silver selections.
“While the season ended sooner than we had hoped, this group demonstrated resilience and a willingness to compete throughout the year,” LTHS coach Brad Skendzel said. “There were moments when we showed our potential and put the pieces together, proving that we could compete with any team on our schedule.”
The No. 4 seed in the Argo Sectional, the Lions had beaten York 25-18, 18-25, 25-19, April 14. The No. 5 Dukes (21-13) lost in the sectional semifinals to eventual state runner-up Oak Park and River Forest.
Skendzel said York’s 6-foot-7 Hunter Stepanich (16 kills in 27 attacks) was a huge factor in the second meeting
“The first time we played York, we earned a hard-fought victory in three sets with each set being highly competitive. (This time) we made several adjustments based on our previous matchup, but we were ultimately unable to execute consistently and finish plays when it mattered most,” Skendzel said. “We had opportunities to close out rallies and take control of the second set, but we were unable to capitalize on those moments.”
STEVE JOHNSTON
STEVE JOHNSTON
Lyons Tow nship’s Nolan Pavlik returns a shot during the WSC Silver Conference Tournament.
Summer Shootout returns to Riverside Brook eld
ree-day hoops event with 84 teams includes Bulldogs, Lyons Township, Fenwick
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
The 23rd annual Summer Shootout this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Riverside Brookfield High School once again features 84 boys basketball teams, including most of the top ones in the Chicago area and some throughout the state.
For RBHS boys basketball coach and organizer Mike Reingruber, there’s also a vital 85th team – the roughly 100 volunteers who keep the NCAA Live Event running smoothly.
“It’s a huge endeavor. All of the parents, coaches, players, for mer players, siblings, family members. Everybody who helps with the event make it such a huge success and we can’t do it without them,” Reingruber said.
“I’ve been running tournaments for 25 years or so. I’ve got a system and have things in place that help the organization of it, but really every year each tournament is unique. There’s a unique set of teams, coaches, family and players to help. (Many returning volunteers) but part of the fun of it is new people involved as well.”
The Shootout has been an NCAA Li ve Event since 2019 and attracts more than 200 coaches. Reingruber said the Shootout is being held earlier this June because NCAA coaches voted to split their two usually consecutive observation weeks so that Father’s Day weekend would remain open.
The 84 teams include the host Bulldogs, Lyons Township and Fenwick as well as 2026 state champions Marist (Class
4A) and East St. Louis Senior (3A) and the other three top four 4A finishers (Benet Academy, DePaul Colle and York).
Links for further tournament information, and scores is available at riversidebrookfieldbasketball. com. Live coverage will be available at Ballertv.com.
RBHS plays Friday against West Aurora at 1:55 Hyde Park at 3:55 p.m. and Saturday against Andrew a.m. and Niles North at 10:45 a.m.
LTHS plays Saturday against Mt. Carmel at and Thornton at 1:30 p.m. and Sunday against 9:25 p.m. and Plainfield East at 11:15 a.m.
Fenwick plays Saturday against Peoria Central p.m. and Metea Valley at 4:15 p.m. and Sunday Crystal Lake South at 2 p.m. and Thor nwood at 2:55
One of the marquee matchups Friday is Bolingbrook and Neuqua Valley at 2:50 p.m. The Raiders’ Brady grew and the Wildcats’ Cole Kelly are among the state’s top rated players in the Class of 2028.
Every team plays twice on two of the three days. half-court games consist of two 20-minute halves with ning clocks
“Beyond the work of it, just being a high school ball purist, I love having all of these great players and programs under our roof at RB,” Reingruber said.
“It’s really a testament to the basketball community and culture we’ve built at RB. It’s a great opportunity to showcase our school, our program and all of the great things (in the community).”
STEVE JOHNSTON
Riverside-Brook eld’s Colin Cimino (15) puts up a shot attempt against Fenwick’s Jimmy Watts (4) during the 22nd annual RBHS Summer Shootout last year.
Marrs, Smith part of Denison baseball’s DIII title run
Big Red’s rst championship, 44-game win streak includes RBHS graduates
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Riverside Brookfield High School graduates Cooper Marrs and Ethan Smith became part of Denison University (Granville, Ohio) baseball history Friday. The Big Red captured their first NCAA Division III baseball championship by defeating Endicott 4-3 in 10 innings to win the best-of-three championship series 2-1 and climax a 51-3 season as the top-rated team. Marrs, a 2024 RBHS graduate, was the winning pitcher in the 6-0 Denison victory in the opening game of the championship series, June 3, allowing just four hits over seven innings with seven strikeouts and no
walks. Marrs was among seven Denison players on the AllTournament team.
