Riversider walks to fundraise for Parkinson’s research
PJ Duling was the 4t of 5 siblings in he family to be diag nosed
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Riverside resident PJ Duling, 69, said she first suspected she had developed Parkinson’s disease after noticing a consistent tremor in her hands.
“I had been noticing for about that at night, my hands would be shaking. If I was taking a drink of something or brushing my teeth, my head would shake in the evening, too. I started to wonder about that, and then it seemed to get worse,” Duling told the Landmark. “I went to visit some of my siblings my one sibling said, ‘You better ha that checked out,’ so I asked the doctor for that scan, and it showed, point, I had mild Parkinson’s.”
Duling received her diagnosis in gust of 2024, making her the fourth of five siblings to learn she had the neurode generative disease.
“It was one of those, ‘Yeah, I thought
See PARKINSON’S on pa ge 8
PJ Duling (center, in green) is a Riverside resident who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease last August. She is pictured here with her family at Moving Day Chicago 2025 on Sunday, Oct. 5.
Neighbors say drivers o en ignore stop signs; olice say data shows no action is needed
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Brookfield residents who live near Candy Cane on the north side of town say they’ve witnessed a long pattern of unsafe traffic in the otherwise quiet area, as drivers use residential streets to oid the nearby artery of Maple Avenue and Corrie Mieszczak, who live at the corner of 28th Street and Park Avenue immediately northwest of the park, said they’ve consis-
See CANDY CANE on pa ge 11
PROVIDED BY BETH RICHMAN
Riverside wavers on Des Plaines River Trail extension
COURTESY OF THE VILL AGE OF RIVERSIDE
is map shows the planned layout for the Des Plaines River Trail extension along First Avenue in Riverside south of Forest Avenue. It would brie y follow Waubansee Road west before heading south through Forest Preserves property, rejoining major roads in Lyons.
Trustees and sta feel the $150K price tag is too high for the local bene t
By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter
Rive rside village staf f will seek fu rther f unding from C ook C ounty before affirming i ts c ontinued pa rt icipation in the Des Plaines Rive r Trail south extension project, wh ich aims to increase regional bicycle connectivit y.
Trustees on Oct. 2 ag reed with staf f’s recommendation that Rive rside not ye t make a financial c ommitment to the
project. Vi llage President Doug Pollock estimated Rive rside ’s 20% share of the price c ould c ost the village as much as $750,000 for c onstruction to c onnec t the trail from the Brookfield border at Golfview Avenue along 31st Street to
See DES PLAINES on pa ge 9
Abrahamson,
Cahillane,
Judy Gre n, Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson, Darnell Shields, Audra Wilson
HOW TO REACH US PO Box 6670, River Forest, IL 60305 PHONE: (708) 442-6739
E-MAIL: dhaley@wjinc.com
ONLINE: w ww.RBLandmark.com
The Landmark is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $1.00. A one-year subscription costs $57 within Cook County and $95 outside the county. Adver tising rates may be obtained by calling our o ce. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 0019-585). Postmaster send address corrections to Landmark, PO Box 6670, River Forest, IL 60305. © 2025 Growing Community Media NFP.
Bill’s Place makes a splash in Brookfield opening
e beloved e returns to tow new Express loc
By TRENT BROWN Staff Re
If you’re a fan of Bill’s Place in LaGrange Park, get ready for double the excitement — and a drive-thru.
Bill’s Place Express, an of original f amily-owned opened Monday, Sept. 22, Ave. T he restaurant serves food and Chicago staples li gyros, Italian beef sandwiches, hamburgers, pizza pu ffs, chick
In the two weeks since opening, and son d uo Vasilios — also known as Bill, the restaurant’s namesake — and Demetrios Konstantopoulos said b een f eeling welcomed field, where Bill first opened his eater in 1984 before moving it to cation in LaGrange Pa
“We’ re doing good so stantopoulos said. “I know Brookfield that didn in the beginning, to the but now that we’re back feel much better. Both [Park] and Brookfield, they are happ with me and, I hope, port me.”
“It’s a little busier than we re t rying to g et a ccustomed to things: new layout, smaller kitchen,” said Demet rios Konstantopoulos, the back-end wo rk to bring the new location to Brookfield. “W we have to be f ast. We less than three minutes per ca great. So far, so good.”
He said the new location of returning customers spot and new customers.
John Dumas, a Brookfield resident who attended the village’s ribbon cutting for Bill’s Place Express on Thursday, said he was excited to see the restaurant return.
“I remember Bill’s going back to when he was on 31st Street in Brookfield,” he said, adding he felt the inclusion of a drive-thru was “fantastic.”
Bill’s Place Express opened on Ogden Avenue in Brook eld on Sept. 22.
“I’m the same as everybody else, right? Nobody wants to go in if you don’t have to, so that’s great,” he said. “To have Bill back in Brookfield is great because he’s been around this area for so long. Such a great guy, such a good businessman. It’s wonderful to have him in town again.”
As a pescetarian, Dumas said his go-to order at Bill’s Place is a grilled cheese or a shrimp boat.
“If I go to LaGrange Park, I get the cheese pizza or something. He’s always got something for everybody. It’s a cliche, but it’s true. For people that don’t eat meat or have different dietary needs, he’s got that all covered.”
Like the original location, Bill’s Place Express is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day.
TRENT BROWN
Brookfield food pantry will host open house
Pantry will as federal cu its sup
By TRENT BROWN Staf
Brookfield’s S pantry is opening its doors to members of the public later this month.
On Oct. 26 from 12:30 Brookfield residents are invited to visit the pantry at 9030 Brookfield open house where they can tour its offices and see the space where neighbors in need can browse shelves of free food as they would in a grocery stor
“We really want to bring the community in to take a look haven’t [visited have, they’re welcome. It in operation for food pantry’s administrat want to celebrate the folks who come in and the ability that and to bring them along. want to celebrate, the literally thousands of people that we
Dumas told the Landmark will be provided as residents are allo explore the building and lear Food Share Love’s panded in July to include items and menstrual products in addition to the food it offers to people who cannot af buy it themselves.
“Only about half on a normal day for the food pantry when come in to get food. back if they want to see our thing is going to be open chance to go in there at a time when we’re not distributing food,” he said. “We’ll have all of our board and a lot of volunteers there, so they’ll be able to explain to them how we do things, why we do them the way that we do them. After 10 years, there’s a purpose behind everything, so we want to make sure people have a chance to connect.”
