Happy Harley Joins RBHS team
School’s golde retriever facility brings calmin presence to school
By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter
He’s shorter than all faculty at Riverside-Brookfield High School, and has a full body of hair, to boot.
But he’s just as friendly and serves an important pur pose at the school.
He’s Harley, a golden retrie RB’s new facility dog. In fact, nickname is Happy Harley. He’s been school of f and on for the past couple of years but is now full time.
His handler is Dave Mannon, assistant principal for student af fairs Harley has made a splash already so early into the school year.
“He’s known, when he’s out and about,” Mannon said. “Freshman orientation was this morning, and he was going up and down the bleachers in the gym, we were in the hallway and things like that.
“We sent the message out and it went viral. It was one of our most li on our social media feeds.”
RB Superintendent Kevin Skinkis
See HARLEY on page 12
rside residents and officials alike went all 150th anniveroration in 1875. al, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. ’s organizatainment re classic cars, a dunk tank, a, a historical photoshoot with , face painting, and other historical arts, crafts and games to bring attendees back to 1875. At the Sesquicentennial Soiree, where the 150 eted guests dressed to the nines, attendees re treated to complimentary hors d’oeuvres, a music from the Brian rds from trustees Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga and Alex Gallegos, who led , and Village President Doug Pollock.
See RIVERSIDE on page 10
New business brings ‘Balance’ to Brookfield
Balance
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
If you’re in the mood for something sweet but don’t want to compromise your diet, look no further than Balance Nutrition at 3743 Prairie Ave. in Brookfield.
The casual restaurant, which opened July 11, boasts a menu of healthy options packed with protein, vitamins and electrolytes that will satisfy your hunger and your sweet tooth, including tea-based refreshers, protein coffee and “healthy shakes” flavored with protein powders. Balance also serves protein waffles and oats with fruit and acai bowls.
Owners Sandra Rosales and Miribel Co dero told the Landmark they had each run their own similar shop previously.
“Unfortunately for reasons, we had to close down. She closed down hers after mine,” Rosales said. “After a while of us hanging out together a lot, we decided, ‘Well, why don’t we open one together?’”
Fitting the name of their store, R said she and Cordero balance each other personalities, allowing them to work together as entrepreneurs.
“There’s a lot of stuff that, sometimes, I’m afraid to do by myself in a business world. Like, ‘OK, you’re by yourself, and you got to figure all this out.’ Mostly, being a woman, there’s not a lot of resources as you would think,” Rosales said. “She’s able to talk to people outside of here, so she’s very social inside. I’m very social inside, but once I go outside, I freeze, and I can’t talk, and she’s really good at that.”
Cordero said she was drawn to the world of making healthier snacks eight years ago while she was in college
“I was gaining a lot of weight through a stressful college life, and I started getting kind of depressed, not figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. Was college it, or not? All these questions,” she said. She said that all changed when her sister took her to a similar business and she became a regular customer. She said she lost 37 pounds and felt naturally drawn to the shop environment before she was offered a job there.
“I gave myself the opportunity, and after that, I opened my shop in Stone Park,” she said. “I was there for seven years. My motivation is basically that I want to inspire
TRENT BROWN
Sandra Rosales (le ) and Miribel Cordero are the ow ners of Balance Nutrition at 3743 Prairie Ave.
people how they inspired me.”
Rosales said she had a similar journey after visiting Cordero’s store.
“She inspired me to do the business. I realized that everything I knew how to do, because I was an assistant manager [elsewhere], was kind of what my own business would require from me. I figured, instead of making somebody else money, I could make myself money,” she said.
She said she had never been outside of Illinois, and the desire to take herself and her 11-year-old on vacation pushed her to start her own business
Rosales said the success of these kinds of stores is replicable to the point where she and Cordero help others who are interested in opening their own shops as sister locations to Balance.
“Each location has its own owner, so that’s why they’re different names, but we all have the same menu and the same system,” she said.
Rosales and Cordero said the small-town energy of Brookfield is what drew them to Balance’s location on Prairie Avenue
“Everybody knows each other, and that’s how you impact people. If you know me, and I help you, you know somebody else that I could help,” Cordero said. “It seems like everybody’s kind of united.”
“We’re not just selling you a product. We like knowing about you. We like knowing about the community,” Rosales said.
They said the communities of customers and business owners alike have embraced them and welcomed them into town.
“When we came to look at the location, we actually went to every business. We wanted to know about the community and how it was, and, oh my God, everybody’s so friendly We loved it,” Rosales said. “They’re very helping. They pass by, and they’ll be like, ‘How’s it going for you guys?’”
To celebrate the opening of the store, Balance is hosting a grand opening on Thursday, Aug. 7, complete with samples, raffles and a spin-the-wheel game to earn free menu items
“People fall in love with the taste first, and then they see the whole result of how they feel differently,” Rosales said.
jill@oakpark.com
Operations Associate Susan Babin ocial
Barrera
Special Projects Manager Susan Walker Senior Advisor Dan Haley BOARD OF
Chair Eric Weinheimer Treasurer Nile Wendor f Deb Abrahamson, Mary Cahillane, Steve Edwards, Judy Gre n, Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson, Darnell Shields, Audra Wilson
Brookfield earns electric vehicle readiness award
e village received bronze designation from ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Brookfield has earned the first ofthree tiers ofelectric vehicle readiness designation from ComEd and the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus through their EV Readiness Program.
The village was awarded the bronze designation — the first before silver and gold — for completing the first 16 steps in the program and was declared “EV Ready” alongside 16 other member municipalities of the third program cohort.
By Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.
THE IRS OFFERS PENALTY RELIEF TO ELIGIBLE TAXPAYERS: PART III
Business taxpayers’ online payment plan options include: Long-term payment plan (also called an installment agreement) - For business taxpayers who have a total balance less than $25,000 in combined tax, penalties and interest from the current and preceding tax year. They can make monthly payments for up to 24 months. Taxpayers can choose to set up payments using direct debit (automatic bank withdraw). Direct deposit is required on balances between $10,000 and $25,000. Online tools for payment plans: Qualified taxpayers with existing payment plans may be able to use the Online Payment Agreement to make changes to their plans that include
revising payment dates, payment amounts or bank information for direct debit payments. Payment options for taxpayers already working with the IRS: Individuals and out-ofbusiness sole proprietors who are already working with the IRS to resolve a tax issue, and who owe $250,000 or less, have the option to propose a monthly payment that will pay the balance over the length of the collection statute - usually 10 years. These payment plans don’t require a financial statement, but a determination for the filing of a notice of federal tax lien still applies.
