Riverside regatta hits 10 years
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Every year around the end of June, people from near and far gather in Riverside to participate in the annual
Riverside re gatta, a kayaking trip along the portion of the Des Plaines River that borders the village.
This year’s re gatta on Saturday, June 28 — the 10th iteration since the event began — drew about 20 participants, according to Alex Gallegos, a founding
member of the event through the Riverside Township Lions Club, of which he has for merly been the president. Galle gos is also a village trustee.
The group met around 10 a.m. at
‘It was such a relief,’ says cannabis consultant CEO Tanya Gri n
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
After Brookfield’s village board voted unanimously in June to approve a special use permit for a cannabis dispensary at 9500 Ogden Ave., officials working on the project are looking forward to seeing it progress.
“It was such a relief. [I was] happy,” said Tanya Griffin, the CEO of cannabis consulting firm Water + Trees, of her reaction at the June 22 meeting. “We had been working so hard on this
COURTESY OF THE RIVERSIDE TOWNSHIP LIONS CLUB Participants of the 2026 Riverside regatta pose together for a photo
The Landmark walks in Fourth of July parades
We had a blast seei
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Oh, the Fourth of July. For most people, it brings to mind the colors red, white and blue, the savory taste of g rilled hotdogs and hamburgers, and the loud, bright spectacle of fireworks exploding above you to send of f the evening. For myself, I associate all of those things with the Fourth of July — and, at this point, three summers into my role as the Landmark’s staf f reporter, I also associate the day with walking in the morning parades in both Brookfield and Riverside.
Like the past two years, the day’s schedule demanded that I wake up around 7 a.m. so I could get dressed and ready to make the drive from my Far North Side apar tment to Riverside, stopping only at the Dunkin Donuts at the corner of Broadway Street and Foster Avenue for some early caffeination. The drive takes me through downtown, with a gorgeous view of the skyline from Lake Shore Drive as I approach from the north. That view is an underrated perk of the commute. Before long, I was on the Stevenson Expressway heading west, and then suddenly I was turning onto Longcommon Avenue from Harlem Avenue and finding a place to park on Selborne Road so I could make my way to the Landmark’s parade unit. T he group consisted of sportswriter Bill Stone, circulation manager Jill Wa gner and her husband, Ned Wa gner, who drove the car with the Landmark logo on it while the three of us handed out candy to residents of all ages, especially to the kids
In years past, I remember the parade in Riverside feeling endless, but this year, it was over before I knew it. I was sur prised by the number of attendees who cheered on the Landmark for our re porting or recognized me personally by name or photo
Once we got past the end of the parade downtown, we realized we had far too many boxes of candy to have room in the car for all four of us to zip over to Brookfield, so we gave two of the boxes to firefighters watching the festivities from the fire department’s open truck bay. We hope they enjoy all the Laffy Taf fys we bestowed upon them.
T hen, with no time to spare, we drove
STELLA BROWN
From le , Ned Wagner, Jill Wagner and Bill Stone join Stella Brown for Riverside’s Fourth of July parade on Saturday
to Brookfield’s parade starting point at the intersection of Garfield and Grand avenues and arrived only moments before the parade set of f. In Brookfield, we were joined by Charlie Meyerson, for merly a board member for the nonprofit Growing Community Media that published the Landmark from 2019 through this year before it and its sister publications were donated to NEWSWELL in Februar y.
T he four of us continued to hand out candy while Ned drove, though this time it seemed to fly out of my oversized satchel as soon as I filled it, and I had to make multiple walking refills out of the open trunk of the car. Hopefully, with four candy-givers, no one had to go without due to our planning folly there.
By the end of the second parade, with sweat in my eyes and an ache in my feet, I’d achieved nearly 7,000 steps for the day, a feat that made me feel justified later in lazing around on a friend’s couch.
At one point during the day — I can’ t remember in which town, though hopefully this reader knows who she is — one woman in the crowd waved hello to me and told me I was her favorite journalist,
a compliment I never expected to hear. In this line of work, it’s easy to abstractly ag ree with the sentiment that local news is important, but it never feels truer than when I g et to interact with you, our readers, in real life to hear about the impact our re porting makes. I’m truly honored to be someone’s favorite journalist and to make an impact in each of your lives by kee ping you infor med of gover nment, business and community life in Brookfield and Riverside
Like I said, after we finished the parades and I drove back into the city, I was beat. I spent a good couple of hours languishing at home before I got myself to g ether and hung out with a couple of friends for a triple feature of scary movies, my favorite kind. (For the curious, we watched “It Came from Outer Space” from 1953, “Creepshow 2” from 1987 and “Vamps” from 2012, my favorite of the bunch.”) By the time I was heading home for good, those aforementioned fireworks were exploding overhead through the fo g that had crept up on the city
I’d say it was a Fourth of July for the books
General Manager Max Reinsdorf
Sta Repor ter Stella Brow n
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RB athletes take to state Special Olympics
Coaching assistant Keith Miller says the team earned several medals
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Riverside Brookfield High School students took home a handful of gold and silver medals at the Illinois Special Olympics last month.
Keith Miller, associate teacher and coaching assistant, said the team — consisting of students Issaih Gaytan, Khamyra Gunn, Antonio King, Blaine Sharenow and Ivan Sofeski — took first place in the four-by100-meter relay race.
Gaytan took home the gold in the individual 100-meter dash with a time of 12.36 seconds while Gunn and Sofeski earned silver medals in the softball throw, and Sofeski earned a second silver medal for the 50-meter dash.
both Friday and Saturday that weekend.
“They’re grouped by disability … so it an even playing field for all the athletes,” Miller told the Landmark. “Our kids ha gone downstate in the sectional. In the running races, if it’s like any track meet, they have eight competitors in each section. In softball, it depends on how many are in their heat. There can be anywhere from, I think, four to as many as eight [competitors].”
“It’s so rewarding to see these guys realize they just won state in their vent, and the parents are the same way. ”
In the decade or so that Miller has worked at RB, he said this year’s crop was the largest number of students the school had sent to the state competition following their strong performances and first placements at this year’s re gional competition in Aurora.