Endicott (44-14) won the second game 1110 in 10 innings, Thursday, after Denison
scored twice in the top of the ninth for a 10-10 tie.
In the winner-take-all finale, All-American Jack Lutte’s hit of f the right field wall brought in the winning run and the Big Red’s fourth walkof f victory in their NCAA Tournament run.
Marrs also delivered seven scoreless innings and allowed just two hits with nine strikeouts in the 8-0 Colle ge World Series victory over Johns Hopkins, May 30, after the Big Red lost their opener to East Texas Baptist 5-1 the previous day.
For the season, Marrs went 7-0 in 16 appearances with nine starts and a 2.05 earned-run average, 60 strikeouts and eight walks in 57 innings pitched, plus a
0.95 WHIP.
Overall, Marrs played in 23 games with 14 starts. Offensively, he contributed a home run, triple and six runs batted in over 21 at-bats.
2025 RBHS graduate Smith played in 16 games with three starts, hitting .375 with two homers and seven RBIs. His last appearance was against Ohio Wesleyan, April 28.
The Big Red’s historic season also included a 44-game winning streak that ended with the loss to East Texas Baptist. Denison later beat the Tigers twice to advance to the championship series.
Headshots courtesy of Hailey Owens/ Denison Athletics Communications
COOPER MARRS ETHAN SMITH
PUBLIC NOTICE
STATE OF ILLINOIS
VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD
Notice of Public Hearing
Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission
June 25, 2026, at 7:00 PM
NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue Illinois for the purpose of considering a request from Alex Hosie and Jessica Landau for Variations from:
Section 62.75 Bulk, Yard and Space requirements to allow an increase in the Maximum Building Coverage from 30% to 36 % to allow a detached garage for an existing single family home in an existing “A” Single Family Residential District for property located at 3734 Raymond Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513
Legal Description:
THE NORTH HALF OF THE SOUTH HALF OF LOT 4 IN BLOCK 20 IN PORTIA MANOR, BEING FREDERICK H. BARTLETT’S SUBDIVISION IN THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 34, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED FEBRUARY 8, 1915, AS DOCUMENT 5573274, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS. (PIN 15-34-320-024-0000)
The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Libby Popovic, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, lpopovic@brookfieldil.gov, or 708485-1113. Oral or written testimony may be given during the public hearing. The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Please reference PZC Case 26-09. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall. By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman.
Published in RB Landmark June 10, 2026
PUBLIC NOTICE
STATE OF ILLINOIS
VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD
Notice of Public Hearing Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission June 25, 2026, at 7:00 PM
NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue Illinois for the purpose of considering a request from Andrew Dockweiler for Variations from:
Section 62.75 Bulk, Yard and Space requirements to allow an increase in the Maximum Building Coverage from 30% to 32.27 % to allow a new detached garage in an existing “A” Single Family Residential District for property located at 3741 Morton Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513
Legal Description: THE NORTH 60 FEET OF LOT 6 IN BLOCK 21 IN PORTIA MANOR, BEING FREDERICK H. BARTLETT’S SUBDIVISION IN THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 34, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS
(PIN 15-34-319-007-0000)
The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Libby Popovic, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, lpopovic@brookfieldil.gov, or 708485-1113. Oral or written testimony may be given during the public hearing. The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Please reference PZC Case 26-10. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall. By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman.
Published in RB Landmark June 10, 2026
PUBLIC NOTICE
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
RTMHB Meeting
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
CHARLES SCHWAB BANK, SSB Plaintiff, -v.-
PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLNOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT, PROBATE DIVISION ESTATE OF Leslie Morris Golden, DECEASED.
NO. 26 P 3596.