Dumas said the open house comes as the Greater Chicago Food Depository, which provides the food pantry with about 75% of its food, food federal budget cuts of more than 25% in the wake of the Trump administration’s Big Beautiful Bill.
“We’re going to have less food to give out, but we’re determined not to allow that to
happen to the people that come to us. We’re going to be trying to connect with the community and saying, ‘Hey, we want to let you know what’s going on, and we need your help,’” he said. “We think we provide a really positive experience for the folks that come in. We hope that will motivate people to want to participate, whether it’s food donations, monetary donations, volunteering; there’s so many ways they can help.”
Share Food Share Love administrative director John Dumas.
Can local journalism survive? Thrive?
An important discussion sponsored by the League of Women Voters Oak Park and River Forest and Growing Community Media
The internet killed off many newspapers and other legacy publications are struggling to survive. Meanwhile a new wave of young online publications is attempting to fill the vacuum and cover their communities. If democracy is to survive, voters need to know the candidates running for office and their positions. Readers, local donors and foundations have stepped into the fray, but will their philanthropy be enough?
Join the discussion
Tracy Baim Executive director of Press Forward Chicago, a pooled fund helping local journalism
Max Reinsdorf Interim executive director, Growing Community Media
April Alonso Co-founder of Cicero Independiente
Amethyst Davis Founder of the Harvey World Herald
Thursday, Oct. 9 • 6 p.m.
Oak Park Public Library • 834 Lake St, Oak Park Admission is free and open to the public
Judith Crown Co-president, League of Women Voters Oak Park and River Forest, will moderate the discussion
The following property transfers were reported by the Cook County Clerk from Where addresses appear incomplete, for instance where a unit number appea information was not provided by the clerk’s office.
BROOKFIELD
ADDRESS PRICE SELLER BUYER
Moving Day fundraiser from page 1
this might be it,’ moments. It wasn’t a big shock,” she said. “I was kind of prepped to have it after two of my three brothers and my sister have it, so I wasn’t really shocked, I should say, just bummed out.”
the city operated by the nonprofit Parkinson’s Foundation.
The agency aims to improve the quality of life of patients with Parkinson’s while educating others and investing in research.
Moving Day takes place in a growing number of cities each year; last year, there were more than 52 editions across the country.
Dr. Sachin Kapur, a physician at Northwestern Medicine specializing in movement disorders and neurology, said Parkinson’s tends to affect people older than 60, though people of all ages have developed it.
“For the most part, we don’t know why, but patients are losing these dopamine cells that are deep in the brain, and that ends up causing symptoms of slowness of movement, stiffness in the limbs. It may or may not cause shaking of the hands or part of the body at rest,” he said.
“It is meant to be a celebration of the Parkinson’s community. We’re celebrating people with PD as well as their care partners and families,” said Kerrie McKeough, the advancement director of the foundation’s Midwest chapter. “We will have three different exercise demos that are Parkinson’s-specific. Not everybody likes the same kind of exercise, so we like to expose people to different exercises.”
She said the main event is a two-mile walk, with a quarter-mile route available for people who cannot or do not want to walk the full length. She said the Parkinson’s Foundation’s mission of uplifting patients with the disease is important so people who receive a diagnosis know that life goes on.
In the year since being diagnosed, Duling said her life hasn’t changed in major ways, but there are more minor symptoms in her day-to-day that add up.
“I get fatigued a little more easily. I have something called tremor-dominant Parkinson’s, so my hands usually are shaking, and I’m shakier than any of my other siblings, but they don’t have the kind I have,” she said. “A lot of cramping in my calves and trouble falling asleep at night. Small things that are annoyances.”
She’s also taken up new kinds of exercise, like rock-steady boxing, which is designed for people with Parkinson’s, and low-impact aerobics.
Kapur says exercising re gularly is important for patients with Parkinson’s to manage their symptoms
“This is a progressive, degenerative disease. Over time, it’s going to slowly progress, no matter what. All of the meds and all the trials we’ve done, so far, we have not found any sort of medication that actually slows down that process,” he said. “Exercise is something that does slow down the process. Right now, it’s the only treatment we have that we know slows down the progressive process of the disease. It is super helpful, and I’ve seen it with my own patients where, not only is it stabilizing the disease, but I’ve seen patients where their symptoms of slowness, stiffness actually improve with exercise. It helps in so many different ways.”
Last weekend, Duling and her family — including her husband, their three children with their spouses, and seven grandchildren — participated in Moving Day Chicago, an annual fundraising walk in
“We always say, ‘People don’t die of Parkinson’s disease. They die with Parkinson’s disease.’ Another thing we say, and this is true: ‘If you’ve met one person with Parkinson’s, you’ve met one person with Parkinson’s,’ because not everyone has the same presentation of their symptoms. Not everyone is in the same stage,” she said. “It’s important for people to come together and see that. If someone’s newly diagnosed, [it is important] to see that there are plenty of people there who have had Parkinson’s disease for X number of years, and they’re fully living their life.”
Duling said she feels “honored” to be able to raise money for Parkinson’s research. For anyone who suspects they may have Parkinson’s disease, Duling said she has one piece of advice.
“If you have any doubt, get it checked out,” she said. “The sooner you know and the more you know, the more you can fight it.”
C ook C ounty Fo rest Preser ve property south of Waubansee Road . Rive rside first joined the project in 2019, when it signed onto an i ntergove rnmental ag reement with Brookfield as the lead agency as well as Lyons, L aGrang e Pa rk and the county Fo rest Preser ve s.
At that time, the village c ommitted $34,773 toward the first p hase of engineering, wh ich is now reaching i ts c onclusion, said A nne Cyran, Rive rside ’s c ommunity development director.
Cyran said Lyons and L aGrange Pa rk have since left the project.
T he re gional project, wh ich was resuscitated early last year, seeks to fil l in gaps in the Des Plaines Rive r Trail, wh ich r uns for 55 miles through La ke and C ook c ounties until reaching a 6.5mile breach before it picks back up at Ogden Avenue in Lyons to r un south fo r another mile.
Now, the p lan c alls for the trail to be
extended along 31st Street from Brookfield i nto Rive rside, where it would head south at F irst Avenue before duckin g west alongside Waubansee Road. From there, it would turn south again i nto Fo rest Preserves proper ty, meeting Firs t Avenue again within Lyons and following it to Ogden Avenue before snaking east along the south b ank of the Des Plaines Rive r.
If gr ant f unding c an be secured to cover 80% of the project c osts as i ntended , Rive rside would owe $152,600 for the extension along 31st Street from Golfvie w Avenue to First Avenue.
