dispensary case heads to board vote on June 22
Neighbors say the development goes against residents’ wishes
Village unveils homegrown art for the Brook eld Shops
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Community members gathered on Friday, June 12, at the Brookfield Shops by Eight Cor ners for the unveiling of a second round of locally created paintings commissioned by the village.
Twelve paintings by five artists were showcased at the event, centering on
two themes: the “Art of Home” and “Stories from Brookfield.” The first prompt asked artists to interpret the meaning of
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Brookfield village trustees are expected to take a final vote on June 22 that will determine whether applicants can proceed with their plan to bring a cannabis dispensary to the corner of Ogden Avenue and Dubois Boulevard
Trustees at their committee of the whole meeting on Monday, June 8, ag reed to put the application for a special use permit, which is required to open a dispensary anywhere in Brookfield, up to a vote at their next re gular meeting.
TODD BANNOR
Art work unveiled at the Art Unveiling & Creative Showcase at the Brook eld Shops on June 12.
Thursday, June 25 • 7pm 19th Century Club • 178 N. Forest Ave, Oak Park
LIFE AFTER THE BROADVIEW 6
A Community Conversation
Join Oak Park Trustee Brian Straw and attorney Chris Parente for a candid conversation about the Broadview 6 case, the dismissal of all remaining charges, and the personal, legal, and civic impact of a prosecution that drew national attention.
THURSDAY, JUNE 25 AT 7 PM
Moderated by veteran journalist Charlie Meyerson, the discussion will explore what happened, what was learned, and what comes next. Free and open to the public. Brian Straw
19th Century Club (178 N. Forest Ave., Oak Park)
Czech painter will bring a mural to Devat Auto Service
BNSF riders will have a new ar t piece to view on their way through Riverside
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
A painter from the Czech Republic is set to create a mural on the blank back wall of Devat Auto Service, for merly Jeff ’s Auto Garage, later this summer.
Monika Hubackova, co-owner of the business alongside her husband, Ladislav Devat, said they decided they wanted to better advertise their business by taking advantage of the back wall that faces the BNSF railroad tracks, which now only houses white paint.
Hubackova said the mural will be based on a beloved Polish cartoon at the recommendation of Miroslav Přidal, the Czech artist she’s contacted to design and paint it. She said she and her husband initially wanted a different cartoon that is more popular in the Czech Republic.
“He used to live here in Chicago, so he knows Chicago. I think he left the country in 2009,” she told the Landmark. “He told me, ‘Forget this, what you’re telling me, what you want to have there.’ There is another one, similar, an old cartoon, which Polish people know, too, and everybody from the Czech Republic, or whoever is coming on the train, they’re going to see it and know it.”
She said the initial idea drew on the strong historic ties between the greater area around Riverside and the Czech community, but Přidal’s design will allow them to appeal to a wider audience, including the significant Polish population in Chicago and the surrounding area.
Hubackova said the final design for the mural, which members of the village board previewed on Thursday, June 4, was drawn by Přidal onto a photo she sent him of the white back wall of the business.
“Now, we’re waiting,” she said. “We need him to confirm when he can come. He said sometime in August, but I don’t know.”
At that June 4 meeting, trustees approved an application from Devat and Hubackova for a $5,000 grant as part of the village’s facade improvement program.
The program allows any business downtown to apply for funding for half of the costs of improvements to the public-fac-
COURTESY OF THE VILL AG E OF RIVERSIDE
is mural design will be painted on the back of Devat Auto Serv ice sometime in August by Czech painter Miroslav Přidal, according to ow ner Monika Hubackova.
ing portion of its building, whether that’s new signs, paint, masonry or something else. Each project is eligible for up to $5,000 in funding, and each business has a $10,000 lifetime maximum.
“The village said they’re so happy” about the mural, Hubackova said. “They said we can start anytime, and they just need one signature.”
She said she and her husband have operated the auto body shop at 20 E. Quincy St. since 2023, though they only changed its name recently, having continued with the Jeff ’s Auto Garage name.
“We decided to change the name because we bought [the shop] in January. We used to rent it from Jeff and pay rent, and now we are the owners,” Hubackova said. “My husband, he’s actually got over 30 years of experience. He went to school in the Czech Republic. He knows how to fix all kinds of cars … He used to work for somebody, and then with his partner in Evan-
ston, and then he decided to do it on his own. We’d been looking for an auto shop closer to our house, and we found this one.”
Hubackova said she’s lived in the area since 1998, when she began working as a server at a Czech restaurant in Berwyn. After 18 years, the owners retired, and she took over for a few years until she shifted gears to run the auto shop alongside her husband.
“I used to serve food for people from Riverside. I didn’t even know I was going to be here with my husband,” she said.
She said she is excited to have the mural be completed by the end of the summer and that the village has been nothing but helpful in moving the project along
“We really like that the village is cooperating, and they like the ideas,” she said. “I like this town; we are so happy to be here. It was hard to find a good location, and it’s close to downtown. It’s a historical town. I love it. It reminds me of my country.”
2026 NEWSWELL
ARTS IN RIVERSIDE
Bujan looking forward to challenge at Riverside Arts Center
New gallery director sta ty engagement
By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter
Ivan Bujan is a firm believer that art can bring people together.
“I believe that art has a very special function in our society, where it can allow us to think about questions or feel feelings that politics and news cannot necessarily tackle the way art can,” said Bujan, who will begin his tenure as Riverside Arts Center new gallery director Aug. 10, succeeding Joanne Aono. The center is located 32 E. Quincy St.
“Art can make us feel a certain way and then kind of producing a change or rais ing questions that language not,” he said. “The question is, that produce and what can that create us as a viewer but then on a in society? What kind of co can we tackle or what kind of it provoke?”
