Landmark_111225 by Wednesday Journal

Nearly 200 volunteers assemble at Riverside’s St. Mary Church

Parishioners from Riverside and beyon joined forces to help those in need

By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter

On Saturday, Nov. 8, Riverside resident Erin Claywell and her son, Mason, spent their morning writing kind, heartfelt messages to put in baggies with candy and hand out around town.

T hey were two of about 175 v teers who re ported to St. Mary Church 105 Herrick Road, in Riverside from 10 a.m. to noon that day as part of a gr service day. After gathering for breakf ast at 9:30 and having a prayer send of f at 10 a.m., the volunteers split different groups to perform different

See PARISHIONERS on page 7 Sustain your

From le , Nancy Maracich, Jean DiMonte, Janet Meyers, Pat Cuevas and Marie Sloan worked to separate donated quarters into baggies of $3.50 each to pay for laundry.

In

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

If you’ve ever walked, ran, biked or driven by the house at the northwest corner of Washington Avenue and Arden in the Hollywood section of Brookfield you’ve probably noticed all the signs covering the brick exterior of the Washington Avenue side of the home. The signs include writings from Abraham Lincoln, the Declaration of Independence and 18th Century Anglo-Irish politician and philosopher Edmund Burke.

See HOMEOWNER on page 12

STELLA BROWN

Brookﬁeld OKs $550K in Ehlert Park baseball ﬁeld renovations

and Western Conference will cover $120K toward the 1st phase

By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter

Brookfield trustees approved a contract for both phases of renovation work to baseball field number one at Ehler t Park.

In partnership with Riverside Brookfield High School and the Brookfield Western Conference Babe Ruth baseball league, the village’s project will see “much-needed improvements” to the field, said Village President Michael Garvey at the village board’s Oct. 27 meeting.

In the first phase, due to be completed by the start of baseball season in March, those improvements will include the demolition and removal of existing structures like the dugouts, backstop fencing, storage facility and press box alongside the reconstr uction of the dugouts, the installation of new backstop fencing and netting and some design and engineering services for the second phase, which will be completed later.

That second phase will involve constructing a new, combined storage and scoring area and installing remedial infrastructure for drainage issues that historically have caused the dugouts to flood.

The contract was awarded to Lindblad Construction, a firm based in Joliet, for a total price of $554,900. Lindblad was the lowest qualified bidder, village staffers said, though even their bid came in nearly $300,000 over the project’s previously estimated budget.

Other bids ranged in price from $575,000 up to $938,000.

The first phase of work will cost $295,000 while the second will cost $259,900, according to a village memo from the meeting.

RB will pitch in $100,000 toward the first phase of the project with Western Conference contributing another $20,000, the memo said, leaving the village on the hook for the remaining $175,000 for that phase and the entire cost of the second phase.

ROMAIN

RB’s Cooper Marrs hits a home run during the Bulldog’s win against De La Salle at Ehlert Park in Br ook eld on Monday, May 17, 2022.

Brookfield had only budgeted $100,000 toward the project initially, leaving $75,000 it would need to find a way to fund, according to the memo.

Garvey said village officials will need to account for the unexpectedly high costs of the second phase, which Assistant Village Manager Stevie Ferrari attributed to the “realities of [rising] construction costs,” as they finalize Brookfield’s 2026 budget.

“The board is aware that, if you approve this tonight, we are looking at, during our budg et discussions, the need to come up with a significantly larger contribution from the village to finish phase two,” Garvey said. “Staf f aptly pointed out that if we don’t intend on at least seriously considering the funding for stage two, that it wouldn’t make sense to move forward with phase one.”

According to the memo, two projects that Brookfield had budgeted for 2025 are no longer expected to be completed this year, freeing up about $138,000 for the project. Those projects include renovations of the bathroom facilities at Kiwanis Park and of the playg round at Maple South Park

At the village board meeting, Trustee Jennifer Hendricks asked if there would be any way to reduce the costs, but Ferrari

said she found it unlikely.

“I think we do have the lowest qualified bid that we are going to see,” she said.

Ferrari said she did not recommend decreasing the scope of the project, as doing so could have ne gative consequences for the field’s use in the future. She said the engineer could look at phase two for possible places to cut costs if the board desired but said many of the costs, such as those for prefabricated structures or concrete work, likely cannot be adjusted without altering the project’s scope.

Ferrari said the village’s draft 2026 budget includes the second phase as a potential capital improvement project.

Garvey said it will be the board’s decision on whether Brookfield can accommodate the project in 2026. He said the village could seek state or township grant funding or ask RB or Western Conference to contribute more than they previously ag reed to but called their existing funding contributions substantial.

“[The storage area] is probably the worst building we have in a park anywhere, and the investment in the amount of equipment and things we store in there — I’ve got to give credit to the Western Conference and RB people, they’ve tried to keep it up,” he said.

Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson, Darnell Shields, Audra Wilson HOW TO REACH US PO Box 6670, River Forest, IL 60305 PHONE: (708) 442-6739

E-MAIL: dhaley@wjinc.com

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SHANEL

Cong. Garcia raises ire as he taps sta er to succeed him

Chicago alderman explores independent run

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

It’s the Chicago way.

Last week Cong. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, (D-4th District), who came up through independent, reform politics, orchestrated a time honored maneuver to ensure that his chief of staff, Patty Garcia, no relation to Chuy Garcia, would have an easy path to succeed him.

On Nov. 3, the first day candidates could file nominating petitions for the March primary Chuy Garica, 69, who has represented the 4th District in Congress since 2019, filed to run for reelection. Then, on the last day of the filing period, Nov. 10, his chief of staff Patty Garcia filed her petitions to run for Garica’s seat in Congress just minutes before the end of the filing period at 5 p.m.

It was a prearranged maneuver that a number of other local politicians have used, including for mer State Senator Steve Landek, to ensure that Garcia’s preferred successor would not have a primary opponent. Chuy Garica will now drop out of the race and it’s too late for anyone else to file to run in the primary although Chicago alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez said that he is exploring running for Congress as an independent.

Chuy Garcia did not respond to interview requests by the Landmark but told multiple other reporters that his decision not to run again came about at the last minute after a visit to his cardiologist on the day he filed to run for reelection and after adopting a young grandson on Nov. 7.

“All of those things just converged all at once and led to my decision,” Garcia said in an interview that aired on CBS 2 Chicago. “Is this the best way to do it? People are entitled to their opinions. It’s the decision I came to under the circumstances.”

Garcia will serve out the remainder of his term. The 4th Congressional District covers almost all of Riverside and Brookfield and much of North Riverside.

If Garcia had announced months ago that he would not be running for reelection, as hi s colleagues Danny Davis and Jan Schakowsky did, the Democratic primary in the 4th Congressional District would have no doubt attracted a crowded field of candidates as the races to succeed Davis and Schakowsky have Garcia had mentored and supported an im-

pressive crop of younger politicians, some of whom would have no doubt jumped into the race to succeed him had they known he was not going to run again. Garcia’s maneuver was perhaps a way to avoid a civil war in his organization.

Patty Garcia, 40, has worked for Cong. Garica since 2019. Before that she served as vicepresident for the Latino Center for Leadership Development. Patty Garcia could not be reached for comment but is expected to kick off her campaign on Nov. 12.

In addition to facing a Republican and a Working Families Party candidate in the general election Garcia may get a challenge from Sigcho-Lopez who is exploring a run as an independent.

“I’m putting together an exploratory committee because we’ve been forced to consider a run as an independent given that the congressman decided at the last minute to appoint somebody,” Sigcho-Lopez told the Landmark in a telephone interview.

Sigcho-Lopez, 42, has represented the 25th ward in the Chicago City Council since 2019. He grew up in Ecuador and came to United States to attend college. He has lived in Chicago for the past 20 years. He lives in Pilsen.

Sigcho-Lopez decried what he described as old machine tactics by Garcia.

“It sends a bad message to our constituents, to the city, something like this, especially by someone who portrayed himself as a progressive and a refor mer. This doesn’t speak to those values,” Sigcho-Lopez said. “We want to make sure people know that as progressives, people committed to public service, that we don’t stand by that.”

