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from Landmark 091620
RBHS projects $1.6 million budget decit for 2020-21
Lower property tax collections, drop in facility rentals, foodservice and student fees are factors
By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
The financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Riverside-Brookfield High School could be nearly $1 million, school officials say.
On Sept. 8, the District 208 Board of Education unanimously approved a budget for the 2020-21 fiscal year that projects a roughly $1.6 million operating deficit. If that projection is correct, it would be the largest operating budget deficit for RBHS since 2011 when the school finished with a $1.8 million operating deficit.
That budget was approved after a tax increase referendum was defeated.
In March, before the pandemic hit with full force, Assistant Superintendent Kristin Smetana had projected an operating deficit of $640,880 for the 2020-21 fiscal year.
“I feel pretty confident that, without COVID, I could have gotten a budget for fiscal year ’21 around the $640,000 deficit,” Smetana said last week. “I think a lot of that million-dollar increase is due to COVID.”
The deficit could well be end up less than the projected $1.6 million, because Smetana, who prepared the budget, is making conservative revenue projections. The budget projects that only 97 percent of property tax dollars owed to the district will be collected this year compared to last year’s 99 percent collection rate.
The lower property tax collection projection accounts for roughly $400,000 of the deficit. Smetana is projecting a lower property tax collection rate because the financial impact of the pandemic on area households could cause some residents not to be able to pay their property tax bills this year.
RBHS traditionally has made very conservative revenue projections and actual budget results are typically better than the projections. L ast year’s budget projected an operating deficit of $402,714 but when the final numbers were tallied this summer, RBHS finished with a surplus of $44,001.
Ironically, the shutdown of the school last March helped RBHS financially as the school saved on utility, athletic transportation, and substitute teacher costs while almost all of the property tax revenue had already been collected.
This year’s budget projects collecting $25,854,083 operating revenues, a 2.56 percent decrease from last year, while projecting expenses of $27,454,083, a 3.3 percent increase. Overall, revenues are projected to decrease by about $678,000 while expenses are projected to increase by about $877,000.
The impact of the pandemic is most felt in the loss of income from facility rentals, reduced athletic fees, lost gate attendance from cancelled or fan-free sporting events, the loss of commissions for providing hot lunches to other local school districts, and the loss of income from vending machines, since RBHS has opted for remote learning, for now.
Rental income is projected to essentially dry up, dropping by 94 percent to just $6,000 this year compared to $90,000 last year.
The loss of income from rentals and fees means that budget line item is projected to generate 28 percent less revenue than one year ago. Property tax revenue is projected to be essentially flat, increasing only by about $200,000.
Local property taxes account for 79 percent of District 208’s revenue. State aid is projected to be essentially flat, down about $17,000, and federal aid is projected to decrease by about $187,000. District 208 will receive about $116,000 in federal CARES act money.
Special education costs are projected to rise by $300,000 this year, further straining the budget as costs for incoming freshman are projected to be more than those of outgoing seniors. One student has also transferred to a more expensive placement.
Last year, special education expenses came in more than $150,000 over budget.
For this year only, RBHS also has reduced its pay-to-participate fees for student-athletes. The Illinois High School Athletic Association has issued a revised sports schedule this year that envisions four sports seasons this year instead of the normal three.
Fees to participate in clubs have also been cut this year. The activity fee for a non-competitive extracurricular activity has been reduced to $25 from $75. The cost to participate in a competitive activity has been reduced to $50 from $100.
“No organization or company feels good about a projected deficit budget,” said District 208 Superintendent Kevin Skinkis. “Unfortunately, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has almost doubled that [original] projection for District 208. I am hopeful that property tax collection and some of the other areas of decreased revenue will turn out better than we are anticipating.”
Despite the $1.6 million deficit projection, RBHS remains in a solid financial position with healthy cash reserves.
Even if the deficit comes in as projected, the operating fund reserve at the close of the fiscal year on June 30, 2021 will be either 42.95 percent or 53.51 percent of annual operating expenditures depending on whether $2.9 million in the working cash fund that has been reserved for property acquisition is counted in the operating budget or not.
By Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.
