Jolly Ring walds prov
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
As Riverside is working toward a referendum next year for funds to construct a new public safety building for both police and firefighters, residents have one main concern: the cost.
Including the costs of construction, “soft” costs, contingency for potential unexpected problems and price escalation due to the expected start of construction in 2028, projections show the new facility will cost Riverside $29.98 million.
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Brookfield trustees on Monday voted unanimously to approve the special use request for a dispensary located at 9500 Ogden Ave. against the wishes of public commenters who live on the residential 4000 block of Dubois Boulevard, which the property borders.
After nearly 90 minutes of discussion, including several impassioned appeals from residents on the block during three public comment periods, the village board voted 5-0 to approve the special use application, which is required to open a cannabis dispensary anywhere in Brookfield
Trustee Kyle Whitehead was absent from the meeting, but he shared a statement that Village President Michael Garvey read expressing his support for the dispensary, in line with the rest of the board’s votes. Other members of the board also explained their rationales before taking it to a vote
“I, too, live half a block from Ogden Avenue, not far from
By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter
The fiscal year 2027 budget for RiversideBrookfield High School District 208 is coming together, and while it won’t be approved by the board of education until September, it is being impacted by two TBDs: Receipt of state Evidence-Based Funds and Cook County property tax distribution.
For the moment, the district is anticipating a deficit of $223,913 for the next fiscal year based on tentative revenue and expenditures, according to a memo to the school board provided by assistant superintendent Dr. Kristin Smetana earlier this month. That is sure to change over the next few months, the memo said.
“The challenge with school districts is we don’t know how much Evidence-Based Funding until August,” Smetana said. “That’s the funding we get from the state of Illinois, and so for us, it’s kind of a guessing game until then. We try to adjust until the board approves the budget in September.”
According to the state board of education, EvidenceBased Funding sends more resources to the state’s most under-resourced students and helps ensure all districts have the resources to provide a challenging and well-rounded student learning environment.
Smetana said the district’s biggest source of revenue is property taxes, and on the expenditure side, her challenge is to align costs so they don’t increase more than the federal Consumer Price Index.
“The other thing with expenditures, a lot of families and consumers know that things are expensive,” she said. “Some of our largest expenses are transportation, which continues to increase. Ever since Covid, there has been a significant bus driver shortage. That continues to impact every district that has transportation in any shape or form.”
As it currently stands, the district is an-
ticipating $35,431,441 in fiscal year 2027 revenue. As far as expenditures, it is anticipating $35,655,354, which is where the $233,913 deficit comes from.
Those expenditures include an anticipated $1,559,067 in transportation costs.
Smetana said to bear in mind the budget should be altered heading into August, which could wipe out that deficit.
“It depends on what happens with Evidence-Based Funding,” she said. “I have a placeholder in the budget for what I anticipate the funds are from the state. If we get more from the state, we may have a small surplus.”
Another challenge for Smetana is Cook County property tax distribution, which was delayed in fiscal year 2026. Tax bills that were supposed to be distributed in July 2025 were delayed to November due to a technology issue involving a software program from Tyler Technologies which was replacing a 1970s-era mainframe computer.
For fiscal year 2027, property tax distribution will be delayed at least two months,
she said.
“My deficit for this year was $550,000, for this fiscal year that ends June 30,” she said. “In a normal year, we can finish with this deficit this June. But because of the property tax distribution, I can’t tell.
“The challenge this year is we’re chasing money in property tax. Are we receiving it this fiscal year or next fiscal year? Those fund balances could change.”
A bright spot for the district is the progress being made in its solar panel project, which is expected to garner about 16% of its power upon final completion in September. The district paid 20% of that project in fiscal year 2025 and 70% this fiscal year, with the final 10% in fiscal year 2027. That’s why solar panel expenditures are anticipated to drop 78.5% next fiscal year.
While there are changes yet to come, the district is in generally good financial shape, Smetana said.
“I would say the district is in a very healthy financial situation and we’re working toward a balanced budget for next year,” she said.
General Manager Max Reinsdorf
Sta Repor ter Stella Brow n
Senior Audience Manager Stacy Coleman
Contributing Editor Donna Greene
Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead
Editorial & Digital Design Lead Javier Govea
Design and Production Associate
De Sergio Villalona Designer Susan McKelvey
Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls
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Riverside Brook eld Landmark is
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Despite warnings of evening rain, you couldn’t miss the crowd that for med at Brookfield’s Kiwanis Park on Friday, June 19, for the first Friday night concert of the summer season.
The annual series of Friday night concerts brings a different headliner to the park to cap of f every week from the middle of June through the end of August. The June 19 show featured the Jolly Ringwalds, a 1980s cover band that played hits like Rick Springfield’s “Jesse’s Girl,” Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5,” Madonna’s “Like A Prayer” and R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It.”
The full lineup includes local bands of different genres, from pop rock and country to ’50s and ’60s classics and Celtic music.
“I could probably schedule 10 straight weeks of classic rock and be OK from a draw perspective. I think people are going to turn out every week for that type of genre, but, personally, I’m a big music lover. I collect records and vinyl,” said Matthew Odom, Brookfield’s director of parks and recreation, which organizes the
shows. “It was super important to me to get a good, balanced group, genre-wise, and try to draw people that might not necessarily come out [otherwise].”
Deirdre Power, a Brookfield resident, said Friday’s show was better attended than usual.
“It’s a beautiful night. We love live music, and we love being around our neighbors and the community,” said Power, who’s been a re gular attendee with her par tner, John Matuszek, for the six years they’ve lived in Brookfield. “We have [the dates] listed on our refrigerator.”
“It’s the first event of the year, so it’s nice to retouch with people. We see our neighbors [regularly], but we don’t see our distant neighbors,” Matuszek added.
Spouses Pat and Ali Reidy said they’ve been coming to Brookfield’s Friday night concerts for the past eight years and that attendance has slowly increased over time.
“It has grown exponentially even in the last eight years,” Pat Reidy said. “Here’s the reason we come: We can hang outside, have a communal experience with our community members, our friends and neighbors. Our kids can run free and go do their thing. We’re right next to the police station, so ev-
eryone feels safe and together.”