Sigcho-Lopez said that at a time when democracy and immigrant communities are under attack from the Trump administration such undemocratic machinations cannot be tolerated

“In a time like this it is unacceptable,” Sigcho-Lopez said. “It is simply unacceptable. I’ve seen a lot of anger and frustration in our community because in a time like this when not only our city and our state is being attacked but in particular immigrant working class communities are being terrorized we do need to make sure that we stand up for our principles, with our values, to protect our community and make sure that we have a strong representation in DC.”

To get on the November 2026 ballot as an independent Sigcho-Lopez will need to get 10,000 signatures on petitions that must be submitted in May, a daunting challenge.

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know them, and you’ re doing it for a g ood cause.”

Many volunteers who spoke with the L andmark said they had attended the annual event in previous years and p lanned to c ome again next year to make a dif ference.

Pat Cu ev as, a for mer Rive rsider wh o still attends St. Mar y, acted as the c oordinator for volunteers who we re assembling laundry kits for BEDS Plus. Sh e said the volunteers we re p utting to g ether baggies that each c ontained two laundry d etergent pods, two dryer sheets and a blessing note for the recipient.

Separately, volunteers portioned rolls of quarters donated by parishioners into sets of 14, wor th $3.50 each, so residents at the shelter can pay to wash their clothes

Erin Claywell displays a kind message she wrote to give to a random person in Riverside as an act of kindness.

When she spoke to the Landmark, Cuevas said she had counted 295 bags of quarters so far, meaning more than $1,032 had been donated in quar ters alone.

“This is one of the things that they say they have a strong need for on thei r we bsite” at BEDS Plus, she said. “Thi s is at least $400 more than last year. I’m amazed, and they ’r e still [counting]. Peop le we re just bringing me quar ter s. ”

Outside, Riverside Village Forester

Mike Collins said he had volunteers working to protect the village’s natural spaces

Safe Steps for Fall Day YOUR BEST LIFE withLisaCapone

“It’s a combination of cutting out and digging out buckthor n, which is an invasive woody plant. We’re also digging out thistle and some of the herbaceous, weedy invasives, basically all non-natives. We’re trying to beautify the park,” Collins said. “This is a great collaboration between the village of Riverside, Olmsted Society and also St. Mary’s with their parish action day. It’s a great opportunity for me to take advantage of some sweat equity in the park and g et some good work d one with a bunch of people.”

Autumn brings crisp air and colorful leaves — but also new safety risks. A few simple steps can help keep you and your loved ones safe at home:

Clear outdoor paths: Sweep or rake wet leaves from steps, driveways, and walkways to prevent slipping.

Improve lighting: Replace dim bulbs, add motion-sensor lights outside, and keep indoor hallways and entryways well lit. Secure floors inside: Remove clutter, tuck away cords, and use non-slip pads under rugs. Wear safe footwear: Choose shoes with firm, non-skid soles instead of socks or loose slippers.

Use support when needed: Keep railings sturdy and add grab bars in high-risk areas like bathrooms.

Taking these precautions helps reduce fall risks and keeps your home safe and welcoming all season long.

Visit Cantata.org for more senior living advice or call (708) 387-1030

STELLA BROWN

A retail incubator could come to downtown Riverside

e program would emulate similar ones in Brook eld and Berwyn

By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter

A retail incubator pr ogr am dubbed the Rive rside S hop s, much li ke those in Brookfield by Eight Corners or in Berwyn of f Roosevelt Road, c ould c ome to Rive rside ’s downtown area as soon as next summer

business owners in the area, they sai d it was absolutely ke y, especially bec ause of the educational c omponent, ” said Trustee Elizabeth Kos of K PGS ’s wo rk in Brookfield. “A ll of them c ommented to me that, really, the success of this was the c onsulting group that they wo rked with; that’s wh at made it wo rk . N one of them think it would have wo rked without it.”

Village trustees were supportive at their Nov. 6 meeting of creating an incubator program in partnership with KPGS Consulting, the same two-person team who helped open the Brookfield Shops this June and the Berwyn Shops in 2022.

Four vendors, selected by a community jury, would operate out of 15-feetby -15-feet shops located in the villageowned green parking lot at 61-63 E. Burlington St. on F ridays, Saturdays and Sundays for about six months each year, said Finance Director Yvette Zavala. An area in front of the shops within the parking lot would be designated as a community space.

Rive rside will have to pay the c onsulting f ees out of i ts own co ff er s. Fo r other c osts, li ke those related to buildin g the four shop s, the village has secured a $100,000 gr ant from the I llinois Department of C ommerce and Economi c O pportunity, Zavala said, though the f unds have yet to be disbursed Once the c onsulting c ontract is in p lac e, further elements of the pr ogr am, including the d esign of the shops and their exact locations, will c ome to the village b oard for further appr oval, Zavala said.

S he said Rive rside would issue shor tterm leases to the vendors at about $500 per month, with other d etails subject to the board’s direction.

S he said staf f selected the locatio n d ue to the pa rk ing lot’s low utilization, though seve r al other pa rk ing lots in town we re c onsidered, a ccording to a village memorandum.

T he village b oard is expected to fo rmalize an ag reement with K PGS at an upcoming meeting for $60,000 in exchange for weekly on-site meeting s, pr ogr am set-up, vendor outreach and other c onsulting services to g et the Riverside S hops up and r unning by June 2026. T he c ontract will last through the end of the pr ogr am’s first c ohort in Dec ember 2026.

“From my co nversations with the business owners that are [at the Brookfield S hops] p lus the brick-and-mortar

“Some villages are refunding a po rtion if the vendor decides to open a brick-and-mortar in their village after (the o riginal term) is c ompleted. After the first year, the b oard may elect to c ontinue with the pr ogr am or reevaluate the utilization of the spac e. This pr ogr am is flexible and c an be tailored to wh at meets the village ’s and the c ommunity ’s need s. Fo r example, some shops are electing to have vendors retur n for a second year,” Zavala said.

S he said Rive rside may opt to follow suit d ue to the lack of available retai l space in town.

“There are not that many options at the moment, which is a good thing — it means the village business is doing well — but that’s something to take into consideration. It might make the prog ram look different,” she said.

local schools | early learning | tutoring programs

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Brook eld residents can expand lead service lines

e village will cover the cost to upgrade if it would be cheaper than keeping same size pipe

By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter

As Brookfield works to complete its statemandated project to replace all leaded water service lines in town, residents are allowed to upgrade the size of their home’s water line from one inch to 1.5 inches in diameter if they pay the difference in cost. But for some residents, the village will cover the costs due to a quirk in the pricing for the new lines that makes the larger sizes cheaper.

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e illustration below lays out the public/ private nature of the lead service line replacement mandate ever y community in the state faces following action by Illinois General Assembly, which became e ective Jan. 1, 2022. Replacing lead water services in even small communities w ill cost tens of millions of dollars.

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Village trustees unanimously approved a resolution on Oct. 27 for malizing the new policy, which says Brookfield’s contractor for the project can perform upgrades in the size of a water line at the homeowner’s request as the lead portion of the line is replaced with copper. Previously, the village’s policy stated the contractor would not perform such upgrades.

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The new policy carves out exceptions for lines that are found to be copper, which the village will not upgrade or replace at all. If the public side of the line is lead but the private side is copper, a resident who wants an upgrade must pay for the entire private portion of that work and the cost differential for the public side

According to a village memo, in 2025, short one-inch water lines cost $8,300 each while short 1.5-inch lines cost only $4,500. For long lines, one-inch runs $8,400 while 1.5-inch runs $4,900. Village Engineer Derek Treichel said the material for the larger lines still costs more, but the contractor chose to bid these prices “for whatever reason.”

For water mains, however, the larger diameter pipes cost more than their smaller counter part s.