Notice is given of the death of the above named decedent. Letters of office were issued to Bruce P. Golden, 943 Forest Ave, Oak Park, IL 60302, as Independent Executor, whose attorney of record is David I Susman (9543), 6968 W. North Ave., CHICAGO, IL 60707
Notice to Heirs and Legatees
Notice is given to Cheryl Balaban, Beth Balaban and Susan Balaban, who are heirs or legatees in the above proceeding to probate a will and whose names or addresses are not stated in the petition to admit the will to probate, that an order was entered by the court on 05/28/2026, admitting the will to probate.
Within 42 days after the effective date of the original order of admission you may file a petition with the court to require proof of the will by testimony of the witnesses to the will in open court or other evidence, as provided in section 5/6-21 of the Probate Act of 1975 (Ill. Compiled Stat. 1992, Ch. 755, par. 5/6-21).
You also have the right under section 5/8-1 of the Probate Act (Ill. Compiled Stat. 1992, Ch. 755, par. 5/8-1) to contest the validity of the will by filing a petition with the court within 6 months after admission of the will to probate. The estate will be administered without court supervision, unless under section 5/28-4 of the Probate Act (Ill. Compiled Stat. 1992, Ch. 755, par. 5/28-4) any interested person terminates independent administration at any time by mailing or delivering a petition to terminate to the clerk.
Claims against the estate may be filed in the office of the clerk in Room 1202, Richard J. Daley Center, 50 W. Washington St., Chicago, IL, or with the representative, or both, on or before December 9, 2026, or, if mailing or delivery of a notice from the representative is required by section 5/18-3 of the Probate Act of 1975, the date stated in that notice. Any claim not filed on or before that date is barred. Copies of a claim filed with the clerk must be mailed or delivered by the claimant to the representative and to the attorney within 10 days after it has been filed.
E-filing is now mandatory for documents in civil cases with limited exemptions. To e-file, you must first create an account with an e-filing service provider. Visit http://efile.illinoiscourts.gov/service-providers.htm to learn more and to select a service provider. If you need additional help or have trouble e-filing, visit http://www. illinoiscourts.gov/FAQ/gethelp.asp.
Published in Wednesday Journal June 10, 17, 24, 2026
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 June 10, 2026
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
EMILY RENO, BRIAN RENO, HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK S/B/M TO TCF NATIONAL BANK Defendants 2025 CH 09450
718 N. RIDGELAND AVE. OAK PARK, IL 60302
NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on March 31, 2026, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on July 6, 2026, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 718 N. RIDGELAND AVE., OAK PARK, IL 60302
Property Index No. 16-05-308009-0000
The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $108,824.02.
Sale terms: If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours.
The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in ‘’AS IS’’ condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.
You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.
For information, contact JOHNSON, BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 30 N. LASALLE STREET, SUITE 3650, Chicago, IL, 60602 (312) 5419710. Please refer to file number 25 1660. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc. com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.
JOHNSON, BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC 30 N. LASALLE STREET, SUITE 3650 Chicago IL, 60602 312-541-9710
E-Mail: ilpleadings@johnsonblumberg.com
Attorney File No. 25 1660
Attorney Code. 40342
Case Number: 2025 CH 09450 TJSC#: 46-842
NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.
Case # 2025 CH 09450 I3287974
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE OF CSMC 2021-RPL4
TRUST Plaintiff, -v.-
PATRICIA M. HOOKS F/K/A PATRICIA M. MELGAR, MARK A. HOOKS, WASHINGTON PLACE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. Defendants 2025 CH 08998 715 WASHINGTON BLVD, APT. 1D OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on March 4, 2026, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on July 7, 2026, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate:
Commonly known as 715 WASHINGTON BLVD, APT. 1D, OAK PARK, IL 60302
Property Index No. 16-07-418021-1004
The real estate is improved with a condominium.
The judgment amount was $162,819.52.
Sale terms: If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in ‘’AS IS’’ condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.
Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.
The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g) (4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).
IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.
For information, contact Alexander Potestivo, POTESTIVO & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 223 WEST JACKSON BLVD, STE 610, Chicago, IL, 60606 (312) 2630003. Please refer to file number 316583. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE
You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc. com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.
POTESTIVO & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 223 WEST JACKSON BLVD, STE 610 Chicago IL, 60606 312-263-0003
NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.
Case # 2025 CH 08998 I3288451
Submit events and see full calendar at rblandmark.com/events
Drag queen Riley per forms at Out in the Burbs Pride celebration in downtown Oak Park on June 7, 2025.
