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Vol. 36, No. 43
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Also serving North Riverside
October 27, 2021
65 years for man guilty of 2016 Brookfield murder PAGE 2
@RBLandmark
Monsters on Mainstreet trick-or-treat event returns Oct. 30 PAGE 7
THEY ONLY COME OUT
AT NIGHT
Brookfielders’ immersive Halloween display ‘Alive Inside’ a haunting hit
High school test scores decline in wake of pandemic year SAT composites at LTHS, RBHS drop about 3%; achievement gap persists
Raphael Mastroianni, left, and his husband, Rick Mastroianni, are right at home surrounded by their animatronic zombies which populate the “Alive Inside” immersive Halloween experience at 4208 Maple Ave. in Brookfield. Shortly after settling in their Brookfield home last year, the couple got quick to work, brainstorming how they would make their home come to life at Halloween, creating spooky set designs, outfitting animatronics ghosts and demons, purchasing elaborate props and installing movie set-style lights displays for a “Poltergeist on Maple Avenue” themed setup. Over the course of the season, the Mastroiannis noticed that aside from neighbors, pedestrians and passersby, people from outside Brookfield began to see what the buzz was all about.
After a year of remote and hybrid learning, standardized test scores dropped last year at both Riverside-Brookfield High School and Lyons Township High School. The Class of 2022 took the state-mandated SAT test in person last April with average scores dropping a little more than 3 percent at both schools. The average SAT score at RBHS fell by 34 points while the average SAT score at LTHS fell by 38 points. The average composite SAT score for the RBHS Class of 2022 was 1051, compared to 1085 for both the Class of 2020 and 2021. At LTHS the average SAT score for the Class of 2022 was 1093, compared to 1131 for the Class of 2020. The SAT was optional in 2021 due to the pandemic. Administrators at both schools said the drop in test scores is not surprising considering the impact of the pandemic and remote learning. “That brought unique challenges,” said RBHS Principal Hector Freytas. “Scores are a little lower, but we’re excited for this year, for the full year back to school, and I know we’re going to be better,
See ‘ALIVE INSIDE’ on page 10
See SAT SCORES on page 14
ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
By JACKIE PISANO Contributing Reporter
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any people moving from the city to the suburbs do so spread out a bit -- a larger home, a backyard and quieter surroundings. But for Rick and Raphael Mastroianni, the move from Chicago to the 4200 block of Maple Avenue in Brookfield has allowed them to do something else they always wanted to do — finally go all out with elaborate Halloween decorations. Though the move meant a chance to explore Brookfield and meet new neigh-
bors, the Mastroiannis, who are selfavowed Halloween enthusiasts, knew they couldn’t pass up the opportunity to turn their new digs into the new spooky — but friendly — neighborhood haunted house. “We are totally Halloween people, and we both have creative backgrounds as well, so we use those skills we used before with film and photography and we put those ideas that we had to life,” Rick Mastroianni said about the inspiration behind decorating. Both Rick, who previously worked in film in New York City, and Raphael have prior experience in media and art positions.
By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
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The Landmark, October 27, 2021
IN THIS ISSUE Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Crime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Kosey Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Obituaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Editor Bob Uphues Equity Editor/Ombudsman Michael Romain Digital Publishing & Technology Manager Briana Higgins Food Editor Melissa Elsmo Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Sales and Marketing Representatives Marc Stopeck, Lourdes Nicholls Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Development & Sales Coordinator Stacy Coleman Circulation Manager Jill Wagner E-MAIL jill@oakpark.com Publisher Dan Haley Business Manager Joyce Minich
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer
HOW TO REACH US ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 PHONE 708-442-6739 ■ FAX 708-467-9066 E-MAIL buphues@rblandmark.com ONLINE www.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 $36 within Cook County and $46 outside the county. Advertising rates may be obtained by calling our office. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 0019-585). Postmaster send address corrections to Landmark, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302. © 2021 Growing Community Media NFP.
FILE 2016
An evidence technician examines the area around Michael Smith’s car on the day of his murder in January 2016. Three men were charged with his killing that November. Two pleaded guilty in May to planning the murder. The gunman, Jermaine Douglas, was found guilty by a jury in July and sentenced to 65 years in prison on Oct. 25.
65 years for man convicted of 2016 Brookfield murder Reputed gunman Jermaine Douglas maintains innocence, will appeal
his father,” Juliana Smith said in her victim were sentenced to eight years in prison. In July, a jury convicted Douglas of be- impact statement. “These villains don’t deing the gunman hired to kill Smith, finding serve to breathe the same air Michael did.” Smith’s son, now 8 years old, suffers from him guilty of four counts of first-degree depression and anxiety, accordmurder. On Oct. 25 at a hearing ing to his mother, as a result of at the Maybrook courthouse in the loss of his father. The two Maywood, Cook County Circuit fled from their Brookfield home Court Judge Geary Kull senthe day Smith was gunned down, tenced the 30-year-old Douglas to By BOB UPHUES depending on the charity of fam65 years in prison. Editor ily, friends and strangers, fearing In Illinois, those convicted of they would be targeted, too. first-degree murder must serve Michael Smith left his Brookfield home on Juliana Smith never attended the morning of Jan. 27, 2016 to fulfill what 100 percent of their sentences. any of the court hearings in the Although Douglas’ attorneys he felt was an obligation — to testify in court case and remains afraid, Episagainst a man charged with weapons offense argued for a sentence closer copo told the Landmark, after outside a Chicago nightclub in 2015 where to the minimum 45 years, askMICHAEL SMITH seeing what happened to her husing Kull to take into account Smith worked as a security guard. band for doing the right thing. Douglas’ traumatic Smith never got the chance to “We must believe and trust in the justice upbringing, surrounded by viotestify; the court case was conlence, Kull said he took into ac- system,” Kull said. “Hopefully, this [sentinued that morning and Smith count the jury’s recommenda- tence] can restore some of that trust. … It drove back home to his aparttion for an enhanced sentence. shouldn’t have been dangerous for [Smith] ment building in the 3600 block Kull could have sentenced Doug- to testify [against Robinson].” of Forest Avenue to have lunch Douglas spoke briefly prior to sentencing, las to life in prison. with his wife and 3-year-old son. “It’d be wonderful if I had wishing the Smith family well but stating he Jermaine Douglas made words that’d have an impact wasn’t guilty. sure Smith would never testify on society that would stop the “I send my condolences out to the victim’s against Comfort K. Robinson, senseless gang violence and family, especially his son, because I experithe man charged with the weapselfish violence,” Kull said be- enced that,” said Douglas, referencing the ons offense. Hired by Robinson JERMAINE DOUGLAS fore announcing the sentence. murder of his father when Douglas was 16. and DeJuyon M. Johnican, Doug“Though I’ve done this 45 years “I still maintain my innocence.” las trailed Smith to his home. As or more, it’s never easy to come to a soluBecause Robinson and Johnican had each Smith pulled his car to the curb in front of spent more than four years in jail before his home, Douglas pulled alongside and fired tion that makes everybody whole again.” Kull specifically mentioned, prior to an- pleading to the lesser charge, both were paat least nine bullets into Smith, killing him. Douglas, Robinson and Johnican would all nouncing the sentence, a statement from roled immediately upon sentencing in May. be arrested in November 2016 and charged Smith’s wife, Juliana, read in open court Douglas remains in custody and his attorney with Smith’s murder. Last May, Robinson by former Brookfield Police Chief James announced Douglas would appeal. Prior to sentencing on Oct. 25, Kull denied and Johnican pleaded guilty to a lesser Episcopo. “My son is serving a life sentence without a motion by Douglas for a new trial. charge of conspiracy to commit murder and
The Landmark, October 27, 2021
NOVEMBER 1 - DECEMBER 25, 2021 TRACK YOUR RECEIPTS WITH THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE
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The Landmark, October 27, 2021
October 27-November 3
BIG WEEK
Ghost hunt at North Riverside Park Mall North Riverside Park Mall, 7501 Cermak Road, invites all ghouls, goblins, superheroes and princesses to a Halloween Ghost Hunt at the shopping center on Saturday, Oct. 30 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pick up a clue sheet at customer service and follow clues to find 13 hidden ghosts throughout the mall and get a prize when you turn in your clue sheet. No registration necessary.
The Art of Alfred Hitchcock Join Brookfield Public Library for some nail-biting fun and learn about the “master of suspense” during “The Art of Alfred Hitchcock” in the library’s meeting room on Monday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. Enjoy an original video filled with Hitchcock’s own comments and clips from his finest works and discover how the legendary movie director was able to keep audiences on the edge of their seats. Registration and masks required. Call 708-485-6917, ext. 130 or visit brookfield.evanced.info/signup online.
Libraries host Halloween fun Libraries in both Riverside and North Riverside are getting into the “spirit” of the season with family friendly Halloween-themed events.
staff outside for stories and songs followed by a trick-or-treat parade through Guthrie Park. No registration required.
Riverside Public Library, 1 Burling Road, invites families to its Halloween Storytime and Parade on Friday, Oct. 29 at 10 a.m. Join library
North Riverside Public Library, 2400 Desplaines Ave., invites all ages to a special Trunkor-Treat event in the library’s parking lot on
And more The St. Louise Players present Mary Poppins on The Parent Community Network will host a screening of “The Upstanders,” a documentary about the resilience and power of connection to end bullying on Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m. in the Lyons Township High School North Campus Reber Center, 100 S. Brainard Ave., LaGrange. Register at pcn-upstanders. eventbrite.com. Riverside Arts Center, 32 E. Quincy St., presents the exhibition “Portable Memorials and Abject Objects” featuring the work of Rebecca Keller through Nov. 27. Gallery hours are Thurs.-Sat. 1-5 ■
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p.m. Visit riversideartscenter.com for more. Theatre of Western Springs, 4384 Hampton Ave. in Western Springs, presents “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” adapted for the stage by Simon Stephens based on the novel by Mark Haddon. Show runs Oct. 21-31. Tickets are $23/$25, students $15. Call the box office 708-246-3380 or visit theatrewesternsprings.com. ■
The Brookfield Chamber of Commerce continues its 60-to-Win raffle drawings every Thursday through Nov. 18 at 4:30 p.m. at Joe’s Saloon, 9220 47th St. in Brookfield. You can also watch a livestream on the Brookfield Chamber of Commerce ■
Saturday, Oct. 30 from noon to 3 p.m. (while supplies last and weather permitting). Library staff will pass out goodies from their decorated trunks. Costumes encouraged. Register at northriversidelibrary.org/eventsnew so the library can estimate supplies needed.