Aono, who has served as gallery director since 2021 and has worked with the organization since 2016 and will remain as an exhibitions committee volunteer, said Bujan is the right person at the right time.
“I think he brings a fresh line that will expand what the Riverside Arts Center has,” Aono said. “His connections are broad-reaching and diverse, not only in the academic sector, but different elements of the art community”
Bujan is a researcher, educator and cu-
rator with a back ground in g ender and sexuality studie s, and perf or mance studie s. He teaches at DePaul and the School of the Ar t Institute in Chicago, where he mentors emerging artists and scholars at
the i ntersection of performanc e, visual c ulture and social practic e. He has a doctorate from Northwestern and master ’s de grees from b oth New Yo rk Unive rsit y and Central European Unive rsit y.
“I am so excited for Ivan to be here, bec ause Ivan is really a ‘yes, and’ person to me,” Rive rside Arts C enter executive director A nn Filmer said. “I f eel li ke Ivan leans i nto ‘yes’ and then figures out how he c an make that wo rk , or even, ‘yes and let’s investi gate that.’ I think that s pirit is really wonderful. ”
O riginally from Croatia, Bujan has live d in the Chicago area since 2014, and said his new role checks all the b oxes fo r him personally.
“What initially attracted me to this position is it brings to g ether seve r al of my p assions … art, activism, social chang e and c ommunity eng agement,” he said.
“This is something I have b een active ly pursuing in academia. ” that end, his new job will be a seamless extension of his wo rk at DePaul and the School of the Art Institute. teaching,” he said. “I really enjoy teaching young minds and I like to give them tools to become responsible citizens by using art and functions of artists of social ustice. I help them grow though different ypes of assignments in the classroom, and I them critical vocabularies that they an use (for) how they would inform the are.”
curatorial vision for Riverside enter is diverse and will add to exke “What’s The Story,” which unday and explores how five pple with the ongoing compulsion to tell stories.
“How to open up RAC to wider audiences, eople to come in the door, either in the allery space or take classes,” he said of his “not as passive consumers, or coming nto the space where they are talked down to, ut rather as active participants. My vision on the one hand is, honor the tradition but with a fresh lens.”
He also tipped his hat to Aono for her guidance in the onboarding process
“She has been very generous about how she has been running the program the last couple of years,” he said. “I’m just really appreciative of her openness and willingness to bring me in, to allow me to understand how RAC has b een operating but also giving me a chance to do things dif ferently. ”
As an educator, it ’s no surprise that Buj an is cerebral w hen it comes to his wo rk and p assions, wh ich he p lans to bring to his new role as g allery director. Fo r example, when asked by a re porter whether art i tself creates c ommon ground fo r p eople, he thought for a few moments and ag reed, but with an important cave at .
“What I f eel is more important is to move p eople,” he said, “a movement toward a chang e. It c an be a movement toward thinking c ollective ly, it c an be a movement toward how do we care for another.”
GREGG VOSS
Ivan Bujan
ARTS IN RIVERSIDE
Riverside Arts Weekend takes a village
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
If you were in downtown Riverside this past weekend, it would have been hard to miss the white tents that took over Guthrie Park and the surrounding area south of the Riverside train station.
Featuring live music, food and numerous artists peddling their creations, the annual Riverside Arts Weekend festival was in full swing by Saturday morning, attracting residents to enjoy the weather and poke around vendors’ tents filled with their own art.
Charlotte Zia, the president and treasurer of the event’s board of directors, said the work for each year’s arts weekend begins in October of the previous year.
so that we have people of all sorts of different expertise, but everybody’s a volunteer,” she told the Landmark. “We decide on what we want to do different and [how] to improve upon it starting in the fall, and then we just dive in. Most of the work happens from January to now.”
Zia said she started as a volunteer during the event before becoming part of the planning committee around 2018. Then, starting in 2021, she came on as the head of the organization, leading the effort each year to pull Riverside Arts Weekend off without a hitch.
“I get to sit here and look at that beautif ul building in this nice park. at was a main reason that drew me.”
ERIN BRIE Ar tist
“We have a committee It’s not just me. We’re trying to build it out
This year, the event featured more artists than ever with about 75, Zia said. Other new additions this year included a tent for authors to sign and sell their books in place of visual art.
Every year, the group collaborates with the Riverside Art Center,
she added, for a children’s art activity. “We like to say, they’re 365 days a year, and we’re elevating the arts for the weekend,” she said. “We also do a community art project each year. We do something that’s very Riverside, and we invite members of the community to lend their artistic talent to whatever the piece is. This year, it’s oars, like paddles.”
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RIVERSIDE ARTS
from page 5
In previous years, instead ofoars, they’ve asked residents to paint wreaths, planters, birdhouses, bikes, benches and even statues of coyotes or swans, Zia said.
my return back to Chicago. I started this in Florida. In 2012, I wanted to try [coming] back home for a year, and this was my very first show,” Horan said. “There are several websites that have art shows and the application processes. I was like, ‘OK, Riverside, I know the area.’ My grandparents lived in Brookfield, so I’ve been coming to Brookfield all my life.”
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For some artists, like leatherworker Angela Erickson, this year’s Riverside Arts Weekend was their first. Erickson said was approached by one of the members of the organization to participate.
Artist Erin Brie, who has been attending for about five years to sell her pieces re purposing old textiles, said she initially wanted to participate due to her love of Riverside.
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“She picked up my card from a different event. She sent me an email last year and then sent me it again this year,” Erickson said. “I think it’s pretty awesome that it’s in a park with trees, and there seems to be a very good, diverse collection ofartists. I haven’t got to walk around, but from what I’ve seen, there’s not a lot of repeat styles.”
