By LILLIAN ALI Reporting Intern
What may have looked like just another pickup soccer match in North
Riverside’s Veteran’s Park Friday night was actually a source of community for bereaved fathers in the area.
Since May 15, the Charli Mae Foundation, a local organization supporting
DADS on page 12
ALLEYS on page 9 ree players rushing the ball to get to it rst at Veterans Park in North Riverside on July 17.
Proposal aimed at ra ising $2 million per year as current debt obligations fall away
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Brookfield officials have approved the wording for a village referendum in November that, if approved by voters, would allow it to implement a permanent program for street improvements made over time.
At its July 13 meeting, the board considered two possible variations of the wording but settled on the following:
“Shall the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for the Village of Brookfield, Cook County, Illinois, be increased
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Classic car lovers took to Riverside’s Quincy Street on Wednesday, July 15, for the village’s first cruise night of the year, where 22 cars drew hundreds of attendees between 6 and 9 p.m.
The event was organized as a collaboration between the village parks and recreation department and the Lions Club. Alex Gallegos, for mer Lions Club president and current village trustee, said the event raised several hundred dollars in donations for the storm-battered Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, community.
Gallegos said he was impressed by the turnout despite competition from concurrent cruise nights in LaGrange and Berwyn.
“We had some very good music that parks and recreation provided. You could hear it all the way from one edge to another, and some cars had their own stereos going,” Gallegos told the Landmark.
The cars included classics with model years as old as 1948 and vintage models as recent as 2001, just over the 25-year threshold, Gallegos said. He named a 1977 Lincoln Continental as his favorite classic car of the night.
“I was a kid in the ‘80s, and those huge cars, people couldn’t wait to get rid of them because they were considered boats,” he said. “I myself had a [Cadillac] Fleetwood Brougham. I do miss the old, big luxuries that we had back in the day.”
Ron Malchiodi, Riverside’s director of parks and recreation, said the village’s organization ef for ts began in earnest in March after staf f had heard continuous pleas from residents to bring back the cruise nights, which used to happen more re gularly throughout the summer when they were org anized by Riverside Garage.
Attendees took in the si ght of classic and vintage cars at Riverside’s Quin cy St
cruise night on July 15, 2026.
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Malchiodi said he worked with Gallegos and the Lions Club to get the word out to existing cruise night communities online to see if they could get a group of classic car owners to show up.
“The key to a lot of these car shows or cruise nights is the connections to the car owners, and you need a vehicle, pun intended, to get to those car owners. Social media helps, but it’s a lot of word of mouth, and it’s a lot of getting a hold of the right person,” he said. “We decided to go grassroots. We made a lot of posts. I had my email there and just said, ‘Hey, if you’re interested.’ Surprisingly, we got 15 responses right of f the bat, and they were all local people, which was great, too.”
Malchiodi said village staf f are looking to host another cruise night in the fall, leveraging the connections they made for Wednesday’s event to bring in even more classic car owners and attendees.
“We knew the community wanted it, and, also, Village President [Doug] Pollock tasked the department with [figuring out] how do we do these,” Malchiodi said. “We will get random feedback, especially in the months that it typically took place. People ask, ‘Are you doing cruise nights this year? Are those coming back?’ We’ve always had to say … ‘We’re trying to work that out,’ because we weren’ t sure.”
John Flaherty, the recorder for the local Knights of Columbus chapter that sold hot dogs and hamburgers at the cruise night, said the energy was high and the event was well attended.
“I thought it went alright. We’ve done a couple of these in the past. I don’t think it was as heavily attended as in years past,” Flaherty said. “I think everyone had a good time.”
Malchiodi said the best part of the cruise night for him and his team, like any parks and recreation event, is to see the heavy turnout from area residents.
“You see it come to fruition, and you see the end result. You see families walking through,” he said. “The payoff is seeing people enjoy the event and thanking us for bringing it back. Even the car people — you never know what their level of expectation is, because they participate in a lot of other cruise nights — they even said, ‘We really like this neighborhood, and this was a really laid-back cruise night. We’ll be back.’ Seeing the payoff from all of that behindthe-scenes work is great.”
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A bike path on 31st Street from Prairie Avenue to town limits could cost Brook eld $1.4M
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Brookfield officials debated on Monday, July 13, whether the village should be responsible for covering the costs associated with constructing a proposed bike trail along 31st Street from Prairie Avenue to village limits
The village board reached a consensus that the village will accept its share of the costs to construct the path from Prairie Avenue to McCormick Avenue while asking representatives at the county level to cover some of the village’s portion to then extend the path from McCormick Avenue to where Brookfield ends and Riverside begins. That border is about 300 feet west of Golfview Avenue and falls directly along Golf Road further south.
is the earliest that the bike path could be constructed, as phase one engineering is still ongoing this year and funding is yet to be obtained for the second phase of the project, which must also conclude ahead of construction.
The bike path is set to be created as part of the Des Plaines River Trail South Extension Project, an intergovernmental project that also involves Cook County and its Forest Preserve District as well as the villages of Riverside and Lyons. Brookfield has served as the lead agency for the project since 2019.
The project, which has made stop-andgo progress over the years, aims to fill gaps across the re gion in the Des Plaines River Trail, which runs more than 50 miles from the Illinois-Wisconsin border to River Grove, a village near O’Hare International Airport. After a gap of nearly seven miles, the trail picks up in Lyons and runs south for another mile and a half
This was the village board’s first update on the project since trustees ag reed in October 2024 that the bike path along 31st Street should run along the south side of the road, adjacent to eastbound traffic.
According to village documents, the stretch of the path from Prairie Avenue to McCor mick Avenue will cost $4.1 million in total, with Brookfield’s 20% share of the
cost set at $820,000. The portion from McCor mick to village limits will cost another $3.1 million in total, with Brookfield’s share at $624,000. If Brookfield were to pay for both of its shares all on its own, it would cost the village $1,444,000.
The 80% share of the overall cost for both portions of the road will be funded through a Surface Transportation Program grant Brookfield was awarded by the West Central Council of Mayors. Because funding for STP grants comes from a federal source, the village cannot seek additional federal funding for its 20% share, but state or county funding may be able to reduce the costs further, Village Engineer Derek Treichel said.
“We’ re looking to reaffirm that the board is in for the cost for the local share of $820,000,” Treichel said in reference to the stretch from Prairie to McCormick.
this well beyond Brookfield, so the funding should be well beyond Brookfield for this. It’s a good idea that it goes to First Avenue, absolutely, but there’s re gional benefit, so there needs to be more contribution from others.”
Wiberg said he expects Riverside’s re presentatives will also request increased funding from the county for its own 20% share to extend the bike path to the First Avenue Trail.
Last October, the Cook County Department of Transportation and Highways of fered to fund nearly $260,000 toward Riverside’s portion of the costs, accounting for nearly half of them, to extend the trail east along 31st Street and south along First Avenue. Riverside has also ag reed to let the trail follow Waubansee Road west before it turns south through Forest Preserves property and rejoins First Avenue in Lyons.
“That doesn’t mean you don’ t go out and look for additional funding, but that’s the 20% share right now.”
Treichel asked the board whether Brookfield’s re presentatives in an upcoming meeting should commit the village to covering the local cost for the stretch east of McCormick Avenue. Trustees ag reed the village should maintain that those costs ought not to be solely Brookfield’s responsibility.
“I started meeting on this when I was village president in 2015, and we were having the exact same discussion then in ter ms of the funding,” Trustee Kit Ketchmark said. “There’s re gional benefit to
Trustee Kyle Whitehead emphasized the importance of the connector route at the local level.