Facebook page (facebook.com/BrookfieldIllinois). Winners’ names will be posted each week at brookfieldchamber.net. Riverside Arts Center presents “Porcelain Utopia: Mid-Century Lustron Homes in Illinois and Beyond,” an exhibit of photographs by Dirk Fletcher in the lobby of the Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road, through Dec. 31. Free. Open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ■
North Riverside Public Library, 2400 Desplaines Ave., invites you to explore your family tree by visiting their Ancestry Help Desk every Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. through November. There’s also ■
Crafterdarks: Day of the Dead Craft for all ages (both in person and Zoom) on Oct. 28 at 6 p.m. and Stretching & Meditation via conference call (800747-5150, code 1453322) on Nov. 1 at 6:30 p.m. Kids ages 4-up can choose either in-person or Zoom attendance for Lapsit Storytime on Oct. 28 at 10:30 a.m.; After School Art Escape (in person only) on Oct. 28 at 3:30 p.m.; ABCs and 123s on Nov. 1 at 10:30 a.m.; Story Safari on Nov. 3 at 1 0:30 a.m.; and Builders Club (Zoom only) on Nov. 3 at 4 p.m. ■
Visit northriversidelibrary.org/events-new to register for all programs.
The Landmark, October 27, 2021
Nazareth Academy stages ‘Clue’ Nazareth Academy will stage the play “Clue” (high school edition), a farce-meets-murder mystery based on the 1985 Paramount movie inspired by the classic board game on Oct. 28-30 at 7 p.m. in the Romano Family Theatre at Nazareth Academy, 1209 W. Ogden Ave. in LaGrange Park. Who killed Mr. Boddy? In what room? With what object? The tale begins at a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party where murder and blackmail are on the menu. All seats are reserved at $15 each. Reservations can be made by calling 708387-8515. All audience members must be masked for the duration of their visit.
NOTICE OF PROPOSED PROPERTY TAX INCREASE FOR THE VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE/RIVERSIDE PUBLIC LIBRARY, COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS FOR YEAR 2021 I. A public hearing to approve a proposed property tax levy increase for the Village of Riverside/Riverside Public Library for 2021 will be held on November 4, 2021 at 7:00 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 the Village Treasurer at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois 60546, phone number 708-447-2700. II. The Village corporate and special purpose property taxes extended or abated for 2020 were $5,148,519. The proposed Village corporate and special purpose property taxes to be levied for 2021 are $5,441,841. This represents a 5.70% increase over the previous year. The Library corporate and special purpose property taxes extended or abated for 2020 were $1,172,813. The proposed Library corporate and special purpose property taxes to be levied for 2021 are $1,189,232. This represents a 1.40% increase over the previous year.
‘Halloween Animals’ virtual program Brookfield Zoo invites you to “Halloween Animals: Bats, Wolves and Creepy Crawlies” a virtual lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. Andre Copeland, interpretative programs manager for the Chicago Zoological Society, will present fascinating facts and fiction behind some of the zoo’s resident animals that are associated with the fall holiday. Why do wolves howl at the moon? What does spotting a spider on Oct. 31 mean? Copeland talks about connections to folklore and the idea that their long-term attachment to cultural beliefs may provide people with a sense of place. Online reservations are required. The program is free but a $10 donation is appreciated. Visit CZS.org/LectureSeries.
Linda Sokol Francis Brookfield Library, 3541 Park Ave., invites you to Chair Yoga via Zoom on Oct. 28 at 11 a.m. and Harry Potter Craft Night on Oct. 30 at 4 p.m. Come in costume and check out crafts for kids and adults alike. Wizards welcome, muggles tolerated. Visit brookfield.evanced.info/ signup to register for programs.
and 3:30 p.m.; Friday Flix for teens in the Teen Room on Oct. 29 at 3:30 p.m.; Preschool/Kindergarten Storytime on Nov. 2 at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.; and After School DIY for teens on Nov. 3 at 3:30 p.m. Registration required.
Riverside Public Library, 1 Burling Road, invites you attend “Can You Afford to Retire?” presented by Bentron Financial Group via Zoom on Nov. 3 at 7 p.m.
Riverside Chess Club, open to anyone age 5 through adult, meets in person each Wednesday at 5 p.m. in Room 30 of the Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road. Players of all levels welcome. Children under 7 require caregiver over 13. Email sean@riversidechessclub.org for more info.
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For kids there’s Mini-Movers Storytime in the Community Room on Nov. 1 at 9:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. ■
Visit riversidelibrary.libcal.com/calendar to register for programs. ■
III. The property taxes extended for debt service extended for Village debt service and public building commission leases for 2020 were $630,912. The estimated property taxes to be levied for Village debt service and public building commission leases for 2020 are $607,274. This represents a 3.75% decrease over the previous year. The property taxes extended for Library debt service and public building commission leases for 2020 were $117,600. The estimated property taxes to be levied for Library debt service and public building commission leases for 2021 are $118,600. This represents a 0.85% increase over the previous year. IV. The total property taxes extended or abated for 2020 for the Village and Library were $7,072,052. The estimated total property taxes to be levied for 2021 for the Village and Library are $7,356,947. This represents a 4.03% increase over the previous year. VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE Cathy Haley Village Clerk
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The Landmark, October 27, 2021
Riverside unveils balanced 2022 budget $1.16 million in federal COVID funds earmarked for fire engine, ambulance
By BOB UPHUES
new patrol vehicles, each budgeted at about $64,000, while the third will be a 2021 Chevy Tahoe that will become the department’s “incident command vehicle” assigned to Commander Leo Kotor and equipped to serve as a command center during critical incidents, special events and natural disasters. The budget also includes a $90,000 line item for the purchase of two pickup trucks for the Public Works Department. Those vehicles will replace two pickups, which the village purchased in 2004 and 2008 and are used daily for landscape maintenance, snow plowing, forestry activities and general transport. One of the pickup trucks now being used by public works will roll down to the Parks and Recreation Department.
Editor
Riverside trustees on Oct. 21 gave their unofficial OK to the village’s 2022 budget, which includes a number of big-ticket capital purchases funded in part by federal COVID-19 relief funds. Those funds are being earmarked to buy a new fire engine and ambulance. The village board will hold a public hearing on the budget at its next meeting on Nov. 4 and then vote to adopt the budget at its meeting on Dec. 2. As presented, the budget estimates a general operating fund surplus by the end of 2022 of a little less than $80,000. General operating revenues in 2022 are projected to come in at a little more than $10.6 million, just a 1-percent increase over 2021 revenues of $10.5 million. However, that 2021 projected revenue figure ended up being far greater than the revenue estimates approved in the 2021 budget, which was crafted in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and based on a pessimistic outlook that turned out to be not quite so bleak. In 2021, the village estimated its total operating revenues at about $9.27 million, a significant drop from 2020 revenues of nearly $9.9 million. Village officials now estimate that operating revenues will come in at $10.5 million. That’s a 6-percent increase over actual revenue in 2020 and 13-percent greater than budgeted. Among the revenue line items that came in much higher than anticipated were state sales taxes, which came in 62 percent higher than anticipated. That figure was bolstered even further by $372,000 collected in 2021 as a result of a new 6.25-percent use tax levied for online purchases. The village’s places-for-eating tax revenues also rebounded to nearly pre-pandemic levels in 2021 and nearly 60 percent higher than budgeted. And home construction projects continued to be strong in 2021, with building permit and inspection fees coming in at $530,000. That’s the highest total since 2017 and 34 percent more than was budgeted in 2021. Such strong revenues in 2021 were able to offset operating expenditures that were nearly 8 percent over budget and mean the village will end the year with an estimated general operating fund surplus of nearly $746,000.
Fire engine, ambulance get COVID funding Riverside has been awarded $1,164,090 in relief funds through the American Rescue Plan Act, signed by President Joe Biden earlier this year to offset the impact of the
Village office renovation
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Riverside Town Hall COVID-19 pandemic on municipal budgets across the country. All or nearly all of those funds will be used to buy a new fire engine and a new ambulance, both of which were in the village’s near-term capital improvement plan. Public Safety Director Matthew Buckley had placed the fire engine in the plan for 2023 and an ambulance in 2025. With the federal windfall, which can be used for purchases related to public safety, the decision was made to move up those large purchases, which otherwise would likely be funded by taking on debt. There’s also the matter of how long it will take to have the vehicles delivered. According to Buckley, it could take a year or more to take possession of the new fire truck, which comes at an estimated $750,000. The new engine, which will become the fire department’s front-line vehicle responding to all emergency calls, will replace an engine purchased in 2003. The department will keep an older 1996 engine that was custom-built for Riverside and remains in better mechanical condition that the 2003 engine, according to Buckley. On Oct. 21, village trustees gave the go-
ahead for staff to begin mapping out specifications for the new engine and begin the ordering process for the engine and the ambulance given the expected lag in delivery. The delay could be compounded by the fact that Riverside desires a vehicle with a shorter wheel base to navigate the village’s winding streets and sometimes tight turns. “Finding the chassis is the hard part because of the shortage of computer chips,” Buckley told the Landmark. “It’s probably going to be a year or even up to 18 months at least, so we want to start [the process] pretty quickly.” The new ambulance will replace what has become known in the fire department as its “COVID ambulance,” reconfigured to provide a sealed barrier between the cab and patient compartment and allow for easy repeated decontamination. Purchased in the early 2000s, the ambulance has been used heavily over the past 20 months.
New police, public works vehicles Next year’s budget also sets aside $181,000 to purchase three new vehicles for the police department. Two will be
With the 2022 budget, village officials will also begin tackling longstanding issues with municipal facilities, which were the subject of a 2018 study that concluded that just to update existing facilities would cost between $7 million and $9 million. Next year will mark the creation of a special Municipal Facilities Repair and Maintenance Fund, with the village contributing an initial $175,000 and staff beginning the process of assessing what it will take to update/retrofit facilities such as the old Youth Center, the police department and main fire station. Elected officials in September consented to the idea that the village issue debt to fund large renovation projects. That debt issuance will likely take place in 2023, when the debt issued to build the public works facility in Riverside Lawn retires. The new debt would replace the retired debt so as not to further increase property taxes. In the short term, however, the village plans to tackle at least one facilities project – renovating the village hall offices located inside the Riverside Township Hall. The renovation, pegged at $150,000 in an August memo from Public Works Director Dan Tabb, would include reconfiguring the space to better align with the reorganized Community Development Department, provide more private offices and create a communal area for inspectors and interns. The work would also include modifying the front desk/window area of the village offices and making security improvements to that area.
