A er months o preparation, the retail incub at 8 Corners has launched
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
The Brookfield Shops r tor at Progress Park, 9202 Broadwa Ave., officially opened Frida Featuring six small businesses oper ated by local owners, the shops will be open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from now through December
The vendors include “book-tique” New Book Joy, artisan accessorymakers Organic Jewelry, Rites of Wellness, cake decorating ki store Frost With Us, fashion boutique Shop Salon & Style House and co shop Four Star Handcrafted Coffee. Each vendor was selected by a
Vendors and village o cials gather in front of the Brook eld Shops as Village President Michael Garvey cuts the ribbon. See SHOPS on pa ge 10
By GREGG VOSS ontributing Reporter
Along the first base line on the high school at Brookfield’s Ehlert Park, -year-old Gus zoomed by on his wheelchair, a big grin on his face.
He was dressed in a bright yellow shirt with black short sleeves and a black cap with the bill near home plate, his dad, was smiling too. talk, so it’s always hard to tell what also nice to get him involved in things a typical child would do,” Boyle said.
“His life is sort of nontypical.”
But he sure knows how to high-five, rolling up
See BUZZ SQUAD on pa ge 8
per kilowatt-hour
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Rive rside trustees ag reed to c ontinu e the village ’s opt-out electric ag greg atio n progr am for another year, with the price of electricity going up to 10.9 c ents pe r kilowatt-hour from the previous rate of 8.09 cents.
T he village b oard on June 5 approved a c ontract with MC Squared E ner gy Services to c ombine residents’ electric supply for the year starting in October, when Rive rside ’s cu rrent c ontract with the firm will end. Rive rside had c ontracted with MC Squared from 2020-2023 but sw apped to Dyne gy E ner gy Services for the 2023-2024 year
T he annual c ost of electricity for an average resident, who the village found uses 8,500 kilowatt-hours per year, will increase by about $240, according to Riverside staf f.
Trustees had multiple options to pick from, r anging from a C omEd rate pric e match with 20% green ener gy to 12-, 24and 36-month c ontracts at 0%, 50% and 100% green ener gy T he maximum pric e they c ould have ag reed to was 11.73 c ents per kilowatt-hour for three years of 100% green ener gy from Dyne gy. T he minimum price would have b een the cu rrent
lock Rive rside into a fixed pric e.
MC Squared also of fered a C omE d price match at 0% green ener gy ; i nstead of providing Rive rside with renewable ener gy ce rt ificates, the c ompany would have paid the village $15,000 directly in the fo rm of a gr ant to use however officials see fit
While discussing the options at the village b oard meeting, trustees ag reed of f the bat to not c onsider a c ontract with Dyne gy, wh ich of fered rates at a higher premium than MC Squared with no other benefit s.
T he b oard also ag reed not to c onside r the 50% green ener gy c ontracts of fere d d ue to a small price difference to the 100% green ener gy progr ams of fered. Fo r one year, MC Squared of fered 50% green ener gy at a rate of 10.75 c ents pe r kilowatt-hour, j ust a q uarter of a c ent cheaper than 100% green ener gy.
“I think it ’s pretty obvious that of the MC [Squared] 50% ve r sus 100%, the 50% is not wo r th doing. T he a dditional c ost of 100% is nominal,” Vi llage President Doug Pollock said. “I would ag ree that, if we ’re going to do green ener gy, 100% is the more efficient way to go.”
Durling said Rive rside residents wh o are now enrolled in the ag greg ation progr am are actually saving money on thei r electric bills.
Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea
Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza
Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls
Marketing & Adver tising Associate Emma Cullnan
Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan
household for this month,” she said. “You’ve d one really well. This year, it ’s b een a home run. ”
Trustee Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga sai d she thought the R EC progr am, wh ich some residents may scrutinize, “rep resents a commitment” to sustainability.
“It shows that there is a d emand fo r green ener gy. Nobo dy wants p olluting ener gy. Nobo dy in their right mind wants that,” she said. “You have a choice, as a municipality, as to whether you’ re going to j ust throw c aution to the wind and perhaps be incenti vizing the continued production of non-clean ener gy, or make a statement that you care about the green ener gy, wh ich is, I think, much of wh at the pr ogr am does.” Read & Support
Special Projects Manager Susan Walker Senior Advisor Dan Haley
Eric Weinheimer Treasurer Nile Wendor f Deb Abrahamson, Mary Cahillane, Steve Edwards, Judy Gre n, Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson, Darnell Shields, Audra Wilson
141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-442-6739 ■ FAX 708-467-9066 E-MAIL dhaley@wjinc.com
ONLINE www.RBLandmark.com
The Landmark is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $1.00. A one-year subscription costs $45 within Cook County and $65 outside the county. Adver tising rates may be obtained by calling our o ce. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 0019-585). Postmaster send
e village is passing on a rate increase from McCook and Chicago
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
T he annual tradition of water bills increasing on July 1 has come for Riverside Villagers’ bills for water used in the month of June and beyond are set to go up from $20.77 per thousand g allons to $21.31, a jump of $0.54 or 2.6%. Sewer bills will also go up 5 cents per thousand g allons, from $5.45 to $5.50, a 0.92% increase According to village documents, for an average household that uses 8,228 g allons of water across two months, the bimonthly water bill will increase by $4.85 for a total annual bump of $29.13. Fo r the minimum water bill cove ring 4,000 g allons of water over two months, the bimonthly increase is $2.36 wh i le the annual jump is $14.16.
Riverside ups water bills
Vi llage trustees approved the increase at their June 5 meeting. Yvette Zavala, Rive rside ’s finance director, said the village learned in April that McCook, wh ich supplies Rive rside with water, would be increasing i ts water rate by 4%. McCook, in turn, had i ts water rate increased by Chicag o.
“Historically, the village p asses on that rate increase, along with any operational increases related to personnel and capital projects,” she said.
This year ’s increase will go toward routine raises for village staf f who are members of the Service Employees International Union and to re paying future debt for Rive rside ’s p lanned sewe r separations and re p lacements of water mains and leaded water service lines this year
An i nteractive map of the p lanned projects this year is available on Rivers ide ’s we bsit e.
T he water main re p lacements and sewe r separations to g ether are expected to c ost $8,850,323, a ccording to agend a documents from the meeting, wh i le the lead service line re p lacements will c ost about $4 million.
Zavala said the projects will be f unded through $6 million in b onds the village b oard approved earlier this year and an anticipated, ze ro-percent i nterest loan from the I llinois Environmental Protection Agency. Money c ollected i nto the village ’s water and sewe r f und will be used to pay Rive rside ’s debt s.
Each year, about 20 to 25 c ents of the increase in the water rate g oes toward
BREAKING
f unding the lead service line re p lacements. This has b een the c ase sinc e 2023, when the village implemented it to “minimize the impact to residents” by “smoothing” out the increased c osts over time, Zavala said.
Trustees also OK ’d an increase in the bimonthly f ee owed by residents wh o have not had their water meters re p laced from $50 to $100. Vi llage documents say j ust 2% of households have not sw itched out their meter s.
“The village incurs more costs than just the staf f time to send public works to go and read their meters. We have the addi-
tional cost of keeping the software, [which] has doubled, along with the additional billing time that it takes to run a separate cycle just for maintaining two different systems,” Zavala said. “As that pool gets smaller of residents that do not have new meters, they have to cover the cost.”
Zavala emphasized that the new meter s allow Rive rside to notify homeowner s i mmediately if it d etects a water leak.