PHOTO BY TODD BANNOR
, Senior Universal Banker
My Hanh La, Senior Universal Banker
Isbeth Saravia, Assistant Branch Manager
My Hanh La, Senior Universal Banker
Denise Warren, Branch Manager
Isbeth Saravia, Assistant Branch Manager
Isbeth Saravia, Assistant Branch Manager
Denise Warren, Branch Manager
Susie Goldschmidt, Market President
Denise Warren, Branch Manager
Susie Goldschmidt, Market President
Susie Goldschmidt, Market President
Committed to Oak Park and River Forest.
Committed to Oak Park and River Forest.
Whether you’re celebrating at a local Pride event or simply spending time in your community, we believe you should be able to do your banking with a team that celebrates you for who you are. At Byline, we are proud to stand alongside the LGBTQ+ community and are committed to fostering Culture, Opportunity & Belonging—for our employees, customers, and neighbors alike. Through our Employee Resource Groups, we create space for connection, advocacy, and authentic expression, ensuring every employee can bring their full self to work. We’re honored to support and uplift the communities we serve, and we remain dedicated to building a more inclusive future—together.
Committed to Oak Park and River Forest.
Whether you’re celebrating at a local Pride event or simply spending time in your community, we believe you should be able to do your banking with a team that celebrates you for who you are. At Byline, we are proud to stand alongside the LGBTQ+ community and are committed to fostering Culture, Opportunity & Belonging—for our employees, customers, and neighbors alike. Through our Employee Resource Groups, we create space for connection, advocacy, and authentic expression, ensuring every employee can bring their full self to work. We’re honored to support and uplift the communities we serve, and we remain dedicated to building a more inclusive future—together.
To learn more about our commitment, visit bylinebank.com/oprf
Whether you’re celebrating at a local Pride event or simply spending time in your community, we believe you should be able to do your banking with a team that celebrates you for who you are. At Byline, we are proud to stand alongside the LGBTQ+ community and are committed to fostering Culture, Opportunity & Belonging—for our employees, customers, and neighbors alike. Through our Employee Resource Groups, we create space for connection, advocacy, and authentic expression, ensuring every employee can bring their full self to work. We’re honored to support and uplift the communities we serve, and we remain dedicated to building a more inclusive future—together.
To learn more about our commitment, visit bylinebank.com/oprf
To learn more about our commitment, visit bylinebank.com/oprf
TaskForce launches free LGBTQ+ therapy program on West Side
Bilingual, barrier-free mental health services aim to expand culturally competent care for LGBTQ+ youth, adults, and families
By HECTOR CERVANTES Contributing Reporter
After hearing repeated requests from LGBTQ+ youth for an onsite therapist they could trust, TaskForce Prevention & Community Services, 9 N. Cicero Ave., has launched a free, bilingual therapy program on Chicago’s West Side, expanding access to mental health care for LGBTQ+ youth, adults, couples and families who often face financial, cultural and systemic barriers to treatment.
Mental health services will be led by Annette N. Sandoval, MA, LPC, CADC, a bilingual English and Spanish speaking therapist with extensive experience supporting LGBTQIA+ individuals and other marginalized communities
The initiative was inspired by feedback from LGBTQ+ youth and community members served by the TaskForce organization, said Reyna Ortiz, the organization’s program director. Ortiz said participants repeatedly voiced a need for on-site therapy services, prompting the nonprofit to expand access to free mental health care on the West Side
“The medical system is complicated. We all know that. If someone doesn’t have adequate insurance or the ability to navigate health care and depending on the identity, to be a young trans youth navigating particular spaces, not feeling comfortable within the space, we made sure that once we acquired the partnership that it was going to be a low barrier. Doesn’t matter if they have health insurance or not,” Ortiz said.
When asked why the launch of the LGBTQ+ affirming therapy program is especially meaningful during Pride Month and what message Ortiz hopes it sends to LGBTQ+ youth, young adults and adults on the West Side, Ortiz said Pride Month is about understanding the history of the LGBTQ+ community.
“People like Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson — trans women who helped lead the movement against the way society views transgender people, and LGBTQIA+ people
more broadly, particularly Black, Latina, and Indigenous trans women played a vital role in that history. We wanted to begin Pride Month with a focus not only on celebration but also on healing,” Ortiz said.