Vi llage Manager Jessica Frances sai d Rive rside ’s share of the c ost for needed wo rk along First Avenue south of Fo rest Avenue was estimated in late 2022 to be $365,000.
Frances told trustees it was unclear whether that estimate included the pric e for a dditional wo rk that may be needed to re pave the existing path along Waub ansee Road, re p lacing the five -footw ide exposed ag gregate c oncrete that is allowe d under village code with 10-footw ide asphalt that would be an exceptio n from the code
To g ether, those estimates show a mini -
mum price tag of $517,600 for Rive rside, wh ich Pollock said c ould inflate to about $750,000 if there is a dditional c ost fo r wo rk along Waubansee Avenue.
In prompting trustees to consider whether Riverside should continue to be part of the project, Pollock said he felt the re gional benefit outweighed the local gain, which is not reflected in the cost share.
“My personal o pinion is that, give n that [ the b enefit is] more re gional, that it should be a re gional c ost, either through the c ountry or the state,” he said. “Can we prioritize half a million d ollars — and I got to believe it ’s going to be closer to a three-quarters of a million d ollars — c an we prioritize that over all the other infrastructure projects we have going? ”
T he village trustees seemed to ag re e, reaching a c onsensus that Rive rside ought to c ontinue to be pa rt of projec t discussions without yet ag reeing to pay the estimated costs.
“Generally speaking, having i nter- subu rban c onnectivity is ve ry important. Our bike infrastructure in this wester n suburban area is not ideal,” said Trustee Aberdeen Marsh-Ozga. “I f the f undin g d oesn’t c ome through, would I say we should prioritize this over other thing s
By Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.
MYTH-BUSTING FEDERAL TAX REFUNDS
Most taxpayers file their federal returns and then eagerly anticipate details about their refund. The best way to check the status of a refund is through the Where’s My Refund tool, the IRS2Go app, or by signing in to the taxpayer’s IRS online account. But many people mistakenly think there are better ways to get their refund status. Here are some of the myths about tax refunds.
Myth: Calling the IRS, a tax software provider or a tax professional will provide accurate refund date.
Many people think talking to the IRS, tax software provider or their tax professional is the best way to find out when they will get their refund. There is no need to call the IRS unless Where’s My Refund? says to do so.
Taxpayers that do want refund info by phone can call the automated refund hotline at 800-8291954. This hotline has the same information as the Where’s My Refund? tool.
Myth: Ordering a tax transcript is a secret way
to get a refund date.
A tax transcript will not help taxpayers find out when they will get their refund. IRS tools like Where’s My Refund? will tell taxpayers if their refund is approved and sent.
Myth: Where’s My Refund? must be wrong because there’s no deposit date yet.
Where’s My Refund? on both IRS.gov and the IRS2Go mobile app are updated once a day, usually at night. Even though the IRS issues most refunds within 21 days, it’s possible a refund may take longer. Taxpayers should also consider the time it takes for the banks to post the refund to their account. People waiting for a refund in the mail should plan for the time it takes a check to arrive. If the IRS needs more information to process a tax return the agency will contact the taxpayer by mail.
that are important to the village? No, bu t I think we should c ontinue to be pa rt of the discussion. ”
Trustees ag reed with Frances’ sugg estion to c oordinate further with C ook C ounty and seek more f unding from it to cove r some of Rive rside ’s 20% share of the c ost d ue to the re gional b enefit of the project outweighing the local.
CANDY CANE
Tra c concerns
from page 1
tently seen drivers ignore stop signs in the 13 years they’ve lived in Brookfield.
“For quite a wh il e, we had a chai r right in front of this big picture wind ow in our front, and I used to sit there and have my morning co ff ee,” Mi ke Mieszczak told the L andmark. “There are stop signs pretty much on the corner here and the next block over, and I see a lot of rolling stops go right through. Nobo dy would do a f ull-on, c omplete stop. You’d see that quite re g ularly.”
Despite complaints from residents in the area, Brookfield police said traffic data from 2024 and 2025 shows no need for additional enforcement measures.
“People speed down Pa rk because they ’r e t rying to bypass Maple Avenue, and they also speed down 28th Street. We ’ve had i ssues with p eople goin g through the stop sign. T here have b een i nstances where I’ve witnessed p eople drive around a stopped school bus with the arm out,” said one resident on the 9100 block of 28th Street, across the street from C andy C ane Pa rk . “The police department will send an officer to sit at the pa rk and watch the area fo r about a week, maybe two weeks, and then that’s it until we complain ag ain. ”
The resident, who initially reached out to the Landmark about the issue, asked to remain anonymous for fear of potential retaliation from officials.
She said another neighbor convinced the department to put up a speed monitor to track cars in the area but that she never heard the results of the study.
“Other people have tried to rally to get a joint ef fort from neighbors because our thought was, instead of coming to them one-by-one, where they continually dismiss us, if we come to them as a group, maybe they’ll pay attention,” she said.
The resident said neighbors have worked to gether to submit and boost reports through SeeClickFix, an online portal that allows Brookfield residents to re port issues to the village, to request permanent changes like new signage or speed bumps, which have “continuously been denied from the village The village states that they won’t do speed bumps because of snowplows. They don’t see the need for additional signage,” she said.
Terry Schreiber, one of Brookfield’s two deputy police chiefs, said SeeClickFix is operated by the public works department.
“I f it is any t ype of a public safety immedia cy c oncern — they ’r e re po rt in g a burglary or a theft, or that this i ntersection is so d angerous and needs something — that’s really not wh at S eeClickFix is specifically fo r, ” he said. T hose kinds of c omplaints “do g et sent to us from public wo rks … and then we ’ ll look at it, wh atever it is . We know that, if it ’s b een sent to us, then we ’re the one that is responsible for sending out wh atever disposition or investi gating wh atever the matter is.”
Schreiber said Brookfield police first heard complaints from residents related to traffic safety near Candy Cane Park around February or March 2024. In response to those complaints, Schreiber said the department took similar actions to those the anonymous resident described, including traffic details from officers and a covert radar monitoring unit tracking drivers’ speeds.
He said 65 traffic details were performed across 2024 and 2025 in a mix of marked and unmarked vehicles to account for the effect visible police presence has on drivers’ behavior. They were conducted at different times of day and lasted anywhere from 10 minutes to more than an hour depending on when other calls for service would call the officer away
“Over those 65 different [details], there was one time that they documented where somebody rolled through the stop sign, and they conducted a traffic stop at that point in time,” he said. “Is that organic? Yes, sometimes. No, sometimes.”