S he said the village p lans to roll out a way for residents to monitor their ow n water usage by the end of the month.
“A ll the b enefits definitely outweigh anything,” Trustee Elizabeth Kos said.
GCM paper named best in Illinois
Dear readers,
Last week we took a road trip to East Peoria. The Pair-a-Dice Casino and Hotel if you want to program your GPS. It was the annual Illinois Press Association conference and the editorial and advertising awards.
Honestly, winning awards from your peers is gratifying. We don’t do this hard and good work for the plaques. We do it for our readers and these communities. And while I always tell my colleagues that these contests can be a bit fickle, over 45 years now we’ve won a lot of them.
This year Growing Community Media and our four flags earned 35 awards. The Forest Park Review grabbed the handsome Kramer Trophy as the best small weekly paper in Illinois. Both Wednesday Jour nal and the Review placed for General Excellence. The Jour nal took first place for best website in its circulation category while the RiversideBrookfield Landmark took second place. Across the flags, our reporters, photographers, digital manager and designers and
page design, and for a succession of our special publications such as Eats, West Side Magazine and the community guides.
What did we cover to win awards? Zoning. Taxation. Casket Races. The death of a for mer park district director. And, of course, Wally’s Waffles. The stuf journalism.
Maybe you know, maybe you do five years ago our four flags became nonprofit which we named Gr munity Media. That means rely on our readers to help fund our scrapp newsroom.
This is a better moment than most to make the ask.
If what you know about these neighbo hoods comes significantly from reading the Review, the Jour nal, the Landmark or the Austin Weekly News online become a member of this hometown club That’s our future. That’s will continue, maybe thr forward.
JUNE 14
SATURDAY
11 AM –1 PM
For over 10 years, we’ve been Oak Park’s sanctuary of calm where everyone is always welcome. Come meet some of our teachers and members, and learn about our center and our offerings.
‘No Kings’ protest Saturday in Oak Park
Local event is one of more than 1,800 American communities where protests will occur
By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter
Oak Park will play host to a protest against President Donald Trump Saturday, June 14, just one of many such protests happening in Chicagoland and across the country the same day.
The “No Kings” day of protests were scheduled to coincide with the president’s 79th birthday and Flag Day, as protest organizers hope the series of protests will amount to the largest single-day show of opposition to the Trump administration since it took office in January. In addition to the Oak Park protest scheduled for 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Scoville Park, protests are sched-
uled for Daley Plaza in Downtown Chicago, the Beverly, Edgewater and Jefferson Park neighborhoods of Chicago and other suburbs including Evanston, Elmhurst, Schaumburg, Joliet and Forest Park.
No Kings national organizers expect more than 1,800 community demonstrations on Saturday, according to organizers
“No Kings is a nationwide day of defiance,” protest organizers said. “From city blocks to small towns, from courthouse steps to community parks, we’re taking action to reject authoritarianism — and show the world what democracy really looks like. We’re not gathering to feed his ego. We’re building a movement that leaves him behind. The flag doesn’t belong to President Tr ump. It belongs to us.”
In April, local org anizers held a “Hands Of f” anti-Trump r ally, wh ich drew thousands of d emonstrators to La ke Street. Org anizers of those d emonstrations said more than 500,000 p eople showe d up nationwide June 14 will be marked in Washington D.C.
by a large military parade celebrating both Trump and the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Ar my.
The Ar my birthday celebration had already been planned for months. But earlier this spring, Trump announced his intention to transform the event into a massive military parade complete with 60-ton M1 Abrams battle tanks and Paladin self-propelled howitzers rolling through the city streets, according to the Associated Press.
A large No Kings protest is planned to march to the White House Saturday, according to the AP.
The weekend protests come on the heels of tense scenes playing out in Los Angeles as Trump ordered more than 2,000 National Guard troops and more than 700 U.S. Marines to intervene in immigration protests demonstrating against the administration’s bid to maximize deportations
The move marked the first time in decades that the national guard was deployed in a state without a gover nor requesting it, according to the AP.
“The No Kings mobilizations on June 14 we re already p lanned as a p eaceful stand against authoritarian over reach and the gross abuse of powe r this administration has shown,” No Kings protest org anizers said. “N ow, this militar y escalation only c onfirms wh at we ’ve known: this gove r nment wants to r ule by forc e, not ser ve the p eople. From major cities to small towns, we ’ ll rise to g ether and say: we reject p olitical violenc e. We reject f ear as gove r nanc e. We reject the myth that only some deser ve freedom.”
Brookfield Zoo offers free admission to Riversiders
Celebrate Father’s Day with free tickets to honor the village’s 150th
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Calling all animal lovers in Riverside: In honor of the village’s sesquicentennial year, Brookfield Zoo Chicago is offering free admission on June 15.
Riverside residents can get free admissions for up to five members of their family this coming Sunday, coinciding with Father’s Day, if they bring a flyer with free
ticket barcodes, available for download or printing on the village’s website. Visitors must also bring an ID with proof of residency within the village.
The free admission does not include the price of parking or any paid zoo attractions. For example, tickets to ride the zoo’s Ferris wheel are $8 per person, while it costs $3 for a child to ride the carousel and $6 for an adult.
“The zoo just celebrated their milestone of 90 years, and now the village is celebrating a milestone of 150 years!” Village Manager Jessica Frances said in an email to the Landmark. “Something that some residents may not realize is part of Brookfield Zoo Chicago is actually in Riverside.”
While most of the zoo does fall into Brookfield, the portions of the zoo east of
Golf Road is on land within Riverside. This includes the areas where the zoo houses its dolphins and big cats, like lions and tigers, as well as part of the promenade.
Last August, Riverside created a new kind of liquor license to issue to the zoo’s concessions operator so the zoo could sell alcohol at its Discovery Center, which is its main rece ption and banquet area for hosting events.
“When I reached out to Jennifer Baader, who’s the vice president for gover nment af fairs, asking if the zoo wanted to help us celebrate [Riverside’s 150th anniversary], she immediately responded,” Trustee Jill Mateo said at the village board’s June 5 meeting. “We’ re very pleased that they’re offering admission for everybody for that day.”
JAVIER GOVEA
BUZZ SQUAD
Laughter and smiles from page 1
on a reporter and throwing up his palm on a bright, sunny Saturday.
Welcome to the Challenger Division of the Brookfield Little League, comprised of 32 special-needs children ages 4 to 16 from not only Brookfield, but the surrounding Chicagoland area. Together, they are affectionately known as the Buzz Squad.
Brookfield resident Christine Ramire z is in her second year as division coordinator, and not far away, her son, Parker, was flipping around a yellow baseball with two “buddies,” Lyons Township High School seniors Delila Henley and Lisa Baron. Parker will be 13 in a few weeks and has a rare brain disorder.
“He just loves the sport,” Ramire z said, “loves being around other kids. Loves watching kids and I think this has benefitted him tremendously in re gards to learning how to throw a ball, catch a ball and swing a bat.
“The smile on his face every time he comes and the laughter and the squeals that you hear from him are amazing.”
The program has doubled in size since last season, leading to four teams of seven players; two teams play a game on the dirt infield, while the other two play on the grass in the outfield, before rotating. They play seven games from May 3 to June 21, except for Memorial Day.
“I think word of mouth, and obviously, there is a need for it,” Ramire z said of the explosion of interest. “There are players that come from Chicago, the Garfield Ridge area, Westmont, Lisle, Oak Lawn, Brookfield, Berwyn, Lyons.
“We don’t have restrictions as far as boundaries.”