“Our youth are still facing a tremendous number of social challenges. Pride is about celebration, but when the festivities are over, we still have to confront the realities that many LGBTQ+ people experience every day,” Ortiz said.
When it comes to receiving the therapy, participants can simply request an appointment and be connected with the therapist based on availability. While staff can assist individuals in obtaining health insurance for their broader medical needs, lack of in-
surance or being underinsured does not prevent anyone from receiving mental health services through the program.
“We heard from our participants that they wanted to build a relationship with their therapist. They wanted to see them around TaskForce and feel that they were part of our agency. We also serve a large population of trans youth, so we were looking for a therapist who is trans-identified. Finding a therapist who is a woman of color, a Latina, a licensed clinician and someone interested in working with our population was important to us,” Ortiz said.
The organization intentionally staffs its programs with Black and Brown LGBTQ+ individuals, allowing participants to see
themselves reflected in those providing resources and support Leaders said this community-centered approach ensures that people with lived experience can build meaningful connections with youth and help guide them through the challenges and issues affecting their lives.
“Our youth are dealing with a tremendous amount of challenges. On our end as providers, we’re offering barrier-free therapy led by a trans woman of color. They’re going to have meaningful conversations about how we heal from trauma, how we understand the things that have been attacking us as trans people in society, and how we can learn from those experiences while beginning the healing process,” Ortiz said.
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TaskForce program director Rey na Ortiz, engaging with the stude nts.
ALGA+ remakes y as Out With Purpose branding
Some pushback on name change but new signs of
area’s pioneering local y association, OPALersation
within its community as the organization moves in the direction of rebranding. OPALGA+ has long been known welcoming members ofthe LGBTQ+ community and its allies, hosting monthly potlucks in members’ homes along with its
scholarship program and advocacy ef forts.
For decades, the organization existed under names explicitly centered around lesbian and gay community members, giving many people a safe space to gather and connect. But as language, identity and allyship have evolved, some members began asking whether the organization’s name still reflected the broader community they wanted to re present.
The organization is now rebranding into “Out With Purpose,” with the intention of encouraging more people, including those who are not LGBTQ+, to feel welcomed into the community. For many members, the rebrand is not about abandoning history, but widening the circle and ensuring the organization remains welcoming and
JUNE 11
relevant for future generations
“There has been some pushback from our members,” said Cas Scaman, co-chair of OPALGA. “Change is always going to be a little bit difficult, but we’ve felt a lot of support from a lot of our original and new members.”
Some longtime members had emotional attachments to the original name and expressed concerns about OPALGA turning into something that no longer aligns with the organization’s more than 35 years of identity and history.
“We’ve changed a lot just in the past few years,” said Scaman, “and we’re really trying to make sure that we’re becoming even more inclusive, but we don’t want to become something that’s unrecognizable.”
Leaders of the organization said they are looking to create solidarity across identities, while making people who may have previously felt excluded by the older terminology feel welcomed. They also noted that some people were unsure whether they would fit directly into the organization’s model. With the changes in openness, OPALGA has already started seeing a positive response and an increase in new members.
“People are becoming members or starting to come to events for the first time because they feel more welcome with the new name,” Scaman said.
Co-chair Lynn Griffith said the rebrand is in-
tended to better reflect the broad spectrum of identities represented within today’s LGBTQ+ community.
“It only becomes a community when you actually know people in real life, when you actually connect with them, care about them and help them through things.” Griffith said.
Alongside its transition into “Out With Purpose,” the organization also plans to maintain its scholarship program. The program started in 2014 and has awarded $348,000 to students. Most recently, the organization voted to award $65,000 in scholarships to 13 students through $5,000 awards. The scholarships support students attending trade schools, two-year colle ges, and fouryear universities, and are open to allies as well as LGBTQ+ students.
Leaders said the scholarship program reflects the organization’s broader goal of investing in future generations while maintaining the sense of community that has defined the group for decades. In addition to scholarship recipients, the organization includes members ranging from teenagers to individuals in their 80s and 90s, including some founding members who remain active today
“Our mission is pretty simple,” Scaman said. “We want to build connections and community among LGBTQIA+ individuals and their allies.”
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FP Library Pride Month programming to honor LGBTQ community through books, ar twork
By JACKIE PISANO Contributing Reporter
Throughout Chicagoland, LGBTQ Pride Month is widely celebrated with parades and other types of vibrant performances and large community celebrations.