BACKUP WITHHOLDING
Taxpayers who receive certain types of Backup withholding is set at a specific income may need to have backup percentage. The current percentage is 24 withholding taken from these percent. payments. Backup withholding can apply to Payments subject to backup withholding most payments reported on Forms 1099 and include: interest payments;· dividends; W-2G. Here are some facts to help taxpayers payment card and third-party network understand backup withholding and transactions; patronage dividends, but only if determine if they should have it withheld from at least half the payment is in money; rents, their income payments. profits, or other gains; commissions, fees, or
First, here’s what backup withholding is: The other payments for work done as an person or business paying the taxpayer doesn’t independent contractor; generally withhold taxes from certain payments by brokers; barter payments. They don’t do this because it’s exchanges; payments by assumed the taxpayer will report and pay taxes fishing boat operators, but on this income when they file their federal tax only the part that is paid in return. There are, however, situations when the actual money and that payer is required to withhold a certain represents a share of the percentage of tax to make sure the IRS receives proceeds of the catch; the tax due on this income. This is what is royalty payments; known as backup withholding. and gambling winnings.
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District 96 set to hire contact tracer for Riverside schools
On-call part timer would track contacts of anyone positive for COVID-19
By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
Running schools in the midst of a pandemic creates challenges, and a new job in at least one area school district.
Earlier this month, the Riverside Elementary School District 96 Board of Education approved hiring an on-call, part-time contact tracer to track the contacts of any student or staff member who tests positive for COVID-19.
The new employee will probably be hired at the Sept. 16 school board meeting. District 96 Superintendent Martha Ryan-Toye said that
COVID19 from page 1
According to the email sent to parents announcing the third positive COVID test on Sept. 15, the students attended Ames, Central and Hollywood schools.
Both Ames Principal Todd Gierman and Hollywood Principal Kim Hefner said that they could not comment.
More than just the students who tested positive have been asked to quarantine for two weeks. At Ames and Hollywood, the respective teachers have been told to quarantine as have some students who sat near the students who tested positive.
The teachers are now working remotely, while an aide provides in-classroom assistance on days when students attend class in person. It was not immediately clear if the teacher at Central School was also directed to quarantine.
“We have a number of teachers that may occasionally be shifted to remote teaching based on their unique circumstances, and that could be anything from having travelled to a quarantine state to being quarantined for their own possible COVID symptoms to possible exposure, whether it’s in the school or outside the school,” RyanToye said.
One Hollywood School parent said that all but four of the students in the classroom where a student tested positive have been instructed to quarantine for two weeks.
“Out of an abundance of caution we have made recommendations that other students who were seated near, and that was six feet or more, to quarantine for now,” Ryan-Toye said. “And that’s a little bit more conservative and a little bit more cautious than the public health guidance, but it’s the decision we made for now and she has a person in mind for the job who already has completed a contact tracing class.
Ryan-Toye said there were no positive tests of any District 96 student or staff member during the first week of school.
“With our goal to contain the virus in every possible way, we believe this is an added support to our school nurse who will likely or could be hearing from families that have a COVID positive situation in their home,” Ryan-Toye said. “In those cases we need to quarantine students and we also need to understand other contacts, other contacts with other District 96 students specifically.”
Ryan-Toye said that the district is adding this position because the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), does not currently have adequate staff to immediately help the district if a student or staff member tests
A student at Brook Park School in La
Grange Park has tested positive for CO
VID -19 and has been instructed to quarantine at home.
Brookfield-LaGrange Park School District 95 Superintendent Mark Kuzniewski delivered the news to Brook Park parents on Sept. 14 after being informed of the student’s positive test the night before. away from school since Sept. 4, because a parent had tested positive for COVID-19.
“A Brook Park student that was on quarantine already because she was in close contact with a parent who had tested positive and during the quarantine she had a positive test,” Kuzniewski told the Landmark on Monday evening. “We notified all the Brook Park community of we’ll be monitoring that.”
Ryan-Toye would not say when the students who tested positive last attended school. Other school staff who had close contact with the students who have tested positive also were told to quarantine.
The superintendent said she was disappointed to have three positive COVID tests
“I’m surprised, I’m disappointed, it’s unfortunate. We’ll keep working through it,” Ryan-Toye said. “Our guidance and guidelines are very clear. They present challenges in terms of enacting them, and we have to remain confident that our protocols and procedures work and we will not see student to student spread. If we see studentto-student spread, we would be making a very different decision about school staying open.”
Ryan-Toye said that the three students positive.
In the event of a positive test in the district, the contact tracer would then question the person who tested positive to find out who that person had come into contact with. Those people would likely be instructed to quarantine for 14 days to prevent the virus from spreading.
“The aim [is] to identify and isolate infected people before they spread the virus,” RyanToye wrote in a memo to the school board asking them to approve the position.
The contact tracer would work as needed and be paid $18 an hour and receive no benefits. The memo said that the contact tracer the issue and then we notified that classroom.”
Kuzniewski said that the student was in a morning hybrid session but declined to say which class the student was in. No other students in the class have been directed to quarantine.