Other artists, like Brian P. Horan, have been coming to Riverside Arts Weekend for years. Horan, who sells what he described as reverse hand-painted photography — that is, he takes photos and digitally removes the color from all but one focal point, like a tree’s vibrant leaves — said he’s been coming each year since 2012.
“This was actually my first show after
“I love the historic nature of it. I have a master’s [de gree] in historic preservation and restoration from the Art Institute … It blends both things I love. I get to sit here and look at that beautiful building in this nice park That was a main reason that drew me,” she said. “Also because it’s a locally run art show. I do some corporation art shows, those are expensive.”
Zia said her favorite part ofRiverside Arts Weekend is being able to interact with all of the artists, new or returning, in one place.
“I window shop for two days, and then I dive in at the last minute when I have time,” she said. “We always try to have a whole variety ofmusic. We always try to push the envelope a little bit. Part ofour goal is really to give more exposure to the arts.”
Riverside Arts Weekend
Improvements could come to Fairview triangle site
Benches, bike racks and landscaping are proposed for a $7,500 grant
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Brookfield may spend a $7,500 reimbursable grant from the Illinois Realtors Association on placemaking improvements for the tip of the triangle property at 8921 Fairview Ave.
Village trustees on June 8 considered a proposal for the grant — which Michael Bailey, the organization’s governmental af fairs director, said has already been set aside for Brookfield — that could bring one or two benches, a bike rack, new landscaping and possibly a new sign to the corner of the property where Fairview and Brookfield avenues intersect.
“We have noticed a lot of economic development as well as opportunities to partner with the village. In discussing and meeting with village staf f, we’ve seen a willingness to work together,” Bailey said of Illinois Realtors’ decision to grant the village this funding.
He said the project was proposed and sponsored by Kenya Williams, a Realtor who lives in Brookfield.
While members of the village board seemed excited about some parts of the proposal, others, notably the suggestion for a sign, drew criticism due to the village’s ongoing effor ts to renew its branding materials. Several trustees expressed concerns that adding a sign could take the project out of the proposed reimbursable budget.
“I find it hard to imagine, knowing what other projects have cost, that we would
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get a sign and all these things in here for $7,500,” Village President Michael Garvey said.
The proposal included a rendering of what the area could look like after the improvements are made that includes three benches and extensive landscaping at the corner, which Trustee Jennifer Hendricks criticized.
“When things like this go out to the public and go out in the Landmark and are shown around town, and that’s not what’s installed, I think it erodes the public’s trust in us as a village,” she said. “What is shown and what’s in the proposal can’t be done for $7,500.”
Some members of the board and village staf f suggested alternate areas that the pre-approved $7,500 grant could go toward improving instead. Trustee Kit Ketchmark said the funding could pay for new benches outside the Grossdale train station that houses Brookfield’s historical society while Assistant Village Manager Stevie Ferrari said it could facilitate the village’s planned project to improve Creekside Park with custom-painted benches made from reused wind turbines.
Bailey said there would be a chance of about 50% on whether he would be able to get the officers in charge of the grant funding to allow it to be used on another location than the one that they had already approved.
After much discussion, the board agreed to have Bailey look into whether targeting another location would be possible before bringing the idea back for another discussion as to where to improve and how to do so
8921 Fair view Ave, Brook eld
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A century of Goldyburgers
‘Never had a bad one’ for that long is saying something
By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Eats Reporter
When Michael Sullivan bought Goldyburgers in 1981, he became only the second owner of this now century-old institution at 7316 Circle Ave. in Forest Park. The Goldstein family opened it in 1926, during Prohibition, when serving alcohol was illegal.
“Everybody was paid off, I suppose, in those days,” Sullivan said.
Serve alcohol they did. Originally an ornate wooden bar ran down the wall in the front room. The back room, where the current bar is, was the Goldstein’s family home A black and white photo shows Barney and Joe Goldstein waiting to serve customers. And if you look closely, you can see numbers on an awning behind them.
“This is a 26 game,” he said. Indicating a popular Chicago-created dice game that
was played in bars from the 1910s throug the 1950s. “You’ll see it in old TV shows, Th Untouchables They used to put a girl behind there and you’d roll dice and win drinks and food.”
Once the Volsted Act was repealed and Prohibition ended, things kept jumping Goldyburgers.
“When beer came back, they tore the house out and they used to have bands and dancing. It was a big open room. It was quite the plac in the day,” he said.
The Goldstein’s menu was more extensive than today, serving steaks and lobster, but the burgers have remained a constant. Their motto: “never had a bad one.” Those continue as the restaurant’s watchwords today.
Burgers are a big part of the menu, along with a dozen other sandwiches and a variety of salads. Fried food complements those entrees, including an “armadillo egg,” which
Original ow ners, the Goldstein family
is a breaded and fried jalapeno, wrapped in cheddar cheese. Shrimp baskets and a Friday fish fry round out the offerings
The most often ordered appetizer is “probably the cheese balls,” Michael’s son, Mick Sullivan, said. “On a very rare occasion we run out of them. You tell a table that we’re out and it’s like you shot their dog.”
Mick and Michael run the place to gether these days. Another family member, Bailey Sullivan, is also in the food biz. She is executive chef at Chicago’s Monteverde restaurant and also a contender for the 2026 James Beard award for emerging chef
Back in the ‘80s Forest Park had a builtin customer base that extended beyond its borders. “When I bought this place, there were no bars in Oak Park,” Michael Sullivan said of the neighboring town’s dry legacy. “Forest Park has always been a great bar and restaurant town. It’s where you could get a drink.”
Soon after the purchase, Sullivan wanted to convert what was a vacant gas station next door into a beer garden, but Forest Park wasn’t ready to go that far.
“It was like maybe ’82. They wouldn’t let me serve alcohol out there, so I opened it anyhow. I cleaned it up and had a place for people to sit, but I was calling it my root beer garden,” he said. After about a year the village relented and “we were the first beer garden in Forest Park.”