Individual taxpayers have the option to sign into or create their own Online Account. This account allows them to:
• Check on any scheduled or pending payments.
• Review payment plan details and payment history.
• View the amount they owe.
The cohort graduated from the program at a ceremony on Aug. 4 at the Illinois Institute of Technology that included remarks from speakers including Gil Quiniones, the president and CEO of ComEd; Nancy Rotering, the chair ofthe MMC; and Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago.
“Electric vehicles are powerful tools for not only reducing climate change but also ensuring that all Chicagoans and residents of northeaster n Illinois are able to breathe clean and healthy air,” Johnson said.
Brookfield took the final step for the bronze designation in June when it approved electric vehicle chargers in town.
Community Development Director Libby Popovic, Business and Economic Development Coordinator Deanne Adasiak and Trustee Katie Kaluzny attended the ceremony on Brookfield’s behalf.
Michael Garvey for their leadership and support of our ef forts.”
She also thanked village staf f, including Popovic, Adasiak and Management Intern Zander Jones, for their work in implementing the necessary changes.
Having received the bronze designation, Popovic told the Landmark the village is already full steam ahead on working to earn the silver designation. The first step, she said, is to set up electric vehicle charging stations at village hall and Ehlert Park with the help ofthe Driving a Cleaner Illinois Grant, worth $140,000, from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
“We’re waiting right now for the consultants to come back to us. They’re already working on what the infrastructure is that we need, and we’re already talking to ComEd about the power that’s going to be needed for that,” she said.
She said Brookfield is planning to add four dual charging stations to the parking lot at village hall for a total ofeight chargers there by the end of 2026.
At the ceremony, Brookfield was also reco gnized for its “permitting prowess,” which Popovic attributed to advancements in the village’s permitting systems.
“We just switched over to Cloudpermit, which is a new platform that allows everything to be cloud-based. You can make payments online. It really allows us to organize better and makes it so much easier,” she said. “If you don’t want to have to come into the village to pay for a contractor’s license, you don’t have to. You can do it on your phone We’ve received a lot of compliments on that.”
She said the new software also allows residents and contractors to submit plans for permits and acts as economic development software that keeps village code in one convenient place for village staf f.
Popovic said Brookfield was one of just seven municipalities that earned bronze designation within a year, attributing the village’s speed to her staff and the village board.
“I’m so happy to be here to accept this on behalfofthe village,” Kaluzny said after the three received a plaque reco gnizing Brookfield’s progress. “I want to thank the Brookfield Conservation Commission for undertaking a huge volunteer ef fort, writing a comprehensive sustainability plan to help focus our ef for ts and track our progress using the Mayor’s Caucus sustainability framework, and I want to thank my fellow village board members and President
“We did move quickly on this, and our intern, Zander, was very instrumental in helping us check of f some ofthose boxes. Deanne and Zander worked quite heavily on this project,” she said. “The trustees are very accommodating, and they were very supportive of it.”
Linda Sokol Francis, E.A.
Brookfield will beautify the Brookfield Shops courtyard
A county grant will cover costs for custom art and a stage for per
formances
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Big changes are coming to the courtyard behind the Brookfield Shops retail incubator at Progress Park of f Eight Corners.
With the help of the Cook County Creative Placemaking Grant, awarded by the county and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, Brookfield is set to upgrade the courtyard with art created by the community, an elevated stage complete with equipment for theatrical performances and improved infrastructure to increase accessibility, said Libby Popovic, the village’s community development director.
“This was a perfect spot that we thought to be able to bring the creative arts and performing arts into the courtyard with the community and with the vendors that are there,” she told the Landmark. “We want to redo the courtyard and make it accessible to do outdoor theater.”
Some of the improvements include the addition of pavers in the courtyard and an overhead canopy to block out the sun and new work on the front of the vendors’ sheds to increase protection against the elements.
Popovic said the village partnered with the Brookfield Theater Corp, which submitted the request for the grant and became one of 14 recipients, as well as the Chamber of Commerce for the upgrades. She said Brookfield is ready to make progress on the project as soon as Sept. 1, when the grant funding goes into effect.
She named John Dumas, who last year proposed turning the village-owned Theater Building on Grand Boulevard into a community theater, as the leader of the entity. Dumas, who is also the executive administrator for the Share Food Share Love food pantry, was not available for comment by the time of publication. Brookfield officials have since made plans to demolish the Theater Building to make way for a new, private development.
“[Dumas has] been very interested in bringing more performing arts and theater to Brookfield,” Popovic said.
When the opportunity for the grant appeared in April, Brookfield went to him.
e new Brook eld Shops on Fr iday June 6, 2025.
“We were trying to think creatively: How can we make this underutilized space work for not just the retail shops but also bring some creativity and art into Eight Corners?” she said. “Eight Corners is really Brookfield’s uptown, where there are small businesses. We’re right next to the Compassion [Factory Art] Gallery, and it’s a little bit of an art community there.”
Through Sept. 5, Brookfield is accepting pitches from local artists for original artwork to be featured on a 3-foot-by-4-foot or 4-foot-by-8-foot panel as part of the upgrades to the courtyard. Applicants are asked to submit concept art or a rendering to show what they envision for space, and those whose pitches are chosen will receive a stipend and materials for their pieces.
“We’re encouraging everyone [to apply].
Anyone who’s part of an art collective who individually wanted to try their hand at painting or sculptures. Anyone who has any artistic ability and ideas,” Popovic said. “The goal is really to bring more art and performing arts, specifically, into the courtyard.”
While the new stage will primarily be for theater shows, Popovic said the village will make use of it for other kinds of entertainment, like concerts. To test out the stage, she said two of the vendors, New Book Joy and The Shop Salon & Style House, came together to plan a fashion show for Sept. 20.
“We’re going to do a little test run, closing off the street and seeing how that goes The whole point is having the community involved and being able to use the spac e, and that’s what I’m excited about,” Popovic said.
“The goal of the whole space is bringing re-
tail together with performing arts and small businesses. We want all the businesses to be able to profit from more foot traffic there.”