“Riverside is a very popular destination for people walking and biking. Brookfield residents are traveling to Riverside for recreation and shopping and restaurants, and this could be a much safer connection than what exists currently,” Whitehead said. “When Riverside residents are coming to Brookfield, they have the potential to spend money and support our businesses. If it makes it easier for people to access the village, I think there’s an added benefit of that connection.”
By GREGG VOSS
Contributing Reporter
July has been a long month for Riverside-Brookfield High School Principal Dr Hector Freytas
The school has hosted summer residency days July 8 and July 15, with another coming up Wednesday and the last a week later on July 29. Every family and their students must attend.
They’ll see the familiar face of Freytas at the main entrance, along with a board with dozens of pouches – for student cellphones
The key message: During classes, phones must be in a pocket. It’s the preemptive moveby District 208 ahead of the state’s mandate for the 2027-28 school year
And they have been long days for Freytas. He’s stood up front from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 8 and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. July 15. He’ll do that same 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. shift Wednesday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 29. Long days if you’re wearing dress shoes
room to classroom,” Freytas said.
The intention ofthe new state mandate is to make sure every student is on the same page everywhere.
“On the one hand, phones can be a tool for learning, and on the other hand it can be a distraction,” he said. “We need students focused on learning and off their phones during instructional time. It’s tempting to send a message and use their phones during class time.
“We want to remove the distraction.”
But he’s not glum about it. Quite the contrary, though he has heard a few groans – from students, not their parents
“We’re doing it together in residency, they are putting them in their cellphone pockets,” he said. “I believe that I am setting my students up for success and mitigating issues I care about my teachers and want them to focus on instruction.”
In past years, he said, the school used a “stoplight” system for cellphone usage in class. Teachers had the autonomy to decide when students could use their phones. For example, on a green day, students could use their phones. On a yellow day, students might only be able to use their phones at the beginning or end of class. Obviously, a red day meant no usage at all.
“It created some inconsistency from class-
Of course, there are always those who want to buck the system, so there are noncompliance rules in place.For example, for a first offense students who don’t comply will receive a verbal redirection; defiance will result in an administrative conference. In an extreme situation, a fourth offense, a student’s cellphone will be collected upon main office entry for the remainder of the quarter
But Freytas doesn’t expect a lot ofproblems, especially if everyone knows the rules.
“At RB, we care about them and love them and have their back,” he said. “I believe they will meet the new cellphone procedure expectations. My students are very important to me; this procedure is very important to me and important to the community.”
At the July 14 Board of Education meeting, the board decided to defer to Aug. 11 a vote on increasing substitute teacher pay to $25 per hour, up $3 from the current pay rate that has been in place since the 2022-23 school year.
“Increasing the rate ofpay for external substitutes assists the district in attracting qualified substitutes,” said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Kristin Smetana. “In turn, the
district can foster a positive and productive learning environment for students by ensuring continuity of instruction and effective classroom management during teacher absences.”
Smetana said that historically such a pay rate increase had not gotten board approval. “However, it makes sense to move it since
it is a financial decision tied to payroll,” she said. She noted at the meeting that the pay rate increase would add about $30,000 to district operational expenses.
Internal substitutes, such as teachers or administrators that pinch-hit in a classroom for a few hours or a day receive a pay rate of $40 per hour, she said.
Bring the whole family to Big Ball Park for an exciting Sunday afternoon of Vintage Baseball!
26, 2026
Starting at 1pm
By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter
As far as Riverside School District 96 Board of Education President Wesley Muiheid is concerned, the district’s ongoing search for a new superintendent comes down to a few key things.
“Somebody who can come in and simultaneously keep the cohesion we have and build on the cohesion,” Muirheid said. “I’ll speak for myself. Just making sure we can keep doing the good work we have been doing. Continue stability and make progress without a ste p back.”
This will be current superintendent Dr. Martha Ryan-Toye’s final school year as superintendent, after more than a decade at the helm. Muirheid, David Barsotti, the chair of the board’s personnel committee and the rest of that body are working with BWP & Associates, Ltd., to identify, interview and hire Ryan-Toye’s re placement, ideally by this January.
“We knew that Martha is retiring and so we started talking about this a year ago,” Barsotti said. “You can’ t start the search too soon. What we learned is somebody is not looking for a job two years in advance.
“We started the search for the search firm in the November timeframe of last year.”
T he board interviewed five candidate organizations, settling on BWP, based in Libertyville. Its president, Mark F riedman, is heading the search for the district’s new superintendent.
“We do a lot of these,” F riedman said. “Part of this comes from experience. We did basically 30 last year. A person that might stand out in one search might be a fit in another search. We do this by building a leadership profile.”
T he process is intensive. BWP has conducted one-on-one interviews with each board member. Applications will star t rolling in in mid-August. Community and district-wide surveys will be distributed
after Labor Day, with similar in-person focus groups at that time. Following that, Barsotti said, will be candidate screening by BWP, with up to six candidates presented to the board, which will winnow it down to likely two finalists
F riedman said the “board should be able to hire their person late November or early December.
“We’ re of f to an early start,” he said. “David [Barsotti] wanted to make sure we got the board members early and the administration early We’re not in any r ush. We knew this is going to be an attractive place.
“Many people have said, ‘When you’ re ready to accept applications, let me know.’ We don’ t just have a list and pick from that list. We start all over.”
An important component of the process is credentials. A candidate could be a seated superintendent who seeks a chang e, or it could be an assistant superintendent with aspirations to become a superintendent.
As far as what Barsotti is looking for in the ideal candidate, it’s similar to Muirheid. Obviously, the chosen candidate needs the right qualifications and demonstrated leadership and the ability to execute the district’s recently completed five-year strategic plan. But there’s much more.
“Someone that embraces the values of our community … Riverside, Brookfield, North Riverside and Lyons,” he said. “I want to make sure that the candidate reflects the values of our community. That person will carry the district forward to help our kids become leaders.”
But though Ryan-Toye has almost a year left on the job, ultimately, she will be missed
“We’ re grateful for what Martha has done,” Barsotti said. “When she came in, it was bumpy. She has done a lot to right the ship. She is a great leader. She is someone we will sorely miss.
“She was definitely the right candidate.”
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
After several months of searching, Brookfield has hired Matthew Havlik as the village’s new deputy director of public works. Havlik, who started July 13, will serve as the right-hand man to Lauren Moore, the director of the department, who joined the village in March 2025.
Havlik obtained a bachelor’s degree in natural resource management with a minor in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2013 and a master’s degree in public administration from Norther n Illinois University. He comes most recently from the village of Lisle, where he worked as an assistant to the village manager for about seven years. Before that, Havlik spent four years as a public works analyst for the village of Winnetka and two years as a management intern for
the city of Lake Forest as he at tended grad school.
Havlik said he felt drawn to the world of public works by the amount of collaboration he experienced in previous positions
“I really enjoyed the camaraderie of a team environment and working on and delivering those core services that residents rely on on an everyday basis, from making sure the roads are in good shape to making sure roads are plowed and accessible for everyone,” he said. “There are so many critical things that public works does that people might not always reco gniz e, but it’s a very fulfilling depar tment to work fo r.”
department is currently doing and some of the projects and initiatives coming ahead,” Havlik told the Landmark. “A lot of what was in the job description matched a lot of my background and things I’ve een doing, so I decided to put my name in.”