In today’s world with personal technolog y and individually catered online algorithms, he said free events like the Friday night concerts are “the last bastion of a community.” He described the community feel of the event as “Americana.”
“There’s a baseball field right there. There’s music being played here, and freight trains bringing goods all over the country are coming right by us as we sit here. It’s the coolest. If Brookfield’s putting on something for free, my family will be there,” Reidy said. “One, I want to support Two, it’s free! In this economy, I’m looking for everything I can do for free.”
Having started with the village at the end February, Odom said he immediately got work reaching out to local musical acts with the help of a spreadsheet compiled by oah Rife, a management analyst for the village
“I had to put it all together very quickly. rsonally, I like to be way out ahead of things, and I would probably be booking those bands six months out or further, but I was booking bands early-to-mid March, even almost into April by the time I had the whole series scheduled,” Odom told the
Landmark.
He described the work of selecting dates for each band as “a juggling act.”
“You’re trying to book for all of these different dates. We’re trying to do a good blend and mix of bands,” he said. “Budget’s a consideration, too. You have a certain budget you’re working with, and obviously our Music on Grand series, which is our Saturday series, that’s got a bigger budget for bigger bands. For the Friday night series, we’re targeting more budget-friendly bands because you have more dates.”
He said the series involves coordinating with members of several different village departments to pull it all of f successfully.
“I’m working with public works to make sure our park, and specifically the bandshell, is nice and clean … You’re getting extra garbage cans placed everywhere. I was working with Bob [Uphues] in marketing and communications to get info on our website and on social media,” he said. “I even worked with our community development office. We had a few businesses, local vendors, that were interested in attending … Not to mention my o wn department and staf f, being there and working with the band, helping them get set up.”
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Unanimous approval from page 1
the proposed location and a vape shop. I understand the importance of considering how new businesses may affect nearby homes and the character of the area,”
which mirror those of residents on Dubois.
“The characterization that it was turned down because it was in a residential neighborhood or there were residents above it is not the reason I voted against it,” Garvey said. “The 31st Street corridor is a different zoning district. It’s a C-4 district, which is a different type of business district [than on Ogden Avenue], and I voted against that cannabis dispensary because I didn’t feel it met the requirements of the C-4 zoning district.”
The permit application for 31st Street drew similar controversy in December and earlier this year, with nearby neighbors decrying the increased traffic they believed it would bring to their residential neighborhood.
Trustee Julie Narimatsu said in response to public commenters. “I love this neighborhood with all my heart and want to see only good things for the Ogden Avenue corridor, but it is a commercial corridor, and I view a regulated cannabis dispensary as a reasonable retail use in this context.”
This was the second request for a special use permit to open a dispensary in Brookfield that involved Tanya Griffin, the CEO of cannabis consulting fir m Water + Trees. The forthcoming dispensary will be owned and operated by IC Collective, an Illinois-based cannabis grower.
Griffin’s previous effort to bring a dispensary to Brookfield would have seen it located at 9046 31st St., at the corner with Park Avenue, and operated as Prolific Dispensary. The special use permit for that location was voted down 4-3 by the village board in February.
JULIE NARIMAT SU Village trustee
During the public comment period, Rev. Vicky Carathanassis, who lives on the 4000 block of Dubois Boulevard, spoke for about 15 minutes, in which she accused the board of dishonesty and hypocrisy for supporting the permit application while having voted against the special use on 31st Street.
“The last time a location for a dispensary was being considered, it was voted ‘No’ due to how many residences were next to it,” Carathanassis said. “The [Energize Ogden] master plan we envisioned together says that right next to this location will be luxury apartments, so if that’s true, why is building a dispensary right next to these current and future residences sensible, but building it next to those previous residences wasn’t?”
Several members of the board later on Monday said they based their votes on the specific zoning district that 9046 31st St. falls in rather than the residents’ concerns,
Carathanassis’s husband, Manni Carathanassis, also spoke out against the dispensary. He was the only public commenter at the May 28 planning and zoning commission meeting on the special use permit application for 9500 Ogden Ave. In the ensuing month, he created a Change.org petition against the pr oposal, which he said had garnered 217 signatures as of Monday night, including all of his neighbors on the 4000 block.
Other public commenters who spoke out against the dispensary included Chris DiBraccio, the owner and operator of Imperial Oak Brewing, which neighbors the forthcoming dispensary, and Chris Isidoro and Anthony Isidoro Juarez, two brothers whose family live on Dubois Boulevard
“What would happen when my [two-yearold] sister’s going to Congress Park, she’s going to Park, she’s going to LT?” Isidoro Juarez asked. “People say, ‘My house is next to this park. It’s over here. It’s by the library.’ She’s going to say, ‘I live in front of the cannabis dispensary.’”
At previous meetings, Griffin has said she hopes the dispensary can open by November, with estimates that it will generate about $150,000 in sales tax revenue for the village in 2027, scaling up to about $300,000 by 2029. Brookfield trustees in May 2023 unanimously approved a special use permit for a cannabis dispensary at 8863 Ogden Ave. that was set to be operated by The 1937 Group. The development stalled at some point during construction, and Brookfield officials rescinded that special use permit earlier this year.
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Riverside’s village board on June 18 had the task ofparsing which set ofproposed zoning lines should be applied to Indian Gardens and the wooded riverfront area of the First Division.
One recommendation, from the village’s parks and recreation board, recommended zoning the entire area as a community park from the disk golf baskets southwest to the Scout Cabin, which would have its own unique zoning district. The other, from the planning and zoning commission, advised zoning only the active recreation areas, including the Scout Cabin, as parks and leaving the natural wooded areas zoned as open space.
The two maps, alongside separate use tables designating what is permitted in each kind ofpark zoning district, come as part ofthe village’s first pass at establishing zoning guidelines for its breadth ofparks both big and small and its other green spaces.