“We’ve kept social distancing, and we don’t believe that there’s a close contact and that there’s a reason to shut down that section, particularly given that the child has been gone for 10 days already,” Kuzniewski said.
The district has also reported the positive test to the Cook County Department sponse.
The student will have to stay away from school until at least Sept. 27. who tested positive caught the virus outside of school.
“Both were exposed outside of the school setting, and that information was shared with us directly,” Ryan-Toye said.
Ryan-Toye said it is important that parents share information about their students’ health with school officials.
“We’re appreciative of parents who’ve been willing to share this information with us and we encourage parents to have open lines of communication with us, because it’s very important for us to know what’s going on in family situations and in neighborhoods or pods of children,” Ryan-Toye said. “Communication directly with parents is very valuable.”
District 96 is offering both hybrid and remote learning models this year. Hybridlearning students attend school in person about half the time and remotely the rest would probably work from two to 20 hours a week. The person who will be hired will have completed an approved contact tracing class.
In the first three days of school fewer than 10 students were turned away from in District 96 buildings because they and their parents reported symptoms consistent with COVID-19. These symptoms included such common symptoms as cough, sore throat, fever, chills, headache, shortness of breath, and muscle pain.
“Unfortunately, we had to send a small number of children home due to cold-like symptoms and stomach ache, because they could be consistent with COVID,” Ryan-Toye said. “This is how the IDPH guidelines read. You really cannot have any symptoms that might be consistent with COVID and stay in
Teachers working remotely
The student had already been staying
of Public Health and is awaiting a re
school.”
“Now she’s on a new quarantine which is its own,” Kuzniewski said. “Fourteen days is the minimum that she would be quarantined.”
Kuzniewski said that he didn’t know if the student had any symptoms.
During quarantine the student can participate in the remote portion of her hybrid learning plan and can study reading and math using MobyMax, an online learning system.
The student’s positive test is the first COVID-19 case in District 95, which began classes on Aug. 26, though it probably won’t be the last.
“We’ll just continue to handle each case that comes up,” Kuzniewski said. “They all have unique circumstances.”
so early in the school year.
— Bob Skolnik of the time. Those using the remote-learning option do not attend class in person.
Seventy percent of District 96 students are enrolled in the hybrid plan. Ryan-Toye said Monday afternoon that no parents had requested to take their child out the hybrid plan as a result of the positive tests.
Ryan-Toye said that as long as there is no evidence of students infecting other students and staff at school and the positivity test rate in suburban Cook County stays below 8 percent, she would keep schools open.
She said that she would switch to remote learning if she thought she could no longer operate a safe school district.
“An outbreak, by public health, is defined as a situation where two or more children in the same class present as COVID-positive, which could be indicative of studentto-student spread,” Ryan-Toye said. “That is not what we have.”
RBHS school board votes to eliminate class rank
Latin honors system will be used beginningwith the Class of 2024
By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
Class rank will be eliminated at RiversideBrookfield High in three years. On Sept. 8 the District 208 Board of Education voted 6 to 1 to eliminate class rank beginning with the class of 2024, this year’s freshman class.
That means the current sophomore class will be the last class in which the top 10 students in the class will be recognized at graduation with medals.
After 2023, instead of precisely ranking students by their grade-point averages, RBHS will adopt the so-called Latin system of honors used at many colleges. Students who graduate with a GPA of 3.0 to 3.49 will graduate cum laude (with honors), students with a GPA of 3.5 to 3.99 will graduate magna cum laude (with high honors) and students with GPAs No new fatalities from
By BOB UPHUES
Editor According to the Cook County Department morning of Sept. 15, Brookfield had recorded of 4.0 and above would graduate summa cum laude (with highest honors).
All honors graduates would receive medals at graduation with cum laude graduates receiving bronze medals, magna cum laude graduates receiving silver medals and summa graduates receiving gold medals.
At the Sept. 8 school board meeting Principal Hector Freytas estimated that, based on recent numbers, about 60 percent of a graduating class would receive a medal by graduating with some type of honors.
In ditching class rank RBHS joins a many other high schools that have eliminated the practice in recent years, including Lyons Township High School, which eliminated class rank in 2014, New Trier High School, Oak Park and River Forest High School, Morton High School and many other Chicago suburban high schools.
Those who favor eliminating class rank argue that it promotes needless competition and gamesmanship among students as they vie to reach or stay in the top 10 of the class. Proponents of eliminating class rank also say that class rank also hurts minority students.