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The full policy is available to read in a memo included in trustees’ agenda packet for the meeting

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The policy only applies to residents whose water service lines are scheduled to be replaced as part of the village’s multi-year project. Since last year, the village has said it will not reimburse residents who privately replace their lines ahead of schedule

At the meeting, Trustee Jennifer Hendricks asked why Brookfield’s policy is not to upgrade all residents’ water lines if it would be cheaper. Wiberg said doing so could place undue costs on the homeowners.

“I believe, if the resident wasn’t contemplating going from a one-inch to a 1.5-inch [line], they would have to change the water meter as well. That would be an expense that they would not be prepared for,” he said.

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In response to Hendricks, Treichel said Brookfield and its contractor would not be able to handle upgrading the hundreds of water service lines that need to be replaced. He described the cases that would qualify for village-covered upgrades under the new policy as “anomalies.”

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“We’ve basically said, if the resident has a one-inch lead line that they want replaced, we’re going to pay for and replace it with a one-inch copper line,” Village Manager Tim Wiberg told trustees. “Sometimes, the 1.5-inch copper line is actually cheaper to replace than the one-inch line … If it’s cheaper, it’s win-win that the resident might get a larger capacity water line, and we’ll pay less for the re placement.”

“We’ve only had a handful of them, ” he said.

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Riverside could reinstate its residential rental policy

Plan commission will review it again at the village board’s request

By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter

A policy for vacation rentals in residential districts could return to Riverside in some form, more than seven years after hundreds of residents swayed the village board to repeal a previous version of the policy

At their Nov. 6 village board meeting, Riverside trustees directed the village’s planning and zoning commission to opine on a potential policy allowing residents who live in a multi-family home they own to pursue short-term vacation rentals, through such apps as Airbnb or VRBO, in the other units of their building.

The PZC considered a potential vacation rental policy on Oct. 22, but four of the five commissioners said they didn’t recommend

implementing such a policy, as there seems to be little demand for short-term rentals in Riverside’s business districts, which have allowed bed-and-breakfasts for years, though none have cropped up in town.

Commissioners said short-term rentals could disrupt residential life, as most residents “want to know who their neighbors are and wouldn’t be happy with different groups of people next door every weekend,” according to minutes from the meeting.

The PZC’s review followed a request in August from a Riverside resident, Maria Bernardi, who said she lives in one side of a duplex that she owns and would like to offer the other half to short-term renters.

“I really do believe very strongly that if the village regulates this properly, it would not be a problem. You need to have owners or landlords that understand keeping the community properly cared for,” said Bernardi, who has hosted short-term rentals through Airbnb in Chicago. “I don’t think people should be allowed to buy a house and rent it immediately for an Airbnb because that’s where you get the absentee landlords, and that’s where the problems come into play,” she said.

Bernardi said she would like to host her family and friends in the other side of her duplex as well as rent it out in the short-term to people who’d like to visit Riverside. She described it as a form of supplementary income

The village board in 2018 repealed a previous vacation rental policy in response to a petition from nearly 300 residents after the sole rental property in town, on Michaux Road, drew complaints for hosting large events like weddings and family reunions.

Residents at the time said the transient nature of the rental’s occupants changed the character of the neighborhood.

Trustees seemed split on whether Bernardi’s request could cause history to repeat Trustee Cristin Evans said she felt residents had made their stance clear in 2018.

“I’m not inclined to go against the PZC They had a very thoughtful discussion. I’m uncomfortable reopening the idea. I was here when the residents came, not on the board, but 300 residents; that’s a very rare number to get on a petition,” she said. “I don’t think it’s fair to reopen this discussion when they’re all going to remember this. It was a very tense, high-emotion discussion, and with the short-

term rentals, there’s more of a transient aspect to it.”

Other members of the board, like Trustee Elizabeth Kos, said they felt the new policy would be specific enough to avoid a situation like the rental on Michaux Road while expanding upon Riverside’s bed-and-breakfast allowance.

Village Manager Jessica Frances noted the homeowner of the rental on Michaux Road was usually on the property while the space was being rented out. Village President Doug Pollock, who was a trustee at that time, said residents’ issues lay more with the use of the home as an event space.

After nearly 40 minutes of discussion, the village board reached a consensus to have the PZC reconsider the policy, with shortterm rentals limited to homes occupied by the owner full-time. Trustees agreed homeowners should have to notify neighbors within 500 feet of their home, with a separation requirement of 1,000 feet between short-term rentals, which would “prevent proliferation,” said Village Attorney Bob Pickrell, and a limit on the number of guests and the duration of each stay.

HOMEOWNER

from page 1

Dave Myers, 74, lives in the house with his wife Marilyn Hill. Myers produced the signs and plastered them to the side of his yellow brick home. The signs are meant to promote thought and conversation.

“I love my c ountry and I b eli eve in p eopl e, ” Myers said. He started p utting up the signs about six months ag o.

Myers used to work in computer numerical control, basically machining with computers, and his signs feature high quality computer printed vinyl letters on polyethylene sheets. It’s not cheap.

“It takes a fair amount time,” Myer s said. “Right now, I think I’m r unning about $800 b etween materials, softwar e. ” He groups his signs by theme and has sections that he calls choices and Trumpers.

Myers is not a Trumper Although he be g an with the idea of promoting discussion, which he still wants to do, he says

he cannot be neutral. He considers President Donald Trump an abomination.

“I t ried to be neutral but with wh at he ( Trump) has b een doing I ca n’ t be neutral anymore, ” Myers said. “Nobody ca n be. It ’s time to pick a side.”

But Myers t ries to promote civility and eng ages in discussions with anyone willing to stop and talk.

“I f we do n’ t start talking we ’re not going to have a country left,” Myers said.

He is friends with his next door neighbor who is a supporter of President Trump.

“He and I are good friend s, just opposite sides of the political spectrum,” Myers said. “And that’s the way it should be.”

Myers is also c ritical of Democratic p oliticians.

“I do n’ t have any respect for the Democrats because they rolled over and pl ayed d ead,” Myers said. “Both s ides are b asic ally j ust paying attention to their version of the elites and j ust forgot the 90 percent at the bottom. ”

Myers move d to Brookfield a c ouple years ago after mar rying Hill.

“She was a Trumper, she ai n’ t anymore, she’s an inde p endent,” Myers said.

While the signs are Myers project he

said his wife is all in on it

“Both of us are making a statement, Myers said. “It’s time for eve rybo star t speaking up. We ca n’ t be quiet anymore or we wo n’ t have a c ountry left. b oth realize that we ’re taking a risk it ’s something we want to do. Both of us have made that decision it ’s time to stand up and be counted.”

Myers first p ut a sign on a tree in front of his house but was told by a Brookfield p olice officer that the tree was village property and he c ould n’ t p ut a sign on it. But the officer told him he c ould pu anything he wanted to on his house

T he signs have g enerated looks and some co nversations. And thus far experienced no harsh reactions when he is out in his ya rd or on his lawn.

“I f they stop and talk they ’r e pr o, ” Myers said. “I f they look at me and they ke ep on going they ’r e not and I’m r unning about 3 to 1 (pro). ”

Myers grew up in Richfield, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapoli s. He wo rked as an electrician before g etting i nto c omp uter s. He and Hill met on a dating site about three years ag o.

Myers said he is motivated by patrio -

Your Generosity Fuels Possibility

ADave Myers is using the wall of his Brook eld home to share his views on current national politics.

tism and concer n for his countr y.

“My dad fought in Wo rl d Wa r II, the Pacific, Guadalcanal and such. This is my turn to stand up and be c ounted,” Myers said.

by Carrie Summy, president and CEO of the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation

s we close out the year, one truth is unmistakable: strong communities don’t happen by accident. ey are built with intention, care, trust, and shared responsibility. In a time when the needs of our neighbors continue to grow, and local organizations nd themselves needing to do more with less, we must get creative. We must work together. And we must be generous with our time, our compassion, and our support.