There are also no restrictions as far as fun. In the outfield, yellow-shirted kids with their own buddies, typically middleschool-aged volunteers, casually hit balls of f tees.
The common denominator was laughter
and smiles.
“It gives them time to be with their peers,” Ramirez said. “Kids with other disabilities, like themselves, whether they are mobile, immobile, that use mobility devices. These kids absolutely love being on the field.
“I’ve heard parents say, ‘My child jumps out of bed every Saturday morning.’”
Natalie Jimenez, from Garfield Ridge, is one of those parents. Her son Atticus is 4. She learned about the program through a Facebook group.
“I think the biggest takeaway is the buddies are so caring and loving toward the kids,” Jimenez said. “They are always willing to jump in to help them out and help them learn the sport in general.
“(Atticus) has limited language skills, but he definitely is very excited to be with his buddies. When we walk in here, he’s like, ‘You guys can go sit down.’ Because he’s ready to play.”
But what’s perhaps most gratifying is watching the buddies interact with the players, like Baron and Henley. They are National Honor Society students at LT, and learned of the volunteer opportunity there.
“For me, it’s really enjoyable,” Henley said. “For kids with disabilities, there is so much to learn and you can never apply one situation to another. Forming bonds with kids has been the most important to me.”
“To see the smiles and the growth on the players’ faces is really rewarding and being able to celebrate the little (things),” added Baron. “Even if it’s making it to first base or if it’s just hitting the ball, those little celebrations and how excited they are is really a great experience and it’s nice to be involved in that.”
S tanding near a batting tee with k ids all around him, b oth pl ayers and buddie s, Brookfield Little League president
Dan Kissel said a day li ke Saturday g oes to show there aren’t enough progr ams li ke Challenger
“The one thing (Ramire z) has done this year that’s been awesome is she reached out to the softball and baseball high school coaches, and we had one day where the entire (Riverside-Brookfield) softball team came out, we had one day where the entire
Parker Ramirez, a member of the Brook eld Little League Challenger Division, enjoys a recent Saturday morning game with a program buddy.
baseball team came out.
“That’s really the point of Little League. Little league is a community-based league and it’s meant to bring communities together and this program really emphasizes that.”
Kissel’s son, Ambrose, and his friend Kyle Kaczmarek, both Brookfield Little
League players, enjoy being buddies, too.
“It’s fun,” Kaczmarek said. “It’s cool to see their smiles every Saturday. It’s good to get out here with them.”
“It’s helping them play the game, so they can learn how to play baseball, too,” Ambrose Kissel added.
Understanding Alzheimer’s YOUR BEST LIFE with Lisa Capone
June marks Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month—a time to raise awareness about the importance of brain health and support those impacted by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
Maintaining brain health starts early. Below tips are all linked to reduced risk of cognitive decline and can help keep the brain sharp regular physical activity a balanced diet social engagement mental stimulation simple habits—like walking daily, reading, or learning a new skill—
It’s also important to recognize the early signs of memory loss. These may include forgetting recently learned information repeating questions difficulty managing finances struggling to follow conversations misplacing items experiencing changes in mood, personality, or judgment. While occasional forgetfulness is normal with aging, consistent patterns of these symptoms may indicate something more serious.
If you or a loved one are experiencing any of these signs, consult a healthcare professional. Early detection can lead to better planning and improved quality of life.
Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030.
SHOPS
‘Welcome to the neighborhood’ from
page 1
jury of local community members earlier this year, and since then, they’v working alongside village staf f from the community development department to bring their individual stores to life inside 15-feet-by-15-feet sheds.
“The hardest part was trying to fit sheds, and make them look like shop a triangular corner with a ton of traffic Eight Corners with a fountain,” Libb vic, the director of the department, told the Landmark Friday “The logistics the hard pa rt , and everyone stepped in From the engineers to public wo eryone had a hand in all thi s. ”
She chalked up the community turnout — one village trustee estimated offhand there were 200 people in attendance — to Brookfield’s love of events. She said the village’s consultants for the incubator, who had previously worked on a similar incubator in Berwyn, were impressed.
“I’m never surprised by Brookfield. A lot of outside people say, ‘Wow, this is tremendous People usually don’t come to these things,’ but Brookfield always comes through,” Village President Michael Garvey said.
Kelly Stevens, one of the operators of the Shop Salon & Style House, said she was wowed by the community’s support for the new businesses.
“The small businesses here on Main Street, everybody has walked over, welcomed us, said, ‘We’re so excited,’” she said. “People came by on Sunday when we were setting up last week, walking their dogs, and they were just like, ‘Oh, we’re so excited. Welcome to the neighborhood!’”
Sherry Imperial, the owner of Frost With Us, said she had made changes based on feedback she rece ived at the shops’ soft opening May 30, when members of the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce were given a tour before the sheds opened to the public
“I had someone who c ame in, and they wanted to decorate in store, wh ich was not an option, and now it is,” she said. “I think I made it more welcoming, too, to do that, and I love that, so the instructor ’s in!”
Jose Camacho, who owns Four Star Handcrafted Coffee, said he hopes the incubator becomes a staple in the neighborhood
“I enjoy that people that people like our
IT ’S A CROWD: e Brook eld Shops
opened last weekend to an enthused crowd.
coffee, our product. It’s one of the main things: If people keep coming, that means we’re doing a good job,” he said. “I don’t want to sell coffee that I would not drink, so we try to do the best we can. Everything we make in here is fresh.”
Mandy Geng e, one of the owners of New Book Joy, said she was most looking forward to becoming part of the Brookfield community.
“I’m a reading specialist for little kids, so I can’t wait to start getting some kids activities going here. We’re going to be doing things in the back with story times and kids book clubs,” said Connie Obrochta, another owner.
But it wasn’t all a walk in the pa rk . St evens said the biggest struggle was g etting everything she and her d aughter-in-law, Kelly T hompson, had envisioned i nto the spac e. A longside thei r clothing of ferings, they managed to fit a small dressing room in the corner of the shop using a showe r curtain attached to a circular rod.
“It was very strategic,” she said. “We wanted to utilize every inch of the shed.”
Lea Afia Bempah, who owns Rites of Wellness, described the shop’s opening as feeling “like an exhale.” She said one
struggle has been getting set up with a new point- of-sale system, which she hopes to accomplish by the second weekend. She said setting up the inside of her space was the other big challenge she faced.
“I had friends come in and do it … They did the super heavy stuf f,” like installing the shelves she lines with her natural products, Bempah said. “But the rest of it — painting, wallpaper, decorations, curating, even this installation [of plants on the ceiling] — me.”
Nestor Valencia, the owner of Organic Jewelry alongside his wife, Giselle Cortes, said his family had spent many a night at the shed, moving and reorganizing things to best display their jewelry handcrafted from watch pieces and natural materials like orange peels and dried flowers.
Garvey said he’s most excited to see the community support the cohort of new local business owners.
“Maybe they will open a storefront in the village going forward, and then we bring in some new people next year,” he said. “It truly is an incubator program. We hope to get them started, and we hope it works, and then a whole new set of fresh faces, maybe, next year. This is year one of many years, we hope.”
TODD BANNOR
JUKEBOX
Drunk driver turns left into tra c
Riverside police arrested a Riverside man May 31 for driving drunk after he turned left into oncoming traffic.
Around 10 p.m., an officer was dispatched to the intersection of First Avenue and Ridgewood Road for a report of a crash involving two cars, a Buick and a Ford. Police made contact with the driver of the Buick, who said he had been driving north when the Ford turned left directly in front of his traffic lane. According to police, the Buick had visible “heavy front-end damage.”