“Historically, class rank contributes to the disenfranchisement of Black and Brown stu
The rate of new cases has also slowed in North Riverside, although it ticked up slight15, 11 more Riverside residents tested positive,
Riverside has now recorded 181 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. just three new COVID-19 cases reported in ing on the morning of Sept. 15. Those two side saw seven new cases. The village’s total during the pandemic now stands at 119.
None of the villages have recorded any fatal dents,” Freytas said at the meeting.
Freytas said RBHS does a good job with top students and students with great needs but needs to do better with the broad middle group of students.
“We move that middle group by creating a standard that recognizes academic achievement,” Freytas said.
Freytas and others who favored eliminating class rank said that very few colleges even look at or care about class rank these days.
“It’s just not that important to college admissions anymore,” Freytas said.
School board member Laura Hruska cast the only vote against eliminating class rank.
“I think to lose the top 10 is a great loss, a great loss to the tradition of the school,” Hruska said, adding that the very best students deserve to be recognized.
“We recognize excellence in our society all the time,” Hruska said.
Hruska also addressed the argument that class rank is unfair to minority students.
“We’ve had several Latino students in the top 10 in the last few years,” Hruska said. dents have died from the disease.
Meanwhile, Riverside has had two people succumb to COVID-19, while Brookfield has seen four fatal cases since March. Statewide positivity rate drops
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced that the COVID-19 test positivity rate fell to 3.6 percent statewide Monday, decreasing in two regions that have faced increased economic restrictions due to high rates. age is as low as it’s been since July 25, while Region 7 and Region 4 each saw decreases to their positivity rate as of Friday, Sept. 11.
Region 7, which includes Will and Kankaitivity rate decrease to 7.2 percent, which is
Last year’s valedictorian was Ricardo Linares, and the top ranked student in the Class of 2021 was his cousin, Isabella Linarez.
Lily Adlesick, a student representative to the school board who currently ranks in the top 10 of the senior class, pleaded with the school board to keep class rank.
Adlesick, who said that she was also speaking for friends and classmates who favored keeping class rank, said that top-ranked students take multiple Advanced Placement courses and deserve to be recognized for their hard work.
“I can graduate with the same honors as someone who took no honors or AP classes.” Adlesick said of the new Latin honors plan. “And that is just not right.”
After the meeting, Adlesick said she and fellow student representative to the school board, Michael Ciszewski, had met with Freytas about class rank and were relieved that class rank will at least remain for her class and the current sophomores and juniors.
Superintendent Kevin Skinkis did not weigh in much during the debate, except to note that many other high schools have already eliminated class rank.
“There has to be a reason why we’re one of
Virus cases slowed locally in past two weeks
COVID-19 reported
Over the past two weeks, 34 more Brookfield residents tested positive for COVID-19, pushing the village’s total number of cases to 344 since the global pandemic first became a local reality in March.
of Public Health, the number of new cases in the most recent seven-day period slowed somewhat compared to the prior week. As of the 13 cases during the seven-day period ending at that time. The previous week, Brookfield added 21 cases.
ly during the past week in Riverside. In the seven-day period ending the morning of Sept. compared to seven the week before.
For the second week running, there were North Riverside for the seven-day period endweeks followed a week in which North River
cases of COVID-19 in nearly two months. The last fatality was a North Riverside resident, who died July 19. Three North Riverside resi
The seven-day rolling positivity rate aver
kee counties, saw the seven-day average posthe last schools doing it,” Skinkis said. still above the 6.5 percent threshold that will allow the rollback of some economic restrictions. Currently, the region is closed to indoor dining and bar services at restaurants and bars.
Region 4, which includes the area on the Missouri border near St. Louis, saw its rolling positivity rate decrease to 9.4 percent, marking three straight days of decreases.
Other regions ranged from 2.4 percent in eastern Illinois to 6.7 in Region 9, which includes McHenry and Lake counties in northern Illinois.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 41 deaths from Saturday to Monday, pushing the total Illinois casualty count to 8,314 since the pandemic first reached Illinois.
Capitol News Illinois contributed to this report.
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RBHS school board votes to eliminate class rank
Latin honors system will be used beginningwith the Class of 2024
By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
Class rank will be eliminated at RiversideBrookfield High in three years. On Sept. 8 the District 208 Board of Education voted 6 to 1 to eliminate class rank beginning with the class of 2024, this year’s freshman class.
That means the current sophomore class will be the last class in which the top 10 students in the class will be recognized at graduation with medals.
