Landmark_111925 by Wednesday Journal

Sustain

Riverside food pantry, grocer team up to feed the community

Township res can visit the pant a month, with Ri Foods ma customers’ dona

By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter

With food assistance benefits set to be stricted following a temporary shutdown of the federal government — during the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program was paused — it can feel li more people than ever who need help feeding themselves and their families. Those who do often turn to local food pantries couldn’t afford to purchase

When it comes to asking may think of the Share Food Share Lo pantry in Brookfield, which serves 15 villages

See PANTRY on page 5

vocates plan presentation at c. 17 school board meeting sing on secure gun storage

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

Lindsey Loucks is unambiguous about her goals on firearm safety.

rside School District 96 parent would like the district to join her in embracing the Be SMART that focuses on secure gun storage. Be SMART is an acronym that stands for securing all firearms in homes and vehicles; modeling responsible behavior around firearms; asking about the presence of unsecured firearms in other homes; recSee FIREARMS on page 5

GARBIS

Riverside nails down new public safety building layout

Trustees discussed 3 schematic options room by room an d oor by oor

By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter

In a final discussion this year, Riverside trustees reviewed two-dimensional schematics for the village’s project to remodel its public safety building, including new community spaces, access to a riverwalk patio and a dedicated office for the village president.

After approving a contract in May for detailed floor plans in addition to exterior renderings coming next year with Williams Architects, the firm that provided planning work on the project, the board on Nov. 6 ag reed to move forward with the second of three detailed plans they looked at, which all shared similarities. Williams will return to the board early next year with further updates and refinements on the plans based on threedimensional modeling.

“The community space in all of these schemes is front and center,” said Kim Nigro, a project manager at Williams. “There is an open space that has both access and views all the way through to the river and connection to the proposed riverwalk element patio that is connecting all the way back to the suspension bridge.”

Each layout has 50 on-site parking spaces between basement parking in the back of the building, as the ground slopes downward toward the river, and surface parking out front, Nigro said.

“A ll three schemes have some variation of the same set of progr ams. The only thing that changes from one to the next, really, is the relationship upstairs,” she said.

One ke y difference from the firs t scheme to the second and third is the location of fire department facilities on the main floor. In the first scheme, those spaces r un north to south b etween the p olice space by the westerly front entrance and the apparatus bay for River-

s ide ’s firetrucks, and in the other two, they ’re on the east side of the a pparatus bay and separated from the village ’s police facilities

“One of the things we really focus on with fire planning is the decontamination of personnel. When they’re coming back from a structure fire, they have carcino g ens on their uniform,” Nig ro said.

“We always create this buffer zone, kind of an airlock, between that apparatus, the hot zone, and we call this a warm zone. They’re taking of f soiled gear; they’re showering and cleaning that gear in this warm zone before they move into the zone of administrative or living spaces.”

The second and third schematics differ in the layout of rooms on the main and second level, with main floor spaces for administrative assistants who interact with the public, a public conference room, bathrooms and the new village president’s of fice shifting in position and size between the schemes. On the second floor, the locations of various community amenities like a fitness space and locker rooms, a community kitchen and support space for Riverside TV shift around, too.

In all three schematics, fire department living spaces are on the second floor, separated from the community areas by the apparatus bay. In the first scheme, they run along the south wall with bunk rooms having direct views of the river, while in the second and third, they run along the east wall above the “war m zone” Nigro described.

Public Safety Director Matthew Buckley told the board all three schematics would be viable for his two departments’ needs.

“When they first started c oming out, these p lans, [ Public Wo rks Director] Dan [Tabb] and I sat in one of our offices with scissors and c ut up little shapes and move d them around to t ry to p lan all thi s. We gave it back to Wi lliams and said, ‘ Hey, this is wh at we c ame up with,’ and they we re li ke, ‘ Makes a lot of sense.’ It fl owed a lot b etter,” Buckley said. “A ll of these p lans fl ow pretty well for us, wh ich is why they ’re up here. We are pretty happy with how all three of these schemes have turned out. ”

He said having the warm zone between police spaces and the apparatus bay or on

the far east side of the bay would both suffice for Riverside’s firefighters.

“Either way is fine with us, but it is nice having that separated area for dirty equipment,” he said.

Village Manager Jessica Frances said she suggested creating a new business district designation over the new facility if it is approved and built.

“We could assess a 1% business district tax. Why is that important? Well, if we’re entering into agreements with caterers to allow them to use the community space for catering, we get that 1% business district tax,” Frances said. “We can reinvest in the facility, or we can use that money to actually abate the property taxes for the referendum.”

That business district designation could also apply to a possible store selling smoothies or coffee that could open on the second floor as a designated social space for Riverside’s teenagers who no longer want to cong re gate in the library.

“Williams did an awesome job, and there is a small little space that would be enough,” Frances said. “If we weren’ t successful in having a cafe-type shop set up there, then it could just be utilized as additional space.”

Members of the board ag reed all three schemes could work, though Trustee Elizabeth Kos spoke in favor of the second scheme, which gave the firefighter living spaces the most distance from the other rooms on the second floor.

“I like that the bunk rooms are a little more secluded,” she said. “Maybe that affords a little more quiet, a little more sense of not being in the middle of it all, so I like that.”

Wi lliams re presentatives said they had heard the f eedback they needed from the b oard.

“If everyone’s in ag reement that [the three schemes] are functioning pretty well programmatically, and we take your comments from tonight, the next step of looking at this as a mass is starting to refine some of these things,” Nig ro said. “When we’re looking at the apparatus support bay on the east versus internally, one of those options may become more obviously the solution based on how we look at this threedimensionally. That’s what we’re going to come back to you next with.”

Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead

Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea

Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza

Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls

Marketing & Adver tising Associate Emma Cullnan

Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan

Circulation Manager Jill Wagner EMAIL jill@oakpark.com

Operations Associate Susan Babin

Social Media and Digital Coordinator Maribel Barrera

Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

Senior Advisor Dan Haley BOARD OF DIREC TORS

Chair Eric Weinheimer Treasurer Nile Wendor f Deb Abrahamson, Mary Cahillane, Steve Edwards, Judy Gre n, Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson, Darnell Shields, Audra Wilson

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In Riverside and Brook eld, o cials explain ICE policies

Police

w ill ‘ensure community safety’ but cannot interrupt detentions performed by federal agents

By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter

If residents see federal immigration enforcement agents conducting stops and detentions, village officials encourage them to call 911 and report the incident, but, under state law, local police are prohibited from interfering with or participating in immigration enforcement.

In Riverside, officials on Nov. 6 addressed growing concerns over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity in the re gion, where federal agents are stopping and detaining people at immigration hearings or on the street.

These detentions often occur with no warrants or reasonable suspicion of a crime and have heavily targeted Latino and Hispanic people. Many of them are United States citizens or have immigrated to the country legally despite widespread rhetoric that detainees may be in violation of immigration policy.

“We are all aware of immigration enforcement activity conducted by the federal government in the Chicagoland area and within our neighboring communities. This activity is of great concern to the village,” said Village President Doug Pollock. “Riverside and the Riverside Police

Department remain fully committed to ensuring the safety, security and wellbeing of everyone who lives in, works in and visits our community.”

Riverside’s website now features a page with information on immigration enforcement and resources on knowing one’s rights when interacting with law enforcement. That webpage links to some frequently asked questions, which provide information on how to react if you believe you’re witnessing an ICE detention.

Pollock said most of the questions he and Riverside representatives have received have to do with how residents should respond to “activity that appears concerning and may or may not be related to federal immigration enforcement.”

“The answer is always the same: Call 911. If you see something, say something, and 911 is the way you say something,” he said. “It is important for residents to understand, however, that the Riverside Police Department is prohibited by law from interfering with or assisting federal immigration enforcement operations.”

According to the Illinois TRUST Act of 2021, local law enforcement agencies can neither prevent nor aid immigration enforcement. If a resident witnesses a detention in Riverside and calls 911, police will “protect the peace, deescalate confrontations, and, if appropriate, enforce Illinois and local laws,” but interfering with ICE detentions “may be considere d obstruction of justice,” said Village Attor ney Bob Pickrell.

Public Safety Director Matthew Buckley said village police officers are “trained in crisis intervention and deescalation tactics” but echoed Pollock and

Pickrell’s point that police cannot prevent ICE detentions.

According to the online FAQ, immigration agencies do not notify Riverside police when they plan to operate in town, and Riverside will not immediately notify residents of confirmed federal agent activity, as “that may interfere with federal operations.”

Village records of such activity will be made available under the Freedom of Information Act, which requires government agencies to partially or fully disclose information upon request from a member of the public.

In an email to the Landmark, Buckley said no activity from ICE or other federal immigration agencies has been reported in Riverside this year. If the police were notified of such activity, “a report is automatically generated by our dispatch center and an officer is assigned to respond and investigate,” Buckley wrote, though there’s no way to access such reports except through filing a FOIA request.

In Brookfield, Village President Michael Garvey similarly invoked the TRUST Act in response to public commenters on Nov. 10 who asked the village to make ef for ts to protect community members from federal immigration enforcement.

“This is a public comment section. We can’t take any specific action tonight,” Garvey said in response to one commenter, Jonathan Platt, who had requested village staf f or trustees work with members of the activist group Indivisible to inform residents on how they can protect neighbors.

“Our police department is briefed and aware of the Illinois TRUST Act and what obligations they have under Illinois state

law. They are following those laws, and there’s re gular briefings at every shift about that,” Garvey said.

Another public commenter, Beth Berenson, asked the village to make a formal pledge against working with immigration enforcement.

“We’ve seen villages across the area start to take action: doing executive orders, resolutions, ordinances to really protect their neighbors by not allowing federal immigration agents to stage or process any enforcement activities on their village property,” said Berenson, citing policies in Berwyn, Oak Park and even at the county level. “We are all aware that these activities are not really about stopping criminals but harassing and ter rorizing people based on their race and ethnicity.”

Police Chief Michael Kuruvilla told the Landmark no ICE activity has been reported in Brookfield this year, though, like officials in Riverside, he encouraged residents to call the police if they witness a suspected detainment.

“Police response would be very similar to how they would handle any other call for service or call for assistance. They’re going to be recording the incident by way of body-worn camera footage, and there will be a police report generated detailing and documenting what was learned through the response at that scene,” he said. Ku ruvilla said p olice c ommunications to residents about perceive d ICE activity “would probably be de p endent on the t ype of incident and response that would be war r anted.” He said the department c ould p otentially notify residents of a c all to p olice about such activity on a c ase- by -case basi s.

In this Season of Giving, the Olmsted Society thanks all who volunteered and participated in our many events this year. We especially thank our members, many who have been Society members for decades. Your generous membership donations support the continuance of educational programs, tours, landscape enhancements, and special events like the Hop Stop craft beer festival.

The 2026 Membership Drive is beginning. Please visit our website to renew or join.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

PANTRY

Community comes through from page 1

nearby. But residents of Riverside Township have another option even closer to home

“Our pantry is within the Riverside town hall,” said Vera Wilt, the township supervisor. “All they have to do is [show] proof of residency, so it’s available. If you think you need it, come on in. There’s no financial measurement. As long as they live within the township boundaries, which are Harlem to Ninth Avenue and Cermak to 39th — we’re a tiny township — they are eligible.”

T hose boundaries include most of the village of Riverside as well as much of North Riverside and the Hollywood area of Brookfield

Wilt said the Riverside Township food pantry is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and on Friday 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. She asked that residents call the pantry about an hour before they plan to come by and try to arrive no less than a half hour before close.

“Our actual pantry storage is on another floor, so we want to make sure that the tote bags are on the first floor and easy to access for them,” she said.

Due to the pantry’s limited space in Township Hall, Wilt told the Landmark they pre-

FIREARMS

School’s not eager

from page 1

ognizing the role of firearms in suicide; and telling your peers to be S-M-A-R-T

“Some schools have a concussion policy, and I’d like to see a firearms policy,” Loucks said. “This has been enough of a factor in our lives that this has been a public safety issue, and I think the district needs to jump on this.”