Federal cuts of 25% will hit BEDS Plus hard
Fundraising to ght homelessness will be ‘more important than ever ’
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Federal budget cuts proposed for fiscal year 2026 could handicap the ability of LaGrange-based nonprofit BEDS Plus to provide vital services to people experiencing homelessness, leaders said.
“Our safety net is a really delicate woven net, if you will, made out of thin threads. If one thread g ets pulled, it frays all the rest of it. People are going to have to make choices on where their dollars are going to go personally, and it could potentially lead to more people being homeless and experiencing homelessness,” said Ter ri Rivera, the organization’s chie f advancement of ficer
President Donald Trump’s budget request to Congress for fiscal year 2026, released in May, describes a 44% cut to funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Af fairs. That includes a 43% reduction to programs that provide rental assistance to more than 9 million Americans, Stateline reported.
If the budget is approved as requested, more than $26.7 billion would be slashed from the five largest rental assistance programs operated by the federal government, and much of the aid they provide would be consolidated into state-level block grants.
Of BEDS’ $14 million budget, about 25% comes from federal sources, Rivera said, meaning up to $3.5 million could be at risk.
“Private funding is going to be more important than ever to help us fill those gaps and keep our programs intact,” Rivera said.
Those programs include providing short-, medium- and long-term housing through partnerships with shelters and other organizations, like the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services and the Housing Authority of Cook County. Clients work directly with case managers to deal with the causes and effects of homelessness and receive custom care.
BEDS also operates a low-barrier walk-in center at 7666 W. 63rd St. in Summit. From noon to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, people who are homeless can receive immediate assistance.
“Anybody in need can literally go there. They will get a lunch, they will talk to a human about what is going on, and they will start the process to help them figure out what they qualify for, whether it’s shelter or other benefits,” Rivera said. “In July, they had 953 interactions at that walk-in center alone. The need is huge. There’s a waitlist for shelter, so we’re always trying to help people take their next steps.”
Erin Molek, a development manager at BEDS, said she wants to dispel the myth that people experiencing homelessness aren’t working to better their situations.
“The large majority of our clients are employed, but they are living paycheck to paycheck, and, historically, rents have increased, and income has not. One crisis … puts someone at risk of losing not only their housing but making choices between health, food and having a roof over your head,” Molek said. “We’re seeing numbers increasing, almost doubling, in the last two and a half years of people just trying to stay afloat.”
“Our agency is facing cuts, and then we’re going to see a higher demand, too,” Rivera added. “We served almost 6,000 people last fiscal year, so that’s either people
directly enrolled in our programs or refer red for other programs and services that they qualify for. We know that when people have to make those personal choices — let’s say their SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] benefits get cut — they’re going to have to spend more on groceries, which means, maybe, they would put of f paying rent or not be able to pay their rent.”
Brookfield’s Share Food Share Love food pantry is facing a similar conundrum amid
PROVIDED BY ERIN MOLEK
Communit y health worker and client working on paper work and prevention at walk in center.
Continued from page 6
cuts to food stamps and Medicaid, John Dumas, its executive administrator, told the Landmark in July
Molek said new limits on who rece ives rental assistanc e, including a proposed two-year cap on assistance fo r able-bodied adults, c ould lead to “potentially 60,000” Americans losing access to the Housing C hoice Voucher Progr am, c ommonly known as Section 8, including about 3,200 p eople whom BEDS Plus serves now. Section 8 caps housing c osts for voucher recipients at 30% ofthei r a djusted income
“For housing to be af fordable for all of us, you’re only supposed to spend 30% of your income on your housing,” Rivera said.
People who make $15 per hour — the minimum wage in Chicago and Cook County, more than double the federal minimum hourly wage of$7.25 — and work 40 hours per week every week earn about $2,400 per month, she said.
“The market rate apartment rent in the Chicagoland area right now is $2,400 a month for a two-bedroom apartment. It’s not sustainable. Nobody can spend 100% oftheir income on housing,” she said. “If
they lose the housing vouchers, they’re going to have to put more income towards their housing, whether it’s at BEDS or in an apartment outside ofBEDS, and that’s not going to be sustainable, so they’re probably going to lose their housing, and they’re going to literally be back homeless again.”
While the impact ofthe proposed cuts could be disastrous for BEDS, Molek said the pressure has energized her to keep helping people in creative ways.
Paraphrasing the 1984 sci-fi romance movie “Starman,” she said, “What’s so amazing about humans is when things are at their worst, you are at your best. I’ve found, through COVID and through the work that we’ve always done here, when things are at their worst, it shows, really, the best of people, and that’s what I’m banking on, personally.”
Molek said she focuses on the joy and thankfulness of BEDS’ clients to avoid falling into a negative head space about the future.
Rivera said she has a similar philosophy.
“The community is who helped create BEDS Plus in the first place, and they’ve been generous supporters ofour mission for almost 40 years now,” she said. “I have faith that will continue.”
NoOneShouldLiveinFear
PROVIDED BY ERIN MOLEK
William, a BEDS Plus client, is pictured with Whitney Smith, a respite case manager, on move-out day.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
WC3 dispatchers are the ‘unsung heroes’ of public safety
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
When you think ofemergency responders, your mind might go to police officers, firefighters or emergency medical technicians — the people who show up at the scene to render aid. But don’t forget about the people who set them in motion, said Bill Gutschick, the interim executive director of West Central Consolidated Communications
The North Riverside-based dispatch center, commonly called WC3, serves Riverside, Brookfield, North Riverside and McCook. There,workers known as dispatchers or telecommunicators are the ones who answer emergency calls, responding to people in moments of crisis while ensuring the correct local agency sends someone out as soon as possible.
“They seem to be like the unsung heroes,” Gutschick told the Landmark. “Sometimes, they don’t get the credit they deserve because, basically, they’re it. They’re the ones who start the whole process to get people help.”
He said severe storms that rolled through the area on July 24 proved how important the telecommunicators’ work is. With thunderstorms following a wildly humid day and torrential downpour the next day, according to the National Weather Service, Gutschick said just three dispatchers answered 71 calls within a two-hour span, an average ofone phone call each every five minutes
“That’s a heavy load. I was watching them, and they handled it flawlessly. It was just amazing,” he said. “A lot of [the calls for service] are duplicated, so they might get three, four phone calls for a tree coming down or wires coming down. … The amount of radio traffic and telephone traffic that came in was just tremendous.”