After 2023, instead of precisely ranking students by their grade-point averages, RBHS will adopt the so-called Latin system of honors used at many colleges. Students who graduate with a GPA of 3.0 to 3.49 will graduate cum laude (with honors), students with a GPA of 3.5 to 3.99 will graduate magna cum laude (with high honors) and students with GPAs
No new fatalities from By BOB UPHUES Editor
Over the past two weeks, 34 more Brookfield residents tested positive for COVID-19, pushing the village’s total number of cases to 344 since the global pandemic first became a local reality in March.
According to the Cook County Department of Public Health, the number of new slowed somewhat compared to the prior week. As of the morning of Sept. 15, Brookfield had recorded 13 cases during the sevenof 4.0 and above would graduate summa cum laude (with highest honors).
All honors graduates would receive medals at graduation with cum laude graduates receiving bronze medals, magna cum laude graduates receiving silver medals and summa graduates receiving gold medals.
At the Sept. 8 school board meeting Principal Hector Freytas estimated that, based on recent numbers, about 60 percent of a graduating class would receive a medal by graduating with some type of honors.
In ditching class rank RBHS joins a many other high schools that have eliminated the practice in recent years, including Lyons Township High School, which eliminated class rank in 2014, New Trier High School, Oak Park and River Forest High School, Morton High School and many other Chicago suburban high schools.
Those who favor eliminating class rank argue that it promotes needless competition and gamesmanship among students as they vie to reach or stay in the top 10 of the class. Proponents of eliminating class rank also say that class rank also hurts minority students.
“Historically, class rank contributes to the disenfranchisement of Black and Brown studay period ending at that time. The previous week, Brookfield added 21 cases.
The rate of new cases also slowed week over week in both Riverside and North Rivmorning of Sept. 15, seven more Riverside residents tested positive, compared to eight the week before.
Riverside has now recorded 170 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began.
There were just three new COVID-19 cases reported in North Riverside for the sevenday period ending on the morning of Sept. 15, following a week where the village saw seven new cases. North Riverside’s total now stands at 116.
None of the villages have recorded any faThe last fatality was a North Riverside residents,” Freytas said at the meeting.
Freytas said RBHS does a good job with top students and students with great needs but needs to do better with the broad middle group of students.
“We move that middle group by creating a standard that recognizes academic achievement,” Freytas said.
Freytas and others who favored eliminating class rank said that very few colleges even look at or care about class rank these days.
“It’s just not that important to college admissions anymore,” Freytas said.
School board member Laura Hruska cast the only vote against eliminating class rank.
“I think to lose the top 10 is a great loss, a great loss to the tradition of the school,” Hruska said, adding that the very best students deserve to be recognized.
“We recognize excellence in our society all the time,” Hruska said.
Hruska also addressed the argument that class rank is unfair to minority students.
“We’ve had several Latino students in the top 10 in the last few years,” Hruska said. dent, who died July 19. Three North Riverside residents have died from the disease.
Meanwhile, Riverside has had two people succumb to COVID-19, while Brookfield has seen four fatal cases since March. Statewide positivity rate drops
The Illinois Department of Public Health announced that the COVID-19 test positivity rate fell to 3.6 percent statewide Monday, decreasing in two regions that have faced increased economic restrictions due to high rates. age is as low as it’s been since July 25, while Region 7 and Region 4 each saw decreases to their positivity rate as of Friday, Sept. 11.
Region 7, which includes Will and Kankakee
Last year’s valedictorian was Ricardo Linares, and the top ranked student in the Class of 2021 was his cousin, Isabella Linarez.
Lily Adlesick, a student representative to the school board who currently ranks in the top 10 of the senior class, pleaded with the school board to keep class rank.
Adlesick, who said that she was also speaking for friends and classmates who favored keeping class rank, said that top-ranked students take multiple Advanced Placement courses and deserve to be recognized for their hard work.
“I can graduate with the same honors as someone who took no honors or AP classes.” Adlesick said of the new Latin honors plan. “And that is just not right.”
After the meeting, Adlesick said she and fellow student representative to the school board, Michael Ciszewski, had met with Freytas about class rank and were relieved that class rank will at least remain for her class and the current sophomores and juniors.
Superintendent Kevin Skinkis did not weigh in much during the debate, except to note that many other high schools have already eliminated class rank.
“There has to be a reason why we’re one of
Virus cases slowed locally in past week
COVID-19 reported
cases in the most recent seven-day period
erside. In the seven-day period ending the
tal cases of COVID-19 in nearly two months.
The seven-day rolling positivity rate aver
the last schools doing it,” Skinkis said. counties, saw the seven-day average positiv
ity rate decrease to 7.2 percent, which is still above the 6.5 percent threshold that will allow the rollback of some economic restrictions. Currently, the region is closed to indoor dining and bar services at restaurants and bars.