Loucks was inspired to become an advocate of Be SMART after the August massshooting incident at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis.

“I started to dig around and look for something [where] I could be proactive and what I could do personally,” Loucks said. “I became aware of the Be SMART program. Why couldn’t this be something I could share with the district?”

In addition to a firearm policy that would also include information about intruder drills in which District 96 schools participate, Loucks would like to see the district share Be SMART messaging on the district website

pack bags of non-perishable items for people to take home. Usually, township residents are limited to one visit each month, but Wilt said the pantry is changing the limit to every two weeks to ensure people are fed in this time of increased need

“Every time they come in, we record it, so, if they call and say, ‘Am I eligible?’ we can check the date of their last visit,” she said.

So far this year, the pantry has served 45 new households compared to last year, Wilt said, with about a dozen of them making their first trip within the last several weeks.

The majority of the pantry’s food comes through donations and purchases made with township money, as the Greater Chicago Food Depository is not able to provide them with food due to its own capacity issues, Wilt said.

“We always budget a certain amount for the food pantry and often go over if needed,” she said. “People have been very generous with the word out about SNAP. Several of the schools have had food drives. We’ve had people randomly come in with a check. Various organizations have come in with checks.”

Among the groups lending a hand is Riverside Foods, the village’s sole grocery store, which has been matching its customers’ donations to boost the pantry’s access to food

“It really has helped us. I’m not running out every few days to shop for the pantry,” Wilt said.

Peter Boutsikakis, one of the co-owners of the grocery on East Burlington Avenue, said the store’s matching program started

and through its communication channels

She launched a petition and is planning on making a presentation to the District 96 school board at its meeting Dec. 17. As of Sunday, the petition had nearly 200 signees

According to Board President Wesley Muirheid, any presentation would have to fit within the five minutes of the meeting’s public comment portion.

“There will be no dialog at the b oard, at least on the 17 th,” Muirheid said, a dding he had no official c omment from a b oard perspective.

District 96 Superintendent Dr. Martha Ryan-Toye had no comment either, referring a reporter to the Riverside village’s director of public safety, Matthew Buckley. On Monday, Deputy Chief of Police Leo Kotor said that once Loucks is trained in the Be SMART program, there is a possibility the department would partner with her to slate a class for adults on firearm safety.

Loucks has support from other district parents, including Caroline Woods.

“I think that, for one, it raises awareness for the need to secure your firearms,” Woods said. “The things we want to prevent are mass shootings and self-harm.”

“If this prevents one weapon from falling into the hands of one person who could

at the behest of Anthony Garbis, his cousin and co-owner.

“We didn’t have time to assemble bags. We just started accepting dona tions and letting folks know exactly what would be useful and [placed] a bin in the front of our store,” he told the Landmark. “We’ve dropped off two bins’ worth of groceries at the township since we started this. I believe it’s been just shy of two weeks.”

When the bin fills up, Boutsikakis said, Riverside Foods staff determine how much food has been donated by customers and matches each item from its own inventory, doubling the size of the donation the food pantry receives.

“I was thrilled to see people respond to it immediately. I think the news has hit near and dear to a lot of people,” he said. “We’ve had folks come in just for that. Our customers are very gracious and generous, and they’ve donated quite a bit. I’ve even had people try to give us money, but we’re not accepting money for this, so we … use it as effectively as we can and put those [items] along with the donations.”

Boutsikakis said the idea stemmed from Riverside Foods’ annual pack-the-truck program, where customers in the two weeks before Christmas can pay $25 for a pre-bagged donation that the grocers give to the food pantry.

“It goes even further than just buying $25 worth of groceries. We do $25 worth of our cost that we shop for. We’re shopping deals on non-perishables,” he said.

cause harm, it’s worth it,” she said, adding she is planning to speak at the Dec. 17 board meeting.

“There are a lot of parents who feel strongly about this,” she said.

Jill Novak has three children in District 96, and while she’s not expecting a gun-related incident to occur, she admitted, “I think it’s a scary time to be a parent.

“I think Be SMART is something proactive the district can do to make the district safe,” Novak said. “Gun safety is one of the top public safety issues they should be addressing.

“We have a great c ommunity and great schools, but when you hear things li ke this happening, you hear parents say, ‘We neve r thought this c ould happen in our community.’”

On Nov. 5, residents gathered at Riverside Public Library for a presentation by Be SMART advocate Jenna Leving Jacobson. She is an Oak Park trustee and successfully petitioned for similar gun storage policies in Oak Park School District 97 and Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200.

“Schools are a trusted source of infor mation about guns and safety,” Jacobson said. “We get a lot of safety information from our schools, in terms (of), they are an effective messenger.”

Safe Steps for Fall Day YOUR BEST

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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

Brook eld approves new ambulance purchase

e vehicle will cost $423K over 2 years and arrive in 2027 or 2028

By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter

Brookfield has started the multi-year process of purchasing a new ambulance.

Village trustees on Nov. 10 authorized the purchase of a new Ford F550 advanced life support ambulance from Life Line Emergency Vehicles, an ambulance manufacturer based in Sumner in Lawrence County, Illinois.

According to a village memo, Life Line has quoted village staf f a total price of $423,401 for the ambulance, which will take two to three years to be manufactured and delivered.

Village President Michael Garvey attributed the length of the process to “the supply chain [of] equipment and the retrofitting” that needs to be done to the vehicle. According to the memo, the process has

increased in duration from 12-14 months to 24-36 months since 2020.

The village has budgeted $177,000 toward the purchase next year for the chassis, worth about $94,000, and the power-load system, worth about $81,000 — a “huge safety device,” said Fire Chief Jim Adams. The system enables a stretcher to be loaded into the ambulance. The hope is that the early payments will allow delivery by the end of 2026.

That leaves the remaining $246,401 to be budgeted in 2027, the soonest the rest of the ambulance is expected to be delivered.