Havlik said he felt a natural camaraderie with the department heads and members of administration he met with during the interview process in June.
“It was a very natural conversation. They were very welcoming and supportive of this position, and I felt right at home right away,” he said.
“Strategic initiatives, service delivery, budgeting and capital planning, and also promoting a positive workplace culture here,” he said. “Modernizing the department with a focus on safety and making sure everyone is following department policies, procedures and practices.”
Havlik mentioned he has a personal connection to Brookfield, too.
“Brookfield has always been near and dear to my heart. Back in the day, my parents actually went to and graduated from Riverside Brookfield High School,” he said. “I’ve always known about Brookfield. I grew up going to the zoo with some core memories I have from that. With the charming character of the town, it was an easy decision to accept the position.”
Havlik said he was attracted to the role after he saw a job posting online
“I read it into it, and it sounded really interesting, all the duties and what the
He said his main duties will include supporting Moore in making decisions about the department and overseeing “a lot of the daily operations.”
Moore was not available to speak about Havlik’s hiring and Village Manager Tim Wiberg did not respond to a request for comment before the time of publication.
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8900 Fairview Ave
Brookfield, IL 60513
(708) 255-5933
www.sebastianshouse.com
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Known for its incredible selection of bacon-inspired appetizers, entrees, cocktails, and even desserts, there’s truly something for everyone—including a
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As an Official Blackhawks Bar, Sebastian’s is a go-to destination for hockey fans, but the excitement doesn’t stop there. From NFL Sunday Ticket and college football to basketball, UFC, boxing, and more, you’ll never miss your favorite team or event.
Be sure to check out their daily food and drink specials, test your luck on the live video gaming machines, join in the fun with Wednesday Bingo, and bring the family on Thursdays when kids eat free. Whether you’re meeting friends for drinks, enjoying dinner with family, or cheering on your favorite team, Sebastian’s Ale & Whiskey House offers great food, great drinks, and great company right in the
heart of Brookfield.
Visit them at 8900 Fairview Ave., Brookfield or learn more at SebastiansHouse.com
Brookfield police on July 12 cited a 40-year-old Bensenville man for driving without a license after his car struck another car.
Around 1 p.m., an officer responded to the intersection of Ogden and Prairie av enues on a report of a car crash without injuries or airbag deployment. The officer met the parties of both vehicles at the BP gas station and first spoke with the drive and passenger of the struck vehicle. The pair said they were driving west on Ogden Avenue and had come to a stop to turn left onto Prairie Avenue when their vehicle was rear-ended.
The officer spoke with the driver of the second vehicle, who said he had been driving right behind the first car. He said he had been distracted briefly while looking at an auto re pair shop on the road when he turned back to the road before rear-ending
the car in front of his. The man said the traffic light had been green and he did not expect the vehicle in front to stop. When the officer requested the man’s documents, he provided proof of insurance but said he had never been issued a drive r’s license, though he was in the process of obtaining one. T he officer told the man he could not drive until he had obtained his license
Brookfield paramedics evaluated the driver of the first car on the scene and transported him to the hospital after he complained of back pain, with police releasing his vehicle to his passenger. The officer then ticketed the driver of the second car for failing to reduce speed to avoid a crash and driving without a valid license. Police set a July 28 court date and sent the man on his way, leaving his car legally parked at the g as station.
Brookfield police arrested a 48-year-old Oak Lawn woman on July 12 for driving without headlights at night.
Around 3 a.m., an officer was driving east on 47th Street when they observed a vehicle heading west without its headlights on. T he officer made a U-turn to conduct a traffic stop when they saw the car ignore the stop sign at 47th Street and East Avenue and continue west into LaGrang e. T he officer initiated a traffic stop on the car after it stopped at the railroad crossing to let a train pass and pulled it over near 10th Avenue in LaGrange.
T he officer made contact with the two occupants of the vehicle, neither of whom appeared to speak English, although the driver understood their request for her driver’s license. She provided a state ID card. T he officer ran the woman’s information and learned her license had been suspended for driving under the influence.
T he officer asked dispatchers to send a Spanish-speaking officer, who explained to the woman and her passenger that she was under ar rest. Officers ar rested the woman and spoke with the passenger, who police said owned the car and appeared to be intoxicated. T hey explained to the man that his car would be towed. Officers transported the woman to the Brookfield Police Department, where she received citations for driving without required headlights, ignoring a stop sign and driving on a suspended license. Police fingerprinted the woman before releasing her in the lobby, where the man was waiting for her.
Brookfield police on July 7 ticketed a 17-year-old Hodgkins boy after they caught him speeding.
Around 2:30 a.m., an officer on patrol was conducting radar speed checks when they observed a vehicle heading east on Ogden Avenue moving at 50 mph in the posted 30-mph zone. The officer followed the car and initiated a traffic stop on the 8600 block of Ogden, where they made contact with the driver and explained the reason for the stop
The teen said he only had a learner’s permit and not a driver’s license, and his passenger said she did not have a driver’s license. The officer told the teen he cannot drive without a passenger who has a valid license and issued him citations for speeding and for driving without a valid license. The officer set a July 28 cour t date.
Brookfield police ticketed a 23-year-old Burr Ridge man for speeding on July 11. Around 8:30 p.m., an officer was conducting radar speed checks on the 8700 block of 31st Street when they observed a car traveling at 67 mph in the posted 35-mph zone. The officer activated their squad car’s emergency lights and pulled the car over on the 3100 block of Prairie Avenue for a traffic stop.
The officer explained the reason for the stop to the man, who apologized and provided a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance at the officer’s request. The officer charged the man with speeding, set an Aug. 11 court date and released the man from the scene.
These items were obtained from the Brookfield Police Department reports dated July 6-14; 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
from page 1
by an additional amount equal to .3711% above the limiting rate for municipal purposes for the levy year 2024 and be equal to 2.2764% ofthe equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein for levy year 2026?”
Finance Director Doug Cooper said this increase to the limiting rate would generate about $2 million in additional revenue, which would continue to be collected by Brookfield over time due to the cumulative nature of property tax raises.
For a home with a market value of $100,000 at the time ofthe referendum, the additional tax that would be extended against that property ifthe referendum is approved would be about $112.45. The increase would go into effect for the 2026 tax bills that will be paid in 2027 at the same time that existing bond debt falls of f, nullifying the experienced tax increase to property owners.
While the phrasing ofthe referendum question might sound like legalese mumbo jumbo — indeed, the wording is state-mandated — it draws upon the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law, also known as PTELL, an Illinois law that limits property tax growth year over year based on the annual inflation rate. The law is designed to protect property owners from runaway tax bill increases when the value oftheir property rises.
The so-called limiting rate is set for each taxing body by the county it falls within — in this case, Cook County. The rate determines how much ofthe overall tax levy proceeds that taxing body can receive each year. According to the meeting’s agenda documents, Brookfield’s most recent limiting rate is 1.905% ofthe equalized assessed value (EAV) of all its taxable properties.
A “yes” vote on the question would enable Brookfield to raise that limiting rate by 0.371 percentage points to a total value of 2.276% of the EAV.
Uncertainties remain about how the village might implement an alley paving program in tandem with the street program due to the widespread low quality of gravel alleys in Brookfield.
At staf f’s most conservative estimates without sharing the costs with residents,
an alley paving program would follow a 99-year schedule with about $1,150,000 in guaranteed funding annually. Some $800,000 would come from the road improvement fund that would be established with the passage ofthe referendum question while $100,000 would come from the village’s tax increment finance, or TIF, districts. $250,000 would come in the form of grant funding from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District ofGreater Chicago due to the new alleys including permeable pavers which will store stormwater.