KEITH MILLER Coaching assistant
The Special Olympics hosts a number of competitions throughout the year for athletes with intellectual disabilities, with the state Summer Games happening each year in June. This year, they took place from Friday, June 12, to Sunday, June 14. Miller said the students from RB participated on
He said this year was the first time RB’s Special Olympics team took home a gold medal in the relay race event and that Gaytan was the school’s first student to win the 100-meter dash at the state level.
Leading up to the events, Miller said his students acted and felt “just like any athlete.”
“They’re nervous going into it, you know? They’re antsy, they’re walking around,” he said. “When they win, I mean, the excitement between them and the parents is unbelievable. It’s so rewarding to see these guys realize they just won state in their event, and the parents are the same way.”
Miller said the group begins training in earnest in March, although many members of the team are yearlong athletes.
“It gives a chance for athletes in the special education to compete in athletics, also. Besides track, we also have a basketball team that competes in the Special Olym-
Concordia Cemetery – Forest Park, IL
pics against other schools,” he said.
The event gives some kids the chance to show of f their skills among their peers, like Gaytan, who ran track on the RB boys team in the last school year, Miller said. For other students, it gives them the confidence to go out for those team sports.
“What’s really exciting is Antonio King, who was a freshman this year, after doing the Special Olympics, he’s actually going out for the cross-country team next fall,” Miller said.
The team is led by coach Melissa Hammer, Miller said, who also works as a transition specialist at the high school, assisting students in the special education program for up to four years after graduation in learning life skills and finding employment.
“Those kids learn how to make lunches every day in school. They go shopping; they go out in the community,” Miller
said. “We’ve had a lot of employers in the area that let students come in and work, and sometimes we’ve got coaches or an instructor with them. Other times, once they get the rhythm of it, then they’re on their own.”
Normally, Hammer is assisted by paraeducator Bill Delre, Miller said, but this year, Delre had conflicting schedules due to coaching the baseball team.
“I’ve known Melissa and Bill for a long time, and I’m like, ‘You know what? I’ll come and help out. It’s not a big deal.’ I went and helped out. I just enjoy working with [the students],” Miller said.
He said that students who earn a medal at the Special Olympics earn a permanent spot on RB’s wall of fame alongside fully able students who earn medals at their state sports competitions.
“When they see their pictures up there, they get so excited,” he said.
PROVIDED BY KEITH MILLER
RB students Ivan Sofeski, Khamyra Gunn, Antonio King and Issaih Gaytan pose together at the 2026 Illinois state Spec ial Olympics opening ceremony
Marge Hubacek played every role in District 103 schools
Secretary to school board president, Hubacek was 78
By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
For mer Lyons School District 103 school board president Margaret “Marge” Hubacek died suddenly on July 5 of an apparent heart attack. Hubacek was 78. She served one ter m on the D103 school board, serving from 2017 until 2021 and was school board president from 2017 until 2019. Prior to being elected to the school board Hubacek, a longtime resident of Forest View, had worked as a secretary in D103 for 33 years before retiring in 2015. D103 serves the southeast portion of Brookfield. Hubacek’s first job at D103 was as the school secretary at Lincoln School.
In 2017, two years after retiring as the superintendent’s secretary, Hubacek was recruited to run for the school board on a slate with incumbent Sharon Anderson and newcomer Shannon Johnson. The trio defeated a threeperson slate, which included two incumbents, who were supported by Lyons Mayor Christopher Getty. That allowed Hubacek and her colleagues to flip control of the school board that Getty backed candidates obtained in 2015. Once on the board the trio allied with longtime incumbent Joanne Schaeffer to form a 4-3 majority that only lasted for two years. Hubacek was 68 when she was elected to the school board, not the typical age for a firsttime school board candidate.
her four years on the school board many issues were decided on 4-3 votes as the board was split into two camps.
When Schaeffer was defeated in 2017 control of the school board flipped back to school board members who were supported by Getty Hubacek, Anderson and Johnson were relegated to the minority as Jorge Torres took over as school board president. In 2021 Hubacek, Anderson and Johnson all decided not to run for another ter m on the school board because even if all three won they would still be in the minority.
For many people Hubacek was the em-
the Lincoln School secretary, remembered Hubacek as a kind colleague who could be tough when it came to doing what is best for kids.
“She was always encouraging, compassionate, would help people out,” Smith s aid. “Wasn’t afraid to stand up for what was right even if it was going to cause
“Even though she no longer had kids in the district she cared about her community and she cared about the kids in the district and she wanted what was best for them and that was her personality in a nutshell,” Johnson said. “She wanted what was best for people, especially for people in her community and her area.”
Because of her vast experience working in the district for more than three decades her allies elected Hubacek school board president just a couple minutes after she was swor n in as a school board member During
bodiment of D103. She got involved in the Home School PTA when her son Richie was a student there and then went to work for the district getting a job as a secretary at Lincoln School in Brookfield. She later worked as a secretary at Home School and at George Washington Middle School before being hired by then superintendent Mike War ner to be his secretary. She served as the secretary to the superintendent for 10 years.
“She was a fierce supporter of District 103,” War ner said. “She loved the school district and loved the people who were there. She was my right hand person when it came to just about anything because she knew everybody and she advised me on many decisions while I was superintendent.”
Glory Smith, who succeeded Hubacek as
chaos Marge’s passion was always for the district and the better ment of the children. That was her goal. She was a kind human being as well.”
Schaeffer said that the breath of Hubacek’s experience in D103 was unique.
See HUBACEK on page 8
Marge Hubacek
What’s going on in Brook eld this summer?
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s, markets, and bike races
By LILLIAN ALI Reporting Intern
If Independence Day festivities have you wanting more live music, local shopping opportunities and community gatherings, there is still plenty to do in Brookfield this summer. Weekly free concerts, artisan markets and the return of the Cycle Brookfield Criterium are just some of the events keeping Brookfield busy this summer.