T he purchase comes through the Houston-Galveston Area Council, a re gional local gover nment association in Texas T he association operates the prog ram HGACBuy, which provides purchasing services to local units of gover nment across the country and vetted Life Line’s quote to Brookfield

According to the memo, Brookfield’s fire department now operates two ambulances re gularly: a 2017 Ford F550 and a 2024 Ford F550. A third ambulance, a 2013 Ford F450, is kept as a backup if either of the others is

out of service for re gular maintenance or needed repairs. The average lifespan of an ambulance is seven or eight years.

Adams said Brookfield most recently approved a similar purchase order in July 2023 for the model year 2024 ambulance, which was delivered in September, 26 months later.

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“If this is the way it’s going to continue, you’re probably going to see this come up every three years now, which is a good rotation to have on our ambulances,” Adams said. “They do get a lot of use.”

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Help set the table for change

The expression, “putting food on the table”, has taken on a deeper meaning this holiday season. Our food pantry is facing an unexpected challenge. e food bank that supplies the majority of our food has put us on notice: We will not receive the usual volume of holiday food supplies this year, due to federal cuts in funding.

We’re all neighbors here. at’s how it’s been since we started out 10 years ago in a local church basement. It wasn’t long before we became an independent, 501(c)3 non-pro t organization. And when the church went out of business, the sale of the church property was donated to the pantry. at assured the launch of the pantry, helping to pay for the 7,000 square foot former factory building we

now occupy.

e Share Food Share

Love food pantry is a place where everyone can truly “make a di erence”. Our two-fold mission is to help reduce hunger in our area and the causes of that hunger. We have set out to do this by “connecting the four corners of community”. Bringing together all who are shareholders in a shared cause: Neighbors in need, volunteers, donors, and strategic partners.

Back in 2015, our small food pantry was visited by 860 neighbors. Last year, the pantry was visited nearly 5,000 times. Along the way, we’ve learned that setting the table for community driven change really is possible, when enough of us come together to upli all of us.

District 208 sets public hearing for tax levy jump

Dec. 9 hear ing will focus on proposed 4.95% property tax levy increase

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

Riverside-Brookfield High School District 208 will host a public hearing at the Dec. 9 board of education meeting re garding the 2025 proposed property tax levy increase of 4.95%.

According to district assistant superi ntendent Dr. K ristin S metana, the dist rict’s tax levy is capped to wh icheve r is lowe r – 5%, or the c onsumer price inde x for 2025, wh ich is 2.9%. Th at means the tax levy increase will be 4.95% for new properties, residential and c ommercial, to a ccount for the CGI increase, and 2.9%

for existing proper ties

While the district is not required by law to host a public hearing because its tax levy increase is less than 5%, Smetana said, “we choose to do a public hearing for transparency.”

Smetana also said the new property trend – both resident and commercial – has shown an average of $1.6 million in new property values.

Additionally, the district debt service is about $5 million based on two bonds from a referendum in the early 2000s that has been refinanced twice, and a bond issued in 2024 for capital projects, including creating a commercial culinary lab.

“We are in good standing,” she said with re gard to debt service. “When you issue bonds, you’ll get a rating. We did that last year, (and) we received the highest rating we could get based on the demographics of the district.”

District students come from Riverside, Brookfield, North Riverside and slivers of Lyons and La Grange Park

Drunk driver turns onto oncoming one-way

Brookfield police arrested a 25-year-old LaGrange Highlands woman on Nov. 7 after police watched her turn the wrong way onto a one-way street.

Around 12:23 a.m., an officer on patrol near the intersection of Maple and Burlington avenues saw two white vehicles turn west onto the one-way, eastbound Southview Avenue north of the railroad tracks. The officer pulled one of the cars over at Madison Avenue.

After making contact with the driver, the officer smelled alcohol and saw the driver had bloodshot, watery eyes. While slurring her words, the driver said she was coming from Burbank and admitted to having two martinis. She said she did not know why she was driving the wrong way on the oneway street and said her car was insured, but she could not provide proof of insurance.

The officer asked the woman to exit her car and take standard field sobriety tests, to which she ag reed. Due to heavy rain, the officer asked the woman if she would be amenable to relocating to a war mer and drier area, to which she ag reed, so the of-

ficer drove her to the police department garage while not in custody. During the drive, the officer continued to smell alcohol.

During the tests, the woman’s eyes showed indications of impairment, and she struggled to maintain her balance and follow instructions to complete the tests.

The woman also ag reed to take a preliminary breath test, which showed .232 blood alcohol content. While the test was being prepared, the woman stated she had drunk three martinis.

The officer arrested the woman for driving under the influence and took her to an interview room; during the mandatory 20-minute observation period, the woman “repeatedly” nodded of f to sleep, police said. The woman signed her Miranda warning form and admitted to drinking. She said she had not driven under the influence of alcohol but admitted to driving after the time when she consumed alcohol before stating she was drunk.

The woman was cited for driving the wrong way on a one-way street, driving an uninsured motor vehicle, driving un-

der the influence and having blood alcohol content above the legal limit of .080. The officer set a Dec. 9 court date and released the woman, who was picked up from the police department by her father.

Expired plates, no license

Brookfield police on Nov. 4 ticketed a 23-year-old Chicago woman for having expired license plates.

While completing a traffic stop at the intersection of Ogden and Rose avenues in Lyons, an officer observed a car heading east from Brookfield that had an expired re gistration. The officer pulled the car over at the intersection of First Avenue and Plainfield Road in Lyons and spoke to the driver, who said she did not have proof of insurance nor had she been issued a driver’s license when asked for both.

The woman said she “had not gotten around” to obtaining a license due to be-

store. The woman acknowledged she was in the wrong when the officer said she should not be driving without a license or insurance.

The officer told the woman her car would need to be towed due to the circumstances and issued the woman citations for having expired license plates, having no valid driver’s license and operating an uninsured vehicle. The officer let the woman go on her way with a friend after setting a Nov. 25 court date.