A 50/50 cost share option with residents on the block ofany given alley being replaced would reduce the schedule ofthe program to 58 years. It would not cut the schedule fully in half due to increased costs associated with the special assessment process that would have to be undertaken in a cost-sharing scenario.
Officials weighed each option, unsure of which one might be fairer to residents.
“Trustee [Julie] Narimatsu brought up a good point at the last discussion, where she said the roadways benefit everyone, and that’s all being paid for as part ofthis referendum, but the alleys don’t benefit everyone,” said Dan O’Malley, a project manager at Hancock Engineering, Brookfield’s contracted engineering firm.
“What percentage ofthe residents don’t have alleys? That plays into this too, right? If you don’t have an alley, and we’re making the pitch for this alley program, do they care? Maybe they do care because it’s costing them, too,” Trustee Kit Ketchmark said.
Whitehead raised concerns about selling residents on an alley improvement program from which they may never see the benefits.
how to proceed ifa nar row majority ofa block approves paying halfthe costs while the large minority disag rees. They also weighed whether it would be fair to residents on blocks that had previously come together to pay for most ofthe costs to redo their own alley to then implement a program that doesn’t directly cost residents on the block.
After nearly 90 minutes ofdiscussion, the board ag reed to move on and return to the topic at their next committee ofthe whole meeting on July 27 to see ifstaf f could answer any ofthe questions they raised and to hear input from Trustee Katie Kaluzny, who was absent from the meeting.
Trustees opted for their chosen phrasing over another option that would have sought to generate the additional $2 million per year by increasing the extension limitation directly, exceeding the stateimposed cap each year ofthe lower value between the annual Consumer Price Index increase or a flat rate of 5%.
“Residents ‘ need to be able to dig into educational materials and understand what w ill be a leng thy process.’
Due to the way tax law works in Illinois, this phrasing ofthe question would have seen the limitation raised by a direct percentage rather than a number of percentage points. Because 0.371 is about 19.5% of1.905, the question would have asked voters to allow the village to raise the extension limitation by 19.46% for the year, generating the same amount of revenue to put toward fixing up roads and alleys.
K YLE WHITEHEAD Village trustee
“[Residents] need to be able to dig into the education materials and understand what will be a lengthy process unless we were quickly successful in securing a massive amount of additional funding,” he said. “A resident votes in favor ofthis because ofthe alley sweetener, and they’re like, ‘That’s great. I have a new alley coming soon.’ Then we do the analysis, and their alley is coming in 47 years, in 67 years, in 80 years. They’re not going to see themselves benefiting from that investment.”
Trustees debated how to order the alley upgrades in a cost-sharing scenario or
“The public education campaign is going to be critical for residents to be able to understand what they’re voting on,” Trustee Kyle Whitehead said. “That 19.4% percent number does jump out in that description. That option is concerning to me in terms ofgiving people the wrong impression about how this is going to impact their household.”
The second method would have mimicked the phrasing that neighboring Riverside used in its successful 2024 referendum to establish a similar permanent fund for street repairs. Riverside sought only to increase its extension limitation by 9.3% for the year, which may not have spooked voters as much as Brookfield trustees worried the 19.46% figure would.
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By LILLIAN ALI Reporting Intern
Visitors to the Brookfield Zoo this summer will see the lions, penguins and primates they expect, but they may be surprised to meet the zoo’s newest residents: dozens of life-sized dinosaur animatronics.
Ranging from a 65-foot-long brachiosaurus hatching Edmontosaurus eggs, the animatronics tured in a special “Dinos after Dark” event. The zoo saw nearly three thousand visitors over the course of the afterhours event on Saturday, July 11, from 6 to 9 p.
“One piece of having dinos here for the summer is helping people understand what is extinction, wh saurs, what are species we want to save for said Kelsey Mauro, associate vice president of cations at Brookfield Zoo Chicago. “We want it to be fun, but we also want to educate people about dinosaurs and what used to live on our planet.”
Informational tours and so-called “Zoo Chats” with animal care specialists made up the educational of the event. Meanwhile, zoo performers in realistic dinosaur costumes or holding baby dinosaur hand puppets interacted with guests.
The event was particularly popular among dinosaurloving children, with unlimited Ferris wheel rides and dinosaur-themed games.
“My son loves dinosaurs, so I thought this would be a cool event to do with my kids, create memorie hang out at the zoo at night,” said Austin resident Sharlisa Brooks, who came to the zoo with her 2-year-old daughter and 5-year-old son.
Maywood 12-year-old Tiago Jiminez, whose favorite dinosaur is a velociraptor, said he came to the event because dinosaurs are “in his heart.”
“My favorite part of the event has to be the Dino Don trip,” Jiminez said, refer ring to zoo tours conducted by Don Lessem, whose company, Dino Don, provided the larger-than-life dinosaur animatronics featured at the zoo. “I learned that the biggest dinosaur was an Argentinosaurus.”
While Dino Don’s 30-plus dinosaur animatronics will be at the zoo until Oct. 25, Lessem himself attended the Saturday night event to give educational tours. Originally a science journalist, Lessem has written books on dinosaurs, helped excavate dinosaur fossils, and served as an adviser on “Jurassic Park,” Steven Spielberg’s beloved 1993 dino flick.
Lessem emphasized “the sense of awe” young visitors see when facing a life-sized dinosaur, such as the 40-foot animatronic T. rex at the center of the zoo. To create the most realistic possible experience, Lessem’s animatronics move, breathe, roar, and more.
“We have here the only farting dinosaur in North America,” Lessem said. “It’s an ankylosaur, and we wired him up so that he not only makes noise out the front of his body, but out the other end of his body.”
Even a farting dinosaur is important for the event’s educational mission of showing guests realistic, scientifically accurate dinosaurs, which will be on display at the zoo through late October.
“Dinosaurs did that, so why not show everything they did,” Lessem said. “If we could figure out a way to get them to poop, I would do that too.”
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friends. While it started as a group of six men back in May, its match on Friday, July 17, saw 25 players.
“This is just an opportunity for dads to get together and be a part of something bigger, and be able to honor their child where possible,” said Dean Ar rowsmith, who organized the match.
Ar rowsmith and his wife founded the Charli Mae foundation in honor of his late daughter, Charli Mae. The foundation helps families navigate child and pregnancy loss through events and support programs.
“It’s important for us that we just create this space for any dad who just wants to get out and remember their child,” Arrowsmith said.
Vicencio and his wife, Melissa, first became aware of the matches through the SHARE group at Edward Hospital, which supports families who have experienced infant or pregnancy loss.
Vincencio noted the sense of community the match brought for bereaved fathers.
“It’s important that we try to find some people that share the experiences, so that we don’t feel alone,” he said.
Events like Friday night’s match can create an environment of support without pressure for families.
“A big thing that’s not talked about is men’s mental health.”
DAVID VICENCIO
One player, David Vicencio, has played soccer all his life. Friday night was his first match with the group.
“A big thing that’s not talked about is men’s mental health,” he said. “Getting out with the boys, having some exercise, is good for our minds and bodies.”
Melissa Vicencio, who watched the match along with their children, said she appreciated “the lightheartedness of the event.”
“Groups like this can be intimidating because it kind of brings you back to the [loss],” she said. “Something like this is nice because we’re surrounded by people who have kind of experienced the same thing, but the event is not focused on that.”