Police also spoke with the driver of the Ford, who was standing next to his car in the intersection. The man said he had been turning left when the Buick struck his car. The officer noticed the man had glassy, bloodshot eyes and slur red his speech. The man said he had been driving home from work and the crash was not his fault. When asked if he had drunk alcohol, the man admitted to having had two drinks with friends after leaving work.
The officer asked the driver of the Ford to take field sobriety testing. During the tests, the officer noticed multiple indicators of impairment, including in the move-
ment of the man’s eyes and his inability to balance and follow instructions. The man declined to take a portable breath test before the officer arrested him for driving under the influence of alcohol.
Traffic footage from cameras at the intersection later showed police that the Ford had been straddling the yellow lines on the road before tur ning left. The Buick swerved to the left to avoid a head-on crash. Both cars had to be towed from the scene, police said.
At central lockup in Berwyn, the driver of the Ford refused to take another chemical breath test after a 20-minute observation period. The man received citations for failing to yield while turning left, failing to reduce his speed to avoid a crash and driving under the influence. Police drove the man to his home in Riverside and released him on pretrial conditions.
Headlight out
Brookfield police arrested a 45-year-old Hickory Hills man June 2 for driving with only one working headlamp.
Around 12:30 a.m., an officer on patrol on the 9100 block of Ogden Avenue saw a black
Lexus with just one operating headlamp. The officer pulled the car over at the Shell gas station at 9137 Ogden Ave. and spoke to the driver, who said he was aware one of his car’s headlamps was out.
After running the man’s information, the officer learned the man’s driver’s license had been suspended. The officer told the man he would be cited for both issues and that his car would be towed if he could not call someone to drive it away. After ticketing the man for driving with one handlamp on a suspended license, a woman with a valid driver’s license arrived at the scene, and the officer turned the man’s car over to her. A June 24 court date was set, and the man was sent on his way.
Expired temporar y plates
Brookfield police ticketed a 33-year-old Brookfield woman May 28 after learning her car’s license plates were expired
Around 10 p.m., an officer on patrol saw a car with a temporary license plate from Indiana that indicated the temporary registration had expired on April 5. The officer pulled the woman over, and another officer explained the reason for the stop to the wom-
an due to a language barrier, police said. The woman told police she possessed neither a driver’s license nor proof of insurance. The officers cited the woman for driving on an expired registration, for driving without insurance and without a driver’s license. Police released the woman on pretrial conditions with a court date set for June 24. The woman parked her car legally and called for a ride after police sent her on her way.
These items were obtained from the Riverside Police Department reports dated May 31 to June 1 and the Brookfield Police Department reports dated May 26 to June 2; 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 Trent Brown
Beauty and inspiration in 8 local gardens
31st Garden Walk covers River Forest and Oak Park on June 22
By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter
Rain or shine: The Oak Park and River Forest Garden Walk is the place to be Sunday June 22 if you are seeking to be inspired by the beauty and variety of area gardens.
This, the 31st annual walk sponsored by the Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory (FOPCON) and the Garden Club of Oak Park and River Forest, will focus on eight private gardens in the two villages.
Proceeds of the walk benefit both the conservatory and the Garden Club, which uses its share of the money to fund scholarships for graduates of OPRF High School.
Sue Boyer, one of the co-chairs of this year’s walk, said that the garden walk continues to attract an increasing number of visitors.
“We had a tremendous year last year, and we’re thrilled that more and more people are so interested in gardening,” she said.
Each year, the Garden Walk Committee starts looking for the next year’s gardens during the peak of the summer garden season. This year, they chose a mix of styles and sizes of yards that are sure to inspire.
Boyer noted that the garden walk differs from typical housewalks because of the living nature of the yards and encouraged visitors to see all eight on this year’s walk.
“Every garden is so unique, and you see a lot of eclectic styles. There’s really something for everyone,” she said.
Homeowner Pe gg y Kell has been gardening in her Oak Park yard for 48 years. She said that her garden has evolved over the years. Ever since she and her husband moved into the home, they’ve made changes little by little.
“I call ourselves serial renovators,” she said. “We’ve changed the house itself, adding on a lot over the years. We’ve done the same with the garden.”
When the couple moved in, there was no garage, and they made two large ve getable plots in the backyard. Even-
youngest child; now her four-year-old grandson is an avid helper in the garden, especially when it comes to picking raspberries. Her yard has other fun finds for children, including railroad trains and a fairy garden.
This is Kell’s third time on the garden walk, each time, she said she has a different garden. “Stuf f dies, or I find a
In River Forest, Marilee Unruh has been working on her garden since 2001. She slowly replaced the lawn until she had gardens but no lawn in the front and back of her home. A native of California, Unruh loves discovering the variety of perennials that can be grown in Illinois’ climate, but she had to reconsider her planting methods when she realized
LETTERS
I have written recently in reference to this issue, but have received no reply. The subject is the closing of the LaGrange Park YMCA on July 18.
We, the members, and the staff, are greatly disappointed with this decision. It has become a home away from home for many, due to the friendships that have been made there over the years.
The elderly use this club to stay in shape,
and the younger people use it to get into shape. It has a child-care room for families, and it accommodates handicapped individuals to use the facility.
We would appreciate any mention through an article or editorial to save this Y.
A meeting was held last week at 1501 Barnsdale, LaGrange Park.
Ed D ylong
Marty’s River Forest garden.
how close to nature her garden really is.
She not only has plenty of rabbit and deer visitors, but a deer was born in her backyard. “A lot of perennials say they’re deer resistant, but they are not that resistant to deer who think your backyard is their home,” she said laughingly
In recent years, Unruh has “become addicted to bricks,” she said. She creates circles with brick and gravel, filling in spaces with a variety of flowers and non-blooming plants in various shades of green. She said working in the garden with her hands is one of her favorite activities and a great way to connect with the outdoors.
Also in River Forest, Marylen Marty-Gentile has seen her garden evolve over the 40 years that she and her husband, Michael, have owned their home. When they first
Before You Go
T he Garden Walk takes place on Sunday, June 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 after 5 p.m. on June 21. Children 12 and under can attend for free. FOPCON and Garden Club members receive a reduced ticket price of $17 prior to 5 p.m. on June 21.
Tickets can be purchased online via credit card at: https://gcoprf.org/ Prior to June 16, tickets are available by mail. Make checks payable to
moved in, much of the yard was shaded by a large elm and ash trees.
After spending lots of time trying to grow grass under those trees and failing, she turned to Scott McAdam of McAdam Landscape Professionals, and that made all the difference.
“Scott said, ‘Let’s think about your yard in terms of rooms.’ We started at the front with a section that was about shade. Over time, we got rid of all of the grass in the front and most of the lawn in the back yard,” she said.
Marty-Gentile says that there’s a lot of trial and error involved in gardening. “It’s been fun, and it’s been an adventure, and we’ve made tons of mistakes,” she said.
In the summer the yard can get a bit of a Dr. Seuss look, she said. “It has a wacky, wild look to it, which please us a lot.”
GCOPRF and mail to GCOPRF at P.O. Box 5633, River Forest, IL 60305. All ticket purchases are non-refundable.
The day of the walk, ticket holders and those looking to purchase tickets can visit the Cheney Mansion, 220 N. Euclid in Oak Park, or the Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield in Oak Park, to pick up garden guides and maps between 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The walk is not cancelled due to inclement weather. Any questions can be directed to (708) 725-2460.