These items were obtained from the Brookfield Police Department re ports dated Nov. 3-10; they re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large and police have provided us with a detailed physical descrip-

Proposed rental registration draws ire in Brookﬁeld

Community members criticized in-unit inspections, which could be removed from the nal program

By STELLA BROWN Staff Reporter

Brookfield officials are c ontinuing to discuss a proposed rental re gistratio n ordinance, but landlords and tenants ali ke in the c ommunity say they ’re unhappy with the p ossible inclusion of yearly i nspections of r andom personal living areas that village staf f say c ould catch health and safety issues

T he village board considered the program for the third time at its Nov. 10 committee of the whole meeting, where Libby Popovic, Brookfield’s community development director, brought for th three new versions. T he board will discuss the matter ag ain on Nov. 24, Popovic said.

One ve rsion of the progr am would include annual exterior and c ommon area i nspections and t riennial r andom uni t i nspections, wh i le another would see no in-unit i nspections, with c ommon area and exterior i nspections o ccurring eve ry three year s. T he final ve rsion would not include any i nspections and would only require rental property owners to re gister their units each year.

Re gistering would cost $50 per building for the least stringent version of the progr am, with fees ranging up to $225 fo r buildings with more than five units in the strictest version with in-unit inspections.

At the c ommittee meeting, Po povic said info rm ation about the re gistered owner of any given property is noted at the c ounty level and follows a c omplicated chain from the c ounty recorder of

d eeds to the treasurer, who associates the info rm ation with tax bills and send s it to the assessor

“Those are three separate we bsites that you would have to look at to really see who is the le g al owner of a property,” but that’s “what staf f has to do now to get to the actual owner of a proper ty,” wh ich is why re gistering the owners at a local level would be useful, she said.

While seve r al public c ommenters and trustees asked to see more data suppo rting the need for in-unit i nspections to proactive ly target health and safety issues, one of the stated g oals of the progr am, Po povic said little exists.

“We do n’ t have specific data because, when somebody c alls [ to c omplain] , we do n’ t know if it ’s a tenant, or it ’s an owner. T he data is difficult to c ome across. We would have to go through and t ry to vet all of the different files to fin d out,” she said. “That’s pa rt of why we ’re here. We do n’ t have the data. It was not ke pt co rrectly, and it ’s difficult to c ome across. Wi th rental re gistration, the bu rd en and the onus is on the owner and not on the village or the staf f or public resources to find that info rm ation. ”

Community members speak out

L ou Arzon, a rental property owner who has given public c omment against the proposed ordinance, told the L andmark on Nov. 13 he f elt there was no evid ence suppo rt ing the need for a re gistration progr am.

“If you are using [other] towns as analogues for, ‘This is what excellence looks like,’ maybe the village doesn’t have its own data, but they could at least, perhaps, do some due diligence” in reaching out to other municipalities, Arzon said. “At least try to understand, have there been any type of measurable safety outcomes as a result of implementing this program?”

At the meeting, Po povic presented ex-

amples of similar progr ams in 20 c ommunities across C ook C ounty, including Rive rside, Oak Pa rk , Evanston and more.

Two of Arzon’s tenants, an eng aged c ouple who have live d in Brookfield since Ju ly and asked to remain anonymous, said Mond ay they had c oncerns about potential in-unit inspections

“My number one thought was, ‘OK, my privacy,’” one of the tenants said. “Thi s is our first time renting, so it was li ke, ‘ Oh my God, wh at ’s going on?’ We didn’t even know this was p ossible … I f eel li ke they ’re going to be invading my privacy.”

“I do not own a home, but, to me, this is my home,” she added.

Her fiance said he wo r ried Arzon c ould p ass the re gistration f ee onto the c ouple and make their housing expenses less af fordable

“I do n’ t f eel li ke there’s a need for them to c ome in and do an i nspection,” he said. “In c ase it d oes go in effect in Januar y, that’s probably going to make our rent go up. Th at ’s maybe going to kick us out of here and [make us] go somewhere else because the rent is going to be out of our budget. ”

The need, from staﬀ ’s view

In an i nterview, Po povic told the L andmark on Nov. 14 she wasn’t f ully surprised by the amount of p ushback against the progr am from public c ommenter s.

“Generally, residents aren’t excited to implement any t ype of additional restrictions or ordinances of that nature. Rental re gistration ordinances tend to be a little bit more c ontentious,” she said. “I anticipated they would c ome, as they should, so they c an make thei r o pinions known. ”

Po povic said the idea to create a rental re gistration progr am was spur red from the need to closely track who owns a property when tenant i ssues do c ome up.

“It’s not something that we would want to simply create for the sake of having it Our primary g oal is to strengthen public safety and property maintenanc e, ” she said. “We we re r unning i nto some i ssues with the property maintenanc e, mostly defe rred maintenanc e. In some of the c older months, in the year and a half that I’ve b een here, we rece ive a lot of c alls from tenants that are seeking the village to step in or that are c omplaining about things that their landlords have n’ t or have done. That was the catalyst.” Po povic said there is some data to back up the need for a progr am, but much of it has been poorly recorded . “We’ve b een c ombing through all of the different files. It ’s not all in one source or one platfo rm , so that makes it a little difficult for us, and it certainly takes some manp ower and some wo rk to g et it to g ether,” she said. “In 2023, there we re ve ry few property maintenanc e matters that we re actually being c omp letely processed as they should. In 2024, we did see an uptick in that, and we ’ve seen an even higher uptick in 2025. To date, and I j ust g ot this statistic, we ’ve already processed about 1,100 matter s. ” S he said implementing the re gistration progr am would streamline the proc ess further so Brookfield c an proactively ensure landlords are treating thei r tenants right.

“Staf f is spending hours locating a co rrect owner or navig ating outdated c ounty records or chasing inco rrect info rmation. T he re gistration shifts it to the responsible pa rt y, who is the landlord,” she said. “It’s something that would allow us to identify properties that may need a dditional wo rk , wh ich, in turn, protects the tenants that are stayin g there. It creates a ve ry structured way that we c an a ddress all of the i ssues, so they aren’t costly or dangerous.”

CO RRECTI ON

An article titled “Cong. Garcia raises ire as he taps staffer to succeed him” that ran in print misstated when Rep. Jesús “Chuy” García and Patty García filed their nominating petitions for the 2026 4th District primary. Chuy García filed on Oct. 27 while Patty García filed on Nov. 3. The Landmark re grets the er ror.

