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$1.00 Vol. 41, No. 30
R IVERSIDE-BROOKFIEL
Riverside hosts goat yoga
professional instructor and ve adorable goats took to the Scou t Cabin
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Riverside’s parks and recreation department hosted two sessions of goat yoga next to the Scout Cabin on Thursday, July 23 — and it’s exactly what it sounds like.
From 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., more than 20 residents flocked to the area to take a yoga lesson from certified instructor Michele Apps, the owner of Nature’s Trail Yoga in Orland Park. She was joined by five of her assistant yoga instructors who walked on four legs and grazed at the grass as well as Faith Apps, a goat wrangler for the company.
“Goat yoga is essentially what it sounds like. You have a certified yoga instructor who will take you through a typical yoga class, but they add goats into it for fun,” said Alyssa Szymanski, one of the department’s recreation supervisors. “While you’re doing downward dog, tree — I’m not very versed in yoga, but some of those yoga positions — the goats walk around and interact. Animal yogas in general have been up and coming in the last couple years.”
Szymanski told the Landmark that 57 residents signed up for goat yoga across Thursday’s two sessions, the second
GOAT YOGA on page 10
One of the eponymous goats of goat yoga poses for a photo before the rst yoga session on ursday, July 23.
RBHS sophomore beats cancer with victorious attitude
‘I never really thoug ht I wasn’t going to beat it … I just had faith’
By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter
The tackle itself wasn’t exactly pleasant. What it ultimately uncovered was terrifying, but it also was an opportunity to show the Riverside-Brookfield High School community what Mateo Sikora was made of.
Last September, at a Wednesday football practice, Sikora was playing linebacker, defending against a running play. No big deal. He’d been there plenty of times that fall.
“The running back was coming at me,” the rising sophomore recalled. “I came and I tackled him, and once I brought him down, his cleat
By Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.
DOES YOUR HOME SALE QUALIFY FOR THE EXCLUSION OF GAIN? PART III
The Eligibility Test determines whether you are eligible for the maximum exclusion of gain ($250,000 or $500,000 if married filing jointly).
Eligibility Step 1 - Automatic Disqualification: Determine whether any of the automatic disqualifications apply. Your home sale isn’t eligible for the exclusion if ANY of the following are true. You acquired the property through a like-kind exchange (1031 exchange) during the past five years. See Pub. 544, Sales and Other Dispositions of Assets.
You are subject to expatriate tax. For more information about expatriate tax, see chapter 4 of Pub. 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens.
Eligibility Step 2 - Ownership: Determine whether you meet the ownership requirement. If you owned the home for at least 24 months (2 years) out of the last five years leading up to the date of sale (date of the closing), you meet the
ownership requirement. For a married couple filing jointly, only one spouse has to meet the ownership requirement.
Eligibility Step 3 - Residence: Determine whether you meet the residence requirement. If you owned the home and used it as your residence for at least 24 months of the previous five years, you meet the residence requirement. The 24 months of residence can fall anywhere within the five-year period, and it doesn’t have to be a single block of time. All that is required is a total of 24 months (730 days) of residence during the five-year period. Unlike the ownership requirement, each spouse must meet the residence requirement individually for a married couple filing jointly to get the full exclusion.
Linda Sokol Francis, E.A.
3439 Grand Boulevard • Brookfield, Illinois 60513 • 708-485-9224
Brought to you as a public service since 1975
Brookfield Chamber of Commerce Business Spotlight
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Visit: 9110 Ogden Ave., Brookfield, IL 60513
Phone Number: 708-485-7600
IN MEM OR IA M
Brian Oberhauser, former Brook eld trustee, dies at 49
Oberhauser was a dedicated educator, public servant and volunteer
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Brian Oberhauser, a longtime public servant in Brookfield and a devoted educator, died on July 16, 2026. He was 49.
Oberhauser completed two terms as a village trustee from 2009-2017 and continued to volunteer with the village afterward, serving terms on Brookfield’s beautification and conservation commissions. He was the chair of the parks and recreation commission at the time of his death, according to a press release from the PEP Party, of which Oberhauser had been a member
Oberhauser worked as an educator throughout his life. For at least the last 10 years, he was a social studies tutor at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, a small village in Lake County. He also worked there as a teacher for at least five years, said Ryan Evans, a member of Brookfield’s planning and zoning commission. Before that, he worked as a teacher at Warren Township High School, Evans said.
Evans served on the village board at the same time as Oberhauser. Evans is now the superintendent for Brookfield-LaGrange Park School District 95.
Evans described Oberhauser as “intellectual” and having had “a sharp wit about him,” even during serious moments
“He really was able to take any topic and, while serious, keep it lighthearted, and I think that’s a skill to have,” Evans told the Landmark. “To see him champion certain topics was a learning experience for me about how you can be vocal on a board but also still collaborative. Brian was never shy to share what his views were, even if they were in contrast to the people he worked with.”
In the PEP Party’s release, Evans described Oberhauser as an advocate for low
Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls
Marketing & Adver tising Associate Emma Cullnan
Brian Oberhauser, a dedicated civic servant in Brook eld, died on July 16, 2026, at age 49.
water rates, protecting wildlife in Brookfield and taking “a fair and balanced approach” to Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s tax contributions while opposing the use of red-light cameras.
“Those who served alongside him will remember discussions ranging from major municipal policy questions to whether residents should be permitted to keep chickens in their backyards,” Evans wrote
In May, Oberhauser was featured in the Daily Herald as the head coach of Stevenson’s scholastic bowl team, which took home the school’s first national win.
Evans lauded Oberhauser for his civic service in Brookfield, which he said was “at the forefront” of his activities.
“When volunteerism in general society is waning, that was not something we saw with Brian. He probably carried that forward from his youth. He was an Eagle
Scout,” Evans said. “You saw that manifest itself in his adult life. Being a civics, government and social studies teacher, he was living what he taught his students.”
Evans said the comments those students have been leaving on Oberhauser’s social media pages in the wake of his death speak to the impact he made. On Facebook, former students called Oberhauser “one of the best teachers [they] ever had” and “someone who truly … cared for us as human beings” and shared stories of his support in their lives even after they had graduated.
“While he didn’t teach in Brookfield, it was such a big part of his life. A common thread that kept coming through the different students was, ‘I wasn’t heard by others, and I was heard by Mr. Oberhauser,’” Evans said. “To me, that’s what speaks to who he was. When you hear that from students, I think that’s a lasting le gacy.”
Notices Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner EMAIL jill@oakpark.com Operations Associate Susan Liss Babin Social Media and Digital Coordinator Maribel Barrera Senior Advisor Dan Haley
US P.O. Box 6670, River Forest, IL 60305 PHONE: (708) 613-3300 E-MAIL: dhaley@newswellchicago.org ONLINE: www.RBLandmark.com Riverside Brook eld
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Neighbors meet to talk politics but conversation fully civil
Brook eld library sponsors One Small Step event
By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
Some 35 people, mostly residents of Brookfield, got together on a nice summer Saturday evening, July 18, in the beer garden at Irish Times to meet new people and talk about politics, their lives and whatever else came up.