ODD BANNOR
Marylen
Sports
RBHS softball’s strong nish ends in sectional semis
Bulldogs win 24 games with young group, rst regional since 2022
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Riverside Brookfield High School senior softball standout Ellie Megall will always remember completing back-to-back home runs as a freshman with 2024 graduate Zoe Levine at perennial power Marist.
“It was a great moment and really showed that anyone can compete with them, too,” said Megall, whose career with the Bulldogs as a four-year starter along with the other seniors ended with an 8-1 loss to the top-seeded host RedHawks in the Class 4A Marist Sectional semifinals.
The Bulldogs finished 24-10, winning 16 of their last 20 games and their first regional since 2022.
“We finished great. This score is not reflective of how this game or season went. I think we had an amazing finish, so I’m proud of my team,” Megall said. “In the beginning of the season we had a bit of a rough start and we were all nervous losing seniors from last year. We turned it around really quickly. We all just finally glued together and were finally able to play fully as a team.”
The Bulldogs achieved a second straight 20win season with two senior starters – Megall and second baseman Ella Jurgens, who remembers being promoted to varsity as a sophomore and finally getting her first at-bat.
“It wasn’t even that good of a hit, but I was so excited,” Jurgens said. “I’m going to remember definitely my teammates. I love them all so much. This is the most fun season I’ve had out of any of my four seasons playing softball ever. Even though we lost this game, we went out with a really good game and I’m really proud of us.”
This also was the first year as head coach for Emma Jarrell, who switched coaching roles this season with assistant Doug Schultz, the for mer head coach. The graduates from last year’s senior group included Levine (DePaul) and Emily Organ (Bradley), among the program’s career leaders in several categories.
“A young team [this season] but we had a
numbers. “Without their support I don’t think I would do what I could do. They really supported me throughout the season.”
Pytel had six pitching outings with doubledigit strikeouts, including a season-high 19 in the victory over Glenbard South, May 13.
“Knowing we had lost to them before, we had to come in strong just to beat them,” Pytel said. “I really am happy [about this season] but also happy with my team. I’m glad we can all work together and they have my back, even when I’m not pitching.”
Marist lost to Oswe go 5-1 in Monday’s supersectional.
RBHS boys volleyball
The Bulldogs won 11 of their final 15 matches this season enroute to sharing the championship in their first season in the Upstate Eight Conference’s East Division. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs (23-14), they lost again to Sandburg 25-19, 25-20 in the Sandburg Regional final, May 29, after also losing to the Eagles 25-14, 25-22 on May 21.
STEVE JOHNSTON
Riverside-Brook eld’s Mia Melendez (13) connects for a hit against Marist during the IHSA Class 4A Marist Sectional semi nal, June 3 in Chicago.
lot of senior leadership here that helped us win a lot of games,” Jarrell said. “We lost four starters. We didn’t know who was going to replace them so the freshmen came on strong. We have really strong sophomores and our returners, too, did really well. It was an entire team effort.”
The Bulldogs even scored first against Marist (35-3) in the top of the first inning on a two-out single by freshman Mia Melendez after Jurgens had a leadoff single and Megall walked
But the RedHawks scored three in the bottom of the first with two outs on an RBI single and two-run double — after the first out was erased when first baseman Melendez was ruled to have her foot off the bag.
“We asked to appeal and they didn’t [reverse]. What are you going to do?”
Ja rrell said.
Marist added a run in the third with a double, single and sacrifice fly and four more in the sixth behind three singles and a double.
The Bulldogs’ strong finish helped them to a third-place 13-5 in their Upstate Eight Conference East Division debut. The “revenge
tour” included victories over West Chicago, Glenbard East and Glenbard South after losing their first meetings.
Earning All-UEC were Megall (.461 batting average, 2 home runs, 35 runs batted in), Jurgens (.431, 26 RBIs) and junior shortstop Trinity Stevenson (.455, 32 RBIs).
“Even though there were age differences, everyone clicked and had so much fun together. It just made softball fun and having it be fun, everybody played their best,” Megall said.
“I think honestly what turned us around was the bond we all kind of started, hanging out outside of practice,” Stevenson said. “We will miss the seniors so much, but I think we’ll be a solid team as long as we just keep the connections growing.”
Freshman pitcher Amelia Pytel (11-3, 2.53 earned run average, 169 strikeouts in 108 innings, 282, 3 HR, 17 RBIs) and Melendez (.458, 11 HR, 60 RBIs) were honorable mention AllUEC. They were huge additions, along with freshman left-fielder Brailyn Naylor
“I’m just happy that I could help my team,” said Melendez about her team-leading power
“They really had to earn their [regional] win,” said senior Alec Oltrogge. “Our mindset was to stay positive and play together every single point. We knew we were going to get frustrated, but we had to keep in mind that we had each other’s backs and we had to stay deter mined.”
Sandburg (36-5) earned its first trip to the state quarterfinals since 2016 and lost to fourth-place O’Fallon on Friday.
“I feel like we were a little better than the last time we played them,” RBHS coach Dan Bonarigo said. “We tried to prep for digging their big hitters. We just didn’t make enough of those plays to stay with them at the end.”
The Bulldogs shared the UEC East title with Glenbard East and West Chicago with 5-1 records. Earning all-conference were seniors Oltrogge (141 kills, 72 blocks), setter Liam Keohane (team-high 389 assists, 110 digs, 29 aces) and Jack Schejbal (team-high 146 kills). Oltrogge was All-Metro Suburban Conference in 2024.
The past three seasons, RBHS has captured the program’s first three conference titles and surpassed 20 victories twice “[This season] was definitely a success,” Bonarigo said.
“I kind of look at the 20-win mark, we’ve got to feel pretty good about that and we have a fairly competitive schedule.”
Nazareth was armed for success with Riverside’s Zidlicky
Middlebury-bound pitcher was 9-1, helped Roadrunners to 31-7 record
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
S enior C hase Z idlicky has pitched since he was 8 or 9 years old .
This year, he enjoyed his greatest growth in helping a relatively inexperienced Nazareth Academy baseball team to another 30win season as its No. 1 pitcher.
“We wanted to prove a point that we we re still a ve ry g ood team and c ompete with most anyone,” Z idlicky said. “I j ust went out there and c ompeted every time I stepped out on the mound and made sure our team won. ”
T he Rive rside resident wo n his first nine decisions and a dded a save until the season finale. T he Roadrunners suffered a 6-1 loss to Mt. Carmel in the semifinals of the highly c ompetitive C lass 4A Reavis Sectional, June 4. Because of we ather c onditions, the g ame was move d to the artificial surface at Triton Colle ge Nazareth (31-7), the sectional’s No. 2 seed, also lost to Mt. Carmel 5-3 in the 2024 sectional final and again at the hands of junior starting pitcher Jake Matise, who this time threw a complete-game two-hitter with eight strikeouts and one walk on 90 pitches.
2024 with arguably their most talented roster — six 4-year starters and Divisio n I recruits among a group of 14 senior s.
“It’s almost re peating myself from last year, but [ Mt. Carmel] j ust flat out beat us. It ’s nothing that we did or didn’t do. It ’s wh at they did,” N azareth c oach Le e Milano said. “I’m ve ry proud of wh at we did. To win 31 g ames after the starter s we lost is an incredible feat and a credit to wh at these guys have d one and how they wo rked.”