Over the decades, Goldyburgers has burnished into a local institution. “It’s basi-
cally a family restaurant and sports bar. We get customers from people in their 90s down to newborn babies. We’ve got our good group of re gulars. It keeps things lively,” he said. “The nicest people come in here. You get everybody, a lot of doctors, lawyers, trades people. We get the gamut. What’s really nice about this business is the people you get to meet along the way. I’s just a real nice community around here.”
Sullivan never imagined that he’d be carrying the Goldstein’s creation over the century mark.
“They were a wonderful family that had it for 55 years, which I thought was nuts that anybody was in this business for that long.,” he said. “And now I got 45 in it myself, so time flies when you’re having fun.”
A recent proclamation by the village of Forest Park celebrated the century in business and suggested that this establishment is one of the oldest burger joints in the entire Chicago area. For more than a hundred years, it’s a comforting thought that there’s always Goldys and you’ll never get a bad burger.
Here’s to the second centur y: 7316 Circle Avenue, Forest Park
Hours: Monday-Wednesday, 5 p.m. – 1 a.m. Thursday-Sunday, 11:45 a.m. – 1 a.m.
RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR
Michael & Mick Sullivan
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DISPENSARY
Neighbor concerns from page 1
The decision followed a presentation from Tanya Griffin, whose consulting firm Water + Trees was unsuccessful in bringing a cannabis shop to the corner of 31st Street and Park Avenue earlier this year Grif fin has now partnered with IC Collective, a cannabis grower based in Illinois, to bring its first ever vertically inte grated dispensary to Brookfield.
Griffin emphasized, as she did when presenting her case to Brookfield’s planning and zoning commission in May, that the project will involve redeveloping the unused parcels at 9500-08 Ogden Ave., putting in 18 parking spots and revitalizing the dilapidated building with raised roofs and a more moder n exterior facade
lage staf f re garding possibly paving the alleyway.
During Griffin’s presentation, Trustee Kit Ketchmark asked whether notices had been sent out to nearby residences and businesses about the plans for the dispensary, as there was no signed affidavit included in the board’s agenda packet for the meeting.
While Griffin answered affirmatively, members of the audience who later identified themselves as neighbors to the parcel in question shook their heads, and several gave public comment asserting they did not receive notices ahead of the meeting
Resident Vick y Carathanassis, who lives on Dubois Boulevard, said she felt the immediate community of residents sur rounding the proposed location was not given the chance to provide input on the plans for the site
“It’s super important to me, as it is to Jordan [Levinson, owner of IC Collective], to be your neighborhood dispensary. That means that we’re not only serving the residents of Brookfield, but we are opening our doors to LaGrang e, for example, and bringing that business to the community,” Griffin said.
“We will be facing more tra c, more speeding, more loud noise from the building, reduced parking.”
VICKY CA RATHANASSIS Neighbor
At that meeting on May 28 meeting, commissioners criticized the existing architectural design for feeling closed of f. Griffin made mention at the June 8 meeting of incorporating more windows into the facade, including along Dubois Boulevard. She said she would work closely with village staf f to finalize an exterior design, with hopes to put branded signage on two opposing sides of the building.
Trustees asked whether the business would make use of the northerly alley to assist ingress and egress from the parking lot due to traffic on Ogden Avenue making left turns in or out difficult. If so, traffic would likely be directed east to Dubois Boulevard, where a stoplight controls traffic heading onto Ogden.
“They have the le g al right to access the alley, as any business does,” Village Manager Tim Wiberg said. He said no discussions have been held involving vil-
“I remember all the visioning meetings we had for this location. Brookfield asked residents what they wanted to see here, and they overwhelmingly voiced a desire for a grocery store, a daycare, a coffee shop, even, or mixed-use retail and homes,” she said.
Carathanassis, a Lutheran minister, said she felt compelled by her profession to speak up for her neighbors, many of whom could not attend the 6:30 p.m. meeting due to work schedules
“We will be facing more traffic, more speeding, more loud noise from the building, reduced parking. Our property values are projected to decrease from this, and yet, not a single plan is in place to return anything to this area in exchange,” she said. “It’s no secret that the southwest side of Brookfield has higher concentrations of people of color, immigrants and blue-collar workers than any other area of Brookfield does. Every single household on that street fits into one of those boxe s.”
Chris DiBraccio, who owns and operates Imperial Oak Brewing and whose f amily lives in an apar tment above the business, said he, too, did not receive notice of the meeting from the village or the petitioner. He called the proposal “incredibly short-sighted” and maligned what he perceived as a lack of village resources being invested into the area.
Drama interrupts the drudgery in 4th Congressional petition challenges
Explosive device outside candidate’s home
By BILL DWYER
Contributing Reporter
As state election officials conduct the tedious work of examining thousands of lines on nominating petitions for two independent candidates for race, Chicago law enforcement is in ing a late night bombing home of one of those Chicago Police Bomb and Ar son officers are investi explosion of what is have been a large firew side the home of 25th cago Alderman Byron SigchoLopez that occurr 12:45 a.m. Saturday.
The Sigcho Lopez said in a statement that vide surveillance showed a man ste out of an SUV, light an explosi device in front of the home the vehicle as the device explodes. A house window was shattered, reported
Sigcho-Lopez said in the statement tha the possibility of “targeted lence” would not stop his campaign Meanwhile, officials from both the SigchoLopez and Mayra Macias campaigns and the objectors to their petitions spent last Thursday and Friday working with various
election officials at the offices of the Illinois State Board of Elections in downtown Chicago, going over each individual objection to Sigcho-Lopez’s and Macias’ petitions. The two-day examination reportedly found several thousand lines on Sigcho-Lopez’s petivariety of reasons, leaving him 1,222 signatures under the required required to qualify for according to Politico
the objections to the etition signer not being regthe address shown etition sheet were susle many of the objecased on invalid signatures uled. Signatures were alidated due to the signeen found to live outoundaries of the 4th essional district. an still be challenged by ampaign. Resolution of bjection process can take into ust.
bjections to Sigcho-Loetitions have forced their eteran election lawyers to defend them.