At the Oak Park–River Forest Community Foundation, we witness every day how philanthropy fuels possibility. A scholarship keeps a student moving toward a dream. A trusted volunteer helps a family secure housing. A multi-year grant gives a small organization the strength to grow instead of just survive. Whether the spark is a $150 gi or a brand new initiative to honor a loved one, each act of generosity strengthens our collective resilience. Our nonpro t partners are facing incredible pressures. e Foundation

is committed to meeting this moment, by investing in organizational strength, by supporting collaboration and innovation, and by bringing people together to solve our most pressing local challenges. When residents, funders, business, civic and community leaders all row in the same direction, lasting impact follows.

As you consider your year-end giving, we encourage you to focus locally, this year in particular. Be generous. Support the organizations that make this region

vibrant, a place of belonging, and full of joy and possibility. And if you want to deepen that impact, we are here to help.

To learn more or to make a year-end gi , visit oprfcf.org

e Foundation is committed to meeting this moment, by investing in organizational strength, by supporting collaboration and innovation, and by bringing people together to solve our most pressing local challenges.

BOB SKOLNIK

Sponsored Content

PO LICE REPO RT S

Driver caught with suspended plates, license

Brookfield police on Oct. 30 arrested a 40-year-old Broadview man.

While on patrol around 9:20 p. m ., an of ficer near the corner of 31st Street and Arthur Avenue obser ve d a black Cadil lac car whose license plates, upon bein r un through the p olice database, c ame back as suspended d ue to a lack of mandatory i nsuranc e. T he officer p ulled the car over and spok e with the “visibly dis traught” drive r, who was unable to provide a valid drive r’s license and proof of i nsurance when asked. T he officer later learned the man ’s license had been suspended d ue to a previous i nstance of driving wh i le intoxicated

The officer arrested the man and called for his car to be towed. After transporting the man to the Brookfield Police Depa ment, the officer cited the man for driving on a suspended registration without insur ance or a valid driver’s license. The man was released from the police department with a copy of his citations.

Possible slashed tires

On Oct. 29, Brookfield police responded to a resident’s report of possible criminal damage done to her car.

Around 11:30 a.m., an officer arrived at the 8800 block of 44th Place after the resident called in to report two of her tires were flat, saying she believed “there may be foul play involved,” police said.

The officer met with the woman and her father, who owns the car and said he had parked his car in front of their house around 4 p.m. on Oct. 28. Around 11:15 a.m., the woman noticed the front and back passenger-side tires were flat and said she thought someone may have damaged them due to two tires going flat at the same time, though she did not know who would have damaged the car.

The officer did not observe any damage to the tires that would point toward foul play, police said. The officer searched the area for cameras that could have captured the incident and made contact with a neighbor who has a camera in their home’s

front window; the neighbor said she would check her camera when she could.

Around 4:15 p.m., the officer spoke over the phone with the neighbor, who said the footage did not show anyone approaching the car to cause damage.

These items we re o btained the Brookfield Po lice Department re ports dated Oct. 27 to No v. 3; th ey re present a portion of the incidents to wh ich police responded . Anyone named in these re ports has onl y b een charged with a crime and cases ha ve not yet b een adjudicated. We re port the ra ce of a suspect only wh en a serious crime has b een c ommitted, the suspect is still at la rge and police ha ve provided us with a detailed physical d escription of the suspect as th ey seek the public’s h elp in making an arrest

Compiled by Stella Brown

LETTERS

Garcia’s democracy

I have lived in Riverside since 1991. At that time, I was in the 3rd Congressional district. Later, I was placed in the 4th. Both districts have conducted undemocratic primaries for the Democratic Party.

In 2004, Congressman William Lipinski was my congressman and assumed to be running again for another term. He dropped out suddenly and announced that his son, Dan, would run instead. That summer, Dan held a town hall meeting to discuss his candidacy and take questions. I asked him why he did not run in the primary. He said that he did not know that his dad would not be running. I knew then that his answer was not truthful.

I just found out that my Congressman Chuy Garcia is not running again. He an-

nounced it on the day that petitions were due for the March 2026 primary. We did not know that his chief of staf f also filed petitions. In the 2nd district, 10 Democrats filed petitions to replace Robin Kelly. In the 7th, at least 13 Democrats filed to replace Danny Davis; in the 8th, 8 Democrats have filed to replace Raja Krishnamoorthi; in the 9th, 17 Democrats have filed to replace Jan Schakowsky. And in the 4th, one Democrat has filed to replace Chuy Garcia. Her name is Patty Garcia and she is his chief of staf f.

I have not moved since 1991. Why does this lack of democracy keep following me? Ranked choice voting is looking more attractive

Jan Goldberg Riverside

My heroA fellow Vietnam veteran went to heaven, who served with the 7th Marines in ’67. A Marine gunner was his duty, protecting us all with his Huey.* He played a very dangerous role, and winning the battle was his goal. Saving the lives of many a guy, it is a damn shame he had to die. When I hear the sound of the Marine Hymn, my thoughts always turn to thinking of him. To be thought a hero was not his wish, but bravery sometimes results in this.

*A “Huey” was a versatile & widely used combat support helicopter in Vietnam.

Mike Sammon

Say No to rental registration

Brookfield village trustees recently revisited a presentation by the Rental Re gistration Ordinance sponsor. They respectfully listened to many local landlords (and the one tenant) in attendance with comments in opposition to this proposal. They asked some genuinely good questions and had some thought-provoking comments. However, what was completely absent from the proposal was any justification to even suggest there is an issue here that needs fixing. Presented was no data No justification. No complaint counts.

More “research” seemed to have gone in to the list of 20+ municipalities that have instituted some form of Rental Re gistration. Just because others have does not mean we should. Please stand up and ask the question! What is the justification? Why is the current “reactive” process of a tenant complaint and subsequent targeted (bad, derelict landlord) cor rective action insufficient? How many true, rental-specific bonafide life-safety complaints are re gistered with village authorities each week, month, year?

The proposal’s unsupported, actionable buzzwords mention rental properties meeting basic housing, sanitation and lifesafety standards – all those landlords in attendance couldn’t ag ree more. But inspections? Annual re gistrations, a tax/fee? Come on! If life, health & safety is the goal, then this should apply to all residental units in the village. Why is it thought that only renters are owed this duty and are at some disadvantage to

warrant government intervention?

Why are we targeting and discriminating a subset of Brookfield residents – only renters? Why are we making a distinction of only one “class” of people, those who for whatever reason chose not to or could not af ford to own in the village? Why doesn’t the village owe all residents the same goal of ensuring their health and safety via re gistration and inspections? Plain and simple, because it’s over-reach This ordinance is not warranted, it is not needed, it is not welcomed.

Interior inspections of living units? Come on! Annual exterior and interior ‘common-area’ inspections. Not warranted, no data, discriminatory. Will this be of every large condo building? Every single-family home?

Why exactly does the village need to know how many rental units exist? What will they do with the data once they know? We can only hope it’s for good, productive, transparent use. Why do we even need to wait for the EDC or Community Development to come back with a re-tooled, scaled-down version of this proposal? Can someone please just say stop?

How about if the village tries to be on the side of embracing and encouraging good landlords, owners or managers to continue to provide safe, desirable, efficient and af fordable housing to folks who want to live in Brookfield but cannot otherwise af ford to purchase –by not overburdening, overtaxing and over-reaching.

Robert Lietz

OBITUARIES

Amy Wilhelm, 62 Medical transc

Amy B. Wilhelm (nee Hand), 62, of Brookfield , died on Nov. 2, 2025. Born on Jan. 15, 1963, she worked as a medical transcriptionist.

Amy was the mother of Caitlin (Jenny) Wilhelm and Chris Wilhelm; the sister of Kathleen Hand, (Linda) Hand, Janet Hand and Edmund (Diane) Hand; and the aunt of A Celebration of 6 at Ledo’s Pizza, 5525 S. LaGrange Road, Countryside.

Arrangements were handled by JohnsonNosek Funeral Home, 3847 Prairie Ave., Brookfield. Online condolences, memories and photographs may be shared with the family at www.JohnsonNosek.com.