The program called One Small Step was created by StoryCorps, a nonprofit which organizes and produces conversations of people talking to each other, some of which appear on National Public Radio. The One Small Step initiative is designed to promote dialogue and understanding across the political divide. This event was sponsored locally by the Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Public Library with the assistance of a $10,000 grant from the Carnagie Corporation of New York.
The people were randomly paired, most often in groups of two. The people didn’t know each other but the conversations were guided by a deck of cards with printed questions such as “[C]ould you briefly describe, in your own words, your personal political values?”
However, with a few exceptions, many of the conversations ended up being among people who had similar political beliefs and the conversations often shifted to personal topics as people got talking more.
“We completely ag reed on everything,” Zak Knott said of his conversation with Daphne Callen. “It was maybe not the intended conversation of the evening, there was no disag reement, no learning about another perspective. It was a very easy conversation to have We had a very nice time.”
Callen, who moved to Brookfield four years ago, ag reed but said that it was nice to meet someone she probably wouldn’t have met otherwise
“It was nice to meet someone that I didn’t already know,” Callen said.
Kathleen Robson was one of the few participants who had a conservative perspective but she said afterwards that she was kind of uncomfortable talking about politics too directly but said that her partner probably understood Robson’s perspective when Robson told her that she opposed abor tion.
“She probably figured out where I was coming from but I tried to stay more generic,” Robson said.
Robson didn’t realize that political views were meant to be a focus on the conversations
“I enjoyed it, I got to know a lady that I never met before, it was nice” Robson said. “I was surprised how political the different cards were. I wasn’t expecting that.”
At another table a woman who is Jewish and asked not to be identified by name because she feared being identified as Jewish in today’s environment shared her pe
herself.”
But many of the conversations drifted away from politics.
Ellison enjoyed his conversation with Joyce Zuke as well as with the others who joined his table later in the evening.
“It was just a really enjoyable experience to meet and talk to somebody that I never met before,” Elison said.
Zuke ag reed.
“I think it’s always nice to listen to someone’s views,” Zuke said. “It was interesting to see the variety of people.”
sor of political science and urban politics at Elmhurst University.
Braam said, and the people at the event seemed to ag ree, that there is great value in just getting strangers to sit down and talk to each other face to face in today’s increasingly digital and online world.
“People need to talk again,” Braam said. It’s a listening exercise more than anything. It’s not supposed to be a debate; it’s supposed to be a conversation.
People enjoyed connecting and getting to know each other.
spective on how the events of the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and all the death and conflict that resulted from Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip has affected her. She said that she felt she gave her tablemates a perspective that they might not have heard before
“I had a perspective that no one else at the table had,” the woman said.
Jonathan Ellison ag reed that the woman of fered a dif ferent perspective.
“One of the women at our table was talking about the experience being an Ashkenazi Jew through the Oct. 7 attacks,” Ellison said. “That’s a really hot button political topic but she was talking about
Others who had hoped to talk to people
with different political views said that the conversations turned out to be fun and interesting even if the experience was a little different from what they had expected
“I came to get a variety of demographics to talk to but that hasn’t been the case but it turned out OK,” said Greg Gallier.
Scott Braam, the library staffer who helped organize the event, said that he wasn’t surprised that most of the people who came to the event leaned liberal.
“I think it was really hard to find people who are ideologically diverse,” said Braam who is also an adjunct profes-
“I really enjoyed tonight,” said 29-yearold Jenny Roberts who was paired with Gonzo Schexnayder. “The conversations I had were definitely eye opening. I felt like I was able to find common ground with people I didn’t know previously. I feel like I’m building a bigger community in Brookfield by doing an event like this.”
Roberts said that it was easy to talk to Schexnayder.
“The conversation flowed, it was very easy,” Roberts said. “I was surprised how easy it was to talk to people I ne ver met before, had a different background, different upbringing. It was great.”
Schexnayder, 62, agreed.
“It was fun, I like meeting new people,” Schexnayder said.
Schexnayder and Roberts both are left of center politically, Roberts considers herself a democratic socialist and Schexnayder said that he is democratic socialist liberal Democrat.
“We aligned very similarly,” Roberts said.
They bonded over both having relatives with very different political views than their own.
Schexnayder, who has lived in the area for about 20 years, used his local knowledge to offer some advice to relative newcomer Roberts, who just moved to Brookfield about two years ago. When Roberts told Schexnayder that she had a background and interest in theater he suggested that she get involved with the Theater of Western Springs.
This was the second One Small Step program sponsored by the library. The first one was held at the library in April. The library is planning to sponsor another One Small Step conversation in the fall.
BOB SKOLNIK
Brook eld residents during the One Small Step event at Irish Times on July 18.
Brook eld’s day of professional bike racing returned for 4th go
‘So far, this is the best year we’ve had,’ says Cycle Brook eld president
By LILLIAN ALI and STELLA BROWN Staff Reporters
With bright blue skies and moderate summer temperatures, professional bicycle racing took downtown Brookfield by the handlebars on Wednesday, July 22. It was the village’s annual day of professional bicycle racing.
The Cycle Brookfield Criterium made up the sixth day of Chicago Grit, a 10-day series of races across the Chicago area. Brookfield joined the series around four years ago, bringing a day of sharp turns, top speeds, and great weather — an improvement over last year’s 90-degree temperatures
Returning to the race is the original “B” shaped track, which was forgone last year after construction on Grand Boulevard pushed the race south of the railroad tracks. Featuring five tight corners followed by a long, straight path, the path “tests the skills of every turn for these criterium racers,” Cycle Brookfield president Chris Valadez said.
Hand is also the manager of the Chaney Windows and Doors professional team, one of several teams from all over the country traveling for the series.
Justin Williams, co-founder of the L39ION of Los Angeles cycling team, said racing in Brookfield was “always fun.”
“People can sit on their front lawns,” Williams said. “[There’s] more spectating. That’s always cool.”
The race wasn’t just for professionals and high-level amateurs. It also featured family
races are held during the Cycle Brook eld Criter ium July 22.
lies with any level of experience are all free to race the track at different times
“What is cycling? It’s active, it’s healthy, it’s outdoors, it’s wholesome,” Colbert said.
“From a bike racer’s perspective, they love it,” Valadez said. He said after navigating the race’s intense corners — which include two turns over 180 degrees — racers get the reward of “blasting as fast as they can” down Grand Avenue
Cyclists come to Brook eld to participate in the Brook eld Criterium.
events, local vendors, and lots of room for spectators to watch the races.
“This activity is very family-friendly because it’s so spectator-friendly.”