Read it online at www.rblandmark.com
The Landmark, October 27, 2021
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Monsters on Mainstreet returns Oct. 30 in Brookfield Village’s signature Halloween event called off in 2020 due to pandemic
By BOB UPHUES Editor
After heavy rains in 2019 washed out the signature costume contest and a pandemic in 2020 canceled it completely, Monsters on Mainstreet – Brookfield’s signature Halloween event, sponsored by the Brookfield Historical Society and Chamber of Commerce – returns for a full afternoon of fun on Saturday, Oct. 30. Trick-or-treating in the downtown and Eight Corners business districts will run from noon to 3 p.m. Participating businesses will have pumpkin-shaped Monsters on Mainstreet signs displayed in their windows. Beginning at 2:30 p.m., families can head to S.E. Gross Middle School, 3524 Maple Ave., where taffy apples and pumpkins will be handed out to the first 500 child trick-ortreaters. The costume contest – open to all ages – will start at 3 p.m. in the west end of the playground, with prizes given out for top costumes in several categories. Event organizers changed the giveaway/ costume contest location this year – it’s traditionally held at the Grossdale Station on Brookfield Avenue – due to the ongoing construction in and around Brookfield Avenue bridge over Salt Creek. It’s the 22nd year Monsters on Mainstreet has been held and after a washout in 2019 and cancellation in 2020, organizers are hoping for something of a return to normal. “Right now the weather is looking OK,” said Kit Ketchmark, director of the Brookfield Historical Society. “Hopefully it’ll work out.”
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The first 500 kids showing up to S.E. Gross School in Brookfield for the Monsters on Mainstreet event on Oct. 30 will get taffy apples and pumpkins and can compete in a costume contest.
Trick-or-treating times, protocols Brookfield, Riverside and North Riverside have all set official trick-or-treating hours on Sunday, Oct. 31 for 3 to 7 p.m. All three village also are suggesting ways to let trick-or-treaters know – without having to come to the door – whether or not a household is passing out treats. In Brookfield, you can download and print out a “Trick-or-treaters welcome
here!” sign that you can place in your front window by visiting tinyurl.com/u52zpa8z. North Riverside invites those passing out treats and those declining to do so to visit the village’s website at northriverside-il. org/node/1194 to download and print out a green (yes) or red (no) sign that can be placed in the front window of your home. Riverside officials are asking those who are welcoming trick-or-treaters to leave their front porch lights on. Those who
are not giving out treats are asked to keep their porch lights off. To make it crystal clear, however, Riverside also has created signs indicating who is (with a green check mark) and who is not (with a red “X”) passing out treats. Links to the signs, which can be downloaded and printed, can be found at tinyurl. com/yrvxb594. In anticipation of another traditional year of door-to-door trick-or-treating and Halloween parties, the Illinois Department of Public Health has issued guidelines similar to those published a year ago to limit the spread of COVID-19. First and foremost, those eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine should get inoculated. Those already vaccinated who are also eligible to receive a booster shot should get one. The IDPH also urges everyone to wear masks indoors and try to maintain physical distance or avoid crowded settings. They reiterated that costume masks are not a substitute for a well-fitting mask that helps prevent the spread of COVID-19. Those households passing out treats indoors are asked to open doors and windows as much as possible. Those who are able to are asked to consider setting up a table outdoors or provide an outdoor area where individually wrapped treats can be set out. Outdoor parties are also preferable to indoor parties, according to the IDPH, with smaller gatherings reducing the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
Riverside police to be outfitted with body cameras in 2022 5-year lease agreement will also provide new Tasers and in-squad car dashboard cameras By BOB UPHUES Editor
Riverside patrol officers could be equipped with body cameras by early 2022 after village trustees expressed support for including in next year’s budget a five-year lease agreement with Axon Enterprise Inc. to provide 21 Axon 3 body cameras to the department, along with 21 less-than-lethal Taser stun guns and new onboard cameras for police vehicles. The village board hasn’t approved a purchase agreement yet, but no trustee objected to the inclusion of the $60,000 line item, which will appear in Riverside budgets from 2022 to 2026. An important part of the lease agreement, said Public Safety Director Matthew Buckley is that the body cameras, in-car cameras and Tasers will all store data in the same cloud-based secure system. The lease deal also will call for Axon to replace body cameras with the most up-to-date model midway through the agreement. The $60,000 annual cost includes all of the equipment, updates, cloud-based storage and redaction software. If the village board moves forward with the lease agreement
prior to 2022, said Buckley, officers would begin training while department leaders would create a written policy for how the equipment is to be used. Illinois law calls for all state police agencies to outfit their officers with body cameras by 2025. Brookfield trustees OK’d the purchase of body cameras in their 2021 budget, and the equipment has already been delivered, though the devices have not yet been put into use. North Riverside trustees approved a five-year lease with Axon to outfit its officers with body cameras during the 2021-22 fiscal year, which started May 1. They are not yet in use in that village. Buckley said he would like the body cameras to be in use on the streets in Riverside by early 2022. “The sooner the better, as far as I’m concerned,” Buckley said. While the body cameras would be a new piece of equipment for patrol officers, Riverside police have used in-car dashboard cameras since 1998. The new in-car cameras also include automatic license plate reader technology, which allows police quick access to vehicle registration information and whether a vehicle has been reported stolen or is wanted for involvement in a crime.
CREDIT: AXON ENTERPRISE, INC
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The Landmark, October 27, 2021
LaGrange, Classic Cinemas agree in principle on theater deal
Village, company will split proceeds of new ticket tax; lien to be removed from property By BOB UPHUES Editor
It’s been almost two years since the folks at the LaGrange Theater, 80 S. LaGrange Road in LaGrange, switched off the projectors and emptied the popcorn machine. But the theater’s doors could reopen by Memorial Day 2022 now that the village of LaGrange has reached an agreement with the theater’s owners and the company that will take over its operation. “On these types of matters, it’s easy to take a position and not be flexible,” said LaGrange Village President Mark Kuchler at the Oct. 11 meeting of the village board where the final deal was presented to the public. “But successful projects or proposals require give and take.” While the deal isn’t officially sealed, LaGrange trustees voted unanimously to instruct the village’s attorney to craft an ordinance to create an entertainment tax of 50 cents per ticket sold at the LaGrange Theater and that the revenue from that tax be divided equally between the village and the new the-
ater operator, Downers Grove-based Classic Cinemas. Kuchler illustrated the benefit of the entertainment tax, which will be collected in perpetuity, saying that if Classic Cinemas sells 180,000 tickets per year at the LaGrange Theater, the village and company would equally split the $90,000 in revenue. He likened the arrangement to sales tax rebates routinely given by municipalities to car dealerships they want to convince to stay long-term. “This tax will provide a substantial amount of money to be used for economic development and funding activities in the downtown,” Kuchler said. The deal also calls for the village to amend a 2009 agreement with the theater owners, John Rot and Dan Chopp, which placed a lien on the property calling for the owners to repay a $1 million loan given to renovate the theater in 2010 if the theater closed for any reason for more than 30 days. Although there was act-of-God language in the agreement that would have shielded the owners from the payback provision during the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020 and early
FILE
LaGrange Theater, 80 S. LaGrange Road, LaGrange 2021, movie theaters have been allowed to operate since spring. The amendment to the agreement would remove the lien. While the owners would derive that benefit from the deal, they are not party to the entertainment tax revenue-sharing arrangement. The LaGrange Village Board met Oct. 25, but the deal with Classic Cinemas was not on the agenda. The board will meet next on Nov. 8. Chris Johnson, the CEO of Classic Cinemas who attended the Oct. 11 village board meeting, told the Landmark in a phone interview that Memorial Day 2022 was his target for reopening the theater – as a first-run movie
FILE
LaGrange President Mark Kuchler indicated that Classic Cinemas might possibly bring back a vertical marquee, which was a feature of the LaGrange Theater’s original 1925 design, as seen in this postcard from that era.
house showing the latest releases. The renovation would expand the number of theaters inside the building from four to five by reconfiguring the space. Classic Cinemas also has requested installing an LED message board in the frame of the existing marquee. However, Kuchler said that there’s a possibility that the theater’s sign could be in line for another intriguing bit of restoration. “It’s possible that Chris Johnson’s father [Classic Cinemas founder Willis Johnson] will get personally involved and actually bring back the vertical sign,” Kuchler told those attending the Oct. 11 village board meeting. “It’s even possible that we’ll have a better sign than what’s out there now.” One LaGrange resident, Jim Longino, wondered whether the village might want to reassure residents skeptical of removing the property lien, which protected the village’s 2009 investment, by seeking some sort of guarantee from the owners that the building remains a movie theater long-term. “Once you remove that lien you have no control,” Longino said. Trustee Beth Augustine said there were “no guarantees it stays a theater with the deal or without,” and that the village was engaging in some level of trust and faith by agreeing to the deal. “But there also have been some good conversations and a fair amount of understanding that this is absolutely their intention, which is to keep it a theater and make it a better theater,” Augustine said. In response to questions about maintaining the theater’s historic appearance, Chris Johnson sought to reassure officials and members of the public attending the meeting that the company intended to do just that. “We’re dedicated to preserving the historic look and feel of the theater,” Johnson said. “That’s the spirit of the way we operate, hence the name Classic Cinemas.” Classic Cinemas operates more than a dozen movie houses in northeast Illinois, including the North Riverside Luxury 6 at North Riverside Park Mall and the Lake Theatre in Oak Park.