“We’ve had a lot ofdifferent things that have been proposed or discussed in different parks, and the challenging part is there is no zoning,” said Village Manager Jessica Frances. “Disc golf was a great example. There was no clear process, and there was plenty of discussion. Like, ‘I feel like this needs to be reported to [the] preservation [commission], and it was, and the landscape advisory commission.’ But that wasn’t because there was a process; it was my previous experiences built upon over time that said, if we install this and we don’t do these different things, it’s not going to be good.”
After heated discussion, a majority of the board said they prefer red the map from planning and zoning, which sharply delineated between park and open space on Indian Gardens, though the board’s consensus did not re present a final decision on the matter.
During the discussion, Community De-
major ity of the village board preferred it.
velopment Director Anne Cyran said the planning and zoning map would require more village reviews ifthere were an effort to expand active recreation space within Indian Gardens while the parks and recreation map would not.
“For example, ifthe disc golf course were extended … you would amend the zoning map to enlarge the community park to include that area,” Cyran said.
Trustee Elizabeth Kos said she felt the planning and zoning map would be difficult to implement due to its jaggedness
“What concerns me about this one is how it kind of jumps all over. I feel like that is a lot more complicated, and I wish we could smooth out the lines a little bit,” she said. “Where does it end, right? ‘Is it this tree or this tree?’ I feel like this makes it much more convoluted.”
Trustee Jill Mateo said she preferred that map due to its allowance of open space.
“That was my preference from the beginning, when we had the designation ofthe, on the bottom, the important bird area. The village committed to preserving that habitat, so my preference is to have the entire riverfront be open space so that we can preserve those areas,” she said.
Village President Doug Pollock ag reed,
emphasizing the potential for the park zoning guidelines to establish precedent.
“We’re putting in place a framework that will be used for future decision making, future public input, etc.,” he said. “What we zone right now should not be speculative; it should be based on what’s there. I don’t know ifI would support an expansion of the disc golf or not, but I do believe strongly that should be separated, and that should be a separate public hearing process.”
The board also went on to discuss zoning use tables from the two advisory groups that established which uses would be permitted, allowed as special uses or not permitted in each ofthe proposed new zoning districts: community parks, neighborhood parks, open spaces, and the Scout Cabin and Swan Pond, which are both separated into their own unique districts.
Ultimately, the question of establishing parks zoning guidelines is set to be discussed by Riverside’s landscape advisory and preservation commissions, as well as the parks and recreation board again, before returning to the village board for an update. The village will then hold “a series of public hearings,” Cyran said, to give residents a chance to chime in on each portion of the village that is being rezoned.
JunemarksAlzheimer’s&Brain AwarenessMonth—atimetoraise awarenessabouttheimportanceof brainhealthandsupportthose impactedbyAlzheimer’sandother formsofdementia.
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
Maintainingbrainhealthstartsearly. Belowtipsarealllinkedtoreduced riskofcognitivedeclineandcan helpkeepthebrainsharp regularphysicalactivity abalanceddiet socialengagement mentalstimulation simplehabits—likewalkingdaily, reading,orlearninganewskill—
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’salsoimportanttorecognizethe earlysignsofmemoryloss.These mayinclude forgettingrecentlylearned information repeatingquestions difficultymanagingfinances strugglingtofollowconversations misplacingitems experiencingchangesinmood, personality,orjudgment. Whileoccasionalforgetfulnessis normalwithaging,consistent patternsofthesesymptomsmay indicatesomethingmoreserious.
It’s also important to recognize the early signs of memory loss These may include forgetting recently learned 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.
Ifyouoralovedoneareexperiencing anyofthesesigns,consulta healthcareprofessional.Early detectioncanleadtobetterplanning andimprovedqualityoflife.
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
VisitCantata.orgformore seniorlivingadviceorcall (708)387-1030.
Visit Cantata.org fo f r more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
As Riverside works its way up to a referendum next April that could enable the village to rebuild its public safety facilities near Township Hall from the ground up, officials are inviting residents to tour the existing facilities to see why they say new construction is so badly needed. The tours are led by Public Safety Director Matthew Buckley, who acts as the head of both Riverside’s police department and its fire department. The proposed new facility, which is still undergoing design work amid open houses and other opportunities for the community to give feedback, would consolidate both departments into one building that is designed for each of them.
Current estimates show the price to build the new facility from the ground, with an estimated groundbreaking in 2028, to be just shy of $30 million. In order to issue debt in that amount to pay for the new facility, the village needs voters to pass a referendum question in next April’s election. So, officials have set up the tours as a way to show of f the need for the rebuild to residents first-hand.
“They see the outside of the building. They may have been in the lobby of the police department. They may have walked by the firehouse with the doors open,” he told the Landmark. “But nobody’s really gone into the basement area or the back areas of the department where we operate and work on a daily basis. To see that, I think, is really telltale for residents.”
Right now, the two departments share space at 31 Riverside Rd., which Buckley said resulted in everyone doing as much as possible with all the space they can get. The police department lives on the west side of the building, while a door between the lobby and the fire truck bay connects it to the fire department on the east side.
“But nobody’s really gone into the basement area or the back areas of the department where we operate and work on a daily basis. To see that, I think, is really telltale for residents.”
MAT THEW BUCKLE Y Public Safety Director
When Landmark staf took the tour on Thursday, June 18, Buckley first led the group through the police department’s administrative offices in the upper level. Then, he took us through its lowe level, which includes the police lunchroom, men’s and women’s locker rooms with only one shower each, a conference room and even the evidence room, which was stacked high to the ceiling with boxes of evidence from different crimes and had a faint, stereotypical smell of cannabis.
Tight quar ters in the Riverside re department are visible dur ing a tour of the fa cility
the dilapidated for mer youth center at 45 Riverside Rd., which houses a combined classroom and gym that serves as a training area for the village’s first responders.
Buckley said most of the attendants of the tours, of which there have been four so far, have come in with “not a lot” of knowledge about the conditions inside.
Then, Buckley led us through the fire department space, which is mostly comprised of the fire truck bay and some other meager spaces. On the second floor, a small room with two beds and an attached kitchen and bathroom serves as the space where on-call firefighters spend their nights. Firefighters have an over night space in Fire Station #2 across the train tracks as well, but that one is even more cramped and doesn’t have a kitchen.