Z idlicky was among those standouts, going 9-1 with a 1.06 earned-run averag e and 85 strikeouts in 59.2 i nning s. Th e winning pitcher in the re gional final victory over Oak Lawn, he also started against Mt. Carmel (25-14), allowing five hits in 4.0 i nnings with seve n strikeouts and one walk.
“I just went out there and competed every time I stepped out on the mound and made sure our team won.”
CHASE ZIDLICKY
Nazareth Roadrunners
T he No. 5-seed Caravan had j ust five hits, but in bunches — a single and r un-scorin g d ouble to open the g ame in the first and a single, RBI d ouble and two-run single after a walk in a four-run third fo r a 5-0 lead. Eddie Donnelly (1 strikeout) and Connor McKay (5 strikeouts in 2.2 i nnings) c ame in relief.
“Chase was g ood. He battled. [ But] his pitch c ount was up,” Milano said. “ I’m really proud of the way he battled. He’s b een our ace all year. I love the way [ our reli evers] g ot in and battled.”
N azareth had no hits or b aserunners until senior C huck Ro che’s leadof f single in the fifth. L andon T home walked and scored on Jaden Fauske’s single in the sixth.
and defeated Providence 8-6 in the supersectional Mond ay
“[Mt. Carmel] outplayed us. You can’t really go back and say we should have done this, should have done that,” Fauske said. “That’s a really good team. It just didn’t go our way. That’s what happens in this g ame.”
Fauske, an LSU recr uit, recently had b een named the Gatorade I llinois Baseb all Playe r of the Year
“I would trade that [award] for one more day with these guys any day of the week,” Fauske said. “It’s a reflection of hard wo rk but I’d trade that in a heartbeat. N one of that’s p ossible without C oach Milano and the rest of the c oaching staf f. ”
Z idlicky will pl ay at NCAA Division III M iddlebury (Vt.) C olle ge Wi ll McGarry (Western Kentucky) and Ro che and Andrew Kouris (Harper) also p lan to pl ay c ollegiately.
Z idlicky always had pitching in hi s blood. His father, Tom, pitched at I llinoi s. He be g an this season among three returning seniors on the pitcher staf f. T he pressure to c ontribute increased as the other two c ame down with injurie s. He excelled with a re per toire of f astball, curve ball, change up and slide r.
“Last year I c ould throw the f astball and on o ccasion curve for strikes. This year, I was able to throw all four fo r strikes,” Z idlicky said. “It’s j ust c onfidence and throw ing them hard and knowing where they’re going to go.”
His biggest progr ess on the mound , however, may have b een mental. Th e Roadrunners also we re solid defensive ly d espite no senior starting infielders and two freshmen.
that I have to do it for the team,” Z idlicky said. “A nd to have trust in the fielder s and know that they’ ll back me up.”
At M iddlebury, Z idlicky will study economics. He c an b ank on more success as the Panthers recently won their third New England S mall C olle ge A thleti c C onference title in the last four seasons
“ [Nazareth b aseball has provided] the mindset, the winning, alw ay s being a team, putting God first,” Zidlicky said. T he impact of the progr am was evid ent throughout the team after the Mt. Car mel loss
After back-to-back 3A state titles by the Roadrunner s, they move d up to 4A in
To p-seeded Brother Rice edged Mt. Carmel 3-2 in Saturday’s sectional final
“[It was] j ust kind of knowing withi n myself that I am g ood enough to c ompete with the b est of the b est and knowing
“Jaden Fauske’s name is going to be called on day one of the draft and he’s bawling his eyes out here. That’s what it matters to these guys,” Milano said. “When that happens, you feel so bad for them but you also know they gave everything they had. To me, that’s a proud moment.”
CHASE ZIDLICKY
Nazareth soccer nets history with fourth place in Class 2A
LTHS boys volleyball loses in sectional semis
By BILL STONE
Contributing Reporter
Seniors Izzy Strnic and Annie Trayser are veterans and mainstays for the Nazareth Academy girls soccer program on the defensive back line.
“We were on the same [left] side the entire year,” Trayser said. “We played on the same side last year, too, so we’ve played on the same side for a while.”
Appropriately, they also shared a historic moment with the Roadrunners Saturday. Nazareth finished a program-best fourth in Class 2A after reaching the state finals for the first time at North Central College
The Roadrunners (16-12-1) lost to Springfield 4-0 for third place after a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to St. Ignatius in the semifinals, Friday, on a goal with just 13.2 seconds left in re gulation.
“When I came here my first year, [I thought] there’s no way we would get here but we actually did,” said Strnic, the Roadrunners’ lone four-year varsity player. “I feel like we built the program from nothing to something so it’s a good feeling.”
Nazareth entered the postseason, losing its last five regular-season games, four by shutout, but then beat its first five playoff opponents by a combined 17-5, including Belvidere North 2-1 at the St. Francis Supersectional, June 3.
“I don’t know if we necessarily peaked, but we found a groove for sure,” Trayser said. “It’s really cool to see it start to grow our senior year; starting to work together helped us a lot. I’m close with the freshmen, even though I’m a senior. We’re all very close, no matter what the age is. I think it just kind of happened. It came together as a group.”
Strnic and Trayser were the only regular senior starters and were co-captains with seniors Sarah Owen and Isabel Cervantes, who started Saturday. Trayser, Owen and Cervantes are third-year varsity players.
Strnic and sophomore Molly Moore were all-sectional and junior Olivia O’Neill was honorable mention. Strnic, Moore, O’Neill, Trayser and junior Esme Blaskin received All-East Suburban Catholic Conference honors.
Nazareth coach Rob Cianci took over when the seniors were freshmen. The 2024 Roadrunners captured their second regional in his first three seasons but lost to Wheaton Acad-
Nazareth Academy girls soccer team receives the four-place Class 2A trophy.
emy in the sectional semifinals. Much of this season’s progress came from depth, using several lineups and playing several 3A schools, such as a 2-0 loss at Lyons Township May 10.
“We’re a very young team. It was a great run and we look forward to bringing it all back next year,” Cianci said. “Annie and Izzy are our rocks. We’ve nicknamed [Strnic] Ice because she’s been cold and works hard, phenomenal. With what I ask of our outside backs, I haven’t subbed [Trayser] in two years. She just runs up and down the sideline and does all of the hard work. To have a team get to this point and finish fourth, the history of making it, it’s quite a notch for them to leave a legacy.”
Moore (16 goals, 11 assists), junior Lily Martinez (9 goals, 5 assists), freshman Daniella Berruti (8 goals, 6 assists), sophomore Samantha Austin (8 goals, 3 assists) and O’Neill (8 goals, 2 assists) were leading scorers. Sophomore goalie Ana Djurasovic also excelled, withstanding 11 shots on goal by Springfield (26-2-1) and four by St. Ignatius (19-9-1), which beat Peoria Notre Dame 1-0 for the state title Saturday.
The Roadrunners also made history by beating ESCC rival St. Viator for the first time, 2-0, April 30.
“The four years I’ve been here, I’ve never been on a team that’s so close,” Strnic said. “Those [playof f wins] stood out to me the most. We really started to play as a team and play for what we’ve worked for the entire year.”
LTHS boys volleyball
The Lions reached the state quarterfinals last year with a rousing three-set victory over rival Oak Park and River Forest in the sectional final.
In an even tighter postseason rematch, the Lions lost to the Huskies 25-19, 22-25, 26-24, May 31, in the Hinsdale Central Sectional semifinals.
“It really was an incredible game. I felt like we played an amazing game, yet we came up just short,” LTHS senior libero Vaughn Guilfoile said. “We could have just as easily come out on top. But that’s the way the game goes sometimes.”