Plenty of spectators had minimal interest in cycling themselves, choosing to relax outside nearby restaurants while racers whizzed by. Karen Judge, who was at the event with her husband, said she came to watch the races while her car underwent maintenance just around the corner.
“It’s a fun, neighborhood thing,” Judge said. “We have a bike, but I haven’t ridden all summer … we’re living vicariously.”
Behind the scenes
Cyclist Nick Hand, who came to the Criterium from St. Louis, said the course was technically challenging, but the recently paved roads helped. While Hand, who is from Glen Ellyn, has participated in Chicago Grit at least a dozen times, this was his first time racing in Brookfield.
“[Chicago Grit] is one of the premier races in the United States … it’s a really special thing,” Hand said. In addition to racing,
Marco Colbert, the race director for Chicago Grit, called Brookfield “a very cyclefriendly town.”
“Cycle Brookfield is evidence of that. Further evidence of that is going to be the immense number of family riders in the family ride later,” he said during the Criterium.
The Criterium is open to anyone with a bike: professional racers from all over the world, local competitive amateurs, and fami-
Valadez emphasized the role of community in getting the event of f the ground. For the second year funding from Brookfield community members made the race possible, especially an anonymous resident who matched $1,000 in community donations leading up to the races, he said.
“Funding for something like this is always a challenge. It’s a bit of a risk. I’d be remiss if I didn’t say that the businesses that stepped up [to sponsor the Criterium] are taking a risk on this race,” Valadez said. “Having it on the other side of the tracks last year made it difficult to rely on
some of the standard sponsors. Coming back this year, as the weather started clearing, as the momentum kept moving along with the summer, we were able to hit our fundraising goals with a majority from our sponsors.”
While Valadez said he worried about the impact of Chicagoland’s poor air quality in the wake of summer wildfires in Canada creating intense smoke, he said race day was ultimately a beautifully mild summer day that pleased attendees and cyclists alike.
“The weather was gorgeous. It was maybe a high of 80 de grees with some overcast in the morning and a cool breeze coming out of the north. We had blue skies and sun for the rest of the day, and I think that really encouraged people to come out,” he said. “Some of the earlier races [in Chicago Grit] had to be postponed and canceled due to the air quality … but thankfully, as we woke up on Wednesday morning, it came to about an 18 AQI and perfect conditions.”
All in all, Valadez called this year’s Criterium the best yet, but as the lead organizer, it will be his last. In January, Valadez announced his intent to step down as president of Cycle Brookfield by the end of the year.
“The team that has always been there behind me and next to me … has to step up to the plate here,” he said. “They really stepped up their involvement for race planning this year pretty extensively, so my involvement next year, I hope, is as a participant. I hope I’m able to sit back and watch the races next year for the first time.”
ERICA BENSON
Women’s
ERICA BENSON
Brook Park Elementary 2007 addition gets new roof coating
Approach saves district about $300,000 compared to new roof install
By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter
The roof on the 2007 addition on the north side of Brook Park Elementary School is now covered with a special coating, which saved Brookfield-La Grange Park School
District 95 around $300,000 compared to installing a new roof
According to architect Stephen J. Cashman of Cashman Stahler Group in Lombard, the product is Tremco AlphaGuard BIO, which is a two-part, bio-based polyurethane coating for existing build-up asphalt roof systems
Cashman said that based on previous project costs for a similarly sized roof project, if the existing built-up asphalt roof system was replaced with a fully adhered roof system with a 20-year warranty, it would have cost approximately $738,120 versus $418,200.
“The cost savings are typically between 40 percent and 60 percent depending on the project complexities,” he said. “It also would
have taken approximately one more month to complete the demolition and new roof work.”
District 95 Superintendent Ryan Evans said the district is pleased with the results
“With the completion of this, we have completed all of our roofs with this product,” he said. “The remaining portion of Brook Park from the 1950s and all of S.E. Gross Middle School is coated with it.”
There is a unique aspect of the coating, he said – it requires eye protection.
“[It] is so white so it reflects sunlight to also help with energy efficiency,” he said.
“We install sunglass boxes at the ladders so when people go up to work, they can grab a pair because once on the roof, it is very bright.”
Cashman added that the biggest benefit of the Tremco AlphaGurd BIO product is the cost savings.
“The shorter project duration also helps with completing the projects over the short summer break,” he said.
PO LICE REPO RT S
Brook eld police document road rage incident
On July 15, Brookfield police responded to a re port of a reckless driver, b didn’t arrest anyone.
Around 7:24 p.m., an officer responded to the intersection of Ogden and East enues for the re port and met the complainant at the village’s fire station #1. The officer made contact with the woman, who said she had been driving east on Ogde Avenue when another vehicle apparentl tried to strike her own because she did not let it merge into her lane. W two vehicles came to a stop at a red the driver of the other vehicle g it and approached her vehicle, spitting on the driver’s window before g etting into the vehicle and driving south on Maple Avenue
T he woman said she would be willing to sign complaints of local ordinance violations. T he officer told her police would review cameras from the area to see if they could observe the incident and would g et back to her. T he woman shared the license plate number of the of fending vehicle that she had recorded
Police learned the identity of the second driver through a search of the Spillman public safety software and attempted to contact him at home and over the phone unsuccessfully. Police later contacted the woman to explain their results, at which point she said she no longer wished to sign the complaints. She re ported to the police department the next day to sign a refusal fo rm.
Blackmailed with explicit photos
Brookfield police on July 17 assisted a man who was being extorted for money through a hookup app.
Around 1 a.m., the man arrived at the police department to re port a complaint over telephone harassment and extortion. The man met with an officer and explained that around 12:40 a.m., he had made contact with an unknown man through the online hookup app Sniffies. Shortly after they made contact, the two exchanged photos, the man said, including sexually explicit photos, and shared cell phone numbers to
make plans to meet in-person.
The man said the other person began sending texts demanding money and threatening to distribute the explicit photos to his friends and family, at which point he arrived at the police department to report the incident. The man said he had not sent any money.
During his conversation with an officer, the other person called the man’s phone multiple times. At one point, the officer answered one of the calls and identified himself, at which point the caller immediately hung up. The officer tried to return the call in an ef fort to collect the other person’s information but learned they had blocked the man’s number.
Police advised the man to cease communication with the other suspect and to block their number and profile on the app.
These items were obtained from the Brookfield Police Department reports dated July 13-20; 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
MATEO SIKORA
Sikora Strong
from page 1
hit my lower abdomen, and I had pain for a couple of days.”
That might not be a sur prise, but that Friday, when he went to urgent care to get it checked out, something was wrong.
Very wrong.
“We went to urgent care, and they’re like, ‘No, this is serious, you have to go the hospital,’ so then we went to Hinsdale, and they were like, ‘You have to go to an emergency hospital,’” he said. “So, they took me in an ambulance to Loyola (in Maywood) that night, all on Friday.”