Live Music
Fridays: Through the end of August, Kiwanis Park will host weekly Friday night concerts from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Upcoming artists include pop band My Weekend Crush, rock band Midnight, and oldies band The Stingrays.
Last Saturday of the month: On the last Saturday of July, August and September, Music on Grand takes over Grand Boulevard in Downtown Brookfield. From 12:30 p.m. until 10:30 p.m., enjoy live music and outdoor seating at local bars and restaurants on the southern half of the 3700 block of Grand Boulevard. Upcoming headliners include Tom Petty tribute band Free Fallin and 90’s Pop Nation.
LILLIAN ALI
e
ts,
ms at Music on Grand on June 27.
Markets
Wednesdays: Through Aug. 12, Brookfield’s outdoor Artisan Market will feature local artists, far mers and food vendors every Wednesday evening. The Artisan Market, also known as the French Market, runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. along Broadway Avenue, adjacent to 9202 Broadway Ave. and the Brookfield Shops at Progress Park
Saturdays: Through the end of October, the Brookfield Far mers Market will feature local far mers, artisans, live music, and family-friendly activities. The Farmers Market runs Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot at Brookfield Village Hall at 8820 Brookfield Ave.
Events at the Brook eld Zoo
July 11: From 6 to 9 p.m., the Brookfield Zoo will feature live music, a scavenger hunt, and a dinosaur-themed tour of the Zoo grounds after-hours. Dinos After Dark is a special event and requires a separate ticket. General admission tickets are $29.95 for adults and $24.95 for children, while zoo members get a discount.
July 24: The Brookfield Zoo will feature Blues Traveler for its Roaring Nights Concert series at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 for zoo members and $60 for non-members.
August 22: The Brookfield Zoo is hosting Zoo Uncorked, a 21+ after-hours event featuring live music, cocktails and unlimited Ferris wheel rides. The event runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets cost $40 for general admission and $106.60 for general admission with cocktails and mocktails included.
Other events
July 11: Incredible Bats, a Chicago area organization providing live, educational bat shows and presentations, comes to the Brookfield library on Saturday, July 11 from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. Visitors will get to meet bats, turtles, sugar gliders and more.
July 14: The library will host an all-ages bike decorating event in preparation for the Cycle Brookfield Criterium bike race on July 22 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
July 18: The library is hosting a summer One Small Step event at Irish Times for members 21 and over. One Small Step is an initiative that pairs strangers with different political beliefs and encourages thoughtful, guided conversations. Registration is required for this event, which runs outside Irish Times on Burlington Avenue from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
July 22: The Cycle Brookfield Criterium returns for 2026 and features a full day of
events and races, including a Family Fun Ride and a 75-minute professional race. You can see the full schedule here. In addition, the Brookfield library is hosting race-day watch parties, including snacks, air conditioning, commentary, and poster making
August 22: The library will host its annual STEAM fest, celebrating Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
In addition to the events above, music lovers can find open mic nights at Pub 78 on Wednesday nights and the Little Owl Social Pub on Thursday nights. Pub 78 also hosts “Singo,” or musical bingo, on Thursday nights. The Brookfield Shops at Progress Park, a small business incubator, operates Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Finally, the library runs regular weekly events, including a camp for teen filmmakers, adult maker studios, and both reading and writing clubs.
ERICA BENSON
Cycle Brook eld Cr iterium
STELLA BROWN
Brook eld Farmers Market
project for so many months will the village staf f … It was wonderful news.”
Libby Popovic, Brookfield’s community development director, said the board’s approval means the village “can finally execute the full redevelopment” of the dilapi-
Ave. and borders the residential 4000 block of Dubois Boulevard. Brookfield purchased the property in the spring of 2025 for $562,500, with the funds coming out of the Ogden Avenue tax increment financing (TIF) district.
“It’s a good feeling to be able to move it to the next level because we’ve secured the end user. Now, we can really focus on the redevelopment of that corner, which is a very significant investment in a long-term, underutilized commercial property that’s been vacant for a number of years,” Popo-
Residents Manni Carathannasis and the Rev. Vicky Carathannasis, who live on the 4000 block of Dubois, and Chris DiBraccio, who owns and operates Imperial Oak Brewing adjacent to the dispensary’s planned location, have been outspoken against wanting the dispensary in their area since the special use permit was first discussed in May at a planning and zoning commission meeting.
DiBraccio and Manni Carathannasis did not respond to requests for comment from the Landmark following the meeting by the time of publication.
plicants, including Griffin and owner-operator IC Collective, which is required by village code to open a cannabis dispensary anywhere in town.
“My team, the general contractors, the architects, all of those guys are working behind the scenes. As soon as we get the goahead, then we start demo[lition],” Griffin said. “Before we get to open, we have major inspections, of course. The city inspections, the Illinois State Police inspections, and then we have multiple inspections with the IDFPR [Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Re gulation].”
In a Desplaines Valley News story following the board’s vote, Carathannasis, who had presented the board with a petition that earned 217 signatures against the dispensary, said he felt the dispensary would be incompatible with the residential neighborhood nearby.
“It’s a family-oriented neighborhood. That’s what attracted me to Brookfield 10 years ago,” Carathannasis said. “I don’t think the amount of money is worth it … I just don’t think it’s the right place for it.”
He spoke in reference to projected sales tax revenues that Griffin had shared with the village, scaling up from about $150,000 in 2027 to about $300,000 by 2029.
Griffin said she hopes demolition could begin as soon as mid-August, though she said it would be “a conservative win” if the process starts by the beginning of Se ptember
“We’ll have this thing open before the end of the year, right?” she said. “Thi s is all tied to how quickly we can move through the re gulatory process.”
Despite the amount of input received through public comment by nearby residents decrying the dispensary, Griffin said she was “not sure if it infor ms how the dispensary will open.”
Griffin said her team is “full speed ahead” on all aspects of the project, from the architects drawing up plans for the building to going through Brookfield’s process to secure building permits. The village board’s vote separately approved the issuance of a special use permit to the ap-
HUBACEK
from page 5
“We put so much work into it with the village, so it’s really those details we’re going to be working out with the village engineer and permitting,” she said. “Having said that, we always want to include the community. T hose three houses that live back there, which is the three people that spoke [on June 22] … We always would want their input.”