The police department took over the building from the public works department in 1998, and it houses Riverside TV offices to this day. The training space features boarded-up windows and molding ceiling tiles due to water damage. As we walked up the front stairs, Buckley warned the group about getting dripped on.
Buckley said most people who have gone on the tours have come out the other side understanding the village’s need to rebuild the facilities.
“A lot of people walk out saying, ‘Yep, you need it.’ They get to see it firsthand,” he said. “Once in a while, you hear, ‘But the cost.’ Yes, but the cost. I get it, unfortunately. I’m going to be paying for it also. I live in Riverside. I definitely know it needs to be done.”
at the $30 million price tag, Buckley said the figure is light compared to public safety facilities in other communities.
“We have really [planned] a scaled-down facility to what a lot of other places are doing. I have friends in other municipalities that are building stations currently, and the price tag is a lot more, in the $30 million to $45 million range,” he said. “To me, it’s one of those things of, if you want to live in a nice town like Riverside, you’re going to have to pay a little bit more to get a facility that, to be honest, I wish would have been redone 25 years ago.”
If you missed the first four tours in June, don’t worry. Buckley said more dates will be scheduled for the summer and fall, and residents can even inquire about private tours if the times you can sign up for online won’t work for your schedules.
“The more people we get to see it and experience it, the better of f it’s going to be,” he said.
To pay those costs, the village is preparing the referendum question for the April 2027 election, asking voters for permission to issue bonds worth $29.99 million.
According to Williams Architects, the firm Riverside has contracted for design and community engagement work on the new facility, the cost is the biggest concern among a limited number of residents who have responded to surveys at open house events or on the village’s website.
Of25 residents who attended Williams’ open house in May, 21 agreed the facility is needed in Riverside; 13 ofthem said sustainability in design and construction is important while 10 said it would be important only ifit can be done at a reasonable cost.
And in a word bubble free responses sharing their concerns, “cost,” “time,” and “not being proved” were the largest words, showing their ative weight in responses with many ofthe less common concerns includ ing some variation on the cost concer ns.
Williams provided the same data for 19 residents who took the survey online after the open house While 10 said the facility was needed, the rest we split between being undecided and disagreeing. Six residents agreed with the importance ofsustainability while seven agreed only ifthe costs stay reasonable.
chitect Joseph Juhl of Williams told officials that, all things considered, Riverside’s proposed new facility is less expensive for its size than other similar, recent projects. With 46,500 square feet and a price ofnearly $30 million, the facility would cost $645 per square foot.
Other new public safety facilities that were proposed or are in the works ranged from $714 to $1,320 per square foot in West Dundee, Libertyville, Wilmette and Geneva
Only one example came in at a lower cost per square foot of$616 for Schaumburg’s new police station, though Juhl noted the facility, which is also a Williams project, is about three times the size ofRiverside’s and overall costs nearly $90 million. Geneva voters in March shot down the city’s referendum to fund its $60 million facility, which was proposed to be 1,500 square feet smaller than Riverside’s project.
“We feel that this project is very realistically on target, or even better than average, for what we are providing in this design,” Juhl said. “The efficient design ofa fairly
And in this word bubble, the three largest and most heavily weighted entries all had to do with the price and its effect on residents’ property taxes
In the face ofthese concerns, village staff are offering residents the opportunity to tour the existing public safety facilities and see what the conditions are like firsthand. While there are no more group tours scheduled for June, Public Safety Director Matthew Buckley told the Landmark more are planned for the rest ofthe summer and the fall.
At village trustees’ June 18 meeting, ar-
structure and a program that is stacked helps to reduce that overall cost.”
Broadly speaking, residents’ feedback showed support for the facility, with each of the four existing exterior design options gar nering approval with some residents being skeptical ofthe need for the new facility or its projected scope.
Juhl said the Williams team is planning to show of f its presentation from May’s open house at more events over the summer, including at the July 3 concert, at the far mers market and other events before the concept is finalized in September and presented in October
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Brookfield police arrested a 19-year-old Chicago man on June 12 for unlawful use of a weapon.
Around 11:30 p.m., officers were dispatched to the intersection of Brookfield and Maple avenues on a report of a white Tesla that was stopped in the roadway facing south on Maple toward the train tracks. The officers pulled their squad car up behind the Tesla and approached it, seeing a man who appeared to be asleep in the driver’s seat.
The officers woke the man up by knocking on the car window and asked him to step out of his vehicle and around to the back. While he was walking, officers noticed he was holding an object inside the front pocket of his hoodie. One officer asked the man what he was holding, but he said nothing and began to turn away from the officers. One of the officers reached out and felt an L-shaped object they believed to be a gun based on previous experience.
The officer called out the gun, grabbed the man’s left arm and told him not to move. Officers escorted the man to the trunk of the car, where they bent him over it and handcuffed his hands behind his back. Then, police removed the object from the man’s pocket, which they confirmed to be a black Glock 43 handgun with an extended magazine. The gun also had a switch attached to the upper sliding portion, according to police, which is an illegal addition that makes the semi-automatic pistol capable of fully automatic firing.
Police ran the man’s information through the police database, LEADS, and learned he did not have a firearm owner’s identification card (FOID), which is required to own or possess guns in Illinois. Police arrested the man and transported him to lockup in Berwyn, where they read him his Miranda warning. The man told police he had purchased the gun for $1,000 from someone in Chicago.
Police contacted the State’s Attorney’s Office, and an assistant state’s attorney approved two felony charges, one for aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and one for
aggravated possession of an automatic machine gun. Police charged the man with both felonies as well as two counts of possession of firearm ammunition without a FOID.
Brookfield police on June 9 intervened after a caller reported a case of public intoxication.
Around 6 p.m., an officer responded to Ehlert Park after dispatchers from West Central Consolidated Communications reported a call about a man in the park “standing by the concession stand screaming at people,” police said. Upon arriving at the park, the officer encountered the man sitting and drinking a 24-ounce beer.
The officer dumped the man’s beer out and told him drinking alcohol is illegal in the park before the man got up and left without incident.