In addition to pickup games, Ar rowsmith and his wife organize annual charity soccer games in Charli Mae’s honor. Last year, the Charli Mae Shield was held in Ar rowsmith’s hometown of Dundalk, Ireland. It raised thousands of dollars for Féileacáin, an Irish nonprofit providing support for bereaved parents. This year, the Féileacáin fathers will visit Chicago
All of the players line up for a group photo at Veterans Park
for the 2026 match on Oct. 11.
As summer moves on, Ar rowsmith’s group will continue welcoming fathers into their community. No soccer experience is required to join. Brian Beach went to his first game with the group Friday night, noting how he had not played soccer since he was eight years old.
“I’ve been here all of about 20 minutes,” he said. “Very different playing it than
watching it on TV.”
As the match ended, players gathered for a group photo before huddling up. Ar rowsmith says they follow each pickup game with a social event, in what he calls “typical Irish fashion.” While the group is still new and finding its footing, Ar rowsmith is hoping to grow the community further.
“The objective is we’ll have more events as we grow,” he said.
By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
Lyons Village President Chris Getty will be the only independent candidate in the 4th Congressional District who will be on the November ballot. The Illinois State Board of Elections vote 8-0 on July 21 to remove Chicago Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez and Mayra Macias from the ballot because they did not submit enough valid signatures to get on the November ballot.
Many signatures on Sigcho-Lopez and Macias’s petitions were challenged by suppo ers of Democratic nominee and enough signatures to leave Macias and Sigcho-Lopez short of the required on the November ballot as independents.
and Chuy Garica are not related. Chuy Garica gave Patty Garcia a heads up that he was going to withdraw from the race.
Getty, Sigcho-Lopez and Macias, a former Democratic operative, cried foul over the time-honored way for an incumbent to assure that their chosen successor face no primary opponent and announced plans to run as independents. It is hard to get on the general election ballot as an independent, 10,816 valid signatures on nominating petitions are required compared to only 697 valid signatures that required to get on the ballot the Democratic not chal-
Many signatures on Sigcho-Lopez and Macias’s petitions we lenged ers of Democratic nominee Garcia and enough were disqualified to leave candidates short of the required valid signatures to get on the November ballot as independents. Garcia, the ing Congressman Jesus “Chuy” Garica was the only candidate in the cratic primary because of have been a slick maneuv Garica initially filed to run term but then moments before the filing deadline. Chuy Garcia then withdrew from the race citing health and family concerns. Patty Garcia
of Sigcho-Lopez’s and Machallenged and disqualified, hearing officer Joseph Craven determined that Macias was 486 signatures short of the required 10,816 and hearing officer Barbara Goodman determined that Sigcho-Lopez was 1,222 valid signatures short. Macias and Sigcho-Lopez decried the move to the ballot as anti-demo-
“Byron and I earned our places on this er 34,000 signatures from the community,” said Macias in a statement issued by her campaign refer ring to the number of signatures she and SigchoLopez submitted. “Patty García knows she can’t win at the ballot box against se-
Howard A. Brundage III, 80, of Oak Park, for merly of Riverside, died on July 11, 2026. Born on Sept. 26, 1945, he was an AllAmerican swimmer, who competed at both Fenwick High School and the University of Michig an. A lifelong athlete, he participated in two Chicago marathons, two triathlons, and continued with his passion for swimming. He also loved to study the Spanish language, birdwatching, and traveling with his wife, Julie.
Howard was the husband of Julie (nee Wendt) Brundage; the father of Howard (Jenny) Brundage IV, Chris Brundage and Ben (Nancy) Brundage; grandfather of Howie Brundage V, Eva (Asher) Shnaider, Chris (Katie) Brundage Jr., Nina (fiancé John) Brundage, Natalie (Ryan) Herman, Nicholas (fiancée Kaylana) Brundage, Emmett Brundage and Ben Brundage; greatgrandfather of Howie VI, Ivy, and Zinnia Brundage, Mila Shnaider, Noi and Max Brundage, Maddox and Nora Thiery, and Remi, Easton and Camila Herman; brother of John (Mary) Brundage and Colleen Hoffman; and uncle and cousin of many
A funeral Mass was celebrated at Old St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, 700 W. Adams St., Chicago on July 17. Interment at St. Mary Cemetery was private In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Howard’s memory to the Brain Cancer Research Center at Rush University Hospital (www.give.rush.edu.com).
Arrangements were handled by the Original Kuratko Family, Brian D. Kuratko - Director
Thomas W. Guardi, 78, of Riverside, died on July 13, 2026. Tom was a retired accountant and appeals officer for the IRS. He was also an active board member of the Frederick Law Olmsted Society, having served as treasurer for three years and auditor of the books for many years.
He was a valued member of the Landscape Committee helping to maintain the public lands to preserve the Olmsted le gacy. He was awarded “Park Steward” status by the Riverside Landscape Advisory Commission and was also awarded the title of
“Honorary Commissioner “of the Riverside Historical Commission because of his many years of volunteering to help in the museum preserve the history of this landmark community.
He loved gardening and spending time with his granddaughters and took them to soccer practices, piano lessons and trips to museums and the Arboretum.
Tom was the husband of Constance “Connie” (nee Pearson); the father of Thomas (Ariella) Guardi; grandpa of Leonora and Francesca Guardi; son of the late Gaetano and Katherine (née Tatoole) Guardi; brother of the late Vita Pennington and Stephan Guardi; and uncle of many nieces and nephews and one grandnephew
A memorial will be held on Saturday, Aug. 1 at Ivins/Moravecek Funeral Home, 80 E. Burlington St., Riverside.
Bertha “Bert” Walker, 98, of La Grange, for merly of Shorewood, Illinois; Tucson, Arizona; and Chicago, died peacefully on July 17, 2026. She grew up in Chicago’s Jefferson Park neighborhood. As a young girl, she developed a love of music and became an accomplished piano player. As a teenager, she pursued her passion for clothing design and dressmaking by attending Washbur ne Trade School, graduating in 1945.
She married the love of her life, Stephen Walker, in 1948. Together they built a loving home and shared 62 years of mar riage While raising their three children, Bertha never lost sight of her dream of working in the fashion industry.
That dream became reality when she accepted a position managing alterations at a boutique in Chicago’s Ambassador East Hotel. Her talent, dedication, and exceptional eye for fit led to an opportunity to oversee the fitting and alterations department at Saks Fifth Avenue on Michig an Avenue. After 10 years there, she accepted the position of Head Fitter at Ultimo in Chicago’s Gold Coast. Following her retirement, Bert and Steve bought an RV and roamed the USA before deciding to settle in Tucson, Arizona, where she founded The Silver Spurs Line Dancing Club. Under her direction, the group performed at numerous community events, proudly wearing costumes that Bertha designed and sewed. She loved bowling, organizing parties,
decorating her home, and bringing people together. She took great pride in organizing the annual Markus Clan Christmas gatherings and summer family reunion picnics in the Chicago forest preserves. She was also an avid Chicago Cubs fan. She and her girlfriends often traveled to other cities to watch the Cubs play. One of her most cherished memories was meeting and hanging out with Ron Santo and Glenn Beckert at a hotel bar.