“It was a great back-and-forth match between two strong programs,” said LTHS coach Brad Skendzel. “We had opportunities and leads in the third set and to pull away and we were unable to.”
The Lions (29-9), the sectional’s No. 5 seed, had focused on gradual and steady improvement this season. They had nine returnees from the 2024 state roster but graduated several key starters.
In West Suburuban Conference Silver play, the Lions had lost to top-seeded ORPF 25-20, 25-21 after a 7-0 start, but that also was back on April 8.
“We felt we were playing way better volleyball than when we played them in April so we were pretty confident in our ability to pull it off,” Guilfoile said. “I think we were successful in a sense of how much we have grown as a team. With a few lineup tweaks and a lot
BILL
of good practices, by the end of the year we knew we were one of the strongest teams in the state.”
The Lions graduate eight seniors but return junior outside hitter Brody Lee-Caracci, who earned second-team all-state honors from the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association and All-WSC Silver.
“Our senior class has always played together. As close as they were with each other as a class, they always made sure our underclassmen were included. They were super-determined to win but they also made sure that everybody was having fun,” Lee-Caracci said.
“I knew a bunch of the [OPRF] kids and it was great to play against them. It was an unfortunate ending for sure but everybody played super-well.”
Before the loss, the Lions won nine straight since a three-set loss to state runner-up Glenbard West, May 13. The streak included a pair of two-set wins over rival Hinsdale Central, the second 25-8, 25-23 in the sectional quarterfinals, May 29.
OPRF lost in the sectional final to No 2-seed Sandburg, which lost in the state quarterfinals to fourth-place O’Fallon. The Lions’ other losses included Sandburg and Downers Grove North twice and state quarterfinalist Wheaton Warrenville South once in three meetings.
“We had multiple lineups to try and find our most consistent play. I believe this was a large reason for our success, knowing that we could interchange players and roles,” Skendzel said.
STONE
Brook eld’s Barnes catches up with Nazareth softball
Four-year starter to play at St. Francis; Mullen helps Fenwick to sectional
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
One seemingly inconspicuous area of the Nazareth Academy softball field became home for senior catcher Emme Bar nes
“I always put my [softball] bag right next to the trash can in the corner,” Barnes said. “There’s kind of just this corner that everyone knows is the Emme corner.”
The Brookfield resident has been a mainstay for the Roadrunners over four seasons as a varsity starter, going from third base in 2022 to catcher to logging every inning as catcher this season.
Barnes was among several veterans who had an emotional ending Friday in a 3-2 loss to St. Laurence in the Class 3A St. Laurence Sectional finals. The Roadrunners (16-16), the sectional’s No. 3 seed, appeared enroute to a second straight trip to the supersectional. Then the top-seeded Vikings (23-7) scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Last season, Nazareth lost to Fenwick 2-1 in the supersectional after edging St. Laurence 1-0 in the sectional final.
“I really thought we were [advancing F riday]. Great teams, both of us. It was a great g ame, just like last year,” Barnes said.
“We we re li ke, ‘O K guys. We have to ke ep our ener gy up. This is still a fight we have to win. Maybe g ot a little nervous at the end, definitely. I think we c alled three timeouts in the [s eventh] i nning S ometimes that’s j ust wh at happens.”
didn
Na zareth’s catcher Emme Ba rnes (64) receives a pitch from Annabella Ry chetsky agai nst Fe nw ick dur ing the Class 3A Benedictine Univ ersity Super Sectional, June 3, 2024 in Li sle.
Barnes will play at the University of St. Francis, where older brother Noah plays football. She had a .262 batting average this season with three home runs and
21 runs batted in. Barnes was part of a solid group up the middle with the team’s other three returning star ters — senior pitcher Annabella “Bama” Rychetsky (.396, 6 HR, 26 RBIs, 15-12 as pitcher, 2.48 earned-run average, 227 strikeouts in 178 innings), senior center fielder and leadof f hitter Kennedy Joe (.427, 3 HR, 19 RBIs, 32 runs, 25 stolen bases) and senior shortstop Rita Hynes (HR, 5 RBIs). Rychetsky will play at Williams Colle ge Barnes, Rychetsky and Joe also were the team’s All-East Suburban Catholic Conference selections and Hynes received honorable mention. Otherwise, the Roadrunners started one junior,
three sophomores, and a freshman Friday.
“This [season] was special. It’s just something was different, our confidence in each other,” Barnes said. “We’re all best friends, me and Bama, everyone just played for each other. We were a unit. You could even see with just our energ y. We’re all losing our voices. The energy was untouchable. We went down but I know the bus ride [back] we’re all going to be happy.”
The Roadrunners had new head coach Chrissy Johnson and new assistants. Johnson was the for mer junior varsity coach who previously was varsity coach at Niles West for seven seasons.
“[What helped was] our never-quit attitude, putting in the work at practice and just the fight that they had throughout the season. If we lost a game, we learned from it,” Johnson said. “We fought that whole game [Friday]. We had runners on and scored when we were in scoring position. Bama pitched a heck of a game. Our defense fought and fought. They just got some timely hits in the seventh and it
ent ahead 2-0 in the top of the sixth on a two-out, two-run single agan Dr ye after Mor ga n Rychetsky singled and eg er provided a sacri-
St. Laurence scored the winning run on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly for the second out. The inning began with two singles, the second on a bad hop. As the tying run ow home, the batter continued to second base and was called safe ich would have been the
kings advanced to the state semiMontini Catholic 6-2 in Monday’s supersectional.
eryone knows how hard I az,” Barnes said. “I j ust eryone knows, all of my teammates, how hard I wo rked for them, my oaches, my p ast teammates. Everyone has stuck with me. T hey ’re in my heart and I always left it out on the field.”
Fenwick softball
Senior and four-year varsity star ter Molly Mullen of Riverside will always have her 2024 Class 3A third-place medal with the Fenwick softball team.
“My favorite memory is going downstate last year,” Mullen said. “It is definitely an experience I will never forget.”
T he F riars (13-12) achieved another strong p ostseason r un until losing to Montini Catholic 12-3 in the C lass 3A Montini Sectional semifinal T hursd ay after winning b oth of their re g ular- season meeting s.
Mullen played first base and usually was No. 7 or 8 in the batting order. She will attend St. Mary’s Colle ge (South Bend, Ind.) to study nursing.
Montini (19-17) lost 6-2 to St. Laurence in Monday’s supersectional. One of Mullen’s favorite victories was 9-8 at St. Laurence, May 8, after the Friars trailed 8-6 and lost their April 14 meeting 15-2.
“In the top of the seventh, we score three runs to go ahead, took the field and held on for the victory,” Mullen said. “It was an awesome win for the team as St. Laurence has always been a rival of ours.”
STEVE JOHNSTON
EMME BARNES
LEGAL NOTICE
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS
Case Number 2026-0002
Public Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) of the Village of River Forest, County of Cook, State of Illinois, on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. in the First Floor Community Room of the River Forest Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois on the following matter:
Diamond in the Ruff of River Forest, Inc. is seeking a Special Use Permit to establish a facility for Pet care (except veterinary) services in the C-1 Commercial District, in the existing building at 7355 North Avenue, in River Forest, Illinois.
Section 10-18-4 of the Village Code provides the Zoning Board jurisdiction to hold public hearings and offer recommendations to the Village Board concerning applications for a Special Use Permit.