But at the Forest Park Public Library, staf f and patrons are looking forward to commemorating the month on a more intimate, literary-focused scale
All June, the library will feature a special Teen Pride Virtual Art Gallery, a teenfocused digital display in the Young Adult Lounge.
With artwork submitted by locals, the youthcentric exhibition will highlight personal themes of pride, from identity and resilience to healing and serenity.
verse print and digital offerings highlighting LGBTQ themes, sensibilities or creators, the event will feature rapid-fire two- to three-minute-long recommendations, or “buzzes.” Adult Services librarian Dennis Raleigh, who describes themselves as a “queer glam clown,” will serve as emcee for the program.
“Forest Park Public Library is proud to help foster a space that embraces the full spectrum of its residents,” Raleigh said. “Programs like this serve as an important reminder that no one is alone, and that support, understanding and acceptance can always be found.”
“We wanted to encourage self-expression and creativity by providing a safe environment for display and give teens an outlet to share their ar t with other teens,” said Martha Sullivan, Young Adult Services manager at the library. “Teens can submit digital art, shor t prose or poetry, or digital photos of 3D media.”
Works, which will be both credited and anonymously displayed, will later be collected to create a print zine that teens can browse in the YA Lounge.
And on Saturday, June 14, Forest Park residents will take center stage at BABS Comedy Club (7316 Madison St.) as they participate in the library’s first-ever Pride Book Buzz from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Designed to celebrate the library’s di-
All adults are welcome at the Pride Book Buzz, re gardless of whether they are Forest Park residents.
According to Skye Lavin, adult services manager, the library’s collaboration with the comedy club stems from owner Emily Ramire z’s continued support since opening her business two years ago.
“BABS Comedy Club has been a funky and wonderful library partner for many improv workshops,” Lavin said. “She was the first to volunteer to ‘buzz’ about her favorite book by David Sedaris (a prominent figure in LGBTQ literature).”
Lavin says the Book Buzz is an event in which guests will revel in the appreciation of all-things pride and experience appreciation for the library’s many offerings in the genre.
“What makes the act of reading so great is the opportunity to encounter and appreciate the manifold sensibilities within the human experience,” she said. “Reading
deeply supports thinking deeply, and connecting deeply with empathy for others and for ourselves. Reading, thinking and caring are needed for a community to truly flourish and carry on sustainably into the future.”
Overall, Lavin highlights the library’s Pride Month programming as an ef fort to inspire joy and enrich Forest Park’s deeprooted community spirit and support of
Pride traditions.
“Programs create opportunities for neighbors to become new friends, and feel authentically represented, respected and uplifted by the special sense of belonging alive in Forest Park,” Lavin said. “When we celebrate together, whether as part of the LGBTQ community or as an ally, friend or neighbor, we celebrate the beauty of a united and kind Forest Park.”
Pride Fest sweeps into Forest Park
Village celebrated pride June 5
By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
With Pride colors now refreshed along the medians on Madison Street and Pride banners attached to light poles along the street, Forest Park continues to lean in to celebrating Pride Month in the village.
Friday evening, June 5, the annual celebration returned to Constitution Court on Madison Street. On a lovely early summer evening, locals gathered to watch a variety of joyful drag queens perform, young dancers from Ovation Academy took the stage and local political folks including Mayor Rory Hoskins made remarks. There was he opportunity to make art. And, of course, local vendors provided the food and drink.
PHOTO S BY TODD BANNOR
Drag queen Britney Taylor performs at Forest Park Pr ide Fest on June 5.
Commissioner Michelle Melin-Rogov in at the Pride Fest.
Mayor Rory Hoskins speaks at the Pride Fest.
Community members paint signs of LGBTQ suppor t.
A mom and daughter take a sel e.
Members of Ovation Academy perform a song and dance number.
Drag queen Angel LeBare speaks at Forest Park Pr ide Fest.
Drag queen Venezia Sodi performs
Drag queen Fox E. Kim performs
Confidence begins with being unapologetically yourself.
This Pride Month, we celebrate individuality, self-expression, and the courage to live authentically. We are proud to provide affirming, inclusive care for every member of our community.
Happy Pride Month from Oak Park Laser and Skin Clinic.