Case management conferences will be held June 18, with a for mal hearing to be scheduled for the week of June 22-26.
OBy Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.
INFORMATION FOR ORGANIZATIONS APPLYING FOR TAX-EXEMPT STATUS
rganizations applying for tax-exempt status must be organized and operated exclusively for any of these purposes: charitable, religious, educational, scientific, literary, testing for public safety, fostering national or international amatuer sports competition, or preventing cruelty to children or animals. To apply for tax-exempt status under IRC 501(c)(3), organiztions must complete and file a Form 1023-series application. Form 1023-series applications for recognition of exemption must be submitted electronically online at Pay.gov. The application must be complete and include the user fee.
Some types of organizations don’t need to apply for Section 501(c)(3) status to be tax exempt. These include churches and their integrated auxiliaries, and public charities with annual gross receipts normally no more than $5,000.
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they don’t have any employees. An EIN is a ninedigit number the IRS assigns for tax filing and reporting purposes. An organization must include their EIN on the application. Organizations can apply for an EIN online.
The effective date of an organization’s tax-exempt status depends on their approved Form 1023. If they submit this form within 27 months after the month they legally formed, the effective date of the organization’s exempt status is the legal date of its formation. If an organization doesn’t submit this form within those 27 months, the effective date of its exempt status is the date it files Form 1023.
A charitable organization must make certain documents available to the public. These include its approved application for recognition of exemption with all supporting documents and its last three annual information returns.
B YRON SIGCHO-LOPEZ
BROOKFIELD SHOPS
Real ar t in an AI age
from page 1
home, be it a place, a memory or a feeling, through their own creative lens, while the second directed them to take inspiration from Brookfield itself.
Vivian Piña, a lifelong Brookfield resident, created a series of four paintings titled “Four Seasons” that will be displayed on the outside of the Shops structure. Each painting depicts a scene from one of the four seasons in Brookfield, she said — from residents cleaning up the town during Project NICE in spring to kids playing Little League in the summer and going to school in the fall or residents sharing a hot drink in the winter.
“I was so excited to make more pieces [of art] for Brookfield,” said Piña, who created a work inspired by Kiwanis Park in the fall during the Brookfield Shops’ first go at commissioning art. “This work took about three weeks in my attic. I really wanted to make the color palettes perfect to match each season.”
Piña said she was inspired by the breadth of activities of the community each season in Brookfield.
“I’m so happy that Brookfield is supporting local artists and human-made arts, especially in this time of AI” and artificially generated images, she added.
Artist Mary Beth Zwolfer said she lives in Palos Heights but watches her young granddaughter in Brookfield every Friday. Her two paintings, “Dreams Begin at Home” and “Home is Where Everyone is Celebrated,” feature a young child meeting a dolphin in their dreams and a scene of a resident celebrating their dog in their home, respectively.
Zwolfer said she heard about the call for artists from her daughter, who found it on social media.
“She sent me a thing that said, ‘Calling all artists,’ and I thought that meant neighborhood hobbyists. I’m not an artist; I don’t know what I am. I’m just a grandma,” she said. “I was like, ‘I’ll try.’ Last year I was like, ‘Oh my God, these are real artists.’”
ies and ar tists at the Art Unveiling & Creative Showcase at the Brook eld Shops on June 12.
selected to turn her first-draft watercolor into a full-sized painting, a medium she hadn’t yet ventured into.
“I had to go to Michael’s [arts and crafts store] and buy paint brushes and paint,” she said. “[I went] YouTube crazy! I know
how to do YouTube; I [was searching up] how to paint.”
She said her works took disparate inspirations. The first, featuring the dolphin in a dream, was inspired by her and her f amily’s visits to the Brookfield Zoo over the course of her life, she said.
She said she was shocked when she learned she’d been
I was a kid, when my kids re kids, and now with my grandgo to the zoo all the time. ust walk there, and we always go see the dolphins,” she said. Her second painting drew on her ast career as an interior designer,
“I wanted to do a room with . I wouldn’ t have those olors in my house, but it’s art,” she said. “My daughter and anddaughter have a dog, and I had to put a dog in there. he has birthday parties for their dog, so I thought, maybe some ho don’ t have kids could elebrate their dog, too.”
works were created by artists Aria Ramos, Joanna White and Haylie Skripac.
T he artists were commissioned
with stipends of up to $300 by Brookfield officials using funds granted to the village by Cook County and the Local Initiative Support Coalition. T he village used much of the grant, totaling nearly $200,000, to pave the interior courtyard at the Brookfield Shops and build out its infrastructure to turn it into a community space for shopping, gathering and perfor ming.
Libby Popovic, Brookfield’s community development director, said the village received at least 20 applications from local artists with renderings of their visions inspired by the two themes
She said it’s been “incredibly gratifying” to see the transformation of the Brookfield Shops from beginning to end with the help of the grant from LISC and the county.
“From the beginning phases through the middle, it was a little tough, and then all the way to this culmination of the actual artists here with their art is just amazing,” she said. “As they were dropping them of f at Village Hall, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, these look even better than they did on the renderings. T he renderings were great, but the actual pieces are on a different level.”