The Landmark, October 27, 2021
Brookfield moves to prevent abuse of bike parking credits Developers now must now provide at least 1 vehicle space per dwelling unit
By BOB UPHUES Editor
Brookfield trustees on Oct. 11 moved to close a loophole in the Station Area Zoning Code seen as a way for multifamily building developers to avoid including enough onsite vehicle parking by using bicycle parking in place of vehicle spaces. In a unanimous vote, trustees amended the code to provide a formula that will preserve a parking space-to-dwelling unit ratio of at least 1-to-1, which had been a concern of multiple trustees during deliberations on a proposed 14-unit apartment building at 8845 Burlington Ave., which was approved in July. The Station Area Zoning Code as previously written simply allowed developers to obtain one vehicle parking spot credit by substituting it for six covered, long-term bicycle parking spots. There was no limit in the code on how many vehicles spots could be eliminated using that credit formula. Without any bike parking credits, the developer of 8845 Burlington Ave. would have to had to provide 17.5 onsite vehicle parking spaces, since the code calls for developers to provide 1.25 parking spaces per dwelling unit. In the case of the Burlington Avenue proposal,
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the developer initially planned for just 11 onsite parking spaces, asking credit for 6.5 vehicle parking spaces by proposing to provide long-term parking for 39 bicycles. Village trustees concerned with potential abuse of the multifamily building parking space credit provision called on the Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission to craft language amending the Station Area Zoning Code relative to bike parking credits to avoid a repeat request. The amended code now limits the bike parking credit to 15 percent of the total number of required vehicle parking spaces based on the number of dwelling units. In the case of 8845 Burlington Ave., which would have required 17.5 spaces for 14 dwelling units, the most parking spaces the developer could now get credit for would be 2.6, which the village would round up to three. After getting pushback from village officials prior to the July approval, the developer of 8845 Burlington Ave. ended up providing 13 onsite parking spaces. Had the new law been place at that time, the developer would have had to provide 14. “A table has been added to the ordinance to make sure that it’s very clear how this is being calculated going forward,” said Village President Michael Garvey prior to the vote.
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The Landmark, October 27, 2021
‘ALIVE INSIDE’ Drawing a crowd from page 1 “We loved it, and had a lot of people who came by and loved it too, so we decided to keep it going,” he said. So, right after they packed away their decorations when Halloween ended last year, the couple was back at it, drawing up plans and gathering supplies to outfit their front yard for Halloween 2021. This year’s display, titled “Alive Inside,” is a fully immersive, zombie apocalypsethemed set which depicts a shelter during an outbreak that’s been penetrated by zombies. As visitors pass by, they are greeted — or scared — by life-sized figurines in the front yard, custom audio of a news broadcast detailing the zombie outbreak, a faux chain link fence, fog machines and flashing lights to complete the creepy, ominous vibe. And, in the few days leading up to Halloween, they’re planning on including a live actor or two to bring the scene to life even more. Thanks to the combination word of mouth, social media and Facebook Live video shares, Rick says each night, their home has been getting up to 150 visitors — not including vehicle traffic — with a mix of people coming not just from Brookfield and
ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
‘Alive Inside’ has been drawing between 60 and 150 people a night when the weather cooperates, says homeowner Rick Mastroianni, who moved to Brookfield two years ago with his husband, Raphael. the surrounding suburbs, but from Chicago and locations up to an hour away. In addition, their home made MyKidList. com’s annual Best Decorated Halloween Houses list, helping draw attention from across Chicagoland. Most nights, the Mastroiannis step outside their home for a while and chat with
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the people who come to see their setup. “We’ve had a lot of people come who say, ‘Hey, my mother, my sister, my aunt was here last weekend and they told me to come.’” Rick said. “We were shocked that people were driving 45 minutes to come out here. On average, we’ve had between 60 to 150 visitors a night, which is pretty wild. We thought it was just a really good idea to bring the neighborhood together, and now it’s surpassed our neighborhood.” Rick explains how the process truly is a year-round ordeal, and includes careful maintenance, even after it’s all set up. “We redo our animatronic props with new makeup and clothing changes each year, and are able to get the supplies we need through shopping at yard sales and thrift stores,” Rick said. “When it rains, we have to take contractor bags and cover everything be-
cause there’s a lot of electronics and heavy duty equipment. We also have to take things in every night.” The Mastroinannis are happy to see what appears to be a “return of Halloween to Brookfield,” noting their next door neighbors’ spooky decor at 4204 Maple Ave. and those at 3211 Harrison Ave. (skeletons/cemetery-theme) and 4412 Elm Ave. (“Pirates on Elm”). In a sense, the elaborate decorations are a nod to the village’s history as a Halloween destination for the haunted house at Ehlert Park, which was hosted by the Brookfield Jaycees from 1976 to 2012. The event, which in its heyday would draw upwards of 12,000 people a season, perennially won awards from the state Jaycees organization for its ability to terrify and amuse patrons. “A lot of people said they’ve been coming this way and checking out other decorated homes in Brookfield, which is just so awesome that Brookfield is this Halloween destination that we didn’t know when we first moved here,” Rick said. In addition to giving visitors a friendly fright, Rick said they also want to do something special to give back to the Brookfield community. Through Halloween, their house will include a box that says “supplies” on it — albeit zombie-themed — requesting canned food and nonperishable food donations from visitors, which they plan on donating to food pantries in the village. Overall, Rick says he is happy his family can provide a fun and free event for all ages to enjoy during the fall. “I think in these times, it’s important for people to have something that they can walk down the block or drive to that they can just have a couple of minutes and have that experience and forget about all of the craziness going on and not have to worry about it,” he said. “Alive Inside,” 4208 Maple Ave., welcomes visitors (weather permitting) every night from 6 to 10 p.m.
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A young visitor braves the zombie apocalypse playing out on the front lawn of the Mastroianni house on Maple Avenue in Brookfield on Oct. 25.
The Landmark, October 27, 2021
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Local COVID positivity rates hover around 1 percent Federal approval of vaccines for children 5-11 could come next week
By BOB UPHUES
The news comes as vaccination rates statewide continue to slowly climb, with 63.5 percent of all Illinoisans, 12 and older, having been fully vaccinated, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health, and 81.1 percent having received at least one dose of the vaccine. DuPage County, suburban Cook County and Lake County are the three areas with the highest rates of full vaccination in the state, all above 62 percent. According to the Cook County Department of Public Health, 84.3 percent of Riverside residents are fully vaccinated, with 61.2 percent fully vaccinated in Brookfield and 41.5 percent fully vaccinated in North Riverside.
Editor
COVID-19 positivity rates in Brookfield and the 60546 ZIP code, which includes both Riverside and North Riverside, have fallen to levels not seen since last spring. According to the Northwestern School of Medicine’s online dashboard tracking COVID-19 data, the seven-day rolling positivity rate in the 60546 ZIP code as of Oct. 25 had fallen to 0.89 percent, while Brookfield’s positivity rate had dipped to 1.25 percent. No additional deaths have been attributed to COVID-19 in any of the communities since Oct. 11 and the number of new cases in each village remains low, although they ticked up a fraction in Brookfield and Riverside for the week-long period ending Oct. 26. Both Riverside and Brookfield reported 11 new COVID-19 cases in the past week, while North Riverside reported just three, the lowest one-week total in that village since late July. Even though cases in Brookfield and Riverside inched upward from single-digit totals the week before, the rate is similar to those seen in late July in those villages.
Child vaccines on the horizon Gov. J.B. Pritzker at a press conference on Oct. 25 focused on the state’s effort to prepare for the approval of the PfizerBioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children age 5-11. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee is scheduled to meet Nov. 2 and 3 to consider approval. Illinois Department of Public Health Di-
rector Dr. Ngozi Ezike said the department has begun planning events for the following week. There are 1.1 million Illinoisans in the age 5-11 range that will become eligible for vaccination should the CDC approve it. “I firmly believe when we begin to vaccinate our younger residents of this state, the numbers will continue to drop for the cases and the hospitalizations statewide,” she said. “We use car seats and safety restraints in vehicles. We protect our kids from cigarette smoke and secondhand smoke. We monitor the toys they play with, and we vaccinate against vaccine-preventable diseases that literally save lives. Today, I’m asking you to add COVID to that list of vaccines.” The governor’s office said more than 2,200 providers statewide are already enrolled to provide the vaccine to children, and the state expects to receive 306,000 doses, with another 73,000 going to the city of Chicago and 100,000 doses to pharmacies. The outreach effort will also go directly to schools, Pritzker said. “We will be reaching out to approximately 750 public school districts that teach
elementary-aged students to offer them the opportunity to host parent-approved clinics right on school grounds,” he said. “We will have a team ready to go at the request of any district.” Parents hoping to get their children vaccinated by the holiday season should call their pediatricians as soon as possible, the governor said. For more on how to obtain a vaccine, visit vaccines.gov. Jerry Nowicki of Capitol News Illinois contributed to this report.
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The Landmark, October 27, 2021
The Landmark, October 27, 2021
P O L I C E
R E P O R T S
Catalytic converter thieves strike at local businesses A spate of catalytic converter thefts in Brookfield continued last week with offenders targeting local businesses where multiple vehicles are parked overnight. Police on the morning of Oct. 18 responded to Galloping Ghost Garage, 9521 Ogden Ave., after the manager called to report that sometime after Oct. 15 the catalytic converters had been removed from six vehicles parked in spaces along the alley outside the business. Brookfield police also responded to Gear and Repair, 9100 Plainfield Road, on the morning of Oct. 22 after someone called to report that someone had stolen the catalytic converter from a camper that was parked in the lot sometime after Oct. 18. While investigating that theft, another person at the business notified police that a portion of an exhaust system had been removed from another RV on the lot. That vehicle had been last seen intact about a week earlier. ■ North Riverside police responded to the parking lot of Petco, 2204 Harlem Ave., on Oct. 19 at about 2:20 p.m. after someone called to report that while he was in the store for just five minutes, someone had sawed off the catalytic converter from his 2021 Ford, which was parked in the lot.
DUI crash Brookfield police charged a 44-year-old Chicago man with driving under the influence of alcohol after he allegedly crashed his black 2008 Lexus into three vehicles in the 9000 block of Burlington Avenue on Oct. 19 at 2:10 a.m. According to police, the Lexus was eastbound on Burlington Avenue when he struck a gray Honda CR-V and a silver Subaru Forester that had been parked on the north side of Burlington Avenue and then crashed into a Nissan Altima head on, pushing that vehicle up onto the railroad embankment. Police reported that the driver of the Lexus was not injured but appeared heavily intoxicated and did not know what town he was in, telling officers he had been at a bar “on 17th” where he had gotten into a verbal altercation with someone he knew. Paramedics transported the driver to the hospital for evaluation, where a blood test reportedly revealed the man’s blood-alcohol content to be .207, which is more than two times the legal limit of .08. ■ A 24-year-old Brookfield woman whose 2021 Jeep rolled over onto its side after striking a Ford SUV parked in the 3300 block of Park Avenue on Oct. 22 about 2:05 a.m. was not injured in the crash. Police, however, charged the woman with DUI after firefighters extricated her from the vehicle. They also reported finding an open can of hard cider inside the vehicle.