Region 4, which includes the area on the Missouri border near St. Louis, saw its rolling positivity rate decrease to 9.4 percent, marking three straight days of decreases.
Other regions ranged from 2.4 percent in eastern Illinois to 6.7 in Region 9, which includes McHenry and Lake counties in northern Illinois.
The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 41 deaths from Saturday to Monday, pushing the total Illinois casualty count to 8,314 since the pandemic first reached Illinois.
Capitol News Illinois contributed to this report.
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Free Estimates Mon-Sat
24 hour emergency
Brookfield Resident Licensed & Insured P.L. #058-198117
CALL NOW! 708-531-9478
30 years in business Handyman Services Available Work From Home! I work from home setting appointments and opening new shopping accounts for a very large manufacturing/wholesale company similar to Sam’s Club and Costco. It’s a great opportunity for stay-at-home Moms, Dads, singles, retirees, or anyone looking for extra income. We are expanding rapidly. There is no inventory and no collecting money or delivering products. The hours are fl exible and can be done alongside a full-time position as well as around your schedule.
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North Riverside Library beefs up digital services
From 1-on-1 tutoring for kids to iPad and hotspot checkout for seniors
By BOB UPHUES Editor
Although the North Riverside Public Library, 2400 Desplaines Ave., has expanded its hours of operation, access to the collection and other regular services remain limited.
To help connect North Riverside cardholders unable to freely use the library with more resources as the COVID-19 pandemic lingers, officials have expanded online services.
Those offerings include a battery of research databases, including Ancestry.com and access to one-on-one tutoring services. The library has also assembled “kits” that patrons can order and pick up curbside – ones specifically to provide senior citizens technological access to online resources and programs, learning kits for young students, home entertainment kits, workout equipment and more.
“It’s been an ongoing process to establish all of the things we need to be adding,” said North Riverside Library Director Natalie Starosta. “Do people have access to the internet? Are there tutoring and entertainment opportunities? [With limited access to the building] we didn’t want to minimize our standard services, so there’s been a lot of diversification.”
With classes back in session remotely at Komarek School District 94 and at Riverside-Brookfield High School, and with only limited in-person attendance in Riverside School District 96, the library has dusted off a service it once provided but discontinued several years ago.
Students – from kindergarten through college – as well as adults seeking help with a job search can obtain expert help in a variety of subject matters through a website called Tutor.com.
“They can provide live tutors, review papers, help with resumes and cover letters,” said Susan Locander, youth services manager at North Riverside Public Library. “We’re targeting this more toward children and youth, but it’s for adults, too.”
There are no limits on the amount of time, a user can request for help, said Locander, and it can be used to help on anything from a worksheet to something wider in scope.
Users can also “like” a specific tutor to work with on an ongoing basis. There’s also no cost to use the service, but
you need to be a North Riverside Library cardholder to take advantage of the service, as well as others being offered.
Lizzy Boden, adult services manager at the library, said Tutor.com offers career coaching and test prep for everything ranging from the Armed Services vocational test to the citizenship test.
Access to Tutor.com went live for North Riverside cardholders on Sept. 1.
“We’re hoping to work with the schools more to let them know it’s available to them,” Starosta said.
The library also offers 14 different databases to cardholders, from movies and audio books and magazines to research databases, including the Chicago News Collection, Ancestry.com, Consumer Reports, science references and business references.
To help senior citizens connect online, the library is partnering with Age Options to offer kits that include an internet hotspot and an iPad loaded with the Zoom app, so seniors can participate in the library’s online programming.
The library currently has five iPads, which can be checked out for three weeks at a time, along with 20 hotspots.
“We’re thinking about getting additional devices for people to check out,” said Starosta.
Patrons can check out items from the library’s new makerspace, including robots and 3D pens. There are also videogame consoles, a karaoke box, a light box, stamps and puzzles that patrons can check out.
“It’s a wide variety of items,” Starosta said.
Patrons interested in checking out the items or finding out more about them can call the library’s main number at 708-447-0869.
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Flapjack Brewery makes a business out of brotherhood
Berwyn’s Depot District is a destination for artisan pizza and craft beer
Flapjack Brewery, 6833 Stanley Ave, has been serving up an iconic food and drink pairing since opening in Berwyn’s vibrant Depot District three years ago. “Anytime you have pizza and beer you MELISSA know you’re in for a good time,” says chef
ELSMO and co-owner James Macchione. “My brother Paul is the
Food Writer beer guy. I handle the food and always wanted to do pizzas”
Brothers and co-owners, Paul and James Macchione were raised in Berwyn. James, four years Paul’s senior, recollects harassing his younger brother as a child, but the two became closer as they got older. They started brewing beer together as hobbyists well before brewing became their business of choice.