Mar y Anne Freeman, 69

Gardener, cook, ar tist

Mary Anne Freeman (nee Ja wo r ski), 69, of Brookfield, died on Nov. 1, 2025. Born on July 9, 1956, she was a woman with energy and zest for life, truly a bright light. Her passion for ga rdening brought b eauty to her home and joy See

Ratcliﬀe twins are the ones celebrating LTHS fall sports success

Lou

exels in football, baseball; Joe is soccer goalie, WLTL broadcaster

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

W hen Lou Ratcliff e made an electrifying sack for the Lyons Township High School football team against rival Hinsdale C entral last season, twin brother Joe delive red the perfect response

“That’s my bro,” Joe Ratcliffe exclaimed. Many heard him – and still are hearing those wo rds these days

Joe is a pl ay -by-pl ay sports broadcaster for WLT L-FM 88.1, the high school’s radio station. T he reaction to L ou’s big pl ay was live on-air calling the g ame

“I remember going nuts and it ’s so co rny but it was great in the moment, kind of great looking back,” Joe said. “(Co-broadcaster A lec Mulvenna) sai d something li ke, ‘If you do n’ t know why he’s freaking out, that’s his brother.’”

T he Ratcliff es are d oubly excited about their final f all high school seasons in different spor ts.

L ou is a starting linebacke r for the football team.

Joe was the starting g oalie for the

to those who visited, wh i le her talent in the kitchen delighted family and friend s with delicious meals.

She will be remembered for her kindness, her laughter, and the way she made every moment special. Though she is greatly missed, her spirit continues to brighten our hearts.

Beloved wife of Tom Freeman, loving mother of Kevin (Ryane) Freeman, Jessica (Matt) Schabowski and Kyle (Samantha) Freeman, cherished grandmother of Shane, Leah, Reid, Lucas and Chloe, dear sister of Jennifer Jaworski, Gary (Glenda) Jaworski and the late Joe Jaworski, fond aunt of many nieces and ne phew s.

LT HS soccer team (17-5-2), wh ich wo n i ts 12th consecutive re gional championship before losing to St. L aurence in the 3A Hinsdale C entral Sectional semifinals Oct. 28.

“It’s definitely huge because ever since we we re k ids we ’ve b een playin g on the same teams,” L ou said. “I think that’s where I g et a lot of fir ep ower, strength because he’s always p ushing me, I’m always pushing him. ”

Joe c ontinues to provide WLTL pl ay by pl ay for football and other sports. A framed QR code with Joe’s now inf amous sack c all became a Christmas present that hangs in the f amily ’s summer home in Whitewater, Wi s. for f amily and friends to relive

“It has 100 percent been a blessing for sure (being with Lou). I’m very happy that we’re both at the top of our games right now and it’s been really fun,” Joe said.

“It’s b een nice, especially in the stands as he’s doing something on the field. It ’s fun because eve rybo dy ’s pushing me around li ke, ‘Yeah, that’s Lou.’”

Most p eople reco gnize the Ratcliff es as brothers but not twins. T hey ag re e that L ou looks older, especially when he briefly had a moustache

“I think p eople know we have a twi n but a lot of times, they do n’ t c onnect the d ots,” L ou said. “They know we have a brother, but it takes a c ouple of i ntroductions, wh ich is kind of funny. ”

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. at Holy Guardian Angels Parish (formerly St. Barbara), 4000 Prairie Ave., Brookfield. Arrangements handled by Johnson-Nosek Funeral Home.

A c elebration of l ife open house will follow at I rish Times, 8869 Burlington Ave., Brookfield from 12:30 to 5 p. m. to honor her memory and the joy she brought i nto the wo rl d. In lieu of fl ower s, the f amily invites those who wish to remember Mary A nne to spend time doing something she love d — whether it ’s tending a ga rden, c ooking a favo rit e recipe, or creating a piece of ar t.

T here’s a bit of humor re ga rding the i ssue of exactly how much L ou is older. L ou insists it ’s by a minute and a half.

“That’s a li e, ” Joe said. “I do n’ t know why he says a minute and a half. I’ve confir med with my mother it is a minute.”

“Joe will say a minute,” L ou responded. “I think my mom says a minute bu t dad says a minute and a half so I’ll take eve ry minute that I can get.”

Otherwise, the Ratcliff es do share c ommon sports i nterests and friend groups but differences in approaching their spor ts

Besides the often varying mentalities b etween football and socce r, Joe sai d he’s even more relaxed because this is his final season of org anized socce r. He p lans to study broadcasting in colle ge.

“(Lou) is very intense and he wants to win, super dedicated to football,” Joe said.

“Obviously ( I’m) ve ry d etermined –we ’ve g ot lofty g oals for the p ost(season) – but I kind of take a more laid back approach and try to enjoy it more because it ’s my last year.”

T he twins’ similarities aren’t always p lanned. This f all, they b oth are wearing jersey No. 1 but only through unrelated circumstances

Joe wo re soccer’s No. 0 in 2024. No. 1 is the only other jersey for goalies.

“I was 0 last year, didn’t have a great year and so I was li ke, ‘I’m going to change it up,’” Joe said.

Roger Walczak, 81 Marine Sg t., electr ician

Ro ger J. Walczak, 81, of North Riverside, died on Oct. 25, 2025. Born on Aug. 23, 1944, he was a U.S. Marine Corp sergeant and Vietnam veteran, and a member of the Illinois Harley Davidson Owners Group. After 45 years, he retired from Joslyn Manufacturing in Chicago as an electrician.

Roger was the husband of the late Carol (nee Jankovsky); the father of Bryan (Lisa) Walczak and Terri (Joseph) Dodson; the grandfather of Daniel, Luke and Sarah Walczak; the brother of Robert (Alice),

L ou, who was No. 27 as a j unior, is among many returning varsity football seniors with different numbers.

W hen L ou’s selection time c ame, No. 1 still was av ailabl e.

“Especially for football, I wasn’t planning on being No. 1 but then the spot was kind of open. I thought, ‘Why not take it, senior year, kind of a memorable number,’” Lou said.

“It was not planned (to both be No. 1). I wish that I could say it was, but it wasn’t.”

L ou also pl ay s third b ase and outfield for the LT HS b aseball team and is c ons idering colle ge baseball.

L ou and Joe we re longtime b aseball teammates until high school, when Jo e be g an focusing on socce r. Joe’s handeye c oordination skills from b aseball have helped him pl ay g oalie for as long as he can remember

Wi th no club soccer this s pring, Jo e is c onsidering joining an LT HS s prin g sport, p ossibly b aseball. Still, there might be another memorable c all or two remaining with WLTL .

“(His sack c all) kind of brought us to g ether, the two wo rl ds c ollide kind of thing,” Lou said.

“That was definitely a f un brother moment for sure. T here’s more g ood c alls to c ome in the pl ayoffs but that’s definitely the most f un one we ’ve had (so far).”

Shirley (Richard) Peska and Gregory (late Maureen); the brother-in-law of Jan (late James) Reh and the late James (Debra) Jankovsky; and the uncle of Gregory (Colleen), Darlene Popovich, Christine (Christopher) Waltkins, Vince (Lisa) Reh, Jennifer (Anthony) Medina and Eric Jankovsky. Services were held on Nov. 3 at St. Mary Church, Riverside, followed by interment at Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials appreciated to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Chicago (www.chicagoprostatefoundation.org.)

Arrangements were handled by the Original Kuratko Family, Brian D. Kuratko, Funeral Director.

Time ﬁnally on Ellis’ side, gains ﬁrst trip to state

RBHS senior quali es in breast stroke; LTHS wins sectional with 20 berths

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

At past girls swimming and diving sectionals, Riverside Brookfield High School senior swimmer Maria Ellis was the queen of close calls — just missing state berths

Such was the case again in her first event at the Hinsdale Central Sectional, Saturday. While Ellis swam a lifetime best in the 100-yard butterfly that broke the school record, her 58.39 seconds missed the state cut by just .01.

“Honestly, I wasn’t even that sad. I was actually pretty happy because I had broken the school record by 69,” Ellis said. “I was laughing a bit because any scenario where I’d break the record and not make state, it would be by .01.”