At the last minute: A change in the Garcia running for Congress in the

Latest candidate not related to incumbent, but some don’t like what happened

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Patty Garcia, the last minute congressional candidate running to replace her former boss, U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, for mally kicked of f her campaign on Nov. 12 in the produce section at the La Chiquita grocery store in Cicero where she worked as a teenager.

S he filed her nominating p etitions to g et on the March 17 Democratic primary b allot j ust minutes before the 5 p. m. Nov. 3 filing d eadline. A week before, C huy Garcia had filed to r un for a fifth ter m in I llinois 4 th c ong ressional district bu t is now expected to withdraw from the race. Patty Garcia and C huy Garcia are not related

She will be unopposed in the Democratic primary in the overwhelmingly Democratic district that ranges from the near southwest side of Chicago out to include nearly all of Riverside and Brookfield.

In the g eneral election next November, she will be o pposed by Lupe C astillo, a little-known Re publican who is unopp osed in the Re publican primar y, and Ed Hershey, a c andidate from the Wo rk in g C lass Pa rt y. Chicago Alderman Byro n S ancho-Lopez is exploring r unning in the general election as an inde p endent.

At her announcement Patty Garcia was backed and applauded by a number of politicians and activists who have been part of the progressive movement Chuy Garcia has built over decades on the southwest side of Chicago

Rep. Garcia had been expected to be at the kickoff announcement but couldn’t be there because he had to be in Washington, D.C. that day to vote on the bill that ended the shutdown of the federal government. Garica, like most Democrats, voted against the bill.

Patty Garcia gave an impassioned and fiery speech to kick of f her campaign. She

first paid tribute to her immigrant parents.

“My mother crossed the border undocumented and pregnant with me,” Garcia said.

She made clear that opposing President Donald Trump and supporting immigrants, both documented and undocumented, would be a central focus for her.

“Trump has declared war on our community, on my community, on my neighbors, on my family, on the 4th District,” Garcia said. “And let me be clear, fuck ICE.”

Garcia called for the abolishment of the U.S. Immigration and Customs enforcement agency.

“It’s time to abolish ICE and hold Trump and his entire clan accountable.”

Patty Garica, 40, grew up in Little Vi llage and Cicero. After gr aduating from Hubbard High School in Chicago she attended the Unive rsity of I llinois where she eventually earned a PhD de gree in educational p oli cy S he then be g an wo rk -

ing in p olitics for the Latino C enter fo r L eadership Development where she helped train c andidates for public of fic e.

She has worked for Re p. Garcia for the past six years. She resigned her position as Garcia’s chief of staf f on Oct. 31 after deciding that she would run to re place him in Cong ress

T he last-minute candidacy of Patty Garcia has g enerated criticism from those who say it is an example of the sor t of machine politics that Chuy Garcia used to rail ag ainst.

One of Re p. Garcia’s Democratic c olleagues in C ong ress, Marie Gluesenkamp Pe re z of Washington, mad e a speech in C ong ress saying that she p lanned to force a vote in the House of Re presentatives on a resolution c ond emning Re p. Garcia for “undermining the process of a free and fair election” and attempting to “anoint a heir. ”

Chuy Garcia, 69, has said that he made a last-minute decision not to seek a fifth term in Congress after a visit to his cardiologist the day he filed. In media interviews, he also pointed to his recent adoption of a young grandchild and his wife’s health issues as reasons not to seek another term in Congress.

In response to a question after her announcement, Patty Garcia said that the decision that she would run was made just a few days before the filing deadline.

“Look it was a whirlwind, that last week before filing,” she said. “The final decision was essentially between that T hursday night [Oct. 30] and F riday morning [Oct. 31] so we literally had less than two days to collect everything and g et on the ballot.”

“For those who are saying ‘oh, this was planned,’ it wasn’t,” Garcia said. “Those who know me know I plan, and I organize ahead.”

BOB SKOLNIK

Photo taken on Nov.12 at Food Market La Chiquita on 22nd Street in Cicero

Sports

Nazareth, Fenwick football to meet in Class 6A semi nals

Roadrunners win with furious rally; Friars dominate Burlington Central

By BILL STONE and MELVIN TATE

Contributing Reporters

W hen N azareth Academy senior q uarterback Jackson Failla move d to Brookfield from Pennsylvania in m id-June, he soon became impressed by the football team’s culture.

“It was hard adjusting at first but everyone here is so welcoming, kind. I felt right at home pretty quickly,” Failla said. “Just everybody and the coaches, there’s a level of expectation with how we play and prepare but there’s a level of fun to it.”

On Saturday, Failla saw his new teammates’ true character during perhaps the greatest comeback in program history. Down 12 points with fewer than three minutes left and out of timeouts, the Roadrunners scored two late touchdowns to stun Lake Zurich 24-21 in the Class 6A state quarterfinals. Nazareth (11-1) now plays host to the semifinals at 1 p.m. Saturday against Fenwick (9-3), a second-round 7A playoff team last year. Nazareth has won the 5A state title the past three seasons.

“It was pretty surreal, especially with just a couple of minutes left in the game and just being able to pull it out the way we did,” Failla said. “I think [the comeback] was the fact that no one was willing to give up. We knew it was a 48-minute game and we were going to play all 48.”

The last three minutes were epic. With 1:23 left, Failla completed the improbable a 15-yard TD pass to Trenton Walker and then ran in the two-point conversion for the three-point lead. Henry Sakalas provided the initial spark with the Roadrunners’ second blocked punt. Failla’s 7-yard TD pass to Charles Calhoun with 2:36 left closed the gap to 21-16. Frankie Nichols then pulled of f the all-impor tant onside kick that Cash Coleman recovered near

midfield to begin the game-winning drive

“It’s one of the craziest g ames I’ve been a part of – and seen,” Nichols said. “We just fought for the full 48 minutes and it was something special. I’m going to remember how excited everyone on the sidelines was, just not giving up and h ow everybody came to g ether.”