Church vandalized An employee of the International Fellowship Church, 9146 Lincoln Ave., Brookfield, called police on the morning of Oct. 20 to report that, sometime after 9 p.m. on Oct. 18, an unknown person or people vandalized the church building. A dark-colored liquid had been sprayed on windows on the north, south and west sides of the church, and police reported observing “various acts of criminal damage and mischievous conduct” all around the church building. Police reported finding “candy canes and condoms” by two of the doors and a toy goat skeleton placed on the front door handles. A witness told police her husband had observed juveniles hanging out on the east side of the church on multiple occasions, but that he’d never observed them doing any mischief.
Garage burglary A resident of the 4200 block of Elm Avenue, Brookfield, called police to report that during the overnight hours someone had entered his garage and stole two Black and Decker drills, a tool and socket set and two bicycles. The bikes were described as an old green mountain bike and a black Vilano Diverse 1.0 Performance Hybrid 21-speed road bike valued at $350. The victim said it was possible the overhead garage door had been left open by mistake. There were no signs of forced entry.
Auto theft A resident of the 8400 block of Cermak Road, North Riverside, called police on Oct. 23 to report that between 7 and 8:45 p.m. someone had stolen his red 2014 Jeep Cherokee, which was parked in its normal spot at the building. The victim stated he had both sets of keys in his possession. Police reported seeing no signs of forced entry at the site where the vehicle had been parked.
Vehicle break-in North Riverside police responded to the building site of a new grocery store at 7201 24th Street on Oct. 20 after a worker called to report that, sometime between 6 and 7:05 a.m., someone had broken out the rear passenger side window of his vehicle, which was parked in the lot, and removed two wallets containing IDs, credit cards and debit cards. These items were obtained from police reports filed by the Riverside, North Riverside and Brookfield police departments, Oct. 18-24, and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Unless otherwise indicated, anybody named in these reports has only been charged with a crime. These cases have not been adjudicated.
— Compiled by Bob Uphues
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The Landmark, October 27, 2021
D95 school board mulls $6.74 bond issue in 2022 New bonds, which would replace existing debt, subject to backdoor referendum
By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
Looking to take advantage of historically low interest rates, Brookfield-LaGrange Park School District 95 will likely issue $6.74 million in working cash bonds next year. The bonds would replace existing debt that is scheduled to paid off in 2023, so taxpayers likely would not see an increase in the tax rate if new bonds are issued. If the school allows the debt to retire without issuing new debt, tax bills would decrease slightly. School district officials hope the new debt, which can be authorized without a referendum unless 10 percent of voters in the district sign a petition demanding one, can provide a cash cushion to allow the district to fund anticipated operating deficits projected to begin in 2025. “This will leave the district financially sound until 2030 or beyond,” District 95 Superintendent Mark Kuzniewski said at the Oct. 14 meeting of the District 95 Board of Education. At that meeting, financial advisor Elizabeth Hennessy of Raymond James presented a detailed report and analysis to the board about the possible bond issue.
Kuzniewski noted that the district has been adding staff and having more working cash on hand would allow the district to maintain its staffing levels after federal pandemic relief money runs out in a couple years. The new working cash bonds would mature in 10 years. Hennessey presented two options: issuing $6.74 million in working cash bonds next year or issuing $7.5 million in bonds in 2023. School board members will further discuss the matter at its Nov. 11 meeting, but it appears more likely that they will decide to issue the bonds next year to take advantage of the current low interest rate environment. Hennessy projected that bonds issued next year would carry an interest rate of 2.45 percent. If the district waits until 2023 to issue the bonds, Hennessey projected that the interest costs would rise to 2.94 percent. District 95 currently has an AA credit rating and officials of the district, including a school board member, would have to meet with ratings agencies before the bonds could be issued. If the school board decides to issue the bonds next year, it wouldn’t vote to approve the resolution stating an intent to issue the
SAT SCORES
Unique challenges from page 1 going to do better.” Kylie Lindquist, the assistant principal for curriculum and instruction at RBHS, also pointed to the challenges of the last year and said that test scores were only slightly lower. “SAT scores for the class of 2022 are slightly (very slightly) lower than previous years; however, these students lived and learned through a pandemic and still came in well above the state and national average and came very close to the average scores of the classes that preceded them,” Lindquist wrote in an email to the Landmark. “We have identified gaps and continue to work to dispatch interventions and adjust instruction in order to help students meet benchmarks on the SAT. “ Katie Smith, the coordinator of assessment and research at LTHS, who presented a detailed report on test scores to the District 204 Board of Education on Oct. 18, also pointed to unique challenges presented by remote and hybrid learning. “Because educational and environmental conditions were so drastically different for the Class of 2022, it is unwise to compare their performances to previous classes,” Smith told the school board. But Smith said that the test data should not be ignored. “It is true that we need to be careful with comparing assessment data from the last two years to prior years, but that is not to say that the data should be discounted completely,” Smith said. At both RBHS and LTHS there were larger drops in scores
bonds until next March. It would then have to hold a public hearing in April. If 10 percent or more of registered voters in the district sign a petition calling for a referendum, a process known as a backdoor referendum, the decision on whether to issue the bonds would be determined in
in the math section of the SAT than the reading section. Math scores dropped by 25 points at RBHS compared to two years ago and math scores at LTHS dropped by 29 points. “This is likely due to last year’s scheduling 525 less instructional minutes than previous years, also likely due to remote learning for the last portion of their sophomore year, which was geometry being remote, because 40 percent of the SAT is geometry in the math section,” Smith said. Smith said another factor in the drop in math scores could have been that calculators are not allowed during the SAT and students were used to working with calculators at home. Fifty-three percent of the Class of 2022 at LTHS was deemed college-ready by their performance on the SAT, a decline of 13 percent. In the state as a whole, 45 percent of the Class of 2022 was deemed college-ready by their performance on the SAT.
AP performance drops in D204 Performance on Advanced Placement exams also fell at LTHS, with the school recording its lowest AP pass rate in school history at 72 percent, eight points lower than one year ago. LTHS students also took 150 fewer AP Exams last year compared to 2020. There was again a wide achievement gap between white students and students of color at LTHS. The average SAT composite score for white students in the LTHS Class of 2022 was 1134 compared to an average score of only 864 for the 24 Black students in the Class of 2022 who took the SAT, a gap of 270 points. Hispanic students at LTHS had an average score of 972. “That data shows there is an achievement gap that has continued with the Class of 2022,” Smith said. The highest-performing demographic subgroups at LTHS
a referendum that would likely take place at the June 2022 primary election. If there are not sufficient signatures to force a referendum, the school board would vote in May to determine the exact amount of a bond issue, and then sell the bonds would in May or June.
were multiracial and Asian students, with multiracial students having an average SAT composite score of 1147 and Asian students having an average score of 1143. Economically disadvantaged students, as determined by eligibility for the free or reduced lunch program, also scored lower. Economically disadvantaged students had an average SAT score of 914 compared to an average score of 1112 for their economically better off classmates. RBHS did not provide subgroup breakdowns prior to the Landmark’s print deadline. The racial disparity was also wide in Advanced Placement exam results at LTHS and in AP class enrollment. In all, 54.5 percent of white students at LTHS passed an AP exam compared to 37.7 percent of Hispanic students and 28.6 percent of Black students. Students enrolled in AP classes at LTHS were disproportionally white and Asian. “White students are five times more likely than Black students and two times more likely than Hispanic students to be enrolled in Advanced Placements,” Smith said. Smith said the school is developing new strategies to address the achievement gap, including focusing on the subject during faculty professional development. “We take this very seriously at LT,” Smith said. “We have tried many past efforts at addressing this achievement gap and we have taken some efforts recently to do some things different, because things haven’t been working in the past.” School board member Michael Thomas, the only Black member of the District 204 school board and a graduate of LTHS, said culture could be a factor in the achievement gap. “It could be the culture too,” Thomas said. “While we do have a college prep and college-going culture, I mean that doesn’t necessarily translate over to students of color in the culture that we have here.”
The Landmark, October 27, 2021
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The Landmark, October 27, 2021
Opinion KOSEY CORNER
THE LANDMARK VIEW
The right direction
N
ews that the Pfizer vaccine could be OK’d as early as next week for inoculating kids as young as 5 years old is a welcome development during a period in which case numbers are declining after a summer spike. We’d note that at this time last year, COVID-19 cases were just beginning to reach frightful peaks during the pandemic’s second wave, prior to the emergency approval of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for adults. With cold weather driving more people indoors, coupled with in-person school, you might have feared a repeat of last year’s spike. But with the delta variant giving many people the incentive to get inoculated and more and more companies and government agencies mandating vaccines, positivity rates have fallen to near pandemic lows, at least locally. In densely populated suburban Cook County, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the seven-day rolling positivity rate as of Oct. 23 had fallen to 1.9 percent. It’s no surprise that suburban Cook County is among the top three regions in the state for having its 12+ population fully vaccinated, at more than 62 percent. The percentage is even greater among Cook County residents age 18 and older — almost 77 percent. The only county with a higher percentage of adults vaccinated is DuPage County, next door, at a little more than 78 percent. The data is clear: Vaccines are helping reduce the spread of COVID-19, even in the most populous areas of the state. Rural areas with low population density and low vaccine rates are seeing higher positivity rates. These are not coincidences. If you haven’t received a vaccination yet, it’s easy to find a place to walk in and get one — your local Walgreens and CVS stores, for example — and they’re free. If you have questions you need answered, get the facts at vaccines.gov. Vaccines are safe and while they can’t guarantee blanket protection against infection, more people who are vaccinated mean fewer people who will spread it. We can’t say this enough: Public health is not a political issue. Controlling the spread of COVID-19 is a matter of public good. Anyone encouraging you not to be vaccinated is not interested in the general welfare of the public, which makes you wonder — what are they interested in?
Justice served
There will not be a day in the lives of Michael Smith’s family, where his loved ones won’t think of him and the senseless violence that took his life. They will re-experience that trauma and the loss again and again. When two of the men involved in Smith’s murder pleaded guilty to a lesser charge — for putting a contract on Smith’s life — and were released from jail after serving a little more than four years, we can’t imagine the outrage Smith’s loved ones must have felt. On Oct. 25, a judge sentenced the man who pulled the trigger to 65 years in prison. In Illinois, anyone charged with first-degree murder must serve 100 percent of the sentence. Smith’s killer will be in prison until he is 95 years old. It won’t make Smith’s family whole, but the sentence is just.