In the 100 breast stroke, Ellis got the last laugh. In her final chance at state, she achieved a lifetime-best 1:05.92 to easily qualify for her first state meet Friday and Saturday at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont.

Sectional champions automatically qualify for state as well as entries that achieve state cuts at the sectional. Ellis’ secondplace time beat the 1:07.25 state cut and also was an NSCA state cut for her club season with the Bullets.

“I haven’t really fully processed yet because this has been such a big dream of mine ever since I was a freshman. To achieve it almost feels surreal. I’m sure it’ll hit me once I’m actually at the meet,” Ellis said. “When I saw the time, the first thing I thought about was I made NCSAs and then, ‘Oh my gosh, I made state. Oh my gosh, I got second.’ I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, what is happening?’ It was so awesome.”

The Bulldogs were fifth (160 points) with Ellis their lone qualifier. Junior diver Paige Phelan was seventh with a personal-best 399.25 points for 11 dives and just missed the at-large cutoff score of 408.35.

The past two seasons, Ellis nearly reached state in the 200 individual medley In 2024, her 2:10.77 just missed the state cut of 2:10.54. As a sophomore, Ellis swam that 2:10.54 at sectionals but that season the state cut was 2:10.26.

“It was a long time waiting for her last race

Riverside-Brook eld’s Maria Ellis swims the 100-Yard Butter y during the Hinsdale Central Girls Sectional swim meet Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025 in Hinsdale, IL.

for the cut, which is how they write it in a novel, the last possible second,” RBHS coach Mike Laurich said. “Great story, great kid, a great individual inside and outside the pool.”

Ellis said she bypassed another state attempt in the IM this season after improvement during club season with her 100 breast stroke and fly.

“I think I wanted to try something ne w. My IM, I didn’t feel too strong during club season and over the summer,” she said.

In the fly, Ellis broke the 59.08 school record of 2024 graduate and multiple all-stater Hailey Vlcek.

“I was worried how, mentally, she would be after [just missing state], but she was smiling, happy as a clam,” Laurich said.

“I was like, ‘OK. We’re good.’ That’s her main goal and making state would have been a bonus. I looked at (assistant coach Tatum Bruno) and I said, ‘There’s a 1:05.9 in her (for the breast). If she decides to do it, it’ll be great.’ And that’s what she went.”

Junior Maggie McCoy and sophomore Lizzie Ryan battled recent illness. McCoy was seventh in the 100 freestyle (55.07) and eighth in the 200 free (2:02.43), and McCoy, Ellis, Ryan and sophomore Charlene Wang were fourth in the 400 free relay (3:49.45) and sixth in the 200 free relay (1:44.56).

LTHS swimming and diving

Along with its strong senior class, the

Lyons Township girls swimming and diving team is bringing several newcomers are coming with to the state meet.That includes sophomore Livia Joern, who won the 100 breast with a personal-best 1:05.48 in her postseason debut at the Hinsdale Central Sectional. The Lions (303.5) won their third straight sectional team title by eight points over the Red Devils.

Seniors Dylan Jorgensen (200 individual medley in 2:07.70) and Maeve Collins (100 butterfly in 55.15) and junior diver Brynn Krantz (466.20 points) also were sectional champions

“[Sectionals] was such a cool experience. I really liked the whole environment, seeing everyone get so excited after racing,” Joern said. “I knew I was capable of going the time but there’s so much pressure. I had no idea what to expect so it was a really good outcome.”

At state, expect the Lions to challenge last year’s fifth-place state finish. The Lions earned 20 state berths overall and all 14 LTHS athletes who competed qualified in at least one event.

All three relays qualified at-large with second-place finishes – the 400 free relay (senior Anna Pansing, sophomore Olivia Chavez, seniors Dylan Jorgensen and Kylie Thompson in 3:28.38), 200 free relay (Pansing, Thompson, senior Maeve Collins and junior Claire Crimmins in 1:34.88) and 200 medley relay (freshman Sydney Kail, Jorgensen, Collins

and Crimmins in 1:43.05), just 15 from the school record

Qualifying at-large in two individual events were senior Lindsay Forebaugh in the 100 fly (2nd, 56.06) and 500 free (3rd, 5:02.38), Pansing in the 200 free (3rd, 1:53.43) and 100 free (3rd, 52.16) and Thompson in the 500 free (2nd, 5:02.23) and 200 free (5th, 1:54.44).

Also advancing at-large were secondplace freshman Molly Forebaugh (200 IM in 2:08.49), third-place Crimmins (50 free in 23.93) and Krail (100 backstroke in 56.52), fourth-place freshman Anna Fagans (100 back in 57.38) and sophomore Abby Thompson (100 breast in 1:06.05) and fifth-place Chavez (100 free in 52.86) and sophomore diver Abby Rehor (425.85).

“That was amazing,” Joern said. “Right before me in the 100 back, we had two freshmen make it and it was just a really good confidence boost. It’s just nice to have everyone get to go to state.”

Based on sectional results, the medley relay (No. 2), Collins (No. 5 in 100 fly), 400 free relay (No. 6) and 200 free relay (No. 6) are top-eight seeds. Lindsay Forebaugh is No. 9 in the 100 fly.

“The way we’ve talked all season is to be fast on Friday (for prelims),” first-year LTHS coach Brendan Weibel said. “I think we did the job (at sectionals) of getting everybody to be able to swim Friday and then the goal is just everybody to keep getting faster.”

Collins, a two-time all-stater in the fly, regained her Hinsdale Central pool record Saturday and was just .11 from her school-record 55.04 that took fifth at 2024 state

“People are pretty amped up (for state). Being collectively together, it’s going to give us a really good vibe,” Collins said. “I really wasn’t looking much for a good sectional swim. I just wanted to get the cut, move on. Hopefully that (school) record will go down (at state).”

Nazareth/Fenwick swimming and diving

Nazareth junior diver Ellie Fleischmann (436.00) qualified at-large for her second state meet with fourth at the Hinsdale Central Sectional.

Fenwick sophomore Samantha Stowe of Riverside qualified for her first state meet with the Friars’ winning 200 free relay (1:37.55) at the Leyden Sectional. Stowe also was third in the 100 back (1:00.42) and swam backstroke for the third-place 200 medley relay (1:49.10).

STEVE JOHNSTON

Nazareth volleyball heads downstate

Roadrunners’ stunning turnaround continues

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Nazareth Academy girls volleyball seniors Jane Manecke and Beth Surowiec were called up to the varsity in time for the Roadrunners’ run in the IHSA Class 3A tournament which ended with a runner-up showing. But the program struggled the last two seasons, especially last year when Nazareth won just three games.

Not much was expected this season under new coach Esai Velez. But the Roadrunners have come on strong down the stretch with victories in seven of their last nine matches. Monday night at the Class 3A De La Salle Supersectional, Nazareth punched its state ticket for the fourth time in six years with a 27-25, 25-18 victory over Fenwick.

“It’s so overwhelming. This team worked

so hard for what we did,” said Surowiec, who had nine digs and four kills. “We left it all on the court, this team wanted it.”

“It’s awesome I’m so excited,” said Manecke, who finished with nine kills. “It’s so great after last year.”

Velez said he was hoping to see gradual improvement from the team this season. But he didn’t see a trip downstate coming.

“I don’t know. I was very slow-paced and wanted to see how this year would go,” he said. “Knowing the kids and the program, I knew last year wasn’t fair to them with the record, so this year I told them, ‘One day at a time, one day at a time.’”

Fenwick (26-12) was a point away from winning the first set and had the serve. But kills from Manecke and Surowiec helped

Nazareth (20-18) get the next three points and win the set.

The Friars started the second set with four consecutive points, but again the Roadrunners showed their mettle and went on an 11-2 run to seize control of the match. Fenwick would draw no closer than three points the rest of the night.

“Before playoffs started, we talked about how we were going down to state. There was no other option,” Surowiec said.

Manecke said that along with Velez, an influx of new talent helped fuel Nazareth’s turnaround season.