TODD BANNOR
Dignitar
TODD BANNOR
Local ar tist Vivian Pina speaks at the Art Unveiling & Creative Showcase
LICE REPO RT S
Chicago driver caught with suspended plates, license
Brookfield police ticketed a 42-year-old Chicago man on June 3 after learning his vehicle’s re gistration had been suspended
Around 9:35 p.m., an officer on patrol was driving behind a black Jeep. After running the Jeep’s license plate number, the officer learned its re gistration had been suspended due to a lack of insurance. The officer followed behind the vehicle before conducting a traffic stop on the 4200 block of Vernon Avenue.
The officer made contact with the driver, who could not provide his driver’s license or proof of insurance at the officer’s request. After “further investigating,” the officer learned the man’s license had also been suspended due to an unpaid financial obligation, according to police.
The officer issued citations to the man for driving on a suspended re gistration, operating an uninsured vehicle and driving on a suspended license. The officer provided the man with cite and release paperwork and told him he could not drive the vehicle, which had been legally parked on Vernon Avenue. The officer set a June 23 court date for the man, who was sent on his way and left the scene on foot.
Stolen cell phone
On June 1, Brookfield police responded to a report of a theft, but no one was arrested.
Around 1 a.m., an officer arrived at the 8900 block of Ogden Avenue in response to the report and spoke with a resident, who said a member of the home had his cell phone stolen by an unknown man. The resident said she had video footage capturing the incident.
In the footage that police watched, the unknown man was seen holding the phone after the owner had voluntarily handed it to him before leaving the camera’s field of view. The man continued to look at the phone before placing it in his pants pocket and leaving the field of view, police said.
The officer spoke with the phone’s owner, who said he had been talking with the other man and believed him to be friendly
He said he handed him the phone several times to show him pictures and that he only realized his phone was missing after the interaction. He said the phone did not have location services enabled to track it.
Around 9:30 p.m. that night, an officer followed up at the residence and made contact with someone from the home, who said the residents were not present to grant access to the video footage again. The person told the officer the phone had been found and returned to cleaning staf f at the residence, as it had been taken by accident.
Police made contact with the complainant over the phone after several attempts and took no further action.
These items were obtained from the Brookfield Police Department re ports dated June 1-8; they re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.
— Compiled by Stella Brown
OBITUARIES
James Ursich, 62
Brook eld Zoo maintenance
James Peter Ursich, 62, of Westchester, for merly of North Riverside, died on June 12, 2026. Born on November 10, 1963 in Chicago, he was a maintenance worker at Brookfield Zoo
Jim was the son of Marion Hughes (nee Malacina); the brother of Joseph (Teri) Ursich and Nancy Walsh; the uncle of Jason and Joey.
At the request of the family, funeral services will be private.
Arrangements were handled by Kuratko-Nosek Funeral Home, North Riverside. Online condolences, memories and photos may be shared with the family at www.KuratkoNosek.com.
John Davis, 51
Retail sales
John C. Davis, 51, of LaGrange Park, died on June 14, 2026. His family lives in Brookfield.
John was the son of the late Donnie and Margaret Davis (nee Jurkutat); the nephew of Alan Jennings, Walter Jurkutat, Albert Jurkutat, Re gina (John) Logan, Richard Jurkutat and Ruth (Joseph) Gross; cousin of Ke ziah Logan, Luke Logan, Emily Gross and Lillian Gross; and friend to many
Services and interment private.
Arrangements were handled by Hitzeman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 9445 31st St., Brookfield, IL 60513. Information 708-485-2000 or www.HitzemanFuneral.com
To run an obituary
Please contact Ken Trainor by e-mail: ktrainor@newswellchicago.org, before Monday at noon. Please include a photo if possible.
The RB Landmark is now part of NEWSWELL, a nonpro t journalism organization that provides resources, technology, and long-term support to community newsrooms across the country. This partnership strengthens our foundation while keeping everything that matters the same. Our newsroom remains local. Our staff remains in place. Our commitment to this community is unchanged. With the added support of NEWSWELL, we are better positioned than ever to continue delivering the independent, communityfocused journalism our readers rely on. Same mission. New chapter. Stronger future.
Sports
RBHS seeks growth from Summer Shootout
23rd annual NCAA Live Event brings 84 teams, 200-plus college coache s
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Guard Noah VanTholen hopes to emerge as a leader this coming season as the only returning starter for the Riverside Brookfield High School boys basketball team. The rising junior had to do so from the end of the bench Saturday.
VanTholen sprained his left ankle driving to the basket for a three-point play during the Bulldogs’ final game at their 23rd annual Summer Shootout Friday through Sunday at the high school.
“Definitely frustrating,” VanTholen said. “I was just starting to get things going, had a pretty big and-one (basket), was pretty hyped and just came down wrong.”
The NCAA live event featured 84 Illinois teams playing two games two days each with more than 200 colle ge coaches. This was the first of two weeks this month in which colle ge coaches can evaluate high-school prospects in person.
“It’s a great opportunity for all of the players who want to play in colle ge with all of the coaches,” said RBHS rising junior guard Anthony Tyler. “You get to see different types of basketball and players who are Division I, II, III, (junior college), just a great experience.”
Although the Bulldogs were 0-4, there was plenty of success in their learning curve and, as always, with the tournament’s operations. RBHS boys coach and Shootout director Mike Reingruber said roughly 100 volunteers contribute annually.
“All of the credit goes to everybody helping, all of the volunteers. It’s a group ef fort and so thankful to everyone that makes this such a special event,” Reingruber said. “The amount of thank-yous I get from people from throughout the state, it’s not possible without all of the people behind the scenes.”
The Bulldogs lost Saturday to Niles North 62-46 and Andrew 68-48 and Friday to Hyde Park 61-49 and West Aurora 65-56 in their opener.