O en bustling, Flapjack Brewery is housed in a 2,000 square-foot building in the Depot District. Though the brothers discussed various locations they remained loyal to their hometown because they like the feel of Berwyn and saw potential in The Depot District. Even the brewery’s name came from one of Paul’s childhood nicknames.
“He wore a lot of annel shirts as a kid and developed facial hair early,” said James.
“I looked like a lumberjack,” said Paul.
“So, we started calling him Flapjack,” replied James.
The rest is history.
Paul operates a tiny three-barrel system and keeps 8 beers on tap including Gabba Ghoul -- an Italian Saison with notes of basil and black peppercorn that make it an ideal pizza pairing. Huddled up in a garage, the duo also developed the recipe for their Fantasmo Vanilla Cream Ale together. Today the beer, made with Mexican vanilla beans, is Flapjack’s agship o ering.
Drinkers will nd James’ face at the bottom of pint glasses at Flapjack Brewery — the etching, an image of James at his rst communion, keeps
LOOKING FOR A MEMORABLE PIE? Try the four-cheese arugula
FROM LEFT: James and Paul Macchione make a businsess out of brotherhood.
the beer e ervescent. James, a culinary school graduate, bounced around between restaurants before spending 15 years working in nance. He eagerly turned his attention back to the kitchen when he and Paul opened the brewery.
Mama Macchione’s pizzas, baked in a wellloved cast iron pan and topped with sauce straight from the can, featured a u y bakery style crust. While the budding cook learned the joy of sharing pizza from his mother, James created a completely di erent pizza recipe for Flapjack Brewery.
James is quick to admit there are plenty of quality pizzas available in Berwyn but aimed at the outset to create a pizza that was di erent from traditional pies served in the area. Flapjack’s Neapolitan-style pizzas cook in a 750-800 degree wood red oven for just two minutes. The resultFANTASMO VANILLA CREAM ALE and Hugo Luh-Layn Juicy IPA Citra & Mosaic Edition as poured at Flapjacks are also available in 16-ounce cans and 32-ounce crowlers.
ing pie has a raised airy rim, is thin in the center and light on toppings.
Customers clamor for the “danger pizza” brimming with ingredients designed to test hot heads’ tolerance. Expect habanero infused tomato sauce, Calabrian chili akes and smoked ghost pepper honey to put a di erent kind of re in Flapjack’s wood red pizzas.
James, however, is particularly fond of his far less intense four-cheese arugula pizza.
Two tavern style pizzas also grace the menu. They bake slightly longer, are rolled at across, and topped generously to the edge of the pie. The “Beerwyn Supreme” is a notable o ering featuring San Marzano tomato sauce, sausage, cremini mushrooms, shallots, and green peppers.
As perfect a pairing as pizza and beer, James and Paul Macchione have a proper business based on brotherhood.
Riverside police arrest alleged robbery ‘ringleader’
Crew suspected of numerous hold-ups in Chicago, suburbs
By BOB UPHUES Editor
Riverside police have arrested a 17-yearold Chicago boy who they are calling the “ringleader” of a burglary crew suspected of more than half a dozen hold-ups in Chicago and its suburbs, including Riverside.
The juvenile reportedly was one of three people who robbed 7-Eleven, 2600 Harlem Ave., on Sept. 5 at 8:50 p.m. That crew, said police, parked their getaway car behind a strip mall across 26th Street and walked to the convenience store.
They entered the business twice, said police, casing it the first time and then returning a half hour later when the only person inside was a store clerk.
One of the offenders reportedly implied he was armed with a handgun, and the trio stole cash and cigarettes before exiting through the rear emergency exit and running back to their vehicle.
Burbank police informed Riverside on Sept. 8 that they had arrested the juvenile and charged him with robbery there. They in Riverside in January and charged with haragain after allegedly being found with the same girl in a subur
Juan C. Ocampo, dence on East Burlington Street in downwith obstructing jusJUAN C. OCAMPO tice and interference
According to a copy of the police report obtained by the Landmark, the girl’s mother the house at 11 a.m. the previous day and had not returned home.
Police learned that Ocampo was in the be with the 17-year-old girl at a hotel in Brook the airport. Ocampo was registered there. They knocked and asked to speak with the girl. Ocampo, who tinued to knock and ask for the girl. then turned him over to Chicago police, who charged the juvenile with three counts of robbery for incidents that occurred in the city.
Police connected the Burbank robbery suspect to Riverside because the vehicle he used reportedly matched the one used in Riverside. The car, which had temporary plates, reportedly belonged to the alleg ed ringleader’s girlfriend.