Despite the department’s data, the residents say they feel it’s an issue that is out of control.
“We’ve often talked about, if there was just a cop that would sit halfway down our block, they could get their quota in tickets quickly,” Corrie Mieszczak said. “It’s this morning traffic and evening, when people are avoiding Maple and 31st. They don’t care. I get it, as a driver. You need to get wherever, but these are neighborhoods where kids live. There are bus stops all around Candy Cane Park every morning, and there are tons of kids here all the time, and it’s really scary.”
To b etter track organic traffic in the area, Schreiber said the department pu t up a cove rt radar unit from March 5-25, 2025.
“It monitored 6,340 cars that went down Pa rk Avenue and that would have
b een at that i ntersection of Pa rk and 28th. Now, we ca n’ t tell [adherence to stop signs] from that, but … the average speed of those cars was 14 miles pe r hour in a 25-mph zone,” he said.
T he anonymous resident said she also experienced issues with parked cars blocking her car from exiting the driveway. While Mike Mieszczak hadn’t experienced that, he ag reed street parking along 28th Street often fills up during baseball games at Candy Cane Park.
Schreiber said that Brookfield, as a nonhome rule municipality, must follow state statue on the matter due to a lack of local ordinance. Illinois law says cars are allowed to park all the way up to a curb cut. While residents have asked police to put up signs or paint curbs to discourage the behavior, Schreiber said the village has no statutory basis to do so.
“There’s no ordinance or process to back up wh at that curb painting would be,” he said. “I f we did that in that area for those residents, we ’d have to do it in eve ry other area that residents would req uest that p eople do n’ t pa rk right up to their drive way. ”
Schreiber said many complaints from residents have been discussed by Brookfield’s traffic safety committee, comprised of one staf f member each from the village’s police, fire, public works and community development departments. Due to the data the police department has collected, the committee has found no permanent action is needed to quell traffic around Candy Cane Park
“We certainly take every request seriously. We want to make sure that there’s nothing more that we can do in a matter, even if it’s a situation that we can’t do something ordinance- or signage-based or possibly infrastructure-based, we can still do things on an enforcement level,” he said. “It’s still something that we’re concerned about and want to see what part we can do in making that area safer.”
Still, residents say they worry it will take a preventable tragedy before the village takes their suggestions to slow traffic.
“The police here have been really great. T hey have a very strong presence [in the neighborhood]. It’s clear that they are responsible to us, and they want to keep things safe around here. It’s just the continued lack of attention to the stop signs and driver behavior,” Corrie Mieszczak said. “You’d hate for somebody to get hurt. You’d hate for a tragedy to happen for something has silly as cars being selfish and not stopping.”
Safe Steps for Fall Day YOUR BEST LIFE withLisaCapone
Autumn brings crisp air and colorful leaves — but also new safety risks. A few simple steps can help keep you and your loved ones safe at home:
Clear outdoor paths: Sweep or rake wet leaves from steps, driveways, and walkways to prevent slipping.
Improve lighting: Replace dim bulbs, add motion-sensor lights outside, and keep indoor hallways and entryways well lit. Secure floors inside: Remove clutter, tuck away cords, and use non-slip pads under rugs. Wear safe footwear: Choose shoes with firm, non-skid soles instead of socks or loose slippers.
Use support when needed: Keep railings sturdy and add grab bars in high-risk areas like bathrooms.
Taking these precautions helps reduce fall risks and keeps your home safe and welcoming all season long.
Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030
By DAN HALEY Interim Editor
journalism at League/GCM event Thursday
Growing Community Media is hosting two reader events in October. Both focus on the importance of journalism in this moment and looking back generations to Watergate
Alongside the League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest, on Thursday, Oct. 9 GCM is sponsoring a conversation titled Can Local Journalism Survive? Thrive? There will be four people on the panel who are working hard to make local news sustainable.
■ April Alonso is a founder of the Cicero Independiente
■ Tracy Baim is executive director of Press Forward Chicago, a pooled funding source for local newsrooms
■ Amethyst J. Davis is the founder of the Harvey World Herald
■ Max Reinsdorf is interim executive director of Growing Community Media which publishes Wednesday Journal, Austin Weekly News, Forest Park Review and the Riverside-Brookfield
Landmark.
Judith Crown, a co-president of the local league will moderat e.
This event is free and open to the public T hursday, Oct. 9 at 6 p.m. at the Oak Park Public Library’s main branch on Lake Street.
This conversation marks the League’s annual f all kick-off and is part of GCM’s 45th anniversary celebration.
And on Oct. 29, GCM invites you to the movies at the Lake T heatre. We’ ll host a timely showing of “All the President’s Men,” the film based on Woodward and Bernstein’s breakthrough reporting of Richard Nixon’s Watergate coverup.
This will be a good night to gather and is also a modest fundraiser for GCM. Tickets are $25 but if you are already a donor or subscriber, give yourself a discount and hit the $15 ticket price. We’ ll have two local people with direct ties to the Watergate era introducing the film at 7 p.m. Seats are limited. Buy your ticket at classic-
JAVIER GOVEA
NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX INCREASE FOR THE VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE
I. A public hearing to approve a proposed property tax levy increase for the Village of Riverside for 2025 will be held on October 16, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 4 of Township Hall located at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois 60546.
Any person desiring to appear at the public hearing and present testimony to the taxing district may contact Yvette Zavala, Village Treasurer, at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois 60546, phone number 708-447-2700.
II. The corporate and special purpose property taxes extended or abated for 2024 were $7,747,492.
The proposed corporate and special purpose property taxes to be to be levied for 2025 are $8,144,709. This represents a 5.13% increase over the previous year.
III. The property taxes extended for debt service and public building commission leases for 2024 were $525,523.
The estimated property taxes to be levied for debt service and public building commission leases for 2025 are $507,750. This represents a 3.38% decrease over the previous year.
IV. The total property taxes extended or abated for 2024 were $8,315,678.
The estimated total property taxes to be levied for 2025 are $8,652,459. This represents a 4.05% increase over the previous year.
VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE
Emily Stenzel Village Clerk
A cornucopia of vegetarian dining
Local menus put the spotlight on plenty of vegetables
By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Eats Reporter
October is National Ve getarian Month. It comes on the heels of late September’s “Hug a Ve gan/Ve getarian Day.” Whether you are ve ggie-curious or looking to expand on your favorite options in the area, three local restaurants want you to try these dishes during this month (or anytime).