However, this is a young group, with VanTholen, Tyler and rising senior Hunter Twitty as the only returning players with significant varsity experience. Also playing at the Shootout were rising seniors JJ Atkins, Evan Etzy and Philip Hilgenberg and rising juniors Patrick KalfasRyan, Bradley Kos, Jaimie Lopez, Wally Ottenhof f and Jaden Wzorek.
“We only have four returning seniors. We’re really inexperienced,” Tyler said. “Everyone’s figuring out their role still. People are still getting better and better every day. By the time season rolls around, we’ll be a really good team. Everyone really wants to win. That encourages me and I
kno
VanTholen was injured during the first half against Niles North after being credited for a three-point play that cut the deficit to 27-15. He still had 10 points after scoring 27 points against West Aurora, 24 against Andrew and 20 against Hyde Park
Tyler and Elzy each had nine points against West Aurora. Wrozek had eight against Niles North.
“I think we have really good pieces. We just need to come together as a group,” VanTholen said. “I did a good job scoring. I think I could have done a little bit better leading us. I don’t think I did a really good job being a true point guard, bringing us together, which is really something I need to work on.”
To increase the learning process, Reingruber said he intentionally scheduled opponents with good size and sev-
“I really enjoy playing all of the different styles, contrasting teams,” Reingruber said. “It was good to play against teams that I knew would be good and had seasoned veterans to show us what that next step looks like.”
The Bulldogs continue summer league play twice a week at Downers Grove North. They’ve played at another shootout at Batavia and have others coming at Rich Township and next week at Ridgewood, the other area NCAA live event.
“Every (Shootout) game I saw some flashes, things we need to work on,” Reingruber said. “We’ve had teams that have been 0-4 (at the Shootout) and 4-0 and went on and won 26 games, everything in between. I’m confident we’re going to have a very successful season. I think we have a growing group that’s going to continue to get better.”
IAN McLEOD
RBHS Noah Van olen navigates his way around two Niles North defenders at RBHS on June 13.
LTHS gets overtime work at Summer Shootout
Smith scores 104 points as Lions go 3-1 at 23rd annual NCAA
Live Event
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Rising junior Grant Smith controlled the overtime tipoff. Rising senior Timmy Sloan followed seconds later with a driving layup. That proved to be the winner for the Lyons Township boys basketball team in its final game, Sunday, against Plainfield East at the 23rd annual Riverside Brookfield Summer Shootout.
“We ran our high-ball screen earlier in the second half. I knew they kind of jumped it,” Sloan said. “I told the guys to kind of clear out the other side so I could just go score.”
The Lions’ 67-65 OT victory completed a 3-1 Shootout performance with Smith, Sloan and rising senior Grayson Lee as the lone returnees with significant varsity experience. Other LTHS players on the Shootout roster were rising seniors BJ Walton, Ty Smith, Jack Utne, Jack Levy, Rowen Kerr and Blake Stuck rising juniors Jett Jacklin, Riley Moore and Gabe Kolovitz and rising sophomores Quinn Carroll and Ryan DeWalt.
LTHS beat Hersey 65-50 earlier Sunday after the game was tied at 47 and on Saturday beat Thornton 69-47 and lost to Mt. Carmel 56-42 in the opener.
“Again just focusing on fundamentals on both ends,” said LTHS coach Tom Sloan. “When we do our practices in June, we don’t really do much defensive work We do mostly skills and team offense concepts. When we get into game situations, that’s where we really talk about defense. We communicated well, we were in position, we stayed in a defensive stance. The big area we can improve on is our physicality on rebounding.”
Smith was among the Shootout’s top scorers with 104 total points – a 25.1-poin t average.
Against Plainfield East, the Lions employed their full-court press and scored the last 10 points. Lee’s three tying the g ame 65-65 with 1:07 left in re gulation. Sloan’s basket was the only one in the one-minute overtime after two 20-minute halves with a r unning clock. Plainfield East missed a three with three seconds left in OT
“We just started to be more ag gressive and started to take the game into our own hands,” Timmy Sloan said. “We definitely need to be more physical and assert ourselves on the defensive end. Teams had a lot of of fensive rebounds on us, but the summer’s all about experience and I think we’re g etting a lot of good experience, especially in this tour nament.”
Smith collected 30 points against T hornton, 28 against Hersey, 24 against Plainfield East and 22 against Mt. Carmel.
Lee (16 points) and Sloan (12) also were in double figures against Plainfield East and Lee had 12 points ag ainst Hersey LTHS trailed Plainfield East 35-31 at halftime and 55-46 during the second half
“We definitely gained a lot as a group to face a g ame where we’re down and to be able to win it,” Smith said. “That’s really kind of bringing us to g ether as a group and overall we’re all just g etting better and having fun.”
T he Lions continue summer leagu e
play at Downers North and will attend the Ridgewood Shootout, another NCAA live event.
“It’s been great because a bunch of the younger guys have come in and there hasn’t been a drop of f. T hey continue to pick it up and keep the same energy and intensity,” Smith said. “Really all of the g ames have been so much fun but we do need to start moving of f the ball and being able to crash glass and work on transition and on-ball defense.”
IAN McLEOD
LTHS Ryan Dewalt busts his way to the basket in game action on June 13, at RBHS.
Posluszny, Buchman play roles in Fenwick’s spring success
So ball team nishes third in 3A; baseball team reaches 3A super-sectional
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Mckenna Posluszny of Riverside was the only senior among three captains for the Fenwick softball team this season. While junior co-captains Bella Bigham and Jordan Rossi were star ters, Posluszny proved to be a leader and motivator mostly as a reserve.
“I worked mainly on energy and kee ping heads high,” she said. “Being named co-captain was definitely such a fun and great opportunity as it showed that I was seen as someone who could lead these gi rls through the season and through wins and losses.”