He said three is the minimum number oftelecommunicators that can be on the floor at once, but that the number rarely hits five or more. He said WC3 has 18 dispatch staff in total.
Gutschick said being able to multitask and work together are core skills the telecommunicators need to fulfill their duties
“There’s one position assigned to call-taking. Another position is fire, and the other position is police, but when you get overloaded with calls like this, they all have to start working together as one big team. If the call-taker is overloaded, somebody else
has also got to try to pick up the 911 calls,” he said. “It turns into a big team effort when you run across these situations.”
In region-wide situations like the July 24 storms, Gutschick said WC3 workers could also take calls from other municipalities nearby whose dispatch centers cannot keep up with the demand.
Steve Ezpinoza joined WC3 as a telecommunicator about four months ago. While he wasn’t taking calls on July 24, Espinoza said learning how to multitask has been a challenging part of adjusting to the job.
“Somebody may be dispatching the police, and I’m taking the call, and somebody is dispatching the fire department, and they’re asking questions ofme while I’m talking to the person on the phone,” he told the Landmark. “It’s a lot of multitasking. That’s probably the most important skill, and it takes a while to lear n, to understand, [for example,] what are the noises that are going off? Is that a fire alarm that you hear in the background, or is it a trouble alarm?”
He said showing empathy to callers is an important aspect of his job every day.
“A lot oftimes, they’re having the worst day of their life, and you want to make sure that you’re the calm, collected voice and not also be panicking when you’re speaking to them. That’s always been my goal, to be able to help people. I really enjoy it,” he said.
While it can be distressing to take a call from someone witnessing a crisis, Espinoza said he focuses on what he can do to help
“Even though I’m maybe feeling the same feeling that they’re feeling, I know that me being calm will hopefully keep them calm or keep them from escalating their panic to where I can’t elicit anymore information from them,” he said. “Ultimately, I want to be able to get an address from them, so we can get the fire or police department going.”
Riverside celebrates 150th anniversary
A picture can be worth a thousand words, so please enjoy this spread of photos taken by the Landmark’s Todd Bannor.
Cornhole players at the Riverside Sesquicentennial Festival in Guth rie Park on Saturday August 9, 2025.
e Riverside Sesquicentennial Festival in Guth rie Park on Saturday August 9, 2025.
A 1920 Elgin automobile at the Riverside Sesquicentennial Festival in Guth rie Park on Saturday August 9, 2025.
Brat Stand at the Riverside Sesquicentennial Festival in Guth rie Park on Saturday August 9, 2025.
Village President Douglas Pollock speaks at Riverside’s Sesquicentennial Soiree on Saturday August 9, 2025 | Todd Bannor
Village Trustees Alexander Gallegos and Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga
Sesquicentennial Soiree on Saturday August 9, 2025.
Sesquicentennial
Senior BenefitsLiving YOUR BEST LIFE withLisaCapone
Senior living communities offer a myriad of benefits that enhance the quality of life for older adults. One of the primary advantages is the opportunity for social interaction. Residents can participate in a variety of activities, from arts and crafts to group outings, fostering friendships and reducing feelings of isolation.
Senior living communities also free residents from the burdens of home maintenance and chores. Housekeeping, laundry services, and meal preparation are typically included, giving residents more time to enjoy their hobbies and interests. Moreover, senior living communities often provide various levels of assistance, from independent living to full-time care, allowing residents to age in place comfortably. This flexibility ensures that as needs change, the appropriate level of care is always available.
Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030.
HARLE
among Harley’s many fans
“Having our own facility pus to provide ongoing social-emotional support impor tant project, not just for the administration, but also for the board of tion,” Skinkis said. “The staf to have Harley here, and to a successful 2025-2026 school our newest team member
Let’s be clear, though. Harley, who lives Mannon’s home and comes to school each day with him, is not a service dog, ing to Lisa Wernli, co-founder of 4 Comfort in Gurnee, where three-year-old Harley was trained and returns weekly ongoing work.
“We c all him a facility fo rt do g,” We r nli said. “Service dogs ar one-to-one, and they help a person with medical c ondition or disabilit facility dog is assigned to a sc lice department. We have dogs that are in first responder teams p olice departments, fire departments the court system and schools
“It’s a one-to-many ratio.”
Harley’s job is to keep using today’s teenage ve non said Harley is there when students arrive in the morning and along with passing periods. Plus, his description will include suppo who are working with students help calming down.
Dave Clark, a Canines 4 Comfort volunteer who trained Harley, said facility dogs add a lot of value to schools.
“They lowe r blood pressure, they instantly make you f eel b etter if you’ve had a bad day, ” C lark said. “It’s indescribable how much c omfort they bring. Harley will be around the same lines He’s there for emotional support .”
Wernli added that Harley has been trained to interact with students and staf f, and school activities.
“Some (schools) will have them work with speech therapists, they’ll do reading programs with students, they’ ll do math,” she said. “In schools where students might have emotional breakdowns, they can help de-escalate situations
“The dog just having a presence can help a student open up or a staf f member open up. It brings a sense of calmness. The dogs
Ready to ser ve: Harley “thr ives in environments like
and
are able to help people tell their story. They are non-judgmental.”
Mannon isn’t aware ofany other high school in the area that has a facility dog like Harley, though Maine South and Maine East do, as does a high school in the Rockford area.
You’ll see him at sporting events, too, and he also played a role in the district’s residency events that were held every Wednesday in July
“He thrives in environments like this,” Mannon said, adding that while Harley doesn’t draw a salary, “he’ll be well-fed.”
TRENT BROWN
this,” says Dave Mannon, assistant pr incipal
Harley’s top human.
Police respond to struck vehicle
Brookfield police on Aug. 5 responded to a delayed re port of a hit and r un incident, but no one was ar rested
Around 3:15 p.m., an officer responded to the 9000 block of Monroe Avenue on the delayed re port and spoke to the complainant, who said his vehicl e, which was parked on the 3300 block of Oak Avenue, had been struck. T he man said he noticed a note had been left on his windshield by a good Samaritan who infor med him the of fending vehicle was a Dutch Far ms delivery truck.
T he officer observe d damage to the passenger side wheel well and the front bumper of the man’s car. T he man said he had last parked the car, undamaged, at about 11 a.m. that mor ning.
Around 3:25 p.m., the officer made contact with Dutch Far ms and spoke with a supervisor, who said their trucks have GPS and record vide o. S he said a truck had made a delivery to Tischler Finer Foods around noon, about three blocks from where the man’s car was parked.