These items were obtained from the Brookfield Police Department re ports dated June 8-15; 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
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Antonina Listi (nee Badami), 90, of Brookfield, died on June 20, 2026. She worked as a seamstress.
Antonina was the wife of the late Luigi Listi; the mother of Leo Listi and Giacomo (Lisa) Listi; the grandmother of Nico, Bella, Dominic and Luca; the sister of six; and the aunt of many nieces and ne phews.
Visitation will be held on June 24 from 3 to 8 p.m. at Hitzeman Funeral Home, 9445 31st St., Brookfield, IL 60513. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on June 25 at St. Barbara Church, Brookfield. Interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Hillside. Information 708-485-2000 or www.HitzemanFuneral.com
Judith Lynn Skurkis (nee Bork), 75, of Brookfield, died on June 20, 2026. She worked as an administrative assistant in education.
Judy was the wife of David Skurkis; the mother of Kristin (Christopher) Bellinger and Lauren Skurkis; sister of the late Thomas J. Bork; the sister-in-law and aunt of many from the Skurkis family; daughter of the late Mary E. Bork (nee Ostrovecky); cousin of Roger (Laura) Ostrovecky; and great cousin of Anyssa Ostrovecky
Visitation will be held on June 25 from 4 to 7 p.m. and Friday, June 26, from 9:30 to 10 a.m. at Hitzeman Funeral Home Ltd., 9445 31st St., Brookfield. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Louise de Marillac Church, La Grange Park, at 10:30 a.m., with interment at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, Hillside.
Memorials appreciated to Blood Cancer United, P.O. Box 98018, Washington D.C. 20090-8018.
Douglas Leland Rumph, 76, died peacefully at home in Naples, Florida on May 8, 2026 after a brief battle with cancer. Born in 1949, he attended Riverside Brookfield High School and, upon graduating, enlisted in the Army, proudly serving two tours of duty in Vietnam with the 101st Airborne, earning a Bronze Star. After his service, he started a concrete business with his brother Jeff before finding his true calling on the trading floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange — a career he loved from the minute he stepped onto the floor
A lifelong, die-hard Chicago Cubs fan, he stuck with his team through the lean years with the same loyalty and conviction he brought to everything else in life, and the joy he felt when they finally won the World Series in 2016 was something those around him will never forget. He also enjoyed the many afternoons coaching Clarendon Hills Little League
and playing ball with his son Danny and the team. Win or lose, he always treated the team to hot dogs and ice cream and a memorable end-of-season party.
Music was a constant companion, and he had a particular love for the oldies station. A favorite was his mechanical Elvis Santa that shook its hips to “Blue Christmas” — a staple of the legendary Christmas Eve gatherings he hosted each year, filling the house with family, laughter, and a little bit of The King
He had an adventurous spirit when it came to food, genuinely delighting in trying new restaurants and approaching every meal as its own small adventure. And when it came to dessert, Doug was never shy.
Above all, he treasured his granddaughter, Brynn. His pride was boundless and unmistakable.
Doug is survived by his wife, Julie; his son, Daniel; his granddaughter, Brynn; his brothers, Kenneth and David (Debbie); his sister, Sandra Bromagen; his sister-in-law, Margie; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Donald and Barbara; his brother, Jeffery; his niece, Rachel Rumph; and his brother-in-law, Glenn Bromagen.
Local journalism matters. That’s why we made a bold decision to protect its future.
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By BILL STONE
Contributing Reporter
Recent Riverside Brookfield High School graduate Ben Biskupic and several baseball teammates arrived at the school’s senior awards ceremony just in time.
“I hadn’t even sat down and I had to walk across the stage in my uniform,” Biskupic said.
He and Addie Vaia were the respective RBHS Male and Female Senior Athletes of the Year.
“I was a little shocked, surprised, but it was a nice honor. I was very appreciative of it,” said Biskupic, who luckily arrived from a home baseball game against South Elgin rather than away. “I knew something was up because (RBHS baseball coach Mark Ori) was like, ‘When do you need to get there?’ so I figured it was something bigger than the re gular honors in science.”
Vaia, who had an even busier four years, also was somewhat taken aback by her reco gnition.
“I was surprised and very, very honored to be awarded that,” Vaia said. “I’ve put a lot of hard work and dedication into all the sports I did at RB, so I am grateful I was reco gnized for this award.”
Sofia Miller and Isaac Lee were the RBHS Female and Male Senior Scholar Athletes with the highest grade-point averages
both her sophomore season. More running came in the spring with track and field the final three years after playing softball as a freshman.
“It wasn’t necessarily a goal of mine since as a kid I was always involved in multiple sports and even multiple sports per season,” Vaia said. “As I got older, I narrowed my sports down and they happened to fall into separate consecutive seasons.”
Biskupic played four years of baseball and basketball, the final two on varsity in both sports. His varsity basketball teams achieved 20-win seasons, the baseball teams won 19 and then 20 games.
As a senior, he became a three-sport athlete by joining football and helping the Bulldogs to an 8-2 season record. That included the defensive end’s memorable strip and touchdown return in the 51-12 victory over Ridgewood.
The football newcomer was voted by his teammates to be a co-captain.
Vaia also joined Joselyn Hernandez, Kennedy Holakovsky, Mariella Hutar, Michael Kallas, Maggie Porter and Abby Weinert as seven seniors who played three sports all four years.
Vaia played basketball all four years. Fall sports consisted of volleyball her first two years, cross country her final three and
“(Football) was a lot of fun. The team was great. We played really well,” Biskupic said. “It was nice to be named a captain for my first year and that my teammates respected me and my work ethic. I wanted to go out and try my best for them.”
Vaia said one of her biggest challenges with multiple sports was constant physical exertion.
“My coaches always supported me, knowing that I played three sports back-to-back-to-back, and offered me breaks I just chose not to (take),” she said.
As a sophomore, Vaia competed cross country on weekends when that sport didn’t conflict with volleyball.
“It wasn’t challenging managing both sports because my coaches were very accommodating and I run on my own daily
PROVIDED/COURTESY OF
Riverside-Brook eld’s Benjamin Biskupic (22) dr ives the baseline against West Chicago during an Upstate Eight Conference game Jan. 16.
as a mental health thing,” she said. “However, racing versus running is completely different so adapting to a new, rigorous and specific type of running was not very easy at first.”