Bert was the wife of the late Stephen Walker; the mother of Sandra (John) Karuschak, Steven (Salliann) Walker, and the late Carol (the late Donald) Ivins; the grandmother of Shawn (Adrian Molitor) Walker, Erin (C’Aira Shields) Walker, Anna (Michael McKnight) Marin, Aniele Hawkins, Todd (Dulce) Ivins, Curt Ivins, and Elliot Ivins; the great-grandmother of Tlaloc Gutier re z, Xochitl Marin, August Molitor, Eli Hawkins, Ava Hawkins, Evi Ivins and Madi Boor.
Visitation will be held on July 23 from 9 a.m. until the service at 11 a.m. at Hitzeman Funeral Home Ltd., 9445 31st St., Brookfield. The funeral procession will follow the service to Acacia Park Cemetery in Norridge for interment.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society in Bert’s memory.
Preschool director, WGN children’s TV
Darla D. Goudeau (nee Hood), of La Grange, died on July 9, 2026. She was proud of her time spent with WGN children’s programming and was actively involved in Business and Professional Women (BPW) and Welcome Wagon. She was the director for Ready Teddy Preschool in LaGrange Park and was actively involved in the local theater community.
Darla was the wife of the late Janick “Jean” Goudeau and for mer wife of the late Danny Tregoning; the mother of Janick “Dee” Goudeau; and the friend of many
A memorial visitation will be held on July 27 from 3 to 8 p.m. at Hitzeman Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 9445 31st St., Brookfield. Interment private. Memorials in Darla’s name are appreciated to the Theatre of Western Springs, 4384 Hampton Ave., Western Springs, IL 60558.
Edward Anthony Podlesak, 88, of Brookfield, died on July 14, 2026. He was the son of the late George Podlesak and Blanche Podlesak (nee Talafous); and the cousin of Anton (Anna) Vanek, John Krask and Bernadine Kimbark.
A graveside service took place on July 21, 2026, at 9 a.m. at Woodlawn Cemetery, 7750 Cermak Road in Forest Park. Burial was immediately followed by a service. A Celebration of Edward’s Life will be held at LaGrange Bible Church at a later date.
Arrangements were handled by Hitzeman Funeral Home Ltd., 9445 31st St., Brookfield, IL 60513.
Brook eld resident
Lois T. Kolumbar (nee Krejci), 64, of Brookfield, for merly of Cicero, died on July 7, 2026 after a courageous battle with ALS. Born on April 23, 1962, she was the wife of Karl Kolumbar; the mother of Richard Jocius and Kelly (Moises) Proctor; the grandmother of Angelina Jocius and Krystal Romero; the sister of Glenn (Debbie) Krejci, Donna (Richard) Mazur and Carol Chirifisi; and the aunt of Sarah (Tony) Dusek, Amy (Mike) Bills and Joe (Amy) Krejci.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for memorial donations to the ALS Association in her honor. Cremation private Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with the family at www. johnsonnosek.com.
Administrative assistant
Jean L. Vondriska (nee Oechsel), 97, of North Riverside died on July 13, 2026. Born on Aug. 28, 1918 in Oak Park, she was an administrative assistant in the medical field. She was the wife of the late George J. Vondriska Jr.; the mother of Jean Helen Vondriska, Ann E. (Dan Brinnehl) Vondriska, Mary T. (Michael Sechrist) Vondriska, George J. III (Krista Demuth) Vondriska, and Joan A. (Bill) Kanatas; the grandmother of Abigail (Andrew) Ohlson, Joshua
(Amanda) Gordon, Zoe Savage, Zachary (Trina) Gordon, Meghan (Ryan) Walsh, Elizabeth Gordon, Genevieve (Tyler) Valentine, George J. Vondriska IV, Mia Kanatas, and Ana Kanatas; great-grandmother of Muriel Ohlson, Matthew Ohlson, Meara Ohlson and Harrison Gordon; and the sister of Bert M. (late Gloria) Oechsel.
Visitation will be held on July 28 at 10 a.m. until time of Funeral Mass, 11 a.m., at St. Leonard Church, 3318 Clarence Ave., Berwyn. Interment Queen of Heaven Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations would be appreciated to People Care Inc., www.peoplecareinc.org.
Arrangements were handled by KuratkoNosek Funeral Home, North Riverside.
Active community volunteer
Joanne M. Bazata (nee Mulac), 93, a longtime resident of Brookfield, died on July 12, 2026. Born on April 18, 1933, she was a longtime member of Sokol (over 60 years), member and past president of the Brookfield Women’s Club, member and past president of Lincoln School PTA, active in Girl Scouts, and volunteered many years doing tax preparation at the Brookfield Public Library. In addition to being reunited with family members who have passed, she is now reunited with her dear friends, Joan Janowick and Ellen Thorbu rn.
Joanne was the wife of the late Ronald Bazata; the mother of John Bazata and Sandy (Oscar) Martinez; the grandmother of Ami Bazata & Adam Bazata, Ryan Mar-
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rious competition, so she continues to try to remove their choices. Clearing your competition isn’t a campaign strategy — it’s disenfranchisement.”
Sigcho-Lopez also released a strong statement decrying the petition challenge after receiving the hearing officer’s recommendation.
“It’s clear this process has been rigged from the very get-go,” Sigcho-Lopez said in a statement texted to the Landmark. “We’ve collected thousands of signa-
tinez, and Kayla Martinez & Kyle Martinez; the great-grandmother of Amberlyn & Dylan Bazata; sister of the late Elinore Stirek & the late Mildred Stroner; and sister-in-law of Judy Bazata.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Sokol Spirit, 3909 Prairie Ave., Brookfield, would be appreciated.
Memorial visitation will be held on Aug. 8 from 2 p.m. until the Celebration of Life at 4 p.m. at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield.
Maureen Catherine Guzzo (nee Gietl) died on June 18, 2026. Born on December 20, 1944, she was raised in Springfield, Illinois, the daughter of the late Louis and Angela (Hayes) Gietl. She graduated from Sacred Heart-Grif fen High School, Class of 1963 then earned her B.A. in Fine Ar ts from Marycrest University, Class of 1967. She and her husband Angelo raised their three children in Riverside. She was an arts instructor and educator for Chicago Public Schools, a lifelong member of the Art Institute of Chicago, an Olmsted Society of Riverside F riends of the Fourth Board Member, and a volunteer for BEDS Plus Family Transitional Shelter in LaGrange where she led arts classes. A talented painter, she g enerously gave her paintings away to the delight of their recipients. She spent countless hours experiencing the myriad colors, lines, forms, media, emotions, ideas, stories, and reflections available within the
tures and have more than enough petitions to stay on the ballot. Chuy Garcia wants to appoint a handpicked successor, and Patty Garcia knows she can’t win with any competition. Ultimately, it’ll be the people of the 4th District who lose.”
Sigcho-Lopez’s lawyer Andrew Finko has raised constitutional arguments against the process arguing, among other things, that the disproportionate number of signatures required for an independent candidate is unconstitutional. He is expected to challenge the Electoral Board’s ruling in court.
Along with Getty and Patty Garica Republican candidate Lupe Castillo and Working Class Party candidate Ed Hershey will be on the November ballot.
Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Art, and the many g alleries throughout Chicago. She also enjoyed live theater, taking advantage of the small and big stage s, including the Goodman, Steppenwolf, and Stee p, among others. An avid reader, she was a frequent user and supporter of the Riverside Public Library. In her retirement, she enjoyed her homes in Naples, Florida, sharing many days there with Angelo, their kids, grandkids, and their pals, Lou and Carolyn. She and the crew loved to golf, swim, shop, and walk endlessly throughout Naples and Marco Island.
Maureen is survived by Angelo Joseph Guzzo, the love of her life; her children, Magg y (Carolyn), Gabe, and Clare (Jason); and her grandkids, Angelo, Gemma, and Michael. She is also eternally and lovingly devoted to her Gietl and Guzzo sisters and brothers, Louie, T heresa, Mary Eleanor, Carolyn, Larry, Rae Ann, Virgie, Madonna, and Bernie and all of her nieces and ne phew s, and their f amilies
A memorial service is scheduled at St Mary Church, 105 Herrick Road, Riverside on July 27 with a visitation at 10 a.m. and Mass of Christian Burial at 11 a.m. Arrangements were handled by Ivins/ Moravecek Funeral Home, 80 E. Burlington St., Riverside.
S am Gerardo Garza, 34, of Brookfield, died on May 20, 2024. Born on Oct. 1, 1991,
Ironically removing Macias and SigchoLopez from the ballot is likely to hurt Getty’s chances in November. Getty is positioning himself as a centrist anti-Washington candidate appealing to voters fed up with both Democrats and Republicans. His chance for an upset win would probably be better with Macias and Sigcho-Lopez on the ballot because they, along with Patty Garcia, are progressive Hispanics who would seem to appeal to the same sort of voters in the heavily Hispanic district that includes large portions of the southwest side of Chicago as well as Riverside and Brookfield. Sigcho-Lopez is the alderman of the 25th ward in Chicago and is a Democratic Socialist while Macias has worked on Democratic campaigns, including Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign
he wo rked as a fish monger. S am was the son of LuAnne (nee S am) and the late Gerardo Garza; the brother of Adam S am; and the friend of many.
Memorial visitation will be held on Ju ly 25 from 2:30 to 4:30 p. m. at JohnsonN osek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave. , Brookfield
In lieu of fl ower s, memorial d onations to the f amily honoring the l ife of Sa m would be appreciated
Online c ondolences, memo ries and photographs may be shared with the family at www.JohnsonNosek.com.
Dancer, horse lover
Margaret Ann Pendleton Head, 86, died peacefully on June 30, 2026. She lived in Riverside and attended St. Paul Lutheran Church in Riverside. Born in Owensboro, Kentucky, she loved her horses, gardening, attending church, and was a member of Rotary. She also loved dancing and had her own dance troupe, “Dance Mania.”
Ann was the mother of Gene (Robbie) and Darien (Barbara); the grandmother of Daniel (Kaitlyn) and Annie; the greatgrandmother of Alannah, Nolah, and Brayden.
Visitation and Funeral Service were held on July 12 at Hallowell & James Funeral Home, 1025 W. 55th St., Countryside. Burial will take place in Owensboro, Kentucky.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the First Christian Church of Downers Grove are greatly appreciated.
for president and for Planned Parenthood. A split vote among Hispanic progressives would make it easier for Getty to finish first in a crowded race.
Patty Garica’s campaign announced on July 16 that it raised more than $80,000 in the second quarter and has raised more than $350,000 since she announced her candidacy late last year.
Federal election records indicate that Chris Getty for Congress campaign has raised $188,169 for his congressional campaign thus far and had $131,646 cash on hand as of June 30. Getty also has $121,105.94 in his local Citizens for Chris Getty campaign committee but donations to federal campaigns are subject to strict rules
First 10-U crown since 2022 adds to program’s recent so ball success
By BILL STONE
Contributing Reporter
Lexi Fox is among several Brookfield Little League softball 10-and-Under all-stars who have seen older sisters win District 9 titles. When Brookfield 10-U captured this year’s district championship by beating Western Springs 10-5 July 14 at Veterans Park in North Riverside, they made a little history themselves.
“When I was looking at my sister (Cameron) winning state and districts, the thought in my brain it was like, ‘It would be so fun to do if I could do it when I was this old,’” Fox said. “They won in 12-U. They didn’t win in 10-U so I was like, ‘This seems like a very good opportunity.’”
Brookfield team members are Evangelina Anderson, Annabelle Beattie, Molly Byrne, Juliet Contreras, Bella Figueroa Dunnell, Fox, Lindsey Franklin, Antonella Martinez, Victoria Melendez, Penelope Pros, Mia Riddle, Amaya Patel and Mila Solis. Mike Melendez is the manager with assistant coaches John Anderson, Jack Byrne, Jim Franklin, Greg Fox, Joe Riddle and Nello Giampieto.
At the 10-U state tournament, Brookfield advanced to Monday’s semifinals after going 3-1 in pool play Saturday and Sunday In District 9, Brookfield went 4-0 in the sixteam bracket, which included a 6-5 seveninning victory over Western Springs in the opening round July 9.
“Winning, I can’t even describe it. When you’re a pitcher or hitter and you score and win, it’s like, ‘Man, we just won districts.’ That’s a huge thing,’” said starting pitcher
Anderson. “It’s everybody won because erybody worked hard together so when you all put in the ef fort you’re like, ‘Wow just won this. It’s incredible.’”
This was Brookfield’s first 10-U district title since back-to-back crowns in 2021-22. Those two groups went on to win Major 12-U and 11-U the next two years, including the 2023 Majors state championship. Those teams also included the older sisters of attie (Emma), Melendez (Nena) and Pytel (Amelia) with Mike Melendez managing Also coaching a 14-U traveling softball team, Melendez came in from a tournament in St. Louis to coach Brookfield in the final and then headed back
“(Our assistants) do the lion’s share of the work. They deserve all of the credit in the world,” manager Melendez said. “We can’t succeed without the whole team pitching in. It’s a full team ef fort, even on the coaching end.”
On the field, Brookfield scored three in the top of the first inning and led 4-2 when Western Springs had the bases loaded with one out in the fourth. Martinez came in relief after 2.1 solid innings from Fox and got the next two outs with no runs scoring – Melendez fielding a dribbler and stepping on home for the force and the first of Martinez’s seven strikeouts over the final 2.2 innings.
“I had a lot of pressure on me. I was really scared,” Martinez said. “Walks really hurt as much as hits so you want to gain strength and power and pitch all your best.”
In the top of the fifth, Brookfield scored three runs behind a run-scoring single from Solis and two-run single by Figueroa Dunnell.
“This whole tournament, I must have
Brook eld’s pitcher Antonella Martinez (1) celebrates her team’s v ictor y over Western Springs during the Illinois District 9 Little League 10U so ball tournament, July 14, in North Riverside.
put (Martinez) in a minimum three times with the bases loaded and she got us out of it every time. At (turning 10 recently), that’s just amazing,” Mike Melendez said.
“To be able to hold them and then add on (to lead 6-2), I think it cer tainly energized us and kind of prevented them from building up energy.”
Solis and Franklin each had three hits and Melendez, Byrne and Figueroa Dunnell two each. Solis had three runs batted in.
In the first meeting with Western Springs, Brookfield pulled away 6-3 in the seventh behind RBI singles from Anderson and By rne.
In the final, Melendez (single), Anderson (walk) and Byrne (error) all reached base and scored to start the fifth.
“It felt very good because (Anderson got on) and I was like, ‘I really want to do that,’ and then I got (on base),” Byrne said. “In
the beginning you’re nervous and at the end you’re like, ‘Ah, that was so amazing,’ Finally, my soul’s not beating and I’m happy.”
The Brookfield 10-U team’s state tournament has been rescheduled for this weekend. In the six-team Majors 12-U District 9 tournament, Riverside finished third with a 2-2 record.