“We’ve got a lot more girls on the team,” she said. “Everyone knew after last year it was time to turn around. [Velez] is awesome. We’ve got a great coaching staff.”

Nazareth got contributions from junior outside hitter Talia Surendran (seven kills, six digs, ace), junior setter Madeline Briscoe (eight assists, ace), and sophomore libero Tess Tortorello (five digs, three assists).

Junior outside hitter Bella Gray led Fenwick with 13 kills and two aces. Brookfield

resident Lilly Boyle added three kills for the Friars, who were trying to get to state for the first time.

“It was a heck of a match,” said Fenwick coach Tee Pimsarn. “The kids just fought so hard.”

Up next for Nazareth is a Class 3A semifinal against Providence Catholic at Illinois State University, Nov. 14, at 4 p.m. The winner gets the winner between Normal U-High and Prairie Ridge for the championship, Nov. 15.

“I was dreaming of going back down to state every year. It was such an amazing experience,” Surowiec said. “I’m so glad my team can do it again this year.”

“Going down my freshman year was such an experience and being able to go back my senior year, it’s just a great way to finish off my Nazareth career,” Manecke said.

Coglianese, Lewis, Gamboa save personal bests for state

Trio improves upon strong 2024 runs; Nazareth boys earn rst state berth

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Lyons Township senior Mya Coglianese couldn’t believe her time at her second Class 3A girls cross country state meet Saturday. She ran a lifetime-best 17:48.2 for 3.0 miles at Peoria’s Detweiller Park to finish 72nd – her first time under 18:00 after a previous-best 18:12 at regionals and sectionals

“It was definitely really nice because I thought if I was breaking 18:00 it would be by like two seconds,” Coglianese said. “That was pretty much the goal, let the people carry me through.”

She also progressed from 129th place after one mile to 94th after two. Coglianese was 98th at 2024 state in a then-best 18:14.0.

“I just tried focusing on the finish,” Coglianese said.

Nazareth cross country

The third trip to the Class 2A boys cross country state meet for Nazareth Academy senior Daniel Lewis of Brookfield was different even before the start.

“Having the opportunity to toe the line with my teammates at the state meet was something my freshman self wouldn’t have thought was possible,” he said.

The Roadrunners qualified for state as a team for the first time.

Lewis achieved a personal-record with a team-best 15:20.1 for 3.0 miles to finish 60th but had hoped for more. After Lewis ran 15:51.7 competing at Detweiller, Sept. 13, he had visions of breaking 15:00 and achieving all-state. A 14:47.56 earned 25th in 2A Saturday.

“Having some time to reflect, I think a disappointing season is something necessary for my growth as not only a runner but as a person,” he said Monday

Among three personal or season bests, Lewis ran faster than 2024 state but with basically the same place (61st, 15:28.6). He was 160th at 2023 state (16:27.2).

On Saturday, Lewis was 60th after 2.0 miles (10:06.2). He then passed 15 runners to move into the mid-40s place-wise but couldn’t close the final 400 meters.

“I just hit a wall,” Lewis said. “I can’t really

explain exactly what happened, but it felt as if I was running in slow motion with all the kids who I had passed in the previous threequarters passing me right back.”

The Roadrunners were 27th (769) after gaining the seventh and last qualifying berth at the Fenton Sectional.

Seniors Anthony Lopez (211th, 16:58.95) and Owen Hogan (217th, 17:14.56) were their No. 2-3 finishers, followed by juniors Patrick O’Reilly (220th, 17:20.78) and Lucas Weber (230th, 18:06.67), freshman Thomas Gerros (233rd, 18:14.59) and sophomore Brendan Hyland (234th, 18:16.75).

Making their sixth straight IHSA state appearance, the Nazareth girls tied for 11th (334) and were 12th counting a sixth-runner tiebreaker.

Sophomore Kathleen Hardy (44th, 18:11.25) finished among the top 50, followed by freshman Maggie Morrissey (71st, 18:41.88), juniors Allie O’Halloran (98th, 19:03.27) and Claire Sigmund (119th, 19:18.75), freshmen Elena Vlahos (133rd, 19:29.41) and Audrey Wendt (156th, 19:46.66) and junior Julia Parkes (199th, 20:32.42).

Hardy, an all-state 22nd in 2024 (personalbest 17:42.7) splits her time as a standout lacrosse player. Hardy was among five Roadrunners with season or personal bests “Team-wise this was the best race we’ve

had this season for sure,” Nazareth coach Joe Wejman said. “We weren’t tested the last couple of weeks. I was curious how they would respond but they came out pretty sharp, pretty aggressive and the team was very close together.”

Fenwick cross country

After being all-state in 2A the past two seasons, Fenwick junior Juliana Gamboa of Riverside was even better in her 3A state debut Saturday. Gamboa was 42nd in 17:32.00 to beat her previous-best 21st-place 17:41.2 from 2A state last year,

The Friars’ other two individual state qualifiers, Bridget Brunick and Mia Bagato, ran personal bests Saturday. Gamboa’s time Saturday would have contended for top-15 in 2A.

“I was super-excited to PR and excited for both of my teammates because they PRed as well. If we were in 2A, I think we would have had some top finishes or definitely finishes up there,” Gamboa said.

“Being moved up [to 3A] allowed us to race some of the best girls out there. We’re grateful we had that opportunity, even though we haven’t placed up there yet. It definitely gives me some goals for next year.”

JANE MANECKE

BETH SUROWIEC

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

CALENDAR NUMBER� 24�25�Z

HEARING DATE� December 3, 2025

TIME� 7�00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits

LOCATION OF HEARING� Room 201 �Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60302

APPLICATION� The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicant, Reginald Woods, on behalf of Albion at Oak Park LLC, seeking a variance from Section 7�7�15�B� �2� of the Oak Park Sign Code, in order to allow two projecting signs for an establishment with no public street frontage at 1000 Lake Street, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16�07�120�065�0000 �“Subject Property”), in the DT�1 Downtown Zoning District �Downtown Central Sub-District).

A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8�30 a.m. and 5�00 p.m.

All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses by submitting a cross-examination form or by emailing Zoning@oak-park.us before 5�00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing.

The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Published in Wednesday Journal, November 12, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M25001043 on November 4, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of GABE THE REALTOR with the business located at: 3526 PRAIRIE AVENUE, BROOKFIELD, IL 60513. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: EUSTAQUIO VERDUZCO 3526 PRAIRIE AVE BROOKFIELD, IL 60513, USA

Published in RB Landmark November 12, 19, 26, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M25001053 on November 4, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of GREY PHOENIX TART STUDIO with the business located at: 3730-32 PRAIRIE AVENUE, BROOKFIELD, IL 60513. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is: THERESE ANGARONE 3238 RAYMOND AVE BROOKFIELD, IL 60513, USA

Published in RB Landmark November 12, 19, 26, 2025

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED 2025 TAX LEVY RIVER FOREST TOWNSHIP

1. A public hearing to approve a proposed property tax levy increase for River Forest Township for 2025 will be held on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at 6:00 PM at the River Forest Civic Center Authority Building, 8020 Madison Street, River Forest, Illinois. Any person desiring to appear at the public hearing and present testimony to the taxing district may contact Supervisor John Becvar in advance at 8020 Madison Street, River Forest, Illinois 60305 or email Supervisor@RiverForestTownship.

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2. The corporate and special purpose property taxes extended or abated for 2024 were $746,932 for the Town Fund and $21,554 for General Assistance. The proposed corporate and special purpose property taxes to be levied for 2025 are $768,593 for the Town Fund and $22,632 for General Assistance. This represents a 2.9% percent increase over the previous year for the Town Fund and a 5.0% percent increase over the previous year for the General Assistance Fund.

3. The property taxes extended for debt service and public building commission leases for 2024 were $0.00. The proposed property taxes to be levied for debt service and public building commission leases for 2025 are $0.00. This represents no percentage increase or decrease over the previous year.