Vaia was an individual cross country sectional qualifier as a junior and part of the Bulldogs’ sectional-qualifying team in October. In basketball, she especially remembers her game-winning shot against Morton, her career high in points and the bonding with teammates this past season.
In May, Vaia qualified for her first state meet – the Class 3A girls track and field state meet – as part of the 4 x 800-meter relay.
Biskupic’s other memories are his double-double in the key basketball victory over Glenbard East this past season and two key three-pointers in last season’s victory over Lyons Township. Baseball also enjoyed a memorable victory over LTHS this spring.
He will attend Tulane (New Orleans) and
major in biochemistry followed by medical or law school. He plans to play intramural basketball and soccer, a sport he played indoors with RBHS classmates this past winter.
“I benefitted a lot (from RBHS sports), primarily time management. I don’t show up late to things. I show up early,” Biskupic said. “It made me focus on studies enough to make sure I could play and instilled a work ethic when I got to practice I had to work hard so I work hard other places.” Vaia is majoring in elementary education at Illinois. She hopes to someday come back to teach in Riverside.
“Overall, I am very grateful for my experiences and I wouldn’t have grown into the person I am today if it wasn’t for RB sports,” she said. “I’ve gained a great work ethic from being a multi-sport athlete. I’ve learned how to manage my time, I’ve become a leader and I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone for sports that I barely knew anyone at first.”
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Already a standout girls soccer goalie and basketball player at Lyons Township High School, recent graduate Anna Bigenwald joined the school’s just added girls flag football team her junior year. The defensive back/wide receiver was named honorable mention allstate both fall seasons.
“Obviously I ran in club soccer and preseason basketball. But (flag football) was a different type of running,” Bigenwald said. “When you’re running in a game, it doesn’t seem as much work, even though in a game you’re running more. It was just fun to be able to play in a game and do my running at the same time.”
Baseball Coaches Association and Class 4A All-State by the Illinois Baseball Coaches Association. She was 7-0 with a 0.38 earned-run average and 73 strikeouts and seven walks and in 37.1 inning ball, Slightom passed for 1,824 18 touchdowns.
“Fun. That was probably (LTHS sports takeaway) – fun, exciting, new experiences and overall very successful,” he said.
At the school’s senior awards assembly, Bigenwald received the Hubbard-McKee Award and Jack Slightom the Charles “Chuck” Bennett Award as the top female and male athletes among this year’s senior class.
Slightom is a standout pitcher and Major League Baseball prospect who has signed to play at the University of Cincinnati and major in data analytics. The four-year, two-sport athlete also was the starting quarterback for the football team this past fall.
“It’s a special award, especially coming at a school with 500 boys,” Slightom said. “A lot of coaches (at LTHS) believe in you and that you can do great things and achieve great things. The biggest thing is the reco gnition.”
However, as Slightom continued progressing in both sports, he found it “extremely hard” to balance training with other sponsibilities.
“One of the things that worked for me was writing out a calendar and figuring out what needs to be done a specific day,” Slightom said. “I’m already an org anized person but writing it down really helps.”
Bigenwald was named honorable mention all-sectional for girls socce memorable game came May 5 – stopping a re gulation penalty kick as the Lions rival Hinsdale Central 1-0.
Bigenwald will play goalie for Loyola University women’s soccer and major in psychology. She played LTHS soccer and basketball all four years.
“It was definitely a very exciting feeling. I was truly honored to receive that award,” she said. “I was super-excited and felt like I worked really hard in my sports. To get that recognition was really cool.”
In baseball, Slightom was named AllAmerica third team by the American
“The whole team running to give me a hug after the game was something I’ll never forget,” she said.
In flag football, she was part of the program’s first victory ever and first regional victory in 2023. She felt that her sports’ skills complemented each other “(Playing goalie in) soccer taught me how to catch a ball and that was important with my positions in flag football,” Bigenwald said. “All of the sports went hand in hand. Rebounding is like going up and catching a ball and like making saves.”
She also enjoyed the camaraderie of her teams, particularly this past basketball season when the Lions persevered despite several key injuries to seniors, including her briefly with a sprained ankle
“I feel like I honestly made a ton of friends in spots. It was one of the biggest benefits,” Bigenwald said. “The competitive nature of LT sports was fun and difficult in a good,
Lyons Township’s Anna Bige nwald (1) punts the ball back into play against Oak Park and River Forest dur ing the Class 3A Downers Grove South Sectional semi nal Tuesday, May 26, 2026 in Downers Grove
challenging way but truly being able to make a bunch of friends and get to know people was the best.”
Slightom was part of tight-knit, senior-led groups in both sports. Together they had fun and grew on and of f the field.
“What I learned off the field was mainly just studying sports. I never really studied sports (before). Football kind of brought that out in me. I had to study pretty much every day to beat the teams we were playing against,” he said. “On the field (I learned to) overcome adversity, problems you face during games and quick action to fix those problems. When you’re in the game, you have to act fast.”
The LTHS Coaches’ Medal Award for leadership and citizenship in student affairs went to Griff Powell and Lindsay Fore-
baugh.
The Donald Francis Lange Memorial Awards for character, leadership, scholarship and athletic ability were given to Wesley Musgrove and Emma O’Brien.
The Stenger Medal Awards for best in allaround participation, good citizenship and sportsmanship went to Owen Carroll and Bella Recker
The U.S. Ar my Reserve Scholar-Athlete Award recipients for four-year team members in high academic standing went to Roman Sosnovyy and Char Ebeid.
The Richard Strauch Student Assistant of the Year recognizing loyalty, promptness and dependability went to Ainsley Grove.
The Student Athletic Trainer of the Year for effort, dedication and service was awarded to Claire Hertz.
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Recent Nazareth Academy graduate Trenton Walker had one last athletic challenge this past spring. The NCAA Division I Murray (Ky.) State football recruit rejoined the boys track and field team shortly after the start of the outdoor season.