“She was everything, from being a parent, to being involved in PTA, to being school secretary, to being superintendent’s secretary, and probably running the district,” Schaeffer said. “She was involved in everything and I think everybody knew her. I’m getting notes from teachers and parents and all over the place of how much they loved her and what a great person she was.”
Schaeffer said that she and Hubacek disagreed occasionally but said that Hubacek never held a grudge and they became good friends.
Hubacek was a strong, blunt woman who spoke her mind and did not back down but she was also friendly and liked to chat. She had many friends and could seemingly get along with most anybody “She definitely left a mark on many people,”
said Brookfield resident Krystal Steiner who served as a president of the Lincoln School PTA and the George Washington Middle School PTO recalling how helpful Hubacek was to the PTA when Hubacek was the superintendent’s secretary. “She was one kind lady. She definitely poured herself into D103.”
Hubacek was an avid sports fan, especially of her beloved Cubs and Blackhawks. She loved to go to her grandson’s James youth baseball games.
In addition to watching sports Hubacek enjoyed making quilts and greeting cards. She enjoyed going to craft shows and was always up for an outing.
Hubacek was born in 1948 and grew up in Chicago and Cicero. She graduated from Kelly High School on the southwest side of Chicago. Her maiden name was Kaczmarek. She is survived by her longtime husband Rich, her son Richie and her grandson James.
Funeral arrangements are pending.
Taekwondo teacher reaches legendary heights
Jerry Kidd, who teaches classes in North Riverside, Berwyn and River Forest, earns his 9th-level black belt
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
A taekwondo instructor whose impact has been felt across the western suburbs earned the highest status ofmastery within the martial art earlier this year.
Jerry Kidd, 74, who teaches taekwondo across North Riverside, Berwyn and River Forest, passed his test, taken in February in South Korea, to earn his ninth dan, or level, black belt from Kukkiwon, also known as the World Taekwondo Headquarters.
Kidd told the Landmark he went to South Korea late last year to take the test but initially failed due to a knee injury he sustained while training
“I didn’t test very well because my knee was kind of weak, and they don’t really care about that. You pass, or you fail,” he said. “I wasn’t able to convince the judges that I passed, and that was a very big letdown for me, because I passed all eight of my exams before.”
The eighth- and ninth- level tests can only be conducted in South Korea, Kidd said, requiring him to travel back in February this year to retake the test, which he did “unbeknownst to a lot of people.”
John Suba, a program coordinator within North Riverside’s parks and recreation department, said he was the only one who knew that Kidd was traveling rather than out sick.
“He has been here as long as I’veworked here. I started off part-time [in 2017], and we became friends because he would run his classes in the evenings, when I would work,” Suba said. “In February, he talked to me and said, ‘Listen, tell everybody I’m sick, I have the flu, and the doctor wants me to stay away from people for a week. I’m going to go back to Korea and get it.”
After passing the test and earning hi ninth level black belt, Kidd became the sec ond African American ever to do so, he said. He went back to South Korea for a third time in June for his award ceremony on June 19, where he met Ung Suk Yun, the president of Kukkiwon.
“It was the most interesting and exciting day of my life,” Kidd said. “You walk down that red carpeting, and you get behind the podium, and you have your speech made. It was kind of like the Oscars.”
Kidd said he first took up martial arts in 1976 at the age of24 after he met a friend of a friend who practiced karate and invited him to join.
“I blew him of f. The irony is, he came back to talk to my friend again, and I was there. He said to me, ‘I thought you were coming to class,’ and I felt so small. I’d dishonored him, and I was like, ‘Wow. I gave him my word, and I didn’t show up,’” he said. “I came to the class — best thing that
BY
Jerr y Kidd stands with Ung Suk Yun, the president of Kukkiwon, the World Taekwondo Headquar ters, a er earning his ninth level black belt
After six months ofstudying karate, the dojo closed down, and Kidd found a taekwondo studio in Franklin Park that he began studying at, though he had to reset his belt progress due to switching between martial arts. Over time, Kidd said he became one ofhis instructor’s “top black belts” and began to teach it on the side until he lost hi s full-time job.
In 1982, the same year he was laid off, Kidd opened his own taekwondo studio that he said he ran for the next two decades.
“I didn’t know how to run a business or do anything, and I had to learn all ofthat,” he said. “I opened a school in 1982. I ran that school for 20 years. My kids grew up in the school, and then I started doing part-time at the park district over here.”
In 1994, Kidd became the vice president of the United States National Taekwondo Federation, a role he still holds to this day. He said taekwondo “became [his] entire life,” and he still teaches classes across the wester n suburbs
“To see children come in, sitting down inside ofthemselves, and then you work with them and develop their confidence, and they stand up inside themselves and say no or say yes to whatever they want, that’s a wonderful feeling. To change people’s lives, that’s what it’s about. It’s not about fighting,” he said. “When you see people grow right in front of your eyes, came in as a baby and now as a young adult, that’s the joy ofmartial arts.”
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Jerr y Kidd and his taekwondo inst ructor, grandmaster Duk Gun Kwon, pose with Kidd’s ninth level black belt certi cate.
Getting down and dirty
Fizz’d Up mobile trailer dishes dir ty sodas and more
By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Eats Reporter
Summertime is cool drink sipping tim e. There’s a new beverage bugg y on the streets. A mobile soda fountain called Fizz’d Up came from the minds of Oak Parkers Cammie Hunter and Tracie Iannantuoni.
On Facebook the owners, amused with themselves, posted: this is what a midlife crisis looks like.
“All of this all started in late January of this year. I brought the idea to Tracie because we’ve been good friends for many years,” Hunter said. “Our 13-year-old boys have been best friends since they were three. We started poking around Facebook Marketplace to see if there were trailers available. We just decided to pull the trigger.”
Their decked-out drink trailer made its first pours over Memorial Day weekend.
What is dir ty soda?