4. The total property taxes extended or abated for 2024 were $768,486. The proposed total property taxes to be levied for 2025 are $791,225. This represents a 2.9% percent increase over the previous year

Margaret Detmer, Clerk River Forest Township

Published in Wednesday Journal November 12, 2025

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Sealed separate bids will be received by the Board of Education, Oak Park Elementary School District 97 (the “Board”) for the following project:

OAK PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT 97 SD97 - SUMMER 2026 RENOVATIONS OAK PARK, IL 60302

BID GROUP 1 – A-GENERAL TRADES, B-ROOFING, C-FLOORING, D-ELECTRICAL, E-ELEVATOR, D-EXCAVATION

Bids will be received until 1:00 p.m. CST on Tuesday, November 25, 2026 at the Oak Park Elementary School District 97 Administrative offices, 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302, and will be read at 1:05 p.m. CST on that date. Bids shall be submitted in an opaque sealed envelope clearly marked:

Oak Park Elementary School District 97 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302

Attention: Bulley & Andrews

Project: SD97 - SUMMER 2026 RENOVATIONS – Bid Package 1 –Trade Name

Bid Opening will be held at 1:05pm CST within the board room:

Scope of work for Bid Group 1 generally includes: General Trades, Roofing, Flooring, Electrical, Elevator and Excavation

All bids must be submitted in accordance with the bidding instructions contained in the Bidding Documents for the project. Bid security in the form of a bid bond in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the base bid amount shall be submitted with the bid. Should a bid bond be submitted, the bond shall be payable to the Board of Education, Oak Park Elementary School District 97, 260 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302. All documents and information required by the bidding instructions contained in the Bidding Documents for the project shall be submitted with the bid. Incomplete, late or non-conforming bids may not be accepted.

No bids shall be withdrawn, cancelled or modified after the time for opening of bids without the Board’s consent for a period of ninety (90) days after the scheduled time of bid opening.

The Bidding Documents for the project (which include the bidding instructions for the project and other related documents) will be available Tuesday November 4th, 2025 and are available for viewing/ download online without cost or purchase on the Bulley & Andrews, LLC One Drive, located at the following link. No username or password is required.

https://tinyurl.com/ysfudxfr

The Board reserves the right to reject any or all bids or parts thereof, or waive any irregularities or informalities, and to make an award that in the Board’s sole opinion is in the best interest of the District.

A mandatory site will for roofing relocated scope will be hosted on November 14, 2025 at

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Brooks Middle School at 1pm. If additional site visits are required, appointment to be coordinated with Bulley & Andrews, LLC. Interested parties may inspect the existing conditions. Schedule an appointment with Peter Kuhn of Bulley & Andrews in advance if you wish to visit the sites.

All bidders must comply with applicable Illinois Law requiring the payment of prevailing wages by all Contractors working on public works. If during the time period of work, the prevailing wage rates change, the contractor shall be responsible for additional costs without any change to the contract amount. All bidders must comply with the Illinois Statutory requirements regarding labor, including Equal Employment Opportunity Laws.

For additional information on the project, contact Peter Kuhn of Bulley & Andrews, LLC at pkuhn@ bulley.com or 312-907-4976.

Dated: 11/4/25

Peter Kuhn Bulley & Andrews, LLC

Published in Wednesday Journal November 12, 2025

NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for:

(2) Concrete Water Reservoir Rehabilitation

Overcoat exterior appurtenances, repaint the wet interior piping and miscellaneous repairs on the 500,000 gallon and 2,000,000 gallon concrete reservoirs located at 7525 Berkshire Street in River Forest, Illinois.

The bidding documents are available for download starting Monday, November 10, 2025 at: www.vrf.us/bids

Bids must be submitted by January 22, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at:

Public Works Department, 2nd Floor

Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305

The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work.

No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening.

The Village of River Forest reserves the right in receiving these bids to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids.

Published in Wednesday Journal November 12, 2025

Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookfield, Illinois that bid proposals will be received for the following project:

2025 TREE AND STUMP REMOVAL PROJECT

VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD, ILLINOIS

This project includes the removal of approximately 25 trees and 100 tree stumps at various locations within the Village of Brookfield.

Sealed bids will be received up to the hour of 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, the 26th day of November, 2025, in the Village Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois. All sealed bids received will be publicly opened and read at 11:00 A.M. on the same day, Wednesday, the 26th day of November, 2025, at the Village Hall.

Electronic copies of bidding documents, consisting of the bid proposal and project specifications are available from the Edwin Hancock Engineering Co., 9933 Roosevelt Road, Westchester, Illinois 60154. Bidding documents can be requested by emailing info@ehancock.com. No bidding documents will be issued after 4:00 P.M. on Friday, the 21st day of November, 2025. Proposals will only be accepted from bidders that have obtained bidding documents from the Edwin Hancock Engineering Company.

All bid proposals offered must be accompanied by a bid bond, cashier’s check or certified check in an amount not less than Five Percent (5%) of the total amount of the bid, as a guarantee that if the bid proposal is accepted, a contract will be entered into and the performance of the contract properly secured. Checks shall be made payable to the Order of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of Brookfield. No bid proposal shall be considered unless accompanied by such bid bond or check.

Any bidder in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of the bidding documents may request an interpretation thereof from the Village. The bidder requesting the interpretation shall be responsible for its prompt delivery. At the request of the bidder, or in the event that the Village deems the interpretation to be substantive, the interpretation will be made by written addendum issued by the Village.

In the event that a written addendum is issued, either as a result of a request for interpretation or the result of a change in the bidding documents issued by the Village, a copy of such addendum will be emailed to all prospective bidders. The Village will not assume responsibility for receipt of such addendum. In all cases it will be the bidders’ responsibility to obtain all addenda issued.

The Contractor and Subcontractor shall comply with all regulations issued pursuant to Prevailing Wage Act (820 ILCS 130), and other applicable Federal Laws and regulations pertaining to labor standards.

The Village of Brookfield reserves the rights to determine the lowest, responsive, responsible bidder, to waive irregularities, and to reject any or all bid proposals.

BY ORDER

THE PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES, VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD, ILLINOIS

Published in RB Landmark November 12, 2025

Bid Notice

The River Forest Park District will receive sealed bids for the Keystone Park Synthetic Turf Infield Project.

Bid Documents including Plans and Specifications, may be obtained beginning on Thursday November 13, 2025 by contacting Ashley Kowalczyk of W-T Group, LLC via email at akowalczyk@wtgroup. com. Only electronic drawings (PDFS) will be provided.

Bids are due on Thursday December 4 at 2 PM at River Forest Park District’s office which is located at 401 Thatcher Avenue in River Forest, IL 60305.

The project includes the removal and replacement of one (1) clay infield with a new synthetic turf infield at the existing Keystone Park site located at the northeast corner of Central Avenue and Keystone Avenue in River Forest, IL. Other improvements include excavation, new storm sewer, a synthetic turf infield, concrete curbing, concrete sidewalk, fencing, and some landscape restoration.

A Certified Check, Cashier’s Check or Bid Bond payable to the River Forest Park District for not less than five (5) percent of the total bid amount will be required for each bid.

The successful bidder will be required to furnish a satisfactory Performance Bond and Labor and Material Payment Bond for the total Contract Amount. The successful bidder will also be required to execute AIA Form A101 – 2017 as the contract between the parties.

All questions should be directed to Ashley Kowalczyk at W-T Group, LLC via email at akowalczyk@wtgroup.com.

In all work performed under this Contract, the Contractor and all of its subcontractors shall comply with the current provisions of the Prevailing Wage Act of the Illinois Revised Statutes, Chapter 48, Sections 39s-1 et seq.

No bids will be withdrawn without the written consent of the River Forest Park District. If a Bid is withdrawn, the Bidder will not be permitted to submit another Bid for the same project. Only bids in compliance with the provisions of the Bid Documents will be considered. Bids will be considered firm for a period of ninety (90) days. The River Forest Park District reserves the right to reject any or all bids or portions of bids/portions of work and to waive any technicalities in the bidding if it should be deemed in the public interest.

Published in Wednesday Journal November 12, 2025