“I was on the edge and I ended up doing it at the end of the year,” Walker said. “It was just to basically keep my speed up and trying to g et ready to re port June 1 for football.”
Wide receiver Walker, baseball’s Landon T home and girls basketball’s Stella Sakalas were named Male and Female Senior Athletes of the Year at the senior awards assembly
Sakalas and T home are among the all-time Nazareth greats in their respective sports. Shortstop T home, a F lorida State baseball recr uit, is expected to be selected in next month’s Major League Baseball draft.
“Just g etting that award was very amazing, being supported with everyone around me in the Nazareth f amily,” Walker said. “Landon’s a really cool guy. It was definitely a surprise (for me). I was very cool sharing that with Landon, knowing he’s going to be in the big leagues very soon.”
T home enjoyed sharing the male award with Walker just as much.
“Absolutely. That was awesome. We were excited for each other,” he said. “They ’re (both) some of my close friends so I was excited to be a part of that.”
Sakalas will play basketball at Brigham Young and major in data science. She played key roles in the Roadr unners’ two state championship teams in Class 4A in February and 3A as a freshman usually the first forward of f the bench.
“Being named Female Senior Athlete of the Year is incredibly meaningful to me,” she said. “I feel honored and grateful to be reco gnized among so many talented athletes. I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to represent my school and team.”
Walker was part of three Nazareth 3A football state championships in 2025, 2024 and 2023, moving up to varsity midway through his freshman year and playing special teams at state. As a senior, he caught 59 passes for 825 yards and six touchdowns and rarely came of f the field by adding defensive back (32 tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 pass breakups) and special teams. In track, he was a 2023 and 2024 state qualifier in triple jump before stopping the event because of knee problems.
Walker will remember the football team building and camaraderie during their summer overnight camps at Olivet Nazarene University. It’s been a great building block as he begins pre-season camp at Murray State, where he’ll major in accounting and finance.
“(At Nazareth) I got a boost, a definite overall understanding of the game, how to learn the game, being able to get along with people, being able to connect with people and use your own mind,” Walker said. “I definitely got a lot because of how great our coaches were and how much they would rely and lean on us and make sure they were connected with us.”
Thome started for the Roadrunners’ 2023 and 2024 3A state champions. He achieved seven career and three sin-
gle-season individual school records in various offensive categories.
“I’ve got to give it up to (Nazareth baseball coach Lee Milano) and all of my teammates, especially freshman and sophomore year playing on such good teams,” said Thome, who will major in sports management. “I look back at that lineup – DI, (MLB) draft picks. All of those teammates talked to me and gave me the ropes to play through high school. They took me under their wing. And they were such good friends. I able to pass that down to the (next) freshmen and sophomores.”
He played basketball and football through eighth grade but concentrated on baseball in high school.
Sakalas only played basketball for the Roadrunners. She was named first team all-state the past two seasons and leaves as the program’s leader in career rebounds (776) and second in career points (1,956) along with 332 assists, 298 steals and 93 blocks.
“Focusing on one sport allowed me to maximize my growth during my time at Naz and to pursue my goal of playing at the collegiate level,” she said. “My greatest memory of Nazareth basketball would be the entire weekend this season downstate. (I’ll remember) the feeling of confidence and trust in one each other that we had built leading up to winning the state title. Other memories would include both Florida Christmas tournament trips, having the opportunity to play amazing out-of-state schools and being in Florida with my best friends.”
PUBLIC NOTICE
Village of Oak Park 2026
Annual Action Plan
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
Legal Notice
Village of River Forest Development Review Board River Forest, Illinois
Public notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing will be held by the Development Review Board of the Village of River Forest, County of Cook, State of Illinois, on Thursday, July 9, 2026 at 7:00 p.m. in the Athletic Facility (Door #8) of Trinity High School, 7574 Division Street, River Forest, Illinois on the following matter:
Application #26-0009: Application for Planned Development to Construct a Mixed-Use Development of a 72-Unit Residential Building with Approx. 3200 Sq. Ft. of Ground-Floor Commercial Space at 76127620 Madison Street, 11 Ashland Avenue, and 10 Lathrop Avenue.
Applicant: Five Thirty One Partners LLC, 1801 N. Bissell St, Suite 1F, Chicago, IL 60614
Legal Description:
7620 Madison StLOT ELEVEN (11), TWELVE (12), THIRTEEN (13), FOURTEEN (14), AND FIFTEEN (15), IN BLOCK SEVEN (7) IN HENRY FIELD’S SUBDIVISION OF THE EAST HALF (1/2) OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION TWELVE (12), TOWNSHIP THIRTY-NINE (39) NORTH, RANGE TWELVE (12) EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
7618 Madison StLOT 16 AND THE WEST 16 FEET 10 1/2 INCHES OF LOT 17, IN BLOCK 7 IN HENRY FIELD’S SUBDIVISION OF THE EAST HALF OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 12, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
7614 Madison StLOT 17 (EXCEPT THE WEST 17.45 FEET THEREOF) AND THE WEST 16.88 FEET OF LOT 18 IN BLOCK 7 IN HENRY FIELD’S SUBDIVISION OF THE EAST HALF OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 12, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
7612 Madison StTHE EAST 8.12 FEET OF LOT 18 AND ALL OF LOT 19 IN BLOCK 7 IN HENRY FIELD’S SUBDIVISION OF THE EAST HALF OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 12, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
11 Ashland AveLOT 20 IN NEEBES AND PELTON’S RESUBDIVISION OF THE NORTH 450 FEET OF BLOCK 7 IN HENRY FIELD’S SUBDIVISION OF THE EAST HALF OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 12, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL
MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
10 Lathrop AveLOT 21 IN NEEBES AND PELTON’S RESUBDIVISION OF THE NORTH 450 FEET OF BLOCK 7 IN HENRY FIELD’S SUBDIVISION OF THE EAST HALF OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 12, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12 EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
All interested persons will be given the opportunity to be heard at the public hearing, the purpose of which is to take evidence on the Application for the Development Review Board and Village Board to consider. A copy of the application and meeting agenda will be available to the public at the Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, or at www.vrf.us.
Jessica Spencer Assistant Village Administrator
Published in Wednesday Journal June 24, 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.
Published in RBLandmark June 17, 24, July 1, 2026
Notice is hereby given that the Village of Oak Park Program Year (PY) 2026 Draft Annual Action Plan is available for public review and comment. The Draft PY 2026 Annual Action Plan may be reviewed during normal business hours Monday through Friday beginning June 25, 2026 through July 27, 2026 at the Village of Oak Park, Neighborhood Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois; on the Village Housing and Grants webpage https://www. oak-park.us/village-services/ housing-programs/communitydevelopment-shelter-grants; and at the Oak Park Public Library Main Branch, 834 Lake Street, Oak Park, Illinois. Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities and non-English speaking persons, as needed.
The Draft PY 2026 Annual Action Plan represents the second year of implementation of the Village’s 2025–2029 Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development. The Action Plan identifies goals, objectives, and proposed activities to be undertaken with Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for the period October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027. The Village anticipates receiving $1,576,219 in CDBG entitlement funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), in addition to any available program income and prior year resources. Proposed activities include public services, housing programs, public infrastructure improvements, and program administration, all intended to principally benefit low- and moderate-income residents.
Written comments regarding the Draft PY 2026 Annual Action Plan may be submitted during the public comment period to the Neighborhood Services Department at grants@oak-park. us or by mail to Village of Oak Park, Neighborhood Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302.
A public hearing regarding the Draft PY 2026 Annual Action Plan will be held on July 13, 2026 from 1:00pm – 2:00pm at Village Hall, Room 102, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302. All interested persons are invited to attend and provide comments on the proposed use of CDBG funds.
Published in Wednesday Journal June 24, 2026
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
Housing Forward (Owner) is issuing an invitation to bid for the project known as 211 N Oak Park Renovation until 3:00pm CST on July 13, 2026 at 1851 S 9th Ave, Maywood, IL 60153. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud on July 13, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. at 123 Madison St, Oak Park, IL 60302 Room 101
Bidders are invited to submit bids for the renovation scope as described in this Document in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders.
The project includes necessary capital improvements to an existing 1920s building, within the corporate limits of the Village of Oak Park in Cook County, to serve as a homeless shelter to be operated by Housing Forward. This bid for renovation is supplemented by a separate bid for Mechanical, Plumbing and Fire Suppression scopes of work. Selected bidder for this work shall be responsible for scheduling and coordination for the selected bidder for the supplemental scope.
The Contract Documents, including Drawings and Project Manual Specifications may be accessed and download electronically after 10:00am CST on June 24, 2026 by visiting https://iff.org/rfps/ Contact IFF at apanopio@iff.org with questions related to accessing the files.
Bid security, in the form of a certified check payable to the Owner, shall be submitted with each bid in the amount of 5 percent of the bid amount. No bids may be withdrawn for a period of 30 days after opening of bids.
This project is funded in whole or in part with grant funds from the Illinois Housing and Development Authority Non-Congregate Shelter Development Program, Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME, and American Rescue Plan Act programs. Attention is called to the fact that 1) not less than the Federal prevailing wages as set forth in the Contract Documents must be paid on this project; 2) The work to be performed under this contract is subject to the requirements of Section 3, 24 CFR Part 75; and 3) The Contractor must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Bidders must be properly licensed under the laws governing their respective trades and be able to obtain insurance and bonds required for the Work. A Performance Bond, separate Labor and Material Payment Bond, and Insurance in a form acceptable to Owner will be required of the successful Bidder. Bidders must not be excluded from participating in any federal assistance program [24 CFR 85, Subpart C 85.35; 2 CFR 200.214].
The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all Bids or to waive any informalities in the bidding. Bids may be held by the Owner for a period not to exceed 30 days from the date of the opening of Bids for the purpose of reviewing the Bids and investigating the qualifications of Bidders, prior to awarding of the Contract.
Published in Wednesday Journal June 24, 2026
Housing Forward (Owner) will issue an invitation to bid for the project known as 211 N Oak Park Renovation Mechanical, Plumbing, Fire Suppression Scope until 3:00pm CST on July 13, 2026 at 1851 S 9th Ave, Maywood, IL 60153. Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud on July 13, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. at 123 Madison St, Oak Park, IL 60302 Room 101
Bidders are invited to submit bids for mechanical, plumbing, and fire suppression scope as described in this Document in accordance with the Instructions to Bidders. The scope is part of a full building renovation.
The project includes plumbing, HVAC, and fire protection system rehabilitations or replacements at 211 Oak Park Avenue, within the corporate limits of the Village of Oak Park in Cook County, to serve as a homeless shelter to be operated by Housing Forward.
The Contract Documents, including Drawings and Project Manual Specifications may be accessed and download electronically after 10:00am CST on June 24, 2026 by visiting https://iff.org/rfps/. Contact IFF at apanopio@iff.org with questions related to accessing the files.
Bid security, in the form of a certified check payable to the Owner, shall be submitted with each bid in the amount of 5 percent of the bid amount. No bids may be withdrawn for a period of 30 days after opening of bids.
This project is funded in whole or in part with grant funds from the Community Development Block Coronavirus Grant (CDBG CV) program. Attention is called to the fact that 1) not less than the Federal prevailing wages as set forth in the Contract Documents must be paid on this project; 2) The work to be performed under this contract is subject to the requirements of Section 3, 24 CFR Part 75; and 3) The Contractor must ensure that employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Bidders must be properly licensed under the laws governing their respective trades and be able to obtain insurance and bonds required for the Work. A Performance Bond, separate Labor and Material Payment Bond, and Insurance in a form acceptable to Owner will be required of the successful Bidder. Bidders must not be excluded from participating in any federal assistance program [24 CFR 85, Subpart C 85.35; 2 CFR 200.214].
The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all Bids or to waive any informalities in the bidding. Bids may be held by the Owner for a period not to exceed 30 days from the date of the opening of Bids for the purpose of reviewing the Bids and investigating the qualifications of Bidders, prior to awarding of the Contract.
Published in Wednesday Journal June 24, 2026
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