Riverside detectives interviewed the juvenile, who reportedly confessed to the 7-Eleven robbery but refused to provide information on his accomplices. Riverside police charged him with robbery on Sept. 9.
The boy remains in the custody of Cook County Juvenile Justice authorities. According to police, the boy led a burglary crew suspected of two armed robberies in Bedford Park as well as robberies in Palos Park, Hickory Hills, Northbrook and Chicago.
The crew reportedly also committed a robbery in Addison on the same day as the Riverside incident. Detectives continue to seek the apprehension of the two others involved in the Riverside robbery.
“This is a textbook case of officers responding immediately, collecting evidence and contacting detectives, who also immediately responded to the scene and did immediate follow up with other police agencies,” said Riverside Police Chie f Thomas Weitzel leave the room, at which time police took him into custody.
Ocampo has a hearing scheduled in Cleveland Municipal Court on Sept. 30. It is unclear ropolitan Ministry Men’s Shelter in downtown po’s case in Riverside was still pending. girls who he identified as his daughters.
Police determined that one of them was acaway from home in December 2019 and had
Police reported at the time of Ocampo’s friends of the missing girl. He reportedly told people living on the streets and that he put them up in his Riverside apartment.
Riverside Police Chief Thomas Weitzel hid this juvenile, not only from her parents and other family members, but from law enforcement as well,” Weitzel said in January. in a press release. “All that quick action altoring program after posting 10 percent lowed us to make an arrest within three of the $150,000 bond set on Aug. 6. He was days of the [Riverside] robbery.” scheduled for arraignment on Sept. 10. Home invasion suspect indicted as he left a hearing for an unrelated offense at the Maybrook courthouse in Maywood.
A Cook County grand jury has indicted a That case, which is still pending, involves man accused of a 2019 home invasion and the fatal shooting of a 30-year-old man at a kidnapping, charging him with 27 felony Berwyn auto repair shop during an altercacounts – 16 of them Class X offenses that tion over the progress of a repair job. each carry a prison sentence of Riverside police say Noah was between six and 30 years, if conone of three men who forced victed. their way inside a home in the
On Sept. 2, the grand jury re200 block of West Quincy Street turned the indictment against early in the morning on Jan. 25, 23-year-old Berwyn resident 2019. The home invasion repo rtJoshua Noah at a hearing before edly was over an unpaid drug Judge LeRoy K. Martin at the debt. Leighton Criminal Court BuildDuring the incident, one of ing in Chicago. the offenders pistol whipped the
Noah is charged with eight mother of a man in his 20s who counts of home invasion, four also lived at the house. They then counts of aggravated kidnapJOSHUA NOAH allegedly kidnapped and blindping, two counts of aggravated folded the man, stole his mother’s vehicular hijacking and two car, severely beat him and then dumped him counts of armed robbery, which are all Class in an alley on the Southwest Side of Chicago. X felonies. Police reportedly were able to use cell
In addition, the grand jury charged Noah phone data to place Noah near the scene of with three counts of residential burglary, six the home invasion at the time it took place counts of aggravated unlawful restraint and and also recovered physical evidence tying two counts of aggravated battery causing him to it. great bodily harm. The other offenders have not been appre
Noah is on Cook County’s electronic monihended yet.
Self-styled ‘minister’ again arrested in company of girl
A 39-year-old self-styled “minister” arrested boring a missing juvenile has been arrested ban Cleveland hotel room last month.
who lived at a resitown Riverside when he was arrested in January, was charged with custody by Cleveland police on Aug. 25.
called Cleveland police shortly before 1 a.m. on Aug. 23 to report that the 17 year old had left
Cleveland area and later discovered he might Park, a southwest suburb of Cleveland near
Officers went to the hotel and confirmed on the door of the room where he was staying kept the door chained while speaking to police, reportedly shut the door on officers, who con
That situation repeated itself several times, but Ocampo eventually agreed to let the girl
just how long Ocampo had been in Cl eveland prior to his arrest. His address is listed in the court record as one housing the Lutheran MetCleveland.
At the time of his arrest in August, Ocam
He was arrested outside of his East Burlington Street residence on the night of Jan. 26. Inside Ocampo’s vehicle, police observed two
tually a 16-year-old Cleveland girl who had run been missing since at least Dec. 29, when she walked away from a shelter in Chicago.
arrest in January that he apparently knew police he ran a ministry that helped young
called that claim “ludicrous.”
“Our investigation clearly showed that he Riverside police arrested Noah on Aug. 5
— Bob Uphues
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