After pulling ahead, the Roadrunners stopped Lake Zurich (9-3) on downs and ran out the clock. Nazareth held the Bears scoreless in the second half and stayed within two possessions.

“It was an instant classic. That was incredible,” Nazareth coach Tim Racki said of the victory. “I literally stress every day the importance of playing the entire 48 minutes, re gardless of what the scoreboard is saying. We had a group of leaders on our sidelines when it wasn’t looking so good who said, ‘We’ve got time. We just need one more play.’ The defense did an

excellent job of holding them and Henry’s blocked punt was a huge play for the first score. We started stacking those plays and riding that momentum and all of a sudden we had the lead, which we hadn’t all game.”

Failla was 12 for 26 passing for 149 yards with Walker catching six second-half passes for 74 yards. In the first half, Billy Harding kicked a 28-yard field goal and Justin Watson (13 carries, 74 yards) scored on a 2-yard run to close to 14-9 in the second quarter but the Bears scored again just before halftime

Failla and Nichols split time at quarterback earlier in the season. Failla gradually got more snaps and Nichols began contributing for the first time defensively at cor nerback. After Nichols briefly played quar terback Saturday for a different look, Failla returned for the TD pass to Calhoun, who shed a tackle to score.

“It was just electric,” Failla said. “It was

like, ‘If we get the ball back, we’re going to score again.’”

Enter Nichols again, who usually handles punts and kickoffs. For the onside kick, it was either the right-footed Nichols or left-footed placekicker Harding. The Roadrunners tested the two-kicker onside strategy during the opening playof f victory over Hononegah but did not get the ball back. That time Harding kicked.

“[Lake Zurich was] kind of confused who was going to kick the ball. Coach Racki makes the call because he trusts both of us to execute,” Nichols said. “It ricocheted of f one of their players and Cash happened to be there at the right time.”

For the final TD, Walker made the catch and eluded a tackle to score. Failla rolled out and ran in the two-point conversion.

“I just kind of put it there and let [Walker] do his thing,” Failla said. “It felt good but I relied on everyone around me. I feel like that’s what led us to be able to do that in the end.”

Dylan Wellner had 11 tackles and Ben Lukes and Will McGarry 10 each. Junior defensive end Chris Kasky of Brookfield blocked a punt and had eight tackles. Senior linebacker/defensive back Johnny Colon of Brookfield added three tackles.

Fenwick football

Fenwick (8-3) advanced to the 6A semifinals with a 49-21 victory over Burlington Central at Triton Colle ge on Saturday. Riverside residents Luke Leone and Will Tomczak, both seniors, played vital roles in the Friars’ victory.

Tomczak caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from Jamen Williams on the g ame’s opening drive Tomczak finished with four rece ptions for 75 yards and has emerged this season as one of Williams’s go-to rece ivers.

Leone, a starting defensive lineman, helped Fenwick’s defense limit Central’s powerful running game to 77 yards.

Senior Connor Wahl of Riverside is the starting center.

Fenwick is in the IHSA state semifinals for the fifth time in program history.

IAN MCLEOD

Fenw ick WR Will Tomczak starts his celly a er scor ing the games rst touchdow n against Burlington Central on Saturday

First state meet for Bulldogs’ Ellis a real crowd-pleaser

Nazareth diver Fleischmann 12th; Fenwick’s Stowe achieves lifetime best

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

For her Riverside Brookfield High School girls swimming finale, senior Maria Ellis made an exception. After all, Ellis was competing at the state meet for the first time.

“Usually I don’t like it when people come to watch me. I get very nervous,” Ellis said. “I was like, ‘You know what? It’s my last year. It’s the state meet. I kind of want people to watch me.’ And my friends said they were coming no matter what.”

Ellis went out with another strong performance as she finished 27th in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:06.67) during Friday’s preliminaries at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont. Her huge personal-best 1:05.92 at the Hinsdale Central Sectional earned the state berth.

An unofficial count of 31 people – family, swim teammates and friends – witnessed Ellis’ second-fastest time ever, again under the 1:07.25 state-qualifying standard.

“I wish I had swam a little bit better, but I can’t be mad with how I did. I still swam my second fastest time ever,” she said.

Ellis had only attended state once as a freshman to briefly watch 2025 RBHS graduate and multiple all-state Hailey Vlcek. Despite being the Bulldogs’ lone competitor, Ellis could sit with teammates from the Bullets Swim Club who competed for third-place Rosary.

“It was definitely harder not having my team on deck,” Ellis said. “The atmosphere, it was super-fun. Usually during club and high school dual meets, there’s not a lot of cheering going on so it was fun seeing the place get super-loud for every swim. That was awesome.”

Ellis especially was grateful considering that she unknowingly competed most of the season with mononucleosis. After feeling sick and sluggish in mid-October, she was tested and diagnosed. She sat out the Oct. 25 Upstate Eight Conference Meet.

“To this day, I still can’t wrap my head around how I managed to have such a great season even with mono,” Ellis said. “When I was perfectly healthy and everything’s OK, I wasn’t going those times so I was shocked.”

Nazareth diving

At sectionals, Nazareth Academy junior diver Ellie Fleischmann was concerned about just returning to the state meet. At state, Fleischmann became only the Roadrunners’ second state finalist and earned all-state honors with 12th place (438.55 points) Saturday.

Nazareth diver Eva Kelly was fourth in 2018 and seventh in 2017.

F leischmann scored 436.00 at sectionals. She progressed from 32nd at state in 2024 (198.45 for 5 dives) behind another year of club training with renowned coach Caiming Xie at the FMC Natatorium and Illinois Chicago.

“I’ve been putting in a lot of effort, going to practices five or six days a week. Also just having a good atmosphere and being friends with all of my teammates [at club] helps,” Fleischmann said. “Whenever I have a lot of friends or more fun at my meets, my performance is better.”

Fleischmann made the 16-diver finals with the 10th-highest score after eight dives (331.45). She gained support Saturday mostly from club teammate and St. Ignatius junior Caitlin Seder, who finished fifth.

“With Ignatius, they always make me feel like I’m part of their team,” Fleischmann said. “I feel like we’re all pretty close. All of the competing divers [Saturday] went to breakfast as we waited for the swimmers. It’s not really that competitive.”