T he supervisor said Dutch Far ms re presentatives had inspected the delivery truck and did not notice any obvious damage; she reviewed the video footage from the truck and said there was no physical contact between the truck and the man’s parked car, though the camera was facing directly forward, and the video did not capture sound.
T he officer reviewed the footage independently and did not observe the truck hitting the parked car, although it made a wide turn from Oak Avenue west onto Monroe Avenue
T he supervisor told the officer she would need to contact the driver before sending along his info rmation.
On Au g. 8, the officer t ried to c all the truck drive r around 7:45 a.m. Around 10:25 a.m., they c alled the supervisor, who said the drive r would reach out soon. Around noon, the drive r spoke with the officer and said his truck ne ve r made c ontact with the pa rked car and that he didn’t hear any sounds suggest-
ing it had. He told p olice he would have i mmediately stopped and c alled p olice himself if he noticed he had struck the ca r, as he de p ends on hi s drive r’s license for wo rk
T he officer spoke to the o riginal car owner and explained that d ue to a lack of proof the truck had struck his ca r, p olice c ould not fill out a for mal crash re po rt
These items we re o btained from th e Brookfield Po lice Department re port s dated Au g. 4-11; th ey re present a portio n of the incidents to wh ich police responded. Anyone named in these re ports ha s only b een charged with a crime an d cases ha ve not yet been adjudicated. We re port the ra ce of a suspect only wh en a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at la rge and police ha ve provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as th ey seek th e public’s help in making an arrest
Compiled by Trent Brown
Opinion
LETTERS
Improvement is needed
I have been a Landmark reader for years. And since you went nonprofit, I have donated on a re gular basis. But I have to say, the coverage of Brookfield and Riverside is going downhill quickly. And the number of editing er rors lately makes me wonder, is it worth the subscription anymore?
Today has three articles about the 7th cong re gational district. Who cares!? RB is in the 4th.
The story of a man struck by a train was
There is a fraction of a story on page 9. Unless I have not gotten there, where’s the other half?
And lately, the police reports consists of one or two drunk drivers. What about other crimes?
I’m giving you guys till the end of our subscription. If I don’t see improvement, you lost a customer.
Sad, I liked the Landmark back in the day.
Dan Haley, Ri verside-Brookfield Landmark 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 E-mail: dhaley@wjinc.com
Please include name, address and daytime phone number for verification.
Jerry Kosik, 90
Former North Riverside police ch ief
Jerome “Jerry” Kosik, 90, a longtime resident of North Riverside, died on Aug. 3, 2025. Born on Sept 8, 1934, he was the North Riverside Chief of Police, 1979-1982, and was a member of the Illinois Police Association, the International Police Association, the PB & PA of Illinois, the Riverside Township Lions Club, the American Legion Post 2011 - Homer Glen and the English Police Officers Exchange Program. Je r ry was the husband of Janet (nee A amodt); the father of Kimberly (James) Hamilton, Michael (Misty ) Kosik, and Amy (Chris) Be ggs; the gr andfather of S tacey Burch, St ep hanie Hamilton, the late Jacob Wi tt, Ky le Wi tt, B rittany (Rich) Matyas, Michael
(Emily) Kosik, Paig e Be gg s, and C onnor Be ggs; the great-gr andfather of Br ya n Burch, Cayd en Wi tt, Richie Matyas and Wi lliam Kosik; and the brother of Ly nn (David) Sommer.
A Memorial Visitation will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. at Conboy-Westchester Funeral Home on Sunday, Aug. 17 and on Aug. 18 at Marian Village, 15624 Marian Dr., Homer Glen for visitation from 10 a.m. until the funeral Mass at 11. Inter ment private. In lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated to the Illinois Police Association (www.ipacops.org) or Brookfield Zoo (www.csz.org).
Arrangements were handled by the Original Kuratko Family - Brian D. Kuratko, Funeral Director
Mary Cizek, 102 Homemaker
Mary J. Cizek (nee Mydlil), 102, of North Riverside, died on Aug. 7, 2025. She was the wife of the late Jerome “Jerry” J. Cizek; the mother of Jerome (Linda) Cizek, Carol (Stephen) Condon, Dean (Laura) Cizek and Don (Cin dy) Cizek; the grandmother of Casey (Michael) Awad, James (Wanda) Cizek, Steven (Kristin) Condon, Mary Cizek, Michael Condon, Daniel (Rizza) Cizek, Don (Alexa) Cizek, Dale (Paige) Cizek, Kristen (Andrew) Larem, Jeffrey (Carissa Calascibetta) Cizek and Jeremy
Cizek; the great-grandmother of Alexandra Awad, Tyler Awad, Cedric Zarate, Madison Councell, Mary Zarate, Daniel Cizek, Steven Condon, Sadie Cizek, Cody Cizek, Donald Cizek, Josephine Larem, Hailey Larem and Owen Larem; sister of the late Irene (the late Dave) Siebold; and the aunt of many nieces and nephews. Visitation was held on Aug. 11 and Aug. 12 at Hitzeman Funeral Home Ltd., 9445 31st St., Brookfield, followed by a funeral Mass at St. Louise de Marillac Church, La Grange Park. Interment at Woodlawn Cemetery, Forest Park
Lions’ Capizzi part of soccer national title with Galaxy
DePaul recruit contributes to club team’s third national title in four year s
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Lyons Township High School senior midfielder Carolina Capizzi has played club soccer with the Galaxy Soccer Club since sixth grade. T he DePaul University recr uit enjoyed quite a storybook ending with some of those long-time teammates as the 2008 girls team dramatically won the Under-17 Girls Academy Champions Cup July 13 in Midlothian, Va – 3-2 over STA (Randolph, N.J.) in overtime
“It was such a great experience. It was probably one of my favorite soccer g ames I’ve ever played in,” Capizzi said. “It was the last time a lot of us were going to play to g ether. I think that was one of the best ways we could have ended. A lot of the girls are graduating early (at least four). To kind of come out with a win for our last game was really special.”
finals 4-1 and IMG Academy (Bradenton, F la.) in the quarterfinals 2-0. This was the third national title in four years for the group along with US Youth Soccer National Championships in 2023 and 2022.
“They both were amazing (too). That’s it honestly. It’s always fun to see how hard work pays of f,”
Capizzi said. “All three g ames we played (at Girls Academy nationals) were really fun g ames, close g ames, but we came to g ether and really battled.”
Galaxy and STA could have conservatively staggered through overtime for a shootout to decide the champion. Capizzi, however, quickly found Wheaton North senior and Wisconsin recr uit Jane Ro gers for the winning conversion.
“They sent some of their midfielders up so we may have been 1-up (attacking). We did a give-and-go around one of the girls who was stepping (at me),” Capizzi said.
her entire junior season following of fseason ACL surgery
“I definitely felt healthy by this point and it was so great to see Jane come back and do so well. She’s amazing,” Capizzi said.
Chavez an Evans Scholar
For Rachel Chavez, the second time was the charm. T he 2024 Lyons Township graduate was named among this year’s Evans Scholars with full colle ge housing and tuitions grants for golf caddies while she was in her freshman year at the University of Kansas (Lawrence).
T he championship g ame was a rollercoaster ride in mid-90s temperatures Naperville-based Galaxy fell behind 1-0 but then went ahead 2-1 and was about to win when STA forced overtime by scoring with less than two minutes left in re gulation. Galaxy scored the g ame winner only minutes into the first of two 10-minute over times on a goal assisted by Capizzi A GA quarterfinalist in 2024, Galaxy beat defending age-group champion TopHat Soccer Club (Atlanta) in the semi-
“I was dribbling and saw Jane making a r un through. She does a really nice job timing her runs. I hear her calling for the ball and I put it behind the two defenders and she finished.”
Capizzi also set up the goal for a 2-1 lead. Her long ball was advanced by tournament MVP Emerson Burke, who then assisted Ivana Vukas
During the high school season, Capizzi returned from injury to rejoin the Lions for the Class 3A sectional. Ro gers
“I was almost more determined to try harder to get it because I knew I just didn’t want to give up and not try again,” Chavez said. “I think that the great thing about the Evans Scholarship is that you can apply a second time It’s like they’re giving you another chance to show what you’ re wor th.”
This summer, Chavez completed her fifth year working at the Butterfield Country Club in Oak Brook. Chavez said she was encouraged by a previous Butterfield caddy receiving the Evans as a colle ge freshman. In case she was select-
because it’s among the 24 Evans partner universities so she wouldn’ t need to transfer schools. She was an honor student in the Colle ge of Liberal Arts & Sciences as she pursues a bachelor’s de gree in health sciences and possibly a master’s in public health.
“I had a great first semester. I was really just trying my best, studying as hard as I could and it really paid of f,” Chavez said. “Honestly, g etting it this year, I’m a little less nervous because I’ve spent a year colle ge. I know people at Lawrence now.”
At LTHS, Chavez played softball as a freshman and sophomore. Needing a job, Butterfield was nearby. Her mother played golf and three uncles had been caddies there.
“Now that I’ve been there for so long I know so many of the members so I have a great connection with a lot of them and you can’ t beat the money either,” Chavez said. “It’s all cash so I’ve been able to use a lot of that money for school.”
Club volleyball
Lily Zimmerman of Riverside earned All-American honors at the Amateur Athletic Union Junior Nationals after helping her DuPage Elite 14-and-under United team reach the semifinals in the Classic Division.
St. Ignatius Colle ge Prep junior and sister Clara Zimmerman was part of the DuPage Elite 16 United team that was ninth in the Club Division.
C AROLINA CAPIZZI
RACHEL CHAVEZ
Spo
Getting a kick out of visiting Eagles’ Elliott
2013 graduate, Super Bowl champion, makes an impression
By BILL STONE
Contributing Reporter
Recent graduate AJ Vavrik kicked for the 2024 Lyons Township High School football team wearing different cleats – a blue Nike for his right kicking foot and a black Adidas for the left. Little did he realize that extra Nike for his left foot would play a hand in one of his greatest football moments
Vavrik was among the Lions who enjoyed a surprise mid-April visit at the school from 2013 LTHS graduate and NFL placekicker Jake Elliott from the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. Seeking a memento from his kicking idol and without footballs, Vavrik stepped up with the unused cleat for a truly special autograph.
“I have a little man cave in my basement (for the cleat). And I got to ask him a couple of questions about kicking,” Vavrik said. “I found out the day before. I’m very grateful because I got a little one-on-one time with him.”
Elliott’s appearance was another special moment for the Lions after a special season. The 11-1 finish included their first 9-0 start since 1943 and first outright West Suburban Conference Silver Division since 1987 before losing in the Class 8A quarterfinals
On Feb. 9, Elliott captured his second Super Bowl ring with the Eagles in his third appearance. His autographed No. 4 Eagles jersey framed with photos is displayed in the south campus hallway near the weight room.
How Elliott conducts himself as a person, player and with the LTHS community earned a compliment from Vavrik, a devout fan of the rival Dallas Cowboys.
“He doesn’t have to do anything (for LTHS). I think it means a lot to the program he did come out, talk to us. I think it means a lot more than I think he realizes. I’ve looked up
to him since I was a kicker at LT,” Vavrik said.
“I don’t have a Jake Elliott jersey. I want to say it’s against my religion to have an Eagles jersey as a lifelong Dallas Cowboys fan. Every time I watch the Eagles, I despise them – other than that one moment of the game when Jake Elliott is up to kick.”
Surprisingly, Elliott was discovered as a kicker at LTHS by chance during a Homecoming kicking contest after previously being known as a tennis standout. He excelled at the University of Memphis and was drafted in the fifth round. His walk-off 61-yarder to beat the New York Giants in 2017 remains the longest by an NFL rookie.
Elliott addressed LTHS football players and selected students and took questions
“I would say there are a million ways to get (to the pros). The one common denominator with everyone who makes it to this level is a passion and will to get better every day,” Elliott said, following his visit. “You have to be obsessed with doing the ‘boring’ work over and over. The basics, the fundamentals. And that doesn’t just include the sport you’re playing in. That includes everything in your life. One of my favorite quotes is, ‘How you do anything is how you do everything.’ You can never turn off giving your best effort.”
LTHS football coach Jon Beutjer noted that Elliott’s 52-yard field goal as an LTHS junior, which beat Oak Park and River Forest 16-14 remains “legendary.”
The moment also remains special to Elliott.
“I remember heavy legs and some of the bigger nerves I’ve ever felt. But also a very overwhelming confidence,” Elliott said. “It was definitely a moment I’ll never forget as an athlete and competitor as something I could look back on and say that I can execute in the biggest moment with everything on the line. And for that reason, it will always be at the top of my list of accomplishments.”
Vavrik hopes to progress just as well as he begins kicking for NCAA Division III Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington)
10 of 13 field-goal attempts and had a 75yard kickoff. He wants to use his love of sports and its statistics to major in communications and pursue a broadcasting career
“I’m so grateful for Illinois Wesleyan giving me this (football) opportunity,” Vavrik said. “I just want to go there, take over the starting spot and go Division I. If not, I’ll stay at Wesleyan and be perfectly fine with it.”
Elliott is among four Eagles who were part of both Super Bowl champions. In the recent 40-22 Super Bowl LIX victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, Elliott was 4 for 4 on field goals (48, 29, 48, 50 yards) and extra points for the most accurate Super Bowl perfor mance by any kicker
“It is the best feeling in the world to get to the top of the mountain,” Elliott said. “It’s a euphoric feeling, but it’s a collection of moments throughout the year that you have to overcome and put in the work every day
hen no one is watching that make it so spe-
many . More important, it’s dealing with when they aren’t.
“You need to establish a process and routine for every kick. All I do is follow my process,” Elliott responded. “I handle adversity the same way I handle success. Dissect objectively what went wrong and improve on it immediately. Only thing you can control is what happens next. The next kick for me is the only thing that matters.”
While not as dramatic as Elliott’s, Vavrik had his LTHS breakthrough kicking moment on the freshman B team. After earlier making his first field goal ever from 38 yards, Vavrik converted a 47-yarder in the final seconds for a 16-14 victory over York
“I don’t think anyone would have thought I would have made that kick. I just stepped up and kicked that ball as hard as I could,” Vavrik said. “I remember everyone running onto the field with like 2 seconds left and we got a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.”
COURTESY OF LYONS TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL
Jake Elliott
Lions’ Bigenwald has a ball whatever the season
Loyola soccer recruit, all-stater in ag football, also plays basketball
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Lyons Township High School senior Anna Bigenwald doesn’t back down from sports challenges
“I’ve always been very fearless, always kind of going after things,” Bigenwald
With that attitude, the Loyola University women’s soccer goalie recruit has become a bona fide three-sport high-school athlete and more versatile than maybe even she realized.
On Monday, Bigenwald and the second-year Lions’ girls flag football team officially started practice. She was named the program’s first all-stater in 2024.
“Before I kind of just told people that soccer was my primary sport but now I definitely include flag football,” Bigenwald said. “(Allstate) was a huge honor and really cool.”
Particularly as a senior, Bigenwald hopes to continue having a ball, whichever one it may be. In soccer this past spring, she was the starting varsity goalie as the Lions won their 12th straight regional title
She also was a varsity reserve on last year’s
outstanding girls basketball team, which cord 31 games and the urban Conference Sil with a perfect 12-0 mark. Me Hutchens is her head flag football and bask
“Soccer is definitely ite sport but I’d seasonal person. I the sport I’m in,” Bigenwald said.
“I definitely I would say w ball (season), I lo ball and socce
She has pl moved to goalie in se out of necessity and quickly became hook
“We needed a the team and I was ther pretty good so they I’ve been goalie
“I was a forward the longest time so that maybe helped. I was not afraid to get kicked, get hit in the face, anything like that so I think that definitely helped.”
She grew up tossing the football around with her father and younger brother RJ. Otherwise, Bigenwald began flag football from scratch like most 2024 teammates after a summer camp to generate interest.
Especially considering other schools had
established lub teams the past the Lions imprested out 13-3 and won rehey lost in the Whitney oung Sectional semifinals to the ho finished third
aduated just five eturn several other including seniors Kenampbell, Maren Cavanarly Granger, Tamburello uniors Grace and Christina Lid lor Hoffenberg. didn’t lose that will help all kind of know how to play with each other,” Bigenwald said. “I definitely confident (this season) because I going to happen. I know the dynamics of the sport.”
The all-state honor, sponsored by the Chicago Bears, was perhaps the greatest surprise of 2024. That included a visit to their indoor training facility
“It was an awesome experience,” she said. “It really opened my eyes to how much support flag football is getting now, not only from high schools but big organizations like the Bears and the NFL. It’s really cool and I hope
it continues to get more support.”
Bigenwald displayed versatility simply within the sport. She was a key defensive player at safety. She tried out to earn an offensive spot at wide receiver. With plenty of experience from being a soccer goalie, she also won the job as punter. As a freshman and sophomore, the fall previously consisted only of club soccer. That primary sport only has helped her progress in flag football.
“I always felt like I should be doing another sport. When flag football came around, I was grateful I could have a fall sport and meet new people,” she said. “It’s definitely helped me communicate to other defenders. It’s also helped with being able to decide what balls to try and intercept or stay back (at safety). Being a goalie’s definitely helped. (Flag football) keeps my hands good but I would definitely say soccer helps flag football more than flag football helps soccer.”
Bigenwald couldn’t help but commit to Loyola last Sept. 24. The Ramblers, who currently have sophomore and redshirt sophomore goalies, finished 9-5-5 in 2024 (4-2-4 in Atlantic 10 Conference).
“I really liked the coaches and players. And the campus was beautiful. I knew it was the right fit as soon as I got there,” she said. “I was one of those people who wanted to commit later but then I went to Loyola and loved it.”
New RBHS boys coach Pozen brings lifelong love for golf
RBHS science teacher takes over 2024 UEC champions, sectional quali ers
By LILY KOCOUREK Contributing Reporter
Golf runs deep in Charlie Pozen’s blood Now the lifelong player is stepping into his first head coaching role as the Riverside Brookfield High School boys golf head coach and is hoping to instill the same love for the game in his athletes.
Pozen is taking over from longtime coach Jim Festle, who retired.
“I’ve always loved the game and wanted to share that passion with the younger generation,” Pozen said. “This is an oppor tunity for me to help young athletes grow and compete at a higher level.”
A 2013 graduate of York High School,
Pozen grew up in a family of golfers and has played the sport his entire life. Though this is his first time coaching golf, the RBHS science teacher brings a strong background in education, having taught in Illinois, the Caribbean island of St. Thomas, and most recently in Colorado.
Pozen said one of his primary goals this season is to help players understand the balance between individual performance and team contribution in a sport that often feels solo.
“Golf is a mental game,” he said. “You have to stay patient and allow the game to come to you. At the same time, we want players to communicate with each other. If someone is strong in putting or chipping, they should
help out their teammates.”
Pozen emphasizes the importance of course management, making smart decisions on the course, and said he’ll be working with players on navigating different holes strategically.
In high school, he competed for York. At 2011 regionals junior year, his 87 missed his 3A sectional’s individual cutoff score by one stroke.
The Bulldogs are coming off winning the Upstate Eight Conference title in their first season in the conference and qualifying as a team for the Class 3A Glenbrook North Sectional. Seniors Gavin Sharenow, Ronnie Murray and Connor Dominick were among five Bulldogs on the 26-golfer All-UEC Team based
on cumulative dual and UEC Meet results
This season marks a transition year for the program, but Pozen sees it as a chance to lay a new foundation.
“My focus is on building relationships and creating a strong team culture,” Pozen said. “I want this to be a program that’s respected, where players support each other and improve together.”
He hopes to foster not just competitive success, but a lasting connection to the game in his first season.
“I can’t wait for the season to start,” Pozen said. “It’s a real honor to be named head coach and I’m eager to help each player improve and reach his full potential.”
Bill Stone contributed to this story
ANNA BIGENWALD
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: M25000761 on August 6, 2025. Under the Assumed Business Name of LISAMKEEFE. COM with the business located at: 1173 HOME AVE., OAK PARK, IL 60304. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: LISA KEEFE SCOTT 1173 HOME AVE. OAK PARK, IL 60304, USA
Published in Wednesday Journal August 13, 20, 27, 2025
LEGAL NOTICE
The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 19th, 2025 for the following:
Village of Oak Park Village Wide Street Sweeping Services Requests for Prices Bid Number: 25 - 125
Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oakpark.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.
Published in Wednesday Journal August 13, 2025
VILLAGE OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION
LEGAL NOTICE
HEARING DATE: August 28, 2025
TIME: 7:30 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits
LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302
APPLICATION: The Historic Preservation Commission will conduct a public hearing on an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness filed by the Applicant, Kelsey Kleidon, to replace one set of historic 4-panel French door with a set of 3-panel French door at 106 S Scoville Ave, Unit 3B, Oak Park, Illinois, P.I.N. 16-07-404035-0000, which is located in the Ridgeland-Oak Park Historic District.
A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. The public hearing may be adjourned by the Commission to another date without further notice other than a motion to be entered upon the minutes of the hearing fixing the time and place of the date. The Commission shall issue or deny the Certificate of Appropriateness within 15 days following completion of the public hearing.
Published in Wednesday Journal August 13, 2025
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY
VILLAGE OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS
HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION LEGAL NOTICE
HEARING DATE: August 28, 2025
TIME: 7:30 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits
LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302
APPLICATION: The Historic Preservation Commission will conduct a public hearing on an application for a Certificate of Appropriateness filed by the Applicant, J. Trent Stoner, to construct a ten-story addition behind an existing landmark building known as the Boulevard Arcade Building at 1035 South Blvd, Oak Park, Illinois, P.I.N. 16-07-302-0030000, which is located in Downtown Oak Park.
A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing.
The public hearing may be adjourned by the Commission to another date without further notice other than a motion to be entered upon the minutes of the hearing fixing the time and place of the date.
The Commission shall issue or deny the Certificate of Appropriateness within 15 days following completion of the public hearing.
Published in Wednesday Journal August 13, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICES
NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICE
STATE OF ILLINOIS
VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
CALENDAR NUMBER: 16-25-Z
HEARING DATE: September 3, 2025
TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits
LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302
APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicant, Juan Munoz, seeking a variance from Sections 7-7-13(B)(1)(d), 7-713(B)(1)(e), and 7-7-15(C)(1) of the Oak Park Sign Code, in order to allow two temporary A-frame signs, increase the allowable distance from the primary entrance from 15 feet to 110 feet for one temporary A-frame sign, and increase the allowable window sign coverage from 25% to 46.15% at 149 Forest Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-07-120-0650000 (“Subject Property”), in the DT-1 Downtown Zoning
District (Downtown Central SubDistrict).
A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a cross-examination form or by emailing Zoning@ oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.
The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.
Published in Wednesday Journal, August 13, 2025
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
CALENDAR NUMBER: 17-25-Z
HEARING DATE: September 3, 2025
TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302
APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicant, Jan Arnold (Park District of Oak Park), seeking a variance from Section 9.3(A) (6) of the Zoning Ordinance, in order to increase the allowable accessory structure coverage from 20% to 60% for additional solar canopy structures at 301 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Numbers 16-17-101-004-0000, 16-17101-005-0000, and 16-17-101006-0000 (“Subject Property”), in the MS Madison Street Zoning District.
A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a cross-examination form or by emailing Zoning@ oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.
The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.
Published in Wednesday Journal, August 13, 2025
Notice of Public Hearing
Village of Brookfield
Planning and Zoning Commission
August 28, 2025, at 7:00 PM
NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, August 28, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue Illinois for the purpose of considering a request from Shahzad Ahmad for Variations from:
Section 62.17 to allow a 600 square foot detached garage that exceeds the maximum 500 square footage (10% of Lot Area) permitted in the Zoning Code and, Section 62.75 to allow a Building Coverage of approximately 34.2% rather than the maximum allowed by the Zoning Code of 30%, on an existing non-conforming lot in the “A” Single Family Residential District for property located at 3620 Harrison Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513 (PIN 15-34-311-0280000)
Legal Description: THE SOUTH 40’ OF LOT 14 IN BLOCK 12 IN PORTA MANOR, IN FREDERICK H. BARTLETT’S SUBDIVISION IN THE SOUTHWEST ¼ OF SECTION 34, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED FEBRUARY 6, 1915, AS DOCUMENT NO. 5573274, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/or written comments. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Libby Popovic, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, lpopovic@brookfieldil.gov, or 708485-1113. Oral or written testimony may be given during the public hearing. The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Please reference PZC Case 25-13. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act. Individuals with disabilities requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall. By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman.
Published in RB Landmark August 13, 2025
All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination. e Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. is newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis. Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals. • To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.
Submit events and see full calendar at rblandmark.com/events