The North American Vegetarian Society established the celebratory month in 1977 to “promote the joy, compassion and life-enhancing possibilities of vegetarianism.”
Whether you are looking to go meatless all the time or just occasionally, Little Owl Social Pub at 3747 Grand Blvd. in Brookfield has you covered. This neighborhood bar welcomes all who walk in the door.
“It’s not a strong beet flavor. It’s very balanced. It’s not super earthy,” Gosciejew said. “I am actually not a vegetarian. But I really love veggie burgers. So, whenever there is one on the menu, that’s homemade, I tend to order it. And theirs is excellent.”
She always gets it on marbled rye. She also recommends the fried avocado tacos that come with a trio of salsas.
Ever since it opened, Amerikas restaurant at 34 Lake St. in Oak Park always has something vegetarian cooking
“It’s always good to have options, whether it be for health or just choice ,” owner Staphi Giafis said. “The veggie burger, it’s really awesome. It’s a roasted beet and chickpea burger that we top with provolone, lettuce, tomato and pickled red onion.”
That is the go-to order for regular diner
“We try to make food that makes sense, all together with the flavors and the techniques,” Chef Gonzalez said. “Not that many restaurants or chefs take it serious to cooking for vegetarian persons.”
On the menu guacamole and hummus always fit the bill. Many entrees showcase the care veggies deserve too: cali baza roasted acorn squash, wild mushroom risotto, veggie enchiladas and But it’s their cauliflow steals the show.
“When I opened Americas, I forgot to make a vegetarian dish and me it’s very important,” Gonzalez said. “S un, in that moment, to the store and I star
to see what is in the market and I see the cauliflower; I see carrots; I see the farro; and I see Manchego cheese. I grab everything, get inside in the kitchen and I make it.”
The cauliflower is the number one seller,
y e tofu,” owner Vicky Pinyo-Nowlan said. “And we have a ton of vegetables. You don’t have to lose anything. You gain something.”
One example is her cashew dish.
“Cashews give you flavor. That’s why I say try cashew and tofu with toasted garlic chili sauce,” Pinyo-Nowlan said. “I don’t do like it when tofu is so bland. I came from the souther n part of Thailand. We eat strong flavor.”
Another option is curry with vegetables, which is also gluten-free, as is their pad Thai.
“My pad Thai with the tofu is still fl avorful, plus gluten-free,” Pinyo-Nowlan said. “In Thailand, we don’t use much soy sauce. All our food is with a fish sauce that’s gluten-free.”
If faster food calls to you, Buona Beef locations all serve an Italian beef sandwich or bowl made with plant-based Upton’s Natural Seitan
In October pick a taste that is all veg and harvest more than flavor
Little O wl – fried avocado tacos
Opinion
LETTERS
Rehab the old Brookfield Theater building
Time and again old historic buildings are not rehabbed and simply destroyed
Has anybody even looked or taken pictures inside the old Brookfield T heater?
Besides unavailable schools, there are no other performance locations in Brookfield. Destruction of a historic buildin g
is too easy, and those two lots will remain empty, like many, for decades to come, rather than becoming part of a growing restaurant, entertainment, etc. distric t on Grand Boulevard as it should be Mike Lehman Brookfield
To run an obituary
Please contact Ken Trainor by e-mail: ktrainor@wjinc.com, before Monday at noon. Please include a photo if possible.
William Davies Jr., 72 Br
Wi lliam H. Davies Jr., 72, of field, was the husband of S andra Davies (nee Re i sser) and the father of H. Davies III and Jacob Davie s.
Private memorial services have been held Ar r angements we re handled son-Nosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield . Online c ondolences, memories and p hoto gr aphs may be shared with the f amily at www.JohnsonNosek.com. 708-485-0214.
Georgiana Kasper, 89
Georgiana K asper (nee Kos), 89, die d on Sept. 28, 2025. Born on Ju ly 30, 1936, she was the w ife of the late George J. K asper, retired Lt. C ol. U. S. Ar my and veteran of WWII; the mother of Dr. Mari anne, T homas ( Cynthia), Ro be rt (K of C), and John (Cheryl); gr andmother of Joseph, Juliana, Zack and Jenna; sister of Vi c tor Kos; aunt of Katherine Schaefer (Rich) and children Jacob and Brian; and many friends and relative s. Funeral was held on Oct. 3, 2025 from Linhart Funeral Home, 6820 W. Cermak Road, Berwyn to the f uneral Mass at St . L eonard C hurch, followe d by i nterment
Comeback lifts RBHS football to 6-0, playo berth
Bielobradek onside kick, Novak-Karas TD pass complete 21-17 victory
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Senior John Bielobradek and his Riverside Brookfield High School football teammates enjoyed their greatest victory last season at home against Glenbard South. They somehow managed to surpass even that ecstasy in Friday’s rematch in Glen Ellyn.
After Bielobradek recovered his own onside kick, senior Jayden Karas scored on a 32yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Braeden Novak with 1:32 left. That completed the Bulldogs’ exhilarating and nearly unbelievable 21-17 Upstate Eight Conference East Division comeback victory after falling behind 17-7 with 6:29 left.
(4-2, 3-1) last year, 26-21 in Week 6, they improved their record to 3-3 but lost to West Chicago and Glenbard East and missed the playoffs at 4-5.
“As much as last year’s win against Glenbard South was our Super Bowl, we didn’t make the playoffs. We won the game but lost the war,” Bielobradek said. “Right now we’re 6-0, we just beat the best team we’ve played and we’re headed very good into the playoffs. This means so much more this year, especially as a senior.”
“This game was special – special for me, special for the coaches, special for the fans,” Bielobradek said. “I’ve never seen so many fans come to an away game, 40 minutes away, and support us all four quarters. That was a blast.”
“One of the best wins I’ve been a part of as a coach, player, fan. It took all phases,” RBHS coach Sam Styler said.
The victory not only continued an undefeated season for the Bulldogs (6-0, 3-0 in UEC East). With six wins, they already have clinched a state playoff berth after a one-year absence, with Elmwood Park (0-6, 0-4), West Chicago (4-2, 2-1) and co-leader Glenbard East (5-1, 3-0) remaining for the regular season.
When the Bulldogs beat Glenbard South
Senior Xavier Mr oz ik-DeJesus scored on a 40-yard TD catch from Novak just 42.6 seconds before halftime to give the Bulldogs a 7-0 lead.
what we’re doing. You saw a lot of guys on the sidelines pick each other up, guys on the field pick each other up. It was a total team effort.”