R
Newspaper clipping brings Riverside past alive
iverside is filled with history, due to its age, landscape, architecture and people, so when I recently ran across an old newspaper clipping on the computer it reminded me of people who had chosen Riverside as their home. The clipping was a photo from a Chicago newspaper dated Aug. 29, 1940 and it was a picture of a lovely young girl named Frances Jones, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Sydney Jones of Riverside, who had been named queen of the 1940 Chicago College All-Star football game in Chicago. The annual summer exhibition game pitted the previous year’s NFL champion against a team of college all stars. Jones was to present a trophy to Bill Osmanski of the Chicago Bears, who the year before was named MVP of the game playing for the College All Stars after starring as a fullback at Holy Cross College. It was noted that Miss Jones was the first girl from a Catholic college to be named queen and that Frances, though a member of the Christian Science Church, attended Rosary College, a college for women (now Dominican University) in River Forest. The Jones family attended the Christian Science Church on Longcommon Road that’s now the home of the Leone family.
Frances Jones was described as “petite and blonde” and one of the most beautiful college girls in the country. She had attended Riverside schools and graduated from RiversideBrookfield High School, While at Rosary, she was active in the drama department. She married Brackett Denniston, an Episcopalian who attended St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and they raised their four children in the Episcopal faith. The children, Debbie, Brackett, Blair and Jay all attended Riverside schools and keep contact with many of their friends from their younger years. The family was active in the community with some relatives also living in Riverside, so it would not be unusual to see the name of Denniston appear in newspaper clippings about Riverside. There are many people who still remember the family and for those of you who are not familiar with them, you have now been introduced. So those of you who consider yourselves “pack rats” those old clippings may conjure pleasant memories, and if they find their way to me it may even be an interesting subject for Kosey Corner. It is always nice to put good news into print and share some of lesser known stories. I’m always looking for things to interest you and me.
JOANNE KOSEY
OBITUARIES
Roger G. Fritsch, 83 Retired Brookfield Post Office custodian Roger G. Fritsch, 83, of Brookfield, died Oct. 23, 2021 at Abbington Nursing Home in Roselle. Mr. Fritsch was born in Berwyn on May 6, 1939 and worked as a custodian for the United States Postal Service at the Brookfield Post Office before retiring. He was the son of the late George and late Rose (nee Vavrina) Fritsch, the cousin of Kathleen (Wayne) Zewall and Janet (late Thomas) Haberle and the longtime
friend of Alice Johnson. Visitation is Wednesday, Oct. 27 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield. Graveside service and interment to follow at Woodlawn Cemetery, Forest Park. Memorial luncheon back at the funeral home following the cemetery service. Online condolences, memories and photographs may be shared with the family at JohnsonNosek.com.
ROGER G. FRITSCH
To run an obituary Please contact Bob Uphues by e-mail: buphues@rblandmark.com, before Monday at noon. Please include a photo if possible.
Sports
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The Landmark, October 27, 2021
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Senior captains lead LTHS volleyball to conference title Lions ride 30-3 record into postseason, but face tough sectional test By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Even without a volleyball around, Lyons Township High School seniors Adriana Vassek and Tia Kostic are pretty inseparable. Teammates since seventh grade, they often hang out, have many of the same classes and usually drive to school together to thwart the challenging parking situation. “She drives mostly, but we take turns,” Kostic said. “I’ve got the parking spot,” said Vassek, smiling. The co-captains have helped the Lions enjoy quite a ride this season. They’re 30-3 and impressively won their first West Suburban Conference Silver Division title since 2019 with a 6-0 record. Entering this week’s IHSA Class 4A Regional, which the Lions are hosting, LTHS is ranked No. 3 in Class 4A by MaxPreps and are the No. 2 seed in the Mother McAuley Sec-
ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
LTHS volleyball co-captain Tia Kostic (9) notches one of her 452 career kills (she also has 131 blocks) during the Lions’ loss -- just their third all season -- to top-ranked Mother McAuley on Oct. 20 in LaGrange.
tional. McAuley is ranked No. 1 in Class 4A and defeated the Lions 27-25, 25-20 Wednesday. Marist, also ranked in the state’s top five in Class 4A, is the sectional’s No. 3 seed. “We want to go big. We want to take it all the way to the end and go as far as we can,” Vassek said. “Instead of looking to the seniors, we are the seniors now so it’s just a different mindset to where we have to be reliable for our teammates.” A fourth-year varsity player, the 5-foot-8 Vassek leads LTHS with 235 serve receptions and is second with 206 kills and 175 digs, as of Oct. 20. In her third varsity season, the 6-1 Kostic has team bests of 213 kills, 49 blocks and 22 service aces. “I think us two have chemistry and that just comes with connection. I also think [LTHS coach Jill Bober] has had an influence on us,” Kostic said. “This year we have a super strong team. We have a good mental toughness.” The co-captains have fostered the focused atmosphere. It started preseason and continues through various goal checkpoints along the way. ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer “They set such a strong foundation for the team. “[Our playAdriana Vassek, who has 500 career kills and 414 digs, is a four-year varsity player ers] are a very goal-oriented who remains on the court for all six rotations. Above, Vassek spikes the ball during team and [Kostic and Vassek]
the Lions’ game against Mother McAuley on Oct. 20.
lend themselves very well to that,” said Bober last week after the Lions beat Downers Grove North for the first time since their last 6-0 Silver run in 2014. “Going undefeated in this conference is tough, incredibly tough. Again that’s a testament to the girls and their work ethic.” For their careers, Vassek has 500 kills and 414 digs and Kostic has 452 kills and 131 blocks. Vassek, especially, is a court presence because she plays the full six rotations. Kostic plays front row and serves. “Freshman year, [Vassek] was finding her spot, finding her voice, and now she’s the first one to bring the girls together when she feels the energy is lacking or she feels the girls need to re-focus. She really does set the pace of our defense, our offense,” Bober said. “[Kostic] is so focused and she certainly brings that aggressive but kind energy to the court, to practice.” The co-captains also have the Lions thriving with defensive specialist Alana Palter the only other regularly starting senior. Full-rotation sophomore setter Abby Markworth (team-high 604 assists, 20 aces) and libero Kiley Mahoney (team-best 214 digs, 22 aces and 188 service points) and junior Kamryn Lee-Caracci (178 kills, 37 blocks) and juniors Grace Brennan (111 kills) and Katie Debs (44 blocks) are significant contributors. “We did lose a lot of good seniors. I think it’s been really fun to see that we came back this year and came back very strong,” Vassek said. “We’ve kind of pushed the team to have stronger bonds and I think that also ties into our mental toughness,” Kostic said. “Our progress has gotten so much better and I think as a whole we’re really connecting.”
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The Landmark, October 27, 2021
S P O R T S
RBHS football faces tough test in playoff opener East St. Louis, which has outscored opponents 298-2 in 7 wins, awaits By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
Despite three lopsided losses to end the regular season the Riverside-Brookfield High School football team has qualified for the state playoffs. The “reward” for the 13th seeded Bulldogs in the IHSA Class 6A tournament will be a trip to East St. Louis to take on a team that has defeated its five Illinois regular season opponents by a combined score of 298-2. East St. Louis has a record of 7-2, but its two losses have come against teams ranked second and fifth in the country by the website MaxPreps. They are the No. 4 seed in the Class 6A playoffs. The game kicks off at 3 p.m. on Oct. 30 in East St. Louis. The team is led by wide receiver Luther Burden III who is rated as the sixth-best overall football recruit in the country by both Rivals.com and 247Sports.com. Burden had scholarships offers from both Alabama and Georgia but recently committed to play football next year for the University of Missouri. On Oct. 22, the Bulldogs (5-4) closed out the regular season getting overpowered at home, losing 54-14 to Bishop McNamara. RBHS started slow, falling behind 20-0 in the first quarter. They couldn’t stop speedy sophomore running back Tony Phillips who ran for five touchdowns, three in the first quarter. Phillips, a 5-6, 160 pound sophomore who
has scholarship offers from Syracuse, Tennessee and Florida Atlantic, raced through and around the Bulldogs for 298 yards on 18 carries and had touchdown runs of two yards, 83 yards, 20 yards, 75 yards, and 50 yards. “You can’t simulate 4.4 speed in practice,” said RBHS coach Brendan Curtin. “He’s just a talented runner.” The Bulldog defense stiffened in the second quarter but Bishop McNamara (5-4) scored two more touchdowns. The first came with 3:30 left in the first half when Alan Smith picked off a pass by RBHS quarterback T.J. Sloan and returned it 54 yards for a touchdown. The Fighting Irish made it 34-0 at the half when quarterback Brady Bertrand hit tight end Michael O’Connor for a 23-yard touchdown pass with just 24.9 seconds left. At halftime Curtin challenged his team to focus on winning the third quarter. The Bulldogs responded and got their offense, which was held to just 40 yards in the first half, going, scoring 14 points to match Bishop McNamara’s output in the period. Nathan Padilla gave the Bulldogs a spark on the first play of the second half when he made a big hit on O’Conner, forcing a fumble that Marcus Moody recovered for the Bulldogs. On the very next play sophomore quarterback Diego Gutierrez got the Bulldogs on the scoreboard with a 28-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Iggy Bielobradek to make the score 34-7. The Bulldogs defense rose up and stopped Bishop McNamara on the downs on the Fighting Irish’s next possession, but when Bishop McNamara next got the ball Phillips broke free for a 75 yard touchdown scamper
FILE
RBHS wide receiver Iggy Bielobradek caught a 28-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Diego Gutierrez, one of two Bulldogs touchdowns in the third quarter against Bishop McNamara on Oct. 22. to make the score 41-7. Brady Vaia returned the ensuing kickoff to midfield. The Bulldogs offense, directed on this series by Sloan, promptly drove 50 yards and scored when Sloan connected with Vaia for a 16-yard touchdown pass to make the score 41-14. “We showed a heck of a lot more spark and focus in the third quarter than we did in the first half,” Curtin said. Injuries continued to mount for the Bull-
dogs as running back/defensive back Vinnie Maietta hurt his left shoulder in the first half and did not return to game. Vaia was shaken up in the fourth quarter. The Bulldogs have been without wide receiver Matt Novak since he injured his knee in the second game of the season. Novak kicked a 49 yard game winning field goal as time expired to defeat Morton in the season opener. That field goal turned out to be the key to the Bulldogs making the playoffs.