“The creams are what makes the drinks dirty,” Hunter said. “The favorite one, I feel, is coconut
cream. We also use vanilla cream, and we use heavy whipping cream to make cold foam. We have a cherry cola drink that has a cheesecake cold foam on it, which has been very popular.”
The base liquids are Coke, Dr. Pepper, Sprite, Fanta or root beer. They also serve dirty refreshers, which are made with sparkling water. Dirty energy drinks use Alani, Monster, and Red Bull. There are also lemonade and sugar-free options: Sprite Zero, Coke Zero, Diet Coke, Diet Dr. Pepper. Syrups provide the zingy flavors like vanilla, lime, salted caramel, cotton candy, cherry, watermelon and more. A selection of sugar-free syrups are available too.
A quick look at the menu and a few options jump out. A “Shark Attack” combines Sprite, lemonade, with blue raspberry, coconut and strawberry syrups. Whipped cream floats on that wave of flavor. The “OG Remix” is Dr. Pepper, vanilla and lime syrups, topped with coconut cream.
In the energy drink category, the “Electric Sunset” gets Red Bull together with strawberry and raspberry syrups and orange juice.
PROVIDEWD
Dirty soda from Fizz’d Up
While there are other local outlets serving dirty sodas these days, what really got the owners invested in the idea was the ability to go where the customers were.
“We are mobile and we want to be where the people are,” Hunter said. “We can pick up and go to different activities. Block parties are a really big thing for us We have been at some graduation parties as well. And we also plan to pop up around the pools because, they don’t have concessions at the pools anymore. We can be there when you’re thirsty leaving the pool or come out for a quick drink.”
Drink cost in the range of $6 to $8.
“We have some more deluxe dirty sodas, which have whipped cream, gummies, coffee, boba or some other fun elements in it,” she said.
They are making re gular stops around town. You can check out the schedule on Fizz’d Up’s social media accounts. You can also book a stop at private events. There is a $30 booking fee and a 25-drink minimum.
So far, so good for these new entrepreneurs.
“Everyone just seems really excited to try it,” she said. “It’s something new that no one’s had. And it’s good flavors and tastes. We’ve had a really great time. Right now, we’re anticipating working through Halloween and then putting it to rest in November and then probably coming back again in May.”
Risé Sanders-Weir Fizz’d Up mobile beve rage ser vice
Risé Sanders-Weir
Ow ners Tracie Iannantuoni & Cammie Hunter
REGATTA
10th annual event
from page 1
Schuth’s Grove, a Forest Preserves of Cook County area just outside North Riverside, and set off around 10:30, Gallegos said. They passed under the Swinging Bridge at some point around noon before gathering afterward for lunch at Dulce Mami Cafe in downtown Riverside
The debriefing afterward makes “for great conversation and laughs. We talk about so many things that longtime Riversiders will come back just for that portion, just to talk about the old days and how things were growing up,” Gallegos said.
The regatta was created in 2017 as a way to memorialize Schofield “Scuffy” Gross, a longtime member of the Lions Club and American Legion Post 488 as well as the Riverside Township assessor for four decades. A dedicated member of the Riverside community, Gross died on July 4, 2016, at 88 years old. The first regatta was held on June 25, 2017, Gallegos said, which would have been Gross’s 89th birthday.
Gallegos organized the first regatta in collaboration with Tom Sisulak, the commander of American Legion Post 488, and Connie Schmidt, one of Gross’s three daughters.
“My dad loved the river, and he loved Riverside,” Schmidt told the Landmark.
She said she, Gallegos and Sisulak were the only members of the inaugural regatta,
which served as an unofficial trial run.
“It was fun, and we enjoyed it. We said, ‘Let’s bring other people out onto the river.’
This is what my dad would love, seeing Riverside residents enjoying this fabulous amenity and landmark in the town,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt, who lives in Warrenville in DuPage County, said she attends the regatta every year. Her sisters, Cindy Gross and Christie Muse, do their best to make it, too, even though they now live out of state, she added.
“The fun part is visiting with all the people who are excited to get out on the river with their different water backgrounds. There were brand new kayakers to river kayaking,” Schmidt said. “There were all ages [this year]. The pastor from the Riverside Presbyterian Church was there with his dog all the way down the river. I think sharing the joy of experiencing the river with others is the purpose, so it was very successful.”
Schmidt gave props to Gallegos for his work in creating and sustaining the regatta year after year.
“Alex has done a lion’s share,” she said. “He had a banner printed nine years ago when we did the first big one to include everybody The banner is hung on the Swinging Bridge; he gets out, and he hangs it up and stores it, and he does PR work on Facebook. Alex has been a huge supporter of it.”
Schmidt said she and her sisters “are honored and thrilled” that a memorial for her father, who she said was a lifelong fan of the Des Plaines River, has brought people together year after year to experience it firsthand in the wake of the demolition of the Hof-
mann Dam in 2012.
“It was dangerous, and it impaired safe travel up and down. It’s a much healthier river now, and I think my dad would love that it’s flowing much more cleanly, and it’s a lovely place,” she said. “When we were young, it was a dangerous place to be. ‘Don’t put your hands in the water. It’s dirty.’ There were drownings by the dam, and it was dangerous, and now, it’s a lovely amenity.”
She said the trip down the river each year gives her “a whole other view” on Riverside. “It is amazing seeing our beloved town and our neighbors’ and friends’ backyards from the perspective of the river,” Schmidt said. “It’s like when you fly over a community, you get a different view. Well, when you float through it, and you see Swan Pond or go under the Swinging Bridge instead of strolling across it, it is different.”
COURTESY OF THE RIVERSIDE TOWNSHIP LIONS CLUB
From le , Connie Schmidt, Alex Gallegos and Christie Muse are pictured a er the Riverside regatta on Saturday, June 28.
Paddlers activate color ful smoke bombs dur
PO LICE REPO RT S
Driver reportedly on drugs hits the curb at Eight Corners
Brookfield police on June 23 arrested a 47-year-old Brookfield man for driving under the influence of drugs.