Novak was 11 for 23 passing for 246 yards. Mrozik-DeJesus (3 catches, 102 yards), Karas (3 catches, 74 yards) and Nico Caputo (4 catches, 59 yards) combined for eight double-digit completions and five for at least 30 yards.
The Raiders opened the second half with a 74-yard, game-tying TD drive. They followed an RBHS three-and-out with another TD to pull ahead 14-7 and added a 32-yard field goal after an interception at the RBHS 31 on Novak’s attempted bomb to Mrozik-DeJesus from the 2.
On the Bulldogs’ ensuing possession, the comeback started with the same duo: MrozikDeJesus catching a 30-yard TD pass from Novak to cut the gap to 17-14 with 9:57 left.
“An awesome team effort, the way both sides of the football stepped up to get the win,” Styler said. “[It shows] how close this group is and how much they’re buying into
Karas’ TD play was the culmination of the many long pass attempts.
“We were trying to hit those deep balls a lot because the (defensive backs) were of f a little bit. We both saw 1-on-1 coverage and I knew I was getting the ball,” Karas said. “It felt absolutely amazing. That [onside kick] was absolutely electric. It lit our offense up and then we went down and scored for our final play.”
Bielobradek said the onside kick play is designed to put the ball far enough but also high enough so that a player on the receiving team gets hit by the Bulldogs before he can secure possession.
And as planned, Bielobradek fell on the loose ball.
“That’s exactly how we wrote it up, exactly how it was executed. It was such an amazing, amazing play,” he said.
“One thing about this team is we will never give up. Coach trusted me to kick an onside kick. They would get good field position [if they recovered], but he trusted
me, trusted our players.”
Xavier-Mrozik also felt victorious after having a breakout g ame against the Raiders in 2024. In that g ame, he had nine catches for 198 yards with two TD passes from junior Giancarlo Garcia, who also played quar terback Friday.
“It’s so much different going into this g ame undefeated. Now we just had to prove we had changed from last year The scoreboard said it all,” Mrozik-DeJesus said. “Last year, I had my best g ame against this team. I knew they were going to look out for me. Being able to get the win and stay undefeated, against this really good football team, it means the world to me.”
Defensive leaders included Bryan Rimpila (8 tackles, 3 solos) and Luke Ferguson (4 tackles). With the game scoreless in the second quarter, Ferguson returned an interception from the end zone 55 yards and also defended a fourth-down sidelines end zone pass that was caught out of bounds.
After the Bulldogs pulled ahead, the Raiders got the ball at the 20 and reached their 44. They turned the ball over on downs with 32.7 seconds left after an incomplete pass pressured by senior Damian Nieves.
“I think the game ended kind of similar [last year]. Our defense is rallying to the ball and it’s just working out perfectly,” senior safety Warren Mason said. “You just never know how these games are going to go. It’s high competition and comes down to who can make a play. It comes down to the big plays and tonight it did.”
Bulldogs’ Vazzana turns fourth sectional into rst state berth
RBHS achieves rst team sectional berth; LTHS seventh at sectional
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
With help from the Riverside Brookfield
senior Lucia Vazzana achieved a personal triumph Monday, earning her first individual berth to the Class 2A state meet by tying for 14th overall (8-over-par 80) at the Lockport Sectional at Broken Arrow and placing
among the 10 best scorers not among the three advancing teams.
The 2A state meet is Friday and Saturday, Oct. 10-11, at Hickory Point in Forsyth.
“Making state is a huge accomplishment
for me, as it’s been something I’ve wanted all four years, but just haven’t been able to stick through,” Vazzana said. “I played as best as I possibly could. My nerves and the need to stay cool under pressure definitely dented
High School girls golf team making history,
JOHN BIELOBRADEK
JAYDEN KARAS
Bulldog Award links teamwork for RBHS swimmers, divers
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
This season, the camaraderie bonds for the Riverside Brookfield High School girls swimming and diving team are as strong as ever. Now they even have the chain to prove it. After the dual Sept. 18 meet at Joliet West, junior Carly Romero became the first recipient of the new Bulldog Award – a giant blue cosmetic chain with an RBHS Bulldog head attached presented after every meet to a team member based on individual performances and team support and spirit
“I won it [the day] before homecoming so I wore it to school. I wore it to the pep rally. That was really fun,” Romero said. “All of my friends got to see me with it. I had people taking pictures with me. I thought it was an amazing day to get it.”
Senior Maria Ellis and juniors Isabel Rosa
the score a bit, but my good holes made up for it.”
and Brynn Gizewski, the Bulldogs’ team captains, envisioned the award. Ellis said club teammates from Rosary High School have a Bead of the Meet, and they wanted to award something similar.
RBHS swim coach Mike Laurich found the actual physical award via Etsy.
“It looked like it would be a little smaller. Then it was really big and really shiny. I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is awesome,’” Ellis said. “We wanted a really big chain, something that stood out. [The Bulldog] came with the chain. It was awesome. I was so impressed.”
So far, the award has received rave reviews. The next recipients were freshman Josie Chase (York Invite, Sept. 26), sophomore Mariam Abdelhafez (South Elgin,
The Bulldogs, who achieved their first sectional a team, finished 10th (361), four strokes from eighth. Township was seventh (353) with no individual q Nazareth Academy had four individuals
The past three seasons, Vazzana had been an individual qualifier. Last year, she was the Bulldogs’ lone re at sectionals
“I think [the team’s presence Monday] made a difference sure without me even realizing it. Knowing that I had iar faces around me and having my teammates there finished was a huge relief,” Vazzana said. “Especially in the hour time period waiting to see if I made the c teammates stayed with me and were very suppo me on. I really appreciate my team and the coaches constant support, it makes all the difference.”
LTHS senior Amelia Van Vuren, a state competitor the past two seasons, and Nazareth Academy senior Gabriella Giangrande shot 85s.
“[Laurich] was talking with me so I thought I might get it [that meet],” Chase said. “I was excited. I like it. I think it’s cool.”
“It symbolizes being part of your team and not only cheering for yourself and your own personal bests but everyone as a whole,” Abdelhafez said. “It’s definitely an honor. I feel really cool and I hope everyone else on the team gets it at some point.”
Laurich said he has agreed with the award selections. The recipients certainly had strong performances, but Ellis emphasized the award goes beyond that.
“I was thinking it would be awesome if we could have some sort of award to honor our teammates who put forth a great effort and then also are being great sportswoms t s
The Bulldogs’ other scorers were senior Tali Schultz (91), sophomores Fiona Lombardi (92) and Harper Jesswein (98), senior Jessica Kot (103) and junior Alexis Busse (105).