Two days later, after close observation and a biopsy, Loyola doctors delivered the bad news – a 10-centimeter tumor on Sikora’s pelvic bone A cancer known as Ewing’s sarcoma.
Thomas Paine is famous for his quote, “These are the times that try men’s souls.” But Sikora was just a freshman. What would he know of such matters?
Not much, of course, but in addition to the support and prayers of his family, friends and coaches, he had an attitude of victory.
“Really for me, I just thought the best way that would help me was always staying positive and always praying and believing I would beat it,” he said. “I never really thought I wasn’t going to beat it.” And beat it, he did. Last Friday, he rang the bell at Lurie Children’s Hospital down-
cer. He rang it strong and proud, with a smile that indicated the posture he car ried throughout his academically abbreviated freshman year, when surgery and intravenous and radiation therapy, sometimes for days on end, sank him to low points.
How did it feel to ring that bell?
“It was the feeling of relief, just finally after 10 months, this long jour ney has come to an end,” Sikora said Sunday sitting in his family’s home in Riverside. “I did ring it pretty hard a couple times and then everyone was cheering for me.”
To say Sikora had plenty of cheerleaders in his cor ner might be an understatement. In addition to his folks, Anna and Joe, and older brother, Sam, a recent Fenwick graduate, there was oncologist Dr. Elizabeth Sokol, whose practice specializes in sarcomas
“We made it to the finish line,” Anna Sikora said of her reaction to the bell ringing. “This was the goal. We did all the things. We followed all the protocols and recommendations. We followed the recipe and it worked.”
Then there was RB head football coach Sam Styler, who said the incident was “heartbreaking,” but displayed Sikora’s mettle.
“He had a battle in front of him, but the way he approached it, he knew it was a long jour ney ahead, (and) he took it in stride,” Styler said. “Throughout the entire process, it showed how wonderful a kid he was.”
Football season is coming up, and Styler said Sikora is going to help out with his team any way he can as a manager.
ALL CLEAR: Mateo Sikora rings the bell for a cancer-free outcome last week at Luie’s Children’s Hospital.
“He will be one of my right-hand men,” he said. “We’re extremely lucky to have him.”
Then there is Bulldogs’ varsity boys basketball coach Mike Reingruber, who has known Sikora since he played in the Junior Bulldogs program.
That, Reingr uber said, is exactly what Sikora is – a bulldog
“If anyone was going to face this thing head on and destroy it, it’s him,” he said.
“Obviously, you’ re in a spot, no one knows where it’s going to go, you’ re praying everything will go well, but on the same token, he’s as tough as they come and with the greatest, most positive attitude.”
If there was anything kind of cool about the experience, it was the presence of tshir ts in the community emblazoned with
Sikora Strong on the front. In fact, Reingr uber said the entire boys basketball program wore them often as war mup shirts last season.
Sikora, who will have to get scans every three months going forward, is fully aware that there are other kids out there, and adults, who may wind up facing their own health issues. He’s got counsel for them.
“Always set yourself a goal and always have something to look forward to,” he said. “That’s what helped me the most, I think. If I knew I would be in the hospital for a week, I would just think about at the end of the week, what’s a good meal, or a good spor ts g ame I’m looking forward to watching?
“I just had faith it was going to work out.”
GREGG VOSS
GREGG VOSS
MOM’S LOVE: Anna Sikora her son Mateo at home in Ri verside.
Chef Shangri-la celebrates 50th anniversary
e iconic tiki bar and Cantonese restaurant opened doors in 1976
By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter
Chef Shang ri-la is known for its iconic tiki decor and its litany of live perfor mers who perfor m on the restaurant floor each week, many of them celebrity impersonators. This month, it celebrates the 50th anniversary of when Paul and Suzie Fong, the original owners, opened its doors in July 1976.
Over the weekend, the restaurant, 7930 W. 26th St., hosted Fong Fest, with a litany of live music perfor mers playing from noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday, July 26.
Dr Lisa Abrams, whose husband, Irv Abrams, took over day-to-day operation of Chef Shang ri-la following her mother Suzie Fong’s death in August 2019, said her parents established several other restaurants before founding their magnum opus in North Riverside
“I was raised wherever the restaurant was I was brought up in Milwaukee, and Elgin for maybe a year. The sole reason my parents moved was, there were no Asians then. We were in a generation where I was the only Asian kid in my school,” she told the Landmark. “When we finally moved here, I had a lot of cultural exposure of my own. That’s the main reason we moved to Chicago.”
Abrams attended the grand opening in her prom dress, she previously said, and then saw the work of running the restaurant from all angles.
“I worked like a dog here. I was the hostess I had to be a bartender before I was ready to be a bartender. At that time, in my generation, it was OK to drink at 18. I was 18 and thrown in the bar,” she said. “It was a lot of hassles, but it was fun. I lear ned to do, like I said, the hosting, opening, closing, waitressing, bartending. The only thing I’ve never done is cook.”
Over the years, Abrams said she had many fond memories of family gatherings hosted inside the restaurant, especially around Christmastime With her own birthday falling on Dec. 24, “Everyone was forced to come, basically. They had no excuse,” she said.
“Generally, my mom [cooked]. The food was always so, so good, because we did a traditional Chinese menu. The whole roast
pig, poached chicken, roast duck or Peking duck, you might call it, and all the fresh ve getables My sister’s favorite was her Cantonese-style chow mein,” Abrams said.
She said her own favorite dish that her mom taught her is sweet, stew-like beef tomato with eg gs
“It’s traditional Chinese, and we do serve it here, but nobody knows about it unless you ask for it,” she said. “At least several times a year, I’ ll cook it for the f amily at home.”
Abrams said business was booming when the restaurant opened, with people willing to wait an hour or two at the bar for a seat in the dining room, though the restaurant be g an to decline around 10 to 15 years ago, when the introduction of it s live enter tainers — with impersonators of all sor ts, from Elvis Presley and Tina Tur ner to Elton John and Whitney Houston, as well as drag queens and live musical acts — brought it back to life
“It’s so much fun. We don’ t have a stage, but this is pretty much where they perform, right here, so there’s room for them to dance around,” she said. “The customers really enjoy that. T hey g et to eat and enter tain and drink, and they’re all having a good time.”
In the seven years that Irv Abrams has been r unning Chef Shang ri-la, he said
Healthy Minds Matter YOUR BEST LIFE with Lisa Capone
May is Mental Health Awareness
Month a time to shed light on an important but often overlooked topic: the mental well-being of older adults. Many seniors face unique emotional challenges, including loneliness, grief, changes in health, or the stress of transitioning to a new lifestyle
Here are some simple, effective ways seniors can support their mental health every day:
Stay Connected: Reach out to family, friends, or neighbors regularly. Even a short conversation can lift your mood
one big challenge reared its head immediately: communicating with his staf f.
“I don’ t speak Chinese,” he said.
He said Suzie Fong, who ran the restaurant until her death, was a strict boss, and the restaurant experienced a lot of tur nover among the waitstaf f. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, he said, some of the for mer waitresses who had tur ned to the hotel industry found themselves out of work
“They all came back, and they’re staying. They don’t want to go back, and I think that speaks for itself,” he said. “There are days we all get mad at each other, but I think everyone here is like a family Some of the waitresses that have been here for 30, 35 years continue to be here.”
He said Annie Zhen, a leader among the waitresses, has been instrumental in allowing him to communicate with the staf f at large.
Both Lisa and Irv Abrams said they’re proud to car ry on her parents’ le gacy as the restaurant celebrates its golden jubilee “It’s funny. We’ve been here 50 years, and how many people come by and [say] ‘Oh, we’ve never been here,’ and I’m like, ‘Where do you live?’ and they’re like, ‘Nor th Riverside!’” Irv Abrams said. “We want to continue to grow it, that’s all. We have fun and enjoy it.”
Keep Moving: Gentle exercises like walking, stretching, or chair yoga can boost your energy and reduce stress.
Try Something New: Learning a hobby, craft, or game helps keep your mind sharp and gives you a sense of accomplishment
Stick to a Routine: Daily structure provides a sense of stability and purpose
Get Outside: Fresh air and sunshine can naturally improve your mood
Rest Well: Good sleep supports emotional balance and clear thinking
Mental health matters at every age
This May, take small steps each day to care for your mind you deserve it
Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030
STELLA BROWN
Chef Shangri-la, 7930 W. 26th St., marked 50 years since its opening this month.
GOAT YOGA
5 goats, 20 people from page 1
of which took place from 6:45 to 7:45 p.m.
Szymanski said parks and recreation staf f hope to see it become a recur ring event in town if there is resident support
“With any new progr am, we have no idea [how it will go]. We’re in a stage of throwing everything at a wall right now and seeing what sticks and what is inter-
side I know they tried this in the past before; one session went, and the other didn’t,” she said.
Szymanski said she was wor ried at the star t of the week that there would only be enough signups for one session. but the de par tment worked closely with Kit Wiberg, Riverside’s communications and marketing manager, to g et the word out this week.
She said she felt the inclusion of the grazing goats made the event feel less intimidating to people who might otherwise have avoided it.
ties] that can have a ne gative taste in people’s mouths I grew up as a dancer, so I would do something like this, but I feel the yo ga conception is that it’s for people who are really flexible or are into deep breathing. T here are a lot of misconceptions of what, actually, yo ga is,” Szymanski said.
Something like goat yo ga, she said, makes the event feel more casual and gives people a low-stakes oppor tunity to try it and find out if they like it
She said the event plays into the parks and recreation de par tment’s overall goal of encouraging outdoor activity and tak-
green space in a world where we’re increasingly drawn into screens
“Riverside is a perfect natural environment, and g etting outside is so easy here. Riverside is a very for tunate community for that. I’ve wo rked in previous jobs with Chicago school district kids and have done educational progr ams for them, and they don’ t have access to something like this,” Szymanski said. “Technolo gy is a great thing, and even in outdoor and nature education, it is a very powerful and useful tool, but I feel like it can over take and over power a lot of things.”
STELLA BROWN
ursday’s rst session of goat yoga drew more than 20 attendees to the Scout Cabin.
OBITUARIES
Bob Broz, 83
WGN Radio broadcast engineer
Robert F. Broz, 83, died peacefully on July 18, 2026. He was a lifelong resident of Riverside, a community he loved and proudly called home The son of the late Robert Walter Broz and Florence Broz (née Peck), he grew up in Riverside and graduated from Riverside-Brookfield High School, class of 1960. He spent nearly four decades at WGN Radio in Chicago as a broadcast engineer, where his dedication, technical expertise, and steady professionalism helped keep Chicago’s iconic radio station on the air. He enjoyed working alongside many of Chicago’s legendary broadcasters, including Wally Phillips, Bob Collins, Spike O’Dell, Kathy O’Malley, and Judy Markey.
Though his career was behind the scenes, his personality occasionally brought him in front of the microphone Bob Collins, Spike O’Dell, and other WGN hosts would go out of their way to invite him into their conversations, where his quick wit and dry humor became a welcome part of many of Chicago’s popular radio broadcasts.
Bob is survived by his son, Robert “Bob” Broz, and daughter-in-law, Ruth Broz; his daughter, Laura Broz Devore; his granddaughters, Elizabeth Devore, Allison Broz, and Claire Broz; and his sister, Nancy Wojteczko (née Broz).
Though he preferred to stay out of the spotlight, his warmth, integrity, and silly sense of humor made a lasting impression. His legacy lives on through the values he instilled, the friendships he nurtured, and the countless memories shared.
Private services will be held by the family. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association in Bob’s memory.
Barbara Musil, 68
School teache r, VA technician
Barbara Mary Musil (née Reynolds), 68, of Brookfield, died on July 17, 2026. Born on June 10, 1958, in Chicago, she grew up in Mt. Greenwood
Barbara dedicated more than 20 years to shaping young minds as a grade school teacher, where her patience, compassion, and enthusiasm left a lasting impression. She embraced a new career as a cardiographics and radiology technician at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. Caring for veterans brought her tremendous fulfillment, and she treasured the opportunity to served those who
served.
Her grandchildren were her greatest joy, and nothing made her happier than sharing stories and photos of Isla, Jack, and Maeve She took immense pride in watching them grow
She also had a special love for dogs and was a passionate supporter of animal rescue Known for her spunky sense of fashion, she expressed her personality with confidence and flair. Her creativity and thoughtfulness shone through her carefully chosen themed gifts that brought laughter and smiles, and forged memories with family and friends.
Her generous heart, infectious sense of humor, and compassion lives on through the many lives she touched throughout her remarkable journey
Barbara was the mother of Ryan Musil, Sean Musil, and Ashley Musil; the motherin-law of Jill Musil and Nicholas Buber; the grandmother of Isla Buber, Jack Buber, and Maeve Musil; the daughter of the late Robert and the late Mary (nee Foran) Reynolds; and the aunt, cousin, and dear friend
A private Celebration of Life will be held at a later date
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that memorial donations be made in Barbara’s honor to HALO Havanese Dog Rescue, P.O. Box 787, Huntley, IL 60142.
Arrangements were handled by JohnsonNosek Funeral Home and Cremation Services in Brookfield.
Jim Moxon, 85 Outdoorsman
James “Jim” Nephin Moxon, 85, of Waverly, Georgia, died on July 6, 2026, in St. Augustine, Florida. Born in Oak Park on April 4, 1941 to parents James Arthur Moxon MD, and Cecelia Nephin Moxon, he was the third of four children. He spent his childhood in the suburbs of Chicago. Growing up, he was an active hunter, fisher, boatsman, marksman, and all-around outdoorsman. He would teach his own children and grandchildren the same appreciation for these things he so deeply valued
He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1959 and spent nearly two years on active-duty service overseas in Germany and the South of France, operating a military ambulance, and he was known to bend the rules (and maybe remove a governor or two) to get his patients quickly where they needed to be Returning stateside to the suburbs of Chicago he spent eight years as a night foreman for Chicago Steel and Thompson Wire Mill. In 1963, he met Patricia Lee Perna and the two were wed in 1964. In September of 1972, he relocated with his family to St. Augustine, Florida where he and his wife owned and managed
separate businesses, along with varied rental properties.
After they separated, he returned to the Chicago area, where he would reside for another five years. During those years, he was able to help care for his mother until her death in 1988. He purchased farmland in Prairie Garden, Illinois, land that he cultivated himself Desiring to reside closer to his adult children, Jim returned to the South, purchasing property on the Little Satilla River in Waverly, Georgia. It was there he would spend the next several decades with his longtime paramour, Caroline Galati. During these years, they built a wonderful life, filled with boating, fishing, storytelling, golfing, antique shopping, old-time movie watching and working hard around their home They also loved to travel near and far to spend time with family and loved ones.
Jim is survived by his daughter, Christine Moxon Chapman and son-in-law Steve Chapman; his son, James Michael Moxon (Mimi); his grandchildren, Alyssa Moxon, Michael Moxon, and Aubrielle Moxon; his sister, June A. Maze; his brother, Dr Arthur N. Moxon; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Dr and Mrs. James A. Moxon, his sister Mary Jane Ford, and his longtime partner, Caroline Galati
Memorial services will be held on Saturday, Aug. 1 at Craig Funeral Home In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to Tunnel2Towers (t2t.org) or Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org)
Thomas Mancini, 73
A br illiant mind
Thomas A. Mancini, 73 of Brookfield, died on July 5, 2026 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Born on Sept. 25, 1952 in Chicago, he was the husband of Alicia (nee Vikrikas); the father of Lisa (Steve) Mancini and Nancy (late Shannon) Bitzer; the grandfather of Samantha and Taylor; the brother of Gina Hill and Teri Phillips; the uncle of April, Cynthia, and Sabrina; and the great-uncle of Isaac, Owen and Elijah.
A devoted Christian, with a brilliant mind, forever helping others, and demonstrating his giving spirit, Tommy will be forever missed. Visitation will take place on July 30, from 3 to 8 p.m. at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., July 31, at St Barbara Church, 4000 Prairie Ave., Brookfield. Interment St. Casimir Cemetery, Chicago Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with the family at www johnsonnosek.com
John Kobylarz, 40
John Thomas Kobylarz, 40, of Lyons, died on July 23, 2026. Born on March 16, 1986, he was the son of Thomas Kobylarz and Maria (nee Escobedo) Kobylarz; the brother of Joseph Kobylarz and Kimberly Kobylarz; the grandson of Esperanza Escobedo; the nephew of Patricia (late James) Flanery, Fred (Cynthia) Escobedo and David Escobedo; and the boyfriend of Valerie South.
Visitation will take place on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, from 3 to 8 p.m. at Kuratko-Nosek Funeral Home, 2447 S. Desplaines Ave., North Riverside Funeral Mass will be celebrated on July 30 at St. Mary Church in Riverside at 11 a.m.
Memorial contributions to The Children’s Heart Foundation, www.childrensheartfoundation.org would be appreciated.
Online condolences, photos and memories may be shared with the family at www.KuratkoNosek.com.
Carlos Jara, 55
North Riverside resident
Carlos G. Jara, 55, of North Riverside, died on July 14, 2026. Born on July 6, 1971 in Chicago, he was the husband of Blanca (nee Zavala); the father of Crystal (Eric Robledo) Jara, Joaquin Jara, and Luis Jara; the son of Mariam Sara Jara (nee Basurto) and the late Eusebio Cruz Jara; the grandfather of Penelope Robledo and Ezekiel Robledo; the brother of Abraham (Emma Sorensen) Basurto, Juan (Maria) Basurto, Jose-Alberto (Sandra) Basurto, Beatriz (Paul Sorenson) Camargo and the late Luis Jara; the uncle of Armani (Amanda) Basurto, Abraham Antonio (Carly Hagglund) Basurto, Christoper Basurto, Jonathan (Martha) Basurto, Beatriz (Israel) Ramirez, Francisco (Crystal Vasquez) Camargo, Zelina (Brandon) Erickson, Giovanni (Shyeeta Lashae) Camargo, Elisa Jara, Angel Jara, Adilene Magana, Erika (Gustavo Cerrud) Magana, Roman Magana, Karely Zavala, Mairely Zavala, and Ailani Zavala; and the great-uncle of Ariella Basurto, Ace Basurto, Austin Basurto, Madison Basurto, Anthony Johns, Israel Ramirez, Jacian Ramirez, Julius Ramirez, Leo Ramirez, Kensie Camargo, Kimora Camargo, Katalina Camargo, Keanu Camargo, Nathan Erickson, Gianna Camargo, Xavier Macia, Julia Magana and Dalila Rodriguez
Visitation was held on July 17 at KuratkoNosek Funeral Home, 2447 S. Desplaines Ave., North Riverside The funeral Mass was celebrated on July 18 at St. Agnes of Bohemia Church, Chicago. Interment St. Mary Cemetery, Evergreen Park
Sports
North Riverside 11s, Brook eld 10s excel in state softball
NR 11s second is program’s highest nish; Brook eld 10s
reach semi nals
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
The North Riverside Little League softball 11-and-Under all-stars had quite a finish.
The Brookfield softball 10-and-Under allstars appear to just be getting started.
At their respective state tour naments, both teams came close to their championship aspirations before their seasons ended July 21. North Riverside lost to Clarendon Hills 9-0 in Brookfield for the title of the four-team 11s state tour nament to finish with an overall 2-2 state record. It’s believed to be the highest softball state finish in North Riverside history for any age group The 11s also qualified for state in 2025 by winning the District 9 title but had to forfeit state for not having enough players.
North Riverside 11s team members are El Favela, Tre’sur Griffin, Penny Her msdorf, Audrey Jamriska, Mabel Maloney, Isabelle Mauban, Thalia Medina, Willow Merrill, Grace Runquist, Scarlett Santos and Ella So telo Willie Merrill is manager with assistant coaches Jesse Favela and Monica Parker “Winning always breeds success,” Willi Merrill said. “(Our players) were very upset about the loss in the championship but had some solace that North Riverside had neve made it this far.”
Byrne, Juliet Contreras, Bella Figueroa Dunnell, Lexi 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
Brookfield closed to 7-4 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Anderson tripled and Franklin had two runs batted in.
“I think what they really enjoyed was kind of bonding (at state) as a team. There was a lot of together ness and I think the families and kids really enjoyed that,” Mike Melendez said. “That’s going to kind of serve as a foundation for the next couple of years. I think that experience of working together as long as they did is going to bode well for us in the future.”
In pool play, Brookfield finished second with a 3-1 record, beating Melrose Park 5-4 and Moline 12-0 in four innings, July 18, and losing to Central District 7-4 and beating Pike County 11-5, July 19.
The Brookfield 10s reached the state semifinals before losing to eventual champion Clarendon Hills 12-6.
Brookfield 10s team members are Evangelina Anderson, Annabelle Beattie, Molly
Brook eld’s championship team in the Illinois District 9 Little League 10U so ball tournament July 14, in North Riverside.
The Pike County game deter mined second in the pool and semifinal berth. Brookfield trailed 3-0 before unleashing an 11-run fifth that included six walks or hit batters with the bases loaded, a two-run single from Beattie and a bases-loaded double with two strikes by Melendez for the final three runs.
“Having energy and making plays, just doing plays naturally (helped us),” Victoria Melendez said. “All of the games were amazing. We hope to lear n from the experience because we lost this one We can build off the experience. We all had a lot of fun being together.”
Against Melrose Park, the game was tied 3-3 entering the sixth. Pitcher Fox allowed just one run over the final 2.2 innings in relief of Patel (7 strikeouts in 4.1 innings). Anderson (3 RBIs) homered and Fox doubled against Central District. Figueroa Dunnell (4 RBIs) and Solis doubled against Moline
In 11s round-robin preliminary play in Orion, North Riverside beat Huntley 7-3, July 19, and opened by beating Orion 20-3 in three innings and losing to Clarendon Hills 11-4, July 18.
STEVE JOHNSTON
Brook eld’s Mila Solis (6) connects for a hit against Wester n Springs dur ing the Illinois District 9 Little League 10U so ball tournament
In the title game, Merrill had the lone hit against Clarendon Hills North Riverside had four hits in the first meeting, including doubles by Her msdorf (2 RBIs), Jamriska and Favela.
After the championship game was rained
out, July 20, the site was moved to Brookfield, allowing even more North Riverside fans to show support
“It feels really amazing we made history for North Riverside Little League I never thought we’d get a chance to play for a state championship,” Willow Merrill said. “I’m proud that we got to be the team that showed everyone what a group of girls are capable of Hearing everyone cheering made us feel like we could do anything.”
Favela had three hits against Huntley and Merrill doubled with three RBIs.
Against Orion, Medina homered and Jamriska had four hits and six RBIs with a triple and two doubles. Runquist pitched the final two innings in relief of Favela, who pitched every other inning and all games of the District 9 tour nament.
Brook eld 10s baseball
The Brookfield Little League baseball 10-U all-star team has started in 1-1 pool play at the state tour nament based at Roseland in Chicago.
Brookfield defeated Ottawa 8-3, Saturday, and lost to Olney 6-5, Sunday, after Olney scored three runs in the sixth. Pool play continues against Rochelle and South Holland Wednesday, July 29.
STEVE JOHNSTON
RBHS grad Cicic makes basketball move to Ole Miss
Seven-foot center and two-time all-stater transfers from Pepperdine
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Following a great finish to his first full Division I men’s basketball season, Stefan Cicic needed another new start. The 2024 Riverside Brookfield High School graduate has transfer red to the University of Mississippi (Oxford) after the coaching staf f was fired following this past season playing at Pepperdine University (Malibu, Calif.).
The 7-foot center and redshirt sophomore spent his first colle ge season at Tulane University (New Orleans). Cicic now joins a member of the prestigious South Easter n Conference (SEC), led by head coach Chris Beard, who is entering his fourth season with the Rebels, a 2025 NCAA Sweet 16 tour nament team
Since 2016, Beard has taken four programs to the NCAA Tour nament and reached the 2019 national final and 2018 Elite Eight while at Texas Tech “I was talking to other schools, but Chris
Beard is a really good coach, one of the best coaches in the nation. He’s a really good coach, very good dude, very chill and the rest of the staf f was very nice,” Cicic said. “On my visit, I had a fun time Oxford’s a beautiful town, a colle ge town. Ole Miss has a lot of history with sports and the SEC, I think, is one of the best conferences for basketball, if not the best, with its physicality and toughness.”
At Pepperdine, Cicic started the final five games and over the final seven games averaged more than 20 minutes, 11.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.4 blocks.
This past season, Ole Miss was 15-20 (4-14 in SEC) but made history by reaching the SEC Tour nament semifinals before losing to Arkansas in overtime It marked the first time any Division I team seeded No 15 reached the semifinals of its conference tour nament.
“With my size and presence and abilities, I felt it was a really great fit for me to play at this level and this staf f and coach and team,” Cicic said. “I’m just excited and grateful to be there.”
Cicic gained confidence through playing in all 32 Pepperdine games. Cicic achieved personal-bests of 23 points and 10 rebounds with four blocks in the 88-79 win over Washington State, Feb. 28, and had the g amewinning basket on a putback dunk in the 90-89 victory over Loyola Marymount, Feb. 14.
His season averages were 4.5 points with 3 three-pointers and 2.6 rebounds with a team-high 27 blocked shots, 11 assists and eight steals in 12.4 minutes.
The Waves finished 9-23 (4-14 in West Coast Conference) after going 13-22 in former head coach Ed Schilling’s first season.
“My goal is to obviously win way more
games with this (Ole Miss) team and overall just to become a better player and also be coached by one of the best coaches in colle ge basketball,” Cicic said. “Chris Beard and the staf f was the main reason why I came.”
Cicic has three years of colle ge eligibility left. As a true freshman, the two-time all-stater at RBHS attended Tulane but was able to redshirt after playing just four minutes total over three November games
Another new experience awaits Cicic this week. Ole Miss is headed to San Juan, Puerto Rico for a six-day tour be ginning Saturday, Aug. 2, which includes two exhibition contests.
Final details weren’ t announced to the players until Cicic was at summer training camp in early June It’ ll be Cicic’s first taste of inter national basketball.
“I knew before, during my visit. They said they might be doing a foreign trip. I didn’t know where,” Cicic said. “Puerto Rico seems and sounds interesting.”
Riverside’s McKay makes pitch for baseball success at NIU
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Even after undergoing elbow surgery in 2024, recent Nazareth Academy graduate Connor McKay of Riverside never kept reaching for his baseball pitching dreams.
“I think it’s just all of the motivation. This is what I’ve been wanting to do forever,” McKay said. “I knew when the injury happened, I couldn’t just quit on myself and had to believe in myself and come back and be better than I already was.”
This past season, McKay gained a lot of believers as the Roadrunners’ No. 1 starting pitcher, and now he will continue playing at Norther n Illinois University (DeKalb).