Around 7:30 a.m., officers responded to a re port of a car crash at the Eight Corners roundabout wherein a car took “significant” damage to its front passenger tire and bumper. When police arrived, the driver was not on the scene. The driver later identified himself to police as the owner of the car before police realized he was also the driver.
While speaking with the man, police noticed he was swaying when he stood and walked, struggled with his balanced and slur red his words. The man told police he had been driving to a store to buy a drink when he got dizzy and lost consciousness, causing him to strike the curb within the roundabout.
Police asked the man if he had consumed alcohol or drugs, but what he told them he took was redacted in the police report Police said they observed the man to have “pinpoint pupils” and did not smell alcohol on his breath. The man ag reed to take standardized field testing, though the results of the tests were also redacted.
Police later issued citations to the man in the hospital for improper lane usage, no valid insurance, damage to village property and driving under the influence of drugs. Police set a July 28 court date for the man.
Speeding driver ticketed
Brookfield police ticketed a 19-year-old Berwyn man on June 25 for speeding.
Around 1:50 a.m., an officer was driving east on the 9100 block of Ogden while on patrol when they observed a vehicle heading west at 64 mph in the posted 30 mph zone. The officer pulled up behind the car and activated their emergency lights to conduct a traffic stop near the intersection with Madison Avenue.
The officer spoke with the driver, who said he didn’t know exactly how fast he
had been going but that he was speeding at around 60 mph. When asked, the man told the officer he knew the speed limit was 30 mph. The man provided his driver’s license and proof of insurance at the officer’s request. The officer cited the man for speeding and set an Aug. 11 court date before sending the man on his way.
Caught driving through a stop sign
Brookfield police ticketed a 20-year-old Westmont man for ignoring a stop sign on June 29.
Around 5 a.m., an officer was on stationary patrol at the intersection of Eberly Avenue and 47th Street when they observed a vehicle heading east on 47th that failed to slow down or come to a stop at the intersection, where there is a stop sign.
T he officer made a U-turn and initiated a traffic stop at the intersection of 47th Street and Dubois Boulevard, where they made contact with the driver. After r unning the man’s name through the police database, the officer learned the man’s driver’s license was suspended
T he officer issued the man citations for disobeying a stop sign and for driving with a suspended license and had the man le g ally park his car on the 4600 block of Dubois Boulevard before sending him on his way.
These items were obtained from the Brookfield Police Department reports dated June 22-29; they represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.
— Compiled by Stella Brown
OBITUARIES SPORTS
Mitch Weiss, 68 Chiropractor
Dr. Mitchell J. Weiss, 68, of Riverside, died suddenly on June 27, 2026. Mitch was a dedicated and caring chiropractor at his Cicero practice for over 40 years and a friend and mentor to many
Mitch was the husband of Joan (nee Crowley); the father of Max (fiancé Allie) Weiss, Sam (Maggie) Weiss and Michael Perch; the grandfather of Melanie Weiss; the son of F lorence and the late George Weiss; the brother of Lynda Hirsh and Diana Weiss; the brother-inlaw of Maureen and Dennis (Cheryle) Crowley, Kathy (the late Ray) Vesely, Mary Mills and the late Lawrence and late Elizabeth Crowley; and the uncle of many nieces and ne phews.
Temple services took place at West Suburban Temple Har Zion in River Forest with interment at Oakridge Cemetery, Hillside in the West Suburban Temple Har Zion Section. In lieu of flowers, donations to the National University of Health Sciences, 200 E. Roosevelt Road, Lombard, IL 60148 (www.nuhs.edu or 800826-6285.)
Arrangements were handled by Ivins/ Moravecek Funeral Home.
Arlene Bloom eld, 87 Teacher
Arlene Bloomfield, 87, of La Grange, died on July 1, 2026. A teacher, she was the wife of the late Wer ner Bloomfield; the mother of Michelle (the late Tom) Graf, Michael (Ali Butler) Bloomfield and Matt (Karen) Bloomfield; the grandmother of Dylan, Connor (Alyssa), Adam, Lauren, Alison, Cohen and Sienna; and the great-grandmother of Noa. Services and interment private
Ar rangements 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.
Lions’ Recker repeats all-state honors in girls water polo
Four more LTHS players, Fenwick’s Posluszny among sport’s all-staters
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Lyons Township High School senior Bella Recker entered her senior girls water polo season with high expectations. She more than fulfilled them with her best season statistics-wise and was named first team all-state for the second year in a row. LTHS seniors Bebe Wright and Avery Watanabe were named third-team all-state
“I was very happy to get first team all-state again,” Recker said. “It felt amazing to be recognized for another year of hard work and it was nice to cap off my final season with this award.”
Recker increased her output to a teamhigh 146 goals with 33 assists and 85 steals When she was among six non-seniors on the 10-player 2025 all-state first team, she led the Lions with 96 goals along with 48 assists and 58 steals. Recker was second team all-state in 2024.
“This year I took on a leadership role that was different than years past,” she said. “As a senior and one of three captains, it took time to adjust to the new position. As the season went on I was able to figure out exactly where I fit within my team.”
Wright (78 goals, team-high 88 assists and 101 steals) and Watanabe (34 goals, 71 assists, 47 steals) also were among the Lions’ top offensive weapons
Recker, Wright and Watanabe were named first team All-Lyons Township Sectional. LTHS sophomore Maddie Wieczorkiewicz was second-team all-sectional and senior Rose Frank was honorable mention all-sectional. The Lions’ Megan Jacobs again was named the sectional’s Coach of the Year
In 2025, Wright was second team all-sectional and Watanabe was honorable mention allsectional. Riverside Brookfield junior Carly Romero was named second-team all-sectional for the Fenwick Sectional.
The Lions reached the super-sectional after finishing second in state in 2025 — the program’s second-highest state finish to their 2010 state championship. This season’s first big invitational was at Stevenson, where the Lions lost 16-5 to undefeated Punahou, a prep school from Honolulu, Hawaii. Punahou earlier won 21-5 over Stevenson, this year’s state champions that won its other 35 matches
“Being runner-up at state was a big moment for me. But another one of my favorite memories was (playing Punahou),” Recker said. “Although we lost it was really fun and we played very cohesively.”