RBHS girls cross country steps up, advances to sectionals With top runner still out, Bulldogs turn in team effort
By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter
Despite their top runner bowing out of the race, the Riverside-Brookfield High School girls cross country team grabbed the final team qualifying spot at last Saturday’s IHSA Class 2A regional meet, hosted by Kaneland High School, and advanced to the sectional meet on Oct. 30. The Bulldogs grabbed the sixth by a margin of just 5 points edging out seventhplace finisher Glenbard South to advance to the sectional race at Fenton.
The Bulldogs’ top runner Bryce Kocourek, who has been ill, was unable to run for the second straight week. But the Bulldogs had a solid pack, led by Maria Dalton who finished 25th and freshman Gianna Gelb ran a strong race to finish 29th, a step ahead of Lilly Kocourek, who finished 30th. Joaliz Rodriguez finished 44th and Mia Wagner finished 45th to complete the scoring for the Bulldogs. “We’re very happy,” said RBHS coach Blair Jensen. “It was really a team effort because our top girl, she’s been sick for two weeks so she pulled out, and the rest of the
girls stepped up. It really shows that the team is looking after each other and running hard.” Nazareth Academy took the team title in the girls race and Fenwick’s Bella Daley was the top individual finisher, covering the three-mile course in 18 minutes, 6.21 seconds
RBHS boys finish 1-2 at regionals The RBHS boys team easily qualified for the sectional by finishing third powered by a one-two finish by Paul Proteau (15:09.60)
and Cooper Marrs (15:14.20). Jack O’Brien finished 12th (16:05.97), followed by Zack Gaynor (29th, 16:32.27) and William Kallas (32nd, 16:39.17) to complete the scoring for the Bulldogs. Fenwick captured the team title with 44 points. Kaneland finished second with 69 points while the Bulldogs were third with 76 points. The Bulldogs again defeated conference rival St. Francis, which finished fourth with 113 points. Glenbard South and Marmion grabbed the final two team qualifying spots.
S P O R T S
The Landmark, October 27, 2021
19
LTHS power past Downers North to notch playoff berth Antonietti scores twice to put Lions in postseason for first time since 2017
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Senior captains Joey Antonietti, Owen Cherry and John Tobin were determined to get the Lyons Township High School football team into the state playoffs for the first time since 2017. Antonietti, a returning All-West Suburban Conference Silver Division quarterback, also began playing running back and receiver in Week 6. “[Lions coach Jon Beutjer] wanted to try some new things,” Antonietti said. “Right now it’s working so we’re going to keep doing it going into the playoffs.” With those playoff hopes on the line Friday, Antonietti scored second-half touchdowns as a receiver and running back as the Lions won 21-14 at Downers Grove North. LTHS (5-4) visits Lockport (8-1) in IHSA Class 8A playoff action at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. “I’ve been playing with these guys since freshman year, so it’s awesome to make it to the playoffs,” Antonietti
said. “This year, a big part of some of our losses have been on us. We’ve just got to play our game.” Lockport was the Southwest Suburban Blue co-champion and the Porters have allowed just 60 points. Lockport lost 12-10 to Lincoln-Way East (7-2) on Oct. 15 but has scored in the 40s five times. “We’ve played some really good football teams, which I feel prepares us for the playoffs,” Beutjer said Friday. “I’m just so happy for our kids and the program.” Antonietti scored on a 14-yard run and 14-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Ryan Jackson, who also threw a 31-yard second-quarter touchdown pass to Colin Grace. That drive covered 99 yards following Cherry’s interception in front of the goal line. Downers North (4-5) closed to 21-14 with 6:44 left, but LTHS then ran out the clock. “To come out and be able to put two good halves together and really come together at the right time, it feels great,” Cherry said.
IAN MCLEOD/Contributor
LTHS senior Joey Antonietti (5), shown above against Proviso West earlier this month, ran for one touchdown and had another as a receiver to key the Lions’ 21-14 win over Downers Grove North on Oct. 22.
By Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.
I
FILING AN AMENDED TAX RETURN
f taxpayers discover a mistake on their tax return, this is not necessarily cause for concern. Most errors can be fixed by filing a Form 1040-X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. Here are some common reasons people may need to file an amended return: • Entering income incorrectly • Not claiming credits for which they’re eligible • Claiming deductions incorrectly Taxpayers who do need to amend their tax return might have questions about how to do so. Here are some things they should know: Taxpayers who cannot or choose not to file their 1040-X electronically should complete a paper Form 1040-X. • If filing a paper 1040-X, mail it to the IRS address listed in the form’s instructions under Where to File.
Taxpayers filing Form 1940-X in response to an IRS notice should mail it to the IRS address indicated on the notice. • File a separate Form 104 -X for each tax year. When mailing amended retums to the IRS, place each tax year in a separate envelope and enter the year of the original return being amended at the top of Form 1040-X. • Wait - if expecting a refund - for the original tax return to be processed before filing an amended return. • Taxpayers should file Form 1040-X to claim a refund within three years from the date they timely filed the original tax return or within two years from the date they pay the tax, whichever is later.
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The Landmark, October 27, 2021
Growing Community Media
HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.
BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG
Discover 20+ jobs available in Downtown Oak Park! Line cook, servers, sales, and more. Visit downtownoakpark.net/ job-listings for details.
PART-TIME ELECTRICIAN’S HELPER
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CALL 708-738-3848
Budget and Revenue Analyst The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Budget and Revenue Analyst. This position will Serve the public with professional administrative and analytical duties in the areas of budget preparation, purchasing, payroll, data analysis and process improvement. Provides, prepares and maintains records, and financial and statistical reports and analysis which assist in the Village’s ability to improve business processes and gain efficiencies through better use of technology. Budget duties include assisting in the development, analysis and application of performance measures with regard to Village services and resources; preparing, modifying, tracking and monitoring Village expenses and transfers; and conducting budget-related research and analysis. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park. us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. First review of applications November 1,2021. PART-TIME WAREHOUSE Local company looking for part time driver/warehouse. Must be drug free & have valid IL DL. Must be able to lift 75lb. $14/hr Email resume to HR@sievertelectric.com Community Service Officer The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Community Service Officer in the Police Department. This position will perform a variety of public service, customer service and law enforcement related duties and responsibilities that do not require the services of a sworn police officer; and to perform a variety of administrative duties. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oakpark.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application no later than October 29, 2021.
LEGAL SECRETARY The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Legal Secretary in the Law Department. This position will perform a variety of responsible and advanced legal secretarial and clerical duties in support of the Law Department; perform complex clerical duties within the assigned work unit; and provide secretarial and administrative support to Law Department staff. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application no later than October 22, 2021. CHILDCARE WORKER The Village of Forest Park has immediate openings for before and after school program. Part-time hours are M-F 2-6 p.m. Must be at least 18 years old, have a driver’s license and pass drug screening and background check. $11.00/Hour. Apply in person at Howard Mohr Community Center, 7640 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park. 708-771-7737. FULL-TIME BUS DRIVER The Village of Forest Park has immediate opening for a responsible full-time PACE Bus Driver to transport senior citizens, disabled residents and school children. Must have a valid Illinois C Class CDL license and attend PACE training. In addition, must be physically fit and submit to criminal background check, annual physical exam and drug and alcohol testing. M-F Days Full Benefits. Apply in person at Howard Mohr Community Center, 7640 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park. 708-771-7737. POLICE DESK CLERK FOREST PARK, IL The Forest Park Police Department, seeks a Full-Time Police Desk Clerk. Eligible candidates will be required to pass an aptitude test and an extensive background check. Qualifications include computer skills, the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines, good knowledge of English language, general office skills, including handling non-emergency calls and walk-up customer service, and good verbal and written skills. HOLIDAY, EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS ARE MANDATORY. Starting salary $31,222 annually. Open until filled. Applications are available at Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Ave. or at www.forestpark. net and should be returned Attn: Vanessa Moritz, Village Clerk, Village of Forest Park, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130. Email: vmoritz@forestpark.net
HELP WANTED
PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FOREST PARK, IL The Forest Park Police Department, seeks a Full-Time Parking Enforcement Officer. Eligible candidates will be required to pass an aptitude test and an extensive background check. Qualifications include high school diploma (or equivalent), a valid driver’s license, knowledge of basic parking regulations, and good verbal and written skills.
EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS ARE MANDATORY. Starting salary $31,222 annually. Open until filled. Applications are available at Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Ave. or at www.forestpark.net and should be returned Attn: Vanessa Moritz, Village Clerk, Village of Forest Park, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130. Email: vmoritz@forestpark.net. Parking Enforcement Officer The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Parking Enforcement Officer in the Police Department Field Services Division. This position will perform a variety of duties and responsibilities involved in the enforcement of Village parking regulations; and to provide general information and assistance to the public. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. Part-Time Civilian Information Management Call Taker The Forest Park Police Department, seeks a Part-Time Civilian Information Management Call Taker. Pay is $17.19/hr. Eligible candidates will be required to pass an aptitude test and an extensive background check. Qualifications include high school diploma (or equivalent), good verbal and written skills, working knowledge of the computer and Windows, ability to type accurately, a good working knowledge of the English language, the ability to treat customers and co-workers in a polite manner and the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines. Data entry skills and experience answering telephones/operating a switchboard are preferred. EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS ARE MANDATORY. Open until filled. Applications are available at Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Ave. and should be returned Attn: Vanessa Moritz, Village Clerk, Village of Forest Park, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130. Email: vmoritz@forestpark.net. CROSSING GUARD The Forest Park Police Department is seeking qualified individuals for the position of Crossing Guard. This position requires flexible hours during days when schools are in session. A background investigation and drug screening will be conducted prior to consideration for the position. Applications available at Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Avenue or on-line at www.forestpark.net and should be returned to Vanessa Moritz, HR Director, at Village Hall. For additional information, contact Dora Murphy at 708-615-6223 or write dmurphy@forestpark.net. Applications accepted until position is filled. EOE.