LTHS junior Mekayla Genovesi shot 88, followed by sophomore Caroline McLaughlin and senior Brynn Evans (90s) and seniors Winona Waite (91) and Bea Waite (100).
Nazareth’s other sectional qualifiers were senior Claire Krema (92), freshman Layla Rucinski (96) and junior Elizabeth Salerno (100).
Vazzana had three birdies and was 3-over-par after 13 holes That strong start helped her withstand a triple bogey and two bogeys over her last four.
“It was great [that she qualified]. She’s beaming, really excited about it,” RBHS coach Doug Schultz said. “We’re excited for her, a lot of hard work she’s put into the game of golf and she’s doing really well with it.”
COURTESY OF DOUG SCHULTZ
RBHS girls golf team a er advancing to sectionals for the rst time as a team.
When she finished, Vazzana was two strokes from the cut but then later finishers fell back. She then prepared for a sudden-death playoff to reduce to 10 advancing individuals. However, the No. 7-10 individual qualifiers tied at 80. Three other individual candidates shot 81.
“There was a lot of ups and downs and at one point Coach Schultz and I went to the putting green to start preparing for a playoff,” Vazzana said. “After analyzing past mistakes, I knew my mental game was going to be the hardest thing to overcome. I made sure to go into it with a positive attitude and know that the most beneficial thing for me to do was keep my head high and worry about the next shot ahead.”
At the Sandburg Regional, Sept. 30, the Bulldogs needed
sitting in the bleachers on their phone the whole time.”
As the first recipient, Romero swam a personal-best in winning the varsity 500-yard freestyle and nearly broke six minutes. Chase achieved personal bests in the 200 individual medley and 100 breast stroke. Abdelhafez dropped her 100-yard breast stroke best by 10 seconds to 1:34 and her breast split in the 200 medley relay by .9 to 42.08.
On Sept. 26, Ellis introduced the first of Friendly Fridays, where anonymous notes that praise a teammate are read aloud. This past Friday, the Bulldogs unveiled smiley faces as part of World Smile Day.
“I love to cheer my teammates on,” Romero said. “It’s such a nice feeling when you’re in the water and you can kind of peek out on the sidelines and all of your teammates cheering you on. I just want to give them the same feeling.”
a top-three finish to advance. Their third-place 363 at Silver north (363) was seven strokes ahead of fourth-place Nazareth (370), a team state qualifier the past two seasons HS was second (341).
ogs also repeated as Upstate Eight Conference Vazzana, Schultz and Jesswein again earned All-UEC honors based on dual and UEC Meet results and by Lombardi.
eally good to play a part in making the (sectional y,” Lombardi said after re gionals. “It feels good ovement and how it played out.”
gionals, Van Vuren was third (80) and Vazzana tied ourth (84). Winona Waite (86), McNaughton (87) and esi (88) were sixth, seventh and eighth and Evans ite tied for 11th (91). The Bulldogs’ other scorre Schultz (92), Jesswein (93), Lombardi (94), Kot (112) and Busse (124).
Last season, the Lions finished fourth at regionals, one third place, but Van Vuren and Genovesi were among three individual sectional qualifiers. The Waite twins also competed at re gionals
“From the start of the season a goal that we all set in place was to advance as far as we could as a team, and making it to sectionals was a big step towards that,” Winona Waite said after regionals.
Besides golf, the Waites have been teammates in hockey for the St. Jude Knights.
“Having Bea as a teammate is really special and adds a fun sibling competition to our season. We learned how to play golf together side by side at a young age. Therefore she knows my swing better than anyone,” Winona Waite said. “[Bea] is always there to help me at practice and I am there to help her as well. Our strengths balance each other out. She is a great putter and I’m stronger around the greens with chipping, so it makes us a great scramble team.”
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: M25000902 on September 17, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of ERROL JAY KIRSCH ARCHITECT with the business located at: 1046 FAIR OAKS, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: ERROL JAY KIRSCH 1046 FAIR OAKS, OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA.
Published in Wednesday Journal September 24, October 1, 8, 2025
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: M25000916 on September 22, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of S&S NEW MAGIC TOUCH with the business located at: 4519 W LAKE ST, CHICAGO, IL 60624. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: LYSTRA BEARD 4519 W LAKE ST, CHICAGO, IL 60624
Published in Wednesday Journal
October 1, 8, 15, 2025
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: M25000918 on September 23, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of RUBEN EDITS with the business located at: 434 S LOMBARD AVE #3, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: RUBEN VELA, II 434 S LOMBARD AVE #3, OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA.
Published in Wednesday Journal
October 1, 8, 15, 2025
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: M25000943 on October 1, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of MANAGING HORIZONS PRESS with the business located at: 907 SOUTH BLVD UNIT 5, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: GIL HERMAN, 907 SOUTH BLVD UNIT 5, OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA.
Published in Wednesday Journal October 8, 15, 22, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLNOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT, PROBATE DIVISION
Estate of GENEVIEVE WRIGHT, Deceased Case No. 2025 P 0049545
That the Order Admitting Will to Probate and Appointing Representative in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois was granted on September 3, 2025 for the Estate of GENEVIEVE WRIGHT, Deceased and that KEITH WRIGHT was appointed as the Independent Executor and letters of office have issued.
This ad requests that any unknown heirs make themselves known to the attorney herein.
This ad will serve as a notice to creditors that they have 6 months from the date of filing of this petition to submit their claims.
Atty Name: Matt Leuck Attorney for Petitioner 2318 Elmwood Ave Berwyn, IL 60402 708-243-6270 xkrinkles@aol.com
Atty No. 11017
Published in RB Landmark 10/8, 10/15, 10/22/2025
PUBLIC NOTICE
In accordance with the Open Meetings Act, this is to advise you that the Riverside Township Mental Health Board will hold the below listed meeting at the listed locations:
Monthly Mental Health Board Meetings
Wednesday, October 15 @ 6:30 PM Aging Care Connections at 111 W. Harris Avenue, LaGrange, IL 60525
Wednesday, November 19 @ 6:30 PM
Riverside Township HallRoom 4, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois
Community Engagement Committee Meetings
Tuesday, October 14 @ 6:30 PM Riverside Township HallCommunity Resource Center Office, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois
Tuesday, November 18 @ 6:30 PM Riverside Township HallCommunity Resource Center Office, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois
If you have any questions, please contact Board President, Adam Wilt, at awilt.rtmhb@gmail.com or call Adam at 708-804-4400.