Recker will continue playing water polo at Princeton. She will major in molecular biology with plans of eventually becoming a doctor
“I love this sport so much so I knew I wanted to continue playing in some capacity,” she said. “I also really value academics and so I’ve been blessed to continue to push myself in this sport and be able to go to a very rigorous university.”
Boys water polo
Lyons Township seniors Wes Musg rove and Ben Kozak and Fenwick senior Jack Posluszny of Riverside were named second team all-state for boys water polo. LTHS junior goalie Vedran Petkovic was third team all-state
Musgrove (team-high 83 goals, 29 assists, 49 assists) and Kozak (34 goals, team-high 60 assists and 60 steals) were among the Lions’ leading scorers. Petkovic made 189 saves. Musgrove, Kozak and Petkovic were named first-team all-sectional for the Lyons Township Sectional. Junior Collin McNeil was second-team all-sectional and freshman Tim Kozak was honorable mention all-sectional. The Lions’ Doug Eichstaedt was named the sectional’s Coach of the Year Posluszny was first-team all-sectional for the Fenwick Sectional. He also was first-team All-Metro Catholic Aquatic Conference and the Friars’ Lawless Award recipient for boys water polo as the team’s top scholar-athlete. Last season, Kozak was third team all-state and all-sectional and Musgrove was second team all-sectional.
Sports
RBHS grad Murphy makes MLB debut with the Braves
Called up from AAA Monday, pitcher relieves in 7-6 loss to Mets
By BILL STONE
Contributing Reporter
Atlanta Braves pitcher Owen Mur phy’s introduction to Major League Baseball was a quick one. After the 2022 Riverside Brookfield High School graduate was called up for the first time Monday, he made his debut that night in the 10th inning of the Br aves’ 7-6 loss to the visiting Ne w York Mets Wearing No 73, the right-handed Mur phy took the loss after entering with the g ame tied 5-5.
Mur phy got the first two outs with the ghost r unner advancing to third base and then hit a batter. He had an 0-and-2 count before the Mets’ Luis Torrens delivered a two-run double. Murphy ended the inning with his first major leagu e strikeout against Brett Baty. T he Braves’ Michael Har ris II had a r un-scoring double in the bottom of the 10th.
Previously this season, Mur phy made 11 star ts for Class AAA Gwinnett, posting a 3.88 ear nedr un average in 60 1/3 innings with 65 strikeouts and 25 walks. In late April, Mur phy was promoted from AA Columbus following five star ts with a 6.10 ERA in 20 2/3 innings.
Mur phy was taken by the Braves with the No. 20 overall selection in the first round of the 2022 MLB Draft. His 2024 season ended in May when he had to undergo Tommy John elbow surgery MLB Pipeline rates Mur phy as the Braves’ No. 6 prospect but projected him not to mak e hi s MLB debut until 2028.
T he Braves (52-37) lead the National League East and have the third-best winning percenta ge in the NL, but their pitching staf f continues to be decimated by injuries. Mur phy fills the active spot of pitcher Mar tin Pere z, who went on the Injured List after being hit in the ar m by a batted ball Sunday
At RBHS, Mur phy was named the Gatorade Illinois Player of the Year as a senior after a 9-0 pitching record with a 0.12 ERA and 157 strikeouts in 58.1 innings with four no hitters. Mur phy also batted a single-season, school-record .578 with 18 home r uns and 75 RBIs. Mur phy holds RBHS career records for batting average (.470), home runs (30) and RBIs (130).
Bob Skolnik contributed to this report
Owen Murphy of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the tenth inning during the game against the New York Mets at Truist Park on July 6, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia .
Owen Murphy pitches in the tenth inning dur ing the game against the New York Mets at Truist Park on July 6, in Atlanta, Georgia .
PHOTO BY JACK CASE Y/ATLANTA BR AVES/GET TY IMAG E
PHOTO BY MAT THEW GRIMES
All-star Little League play underway for local teams
Brook eld Majors so ball third; Intermediate baseball loses title series
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
During their re gular season, several Brookfield Little League Majors 12-andunder all-star players were known as the Comeback Kids. In District 9 all-star tour nament play, Monday, Brookfield stayed true to that nickname.
Brookfield nearly rallied from a late threerun deficit but lost to LaGrange Park 7-5 at Ehlert Park to finish third in the six-team, double-elimination bracket with a 2-2 overall record
“They battled back. We’re notorious for (rallies),” said Nicki Franklin, Brookfield’s manager, with assistant coaches Melissa Bur ns and Kevin Pytel.
“We had a couple of mistakes in the beginning and we couldn’t come back from those in the end. They tried. We told them no mat-
ter what happens leave it all out there.”
Brookfield Majors all-star softball play were Ava Bur ns, Eliska Chase, Olive Costello, Victoria Deaton, Lindsey Faught, Emil Ferguson, Hailey Franklin, Serah Lopez, Ca rina Marin, Alina Pytel, Eulalia Sokol Fiona Stenson.
Roughly half of the team are 12-and-under players. Catcher Bur ns missed her game Monday with a fractured elbow
“I think we had a great group We’ve a lot of girls since back in 10-U and we some solid 11-Us who came in and helped out,” Nicki Franklin said. “They were chosen for a reason. They were solid play and they’re going to do great moving on from here.”
Brookfield trailed 6-3 before scoring twice in the bottom of the fifth inning to close to 6-5. LaGrange Park scored an insurance run in the top of the sixth before the game ended
Brook eld’s third baseman omas Barnick (18) covers the base and waits on the throw as La Grange Park’s Blake Bolt (3) slides in safely during the Illinois District 9 Little League Intermediate baseball tournament Tuesday, June 30, 2026 in La Grange Park.
JOHNSTON
Brook eld’s pitcher Ryan Nesler (52) delivers a pitch against La Grange Park during the Illinois District 9 Little League Intermediate baseball tournament Tuesday, June 30, 2026 in La Grange Park.
with Brookfield going down 1-2-3 in the sixth.
Had Brookfield won, the team would have had to beat then-undefeated Wester n Springs twice to win the championship later Monday and Tuesday. LaGrange Park defeated Wester n Springs later Monday 5-3 to force Tuesday’s winner-take-all finale
Brookfield lost its tour nament opener to Wester n Springs, 14-5, June 29, but then defeated Riverside 10-7 July 1 and North Riverside 17-1 on July 2.
“We played a tough game against Wester n Springs,” Nicki Franklin said. “I’m glad we battled them first. I think that set us up to play better the rest of the time, too.”
North Riverside, which finished 1-2, previously defeated La Grange 19-9, July 1, after losing its opener to Wester n Springs 21-0, June 30.
Riverside finished 0-2, losing its opener to LaGrange Park 12-2, June 30.
The Minors 10-and-under all-star softball tour nament begins July 9 for Brookfield and North Riverside and July 10 for Riverside
The four-team 11-and-under all-star softball tour nament begins July 13 for Brookfield, Riverside and North Riverside La Grange beat LaGrange Park in two
games to capture the Juniors softball district title.
All-star baseball
In the two-team District 9 Inter mediate baseball bracket, Brookfield lost both games to LaGrange Park 12-3, June 30, and 16-3, June 29.
Brookfield team members were Wyatt Adamson, Santos Andino, Thomas Barnick, Aiden Biel, Elijah Castorena, Matthew Heinl, Erick Kemper, Mateo Monarre z, Ryan Nesler, Levi Olson, Joseph Pilch and Linus Star r. The team was managed by Jason Adamson with assistant coaches Spencer Olson and Rob Pilch.
The 10-and-under Minors baseball allstar tour nament be gan Monday with Riverside losing to LaGrange Park 11-0 and North Riverside losing to Wester n Springs 16-1. Brookfield opened Tuesday against LaGrange Park.
The 11-and-under baseball all-star tournament be gins July 8 for Brookfield and Riverside and July 9 for Nor th Riverside.
The Majors 12-and-under baseball allstar tour nament be gins with Brookfield and Riverside playing each other July 14. North Riverside is not entered
STEVE JOHNSTON
STEVE
Local softball players enjoy tournament sendo
Teams will head to Des Moines and Michigan for USSSA Nationals
By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter
Abbey L’Odense has been to Des Moines exactly once in her life That was a year ago, when her Windmills fastpitch softball team traveled there and participated in the USSSA Midwest National Championship tour nament. True, she and her teammates went winless in Des Moines, but she insists it’ ll be dif ferent this time around for her 14U team this weekend.
“I think we’re definitely going to do better playing-wise,” said L’Odense, a pitcher and middle infielder “This year I don’ think we’ ll be as nervous, since we’ve been there before. I’m really excited this year Going out of state for tour naments and playing with my team is always really fun. We always make the most of it, even if we don’t do so well.”
“This year I don’t think we’ll be as nervous, since we’ve been there before. I’m really excited this year.”
L’ODENS E Pitcher
L’Odense and a host of Riverside and Brookfield Windmills players enjoyed Monday’s sendof f party at Veterans Park in North Riverside which featured food, a DJ and a visit from US99 radio personality Melissa McGur ren. Later this week, the program’s 11U 13U, 14U and 15U squads will be of f to Des Moines for the Midwest national championships, while the 12U team will head to Canton, Michigan, for the USSSA Great Lakes National Championship.
Te gan Sheridan, an outfielder and middle infielder on the 11U team, has never been to Des Moines for any reason, softball or otherwise Pre-tour nament, what’s her perception of what it will be like ?
“It’s going to be hot,” Sheridan said. No argument there. Hydration and cooling towels will be the order of the day. But it’s more than that. It’s going to be really fun to
PROVIDED
be with our team and enjoy the good weather,” she said.
Her dad, Trent, is an assistant coach and said the team has been playing since April, taking part in several tour naments in order to be ready for Des Moines He’s never been to Des Moines, either His perception?
“I think for us, we’re just kind of looking at seeing teams from around the Midwest, and teams that are going here are probably ones that have been competing and doing
well,” he said. “I think it will be interesting to accept that challenge. It’s a fun lear ning and competitive experience we’ ll remember for a long time.”
Mae Zalewski is on that 11U team and is a catcher/outfielder She, too, has never been to Iowa for any reason. But she’s excited about the opportunity, and the good news is that, in her mind, there’s no pressure.
“Not really, because you can hang out with your friends,” she said.
Heading in the other direction of the Midwest with her 12U team, to Canton, will be Hazel Jurgens, who plays first base and third base Like Zalewski, Jurgens feels like there’s nothing to wor ry about. She’s played for the Windmills for four years, and like her Iowa cohort, loves playing with her teammates
“I like how we support each other,” she said.
Riverside Windmills players, from le , Maeve Dan, Tegan Sheridan, Elena Kasperk, assistant coach Trent Sheridan, Abbey L’Odense, Ev ia Pisano and Mae Zalewski
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act n relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M26001773 on June 24, 2026 Under the Assumed Business Name of GREEK CONNECTIONS with the business located at: 1122 NORTH HAYES AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: BEVERLY SINGLETON 1122 NORTH HAYES AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA
Published in Wednesday Journal
July 1, 8, 15, 2026
LEGAL NOTICE
The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday July 22nd, 2026 for the following: Village of Oak Park Water Distribution System Assessment Program Bid Number: 26-118 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oakpark.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.
Published in Wednesday Journal July 8, 2026
The Village of Oak Park will receive bids for Dell computer equipment. The full bid document, “26IT-0002 Information Technology,” is available on the Village website www.oakpark.us. Bids will be accepted until July 20, 2026 4PM Central.
in Wednesday Journal July 8, 2026 LEGAL NOTICE
LEGAL NOTICE
The Village of Oak Park will receive bids for Dell server equipment. The full bid document, “26IT-0003 Information Technology,” is available on the Village website www.oakpark.us. Bids will be accepted until July 20, 2026 4PM Central.
Published in Wednesday Journal July 8, 2026
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