Outstanding Local JOBS: Top rated firm Alpina Manufacturing LLC founded in 1992, locally owned beautiful campus in Galewood, near Mars candy, 3 blocks north of Oak Park. We build and sell display framing systems to customers nationwide including Wal-Mart, Verizon, Circle K, Hospitals We are seeking to fill the following positions, all in Galewood, no travel. Full time, Part time, Flex hours for working parents or students. We train, no travel, work in Galewood. Open to any backgrounds. Excellent pay, salary, benefits, friendly caring management. National Accounts Rep, Production Manager or Trainee, Packaging Specialist trainee Display frame Production trainee, Office/Bookkeeping Assistant trainee. Visit www.fastchangeframes.com/careers for more details 6460 W Cortland St Chicago, IL 60707 Manufacturing
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EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination. The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal-opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.
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The Landmark, October 27, 2021
CLASSIFIED
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MARKETPLACE WANTED TO BUY WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, flags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead, plastic – other misc. toys. Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400
ITEMS FOR SALE PIANO FOR SALE
Chickering 1938 grand piano, 5’4”. Good condition. Refurbished and restrung in the past. Buyer must move. Reasonable at $1000.
GARAGE/YARD SALES YARD SALE ALL NEW KITCHEN STUFF: 432 CIRCLE AVENUE SAT 10/30 & SUN 10/31 9AM – 4PM
All new kitchenware from Restaurant Supply. Wine glasses/hi-ball glasses/shot glasses/etc./coffee mugs White Bone China serving plates/platters all new. Chafing dishes/large, mop heads, large strainers with wooden handles. Come see lots of stuff.
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New hardwood flooring installation & pergo. Sanding, re-finishing, staining. Low prices, insured. Call: 773-671-4996 www.klisflooring.com
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2 TVs, 21” monitor, mirror 36X64, butcher block 36X25, 36 lb trolling motor, hardware, home goods, CDs, books, ladies M-XXL, Men’s M-XXL shirts, coats, and so much more. Must wear a mask!
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HANDYMAN CURT'S HANDYMAN SERVICE Drywall Repair • Painting Fans Installed • Carpentry Trim Gutter Cleaning • Window Repair
FREE ESTIMATES Excellent References No Job Too Small
708-488-9411
HANDYMAN Roofing Repairs Concrete Repairs • Drywall All types of handiwork Call For Free Estimates
773-637-0692 Ask for John
Reach the people making the decisions. Place an ad in GCM Classified! Call 773/626-6332
YOUR WEEKLY AD
Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, Plastering Ferrari’s, Jaguars,McNulty Muscle Cars, & Stucco Co. Small & big work. Free estimates. Mustang & Mopars Complete Plaster, Stucco
BASEMENT CLEANING
Appliances & Furniture Removal Pickup & Delivery. 708-848-9404
$$ Top $$ all 708/386-2951 makes, Etc. LANDSCAPING
& Re-Coating Services
• ANYTIME
Work Guaranteed
Licensed, Bonded, Insured, & EPA Certified Expert craftsmanship for over 50 years
Collector James
BRUCE LAWN SERVICE
PLUMBING 630-201-8122
Spring Clean-Up Aerating, Slit Seeding Bush Trimming, Lawn Maintenance brucelawns.com
708-243-0571
NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN UP
Evergreen trimming & more. Clean-ups. Garden weed removal. Storm Branch Tree Removal.
708-447-1762
PAINTING & DECORATING CLASSIC PAINTING
Fast & Neat Painting/Taping/Plaster Repair Low Cost
708.749.0011
Supreme Plumbing & Sewer Services Installation: kitchens, baths, showers •Sewer Systems Piping Clogged drains •Water heaters
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed Quality workmanship & service 20+ years’ experience Locally owned & operated
Free Estimates!
708-955-7844
708-657-4226
2BR APT FOR RENT
2 BR, 1 BA, 2nd floor unit of 2-story house. $1350/mo., 2 occ. max. 2 blocks to downtown Forest Park and downtown Oak Park; 1 block to Green Line Harlem stop and Oak Park Metra stop. Hardwood floors, bright and spacious rooms, storage and coin-op laundry in basement, parking space for one vehicle included. 1 year lease required. Tenant pays electric, gas, water. No smoking. No pets allowed. $40 non refundable application fee with a min 690 credit score. Last month’s rent due at signing. Inquire by email at voyageursllc@gmail.com.
ROOMS FOR RENT
WOOD
FIREWOOD UNLIMITED
Fast Delivery MIXED HARDWOODS CBH & MIX 100% OAK CHERRY OR HICKORY 100% BIRCH Seasoned 2 years Stacking Available
STUDIOS, 1, 2 & 3 BR Best Selection & Service
OAK PARK & FOREST PARK
708-386-7355
MMpropMgmt.com
CITY RENTALS AUSTIN RENAISSANCE APARTMENTS
A HUD subsidized affordable Apartment property announces the opening of its waiting list for both One and Two Bedroom Apartments! Resident rent is approximately 30% of gross household income, some restrictions apply. Our property is located on Washington Blvd in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. Apartments offered with an occupancy of one to four persons. Properties feature modern kitchens, include appliances, and offer onsite maintenance. Austin Renaissance will accept requests for application packages by U.S. Mail postmarked no later than , September 15, 2021. Send or email a written request for an application package that includes your name, mailing address. Daytime telephone number, Email address, and the number of persons in your household to: Town Center Realty Group LLC, PO Box 64, Huntley IL 60142-0064 or Email requests to mrpaul.tcrg@gmail.com Application packages available by mail or email delivery only. No walk-ins accepted.
Town Center Realty Group LLC
Large Sunny Room with fridge, microwave. Near Green line, bus, Oak Park, 24 hour desk, parking lot. $125.00. New Mgmt. 312-212-1212
OFFICE /RETAIL FOR RENT A 1,635 Sq. Ft. Retail Space for Lease (END CAP) Recently Updated/remodeled. Heavy traffic area. **Discounted Rate-Limited Time! If Leave message, Include: Your Name, Number & Type of Business. TEXT or CALL: (708)828-6491
RIVER FOREST–7777 Lake St. * 1116 sq. ft. * 1400 sq. ft. Dental Office RIVER FOREST–7756 Madison St. * 960 sq. ft. OAK PARK–6142-44 Roosevelt Rd. * 3 & 5 room office suites FOREST PARK–7736 Madison St. *2500 sq. ft. unit Strand & & Browne Strand Browne 708-488-0011 708-488-0011
johnlavin530@gmail.com License #PR-1234
SUBURBAN RENTALS
ROOMMATE WANTED ROOMMATE WANTED FOR N OAK PARK TOWNHOUSE ISO roommate for 3 floor townhouse. Interested parties will need to submit to a background check and show last 2 months’ paystubs. Smoking allowed. Rent $850/month plus half of utilities. Parking can be purchased for approx. $600/yr. First and last months’ rent due when approved. Call 708-214-1141
847-888-9999 Order online:
www. suregreen landscape.com
Credit Cards Accepted
REACHES SIX SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES: OAK PARK, RIVER FOREST,FOREST PARK, BROOKFIELD, RIVERSIDE, NORTH RIVERSIDE, AND PARTS OF CHICAGO
De-Clutter. Advertise your garage sale for just $25 in Forest Park Review Wednesday Journal and Riverside-Brookfield Landmark
Call Stacy at 708.613.3342
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The Landmark, October 27, 2021
CLASSIFIED
BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG
Let the sun shine in...
Public Notice: Your right to know
In print • Online • Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year RBLandmark.com | PublicNoticeIllinois.com PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on Monday 15 November 2021 at 7:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois, the Zoning Board of Appeals will conduct a public hearing to consider a text amendment to Title 9 of the Forest Park Zoning Ordinance to clarify the use regulations and district restrictions related to restaurants and liquor licensees in the Neighborhood Business District (B-1). The applicant for this petition is the Village of Forest Park, 517 Desplaines, Forest Park, Illinois. Signed: Kerry McBride Zoning Board of Appeals Chairperson Published in the Forest Park Review October 27, 2021
PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON THE VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE’S PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2022 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to all interested parties that the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Riverside, Illinois will hold a public hearing on Thursday, November 4, 2021, at 7:00 p.m. in Riverside Township Hall Room 4, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, 60546 on the Tentative Annual Budget for the 2022 fiscal year of the Village of Riverside, Illinois, commencing January 1, 2022, and ending December 31, 2022. Public comments on the Proposed Annual Budget are welcome at the public hearing. Emailed comments may be sent to Village Clerk Cathy Haley at chaley@riverside.il.us. Written comments may be submitted to the attention of the Village Clerk at 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois. Emailed or written comments should be submitted prior to 5:00 on November 4, 2021. While emailed or written comments are strongly encouraged, comments may also be made in person. Physical spacing will be observed, and public access to the physical meeting site may be limited due to the ongoing public health emergency, but public commenters will be accommodated. The Proposed Annual Budget will be available for public inspection on and after, October 15, 2021 at the Finance Department of the Village of Riverside, Illinois, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, 60546 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for any day being a legal holiday. Disabled persons needing assistance to attend said hearing should contact the Office of the Village Clerk before the hearing by calling (708) 447-2700. Said hearing may be continued without further notice except as required by the Illinois Open Meeting Act. The tentative annual budget may be further revised and passed without any further notice or hearing. PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS By: Cathy Haley Village Clerk Published in RB Landmark October 27, 2021
Hire Local.
Place an ad on GCM Classified’s Local Online Job Board. Go to RBLandmark/classified today!
Contact Stacy Coleman for more information. (708) 613-3342 scoleman@growingcommunitymedia.org
PUBLIC NOTICES
The Landmark, October 27, 2021
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The Landmark, October 27, 2021
W NE
E IC PR
152 E Burlington Rd, Riverside $329,900
10710 Central Ave, #3D, Chicago Ridge $145,000
7401 N Sheridan Rd, #401, Chicago $279,000
7001 W 71st Pl, Burbank $249,000
3137 Kenilworth Ave, Berwyn $329,000
231 S Maple Ave #C, Oak Park $260,000
9841 S Hoyne Ave, Chicago $510,000
324 Blackhawk Rd, Riverside $599,000
7549 Wilson Terrace, Morton Grove $384,900
84 Riverside Rd, Riverside $2,100,000
AL CI R E MM CO
817 Lake St, #1S, Oak Park $155,000
415 S Maple Ave, #103, Oak Park $175,000
7722 Madison St, River Forest $18/sq ft
AL NT E R
11 Walker Ave #1, Clarendon Hills $3,550/mo
AL NT E R
229 Park Ave, #308, Clarendon Hills $3,125/mo
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