The Friars certainly finished on a high note as they defeated Dunlap 1-0, June 6, to finish third in Class 3A at the state finals in Peoria. Fenwick (23-12) also finished third in 3A in 2024, but Posluszny was injured that entire season and for flag football as a junior. She retur ned to play flag football this past fall.
“Knowing (state softball) would be the best way to end my time at Fenwick, I would not have wanted it to end differently. What I will remember most is the connection we built as a team,” she said. “I would summarize this season as one of the most dedicated teams that was able to adjust quickly and work around obstacles together. We all had gotten along together so quickly that we knew it was a special team from the start.”
Usually a left fielder, Posluszny played in 14 games, contributing four runs batted in and two runs scored.
At the Benedictine University Super-Sectional, June 1, the Friars outlasted Lemont 4-3 in 12 innings to retur n downstate. In the June 8 state semifinals, they lost 9-3 to 2025 state champion Glenwood, which lost to Antioch 7-2 in this year’s state championship.
Posluszny will major in speech and hearing sciences at Iowa. She felt that the Friars’ trip to Tennessee in early April was a key to their bonding and success.
“Tennessee was an unforgettable trip where we learned a lot about each other in softball and just our everyd ay lives,” Posluszny said.
Fenwick baseball
Senior starting shortstop Johnny Buchman of Riverside took pride in usually being No. 9 in the Fenwick batting order.
“I’ve batted last my whole life,” Buchman said. “I’m just like another leadoff, a second leadoff hitter. I always get on for the top of the order.”
Unfortunately for the Friars, June 9, they were limited to five hits in their 4-0 loss to Crystal Lake South in the 3A Schaumburg Super-Sectional at Wintrust Field
After a challenging regular-season schedule, Fenwick (1421) was seeking its first downstate trip after also losing to the
Gators in its last super-sectional appearance in 2023. Crystal Lake South was fourth at the June 13 state finals.
“A lot of adversity (this season). We went through a lot of ups and downs. I didn’t even know if we would make it this far but we did,” Buchman said. “We always battled and all of the guys were here for each other. That’s how we made it this far.”
In 31 games, Buchman had a .254 batting average with 14 RBIs, two doubles and one triple. He had a team-high 10 stolen bases and defensively contributed to a team-high nine double plays.
His most memorable hit was a two-out, two-run double in the 13-3 victory over Amundsen in the Fenwick Sectional semifinals June 3.
Among 11 seniors this season, Buchman started at second base in 2025 as the lone starting junior, hitting .208 with 11 RBIs and a homer against Montini.
“We had a lot of leaders on this team that helped the younger guys get to where they are. I feel they’re in a good spot for what we did to teach them, help them and guide them,” Buchman said.
In the super-sectional, Buchman was 0-for-2 with a sacrifice bunt. Defensively, he made a great catch in short center field with his back to the infield in the sixth inning and had three assists, including an inning-ending double play in the third.
Buchman will continue playing at St. Xavier (Chicago), the NAIA program that was 35-19 this spring and reached the championship series of its Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.
“I always wanted to play baseball in colle ge. That’s been my goal my whole life and I did it,” he said.
MCKENNA POSLUSZNY
JOHNNY BUCHMAN
LEGAL NOTICE
The Village of Oak Park --Office of the Village Engineer, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302-- will receive proposals until 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 8, 2026 for Project: 26-21, Temporary Diverter Installation. Bids will be received in person at the Public Works Building at 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 and the bid opening will be held at 11:00 a.m. in the 2nd floor conference room at the Public Works Building. This contract includes the installation of sixteen temporary traffic diverters at ten intersections within the Village and all appurtenant work thereto.
Plans and proposal forms may be obtained by requesting the documents via email (Christopher.welch@oak-park. us) starting on Thursday, June 18, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue plans and specifications only to those contractors deemed qualified. No bid documents will be issued after 4:00 p.m. on the working day preceding the date of bid opening.
The work to be performed pursuant to this proposal is subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq.
THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Bill McKenna Village Engineer
Published in Wednesday Journal June 17, 2026
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT
DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE OF MINOR CHILD
STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY.
Request of Shirley Smith to change name of a minor child Case Numbe 20264002709
There will be a court date on my Request to change the name of the minor child from: Zion Terrell Pickett to the new name of: Zion Elias Smith
The court date will be held: On July 14, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Maywood Courthouse, 1500 Maybrook Drive, Maywood, Cook County, IL in Courtroom # 111.
LEGAL NOTICE
The Village of Oak Park --Office of the Village Engineer, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302-- will receive electronic proposals until 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 9th, 2026, for Project: 26-06 Pavement Preservation. Bids will be received and accepted, and bid results posted via the online electronic bid service listed below. In general, the improvements consist of various sized asphalt patches, concrete work on Austin Boulevard, crack sealing, micro-surfacing application, petroleum maltene-based rejuvenator application, and thermoplastic pavement marking removal & application, and all appurtenant work thereto. The work will take place in various locations throughout the Village of Oak Park.
Plans and proposal forms may be obtained via the electronic service starting on Thursday, June 25th, at 10:00 a.m Plans and proposal forms can be found at https://www.oakpark.us/your-government/ budget-purchasing/requestsproposals or at www.questcdn. com under login using QuestCDN number 10250430 for a non-refundable charge of $64.00. The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue plans and specifications only to those contractors deemed qualified. No bid documents will be issued after 4:00 p.m. on the working day preceding the date of bid opening. The work to be performed pursuant to this Proposal is subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq.
THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Bill McKenna Village Engineer
Published in Wednesday Journal June 17, 2026
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
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION CHARLES SCHWAB BANK, SSB Plaintiff, -v.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.
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
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
E-Mail: ilpleadings@potestivolaw. com
Attorney File No. 316583 Attorney Code. 43932 Case Number: 2025 CH 08998 TJSC#: 46-1250
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
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