Riverside lost to LaGrange Park 16-8 in Sunday’s consolation bracket final after beating Brookfield 9-3 July 14 and Lyons Township 8-2 July 15 and losing to Western Springs 6-5 Saturday.
Brookfield was 0-2, also losing to La Grange 12-2 Friday. Western Springs beat LaGrange Park 3-2 Monday to capture the district title
Riverside reaches nal a er one-run victory over Brook eld
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Audrey Jamriska had an offensive day to remember for the North Riverside softball 11-and-Under all-stars in the District 9 championship game against Riverside, Friday. After a home run, two doubles and six runs batted in, Jamriska was even more excited that she wasn’t alone. North Riverside beat Riverside 20-2 in four innings at Veterans Park in North Riverside to capture the 11-U district title for the second straight year.
“It’s probably one of the best games (for us). We were all hitting, making plays on defense. Everyone was just playing their best,” Jamriska said.
North Riverside team members are Penny Her msdorf, Eli Favela, Tre’sur Griffin, Jamriska, Mabel Maloney, Isabelle Mauban, Thalia Medina, Willow Merrill, Grace Runquist, Scarlett Santos and Ella Sotelo. Willie Merrill is manager with assistant coaches Jesse Favela and Monica Parker. Riverside team members are Mila Caputo, Joey Cheatem, Nora Faust, Olivia Galindo, Caroline Hickey, Elena Kasperek, Julia Knox, Winnie Moore, Olivia Roman, Aggie Tokarz, Molly Wojtowicz and Mae Zalewski. Nick Caputo is manager with assistant coaches Rodney Knox and Missy Wojtowicz.
North Riverside had a 3-0 record in the four-team bracket. Riverside was 2-2 with both losses to North Riverside.
Favela, Jamriska, Merrill, Runquist and Santos also were part of last year’s 11-U district championship run.
“I think this one is funner because we had more energy during the games,” Willow Merrill said. “We did last year, but I feel like there was more during the championship game. And I think that we played better. We dropped something, I think we kept with it. We kept going. We didn’t stop.”
North Riverside prepared for a battle after only beating Riverside 8-5 in the July 13 opener and losing Maloney to a broken left wrist during the 9-4 victory over Brookfield July 14.
Batting first Friday, North Riverside opened with a six-run first inning and added two runs in the second, four in the third and eight in the fourth.
North Riverside won the 11-and-Under District 9 so ball championship Friday at
“Every year is a little bit different. Five returning but we also added six more girls,” manager Merrill said. “Coming out in the first inning (like that), it gave us a little buffer. We did a little extra hitting before the game, trying to foreshadow a little better hitting game, and that’s what we got.”
Winning pitcher Favela allowed just four hits and had five strikeouts with no walks after a five-hitter in the first meeting with eight strikeouts and seven walks. The team’s only pitcher got an extra day of rest when the game was rescheduled from Thursday because of poor air quality.
“I was calm because I had good defense behind me,” Favela said. “I was a little nervous (also) because I had to come through. I also think we did better because we knew we had to do it.”
Jamriska doubled in the first run after Runquist was hit by a pitch. Jamriska then hit a two-run homer over the left-field fence in the second and had a three-run double in the third.
“Today I showed up and put the barrel on the ball and I was just hitting better than other days,” Jamriska said. “I feel like I’ve been making better contact with the ball and it’s been going somewhere instead of just what I used to do on of fense.”
Runquist, Favela and Medina also had two hits. Runquist, who also walked in the fourth, scored four runs.
“(The highlight was) probably seeing Audrey’s home run go over,” Runquist said. “I think (winning) was better this year because we (won in 4 innings) and we were all hitting the ball and making the plays.”
“I feel like everybody had positive energ y,” added Griffin, who homered against Brookfield. “Maybe everyone was nervous and kind of scared but we held them down.”
Riverside reached the finals by beating LaGrange Park 13-4 July 13 followed by a dramatic 7-6 victory over Brookfield July 15. Brookfield, which finished 1-2, opened with a 12-4 victory over LaGrange Park July 13.
Playing up in age, Caputo, Galindo, Kasperek, Tokarz and Wojtowicz were part of Riverside’s 2024 team that also finished second in 11-U.
“I told the girls they did a great job in getting to this point and hopefully next year we can take another step,” Nick Caputo said.
Roman and Hickey singled and scored in the second Friday. Against Brookfield, Riverside held a 7-5 lead into the sixth but Brookfield scored and had runners at third and first. Pitcher Knox caught a popup to end the game.
“I told their coach after the game that was a one-play game either direction. The greatest takeaway for us was how we finished,” Nick Caputo said. “It was an incredibly pressure moment for both sides and we were able to get that final out. We put a lot of work into this.”
At the four-team 11-U state tournament, Riverside reached Monday’s championship game against Clarendon Hills after going 2-1 in pool play.
The Village of Oak Park will receive qualifications submittals via email to the Public Works Department, at eduffy@ oak-park.us until 4:00 P.M. on Thursday, August 13, 2026, for the following: Project 26119 – Construction Manager at Risk for Oak Park Municipal Campus.
The Village of Oak Park is proposing to construct a new Police Department facility within close proximity to Village Hall. The intent of this portion of the project is to engage a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR), with experience in construction of police facilities, to provide preconstruction services, including cost estimating, scheduling, constructability reviews, and value engineering, that can serve as the general contractor during the construction phase, assuming the risk for construction delivery at a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP).
The Request for Qualifications may be obtained from the Village’s website at h ttp://www.oak-park.us/bid starting on Friday, July 24, 2026 at 12:00pm. For questions, please call or email Erin Duffy, Deputy Public Works Director, at 708-358-5700 or eduffy@oakpark.us
Published in Wednesday Journal July 22, 2026
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name n 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: M26001814 on July 8, 2026 Under the Assumed Business Name of JAMIE JONES PAINTING with the business located at: 4132 ELM AVE, BROOKFIELD, IL 60513. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: JAMIE MOCK JONES 4132 ELM AVE BROOKFIELD, IL 60513, USA
Published in RB Landmark
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION
Select Portfolio Servicing, Inc Plaintiff, -v.-
Derrick T. Broadway; Lesli Broadway; Defendants. 2025CH08611
1028 MAPLETON AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60302
NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 5/18/2026, an agent of Auction com, LLC will conduct the Online Only auction at www.auction.com, with the bidding window opening on 8/24/2026 at 10:00 AM CDT and closing on August 26, 2026 at 10:00 AM subject to extension, and will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate.
Commonly known as 1028 MAPLETON AVENUE, OAK PARK, IL 60302
Property Index No. 16-05-116009-0000
The real estate is improved with a Residential Property. The judgment amount was $124,548.83 Sale Terms: Full Sale Terms are available on the property page at www.auction.com by entering 1028 MAPLETON AVENUE into the search bar. If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, the winning bidder must pay the full bid amount within twenty-four (24) hours of the auction’s end. All payments must be certified funds. No third-party checks will be accepted. All bidders will need to register at www.auction.com prior to placing a bid. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a certificate of sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property, prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by the Condominium property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9 (g) (l) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSES-
SION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701 (C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW.
For information, contact Plaintiffs attorney: CODILIS & ASSOCIATES PC (630) 794-5300 please refer to file number 14-25-05043. Auction.com, LLC 100 N LaSalle St., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60602872-225-4985 You can also visit www.auction.com. Attorney File No. 14-25-05043 Case Number: 2025CH08611 NOTE: PURSUANT TO THE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT, YOU ARE ADVISED THAT PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY IS DEEMED TO BE A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
I3291045
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