The legal description of the property at 7355 North Avenue is as follows:
LOT 3 IN BLOCK 3 IN ROSSELLS
BONNIE BRAE ADDITION TO RIVER FOREST, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF THE NORTH HALF OF THE EAST HALF OF THE NORTHEAST QUARTER OF SECTION 1, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, (EXCEPTING FROM THE WEST 33 FEET AND THE SOUTH 33 FEET THEREOF DEEDED TO THE VILLAGE OF RIVER FOREST FOR STREET PURPOSES) IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS
All interested persons will be given the opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. For public comments to be considered by the Zoning Board of Appeals and Village Board of Trustees in their decision, they must be included as part of the public hearing record. Interested persons can learn more about how to participate in the hearing by visiting www.vrf.us/guides/guide/ DevelopmentGuide
Sincerely,
Clifford Radatz Secretary, Zoning
Board of Appeals
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
CALENDAR NUMBER� 11�25�Z
HEARING DATE� July 2, 2025 TIME� 7�00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits
LOCATION OF HEARING� Room 201 �Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302
APPLICATION� The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicant, The Economy Shop, seeking a variance from Article 7�7�15�D� �3� of the Oak Park Sign Code allowing a sign to be painted directly on the building’s north exterior façade located at the premises commonly known as 103 S Grove Avenue, Illinois, Property Index Number 16�07� 305�012�0000 �“Subject Property”) in the DT�2 Sub-District of Downtown.
A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8�30 a.m. and 5�00 p.m.
All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a cross-examination form or by emailing Zoning@oak-park.us before 5�00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.
The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.
Published in Wednesday Journal, June 11, 2025
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
CALENDAR NUMBER� 12�25�Z
HEARING DATE� July 2, 2025 TIME� 7�00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits LOCATION OF HEARING� Room 201 �Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302
APPLICATION� The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicant, Andrew R. Vidikan and Lia H. Daniels, seeking a variance from Section 4.3 �Table 4�1� Residential Districts Dimensional Standards) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance requiring that the maximum building coverage for the lot shall not exceed 1635 square feet �40%� to construct a two-story addition to the existing residence and construct a coach house on the property.
The proposed building coverage is 1,845 square feet �43.67%� at the property commonly known as 308 S Kenilworth Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index
Number 16�07�319�003�0000
(“Subject Property”), in the R�5 Two-family Zoning District.
A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8�30 a.m. and 5�00 p.m.
All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a cross-examination form or by emailing Zoning@ oak-park.us before 5�00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.
The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.
Published in Wednesday Journal, June 11, 2025
NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS 24-14982 SCHROEDER PARK SPLASH PAD
Notice is hereby given to potential Bidders that the Broadview Park District will be receiving sealed bids for the Site Improvements at Schroeder Park Splash Pad located at 2600 South 13th Avenue, Broadview, IL 60155. IDNR Project # OS 25-2581. The Project is being financed, in part, with funds from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, “Open Space Lands Acquisition & Development” (OSLAD) grant program.
The scope of this project is as follows and identified in the document.
1. Demolition/Removal
2. Grading/Drainage/Water Service
3. Electrical and plumbing
4. Concrete
5. Splash Pad Development
6. Site Furnishings
7. Fencing
and rejected. The Owner will require the successful bidder to furnish a satisfactory Performance and Materials Bond for the total contract amount. Once submitted, no bids will be withdrawn without written consent from the Owner’s Attorney.
MBE/FBE PARTICIPATION
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
8. Landscape Plantings & Restoration
9. Alternate: Synthetic Turf
Specifications may be obtained beginning at 10:00 AM on June 11, 2025 through the BHFX planroom, https://www.bhfxplanroom.com between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M., Monday through Friday. A non-refundable fee will be charged for each requested bid package. See BHFX’s planroom for the cost of both a printed copy and PDF download, or $65.00 for only a PDF download.
Each bid must be placed in a sealed envelope clearly marked “Sealed Bid: Schroeder Park Splash Pad” and addressed to the Broadview Park District, 2600 S. 13th Avenue, Broadview, IL 60155, Attention: Darion Hills, Executive Director. Bids will be received until 2:00 P.M. on June 10, 2025, at which time the bid proposals will be publicly opened and read aloud at 2600 S. 13th Avenue, Broadview, IL 60155.
The Park District Board of Commissioners reserves the right to waive all technicalities, to accept or reject any or all bids, to accept only portions of a proposal and reject the remainder. Failure to make such a disclosure will not result in accrual of any right, claim or cause of action by any Bidder against the Broadview Park District. Bids shall not include federal excise tax or state sales tax for materials and equipment to be incorporated in, or fully consumed in the performance of, the Work.
The Broadview Park District encourages minority contractors to submit bids for this project. The successful contractor is encouraged to utilize minority businesses as sub-contractors for supplies, equipment, services, etc.
Questions will be answered in the form of written addenda and provided to all Bidders, as per State of Illinois statutes. Submit questions regarding the bid in writing to sarah.dreier@jsdinc. com, no later than 3:00 p.m. on June 20, 2025
Published in Forest Park Review June 11, 2025
US BANK TRUST NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR VRMTG ASSET TRUST
Plaintiff vs. UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF WILLIE G. HENRY; FLORENCETTA HENRY; TCF NATIONAL BANK; ANITA HENRY; COURTNEY HENRY; EBONEE HENRY; MERCEDES HENRY; TIARA HENRY; JACK LYDON, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF WILLIE G. HENRY; UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF FLORENCETTA HENRY, IF ANY; UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON RECORD CLAIMANTS; Defendant 17 CH 13529 CALENDAR 61 NOTICE OF SALE
An Exemption Certificate will be furnished by the Broadview Park District on request of the Bidder, for use in connection with this Project only.
The Work of this Project is subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq. A prevailing wage determination has been made by the Broadview Park District which is the same as that determined by the Illinois Department of Labor for public works projects in Cook County.
A Certified or Cashier’s check payable to the Owner, or a Bid Bond in an amount equal to Ten Percent (10%) of the total bid amount must accompany each bid. In addition, each Bidder shall submit a proof of insurance demonstrating the Bidders insurability. Failure to provide a Bid Bond or proof of insurance shall render the bid incomplete
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION ATHENE ANNUITY & LIFE ASSURANCE COMPANY Plaintiff vs. UNKNOWN HEIRS OF JOYCE A. ROBINSON, CITY OF CHICAGO, CAPITAL ONE, N.A. SUCCESSOR IN INTEREST TO CAPITAL ONE BANK (USA), N.A., MIDLAND FUNDING LLC, RONALD ROBINSON, JUVONA ROBINSON, AMIR MOHABBAT AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendant 23 CH 1793 CALENDAR 59 NOTICE OF SALE
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on July 21, 2025, at the hour 11:00 a.m., Intercounty’s office, 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, IL 60602, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 15-09-315-063-0000. Commonly known as 635 Rice Avenue, Bellwood, IL 60104. The real estate is: single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: At sale, the bidder must have 10% down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.
For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Codilis & Associates, P.C., 15W030 North Frontage Road. Suite 100, Burr Ridge, IL 60527. (630) 794-5300. 14-23-01315 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3267950
PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on July 21, 2025, at the hour 11:00 a.m., Intercounty’s office, 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, IL 60602, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 15-17-113-013-0000. Commonly known as 236 N. FOREST AVE., HILLSIDE, IL 60162. The real estate is: single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: At sale, the bidder must have 10% down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.
For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Law Offices of Ira T. Nevel, 175 North Franklin Street, Suite 201, Chicago, Illinois 60606. (312) 357-1125. 2300555