Published in RBLandmark October 8, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICE
ADVERTISEMENT OF BIDDING For: Longfellow Park Development Project for the Park District of Oak Park.
Owner: Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St., Oak Park, IL 60302
NOTICE TO BIDDERS
ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS
Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received by The Historical Society of Oak Park & River Forest (Attn: Frank Lipo) at their offices located at 129 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL 60302, until Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at 4:00 p.m. Bids will be publicly opened at that time.
ELEVATOR ADDITION
Contractors may secure, at no cost, an electronic file of the plans, specifications, and bid form from the Architect, Partners in Design Architects, Inc., 2610 Lake Cook Road, Suite 280, Riverwoods, IL 60015; Phone No. (847) 940-0300 or email Kelby Phillips at kelbyp@ pidarchitects.com. The costs associated with printing hard copies of the electronic files are the responsibility of the bidding contractor. Plans will be available on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, after 8:00 a.m.
A mandatory pre-bid walkthrough will be held on Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 9:00 a.m. at 129 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL 60302. Bids will not be accepted from contractors that do not attend the walkthrough.
The Historical Society reserves the right to reject any or all bids in whole or in part and to waive any informality therein.
All proposals submitted shall remain firm for a period of sixty (60) days after the official opening of bids.
Published in Wednesday Journal October 8, 2025
Riverside Township hereby provides public notice that an Audit of its funds for the period April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025 has been made, and that a report of such audit dated September 25, 2025 performed by Selden Fox, LTD has been filed with the County Clerk of Cook, Illinois, in accordance with 30 ILCS 15/0.01 et seq.
The full report of the audit is available for public inspection at the Riverside Town Hall, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, during regular business hours 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Monday through Thursday, and 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Friday, except for holidays.
Published in RBLandmark October 8, 2025
PUBLIC NOTICE
ADVERTISEMENT OF BIDDING
Request of bids for the Oak Park Taylor Park Electrical Relocation, 400 W. Division St., Oak Park.
Owner: Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St, Oak Park, IL 60302
The Park District of Oak Park seeks bids for the selective demolition and playground, splash pad, courts, and hard-scape renovations at Longfellow Park, 610 S. Ridgeland Ave. Oak Park, Il. 60302. The Park District of Oak Park will receive sealed Bids until 10:00 am (Chicago time) on Thursday, October 30th, 2025, at 218 Madison St., Oak Park, Illinois. The bidding documents and requirements will be available on the Demand Star website as of 1:00pm on Friday, October 10th, 2025. An optional pre-bid Conference (walk-thru) will be held on Tuesday, October 16th, at 11:00 am, Longfellow Park, 610 S. Ridgeland Ave. Oak Park, Il. Copies of the bidding specifications are available via the Demand Star website under Active Bids at: pdop.org/rfps-bids
For additional information, contact Bill Hamilton at bill. hamilton@pdop.org or 708725-2052. This contract must adhere to the Prevailing Wage Act of 2025. Only the bids in compliance with the provisions of the bidding specifications will be considered. Minority and Women Owned businesses are strongly encouraged.
Park District of Oak Park
By: Sandy Lentz, Secretary Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison Oak Park, IL 60302
Published in Wednesday Journal October 8, 2025
The Park District of Oak Park will accept sealed bids for the Oak Park Taylor Park Electrical Relocation, 400 W. Division St., Oak Park. The project consists of relocation of electrical equipment from underground location to an above ground electrical enclosure. The Park District of Oak Park will receive individual sealed Bids until 10:00 a.m. (Central time) on Wednesday, October 29th, 2025, at 218 Madison St., Oak Park, IL. The bidding documents and requirements will be available and Active on the Demand Star website as of 2:00 pm Friday, October 10th, 2025. A nonmandatory pre-bid walk-thru is scheduled for Friday, October 17th, at 10:00 a.m. at Taylor Park at 400 W. Division St., Oak Park, IL 60304. Bid bonds will be required by bidding contractors. Copies of the bidding specifications are available via the Demand Star website under Active Bids at: pdop.org/rfps-bids
For additional information, contact Bill Hamilton at bill.hamilton@ pdop.org or (708) 725 2052. Only the bids prepared in compliance with the bidding documents will be considered. This project must adhere to the Prevailing Wage Act of 2025. The Park District of Oak Park encourages minority and women owned business firms to submit bids for this project.
Park District of Oak Park By: Sandy Lentz, Secretary Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St. Oak Park, IL 60302
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 4:00 p.m. local time until 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 30, 2025 for the following:
Village of Oak Park
Stone & Sand Materials Bid Number: 26-102
Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at https://www.oakpark.us/Building-Business/ Request-for-Proposals For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.
LEGAL NOTICE
The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified vendors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 2:00 p.m. on Friday, October 31, 2025 for the following:
Village of Oak Park 2026 Water and Sewer Repair Parts and Materials Bid Number: 26-103
Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at https://www.oakpark.us/Building-Business/ Request-for-Proposals For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.
Published in Wednesday Journal October 8, 2025
Submit events and see full calendar at rblandmark.com/events
Brook
For more than three decades, Irish Times Pub & Restaurant has been a beloved cornerstone of the Brook eld community. Since opening its doors in 1991, Irish Times has welcomed friends, families, and neighbors with the warmth and charm of a true Irish gathering place.
Founded with a clear mission — to provide a one-of-a-kind experience through authentic décor, delicious Irish-inspired cuisine, a passion for the perfect pint, and exceptional hospitality — Irish Times has become much more than a pub. It’s a home away from home for anyone who steps inside.
A visit to Irish Times wouldn’t be complete without a pint of Guinness — something we know a thing or two about, having proudly
poured over 1,000,000 pints since we rst opened. Our food has earned just as much acclaim, with numerous awards and multiple honors as “Best Irish Pub in Chicago.” and “Best Patio in Chicago” Whether guests are enjoying a hearty shepherd’s pie, a perfectly pulled pint, or gathering for a family celebration, every detail is designed to celebrate the spirit of Ireland and the joy of good company.
What many may not know is that Irish Times was built from day one to be a true gathering place for the entire community. We’re proud to see our space lled with laughter, conversation, and shared memories — from family dinners and milestone celebrations to casual nights out with friends.
The best part of being a business in Brook eld is without a doubt the people — from our loyal guests to our incredible team, who bring passion and hospitality to life every single day. For me, the most rewarding part of owning Irish Times is the connections we make and the
countless stories and laughs shared over a meal or a pint