The NCAA Division I Huskies (36-19) are coming of f their first NCAA Tour nament victory and Mid-American Conference title They also set a single-season school record for victories under fourth-season head coach Ryan Copeland.
“(Copeland and assistant coach Calvin
Peacock) and the rest of the staf f showed me so much love there. I knew when I stepped on the campus, I could grow and develop and be the best player that I can be,” McKay said. “The only goal right now is to get to the big leagues pretty much. I hope so.”
In his second varsity season, McKay was 7-2 with a 2.41 ear ned-run average and 64 strikeouts in 52.1 innings and helped the Roadrunners win a Class 3A sectional title, the program’s 10th sectional over the past 15 seasons Nazareth lost 2-0 at the Crestwood Super-Sectional to eventual state champion St. Rita.
The 6-foot-3 right hander gained notice just before the season started. Major League Baseball scouts were at Nazareth’s intersquad game primarily to observe standout shortstop Landon Thome, who was selected by the Chicago White Sox in last month’s MLB draft.
After throwing one pitch, the thenuncommitted McKay gained notice The 6-foot-3 right hander consistently throws
in the low 90s and was clocked at 95 miles per hour against Timothy Christian in the re gional semifinals
“I see (the scouts) all come behind the backstop. I was like, ‘What’s going on?’”
McKay said. “I see them all taking videos of me and sending them to a bunch of coaches That’s when it became real. That’s when I knew I was going to find a place soon.”
Getting there wasn’t easy. McKay missed his entire sophomore high school season after elbow surgery on his throwing ar m to resolve a fractured growth plate.
“We had a dodgeball tour nament in school. I threw and my elbow completely popped and you knew something happened right away,” McKay said.
He be gan having problems with the growth plate when he was 12 or 13. While throwing in the bullpen, the pain became unbearable. He sat out roughly five months.
The surgery with pins and needles hoped to fix that and in time to retur n for 2024 traveling baseball. Then the ar m became infected, resulting in another surgery and no summer baseball.
McKay needed a comeback plan. His mother, Amanda, was instrumental in his
developing a routine and consistent training re gimen.
“She’s a gym freak. She wakes up at 5 a.m. every day to work out and walks every day. She’s really fit,” McKay said. “It was hard at first. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do in my routine Once I started getting it down and knowing what I had to do every single week, it just became so easy. I knew what I had to do and I did it.” His resolve perhaps showed best in the sectional final and his final home game McKay allowed just four hits in six innings with a season-high 10 strikeouts and one walk. The Roadrunners beat De La Salle 3-1 after being no-hit for the first five innings.
“It was just one of the most fun games I’ve ever played in my life I was just cruising and just knew no one was going to touch me,” McKay said.
“That’s the farthest (in the playof fs) I’d ever gotten in high school. Celebrating that was such a special moment because we worked so hard for that. We know we could have done more, could have won state, but that moment was so special to me.”
STEFAN CICIC
CONNOR MCKAY
LEGAL NOTICE
The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed Bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd., Oak Park, IL 60302 Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Friday, 8:30 am to 12:00 p.m. local time until 1:00 p.m on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 for the following:
Village of Oak Park 2027 Parkway Tree Pruning Bid Number: 26-120
Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/ bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.
A mandatory pre-bid meeting shall be held on Wednesday, August 5 at 10:00 a.m. at the Public Works Center in Oak Park. Bids received from bidders who do not send a representative to the pre-bid meeting shall not be considered.
The Village of Oak Park reserve the right to issue proposal documents and specifications only to those vendors deemed qualified. No bid documents will be issued after 2:00 p.m. on Monday, August 17, 2026.
Published in Wednesday Journal July 29, 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
SECTION I
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookfield, Illinois that bid proposals will be received for the following project:
2026 SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD, ILLINOIS
This project will include the removal and replacement of sidewalks and other related work.
Sealed bids will be received up to the hour of 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, the 12th day of August, 2026, in the office of the Village Manager in the Village Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois. All sealed bids received will be publicly opened and read at 11:00 A.M. on the same day, Wednesday, the 12th day of August, 2026, at the Village Hall.
Electronic copies of bidding documents, consisting of the bid proposal and project specifications are available from the Edwin Hancock Engineering Co., 9933 Roosevelt Road, Westchester, Illinois 60154. Bidding documents can be requested by emailing info@ehancock.com. No bidding documents will be issued after 4:30 P.M. on Thursday, the 6th day of August, 2026.
All bidders wishing to obtain bidding documents must be approved by the Village prior to obtaining bidding documents. All bidders must provide proof that they are prequalified with the Illinois Department of Transportation to perform 100% of the value of the work before being issued bidding documents. A non-refundable fee of Fifteen dollars ($15.00) will be required to obtain bidding documents. Proposals will only be accepted from bidders that have obtained bidding documents from the Edwin Hancock Engineering Company.
All bid proposals offered must be accompanied by a bid bond, cashier’s check or certified check in an amount not less than Five Percent (5%) of the total amount of the bid, as a guarantee that if the bid proposal is accepted, a contract will be entered into and the performance of the contract properly secured. Checks shall be made payable to the Order of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookfield. No bid proposal shall be considered unless accompanied by such bid bond or check.
Any bidder in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of the bidding documents may request an interpretation thereof from the Village. The bidder requesting the interpretation shall be responsible for its prompt delivery. At the request of the bidder, or in the event that
the Village deems the interpretation to be substantive, the interpretation will be made by written addendum issued by the Village.
In the event that a written addendum is issued, either as a result of a request for interpretation or the result of a change in the bidding documents issued by the Village, a copy of such addendum will be emailed to all prospective bidders. The Village will not assume responsibility for receipt of such addendum. In all cases it will be the bidders’ responsibility to obtain all addenda issued.
The Contractor and Subcontractor shall comply with all regulations issued pursuant to Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130), and other applicable Federal Laws and regulations pertaining to labor standards. The Village of Brookfield reserves the right to determine the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder, to waive irregularities, and to reject any or all bid proposals.
Published in RB Landmark July 29, 2026
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in 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: M26001840 on July 15, 2026 Under the Assumed Business Name of ARMSTRONG GALLERY with the business located at: 135 AKENSIDE RD, RIVERSIDE, IL 60546. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: ALEXANDRA BLOMGREN 135 AKENSIDE RD, RIVERSIDE, IL 60546, USA.
Published in RB Landmark July 29, August 5, 12, 2026
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in 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: M26001868 on July 23, 2026 Under the Assumed Business Name of MARGOO & CO. with the business located at: 9035 27TH ST., BROOKFIELD, IL 60513. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: BRIDGET MASSENGILL 9035 27TH ST BROOKFIELD, IL 60513, USA.
Published in RB Landmark July 29, August 5, 12, 2026
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
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 POSSESSION 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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