Fenwick swimming

Fenwick sophomore Sam Stowe made the most of her second state trip with the 200 freestyle relay. The Brookfield resident was part of the 19th-place lineup Friday with sophomore Audrey Munley, junior Maeve Ryan and senior Claire Wood (season-best 1:36.82) and contributed a lifetime-best 24.71 split.

“I was a little disappointed because I felt I could have done better, but it was still the fastest I’ve gone, so I’m OK with it,” Stowe said. “I’ve gotten a little better. It’s been a rough season for me but I’m proud of where I ended up.”

Stowe swam the second leg after swimming the opening leg at 2024 state. That 200 free relay (29th in 1:39.15) also included Munley and Ryan.

“It was fun to be in the same relay with most of the same girls,” Stowe said. “It’s kind of been a rough season for us but we’ve really stuck together. It’s just been fun to do it with our best friends.”

MBy

MYTH-BUSTING FEDERAL TAX REFUNDS

ost taxpayers file their federal returns and then eagerly anticipate details about their refund. The best way to check the status of a refund is through the Where’s My Refund tool, the IRS2Go app, or by signing in to the taxpayer’s IRS online account. But many people mistakenly think there are better ways to get their refund status. Here are some of the myths about tax refunds.

Myth: Calling the IRS, a tax software provider or a tax professional will provide accurate refund date.

Many people think talking to the IRS, tax software provider or their tax professional is the best way to find out when they will get their refund. There is no need to call the IRS unless Where’s My Refund? says to do so.

Taxpayers that do want refund info by phone can call the automated refund hotline at 800-8291954. This hotline has the same information as the Where’s My Refund? tool.

Myth: Ordering a tax transcript is a secret way

to get a refund date.

A tax transcript will not help taxpayers find out when they will get their refund. IRS tools like Where’s My Refund? will tell taxpayers if their refund is approved and sent.

Myth: Where’s My Refund? must be wrong because there’s no deposit date yet.

Where’s My Refund? on both IRS.gov and the IRS2Go mobile app are updated once a day, usually at night. Even though the IRS issues most refunds within 21 days, it’s possible a refund may take longer. Taxpayers should also consider the time it takes for the banks to post the refund to their account. People waiting for a refund in the mail should plan for the time it takes a check to arrive. If the IRS needs more information to process a tax return the agency will contact the taxpayer by mail.

Linda Sokol Francis. E.A.

Linda Sokol Francis, E.A.

Landmark, November 19, 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

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:

2026 Pavement Crack Sealing Project

The Work consists of the application of approximately 22,500 pounds of Fiber-Modified Crack Sealing to various asphalt public roadways.

The bidding documents are available for download starting Wednesday, November 19, 2025 at:

www.vrf.us/bids

Bids must be submitted by Friday, December 5, 2025 at 10:00 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 19, 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 ART 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 19, 26, December 3, 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:

2026 Curb and Sidewalk Replacement Program (Various Locations)

This project consists of the installation of approximately 20,000 square feet of PCC sidewalk, 125 linear feet of PCC curb/gutter, 50 square yards of driveway apron, 40 square feet of detectable warnings and other work incidental thereto.

The bidding documents are available for download starting Wednesday, November 19, 2025 at:

www.vrf.us/bids

Bids must be submitted by Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at 10:00 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.

Bidders shall be prequalified by IDOT for: Concrete Construction

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 19, 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:

2026 Street Patching Program

NOTICE OF PROPOSED DISTRICT eLEARNING PLAN FOR OAK PARK AND RIVER FOREST HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 200

As required by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), notice of public hearing and our District’s eLearning Plan are being shared and posted below. The District may utilize eLearning to allow for remote teaching and learning on days when in-person school has been canceled due to inclement weather.

The Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 Board of Education will hold a public hearing on December 4, 2025 immediately after our Committee of the Whole Meeting (scheduled at 7:30 p.m.) in the Board of Education Room 2163 at Oak Park and River Forest High School at 201 North Scoville Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60302. The purpose of the hearing will be to receive public comment on the proposed eLearning Program which, if approved, will permit students’ instruction to be received electronically while students are not physically present in lieu of the District’s scheduled emergency days. This program is allowed under Public Act 101-0012.

The Board of Education intends to adopt the proposed eLearning Program following the public hearing. If approved, the eLearning Program will be implemented for a three-year term. The proposed plan is located here: https://drive. google.com/file/d/1XFdawpcCKbEvwmNxJhmHVPYysuTwiSSy/ view?usp=sharing

You can join the meeting either in person or virtually. To join virtually, please use the Zoom link: https://oprfhs-org.zoom.us/ j/87145969058?pwd=hE6Xc2IE48IqIvArdSKP2wvNJ8xaUb.1 Passcode:691573

Or by visiting the OPRFHS YouTube Page: https://www.youtube. com/@OPRFUtube

Public Comments for this public hearing will be given at the beginning of the Special Meeting:

• Any person desiring to make a live public comment via Zoom will need to submit their name by 4:30 p.m. on December 4, 2025, by going to: https://docs.google.com/ forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeO5dbR9LnFwqGaNl_iax92QBBqDI460GhDPUx2oSyrPyPbbg/viewform

Any person desiring to submit a public comment that will not be read at the meeting, but will be appended to the minutes of the meeting, will need to submit their name and comment by 4:30 p.m. on December 4, 2025, by going to: https://docs.google.com/ fo rms/d/e/1FAIpQLScNjUbtbYtYv-fOpS13karpJFtpZ6C0bA_FJTNPOY8cdiMAzQ/viewform

Published in Wednesday Journal, November 19, 2025

This project consists of the patching of approximately 3,750 square yards of existing, defective asphalt pavement at various locations throughout the Village, as designated by the Civil Engineering Technician.

The bidding documents are available for download starting Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at:

www.vrf.us/bids

Bids must be submitted by Thursday, December 4, 2025 at 10:00 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.

Bidders shall be prequalified by IDOT for: HMA Paving

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 19, 2025

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. Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-6699777.

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA